July 31, 2010

Imprinting seemed incredibly odd to Fred, especially how the parents of the imprintee accepted it with such nonchalance. However, after watching the shapeshifter with the dhampir he had to admit that his behavior was appropriate, just the way one would expect a favorite uncle to act with his favorite niece, with one glaring difference, the shapeshifter never tired of meeting the desires of his charge, only refusing her when it was necessary for her safety either now or in the future.

What surprised him more was that the child was able to understand the doting of those around her as signs of love that should not be taken for granted or expected. She was just as attentive to others as they were to her. Not once did she exhibit any symptoms of entitlement or of being a brat. It was as if she realized that her very nature made people fall in love with her, and in truth, Fred found that he was fully enraptured with the child within twenty-four hours of meeting her.

In the interim of waiting for the coven leader to reach them the group became better acquainted. Fred told them of the short time he had known Bree, and Edward filled the rest of them in on her final thoughts, having never shared them before. It was during this discussion that the reason Fred had not attended the fight came out. “I never trusted Riley, or any that he took to her to have changed,” he told them while relaxing in the spacious living room, laughing occasionally as Nessie rolled her eyes at her aunts who kept pulling outfits from a closet to see how she looked in them now. “When I found out he was lying about the sun I decided he was lying about your coven as well. What he said just didn’t add up, so I chose to go north, to Vancouver and see the world.”

Edward could hear the unspoken question, who killed Bree? “His name is Felix and he’s a member of the Volturi guard,” Fred was told. Then he received far more information on these ‘vampire police’ than he ever realized could be important. Bree had figured out the most important rule, keep the secret, and passed it on to him, but it seemed they were far more involved with the Cullens than just as peace-keepers. “They were hoping you would win, for Aro, their leader, wants Alice in his coven,” Edward illuminated Fred further, “but he’s afraid of Bella, because she’s so powerful and is able to block anything he throws at us.”

“He exaggerates,” Bella said as she smiled at her mate with love, “but it is nice to be able to defend those I love instead of being the one that’s protected all the time.” Her eyes clouded over with momentary sadness as she whispered to Fred, “I’m just afraid that one day they will come back for us. Come up with some excuse to take us out, because Aro does want Alice, and he feels threatened by us.”

Fred’s question of how they attack was met with a run-down of the multiple gifts the members of the guard possessed. As the list grew even Fred became impressed that Bella’s shield repelled so many, even if it left them vulnerable to physical attack. As one whose offensive weapon was mental he knew the value her shield could bring to someone he attacked. He had felt it. When he explained this to her that led to another discussion, would his ability work from within the shield going outward?

Emmett, ever willing to be a guinea pig in these demonstrations, thinking it proved his strength to be able to face what was coming his way, stood across the backyard from Bella and Fred. As a test, Fred sent out a small burst of his talent, doubling the big man over as he retched in the onslaught. The next test was for Bella to wrap her shield around Emmett, with predictable results when Fred sent his power out again.

The final step was to have Bella seal Fred within her shield. She could see his spark of light, how brightly it shown as she wrapped the elastic of her talent around him. “Is it ready?” Fred asked her, feeling nothing. She smiled and nodded, gritting her teeth lest she be hit with the same feeling that Emmett had been. “I’ve been practicing directing it,” Fred had said, “but have yet to perfect it.” This alone added to her trepidation.

Once again Fred focused on the huge vampire across the yard, but this time he was within the shield. Edward called from the porch to ask if he was doing it yet, but his question was answered when Emmett once again bent over double and began to retch. Meanwhile Bella seemed a bit green herself, even though she wasn’t nearly as ill as Emmett who was withstanding the full strength of Fred’s power. The coven was unsure if this was a success or not until Fred said, “Well, if the Volturi come back, Bella can protect all of you while I attack in return. It seems I need to work on singling out individuals and groups while not affecting those around me, though.”

This made the coven very happy. They had gained another ally. That evening, with Carlisle and Esme only a couple hours away, Jasper went to the trunk where they stored their papers and pulled out a blank, fake passport. “Come with me,” the soldier said to the newcomer. “If you want to travel the world, you’ll need a passport. I’ll take your picture and we’ll have it ready for when you need it.”

My phone vibrated as I was hanging Lucy’s discarded clothes up in her closet. She was forever stripping and dropping and no amount of cajoling, reminding, or punishing ever seemed to make a difference. When Bella’s name appeared on my screen, I smiled.

“Hey, babe,” I whispered, my grin evident in my voice. “I didn’t expect to hear from you again so soon.” I picked up the few stuffed animals that had fallen off the bed, the tiger, the baby seal, the cat and tucked them in around her head, brushing a stray blonde hair out of Lucy’s face. My fingers and eyes lingered there for a minute as she breathed in and out.

“Hey, I need a favor,” she said, “why are you whispering?” She seemed anxious and I was at once on alert.

“I’m in Lucy’s room and she’s asleep, hang on a sec,” I answered quietly, leaving the room and closing the door behind me so that I could speak in a normal tone. “What can I do?”

The explanation of the Ex and his impetuous flight halfway across the world had me on edge. I wasn’t about to let the best thing that had happened to me since the birth of my daughter slip away and be snatched from me before I even got a chance to really get to know her. I had heard of Tyler Crowley of course, who hadn’t? He was a playboy, rich kid. I hadn‘t realized that Bella was “his former paramour” when he was photographed around Seattle with the “new girlfriend.” Apparently Bella had done a good job keeping her name out of the society pages despite her status.

“I’m coming,” I growled into the phone. Her sigh of relief told me everything I needed to know. She wanted me.

“But what about Lucy?” she asked, and I loved her for it. She was constantly thinking of everyone but herself.

“I will wake her and tell her that I need to come to you and that we will drive back up in a few days to get her, is that alright?” I needed to know that she would be okay with me coming to her for an overnight or more. This would be a big leap in an otherwise fledgling relationship and I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries. I honestly wasn’t sure how much longer I could play the gentleman.

As if deciding the course of her life, Bella was quiet for a minute as I walked to my bedroom, ignoring the loud thumping of my heart that was in a state of anxiety. What if she said no?

“Yes, but please make sure she knows that we will come back the day after tomorrow,” she said. “I don’t want her to think you’ve ‘taken me away’ from her, remember what she said?”

I let the air out of my lungs; she was worried about Lucy’s reaction. Apparently accepting me into her home, and most likely her bed, wasn’t in question. I threw some clothes into my overnight bag all the time reassuring her that I would make Lucy understand, this was a different situation and that something had come up. Pressing the end button on the phone, I allowed myself a minute of happy anticipation that our time together, alone, would be happening sooner rather than later.

It was very strange to me, this connection that I had formed with a woman I had just met, but felt as though I knew my whole life. I was thankful to Rose for sending her to me, to fill my spaces of emptiness and allow me to fill hers. The joy she had already brought to my daughter was un-measurable and I would not take it or her for granted.

~

The night road twisted and turned in front of my bright headlights as I thought about what Alice had told me. Tyler Crowley had always put his needs first, above Bella’s and eventually she had figured it out on her own. Bella had caught him in a compromising position and had, behind closed doors, rejoiced at the severing of the relationship. Why was Crowley inserting himself back into the picture then? What did he think he had to gain?

I pulled up to the address that Bella had given me, not holding out much hope for a house with a name like, ‘The Dairy Cottage,’ but she had laid down a strict law about making fun of it. Even so, my mouth twitched as I ran the name through my head again. The house though seemed charming from the outside, and Bella had promised it was perfect for her. I decided to reserve judgement until I actually saw it.

The door flew open as I slammed the lid of the trunk shut, bag in hand and Bella rushed out. I decided right then that the house was perfect if only because Bella was in it. Nothing else mattered. It had only been a few hours since I had seen her, but standing from the car and wrapping my arms around her, I let go of the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Being apart, even for a small amount of time, filled me with a restless anxiety that I never had acknowledged until it melted away.

Her arms tightened around me as I heard her speak into my neck, “God, I’m glad to see you.”

“Shh, it’s okay, I’m here,” I said, stroking my hand down her hair, reveling in her scent, feeling her warmth. I was confused as to why would she be so nervous about seeing this guy. “What’s got you so upset?”

“I don’t know…I don’t…I just got home and got this email and you were all I could think about,” she confessed, her hand snaking up my neck to rest on my nape. “I don’t want him here. I don’t want you..us, to be tainted or touched, does that make sense? I needed you here, with me, because I…I don’t feel complete without you.” She dropped her head after her little speech, no doubt nervous of my reaction.

Her fingers dug lightly into my scalp, and I tilted her face to mine, gently placing my lips on hers. I drank her in, all of a sudden remembering that we were alone, no kids, no Alice. Her kiss was desperate, wanting. I met her back, tongue for tongue and my animalistic tendencies took over.

Mine.

Realizing we were still standing in her driveway, I reluctantly broke the kiss, leaving our foreheads pressed together, panting.

“Bella, I have to know…I want you…I’m not sure how much more of this I can take,” I whispered in broken thoughts to her in the darkness, the light from the house barely a glow in the background.

“I know, me too,” she whispered back. “I want you to come inside with me, upstairs. I need you…I want you too.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. I didn’t want this to be in reaction to anyone or anything else. I wanted her to want me as I wanted her: because I wanted her for keeps. “If we do this, there is no going back.”

Her eyes were large, owlish almost in the darkness. She stared at me for a long time before pulling me back down to her lips in a kiss of consent and hunger and need. My heart roared as the monster animal was quieted in favor of acceptance and hope.

I followed her inside the small house, taking in the comfortable space, the sleek kitchen, the stairs that led, presumably, to her bedroom. She took my bag from me and placed it on the stairs, leading me down into the recessed kitchen where she poured us both a glass of wine. I didn’t really need any liquid courage, but I could use something to calm my nerves. It had been over two years since I had made love to a woman and I felt a little out of practice. I knew what I wanted and most of that was to consume her. I only hoped that I could last long enough to give her everything before I fell.

This was going to be good.

“Are you hungry?” she asked, innocently.

Bella looked at me with her depthless brown eyes over her wineglass and pinned me with her gaze. As she took a sip, licking her lips clean of the drop of wine that lingered, my blood heated through, all insecurities and thoughts of anything else falling aside, as if they were yesterday’s useless issues. Gingerly taking the glass from her, I set it and mine on the counter so as not to crush them, and grabbed her hips, pulling her to me and crashing my mouth on hers. The space between my hips felt filled and complete as her small frame fit perfectly within, like a puzzle piece; the heat from her only added to the fire.

She tasted like wine and chocolate and smelled of clean rain and fruit and love. My senses were overcome and I gathered her in my arms, as the kiss deepened. My brain spun words from sonnets, my heart protested against its prison, determined to burst forth, spilling it’s secrets and undeniable desire for the woman in my embrace.

I fumbled with the buttons on her shirt as she did on mine, backing our way through the kitchen and up the stairs, through the living room and up the stairs again, dropping clothes, shoes, her skirt, and releasing confinements as we went. At the top of the landing, she guided me backwards to her room, my hands on her breasts, my lips soon to follow as she made quick work of my jeans, springing my aching arousal from the denim.

With that she slowed, breaking our kiss, mapping my torso with her tiny hands. Feather-light touches traced muscle outlines, taunting, tickling, teasing my already taut body into submission under her fingertips. My breathing intensely erratic, I returned the favor, gliding my hands over the silk that was her skin, the curves, the bones of her hips, the heavy fullness of her breasts, gathering each in my hands, and licking, watching as her skin puckered and stood erect for me. The moan from her mouth was music to my ears, as her head fell back, ecstasy written into her features.

All for me.