Chapter twenty nine
I ran.
The departure and arrival destinations were entirely irrelevant, as long as I got to him in time. That was all that mattered, he was all that mattered. Each painful cry that echoed through the trees chipped away another piece of my soul and I screamed at my legs to move faster, at my feet to fly across the ground quicker. I cursed the branches for impeding my progress and the uneven ground for hampering my swiftness. It was as if the scenery mocked me, aiding the purpose of the one who sought to destroy my reason for being.
Leaves whipped my face and soil clung to my shoes, as the spindly fingers of the branches snagged my hair, but, it did not stop me. They could rip out every last strand for all I cared. The sounds grew louder and I had to stop for a moment, to ensure I was moving in the right direction. It took less than a second to determine, but, I lamented the waste of time, as every single moment counted. I couldn't be too late, I just couldn't.
The sounds were unbearable, as they met my ears and the salty water flowed freely from my eyes. Every inch of me wished to swap places, to be the one to endure the torture, so that he could be free. Every lash of agony would have been worth it-I'd have relished it, even-because it would mean he was safe from harm. Preoccupying my mind with regretswould provide no assistance, however, so I pushed them away, to focus on the here and now. The cries were deafening, as I reached the last cluster of trees, before charging into a wide, open meadow.
It was empty.
Besides myself, there was no other living entity present and I turned every which way, trying to locate the source of the anguished howls. The air was absolutely silent, without even the wildlife audible in the clearing. My eyes scanned the area, desperate to prove I hadn't suffered from an overactive imagination, but the truth was determined to accuse me of insanity.
I was alone.
I was certain I had heard him calling out, absolutely sure he was the victim of that detestable demon who wanted so much for us to suffer. Had I come to the wrong place? Had the wind deceived my hearing, pointing me in the wrong direction? Had I made too much noise and given the demon ample warning to move from this spot? Or...had I imagined the whole thing?
My heart was thudding wildly, as my eyes refused to accept what they were seeing. How could they not be here? Barely a minute ago, I had heard them clearly and everything pointed to my other half being right here, but, why wasn't he here now? My knees began to weaken and I slowly lowered myself to the cold ground, finally resting on hands and knees, clutching fistfuls of grass, as if to anchor myself to reality. I needed to find him, to see him and know he was safe by my side.
Then a sound reached my ears that made my pulse skip a beat. I looked over my shoulder and had to shield my eyes from the brilliance of the golden light that entered the clearing. Within moments, my pupils adjusted to the luminosity and saw a figure silhouetted within the glow. Straightening up, I turned to face the one I had been looking for, unable to stop myself mirroring the beautiful smile adorning a glorious countenance, framed by a halo of flaxen hair. I heard my name slide off his tongue, as welcome as a cool breeze on a hot summer day and I was inexorably drawn forward.
I did not hurry or move at a pace quicker than a calm stroll. It seemed odd that I should prolong our separation, but, I couldn't bring myself to advance any quicker. I wanted to savour every single detail of the moment and my arm slowly rose, as if the longing to touch him was the motivation for moving forward. He stood patiently, that lovely smile never leaving his lips and my heart swelled with adoration.
Only a few metres of space remained between us, when I found myself unable to progress any further. Looking down, I saw something break through the grassy earth, to wrap around my left foot. It was long, solid and thick, tapering to a pointed end and resembled a vine that had been coated in a black lacquer. I was more irritated than worried, as it was yet another hindrance keeping me from my objective. I tried yanking my foot away, but only succeeded in lifting it a couple of inches, before the vine's hold tightened and pulled it back to the ground. My right foot planted itself a step ahead and I used it to brace myself, before yanking my left leg once more. The effort was interrupted by a second vine snaking around the free ankle and that was when the worry began to set in.
My gaze lifted to the angel only a few feet ahead of me and a look of mild confusion swept across his features. I briefly wondered why he wasn't helping me, when something behind him caught my eye. It was hard to see beyond the brilliance of the creature before me, but, I caught a glimpse of a figure moving through the shadows and squinted with the hope of discerning its identity. Before I could, something else in the corner of my left eye stole my focus and I saw two dark, hazy shapes drifting across the grass towards us, with another advancing on my right. The shapes were tall, with smoky tendrils fanning out behind them and terrified whispers seemed to herald their arrival.
The thing in the shadows ahead was getting closer and a flash of colour darted through the darkness. It was a colour that froze my heart: bronze. Panic spurred me on to break free from the vines and I tried pulling my feet away again, but, the lianas only moved further up my legs, to enclose around my waist. The ground began to tremble beneath me and I saw the area from where the vines had originated begin to crumble and collapse, leaving fast growing pits of pitch black that threatened to swallow me whole. I started to claw at the plants, but any attempt to move from the waist down was impossible against the strength of their tight grip.
Looking back up, I saw that the shadowy shapes were almost upon us and the sinister presence, crowned by bronze, left the confines of secrecy, to reveal itself. Scarlet eyes blazed in the twilight and I cried out in alarm, trying to free my angel from the confines of obliviousness he currently resided in. I no longer cared about the vines, they could take me for all I cared. I just needed him to realise what was going on. Despite my terrified cries, he didn't stop smiling and my heart was breaking at the joyful expression on his face. Why wouldn't he heed my warnings? How could he be so blissfully ignorant of the peril encircling him?
The bronze haired demon took careful strides forward and I was screaming now, tears rolling down my cheeks, as I fought against the overwhelming forces that tried to separate me from my angel. They were soon side by side, the angel and the demon, one offering life to all surrounding it, whilst the other wanted to drain that life from everything it came into contact with. That was finally when the angel noticed the presence of the demon and they turned to face one another. The scarlet gaze connected with gold and light began to battle the dark. The three clouds of darkness halted, watching and waiting to witness the outcome of the clash, but I refused to join them. I was yelling at the trio, imploring them to intervene and stop the demon, before it extinguished the greatest source of luminescence ever to grace the world we lived in.
It was like I was invisible. Not one of the five figures spared any attention to me, as good stood up to evil and I continued to wail like a banshee, begging the angel to flee. My voice soon became hoarse and my throat burned with the exertions of my passionate pleadings and the demon chose that moment to finally look at me. What I saw in that gaze stopped the blood running through my veins and turned my heart to stone. Then, his head whipped back to face the angel and a fist shot out, plunging through the chest of my beloved, as the trio of shadows enveloped the world in darkness.
I let out a final howl.
000
I hurtled into consciousness with fearful whimpers and a thrashing of limbs. For a while, I lashed out against the darkness, trying to fight the demons and monsters that sought to hurt me, until realisation slowly began to dawn that it wasn't vines encircling my legs, but bed sheets. My right arm extended and I hunted for my bedside lamp switch, the trembling of my fingers making the task an incredibly difficult one. The second the amber light bathed my room, a rush of relief soared through my body, but it would take some time for the images of my nightmare to be erased from my mind.
As my senses began to think about calming themselves, I felt a vibration reverberate through my left leg and my eyes were drawn to a flashing white light near my hip. I realised my cell phone was ringing and immediately picked it up, my thumb requiring several attempts to press the answer button.
"There you are," said a familiar voice through the speaker.
"C-Carlisle?"
As that glorious, clear, crystal timbre invaded my eardrums, my emotions soared. My chest tightened and moisture gathered along my lashes, before I began to silently weep. I didn't even know why I was crying, but, hearing his voice was both a comfort, yet a reminder of the horrific dream from which I had just woken.
"Bella?" Carlisle said, concern evident in his tone.
My knees were drawn up against my chest and my free hand fisted in the back of my hair, as I clutched the phone to my ear.
"Bella," he repeated. "What's wrong? Are you home?"
I knew I'd have to answer, otherwise he'd be ramming down the door in no time. With a sharp intake of breath, which ended up entering my lungs in a choked gasp, I tried to speak, although it was hard to understand my speech, as it had to compete with broken sobs.
"I'm fine," I replied, which was a total lie, but, I wanted to reassure him that I wasn't in any physical danger.
"What's the matter?" he asked, his panic not lessened in the least.
"I had a bad dream," I admitted, sniffling and wiping the tears away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."
I took some deep breaths, in an attempt to calm myself down.
"It must have been quite a dream, to affect you in that way," he remarked. The panic was beginning to subside, although his concern for me was still very much present.
"It wasn't good," I agreed, my voice starting to become steadier. "But, still, only a dream." I began to feel a little silly for my emotional outburst.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he queried, his tone suggesting he didn't think it silly in the least.
"Not over the phone," I said. Although his velvet voice was helping to soothe my anxiety, hearing it through the speaker was nothing compared to the sound in real life. "Can I see you?"
"Yes," he confirmed. "We have just finished with the Quileutes."
"How did it go?" I asked, hoping a change of topic might regulate my heartbeat.
"As well as could be expected," he replied and I detected the note of reservation in his words. "They listened to what Jasper and I had to say, but, have yet to make a decision on whether they will help us. I hope to have an answer from them soon."
I tried to focus on the positive, but it was clear he left a Hell of a lot out. It was probably something he'd rather not discuss on the phone, either, so I didn't push for any further information.
"Are you going to come straight here?" I asked.
"I am on my way as we speak."
A sudden weightlessness filled my chest at the exact moment he said those words and I knew it was no coincidence. The sooner I was with him, the better I would undoubtedly feel. I asked how far away he was and knew the twenty minute wait for his arrival would feel immeasurably longer. After agreeing to meet him outside, we signed off and I set about making myself presentable. A quick look in the mirror showed me how badly the dream had affected me physically, as well as mentally. My hair was a tangled mess on the back of my head and the tears had left my eyes red and puffy. After detangling my dark mane, I went to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face, before hunting down a warm jumper to wear beneath my jacket. I wasn't going to make the same mistake as the previous night, especially as Carlisle and Jasper hadn't taken a car with them to the Reservation. There would be no spare coat in the back seat should I get cold.
The clock revealed the time to be almost midnight and I was unsure of whether Charlie would still be up, but the silence of the ground floor informed me that he was already in bed, so I courteously crept downstairs, so as not to disturb him. After leaving a quick note on the kitchen table to let him know where I'd gone, I grabbed my jacket and sat on the bottom front porch step to wait.
As a pale figure rounded the street corner, I leapt to my feet, my heart beating amidst a cocktail of excitement and anxiety. Of course, I wanted to see my favourite doctor more than anything, but, knowledge of the subject I was going to attempt to broach with him left my stomach churning with nerves. Although I was sure he wouldn't get angry, it wasn't going to be an easy conversation.
I quickly realised it was Alice, not Carlisle, approaching, which only made the butterflies in my stomach flit around faster. I wasn't unhappy to see her, by any means, but, she wasn't the one I had been expecting. She skipped lightly over to me and, comparing her current demeanour to earlier in the Porsche, I noticed how much more relaxed she appeared to be. I wondered if knowing Jasper had survived the meeting with the tribe was the cause of her lightened mood, or whether it could be finally revealing her ability to me. To be honest, it could've been a combination of both.
"Good evening, Ms Swan," she chirruped, her voice softly blending in with the quiet, night time surroundings. "I would ask what brings you out on such a cold evening, but, already have a pretty good inkling."
"This is probably a situation where your ability isn't required," I replied, as my pocket-sized friend planted herself beside me.
She smiled and we sat in companionable silence, watching the night sky, as a cold breeze blew through the air. Our quick moment of banter reminded me of the conversation we'd had in her car on the way here and I couldn't help but wonder what else she might have seen about me. There may have only been one instance that she intervened, of which I would be eternally grateful, but, had she known all of this was going to happen? Did she approve? Although she had a policy of non-interference, surely she would have done something if she was that unhappy with the situation. A glimmer of optimism sparked, as I considered the idea that perhaps everything would turn out alright. She said she only intervened if it was something really bad, so, her inaction could mean a happy ending was on the cards. Of course, she may not have even had a vision about that particular future yet, so I didn't get too excited.
"You're pondering," Alice stated, her voice tinkling like a gentle wind chime in the breeze.
I smiled again, resting my right cheek on my knees, as I looked over at her. "How perceptive of you," I said. "I take it that was your way of saying "out with it, Bella"?"
"You know me so well," she remarked. "So, out with it, Bella."
I chuckled, before replying. "I'm pondering what else you may have seen about me. Not so much about the future, because I'm too scared to ask about that in case it's bad, but, did you see me getting with Carlisle?"
"When we began hanging out regularly, I started to keep a..." she searched for the correct word to use. "...precognitive eye on you, so to speak. Like I said, I look out for those I care about. I got regular visions of you, mostly just mundane, everyday events, but, occasionally, there would be something significant. You already know about the night of your attack and I was aware of your decision to invite us to the exhibition. I also saw your argument with your mother and what happened afterwards. I would apologise for not being around when you wanted to talk to me, but, I think we can both agree you're happy with how the evening panned out."
She gave me a sly glance and my jaw slid open in incredulity. "You liar!" I accused, slapping her arm. "That's twice you've intervened, not once."
"No interference was involved," she protested, hands held up defensively. "I merely removed myself from a situation that gave the day a far better conclusion than it would've otherwise had."
"Technically, that still counts as meddling."
"I prefer to think of it as helping a worthy cause," she argued, loftily. "And, I distinctly remember you giving me free reign to meddle."
I shook my head and rolled my eyes, unable to actually be mad at her. "Does this mean you approve of us? Me and Carlisle, I mean."
Alice became silent again and apprehension engulfed her mien. I started to worry, wondering if she actually wasn't all that happy about it, but, then she turned to face me and took my hands in hers, pensiveness widening her eyes.
"I have to tell you something," she began and my heart rate increased. Oh God, what was she going to say? "And I really hope you won't get mad." Her eyes lowered a moment. "I don't think you will, but, it might be a little odd to hear."
"Out with it, Alice," I demanded, mimicking her earlier phrase.
"Okay," she said, before taking a deep breath she didn't actually need. "There's a reason we moved here, why I specifically wanted to come to Forks. A few years ago, I had a vision. It was sudden and brief, barely a few seconds long, but, hit with a force so strong and played out in my mind so vividly that I was unable to ignore or forget it. Although the actual scene was as clear as day, the location and timing were a complete mystery to me. I had it a couple of times a day for about a week, until it began to fade and, to some extent, I was able to push it to the back of my mind.
"Then, a few months later, when we started considering the idea of settling down, it returned, but not as strongly as first time around. In fact, it wasn't until house hunting in Forks that the vision hit me so powerfully I almost collapsed. Luckily, I was alone at the time, so nobody else saw and I didn't have to explain what I'd seen. That was when I knew we had to stay here. I didn't say anything to the others and, even now, they still remain unaware. In fact, you're the only person I've told. I haven't had it since that day and we ended up moving in a month later, but, I can still recall the vision like I'd had it minutes-rather than years-ago."
"What did you see?" I asked. I hoped it wouldn't appear rude, but, as much as the back story was appreciated, I was itching to find out what she'd seen.
"I saw you and Carlisle. You were lying on a bed, wearing an oversized white shirt-one of his, I assume-and you pulled him in closer for a kiss."
I knew exactly which moment she had seen. It had only happened yesterday, after all. I wondered if she'd witnessed the moment my stomach started calling out for the bagel lying on the tray less than a metre away and the blush began to creep up on my cheeks.
"You both looked so happy together," Alice continued, her voice becoming dreamy. "And there was an overwhelming resonance of love and devotion surrounding the pair of you." Her thumbs started running over my knuckles and her grip tightened ever so slightly. "I just...I couldn't not act. The idea of Carlisle, who has dedicated his life to helping others, finally experiencing a happiness of his own..."
Alice appeared to be at a loss for words and, when her large, golden irises met mine, they were sparkling and looked to be on the verge of welling up. How could one so small contain so much love for so many people? Just like in the Porsche, my arms flew around her neck and, were she human, I would have probably crushed her with the force of my affectionate gesture. I loved her, I really did. She was more than just a friend, she was like the sister I'd never had and, in wanting to see Carlisle happy, she had bestowed upon me a joy I'd never believed I would possess.
She buried her face in my neck and I thought she really had started crying, although no sounds of sobbing were audible. Her nimble fingers clasped handfuls of my jacket and she returned as much power as was safe into the hug.
"I love you, Alice," I whispered into her ear. "You've done more for me than you'll ever know."
"I love you too, Bella," she reciprocated, before pulling away from me and placing a hand either side of my face. Her glistening eyes bore into mine. "And I won't let anyone come between you and Carlisle."
"I know," I said and hugged her again.
Our second embrace was much quicker than the first and, as she pulled away, informed me that Jasper and Carlisle were close. True to her word, the pair came striding towards us a couple of minutes later and Alice immediately leapt to her feet to meet her mate. I stood, but, remained on the step, watching as Carlisle's figure gradually grew clearer and clearer to my human vision. The new information I held magnified everything I felt for him, making me want to leap into his arms and kiss him senseless. It also meant our impending conversation was going to be even more complicated, as it was becoming increasingly difficult to remain rational and practical in his presence. When I was with him, all I wanted was to remain at his side forever, but, alone, I realised the true consequences of our actions. It didn't lessen my commitment to him, but, the world seemed far more perilous without him around.
Alice called out to say she'd see me in the morning and waved farewell, an action Jasper copied, before they both began their journey back home. I waited until they had rounded the corner, before fixing my gaze upon Carlisle and running over to him. His arms opened to accommodate me and mine swung around his neck, before our mouths collided and I got to bask in his assault on all five of my senses. It was clear he hadn't expected such an intense greeting from me, as it took him a moment to respond, but, when he did, it matched my passion equally.
"I missed you," I said, answering the question in his eyes when our lips parted.
"Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder," he remarked, before taking my hand and leading us back over to the porch steps.
We sat on the top step this time, our backs leaning against the door, as he sandwiched my left hand between both of his. I was bathed in his topaz gaze, as his eyes wandered over my face and I let the silence play out for a while between us.
"Are you alright?" he asked, eventually and it was unnecessary for him to mention my dream, as I already knew that was what he referred to.
"I am now," I admitted and it was true. With him sat beside me, my panicked reaction to the dream felt a little ridiculous.
"Do you want to tell me what it was about?"
I started to describe my nightmare, but, didn't go into immense detail. He got the general gist and I noticed the slight wince in his face when I got to the part when he was killed by Edward. It didn't take a psychologist to recognise what fuelled the dream. As I finished, his arm went around my back to pull me close into his side and he kissed my temple several times. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation of cool lips against my skin, wishing, not for the first time, that we could stay this way forever. Sadly, real life was determined to ensure that never became a reality, as there were important matters to discuss.
"So, what happened with the tribe?" I queried, as I rested my head against his shoulder and tried not to let the feeling of his thumb rubbing against the small of my back distract me too much.
"Jasper and I arrived at the border of their lands a little before seven thirty," Carlisle explained. "We were early, but, a few of the tribe members were already present."
"Who were they?"
"I only know the name of one, Sam Uley. The other two I have never met before and no names were offered."
I'd wondered if Jacob might have been there, but, had to admit, it was probably best he hadn't. I dreaded to think what he might've done upon hearing Carlisle's news. After all, it pretty much proved most of Jacob's warnings to be just, a fact I hated immensely.
"To say they were not happy to see us is a massive understatement," Carlisle continued. "In fact, it came close to breaking out into a fight several times, as one Quileute in particular had difficulty controlling his temper. Not wanting to make the rendezvous any longer than was absolutely necessary, I immediately apprised them of the situation, although, I glossed over the true nature of our relationship. I hope you don't mind."
"Probably best," I said.
"Hearing that your family might be in danger definitely caught their interest and Sam has promised to pass on the information to the rest of the tribe. To cut a long story short, they are going to discuss it, before contacting me to let me know their decision."
I listened carefully to Carlisle's tone of voice, hoping to discern how hopeful the situation might be, but my attempts proved unsuccessful. His lilting speech betrayed no emotion regarding the events, so I was forced to ask outright how optimistic he felt.
"It is hard to say," he admitted. "But, I cannot see them ignoring it. Regardless of their views towards my coven, they will want to ensure the safety of this town. If they provide aid to protect you and your father, all the better, however, if they decide not to, there are, at least, four of us willing to keep watch over you until the threat has passed." His grip on my hand tightened, as his eyes swivelled to look directly into mine. "And I don't intend to let you out of my sight."
As much as I loved Carlisle's protectiveness, his words sent a shot of trepidation up my spine. Yes, there were four vampires willing to protect me, but, they were all people I couldn't bear to lose, him especially. With the possibility of an intervention by the Volturi, I had no idea how many of them would come down and, even the prospect of back up from the tribe offered little comfort. They were all human and I had witnessed a little of what vampires were capable of, meaning I simply couldn't see what aid the Quileutes were able to offer. Surely they would be mown down, like lambs to the slaughter?
"What if it doesn't work?" I suggested. "What if the tribe doesn't decide to help us? How many Volturi will come here?"
"I don't know," he answered, with a soft sigh. "But, we will think of something."
Silence returned, as the pair of us lost ourselves in melancholy and it was clear the time for that undesirable conversation had arrived. A plan B had yet to be concocted, so, I had no choice but to offer my recent musings as an alternative option. It may be full of toil and the last thing anyone wanted to consider right now, but, we were desperately short of ideas and, I'd rather go through Hell, than end the existences of four of the most important aspects of my life. Gathering my thoughts and courage, I took a deep breath, before taking the plunge.
"Carlisle, I've been thinking," I began, pausing to consider the best way to proceed. My pulse quickened and I was sure he had noticed, because his body language became more attentive and alert. "It's something I've been thinking about for a little while, now. I have no idea how it works or if it even would, but..." my sentence trailed off, as I couldn't figure out how to continue.
My gaze had been firmly rooted to the ground, but a finger beneath my chin gently tilted my head upwards, forcing our eyes to lock.
"What is it?" he implored, softly.
I bit my lip, unsure of how to proceed. For a start, I wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to do and I worried what his reaction might be. His thumb reached up and pulled my bottom lip away from my teeth.
"You can tell me," he insisted and I relented.
"If...if there was no other choice left, would you..." I swallowed. "Would you...change me?"
Carlisle went as still as a statue. I studied his honey irises intently, trying to read his thoughts through their expression and I saw everything I had expected. It was the very last thing he wanted to do and I began to hate myself for raising the topic. The meeting with the tribe would've been bad enough, without having to think about something like this. His thumb slowly slid from my chin, as our eyes parted and his turned to scan the landscape. His other hand never left mine, though, which I hoped to be a sign that he wasn't angry with me. My eyes were fixed on his profile and each prolonged moment of his silence felt longer than the last. Eventually, he inhaled, before his gaze lowered to our entwined hands.
"Bella," he began and the reticent tone of his silken voice only confirmed everything his pools of liquid gold had projected. His eyes rose to meet mine. "Do you want to be changed?"
I didn't appreciate my question being answered by another question, mainly because I didn't know how to respond. It was still something I was nowhere near close to figuring out and, whilst the idea of spending eternity with him was beyond tempting, the idea of actually becoming a vampire, quite frankly, scared the shit out of me. The delay in my reply didn't go unnoticed and Carlisle's gaze lowered once more, as he nodded to himself.
"As I thought," he murmured and I wondered what he meant by that. There was another pause, before he finally released my hand. With elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped together in what I had come to recognise as his thoughtful pose. "Bella, this is not a life I would wish upon anyone who had another choice. Whilst elements of our existence may seem desirable, there are many ways in which we are cursed. Our brand of immortality offers great freedoms, yet, also places enormous restraints upon us." I was graced by his gaze once more. "Have you truly thought it through?"
"No," I admitted. "I've tried, but, the whole thing just confuses me. That's where I thought you might help. I'm not saying I want you to, or that you even need to. I just think we should consider it, at least, even if only as a last resort. I mean, do you have any other contingencies for if everything goes to Hell?"
"I do not. I was waiting for the outcome of today's meeting, before looking into other alternatives. However, I cannot deny that changing you was one I never considered. It's not that I wouldn't want to spend my immortality with you, no idea has ever been more desirable, but, this is not an easy life to enter into. It can take years, decades even, to adjust."
I bit my lip again. His words were helping add weight the cons, which was undoubtedly his intent. "Would you be so set against it if things with Edward hadn't gone so badly?"
He didn't answer right away, but, gave me a level stare for while, as he considered his reply. "Again, I cannot say. In the beginning, things with Edward were as wonderful as could be, but, of course, there was no happy ending for him, either. He also had a lot less to lose."
That was true and something I had already thought about, which was why this decision was such a hard one to make. Edward's family had all passed away by the time Carlisle bit him, so there was nobody to mourn his loss. I, however, wasn't in such a position, knowing I'd never get to see any of my family or friends again if I became a vampire and it would be as hard for me to say goodbye to them, as it would for them to lose me.
"I will be honest with you, though, Bella," he said, a note of severity in his voice. "As long as you consider it a last resort, I cannot even entertain the notion of ending your mortality. There is no way of reversing this decision and I could never act, knowing there was a risk of you regretting your choice afterwards. Right now, I get the feeling you wouldn't even be considering this, were desperation not forcing your hand."
He was right. Until Edward showed up, the idea of becoming a vampire never even crossed my mind. Then again, it wasn't until after meeting Edward that Carlisle and I truly discovered our love for each other. Frustration at our situation began to build inside me and I started chewing the inside of my cheek.
"Sometimes, you make it sound as though you hate being a vampire," I commented, trying not to let the irritation show in my voice.
"For a long time, I did," he replied. "But, when I became a doctor, I realised that my enhanced abilities allowed me to save lives that would have otherwise been lost. I never expected to discover that, thanks to what I can do, some lives are improved because I exist. I am not sure what would have happened to me, had I not found that calling."
As he spoke, the severity melted away and he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. I leaned my face into his touch, as his palm cupped my cheek.
"However," he continued, his voice lowering. "Meeting you means that I no longer need my medical profession to keep me going. For the first time, I am grateful to the vampire that bit me, for, had I remained human, we would never have met."
"A crime if ever I heard one," I joked and was pleased with the curve it brought to the corner of his lips.
"Indeed," he agreed, as his hand slid around the back of my neck and pulled our faces closer together.
The cool softness of his lips was soothing against mine, as they pressed together, gently, at first, before the contact increased in pressure. Briefly, I wondered if he was using this as a means of distraction, but, quickly decided that I didn't care. If it was a distraction, it was a very pleasurable one and I happily gave in to the moment. His lips separated and his tongue ran along my top lip, requesting permission to enter. My own tongue shot out and the tips of the two muscles swept across one another, sending a spark of electricity down my abdomen, to the spot he had claimed so expertly the night before.
His arm snaked around me, pulling my body closer, before his hands cupped my behind and lifted me onto his lap. I held either side of his face and threw the same passion into this kiss, as I had the one previous. Our tongues continued to massage one another, as I felt his fingers slide under my clothing, to graze across the bare skin of my back. His touch and taste were delicious and, if we weren't careful, I'd end up making love to him right there on the porch steps.
"Where..." Carlisle whispered, between the collisions of our lips. "...Are you staying..." another kiss. "...Tonight?"
I wanted to answer, but, was reluctant to pull my mouth away from his. "With you," I eventually managed to say.
Out tongues tangled together and, despite the soreness that still remained from our actions earlier that afternoon, I was starting to feel a desperate need to repeat them.
"I cannot promise..." he murmured, his voice beginning to turn husky, as our passionate kissing continued. "...you will get much sleep."
That sentence set my core alight and my fingers tightened their hold on his hair. "I don't care," I declared breathlessly.
And it was absolutely true. I knew I'd be exhausted at work the next day, but, it would be worth it. We practically ran the entire way to the mansion and, as predicted, I relished every single moment of our second night together.
A/N: There you go, folks. I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you all again soon :)