I own nothing. SM owns these characters. I just like to play with them. No copyright infringement is intended.
PLEASE READ - You guys got two chapters today - so if you see this one first, go back one. XO.
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The late morning sun shone on the surface of the pool. It looked warm and inviting, though Rosalie carefully swam around it, avoiding the blinding refraction that resulted against her skin.
Ephriam lay on the rocks at the creek side. He was calm, at peace for what seemed to be the first time in days. Rosalie remained in the water much longer than he had, floating on her back and listening to the rise and fall of his chest and beating heart.
Once she was sure he was asleep, Rosalie carefully walked out of the water and wrung the water from her hair. In only her soaked undergarments, she stepped headlong into the sunshine and closed her eyes as she lifted her face toward it. Warmth kissed her skin as she held out her arms and sighed, welcoming the heat everywhere it could reach.
A prickling sensation crawled up her arms just before a loud whistle sounded behind her. She had not heard or sensed Ephriam move and glanced toward where he lay, still sleeping.
Rosalie darted into the shade and scowled at the wolfmen behind her. Now that they could see her clearly, each blatantly gaped at her poorly covered backside. She lunged for her dress and yanked it on, scowling at them as she flew through the row of tiny buttons in front.
Not low enough, Quil whispered, "I still can't understand how he stands the smell, but at least she's a looker."
Was he implying that she stank? You don't smell so great yourself, dog.
Levi muttered, "Now that we can see all of her clearly,"
Already angered by their mere presence, the comment made her eye twitch as she bit back a slew of curse words that would have made her sea-faring great-grandfather proud. A little too sharply, she hissed, "Eph?"
Ephriam opened one eye to look up at her before sitting up and rubbing his face.
"Eph?" Quil turned toward Levi in confusion.
"Oh, Eph," Levi mocked, and the two burst into laughter.
Ephriam grumbled, "What the hell do you want?"
Levi said, "They ordered us to check on you.".
"I am perfectly safe," Ephriam said and pointed at them. "You two, on the other hand…"
The wolves seemed to register the rage on Rose's face for the first time and growled instinctively.
"I suggest you apologize for whatever you said or did before I woke up," Ephriam said with a laugh as he lay back down.
Quil leaned toward Levi and muttered, "Can you believe this fool?"
"I told you, he's lost his damn mind," Levi answered. "The first time he saw her, he was a goner, and she's not even his imprint."
Rosalie didn't know what an imprint was, but their smug condescension was getting on her last nerve. Before either could blink, Rose rushed them, lightly (for a vampire) clacked their heads together, and was back at Ephriam's side.
Each man growled and instantly shifted, exploding into their wolves and then cringing over the ache in their skulls.
For a moment, Rose feared Ephriam would be angry by what she had done. Instead, he laughed and said, "You're on her land, boys. Nothing in that treaty states she can't knock the hell out of either of you when you deserve it."
Ephriam closed his eyes and lay perfectly still. Rose couldn't help but smile down at him and shake her head. She sat down at the base of the nearest tree and hugged her knees to her chest, watching his calmly rise and fall. His breathing entranced her. Her breathing pattern subconsciously slowed in time with him as she calmed. It made her feel more human somehow.
The other wolves refused to budge, clearly concerned with Ephriam's lack of discomfort at her side. A soft snore escaped him, and Rose giggled.
Quil shifted back and crouched beside Levi, curiously observing them while rubbing his head.
"You might as well both get comfortable if you plan to stay," Rosalie whispered just loud enough for them to hear. She bit back another laugh as they glanced at each other warily.
"What is going on between you two?" Quil huffed as Levi plopped down on his belly to get comfortable. Obviously, they planned to stay.
"I don't have an answer," she admitted. "I think I love him."
Levi huffed, and Quil spat, "You barely know him."
Rosalie shot him a scathing glance as Ephriam stirred. She waited for his breathing to even out again before answering. "I only have so much time with him. Can't you let it be peaceful?"
"And what happens if his change happens next to you? What if he destroys you? We would have a war with your people on our hands."
"No, you would not!" Rose shook her head at them, feeling the discomfort of her tangled tresses as they caught on the tree behind her. She leaned forward to comb her fingers through. "They know the risk I'm taking. They just want me to be happy."
The surge of familial affection she felt surprised her as she realized the truth of her own words. They want me to be happy. The Cullens had moved across the country, uprooting everything to help her adjust to this life, just as a genuine family would do.
"Even if I never wanted this life…" Rose whispered to them, "it led me here. Ephriam's last days as a human are a precious gift. He makes me feel alive."
"I suppose your centuries of roaming must have been very dull," Quil quipped. A coughing noise escaped Levi as Quil smiled, and Rosalie assumed the wolf had laughed.
"I'm only eighteen," Rosalie muttered back at them.
Quil frowned. "You turned at eighteen?"
Rosalie said, "I am eighteen and have only been a vampire for a few months. I didn't want to be this. My vampire family never drinks human blood. I have never tasted it, and I lost enough blood while dying that my eyes turned golden quickly. I am still grieving my human life and had to leave everyone I loved behind. Ephriam is the first person to make me feel safe and happy, despite what I am, ever since. Make all the comments that you wish, but none matter. You know nothing about me." Rosalie tossed her hair back behind her shoulders and turned her focus on Ephriam.
After a long silence, Quil shifted back to his wolf and walked away. Levi remained longer but finally left as storm clouds rolled in. Rosalie roused Ephriam as Levi walked away. He groaned at the stiffness in his neck from his position on the rocks. He rolled his neck as he sat up, his spine cracking multiple times.
"A storm is coming," she warned him.
Ephriam nodded. "I can smell it."
"Let's go to my house," Rosalie said. "I'm sure you're hungry."
"Starving," he admitted and chuckled. "Can you eat human food at all?"
"No, but we purchase it to keep up appearances for the locals," Rosalie said. "We have the occasional human visitor, and Esme cooks dishes for some of Carlisle's ailing patients. It comes in handy."
She took his hand as he stood and led her back toward the cave. Rosalie was happy she remembered every turn, hoping she could use the shortcut when alone.
Waiting for them on the front porch, Edward looked relieved to see her. "Two wolves came looking for you, Ephriam."
"They found us," Rosalie grumbled, allowing him to see them all gathered by the creekside
"All is well?"
She nodded and glanced toward Ephriam as his stomach rumbled. Edward grinned and shot Rosalie a knowing wink as Esme stepped outside with three sandwiches on a platter and a large glass of lemonade. Esme heaped each sandwich with ham, lettuce, and tomato slices. Ephriam glanced down at it hungrily as she handed it to him.
"I hope you don't mind that I forewarned Esme you were coming," Edward said. "I could hear Ephriam's thoughts of food for the last few minutes."
Ephriam chuckled and shook his head before sitting down on the porch swing. "Thank you most kindly," he said to Esme before taking a large bite.
"We'll leave you for now, but call for me when you're finished," Esme said. "I've been working on something for Rosalie for a few weeks, and it is finally ready."
Rosalie scoffed and laughed. "Your forest project?"
Esme nodded. "You will see."
Rosalie pulled her into a tight hug. Esme hesitated in shock before wrapping her arms around Rose in a motherly embrace.
"You're welcome, sweetheart."
Esme and Edward were gone, and the screen door clapped against the frame in their wake.
The trip through the forest was quicker than expected as they blessedly traveled in the opposite direction of La Push.
Rose reminded herself along the route to not be selfish - that Ephriam's family was merely worried about his safety. Despite that, she could not help but hope for fewer chances to be interrupted. His pack would have him all to themselves at any moment. Until then, he was hers - and she would fight for each solitary second if necessary.
They rounded a bend thickly populated with a grove of fir trees, only to find a small cabin tucked within. The outer walls were dark green, nearly black in the shade to camouflage it among the massive firs. A small lantern awaited them in front of the door. Esme struck a match against the cabin wall and lit the lantern before opening the door. Inside, the space was a picture of comfort. Rosalie chuckled at Esme's clever designs, providing what comfort they could afford for a cabin in the middle of nowhere.
"You kept taking off alone," Esme said as Rosalie inspected the light cream sofa near the fireplace in the front room. The room was L-shaped, with a small kitchen tucked neatly into the shorter section. Bookshelves lined the walls around the curved doorway into the bedroom. Rose gasped as she entered the bedroom, expecting to find it empty. It was not as if she slept.
Instead, Rosalie walked over to sit on the quilt-covered mattress of the new bed and sighed. It was as soft as a cloud. The enormous bathtub in the corner of the room looked enticing, though Rose doubted there was running water. She frowned as she thought about the old cauldron in her bedroom fireplace at the house.
"This cabin was already here," Esme explained. "There is a spring-fed well underneath. The pump in the kitchen basin works, but you'll have to heat the water on the stove, I'm afraid."
"I don't mind," Rosalie said as she happily took in the space, unsure what else to say.
"I understand how difficult this has been, and Edward's intrusiveness can be upsetting. I am grateful you are getting along better, but I thought this place might help when you need privacy."
Rosalie stood to hug Esme again. "It's wonderful, Esme. Thank you."
"You're a wonderful daughter, and we're proud to have you with us," Esme whispered as she squeezed Rosalie's hand.
Rose shuddered and released a ragged breath as her throat grew tight. She loathed the sensation, wishing she could cry the grateful tears she instinctively blinked back despite their lack of presence.
She remained where she was as Esme disappeared, leaving her and Ephriam alone.
"She is like you," Ephriam said as he entered the bedroom. "Gentle and kind."
Rosalie scoffed. "I am not always kind, but Esme is unfailingly so."
"Your new home is lovely." Ephriam gave her a dazzling smile unlike any she'd seen from him before.
The sight made her breath catch in her chest as the reality of their current location struck her. She stood abruptly, startling him with her speed as she moved to flee the bedroom. Ephriam's hand shot out to catch her wrist, and he stumbled toward her from the momentum.
"Rose," he said and laughed. "Wait."
She nervously glanced back toward her bed before meeting his eyes, hoping he understood. She knew so little about true intimacy. The sensations Ephriam compelled from her confused and frightened her. Ephriam caught on quickly, sending an awkward glance toward her bed. Instead of letting her go, he stepped closer as she stepped back.
"Come here," he whispered as he tugged her closer. Ephriam carefully wrapped his arms around her, and Rose pressed her forehead against his chest as she released a ragged breath.
"I would never force you to do anything you don't want to," he soothed. He gently lifted her chin with his thumb, silently imploring her to meet his gaze. "I want to hold you. Don't you want that too?"
"I know it's ridiculous when I have so much strength, but I can't help…"
Rosalie went silent as he gently pressed his lips to hers. The warmth of his lips, his breath, was like an electric current, sweeping across her skin and soaking itself into her pores. She parted her lips with a gasp, and his tongue lashed out to slide along her bottom lip. Her eyes fluttered shut as he moaned into her mouth, deepening their kiss as the need to pull him closer filled her limbs. His hands slid down her arms and encompassed her waist. When he finally pulled away from her lips, it surprised Rose to find her hands at the nape of his neck, her fingers entwined in his hair.
Ephriam chuckled at her bewildered expression and hummed as he pressed his forehead to hers. The warmth of his body was exquisite, and his touch was as comforting as it was stimulating. It took a few seconds for her to notice his trembling, to hear the catch in his panting breath as he struggled to release her.
For just a moment, Rosalie wondered if Esme had given her the cabin now for this reason - for the privacy to explore what little time they had left together in a space where she felt comforted and less afraid. Rosalie knew without a doubt that Esme understood her better than she knew. The Cullen matriarch had attempted suicide to escape one man yet allowed herself to lie with another in time.
The difference was that Rosalie and Ephriam didn't have time.
Rolling thunder filled the house, and they turned to look outside. Rain pelted the ground, and Rosalie rushed to shut the door and protect the newly fixed wooden flooring.
Ephriam was waiting when she turned back toward him, beckoning her to the bedroom door.
"I don't know if I can," she whispered. Her feet seemed to move of their own accord as she slowly drifted back to his side. She needed to be next to him, regardless. Despite his calmness, she could see the anxiety behind his eyes as he tried to soothe hers.
"Lay with me," he whispered as he brushed the hair out of her face and pressed his lips against her forehead. "I will probably fall asleep, Rose. Let me hold you for a while?"
Her quiet acquiescence was barely noticeable in the slight nodding of her head as she threaded her fingers through his. Ephriam laid down on her bed first, and Rosalie faced him as she curled up on her side.
"Turn over," he said.
Suspiciously, she asked, "Why?"
"Trust me," he answered with a grin.
She raised one eyebrow at him, and he laughed. Rosalie huffed and did as he asked, carefully turning her back to him. His arm wrapped around her waist and tugged, pulling her back flush to his chest. His exquisite warmth engulfed her as he covered her legs with one of his and buried his face against her neck. Ephriam's breathing evened out swiftly as he held her, and within minutes he was asleep.
Rose fought against the urge to press tighter against him, relishing his feverish touch and the surprising comfort of his weighted limbs atop her own. Her skin tingled where it kissed against his, and she slowly absorbed the warmth into her limbs. She closed her eyes and listened to his heart as it beat out of sync with the rain and wondered if she would ever feel so content again.
By the time he stirred, the sky was dark. Rose hadn't moved a muscle for hours, telling herself she only wanted him to rest. Eventually, the temptation became too much, and she carefully turned to face him. He pulled her tighter against him in his sleep and buried his face against her neck. Ephriam's long, dark hair spilled over the pillow above his head, and Rosalie reached to run her fingers through it. The contented sigh that slipped from his lips as she lightly caressed his scalp made her smile.
She froze as his hand slid down her side and gripped her hip. Rosalie chose to ignore it and went back to playing with his hair. His chest rose and fell in the same calm rhythm, though he nuzzled against her further, and his hand slid down to her bottom. The heat of his palm was more than soothing against her backside, renewing the tingling sensations in her limbs.
Soon, his hand began languidly kneading her flesh. After a few minutes of his nuzzling and caressing, the warmth through her clothing was no longer enough. She longed to remove her dress and let her stomach press against his, for his heart to beat directly against her chest.
I suppose it wouldn't matter. He had seen her in her undergarments already. Soaking wet, which was much more revealing.
What she struggled to understand were her own physical needs. Rosalie desired this man. After pondering at his side for hours, she realized that her fear was not the fear of Ephriam but of herself. The longing she felt for this odd human was overwhelming.
On the one hand, she had suffered the worst experience - but he had nothing to do with what they had done to her. Shouldn't she, with someone she trusted, allow herself to experience something different? If she did, would they have regrets when he completed the change and became her enemy?
A heaviness settled in her chest as she considered dismissing the opportunity to know what it felt like to make love with a man she trusted when they still had time to do so. Once he became a wolf, he would despise her. After Royce and now Ephriam, what were the chances that love would find her again? Already she had learned of friends of Carlisle's who had lived alone for centuries. Not even immortality ensured happiness or love.
Deciding, Rosalie carefully moved away from him to unbutton her dress. He frowned at the loss of her body next to his, and she could not help but smile.
Her dress fluttered to the floor as she slid back between his arms. Ephriam tightened his arms around her, and a soft smile graced his handsome face. Rosalie nearly moaned as her stomach pressed flush to his, and for a few minutes, it was enough.
The longer she lay there, the more conscious she became of the material between their chests. Her nipples hardened as she envisioned herself pressed against him entirely. Ephriam's hand slid back to her hip, leaving a trail of sensation in its wake. Her breath quickened as she carefully reached for her brassiere and unhooked the material. She slid it out from between them and let out a loud sigh as she held him tighter.
Rosalie lay in silence for a while, enjoying the sensation. Ever so slowly, his hand slid down her thigh and under the material of her panties to cup her bare behind. She hissed from the jolt of pleasure the simple act shot through her. His fingers swept downward toward her sex as he gently kneaded her flesh. Rosalie instinctively pressed her hips forward, simultaneously wanting to pull his hand away and move it lower.
Suddenly, another sensation made her pause. The steady thumping of his heartbeat reverberated through her torso. The beat had picked up, finally alerting her as his pulse sang against her chest. Rose choked back a sob. She took a deep breath to calm herself, hoping to avoid the terrible ache that crying caused. For a moment, the exquisite warmth combined with his heartbeat made her feel truly alive. She could almost hear the whoosh of his pulse in her ears.
How in the world am I supposed to exist without him now? Everything was clear to her now. She wanted him and every experience she could have with him before he left her. Rosalie selfishly wanted every opportunity to hold on to the indescribable feeling of his heartbeat.
Ephriam's hand squeezed her behind as he pressed his mouth to her neck. Rosalie's eyes flew open as he sucked on her flesh. She tilted her head to allow him closer, feeling the uptick in his heartbeat at her response. His hands flew to her face, cupping her cheeks as he opened his eyes and pulled back to meet her gaze.
She bit her bottom lip and smiled despite her overwhelming sadness. Rosalie could hear the nervous tremble in her voice as she whispered, "Eph?"
She didn't know what to say next. How do you ask someone to make love to you before they leave you? Pushing all else aside, she pressed her lips to his and fisted her hand in his hair.
Rosalie didn't need words to convey what she needed from him after that. All her affection for him, the despair of their impending separation, and the pain she still felt as she mourned her prior existence were shared with him in that kiss.
For the next few hours, with every inch of their bodies, Ephriam showed her he understood.
Current Day
"I did not think it possible for someone so beautiful to become more so, but every ten years, you take the breath from me," he said hungrily before crawling over her onto his bed.
Rosalie pushed away his leather vest, eager to be as close to him as possible. Even after decades, she needed to feel her bare chest flush with his, her cold, hard nipples pressing against his feverish skin.
"I need to touch you," she whimpered.
He obliged her by tossing the vest across the room, and she rolled to her side under his long arms. Ephriam's wide grin softened as he reached for the zipper of her dress and dragged it down to her hip. She shimmied the top half to her waist and lifted her hips for him to remove the rest.
Rose sighed proudly over his lust-filled expression as he let out a slow, deep breath, gazing down at her mostly naked body. He slid his fingers under the sides of the black lace at her hips and trailed the material down her legs. Rosalie reached between them to unbuckle his belt, and he chuckled at her budding impatience.
Ephriam stood to remove his pants, letting them fall to the floor where her dress now lay. Rosalie took her turn admiring him, his naked body as beautiful as she remembered. She could feel his radiating warmth as he climbed onto the bed and settled his upper body between her long milky-white legs. He leaned down to scrape his teeth across her inner thigh, the heat of his mouth sending a thrill through her cold, taut body. She ran her nails gently across his back as he kissed his way toward her chest.
"You smell exactly the same," he said, grinning. He tenderly caressed her breasts before sliding his hands under her back and sucking one of her nipples into his mouth. His heat soaked into her skin everywhere he touched, leaving her panting, aching to feel it filling her from the inside out.
"You feel as amazing as ever," Rose said. His erection rubbed against her core, the shaft sliding against her as he moaned. She cried out as, ready and willing, Ephriam pushed himself inside her, and she lifted her hips to meet him.
Ephraim made love to her well into the morning, leaving nowhere unexplored. It was always that way with him. Though they could not sleep, she lay curled around him afterward, entirely warm and thoroughly at ease. Eyes closed and silent, they held each other for hours as neither wanted to leave the other.
Rose and Ephriam spent the next two days barely leaving the bed. They talked for hours, telling each other stories of what happened in the last ten years. As they'd done in their youth, he wallowed happily against her cold skin while she soaked in every ounce of warmth he could give her.
At the end of the third day, she showered, dressed, and gave him a long, passionate kiss before they said goodbye. As she ran from Ephriam's cabin, she suddenly longed for the forest they found each other in. Rosalie knew the pool in the creek was still there, though she had avoided it when they moved back to Forks.
She stopped running abruptly to turn on her cell phone and frowned. Despite their well-established arrangements, Rosalie was flooded with guilt as Emmett texted that he loved her and hoped she was safe. She quickly dialed before losing her nerve and waited anxiously for an answer.
"Blondie," Jacob greeted her happily, and she couldn't help but grin.
"Hey, mongrel," she said affectionately. "I need a favor."
"What's that, Sis?" The familial term made her grin again.
"I want to go out to the house for a few days. Run around the woods and just have a little alone time. Think you can have the boys give me a little space? I'd rather not get startled by dangling wolf junk while out lost in my thoughts."
"For you, absolutely," he said and laughed. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I just need some time alone."
"Sure, sure. If you get lonely, come to the house. I'm sure Bells and Sarah would love it."
"I'm sure I will before I go home," she said. "I love you guys."
"We love you too, Sis," he said. "Talk to you soon."
Rose hung up and texted Emmett to tell him she loved him and was safe. She turned her phone off, shoved it back into her purse, and raced towards Forks.
