Chapter 9
Wednesday came and went—a normal day by all accounts. Bella woke up, went to school with Alice, and sat through all of her classes like usual. But she couldn't bring herself to pay attention in class. Her mind was far too occupied with a certain redhead to care about school at all. It was so bad that when her English teacher called on her to answer a question, she didn't even hear them, merely continuing to stare out the window as they repeatedly called her name. After a stern admonishment and the stifled laughter of her classmates, Bella tried to force herself to pay attention, but alas, only a few minutes went by before her mind wandered off again.
The next day crawled by even slower—agonizingly so. By the time lunch came around, Bella was completely listless, staring down at her food with an absent expression.
"Bella," a voice called from beside her, but she didn't notice it.
Her mind was drawn away from the bustle of the cafeteria. Off to thoughts of fiery red hair, porcelain skin, and those beautiful, piercing scarlet eyes. The way the vampire looked at her, from her teasing smile to the sadistic smirk she so often wore. Gods, even to the way she smelled—the perfect, addicting comfort of it. Every fiber of Bella's being felt as if it were being drawn away, compelled to return. It was a wonder she hadn't, even now.
A firm, cold hand suddenly grasped her shoulder, shaking her from her stupor.
"Hey," Alice called. "Earth to Bella."
Bella furrowed her brows, looking up to the pixie confusedly. "Sorry, were you saying something?"
Alice gave an exasperated sigh. "You really have it bad, don't you?"
When Bella merely tilted her head in response, Alice rolled her eyes before placing a hand over Bella's with a grin.
"I know," she said excitedly. "We should have a girls' night, just the two of us. You can sleep over at our place."
A sleepover at the Cullens' house? It'd been so long since Bella had been over there—not since her birthday, and she wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that. She couldn't imagine it would feel the same as before, not without the family together, them making it feel lived in like it had.
"What about Jasper?" she asked.
Alice waved her off. "He won't mind giving us some space. It's about time for him to go hunting anyway."
Bella furrowed her brows, looking into Alice's eyes. They weren't the rich golden-brown she was used too, but not black either, instead somewhere in-between.
As if anticipating Bella's question—which she probably was—Alice spoke up.
"He's been feeding more often recently," she said softly. "So he doesn't lose control again."
Bella shifted uncomfortably in her seat, the reminder of what'd happened bringing forth a familiar anxiety, but she quickly smothered it before it could take root.
"It wasn't his fault," she said.
Alice nodded lightly. "Maybe, but that doesn't change how awful he still feels about it."
Bella went to respond, but the pixie shook her head.
"Enough about that," she said, brushing off her concern as her grin returned. "You've gotta come over. We could do each other's nails and hair. It'll be fun, I swear."
It wasn't lost on Bella what Alice was trying to do, but she appreciated the distraction regardless. As much as she wanted to see Victoria again, surely it wasn't healthy to be so obsessed. Whatever the case, she would just have to muddle through.
The day continued on, and Bella joined Alice at her place, as was offered. They sat on the couch, a movie playing in the background while Alice painted Bella's nails, gossiping about this and that, doing her best to keep her occupied. It worked, at least for a little while. But soon Bella's thoughts drifted off again, and she couldn't even be annoyed with herself at this point. She just wanted to see Victoria.
Alice noticed her continued distraction, and she placed a hand underneath Bella's chin, making her look up at the pixie. There was concern in her eyes, tempered with sympathy.
"It's only getting harder to stay away from her, isn't it?" she asked.
Bella glanced down for a moment, embarrassed over being read so easily, and she gave a quick nod.
Alice gave an understanding smile. "It'll get better after a while," she said, voice turning wistful as she continued. "Jazz and I were pretty much attached at the hip when we first met. Same with Emmett and Rosalie, along with Carlisle and Esme from what I've been told. The first decade or two is the hardest really."
"That long?" Bella asked, widening her eyes slightly.
Alice nodded. "I'm sure it's even harder for her. Honestly, I'm surprised she can even stay away from you at all like this. She's remarkably strong-willed."
The thought of Victoria struggling to keep away from Bella made her heart skip a beat, and she chewed on the inside of her lip as the longing in her chest grew deeper.
She furrowed her brows then, thinking about why she was made to feel this way. The only reason she couldn't see Victoria whenever she wished was because the vampire couldn't stay in Forks. Not with the wolves protecting the town like they were. In the darkest corner of Bella's mind, the barest flicker of hatred sparked to life at the thought. It was their fault she felt this way—their fault she had to drive over an hour to see her vampire.
"Don't worry," Alice said, seemingly aware of what Bella was thinking. "I won't let the wolves get in between you guys, okay? They won't risk open war with us over you anyway."
Bella looked back up to the pixie, raising a brow. "And here I thought Edward was the mind reader," she said with a sarcastic tone.
Alice chuckled in response. "You're just easy to read," she said amusedly.
"Like an open book," Bella muttered, recalling how Renee often used to call her that.
Shaking herself free of the memory, her expression fell slightly. "What about the treaty though? And you guys are outnumbered right now, aren't you?"
Alice shook her head, wagging a finger in a childish fashion. "Don't underestimate us Swan," she said in a joking manner. "Us Cullens aren't to be trifled with."
Bella rolled her eyes as Alice continued, her tone turning serious again.
"The treaty wasn't for our benefit anyway, just to keep the peace. Even if they outnumber us, they're still too inexperienced to risk a serious fight. And if Victoria joined us against them then they wouldn't stand a chance, especially not with Jazz on our side, so it'll be in their best interest to let it be."
Jasper? Was he really so impressive, or was Alice just biased? Either way, the thought of them all potentially fighting for Bella made her chest grow warm as well as making her heart sink. She couldn't bear the thought of any of them getting hurt—Victoria least of all—but she was still glad that Alice was willing to go to such a degree for her sake.
Still, despite how frustrated Bella was becoming with the situation, that didn't mean she wanted things to turn violent. But she was frustratingly powerless to do anything about it. For now, all she could do was hope it wouldn't come to that.
She wasn't sure how she did it, but somehow Bella got through Friday without incident. Not to say that her longing to see Victoria had diminished at all. No, on the contrary, by the time Saturday finally rolled around, Bella felt practically ready to explode, waking up early in the morning to get ready.
Like before, she'd made sure to wash her clothes the night prior. Alice had explained to her that the wolves' sense of smell was somehow even greater than vampires', and so it did help somewhat in hiding her trail out of Forks. So if they wanted to track her down, they'd have to do it the hard way.
With Alice covering for Bella in case the Quileutes noticed her absence, she headed to Port Angeles with a clear head. She pulled up to Victoria's hotel, but as she was getting out of her truck, Victoria was suddenly there.
"You kept me waiting," she said with a pout.
Bella smiled as she shut the door behind her, meeting Victoria's eyes as they drew near each other. The longing ache in her chest settled down immediately upon sight of the redhead, and she could swear the same happened for the vampire, judging by the fading tension in her shoulders.
The impatience and—dare she say—possessiveness behind the woman's gaze was evident, and Alice's words from Tuesday returned to the forefront of Bella's mind.
Victoria loved her.
Bella still hadn't quite believed it before, but gazing into the woman's eyes, seeing the obvious, raw affection behind them, she couldn't figure out how she'd ever missed it in the first place. But why hadn't Victoria said anything? Why hadn't she simply confessed her feelings and asked Bella if she felt the same? Maybe Victoria was just afraid of scaring her off, but whatever the case, Bella's own feelings towards the woman were such a tangled mess that she didn't know how to express them either. The one thing she did know for certain was that she was happy to see the vampire again.
Bella broke into an uncontrollable grin as she looked slightly upwards at the woman. "It's only been four days," she said.
Victoria shook her head, reaching over and grasping Bella's hands in her own. "Too long. We'll need to make up for lost time."
"What did you have in mind?" Bella asked, suppressing a shiver from the contact.
The vampire's eyes took on a sadistic edge. "You'll see," she said, before turning and dragging Bella to her car.
Bella recoiled inwardly from the vampire's expression, but whatever she had planned, it couldn't be too bad now, could it?
Only thirty minutes later and Bella realized just how wrong she'd been. Victoria knew for a fact at this point that 'coordination' and 'Bella' didn't belong in the same sentence. In the same plane of reality even. So the sight of the ice-skating rink before her made her realize something. She'd signed a deal with the devil, falling for such a woman.
Bella's faltering expression did nothing to deter Victoria, however, and she sat her down on a bench and fastened her skates for her.
Bella swallowed nervously. "I don't think this is such a good idea."
Victoria laughed, the amusement clear in her eyes. "You'll be fine," she said, her tone growing flirtatious as she continued. "And just think. If you fall, I'll be there to catch you."
The vampire winked at her, and Bella's cheeks flushed in response. While the kiss from before hadn't changed much between them on the surface—Victoria's flirtations mostly a normality at this point—her attentions took on a whole different meaning to Bella now.
Victoria helped her to her feet, and they headed out to the ice a few moments later.
As Bella thought she would, she ended up stumbling countless times, but true to her word, Victoria was there to steady her. And each time it happened, Victoria's touch sent Bella reeling, sending electricity through her skin wherever Victoria's fingers went. It was enough to make Bella almost want to fall on purpose, if only to feel the vampire's arms around her. The only thing that stopped her was the embarrassment.
By the end of their time there—while Bella couldn't say she was exactly good at skating yet—she'd learned not to fall down nearly as often.
They left the rink around noon and, as she'd done before, Victoria dragged her all around town for the rest of the day. And Bella loved every second of it.
The sun was beginning to set when they decided to head back to the hotel, and Bella's expectations of getting home that night dwindled as it did. Especially since Victoria insisted she stay the night again, much to Bella's delight, though she tried to hide her excitement.
Bella accepted, of course, and they put on The Two Towers to watch together. And like before, she fell asleep soon after.
When the morning came, Victoria cooked her breakfast again. It was French Toast this time. A little more elaborate than simple eggs and bacon, yet the vampire didn't stumble in the slightest with it.
As Bella took her first bite, she couldn't help the groan she made from the taste.
Victoria fidgeted around nervously in response. "…That's a good sign I take it? You like it?"
Bella rolled her eyes as she finished chewing. "You know, we need to find something you're not literally perfect at. You're making the rest of us look bad."
The vampire's eyes lit up, and she gave a sultry smile as she drew nearer to Bella. "Impossible. Nothing could ever make you look any less appealing."
A shiver ran its way down Bella's spine, a tingling excitement settling in her lower belly. She shrunk back under Victoria's gaze, her cheeks flushing red as she did, and the pleasure in Victoria's eyes was clear.
Bella's excitement refused to dissipate as she continued with her meal, and so she knew it was time for her to go. Any longer and she'd be unable to bring herself to leave.
Victoria walked her to her truck again, but this time around the redhead didn't hesitate with her actions. She grabbed Bella, pulling her closer and wrapping her arms around her. She stared deeply into Bella's eyes as she held her, and Bella's mind grew hazy like before. But this time was somehow worse—the vampire pressing herself against Bella in a highly intimate fashion.
"Stay," Victoria pleaded.
Bella swallowed nervously, eyes flickering down to Victoria's lips as she struggled to regain her composure. The woman's affections were so blatantly obvious at this point, and yet she still didn't give voice to her feelings, letting her actions speak for her. Her cool arms around Bella's back, body pressed closely to hers as she pressured Bella with her gaze. It was too much to handle. The urge to embrace Victoria back—to close the distance between their lips—was overwhelming, and so it came as a shock, even to Bella, when she somehow managed to speak.
"…I'll be back next weekend," she said between shallow breaths.
Victoria couldn't hide her disappointment, but neither did she appear to try. Instead, she lightly nodded, releasing Bella from her hold. She then raised a hand, brushing the back of her fingers across Bella's cheek.
"Maybe next time then," Victoria said softly.
Bella gazed longingly into the vampire's eyes, and she wondered to herself; if Victoria wanted her so badly, then why did she give in so easily? Did she respect Bella's decisions so much? If that was the case, then Bella wished, for the first time in a long time, that her choices wouldn't be respected. That the vampire would simply do as she pleased with her. The very thought of it was so incredibly enticing.
Victoria broke Bella from her thoughts, moving forward while taking care not to startle her. She pressed her lips to Bella's cheek, eliciting a shiver from her. The vampire's lips lingered for a few seconds before she slowly pulled away, gazing back into her eyes.
"Don't keep me waiting too long," Victoria said, her tone quiet and affectionate.
Her gaze lingered for just another moment before she backed away.
Bella watched as the vampire walked at human speed back into the hotel; slowly this time, as if wanting to linger nearby for as long as possible.
It took every ounce of Bella's will to do so, but she turned around and got into her truck. She stared up at the hotel for several long seconds before finally turning the ignition and pulling out of the parking lot.
Wednesday night football was a staple for Charlie, but what was less usual was the presence of both Billy and Jacob. Bella wasn't pleased about them being there if she were honest. She'd had far too much of the Quileute's meddling recently, even if she hadn't actually seen them around so much. But even still, she put aside her distaste for Billy for her father's sake, if nothing else. At least Jacob was a welcome enough sight.
Bella had spent some time after school preparing their meal—steak and potatoes—and it occurred to her that it was the first time she'd actually cooked for her father in months. So at least some sense of normalcy was returning.
As they sat around the table eating their food, a familiar topic came about.
"Hey Bells," Charlie said, breaking the conversation about football he'd been having with Billy. "When do you plan on bringing that Victoria around?"
Bella froze in her seat, and she hastily glanced over to Billy, whose expression was suddenly gloomy.
She mentally pleaded for her father to shut up. If Billy found out she'd still been seeing Victoria, it'd be such a headache to deal with.
Beside her, she vaguely noticed Jacob growing tense as well, gripping his fork tightly in his hands.
Bella tried to play it off, rolling her eyes. "Dad, I told you it's not like that. She's just a friend."
Jacob relaxed in response to her words, and she glanced over to him confusedly.
Charlie didn't appear convinced, much to Bella's dismay, and his next words were exactly those which she'd wanted him to avoid. "Be that as it may, you've slept over two nights with her now. I'd like to meet the woman my daughter is spending time with."
Billy's expression grew dark, and he glared at Bella with clear displeasure in his eyes.
Bella, for her part, just brought a hand to her forehead and rubbed at her temples. A headache had been putting it lightly. She'd hoped to continue ignoring the Quileutes for as long as possible, but it seemed a moot point to her now.
She gave a deep sigh, pointedly ignoring Billy's gaze. "Let's talk about this later, okay?"
Before Charlie could respond, Bella rose from her seat, leaving the dining room and heading to the backyard.
She stepped outside, but as she was closing the door behind her, a voice called out from inside.
"Hey Bella, wait up," Jacob called out.
Bella turned, raising a brow as he bounded over. The bright grin on his face was infectious, and Bella already felt her mood recovering a little.
She rolled her eyes as he squeezed out the door to join her, neglecting to shut it behind him.
"Didn't the whole 'walking off' thing clue you in that I wanted to be alone?" she asked.
Jacob ignored her, his grin growing wider. "You shoulda seen my dad's face when you left. I haven't seen him get like that since my sister cut her hair short that one time."
"…So what, he's a homophobe?"
He shook his head with a laugh. "Nah. He's just old school. Doesn't think women should be so 'improper' and all that."
Bella quirked a brow, tilting her head as she looked at Jacob in a new light. 'Old school' sounded more like 'misogynistic' to her ear, but perhaps she was being too harsh. Jacob didn't seem to mean anything by it, and he hadn't ever treated her poorly or anything, so she ought to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Jacob started shifting around on his feet after moment, appearing nervous for some reason.
"Is something the matter?" Bella asked.
"It's nothing, really," he said, pausing for a second before seeming to work up his courage. "Actually, would you be willing to-… um, I mean, what have you been up to lately?"
Bella looked at him strangely, thrown off by his behavior. He'd cut himself off mid-sentence and seemed to be kicking himself for it for whatever reason. Whatever the case, Bella chose to play along.
"Not much," she shrugged. "Just school mostly. Though I guess I had a sleepover with Alice last week?"
Jacob's posture suddenly tensed up at the mention of Alice's name, and Bella had a flashback to Embry's behavior in the mall.
She subtly shifted backwards a little, hoping she was wrong about that.
"The Cullen?" he asked, his voice dropping an octave as he did.
"…Yes? Is there a problem with that?"
Jacob furrowed his brows confusedly, his shoulders relaxing as he did. "I… no, of course not. Sorry, I'm not sure what got into me there."
An awkward silence fell between them for a few moments before Jacob spoke up again.
"So hey," he said, rubbing his neck awkwardly as he did. "I was wondering… well, I mean, what I wanted to say earlier…"
Bella tensed, apprehensively looking over the nervous Jacob as she figured out what was happening.
Jacob took a deep breath before continuing. "I have a couple of movie tickets a friend gave me. Would you like to…?" he trailed off, leaving the obvious implication to carry the rest of his question.
Bella hesitated for several moments, struggling to find the words to let him down gently. "I… I'm sorry Jacob. I'm not really interested in that sort of thing."
Her response must've somehow struck a nerve, because his body tensed up again.
"It's because of that woman, right?" he asked, unable to keep the spite from his voice.
Taken aback by his attitude, Bella crossed her arms, standing her ground. How arrogant—to assume she'd say yes if Victoria weren't in the picture.
"That's presumptuous of you, don't you think?" she asked with a scathing tone. "Even if that was the case, it's none of your damn business. Or your father's for that matter. The both of you can-"
Bella cut herself off as Jacob's expression suddenly twisted, an irrational rage clouding his eyes. She backed away as his breathing grew labored and heavy, quickly glancing around for possible escape routes as she did. But before Jacob could do whatever it was he was going to, a voice cut in between them.
"Son?" Billy called, appearing in the open door.
Jacob flinched a little, breaking from his stupor as he did. He glanced over to Billy for a moment before returning back to Bella. His eyes grew wide and expression regretful as he looked at her.
"I'm sorry Bella. I-I don't know what happened just now."
Bella ignored him, looking over to Billy and catching the concern in his expression.
"C'mon son," Billy said, gesturing inside with his chin. "I think we ought to get you home."
Jacob furrowed his brows, looking back to his father before giving a light nod. He then wordlessly went back inside.
Billy watched him as he went, turning back to Bella after a moment.
Bella met his gaze with narrowed eyes. "I don't suppose I could convince you all to stay out of my business?"
Billy's gaze darkened. "So it's true then? You're willingly spending time with that monster?"
His insult of Victoria had Bella gritting her teeth, and she worked to suppress her building irritation.
"It doesn't concern you," she said bitingly.
Billy huffed in response, shaking his head in disapproval. "How can you be okay with this? Do you have any idea how many people she's killed—how many lives she's ruined?"
Bella briefly glanced down, guilt weighing on her heart as she listened to Billy's words. He wasn't wrong—she knew this—but it wouldn't change anything. No matter what Victoria was guilty of, Bella knew she'd end up forgiving her. Such were her feelings for the vampire.
She looked back up, hardening her gaze as she met his eyes. "It doesn't matter," she said dismissively, causing Billy to widen his eyes. "I'm going to keep seeing her, and you and your mutts can mind your own damn business."
The bite in her tone took even her off guard, her budding hatred for the wolves inadvertently bleeding into her voice.
Billy stared at Bella in shock for several moments, as if seeing her in a new light, but then his eyes narrowed and he shook his head, challenging her glare with his own. "Don't think this is over."
Bella kept his eyes for only another moment before snorting and turning away in a huff.
Billy sat still, remaining in the doorway for a few more seconds before quietly sighing and wheeling himself away.
When he was finally gone, Bella relaxed her posture, rubbing her temples in frustration. She'd have to tell Alice about this. Hopefully the pixie was right, and she could get the wolves to stand down, but Bella had hoped things would turn out differently.
She racked her brain for a bit, searching for a way to delay the issue for a while longer, but after failing to come up with anything, she turned to the other matter which concerned her.
Charlie wanted to meet Victoria.
He clearly knew there was something going on between them, and Bella could only lament her rotten luck.
Bella furrowed her brows, wondering just how a meeting between her father and the vampire would go. It was then that she had a sudden idea. While she couldn't avoid confronting the wolves forever, at the very least she could put it off for another week. After that… well, she'd just deal with that when the time came.
.
.
Bella laid on her bed, clutching her pillow close as she pressed her phone to her ear. It only rang once before the line connected, and the musical voice from the other end sent shivers down her spine.
"Miss me already?" Victoria asked, and Bella could tell the woman was wearing a smirk as she did.
Bella smiled, biting her lip in response. "…You know I do. No need to tease me about it."
Victoria chuckled on the other end. "Maybe if your reactions weren't so adorable I'd be able to control myself better."
Bella squirmed in bed, burying her face further in her pillow to hide her blush from no one in particular.
Victoria spoke up again after a moment. "Not that I'm not happy about it or anything, but is there a reason you called, or did you just want to talk?"
The woman's question made Bella grow still, and she furrowed her brows, annoyed that she had to bother with this in the first place. But, with a sigh, she told Victoria what'd happened. And the vampire's response was about what Bella expected.
"Are you sure I can't deal with that man?" Victoria asked, irritation clear in her tone. "The wolves won't be able to hurt me, I promise."
Bella shook her head out of habit. "Please don't," she said, thinking more for Charlie's sake than for any moral reason at this point. "For me."
The vampire sighed. "And the wolves? Tell me I can at least kill them."
"Victoria," Bella warned.
The image of the shifter Bella had seen—Sam if she remembered correctly—was still imprinted in her mind, and she couldn't even imagine Victoria facing several of them down alone, nor did she want to. She didn't doubt Victoria's abilities exactly, but she didn't relish the idea of her potentially getting hurt for Bella's sake. The wolves' lives were merely a secondary concern if she was being honest with herself, and her realization of this made her a little uneasy, but she was done lying to herself about it.
"Fine," Victoria said reluctantly. "But if they so much as touch you, I won't take no for an answer again."
There was an edge to the woman's voice which should have unsettled Bella, but instead, all it did was send her heart aflutter, making her squirm all over again.
Victoria continued. "Alright, so how do you want to handle them then? We can't keep ignoring them like we have been, and as much as I adore the idea of you sneaking out to see me, it's obvious they'll try to interfere even more with you now."
Bella smiled to herself, noticing how it wasn't even a question to Victoria that Bella would keep visiting.
"We can deal with that next time," she said, recalling her idea from earlier. "But actually, there's an easier way for this time around I think. Charlie wants to meet you, so if you'd be okay with it, I could have him come to Port Angeles with me? The wolves wouldn't be able to interfere without revealing themselves to him."
Victoria hummed to herself. "That's one way I guess," she said, sounding dissatisfied for some reason. "But what about after that?"
Bella furrowed her brows, thinking back to her conversation with Alice.
"…I'll talk to Alice about it," she said reluctantly. "I'm sure she'll know what to do."
"Would she really help us out?" Victoria asked dubiously. "Last I saw of her, her mate tried to give me a heart attack with that ability of his."
Bella nodded. "We've worked things out, and she's offered to help however she can."
"…Well, I won't stop you guys from trying, but do you really think the wolves can be reasoned with?"
Bella hesitated, suddenly unsure of herself. While her motivation for peace with the wolves was ostensibly because she abhorred violence, deep down she knew that wasn't truly the case. Would she really be upset if the wolves were killed? Probably a little, but if she were honest with herself, their keeping Victoria away was—by itself—enough to harden her heart to their fates. But even if she couldn't bring herself to care much about the wolves, the thought of Alice—or worse, Victoria—getting hurt was unbearable.
"I'd like to try at least," she finally said. "I really don't want you guys all fighting over me."
After a moment, Victoria spoke again, her voice taking on a pleading tone. "You could always just stay with me after your father leaves on Saturday. I promise I won't bite…" She paused, taking on a sultry tone as she continued. "Unless you ask me to that is."
Bella closed her eyes, biting her lower lip as she failed to suppress a shiver. "I… I can't," she said softly, her heart sinking at the sound of her own refusal.
There was a long pause, and right as Bella began to grow anxious, Victoria finally responded.
"How rude," she said playfully. "Introducing me to your father, but still you won't commit to me? And here I thought I was the tease."
Bella rolled her eyes with a huff before Victoria continued.
"Well, we'll see if you still feel the same after Saturday," she said with a mischievous tone.
"What that supposed to mean?" Bella asked.
Victoria chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Bella could only pout at the vampire's response, cryptic as it was. Surely she wouldn't do anything too over-the-top, right?
The conversation soon turned to less serious matters. They talked and talked about nothing in particular, and it was well past midnight when Bella started struggling to keep her eyes open.
She let out a yawn, and Victoria chuckled on the other end. "I think you should get some rest. We'll see each other on Saturday."
Bella yawned a second time before answering. "Alright. I-" she cut herself off, swallowing the words she was about to say. She then shook her head and changed course. "I'll see you then."
Victoria paused for a moment herself before responding. "Goodnight Bella," she said affectionately.
A moment later the line went dead.
Bella stared at her phone, gripping it close to her chest as her throat tightened. The words she'd held back lingered on her lips, unspoken yet fervent. And so, in lieu of telling Victoria directly, she clutched the device tighter, whispering them quietly like a prayer to herself.
"…I love you."
Bella awoke Thursday morning to the smell of coffee. She walked downstairs to see Charlie reading from a newspaper, and she couldn't help but notice the headline—a missing persons report in Seattle.
"Mornin' Bells. Coffee's still hot if you want some."
She furrowed her brows, grabbing a cup before sitting at the table. Her eyes were drawn towards the picture on the front page, held in front of her while Charlie read the sports section. The name in particular caught her eye—'Riley Biers'.
Bella didn't know for certain, but she had a sinking feeling she knew where he'd gone. Port Angeles wasn't the most populated city after all, so it made sense that Victoria might be hunting in Seattle to avoid suspicion.
A nauseous feeling settled over Bella's stomach as she recalled Billy's accusations from the night before. Every one of Victoria's victims was more than just a number. They were a name—a person, with hopes and dreams, and with families of their own.
Even now, she didn't regret her love for the vampire, but the recognition of her complicity in what was happening was still a tough pill to swallow. She knew it was selfish—loving someone whose very existence meant the death of others—but even as the guilt gnawed at her, she couldn't bring herself to stop. And what was worse, if Alice was right and Bella ended up accepting Victoria's offer—a prospect that was only seeming more likely as time went on—then Bella wouldn't just be a bystander any longer. No, she would be much worse—a participant. And the thought of herself being the cause of more such headlines made her suddenly sick to her stomach.
"You're lookin' a little rough there," Charlie said, placing the newspaper on the table. "You okay for school?"
Bella nodded slightly. "Yeah, just lightheaded. I'll be fine in a minute."
Charlie grunted in response and went back to his reading.
It took several more minutes, but she finally began to recover. Even if she ended up choosing that path, what Victoria said before was at least some peace of mind. If her conscience was bound to change from the transformation, then surely the guilt wouldn't be so crippling afterwards as it was now.
Bella steeled her heart, pushing those worries away for now. No matter how she chose, she would learn to live with the decision. She'd have to.
She looked back up to Charlie, summoning the courage to ask the question she'd been meaning to.
"Hey Dad, you said you wanted to meet Victoria, right?"
He dropped his newspaper again and nodded. "Finally listening to your old man?" he asked with a smirk.
Bella rolled her eyes. "Well, actually, she's had some car trouble recently, so she won't be able to visit Forks herself. Would you be willing to come to Port Angeles with me on Saturday?"
Charlie narrowed his eyes slightly. "How's she been getting around then?"
"Oh," Bella hesitated, caught off guard by his question. "She uh… I think she's been renting taxis or something. She's pretty well off, so she can afford it."
He raised a brow, clearly not entirely believing her. "Look Bells, I know you're nervous about me meeting your girlfriend, but you don't have to make up stories or anything to keep me away."
Bella suddenly choked on the coffee she was drinking, completely caught off guard by his words.
She recovered a moment later, wiping some of the liquid from her lips. "Dad," she whined in complaint.
He shook his head. "No use in continuing to deny it Bells. I can see it plain as day in your face. You haven't been this happy in forever."
Her cheeks grew warm from the accusation, but she didn't open her mouth to retort, merely stewing in her embarrassment.
After a moment she spoke up again. "I was serious about the car thing though. She really can't make it here. That's why I've been driving to Port Angeles to see her every weekend."
He quirked a brow, appraising her for another moment before nodding. "I think I can swing Saturday. You'll want to stay overnight again though I take it?"
Bella nodded.
"Alright. I can take the cruiser and follow behind you then. Any plans for the food?"
Bella tilted her head, furrowing her brows.
Charlie responded to her unspoken question. "If I'm heading all the way over there, we're going to a nice restaurant. It's slim pickings here in town, unless you consider The Lodge to be high dining."
Bella stifled a sigh, mentally apologizing to Victoria as she nodded. Forcing the vampire to meet her father was already awkward enough, but being made to eat human food on top of that? She just hoped Victoria could put up with it.
Half an hour later, Bella started getting ready for school, and Alice came knocking right as she was about to leave.
"Hey Bella," she said, gleeful as ever.
Bella could only wonder if the pixie had seen what'd happened between her and Billy the previous night. If she had, her expression didn't show it.
Alice stood up on her toes, poking her head over Bella's shoulders before waving behind her.
"Hey Charlie," she said.
"Mornin' Alice," Charlie called from behind.
The pixie returned to the ground with a grin. "You wanna get going?"
Bella shook her head exasperatedly before walking out, saying her goodbyes to Charlie before shutting the door. She then turned to Alice with a raised brow, but before she could ask her question, the pixie went ahead and answered.
"Yes, I saw," she said, a flicker of seriousness behind her eyes. "Well, I saw your call with Victoria anyway. Jacob must be close to shifting, cause I couldn't see very well until he left."
Bella furrowed her brows before nodding. "Yeah, I think it happened to him last night. He was acting really aggressive before he left."
Alice tensed up, looking at Bella with a concerned expression. "He didn't hurt you, right?"
They reached Bella's truck as the pixie asked her question, and Bella leaned against it, shaking her head. "No, but he looked like he might've if Billy hadn't shown up."
She spotted a flicker of anger in Alice's eyes as she spoke, and Bella shifted uncomfortably as she continued.
"I've never seen him get like that before," she said with a thoughtful tone. "I don't really know him very well, but he almost seemed like a different person."
Alice nodded. "It's a wolf thing," she said matter-of-factly. "I haven't seen it myself since I wasn't around the first time our family came to Forks—back when Ephraim Black was the leader of the pack—but Carlisle thinks their transformations are triggered by rage, at least until they get used to shifting."
Bella thought back to Embry's sudden outburst from the mall, and she hummed in agreement.
"Whatever you do, you should avoid him from now on," Alice said, a concerned edge to her tone. "Their emotions are too volatile, and if he lost control around you-"
"Don't worry," Bella interrupted, causing the pixie to stick her lips out in a pout. "I have no intention of hanging around him again."
She'd liked Jacob before, but her goodwill towards him had soured after last night. Perhaps she shouldn't have been too surprised, but she'd hoped that—out of any of them—at least Jacob would be decent. But that was clearly too much to ask for. Even if he got his bouts of anger under control, she was none too pleased with his attitude towards her. She couldn't control if he and Billy came visiting Charlie at times, but she wouldn't be joining them for dinner again.
Alice hesitated, looking tentatively at Bella before responding. "…Well, just be careful, okay?"
Bella gave a light nod before turning around and unlocking her truck. But as she opened the door, she heard Alice suddenly hiss from behind her.
Bella turned to see what was happening, catching Alice staring off at the tree line in the distance. When she turned in the direction Alice was looking, Bella spotted a vague outline in the shadows of the trees. It shuffled slightly, barely shifting the brush as it did.
She grimaced, letting out an irritated tsk. "Let's go Alice. Just let them be for now."
The pixie glanced over to her, reluctantly nodding as she did.
After Bella got in the truck and turned the ignition, she looked back to the forest. Although she was looking in the same spot as before, the figure was nowhere to be seen. But despite their apparent absence, she could still feel eyes on her, and she fidgeted in her seat at the feeling.
Alice flashed around to the other side after a moment and climbed into the passenger seat, but she kept her eyes locked on the forest the whole time. It wasn't until Bella pulled out of the driveway that the pixie finally relaxed, turning to Bella with an irritated look in her eyes.
"Do you really plan on just ignoring them for another week?" she asked with a huff. "We can deal with this tonight if Victoria is willing to help."
Bella averted her eyes from the pixie, nervously focusing back on the road as she drove.
Alice's expression grew concerned again, and she placed a hand on Bella's shoulder.
"I promise you we won't get hurt," she said softly. "That's what you're worried about, right?"
Bella's eyes flickered over to the pixie for a moment, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.
She hesitated for a moment before sighing deeply. "I don't want Victoria anywhere near them," she said, her tone growing strained. "Even just the thought of her getting injured because of me…" she trailed off, her grip growing even tighter and her knuckles turning white from the strain.
Understanding dawned on Alice's face, and she nodded lightly. "I understand, but Victoria can handle herself."
"I know that," Bella said, unintentionally raising her voice.
Victoria's ability would keep her safe. Bella knew this, and yet every time she imagined the woman fighting—especially for her sake—her heart would seize painfully in her chest, and it would suddenly feel like she couldn't breathe, as if the air had been forcibly stripped from her lungs.
The logical part of her mind knew she was being irrational, but she couldn't help it. If Victoria did end up getting hurt, she didn't know if she could handle that, because even the very thought was too painful to consider.
Alice tightened her grip slightly on Bella's shoulder, her voice turning sympathetic as she spoke up again.
"Have you talked to her about your worries?" she asked softly.
Bella furrowed her brows, shaking her head.
Alice nodded, apparently expecting that. "I know all of this is still new for you, but you can't keep putting things off. The sooner you confide in her, the easier things will be." She paused for a moment, her tone growing firm as she continued. "I'm sure it's hard for you too, but how do you think she feels—letting you be here in Forks on your own, surrounded by not just other vampires, but the wolves as well?"
Bella's breath caught at the pixie's words, and she looked over to Alice with wide eyes as she continued.
"I know it might not mean much, coming from me, but she respects you enough to let you choose for yourself. You should do the same with her, don't you think?"
Alice's words rang true, and a sudden shame washed over Bella as she realized how selfish she was being. She wanted to protect Victoria, and there was no shame in that, but the way she'd been thinking about it was wrong. It was almost as if she were treating the vampire the same way Edward had treated Bella—like a fragile little dove—and the realization was sobering. She remembered oh too clearly how infantilizing it felt being with him, and she grit her teeth at the memory. What she ever saw in him to look past that feeling, she'd never know. Whatever the case, she was just glad that Alice pointed it out so she could nip that attitude in the bud. It would be a cold day in hell before she would let herself be like him.
"Thanks," Bella said quietly, working up her courage as she continued. "I think I'll talk to her on Saturday. Tell her how I feel."
Alice smiled brightly at her, and Bella looked away bashfully, scratching nervously at her cheek.
Though she said that, she had no idea how she would go about it. Even thinking of confessing her feelings set a lump in her throat, and she could only hope that when she saw the vampire next, she'd somehow summon the courage.
Saturday found Bella and Charlie leaving around eleven in the morning. When she'd gotten into her truck, she'd stared out to the forest, curious if she would spot one of the wolves again. And though she hadn't seen anything, the goosebumps on the back of her neck told of being watched, and she could feel the eyes on her as she drove, though she didn't know from where.
As she'd expected, the presence of Charlie's cruiser behind her seemed to keep the wolves at bay—for now, at the very least. This gave her just enough peace of mind to focus on the road ahead, and she spent the rest of the drive blatantly ignoring their presence.
They arrived in Port Angeles a little over an hour later, and Bella pulled into the hotel parking lot. She couldn't suppress her disappointment that Victoria wasn't there to greet her the moment she arrived, but it made sense. No point in rousing Charlie's suspicions.
"This place is pretty nice," Charlie said as they walked in the entrance together.
Bella nodded with furrowed brows. Though the hotel might've been lacking compared to what the Cullens might've afforded, that didn't mean it was poor or anything. Maybe her perspective on wealth had gotten mixed up somewhere along the line, because it only seemed normal to her now.
Regardless, they headed up to the second floor, and Bella led Charlie to Victoria's room. By habit, she reached for the key in her pocket without thinking, and Charlie gave her the strangest look.
"You guys are that serious already?" he asked with a raised brow.
Bella's face deepened a shade as she froze, startled by the question. She glanced between him and the key in her hand before pocketing it again. After that, she cleared her throat to shed her embarrassment before knocking instead.
Several seconds went by before a sound came from the door, with it opening a moment later. And Bella could only stand there, utterly frozen, as the shock of what she saw washed over her.
She'd only ever seen Victoria in casual clothing before, but what she was wearing now was something special. An elegant red dress, the hem of which came only partway down, exposing her porcelain legs. Her feet were adorned with a pair of black high heels, granting her a further couple inches of height over Bella.
Bella's eyes were drawn upwards, greedily taking in every inch of the sight. The top of the dress was decidedly chaste, securely covering everything of the vampire's chest and even upper arms, and yet the neckline was still low enough to show her collarbones, peeking out just the slightest bit. And framing it all was that very familiar face which Bella had come to love. The only blemish to it all was the slight violet tinting to Victoria's eyes, and Bella wished she could reach over and take the vampire's contacts out—to see how their reds complimented the rest of her.
Bella wasn't the only one taken off guard by the sight. Charlie froze the same as her, standing still as the vampire's gaze turned to her, taking Bella in with a thirst which sent her heart racing in her chest.
She had only a single thought in her mind; it was good that Charlie was there with her. Otherwise, it wouldn't be Victoria who'd be struggling to control herself this time. Charlie's presence grounded Bella just enough to maintain her composure, though it was already a vague thing to her, breathless as she was. And she had to wonder why the woman had gone to such effort. Perhaps it was for Charlie's sake—to make a good impression—but Bella knew better. Victoria's cryptic words from Wednesday night. The vampire's eyes raking over her with visible desire. They made Bella certain; this show was for her, not her father. The yearning ache in her chest grew even more pronounced at the realization, but she needed to control herself—if only for now.
"You must be Charlie," Victoria said, turning to him with a bright smile. "I've heard so much about you."
The vampire reached over to shake his hand, and Bella noticed how she was wearing a pair of silk gloves, surely for this very purpose.
Charlie cleared his throat, the lightest splotches of red coloring his cheeks as he shook her hand. "I'd say the same, but Bella's been pretty tight-lipped about you."
Victoria quirked a brow, looking at Bella with amusement in her eyes. "Has she now? Well, now is as good a time as any I suppose." She gave Charlie another smile before turning back to the room behind her. "I'll actually need another minute to get ready. You both can wait for me downstairs if you'd like."
Charlie grunted in acknowledgement, and the vampire's eyes flickered over to Bella for a moment before lightly closing the door behind her.
Bella tilted her head as she looked at the closed door. Victoria's manner of speaking was different around Charlie, as if she were trying to give off a good impression, and Bella wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.
The two headed back down, and Charlie suddenly voiced his thoughts. "Jacob was right about her," he said with a crooked smile. "She's a stunner alright."
Bella tried in vain to suppress her discomfort from his reaction, but then Charlie turned to her with a joking smile.
"Didn't think my daughter was such a lady killer."
"Dad," Bella whined embarrassingly, her face growing red.
She had a sinking suspicion that this wouldn't be the last time that day she'd have to deal with him poking fun. She could only hope he wouldn't be too relentless about it.
.
.
It was a steakhouse they ended up going to for lunch. Nothing super fancy—so as not to break the bank—but rather nice regardless. Bella looked over her menu, continuously flickering her eyes to Victoria. The woman appeared unaffected by the situation however, despite Bella's worry.
The waiter came over soon after, giving special attention to Victoria as people tended to do. But, unlike usual, Victoria didn't make thinly veiled, threatening remarks of any kind, nor did she stare unashamedly at the man's neck. Instead, she was the picture of civility as she ordered her drink.
"So," Charlie started as the waiter left, "what is it you do for a living? You seem to be pretty well off if you don't mind me saying."
Victoria smiled at him as Bella merely glanced between them nervously.
"I'm in-between situations at the moment," she said lightly, brushing off his question as subtly as she could. "I tend to travel around, so keeping a position for any length of time can be more of a hassle than it's worth."
Charlie widened his eyes very slightly, and Bella could tell he was impressed. Whether due to Victoria's implication that money wasn't an issue or perhaps something else, Bella wasn't sure.
"How long have you been in Port Angeles?" he asked.
She hummed in response. "Longer than usual. But I've found reason to stick around for a while."
Victoria's eyes lingered on Bella for a moment, causing her to squirm in her seat from the attention, her pulse quickening as she did.
Charlie grunted a response, going to ask another question when the waiter returned.
He went about getting their orders, starting with Victoria first. Bella had been wondering what she'd get, knowing she'd be unable to enjoy whatever it was, but when she ordered the Filet Mignon cooked medium-rare, Bella just couldn't help herself.
The waiter left after taking her and Charlie's orders, and Bella hummed lightly, smirking as she did. "I thought for sure you'd go for rare," she quipped.
Victoria rolled her eyes, amused by her snark. "Medium-rare is the best way to cook steak. Rare is too… bloody, don't you think?"
The way she asked that last part—eyeing her up as she did—made Bella swallow nervously, averting her eyes as she scratched at her cheek.
Charlie hummed in response, seemingly unaware of the loaded exchange between them. "I'd argue for medium myself. Medium-rare is still a little red for my tastes."
Bella tilted her head, looking back and forth between them as they started discussing the pros and cons of different cuts and cooks of meat. And Bella couldn't believe the situation. A vampire—Victoria least of all—just having a casual conversation about human food with her father. It was so strange.
After a minute, the conversation turned back to Charlie's interrogation of her, and Bella was almost relieved at this. Of all topics, perhaps only fishing would've been less interesting to her.
Even still, it wasn't like she was really participating in the conversation. Victoria seemed to be holding her own, so she wasn't all that eager to jump in, choosing to simply tune them out as she stared out the window. But Victoria wasn't having that—glancing at Bella with apparent dissatisfaction. Victoria's calf suddenly brushed against Bella's leg, sending a shiver up her spine. She instinctively turned back to the vampire, catching a glint of mischief behind her eyes, along with a silent promise of something that made her heart skip. Before she could process it, Victoria turned back to Charlie, but her leg remained, its presence keeping Bella off balance.
The food arrived relatively quickly, and Bella glanced over at the vampire, eyeing her anxiously. But despite Bella's worry, it was with only the slightest hesitation that Victoria grabbed her fork and took a bite of her food. Bella could see the barest hints of struggle in the redhead's eyes as she suppressed a grimace, but she hid it quite well.
Victoria stared at her again when Charlie became distracted—focused on cutting his steak. Her gaze roamed up and down Bella's body, undressing her with her eyes as she did.
Bella felt a slight haze settle over her vision as a familiar excitement settled in her lower belly, but Victoria immediately quit her staring when Charlie looked back up. And Bella could only chew on her lower lip as the vampire continued rubbing her leg against hers. It would be far too embarrassing if Charlie noticed what was happening, but luckily for Bella, he remained oblivious.
The conversation between Charlie and Victoria soon resumed, and Bella started paying attention again when a topic of interest came up.
"You know," Charlie started, "you strike me as a little young to be out on your own like you are. How old are you exactly?"
Victoria hummed a response, unbothered by his directness. And Bella subtly leaned forward, curious about what age she would give. Obviously it wouldn't be her real one, but Bella had never asked how old she was when she was turned, so she couldn't help but be curious.
The vampire clearly noticed her sudden attention, glancing over to her with a smirk before facing Charlie again.
"I'm eighteen," she said amusedly. "Have been for a while now."
Bella rolled her eyes at the inside joke, eliciting a chuckle from the woman.
"Really?" he asked, furrowing his brows in consideration. "From the way you were talking earlier, it sounded like you've been around the block already, so to speak. I just assumed you were older than you looked."
She shrugged nonchalantly. "My situation has afforded me a lot of opportunities for travel. It's easy to get around when money's no object."
Charlie went to follow her statement up but appeared to change his mind, stopping himself short. Perhaps he thought better of prying, but regardless, Bella was happy he let it drop. That was, until he moved onto the next topic of conversation.
"I apologize ahead of time for this, but I need to ask," Charlie said, his expression growing serious. "What are your intentions with my daughter exactly?"
"Dad," Bella whined.
Victoria smirked in response to Bella's reaction, but Charlie didn't react, leveling the redhead with his eyes.
"Nothing too untoward, I swear," the vampire chuckled. "Though I hope you don't mind if I steal her away from you."
Bella's face alit with a deep shade of red, and she looked down at her lap, catching a glimpse of Victoria's leg as she continued her affections.
Charlie narrowed his eyes, appraising Victoria for several long moments before relaxing, nodding to himself in what Bella could only describe as an approving manner.
"You'll take care of her I trust?" he asked.
Victoria nodded. "Of course," she said with a serious tone. "I wouldn't dream of hurting her."
Bella's embarrassment reached a crescendo, and she could only continue looking down, face red as she muttered quietly to herself. "…I'm sitting right here you know?"
.
.
Before they left the restaurant, Victoria excused herself to the bathroom, and Bella couldn't help but feel guilty. She knew that eating human food wasn't pleasant for vampires, and Victoria had cleaned her plate. She'd made little show of her discomfort, but Bella felt awful about it regardless.
They headed back to the hotel together, and the two of them saw Charlie off from the otherwise vacant lobby. He gave a few more not-so-subtle warnings to Victoria before they shared their goodbyes, with Charlie leaving for Forks right after.
As the front door shut behind him, Victoria turned to Bella with a teasing glint in her eyes.
The vampire quickly drew near—mere inches away—and Bella's breath caught from the distance.
Victoria leaned her head forward, eyes boring deeply into Bella's own as she wrapped her arms around her. A soft, possessive purr emanated from the vampire's throat, sending a shiver of excitement racing through her body.
"So tell me," Victoria started in a seductive tone, "have I changed your mind yet?"
Bella furrowed her brows, trying to make sense of the vampire's words through the haze clouding her mind.
"A-About what?" Bella asked.
Something about her reaction must've pleased Victoria, as she licked her lips in response, moving to Bella's cheek and placing a light kiss.
A shock erupted from where their skin met, rapidly diminishing what little self-control Charlie's presence had allowed Bella.
Victoria hummed quietly before responding.
"About choosing me, silly," she said with a cheeky grin. "I thought the outfit might convince you. It certainly made a good impression on your father."
Bella's already furrowed brows grew more pronounced as she considered the question. Did she want to choose Victoria? That question wasn't as easy to answer as the vampire clearly hoped, and Bella found herself unable to respond, grappling with the weight of it. Oh, she wanted Victoria—desperately so—and she'd every intention of confessing her feelings for the woman. But did she want to accept Victoria's offer? Was she willing to make that commitment, dooming countless humans to die for the sake of her own selfish desires—by her own hands no less? She couldn't yet bring herself to admit that yes, she did want that, but neither could she say she didn't. It was a tenuous thing, the barest thread of morality still holding her back. It was as if she was at the edge of a cliff, one small leap between her and where she knew, deep down, she wanted to be. And a lump formed in her throat, preventing her from speaking.
Victoria's smile slowly faded when she didn't receive an answer, revealing a weary—if not still mischievous—expression.
"I'm tired of these games, Bella," she said, voice firm yet still tender. "We both know how we feel, so why bother avoiding it any longer?"
Bella flinched before averting her eyes bashfully, completely caught off guard by Victoria's words.
Victoria narrowed her eyes, impatience creeping into her expression. She raised a hand to Bella's chin, slipping her fingers underneath and forcing the human to look at her.
"You want me," she said, the utter certainty in her tone followed by a brief hesitation. "…And I want you."
Bella's heart suddenly froze in her chest, and she stared back haltingly into the vampire's eyes. She'd long known of Victoria's desires at this point, but knowing them and hearing them directly were two entirely different things.
When Bella didn't answer, still lost for words as she was, Victoria's confidence visibly faltered, and she furrowed her brows, averting her eyes as she loosened her arms.
"Tell me I'm wrong," she said softly. Resignedly. "Tell me you don't want me, and I'll stop pushing you like this."
Victoria's eyes grew distant, flooded with multiple centuries-worth of loneliness. And Bella's frozen heart came back to life at the sight. This wasn't right. Victoria should never make such an expression, and Bella should never be the cause of it. There had to be something she could do about this.
Her eyes flickered down to vampire's full, red lips, lingering on them as she opened them to continue.
"I'll keep my word. I won't turn you by force, and I'll-"
The sound of her voice—that sweet, musical sound—was abruptly halted as Bella suddenly moved forward. Her lips crashed against the vampire's, and she finally returned Victoria's embrace, a familiar chill washing over her as she desperately pushed herself closer, determined to convey the depth of her feelings.
Victoria stiffened in Bella's arms, her cool, firm lips remaining utterly still in response to Bella's. But that was only for the briefest of moments.
The vampire's grip quickly returned in full force, almost violently pulling her closer. She pressed her lips against Bella's, greedily drinking her in with only the barest hint of restraint.
What had begun as a tender, loving kiss that Bella intended to convey her feelings quickly morphed into something far more intense.
Though Bella had been the one to initiate, the vampire's affections quickly outpaced her own, and Bella found herself on the backfoot, unable to keep up.
Her heart pounded relentlessly in her ears, and Victoria's scent overtook her, flooding her mind with a euphoric pleasure that numbed her senses.
An unsolicited moan escaped Bella throat, and the sound only spurred the vampire on. She forcefully parted Bella's lips with her tongue, and the sweet taste of her invaded Bella's mouth, sending a powerful jolt of pleasure trailing downwards.
Victoria suddenly shifted her affections, peppering kisses down Bella's cheek towards her neck.
The feeling of the vampire's teeth grazing across Bella's skin should have given her pause, should have sent alarm bells ringing in her mind, but all it did was make her shiver, turning her head and baring her neck in offering.
"…Victoria," Bella said, her voice quiet and reverent as she uttered the vampire's name.
Victoria let out a guttural, possessive purr in response which had Bella melting in her arms.
It was then, at the height of both of their excitement, that the sound of Bella's phone suddenly ringing broke their concentration.
Victoria suddenly pulled back, stepping away from Bella as she blinked away the haze over her eyes. The regret that fell over her expression was all too obvious, and she averted her gaze ashamedly.
The ringing of Bella's phone abruptly stopped, and she took a moment to catch her breath.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket, glancing at the caller id. Alice's name was lit up on the screen, and Bella resolved to thank the pixie later, pocketing the phone again. She then glanced around the lobby, finding it still thankfully empty, before turning back to the vampire.
Victoria refused to meet her eyes, and Bella furrowed her brows at this.
She stepped forward, snaking a hand into Victoria's, reaching the other up to brush a lock of red hair from the vampire's face.
Victoria's eyes flickered up to meet hers before turning away again.
"I'm sorry," she said, the shame clear in her voice. "I almost bit you."
Bella shook her head. "It's okay," she said softly. "You didn't mean it."
Her hand cupped Victoria's cheek, lingering there for a moment before Bella slowly moved closer, pressing her lips softly against the vampire's again. The kiss this time was more subdued—intimate and brief, but no less passionate.
Bella pulled away, and Victoria chased her lips back down for a brief moment before halting and swallowing nervously, desire still present in her eyes as she spoke.
"Yes, I did," she said, causing Bella to tilt her head in response.
"…But not to feed?" Bella asked.
Victoria nodded lightly. "It's so difficult, not turning you. I've never wanted anything more in my life."
A pang of sympathy flooded Bella's chest, but it was tempered by a sudden realization.
When she'd been with Edward, his struggles had always been about resisting the urge to kill her, and at the time, Bella had thought it romantic. But faced with Victoria's desire—not to harm, but to turn—she saw the difference. Edward had dismissed her wishes, claiming it was out of love, while Victoria restrained herself entirely for Bella's sake.
Edward had stalked her; Victoria had given her space.
Edward had left, breaking her heart in a misguided attempt to protect her. Victoria never would—not unless Bella asked her to.
His was obsession. Hers was something much more.
Bella loved the vampire—this she already knew—but in that moment her love blossomed into something new. Something even deeper and more passionate than before. And something which was buried deeply within her heart suddenly settled, as if clicking into place, while that thread from before, the one which kept her from taking that leap, snapped in two.
The corners of her lips turned upwards, and she smiled gently at Victoria as she wrapped her arms around the vampire, resting her head on her chest.
A trace of guilt lingered in Victoria's expression, but when faced with the intimacy which Bella was offering, she couldn't help the contented smile which took its place. She wrapped her arms around Bella again, holding her close.
Bella relaxed into the vampire's embrace, breathing deeply of her before letting out a quiet sigh. The fears which had gripped her faded away, along with any lingering moral reservations, mere background noise to the love which she found herself basking in.
"…Okay," Bella said softly.
Victoria furrowed her brows. "Okay what?" she asked.
Bella pulled back, gazing deeply into Victoria's eyes. She caught the faint hints of scarlet that were beginning to peek through in them—her contacts finally starting to dissolve—and she mused on how beautiful a shade of red they were.
She leaned forward once more, placing another kiss on the vampire's lips before responding.
"After graduation, I'll stay with you," she said with a gentle smile. "Forever, if you'll have me."
The weight of her words settled over her. She'd already resolved herself in this decision, but speaking the words aloud made them more real—more tangible, and she mentally apologized to Charlie. Surely he would be disappointed in her. Surely he would feel the same as Billy and the wolves if given the chance, but Bella found some trace comfort in that he'd never know of her decision, or of what she'd become.
Victoria widened her eyes, looking to Bella with such transparent hope in her gaze that it made Bella's heart ache to see.
"…You really mean that?" Victoria asked.
When Bella nodded her head, the vampire's face lit up with the brightest, happiest smile the redhead had ever shown her.
Victoria's excitement shone through, and Bella returned her smile right before the vampire suddenly closed the distance, pressing her lips against Bella's as intensely as earlier. After pulling away, she kissed Bella again, this time on the cheek. She peppered kisses all over Bella's face, causing her to giggle in embarrassment.
Bella weakly tried pushing Victoria away, but her resistance wasn't genuine.
"Victoria," Bella whined, her voice betraying her amusement. "Stop it. What if someone sees us?"
Victoria nuzzled herself against the crook of Bella's neck, holding her even closer as she answered.
"Let 'em look," she said, her voice coming out in a near purr.
The two of them shared a moment of levity before Bella's phone began to ring again.
Victoria groaned in annoyance, sticking her lips out in a pout as Bella pulled it out.
"Leave it," Victoria whined, kissing Bella again.
Bella rolled her eyes, looking to the screen to see Alice's name again.
"It's probably important," she said.
The vampire glanced over, seeing the name, and she heaved a sigh as she stopped her affections.
"Fine," she said with a huff, crossing her arms as she stepped away. "Just tell her to be quick about it. I'm not finished with you yet."
Bella suppressed a shiver from the promise in Victoria's words, and she flipped the phone open and put it to her ear.
Immediately, an excited giggle came through from the other end.
"Oh my god Bella," Alice said, almost squealing. "You guys are so freaking cute together."
Bella glanced over to Victoria, whose expression suddenly turned to disbelief, an amused grin toying at her lips. And Bella's cheeks grew warm as the vampire met her eyes again.
"Um… thank you for earlier," she said sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it," Alice said.
Impatience started to show through in Victoria's expression, so Bella quickly urged Alice on.
"Is there something you need right now, or…?"
Alice's giddy tone fell, turning serious as she answered. "Something's come up actually. Billy called me after Charlie left you guys. He's demanding a meeting between us and the pack."
Bella furrowed her brows as a sinking feeling washed over her, and she caught how Victoria's eyes narrowed, her playful attitude dissipating.
"Put her on speakerphone," she said.
Bella hesitated for a moment before nodding and doing as she was asked.
"I'm guessing you want my help?" Victoria asked Alice reluctantly.
"Yes, we were planning on involving you anyway, so the timing works out."
Victoria glanced from the phone to Bella, who nodded to her unspoken question.
"I was going to talk to you about it later," Bella said.
Victoria furrowed her brows before continuing. "Very well then. Where do we need to go?"