Author's note: So… I have noticed that hardly anyone has looked at Fire Trumps Lightning. This makes me sad, very sad indeed. I would love it if after this chapter, any of you who love wicked, awesome tattoos and Dragons to check it out. I'm still working on it, but I'm still working on this one, too.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these nouns, just the plot.

Chapter 9

Reminiscing

(Bella pov)

My dream was getting very intimate. I could feel Z stroking my flat stomach. He held me from behind, nibbling on my ear. The blush on my face flamed hotter when he hit a very sensitive spot on my chest. I moaned softly and told Z to continue. I heard a chuckle and his magical hands caress various parts of my body. I learned just how sensitive I was as his hands skimmed over every inch of my skin. My eyes fluttered open and purred in satisfaction. A chuckle snapped me out of my lucid dreaming and into reality. I discovered the pair of hands in my dream was not a hallucination. Z's snickers made my blush darken. Z leaned over me and bit my nose. "Good dreams?" He sniggered.

I bit his shoulder in embarrassment, "No thanks to you…"

He growled and flipped me over, pinning me to the bed. His body hovered over mine. A low rumbling sound from his chest made the air around us vibrate. He dropped to his elbows so there were only very few centimeters of air separated us. His chest touched mine. I could feel his low growl shake through me, making the muscles tighten in my stomach. He took a deep breath and let it out. His eyes started glowing a bright crimson. A smile graced his lips as he stared down at me.

"Don't start something you can't finish, young one." He leaned down and bit my collarbone. I gasped and gripped his shoulders. He nibbled on my neck and propped himself back up. He took one look at my dark red face and grinned. He lifted his hand let his fingers brush my cheek bones. "There is nothing to be embarrassed about. Now if I were, say, to do this…" his fingers trailed lower. They passed my collarbone and lingered over the swell of my breast. "Then that would give you plenty cause to blush. However, I am not complaining. It is a lovely shade of scarlet."

My face burned. Z's smirk slowly fell off his face. He stopped supporting his body, letting it fall on me. His face was so close that I could feel his body heat radiating off his skin. His nose lightly touched mine. He tilted his head to the right, lowering his head. Z's breath caressed my lips. My lips parted, preparing for what was sure to be the most mind-blowing kiss ever experienced ever. We were so close. I lifted my chin up, excited to feel Z's lips.

Then the door was knocked open.

Z's eyes went from soft to cold and lethal. "We had better be under attack!"

Cerberus looked between us and tried to smile, but it came off as a grimace. "Well…"

Z turned to the dog demon. "Get out!" He snarled. Cerberus picked up the door and placed it back into place. We listened as his footsteps raced down the hallway. Z was growling, aggravated at Cerberus' interruption. I lifted my arm and brushed the loose hair behind his ear. His growling quieted as he glanced down at me. His eyes softened, yet there was still a hard glint in his iris. I pushed myself off the bed and placed a kiss on his jaw. I pulled away, but was stopped by a strong arm around my waist. Z sat against the headboard, pulling me onto his lap. I straddled his hips and leaned into his broad chest. He ran his hands over my back and sides. I turned my head and pressed an open kiss on his neck. His hands stilled. I hand tanged itself into my hair, getting close to my scalp. His hand fisted, pulling my head back. He kept a death grip on my hair to keep me from moving. He lowered his head.

Cerberus kicked the door in, again, and disturbed us, for the second time.

"A vampire wishes to see Bella!" Cerberus panted.

Z looked ready to murder, in various and painful ways, when Cerberus walked into the room. Z stared down at my face, brushing the hair from my face, before speaking in a too calm voice. "Tell them she will be with them as soon as she dresses." Z didn't notice Cerberus nod and take off out of the room, not forgetting to reposition the door. Z huffed in agitation. He picked me up, placing us both on our feet. He walked over to one of the dressers and pulled out a long, flowing skirt in the prettiest shade of red and a black corset with red ribbons tying the back together. He tossed them to me and entered the bathroom. I used the privacy he gave me and quickly changed into the clothes he gave me.

Z walked out of the bathroom, wearing a black suit with red embellishments. He approached me and pulled me into a hug. He squeezed me into his side and guided me out the broken door. He moved it aside and replaced it behind him. He kept his arm around me as we walked down the hall. We passed many fancy doors and stopped in front of a single door decorated to look like a book shelf with an ivy trim. Z knocked on the door once and it opened to reveal an irritated Edward. He scowled at Z, but offered me his crooked smile. He stepped aside and gestured me to enter. Z walked in first, pulling me after him. The room was sparse, only holding a sofa and a dresser. There was a bookshelf covering an entire wall. I ignored the numerous books that called to me and focused on Edward.

Z and Edward were glaring daggers at each other. I stepped in between them. "Edward, Cerberus said that you requested my presence."

He twitched and nodded. He waved to the couch, signaling me to have a seat. I bowed my head and pulled Z to the couch. I fell onto the fluffy cushions. Z perched on the sofa's arm, watching Edward as he sat down gracefully beside me. "I thought that we could talk about our last family reunion."

"Family reunion…"

"Yes. I thought that you would like to apologize to the family for your behavior." He brushed non-existent off his brand name trousers. He crossed his legs and laced his hands on his knee. He smiled down at me. "I know it wasn't you per say, but Esme was rather hurt by what was said." Z hissed at this, glaring down at Edward. The vampire ignored Z and scooted closer to me. "Alice and Emmett are anxious to see you. It will be nice being together again."

Z shot off the arm. "Who do you think you are making decisions for Bella without consulting her first? What if she doesn't want to be a part of your family?" Z snarled.

Edward scoffed, "Of course she wants to join our family. She is my mate and she belongs with me." Edward placed his arm on the back of the sofa, right behind my back.

"She has her own voice. Let her tell you her opinion!" Z peered at me through his eyelashes. I glanced between them. I loved that Z took my feelings into consideration.

I turned to Edward, scooting away from him. "Edward… Your family has been kind to me. They have taken and watched out for me. However, they also abandoned me, on your orders. How can I ever place my trust in a group of people who willingly left at the first sign of trouble? It would be like placing a captain in charge of a battalion when he ran from the battle field before."

Edward stared at me incredulously. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying that I love your family, but I can never be a part of it."

Edward stiffened. "Why would you say something like that? You are my mate." He scooted closer to me. "You belong with me and my family."

I stood up, joining Z. "Would a mate leave his mate willingly? I am not your mate, Edward. Now if you excuse me, Z and I have to prepare for Draven." I grabbed Z's hand and pulled him towards the door. I didn't want to be in the same room as Edward anymore. Z let go of my hand and shoved my body behind his. I couldn't see anything behind the large expanse of his back. Z's body was vibrating from the loud growls rumbling from his chest and throat. Z's snarls mixed with Edwards, shaking the air. I placed my hand against Z's tense back. I rubbed his muscles, trying to calm him down. His growls quieted, but he didn't relax. He pushed me towards the door. I heard Edward and Z talking in low voices. Edward hissed something and Z snarled back. Z opened the door and led us out of the door.

Z pulled me into his side and stormed down the corridor. If he wasn't holding me so tightly, I wouldn't have been able to keep up with his long, powerful legs. My feet barely touched the floor. "I am sorry you had to witness that, young one. It was disgraceful of me to engage in such an immature verbal fight. I cannot excuse such horrid behavior, but that parasite often tests my patience like no other."

"No, it's alright." I huffed. "Edward does have a reputation of getting on people's bad sides. Usually, it's for reading their minds. Not arguing over a girl's opinion… What the fuck!" Z pinned me to the wall and licked my jaw line. My face flamed as he pulled away and stared at me with heavy-lidded eyes. "What was that for?! I didn't say anything derogatory!"

He chuckled, "On the contrary, you called yourself a girl and insinuated that your opinion does not hold significance to others." Z wrapped his arm around my waist and continued walking. "If anyone's view matters in this situation, it would be yours."

I blushed a deep red. I always put others before myself. Edward never said anything about it. The only time he considered my feelings was when he asked me if I would like him to stay. Even then, he tried to talk me into letting him go. He promised me that he would stay, but he still left. He convinced his family to leave me alone to face the vampire world alone. I wonder sometimes if they would have stepped in if the Volturi discovered me. My mind tells me that they would have saved me, but my heart told me they would have let me die to avoid the consequences. I had a feeling that would go to Hell and back, literally, to save me. He would do everything in his power to keep me safe. Besides his inane licking, he made sure that I was comfortable.

I stuck out my tongue at his back. In the next moment, I was pulled into his chest. My face resembled Cerberus' hair as I noticed Z's teeth lightly gripping my tongue. I could feel his sharp canines pricking my tongue, drawing a drop of blood to the surface of the moist surface. I felt his tongue flick out to catch the droplets. My face burned hotter as Z released my tongue and replaced his teeth with his tongue. I realized my arms had wrapped around his neck as I kissed Z. His kiss was mind-numbing, spine-tingling, and joint-jellying as I imagined. His kiss was gentle but insistent. Z's lips were soft as they caressed and brushed mine. He bit my lip, making me gasp. He grinned and bit me again. I felt the cold wall pressing against my back. My legs wrapped around his waist, and I didn't care.

I tangled my fingers into his beautiful hair and poured all my emotions into the kiss. He responded with enthusiasm. He gripped my waist tighter, rubbing himself against me.

"Azazel!"

Z jerked back, roaring at Cerberus. "WHAT?!"

Cerberus glanced between us. He gulped and scratched the back of his head. "We have determined that Draven's cage will open soon. I think you should oversee the training before you lead them to battle." Cerberus grinned widely. Z scowled at him. Neither of us was happy to be disturbed during our long awaited snogging. Z snarled his response and turned back to me. Cerberus blinked out of the hall. Z stroked my face. "I have to supervise their battle training. Why don't you go back to the room and relax for a while. Take a hot bubble bath or read for pleasure. I will return to you later." He pressed a kiss to my lips. He licked my lips and blinked out of the corridor.

I sighed and continued down the hallway. I kept walking until I came across a door decorated in the most beautiful depiction of a garden I have ever seen. I hesitated before opening the door. I froze as I took in a room full of various paintings and sculptures. I slowly made my way through the room, pausing to stare at a portrait or two. I stopped at a tall frame. The woman was very beautiful. She had blue eyes and dark, black hair. Her skin was incredibly pale. She wore a strange garment, probably roman, of a pretty purple color. She had a small smile on her face, as if being painted made her bashful.

"Her name was Didyme." The voice made me jump. I turned and saw the third Volturi leader. He always looked depressed and downtrodden. I suspected that he lost someone close to him to be so sad all the time. I stared at him as he looked at the picture with a look of melancholy adoration. He glided to my side. "She was my wife. I had this portrait painted before she was turned. I was awestruck by her beauty and kindness. Her gift was that all who met her would be driven to protect and love her. She was the love of my life. Then she was killed by our enemies. I have wished for death ever since then."

I considered the ageless vampire before me. I once would have given anything to spend an eternity with Edward and his family. I couldn't imagine being turned only to have my mate ripped away from me. This vampire, this man, must be so lonely. "She was very beautiful. Who painted the portrait?"

Marcus looked at me. "I did."

I blinked in surprise. "You are very talented. You have captured her gentle nature in the canvas."

"Thank you." He smiled, his eyes far away as if remembering that moment. "She was so embarrassed to be painted. She tried talking me out of it, but I had to paint her."

"I bet that she was secretly delighted to be adored by such a man. A person who would do anything for her happiness." I smiled up at him. He deliberated me for a moment before giving me a small grin. He nodded his agreement.

"She would often stare at this painting. She would glance at it and that small smile would grace her features, lighting up her face like the sun brightens the sky."

I enjoyed listening to this man talk. His voice just soothed me. I could listen to him speak of his lost love for hours and never be bored. "She sounds like an amazing woman."

His eyes brightened. "She was. My Didyme shined brighter than the sun itself. No one could ever compete with her inner beauty." He looked down at me. "You remind me of her."

I blushed in surprise. He grinned, "She blushed at the slightest provocation when she was mortal. It vexed her to no end, but I found it quite stunning. That's one of the things I miss most." He patted my shoulder gently and began walking away. He reached the open door and turned back to me. "I thought I would inform you of your ties to Azazel are quite strong. Much stronger than the ties to the Cullen clan. I'd say they bond between you and Azazel and you are that of mates." He winked and drifted out of the art room. I blushed and looked at the portrait of Didyme.

"I see why you love him, Didyme." I whispered to her bashful face. It might have been me, but I could have sworn I saw her wink. I grinned and left the room. I walked down the long hallway back to my room. I pried the door away from the frame and slid into the room. I pressed the door back into place. I started walking to the bedroom, but jerked back when I noticed the body lounging on the sofa. Edward was tapping his fingers on his crossed legs.

"Where were you?" He asked in a low voice.

I blushed. "Uh… the… ar…art room."

His eyes narrowed. "Oh? Why would you go there?"

"I was walking, and I kind of stumbled into the room." I muttered.

He stood and stalked over to me. "You shouldn't walk around, unaccompanied, in a castle full of vampires. Most of them are human-drinkers and wouldn't think twice about taking a bite out of you." He reached my side and pulled me into a loose hug. "I don't know what I'd do of you died because Azazel was too busy to watch you."

"He doesn't need to keep his eyes on me, 24/7! I can take care of myself!"

Edward snapped, "You are a human in facing countless vampires. You need to be watched and protected or someone will get hungry and attack you."

"Azazel will protect me." I tried to pull away from Edward. "All I have to do is call for him."

Edward's arm tightened. "He is training a group for a battle that is not theirs. Would you distract him from such a task?" I put my hands on his chest and pushed. He didn't move. He shook his head. "Why must you be so difficult, Bella?"

"Because I am tired and uncomfortable." Edward scooped me up in a bridle hold. He walked through the bedroom door and laid me on the bed. He crawled into the bed and held me against his body. He stroked my sides, trying to soothe me.

"I will stay here and watch over you as you sleep."

"I don't need a babysitter!" I hissed.

Edward tightened his hold on me. "You don't complain when Azazel is with you." Edward's arms were tight and made me nervous. I had a really bad feeling. "I do not know why you allow him so close to you, Bella. He is a demon and plots to drag your soul to Hell. He doesn't truly love you…"

I jumped out of the bed. "Get out!"

Edward reached out and threw me back to the bed. His hold pressed against my ribs, causing me to gasp in pain. "He is a demon, Bella! Do you really think he would care for a human? He probably wants to use your incredible mind for his own purposes and kill you when he's done with you!"

I tried to push his hands away, but it was like trying to move a mountain.

"You belong to me, Bella! I had you first, so he can't have you!" His grip was crushing me. I tried to shout for Z, but I couldn't get enough air. I tapped his arm and made gasping noises. Edward loosened his hold on me for a moment. That was all I needed to get enough oxygen to cry for Z. My shout was cut off by Edwards steel arms squeezing my chest. He growled and tightened his iron grip on me.

Z appeared in the doorway, resembling an avenging angel. His red eyes were riveted to Edward. Z flew to the bed and ripped Edward off the covers. Edward flew into the wall. He fell into a crouch, snarling at Z. My savior stood in front of me, touching my arm. I gently squeezed his wrist, letting him know I was okay. He nodded once and launched himself at Edward. Both men crashed through the wall. They fell into the living room, moving so fast they were blurring. I heard the sound of granite cracking as the two fought. I lay on the bed, rubbing my sore chest, praying that Z was the one landing the punches.

The sound of fighting stopped and Z came back to the room via the door. He ignored the giant hole in the wall and climbed over me. He pulled me on top of him once he was settled. He rubbed my back in soft, gentle strokes. He started from the base of my neck and down to the small of my back. His other hand rested on my hip, drawing little circles into my skin. I relaxed on his chest, breathing in his unique scent of metal and male. I didn't know that I enjoyed the smell of metal, but I discovered that little tidbit when I met Z. I nuzzled his neck, feeling safe and sound. He buried his face into my hair and purred in satisfaction. His arms encircled my waist, holding me close.

I let my hands wander his chest. He growled softly, causing me to giggle. I ran my hands down his chest and arms. I felt bold and nibbled his neck. His growl grew louder as he rolled us over and pinned me to the soft covers. He bit my ear, purring when I gasped. He nibbled his way down my neck and shoulder. He licked the tip of my shoulder and made his way back up my neck. He bit my chin and lowered his head to kiss my lips.

Cerberus burst through the hole, making it larger. "What happened to your sitting room?!"

Cerberus, the oh-so-lovable cockblocker. How did you all like this chapter? I enjoyed writing it. I laughed, I cried, but mostly I laughed. I love writing these two stories of mine. I love making you all happy with my written words. What do you all want to happen next?

Fire Trumps Lightning is a good story. See it. Read it. Love it.

-SPN :3