Notes: Thanks to my betas, ContentedTwiCow, Sunflower Fanfiction, Jules, and AshesAshes.
And once again, thanks to all of you for your great reviews. I LOVE reading them. I wish I had the time to respond, but trust me when I say I eagerly read every single one as soon as I get it!
Chapter Five
Edward lay back on the soft couch, his forearm draped over his eyes. He felt edgy and tense, gritting his teeth together so hard he was sure they would have crumbled under the pressure if he'd still been human.
He'd managed to resist telling Bella he wanted her, but just barely. He had no idea where he'd found the strength to snarl at her that he needed a change of clothing, but it was enough to snap him from the haze of lust he'd been in. She looked crestfallen when he yanked away from her touch, but she'd wordlessly shown him the closet. Men's clothing filled one side of it, and she quietly told him that it was all brand-new, bought just for him. With a terse nod, he'd grabbed the clothing and retreated back to the bathroom to dress.
Now he was on the couch in the living room, trying to ignore the fact that she was the one currently in the shower. He could hear the splash of water and the quiet noises she made as she picked up bottles and set them down again. He was grateful that the one thing he couldn't hear was her pleasuring herself because he wasn't sure if he was strong enough to resist her if she did.
He heard the water shut off, the soft rasp of cloth on her skin, and her nearly soundless footfalls as she emerged from the bedroom, her hair still damp. She was dressed in her pajamas again, and he tensed, expecting her to lay on the seduction, but she was subdued. "Do you want to go feed?" She asked quietly.
Edward sat up abruptly, not even bothering to hide his eagerness. The need for it burned through him, eclipsing even the need he had for the woman who'd made the suggestion. "Yes," he rasped.
"Give me a moment. I need to dry my hair." She disappeared for a short while, and he could hear the hum of the hair dryer before she re-emerged, dressed in snug jeans, a warm sweater, and flat boots. "The temperature has dropped, and it's windy tonight. Dress accordingly."
He looked down at his rather similar outfit and frowned as he followed her toward the front door. "I thought we don't get cold?"
"We don't. It's to keep up appearances," she explained, stopping at a closet and pulling out a heavy leather jacket and scarf for him, and a short wool coat for herself. "We have to appear as human as possible, vulnerable to the weather and temperature."
"Right." He shrugged on the jacket and took the proffered scarf, as well.
She wrapped her own scarf around her neck, the soft color reminding him of the faint smudge of color on the horizon at dawn that morning.
Out on the street, he picked up the conversation again. "What else should I do to appear human?"
Bella glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Try not to remain too still. Fidget, shift your weight, remember to breathe. You don't need to breathe to survive, but if you keep in the habit of doing it, it makes it much easier to appear human. Right now you're doing it unconsciously."
He laid his palm on the soft leather under the scarf and nodded, realizing he had been breathing without even thinking of it.
"Our bodies feel cool to humans. In weather like this, it's easily explained, but be extremely cautious in the warmer months," she instructed. "Be careful not to move too quickly, and be conscious of your strength."
Edward nodded, absorbing all of the suggestions she gave him. With every new bit of information, he felt slightly less panicked. He was no happier about what Bella had changed him into, but at least it was a little less terrifying. The knowledge made him feel more in control.
The park was quiet, even more deserted than the last time, and rather than tamp down his awareness of his surroundings as he had been doing, Edward let it expand. Small animals rustled through the leaves, and he could hear the chatter of a small group of girls a few hundred yards ahead of them.
"How many are there?" Bella asked, and he frowned at her in confusion before realizing she knew the answer; she was just testing him.
No better way to hone his skills, he supposed, so he focused on them for a moment before answering. "Five."
He could hear their heartbeats, the tipsy giggles, and tottering steps in too-high heels.
"Very good," Bella praised him, and he pushed away the brief moment of pleasure at her compliment.
The stumbling footsteps halted. "Where're you going?" A voice slurred.
"Home," another said, laughing. "Come on."
There was a flurry of hugs and drunken plans to get together the following day. The four loudest—and drunkest—veered off to the right and the more sober one headed left. Bella went left. Her voice was quiet as she spoke. "We'll take this one. Do you want to try it first?"
"What do I do?" Edward asked apprehensively.
"Be cautious approaching her, she'll be skittish. Make sure to make eye contact and smile. It seems to relax them; you'll be able to get quite close. When she seems a little woozy and dazed; bite."
"Okay," Edward said, sounding more confident than he actually felt. Bella hovered in the background, but Edward strode toward the girl. She was young, college age maybe, and very pretty.
"Excuse me," he called out, trying to keep his voice polite and non-threatening, but she still jumped. He heard her heart skitter and then race, her hand flying to her chest as she whirled around, her foot poised as if she was going to back away from him.
"Yes?" She said warily, her hand digging into her purse. Edward froze, fearing pepper spray, and then realized he was probably impervious to it.
He spoke even more softly, giving her a reassuring smile. "I just got turned around," he lied glibly, trying to channel the befuddled confusion he'd felt when he'd first moved to the city. "Which way is East 60th street? I just moved here recently, and I'm totally lost."
She relaxed a little, her shoulders lowering fractionally. He gave her another smile, and she finally met his eyes. "Oh," she said as she exhaled. "Uh, you're a long ways away. We're right near the North Woods, and that's all the way at the other end of the park."
"Damn," he said, moving a little closer to her, smiling again.
Her eyes went foggy and unfocused, her body leaning in toward him. Edward took her by the shoulders, pulling her to him. He felt awkward as he clumsily shifted so he could bend her head to the side, but when her smooth skin was just inches from his lips, the urge to drink took over and he bit.
She gasped and then sagged in his arms. The blood flowed into his mouth, rich and heady. It was better than any liquor or the freshest, most flavorful orange juice he'd ever tasted. He gulped greedily, and a little blood spilled out from the corner of his mouth. It was even better than last time, and the fact that it was a female body in his arms made it that much more erotic.
He felt soft fingers on his forearm, and he growled low in his throat. He wanted more. "Shh," Bella soothed, "we can share."
The girl was sandwiched between them, and he watched as Bella bit down on the other side of the girl's neck. Their eyes locked on each other, he watched Bella lick her lips. He could smell the sultry, tempting heat of her arousal, and he knew she found it as erotic as he did. With a now-familiar regretful sigh, Bella pulled away, her tongue trailing up the young woman's neck in a slow, sensual lick. "We shouldn't take any more," she reminded him softly.
He sighed, too, and pulled away, his tongue repeating Bella's action on the other side, closing the wound and smoothing the skin. The girl was unconscious and paler than she had been, but her heart was still pumping without much strain. He was getting better at this.
"Now what?" Edward said, still holding the girl upright as her head lolled onto his shoulder.
"Carry her to the bench there," Bella said, nodding at one a few hundred yards down the path. He did, depositing her on the bench carefully. He backed away, and Bella stepped closer. The girl's eyelashes fluttered, and Bella cupped her cheeks in her hands so when they opened their eyes met.
He watched closely again, but he had no more clues about how removing her memory worked than he had the first time. He sighed in frustration and raked his hand through his hair.
Edward was surprised by how gently Bella laid the girl's head down on the bench and the way she tucked the girl's jacket more tightly around her. Edward moved to return the way they came, but Bella stopped him.
"Wait, Edward. I want to keep an eye on her for a few minutes. She should be fully conscious again soon, but I want to be sure she's up and moving before I leave." Edward glanced at her in surprise. Bella smiled grimly at him and continued. "There are a lot of people who would take advantage of her, given the opportunity. I don't want it on my conscience knowing she got hurt or killed because I left her vulnerable."
He nodded and followed her into the wooded area just off the path. Bella dropped gracefully onto the ground and crossed her legs, her fingers idly toying with the brown, wilted grass. Edward couldn't sit. He felt charged, his whole body tingling with the flush of fresh blood. He hadn't really noticed it the time before, but it felt as though his entire body was lit up, singing with life and energy.
"Is it always like this?" Edward asked.
"Always like what?" Bella asked, staring up at him.
"The way I feel right now … I feel … energetic … charged somehow."
"Aroused?" Bella asked, her voice throaty and suggestive. She continued when he didn't answer. "Yes, it's always like that. Feeding is always extremely thrilling."
"I feel like I need to run," he admitted. "I'm all … restless right now."
"I'll take you outside the city when we're done here. Somewhere we can run."
He nodded gratefully. He felt as if he'd explode if he didn't move soon. Wondering what time it was, Edward's hand slid automatically into his pocket for his phone. He came up empty and sighed heavily. "No phone?" he asked.
"I left it at your apartment."
"Right, crime scene," he said, bitterness lacing his tone. "Can I get a new one?"
She smiled sadly at him. "Who would you call?"
He opened his mouth to answer and then shut it, a stab of anger shooting through him when he remembered that he couldn't call anyone from his former life. And he didn't know anyone but Bella now. He gritted his teeth together and nodded.
"What about money? Am I to be kept like your pet?" he asked snidely. "Or can I actually have access to some of my money?"
Bella sighed and glanced at him out the corner of my eye. "I'm not trying to treat you like a pet, Edward. I'm trying to help you."
"Well, I wouldn't need help if it weren't for you," he spat.
Her teeth worried her lip, and she ripped at the grass in front of her. "Right."
"Just … look, can I have access to my money, or not?"
She nodded. "We can find a way. I know a guy who helps me out with that sort of thing. I'll take you to him tomorrow."
"Fine," Edward agreed.
They were silent until the girl they'd fed from stirred and sat up with a groan. "What the fuck?" she muttered dazedly. Edward watched as she got to her feet, swaying woozily for a moment and then steadied. "Jesus, I should have eaten more."
She shook her head, her hand going to her neck, wincing slightly with a puzzled frown before her expression smoothed out. She patted her pockets, pulling out a cell phone and what appeared to be a credit card and ID, stuffed them back in, and then moved slowly down the path. She was still a little shaky, and Edward glanced at Bella as she stood and followed the girl at a discreet distance. Edward fell into step beside her, both of them walking silently as the girl cut through the park and headed out onto the city streets. They veered off once she was inside what they presumed was her apartment building.
"I'm surprised you care that she made it home safe," Edward said.
Bella's jaw tensed. "I'm not a monster, Edward. We don't have to be monsters."
He had to bite his tongue to keep from snapping at her that changing someone into a vampire unwillingly, was pretty monstrous. But he was too emotionally exhausted to argue with her anymore.
They ended up back at Bella's building but didn't go upstairs to her apartment. Instead, they went to the underground garage. It was filled with expensive vehicles, leaning heavily toward Mercedes, BMW, Bentley, and a few more exotic choices.
He didn't know what he'd expected her to drive, but his jaw dropped when he saw her unlock a sleek white sports car. "You own a Lotus?" he said, stunned.
"Mmhmm." She grinned at him and slid inside, batting her eyelashes at him. "Coming?"
Edward walked around to the other side of the car and got in, his hand caressing the soft black leather of the dash appreciatively. "This is … wow."
The rumble of the engine nearly made him moan aloud. Although he didn't own one—he'd considered it too impractical while living in the city—he'd had a fascination with cars since he was young. A Lotus Exige was the kind of car he'd salivated over for years.
The car flew through the Manhattan streets, Bella's deft touch coaxing it to purr and growl its way out of the city. Although at first he tried to hide his fascination, he was enthralled, and eventually stared at her unabashedly. A small smile played on her lips, and she looked relaxed and completely in control as she shifted seamlessly and cornered smoothly, winding her way through the city streets and off the island.
The car was an absolute wet dream, and Edward had to admit that Bella driving it only added to the appeal. Once out of the city, she put the windows down and the wind blew through her long hair, sending it dancing, brushing against his cheek. They drove for a long time, and the moment they hit a long stretch of deserted road, she opened the car up.
Edward closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the cold air on his cheeks, the roar of the engine vibrating, and the sharp thrill of the experience. With a quick, controlled turn, she took the car down a long winding path, the speed abruptly dropping off. They were in a heavily wooded area, and she slowed the car to a stop several hundred yards in.
"Like that?" she asked teasingly, her fingers idly caressing the gear shift.
"Hell yeah." Edward was surprised by the roughness in his voice. "This is an incredible car."
What he didn't tell her was that the way she handled it was what he found the most arousing. And the way she was playing with the shifter made him think of her touching his cock.
They both got out of the car, and Bella turned to face him, resting her elbows on the roof. "I bet you're even more riled up now, aren't you?" She asked.
He nodded. He felt his body singing, vibrating with energy. "Yeah," he rasped.
"Let's run," she said with a wicked, teasing smile.
Faster than he could process, she was gone, streaking through the trees. He heard her laughter and followed, feeling the stored up power in his muscles as he took off. He was shocked by how fast he could move, how easily he sped up and how quickly he caught up to her. She darted ahead, just out of reach, and laughed again, young and joyous sounding.
It was contagious, and he felt something in his chest loosen. He felt so free, the quicksilver in his veins feeding his muscles, allowing him to move like he'd never moved before. The trees were a blur as he followed the sleek, lithe body ahead of him. She moves like the car, he thought idly, with quick, controlled power. The curve of her hip and the length of her legs taunted him, his eyes able to see every movement she made in the faint moonlight.
They ran for hours, never tiring, never growing bored. It was thrilling, winding their way through the trees, and up and down mountains. It was surreal, too; Edward couldn't quite grasp the fact that his body was capable of this sort of athleticism. But he loved it. It was the first time since she'd changed him that he was truly happy to be a vampire, happy to be in this new body. It didn't feel alien or unnatural … it felt right.
He gained on Bella a bit, his long strides eating up the distance between them, and he caught a whiff of the deep, drugging scent of her arousal. A thrill that felt very much like sexual arousal had been thrumming through him since they began running, but now it slammed into him, his cock so hard it ached against the tight pressure of his jeans. He growled lowly and her steps faltered before resuming their steady pace, another few miles disappearing beneath their feet.
With a snarl, he tackled her to the ground, his body covering hers and his teeth sinking into her neck before he could even think twice. She let out a throaty groan, her body wriggling under his in a way that made him even harder. The curve of her ass pressed right up against his cock, and his fingers threaded through hers, capturing them and forcing them to dig into the damp leaves below them. The earthy scent mingled with her now-familiar arousal, and he rutted against her as he drank. His head was spinning, swirling with the urgent, desperate need to drive inside her.
A swipe of his tongue was all it took to close the tear in her neck, but he kept his head bent low over her as he rocked their bodies together. "Fuck, why do I need you like this?" he snarled in her ear.
"I need you, too," she whimpered.
"I don't want to," he said with a growl. "But it feels like I'm about to jump out of my own skin with need for you."
"Do it," she pleaded with him. "God, please, just take me. I can't stand it either. I'm begging you."
Edward shifted backwards, wrapping her long, silky hair in his fist as he tugged her back with him until she was resting on her hands and knees. His body covered hers, and she was small enough that he could speak right in her ear. His hips still rocked against hers, mimicking the motions of fucking her. "You want me inside you?"
"Yes, God, yes," she said shakily. "More than anything."
"Beg me," he snarled, spinning her around as he stood, so he was looming over her while she knelt in front of him.
"Edward, please. God, I've never needed anything so much. I need you filling me, fucking me. I don't care what you do to me, just do something." Her voice was raw, desperate. He loved that she needed him like that. He liked the power he had over her that she'd do anything for him. Her hands clutched at the fabric of his jeans, and her eyes stared up at him with a naked yearning that tore through him and left him feeling shaken and strange.
She was almost sobbing now, and the whimpering sounds made his chest ache. But the sight of her kneeling in front of him, begging to touch him was a powerful aphrodisiac. Her desperation for him made his cock painfully hard. He closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to find that cold, hard place within him that was still furious at her for what she'd done to him. The moment it slipped into place, he opened them again and looked down at her. His voice was clipped and icy. "You haven't earned that."
"I need to touch you, please, Edward. Just give me that." Her voice broke, cracking as she leaned her forehead against his thigh, her shoulders shaking. "You don't know what it's like. You don't know how much it aches. How bad I need you. Please."
"Take out my cock," he said between gritted teeth.
Her head jerked up, and her wide eyes met his. There was no hesitation though. Faster than he could blink, his jeans were open, and he hissed as the cool night air touched his cock. Her hands were warm though, almost scorching as they began to move over him. Her strokes were slow but firm, and he growled low in his throat at the pressure.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice almost reverent. "You don't know how much I need this."
Moonlight slanted through the trees, turning everything strange and dream-like. He stared down at her, trying to understand why she was thanking him for the privilege of touching him, but his mind was going foggy at the feel of her hands on him. One hand was still making slow, steady strokes, but the other was playing with his balls, caresses interspersed with gentle tugs that sent sharp little jolts of pleasure through his entire body. "Yesssssss," he hissed. "Fuck, keep doing that."
Her voice was low and husky. "Anything Edward, whatever you want."
Her thumb swiped over the head of his cock, spreading the wetness across the tip. There was a lot of it, enough to slick her hand, and it intensified the sensations, making his cock tingle with warmth. The guttural sound that left his mouth surprised him and he closed his eyes, throwing his head back at the pleasure.
Edward suddenly wished he could be outside his body, seeing her kneeling at his feet, worshiping his cock. For a moment, he forgot he was a vampire, forgot he was furious and resentful of the woman who was pleasuring him so thoroughly. His body was on fire, all of the pleasure radiating out from his cock until every inch of him burned. All he could do was feel. It was the sharp sting like when she'd changed him into a vampire, the raw pleasure of being inside her, and the rapture of drinking blood.
The roar that left Edward's mouth was feral. There was nothing human about it. It was pure, animal fulfillment. The trees shook, and he heard squawks and the heavy beat of wings as startled birds took to the sky. The feeling that swept through him was nearly indescribable, his mind too wrecked to even comprehend it. It burned and burned and burned, going on and on until he was nearly howling. He was coming, over and over, spurting into her hand like he'd never stop. Her small hands felt like they were everywhere at once, touching, caressing, tugging, and driving him mad.
Time flowed and surged, and Edward had no idea how much later it was that he finally stopped coming, and his awareness returned. His chest was heaving, and he swore he could feel an echo of his heartbeat racing through his chest. "What the hell was that?" He asked roughly, opening his eyes to stare down at her.
The world seemed to spin for a moment before he got his bearings. Bella was still kneeling at his feet, her lips parted. Her hands slowly, reluctantly, left his cock, and they shone pearly white in the moonlight, painted with his glistening come. Something deep and primal surged within him, and he remembered the urge he'd had in the shower earlier to mark her like that. He growled lowly and she shuddered, her teeth sinking into her full lower lip.
"That was just a taste of what it can be like between us, Edward." She rose gracefully to her feet, her eyes never leaving his. "If my hands on you feel that good, just imagine what it'll be like when you fuck me."
A heavy, satiated feeling was stealing over him, making him want to pull her close and tuck her against him. He could already feel the way she'd fit in his arm, the way her head would rest just so on his shoulder, the way her fingers would slip between his like two puzzle pieces locking together. He fought his urges, forcing the part of him that was dead and cold to take control once again.
"I think you have low standards." He sneered. "I assure you, I've had better."
The lie he told lay heavy on Edward's tongue, and he could see that Bella didn't believe him for a moment. Her eyes burned into his defiantly, and she raised her hand to her mouth, her tongue peeking out from between her lips.
"What are you doing?" he hissed, his hand clamping down on her wrist so hard she couldn't move. He could feel the creak of her bones under his fingers, and he knew if he pressed any harder he could snap them.
Her voice was throaty and sultry when she spoke, he could practically feel her tongue tasting and caressing the words as she spoke. "I'm going to taste you, Edward, lick you from my hands and take you inside me."
"Did I say you could?" He asked with a snarl that curled his upper lip.
He felt her widen her stance, the fire in her eyes flaring hot and fierce. "I don't need your permission, Edward. I take what I want."
He growled low in his chest and felt her growl back; the sounds blending until they hit a perfect harmony that made the air around them vibrate. Defiantly, despite the ache that had to be forming in her wrist, she brought her hand to her lips. It pulled him nearer to her, their faces so close he could feel the air as it left her lips and her growl faded.
Her eyes fluttered closed momentarily as her tongue touched her skin and the expression of ecstasy that crossed her face made him painfully hard again. He dimly realized his cock was still hanging out of his pants, but he could focus on nothing but the sight of her lapping up his come as if it were a delicacy.
Her eyes met his again as her tongue moved delicately over her hand. He could hear the rasp of it against her skin, like the sound of a cat grooming. She shuddered, and he smelled the sultry heat of her arousal. He could nearly taste it in the air, and it took all of his willpower not to throw her to the ground and bury his head between her thighs.
With their gazes still locked, Bella finished licking her right hand and brought the left one to her mouth. He had no reason not to let go of her wrist, but he couldn't tear himself away. He had to touch her as she teasingly, torturously, licked his come off her skin. She shuddered again as she took each finger of her hand, sucking it into her mouth like it was his cock, with a swirl of her tongue to the tip that made him ache.
Her head fell back, soft shudders wracking her body, and he found himself gripping both her wrists in his hands, their arms splayed low and to the sides. She moved like a woman in the throes of an orgasm, her expressed ecstatic and pained all at once. The groan that left her resonated in him and lodged somewhere deep in his chest.
"You're inside me now," she said when she finally stilled and lifted her head. It wasn't defiant or combative. There was no smugness in her tone, just a soft, joyous lilt that matched the contentment in her eyes. "You are mine."
Bella emitted a blissful purring noise. He could almost picture her as a large, sated cat, rubbing up against him in satisfaction.
"No!" he snarled viciously. "I will never be yours."
He flung her arms away from him in disgust, hastily tucking his cock back in his pants and spinning on his heel. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, orienting himself, and then took off in the direction of the car. They had run for hundreds of miles, and yet he would have no trouble making it back.
Bella followed after him, her feet nearly silent on the ground despite the noisy, crinkling leaves, and crackling branches. She sounded neither meek nor hurt by his statement when she finally spoke. "You will be Edward. Lie to yourself as long as you must, but you are mine. My mate, my life, my everything."
He snarled and ran faster, but the light footsteps never faltered, never faded as she ran behind him in the cold, moonlit night.
Notes: This is one of my favorite chapters and I hope you enjoyed it. After the evil cliffie in the last chapter, I thought you'd appreciate Edward getting some. Hope you liked seeing E&B get out of the city and act a bit more like vamps!