Chapter 8 - Dinner Date

Esme greeted us all at the door when we arrived back home. "How was your day Bella?"

"I honestly don't know how they manage to do that all the time. I forgot how annoying some humans could be."

She gave me a small smile. "Tomorrow will be easier." I nodded.

"Hey Bella!" Emmett called from the lounge.

"Yes Emmett?"

"Come over here I want to teach you how to play the Xbox." He patted the seat next to him. I joined him. We spent the next couple of hours with him teaching me a few of his favourite games. It wasn't very difficult with vampire reflexes, I just had to be careful not to break the small controller when I got a bit excited.

"Alright I think I've had enough." I ruffled his hair when I stood up. "Go find Rosalie, I've stolen her husband for too long" He gave me a cheeky grin before heading upstairs.

I turned to see Edward standing in the doorway watching me. "What?" I asked feeling slightly nervous under his intense gaze.

"I do believe you asked me out for dinner Bella, are you ready?"

My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of their sockets. "You're serious?"

"Of course I'm serious Bella."

This man was a serious mystery to me, I couldn't deny what Alice said earlier about something between us. But I knew there was something holding me back, I was afraid. If I got too close to someone my enemies would see him as my weakness. Never in the last 20,000 years had I had a weakness. I wasn't about to put Edward or any of the Cullen's for that matter in danger.

"I don't eat" I stated simply.

He rolled his eyes at me "Yes, but I do. I thought you enjoyed watching me hunt the other day." His eyes were twinkling with humour. He had me there, I was memorised when I see him take the Mountain Lion down.

He seen the defeat in me and smiled. "Come on then." He held out his hand for me. I sighed heavily before placing my hand in his. The zing of electricity going through us once again. Edwards brow furrowed, his eyes on our hands. "Does everyone who touches you feel this electricity under their skin?" He murmured to me. My brows raised at the question and I shook my head in response. "Oh, I thought because you were the first vampire that maybe it was just like an effort you have on all of us. Never mind, you probably think I'm going crazy." He was shaking his head brows furrowed.

"I don't think you're crazy Edward, I feel it too." I lifted our joined hands up between us then pulled back from it slowly and the zing decreased before placing my hand back in his and it increased again.

He looked slightly stunned "Have you ever felt this before?" He asked at an almost whisper.

"No Edward, never".

We stood in silence for a few moments, in wonder. I had a big feeling inside that I knew exactly what the 'zing' meant, but I refused to acknowledge the thought. Before the noise upstairs became almost deafening. "Come on" I said pulling him with me by his hand as we raced from the house. I matched his pace with ease, he didn't let go of my hand once as we sped through the forest. Edward was fast for a vampire, faster than probably any I had met.

He seemed to notice that I was matching him stride for stride also. "You can run faster than this can't you?" he asked me with a smile playing on his lips.

"Yep" I said popping the 'p'. "But this pace is comfortable for me, I don't mind."

"How fast can you go then?" His eyes held interest.

I felt my face turn into a smirk "Do you really want to know?" He nodded his eyes were twinkling again.

Before he even realised what was happening I had my arms behind his legs and I scooped him up into my arms. "Hey!" his voice a whine.

I laughed loudly. "Do you want to see or not?" I was still running at Edwards pace.

"Do you have to hold me like a baby but? I'm a hundred year old man Bella, your making me feel like a child." My laugh got loud as he glared at me.

"Well it's either this or on my back. Choose wisely."

He deliberated for a moment. "Your back?" his voice unsure. I couldn't stop the grin as I twisted him around. His long legs wrapped around my waist and his arms around my neck.

"Comfy?" I asked snickering.

"Are you going to show me or not?" He huffed ignoring my question. I took off as soon as he finished his sentence. I felt his hold tighten around me. Trees flew passed up in a blur, I'm sure Edward wouldn't have been able to see much other than green and brown of the trees and forest floor around us.

"What do you think?" I turned my face to see his head sitting on my shoulder.

His eyes were alive, trying to take everything in. His face showed shock before melting in to a stunning grin. "If I didn't feel like a child clinging to you like this I'd say this is the best thing I've ever done."

I laughed at his words. "It's pretty great huh." I mused.

After a few more minutes I pulled us to a stop and Edward jumped down. His face still held a happy grin. "Where are we?" he asked breathlessly.

I shrugged. "I'm not really sure, probably around Juneau, Alaska."

His brows rose and his face turned to shock. "We left the house like 30 minutes ago, that would have taken me half a day to get here."

I shrugged again "I said we are probably around Juneau, I'm not completely sure. I don't bother much with directions. So what do you feel like for dinner? Wolf, Bear?" He shook his head exasperated before it fell into a frown.

"What's wrong?" I asked not hiding my concern.

"I don't know how many dates you've been on Bella, but usually the man supplies the transport and surprises the woman with a good place to eat." I laughed loudly my voice rising high making a few animals that were still in the area cower.

"So this is a date huh? Well I guess we already know who wears the pants in the relationship." I snickered at his applaud face. "Ok, ok. I'm sorry Edward, if you don't want to eat here. You can take me somewhere else I promise not to peak." I said before covering my eyes with my hands. After a minute of nothing I pulled my hands away and snickered again at the scowl on his gorgeous face. "What?" I asked once my snicker had died down.

He sighed heavily before stepping closer "It's alright, I guess I can eat here."

I rolled my eyes. "Well go on then" I said while shooing him with my hands.

He took off to the east and I followed slowly behind him, trying not to get in his way. He found two bears fighting near a large river. I jumped into the trees above Edward and watched how he interrupted their battle for food. Both the bears turned their attention on him, sensing the danger. One roared loudly and the other followed suit. Edward jumped over the river and landed on the other side of the bears with his teeth bared. The closest to him, swiped with its paws, but Edward easily manoeuvred away before the claws could tare at his shirt.

"Oi!" I yelled. Edward looked up at me distracted for a second and the bear swiped at him.

The large claws tore Edwards shirt, exposing the pale muscled flesh underneath. Edwards eyes narrowed at me as I laughed and ogled the exposed body at the same time. He turned back to the bear and pounced breaking its neck and sinking his teeth into the bears neck. When he was finished he chased after the other bear that had run from the danger and took it down too. He hid the carcasses behind some large trees for other animals to enjoy while walking back towards my perch.

His white shirt had large slits through it and it got harder to ignore the closer he got. His eyes still glared at me. "You did that on purpose didn't you?" his voice was hard.

I gave him a cheeky smile and jumped to the ground landing at his feet. "Maybe" I said softly as my eyes trailed down to his chest and stomach.

He stepped even close until our chests were touching and I had to look up at his face. "I never took you for that kind of woman, Isabella." he whispered, the way my name rolled off his tongue made me swoon with delight.

"Hmm?" I asked not being able to find the words as his light eyes bore into mine.

"You could have just asked if you wanted me to take my shirt off." His seductive velvet voice made it incredibly difficult to actually hear the words he had spoken.

I tried to shake the haze from my head, but it was so difficult when I could feel his breath on my face. I forced myself to step back and broke our locked gaze. "We better head back" I said my voice weak. He seemed to realise that I needed this to stop before we went any further and he nodded his face emotionless. "You'll need to climb back on my back" I said after a minute of awkward silence between us.

He sighed and his tense posture relaxed a bit and a frown pulled at his face. "Isn't there any other way?" It was my turn to frown considering our options.

I knew there was another alternative, but it wasn't something I had ever done before. "Can I trust you Edward?"

He watched me closely realising I must have been very serious in my question. "Of course Bella."

I nodded after thinking about it for a few moments. "There is another way. If anyone else had asked me to do this my answer would be no, because I couldn't trust them with that sort of power. But I believe you when you say I can trust you." He nodded a small smile on his lips and kept silent waiting for me.

"Whenever a new vampire is created, I can feel it. I can feel the pain they are enduring as their bodies transform. But it's not just that, I can manipulate them. I can't take the pain away but I can give them something, a gift of their human life to carry on to their immortal lives. Each vampire has a gift, whether it's mind reading, or compassion and love. Like you and your parents. It's one of their strongest traits as a human magnified. You have your mind reading gift because I gave it to you almost 100 years ago. But I can give you more, if you want speed I can give you that. You are already fast for a vampire I can magnify it, you won't be as fast as I am mind you, but fast still. What I'm telling you must remain between us, not even your family can know what I can do. The last thing I need is for word to get out and greedy vampires come forward. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

His eyes were wide and bright, he nodded slowly. "Are you sure you want to give me that sort of power?" His eyes were searching mine. "You trust me that much Bella?" He asked.

"Yes I do. You won't use the gift for a cruel purpose. I can see it within your soul." He looked like he was in disbelief. "You don't believe you have a soul?"

He shook his head "I'm a killer Bella, I thirst for blood, human blood. How could a monster like that have a soul?"

I nodded in understanding. "While those things are true, you still have a soul Edward. Your father kept his soul as he fought against his bloodlust and ran from humans and found a new way of life. You took on that advice and choose to follow his lead much like the rest of your family. You care for life. You have a soul Edward. Plus, it will be fun to have a companion to run properly with." I smiled at him reassuringly. "So do you want it? Or are you climbing on my back again?" I said cheekily.

He frowned at me "Yes, I want it. But only if you are sure."

I grinned at him. "Ok, stand still."

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

I didn't enjoy writing about Bella carrying Edward but how else was I going to show him her speed?

Let me know what you think so far!

-Skye (FeminineHeroes)