Let Me In-Chapter Twelve
Ahhh sweet Ambrosia from the gods could never taste as good as Edward Cullen.
Her lips part as the sharpness of her teeth merely grazes his skin. His blood immediately surfaces from the cut and starts pouring into her mouth.
Isabella can hear Alice asking Edward if he thought this was a good idea.
I know what we're all thinking, shut up Alice. It's an excellent idea.
All falls away as Isabella tastes Edward's blood. It satisfies her on so many levels. She doesn't realize that if she drinks from her soul mate, she is bound to him for eternity. The moment his blood enters into her being, she is his and he is hers. They are mated.
She pulls his wrist closer and laps up every drop. She has never tasted anything so satisfying in all her life. Her body instantaneously starts to heal itself since Edward's blood is so potent to her system. She releases his wrist with a gasp and moves to push herself away from him. This is too addictive; she doesn't ever want to stop.
Edward grabs her hand as she is about to leave. "Bella, I know what you're thinking. Don't do it, don't leave."
Red meets green as they look into each other's eyes. There is only silence. Bella can almost feel Edward's sadness and desperation. It makes it impossible to go but she has to be honest with him.
"Edward, I haven't tasted anything that even compares to your blood. I don't think I can stay here without feeding on you. I have to leave…"
"Then only drink from me, I don't mind. I…I…can't explain it. I can't even…I mean now that you're part of my life, I can't imagine you not being around…I don't even think I'm making sense."
Of course you're not making sense Edward. You've just bonded with Isabella and now you can't be without her…but we're going to let you find out on your own.
"Ok…I can stay for a while but we need to explain what happened here."
Edward wants to argue with her. He wants to convince her that she should never leave him. Yet he cannot find a valid reason for asking a girl he hasn't known for very long to commit herself to him.
So he nods and gives her a smile.
Alice regards the scene around them. "Bella, I don't know what you are or what that guy was but I know you're good. And I think I have an idea of how to explain what happened."
They reluctantly leave Charlie's body in the snow and head back to the car. Alice notes that Edward and Bella walk in sync; they seem to naturally position themselves near each other.
She shakes her head to clear her thoughts as they near the car. She tells Bella and Edward her idea and they both comply.
::::
Soon the flashing lights from police vehicles cover the street. Isabella gives her statement to the police and so do Alice and Edward. Charlie's body is removed and taken to the morgue. There is no evidence that there was a fire because of Isabella's quick clean up of Mason's remains.
Edward calls Carlisle and Esme after they speak with police, then they enter the Cullen home to wait for their arrival. While they are sitting at the dining room table with a few policemen and detectives, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie and Tanya return from the club. They left early because they became worried when Alice and Edward did not return their calls or texts.
That's when Isabella tells the others the fabricated version of what happened to them.
She left the club because she didn't want her father to celebrate New Years alone. She gave Alice an excuse so they wouldn't feel guilty. She was very upset when she found out that her car was stolen but she took an expensive cab ride to her house instead of calling the police and wasting time. She decided that she would file a report in the morning. She was watching television with her father when they were subject to a home invasion. The men who entered their home threatened to rape her and Charlie lost it. Edward and Alice were on their way to find Bella when they thought she was killed after seeing the aftermath of a car accident. They were on their way to tell Charlie in person when they walked in on Charlie fighting with the assailants. They tried to intervene but Charlie put himself between the teenagers and the men. He lost his life defending them. When the men realized that they had killed Charlie, they took off in Edward's car; which could not be found.
Of course Isabella had time to drive the car to questionable neighborhood and run back before the police even arrived. The car is probably being taken apart in a chop shop.
They are horrified when Isabella finishes.
She is still heartbroken over Charlie's death and she blames herself for not being able to save him. Her emotions are evident on her face. They all give her a hug, even Tany,a and they weep as she curls up in the chair and sobs. She covers her face but the heart wrenching sobs that escape her causes everyone to feel her torment.
The detectives insist that Bella be examined by a physician. Edward takes them aside to assure them that no harm was done to her and he will take her to the emergency room himself if he sees anything out of the ordinary. They are not pacified by the seventeen-year old.
Esme and Carlisle walk into their home to see Bella crying and rocking herself in attempt to seek comfort. The other teenagers are weeping while their son speaks to some detectives. Esme voice is a bit frantic, "is Carlie alright? What happened to you kids?"
"Hey mom," Alice runs to give her mother a hug. She feels like she is five years old again and she wants to just be held by her mother. "Carlie is asleep in her room. We sent the babysitter home." Alice doesn't move from her mother's embrace as she looks up at her, "Mom, Charlie was killed tonight."
Esme's eyes immediately travel to the distressed Bella sobbing on the chair. "Oh no," she briefly pulls Alice closer into a tight hug before going to Bella. "Sweetheart, let me see you. Are you hurt?"
Bella continues rocking and cries harder when she hears Esme's voice. She feels Esme's arms embrace her small frame and soon she has her face buried in Esme's shoulder. Before getting to know the Cullens, Bella only focused on how mouthwatering their scent was. Now Esme's scent is comforting.
Carlisle gets the facts from the policemen and the detectives. He notes Bella's tattered clothes and he is about to agree with the other detectives that Bella should be examined but Edward vehemently protests. He doesn't understand why his son is acting this way but he knows that Edward must have a good reason. He dissuades the detectives from forcing Bella to be examined. He makes arrangements to keep Bella. He doesn't want her to become a ward of the state. He also prepares to take over funeral arrangements for Charlie after the autopsy. Carlisle wants to be involved in the investigation. He wants the perpetrators to be caught and punished because he knows that Charlie was all Bella had left.
Soon the detectives and policemen leave. The teenagers also go to their respective homes with heavy hearts. It was an unpleasant way to ring in the New Year.
Esme takes the time to show Bella to the guest room where she will be staying. It's near Edward's room and she can see her house across the street.
Alice, Carlisle and Edward all come in to say good night. Esme is reluctant to leave but Bella insists that she want to shower and be alone for some time. She dresses in Alice's borrowed-clothing after her shower and sits on the bed staring at her home. There is bright yellow police tape across her door and the house looks foreign to her. She shuts the blinds and walks downstairs into the kitchen.
Darkness and silence are her only company.
She sits on a barstool looking at nothing in particular, feeling emotions she has never had to deal with when she hears footsteps descending from the second floor. She can feel him before he enters.
"Sorry, I didn't know you were here. I couldn't sleep either." Edward's voice stirs something inside her. She is so numb from the hurt she feels from losing Charlie that it is refreshing to feel something else.
Bella turns to look at him. His features are beautiful in the darkness and she can hear the blood rushing through his veins. His heart rate is accelerating as she continues to stare at him.
"I don't sleep…ever."
Edward moves closer until he is standing between her legs. He doesn't even question what she just revealed to him. He is too taken with her.
"Are you hungry?" She knows what he's asking but more importantly what he is offering.
"I'm always hungry for you." Isabella's reply causes Edward to swallow nervously. There are layers of meaning within that one sentence.
"You can have me anytime you want."
If I may interject here, I would like to place an order too because I'm sure we're always in the mood for some Edward Cullen; especially when he's offering.
There are no more words as Isabella turns her head and sinks her teeth into his forearm. A gasp escapes Edward and a moan slips from Isabella's lips. She holds his forearm with one hand and pulls him closer with the other but that's not enough…she wraps her legs around him in an attempt to get even closer.
Greedy much? I know, what you're thinking…I'm just jealous…and you're right…I am…aren't you?
Her mind is hazy from his blood and her breathing increases making her chest rise and fall in rapid succession. Edward is fascinated by the simultaneous reactions in both of them. He closes his eyes and savors the feel of his blood leaving his body and entering hers. It's like being in a freefall. It makes him lightheaded. Suddenly she pushes him away, jumping off the stool and turning her back to him. He nearly stumbles and grabs the counter for support.
The lights flicker on in the kitchen, "hey what are you guys doing?"
Carlie's voice is groggy as she rubs her eyes.
"Nothing, just getting some water," Edward comes up with the first excuse that comes to mind.
"I didn't know Bella was sleeping over. Why didn't you guys invite me to your sleepover?"
Carlie's face twisted in a pout and Edward smiled at her. "Sorry, I promise you'll have lots of sleepovers with Bella. Let me get you some water so you can get back to bed."
Carlie notices that Bella doesn't turn around to acknowledge her but she doesn't mind. Edward seems to be one handed tonight. He has his other hand pressed against his body as if he was hurt. She shrugs and takes the water from Edward before heading back to her room. She's too sleepy to care.
Edward grabs Bella's hand. He glances at her red eyes as they silently walk to his room. He knows she didn't want to scare Carlie with her appearance so she kept her back turned. He has so many questions, like how she can control her appearance or why she needs blood. But he doesn't care; as long as she is part of his life, he doesn't care what she is.
He refuses to release her hands even after he shuts his door and enters his dark room. He pulls her to his bed and they both sit in the dark staring at each other.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault you're still bleeding. May I?" Bella looks at his forearm.
She licks the blood that was still pooling from it then uses venom to seal the wound.
"Stay with me tonight."
Her eyes flicker to his as he gets up and changes his shirt. He gets under his covers and pulls her into bed with him. Edward's hand embraces her body, pulling her into a hug. He tangles their legs together until their entire bodies are flushed against each other. His eyes close and he breaths in her scent.
"My Bella…"
Um…maybe one of us should tap Edward on the shoulder to remind him to break up with Tanya before pulling Bella into bed with him. Are there any volunteers?