And Yet They Shine
.
Dark
.
.
He led her to the water's edge, and foamy whitecaps lapped at her toes. She curled them into the sand as a shiver ran up her spine. Edward jerked toward her, then stayed himself.
"I could…if the water's cold, I could carry you." His arms were out, open and his knees bent toward a crouch. It was awkward on his large frame and Bella cocked her head at him, surprised to see him so posed.
Her body tried to move forward, to let him take her in his arms, but her mind rebelled. His hand was still clasped around her wrist. For a time, that would be enough. She shook her head at him, and he nodded, his fingers moving to lace through hers. That felt right to her: the union.
He pulled her toward the water and she stepped, timid, into the cold. He pulled again and then swung behind her and lifted her by her arms into a small boat. No, not a boat, but the concave side of an enormous shell. A sea turtle shell. She looked at him in wonder.
"Since you can't breathe underwater, we'll have to take the usual passage." His voice was soft and apologetic, yet teasing. She moved to pull her hand away, even as she fought for balance in their tiny boat.
He chuckled, low in the back of his throat, and she looked up at him, eyes full of fire.
"You say you want me, and then you mock me. I won't be your toy."
Her chastisement played across his face. "Never. Isabella," his voice was soft and repentant as he lifted their joined fingers to his lips. "Never think that I see you as a frivolity, a play thing." He shook his head and the breeze riffled through his hair, tossing the locks, some gold, some brown, before one lock fell, lazy across his brow. Bella reached up to stroke it away and he bent his head forward, pressing against her warm hand.
At the sight of him, eyes closed and willing himself toward her touch, Bella felt her heart flutter with something new, something strong. Had he yielded power to her touch?
"Then tell me, Edward, how do you see me?"
He opened his eyes and gazed down upon her, a beautiful girl, quaking with fear, her veins coursing with power that she'd only just discovered. Could he whisper the secrets of his heart? Did he even have one? He had never longed for another as he longed for her, that much was true. Would that be enough for this human girl, so fragile, dressed in flesh and blood?
He sighed. "I see with the eyes of a man, who has seen the first woman."
Bella's face puckered as she pondered the meaning of his words. Was she a novelty to him, then? A curious thing to spur his imagination? She thought of other ways his words could be taken, as adoration, or perhaps redemption. She did not notice that their path took them into the sea cave, down through the water, into the dark.
He watched her and was glad for the distraction. As they headed ever further down, the earthen walls gave way here and there to bits of bone, flashes of gems. Soon he wouldn't be able to hide it from her, and soon she would demand the option to go. He would be hard pressed to allow her to leave. It would be harder still to tell her no.
"Bella," he said, and pulled her close. His eyes saw everything so very clear, the slightest bit of moonlight, a far off torch -- that was all the illumination he needed. But she was young and easily frightened. Human.
He felt her arms wrap around his waist. "It's so dark," she said, pressing her face against his chest.
And that was all it took to bring a god to his knees.
The dark crept in, climbing the walls, as their little boat carried them away. Edward brought his arms around the girl and bent his head to hers. The smell of her was sweet and somehow light and heavy at once, and he breathed deep until it was all he could smell, until the scent lost meaning and he was dizzy with it, with her.
"Shh," he whispered in her ear. "I've got you, you're fine." He had her. Nothing bad could touch her, while she was in his arms.
Isabella turned her head and peered out into the dark. Her arms tightened around this man, this god, who held her quick against him. As they travelled the air grew colder, and then it seemed the tunnel grew lighter. She watched as earthen walls began to appear out of the nothing, and they were carried toward a dim, but growing, light.
She loosened her grip and was surprised to find that she'd been fisting his suit jacket in her hands. She felt sheepish, small and vulnerable, and he, as if he sensed this, tightened his grip on her arms.
"It's okay," he told her. "No matter what you see, it's okay."
She shivered as something pale peeked out from the walls of the cave. Something else glinted, and she thought it looked like a jewel. As the light grew, she saw that it was a gem, that the walls were covered in them, winking and sparking red and white and green and blue, like something out of a fairy tale film, from when she was a child.
"It's so pretty," she whispered.
She loosened her grip further and then there was an inch of space between them. She missed the heat, the warmth of their union, but she was eager to see what would come next. They turned a corner and she blinked her eyes.
It looked like….
Was that…?
Oh! She buried her face in his lapels again. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered low, shushing words.
"Edward, there are - those are bones," she said. "They're – they look human."
"They are," he said, because he couldn't lie to her. She had eyes of her own and she would see soon enough. He stilled as he waited for her to shudder, and she did.
"That's terrible," she said.
He braced himself, because now it would come. Now before she got even so far as Styx, she would demand passage back home.
"You know where we're going, Isabella. What did you think you would find?" He was sorry at once for his cold tone and stiff posture, bracing for her inevitable turn away from him.
Instead, she pulled him closer. She nuzzled into his chest. "They can't hurt me?" she asked.
And in a moment of relief, so thick and sweet it was like honey on his skin, he stroked a hand across her hair, then bent and pressed his lips to her head. "No, love, they can't hurt you."
Isabella relaxed into his embrace. Come what may, with his arms around her, she was safe.
AN: Marvelous much love to FarDareisMai2 and Krismom for their gift of beta. This would be a lot less pretty without them. Many thanks to Zee, Zigs, and my WC friends. This wouldn't be here without you.
Apologies for the ridiculous length between postings. My real life kind of knocked me on my butt the last few months. I finally see a light though, so updates for this and my other wip should be much more timely. Thanks greater than words can say to those of you still reading.
Also, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to those of you who voted for my Indie fic. I won best love triangle, complete, and it meant the absolute *world* to me. 3