Alice woke groggily, before suddenly becoming aware that she wasn't in her own bed. She groaned and sat up, looking down at the sleeping man next to her. Her head was pounding. What had happened last night?
The evidence was clearly strewn about the floor around them. The mostly empty bottles of wine, the toppled over wine glasses. Oh God. Did she really say those things? She was so embarrassed by her actions it took her a moment to remember what Jasper had said back to her. He had called her beautiful and had kissed her. Or had she kissed him? Alice couldn't remember.
She glanced over at the large clock on the mantle. It was almost 11:30. Jasper didn't look like he was getting up anytime soon, snoring loudly on his back, his hair adorably messy. Alice sighed and stood up. She knew she would have to face Jasper today, but she could at least be washed and dressed for it.
She quietly closed his door behind her to go back to her room
"Alice?" Bella's curious stopped her from the hall. Had she seen her coming out of Jasper's room? "What's going on? You look like you just got up. Are you sick?"
"Yes," Alice croaked honestly, because she really did feel sick. And she really needed a glass of water, her throat was so dry.
"Well, go back to bed. I'll make you some tea and honey and bring it up to you, and some broth for lunch," Bella said, ushering Alice back in the direction of her room.
Alice decided to play along since burrowing away in her bed sounded better right now than getting dressed and facing the day. She pulled a pillow over her head to block out all traces of light and sound until Bella came up with her tea, placing it on her bedside table.
"Is it a fever?" Bella asked worriedly, placing her palm on Alice's forehead.
"No. I think I'll be better by tomorrow. Please don't worry or anything," Alice said, taking a grateful sip of her tea.
"Alright," Bella said standing up, "Try and get some rest."
Alice leaned back against her pillows.
.
. . . .
.
Jasper woke and was instantly aware that Alice wasn't there anymore. She must have gone back to her own room?
Jasper tried to wipe the sleep out of his eyes as he sat up, his back a little sore from sleeping on the floor all night. Why had he done those things last night? Getting drunk was a bad idea and he should have known better.
Still, it was nice to talk to her, to have her warmth and comfort, to not feel so alone.
Jasper wasn't feeling all that peppy and could already tell he wasn't going to be getting a lot of work done today. Still, he got dressed and made his way out of his room, wanting to see Alice and avoid her at the same time.
"Are you just getting up?" Bella bombarded him as soon as he left his room, "I've been wondering where you were. You don't look so good. Did you catch what Alice has?"
"Huh?" Jasper said stupidly. Feeling himself get nervous at her mention of Alice. Did she know what happened between them last night? He felt ridiculous for acting like a kid who just got caught by his parents.
"Alice is sick in bed," Bella explained, "Are you not feeling well? Maybe you should go back to bed as well, I'll bring you some tea."
Alice was sick? Was she hungover from the night before or was she trying to find an excuse to avoid him?
"I'm fine, Bella, really," Jasper insisted.
"Oh, you men. You work so hard around here as it is, you can take a break. I promise the castle won't fall apart if you stay in bed one day. I've made Alice some soup and I'll bring you some as well, but only if you go back to bed."
When had Bella become such a mother hen? Jasper wondered as he went back into his room and laid down on his bed. He wasn't sleepy, but he was feeling pretty lethargic. He laid back and closed his eyes.
Unfortunately, though, the only thing left for him to do was to become lost in his own thoughts.
.
Jasper did a double take as Edward strolled into the castle, a young woman slung over his shoulder.
"What's going on?" he asked Edward cautiously.
Edward laughed out loud. "They've left me a sacrificial virgin! I haven't had one of those in over fifty years. This is a surprise."
At his words, the poor girl slung in Edward's arms cried out and struggled, though her strength was useless compared to the vampire's. Edward laughed and slapped her ass and she screamed. Jasper couldn't see the girl's face, but he could hear her sobbing quietly. His blood ran cold.
This was their first week back in England and Edward had taken them to live in his old castle. He had complained that he was sick of all the traveling and wanted to settle down for a while. Jasper was past being surprised to learn that Edward owned a property like this, but he was surprised at the sacrificial virgin bit. For as long as he had known Edward, he hadn't killed a human yet. Well, as far as he knew.
"You aren't going to kill her are you?" Jasper asked, horrified.
Edward simply grinned and slung the girl down. She fought and flailed, but he bared her neck easily and bit, drinking her blood. The girl eventually passed out and he carelessly let her fall to the floor.
"Virgin's taste so sweet," he said.
Jasper stared down at the unconscious girl. Her long blond hair was mussed around her face. She had a young, sweet face that was tear stained and red from all her crying. Edward didn't even look at her.
"Who left her?" Jasper asked curiously, relieved that Edward hadn't killed her.
"The people of Grosbridge."
Jasper looked at him curiously, and Edward gave in and explained. "About a century or so ago I demanded some virgin's to drink from on a whim. The people were so afraid of me they complied willingly. I didn't think they would still remember my tastes, but then I found her tied up nicely outside," he gestured to the girl on the floor.
Jasper scowled. "What are you going to do with her?"
"Lock her in a room, will you? And remember to feed her please," Edward ordered before walking away.
Jasper picked up the limp girl in his arms, but had only made it halfway to the room he intended to put her when she woke up.
She immediately started crying. "Please. Please don't hurt me," she begged Jasper. He looked down at her face and she stared up pleadingly into his eyes. Jasper knew then that he would never forget that look she gave him: afraid but still hopeful, that he would be the one to save her.
He had to look away as he locked her in the room, hearing her crying and pleading even after he closed the door.
.
Jasper shook his head from the memories. That first girl had been the hardest. Dawn had been her name. He had wanted to help her somehow, but he hadn't really done anything, only did Edward's bidding.
She had stayed with them for about two months until Edward, bored one night, broke her hymen for a snack. He then told Jasper to get rid of her, to put her on a boat to the Americas.
He didn't think Edward would have thought anything more about her if Jasper hadn't suggested taking her to Zafrina. He wanted the poor girl to forget her time here. He wanted to give her money and a new life, so that's what they did.
Then the next week, Edward brought home a new girl. For the next four years, a new girl arrived every three of four months. Sometimes Edward wouldn't even look at them for weeks, and sometimes he would drink from them every night. That is until Bella came.
Jasper couldn't put a finger on why she was different to Edward. Edward had certainly had more beautiful, more intelligent, more feisty. But there was something about Bella-a certain quality that she possessed that made her work her way into your heart.
.
.
..
.
.
Edward woke up with the sunset, hungry. He had eaten well the night before, but tonight his sweet tooth was itching. At any other time in his vampiric life, he would have run off and found a virgin to drink from, young and sweet. But now, he had Bella, and he didn't want to leave her. He only went out hunting the last few hours before dawn, when Bella fell asleep. This fact limited how far away he could travel, and he had to be more careful when he was close to home. And anyway, it was Bella's blood he was craving to sample. Anything else would be a poor substitute.
Bella was sitting alone by the fire, scowling down at her hands as she sewed. Edward could instantly smell it when he walked in the room. Bella had once again started her monthly flow. He wanted to taste her, curious to see how her flavor had changed. The need was almost painful.
"What are you working on?" Edward asked, trying to ignore his baser instincts.
Bella looked up and smiled warmly at him before scowling back down at her project. She gesture was so cute and trusting that it made Edward's heart flip, even as he imagined holding her naked body beneath him.
"I'm just working on embroidering, but I'm not very good. I never had time to do stuff like this before. I don't think I have the patience for it."
Edward looked down at her the hoop of fabric in her hands. He couldn't tell what she was trying to make. All she had was a jagged black line of large stitches.
Edward sat down next to her. "Alice and Jasper retired early again today?"
"They're sick."
Edward looked over curiously. "Nothing serious I hope?"
"No, no. They both insist that they'll be fine by tomorrow. They just stayed in bed resting today."
"Oh good."
Bella put her sewing down on the side table. Edward's nostrils flared involuntarily.
"Come here," he demanded. Bella turned and looked at him questioningly. After a brief hesitation, she scooted closer to him on the couch. So trusting. So tempting.
Edward slowly began to lift the hem of her skirts.
"Stop," Bella said, trying to brush her skirts back into place. Edward only continued to lift them.
Bella stood up. "Edward! You promised."
Edward froze for a moment, his baser instincts telling him to grab her and hold her down, his reason telling him to talk to her. She didn't know it, but the further she backed away from him, the more she appealed to his hunter instincts. Instincts to trap, possess, drink.
"I will make you feel good. Stop fighting me, little one." Though he didn't intend it to, it came out as a growl.
"Stop it, Edward," Bella said bossily, walking across the room from her.
Edward was inches from her in an instant. He had seemed to make it a point to only move at human speed around her lately, so his speed was a surprise. Bella gasped.
"If your going to be like this, I'm going to bed," Bella threatened, heading for the door.
Edward grabbed her arm.
"Don't touch me," Bella said fiercely, looking him directly in the eye as though daring him to break his promise.
Edward growled and pushed her arm out of his hand, turning his back to her.
Bella hesitated as she stared at Edward's back, confused by his sudden moodiness. She had to admit that her affection for him had only grown in the past few weeks, but she was still wary. She was hopelessly confused about her feelings and his, and Edward didn't appear to be in the best of moods tonight. She headed for the door again.
Edward was suddenly blocking the doorway.
Bella was flustered. "Move," she commanded, putting her hands on her hips, trying to be brave despite her fear.
"No."
"I'm going to bed, Edward." He just stood there. "Do you intend to break your promise now?"
"I'm not breaking my promise."
"You promised not to use your physical power to do whatever you wanted to! You promised me some freedom. Blocking me from going to my room is breaking that promise!" Bella's anger in that moment surmounted her other worries.
"No. I promised not to tear your dress off you. I promised not to hit you. I promised not to touch you against your will, enter your room, or lock you in it."
Bella stepped back like she'd been burned. "You know what those promises meant."
"I'm not violating our agreement."
Now her anger was all-consuming. How dare he? Bella stormed past him and tried pulling the door open by force, but of course he was unyielding and refused to allow the door to budge. She felt a pressure building in the back of her chest, her ire rising.
Bella stormed across the room and sat down on the couch.
"Fine," she said, "I'll just sit here until morning. You'll have to leave then."
"Oh. I'll leave before morning," Edward growled at her, the words sounding like a threat and making Bella's blood run cold. She looked up at him but didn't say anything.
"I'm craving something sweet, and if your unwilling to share, there's a virgin right upstairs in case you've forgotten."
Bella stared at him with wide eyes. He wouldn't really, would he?
"You can't do that!" Bella yelled.
"You seem awfully fond of telling me what I can and can't do," Edward growled out to her and turned to open the door. Bella knew he was giving her a chance to stop him. He could have gone faster, but he didn't. The message was clear. She had to give herself to save Alice.
"Stop this, Edward" Bella's voice was sharp. Edward turned to her. "You horrible, heartless creature. And to think, I actually thought...oh I can't stand you!" she shouted, crossing her arms and refusing to look at him.
He frowned. "Here is the new deal," his voice was soft but stern, yet a certain gentleness had returned to his eyes. "You'll keep your promise never to run away, and I'll keep my promise not to hit you or lock you in your room. I will however have the right to touch you whenever and however I please."
Bella held back the tears that collected in her eyes. "You give me no choice in the matter."
Edward gestured broadly with his arms. "No. By all means, refuse the deal. I'll just have to get satisfaction elsewhere."
Bella glared at him. "You know very well I can't let you do that to Alice. Have you no heart?"
Edward stepped closer to her. "Do we have a deal then?" he questioned.
"To think that I was actually starting to trust you," Bella spat out. Edward recoiled slightly. Yes, he knew Bella enough to know that she would give into him to save her friend. And apparently she knew the one thing to say that might affect him. He did want her to trust him.
The ploy wasn't enough, though. Edward was stubborn tonight.
"Do we have a deal?" he asked unrelentingly.
There was a long pause, but then, "yes," Bella's voice was soft.
Edward turned her around and Bella stood stiffly, compliantly as he unbuttoned the back of her dress. She knew fighting him would be pointless, and would only embarrass her further. He would probably even enjoy it.
Edward lifted the dress over her head and grabbed her shoulders to turn her back around again. She stood trembling in her thin white slip, stiff with defiance, her eyes burning fiercely.
"Does this mean you're finally admitting you don't care about me?" she asked.
"I care about you."
The words sent a chill down Bella's spine. There was no denying that Bella was extremely susceptible to the seductive quality of Edward's voice, but especially when he spoke with such a deep huskiness.
He kissed her then, without another word, pulling her in close to his body. She didn't resist him.
"I hate you," Bella said when Edward pulled back. He only kissed her again.
He pulled the slip over her head and she was naked from the waist up. "I can't stop you from doing whatever you want to me, but know that I'll never forgive you." He pulled the drawstring around her waist as tears slid down her cheeks. "I'm only here because I have to be, never by choice." He slipped the cotton down her legs. "You'll never have anything from be that isn't taken by force and manipulation." The old rag between her legs was brown with dried blood. He threw it aside.
She was naked before him. Edward picked her up and sat her down on the couch, spreading her legs gently with his hands. Bella clenched her hands into fists, resisting him as long as she could, but soon it was too much. He licked her until she mewed with pleasure, bucking wildly against him when he bit her thigh, screaming ecstatically.
Edward held her afterwards as she calmed down. "You belong to me," he whispered in her ear. Bella was completely limp with compliancy when he laid her down on her back and pushed his cock into her. She moaned and held his shoulders like a lifeline as her body's experience completely overclouded any thoughts in her mind. She passed out before he finished. He orgasmed inside her then slid his limp cock out.
Edward held the unconscious female in his arms. Her head lay tossed back over her shoulders, her eyes closed. Her bare breasts were small but heavy, perfectly shaped on her naked torso. There was the faintest shadow of her ribs under her peachy skin. Her dark hair tangled around her face. Seeing her thus, she was so soft and sweet and vulnerable. He was overcome with feelings of protectiveness.
The words she had spoken nagged in the back of his mind, and he wondered if she really meant them. He had loved every second of what had happened between them, and he knew she had enjoyed it too. At night he could make her belong to him, but what about during the day? Would she hate him then? The idea was unsettling.
Edward picked her up and carried her naked down to his basement room. He lay her down on the bed before remembering to run back upstairs and collect their clothes.
She came to five minutes later, looking at him with heavy lids, but she didn't say anything. Edward brushed the hair out of her face and continued to pet her head. Bella closed her eyes and Edward trailed down her back, rubbing and massaging it gently. Bella sighed in contentment, and knowing that he was making her feel good, he continued.
Eventually she shivered and squeezed her arms in close to her. The rush of heat she had experienced from their lovemaking had finally worn off. Edward pulled the blanket up over her body and went to start a fire for her.
Bella dozed for a little while, but mostly she just lay silently awake in bed, the soreness between her legs disturbingly not entirely unpleasant. Edward lay down next to her. Neither of them spoke. Bella stayed resolutely to her side of the bed, and Edward didn't attempt to touch her.
Finally, Bella said, "It must be getting to be daylight soon. Aren't you going to your den?"
There was a long pause. "I think I'll stay here today."
"Can you do that?" Bella asked surprised.
"The sun won't reach me here."
"If you can sleep here, why do you have a den?"
Edward lifted his arm back to rest his head on. The pose was so utterly casual and looked unusual on the vampire, who she was used to being so formal. "The den is a precaution. It is secret with a heavy stone in front of it that no normal human could move. I am vulnerable when I sleep and especially during the day."
Bella puzzled over what he had just told her. She told him she hated him, yet he was willing to trust her enough to sleep out in the open? Perhaps he knew that she could not really do anything to hurt him.
"I don't think I've ever seen you sleep," Bella said suddenly after thinking about it a moment.
"No, little one. I stayed with you when you were sick, but you were too ill to remember that."
Bella blushed as she remembered that Edward had been the one to take care of her at her most vulnerable. She was quiet after that.
And so Edward and Bella lay next to each other as the sun rose far above their dark hideaway. Bella pulled the covers tighter around her, breathing quietly. Edward lay perfectly still, listening to her breaths as he fell asleep.