A/N Some fun stuff below but I had to thank Twisted Coincidence & Hongkongphooey for their recs last week. My email went nuts with alerts and faves for this story and I'm beyond flattered that they would rec me in their stories. If you're not reading Paper CutOuts & Fill My Little World, you should be. Thanks girls and anyone else who's rec'd me. If you have, let me know!

Taste of Innocence Chapter 17

"Go bend over that tree we knocked down baby."

"Which one?" she asked with a wicked grin, tossing back her hair. She was so fucking hot and I laughed because it was true. We'd knocked down five fucking trees since this marathon sex session. I wondered idly if I should contact the Guinness Book of World Records. Surely it was a record…though those pervy fuckers would probably want a demonstration and nobody was allowed to see Bella naked but me so that was out. Still, I'd love to see our names together in the record books. Edward and Bella Cullen…oh holy fuck. Cue the laughter in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

I don't even need to fucking laugh you useless bastard. It's just too easy this time. It almost feels like a hollow victory. That was just some sort of weird Freudian slip. I don't want to be married. I don't even fucking believe in marriage.

So you claim, but there you have it, right in your very own thick head. That was probably you, slipping your shit in and getting me all confused. I, Edward Cullen, am never getting married. Period. Mmm hmm and you were never going to fall in love, and you were never going to try animal blood, and you were never going to find someone that you wanted to be around for all of eternity…funny how one girl has made you change your mind on all of those things, so what's what one more?

I don't need to change. I never fucking needed to change. I am perfect as is. It's a shame you can't see me as well as hear me, because I have an epic fucking eye roll going on right now. Oh seriously, shut the fuck up. You've been blessedly quiet during the past two days, why the hell did you have to come back now?

You're the one who had the thought that brought me back, douchebag. You're supposed to be fucking your woman, who I believe is bent over a tree right now like some sort of offering to a perverted God and instead you're thinking about her bearing your last name. First of all, stop looking at Bella naked. She's mine. Second of all, it's kind of hot to think of her having my last name. It's like everyone would know she belonged to me then.

Of course you would think of marriage as a way to mark your woman. But I suppose it works for you, so long as you don't phrase it quite that way when you ask her. You love her and you want to marry her. I do not want to marry her. She can take my last name without me marrying her. We're vampires, we can be anyone we want to fucking be. So, maybe she can change her name to Rain Starlight or something then. You're such a jackass. That sounds like a fucking stripper's name. No way is my Bella going to have such a ridiculous name.

So tell her you love her and ask her to be your wife. I don't want a wife. But you want her, forever. Yes, of course I fucking do. Then what's the damn difference? You're committed either fucking way and I bet she'd feel a lot better about the two of you if you gave her your love and then asked her to take your name.

"Edward?" Jesus Christ, do you see what you made me do? My woman is waiting for my cock and you're lecturing me on shit like marriage. Marriage has no place in fucking, certainly not in fucking my girl from behind. You don't think married people fuck? Married people have boring missionary sex once a week if they're lucky. You're so fucking ignorant I don't even know what to say to you right now.

Good, then go the fuck away and let me tend to my woman's needs. You can come back at another time when Bella's luscious ass is not right before me, at the perfect fucking height for me to just walk right up and grab those milky white thighs and slide Edward Junior…Alright, Jesus Christ, just go do it, I don't need a fucking play by play. We're not done though.

I mentally congratulated myself on getting rid of the prick…hell if thinking about fucking Bella was all I needed to do to drive him away then that would be the easy as hell. Why hadn't I thought of that before? I leaped over one of our other tree victims and landed right behind Bella, admiring the way her skin glowed in the light. This tree, the huge oak that we'd knocked over a few hours ago when I'd been fucking her hard against its trunk, had a large span and knocking it down had let a little light into our dark corner of forest. I finally got to see Bella in the sunlight and she was even more gorgeous than before.

I'd always hated that our skin fucking glowed like some Disney fairy princess but it didn't look ridiculous on Bella. She was stunning; it was like her inner radiance glowed out of her or some shit like that. And now I fucking sound like a Disney fairy myself. Great. See what you do to me, motherfucker? You turn me into some romantic that thinks about marriage and fucking inner radiance? I could not hate anything more than I hate you, just so you fucking know that.

I placed my hands on Bella's inner thighs and pushed them apart as she mewled and moved wantonly against the tree. Jesus, who knew she had it in her? Over the past three days I'd seen a sexual awakening the likes of which even I hadn't allowed myself to fantasize. She was sensual and sexual and insatiable. I seriously thought she'd want to call it quits after a day but she meant it when she asked for me to fuck her days on end. I certainly wasn't about to complain about that shit, but it sure surprised me. She'd demanded the tongue treatment, as she liked to call it, every night too. I was more than happy to oblige. The Guinness Book also could place us under the Most Orgasms in a 72 hour period as well; we had that shit by a mile.

Edward Junior started to fucking whimper like the emo motherfucker he was so I silenced him by sliding slowly inside her. Fuck, she felt incredible. Every time was just like the first time, minus the inexperience. Life was really fucking good right about now and love and marriage didn't have to come into play. That would just ruin shit, right? Wives got demanding and shrewish and stopped putting out. Why the hell would I want that?

Bella moaned and thrust her hips back at me. I gripped them and started pounding into her, lifting her slightly so I'd have the perfect angle to hit her g-spot and send her flying yet again. I could find that elusive motherfucker if I was blind and deaf and dumb at this point. Bella started screaming and coming almost instantly and her fingers dug into the tree with a loud grinding noise. I grinned and kept thrusting into her, sliding one finger around to play with her clit. She pushed her body up off the tree, holding herself at a ninety degree angle while I slid even deeper inside her with the new leverage. Jesus, that was fucking hot.

I rolled her clit between my pointer finger and thumb before squeezing it gently, causing her to scream and come again. Edward Junior was tired of being deprived and he came along with her, shooting my venom inside her as she clamped around him like a vice. Damn, it just got better and better. I slid out of Bella and lowered her back to the ground. She turned and walked into my arms, resting her head on my shoulder. Who the fuck knew that holding a girl after sex could be so good? Usually that was when I booked out of there but I liked being with Bella like this.

"So, that was three days of sex, huh?"

"No, that was three days of Monopoly, baby. What do you think?" She smacked me with her left hand but kept her body pressed flush with mine. "Was it what you thought it would be?" Holy fuck, what kind of retarded question was that? I was turning into such a fucking girl around her. As if it wasn't the most fantastic experience of her life.

She giggled and burrowed into my chest while she nodded her head up and down. Then she pulled back and smiled up at me and I swear to fucking God my heart soared. Here comes the bride, all dressed in white…Shut the ever living fuck up! "I can't say I really knew what it would be but," she broke off, biting her lip. Oh Christ, what? I couldn't breathe until I heard her answer. "It was fun!" Fun? I give her marathon sex and she dubs it fun? What the fuck?

"Fun? Baby, couldn't you do better than that? How about mind blowing? Earth-shattering? Life-altering? You saw God?" She was laughing hysterically now, her hands gripping my shoulders to hold herself up. Well that wasn't remotely fucking insulting. Jesus.

I pushed back from her and let her have her laughing fit, trying not to notice the way her breasts jiggled with her mirth. She wasn't deserving of round 43 or whatever it was at this point. I walked over to our long ago discarded clothes and tugged my jeans on. Bella had gone silent behind me but I didn't turn to see if I could set her off again.

Arms wound around my waist and I felt her press up against me from behind. Her fingers trailed up my bare chest and I shuddered at her touch. I would never fucking tire of the feeling of her hands on me, even if she'd just insulted the hell out of me. I felt her lips touch each of my shoulder blades and grunted in pleasure. Sure, butter me up now, Bella. Sorry, no more cock for you, at least not for the next few minutes anyway. Edward Junior cursed at me but I didn't give a fuck. Fun my ass.

"I meant fun in a mind blowing, earth-shattering, life-altering sort of way. I don't know if I saw God but I do know I went blind several times." She punctuated each word with a kiss along my upper back and shoulders. Edward Junior was doing yet another dance in my pants and I was slightly mollified so I turned and wrapped my arms around her too.

She reached up and brushed my hair back out of my eyes while she smiled at me. "Fun wasn't meant to be an insult, you know. It was just different from what I imagined." Well what the fuck did that mean? Did I not live up to expectations?

"How so?"

She bit her lip again and shrugged. "I don't know how to explain it exactly. It's just I guess I thought sex was the guy on top, girl on the bottom, move a few times, get off, and you're done situation. It's not like that with you. We were in positions I didn't know existed and it always felt good and just…fun. You know what I mean?"

I grinned down at her, since I got it now. "Baby, I have plenty more positions to show you. I'll be happy to be your sex-ed teacher." She snorted and smacked me, the sound of her hand hitting my chest echoing through the remaining trees.

"I'm sure you have plenty to show me. How many women have you had sex with anyway?" Oh, holy fuck. Answer that and the cockblock will be back on with a vengeance.

I shrugged. "I've been alive along time. Plus, I didn't really learn everything by doing. Mind reader, you know." I tapped the side of my head and smiled at her. "You wouldn't believe the things I've plucked out of people's heads." That was true, therefore, I hadn't fucking lied.

Bella tilted her head and studied me. "I see you don't want to answer the question, which means that I probably don't want to know the answer. Oh well, I guess I'm benefitting from your experience now." She didn't sound nearly as happy and amused as she had a minute ago. She turned to look at the tree I'd just fucked her on and I knew I'd fucked up royally. Damn it, time for some damage control Cullen.

I touched her right shoulder and turned her to face me again. She could have resisted me if she wanted but my Bella wasn't about to avoid a conflict. I loved that about her. "I've fucked a lot of women," she blanched a little at my words but didn't turn away again which I was fucking thankful for. "But not one of them can hold a candle to you, Bella." Fuck, should I even fucking say it? "You're the only one I wanted to keep around, the only one I can't get my fucking fill of. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

She looked up at me for a minute before a beautiful smile broke over her face. Thank fucking Christ, disaster averted. And maybe she figured out that I was fucking in love with her. "I'm special?" she asked.

I resisted rolling my eyes. Then again, maybe not. Why was it that a girl who was perceptive enough to see through the majority of my bullshit couldn't see the fact that I was insanely in love with her? She was so fucking exasperating. "Yes, you're very special and you mean more to me than anyone ever has before." Get it? Got it? Do I need to write the word love in the sky?

She positively beamed and threw her arms back around me. "I feel the same way about you, Edward." Then you love me…so fucking tell me! Why must you be so damn difficult woman?

It didn't seem like she was going to do that, though, she just kept hugging me and nuzzling into my chest, which was actually pretty fucking nice even if it wasn't what I was looking for. I held her for a few minutes before pulling back and studying her perfect, naked form. "Are you doing alright, baby? It's been a few days since you've eaten and you must have worked up an appetite by now." I sure as fuck was thirsty so I knew she had to be, as young as she was.

Bella nodded. "Actually, yeah, I could eat. I guess we'd better hunt before we go home, huh?" How much did I fucking love that she called it home? Yes, I am a full-fledged pussy at this point. I accept it. Moving on.

"You'd better hunt." She frowned at my words but didn't say anything. Just because I'd licked one bear's blood off her body didn't mean I was conforming to her ridiculous diet plan. Some compromises could not be made, that was number one. Did she honestly think I was that fucking easy? Give me a little credit. "I'll come with you though," I told her and she watched me a moment before the smile broke out on her face again.

I bent down to pick up her discarded jeans, panties and bra. The shirt was a total loss, as was mine since she'd shredded it in her impatience to fuck me. God, that was fucking hot. I held her clothes out to her and she glanced at them a moment before shrugging and turning on her heel. What the fuck? The next thing I knew she was running through the trees, naked as the day she was born, fucking glorious as all hell. It was a damn good thing we were alone in the forest or I'd have to blind and/or kill whoever got to look upon her. Not that they could have seen her, streaking through the trees like a bolt of lightning. Thank God for that. She was a sight to behold though.

I clutched her clothes and took off after her, not wanting to miss the sight of Bella on the hunt. She was beyond incredible and she was mine. My eyes traced every inch of her body as she cut through trees and bushes; her muscles were bunched and clenched and all sorts of fucking hot. Edward Junior sprang to life again and started battling with my zipper for exit. You can fucking wait, buddy. There will be plenty of time to take her after she eats.

Bella paused for a second and lifted her cute nose in the air and sniffed. I came up next to her and she gave me a brief nod of acknowledgment before she cut to the right and took off like a whirlwind again. White skin, flowing brown hair, sexy strong limbs…Jesus. If I wasn't already dead she'd surely be the death of me and I'd utter nary a peep of complaint either. What a fucking way to go.

She went north a few hundred yards and then cut back towards the stream where we'd seen the little deer family a few days ago. I hoped like hell it wasn't the same fucking family again, I didn't need her to get all emo after I'd fucked the crazy out of her the past few days. I had, hadn't I? You're too stupid for words. Fuck you, I wasn't asking you. It was another rhetorical question. Don't ask shit if you don't want the answers. Bella has changed a little, she's got some self confidence now and she knows you care about her but she's still the same girl she always was. Unpredictable, crazy, smart, funny, wild as hell…exactly what a moron like you needed in his life.

I didn't feel the need to respond to him, because he was at least right about that last part. I needed Bella like I needed blood. She was a necessity now and I would not live without her. It was just a fact of my existence. I followed Bella as she vaulted over limbs and sped across the forest floor without hesitation. It was fucking intoxicating watching her on the hunt. I'd do it every single day if she'd let me.

Bella paused behind a large tree and I closed the distance and came up next to her. Sure enough, further down the riverbank than the first deer family, was a group of four fully grown deer, three males and a female. I wrinkled my nose as their scent hit me; they didn't hold a hundredth of the appeal that the bear had. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers and I had no idea how many fucking bears were wandering the forests of New Jersey. Perhaps I should have Jenks purchase some and fly them in…surely there was a black market for animals. There was for every other damn thing, why not that?

She stood stock still next to me, her eyes focused on the deer drinking from the stream, black again, this time from regular hunger instead of hunger for me. It was still fucking hot though. Maybe I should order her some black contact lenses…they probably made them; they made every other damn color it seemed. Of course if I was going to get her black ones, I may as well get her brown. I wondered if they made her exact color, the deep chocolate color that had mesmerized me when she'd been human. I wouldn't want any other color on her, really. Bella wouldn't look right with blue or green; she was made for brown, red or black. All three suited her in very different ways. Brown was her innocence, her humanity and her goodness; black was her darkness, her hunger, her desire and red was her personality, vibrant, volatile and beautiful. Somehow my Bella managed to retain all those traits, even if her eyes weren't brown anymore.

I couldn't resist running a hand over her shoulder, that delicate curve that led to her incredibly tasty neck. Her eyes flickered to mine but she quickly focused back on her prey, a mere fifty yards away. Her muscles bunched and I moved my hand away from her, not wanting her to take it off in irritation if I blocked her from her meal. She took off silently, a deadly assassin focused solely on the kill. The deer heard her a second too late, their heads rising from the stream, their golden eyes dilating, fear coming off them in waves as she descended upon them. One of the males and the female managed to dart away but Bella took down the other two males with a resounding crash and a splash as all three hit the water.

It was fascinating, seeing my naked Bella, an arm wrapped around each struggling deer, dragging them out of the water as she looked around in confusion, likely trying to figure out how she could eat both of them while they kicked and bucked and made some hideously disturbing braying sound. It was nothing like the scream of a human as they faced their death. I didn't like it. The sound, the smell of human fear; there was nothing comparable to it.

Bella dragged them up the bank and shot me a glare as I laughed at her predicament. I walked over to her leisurely, not in any hurry to tear my eyes from the sight of Bella's wet, naked form. Fuck. It was the first time I'd seen her all wet; well, wet from water that is, and it was a lovely sight to behold. I wanted to lick the droplets off her body, wind that wet hair around my hand as I thrust inside her and made her scream. Edward Junior was in complete agreement, trying again to break free from my zipper. Horny bastard…but I couldn't blame him. She was extremely edible right now, unlike the deer she was holding onto as she huffed in frustration.

"Problem, baby?"

Her coal black eyes snapped at me. "It's about time you got down here. What am I supposed to do?"

I raised an eyebrow at the irritation in her voice even as the perverse side of me rejoiced in how fucking sexy she was when she was pissed at me, even though I hadn't done shit to make her that way, as fucking usual. Yes, she was clearly the same old Bella. "And I would know what you should do, why?"

"Because you've been killing for a lot longer than I have. Haven't you ever killed more than one person at a time?" She was so irritated, it was fucking adorable.

I grinned at her and she huffed in response. "I thought you didn't want to hear about my hunting? Shall I regale you with some stories? There was a time that I took out this gang of bikers that was going to…"

"Damn it, Edward, would you fucking help me?"

God, I loved it when Bella said fuck. "Fine." I set down her clothes and reached out and grabbed the deer that was under her left arm and dragged it over to me, its hooves digging into the grass as it tried in vain to get away. "What you should do, love, is just break their necks right away. Then you can eat as many as you need to and take your time about it. That's what I did with the bikers, well, most of them. A few got some special treatment."

She made a sound of disgust and then sank her teeth into the buck's neck. It tried to rear but Bella's arms were tight bands around its midsection and she held tightly as the life left the animal quickly, its body falling onto the dirt. Bella moved her grip up to the antlers and angled the neck perfectly so she could get the perfect flow of blood to her lips. The blood smelled disgusting but it was still hot as fuck to watch Bella's perfect lips sucking the red liquid into her mouth, her tongue and throat moving with each swallow, reminding me of how she'd looked as she sucked my cock and took all of my venom. Edward Junior started yelling about letting him at her, as if I could at this moment with some three hundred pound animal struggling in my grip, making that irritating sound, its eyes rolling in fear.

"Sorry, Bambi, my girl's gotta eat. I tried to tell her that there are better options out there but she's stubborn as fuck. Women, what are you going to do?" His eyes rolled again and I was sure he was in accord with me on that statement. Women, no matter what animal, were insane. It was just a fact of life.

Bella dropped the lifeless deer carcass with a grunt and stood and walked over to me. "Still hungry, baby?" She shrugged and I wondered what the fuck that was supposed to mean. Should I let the fucking thing go? He was probably going to have a fucking heart attack in a minute anyway; I could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

She reached out and took hold of him but when I started to let go she put her hands over mine and stilled me. "What, Bella? You don't need help to hold him; you just took down that other one with no problem."

"Drink with me." What? Was she fucking insane? I didn't want to taste that blood. It had no appeal whatsoever. A mouthful of dirt, what fucking fun.

"Bella, you know I have no interest in…"

"Drink with me," she growled and fucking Edward Junior started screaming at me to drink with her because if he didn't get inside of her within the next five minutes he was going to die. Overdramatic motherfucker, that's what he was.

"Bella, seriously, I'm going to hunt later tonight." I had to go into the city anyway so I'd kill two birds with one stone and get some dinner while I was out.

She let go of the deer and I stupidly held on to the fucking thing while she stood on her tiptoes and pinned me with her angry gaze. "Yes, yes, you can go eat a fucking person later. Right here, right now, I want you to share this deer with me. Show me you're willing to try, just this once, and you won't hear another peep out of me about the lives that you destroy when you kill a human," she hissed. Holy fuck, I was hard as a rock at the look in her eye and the demanding tone she was using. Plus, I could save myself a century of bitching, if she was telling the truth, by giving in this once.

I held her gaze as I bent my head and placed my mouth next to the deer's throat. It continued to struggle fruitlessly in my arms but there was no way it could get away from me unless I let it go. She walked around to the other side of the deer and positioned herself on the other side of his neck, her face incredibly close to mine. She gave me another silent nod and together we bit into the neck. I fought back the urge to gag at the taste as the warm liquid entered my mouth. It was exactly as unappetizing as it smelled. It tasted like dirt and grass and leaves and nature; none of which were my favorite things in the world.

But, my favorite thing, person, whatever, in the world was watching me, her eyes focused on my face as she sucked the life out of the animal between us and I couldn't disappoint her so I drank. I fought down the mouthful and I took in even more of the foul liquid, eating quickly, not savoring the taste like I did a human. After a few swallows I was used to the dirty taste and it wasn't quite as disgusting as it had been initially. Still not good, but it didn't make me want to choke it back up right away like I thought I'd have to do at first. And well, being this close to Bella, drinking with her like I'd always wanted to…it was worth the foul taste because all I could think about was throwing the deer out of my way and taking her like I'd always dreamed. Maybe it wasn't an alley, maybe it wasn't a human, but it was still incredible to take a life with her.

Her eyes remained on mine as we drained the unfortunate animal. I started pulling less into my mouth, wanting her to have the majority of the blood, knowing that I'd have the real stuff within the next day or so. That was something to look forward to. God I wished she'd go with me and just try a human…she'd see that there was nothing like it and that even the bear paled in comparison to the wonderful flavor of a person's blood.

I took one last pull and removed my lips from the creature's fur. Bella did the same on her side and by some unspoken agreement we both let the deer drop at the same time and then somehow we were in one another's arms, our lips crashing together, our tongues meeting and sucking the blood off one another. This was exactly as it should always be, from now until the end of time, Bella and I, feeding as one and then attacking one another with much more passion than we had our prey.

She reached between us and shoved her hands down my jeans, gripping Edward Junior, making him scream with joy and me hiss with pleasure. I sought desperately to thrust in her hand but there wasn't really room to move. I guess Bella felt the same way because before I even knew what was happening, there was a ripping noise and my jeans were gone.

I let out a gasp and laugh against her lips as I pulled her to me and lifted her off the ground. Her legs wrapped around my waist, her thigh muscles gripping my hips tightly as I shoved my cock inside her and made us both groan. I stumbled a few feet away from our kills and sat down on the muddy ground, staying inside her as I dropped down, unwilling to part from her for even a minute. The hunger in her eyes, the way her lips moved over mine…this was fucking everything right here. As it should be. Tell her, you jackass. Just tell her already!

Fuck, maybe I should. It felt like she loved me back. She acted like she did. The way she moved with me, as I gripped her ass and pulled her onto my cock; it was like we were made for each other. Surely I wasn't the only one feeling it. Bella was perceptive and shit, she knew we were right together. But then, she should fucking tell me that instead of make me be the one to do it. She could make our lives a billion times easier if she'd just say it.

Your life, you mean, you fucking coward. I am not a fucking coward. I'm just cautious. Since when? Name one time in your entire life, human or vampire, in which you were cautious. I dare you. I grunted as I met Bella's thrusts with my own. Fuck, I couldn't think of anything. Surely there was some damn time…No, there isn't. Asshole. You have never, ever stopped to think before you acted, or else Bella wouldn't be here like this today. Well, that fucking proves that I did the right thing, because she belongs here with me, douchewad.

Which proves my fucking point, because you didn't stop to think; you acted, just like you should with this whole love business. You've been in enough heads to know that every girl in the world likes to hear those words from the guy they love. I know you're a fucking idiot but surely you've absorbed that information sometime within the past century. Even you cannot be that damn clueless.

First of all, I'm a little sick of your fucking attitude. Secondly, I'm more than a little sick of your fucking timing. Why must you always appear when I'm actually enjoying time with my girl? Thirdly, of course I know that girls want to hear it, but guess what, numbnuts? Guys want to hear it too. That's right, dick, there is no fucking rule that says that the man has to say it first. Why the fuck should I get all the pressure of those words? Huh? Can you tell me that?

Because she's young, naïve and been hurt before, you prick. You can't expect her to be willing to open herself up to you without you putting yourself out there first. And you know this, because I have told you it a billion times, you're just too damn pigheaded to listen. I listen; you just come along at the worst fucking possible time. After meal sex is supposed to be the best sex there is and you're ruining it for me.

It will be the best when you tell her you love her and she says it back. If you believe nothing else I've said, even though I've been right each and every fucking time I've spoken to you, believe that. I'm going now. Enjoy your fucking, knowing that three little words hanging over you could change things in ways you can't begin to imagine.

Was it really that big a deal? Would saying I love you make that big a difference between the two of us? If you don't think it will, then you shouldn't be afraid to say it. I'm not afraid. Prove it. Fuck, fine, I will if you'll go the fuck away. I'm gone.

Fucking prick, taking my concentration away from the beautiful girl in my arms; who was riding me like cowgirl on a bucking bronco. She was hot as fuck. I slid my hands up her backside and around to cup her breasts. Bella moaned as I moved my thumbs in circles over her nipples and started riding me faster. I thrust up to meet her as she started to clench around me, her head thrown back, her eyes closed and her perfect mouth making the sounds I'd only imagined hearing from her days ago.

I came with her, shooting my venom deep inside her as I sucked and nibbled on her graceful neck. Her arms wound around my neck as she tilted hers to give me better access. I stayed inside her, kissing her softly as we both came down from the hot sex. Her hands wound in my hair and I pulled back and looking into her stunning, satisfied face. She smiled lazily at me, her eyes glowing with some emotion I couldn't quite identify. Happiness? Satisfaction? Dare I fucking hope it was love?

Shit, did I look at her like that? If I did, then surely she knew how I felt, so what was the harm in saying it? She hadn't run yet and I'd done plenty of shit that could have made her shut me out forever. What was I fucking afraid of? Emo douche was right, this time; there was no harm in telling her how I felt.

"Bella?" Damn it, why did I have to sound like a fucking chick when I said her name? Man up, Cullen.

She smiled, her now red eyes lighting up with it. Fuck she was beautiful. There would never be anyone equal to her in the entire world. "Yes, Edward?"

"I…" I broke off; trying to force those two little words past my lips was like trying to get out of quicksand. I felt like I was sinking…hell I was already fucking sunk, I had been since the moment I met her.

I heard something down by the water. It sounds big. Daddy's going to eat well tonight. Fuck. It couldn't be.

"What, Edward?" Damn it all to hell, the timing wasn't right. It never fucking was. I slid out of Bella and lifted us both to our feet.

"I hear a human coming." Not the words I wanted to say but they were more important at the moment. I had to get her out of here before the clueless dolt got within her range of scent. Bella went completely still and I grabbed her arms and shook her lightly. "Baby, just remember what you did on the way out here. Take a deep breath and hold it. We're going to run home, okay?"

She took a giant breath and nodded. I grabbed her clothes that I'd discarded during her hunt and my tattered jeans, taking her hand in mine. "Let's go home." We took off together, headed toward our home. I'd tell her, when the time was right; I would tell her I loved her.

A/N Go ahead, call me a loveblocker now, I know you want to :) I can take it...at least I'm giving you sexing finally. You can't have it all...yet!

I've had a few of you suggest hilariously awesome names for the third character in this little story; aka the inner voice. And you're all right, he's such a character at this point that he should have a name. So, dear readers, give your best suggestions for a name for the inner voice via PM or review or on twitter. We'll compile a list and vote and give our boy an identity. The suggestions I've already gotten are Clyde, Bob and Emmett. What do you think he should be called?

There's also been some call for a new interview with Smugs/inner voice/or both, which I'm quite willing to do if you send me questions to ask them. I need to know what you want to know.

I posted the outtake of Bella's past under Bite of Darkness but will also be uploading it here in a couple of days. It's too important not to be part of the story, even though it's written within a nebulous time instead of in order like the rest of this story. Still, I think you guys do want to know what caused our Bella to be so cut off from men and I will post it here as well. If you get the alert later in the week, that's what it is. Not new to some of you but probably to most.

Okay, that's it for now, see you soon :)