fter the reception, Edward and I left for our "honeymoon." Everyone besides the Cullens and I knew that we were not actually leaving for the remote Caribbean. In fact, we weren't even going to be leaving Forks for at least 3 days. However, we loaded all of our luggage into the trunk of the Vanquish and I said my last farewells to my mother and father and friends. They were unaware of the fact that this was the last time I would see them, and I kept that fact hidden. I hugged my parents fiercely and told them that I would always love them no matter what. They were both crying and I had to get into the car before I could start sobbing.
We were now driving down the road at Edward's typical insane speed. I had learned to accept that he was not going to crash the car and I relaxed in my seat. I had an idea of where we were going but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to ruin his fun.
We stopped when the road ended and the path began. Edward pulled his car to the side and was holding the door open for me in the same instant that he had shut off the motor. He scooped me up into his arms and then he was running. There was an excited edge to his run, not the typical easy pace he usually kept.
Within seconds we had reached our meadow. The sun was beginning to work its way through the clouds and bathe the meadow in sunlight. Edward's skin sparkled with a million diamonds and my breath caught in my throat. No matter how many times I witnessed it, he continued to take my breath away.
He laid me gently on the ground and lowered himself to lay on my side. He gazed in my eyes with such an intense love that it was impossible to break away. "You have fulfilled your side of the deal Bella. Now its time for me to fulfill mine." And then his mouth was on mine.
He kissed me greedily, pressing himself against me with as much force as my human body could take. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed his face against mine. Before I knew what had happened, he had rolled on top of me and was kissing me still more fiercely. My breathing became ragged and he moved his lips to kiss my neck and collarbone. He deftly unbuttoned my blouse and I shrugged my arms out of the cloth. He broke the kiss for a moment to pull his own shirt over his head. I stared at his bare chest, barely believing that this god wanted me like this.
He resumed his greedy kissing on my body and slowly slid the rest of my clothes off. Edward removed the rest of his without breaking the kiss and hovered over me. There was a hesitant look in his eyes and I knew what he was thinking. "I trust you. I know that you will not hurt me," I whispered to him.
He seemed to take slight comfort from that statement and a look of deep concentration came over his face. "I promise that I will never hurt you again," he quietly said as he lowered his body against mine.
I would never forget that afternoon that had fulfilled my last wanted human experience. We had laid in the grass for a long time afterwards kissing and talking. It had hurt slightly, but not with the kind of pain that would kill me. Edward was infinitely gentle and he had fulfilled his promise not to harm me. He had also fulfilled my demand and I was ready to become his partner for eternity.
We had shrugged back into our clothes and run gracefully back to the car. We now stood outside the Cullen house in the twilight of the evening. He looked at me with hesitant eyes but I simply glowed back at him. "I'm ready," I plainly stated.
He nodded his head the slightest bit and led me through the open front door. The house was empty it seemed, but Edward called to his adoptive father. "Carlisle," he called in a conversational tone.
Suddenly the beautiful doctor was standing next to me. "Hello Bella. Welcome home," he grinned at me. Those words comforted me beyond reason and I relaxed in Edward's hold.
"She's ready Carlisle," Edward stated. Carlisle simply nodded and left the room for a second. He returned carrying his doctor's bag. I panicked at the sight of it, wondering why Carlisle would need his equipment.
Edward felt my body tense. "Don't worry Bella. Carlisle is just going to give you some morphine so you don't have to feel as much pain." I simply nodded and allowed myself to be led upstairs to Edward's room. He steered me over to the bed where I laid down on my back. I looked up at him with reassuring eyes as I felt a sudden pinch in my arm. Before long, a numbness began to spread through my body.
Edward looked down at me with doubt but I just smiled up at him. "This is what I want. I want to spend the rest of time with you and no one else," I said through groggy lips.
He simply nodded and lowered his lips to my neck. I felt his hesitation and then there was a strong pressure on my neck. Then the pressure was gone after a moment and I closed my eyes as that pressure resurfaced on both my wrists and my ankles. I heard him pull away, gasping for air. And it was then that I knew that he had not killed me and I would soon be a vampire with him.
Suddenly the fire started. It felt like someone was burning me alive over hot coals. I screamed with such pain that I did not think I could bear it. My eyes flew open and I found his horrified gaze. "No, no, no! I promised I would never hurt you again! What have I done?!" He began to shake his head back in forth in fury and I couldn't understand why my angel was so upset. This is what I had wanted and he had given it to me.
"Edward, please don't. This is what I wanted. Now please just stay with me," I whispered through strained lips. It hurt to even talk.
"I don't think I will be able to give her any more morphine Edward. This is going to have to be how it is. She is strong. She will be fine. Just stay by her side and comfort her." I heard Carlisle exit the room after that statement. Edward laid down next to me and pulled my shuddering body into his arms.
"I love you Bella. I am so sorry for hurting you. The pain will all be over soon," he murmured into my hair.
I simply cringed against his chest and waited for it all to be over.