I've never given much thought to how I would die.
But as I felt the warm trickle of blood flowing down my arm, I had a pretty good idea. Black eyes stared me down, calculating my every move, waiting for a perfect moment. I stepped back, he stepped forward. I moved to the side, he would follow. He was the hunter and I was his prey. I was afraid.
But I will not let him die.
I stepped forward and he, surprisingly, stepped back. He watched me, eyeing down at my arm and then back to my eyes. His beast was gone and he was sincere. He grabbed the kitchen towel that hung from the hook and reached me in two steps. He grabbed my bloody arm, stiffly and coldly as he wrapped the towel around the wound.
"You do not know what you are doing." He told me.
"You need this, Edward." I responded.
"I haven't had a meal in two weeks." He said, looking down to me. His face serious. "I won't stop." He warned.
"I'm not going to let you starve, Edward." I shook my head. "I want you to take it." I untied the towel, letting it fall to the ground as my arm dripped with blood once again. Edward was motionless, confused as I could tell he was faltering. "Use me for my purpose."
"Purpose?" He asked.
"I'm your donor. You need my blood." I whispered. He looked down at me, his hand reaching up as he cupped my neck. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply as his honeysuckle scent filled me. "Please, Edward." I asked as my eyes opened, my voice wavering. "I don't want to see you die." He stopped, rubbing his thumb across my cheekbone as tears filled my eyes.
"This will make you happy?" He asked as I reached up, holding his hand to my cheek and nodded my head. He let out a deep breath, but didn't break eye contact.
Then, we were moving. He placed his hand on my back and moved me out of the kitchen and to the stairs. Within moments we were in his bedroom and I felt my breath catch in my throat. He looked down at me, giving me a chance to run but I did not falter. I grabbed his hand, feeling him gently tug and lead me to the satin bed. He laid me down, stroking my cheek and kissing my forehead just before disappearing.
My heart was hammering beneath my chest and I couldn't stop my hands from shaking. No one has ever drank from me before. It was always ejected first from a needle. I tried to rationalize, telling myself this happens everyday with other donors. If they can do it, then so can I.
Edward entered the room again, this time with a bowel and a white box. He began to clean my wound and as I began to object just before he shushed me, placing a pad and gauze around the cut. My arm reached over, my hand touching the pad as I looked up to him.
"You are very brave, Isabella." He told me. I gulped down hard, glancing away for a moment. "I know this is new to you. I don't want you to do this is you think you can't."
"I can do this." I told him pointedly. He nodded his head slightly, reaching down to brush the hair behind my ear. I relaxed at his touch, leaning into it as I touched his arm. "I'm ready." I whispered.
And it was if time stopped, as if the world stopped turning. Everything was still but him and I. My heart was relaxed, I was no longer afraid when he was touching me. I trusted him. Despite everything telling me I shouldn't, I did. I knew he would protect me. He would take what he needed and keep me alive. His dark black eyes reassured me, even if he wasn't so sure himself. He was touching my cheek, his fingers lingering down to my neck. He felt my heart, skimming just above it as my head fell farther into the pillow.
He watched me, countered my reaction to him. He knew I was ready. He took in a deep breath and leaned down, pressing a kiss to my ear just before whispering.
"You are my savior." He told me, moving just slightly so that we were staring. Our noses were touching, our eyes boring into one another as his hands touched my sides. My instinct was to purse my lips but instead he kissed my nose. "Close your eyes." He told me and I felt them fluttering shut.
His hand was at my neck, gently skimming and touching. He played with the pinwheel necklace and touched my collarbone. He was testing and waiting for me to step out. I was too deep in this now – I didn't want out. I gave him a sweet smile and I could hear him chuckle as he touched my jaw line. I bit my tongue, feeling his lips on my cheek and skimming down and down. He kissed across my neck, sprinkling them down to my jugular as he stopped just in the crease of my neck and shoulder.
He paused there.
It felt like hours.
He continually kissed it over and over again.
He was making sure it was right.
I felt my breathing hitch as his teeth scraped across my skin.
I grabbed his hand, lacing our fingers together as I took in a deep breath. I squeezed his fingers, telling him I was ready. And with that small gesture his teeth broke skin, my eyes squeezing tighter at the initial sting.
I felt euphoric.
I was walking on air.
Weightless like a feather.
The blood was draining but I was on cloud nine.
I heard a moan.
I wasn't sure if it was from him or me.
I squeezed his hand tighter, arching my back just slightly as a wave of ecstasy washed over me. He brought our intertwined hands to the middle, just over my heart. The back of his cold hand rested on my chest as he felt my heartbeat inside over and over again. It went on for minutes and the feeling never left me. It was constant, never faltering.
The suction lessened, his head lifting just slightly as his teeth retracted and I let out a soft moan of appraisal. I felt his tongue against the wound and then his lips. I was so tired.
When he brought his head up, his eyes were blazing with my blood. Deep red and hot, I knew that he was satisfied. He brought my hand to his lips, kissing my fingers just before unlacing them. His lips touched my wrist, and down to my elbow as my arm went around his neck. He felt warm to me as my fingers raked through his hair. I smiled and giggled as he kissed my upper arm to my ear lobe, feeling him grinning against my skin.
"I missed you so much." He told me softly, looking down to me. I just smiled, my eyes growing heavier with weariness. He stroked my cheek and gently brushed our noses together. "Sleep for me, Bella."
My eyes closed easily.
-TSIPWR-
When I woke I was alone in Edward's bed.
The window was closed, but the sun did not leak through. I lifted myself from the bed and looked around me. I touched my stomach, looking down to see I was in a silky white night dress. I touched the fabric and then my skin as I looked to my arm. The pad and gauze were gone and the only thing that was left was an almost healed cut.
How long was I asleep?
I stood from the bed, my legs lifting me as I made my way to the bathroom. I opened the door quickly only for it to crack. I shrieked, covering my mouth as I realized I had almost taken the door off of the hinges. I sat there in shock as I leaned against the doorframe. I looked down at my hands, turning them over but seeing nothing different. I grabbed and touched the crack in the middle of the white wood just before stepping back and away onto the middle of the bathroom.
I cupped water in my hands, splashing it onto my face. My head was a bit dizzy and I leaned against the counter just before looking to the mirror when I noticed that my eyes were lighter and tinted with red.
I gasped, stepping back and hitting the shower, covering my mouth once again. I heard the bedroom door open and within seconds Edward was standing in the doorway.
"It will go away, Isabella." He smiled and stepped forward to me.
"Am I'm…" I trailed off.
"No. You just have some of the attributes." He said, walking to the counter to tuck my hair behind me. "Some of my venom is still in your system. It will linger for a few more hours. It will be gone by daylight."
Some of my venom.
How could I have forgotten what happened? I looked into the mirror and at the mark that adorned my skin just in the crease of my neck and shoulder. I touched it, feeling its coldness. It was deep and white with rigid bumps from his teeth. I looked over to see him watching me as I blushed.
"Do you feel alright?" He asked and I nodded.
"How long was I asleep for?" I asked.
"Just over four days." He told me. "It was a little longer than it should have been, but you are new to this." He told me as my cheeks flushed. "You will get the hang of it."
I then remembered the feeling. It was a bit fuzzy, but I could not forget how he made feel. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I bit my lip in anticipation.
"Will you need blood from me soon?" I asked hopefully. Edward smirked, touching my arm as his cold fingers stroked down my skin leaving more goosebumps in its wake.
"No, Isabella." He chuckled. "Not for another week or so."
His lips pursed and he stepped forward. I turned towards him, inhaling a deep breath as he stood before me, staring down into my eyes as his fingers touched my face. I felt him all over, his scent overflowing me as leaned down and kissed the top of my head.
"Were you…Satisfied?" I asked him bravely, looking up into his eyes as he was quite surprised I had said something. He smiled and tucked more hair back, touching my temple.
"That is an understatement." He said to me. "You do not know how much I appreciate you, Bella." He whispered, leaning down to kiss my forehead. He began to pull away but my hand went to the back of his neck. I felt empowered and maybe even a little fearless. Edward froze, staring down at me with such intensity that it washed over my very core. "You are playing with fire, Bella." He told me.
"Are you saying you want me to go?" I asked.
"No." He said, taking my arm away from him. "I'm saying test the waters before you jump in." I growled, the noise shocking both him and me. He then smirked and grabbed my hand kissing in gently before laughing. "You're stepping farther then you should. It's the venom. It makes you courageous. We will take this slow."
"This?" I whispered.
"Us." He corrected.
"Us." I nodded, liking the word. He smiled and kissed my open palm before closing it shut. I leaned in, pressing myself into his chest as I felt him hold onto me. I felt a great sense of relief wash over me and for the first time in a long time… I felt like I was home.
Question for my readers... Should I get a twitter? I see authors having twitters to post sneak peaks, when chapters will be updated and what not. I didn't want to get one if I will only have a few followers. I'm not very big on social networks, but if a lot of you would join or follow me I'll consider getting one to update you guys on chapters or what not. What should I do?
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, thank you for the support so far! It is overwhelming but amazing!
ii