Virgin Blood

Chapter 6

.

Once again Bella was cold when she woke up, and didn't know where she was. She felt exhausted. She shivered and pulled her arms and legs closer to her chest, curling up in a little ball. Only then did she realize that she wasn't wearing anything, and there was only a thin sheet covering her nakedness.

Slowly it came back to her. The castle, the vampire. The last thing she remembered was being tied down in a dark room. Groggily she opened her eyes. There was a fire going not too far away and Bella shuttered to think how cold she would be without it. The room was well furnished, and the bed was comfortable if not cold.

"Shhh," she heard Edward shush her as she felt a cold hand run down her arm.

Bella jerked her arm away instinctively. "I didn't say anything," she rasped out, her voice weaker than she thought it would be.

"You're awake," Edward said and he sat down on the bed next to her.

Bella looked up at him with confusion. "You've been sick," Edward explained.

Bella closed her eyes weakly, not knowing what to make of him. He was treating her like a normal human being, but Bella was still afraid of him. At any moment, she could awaken his anger. Would he hurt her?

"Are you hungry?" he asked. Bella shook her head. She didn't want to eat anything, she just wanted to go back to sleep.

"You should eat," Edward said. "It will help get your strength back up."

"I'm not hungry," Bella denied and kept her eyes closed, refusing to look at him.

"Eat just a little," Edward said. He pulled her up into a sitting position.

Then why even ask if I'm hungry if you're just going to make me eat anyway? Bella wanted to snap, but decided that was too insulting and might anger him. She was surprised, however, when Edward pulled her onto his lap. She held the sheet so it stayed wrapped around her body, giving her some cover.

"I've got some soup all ready for you," Edward said, picking up a spoonful from a bowl on the bedside table. He brought it too her lips.

Bella turned her head away. "I can feed myself," she denied.

Edward looked at her for a moment, then set her down on the bed, her back resting against the headboard. He simply stood and watched her with a blank expression as he set the soup easily in her reach. Bella hadn't realized how weak she was until she tried to lift her arm.

Her arms visibly shook as she grabbed the bowl of soup in her hands. She realized that she was asking for disaster as she had trouble keeping the bowl balanced so as not to spill any. She willed herself to at least take a couple of bites, then maybe he would let her sleep. She lifted a tiny spoonful to her mouth. She felt like an infirm old woman, when she struggled to get the broth into her mouth. Her hand shook the whole way.

She almost made it when a particular violent shake of her hand caused her to miss her mouth and instead spill the spoonful of soup down her chin. Bella gasped and her left hand jerked, sloshing yet more soup from the bowl onto her chest.

Edward easily grabbed the bowl and spoon from her, setting them back down. He picked up a towel that had been sitting there ready. First he wiped her chin, then pulled the sheet away to wipe her chest. He ran the cloth over her breasts, cleaning up the spilled broth from where it ran down the curve of her breast onto her flat stomach.

"Stop," Bella said weakly, feebly trying to push his hand away. Edward ignored her and simply finished cleaning her up.

"Ahh, there's my pretty virgin's blush," Edward said when he looked at her face. Bella lifted a the non-wet corner of the sheet back up over her chest, half expecting Edward to just pull it away again. He didn't though, only smiled and sat down in front of her.

He picked up the bowl with easy confidence and with an inhumanly steady hand, held the spoon to her lips.

Bella felt like a child as Edward fed her a spoonful of broth. She really wasn't hungry and the act of eating was uncomfortable to say the least.

"No more," Bella said after the first bite as Edward tried to give her a second one.

"Ten spoonfuls," Edward coaxed, "Then you can sleep." Bella stared at his face in surprise as to why he wasn't threatening her.

"Ten more or ten total?" Bella asked.

Edward laughed genuinely. Bella felt goosebumps go down her spine at the sound. "Total," he answered her question.

Bella reluctantly let him feed her. She was surprised that after the ten spoonfuls of broth, she wanted more. It was as though that little bit of food called attention to how empty her stomach actually was.

"I could eat a little more," Bella hedged when Edward started to set the bowl aside per their agreement. He laughed and fed her the rest of the soup.

"I'm still hungry," Bella said after she ate it all. Edward smiled indulgently, but refused her.

"That's enough for now. Don't want to overdo it. Sleep, and when you wake up, you can have some more."

Bella laid back down and closed her eyes, feeling confused. Edward was being kind to her. He was still taking liberties with her body as though it were his right, but he was being gentle and caring. Bella was curious about this new side of Edward, but she had a headache and it hurt too much to think. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

...

Edward was still there when she woke up. He had another bowl of soup waiting for her, and a little piece of bread. He once again fed her, and Bella ate hungrily. He broke off a little piece of bread and dunked it in the soup, holding it up to her lips.

"How long was I sick?" Bella asked curiously.

"About three days," Edward answered as she chewed her first solid food in a week and a half.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Bella asked as Edward fed her another bite.

Edward stared at her face, but didn't say anything. Bella realized that he wasn't going to answer her question.

"What's the date?" Bella was curious.

"September 23." Bella calculated quickly in her head. She had been at Edward's castle for almost three weeks.

"Where's..." Bella hesitated, wanting to be polite and not anger him, "Mr. Jasper," she said the only name she knew him by.

Edward smirked amusedly at her. "Upstairs."

When Bella finished the bread, she asked for more.

"In a little bit," Edward said. "You're still weak, close your eyes." Bella did as he asked and fell asleep. Edward sat watching her, but when he heard Jasper's footsteps on the stairs, stood up and walked into the other room to meet him.

"How is she?" Jasper asked.

"Better," Edward said gruffly.

"I'll take her upstairs now if you like," Jasper offered.

"No," Edward said, "I'll keep her down here for now."

Jasper raised his eyebrows. "You can't feed on her until she's fully recovered," Jasper's voice held a warning tone.

"I wasn't going to," Edward growled, "And don't presume to tell me what to do, boy," Edward referred to Jasper as "boy" only when he was angry with him.

Jasper knew better than to upset Edward more, so he only turned around and left.

Edward let Bella eat more when she woke up. She was getting stronger and could feed herself now. He gave her some ham and cheese, along with the bread and soup. She held it down fine.

When she was done eating, she didn't feel the need to immediately go back to sleep. Instead, she watched Edward throw another log on the fire that had been perpetually going since he had first lit it.

Edward walked back over and sat on the bed, watching her intently. It made Bella feel a bit uncomfortable, and she looked down at her hands, or rather where her hands were under the blanket, as Bella had wrapped herself up in a cocoon, pulling the thicker blanket up to her neck.

"I have a question for you, little one," Edward sat back and watched her, "And I hope you answer it this time." Bella shivered, perceiving his words as a threat. What question? "You knew I was a vampire, but you came to me willingly," he stated the facts, "Why?" then he added quietly, "Did you want to die?"

Bella suddenly remembered when he had asked her that question, and what he had done when she had stubbornly refused to answer. She gripped the blanket around her protectively.

"What are you going to do to me if I don't answer?" Bella questioned. Edward had been kind to her these past few days, but perhaps nothing had really changed. She should still be wary of him.

Edward looked at her thoughtfully. Bella swallowed hard. "How about I reward you if you answer?" Edward suggested, smirking, "Perhaps I'll give you some clothes to wear?" he questioned.

Bella blushed. Feeling braver, though, she answered petulantly, "I would have clothes now if you didn't destroy them." Bella spoke before thinking, though. It only served to remind her of Edward's cruelty in the past, of his demonstration of his power over her. He could easily do that again. She looked down.

"That's the deal, take it or leave it," Edward shrugged.

Bella still looked down as she began to speak, "I came willingly. I...lived in an orphanage in Brusselshire," Bella named a small town that wasn't too far away from the castle, "I have since I was ten. When I was old enough to be sent out on my own, the head nun, Mother Anne, let me stay and do some cooking and cleaning in exchange for a place to live. There was one girl, Rosie, who arrived only a few months ago. She reminded me of myself, she was so scared, her parents just died. She was older than I was when I arrived, but you couldn't tell because she was so small. We became friends.

'Then about three weeks ago a man came to the orphanage. He was dressed very fancy and another girl told me he was the mayor of Grosbridge, he watched us all as we ate lunch. Afterwards, Mother Anne came to our room and asked for Rose. She took her away, but I was worried so I followed and eavesdropped." Bella's eyes fluttered up to Edward's for a moment, but his face was blank as he sat listening. She looked back down at her hands.

'Mother Anne told Rosie that she would have to go with that man. He was taking her to live in a castle and learn to be a maid. They promised she would be treated very well. Rose said she didn't want to leave, but Mother Anne said that she had to. Rosie asked where to, and she said the name Cullen.

'Rose started crying and screaming. You see, we had just weeks earlier met a woman passing through our town. She was from Grosbridge and she told us all about the vampire who lived there. She was a bit drunk, and she explained that the townspeople sent up virgin's to appease him so that he didn't come down and kill them while they slept," Bella stuttered and paused for a moment, realizing that she was saying "he" and "him" as though she weren't talking to that very vampire of her story. She decided to ignore it though and continue.

"We didn't tell anyone about it because we thought it was just fantasy, and we didn't want to get in trouble for talking to the woman. But then the mayor of Grosbridge shows up, and it suddenly seemed all too real. I just knew I couldn't let them take Rose. She was so young. I went in and volunteered to go instead.

'Mother Anne was upset at my eavesdropping, and the mayor didn't want to take me at first. He said that I was too old, with the young ones he could be more sure. . . of their 'purity.' Mother Anne assured him that I was pure, so he accepted me instead." Bella finished her story.

Edward watched her carefully. "Did you think you were going to die when they brought you here?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded.

Edward didn't say anything. He thought about the name she had said in her sleep. "Rosie." That explained it then. Bella was willing to give up her life for a girl she barely knew. Edward was amazed. Could anyone really be that selfless? Edward had lived his whole life based on getting what he wanted when he wanted it.

Edward didn't take his eyes off of Bella's face, and he could see her sneaking shy glances at him before looking back down at her hands. She looked up at him and opened her mouth, but quickly closed it and looked down.

"What is it?" he asked patiently.

Bella hesitated, whens she spoke, her voice was smaller than it had been when she was telling her story. "There were other girls...other girls before me." Though it wasn't a question, the phrase obviously begged an answer.

"Yes." Edward said simply.

Bella glanced up at him with wide eyes, but only for a moment.

"What happened to them?"

Edward watched her as he answered. "I drank from them until I got bored. Then I gave them money and let them go."

Bella looked at him almost like she didn't believe him. "Really?" she asked before she could think better of it.

"Really."

Bella wanted to ask if he had done to the other girls the things he had done to her, but clenched her jaw in time. Perhaps she didn't want to know the answer to that.

"You're tired," Edward suddenly said. "Lay down now."

At the suggestion, Bella realized that she was indeed tired, and she laid down and closed her eyes.