A/N Thank you all for reading still, even after what I did last chapter. Another big thank you everyone who reviewed. Some of you are a little bit unsure about what Bella's powers actually are and how they work, and I promise you'll know as soon as Edward does.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, I'm just borrowing.
I hope you like this chapter!
Oh one more thing, watch out for the end… slight cliff hanger. And if you're paying close attention, you'll get your answer to the game "Alice" at the end of this chapter as well.
Chapter 18 – EPOV
"Close your eyes," I whispered and I held her arms at her sides as I waited for her to obey. The fertile green of the plant life which surrounded us was not particularly distracting, but I wanted Bella to focus on her other senses and not rely on sight. I wanted her to realize her instincts.
We were no more than a mile away from the house, but far enough into the surrounding woods that we would have a chance to find some deer to help quench Bella's thirst. Though we rarely hunted on our property, I knew it would be unwise to take Bella to Carlisle's nature preserve today. A newborn vampire would not have the restraint to keep from killing a human; something Bella was fervently opposed to and afraid of.
"You promise you can stop me if there are any humans?" she asked for the third time since we left our front yard.
"Bella," I chided, "Emmett checked a few hours ago, there's nobody out here," I tried to reassure her.
"That's not a yes," she reminded me, abruptly opening her eyes to stare at me with fright.
I know. I said with my mind's voice. As a newborn, Bella was much stronger than I, so in reality there would probably not be very much I could do if she crossed paths with an unlucky human. But I knew this forest was clear of anything besides the plant and animal life which inhabited it. Nobody had stepped foot within our property line since we first purchased the land.
"Eyes closed," I instructed again. With more reluctance than before she allowed her lids to fall and waited for me to speak again. I couldn't help myself as I touched the smooth pale lids which shielded me from the windows to her soul. I tried not to think about the electricity I felt pulsing between us as my hand trailed down to her chin, constantly reminding myself that she could hear my thoughts and right now she needed to focus.
"What do you hear?" I asked in an attempt to bring us both back to the task at hand. There was a slight smile threatening her lips in response to my thoughts so I more fervently concentrated on the question I had asked.
She was silent for a moment before she answered. "Everything," she sighed.
I nearly chuckled at her amazed reply, but quickly reigned myself in and waited. I was looking for a specific answer.
"Three deer grazing half a mile to the northeast," she whispered and I beamed.
"What do you smell?" I asked just as softly as I allowed my finger to trail to her nose.
"Hmmm…" she seemed to consider for a moment. "Honey, lilac, and sun," she smiled, as her eyes opened playfully.
"Excuse me?" I asked, mystified.
"That's the best description I could come up with for your scent," she laughed, "It's very distinctive, and actually one of the first things I noticed when we met in the hospital almost two weeks ago."
I could hardly believe it had only been two weeks since I first found my Bella again. While the time had flown that first week she spent at our house, it had dragged the last few days. So much had transpired. "You seem to remember that with amazing clarity," I realized with surprise. Human memories usually seemed to fade so quickly once new vampire memories filled your mind. They were so dull and hard to comprehend.
Hearing my thoughts, she considered for a moment before answering. "My memories are different than my current thoughts, but I wouldn't say faded," she paused, "I think I remember more than I did before."
"More?" I verified, perplexed.
"Well, I feel like I remember more about my life in Forks, about my life in Chicago, even about my life in Italy."
"So you're positive you lived in Italy?" I remembered back to our conversation last week when we discovered that Bella still knew Italian.
She nodded her head. "It doesn't really smell that appealing does it?" she questioned out of the blue. Reading the confusion in my head she explained, "Animal blood, that is. Without your suggestion and if my throat didn't burn so much, I probably wouldn't even consider it."
I chuckled a little. "You get used to it," I assuaged.
"Sure, sure," she agreed with a light laugh.
"Where did you pick up that charming phrase?" I teased. It sounded so foreign coming from her mouth, perhaps I simply wasn't used to feeling so lighthearted with her, and joking around.
"I think a friend of mine used to say it," she semi-laughed, there was brooding underneath though. Perhaps she was remembering something.
I couldn't be certain, so I lightly tapped her forehead, "What is going on up there? Will I never know?" I playfully demanded, hardly hiding the longing in my voice.
She simply smiled and ignored my query as she looked into my eyes intently. "Are you—," she began to ask a question, but paused abruptly and changed it, "Are you ready to hunt yet?"
I grinned despite myself. I didn't enjoy knowing that she would rather not share a thought or question with me. However, her voiced question was so carefree that I had no trouble dismissing my curiosity about her thoughts, for later consideration of course, as my lips turned up in anticipation.
"Oh, I'm ready. But are you?" I challenged.
I was delighted by the smirk which captured her features as she crouched into what could have easily been a familiar hunting stance. She was definitely a natural.
She took off running toward the tangy scent of the deer's pulsing blood. She was fast, but I undoubtedly could have overtaken her. Instead I simply followed and admired the foreign grace which she used to sinuously stalk her prey.
She paused for hardly a second in the bushes near a small clearing in the trees. The clouds overhead had freed the sun, at least momentarily, and a few bright late morning rays illuminated the figures of the grazing deer.
A soft, warm breeze stirred the scents in the area. The largest of the deer looked up anxiously, sensing the imminent danger. His antlers angled backward as he sniffed the air and then turned to bolt out of the area. He was too slow.
Bella coiled and before the buck had taken two steps, she was flying through the air. She pounced on the ill-fated male as the others fled. With unmistakable force, she brought the buck's neck to her searching mouth.
I think I snapped a limb on a nearby tree as I watched her. She was magnificent. With unequaled beauty and terror she ended the buck's life, making a mess of the clothes Alice had dressed her in. As if that wasn't breathtaking enough, the sun sparkled off of her skin as if there were a thousand diamonds embedded within. I gasped as I fully took her in, there couldn't possibly be anything more beautiful than Bella in the entire world.
When she was finished, she pushed the carcass off of her and sprinted to my side. I didn't even realize she had been aware of my presence. Her still red eyes didn't leave mine as she bent and ripped the seam of her dress further up her leg. I had noticed it rip as she pounced, the dress really was too constricting, but now my eyes were glued to the place the seam had been.
Next she unclasped the silvery high heeled shoes which adorned her feet and handed them to me without hesitation. I felt my breathing hitch. I had never seen this side of Bella before, yet it was so instinctual, and confident, and breathtaking, and I felt my own mind stutter in search of words. There were simply no words to describe the being which stood before me, waiting for me to speak.
I tossed the shoes behind me without a thought and heard them hit a tree, hard. I reached for her as she reached for me, and I proceeded to kiss her without a hint of worry or concern. It was more than Earth shattering, the new way I was able to hold her. The electricity I was so used to feeling between us had accelerated and dulled into a warm pulsation which only served to bring us closer.
Several too short minutes later, though neither of us needed air, I paused to take a breather as I pulled back to look at her face. She was stunning. Her eyes were a bit frenzied, as I imagined mine probably were as well, and I startled when I finally realized we were no longer standing, but sprawled out on the ground not far from the clearing.
She laughed and I remembered that she was hearing my thoughts loud and clear. "Sorry, I think I sprung on you and knocked us both down," she answered my thoughts and I joined in the laughter.
With a mind of their own, my hands found their way to the side of her legs and I enjoyed more than ever the modifications to the dress. I almost allowed another laugh to escape when I remembered how much I thought I had liked the dress before. Her gaze swooped to mine and we remained locked in our world for an unknown amount of time. It felt like we had been searching for the ability to be happy and joyful together for centuries and perhaps we had. Upon finally finding it, the bliss I felt was unrivaled. I never wanted it to end, and I reveled in the fact that perhaps it never had to. Again I tried to remember any of the reasons I had for not wanting to transform her into a vampire. There was something about her eternal happiness—but I couldn't be certain anymore.
"Bella," I whispered, somewhat nervously. I wondered if Alice was able to see what I had just decided. A concrete thought hadn't passed my mind so I was pretty certain Bella hadn't caught it unless she was concentrating really hard. She continued to stare at me curiously as I kept from phrasing my question both in my mind and in my voice. I felt a hint of relief that she didn't yet know because we were lying on the ground wrapped in each other's embrace and I couldn't bring myself to break this contact in any way for any reason.
"Will you marry me?" I finally asked, unable to keep my curiosity at bay any longer. I wondered if I shouldn't have asked this question since her body was technically only sixteen years old, and she had only known me for two weeks this time around. I waited anxiously for an answer, trying in vain to be patient.
She sat up and pulled me with her so that we were each kneeling and facing each other. I couldn't find hesitation in her eyes, nor a hint of anxiety. "Yes," she said softly and simply. I hardly had time to acknowledge the enormous smile which broke out on my face as she swooped in to kiss me again. I felt my doubts evaporate and let the joy of the moment surround us and fill us. I wasn't sure if I had ever been happier in my entire existence, probably not.
We sat there together in the shade of the tall pine trees and evergreens which surrounded us, each enjoying the new ability to be happy and whole. "Why am I still thirsty?" Bella finally scowled, pulling me back from my state of bliss, though just slightly.
"Because you're young," I explained as I stood then offered her my hand. She stood to join me with grace which was more pronounced than any vampire I had met and placed her hand in mine.
With one mind we took notice of a second herd of deer gathered by the stream on the edge of our property. I decided to join Bella on the hunt this time. We each caught a doe with ease as we scoured the herd. I quickly drained my doe then took off in search of another, Bella was on my heels in no time and we parted as we caught separate scent trails.
I found myself contentedly filled after the second and went to search for Bella. She was finishing off another deer and I was glad to notice the tiniest hint of gold altering the hue of her crimson eyes. I also noticed that there was hardly anything left of her bloodied dress. I decided I should probably be a gentleman rather than take the time to absorb and admire the latest modifications to the late designer dress.
I chuckled as I shrugged out of my own stain free shirt and offered it to her. With wide eyes she accepted and covered herself in one swift motion when she caught a glimpse of the remnants of the once full length dress.
"How is it that your shirt remained fully intact?" she almost whined, but the sound was still beautiful, and enchanting, just as much as wind chimes.
"Lots of practice and control," I explained simply, beginning to pull her into a slight run. We were no longer on our property, though there was still no threat of humans, I was anxious to be back in the familiar territory.
"Will I ever be able to control myself when I hunt?" she wondered further, and I flashed her a smile as I imagined the frightening vision of her hunting.
"I certainly hope not," I replied with a smirk, the sense of blissful easiness had yet to wear off.
It was still before noon as we ran back to the house with increased speed. Bella's long powerful strides propelled her fast enough to keep up with if not pass any other member of my family, but I was smugly aware of the fact that I could run faster.
"Is that a fact?" asked Bella coyly, listening to my thoughts.
"There's only one way to find out," I teased.
Before I knew it she had lengthened her strides to the point where it seemed more like she was flying than running. She hardly touched the ground.
At first I could concentrate on nothing but the beauty of her strides, but knowing I would need to focus to win, I increased the frequency of my own bounds through the forest.
With great effort I overtook her and quickly lost track of her whereabouts as she ran behind me now. I came to a halt just off the corner of the front yard when I saw her leap over the very top of the house from the opposite side and stop short before casually leaning on one of the beams attaching the roof and floor on the front porch.
I was impressed. "How did you—?" I cut off as I noticed her amused expression had faltered and her gaze was no longer trained on me. She seemed to be listening to the voices, and maybe even the thoughts emanating from inside.
She gave me a tentative smile and I flitted to her side as she began her ascent of the front porch stairs on her way to the front door. She was walking at a human pace, and she seemed confused and somewhat dazed.
I could smell and hear evidence of the Denali coven's presence in the house. Just as Alice and Bella's visions had implied, the Denali's had arrived shortly before our own return from hunting.
"Bella?" I tried to coax her. I could hear the thoughts and voices from inside easily now as well.
"Oh we're so glad you could stop by," gushed Esme, "And no, it's quite alright that you didn't call, there's a reason we have Alice," she teased.
Alice's thoughts were playful as well as she was momentariliy distracted from the wedding arrangements she had preemptively been making in her mind. I realized with an internal groan that she must have seen a vision of my marriage proposal to Bella after all. There would be no stopping her planning the wedding, now. I hoped Bella wouldn't mind too much.
I heard Eleazar's voice next and Bella paused abruptly, staring at the doorknob as if it would bite her. "Thank you so much for your hospitality. It's so good to see you all again, where's Edward by the way?" he wondered casually, clearly they had not yet been informed about the latest turn of events.
Carlisle considered for a moment how he would answer, Edward, are you coming inside any time soon? He asked me, he and Jasper were the only vampires in the house which had noticed our presence outside. I decided now was as good a time as any to make our entrance.
I opened the door and 12 pairs of golden eyes instantly met my then Bella's gaze.
Who is that? wondered Tanya, uncomfortably.
Yes they're back! This is gonna be interesting now, thought Emmett playfully, meeting my gaze. I couldn't decide whether smiling would be inappropriate or not. I was more than excited to show off Bella, despite Tanya's discomfort.
Well, Tanya doesn't look pleased, thought Rose, Kate, and Irinia almost simultaneously, only Rose was a bit smug. She had never been on the friendliest terms with Tanya since Tanya fancied herself easily as appealing as Rosalie. I honestly couldn't see the draw which so many men had felt for either of the two, especially compared to Bella.
Standing next to Kate was a light-haired vampire who I didn't recognize, so I assumed he must be Garret. I was deciding whether I should begin with introductions, and I allowed my gaze to travel to Carlisle's.
Hello Edward, good hunt? Asked Carlisle's thoughts. I smiled, but when I looked at Bella, I became too distracted by the exchange going on between her and Eleazar to answer Carlisle outright.
"Eleazar?" she wondered softly, staring at the black haired vampire with pure astonishment.
The look on Eleazar's face was nearly the same. "Elena?" he asked.
A/N Whew! Finally, I got to give away a little piece of the story. Hope you liked it! Sorry about the cliff hanger, I know it's rude… Oh and the answer to "Alice" the game where you had the opportunity to guess who was going to come into play who was a part of Bella's past was: Eleazar!!!! Now, you're just going to have to wait to see why he was so important…. Sorry, I know everybody's probably way sick of my antics. And I am tempted to just spill the beans right here, but where's the fun in that?