Chapter 7:

The midafternoon light was dulled only slightly by the cloudy skies. The birds were still singing in far off corners of the forest and certainly other animals were continuing their lives in the grass and under the shadowed branches. This was a space untouched by the rest of the world, a place where someone could see fairy tales coming to life.

Vampire.

Not once in all of Bella's musings had vampire been thrown around. Radioactive spiders? Yes. Mutant genes? Absolutely. Alien from distant planet affected by kryptonite? Not probable, but still on the table. Vampire had never even crossed her mind and now? Bella had a million questions.

Sure, she had seen enough of his broody tendencies the last few weeks to check that box. Clearly he could move far faster than any human alive and there was also his mind reading. Bella looked at Edward trying to consolidate this beautiful boy in front of her with the dreaded creature of the night. He was obviously avoiding her gaze in favor of shredding the poor grass beneath him.

Edward's face was drawn into a mask of indifference, but Bella could tell he was uncomfortable with the silence. There was a crease in his brown that betrayed his true feelings and Bella wished she could smooth it away. Before she knew it, she was moving closer to him with her hands raised.

"May I?" Bella asked when she caught his eyes. Edward nodded slowly almost as if he was afraid of scaring her away.

Edward's eyes closed when Bella touched him. His cheeks were as cold as his hands had been and were surprisingly soft to the touch, but to Bella it felt more akin to touching granite or marble. With feathersoft strokes Bella caressed around his eyes, across his forehead, and down the bridge of his nose. She left no part of his face untouched until all that was left were his lips. Her thumb, with a mind of its own, pressed against them and she felt Edward freeze.

"Do you have fangs?" Bella's curiosity was getting the best of her, but wouldn't everyone have noticed if any of the Cullens had fangs?

Edward waited until Bella pulled her hand away to grin widely at her. No fangs in sight. Only two neat rows of perfect white teeth. Bella didn't let this discovery discourage her, in fact her hands were moving all over again. They trace over Edward's chin, up his jaw, around his ears and then down his neck to where his sweater lay over his shoulder. It was only then that Bella realized that Edward had been watching her as instantly as she had been observing him.

Blushing furiously, Bella leaned backwards out of his personal space. She wasn't sure exactly when she had leaned so far forward when inspecting him, but she felt like she had been exposed.

"Your skin feels hard like stone. You said you were fast and strong. How strong are you?"

Edward's response was to point down at her side to a palm sized rock that stuck out of the dirt. Bella grabbed it, dusting the debris off of it and squeezing it between her fingers. Edward flashed that crooked grin that sent Bella's heart into somersaults and then he closed his fist around the rock. In seconds there was nothing left of it, only dirt and dust remained in Edward's palm.

Bella reclined onto her hands as she watched Edward wipe the dust from his hands. He moved slowly, far too slowly even for a human. Edward was apparently trying to be extra cautious to avoid freaking her out and Bella didn't like this change between them.

"So, Edward, you said you don't eat human food so why is there so much?" Bella looked over at the long-forgotten basket that was almost overflowing with food items. It looked like it had lovingly been packed and arranged.

"My mother, Esme, helped me pack it. We weren't sure what your preferences were or if you had any allergies so we collected a variety." Bella smiled softly at that, but frowned suddenly.

"Am I your lunch?" Bella touched her throat for a moment.

"No! Of course not! I would never!" Edward said emphatically, waving his hands out in front of him. It was quite comical to see Edward's face transform from apprehensive to alarm. For a split second Bella felt a bit bad and let a wry smile slip through. Although Bella was relieved to hear that she wasn't intended to be Edward's meal today, she hadn't been all too concerned about it.

"I'm sorry, too soon?" It was only when Edward released a heavy sigh and returned her smile that Bella relaxed.

"I apologize. I've never had to explain myself in such a manner before. I find myself trying to make this easy for you to comprehend and I didn't expect you to react like this." Edward raised a brow at her. "You're not scared at all? This isn't too weird for you?"

How on earth could Edward think that this was too weird for her? For the last several years Bella had walked through life thinking that she was the only one out there with a secret bigger than herself. That she would find herself alone without anyone to truly share that burden. If she were being honest, the fact that Edward was a vampire did the opposite of dissuading her from him.

"I just pulled you into my memories so that you could see what happened to me a year ago. I heal my bones without thinking about it. I brought my mom back…" Bella's voice faltered slightly but she kept going. "I've been the weird one for years and you think this is too weird for me? Honestly? I've been thinking about you for so long that I had thought up a bunch of theories."

Immediately after admitting that, Bella blushed again. God how many times was she going to embarrass herself today? Now he was going to think she was some obsessive stalker or something.

"Will you tell me any of these theories?" Edward inquired, but Bella waved him off. Nope. Not gonna happen. It was bad enough that she had compared him with every comic book she could remember. There was no way she was going to tell him that.

"Absolutely not. They're far too embarrassing."

"You're sitting in the middle of nowhere with a vampire and you're worried about telling me something embarrassing?" Edward scoffed at her, an incredulous look on his face. "Do you have any sense of self-preservation at all? I would have thought you would have been running for the hills right about now."

Self-preservation? Does this boy know nothing about me? Bella tilted her head in confusion. If she had thought that she would have been in any danger at all she would have been gone in an instant. Bella hadn't tried to ever find the full capacity of her powers, but she had done enough to know that she could bend time, space, and the laws of physics to her will. If she felt threatened, Bella would simply have wished to be back in her room or anywhere else for that matter.

"You act like I couldn't defend myself against you if I had the need for it." Bella said, biting her lip. "Besides, I don't believe you would hurt me."

Edward had been nothing but gentle with her even when she had been too drunk to realize he was there. He had calmed her and soothed her heartache in ways that he couldn't fathom. He clearly saw himself as something frightening, but Bella had never been afraid of him as a person. Sure she had fears that included him, but it was mostly for his safety or what he represented. Apparently those fears were easily washed away with the truths they shared as Bella couldn't imagine pushing him away now.

"I almost did. That first day we met. You smelled…you smell so enticing I almost took you there." His confession struck a chord with Bella. Was that the reason his eyes changed so suddenly? Had he almost broken character and exposed his true nature to the class all over the way Bella smelled? "You have nothing to worry about though, I have practiced control for many years and I am confident you are safe."

"So, if you won't drink me, what's your type? Mike Newton?"

The way Edward's eyes widened in shock and the absolutely offended look on his face made Bella laugh. Edward seemed so serious all the time. His expressions in school always looked somber, like he was walking through a never ending funeral procession. In fact, this afternoon was the most emotion she had ever seen him display and it was a shame he hid his smile so often.

"Bella, I'm a vegetarian."

Bella leaned forward, her smile pinching her cheeks. "Alright so you're going to have to explain that one to me." Edward's answering smile was dazzling and there was mirth in his eyes. Amusement looked very good on him.

"It's a running joke in our household. We don't drink from humans, only animals."

And from that answer sparked a myriad of questions and for every one that Edward answered, there were several more waiting in the wings.

"So out of all the animals, which is your favorite?" "I have a preference for mountain lions. The predators simply taste better."

"How can you be out in the daytime?" "Sunlight doesn't hurt us, but it is impossible to be out in it directly and keep our secret."

"Why?" "I'll show you sometime."

"Could you eat human food if you had to?" "I have once or twice before to reinforce the human charade. It's quite unpleasant."

"How old are you?" "Seventeen."

"And how long have you been seventeen?" "A while."

"Are the rest of your family vampires too?" "Yes."

"Can they read minds too?" "No, that is only a gift bestowed upon me. However Alice and Jasper have a talent as well. Jasper is an empath, able to sense and disperse emotions. Alice can see premonitions of the future."

"Your sister can see the future?" "Most of the time, yes. She can see things that are about to happen."

Sometimes Bella felt like Edward was only sharing partial truths or keeping details to himself with his somewhat vague answers, but she wasn't going to push him to tell her anything he didn't want to share. It felt a little unfair that Bella had shared all of her baggage with him yet he was unwilling to do the same. However Bella considered the fact that all of this information wasn't just his to share, it was about his family too and she wasn't completely sure that he had the permission to explain anything to her at all.

When he offered her the picnic basket Bella realized how hungry she was. The basket was filled with all sorts of snacks and beverages. It was far too much for one person to eat, but Bella was thankful he'd thought to bring her anything at all. He watched her choose a lemonade and a PB&J and she wondered absently who put it together.

When the sun dipped lower Bella realized that she had to return home to make dinner for Charlie. She was hesitant to leave the meadow, it had become something of a sanctuary in the hours they spent here. Bella grumbled about the walk back to the car as they went to leave and so she was surprised when Edward offered to carry her.

Edward crouched in front of her and Bella was skeptical about how he could carry both herself and the basket, but climbed onto his back anyway. She wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders and she felt his hands grip her thighs by her knees. The chill from his skin could be felt through both layers of clothes and Bella was sure that he could feel her heart pounding through her chest.

Bella rested her chin on his shoulder and breathed in his smell. It was light and airy like lilac and honey. She hoped that it would cling to her clothes after he dropped her at home. She felt him smile a split second before he launched them forward into the trees.

Try as she might, Bella couldn't keep her eyes open. The blur of the forest around them combined with the increased wind made her close her eyes, but she still felt every leap and bound as Edward vaulted over fallen trees and around obstacles. A scream tore through her throat and was followed quickly by a bubble of laughter. She clung so tightly to Edward that she feared her arms would fall asleep, but that combined with his hands on her legs kept her in place.

Bella felt a little lost when they arrived back at the car and then again when they pulled up to her house. She was unwilling to let this time with Edward end.

"Do you want to come in?" Bella asked hopefully. "Can you come in without permission? Or is that a myth?"

"That one is a myth." Edward smiled fondly back at her. "Your father doesn't sound too pleased at the moment so perhaps we should wait on the introductions for another time."

Bella sighed heavily. "I'm not exactly sure how to explain where I was today."

A chime rang out suddenly and Edward pulled his cell phone from the center console. He quickly read the message and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Bella asked. Besides vampires owning cell phones.

"Alice is trying to help by giving you an alibi for the day." Edward flashed Bella another dazzling smile. "If you tell your father that I took you to my father to get your cast off, Carlisle will back it up apparently."

Oh right, the cast. Bella grabbed her arm lightly. She had completely forgotten about the cast. In light of everything she and Edward had talked about today, the events of yesterday had been pushed aside. Thankfully Edward hadn't brought up what happened between them the day before, but now Bella was curious as to why he had been at her house at all. That conversation would have to happen at another time when they weren't idling outside of her house while her father probably watched them from the window.

Bella turned to face Edward once more. "I have so many more questions."

Edward seemed more pleased with her response than she would have thought he'd be. She wondered if he was busy tomorrow, but before she could ask, he spoke.

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

Bella narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Are you sure you can't read my mind?"

"Is that a yes then?" Edward leaned forward slightly and Bella's breath caught in her throat.

"Yes." She could barely utter the word she was so distracted. No, not distracted. Dazzled.

"You'd better go in before he decides to come outside." Edward remarked, his gaze flicking over her shoulder up to her house.

"See you tomorrow Edward." Bella unbuckled her seatbelt, but Edward was already out of the car, walking around it to open her door for her. As if he hadn't already been swoonworthy, the smile he gave when she got out of the car would have pushed him over the edge.

Bella felt almost dazed as she walked back up to her house, aware that Edward was watching every step she took.

"Isabella, where have you been all day?" Charlie asked before the door was even shut. Bella cringed at the sound of her full name, he only called her that when she was in trouble, which wasn't often.

"Sorry Dad, I went to see Dr. Cullen about my cast and I lost track of time." Bella stood awkwardly at the front door while her father looked on.

"You left your truck and your phone." Charlie crossed his arms. "You didn't leave a note."

"Yeah, Edward picked me up and I didn't realize I had left without my phone." Bella said apologetically. Charlie stared at her for a moment longer before turning to head into the kitchen and Bella followed.

"Edward…Cullen? The doctor's boy right?"

"That's right."

"Hmmph."

Bella ignored the rest of Charlie's grumbling in favor of putting dinner together. She made a meal of chicken and vegetables, something that didn't require that much attention because her thoughts were once again consumed with a certain bronze haired boy.

Bella forced herself to eat slowly and sit through half of a baseball game with Charlie before heading up to her room. He hadn't asked any more questions about Bella's whereabouts or about the Cullens even though Bella had given him plenty of opportunity to.

Once she was within the safety of her room Bella went straight to her computer. She used the few minutes that it took to boot up to change into her pajamas and brush her teeth. When she was finally posed in front of the screen Bella was at a loss, she didn't know where to begin.

Tapping her fingers against the desk, Bella stared at the search engine like it held all the answers. Feeling just a bit foolish Bella typed in one word. Vampire.

Over 600,000,000 hits.

There were hits for movies, tv shows, literature, music, cosmetic displays, halloween advertisements, and historical websites. Bella waded through countless webpages until she had compiled a mental list of every plausible detail about vampires.

Vampire. Also well known as Vampyre.

One of the most well known "facts" about vampires is their absolute need and desire for human blood.

Sleep in coffins or graves.

Cast no reflection.

Cannot be recorded on film.

A cross will burn a vampire's skin.

They cannot step on consecrated ground.

Cannot be in direct sunlight.

Must be invited into a living household.

A wooden stake to the heart or beheading is the only way to kill a vampire.

A vampire's bite will transform a human into the undead.

Shtriga. Vrykolakas. Strigoi. Vampiro. Peuchen. Asanbosam. Varacolaci. Nelapsi. Vampyr.

Stregoni benefici: An Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires.

The more Bella read, the more confused she felt. Some of the information she read conflicted with what Edward had told her and yet some of it fit too perfectly. He was obviously strong and fast, he didn't elaborate on why he couldn't be in the sun yet said that he couldn't. He was far too beautiful and graceful than he had any right to be and his voice was so alluring that Bella craved to hear it even now. Edward smelled better than she would have expected of a vampire, like fresh linen and lilacs in the sunshine.

Bella rubbed her tired eyes and sighed in frustration. She felt mentally exhausted from all this information, but her body felt full of static energy that needed an outlet. Bella paced quietly in her room, Charlie having long since gone to bed.

Edward was a vampire, which in all honesty should have freaked Bella out, but it didn't. Combined with all of the odd things she had noticed with his family everything seemed to just click into place. Bella was good with strange and impossible things, she had been dealing with that for years.

"I'm pretty sure that my brother is in love with you."

A giddy laugh bubbled up and Bella put a hand over her mouth to suppress it. Alice's confession had bounced around Bella's brain for days and she hadn't let herself imagine it to be true. Alice thought it was the truth, but that didn't mean that it was. The fact that Edward went out of his way to confide in Bella about his family's biggest secret led Bella to believe that it indeed was the truth.

Edward was a vampire and he was in love with her.

Bella bit her lip to keep the smile off her face. Was it too early for love when they had barely spoken to one another? A crush was one thing, but love? Bella wasn't one to jump into anything too soon, in fact she had never been in a relationship before. The way her parent's relationship fell apart so quickly after they got married had made Bella wary of commitment. Yet the ache that accompanied Edward's absence seemed more prevalent now that Bella was willingly accepting her own feelings.

Bella turned off the light and climbed into bed. She stared up into the dark ceiling trying to settle her mind so that she could sleep. She would see Edward soon enough, he had promised tomorrow. Would he leave her now that they both knew the truth? Now that the curiosity had been satisfied would the appeal to one another wear out until there was nothing left?

Bella certainly hoped he would stay, so much so that she couldn't help but voice her fear in one word.

"Stay."