AN: Sorry for the wait, classes have been killing me, and Destiny came out and my college finally fixed the problem so I've been playing nonstop, anyway here is chapter 3.

Chapter 3: Cinnamon

As soon as we got to my apartment, I could hear a whimpering sound before I even got out of the car. "Shit, Phaedra hasn't had anything to eat while I've been out" I cursed to myself. "Actually, she has," Bella said behind me, "I fed her when I got your clothes the other day" I looked back to her, thanking her. "You're the best, seriously". She just shrugged with a smile on her face.

I ran up the stairs, and opened my door. I was immediately pounced on by my dog. She hesitated a bit, unsure if I was her human, but then decided I was with a big lick to the face. "I've missed you too girl, calm down" I said as I petted her head. "She is a beautiful Husky, and quite smart to. Most animals fear us, because they sense the predator within" Bella stated as if it were simple facts.

I rolled my eyes at her, smiling that I hadn't lost my only other friend in this world. "So how did you come to have her; Phaedra that is?" Bella asked. "My summer job was cleaning the kennels at the local shelter. One day she came in, and I knew that we be best friends. So that night, I took her home. We've been best buds since" I said, and as if to prove a point, Phaedra gave me another sloppy kiss.

After that, I walked around my house, making sure everything was still there.

Then I heard the music playing from my room. I walked in to see Bella Bobbing her head slightly to the music. "So I take it you like Linkin Park?" I ask innocently. "Yeah, they were big about 25 years ago, when I was a human. Why do you still have them?" "Because I like that music. It's just so easy to get lost in. My favorite though is Of Mice & Men, or Beartooth. I can't pick which." I said as I walked over to my music shelf, grabbing one of their CD's. "Hear, try this". I slipped the CD into the stereo. I turned the volume up and waited for the song to start. As soon as it did, Bella jumped back. She wasn't expecting the sudden influx of sound. I liked my music loud. "This is I'm a monster, by Of Mice & Men. It seemed… fitting," I laughed.

She looked at me, and laughed as well. Even with the music as loud as it was, I could hear her laugh. That beautiful laugh, like a thousand angels. If I could've blushed, I swear I would. "I like it." was her simple answer.

"So, unless you want to spend all day listening to my kick ass music, what are we here for?" I ask, my tone slightly serious. She hesitated, and spoke slowly, "You have two options, and I'm hoping you pick the first." She looked down at her feet, unsure of herself, "You can either live with me, or leave".

I contemplated this, and decided quickly. But first, I had to ask her something. "Can I bring Phaedra, if I live with you?" She looked around before speaking. "Yes, but you have to take care of him." She said sternly, like a mother to her child. I laughed at her "You shouldn't try so hard to be serious; I makes you look like a mom. And if I'm supposedly your mate, that would make things a bit weird, don't you think?"

The look on her face was priceless, like she hadn't been told that ever before. She huffed in annoyance before disappearing from sight. "No fair" I say to the empty spot where Bella was. Before I knew what was happening, I was on the floor, Bella's hands all over me, not that I minded. I couldn't stop myself; she was tickling me in all the right places. "Stop, you have to stop. I'm going to DI-"I tried to say, but didn't get the chance. Bella redoubled her efforts, making it impossible to not say anything, I was laughing to damn hard. And then she stopped, standing where she had been a few minutes ago.

"Take that as a warning" she said, pushing her hair back behind her ear. I couldn't help but smile as I lay there. Phaedra came over, and laid next to me. I reached out to pet her, and hummed softly as my hands slid through her soft fur. "So when do you want to leave?" Bella asked me. "Umm, can I take some stuff with me?" I asked softly. "Of course dear" She smiled softly at me. I didn't want to get up, but did anyway. I walked around my little apartment again, making a mental note of what to take.

I started packing, and it was quiet between the two of us. I looked over to her, as I putting my CD's in a bag. She was just sitting there silently, with her eyes closed. I looked away, and finished packing rather quickly. All I had decided to take were my CD's and a few pairs of clothes. Bella said something to me, but I wasn't paying attention. "What was that?" I asked her. "There something I need your help with." I was puzzled. "Huh? My help? What could I possibly help you with? You're the older, better vampire, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, "That may be, but I still need your help. And since you are my mate, that applies doubly." I walked over to her, and grabbed her hand, gently rubbing my thumb over it. "Before we go any further, I need you to explain this mate thing further. And why you keep bringing it up." I said, looking into her eyes, getting lost in them. She sat down, pulling me into her lap. As soon as she did, I felt myself purring with happiness.

"So, you know the whole 'love at first sight thing'?" she said, making air quotations with her hands, "well, basically, it's real." I looked up to her, and she continued. "You see, a vampire has one true mate their entire life. Some find them early on, and others spend decades waiting for them. And the bond is so complete, so perfect, that there is no doubting it. From the moment it's made, it will be there till the end. Nothing can change it, not even if they both ran to opposite ends of the earth. And you can't hurt the other person in the bond. You simply can't, as it causes yourself so much pain. So when I say were mates, it's true. Do you remember when you first saw me? That feeling you felt? That's the sign of a bond." She finished speaking, with looking more at ease.

I thought about what she said, and came to one conclusion. We were mates. And I was hers. To the end of the world, I would be hers.

So I leaned up, and took her lips with mine. This kiss was nothing like the one in the forest, it was so much more. We started out slow, no need to rush. Soon, I found myself being pinned down, and I liked it. I felt a moan come through my lips, and Bella pushed her tongue into my mouth, I gladly accepted, and we fought for control over the kiss. I could feel her hands roaming, and it felt so good. I could smell her all over me, the scent of cinnamon. It was heaven, and I wished to be able to smell nothing but her. I let another moan out, and Bella started kissing my neck, going over my collarbone and down my chest. "…bella…" I moaned, and she started to take off my shirt. Then reality came back, and I realized what was happening. "Bella, as much as I love what is happening, we have to stop." She looked at me, upset.

"Not because I didn't like it, in fact quite the opposite," I said quickly, not wanting her to be upset, "But didn't you need my help with something?" She smirked and I felt better. "Yeah, I want you to move in with me, and I'm curious as to where you want to live" She said, a hint of hope in her voice. "Don't you already have a house though?" "Yeah, but I want to live with you, and you alone" She said simply, not caring to elaborate. "Then why did I pack today?" I asked. "Because, you're supposedly dead. And can't live here anymore." She said. "Dead?" "You've been missing from work for 4 days now, and I sent in a missing persons report" she said.

I realized what she just said, in a different way though. This was my new start, a new beginning. My past no longer dragged me down.

I beamed at her. "That's the second best thing I've heard all day." "And what would be the first?" she asked me. I walked over to her, and whispered into her ear "you're my mate" before kissing her neck. That elicited a soft moan form Bella, but I decided not to push it further.

"So where are we staying then? Your house?" I asked. She nodded, "Yes, but there's something you should know." I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"About 20 years ago, I fell in love with someone else when I was just a human. At the time he meant the world to me. He was my world, and we married right after I graduated from high school. I was turned shortly after. I've been with him ever since, but about 10 years ago, I started to realize we weren't meant for each other. He wasn't my mate, but I never had the courage to say anything, so I'm still married to him. I don't hate him, and yes I still want him as part of my family, just not as my husband. The only person I want to be married to is you. So, when you meet everyone tonight, keep that in mind. I'm sorry if this is a lot to take in, but you had to know." She finished, looking relieved.

I just stood there, going over what she said. She was married? I should be upset with here. I should've felt like a harlot, breaking up a marriage. But I didn't, I couldn't. It didn't matter to me. I was Bella's mate. She was mine. Simple as that.

"I hope he doesn't take rejection badly" I said, a bit of possessiveness in my voice "Because you're ending things. Tonight" She looked at me, and smiled. "I hoped you say that." She said as she walked back to me and pulled me in for a kiss. "We should do this more often" I thought to myself.

"Come on, we got things to do and people to see" she said while pulling me out of the apartment. I gave a quick look back, to make sure I left nothing behind. I picked up Phaedra's leash, and we walked down the stairs and out the back. Bella opened the trunk to her car, helping me put my small amount of items in. She then opened the passenger door, and Phaedra Jumped in, excited to be in the strangers car. I got in after her, and Bella walked around to the other side.

She started the car, and we were on our way. As she was driving, she giggled out of nowhere. She looked over at me and held her pinkie out. "Promise me something" she said, so I wrapped my Pinkie around hers before asking what. "Emmet is my big brute of a brother. He's strong even by vampire standards. I want you to arm wrestle him. Since you're a newborn he won't be able to win. He hasn't forgiven me yet for beating him all those years ago." She laughed lightly at the last part. "No problem" I say before holding her hand in mine.

We sat in silence after that, for what seemed like forever. We didn't talk for the next 5 hours, just held hands and comforted each other. It was a comfortable silence. I could hear Phaedra behind us, and she was going crazy being kept in such a small backseat, not even able to poke her head out the window. I was about to reach back when I noticed we had gone off the main road, and started down a lightly used road. After about a mile, we turned down another road, or so I thought till I saw the manor. It was huge, and one of the sides was entirely glass, looking out over the forest behind it.

"Welcome to Roanoke, Washington. This is the house." Bella said as she pulled up to the garage and killed the engine. As soon as I got out, Phaedra leapt out from behind me and made her way to the nearest tree. I was about to get my stuff, but Bella simply grabbed my hand and walked towards the front door. Phaedra came running, not wanting to miss out. We walked up to the front door, and Bella just walked in without knocking. We made our way to the living room before Bella cleared her throat.

"Family Meeting" she said to the empty space in front of her. As soon as she did, they came in. "This is Rosalie, and her mate Emmet" Bella said, pointing at a very beautiful blonde and the mountain of a man next to her. Emmet beamed and picked me up in a bone crushing bear hug. "Looks like Eddie boy is in trouble" he said before laughing. Rosalie smacked him on the back of his head, causing me to laugh. "That's Jasper and his mate, Alice" she said, pointing to a small spiky haired pixie. She was absolutely adorable I thought, before noticing her mate tense up. Did I do something wrong? "And these two are Esme and Carlisle, the head of the family" She stated. "It's a pleasure to meet you" Carlisle said. "It's a pleasure to meet you all as well." I replied.

"Edwards out hunting, if you were wondering" Carlisle said to Bella. She looked relieved. "So lets hear it Bella, who's this?" Emmet said bluntly. Apparently, discretion was not his specialty. "Its not my story to tell, ask her." She replied to him. He then looked to me expectantly, and I decided I might as well introduce myself.

"My name is Marijane, and Bella is my mate" I said, smiling.

AN: i feel like i couldve done better, but it is what it is. we finally get to meet edward next chapter. woohoo. anyway, thanks for staying with this. you all are the best. read and review please.