Bella's constant presence in Nessie's day was brought to an abrupt halt by the sun. On Thursday, Nessie was given strict instructions to attend class, then immediately return to the parking garage to be taken back to the Cullen's house. She didn't argue, the Volturi's presence had them all on edge.
She crossed the campus as if it were any other day, her eyes flicked across the quad searching for any sign of danger. Yesterday, she'd been desperate to escape her mother, but now, she felt vulnerable and exposed being alone.
Her eyes lingered on a familiar figure standing in the quad. Nahuel. Unlike yesterday, she was prepared to see him so his presence didn't take her by surprise. She kept her features neutral as she met his eye. For years, the memory of his arrival had swirled through her dreams.
Before they met, the weight of everyone's lives fell heavy on her tiny shoulders. It'd been her job to show everyone who she was. Make them see that she only meant well—she was the only one who could.
But then, when the moment came, her time to show her truth… she failed. She couldn't sway the Volturi. Everyone—all her friends and family—was doomed to die. All because of her. Her own mother expected her to just run away and live with the guilt while everyone perished in the wake of her failure.
Then Nahuel showed up. In her darkest hour, he had arrived and saved everyone when she couldn't. His mere existence was proof of everything she hadn't been able to convince the Volturi. He was the hero. Her hero.
Her heart pounded in her chest as he greeted her with a nod.
She looked away. She focused straight ahead as she walked straight to the building. After their first encounter, she never doubted she would see him again, but never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined him joining the Volturi. He was shorter than she remembered, too.
Nahuel followed, catching the door before it could close behind her.
Don't follow me, she said.
"I just want to talk," he said. He didn't flinch as her words intruded his thoughts.
I don't, Nessie let her betrayal project through her thoughts. How could you?
"It's not like that," Nahuel defended. "I didn't turn against you."
What are you doing with the Volturi? she demanded. She wanted to believe him.
"I'm trying to protect us," Nahuel said.
Renesmee's interest peaked. This was definitely in line with her expectations of him. Every time she pictured their reunion, she imagined him swooping in to save the day again like a knight in shining armor. She didn't stop him as he followed into her music class and took the seat that was normally occupied by Rosalie.
"After the Volturi left," Nahuel whispered, "it didn't end. They began an investigation into us."
So you thought the best course of action was to join them? Renesmee challenged. Surely there had to have been a better option.
"If they're going to be making laws about us, we deserve to have a voice. I've been representing us while they develop new laws."
Renesmee was surprised by this answer. She was hit by a wave of gratitude and guilt. Nahuel had spent the past several years continuing to save her.
How's that going? she asked.
"Actually, pretty good," he said. "I've been pretty impressed by how responsive they've been. The laws they've implemented are pretty reasonable. Most of the new laws in place are regarding what vampires can and can't do during gestation. Vampires can't run off during a pregnancy like Joham did to my mother."
What about us? Renesmee asked. She had to admit, she was a bit envious of Nahuel's success. What had she accomplished? All she'd done was make a mess, possibly violating the Volturi's new laws.
"The sire is responsible for maintaining secrecy through gestation, but once we're born, we're responsible for following the same rules as any other vampire."
Renesmee nodded. That all sounded logical. Why haven't we heard about any new laws?
"That's why I'm here," Nahuel said. "I wanted you to hear it from me."
Will you leave the Volturi now? Renesmee asked. She was thrilled to hear he was here for her.
Nahuel shook his head. "They still need me."
Renesmee raised an eyebrow. "Need" was a strong word. She wasn't sure what Nahuel could offer them.
"I'm not a member of the guard," Nahuel explained. "I'm too weak for that. I'm… basically the nanny."
Renesmee smirked. The image amused her for some reason. She waited for him to continue.
"Aro has begun experimenting with genetics. None of them know anything about raising a kid," he explained. "There aren't exactly any parenting books for dealing with children like us."
She could understand that. Her family spent every day surrounded by humans and even they were not without fault. She could remember every shortcoming in their parenting.
She and Nahuel continued to chat. He told her about his life with the Volturi. He followed her to her next two classes as well.
"Do you know of any good restaurants in the area?" Nahuel asked. "I need to pick up lunch for the boys."
Renesmee genuinely didn't. "We can stop by the cafe in the university center," she suggested. It was the closest, she hoped the food was decent. She led him through campus.
Nahuel picked out a few sandwiches and snacks before heading to the cashier. She spotted a large amount of cash in his wallet as he paid. The Volturi must pay well. She followed him out of the building. She wondered where the children were hiding. He led her into a building towards the center of campus, catching the door as another student was headed out. He led her to the top floor to an unoccupied wing. He opened a door to a vacant conference room.
"I'm back," Nahuel announced as he entered.
Two small faces peeked out from their hiding spots under the table. The older one watched Nessie with skepticism while the younger child's eyes widened in fear.
"It's alright," Nahuel said. "She's one of us." The fear in the small child's eyes melted into curiosity at Nahuel's reassurance.
Nahuel held up the bag of food. Dante skipped forward to greet them. Sensing no danger, AJ returned to his post by the window and stared solemnly at the unexpecting student body below.
Nahuel handed Dante a pair of sandwiches. He gracefully skipped across the room over to his brother's side and held up one of the sandwiches. He looked down to accept the offering, but his concentration never wavered. Dante sat down on the floor beside his brother. He spread his tiny robe out across the floor like a picnic blanket. He watched the crowd too, but his eyes were bright with curiosity.
"Sandwich?" Nahuel offered.
Renesmee shook her head. "No thank you."
"Okay," Nahuel said. He pulled it out of its packaging and took a bite.
Renesmee turned up her nose. "I would've thought you'd hunt."
"This is more discreet while we're traveling, otherwise, I would. Dante actually prefers human food, though."
Renesmee was surprised by that. Neither of the children looked particularly satisfied with their sandwiches. "Really?"
"Well, not this food," Nahuel held up his sandwich. "But we don't have access to a functioning kitchen right now."
"It all tastes bland to me," Renesmee said.
"I can teach you some recipes," Nahuel said. "It's not too bad if you know what you're doing. We have different taste buds from humans."
"Huh, good to know," Renesmee answered. "I'd appreciate that."
"I can cook dinner for you sometime if you want," Nahuel promised.
"That'd be great," Renesmee said.
"We'll have to find a functional stove," Nahuel said. "The house we're staying at doesn't have power."
"You can use the one at the Cullen's house," Renesmee offered eagerly.
"Are you sure they won't mind me coming over?" Nahuel said. "Edward didn't seem too thrilled to see me yesterday."
"Of course not," she promised. Once they heard Nahuel out like she had, there was no way they could be mad at him.
"Are you free this evening?" Nahuel asked.
Renesmee nodded.
"Great, sounds like a date," Nahuel said.
"It's a date," Renesmee's heart accelerated in her chest. She glanced at her watch. "I have to get to class."
Nahuel stood up to join her.
"You can't follow me to this class," Renesmee told him.
"Why not?" Nahuel asked.
"A couple of the wolves are in this lecture and they'll get upset if they see you," Renesmee explained.
Nahuel frowned, but he didn't object.
To her irritation, her precaution was unwarranted as both Leah and Seth were absent from the lecture. She took her usual seat, leaving an empty space between herself and Ian. He greeted her with a friendly smile which she tried to return. She must've failed because his expression turned to one of pity.
She listened to the lecture without hearing a word.
After class, Nahuel was waiting for her by the door.
I'm sorry, I have to go, she said. Remorse flooded her thoughts. My parents will be expecting me in the parking garage.
He frowned. "We still have a few hours of daylight left. If you wanted to stay, what would they be able to do to stop you?"
She realized he was right. She sent her mother a quick text explaining the development before shutting the phone down completely.
She and Nahuel found a sunny spot in the center of the quad and sat on the grass. Though neither of them sparkled, he was absolutely radiant in the sun. His beauty was different than that of a vampire. They were like sculptures, perfect but in a way that felt intimidating and unobtainable. Next to them, she couldn't help but see all of the ways in which she would never compare. Nahuel's beauty was different, less sculpted, more real. Just looking at him helped her to see the beauty she couldn't see in herself. She always thought of the flushness in her skin as being too blotchy. But on him, the blood in his veins provided his complexion with a vitality lost to vampires. Could it be possible that she looked that stunning as well?
"What happened to Kevin?" she asked. "How did you kill him without raising suspicion?"
He looked at her in surprise. "How can you think about that?"
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"AJ is preventing everyone from speculating about… the incident. You shouldn't be able to think about that," he explained.
"Oh," Renesmee said. She realized she could still remember the attack perfectly. She didn't experience any of the haze that the wolves had faced. "Huh, I guess his gift doesn't work on me. Is he a shield?"
"Technically, yes. That's interesting," He smiled. His dark brown skin was a striking contrast to his pearly teeth.
"He's not the only one who's gifted," She returned his smile. She heard the click of a camera and turned to see where it was coming from. The campus photographer had discovered them and was taking pictures of her and Nahuel from across the quad. She scowled at the photographer, ruining his photos.
"I am not. I'm afraid you are asking questions I am unable to answer right now. AJ can't control who is impacted within his radius. Why don't we get out of here so we can talk freely?" Nahuel suggested, glancing briefly at the photographer.
"Sounds good," she answered. They left campus together, deliberately sticking to sunny sidewalks.
A black Mercedes with dark-tinted windows pulled up on the road beside them. The car slowed to match their pace. Renesmee didn't turn, refusing to acknowledge the vehicle. Nahuel picked up on her change in body language and looked distrustfully at the car.
It's just my parents, she explained. Don't worry about it.
A sedan honked from behind the slow-moving Mercedes. The black car accelerated quickly and vanished around a corner.
Renesmee and Nahuel found a park a couple miles away from the school and took a seat on a sunny bench.
"AJ snuck into the hospital," he began. "He watched the nurse administer medication. He caused her to repeatedly forget what she'd already done. The medical staff gave him an overdose. When the human started to flatline, AJ prevented them from attempting to revive him."
A shiver rippled through Renesmee's body. She felt pity for the innocent people who will believe their negligence killed a man. She thought it would've been far kinder to kill him outright. Then again, this was her mess, she really couldn't judge how they cleaned it up.
"AJ is preventing people from considering he was deliberately murdered by anyone other than the medical staff," he explained. "Not that they're trying to, now that details regarding his death are starting to circulate, people have forgotten about the circumstances that led to his hospitalization in the first place."
She spotted a large figure approaching from the south side of the park. Jacob's face was a hard mask. He scowled at the man who had once been their saving grace.
She felt heat rise to her cheeks. She should've expected Bella to ask Jacob to check in on her. She was unsurprised by the audacity.
"Give me a second," Renesmee excused herself as she rose from the bench. She started broadcasting her explanation with her thoughts as she approached Jacob on the path.
We got it wrong, he's here to help! She shared her excitement for Nahuel's return and her gratitude for the work that he'd been doing with the Volturi.
It was working. Jacob's face had softened by the time they met on the sidewalk. He glanced at Nahuel skeptically.
"Are you sure about him?" Jacob said.
"Of course," Nessie said. "It's Nahuel. Tell Bella I've invited him over to borrow our kitchen this evening." She gave him a reassuring smile. There was a pain in his eye that baffled her. She'd convinced him to take her side over Bella's, but he didn't share any of her excitement for the reunion with Nahuel. It reminded her of the expression he'd worn when the Volturi first learned of her existence and he'd believed he was going to lose her.
But that didn't make any sense. She was right here. She wasn't going anywhere.
Jacob nodded. She wrapped him in a hug. She knew he'd understand. Bella wouldn't be as easily persuaded, but she hoped Jacob would be able to convince her. If he couldn't, nobody could.
She turned and skipped back to Nahuel. Jacob watched for a moment longer before turning to leave. She knew he wouldn't go far. Somebody, whether it was Jacob or her parents, would be nearby monitoring her. She didn't care. She chatted with Nahuel until the sun started to set in the sky.
"We should get back to the university," Nahuel said. "I need to get the kids to bed."
Renesmee followed him back to the room where the hybrid children were staying. AJ was still at his post, but he'd slumped down. He leaned against the window and had his head in his hands. Dante laid on the ground by his side. He was fast asleep with his mouth ajar. His robe was bundled up as a pillow.
Nahuel nudged Dante awake. "Come on, buddy, it's time to leave."
The small boy yawned. He put his little robe back on and climbed onto Nahuel's back.
"AJ?" Nahuel said, holding out his hand to the older boy.
AJ took it and Nahuel headed to the door. They made their way threw the building. She thought they would draw attention, but everyone they passed looked right through them.
"Can they see us?" Renesmee asked.
"They can see you and I," Nahuel said. "Right now, I need to focus on getting to the car. We can talk later."
She noticed that he didn't close his hand around AJ's. They exited the building and made their way to a nondescript car in the parking lot. Nahuel didn't even seem to notice when Dante jumped off his back and AJ let go of his hand. The boys ran forward and climbed into the backseat of the car. She climbed into the passenger seat. Once everyone was in the car, Nahuel looked back and checked on the children in their car seats, though AJ was too big to need one. Both boys were already fast asleep.
"Sorry," Nahuel apologized, "AJ was making sure nobody could notice him and Dante, including me. I had to focus on what I was doing or I would think I'd lost them and go looking for them."
"That's interesting," she said.
Nahuel drove out of town and wove down a backroad.
"Where's Felix?" she asked. She realized she hadn't seen the menacing vampire since yesterday.
Nahuel shrugged. "He'll be somewhere nearby. He's not a big fan of babysitting duty. He doesn't consider you to be a threat worth intervening."
She couldn't help but be offended, but she kept her mouth shut. Any contradiction could be incriminating. She should be trying to avoid giving Aro additional reason to target her and her family.
They pulled up to a dark farmhouse in the middle of nowhere.
He pulled the kids out of their seats and carried them in, one in each arm. She opened the house door for him. She flipped the nearest light switch out of habit. Nothing happened.
Nahuel climbed the stairs of the dark house and laid the kids to bed in a room upstairs. Neither stirred from their slumber.
"Like I said, the Volturi don't know much about our needs. I reminded them we need beds, but I failed to specify we'd also need power and running water," he explained. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a cooler bag. He went over to a larger cooler and pulled out two large steaks. He moved them to the smaller bag. He grabbed a second bag that smelled strongly of spices and gestured for her to head to the door.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"I'm making you dinner—unless you changed your mind," he said.
"What about the boys?" she asked.
"They'll be fine. If anybody shows up to mess with them, Felix will handle them."
She followed him back out the door. As he pulled out of the driveway, she noticed a dark figure on the roof of the house.
She directed Nahuel to the Cullen's house. The house was bright when they pulled up. The curtains were wide open. She could see the entire family, still as statues, watching through the windows as they stepped out of the car. Carlisle greeted them with a friendly smile as he made eye contact with Nahuel. A wave of gratitude for Jacob washed over Renesmee as she took in their expressions. He must've convinced them to hear Nahuel out.
Nahuel followed Renesmee inside.
"Hello Nahuel," Carlisle greeted. "It's a pleasure seeing you again."
"You as well," Nahuel said as he shook Carlisle's hand.
Most of the family watched Nahuel with polite wariness. The only exceptions were Emmett, unbothered as usual, and Bella, who was watching her daughter with the same disappointed expression that hadn't left her face all week. Renesmee was starting to get used to it.
"Nahuel's going to teach me how to cook," Renesmee announced.
Bella's disappointment changed to hurt. "I taught you how to cook."
"Yeah, but he's going to teach me how to make food we actually like," Renesmee said. Bella was always trying to convince her to eat a few vegetables, she assumed her mother would be grateful for her new interest in one of Bella's hobbies.
"The kitchen's right this way," Esme directed.
Nahuel set up his supplies in the kitchen and started to get to work.
"I hear you've been living with the Volturi recently," Carlisle said.
Nahuel nodded and explained what he'd been up to during the past few years.
She watched as Nahuel made his way around the kitchen. He seasoned the steaks with spices and herbs that she didn't recognize. Renesmee had to admit, it smelled good. Their audience listened to him intently. They were statues, only breaking silence to ask questions.
"The children…" Edward began. "What happened to the mothers?"
Nahuel grimaced. "They didn't make it."
"I assumed as much," Edward said. "Who were they?"
"AJ's mother was a woman named Giavanna," Nahuel explained. "She was a secretary for them but she knew the truth."
"I remember her," Edward scowled. "She wanted to be immortal."
"Aro promised her she would be," Nahuel's face twisted into a grimace. He shared Edward's discontentment.
"You don't think he ever intended to fulfill his promises," Edward said, reading Nahuel's thoughts.
He shrugged. "I never said that."
"What about the other boy?" Esme asked.
Edward's scowl deepened at Nahuel's thoughts.
Nahuel flipped the steak in a pan. He glanced at Edward and seemed to understand that he'd be called out if he attempted to sugarcoat the situation.
"Aro was quite pleased when he realized how powerful AJ is," Nahuel explained, "so he decided to start… Experimenting with genetics."
"What do you mean by that?" Jasper asked.
"Aro tracked down his father, Joham," Edward explained in disgust, "and offered him immunity if he agreed to assist Aro in his research. He had Joham pose as a doctor at an infertility clinic. He'd screen clients and identify humans with… potential. If he found someone he liked, he'd swap out their chosen sperm donor with Aro's… genetic material."
"That's horrible!" Bella exclaimed.
"It was a lot easier than you'd think and surprisingly not explicitly illegal in most states," Nahuel said. "Once they confirm a pregnancy, Heidi lures the carrier to Volterra. My aunt, Hulien has been helping the women as best she can. She disapproves of the affair but she hates to see them suffer the way my mother did."
"And that's how he got Dante's mother?" Alice confirmed. Her expression was calculating, like she was piecing together a puzzle.
Nahuel nodded. "Correct."
"How old is he?" Alice asked.
"About five months," Nahuel answered.
Alice and Edward exchanged a look, but Renesmee couldn't decipher their private conversation.
"Are there many others?" Rosalie asked.
"None that survived," Nahuel answered. He removed the steaks from the pan.
"You didn't cook that long enough," Bella judged.
"For a human, maybe," Nahuel answered. "We prefer our steaks bloody. It's fine, we don't get sick."
Bella looked unconvinced. Renesmee was getting irritated by her mother's behavior.
"What other human foods do we like?" Renesmee asked.
"Pretty much any red meat, but especially carnivores. Have you ever tasted alligator?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"You should try it sometime, it's good," he assured her. He explained the various seasonings he used and advised her on what to avoid. He put the steaks on plates and served her the meal.
She had to admit, it smelled appetizing. Not nearly as appealing as Kimmy, but better than any human food she'd ever tasted. She took a bite and it tasted every bit as good as it smelled.
"Wow," she said.
Nahuel smirked. "Better than those animals you've been drinking?"
"Absolutely," she said without hesitation.
Bella looked hurt. Nessie had never shown any enthusiasm when her mother had attempted to cook for her. She realized she probably should've curbed her reaction.
After Renesmee finished her meal, Nahuel excused himself.
"It's getting late," Nahuel said. "I should get going. Do you need a ride back to campus?"
"That's alright, we'll take care of it," Bella said coolly.
Nahuel nodded and ducked out. Once he was gone, Nessie turned to glare at her mother.
"What was that about?" Nessie demanded.
Bella's eyes narrowed. "I don't like the way he's looking at you."
"He's my friend, leave him alone," Nessie said.
"He's interested in being a bit more than friends," Edward said.
Renesmee assumed just as much, but the confirmation sent a wave of excitement through her body that was embarrassing with her mind-reading father so close.
Bella's apprehension deepened.
"What about Jacob?" Bella asked.
"What about him?" Nessie defended.
"The imprint—" Bella started.
"Yeah, I'm aware of the imprint," Nessie cut her off. "That doesn't mean I can't talk to other guys. Jacob and I are just friends. I know all the other girls have chosen to marry their imprints, but I'm different. Jacob and I aren't even the same species."
"You don't need to be the same species to love each other," Bella defended. "Your father and I fell in love while we were different species and we made our relationship work."
Nessie raised an eyebrow. "Really? From what heard, you couldn't wait to be a vampire. Name one case where two people were happy remaining different species."
"She has a point," Edward suppressed a grin.
Bella glared at him. "You aren't helping."
"Look," Nessie said. "I get that you're trying to protect me, but I'm not a kid. Physically, I'm nearly as old as you. I can make my own decisions."
"You're as stubborn as your mother," Edward chuckled.
Bella stifled a groan. "Even I'm realizing I sound like Charlie. Fine, I won't stop you from seeing Nahuel, if that's what you want. I need you to promise me you'll be smart."
"Of course," Nessie promised, struggling to contain her enthusiasm.
"Before you go," Carlisle began. "Alice sees that there is going to be a memorial for Kevin held on Saturday. I expect that you will make plans to attend."
"But I didn't even kill him," Nessie defended.
"Normally, I would have you attend the funeral," Carlisle ignored her, "but since his body is being shipped back to Oklahoma, that isn't an option."
"We all attend the funerals when we slip up," Edward said.
"Really? Did you attend the funerals of all the murderers you drank during your vigilante phase?" Nessie asked.
Rosalie snorted. "Nope."
"I left Carlisle and Esme," Edward rationalized.
"What about you?" Nessie asked Rosalie. "Don't tell me he made you go to Royce's funeral."
"I was a newborn," Rosalie defended. "I would not have had the restraint necessary at the time."
"You?" Nessie asked Jasper.
Jasper smiled sympathetically. "He tried. I refused."
"So this 'rule' only applied to Esme and Emmett?" Nessie said.
"Well, technically the funeral rule hadn't been implemented when Esme… slipped up," Edward said.
"So just Emmett," Nessie said. "Emmett has to attend funerals."
Emmett grinned. "Welcome to the club."
Nessie rolled her eyes and stormed outside. She stopped at the Volvo and waited for her parents to take her back to school.
She heard footsteps approaching from behind. To her surprise, it was Jasper coming over to speak with her.
"How did you get out of this?" Nessie grumbled.
"Due to my extra abilities, I am well aware of the pain I cause," Jasper said, responding to the injustice in her emotions.
"Yeah, I get it," Renesmee said. "I made a mess."
"Unlike my siblings," Jasper explained. "I chose this lifestyle for very different reasons. You're familiar with my past. The wars, both human and vampire, took their toll on me."
"Yet, you've killed more than everyone else combined," Nessie retorted.
Jasper just chuckled, "Ironic, I know. But in the end, I made a choice."
Nessie said nothing.
"I spent centuries fighting and killing just to fight and kill another day. And for what? There was no end. Even now, the wars wage. I only found peace when I chose to walk away. I tried to find some reason, some good that came of my suffering, but there's none. Everything I fought for was an illusion. Same with the human war, we lost and the world's better for it."
"What are you trying to say?" Nessie asked.
"If you go looking for a fight, you'll always find one, but not everything has to be a battle. Sometimes, the smartest lesson to learn is when to walk away." Jasper said.
I wave of serenity washed over her and she couldn't help but acknowledge the wisdom of his words. Her parents were being gracious enough to allow her to spend time with Nahuel, the least she could do was tolerate attending the stupid memorial.
Edward emerged from the house with the keys to the Volvo, Bella was following close behind. The three of them headed back to the university.
"Speaking of 'sounding like Charlie'," Edward began. "There is one other conversation we need to have."
Nessie had no idea where he was headed. To her horror, Edward began explaining the birds and the bees. She realized he had waited until she couldn't escape to initiate the conversation. Her parents were forced to keep the conversation short due to the brevity of the car ride. As soon as they were back at the dorm, Nessie launched herself out of the car before Edward even had the chance to put the car in park. Kimmy was already fast asleep when she entered her dorm.
Friday was just as sunny as Thursday. Like the day before, Nahuel was waiting for Renesmee on the quad. She smiled as he joined her for class again. Fridays were her least busy day of the week. By noon, they were through with class.
"My parents said they wouldn't stop us from spending time together, but I don't think they're thrilled about it, especially not around campus."
Nahuel nodded, "Do you want to go back to my place?"
"That would be great," Renesmee's heart raced in her chest. She wondered if he could hear it.
The house was much brighter during the day. She could better appreciate the homey décor. She took a seat on the upholstered sofa. It had an outdated floral pattern. He watched her every movement. The look in his eye reminded her of the jungle cat for which he was named. It only enticed her. She wanted him to do more than just watch her.
"There was something Edward said," Renesmee began. Her heart pounded in her chest. She had no idea where to begin. She had never felt this way about anyone before and she didn't want to scare him away.
"What was it?" Nahuel said. His eyes bore into hers.
"He said you wanted to be more than friends," Renesmee said.
"How do you feel about that?" Nahuel said. He took a seat beside her on the loveseat, resting his arm along the back of the couch so his arm was beside her, inches away from her skin.
"I… I want to be more than friends, too," she said. She couldn't think straight with him so close. His smell was tantalizing. He wasn't sweet, like vampires, but it wasn't annoyingly edible like humans.
He reached out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I've never met anyone like you."
"I've never felt this way before," she said.
He leaned in. She felt his breath against her face. She froze in place as he moved in. He pressed his lips gently against hers. Her body responded instantly to the touch. She leaned into the kiss. She wasn't sure exactly what to do, only that she wanted more of it. He brushed his tongue against her bottom lip. His taste was more intoxicating than his smell. She tried her best to mimic his movements. She felt a trail of electricity everywhere his tongue touched, sparking a fire that had her burning. He was patient with her as she figured out how to move her mouth. She fidgeted, not sure what to do with her limbs. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his lap. The movement caught her off guard. She accidentally bit down on his tongue.
Nahuel jerked his head back and let out a surprised hissed.
"Sorry!" she exclaimed and started to pull back. His arms were still around her, preventing her from moving away.
"Be careful," he said playfully. In one swift movement, he twisted her around so she was lying on her back. Her legs hung over the armrest. He crouched over her, like a predator. He whispered into her ear. "I bite back."
A shiver rippled down her spine as his teeth brushed against her ear. His hands were on either side of her head, supporting his weight. He chuckled at the sound of her heart accelerating in her chest. He kissed a line from her ear, down her jawline, to her neck. He stopped there, letting his breath tickle her skin. Nessie didn't know if he was waiting for something, or teasing her. She was desperate to feel his mouth on her again.
She put her hands on his face, intending to guide his head back to her face.
It wasn't necessary. The moment her hands made contact with his face, her train of thought flooded his mind. His response was instantaneous. He pressed his lips back on hers with more force than before. She started to drop her hand but he caught it in his and pressed it back against his cheek.
Without separating his lips from hers, he rose from his crouch, picking her up as he did so. She wrapped her legs around his waist. She wrapped one arm around his neck while her other hand stayed pressed against his cheek. She felt him moving beneath her. She didn't know where they were going, she didn't care.
She felt him fall forward. She collided with a surface sooner and much softer than she anticipated. A bed, she realized.
Nahuel broke the kiss long enough to pull her shirt over her head. He leaned back in and she nearly pounced on him in anticipation of having his bare chest pressed against hers. Her thoughts were a mess, bouncing all over the place. He saw it all. Every thought. Every desire.
He caught her hand before she could tear through her own clothes. He completed the action for her, less destructive than she would've been.
Her free hand was all over him—like she was trying to memorize every detail of him. He did the same, tracing his fingers over her shoulders, her neck, her breasts, her stomach, her hips.
His touch left a trail of fire in its wake. His lips followed the same path, trailing a line of kisses down her neck and collarbone.
Nessie squirmed in frustration. It wasn't enough. She needed more. He listened to her thoughts and adjusted his movements accordingly, pressing his body against hers. She sighed in satisfaction.
He pulled back, hovering inches away from her. Nessie's eyes shot open and she grabbed the back of his head. She was desperate for his lips back on hers.
He chuckled. "How far do you want to go tonight?"
She didn't respond verbally. She let her thoughts speak for her. She didn't exactly know what she wanted, she was new to these desires and she didn't know what to do with them.
All she knew was that she wanted his body against hers.
Nahuel took the lead, answering the question she didn't know how to ask. He was patient with her, guiding her through new territories and sensations, providing context to Edward's brief lecture in the car. He insisted on keeping her hand on his cheek.
She was more exposed than she'd ever been in her life—both physically and mentally. It was exhilarating, like falling through the open air. She didn't want the afternoon to end. She never wanted him to let go.
All too soon, Nahuel pulled back, reminding her he needed to check on the boys.
They made plans to reconvene tomorrow before parting ways.
Chapter Playlist:
Mastermind - Taylor Swift - Nahuel
Gorgeous - Taylor Swift - Renesmee
Happier - Marshmello ft. Bastille - Jacob
Bad Feeling (Oompa Loompa) - Jagwar Twin - Jacob
Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin - Edward
The Gambler - Kenny Rogers - Jasper
What The Hell - Avril Lavigne - Renesmee
I Just Had Sex - The Lonely Island - Renesmee
