I don't own anything Twilight. That belongs to the great Steph Meyer. I just like to make Peter beat on Edward a little bit. SM would kill me if she knew.

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I know a lot of you like to hear from Peter, but Bella had some things to say about her ordeal. I hope she doesn't disappoint you guys. Let me know.

Crimson Knight

Chapter 8

Bella's Pov

I couldn't breathe, and for the life of me, I couldn't move. My body was abandoning me there against the wall to die. It wouldn't fight him. A part of me wanted to die by his hands; another part of me needed to die to stay with him for eternity.

The murderous look in Edwards's eyes as he held me there against the wall left me in a trance. He was fascinating and frightening all at the same time, but my heart wouldn't let me die like that.

I managed to scream out, "No! Edward, stop, don't do this! Put me down."

He just clenched harder around my neck and growled at me.

As his teeth pierced thru the skin on my neck, I screamed, "No! Not like this….not like this!"

I felt my body becoming numb as darkness fell over me. Was it the lack of oxygen? Or was it the blood being sucked out of my very soul, dragging me down to the depths of hell?

"I love you. Pl…..ease st…op…Ed….ward," I begged.

But he held me there so still. I was slipping away; I felt myself floating as if on a breeze as the pain left my body, and I floated away.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"You know I'm such a fool for you. You got me wrapped around your finger, ah, ha, ha. Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?"

My alarm woke me from this horrible nightmare as Linger by The Cranberries played on the radio.

For two nights now, I'd had the same dream. For two horrible nights, Edward was killing me while I professed my love for him. For two nights, he was killing me and not in the good way.

A good way? Come on now, Bella, are you starting to lose your mind completely, as well? Was there really a good kind of dying? I guess I had to admit to myself that if I felt that dying to live forever as a vampire was a good way to die, then, yeah, maybe there was a good way to die.

I laid there quietly watching the clouds float by my window as I thought about what had happened two days ago; the Saturday that turned my world upside down.

We were having fun, and then Edward just….he just snapped. He wasn't the Edward I knew at that moment, and then I was flying thru the air. He held me so tight against the wall; I was so afraid he was really gonna hurt me. Now, because of his loss of control, I now had to hide this hand print bruise on my neck till it faded enough that I didn't have to cover it with make-up or something.

It was a constant reminder of what Edward had told me when I first admitted to him that I knew what he was. He'd told me on many occasions that he was dangerous, and I shouldn't want to be around him. He even admitted to thirsting for my blood. I guess this is the reason why he tried to push me away in the beginning.

"Oh, I thought the world of you. I thought nothing could go wrong. But I was wrong. I was wrong. If you, if you could get by, trying not to lie, Things wouldn't be so confused and I wouldn't feel so used, but you always really knew, I just wanna be with you."

That morning, though, when he came to pick me up to go to his house, he even tried to get me to stay home. I pretty much demanded that we go; I wanted to see Alice. I missed my friend, and I enjoyed seeing her every chance I could outside of school. I liked spending time with all of them; they're like the family I never had.

It wasn't his family that he was particularly trying to avoid that day; it was Jasper's brother, Peter. Edward had said they had a visitor who was not accustomed to having humans around on a regular basis, and it wouldn't be safe for me to be around him. That he was afraid for my well-being was just one of the tactics he used to try and keep me away.

"But I'm in so deep. You know I'm such a fool for you. You got me wrapped around your finger, ah, ha, ha. Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?"

Peter, I sighed just at the thought of his name.

I had been completely mesmerized by Edward when I first saw him in the cafeteria at Forks High School all those months ago. He was beautifully perfect in every way, so perfect that it left me feeling flawed and not worthy of his affections at times. Edward was everything I had always thought I wanted; he was well mannered and respectful of me. He even saved me from Tyler's van in the parking lot at school and then again in Port Angeles from those guys who were after me.

"And I'm in so deep. You know I'm such a fool for you. You got me wrapped around your finger, ah, ha, ha. Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?"

That fateful Saturday when I walked into the Cullen home, I was met with the most beautiful set of crimson eyes I had ever seen. Granted, I'd never seen crimson eyes before now, but they were still beautiful none the less. Edward had warned me when we were pulling up to the house that Peter had red eyes, and I had no idea at the time that a vampire's eye color changed with the choice of blood in their diet.

Finally, after I pulled myself away from Peter's gaze, I took a good look at him. He was very tall, taller than Edward, even. When Edward said that Peter was Jasper's brother, I was expecting a boy who looked very similar to Jasper in every way, tall, blonde, nicely built in the muscle department. But I was completely caught off guard by the giant hunk of a man that stood by Jasper's side; I felt my heart skip a beat just at the sight of him.

"You know I'm such a fool for you. You got me wrapped around your finger, ah, ha, ha. Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?"

Peter was not a boy by any definition. He was probably in his mid-twenties when he was changed. His dark brown hair was in waves of curls and was a bit long at the top. None of the Cullen men had beards or facial hair when they were changed, and I don't know of any other vampires to compare to, but Peter had facial hair in the means of a well kept short beard. I must have been caught ogling because Peter winked at me. I couldn't help but be a bit embarrassed about being caught staring when I just met the guy.

Peter, the human drinking vampire, had been my savior that night in more than one instance, as well. Edward was the reason I was in harm's way to begin with. I've never seen Edward jealous or enraged before, but for some reason he was acting this way toward Peter, and it just didn't seem right.

Peter was there with the family, and we were simply talking about playing the video game. It's not like we were out alone doing something we shouldn't have been, well at that time we weren't. Sigh.

It was like one second Peter and I were talking and the next second I was pinned against the wall by Edward with him snarling in my face. I didn't register anything else until Peter grabbed me and punched Edward in the face. He used so much force Edward went flying thru the air away from me. I was curled around his body, and we were out in the forest swinging thru the trees. Peter was swinging us thru the trees like some sexy Tarzan.

I cried along the way. I was so scared that Edward was going to hurt me. I cried because I didn't know if he was hurt when Peter hit him or not. I knew that from what Edward had told me that vampires are pretty much indestructible. I held onto Peter so tight around his neck and his torso with my legs that if he had to breathe, there was no way he could've with me attached to him like that.

I don't know how long we had been perched in that tree till I settled down enough to take in our new location high on the branch. I didn't know I was cut and bleeding, or I would've made him put me down before then. I felt like such an idiot. You're such an idiot, Bella! How could I have been hurt like that and bleeding all over this vampire and not know? Only me. I shook my head to myself because how dumb was that?

I knew nothing of Peter or how he came to be or how his life was before being a vampire, but here I was, this little nothing of a human, in a house full of vampires. I was bleeding all over myself, and he took me away from the dangers within; because, as it turns out, Peter was not a danger to me at all like Edward said. Edward became the danger to me at that moment.

I never intended to ask Peter to seal my cuts in that friggin' tree. It just came out, like I had no brain-to-mouth filter as it would seem, or if I did, I didn't want to listen to it. Huh, how in the world he said yes to that, I'd never know. Why the heck did I even feel comfortable with him doing that anyways?

Peter's eyes. Peter's hands. Peter's tongue. Sigh, I'm screwed. Geez, Bella, you really are a danger magnet, girl. You fell for a boy who turns out to be a vampire of all things, and then you went and got injured by said vampire boy only to end up in a tree with another vampire licking your open bleeding wounds caused by vampire boyfriend. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!

Over the last few months as our relationship progressed, Edward told me many times when I would try to push our physical relationship to its boundaries that a physical relationship with him was not likely to happen. That he could simply lose control and kill me, and he didn't want to risk it. So, I would get so worked up by him many nights and nothing would happen; he'd always pulled away from me.

But here I sat in a friggin' tree somewhere in the Cullen's forest having a human-drinking vampire that I didn't know from Adam lick my bleeding wounds to seal them up. This was the most erotic thing to ever happen to me. It trumped every night I shared with Edward combined! This one moment trumped them all. If Edward wasn't able to touch me like that, then how could Peter? Peter didn't seem to have a problem being with me physically anyway.

I was so lost in the moment and Peter's eyes that I was incoherent a few times. I lost myself to him. His hands on me felt like silk caressing my skin. The way he made my body feel; the things he made me feel. Sigh. He was simply amazing. There were so many other words I could use to describe him; Peter was gorgeous, strong, smart, funny, sweet and caring to me. I love, love, lovehis eyes, and I love the way the sun reflected off his scared skin, naked muscles, and chest. Sigh.

I felt so embarrassed when we finally got down from that tree. Peter had ripped my panties off of me. That was hot, but I kinda liked those ones. He needed to carry me back to the house and I had a skirt on and no panties! It felt so weird and wonderful at the same time; Peter carried me against his chest with my legs wrapped around his stomach and hips again. He growled a bit when we started running. It was so sexy. I was not sure if he was angry at something or what, but his growls were….sigh. I have no words for how they made me feel.

Peter said he was happy that he was able to cause Edward pain like he caused me. I didn't want anyone getting hurt, but the more Edward said hurtful things to Peter and me, I became angry. I was fine with Peter getting justice for me. Then Edward went and tried to attack Peter when we were on the porch kissing.

Oh, man. I never meant for Edward to see that. I didn't seek Peter out to do that; I just needed to know where he was. Something in me needed to know where Peter was. I didn't look anywhere in the house. I immediately went out to the deck; I didn't know why, but he was there.

Kissing Peter was the most wonderful thing; I felt like I needed to kiss Peter. My body seeking comfort in him just felt normal. Normal? I guess I knew nothing of normal. Geez, Bella, come on.

Alice was worried about me now. She couldn't see me the way she had before. I wondered if it had something to do with Peter's venom in my skin. He said he didn't know what it would do to me that it might not work right or might trigger the change in me, but I was fine. I felt more than fine actually. We didn't get to talk about it much on Sunday; I just wanted to come home.

I pulled the covers back and checked out my new venom-blessed scars. I loved the new scars on my leg. Something about them made me feel good. Peter fixed me. He even had scars, silver scars like mine, and it made me feel good that we kinda matched. The tingling sensation I felt from them was amazing. I hoped it would never go away. The area was now a bit cooler than the rest of my leg; when I touch it or look at it, I'll think of Peter. Sigh. Peter.

I had to get up. I couldn't be late for school today, or Charlie would be upset with me. I didn't feel like doing much to my appearance, so I just threw on some old faded jeans and my Nickleback t-shirt that I got when I was still living in Phoenix. My friends and I had gone to a concert as kind of a last Hoorah, if you will. Its mornings like this that I kinda missed the simple days in Phoenix. Now my life is full of the supernatural.

I tied up my shoe laces and headed out for the kitchen. My stomach was in knots, so I just grabbed some orange juice. I finished my glass, and off to school I went. How was I supposed to concentrate like this? I didn't know. What was I gonna say to Edward today at school today? What was I gonna say to any of them?

Crap. I didn't want to deal with him today. I wasn't sure I even could.

The drive to school was short, of course. Forks isn't a large town at all; it's nothing compared to Phoenix. I parked my truck in the lot and headed for the school door with my head down. I wanted to avoid anyone I could right now. The less I talked to anyone, the less I had to answer questions on what I did this weekend.

Jessica, the ever nosey girl she was, always had 20 questions first thing Monday morning. I was in luck this morning though; I'd somehow managed to make it to my locker without running into her or any of the Cullen's. Now, if only the rest of the day could go this well; though, I knew lunch and biology couldn't be avoided.

My morning classes came and went, and soon it was time for lunch. I'd have to ask Angela what the assignment was for English because I know I wasn't paying attention.

I gathered my books and headed to the cafeteria, ugh! I dreaded it because I knew the next class I had was Biology, and I sit right next to Edward. There's not much I could do, apart from skipping, to keep from being anywhere near him.

As I entered the cafeteria, everyone was just starting to gather in the line to get their food. I sat my books down and headed over to the salad bar. I really didn't feel like much today. My nerves were enough to kill me as it was; I didn't need indigestion from the school food on top of it.

I finished, and sat with Angela and Ben at their table. I wasn't going to give Edward a chance to talk to me right now, for I just didn't know what I'd say to him. Ugh! Why me?

"So, you're going to join us today for lunch huh Bella? What's wrong? You've been more than your normal quiet all day today." Angela really was a great friend.

"Uh, nothing's wrong. I've not been that quiet, have I?" I just wanted to try and cover it up anyway I could right now.

"No. Not that I'm complaining or anything, girl, but you've been sitting with Edward. Is everything ok with you guys?" Just then the Cullen's entered the cafeteria as if on cue. All eyes were on me waiting for an answer to Angela's question. I knew they heard it all; how could they not? I hesitated; I didn't know how exactly to say it. I couldn't tell her the truth, by any means. Edward's eyes were boring a hole thru me. I could feel them on me, and it made me feel uneasy.

"Edward and I….me and Edw.." Before I could say anything, that little bitch Lauren just had to.

"What Bella? Did Edward finally find out what a tramp you are? Did he finally break up with you because he knows you aren't any good?" Oh, she made me so sick!

"Oh no, look at the ugly duckling, poor baby; she can't say anything because it's the truth. She knows she's not good enough to be with a Cullen." I'd had enough. Even if I wasn't good enough, she had no right to tell me otherwise. Besides, who was she, the town hoe, to be calling me a tramp? I wasn't going to hold my tongue anymore.

"Shut up, Lauren! Look whose calling the kettle black! Haven't you like slept with every guy in the junior and senior classes? What was your last count, huh, 300? Maybe 400? Get a life, and then get a clue; no one wants or needs your lame opinions! If you can't say something nice to me, then I'd just rather you shut your mouth and pretend I don't exist to you! Is that something you can remember?"

As I finished my rant, an uproar of whooping and cheering rang thru the lunch room. I could hear Emmett's laugher and congratulations over them all. That made me smile on the inside. Lauren was so dumbfounded by my outburst that she sat there with her jaw hanging down catching flies just staring at me.

"What? Need me to send you a text or an email, so you can understand it better?" Angela and Ben couldn't stop laughing. Mike decided to join in as well, but a quick slap on the arm from Jessica had him holding his tongue pretty fast. What's going on with me? I would've never said anything like that to anyone before. Maybe I'd just had enough.

I sat there eating my salad wondering why I just lashed out like that; it was so unlike me. A few moments later, I felt a wave of curiosity and worry hit me. I looked up to see Jasper looking at me with that question in his eyes; was I alright? I just smiled lightly and nodded my head yes to his unspoken question.

That was weird; Jasper had never worried about me like that before, at least not that I knew of. The bell rang, and it was time to go and confront him. I made my way slowly to biology; I didn't want to get there any earlier than I had to. As luck would have it, my luck, Edward was sitting straight and proper at our lab table wearing a slight smile at my entrance.

I reluctantly sat my books down and slumped down into my seat letting my hair cascade down the side of my face, so I didn't have to look at him in full view unless I absolutely had to. Mr. Banner started class, and I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't have to say anything to Edward just yet. All too soon that was over; we had our lab assignments, and we needed to get busy. I had to be the first to speak; I couldn't let him start asking me questions right now. I just couldn't.

"Look, I don't want to dissect this frog anymore than you do, but you need to do the cutting part. I can't handle it right now, and besides, you've done this enough times to know exactly what you're doing." Edward let out a small chuckle as he shook his head yes and took the scalpel off the table and began cutting the disgusting, slimy, smelly, dead frog.

We made it half way thru class working silently together on our icky project when the inevitable happened; he spoke to me.

"I'm sorry for my behavior as of late, Bella. I wish you could forgive me, love. Could you ever possibly forgive my monstrous nature?" His smooth and calming voice soothed my hectic nerves. Why hadn't I talked to him before now? Why hadn't I wanted to? I shook my head as if trying to clear out the mental cobwebs. I knew there was a reason why I didn't want to be near him right now, but I was at a loss to know why; I just couldn't feel it anymore. Was there a reason?

Edward just sat there looking back at me with those dazzling and alluring golden eyes, those eyes that intrigued me so. How could I not forgive him? He told me to stay away, and I chose not to listen to him, Then when something happened, how could I just walk away when I knew what could happen? This was Edward after all, my Edward. I smiled softly, which he returned.

I couldn't help myself; I traced his left eyebrow with the tip of my finger as he leaned toward me still looking in my eyes. Sigh. I've missed him so much.

"I could never stay mad at you. Your nature is, well, your nature. And your nature is something that you can never completely escape. I know you didn't want to hurt me, Edward. I know you never meant what you said or did. I'm sorry for my unruly nature as well. Can you forgive me? Please?"

Those words, my words, took me by surprise; they felt foreign somehow like they weren't even mine, and now I felt compelled to be with him. I was locked into his gaze; the need for him to forgive me was all that was important to me, all that drove me forward. Edward's amazing smile was beaming back at me, and I felt forgiven. I felt oddly at peace with myself like I had to belong there with him.

"There is nothing to forgive love." He stated as he leaned forward and kissed my forehead, and I closed my eyes just reveling in the scent of Edward. My Edward.

He truly was one amazing creature and he forgave me, and he's mine. Mine forever.

*Janice stands behind Peter, so he can shield her from those evil eye glares and bullets flying at her cold, cold heart.*

It's all a part of the plot people. I did mention to a few of you that Edward had a few tricks up his sleeve, but I can tell you that Peter won't take this laying down; although that does sound appealing to me! I will also promise that Bella will NOT end up with that little punk!

I wanna thank my girls Juliangelus and Noncanon4me. I love you guys, thanks for all you do.

Love it? Hate it? Let me know, please, please review. I won't know where you stand unless you do! Thanks for reading!