A/N: Sorry this is a short one. Hopefully it will be good enough though to hold you over til next time. Divorce has a way of occupying your mind and your time, so please forgive me for not updating as often as I would like.
Chapter 19 – Explanations
"So what's the deal with…Dagon?" I asked of no one in particular, trying to dispel the awkward silence that had arisen, both physically and in my head.
Edward spoke first. "Dagon…Wulf, is one of the few vampires anywhere near the age of the Volturi. Until now he has been passive, content to let the Volturi run their little fiefdom as they see fit…but lately…"
"Lately they've been getting a little testy among those of our kind." Jasper finished for him, the anger fresh and present in his eyes as well as the waves coming off of him.
'Ever the soldier' I thought to myself, remembering what he and Alice told me only days ago. Days… it seemed now like centuries…
'Well excuse me if I like having a cause to fight for, lil' miss….' Jasper thought at me with laughter in his thoughts.
"Oh, Sorry… I keep forgetting my thoughts are no longer my own." I said, the warm blood freshly drunk from the camping men flushing my cheeks.
"What the… Edward look… she can still blush!" Jasper shouted, startling me.
Edward glanced into the rear view mirror. As he saw what had surprised Jasper so, he frowned. "Hmm, you shouldn't be able to do that; not anymore. Not even after a fresh, large, human kill… we'll have to ask Carlisle about it."
We drove the remainder of the way in silence. Well… physical silence; Jasper and I held minor conversations about the Volturi between us. Edward could hear Jaspers side, but not mine. I could feel him pouting the whole way home.
I felt bad, but honestly it wasn't my fault the abilities I got stuck with… was it?
We drove up to a very nice grand old home. Similar to Edwards house in Chicago, but much larger.
I was lead in by the hand… Edward gently pulling me along, Jasper reassuringly close behind me.
I was greeted in the great room by four incredibly beautiful beings. The first to approach me was a beautiful dark haired woman in her mid twenties.
"Bella, it's so good to meet you. I'm Esme. Please make yourself at home here; we consider you a part of our family already. Please do not hesitate to ask for anything you need." She said as she extended a long slender hand toward mine, grasping it tightly and releasing it just as quickly.
"Oh… she's warm." Esme said laughingly.
Edward frowned again.
A tall blond man stepped forward now, his yellow-gold eyes kind and warm, even if his skin was not.
"I am Carlisle. Welcome." He said briefly. His eyes never lost their warmth or kindness, but I could feel him examining me very closely, even as he stepped back to let the others greet me.
The two remaining vampires came forward together; holding hands. From the male I could tell that the hand clasp was merely habitual, a loving gesture toward the female and almost without thought to it at all. From the female I got a whole different wave of emotion… she held his hand to show ownership and to ensure that I got the message that he was very off-limits.
"I'm Emmett,' said the male, tall and dark in every way except the color of his skin… pale as the rest of us… 'And this little lady' he said as he gestured to the female, blond and frighteningly beautiful, 'is my wife, Rosalie." He finished with a smile full of warmth.
I got no such gesture or emotion from the female. Her alpha stance matched perfectly the emotional wave-length she was emitting.
At first I thought she would not speak, but I was sorely wrong on that instinct.
"Hasn't anyone taught you any table manners?" she said as casually as if she were commenting about the weather.
I frowned and Jasper jumped to my aid. "It was an accident Rosalie, be polite for once."
I frowned now in his direction, still not understanding the comment obviously directed at me.
"I'll take Bella upstairs and get her cleaned up." Edward said hoarsely, pulling me gently by the hand he still held.
I followed obediently, and once out of ear shot I asked Edward what Rosalie meant.
He looked at me pityingly and said nothing, only pulling me along like a forlorn child with a toy on a string.
He lead me into the bathroom that adjoined his room with another, lighter colored bedroom and stood me before a large, ceiling to floor, mirror.
I gasped at the vision before me. Gone was the angelic beauty I had beheld at Dagon's' mansion. What stood before me now was something out of a horror movie.
"You'll get used to the habit of showering as soon as possible after a kill. It's not something you do out of need from feeling dirty or grimy as you would do when you were human… as a vampire, we don't exactly sweat, emit odor, or anything that would cause us to need to bathe…" Edward explained as I gaped at my reflection.
My shirt, once white and gloriously bright was now streaked with dried blood. My neck, face and shoulders were also caked with blood.
Edward smiled slightly. "Most people would think vampires are incredibly vain… we tend to seek out our reflection in any shiny surface available. That is why it was once believed that vampires had no reflection at all, because we seemed to constantly look for it… really we just like to make sure we aren't wearing remnants of our last meal; Bright red blood dripping down your chin sort of turns humans off as well as giving them a very good reason to be suspicious of our humanity."
He laughed at the mess that was me. I smiled too, it was kind of funny; of all these graceful, ethereal creatures, I retained one of the most human qualities of all… clumsy Bella… leave it to me to be totally oblivious of the mess I was.
Edward showed me where the bathroom necessities were and turned to leave and allow me some privacy.
"Edward..." I called quietly.
He turned and as quickly as he did I was in front of him… I loved my new-found speed and agility.
I looked up at him, thorough my lashes… "Thank you Edward… I know this was all rather sudden but..."
It was all I could say, no not because I was speechless… but because before I could utter another syllable his soft, cool lips were on mine. Gently at first, but as he tasted the blood on my face his need grew more intense.
Before I knew it he had my back against the wall… I was taking unnecessarily heavy breaths… well, all of my breaths were technically unnecessary.
After what seemed like both an eternity of bliss as well as far too soon he pulled away.
"I am so sorry, Bella… I don't know what came over me." Edward muttered in his most formal tone.
"No, Edward… really it's okay..." I began but he cut me off, this time with his words rather than his lips.
"Bella, it was completely inappropriate, please forgive me." He begged.
"I forgive you, Edward, now…" I said as I walked toward him, 'do it again." I dared as I held his gaze. I sent out what I hoped was absolute certainty that I was serious.
From the look in his eye I knew my efforts as an empath were gaining the effect I had intended.
He leaned down, his face nearly touching mine again… his lips parted.
We both jumped at the loud knock at the door, which was fully open.
"Ohhh, Emmett. What do we have going on in here?" Jasper asked, his face glowing with absolute glee.
Emmett, blocking the doorway with his massive frame, grinned wider than I would have believed possible.
"Looks like we have finally found a person capable of removing the 90 year old stick from our youngest brother's …"
"Out, both of you!" Edward roared, the words punctuated by an animalistic growl from deep in his chest.
The two ran off to their rooms at lightning speed, Edward made to go after them but thought better of it. Instead he turned to me, his hand cupping my face.
"Get cleaned up and I'll show you the house and surrounding grounds. You clothes will be waiting in your room, just on the other side of this bathroom. I hope you won't mind sharing it with me; if so I'm sure we can…"
"No, of course I don't mind sharing." I interrupted.
He nodded as he left the room, gently shutting the door behind him.
I smiled remembering the kiss. His scent, that seemed so wonderful to my human senses, now lingered around me, much more intense and wonderful than I remembered.
A/N: I promise I will try to have more information in the next chapters about why and to what end Bella was changed. Also about Alice and Charlie. Let me know what you thought of this one and stuff you might like to happen with BxE later on.