A/N: I'm not sure that this will be necessary, as I think it is quite obvious. But I thought that I would make it clear that I'm making no effort to parallel this story to the actual plot of Twilight. Yes, there are similarities. But the purpose of fanfiction, at least for me, is to have an entirely new take on a familiar story. So hopefully no one will have a problem with the slight liberties I take in this chapter.
Of Curses and Cures
Chapter Seven
Early morning, December 6th, 2008
Her dreams are filled with images she knows well—Jacob and his friends, both in their human and wolf forms. Normally, Jacob as a wolf is a fun experience. He is playful and sweet, and the dream begins this way. But suddenly it changes and all of her old friends are on edge, poised on all fours as if to attack. She feels cold arms wrap around her waist, Edward's sweet scent infiltrating her senses. She looks back to her Quileute friends just in time to see them lunging towards her in attack.
She wakes with a start, her hair damp with perspiration and stuck to her forehead. Her breathing is uncontrolled as she sits up straight and covers her eyes, willing herself to remember that it was only a dream.
She feels a cold touch on her shoulder and she jumps in surprise. Her head whips around and the sight of him leaning against her headboard looks so much like a beautiful dream that she is tempted to pinch herself. They stay still for several more moments, their eyes locked on one another.
"Are you alright?" he asks.
She hears his voice—wonderfully melodic and so perfect that it can't possibly be something she dreamed up. She's not that clever.
She whispers, "You're real," before throwing herself into his arms. He tenses below her, but she doesn't notice. She buries her head into his icy neck, greedily taking in his scent. She is straddling him, one leg on each side with her chest pressed against him. She involuntarily shivers against his cold form and then hears his strangled whisper above her.
"Bella?"
She realizes too late what she has done, and makes to scramble away from him.
The feel of her against him with her sweet blood pumping excitedly in her veins—it was exquisite… and entirely too much for him to handle, but to see her running away from him sent the monster in him bursting from long-formed cages and raging out of control. He barely manages to whisper, "Don't!" before he has leapt to his feet to follow her, catching her by her shoulders and pulling her up to him. Her feet are dangling off the floor, and her eyes are wide in surprise, but miraculously he can't smell her fear.
His eyes are like hard onyx and his mouth filled with venom. His lips are against her throat before he manages to rein in the monster.
He groans, the sound burgeoning with pain, but he has regained control, if only barely. He holds her completely still, not sure if he is strong enough to handle any movement by either of them. He fears loosening his statue-like pose, unsure if he can force himself to move away. His eyes are shut tight, willing the darkness to drown it out… to drown everything out.
"My father died when I was fourteen." She whispers. "His name was Charlie Swan, and he was the police chief of Forks. He and my mother married right out of high school and they had me a little less than a year later."
The venom flow in his mouth begins to lessen. Bless her, she's trying to distract.
"They grew apart, and I stayed with my Dad while my Mom travelled. When he died of a heart attack, I moved to phoenix to live with my mom Renee."
It is working. He is beginning to think clearly now.
"I've only been back to Forks once since then, but I got caught out in the rain and ended up spending most of the visit with pneumonia."
He chuckles tiredly, and slowly lowers her until her feet are again touching the ground.
His eyes are sad when he looks at her, and he can feel the weight of shame bearing down on him, right down to his fingertips.
"I'm so sorry, Bella. Do you see now why I'm bad for you?"
She shakes her head, "Stop it. Don't you dare try to make my decisions for me, Edward Cullen. That was nothing I can't handle."
She'd talked many a werewolf down from fits of rage much worse than that. And she was afraid to admit, that even if he had bitten her, had she had the chance to undo the decisions that had led her to that moment, she wouldn't have changed a thing.
He is absolutely flabbergasted. Why is she not terrified? He had been so close to taking her right then—closer than he's been to taking human blood in years.
"Do you want to be here with me?" She asks. "That's all I really need to know. Do you want me?"
He wants to crush her to his chest, but knowing that he might possibly do just that—crush her—he steps backwards, instead.
"God, yes, Bella. That's the problem I want you so badly, in every way. I want to hold you in my arms always. I want nothing more than to give you anything you ask for. But you have to know… I… it's hard to explain, Bella, but your blood to me—it's unlike any other blood. Not only do I want you more as a person than anyone else in this world, but my thirst longs for your blood more than any other blood. It's like it sings to me, to the monster in me."
Her expression is carefully blank, and he winces. Now at least, she knows. She knows the worst part of him.
She takes a step forward, putting them back in arm's length of each other.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to out sing my blood. Sing to the man instead of the monster."
He doesn't know what to say to her. She does attract the man in him, more than his gentlemanly upbringing will allow him to admit. But he will never forgive himself if he harms her.
"Edward, look at me. I understand how hard this is for you, or at least I'm trying to understand. But you said you wanted all of me—blood included."
He turns his face from her, the crippling guilt on his shoulders making it difficult to remain standing.
"That's good." She smiles, "Because I love all of you, monster included."
He snaps, " you don't know what you're talking about. I could kill you, Bella. I nearly just did, and I could kill myself for it. And because of what? Because you touched me? Is that anyway to spend a life together?"
"It will get easier, it has to." Her voice is somber, and he is struck by how young she suddenly seems.
"And if it doesn't?"
She looks up at him, his face contorted in what looks nearly like torture, and she wants to say that perhaps instead of a just a life together, they should spend an eternity together. She thinks that would solve all their problems, but she doesn't say it.
Instead, she replies, "If it doesn't, then we'll have this conversation again."
She moves back toward him slowly, her hands outstretched in warning. She stops directly in front of them, the small space between then humming with energy. She gives him time to stop her, leaving her small hands hovering a few centimeters away from his arms, before finally resting her hands on his biceps.
"I've hurt you." He whispers, eyeing the bruised finger prints on her upper arms.
She shrugs, "Bruises fade."
"I'm sorry." She's never heard something so sincere.
"You're entirely forgiven. It was nothing really."
He scoffs, "Nothing? You are absurd." He softens, his golden eyes seeming almost molten, "What can I do to make it up to you?"
She thinks for a moment. His skin beneath her hands feels marvelous and the electric wave flowing between their bodies is nearly piercing. Her heart beats heavily and she feels as though it has risen into her throat.
"What is it? What can I do?" He asks, curious as to her bizarre reaction.
She flushes a brilliant red, swallowing thickly.
She glances up at him from beneath her lashes, asking timidly, "Kiss it and make it better?"
A/N: Okay… I know it was short. But the good news is… I've got a lot more written, but decided to split what I had into two chapters. And I know I left you a little bit of a cliff hanger, but if I get some good reviews, I promise to post again either tomorrow or the next day.
Also, I'm reaching the end of what plot I had planned for this fic, and I'm about to venture out into uncharted waters. So if anyone has a request or suggestion as to what direction this fic might take… let me know.
Who would you like to see or not see in this fic?
The rest of the Cullen clan?
Those good old Quileute boys?
James, Victoria, and Laurent?
Or perhaps an new villain altogether?
Review and let me know what you'd like to see. The more reviews I get, the sooner the second half of this chapter will be up. You know you all want Edward to kiss and make everything better.