Disclaimer: The characters of Twilight are owned by Stephenie Meyer. The content, ideas and intellectual property of this story and the 'American Vampire Series' in its entirety are owned by Just4ALE.

Chapter 2: Eveready Edward

EPOV

Although we'd been together for more than a year, the fact that I couldn't read Bella's mind all of the time was still frustrating to me. I had gotten very good at reading her expressions, but that didn't compare to being able to hear her when she went above her shield threshold… particularly now that she could hear me. Now she had the upper hand many times.

Plus, I couldn't surprise her! If she was in any basic state of happiness – which obviously I wanted her to be in – she could hear my every thought. So she was thrilled when I decided to take her to Las Vegas as a mini graduation gift… but she knew before I mentioned it. It was like having Alice around! Nor could I surprise her about my family joining us.

Anyway, here we were flying to Vegas for a few days and I watched my beautiful fiancée with great curiosity as she sat in her seat, her brow furrowed. She listened to her iPod, shaking her head quite often and scribbling furiously on a small notebook that she carried in her bag. As she stopped to listen, she'd put the top of the pen to her mouth and tapped her bottom lip. Jesus, she needs to stop that.

"Bella love what are you working on? You're on vacation and you look like you're aggravated!" Hmmm, how aggravated will she get? One can only hope…

"I heard that, Edward," she said looking at me and rolling her eyes. "I'm creating a new playlist for my iPod."

This I had to hear. I loved Bella's play lists. They reflected her unique way of thinking. There was one called "This Is The New Stuff" which was comprised not of new songs, but ones she'd downloaded recently… so she didn't want to hear it when I pointed out that Don't Fear the Reaper wasn't exactly new. Of course there was her "Loud and Kicking" playlist, which I had already renamed as "Vampire Songs", since the list was almost completely comprised of songs sung by, written by, played by or about vampires. And she had one called "Don't Need to Know Words"… because a large or important part of the song only had na, na's or la la's in them, and it included "The Boxer" and "Hey Jude".

I smirked. "What is the playlist this time?"

"Stupid Guy Regrets His Dumbass Actions."

"What?"

"There's a LOT of songs that fit this in this category. I hate these songs of regret. What happened? In lots of these, it seems it was the guy's fault."

Reaally? The guy's fault. "Okay. Such as?"

"Don't think at me with that disbelieving 'reaally,'" she said. "Such as: Don Henley's "Heart of the Matter" – he definitely screwed it up. Snow Patrol's "Chocolate" – I think he cheated on her. Jason Mraz "You and I". The Moody Blues "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" – where did he go? Why does he have to find her? Oh and they have another one: "Your Wildest Dreams" – he's wondering if she still thinks about him. It sounds like he left to go do his thing, so I hope she moved on and that the answer to that question is a big fat NO."

She was scrolling through her iPod. "Genesis' "Afterglow". Yes… oh, maybe not," she said softly thinking about it. "In this one I think someone may have actually died. That is a song of real loss… so I won't put it on the playlist." Then she was aggravated again. "But the rest? Dumbass guys! Why would they do those things if they loved their partner?"

I reached for her hand. "Bella, love, I thought about leaving you after the incident in Paris."

"What?!" she barked out, ripping the earbuds from her ears. The other passengers looked at us. She flushed, realizing her volume and then she brought it down a few notches. "Are you trying to piss me off?" she hissed. Hmmm, no but if this does it... Her eyes narrowed. "Seriously Edward, I'd never be better off without you!"

"Bella, I've already endangered your life three times in our first year together between the pond, Paris and James. You'd be better off without me already… although it would destroy me to do it."

She put her fingers in her ears… "Na, na, na… not listening! Putting on my iPod." She put in her earbuds and continued to scroll through the list looking for songs. "Don't make me add you to my list of dumbass guys, Edward. Stupid." she muttered.

Excellent, she's a little pissed off at me… mile high?

"Don't even think it, Mr. Cullen. Not on a day flight with all these passengers awake and looking…" she said, pressing play.

Damn it… no surprises.

~#~

When we arrived at the airport a man in a suit met us holding up a Bellagio sign indicating my name. We followed him out of baggage claim. Bella looked at me curiously. "My family is known here," I said.

"How so?"

"Aside from Esme and Carlisle, we're all big gamblers. We're not quite "whales" individually, but amongst the whole family, we've been known to gamble and/or win half a million during a weekend."

"Holy smokes! I thought it was just Emmett and Jasper!" she said.

"It's all of them. Emmett is big on Blackjack. Alice loves Roulette, although she's obviously good at card games as well. Jasper plays Blackjack and Craps, and Rosalie is great at Poker, particularly with Jasper playing at her table."

"How does Jasper help?"

I explained quietly, out of earshot of our driver."Well, female poker players are rare. Really beautiful ones, even more so. They join a table and Jazz riles them up so they're lusting after her until they can't think straight and then the two of them clean up. But even without Jazz's help, she's still damn good. She can read people."

We were at the limo now and got in. "Could you please raise the window, sir?" I asked. The driver complied; our compartment was now separated from the driver.

"Do you gamble at all, Edward?" Bella asked. I moved in close to kiss her eyelids, her cheeks, her nose, ending on her lips.

"Well, obviously, I do well at Poker but I leave that game to the others," I murmured. "I like Craps myself."

She heard my internal chuckling and she looked at me, as her brow furrowed trying to understand the reason. "Really?" Then she realized why. "Oh. Edward, you do not…"

I kissed her on the forehead. "Hey, gotta put these talents to good use somehow."

"But that's cheating!"

"What, am I going to go to Hell for helping people win a little?" My hands started wandering. Hmmm, how long do we have to get to the Bellagio? With traffic, 10-15 minutes. Might be enough time… We have done it in a limo… um, what rhymes with limo...

"Edward, nothing rhymes with limo!" And then she lowered her voice and brought her mouth close to my ear. "At this time of day, it won't take long to get there… and I want more than ten minutes with you," she breathed.

I growled. "Bella, not helping me wait. Don't play with my control."

"Come again?" she whispered, climbing on my lap and pressing her mouth down on mine. You are a tease, Bella Swan... I don't think so...

As it turns out, it was 15 minutes and it was plenty of time...

~#~

As the limo pulled up to our private entrance, the head of VIP services was waiting, practically bouncing on his heels. "Ah, Mr. Edward, welcome back to the Bellagio. So nice to see you again."

"Thank you, Marcus. It is nice to see you too. Please, it is just Edward. Marcus, I'd like to introduce you to my fiancée, Bella Swan."

"How wonderful! Ms. Swan, it is a pleasure to meet you. I hear that you're celebrating your graduation?"

Bella looked surprised. She wasn't used to the VIP treatment. "Uh, yes."

The butler ran to take our bags and Bella began a tug of war with him. "Bella, you can let him take it," I said.

"It's a carry-on, Edward. I've been a consultant and I know how to travel. I can roll my own bag into the place."

She was ridiculously independent and clearly not used to this lifestyle… something she'd just have to get used to. "Just let him have it Love." She finally let go.

"We have your private villa all set up," Marcus said, gesturing behind him.

"Is the rest of the family here?" I asked.

"Mr. Emmett and Ms. Rosalie are in their villa and Mr. Jasper and Ms. Alice and Dr. and Mrs. Cullen are in up in their suites."

Marcus showed us into our accommodations. The Bellagio villas and our upstairs suites were available by invitation only… and the Cullen family was always invited. Bella walked in and her eyes opened wide. "Edward, this is bigger than your house!" She turned to Marcus. "Um, how many bedrooms does this – villa – have?" she asked.

"This is the smaller of the two types of villas we have here, with only 6,500 square feet – 2 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and your own private garden and pool. Butler service is available around the clock."

She looked at me again. "This is the smaller villa? This place is definitely big enough for another couple! Why are we all so far apart?"

I smirked at her. Ever practical, but obviously missing the bigger picture. "Do you really want to share a hotel room with my family?"

She flushed. "Oh, no, you're right."

I laughed. "This is the hotel version of Cullen soundproofing."

Marcus continued. "We have the family line of credit open so you're free to play whenever you want. And we have the tickets to O for you for tomorrow night…"

Bella whipped around and started clapping. Her energy shot up to a five. "O! Really? That's awesome!"

"And the Zumanity tickets for Saturday night," Marcus finished.

Bella's expression changed instantly and she dropped to a two. I chuckled. "Well, Mr. Edward, Ms. Bella, I think that is about it." Marcus handed me his card. "You can buzz for the butler any time or call me if you have any other needs."

"Again, just Edward is fine," I said, knowing he'd never call me that. "Thank you, Marcus," I said, watching them leave.

Bella's facial expression was almost one of horror. "Zumanity? The naked Cirque show?"

"It isn't naked, Love, it is a celebration of the body. 'The sensual side of Cirque du Soleil.'"

She made another face and shuddered. "Edward, who wants to see naked acrobats? Oh, hey, you cut that out!" she said, hearing my thoughts and blushing.

"Well, if you'd just let me get that trapeze swing going at home, I'm ready anytime you are… Happy to have you teach me some of your old circus school moves." We'll fly through the air with the greatest of ease, you atop me on the flying trapeze…

"Not quite Seusian there," she said. "Please tell me the whole family isn't going."

"Okay, I'll tell you that if you'd like, but you can read my mind so you'd know I'd be lying." I said grinning at her.

She sighed. "So when are we meeting up with everyone?"

"Later tonight, probably. My guess is after your dinner." I looked around the villa, making a mental note of what we had there. Hmmm, table – nice and big. Chair – looks comfy. Bar – a little high, but we can manage. Pool – definitely. Whirlpool – yessiree Bob.

"Edward," she said, laughing, "you know that I can hear you, don't you?"

"Good," I said, ghosting to wrap her in my arms. Ever since she'd developed her mind reading talent, I was able to get her riled up more easily. I'd been a horn-dog for her before this all happened but now… I was better than the Energizer bunny! Just call me Eveready Edward. I'd keep going and going until she pulled the plug for a little shut eye. It was so easy now: I'd think my typical dirty thoughts about her which would elevate her energy – and arousal – as she started thinking naughty things herself, which would in turn make me think even wilder things… which finally escalated her so that I could hear her thoughts. And then it was a free for all. A tower of horniness. I wasn't holding back these days... and she was like a magnet, drawing me to her time and time again.

"Then where first? My vote is for the pool," I said. I'd already managed to unhook her bra and was now reaching for the hem of her top.

She grasped my hands in hers to stop me. "Whoa, boy! What do you mean 'first'? Were you not there with me in the limo a little while ago?"

I grinned at her. "That was only foreplay."

She blinked. "Foreplay. Right." She looked behind her toward the patio and the pool. "Oh, I didn't even think to pack a bathing suit! I only think of swimming in the summer."

"Bathing suit? Okay, now you did just hear him say that it was a private pool, right?" I ran my lips up and down her neck, my tongue darting out to taste her silky skin. Jesus, you smell and taste so good. Fuck, Bella, I need you now.

I knew that that my actions with those words in her head got her going. She threw her head back giving me better access to her neck as her body pressed in closer to mine. She shot up to an eight instantly. Edward, we're not going to make it to the pool at this rate…

"Hmmm, good thing this rug looks comfy," I said, pulling her down with me to the floor.

~#~

Bella took a small nap after round two; she was tired a lot lately due to our increased activities. I knew that I should ease up, but I just couldn't get enough of her, I so loved pleasing her and hearing her in my head. I had the butler bring lunch for when she awoke. He also brought a bag for her from Alice: a bathing suit. Bella went to try it on in one of the bathrooms. After she hadn't exited for a long time, I came looking for her.

"Bella, Love, are you okay? Did you fall in?"

Her voice was quiet. "Um, no. It's just that this bathing suit doesn't leave much to the imagination."

"So? It is only us."

"Edward, I can't even look at myself in it! I don't wear bikinis."

"Bella, I've seen you in your underwear. I've seen you naked. What difference does it make?"

"But that is behind closed doors, usually, or in a darkened place at the very least. I don't know… I'm just shy when it comes to being outside in the daylight in something like this! Plus my bathing suits usually have more material. Hell, some of my underwear has more material than this! Maybe I'll just put the underwear back on and swim in that."

"Alice will be a little put out if you don't even use the suit once. Open the door and let me see. I'm sure you look beautiful."

She unlocked the door and slowly stepped out.

Holy shit.

She was a vision. Deep blue. Low cut halter top. Rings looped to the fabric. Black strings looped in the rings keeping the top and the barely there bottom… um… on. I'd seen her naked a hundred times but somehow as she stood there turning pink in this little blue bikini, I felt like a true teenager getting his first look at a Victoria's Secret's catalog… and wanting to whack off at the image. Why this made a difference at all, I had no idea. But the suit was like a neon sign going off in my brain flashing: 'Take Her, Take Her, Take Her.' Add that to her lovely scent as she flushed and I was going to lose it.

I cleared my throat and tried to remain calm. "You look stunning, Love. That color blue is lovely with your skin tone. Just beautiful." We WILL make it to the pool, we WILL make it to the pool. Which, by the way, was only 20 yards away.

She exhaled. "I'm sure YOU like it. Please don't destroy it. I'm afraid of what she might buy to replace it if you do."

She walked ahead of me to the patio and I ogled her butt. You're mine, Bella. Mine.

She giggled. "Of course I'm yours Edward. Who else's would I be? You say – or rather, think – that a lot."

"I do?" I asked. I hadn't noticed. My hands started reaching to touch her butt.

"Edward, you're killing me here!" She turned around and walked backward, her eyes staring into mine, her hands reaching out to hold mine... keeping them off of her. My eyes wandered downward however.

"Yo, Cullen!" she said. "My eyes are up here." She motioned with her index and middle fingers, pointing to her eyes and then gesturing to mine back and forth.

Sure thing, DeNiro. "Okay, I've decided that you need to wear this ALL of the time," I said, "Preferably with stiletto heels."

"You know I don't own stilettos, horn-dog. I'd break my neck in those." She was amused. "Wow… Alice knows what she's doing. But why? As you said, you've seen me with less on."

I broke free of her hands, tossed her over my shoulder and ghosted out to the patio.

She heard my intent right before it happened. "Oh no you don't!" she yelled, as I threw her in the pool.

She thrashed around and then sputtered to the surface. She pushed her hair out of her face and looked up at me, her eyes darkening. "What the hell! You couldn't have eased me into this?" she asked, as she rose to stand putting her hands on her hips.

Why, no, I couldn't. Does that bother you?

"Oh you're evil," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Stop trying to piss me off!" She was at a five now.

"Who, me?" I dove in and swam to her, moving to stand right in front of her. It was a heated pool and the water was nice and warm. Standing up, I shook the water out of my hair, sending it flying all over her. "Bella, I would never try to do that," I teased. I held her tight to my body and swam with her until she was against the side of the pool. Gently, I ran my hands from her waist up the side of her body under her arms and pushed them up and out of the pool placing them so that they were on the pool ledge. And then I reached for the strings holding her bottom on.

"Oops." I said, pulling on the string. I threw the bikini bottom on the pool deck. Six. Then I looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

She blinked as she heard my mind and then gasped. "Really? You can do that? Oh, well, yeah, I guess you don't need to breathe," she whispered as my hands caressed her thighs, moving up higher toward her entrance. Seven.

Holding her gaze, I moved my hands and placed them over hers on the pool ledge. Then I gently moved up her arms, across her shoulders, caressing her collarbone and moving my hands slowly down her body. Still looking into my eyes, she inhaled and bit her bottom lip. Eight.

Submerging. Going down, Bella. I smiled and disappeared below the surface. I could still hear her…

Oh, my. The magic tongue… you are one talented vampire, Edward Cullen.

Thank you… I thought in my best Elvis tone… Thank you very much.

A/N: Edward is the King! Thanks for reading so far. Please review.