warning: smut ahead!

Esme's tea party ended when the sun had set behind the thick, cumulous clouds. The rumble of the sky then began. I was relieved when the guests started piling out of the threshold and getting in their expensive cars. Edward followed me everywhere, never letting me out of his sight. I was exasperated the entire duration of the party and he willfully ignored all cues I gave to imply I wasn't the slightest amused by his persistence.

I was grateful Carlisle was occupied the whole time, greeting his business associates and friends, though his eyes instructed me to wait for him. When Edward was distracted by a departing guest who inquired about his latest music sheets, I slipped out and entered Carlisle's study.

Not even twenty seconds had passed when footsteps resounded and the door slammed close behind me. I wish I could say my heart pounded madly, that the rushing of blood defeaned my ears. It was the most apt feelings I could describe as Carlisle calmly sat on the chaise, his arm thrown over the arm rest. He regarded me silently.

A wave of desire pulsed through me. I squeezed my legs. His eyes seemed to follow the movement. I wanted to cover my face with embarrassment.

"Have you read Volume IV? The Physiology of our kind and the Supernatural?" He asked quietly.

I nodded.

"What," His fingers drummed into the arm of the cough. "does it say about vampire allure and dazzlement? Can you be a sweet girl for me and tell me?"

My mouth felt dry. "You wrote that vampire allure is lethal, causing unsuspecting humans to be uninhibited. Gaze is the most important factor, second comes intent." My sharp teeth dug into my lip. "Carlisle, swear I didn't mean to dazzle Mr. Beaufort. It was only a split-second- I didn't want to feed on him..."

"I know, I know." He said soothingly. "Anthony is one of my closest friends. He was quite enamoured with you."

"I spilled lemonade on his shirt, I don't think-"

"He thought it was quite charming actually."

I didn't know what to say to that. He stood up, his long legs leisurely making their way towards me. He exhaled through his nose as he tipped my chin, my mind going dizzy at his scent and proximity. How the fuck could the nurses in the hospital function with him around? My knees wobbled and Carlisle's large hand gripped my hip to steady me.

I covered my face with both of my hands, feeling a non-existent flush creep up to my neck and face.

When I peeked through my fingers, I met Carlisle's amused gaze. "I really can't fault Anthony for flirting with a lovely thing like you." His words were hushed, almost reverent. He didn't remove his hand on my hips. I tipped my head for him.

He smiled, though I knew he would not give it to me. I knew it was wrong. And the glinting diamond on his finger told me it was very wrong. But I want him. I want him, I want him, I want him. I couldn't concentrate on anything but him.

"Did you pick this dress?" He purred, thumb caressing my stomach. My breath fanned his mouth.

I wanted to reach for his mouth, open the collar of his annoying, prissy oxford and bite his neck and trail wet kisses down his sternum. I bit my cheek. "Alice did."

Carlisle groaned.

"Carlisle, please..."

"Gods, you're so lovely, so pretty. I don't think - it's possible to breathe in same room with you." He said gutturally, eyeing me hungrily.

"Please, kiss me, Carlisle, please. Kiss me-"

He kissed my jaw hotly, whispering, "Oh, I'll kiss you, sweet girl. Be patient, I'll kiss you until you're breathless..." His hand reached for the hem of my dress, bunching up the soft blue skirts up to my thighs and waist. I was almost mindless as Carlisle trailed kisses down my neck and torso, his wet mouth laving down my clothed breasts.

"Carlisle, fuck-"

"Looking so delicate and innocent in this dress but that filthy mouth -" one fist gathered my skirts, and the other parted my thigh. He pressed his patrician nose between my thighs and I moaned breathlessly. Lifting my ass to get rid of my panties, Carlisle chuckled at my eagerness. I threw my head back when he kissed my clit. His fingers parted my folds. "So pretty and wet for me." He cooed.

I never thought Carlisle was capable of being filthy.

I let out a surprised moan when he licked the strip of my pussy, my body falling back with my hand gripping the edges of the wood until it chipped. With my skirts bunched up my hips, his large hands held my thighs apart wide for him, fingers digging into my flesh. I was wholly exposed to him. I squeaked in embarrassment but Carlisle unashamedly continued his pursuit, licking and kissing my core like he was starved. His moans vibrated against my folds and my eyes rolled in ecstasy.

"Ah ... so sweet." He whispered, a string of saliva and my juices connecting his mouth to my wetness. "Sweet girl,"

His mouth ensconced my pussy, his tongue flicking and sliding down my clit and my hole. My legs started to shake in Carlisle's grip. "Going to come on my mouth, Isabella?"

The sound of my name sounded so lewd in Carlisle's mouth.

I let out a broken moan. "Yours, yes! Yes! Please fuck!"

My body trembled as I reached my orgasm. I moaned in protest when Carlisle continued to french kiss my pussy. His steel grip hardly allowed me to budge. He was still licking when I came down from my high. My walls still twitched from his continued ministrations. His handsome face held a satisfied expression as he fixed my skirts. I was dazed, my mind was scattered and I nuzzled Carlisle's neck.

"Enjoyed my kiss?" He asked, tone as though he was asking if the meal was satisfactory.

I nodded. Carlisle reached for wipes in his drawer, wiping and cleaning my thighs. I gazed at him drunkenly. His eyes were darker than before, the gold in his eyes were mere slits.

Once he deemed I was proper enough, he pressed a soft kiss beside my mouth. My hands shook to pull him down for a proper kiss but my bones felt weak from my first orgasm.

He watched me carefully when I straightened and fixed the straps of my dress. "Bella—"

"I know." I said, waving him off. "Uhm, thank you. That was ... nice but I know what you're going to say."

His brow arched. "You do?"

"My feelings — I uhh, I don't where they came from obviously. But you said to not explore them. And you have Esme and I don't know if you're even interested even after," I waved my hands to what just happened. "but you're right." I was rambling again. I shut my lips tightly.

"Bella," he said carefully. "you're important to me."

"I don't want to be bonded to Edward." My mouth started. "He's cute and all, but he's pushy and he thinks I'll end up with him anyway! And you're married! I still want you, why? It's not in any of your books, why should I want my sire?"

Carlisle pressed his lips together.

"I ... I don't know." He admitted, looking uncertain. "As much as possible, we should be apart. It doesn't matter if you choose someone else as your bonded mate, just choose. That should stop the bond between us."

"Would it?" I asked doubtfully.

He didn't answer.

"Have you fed?"

He lifted his dark eyes to me briefly. "No." He said harshly.

"You should hunt." I motioned to the door. "I'll ... I'll stay here for awhile. They won't suspect as long as they know you're out, will they?"

He gave me a long look before he nodded and shut the door close.

I accompanied Alice to New York to get her customized YSL in person. The weekends were often rainy at this time of the month and we didn't have to worry about the sun. The Cullens owned a building in Midtown Avenue Manhattan, an elite street for millionaires. They were more than millionaires, I thought looking up at the tall complex.

I had to constantly remind myself I was a Cullen now, complete with false documents and a birth certificate. It was as though Bella Swan never existed.

Alice smiled at the chauffeur who met them in the building's threshold, throwing her thick raincoat and umbrella in his direction. I carefully peeled off my own raincoat and gave it to the man. "Miss Cullen, Miss Cullen, your suite is prepared."

The suite was spacious, with its furniture gilded with gold. It was only used by the Cullens whenever they visited but was always kept orderly and clean. There was a portrait of Carlisle in the left of the room, dated 1834 and I smiled at how dashing he was. His sensual mouth was stretched into a small smile.

"We're going to a party later!"

"Alice."

"Nothing too wild, of course." As though it made it better. "It's just a few blocks from here. We're walking!"

Refusing Alice was like pulling an invincible rubber string that would always bounce back. I could only sigh.

On our way to the party later that night, Alice swung her handbag and told me about the building, "Carlisle bought that building in 1892, I think. It wasn't a building yet then. Just some shoddy pub and he got it for like a few hundred dollars." She giggled.

"That's actually impressive." I said, joining her happy mood.

"He's great, isn't he?" Alice nodded. "What do you think of him?"

I paused. "Carlisle?"

Alice chortled. "Who else?"

"Well," I tucked a strand behind my ear as we continued walking. "He's my sire. He quite literally saved me from my deathbed. And he's kind."

She hummed. "Bella, you know my gift, right?"

I shrunk. "Yes."

"I know the two of you have made no concrete decisions yet that would solidify my visions but," I closed my eyes. "Bella, stop. I don't hate you. You're my sister, I adore you."

"Do they know?"

She huffed. "I'm rather good at hiding things from Edward. I usually just think of brand names repeatedly in my head until he frowns at me and leaves me alone."

My lips twitched reluctantly. "I don't know why I feel this way about Carlisle. I hardly know him. I only heard from Jessica Stanley that Dr. Cullen was a hot doctor with a wife and foster kids."

"Hmm." Alice said thoughtfully. "Screw what you think of him. How do you feel about him?"

I looked away. "I — whenever he's close to me, I feel like I have a heart that beats and pumps. I feel like my head's swimming and all I can focus on is him."

Alice stared at me for a moment. "Odd. That's what I feel for Jasper, too."

"Isn't Jasper your bonded mate?"

"He is, but he's my soulmate, too." Alice continued swinging her handbag almost violently. "Those are different things. Bonded mates are together by choice, by their willingness to be together. Soulmates, they're more like, I can't breathe without you — that sort of thing. Emmett and Rosalie are two of those, too."

"And Carlisle and Esme?"

"They're only bonded." Alice replied.

I looked at the pavement blankly.

There was a dark alley ahead where we heard frantic running and a separate calm, menacing footsteps. We stopped to look and saw a man scrambling to us for help. He was pulled back into the darkness by a hand.

"Garrett, in front of the ladies?" Asked Alice.

It was strange to see through the dark. My vampiric eyes adjusted quite quickly. The Garrett Alice referred to smiled at us lazily, holding the struggling human man by the collar. His eyes were bright crimson. He looked rugged, with dark hair that reached his neck and a scruff that decorated his jaw and mouth.

"Alice Cullen in New York, what a surprise!" He said. His eyes went to me. "and who is this?"

"My new sister, Isabella!" She introduced me smilingly.

Garrett offered the man to Alice. "Can you hold him for a second here?"

"Of course." Alice's brow twitched. Though the Cullens were "vegetarians", they didn't turn their nose up to vampires who actually followed their natural diets.

"Nice to meet you, Isabella." He took my hand and kissed it. "I see your eyes are red. Are you into their diet, as well?"

"Yes," I felt shy under his stare. "But I'm still a newborn."

His eyes never left mine. "I see."

Alice shoved the man back to Garrett's hold. "We're going to a party, Garrett, I'm afraid. Have fun with your dinner."

"Help!" The man screamed.

"How unfortunate. I would have liked to be further acquainted." He shook his head. "I suppose we'll meet again soon. Goodbye for now."

I looked away as Garrett dug his teeth into the man's neck. Alice smiled at me tightly before leading me to the right way.

"Isn't he charming? He's a friend of Carlisle, though he despises Englishmen. He's made an exception for him." Alice looked at me with a glint in her eyes. "I think he likes you."