34

She was amazed. Even though she had known that the Cullens did not balk at spending money, the limousine that was waiting for them as they landed in Rio was a little over the top. A normal taxi would have been fine! They had flown down in the first class seats. That, at least, hadn't been a shock as the Cullen's had upgraded her many times over the years on her annual flight to see Charlie, but the way the stewardesses fawned over Edward had made her teeth ache. She had made sure to hold his hand, her wedding ring visible on top, to stop them pestering him, but it only worked so far. In the end Edward had glared at the stewardess that was the most persistent until she got the message and backed away. Neither she nor any of the others bothered the couple after that until they landed.

They got out of the airport just as dusk fell and Edward had immediately headed straight for the largest, most obscene vehicle in the queue, he said his name and the chauffer acted like he had been electrocuted as he jumped to pack their steamer trunk into the boot of the car.

Edward pointed out places of interest that they may visit if the weather was favourable while they were in the area. When they came to a place he described as the Lapa District she looked out of the windows delighted. People were playing instruments and dancing in the street, Edward smiled at her and made the driver pull over (speaking the language flawlessly, of course) so they could go out and enjoy the ambience of the street life.

They spent an hour slowly working their way around the cafe's and shops. Occasionally dancing, and she had even bought something at one of the small stalls set out in front of someone's house. The rustic and rather chunky handmade silver charm bracelet had appealed to her and Edward had been ecstatic that she had bought it for herself, but eventually jet-lag won, she was yawning without pause when she finally gave in and allowed him to guide her to the car.

It was waiting for them, exactly where they had left it, still in the middle of the street when they got back to it, the driver totally oblivious to the other commuters who frequently honked their horns for him to move, but as soon as he saw the couple moving towards him he jumped out of the car to open the door. Bella decided not to worry about people's reactions to them anymore and she settled back into the comfortable leather seats, cuddled into her husband's side. It was 11pm on Sunday night. They had been travelling almost 27 hours, including the limo ride and their stop on the way. She was half asleep when he started speaking to her.

"I have been waiting to give you this since we got engaged." He pulled a blue velvet jewellers bag from his pocket. "This was my mother's too." He told her tipping a crystal heart onto his palm. "Back in the day she was alive, women wore high collars and they had broaches or pendants in the middle of the lace at their throats instead of wearing necklaces. This was the one my mother wore most. I was going to buy you a chain to fasten it to, but the bracelet works just as well." Before she could say anything he had fastened the heart to her new bracelet. It looked very fine.

"Thank you." She gave him a kiss on his cheek, not daring to go near his lips, they were much too tempting!

"She had an emerald one too, but I gave that to Esme soon after she was turned." He explained.

"Oh, I'm glad you gave her it!" Bella said, chewing her lip, still contemplating the crystal. "If it was a real emerald I would never have worn it for fear of losing it!" he laughed and kissed her on the nose, he also seemed to be avoiding lips.

The streets outside the car got quieter and quieter as they travelled south of the city. They were about 2 hours down the coast when they pulled into a small town with a rather large marina.

Edward let the driver unload their bags and put them into a speedboat tied to the closest dock, Bella was just too tired to be bothered by the fact that he lifted her out of the vehicle and carried her to the boat. She wasn't sure enough of her footing at the best of times, never mind trying to step into a rocking boat from shore when she was tired.

"Nearly there my love." He told her. "The isle is about 14 miles south south west of here," The engine roared and jerked her awake again. Edward handled the speedboat like he did his cars, with confidence and excessive speed. The water was rather calm, or she was sure she would have developed sea sickness. The island was a very dark shadow against the horizon, it was also a lot bigger than she had thought! She had somehow imagined a beach, a house… maybe even a cabin (he had said small) and a few palm trees, but from what she could see in the very limited light of the full moon hiding behind a thin cloud, the island was rather large. Behind them she could just make out the intermittent lights of the coastal road on the mainland.

Edward once more insisted on carrying her, this time through a small grove of trees. He picked up the steamer trunk and her carry-on in his other hand, seemingly without difficulty. The island was pitch black now she was surrounded by the foliage. Even worse than she was used to with the forests around Forks. Soon two lights came into view, windows. He shifted her slightly in his arms as he climbed the three steps to the deep porch and opened the door. Once more he carried her over the threshold to the 'small' building. The living room was brightly lit, and except for a small change in furniture could have been the living room in the Cullen's Forks house. Through a large open archway she could just make out a decent sized kitchen. Edward turned the other way and headed into a bedroom. Her first impression as he turned on the light was 'White!'. The walls were indeed a subtle off-white shade but it was the bed that caught and held her gaze. It was huge! Sheer mosquito netting hung from the bed frame that reached up to the ceiling and surrounded a vision in white. The satin bedspread and pillowcases almost reflected the light into the room, magnifying it and giving her tired eyes an ache that only quit when she looked away. The wall beyond the foot of the bed was all glass, and she could see that the moon had come out fully now, waves lapped a shore of what looked like pure white sand. As Edward laid her on the bed she sighed. She had never known such softness, but it wasn't the sort that meant she would wake with a sore back, it was just like laying on a cloud. She yawned, and once she started yawning she couldn't stop this time. Edward chuckled and pulled off her shoes and socks, the jeans she was wearing followed but she was too tired to care about him seeing her in her underwear, he left her top on and pulled the bedspread over her and left her to sleep. She slept deeply.

'You got away with it!' he smiled as he read the text from his sister. He had been very glad that Bella was busy admiring the heart when she had said how she wouldn't dare wear an emerald that large. Evidently she thought it was either glass or crystal, he dare not tell her he had just fastened a diamond, about half the size of the Koh-i-noor that was part of the Crown Jewels of England, to her rather cheap charm bracelet.

The heirloom came from his father. In 1901, on a business trip to England just after they found out his mother was pregnant, Edward Snr was looking for a gift for her. George Blogg, a merchant, was a long time friend of the Masen family that still resided in the old country. He had got into a bit of trouble at the gaming tables and had sold off a lot of his collection of gems by that time. Edward Snr. had offered to buy the tear shaped diamond, and after a replica had been procured so Mr. Blogg's family didn't realise what was happening, he had sent it to Antwerp to be re-cut as a heart.

Elizabeth had been presented with it at Edward Jnr.'s christening and had put away the emerald gem he had bought her as a wedding gift (he had said it matched her eyes) and had worn it almost every day after that. Edward had been told that the stone was originally called "Akbar Shah" and had, of course, been even larger than when his father purchased it. He had no idea how much it was worth in the modern day, but it had taken every penny his father could raise back in 1901 to buy it, and his father could raise quite a sum.

That night Edward settled down to one of his favourite occupations. Bella watching. Over the last few weeks he had become fascinated by watching her sleep. No matter what the world threw at her, when she slept the troubles of the day just seemed to melt away off her face, leaving her even more radiant than usual. And of course, she often spoke in her sleep. Most times it was nonsense, but at others she would tell him how much she loved him, and how much she needed him. It gave him a great deal of satisfaction, that even before she could say it to him when awake, she had told him she loved him when asleep. Of course she had also told him other thing, such as that his feet were cold and that she longed to run her fingers through his hair.

Tonight she was exhausted from the flight and said nothing. He wasn't disappointed at all, he moved to lay on the bed in a pair of sweat pants Alice had packed and pretended that he too could sleep.

He contemplated Emmett's advice, and though he had no intention of pushing Bella into a physical relationship she wasn't ready for, he determined that when they did finally come together he would be sure to remember it. He stroked the wet hair off her forehead. She was very warm. The bedspread was very thin, not enough to make a real difference, and he knew she didn't like sleeping uncovered. There was a ceiling fan attached to the light fitting. He had often wondered why Esme had fitted such a thing, but he was grateful now. He reached over and turned it on. Cooler air seemed to fill the room. Bella sighed and snuggled into his side. He was amazed. She had the softest of soft mattresses to sleep on but seemed to prefer lying on his marble body.

She threw her leg over him, not in the same way she had at the hospital, she just seemed more comfortable if her body was in as much contact as physically possible. She hardly moved after that until she finally woke in the early afternoon. Still tired, but eager to explore a little.

"I told Charlie I wanted to be changed." She said casually as she ate her breakfast. She was astonished to find a well stocked fridge and larder in the house. Edward had been putting the milk back in the fridge when she said it and he almost dropped it in shock.

Bella giggled at the thought of Edward dropping something. She doubted a vampire could be clumsy, but knowing her luck she would be the first!

"When?" he asked.

"That's what Charlie said." She stirred her cereal unable to meet his eye.

"And what did you answer?" he asked, rather calmly, she thought.

"I didn't, we started talking about the problems with the tribe, and Charlie explained they had given permission for me to be changed once he explained it was like an imprint, and then you moved out of range and the bond hurt."

"Well, when do you think?" he asked patiently.

"Before September. I think I would like to be the same age as you." She told him.

"There are a lot of disadvantages to being so young, you know. You are pretty much limited to high school or university, and even there you will stand out as someone on the young side."

"Are you trying to tell me to wait?" she asked astonished.

"No! God no! I'm just saying. If you wanted to be a doctor, for instance, you wouldn't have much chance looking as young as you do." She considered it for a split second.

"Actually the only thing I ever dreamed of being was a writer. And I can do that at any age." She said. He smiled and she realised they were holding hands again. She hadn't even remembered putting her spoon down!

"You can definitely be that at any age. It isn't like you HAVE to do publicity tours, writers can be strange people." She laughed and nudged him, hurting her elbow. He rubbed it better and put his arm around her shoulders. It was strange, it was little more than a fortnight ago that she was so upset with him doing that that she had run away. She turned on her stool to face him, and smoothed her hand along his jaw and into his hair, her fingers lightly scratched the back of his neck and head and she heard him start to purr again. She loved that sound! She kissed him lightly on the lips, but before she truly broke the connection she kissed him again, a little firmer, and then again firmer still. Before she knew it she was sat on him, her legs wrapped around his body as she kissed him like she had been wanting to for such a long time.

"Bella!" his voice penetrated the sexual haze and she pulled back, grateful that he at least seemed to have some control. Oh but he was sinfully handsome. And he was hers! For a second she resented him stopping her, but then her common sense kicked in and she was once again in control.

"Do you fancy a walk on the beach?" he asked her, placing her firmly back on her own stool. She blushed brightly and nodded.

"Don't forget sunscreen and a hat, it's warm out there!"

It had not registered with her before that it was actually summer in the southern hemisphere.

She jumped to her feet and hurried to the bathroom attached to the bedroom she had slept in the night before. She looked around the now visible house and snorted at the description that she had been given before, "small" house. Four bedrooms, three double and one just slightly smaller one, three full bathrooms, and one half bath, a lounge, a kitchen, a sports/games room and a veranda all the way around the house under the overhanging eaves that almost made another full dwelling in square footage. This was SMALL? She shook her head. They lived in a totally different world to her, and she wasn't talking supernatural!

She slathered sunscreen on her arms and legs, put a huge straw hat on and sun glasses and joined her husband outside the door in less than five minutes.

"Wow it's beautiful!" she had never seen a sea so blue, nor sand so fine and white (as her experience with the sea and shore was limited to La Push and Port Angeles, she wasn't surprised really). They walked down to the waterline and then headed along the beach away from the direction of the mainland; in the distance she could see fins breaking the surface. "Look!" she pointed, "Dolphins!"

"La Plata dolphins." He told her, she turned and looked at him, so he continued. "They are really river dolphins, but they are the only part of that family that inhabit salt water. They are quite common around the shores here and you can tell La Plata dolphins by their unusually long nose."

"Have you ever swum with them?" she asked.

"No, they can sense when we are near and swim off quickly. They have more sense than to be close to something that sees them as food." Bella gasped and slapped him, making her fingers tingle, either from the bond or the fact that she had just slapped rock.

"You wouldn't!" she said. He laughed.

"No I wouldn't and neither would any of the family, but the dolphins don't know that." She huffed and turned her back to him, she raised her eyes and her mouth dropped open. He grinned at her when she looked at him. The island was enormous! Not so big you didn't know you were on an island, well at least not here where the house and beach were. But up at the top of the huge hill. There you may think you were in the middle of a continent if you could not see through the trees. It was certainly big enough that the sound of the ocean would not travel to the interior.

"How big is this island?" she asked.

"Just over 6 square miles, about twice the size of Forks." He told her, grinning. She shook her head. All this for just one family? It seemed… almost obscene.

"Are there any other buildings on the island?" she asked. He shook his head. "Then who stocked the cupboards?" she asked

"We have a housekeeper and a handyman who come and look after the place once or twice a week, Carlisle sent them a message to stock up before we set off. I guess they were surprised, in all the years we have been coming we have never asked for human food before."

"Won't it make them suspicious?" she asked.

"Kaure knows what we are anyway. She is a Ticuna Indian and she was raised on the old legends that tell of blood-drinking demons that prey exclusively on beautiful women." He leered at her. She laughed, silently thinking that that made her safe at any rate.

"Gustavo thinks she is a superstitious fool, but he has seen Carlisle and Esme visit the island for more than forty years and still looking in their mid to late 20's so though he doesn't think we are Libishomen, he knows something isn't right with the family. He just knows that he gets paid more a month from us for keeping the place in shape than anyone else in the area earns in a year. It makes him loyal and he guards our secrets jealously so we don't employ someone else."

"So if they came yesterday…" she left it open for him.

"They won't be back for another three days." He told her, "They should have left enough food for that long. Things like milk go bad quick don't they? Do we need to go get more?" he asked suddenly in a panic.

"It's fine. The fridge is working and will keep everything fresh for that long, and longer." She assured him.

He gestured to a side path heading into the jungle. She looked down at her shorts and sandals, rather pointedly. "It's ok, I promise." He said.

When they moved less than 20 feet up the path it widened slightly, making it easier to walk abreast and became smoother, the air was cooler among the trees and the birds could be heard calling in the distance, a background noise because as they moved forwards the closest birds fell silent or flew off.

The sound of running water grew louder and they came to a break in the trees. Bella was overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. A waterfall fell about 20 feet into a small perfectly round pool. On the side of the pool, which looked natural for all its perfect shape, were large flat slabs of rock, perfect for sunbathing on or drying out on after a swim. The water flowed out at the opposite side of the pool to the falls and bubbled away merrily in a channel that looked just deep enough to wade in.

She turned to look at Edward, his skin sparkled in the sun that streamed into the area, she believed that she had never seen anything so beautiful in her life, and in these surroundings he was more than beautiful, he was sublime. Her fingers carefully stroked his face, his arms… anywhere she could, the fingers of her right hand tangled with his, but as she lifted her left, she gasped. The charm on her bracelet took the shafts of coloured light bouncing off his skin and magnified them, almost blinding her with the rainbow that was reflected into her eyes.

"Wow!" that was all she could say and all she could think, she hadn't realised she had even stopped breathing until Edward took her face in both his hands and told her to breathe. "You are so beautiful!" she eventually said, tears filling her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" his thumbs gently lifted the tears from her cheeks.

"I don't know!" she laughed, but the tears continued to stream down her face.

"Hey! Come on," he folded her in his arms, she put her head into his chest, breathing in the smell that she most loved in the world. "Do you want to go back to the house?" he asked.

"N… no!" she hiccupped. "I just want you to hold me."

"I can do that." He gently swayed with her in his embrace, not quite dancing but soothing. Her emotions started to come back under her control, but she didn't move from where she was. Actually she started falling asleep. On her feet! Edward picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the house. He lay her in the huge white bed. She refused to give her grip on him up so he ended up laid beside her again.

"I love you," she snuggled into his side, touching him as much as possible, using his body as a sort of AC, even with the fan on the air was warm and muggy, much heavier than it had been outside. "Do you have to hunt?" she asked, as his eyes were rather dark.

"No, not for another day or so," his voice was low and husky and she felt herself become aroused. Edward leapt out of the bed and was at the door before she even realised. "I'll be right back." He told her. If he was she didn't know, she was out like a light.