Continued...

Edward returned home long after dark. It didn't take much effort on his part to take possession of the desired land.

Intimidation often acted as a form of persuasion. An extra bushel of money helped, too.

As he entered the hallway, the shuffling and hobbling from the grand hall caught his attention. Who would be loitering around at this hour… whom else but Isabella.

Her defiance baffled him, for he had expressly told her not to move about until her foot was better.

Silent as a feline, he snuck up to her and watched her actions intently. She was eating an apricot while observing her foot on the first step of the staircase.

"Did you forget about your promise?" he uttered loudly from behind, making her whole body quake.

She lost her balance and fell back against him, the apricot rolling off her fingers and onto the floor. His hands were on her waist already, turning her around to face him.

"Edward," she gasped, her eyes wide. "You… scared me."

"You deserved it." He peered at her with narrowed eyes. "What are you doing here? I told you not to—"

"I was hungry," she replied quickly, denying him the chance to repeat his orders. "And my foot feels just fine."

He moved away from her and crossed his arms over his chest. "Then stand on your sprained foot only."

She glowered at him and stumbled back to lean against the carved banister. Edward waited for her, certain that she wouldn't be able to do what he had just asked her to.

Isabella winced as she shifted her weight on her injured foot, and Edward had his answer.

"It is… a little tender," she admitted but then returned to her prior defence, "But I'm feeling much better. And I can walk normally."

He raised his eyebrows in challenge, and she pried her eyes away from him.

"I wanted to eat some apricots," she said, pointing at the half-eaten fruit lying close to her feet. "They were downstairs, so…"

"Why did you send the house staff away?"

"I didn't need them."

It was Edward's turn to glower at her. Her face became defiant then as he moved towards her again.

"May I ask what took you so long?" she blurted quite irately, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Isabella's tendency to ask the most unexpected questions was beginning to bother him.

In faux nonchalance, he bent down and picked up the apricot. Isabella stared at him with curious eyes as he went to the kitchen to throw it away.

"Negotiations, Bella," he replied finally after he was back from the kitchen, a bowl full of apricots in his hands. "There were other coveters as well, for the land I desired to procure. I had to subjugate their efforts."

A small smirk lightened her face as he explained how he bought, or rather snatched one Lake Pleasant away from the Fords.

"Quite a terror you must have caused," she said, turning for the stairs.

He wondered if she was being merely jocular with her quip.

"Well, do I terrorize people?" he asked, clutching her wrist and pulling her back towards him.

Isabella's expression changed, her eyes becoming wary. "It depends," she said softly, "on your mood. But yes, you can be very menacing when you want to be."

"Do I terrorize you?" He looked deeply into her brown eyes, already dreading the approaching reply.

Her breaths came out in slow, shallow exhales as she returned his gaze. "Sometimes, yes."

"I didn't mean to…"

"Oh…?" Her tone was challenging, mocking even.

She was just in her indignation; his intimidating ways hadn't always been unintentional, especially not with her. Yet he felt justified in his means, because that was the only way he could have her.

So he approached her with caution and humour. "I apologise, for doing it both intentionally and inadvertently."

Her curious gaze didn't change.

"Are these for me?" she asked after a moment's silence, nodding towards the apricots.

Edward sighed at her crafty evasion. "Yes, weren't you hungry?"

"You scared the hunger away," she shrugged, slyly attempting to pull her hand out of his grip.

"You broke your promise," he accused, placing the bowl on the banister to free his other hand. An urge to smoothen her tangled hair was growing within him.

Isabella narrowed her eyes at him, full of silent accusations. "I didn't even realize when, or what I promised."

He couldn't hide the impish smile that broke across his face.

"Are you thinking of distracting me again?" she dared him, her voice lowering into a whisper, a hint of a blush forming on her cheeks.

Without another word spoken, she was lifted off the floor and thrown over his shoulder.

"Oh!" she gasped in surprise—the desired reaction on his part.

Edward seized the apricots and carried Isabella upstairs to his room effortlessly. She didn't utter a single noise of protest, and that had him amazed.

Once safely deposited on the bed, she watched him warily as he handed her the precious bowl of apricots. She settled the bowl in her lap and stared at it as though there was nothing more fascinating than the foul-smelling fruits it held.

Her heart was palpitating with an ever-increasing beat, a music he would never get tired of. Yet, he knew why she was suddenly edgy.

"Bella," he prompted her to look at him as he sat down beside the bed, taking her injured foot in his hands. "I'm sorry…"

There was nothing else he could say to articulate his intentions better. He had hurt her the last time she had graced his room with her presence.

Isabella closed her eyes and shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. You were in pain as well. I'm just… displeased that you kept the truth from me."

Edward flinched. Suddenly, truth had become his greatest nemesis.

"Edward?" she reached for his hand, her eyes conveying understanding for his pain… for a lie. "I don't pity you, and I don't see you with a jaundiced eye. I'm rather relieved to know the truth, otherwise… I kept wondering."

He brought her hand to his lips and planted a reprieved, thankful kiss on her knuckles. Words wouldn't do justice to the sentiments he felt. Isabella was forgiving and kind.

"And, I wanted to apologise as well." Isabella picked up an apricot and rolled it in her hand.

"For what?"

"For not acknowledging you as my family."

A sudden rush of warmth flooded his dead heart, a feeling so foreign that he was amazed at its intensity.

"It happens," he smiled, planting another kiss on her delicate fingers. "Perhaps with time, you'll miss me too."

"Why would I miss you?" she wondered aloud, returning his smile with her own. "You only miss the ones who are away from you."

Her ever-present wit lightened the moment, and Edward was thankful that he had her. "You are right. I don't think I can stay away from you."

She curled her fingers around his and attempted to draw him to her. He acquiesced, knowing how impossible it would be for her to accomplish it.

He pulled her into his lap as he climbed into the bed, ignoring the fire that raged in his throat as he kissed her.

All caution was forgotten as Isabella's warm and inviting mouth pulled him in. The kiss distracted Edward from his initial hesitance and worry, leading to a situation where Isabella was lying on top of him, cradled in his arms.

"The apricots," he muttered breathlessly against her lips, feeling the need to throw the offending fruits away, if not for her hunger's sake.

The bowl was now lying upside down on their bed, the apricots scattered around them.

Isabella paid no heed to his words. She just squirmed against him and shifted to nuzzle his neck, her rapid, hot breaths creating a cloud of her scent around him.

Edward was unable to form a coherent thought.

His hands were gripping her nightgown around her waist, the cloth too delicate to stand the strain. He could hear the strands straining and coming apart.

The slow ripping noise alerted Isabella, and she gasped when she looked down.

"You… tore my nightdress," she mumbled numbly, gaping at his hands, which were still holding the shreds.

Enough apologies had been made tonight, and Edward didn't care to repeat them again. Isabella was still looking dazedly at the tatters when he nudged her on her back and settled above her.

Her trembling hands clutched his shoulders as he claimed all of her exposed skin with his lips. The flames in his throat craved the balm of her blood, pulsing just beneath the surface of her creamy skin. They were denied.

When one of his roaming hands encountered an apricot, he was reminded of her human needs.

He grabbed the fruit and brought it to her lips. She stared at him in surprise but didn't bite, which frustrated him.

"Eat." he nudged the fruit between her lips, and she shook her head.

"I'm not hungry anymore," she protested, trying to shove the fruit away.

"Please," he whispered in a pleading, yearning voice. That seemed to weaken her stance.

Edward watched with carnal interest as she nibbled and sucked at the juicy flesh of the apricot. Some of its juice trickled down her chin and across her neck, but he didn't care to wipe it. Another apricot was offered to her once she finished with the first.

Her eyes remained locked with his as she ate, the passion flowing between them without restraint.

Full with five apricots, Isabella refused to eat any more. Edward traced her juice-coated lips with his thumb, marvelling at the silken feel of them. He dove in for another kiss, the taste of apricots not tasting at all awful on her saccharine mouth.

Isabella breathed into him, and his throat constricted with burning thirst. Restraint was excruciating as he struggled to contain his hunger for her. But Isabella was not to be hurt, not in the very least. She was to be pleased…

More shredding ensued as Edward channelled his frustration on her clothes. A muffled, uneasy giggle escaped her lips, and then she shivered as his hands reacquainted themselves with her glorious body.

Cold… Edward blanched, remembering how his skin must feel to her. But then a string of heavy breaths escaped her, overwhelming his senses while her hands pulled him closer to her.

He didn't want to leave her warmth…

Isabella soon ran out of breath, so he left her mouth and latched onto her bosom. She bit her lip and closed her eyes as he parted her legs. A growl threatened to break loose from within him as his fingers pressed into her familiar heat.

Her hands gripped his hair as he pleasured her slowly. He was enjoying each of her responses, especially the soft cries that escaped her lips.

"Heaven, Bella…" he breathed into her chest as he felt her body tightening in knots.

Her eyes opened and stared back at him, desire merging with disorientation. He was sure he looked the same to her.

With his name on her lips, Isabella's whole frame convulsed with pleasure. Edward would never tire of seeing her in the throes of ecstasy… he couldn't find anything more beautiful in that moment.

Isabella's eyes were clenched shut in bliss… and in apprehension.

She was aware of the various sounds whispering around her, but she chose to ignore them and lie dormant. The creaking bed, the rustling of clothes, and the even breaths of her husband gave her ample indication of what lay ahead.

Flushes of heat and drafts of cold lapped at her in turns as she thought of the approaching intimacy.

It was an essential part of a couple's shared life, pleasurable even. Yet, Isabella couldn't fight the sudden panic that was rising in her chest.

She had encountered pain the previous time Edward was intimate with her. It could very well end in the same terrible way…

A light stroke on her cheek prompted her to open her eyes.

Edward was gazing at her with a look so fervent; she thought she might melt like beeswax. His dark, hooded eyes were conveying everything that his silence wasn't.

He didn't want to hurt her, he wanted intimacy and conjugal bliss.

She would try… perhaps it would hurt a bit, but try she would. The assurance given by Alice, that pleasure would follow the initial struggle, was her only hope.

Slow and tentative, anxious yet attentive, Edward pressed into her, his eyes growing darker as he sank within her.

Her body resisted to adjust, and Isabella fisted the bed sheets as the stinging pain grew between her legs. She closed her eyes and willed herself to endure.

Above her, Edward groaned and shuddered, but he didn't hasten his approach. Isabella was thankful for that.

"Is it… is it hurting?" he asked in a strangulated voice as another shudder passed through him.

Her eyes flew open, staring straight into Edward's charcoal irises. The strange quaking of his body travelled into hers, and she gasped… in unmistakable pleasure.

"Uh!" she uttered in surprise as the delicious sensation grew and overshadowed the pain.

And then she felt him retreating, with muffled mutterings on his lips. So she did what instinct told her to; she let go of the sheets and seized his neck.

"Edward," she whispered, trying to pull him back with as much strength as she possessed in the moment. "No… don't leave."

He responded with a questioning expression, his eyes blinking rapidly. It appeared as though he was struggling to comprehend her words, or even her actions. And she couldn't be certain, but he seemed to be in pain as well.

Another attempt to draw him back to her, and at long last he relented.

She crushed her lips to his cold ones, warming them with her heated breaths as her entire self wrapped around him, accepting him within her and adjusting to him.

He stayed still for a long time, murmuring to himself mostly. Isabella was thankful for the effort on his part, even though she hardly understood the struggle.

It was a bizarre experience, the feeling of being joined with another, sensing each of his movements as though he were a part of her.

Slowly, Edward came alive again. His lips carved their own path on her, and she found herself enjoying how they felt on her skin. Special attention was paid to her neck, with his tongue making meaningless designs on it.

The pleasure grew, numbing the pain, giving Isabella the first glimpse of connubial delights. She trembled uncontrollably as a sweet, tantalizing anticipation grew inside her, stronger than when Edward's fingers had pleasured her.

Edward's frame was shaking again, his head nodding sideways as though he sought some sort of relief. Their eyes locked once more, and suddenly, Isabella saw something else in his expression.

He was glowering, just the same as that pain-filled night she had truly forgotten by now. Disturbed, she closed her eyes and mumbled his name, hoping to erase her mind off the troubling thoughts.

Then, as his movements became more frenzied, she held on tightly to his shoulders, ignoring the rumbling noises coming from his chest.

"Bella, I'm losing myself…" he growled in her ear as he buried his head into the pillows. "Warm, no ugh, no!"

His words became incomprehensible and muddled then as they moved together, staccato and out of breath.

His hands were clutching her in a vicelike grip, fingers digging into her skin. But she hardly noticed, for she was soaring to a peak of aching pleasure.

All sensations merged into each other, and she could no longer tell where one began or where the other ended. It was blinding, like seeing a bright sun emerging from behind the clouds…

For what seemed like an eternity, neither of them moved.

Relief… wonder… pride… exhaustion… all had a claim on Isabella. Somewhere, something had changed within her. Her relationship with Edward had achieved a new definition.

Edward freed himself from the confines of her arms and shifted to her side. After all the passionate embraces they had just shared, this moment felt awkward and strange.

Isabella deliberately didn't meet his gaze, owing to shyness.

"Bella," he murmured softly in her ear, "are you feeling fine?"

"Yes." An involuntary yawn broke through her lips. Her eyelids were beginning to feel heavy, making her vision bleary.

She heard him sigh and wondered how he may be feeling. She was suddenly very timid of asking him the same.

"Sleep," he whispered, as he pulled a quilt over them her like a cocoon.

His slow, even breaths were like a reassuring lullaby, and soon enough, Isabella slipped into a deep slumber.

Edward appraised Isabella in the misty morning light while she slept like the dead, unaware of his gaze. He had worn her out last night, and he was remorseless for it.

Pride was the only dominant emotion in him in this moment, with traces of affection towards his wife. He had coped well; the bloodlust was overcome.

It wouldn't be as difficult to administer control as it had been up till now. He had learnt the art of channelling and deflecting his bloodlust last night.

Isabella stirred and turned on her back, but nothing in her movement served to rouse her. She hadn't moved at all during the night, sleeping curled up to one side. Edward had ventured out for a hunt during the night, taken a bath afterwards, but she had slept just the same.

As the morning matured, Edward thought about waking her up, but something in her serene expression kept him from doing so. Before leaving her side, he leaned into her neck and took a deep breath, inhaling her rich scent, now mixed with his.

One long breath was not enough, and he found himself craving more after each gulp. Of all his actions, this one brought Isabella out of her slumber.

Her eyes blinked a few times as she took notice of her surroundings, looking disoriented and beautiful.

"Edward?" she uttered his name as a query, her voice garbled with sleep.

"Yes, Bella," he responded, tentative yet smug, courting a wide smile.

"Ummmhh…" she seemed confused, "why am I covered in feathers?" She sat up, conscious to clutch the quilt to her chest, and brushed a few white fluffs off herself.

His smile faded.

"Well, you're not covered in them," he tried to explain, feeling flustered. "Only a few here and there…"

He had forgotten about the feathers, the ones that had slipped out of the pillow he had bitten in the throes of passion.

Isabella didn't seem satisfied with his half-hearted explanation. He didn't know what to say… since telling her that he bit the pillows to save her wouldn't be very wise.

"Did you…" she blushed scarlet as she spoke, "shred a pillow as well?"

"I may have," he replied noncommittally. "How are you feeling?"

As if her blush wasn't scarlet enough, she reddened further. "I think I'm… fine."

A look of uncertainty crossed her features, but it faded as soon as it had appeared. Her silent mind taunted him just like that because, like usual, he had not a whiff of her thoughts.

She looked out the window, and her nose creased in what seemed like… displeasure. He worried what might have caused her mood to change.

"I slept too long," she confessed, alleviating his uneasiness at her expression. "Angela will be here soon, along with Mrs. Webber."

Edward raised an eyebrow, surprised that she hadn't mentioned the visiting party to him up until now. "Why?"

Isabella's eyes regarded him curiously. "Because she is a friend?"

"Oh." He had to constantly remind himself of her social life, something he didn't possess on his own.

"She wanted to see if my foot was any better." Isabella shook her head slightly. "A messenger came by yesterday while you were visiting Lake Pleasant, carrying her long drawn letter to me."

Edward nodded, although he didn't understand the need for a letter. Angela could have come by herself. Then again, humans had strange ways.

"I'll let you get ready, then," he said, moving out of the bed and towards the door. "And I'll send Margot in to assist you."

Isabella sighed unwillingly. "I'm all right. I don't need help. Please, Edward?"

He had to relent because her expression was too beseeching to be ignored. But he kept a close scrutiny through his supreme hearing, observing her movements for any signs of distress. The resultant effect of expanding his hearing range was that the entire manor clamoured inside his head, with various thoughts and noises he'd block otherwise.

Edward winced and groaned in pain for the next hour, suffering for the sake of Isabella's safety. And he thanked the heavens when she finally emerged from her room, her face still holding the blush of an hour ago.

The Webbers arrived soon after.

Greetings and pleasantries were earnestly exchanged, some polite conversations were initiated. Edward was learning to act more human once again.

Isabella was watching him with a keen eye while he interacted with the guests. He would brush his fingers against hers from time to time, seeking the comfort of her touch. And even though she sat awkwardly next to him, quiet in her mannerisms, her tell-tale flushes let him know how she felt.

Angela seemed to notice the change in their demeanours, surprising Edward with her attentive human mind. To her, Isabella seemed happy and content… glowing even.

Edward's lifeless heart soared with delight.

"Angela was very insistent on seeing you, Isabella," Mrs. Webber commented fondly, "she still feels responsible for your sprained ankle."

The memory of Isabella's fall came forth in Angela's mind, and Edward finally had the opportunity to see the exact events of that day.

Along with her clumsy stumbling, he saw her saviour. Edward remembered that face, and even the name attached to it. Begrudgingly, he had to accept Alice's speculation—that the Quileute boy had done him kindness by saving Isabella from a deadly fall.

"Oh, I'm fine, it's not much of a problem," Isabella assured in a timid voice, avoiding everyone's eyes. "Edward has been very attentive. He didn't let me put strain on my foot, so it has healed rather quickly."

"I am assuming that you couldn't move around much?" Mrs. Webber enquired, feeling compassionate.

Isabella nodded and peeked at Edward. "I stayed in my room most of the time."

"But didn't it get dreary for you," Angela wondered, feeling forlorn by the thought of it, "I don't think I would have stayed put."

"It did get dreary…" Isabella frowned, "when Edward wasn't there."

"Oh?" Angela was surprised by her honesty. "Which means… he kept you distracted from your pain."

Mrs. Webber's thoughts turned disapproving towards her daughter, as did her glare. Angela, though, wasn't bothered. She was feeling ecstatic for Isabella.

"We played chess," Edward lied, to keep Isabella from turning bright red.

"Of course," Angela grinned, her mind conjuring a few rather impish impressions on his part.

Isabella glowed bright red regardless. Edward had to suppress a chuckle.

He gave Angela a warm smile, knowing how much relief she felt to see that Isabella was well taken care of.

Tea was served shortly, giving Isabella a chance to avoid the prying eyes of the two visiting ladies.

"How is Mr. Webber doing?" Edward asked then, to deviate the conversation away from Isabella, since she was looking extremely self-conscious. "I would have liked if he had accompanied you two."

The answer to that question wasn't what he was expecting.

"Oh, he's not here. He has gone out of Clallam County," Mrs. Webber replied somberly, "to see his relative, Mr. Crawford, from whom we haven't heard in months."

Angela's thoughts became rather irate, but she wasn't the focus of Edward's attention in that moment. All he saw was Isabella, her suddenly stiffened shoulders and quivering hands. The teacup in her hand rattled, prompting him to take it from her.

"He hasn't replied to any of our letters, so we were a bit worried for him," Mrs. Webber continued, oblivious to Isabella's edginess.

"But mother, he travels a lot," Angela muttered, her narrowed eyes silently communicating with her mother. They both knew why and to where Henry travelled the most. "Perhaps that's why he couldn't reply…?"

"There's no harm in checking on him," Mrs. Webber countered coolly.

The silence that followed was so claustrophobic, Edward felt like he actually needed some relieving air.

Angela noticed Isabella's nervous mannerisms. "Issy, are you all right?"

Isabella glanced at Edward as she replied, telling Angela that she was fine. Edward gave her a reassuring smile, but deep down a fear lurked inside his conscience.

Isabella was so greatly affected by a mere reminder that this man, who had assaulted her at one point, was dead. How would she react if she ever got to know that Edward had killed him, and that too with utmost brutality?

The thought filled Edward with unease, prompting him to block it. Besides, he was certain that she would never discover the truth about Henry's death.

Angela's mind was still not settled since Isabella appeared to be growing paler. Edward could see her getting suspicious, so he tried to end the impromptu tea party.

"Well," he began, turning his persuasive gaze towards the two visitors, "I think Bella here needs some rest." Standing up with an air of finality, he gave the subtle indication that the visit was over.

Isabella seemed frozen in her place, but as Angela came up to give her a parting kiss, she reciprocated with a faint smile.

When the Webbers left, Isabella insisted on staying in the grand hall only, citing a needful change in surroundings. Edward relented but not before giving her a piece of his mind.

"Bella, what is the matter with you?" You act as though you've seen a ghost any instance anyone happens to mention that—" he paused, reining his anger in, for he didn't want to scare her again, "…you know who."

Isabella peered at him with guilty eyes. "I'm sorry, I—"

He raised his hand in the air, effectively halting her unnecessary apologising.

"You will not dwell upon that incident, do you listen to me?" he demanded. "Not anymore, Bella. I will not tolerate it."

She nodded, her eyes beginning to tear up. Edward disliked the tears, for he essentially didn't know how to handle crying humans.

He decided he needed to leave the manor for sometime, to let his rage burn through him in the surroundings of a deep forest. Besides the rage, there was also a feeling of dread to be dealt with.

Do let me know how their real first time was (old timey lemons and all that Jazz). ;P

I wanted to share this bit of good new with ya'll. My entry-Danse Macabre won the 2nd place in the Darkward Vampfic Contest. So I thank you all for supporting it. I'll be continuing it later, sometime in Jan.

Also, the nomination time for the Eddies and Bellies has begun. Go and nom your favourite stories. - www[dot]thecatt[dot]net

To interact with the mommy of these awards(WTVOC) and other lovelies, visit - www[dot]adifferentforest[dot]com. I often hang around there for fun times.

And if you love all vampire fiction, check out - myvampfiction[dot]com

NOTES-

Lake Pleasant is an actual location. Yeah, well, its privately owned, so there goes my disclaimer on Edward's claim. Lol

The expression 'Jaundiced eye' - It was once believed persons suffering from the medical condition jaundice saw everything as yellow. By extension, the jaundiced eye came to mean a prejudiced view, usually rather negative or critical.

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