My skin felt as if it were on fire, a dulling kind of pain. It lasted while I slept, creeping into my dreams like a thief in the night but the pain subsided with every stroke of a cold hand, against my cheek or my arm, my thigh. The pain grew sullen and weak, my skin tingling and crackling and when I opened my eyes I could hear the rolling thunder in the distance, my body under the covers though I could smell the soft mist of the ocean that was a mile away from my window.
I blinked towards the ceiling, the soft dust specks flowing just beyond the mosquito netting. It was so fine and nearly clear, that I wondered how I could see it. My eyes quickly shifted to the window as another rumble gently shook the house, it vibrating to the tips of my fingers. I could see raindrops, one by one hitting the panel and the sheer curtains that flowed in the wind, the lightening miles and miles out distinctively in the clouds.
I turned with a quick and fluid motion, the spot next to me empty and cold. My fingers ran over the pillow, feeling every crease of the feathers underneath the fabric. From here I could smell him and if it weren't for that very fact alone, I would have wondered if last night was a dream.
A soft noise caught my attention, my body whipping around to see a pair of red eyes standing at the end of my bed, my body warming as my heart beat was so slow – almost non-existent. I smiled impishly and he returned it and then suddenly I was at the end of my bed, gripping onto his shirt, pulling him to me. He smirked and wrapped his arms around my waist, our lips barely touching, everything so slow until my body moved in quick motions, his body suddenly pinned underneath mine as I straddled him on the top. He wasn't surprised but neither was I.
"How do you feel?" He asked, our hands intertwining. I looked at them for a moment, the coldness of his hands unrecognizable and gone. Instead he felt warm and our skin tingled together. My stomach knotted and quickly I brought his hand to my cheek, feeling the warmth. My chest was vibrating, purring at the new sights and scents of him. I knew exactly what this was, why I could see the dust specks and count the rain that fell onto the window. Why I could see lightening miles away and certainly why I could overpower him with sheer strength. His venom was lingering in my blood, clutching onto my veins and transforming me. I turned to the vanity that hung on the wall, the specks of red undeniable.
It was only temporary; there wasn't enough venom in my body to fully change me. I would be human again. I looked back down to him, watching as his free hand touched my waist, his fingers dipping underneath my shirt as my hands ran down his arms, rubbing them gently as he watched me cautiously.
"We are the same temperature." I finally replied, leaning down to nuzzle my head underneath his chin. I could hear him chuckle, feel it in his chest. My hands reached up and touched, just over his mute heart, my lips leaning down to kiss.
"It will wear off soon." He told me, rubbing my sides.
"Then we should use our time wisely." I told him, glancing up with mischievous eyes. He growled under his breath, but I was quicker, rolling us over so that he was on top of me. My fingers cut his shirt, the fabric falling down like strips of paper. He pressed his lips to mine, hesitantly at first just before my hand swiped the back of his neck, forcing him closer to me. Our lips were smooth and fluent; I could hear the growl in his chest as my fingers moved towards his pants. He grabbed them swiftly, pulling his face away to kiss down my neck. I moaned slightly, pushing his chest as we rolled again but he moved me on his own accord, putting me back underneath. My eyes traveled to the window, the raindrops becoming harder to see, the dust nearly invisible now.
"What's wrong?" He asked. I looked up to him, my eyes focusing as they adjusted to the now dark light of the room. He smiled and rubbed my cheeks bringing his lips over to kiss just under my eyes. "Brown eyes." He murmured. I frowned, touching his cold wrist as his fingers trailed my lips. His red eyes were piercing, his brows lined with worry. I touched his cheeks, leaning up and kissing him, my arms wrapping around his shoulders.
"Nothing is wrong." I whispered, the thunder growing louder as it neared. "Everything is perfect."
He grinned, wrapping my legs around his waist and hoisting me up to straddle him once again. I touched his face, mesmerizing every perfection and left not one bit un-kissed. His fingers went through my hair, placing it behind my ear as his cold breath hit me. I felt my tears welling up and before he could see them I wrapped myself into him, hiding my face in the crook of his neck. He held me gently, pushing me down against the pillows as his icy fingers ran up and down my spine, his lips pressing down and kissing the top of my head.
"I've missed you so much," He whispered into my ear. "Every second… I thought only of you. I craved you, Bella. I've never have had to hold so much restraint… All I wanted was to be with you. Damn everything else to Hell." I looked up to him, touching his jaw as a tear escaped. "Everyday was harder than the last."
"Are we safe now?" I asked him, my voice catching in my throat. Edward was indifferent but he didn't falter his gaze. His silence was more than an answer.
"I would never put you in harms way, Bella. If this wasn't safe, I wouldn't be here." His voice was hard and I pushed away slightly. He grabbed my wrist and brought me closer, kissing the top of my head. "Victoria is hiding. And she is doing it well. Which is why we sent you to Wyoming. But the attack recently made me realize that keeping you in the United States is unsafe. There are rogues everywhere. And not just vampires. Wolves are known to be connected with some of our kind, for a price. There are eyes everywhere. I had to get you out of the country."
"There aren't any here?" I asked.
"No. At least… No wolves. They stay on the western hemisphere." He said, brushing my hair back away from my face. "My friend Jamul lives here in the Philippines. He is the only vampire here, he is certain. I made sure no one was tracking you and Rosalie. Which is why you went East in your trip and stopped in Berlin. We were throwing anyone who was following off your tracks."
"Victoria is really that concerned with me?" I whispered.
"She is a spiteful woman, Bella. If I knew she would do such a thing I would have ended her when I had the chance. I didn't, because I thought that would be suspicious. Victoria is involved in the lives of many vampires. If she just fell off the map… It would be odd. But if I knew she was capable of this, I would have risked it." He said, leaning forward and kissing my nose. "When we find her… I will end her."
The sound of his voice, the deepness of it sent a cold chill down my spine. My stomach rolled and I brought myself into his chest. Even if she were trying to kill me, even if she were trying to get even… Killing her seemed so cold. But in Edward's world, killing was like taking out the trash in the modern world. It was so very common, vampires would kill for no reason other than entertainment. It was what they were designed for and though I knew that, it made me ache with agony.
"Where is Peter? And Paul?" I asked quickly, changing the subject.
"They are still in Hilo, with Sam. They are protected." He told me, kissing my temple. "Worry only of yourself, Bella. Everyone else is safe. I promise."
"Alice?" I whispered.
"All of them have moved. Carlisle and Esme to Norway, Jasper and Alice to Japan. And Rosalie is on her way to Africa to meet Emmett." He said.
"She left?" I felt my heart drop. Edward nodded his head, watching me cautiously. And even though I had not told her goodbye, something inside of me felt a twinge of happiness. She was going to Emmett, to Africa no less. A place where Emmett swore he would return to in order to help families out there. I pressed my lips together, smiling at the thought. But, I realize – Everyone was scattered. The Cullen's were broken up, each of them in corners of the world.
"It's not because of you that they are not with each other. I know that is what you are thinking." He said, my head turning to him quickly. "Alice and Emmett will be changed. They are going off the map because of the transformation. They need to be in remote places, uncharted territory. Carlisle will inform Aro soon that both Alice and Emmett have passed on and they will need new donors."
"And they will feed off those humans?" I asked.
"No. The humans will be set free." He said. "Carlisle will give them all they need in order to survive."
"Is that safe?"
"No. But Carlisle has done it several of times. He does not believe in donors and every donor that he or Rosalie or Jasper was given has been set free spare Alice and Emmett. Carlisle checks on them once every year and always they are thriving. Some reuniting with their old families and some even creating new ones." He told me, his fingers falling down my cheek. "Carlisle gives what has been taken from them. He is a hero. And though it is risky - if he is caught he will be chased by Aro, but he feels it is worth it."
"Do you believe it is worth it?" I asked, my voice soft and light. His smile was faint, but I knew it was sincere, his hands cupping my cheeks as he nodded his head.
"I owe Carlisle. Same with Alec." He told me, his eyes tendered and soft though.
"What do you mean?" I asked, touching his hands that rested on my face. He smiled slightly, though it faltered. He reached forward and kissed my lips, holding me there for seconds as it deepened. I moaned against his mouth, the question all but forgotten as he turned me around, covering us in blankets.
-TSIPWR-
To: Isabella Swan
From: Alice Cullen
Subject: Flip Side
June 18th 2011
3:29 PM
I miss you everyday. I'm sure you've heard my news by now. Tomorrow is the day and I want you to know everything is running smoothly. I know how much you worry. I'll see you on the flip side.
All my love,
Ali
-TSIPWR-
"She will be okay. Jasper has it under control." Edward said from the doorway. I read the email over and over again and by the time I tried to reply, her account had been deleted. The tears welled up, but I kept them at bay. I knew she would be okay, I knew Emmett would be okay. But how long would it be until they are okay around me? I sat out in the cushions over the covered porch, watch the rainfall into the sea, sprinkling the sand. I shut off my lap top and walked to the ledge, feeling the wind blow soft rain onto my cheeks. Edward was behind me instantly, wrapping my hair to one said as he kissed my neck. He began touching my hands and bringing them up to cradle around my waist. I turned in his arms, the rain now hitting my neck as I leaned forward, pressing my head into the crook of his neck.
"When will you change me?" I whispered, knowing very well that he heard me.
"Why do you want to be changed?" He asked.
"Why not?" I questioned, looking up to him.
"Your human life is very important, Bella. You should not be so eager to be stuck for eternity." He told me with a slight smile, kissing my chin.
"Do you not want me for eternity?" I asked, my chin rising away from his lips. He growled his annoyance, his hands pressing to each side of me, pinning me against the porch.
"You know how I feel." He whispered, kissing my ear. "I want you. Forever. And if there is anything after death, I want you then as well. But it will be a long time before we reach death, if not at all. Enjoy these moments of blood washing through your veins, your heart beating… Your warm skin." He whispered. "Because I will."
I looked up to him, leaning on my feet to press my lips against his. My arms wrapped around his neck and my legs hoisting up around his waist. He gripped my back and the warm air began brushing past my skin, instantly our bodies pressed into the bed, the mosquito netting shielding us off from the world. He pressed his groin into mine, my hips reacting and pressing harder. He hissed, his fingers running through the back of my hair as he lips skimmed against mine. He stopped his movements, frozen above me as his eyes fixated on my own. He was motionless, his body unmoving and I had wondered what he was doing until suddenly – I felt it.
The shocks of ecstasy washing through me like a dam breaking a wall, crashing carelessly and hastily downwards. I gripped onto him tightly, moaning his name as my head fell back into the pillows. He was sending them to me, just like the night on the hammock in Hilo and back at the bar in Jackson. It made me weak and ravenous. I wanted him so badly.
"There was never anyone else." He told me with a low growl, kissing my neck. "It was only you. Every time." My shirt was in shreds, my bra gone and into the black hole underneath us. He was kissing my breasts, squeezing them in his hands as he tongue swiped across my nipple. Another wave of pleasure coursed through me, like electric shocks in rows, one right after another.
"Edward…" I cried.
"All those times you felt this…." He pressed his hips into mine, my lips pressing together as I suppressed the moans. "Every time I was gone…" He stopped and cradled my chin, his lips to my ears. "I tortured myself at the thought of you… I imagined you being there. I almost felt it… But it wasn't enough. I needed you."
I cried in bliss, finding his lips to hush his words. Another wall racked against me, my shorts gone instantly as I clawed my way closer to him.
"Edward, please…" I begged.
"What is it you want my Bella?" He purred, kissing down my body. "Tell me. Tell me what you did when I was away. Tell me how you sustained yourself." My cheeks heated red and when I was silent he forced another rack of ecstasy at me, my fingers squeezing at the sheets, the sound of fabric ripping.
"I… I touched myself." I told him, his lips against my inner thigh as he kissed to my knee. "I wanted you so badly… I couldn't help it."
"That was the plan." He whispered, bringing himself back up within a blink of an eye. "This…" He whispered as he touched my bite mark on my neck. "It is not a mating mark. No yet, at least. But the mark knows. The venom knows. It knows how powerful we are together. This is why you feel this way. This is why I can make you feel this way. But trust me… When I do mark you as my mate… It will be insatiable."
"Edward…" I moaned.
"You will ache even more that you are now… Feel the way you are breaking. When I mark you as my mate you will crumble. You will plead for me to take you and you will know that you are mine. Just as I am yours. Do you understand?" He whispered and I nodded my head. "It will be unbearable at times, Bella. But the mark is strong. Not in just the sense of sex but of how we are conjoined. We will be tied together. For all of eternity. That is it's stregnth."
Tears prickled down my eyes, onto the sheets, my arms gripping his shirt as he leaned down and kissed me gently.
"I will not mate with you tonight. In either of the senses. Because when I do I want you to know that there is no harm your way. I want you to trust me." He said.
"I do trust you." I whispered.
"Do you?" He asked. "I was careless in Hilo. I should have ended Victoria when I had the chance."
"Edward, that's not your fault."
"But it is. I want to know there is no danger in our way. I'm afraid… If we go that far… That I will have no control. For months afterwards I will want nothing but your body. Tonight, I have taken it too far." He whispered, staring down my naked form. "But I couldn't help myself." He smirked, leaning down to kiss my lips. "When I'm inside of you, I'll lose control. Sex is one thing. Sex with you will be altering, Bella. I can already feel it. I need to know you're safe before we take that step."
"Okay." I said, against my better judgment. His reasoning was understandable, but the twinge inside of me was still palpable and he knew it as well, just as his fingers trickled down my body, touching my thigh.
"You are aching, aren't you?" He whispered. I nodded my head. "I can take care of that." His sly smile was gone instantly and I felt his hair against my thighs, his sweet and cold kisses against my hips. He was soft and delicate, but hard and rough in the places I needed him to be. Very suddenly – his tongue darted out between my folds. I felt my body jolt, my lips pressing together as his fingers spread me.
He was quick and eager and as I moaned my approval he growled against me, the vibrations reaching in my inner core. He sucked and tasted, touching me so wonderfully blissful that when I reached my peak, I saw nothing but stars.
First of all, WELCOME NEW READERS. I don't know who is pimping me out but I have been getting a shit ton of emails and I thank whoever it was who did this! So make sure you new readers, make sure you make yourself known. I would love to hear from you. As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter (and the slight lemon.)
Until next time my little does,
ii