Hope everyone is still enjoying the story. Just want to say a big thank you to Girlicious-ShaneLover for the review and the messages of encouragement; much appreciated. Thank you too to everyone who has added The Club as a favourite story; glad people are enjoying it :)

CHAPTER 25

I was laying flat on my back on the bed in our room, watching as Edward paced up and down, agitatedly. The pack had caught James' scent close the edge of the woods and the rest of the family had gone to check their boundaries. Rosalie it seemed had taken to being a fully-fledged vampire particularly well, though as she had been gradually changing anyway this was hardly a surprise. Edward was reluctant to allow me around the family, other than Esme or Carlisle who had plenty of experience with newborns and ignored some of my temper tantrums or more embarrassing lust-filled conversations and yearnings. Coming on to Carlisle was possibly right up there with being found naked in the middle of Central Park in the embarrassment stakes. Carlisle and Esme weren't at all put out, but m skin felt hotter just thinking about it and not in a good way.

It had been a fortnight since I had told Edward I wanted Jacob and I had calmed somewhat since then, though he still watched over me closely. Sometimes I liked his constant presence, feeling protected and loved, but occasionally I felt claustrophobic, unable to move without his say-so. We had had some almighty arguments in the first week, which he always won, leaving me sullen and resentful, but as I regained control over some of my baser instincts, I was desperate to make amends with him. Everything he was doing was for my own benefit; restricting my feeding times, keeping me close to him, teaching me how to control my emotions. He had also been teaching me how to defend myself, which he said I had taken to like a duck to water. Esme had laughed and told him I was stronger than I looked. Indeed, I had discovered I was stronger than both Esme and Carlisle one night when Edward was out...

... "I don't see why I have to stay in while he goes wherever he wants whenever he wants," I muttered, forgetting that Esme and Carlisle's hearing was just as good as mine, if not better.

"Dear, Edward needs to hunt. He cannot do that when you are with him because he is too concerned with your safety to look after his own needs. You know that," said Esme, glancing up from the book she was reading. Carlisle was standing by the window, his hands in his pockets.

"I am sick of being trapped in this house," I growled. "It's like being in fucking prison."

"Bella, please, do not use such language; you know Edward doesn't like it," said Carlisle, looking across at me a little nervously. I curled my lip disdainfully.

"Well, as usual Edward isn't here to approve or disapprove of what I do."

"You know that he has to keep his strength up, Bella. If James attacks..."

"I am sick of hearing about James! I am perfectly capable of protecting myself from James. And I am going out." I turned in a huff towards the door, but found Esme blocking my way.

"Come on, Bella. Why don't you read a book...?"

"I don't want to read a fucking book!" My voice came out louder than I had intended and before I knew what I was doing I had grabbed her and shoved her away from the door, hard. Esme landed with a grunt against the table, clutching her ribs.

"Isabella!" snapped Carlisle. He stalked across the room to me and grabbed me by the arms, holding me firmly. "You need to calm down, now!"

"Get your hands off of me!" I screamed, fighting him off of me and then shoving him across the room. Rage surged through me and before I even knew what I was doing, my hands were grabbing at anything and everything they could, launching furniture and ornaments through the air. Esme cowered against the table and Carlisle lay where he had landed, for now immobile.

"Isabella!" My maker's voice had cut through the air like a knife and I froze for an instant with shock before launching myself at him, hands outstretched with the intention of attacking him. He caught me easily and then pinned my arms to my sides. I screamed and ranted, but I could not get out of his grip. Finally, exhausted, I sank against him, sobbing. Edward sat down, pulling me onto his lap and cradled me until my tears were spent...

... That had been something of a turning point for me, as I started to regain control, but Edward became more wary of me being alone with anyone other than himself. He took responsibility for all of my actions and words and I became fearful he would start to resent me.

I sat up on the bed.

"Edward?"

"What?" His voice was clipped, impatient and he didn't stop pacing.

"It's ok, it doesn't matter," I mumbled, lying back down, reluctant to speak to him when he was clearly irritable. Edward paused and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself.

"No, go ahead, Isabella. What is it?"

"I just wondered if you had heard anything from the others?" I asked, a little nervously.

"Nothing. I would tell you if I had." He still sounded tetchy and so I sank back into my own thoughts; my own fears of his resentment clouding my mind. I felt a dampness on my cheeks and sat up, turning away from him, not wanting him to see my tears.

"Can I have a shower?" I mumbled.

"Go ahead," he replied. Gratefully, I closed the door between us and switched the water on. Part of me wished that I had never been changed. If I was still human, he would still love me, treat me as if I were made of glass, instead of treating me with this antipathy, this barely concealed contempt. He had not held me since that night I destroyed the living room of the house and he barely spoke to me, other than to give me sharp instructions or orders.

The water cascaded over my flesh and I revelled in the sensations, which since I had become a vampire were so much more acute. We had been hunting earlier that day, before having another training session and my muscles had ached when we returned; Edward pushed me hard.

"Oh Edward," I murmured, feeling tears welling in my eyes again. I rubbed at them with the back of my hand and then shut the water off. Drawing a towel around me, I sat down on the toilet seat, reluctant to go back out and face him; knowing he would be pacing still, occasionally looking at me through suspicious and angry eyes. I didn't seem to evoke any other emotion in him these days but frustration and irritation. I closed my eyes, remembering him kissing me in the meadow that day; remembering him promising to discuss making love to me. Heat swept through me; even then I hadn't wanted to discuss making love. I had wanted to get right down to the action! I still did, especially when lust was at the forefront of my mind in the very early days.

And then I remembered how his eyes used to look at me with such depths of love, I felt I could drown in them. I just couldn't see any love there now when I looked at him. Suddenly, I heard his voice, speaking in a low tone that I wouldn't have heard as a human.

"Why would they get this close and then turn away? No, I can't reach his mind... yesterday his thoughts were so loud he might as well have been screaming them in my ears... Nothing I care to share, just disgusting images of what he intended to do with Isabella when he got his hands on her... Of course I didn't tell her! What do you take me for? She has more than enough to contend with. Yes, she is doing really well. There have been no more violent episodes... It is very hard keeping this distance from her... Look, I'll have to go. She'll be out any minute. Let me know if there are any further developments... I agree; he is trying to draw us out. We won't be drawn. If we're going to fight it'll be on our terms not his. Be careful."

The phone cut off and reluctantly I turned the handle on the bathroom door.

"Any news?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. Edward barely looked at me, as I stepped from the bathroom wrapped in the robe from behind the door, my hair glistening with moisture from the shower.

"Nothing really. They have withdrawn again." His short answer brought fresh tears to my eyes, just as I had thought I had my emotions in check.

"Ok," I managed to get out. Keeping my back to him, I went across to the bed and picked up the jeans and t-shirt I was going to put on, and then headed back to the bathroom to change. It wasn't that I was ashamed to change in front of him; I had never been prouder of my body; but if he looked at me with disgust it was more rejection than I could handle.

"Isabella," he said and I bit back a sigh.

"Bella," I interrupted, without turning round. There was silence for a moment and I glanced over my shoulder to see him looking at me quizzically. "I don't like you calling me Isabella," I mumbled, pushing the bathroom door open.

"When you are dressed, we will go downstairs for a bit if you like. Alice and Rosalie are back; they want to see you." His voice was a little gentler now, but I barely noticed as I closed the door behind me and dressed.