Chapter 31 — Sexual Desire
"To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves."
― Federico García Lorca, Blood Wedding and Yerma
Bella's POV
Moist, warm air surrounded me like a blanket fresh out of the dryer, and for the first time in two days, I could breathe without coughing. Opening my eyes, I found that I was nestled against Edward's chest while he continued reading whatever book he had found. When I shifted to get more comfortable, he looked down at me.
"Have a good nap, love?" Edward asked, adjusting us both until he was lying on his side, facing me with his left hand resting on my hip.
Nodding, I draped an arm over his hip and lazily caressed his behind. "I'm feeling better," I whispered, not wanting to break the tranquility I woke up in.
Edward shuddered, his eyes closing as he sought out my lips. A low moan left him when I was connected to him. The kiss started off slow but quickly turned sensual as he drew me closer. My hand snaked up his back, coming to rest in his hair. Again, he moaned as I tugged the strands gently; I could feel the vibrations everywhere we touched. When his tongue swept across my lip, I didn't hesitate but actually granted him entrance.
We were both panting when Edward pulled away. "Bella … I … love … you," he whispered between breaths. "But … we need to … stop. Any of the guards … could walk in … any second."
The setting was very romantic, but he was right. Had we been alone, things would've gone much further. That left two forms of entertainment—reading and playing one of the three board games.
I rolled on my back, staring at the ceiling, trying to calm myself. The new feelings, which I realized were a desire to be more intimate with Edward, were very controlling. I wanted him, needed him like I needed air to breathe, and that thrilled and terrified me at the same time.
Edward rested his head on his hand, looking down at me but not laying a finger on me, as if he knew the fiery desire I felt. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Give me a few minutes," I answered, closing my eyes and taking a deep, cleansing breath. My gut clenched at the scent of Edward's cologne and his unique fragrance. "If you could put more distance between us, it would help."
The bed groaned and creaked as he moved. "Better?"
Opening my eyes, I saw he was standing in front of the curtained doorway about three feet from the bed. My gut again clenched when I took a deep breath. Edward's delicious scent was still near; it was as if he were still on the bed with me. "No," I said. Lifting my hand and swirling it in the air, I recited, "Air around me, may you be poisoned no more. Your body shall be cleansed by mine. Our minds linked; our souls pure. Now be cleansed."
A slight breeze ruffled my hair and flipped a few pages of the paperback book Edward have been reading. When I took another deep breath, the air smelled refreshing and clean. "Much better," I said, sighing.
Edward's POV
When Bella sat up on her elbows, she caught me shaking my head and snickering to myself. "You think that's funny?" she asked, looking a little put off by my reaction.
"No. It's amazing you knew a spell to help clean my head," I replied, taking a step forward.
Bella's breathing started hitching as I drew closer. Interesting, I thought, stopping when I was about a foot from the bed. "We need to get out of this bedroom," I said as my heart started to race and my mind headed south again.
"Good idea." She sat the rest of the way up and swung her feet around. "Seriously?" she said, looking from my face to my outstretched hand.
I grimaced, withdrawing my hand. "Right! It's probably better for the both of us if we didn't touch for a while." That was going to be hard for me.
As soon as I stepped through the curtain, I noticed the temperature difference between the smaller room and much larger room. It was like walking out into the cold, wintery weather, but it cooled my raging hormones better than the spell Bella had recited.
"Ah, Master Cullen. My lady," Brody addressed us both. "We are getting ready to start a trivia game. Would ye care to join us?"
Not waiting for Bella to answer, I moved to the sitting area, taking a seat in a recliner.
"Teams or individual play?" Bella asked, plopping down on the couch next to Finlay.
"Individual," Finally remarked. "Collect as many cards as you can." After rubbing his hands together, he leaned forward and picked up a card. "Who wants the first question?"
No one spoke up, but all eyes turned on me, expectantly.
"Shoot," I said, catching Bella's eye.
A wicked gleam spread across Bella's face. "Good luck! You'll need it," she remarked through our link.
Challenge accepted.
Finlay's eyes moved to the card, and he read, "This word came to English from the Turkish and Persian languages and referred to a beverage of sweetened, diluted fruit juice. Later, in Europe, this word referred to a carbonated drink. Today, it refers to a fruit-flavored treat. What is this word?"
Yikes! I thought as I looked at the floor. Sharbat is the Persian word, but I couldn't think of what it translated to in English.
"Tick-tock," one of the guards said.
"I have no idea," I said, raising my head. "Sharbat is all I can come up with."
Bella's jaw dropped. I think she was shocked. Once she recovered, she said, "Give him the card."
"But, lass, that's not the answer," Finlay argued.
Bella turned and gave him a look that said "don't-you-dare-contradict-me."
"I don't deserve the card," I remarked.
Bella turned the look on me, and I cringed. "The answer is sherbet. You came up with the word in the Persian language. Good enough for me."
Finlay passed me the card before motioning to the deck.
Quickly, I scanned the question before looking up. "Who wants it?"
"Me," Bella answered.
"This region was a kingdom of Czechoslovakia until the fifteenth century, when it passed to Hungary and then to the Hapsburgs. It became the core of the new state of Czechoslovakia in 1918. Today, the name can refer to certain artistic intellectuals. Name the region."
Her lip disappeared between her teeth, and I wanted to reach over and prize it free. But doing so would only result in me kissing her. Oh, boy! Look away, I commanded myself. It was hard, but I managed, my gaze moving to the pool. I wondered if it was cold.
"Bohemia," Bella said.
Huh?
The card was snatched from my hand. "I know I'm right, Edward."
I returned my attention to those gathered. Bella was standing in front of me, and a little too close, for that matter. Her sweet scent called to me, so there was no helping it. My hands shot out, and I grabbed her by the waist, pulling her down into my lap.
"Edward!" she shrieked in my mind as I started nibbling on her neck.
My hands tightened around her waist when she tried to get away.
"Lad, let go her," Finlay said, grabbing my left arm.
I shook him off, nipping at Bella's earlobe. Her squeal was music to my ears, but then she was gone.
"Get her out of here," Finlay told someone.
I sprang to my feet. "She's not going anywhere without me," I yelled, getting into Finlay's face.
"Oh, yes she is, lad. There be something wrong with ye. Until I get some answers, she's being taken to another chamber," he said, jabbing a finger into my chest.
"No!" I said through clenched teeth, taking a step toward Bella.
Finlay and another guard got in the way, blocking my path, but I could still see Bella. There was fear and lust in her eyes.
I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, seeing only the fear. "Go," I said, realizing that Finlay was right. My behavior sickened me.
"Now, Edward, let's have a little talk," Finlay said, slapping a hand down on my shoulder.
A long, loud sigh left me, and when I opened my eyes, Bella and Brody were gone. "Is there a spell that would make someone … um … attack another in a sexual way?"
Once again, all eyes were on me. "Were ye never schooled in magic?" a guard asked.
I shook my head. "My parents died when I was young, and my adopted parents did their best by providing me with books to learn from."
"There is a spell, lad," Finlay said. "And ye are displaying all the signs."
Walking over to the wall in front of the pool, I placed my hand on it and leaned over, gazing into the empty tunnel. "Is there a way to remove it?"
"Adam, do ye know?" Finlay asked.
"He's not going to like it," Adam said. He was a tall, lanky man with curly red hair.
I motioned for him to go on.
"You have to stay away from her ladyship for eight hours. The spell will lose its hold on you in that time."
And if Bella was also hit with it … I shook my head. We'd both be okay by the evening. "Is there a place I can take a cold bath?"
Snickers resounded from all the men, much to my chagrin.
"Aye," Adam said. "I'll take ye. Luckily, it is in the opposite direction Brody and her ladyship went."