(Edward's POV)
Despite the circumstances, I couldn't help but feel excited. I had never wanted Bella to be near me when I hunted while she had been human. That would have been far too reckless, too dangerous. She did not yet know what it felt like to have all of your civility be clouded and overtaken by instinct. I knew it would be hard for her, that she would hate to lose control, because we all felt that way. But, while I was unable to help her during her change, here, with this new task, I could. She followed me without resistance as we headed south of the house. I dropped her hand momentarily as we approached the river. Her eyes widened. I laughed.
"It's nothing, Bella…really. You can make it across." I took a few steps forward and then leapt effortlessly across the crystal clear water, landing with a light thud in the grass on the other side. She gawked.
"Edward…you did see me just trying to walk while I was human, right? I can't do this…" She wrung her hands together nervously.
"Bella, love…you are not a human anymore. You're capable of things you never imagined before. It's nearly impossible for you to be clumsy in this body." I reached out a hand, encouraging her.
"Oh…I think I'll find a way…" She joked before taking a few steps back. She gave herself a jogging start. One she didn't need. She overshot the bank on the other side, landing instead ten or twelve feet further into the forest. I hurried to her side.
"See…what did I tell you. It's nothing." Her eyes were wide. With what…fear? My dear Bella had a lot to learn.
"Nothing to you, maybe…" I wrapped my arms around her, again taking in the sweet scent that no longer burned me. I inhaled deeply. "You keep doing that…" She mused.
"You have no idea how lovely you smell, and how wonderful it is to be this close without causes myself any pain." I kissed the top of her head. Her hair was still mussed from the ordeal a few days earlier. I would have to make sure she got a shower when we got back. She lifted her lips to mine, and kissed me for the second time since she had woken. It was such a different feeling than kissing her as a human had been. Not a bad one, no, it was amazing to not have to restrain myself when kissing her anymore. She lifted her arms and secured them behind my head, pulling me closer, if it was possible. I slid my hands down her back, resting them on her hips, pressing our bodies together. She made a tiny whimper and I pulled away.
"Did I hurt you…?" I was confused. As a newborn, she was still much stronger than I was.
"No…no, it was wonderful. I just…" She hesitated and frown a bit. "I want more…" I laughed softly, but stopped when I saw her expression. She was serious.
"Bella…do you honestly believe that I don't want you as much as you want me?" She looked away. I lifted a hand to her chin and pulled her eyes back to mine.
"I love you, Bella. I want you in every way. But here, in a forest…well I may be a vampire, but I'm still a gentlemen. I will not make love to you in the woods…." I paused, reassessing my words.
"Well…not the first time at least." This made her smile. I tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead.
"When?" I chuckled at her again.
"God, Bella…you still have a one track mind."
"Well…no one would blame me. Not with a boyfriend who looks like, well…" She took a step away from me and waved her hand up and down in my direction.
"Boyfriend? Does this mean you've forgiven me for my earlier…indiscretion" I couldn't bring myself to say the words.
"Of course, I forgave you the minute you came back…and as for changing me. I never want you to blame yourself for that. You didn't have a choice." She smiled softly and I felt an overwhelming desire to hold her, but I rethought that action considering how she might take it at the moment. Instead, I responded to her previous statement.
"But…I don't know, Bella…I manage to think about other things…even with a girlfriend who looks like.." I mimicked her motions in her direction. She laughed, and pulled herself back up against me.
"Then, what are you waiting for?" She kissed me again, briefly.
"The right time, Bella. I just got you back from that…that dog, I just-" I stopped. I wanted to ask her something. But I was afraid of the answer. What if that mutt had touched her while I was away. The monster in me growled in protest. I had to know.
"Bella…did he…and you…did you ever…you know, do anything? While I was gone…" I stumbled over the words. Did I want to know? No. I had to know. She seemed to catch my meaning.
"Did we ever…oh. oh…no. No, Edward, we didn't….not that Jake didn't want to be…intimate with me. He was a bit too eager about it, actually. He said he wanted to…" She hesitated again. Maybe the memory was hard for her. But, I was still relieved, she had said no. I grasped her hand to encourage her. "to make me…forget you. Forget everything about you and what you did to me…and I told him that I never wanted to forget you. That made him angry. He tried a few more time, but he gave up eventually." She sighed. I smiled a little, and stroked her jaw line with my fingers, trying to make her feel better, but the monster inside was roaring with pleasure. She hadn't wanted to forget me. She had resisted those impulsive human urges, because she still thought of me, still loved me. She had been waiting for me.
"Well, I'm not going to lie to you, Bella, I'm glad you didn't. That must sound so awful. But the idea of anyone else ever touching you like that, it makes me sick." I shook my head, I was a little embarrassed of myself. Bella wasn't property after all. But she still smiled at me, taking both my hands in hers.
"I was always yours, Edward. Even when you were gone. Even when I thought you didn't love me anymore. Even when I had Jake. He wasn't you. I was empty without you."
"Oh, Bella…I don't know how I was ever able to leave you. I don't know how you could believe that I would ever stop loving you." She kissed me again. Hard. A wave of desire washed over me. I pulled her close. If it took the rest of our eternity together, I would prove to her that I would never stop loving her. She was my life. Suddenly, she pulled away.
"What is it…?" I looked down at her and she smiled at me, looking sheepish.
"I, um…I think I need to hunt now…" I smiled at her, and took her hand again in mine.
"Sorry, Bella…I guess we got a bit distracted…"
"Where are we going to go?" I thought for a moment. I remembered Emmett saying something about a herd of moose not too far up north. Moose. The thought of my tiny little Bella taking down a gigantic bull moose stirred some primal desire in me. Watching her hunt might be too much to handle. It might force me to go back on my promise. I laughed at myself. She turned her face up to mine.
"What? What's so funny?" I smirked.
"Nothing really…I'm just trying to imagine you taking down a moose all by yourself." She pouted a bit. It was adorable. "But, yes…I was thinking moose would be a good first kill. You'd only have to take down one or two to take the edge off your thirst." I smiled at her, watching her expression as she surely imagined herself hunting moose with her bare hands.
"Would you like to run with me, love?" I was excited to share this, one of my greatest joys, with her. She looked back up at me, her eyes alight with anticipation. I grinned at her. Still holding her hand, I took off, and she followed without hesitation. I half expected her to close her eyes, to let me lead her through the forest, but she didn't. Her eyes were wide, bright, excited.
The trees flew by in a green blur. One melding into the next. Our feet never left the ground, but it felt as though we were flying. I knew the experience would be exhilarating for her. It certainly was for me the first time. I remembered it clearly, all those years ago. We ran for a solid fifteen minutes. Never stopping, never tiring or running out of breathe. I was sure she would be doubting her new body's capacity for this activity.
At that moment, I stopped. She stopped with me, not missing a beat. It was like she was already attuned to me. I lifted my head. Inhaling the many scents that flooded the forest. I found the one I was searching for in a fraction of a second. She seemed to mimic my actions, her eyes widened as she caught the scent too. She looked at me. They were close. A few hundred yards to the west. I led her with me until we spotted them in a clearing. It was a small herd. Only five animals. Four females and one, enormous bull moose. The span of his antlers was wider than Bella was tall. I looked at her for a moment. She looked from the bull to me, and nodded. I smirked. So, she would fulfill my little fantasy.
"Do you want me to show you want to do first?" I could see that she was already losing herself a bit. Fighting back her instincts, she shook her head at me. Unable to speak.
"Okay, love…whenever you're ready." I leaned back into my crouch, waiting for her to go first. She looked at me, and mimicked me again. Then her instincts kicked in, took over. She lunged out before I could take another breathe. She was utterly silent as she flew through the air towards her prey. She was magnificent.
Leaping onto the creatures' massive back, placed her delicate hands on either side of the beast, and twisted it's neck swiftly, first to the right, then the left. The poor thing never had a chance. My Bella was a beautiful huntress. She did not waste any time, still clinging to the animal as it fell unceremoniously to the ground. She pressed her soft lips to it's neck and that was the end of it. Her eyes flickered shut and she drained it faster than I would have thought possible.
The females had long since scattered, but I didn't care. I was enthralled with Bella. She may have been a newborn, but her grace was unparalleled. I leapt out into the clearing, approaching her slowly. She stopped suddenly, dropping the bull's head to the ground. I smiled at her frazzled look. Her hair was a mess. Her crimson eyes wide, but the color was dulling, the tiniest bit. There was fur all over her cloths and her lips and cheeks were smeared red. She hissed softly at the sound of my approach, but calmed when she turned and saw me. Regaining her senses. I walked up and pulled her close, leaning my head down, I kissed her softly. She groaned at my restraint and drew me closer to her. I smirked and flicked my tongue across her lips. The blood was still fresh on them. Her smell was so intoxicating, I had to pull back. She frowned at me.
"You're a mess, Bella." She pouted again and pulled away from me. A growl escaped my chest and I grabbed her arms drawing her back into my chest. I knew she had given in, because with her newborn strength, she could have easily broken my grasp.
"Don't get me wrong, I think you're very…." I paused for emphasis. "very attractive like this…but Alice won't agree with me." I chuckled and she smirked.
"Okay fine. We'll go clean up…but you didn't get to hunt…" She looked apologetic for a moment.
"Don't worry about me, I'll make up for it later…but what about you? Have you had enough…we could keep hunting if you want." She thought for a moment and then shook her head at me, a few pine needles that had been lodged in her hair broke free and fell to the ground. I smiled.
"Okay then, let's head back." We were off and running in an instant, the wind flying past us, offering no resistance. We were at the forests edge in ten minutes.
Then panic flooded through me as I caught the unmistakable scent of humans near by. I grabbed Bella just in time, stifling a growl from her. The scent flooded the area around the house. She strained against me, groaning, crying out.
"Oh, god…Edward…it burns. What's happening?" She was pulling against my hold, more forceful now. I breathed out, relieved as Jasper and Emmett hurried down from the house, using their inhuman speed to the advantage. Their expressions were tinged with worry. It was then that I saw the cause of the commotion. Parked out in front of our house. Charlie's cruiser.