draggedDisclaimer: I don't own the twilight characters, they belong to Steph Meyer!

Chapter 27 Passionate Distractions

BPOV

I rushed back up to the room, Renata by my side. She was as eager to get to Aro as I was to get to Christian, but she needed to see me safely to my room before she could join him in the Hall of Despair. Even after learning that Seline's dreadful power was useless against shields, I still needed to see Christian with my own eyes to make sure that what Renata had told me was true.

I flung the door open, but he wasn't in the bedroom. I ran through the next three doors, pausing only long enough to ascertain that he was not there. I steeled myself as I reached for the last door. Let him be okay. He's here because of me, please, let him be okay. I pushed it open. I heard him before my eyes finally located him. He had a human woman curled in his lap, his mouth clamped around her tan throat and Felix by his side.

Her body was already limp, screams no longer escaping her mouth. He set her onto the floor reverently and wiped the blood off of his lips.

Felix moved between us and picked up the dead girls body. "Santiago will remain outside your door. I will join him once I check in with Aro." I nodded, but words escaped me.

Renata's hand curled around my elbow. "I am going to take my leave. I will see you bright and early tomorrow. We will do some training together."

I watched both of them exit the room, leaving me facing the forlorn face of Christian, who was studiously avoiding my gaze, his hands balled into fists at his side.

At that moment I didn't care that he'd just killed that woman, I just wanted to make that look go away. I knelt next to him and uncurled his left hand. I just didn't know what to say to make it better. Alyria's voice came back to me as she explained about the blood donors and how none of them had killed a human in fifty years. All of that hard work and control broken in one day of living amongst the Volturi.

"I have dishonored you," he muttered, still averting his eyes.

I grabbed his chin and forced his face to mine, our eyes only inches apart. "Don't be ridiculous, Christian. I don't know exactly what happened, but you wouldn't have done something so…drastic, if you'd had a choice. What happened?"

He let out a shuddering breath and wrapped both arms around me burying his face against my chest. His breath licked across me as he replied, "I didn't want them know I was a shield," he paused as a tremor ran down his body. I tightened my grip around him, giving him all the comfort that I could, my lips brushed the top of his head, his golden hair softer than the finest silk. "I had to let her do it to me…"

"Do what?" I asked horrified. Surely he hadn't let her use that horrid power on him to protect us. To keep his power a secret. But something told me that's exactly what he'd done.

"She stole my life away," his voice cracked and a sob flowed from his lips. "It was like nothing I've ever experienced."

"Shhh. Don't do this. You don't have to relive it."

"I could have been left like that for all eternity. I wouldn't have died, Bella." He clutched at me tighter, lips moving against my breast with every word he uttered.

"How is it that you're okay?"

"Aro made a deal with her. If she returned my life to me then her life would be spared."

I sighed. Seline would be punished, no doubt about that, but she'd live to make me regret it. Something told me that one of us was not going to make it out of here alive. I had no qualms about the Volturi knowing that I was a shield and perhaps it would be good for them to know that I now possessed her power, as well. "How long do you think she will be punished for?"

He shrugged as much as he could since he was pressed against me so tightly. "Probably a week or two."

So, I only had to avoid her for two weeks. Sounded damn near impossible to me. I was pretty sure that she would seek me out and two weeks of torture was not going to endear me to her. No, the situation would be far worse than it was right now. Damn.

"Come on. Let me help you to bed. You need to rest. We'll watch some mindless TV show or something."

He glanced up at me with the eyes of a little boy, fear and pain still visible in them. "I killed a woman."

"I know, Christian." I shook my head as I stood and dragged him to his feet. "We all have moments of weakness. And you needed the extra nourishment to speed your recovery after Seline's assault." I led him back to the bedroom and set him on the bed. A chill ran down my back. "Christian?"

He grunted but said nothing.

"Did you attack her knowing what her power was?" He nodded. "She'd already given you a taste of it earlier this evening," I stated.

"Yes," he whispered. "Aro was testing my devotion to you and trying to figure out what our true purpose was for coming here."

"Aro ordered her to use her power on you?" I asked mortified. Anger zinged through me. While I was sitting in Marcus's little room being serenaded and making small talk, he'd been going through hell.

"It's okay, love. It was only a small jolt of her power that time."

"Why, Christian? Why would you engage her in a fight when you knew what she was capable of and you weren't planning on protecting yourself with your own powers?"

"Bella, it is only our first night here. We have a plan to carry out and it would serve no purpose to blow our cover so soon. She was going to hurt you. Did you really think I could sit idly by while someone tortured you?"

"Next time…" My words faltered. I paced around the room trying to gather my thoughts."Yes that's exactly what I expect. You will not interfere. You will not get yourself hurt for me."

He laughed. "Already planning on another torture-thon." He shook his head. "Come here," he growled as he patted the bed beside him.

I sat down very aware of the closeness of our bodies and took his hand in mine. "Thank you, Christian, for trying to protect me. But next time, keep in mind that I'm also a shield and her power can't hurt me."

"It could have. If you hadn't known any better and neglected to use your shielding powers, it could have." His eyes were still haunted.

"Let's get you out of these fine clothes," I chuckled softly as I took in all the tears and slashes in his formal-wear, my finger slipping through one of the gaping holes.

"Why, Bella dear, I didn't realize you were so eager to undress me." He ripped the tatter shirt from his body exposing his gleaming chest and my breath caught at the sight of him, my body betraying me as my eyes roamed over his fine physique. A knowing smile tugged at his lips. "Always happy to oblige such a lovely woman," he whispered as he stood up swiftly and undid his belt, my eyes wide, watching each movement with anticipation. I hadn't meant for things to get this far, but I wanted to distract him. If a little strip tease and some light making out erased that look from his eyes then I was willing to go along with it. Yeah, I was lying to myself, but I couldn't bear to admit that I was as attracted to him as I was to Edward. Even thinking Edward's name was not enough to dampen the craving coursing through me as his fingers deftly unfastened his slacks and let them pool on the floor at his feet leaving him in nothing but his black boxer-briefs. Wow! I was fixedly staring at his…um, package, which seemed quite happy to be the focus of my attention. I bit my lip and forced my gaze back to his scarlet eyes.

He threw his head back and laughed. It shivered down my body like a feather tracing over me. "The look on your face, love." He knelt in front of me still grinning. "You can argue with me all you want, but I see the naked desire in your eyes." His nostril flared out scenting the room. "I can smell it in the air." His tongue darted out of his mouth and licked across my lips. "I can taste it on my tongue." He pulled back slightly searching my face.

I held myself rigid as I fought against my own body's reactions.

"As lovely as you are in that divine gown, you would be even more scrumptious without it." His hand was under my left arm tugging at the zipper. I held my hand against my chest to keep the dress from falling down as he finished unzipping me.

There was a knock at the door before Felix's head peered around the frame, a look of surprise on his face that quickly turned into that look all men get when one of their brethren is about to get laid. "Aro wishes a few moments," he announced with a wink.

"Send him in," Christian urged, not the least concerned about his near nakedness. I was pulling on my zipper but it seemed caught as Aro joined us. The embarrassment was almost enough to make me forget how livid I was with Aro about what he'd put Christian through, but I couldn't bear having an argument with him while I held my dress up with my hands, so I let it go for the time being.

"Ah, well, I see my concern for your Christian was unnecessary." He ran his milky eyes up and down my body. I'd given up on the zipper, but was still clutching the dress tightly against me. "My apologies, lovely Bella. I will leave you to your ministrations. If there is anything that can make him feel better, I am most certain that an amorous evening spent in your arms would be it." He chuckled as he left the room, the door thudding close. As disgusted as I was by the lustful look in Aro's eyes, I still wanted him in here to keep me from being alone with Christian. God! Why couldn't Kattra have come with me? I knew there was no chance that I'd be fantasizing about all the naughty things I could do to her.

"So, where were we?" His eyebrows furrowed as he pretended to ponder the question. "Ah, yes. I was about to help you out of that uncomfortable gown." He glided back to me, a wicked smile lighting his face chasing the harrowing and painful memories away. "It is a very uncomfortable gown, is it not? And you would like nothing more than to be rid of it, correct?" He teased. His hand was suddenly around mine and he pulled me against him. I let go of the dress with my other hand and pressed it against his chest to keep us separated, but unfortunately, with no zipper and no hands the dress cascaded down my body leaving me in only my underwear as the dress hadn't allowed for the use of a bra.

"That's better." He crooned as he looked over my body, heat filling his eyes.

I swallowed hard. "Okay, you've had your fun. Now grab my robe," I said breathlessly.

"Oh, I haven't even begun to have fun yet, love." His hands smoothed down my ribs lightly sending chills down my body. "But you are quite right. I forget myself when I'm around you." He stepped back and opened the closet and came back with my robe clutched in his hands, his gaze fixed on my bare breasts. I could feel the weight of them against my flesh, almost making me want to continue what we'd started. Almost. I grabbed the robe and wrapped it around me and let myself fall wearily against the soft bed.

"Do I need to cover up as well?"

"Seems a shame," I giggled.

I pulled the covers back. We couldn't sleep, but I enjoyed lying there with him listening to the stories of his past. He hopped in and gathered me against his naked chest. "So, where'd I leave off before we were summoned to the party?"

"I honestly can't remember."

"Ah, too distracted by my body, mmm?"

"Oh, bite me!" I snickered.

He flipped me over and covered me with his delicious body. "Thought you'd never ask." And he lightly bit my neck, not breaking the skin, but certainly hard enough that if I'd been human I'd have had a very visible hickey.

I pushed him off of me laughing. It was so easy being with him. He wasn't all serious like Edward. Oh, I needed to stop that now. I was not going to sit here and compare and contrast their personalities. I loved Edward. He was my angel, my life, my heart, my soul. Being here alone with Christian didn't change that. Having an ocean between us hadn't changed it. All the petty arguments that Edward and I had had over the last month hadn't lessened my love for him, had it? Then why was I so comfortable and happy lying in bed next to Christian?

"Bella?" He whispered quietly into my ear.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for the distraction..." he shuddered against me.

"Anytime." I laid a gentle kiss against his chest.

"Sometimes I wish I could sleep. Lying awake all night reliving that experience…well, I just wish I could sleep."

We were quiet for a while. Christian lost in the nightmare of feeling his body decay and me trying to find a way to undo the damage without causing irreparable damage to my relationship with Edward.

"Tell me about yourself, Bella. Let the sound of your voice chase this nightmare away," he murmured, his fingers running through my hair. "I want to hear about every human memory you remember, every thing you loved, everything you hated. Every embarrassing moment you wished for the ground to open up and swallow you. I want to know everything about you, Bella," he whispered.