35. Predator And Prey

BPOV

Everything slowly blurred in and out of focus until it all finally cleared and I realized that I had been staring at a white, tiled wall for the past five minutes. I immediately looked around, feeling the instinctual need to take in my surroundings.


It was very quiet in here, with only the sounds of my shallow breathing and the slow drip, drip, drip from the tub’s faucet, breaking the eerie silence. I looked down at myself, just now realizing that I was naked in said tub, and surrounded by airy bubbles and soothing warm water. Isabella’s Ariel water doll lay by my side, forgotten and floating amongst all the white bubbles.


I blinked rapidly a few times, to further clear my vision, and stopped only when I was satisfied that everything was clear again. I brought my knees up to my chest, suddenly feeling ridiculously exposed for some reason. I noted that the bathroom door was closed, but I still felt uncomfortable. I hadn’t taken a bath since I was a small child, and even then, all of those memories are marred with Jim and his abuse. I had the sudden urge to transform this little bubble bath into a shower.


With my mind made up, I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, only to find that it was coated in a soapy substance. Shampoo. Isabella’s tearless shampoo. The shampoo that Jim had used on me back in the day.


Ugh…


Unless I wanted to smell like a Johnson & Johnson baby for the rest of the night, I was gonna have to rinse that crap out and rewash my hair with my trusty Pantene. I stuck my hand back under the water and felt around blindly for the tub’s drain. I found it quickly and pulled the plug, then stood up and watched as the soapy suds slowly trailed down my belly and legs, eager to return to the water pooled at my feet. Pooled…and slightly bloody water.


Wait, what?!


I gasped for breath, suddenly worried that the girls had hurt my body in some way. After doing a quick, and thorough check, I belatedly realized that oh…I was on my fucking period.


This just keeps getting better and better…


My Edward said that we gotta bleed if we wanna have babies… Isabella told me shyly.


Oh, God.


Did he now?


I blushed as Isabella showed me her memory of Edward helping her clean up her bloody legs while she sat half naked on the toilet seat. I saw how Edward searched through the vanity drawers, almost frantically, until he came across the drawer where I had put my feminine supplies. He carefully stuck a pad on a pair of panties and handed it to Isabella, instructing her to ’be a big girl’ and put it on. I felt Isabella’s confusion when she mistook it for an odd looking diaper.


Awesome. Leave it to Edward, the vampire, to explain menstruating to a five year old.


Well, now that I’m thoroughly embarrassed, Isabella, do you at least feel better about it?


Isabella didn’t respond though, so I turned my attention back to the task at hand, instantly becoming aware of how cold I was quickly becoming. I shivered then, and bent down to turn on the tub’s faucet, eager for some more warm water to coat my skin. My skin prickled with goose bumps as I stood, naked and wet, in the cool bathroom. Just as I was getting ready to close the shower curtain and hit the button for the shower spray, there was a knock on the door.


“Isabella, what are you doing?” Edward’s stern voice asked me.


I jumped a bit, and furrowed my brow at his tone, then became slightly confused when I found that it caused me to want to answer his question quickly anyway.


“Honey, I’ll be out in a minute,” I told him in a rush, suddenly hoping that he wasn‘t too mad...for whatever reason.


“Bella?” his now soft and velvety voice spoke from the other side of the door.


I marveled at the quick change in his tone, but decided to just shrug it off, breathing a sigh of relief that his previous anger wasn’t directed at me.


“Yeah, Edward it’s me. I’m just gonna take a quick shower…bubble baths just aren’t my thing, ya know? And I wanna rinse out this tearless baby crap, I can’t stand the smell of it. I want to wash my hair with my shampoo,” I informed him.


“Alright love, that’s fine,” he quickly assured me. “I’ll just be in the bedroom. Um…your pajamas for the night are on the bed already. I got them out for Isabella, but you can pick out different ones, if you want…” his voice trailed off from behind the door.


“No, that’s fine. Thank you, Edward.”


I closed the curtain then, and started on the task of rinsing and rewashing my hair. With the right shampoo. As I was massaging my ridiculously long hair with the right shampoo, the girls’ voices started bombarding me out of nowhere. Just…one second my mind space was calm and quiet, and the next, it was all loud and cramped and buzzing. It overwhelmed me for a minute, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything they were saying, or what they were trying to tell me. They were trying to speak over each other, and it was very fucking unnerving.


I could already feel the beginnings of a headache. My eyes blurred in and out of focus and the pressure behind my forehead began to intensify. It was almost like they were battling it out…trying to come into awareness at the same time, but that just wasn’t possible.


I had to figure out how to fix this. This is my body, goddamn it. They are in my fucking head. They are going to have to learn to speak to me calmly. And to speak - One. At. A. Fucking. Time.


SHUT UP!! I mentally screamed, but then cringed when it only caused the pressure in my head to increase.


I stepped out of the shower's spray then, trying to just breath slow and deep through the slight pain. Eventually, their voices quieted significantly and I began to notice when their two very distinct tones slowly began to separate into two very different voices, only overlapping each other every few seconds, as opposed to constantly.


I closed my eyes and tried to focus on them as much as I could, putting all of my efforts into concentrating on what they were trying to tell me.


Fucking hell, my Bell. You will not believe the fuckery that has gone down today…


And my Edward said we could go to Never Never Land to live forever and learn to fly with Peter Pan and Tinkerbell and they will love us and be friends with Pooh bear and Emily dolly b’cuz they will be with us b’cuz we’re gonna save ‘em from the scary heaven place with all those stupid angels…


Edward took me to the store to get a fuckawesome new toy and it’s a wicked black Ipod and it’s all mine, Bell. You can’t have it…


I got a new bear and his name is Fuzzy and he lives with me now. Marie said that the Alice girl is my new bestie and I believe her b’cuz she brought Fuzzy bear home and I swinged on the tree swing and I got to cuddle lotts…


But you can have the boring blue phone that Edward got for you, and oh yeah! He us got that tricked out new game, Mariokart, for the DS. I played it earlier, Bell. Before my Jake came to see me. It’s fucking awesome, as usual, because I picked it out…


And the blue medicine is ucky and my Edward got mad and I got put in a time out but I only had to sit in a chair b’cuz there was no purity knife and I had a peanut butter and jelly to eat for lunch and I got apples too and he let me have a yummy ring pop…


I tried to get us that new Evanescence cd, but Edward caught me and wouldn’t let me swipe it for free. He dragged me out to the car and threw me in the backseat with him, then proceeded to bust my fucking ass for it. Over a goddamn cd. I hope you know that it’s all your goddamn fault, Bell. You fucking told him to do that to us. It hurt so bad and I was screaming…begging him to fucking stop, but he just wouldn’t, Bell. Lemme tell you, that motherfucker is lucky that I love him so goddamn much…


I gasped and felt a warm tear escape my tightly clenched eyes as Marie showed me that particular memory.


Edward grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her head back while she lay across his lap. “Who do you belong to?” he growled in her ear. “You!” she screamed back. “That’s fucking right,” he remarked smugly, before he yanked his cold hand out of her tangled hair, only to bring it down to her bare ass again.


I flinched and my breath rushed out as that scene faded and Isabella piped back in with more tales of her time with Edward.


And I took some naps today b’cuz I been tired and feelin ucky. And did ya know that my Edward made me mad b’cuz he wouldn’t just let me have my thumb after nap time so I hit him b’cuz when he’s mad at me, he hits me. But he only pulled my panties down and I got spankins, then he yelled at me and it hurt my feelins but he told me I gotta stand in a corner for another one of those weird time outs, but there was still no purity knife and then I got to play on my big doodle and watch a movie…


But we still got the fuckawesome cd, pretty Bell. He still bought it for me, so he can’t be that fuckin mad, right? And oh yeah, Edward set up my new wicked Ipod for me, it’s in my box right now. My cuppy cake box that’s for my stuff. You guys can’t play with it…


And then there was a man named Jacob Black, my Edward said that’s what he’s called, and he told me that his friend wants you to satisfy him for the stuff that Daddy use’ta smoke all the time but don’t worry b’cuz I took care of it like I always use‘ta do. I told him that I was gonna shove Marie’s pink rubber cock up in his tight little asshole if he ever said you had to do that again…


…what?


Yeah, that was pretty fuckin wicked funny. But, ya’ll don’t know where my lil pink friend is! So haha, and boo for you! But nice try, anyway, ya tiny terror. It’s mine, and you can’t have it. And yeah, I sooo heard what Edward told you about that…


Wait, what little pink friend? Oh God, Marie…please tell me that you don’t have a dildo stashed somewhere...


No can do, princess she said cheekily.


Fuck.


Yah-huh, b’cuz my Edward was mad b’cuz my new rule is no more threatening peoples, but I can hurt them all I want, but I just can’t tell ‘em that I’m gonna do it. I just gotta do it, and then I won’t get a spankin…


That doesn’t make any sense.


I heard Marie’s dark chuckle before she stated It doesn‘t fucking have to.


Isabella’s whispered her agreement, then started lightly humming in my head before she showed me her most recent memory. It was of her, here in this bathtub, actually, and she had been throwing a fit…trying to get Edward to come in here and play with her by lying about a hurt toe. He came in alright, but it wasn’t to play…


He came into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He stalked over to her and roughly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet. He started spanking her wet, naked ass while yelling at her to quit testing him.


Well, now I know why he was pissed off a minute ago.


I noticed that I had just been standing there, out of the warm shower spray, with shampoo still coating my hair, shivering like an idiot. I shook my head, and stepped back under the spray, becoming frustrated with my frazzled sense of time, and how I seemed to lose it often.


As I rinsed and tried to warm back up, I came to terms with all of my new and sudden emotions that had just coursed through me at the girls‘ memories. It was their memories and their emotions, but I had just experienced all of it in a matter of minutes.


I was definitely upset after hearing about some of today‘s events. Edward, being the control freak that he is, has obviously made good on his promise to spank me. Or, should I call it, a threat? And it’s not me, necessarily, but Marie and Isabella. Either way, he’s been doing it. Looks like he’s gotten slap-happy quite a few times today, actually.


I know that he has already spanked them a few times, due to him telling me about it and the girls showing me, but I saw a huge difference in these memories. Today, he has been somewhat harsher, as opposed to earlier in the week.


Like…okay, he has obviously graduated to smacking their bare ass, instead of letting them leave their panties on. Now that, I don’t really have any problem with, and I somewhat expected it, because I know that he needs to actually see my skin’s reaction so that he can make sure he’s not causing any type of real damage. Because, I mean…he can’t just rely on the girls’ verbal reaction. We both know that they are going to cry and fight back, regardless. He needs to be able to judge for himself, whether or not my skin is going to bruise.


So, that’s all fine and dandy, but when it comes to some of these other things, I find myself becoming slightly concerned. Things like pulling on a fistful of Marie’s hair to yank her head back. Roughly gripping or grabbing at Isabella’s arm. Yelling at them and growling in their ear…


Those things may not be that outrageous, or violent, but that’s certainly not what I’m used to seeing from Edward. He has never done any of that to me before. He’s always treating me as though I am some kind of fragile, breakable…thing, that can only handle the barest of touches and light cradles to his body.


Yeah…but that was before he left me alone in the woods to fend for myself. Things. Have. Changed.


I nodded in agreement with myself. Things most certainly have changed. I mean, if I’m being completely honest with myself…I’m not even me anymore. I’m Bella, Marie, and Isabella, all mixed up into one complicated mess of bullshit. And Edward…well, I guess he’s not himself anymore, either. He’s Edward: boyfriend, babysitter, owner, parent and lover extraordinaire.


Wonderful.


Now…while I am concerned about how Edward has chosen to go about punishing me, or - the girls, I mean, at the moment…I am not going to confront him about it, or tell him to stop. I can and will voice my concerns, but really, when it boils down to it…he is in charge. This may be my body, but I’m not exactly in control of it at the moment. So he has to step in and take charge. He has explained it to me many times; I am his mate, I belong to him. He will take care of me. So…if this is what he feels he needs to do, then…I guess he can do it.


I mean, if he has exhausted every other option, and has found that spanking them in this somewhat violent manner is the only thing that gets through to them, then…ugh, he’s just gotta do what he’s gotta do.


God, it would be so ironic. With Marie and Isabella being as violent as they are, it would make sense that a bit of violence is what finally got the simple message of ‘quit being a fucking brat’ across.


I don’t know…I guess I’m just scared.


I’m scared that he will get fed up with my crazy ass, and leave again. I may be his ‘mate’, but that obviously doesn’t mean a damn thing in the honesty department. He has lied to me and he has left me. And I’m talking straight up, hard core abandonment. You know…the kind where you sit down and actually think up reasons of why you should leave the one you love. You plan it out in your head, knowing full well that your idiotic decision will destroy this person’s life, and possibly end up endangering them. You know, because you’re a vampire and all. And there are still other vampires out in the world that want to suck your mate dry, but whatever. That obviously doesn’t matter and apparently, shouldn’t even be taken into consideration while you continue to consider and plan out different dumbass methods for a hasty escape from your girl’s simple, boring little life. Nope…none of that stops you from following through with your asinine plan and taking a little ‘walk’ with your girlfriend, leading her into the woods to rip her fucking heart and soul right out of her numb body just before you vanish into thin air, never to grace her with your arrogant presence again.


And, let’s not forget the fact that I just got him back. I have been back in his arms for a week now. But I haven’t forgotten, by any means, that I only have him back, because I left the damn country, and I stood up to vampire royalty, and I brought him back home. He didn’t come back to me, I went and got him. That fact stabs at the wound that is still fresh and festering on my fragile heart.


God, I couldn’t handle it if he did that again. I would fucking kill myself, without hesitance, and I know that Marie and Isabella would gladly assist me in my new goal of ending my mundane and miserable existence for all time.


I’m also scared that if he can’t get and keep the girls under control, then after a while, he’ll just find the situation hopeless and he won’t want to deal with me anymore. He won’t want to be bothered with the daunting task of trying to be a boyfriend and a parent simultaneously anymore. And if that’s the case, then he can do whatever he thinks he needs to do, to keep them in line and ward off any and all of their erratic, bad behavior…he can do anything. He just needs to stay.


And I’m scared that he will someday do that to me. I mean, we haven’t really discussed this whole ‘spanking business‘, beyond the idea of him punishing the girls, but I do remember, very clearly, that this whole idea originated from him stating that I needed a firm hand. I sort of just figured he found out that Marie was the culprit to all of my careless and bad behavior, but that’s not entirely true. I can be pretty reckless at times. So, what if I do something, and he all of a sudden decides that I need a little taste of his preferred discipline? Oh, God…from what I’ve seen in my alternate’s memories, I don’t think I could handle it.


You’re such a pansy Marie taunted.


I know.


Quit cryin about it, Bell. You’re the one who said that he could smack us around, so just fucking deal with it.


Shut up.


Okay, I know that he loves me, which in turn, means that he loves my alternates, as well. I’m extremely grateful for that and I don’t have a problem with him asserting a little authority over the girls. In fact, I have told him to do it…to be an authority figure when he thinks he needs to be, but only because I know that they need it. After all, they live in my head, I know what they are like. And I never had a problem with the concept of him punishing the girls to reinforce that authority.


I mean, it’s really the only way that any of this will work. Their behavior can simply be out of control at times, and mentally, they lack the simple common sense and the ability to empathize with others. Edward happens to be the only person that they will not resort to violence with. My love for him is the only thing that is saving him from the wrath of Marie and Isabella. So, that being said, he is the only one that has a chance in hell at keeping them under control so that they don’t end up ruining my life. I could very easily be thrown in prison, and maybe even be given the death sentence, for some of the things that I know the girls are capable of.


Ugh, just…whatever. I don’t know.


Frustrated with my thoughts, I shut the shower off, just now noticing that the water had begun to run cold. A violent shiver ran through me and I hurried to grab the white towel hanging off of the rack, just outside of the pale shower curtain. After wrapping the big towel around my body, I wrung out my hair, ridiculously pleased that it smelled normal again, and wrapped it in it’s own towel.


As I was rubbing my hair dry, I looked around for my clothes, becoming puzzled when I didn’t see them waiting on the counter for me. That’s when I suddenly remembered Edward telling me that my pajamas were on the bed.


Well, damn.


I quickly wadded up some tissue paper and stuck it between my legs, making myself a ghetto little pad until I could get a hold of my panties.






I cracked open the door and hesitantly poked my head out, my gaze immediately falling on Edward where he stood by the bed. He had obviously been pacing. His hair was in a wild disarray, his gold eyes were troubled. His right hand was still in the process of running through the beautiful, bronze mess when he turned around to look at me.


Fuck, he is beautiful.


Tell me about it… Marie said, adding in her usual commentary.


Edward gave me my favorite crooked smile and I could actually feel my cheeks heating up in a blush as I opened the door the rest of the way and leaned my side up against the frame.


I laughed nervously and bit my lip, before mumbling, “Edward, can I have my panties?”


He nodded. “Oh, yeah, sure baby…” he said quickly and snatched up the panties that were laying on the bed.


He came over to me then, blue cotton panties in hand, only stopping when he was just inches away from my face. He stared into my eyes as he slowly reached for the hand that was hanging limply at my side, and gently gripped my wrist, bringing my hand towards the one that held my much needed panties, then swapped my panties from his hand to my own. He slowly curled my fingers over the small article of clothing and closed his large hand around my small, relaxed fist.


“Bella…” he murmured quietly with his lips practically hovering over my own.


“Yeah?” I asked softly.


“I love you,” he whispered, practically penetrating my soul with his heated stare.


I swallowed thickly. “I love you, too…”


He looked worried for some reason. But I couldn’t, for the life of me, determine a possible reason of why he would be worried Maybe he somehow knows now that I know everything that had happened today. Maybe he’s probably just worried about my reaction to it all.


Well, I don’t know my reaction yet, so…


But, maybe that’s not what he’s worried about at all.


Maybe he’s been sensing my crazy emotions through the grapevine of Jasper’s talent. Like, Jasper senses my mood, and Edward reads it from his mind, or some shit.


Whatever. There’s no telling. These vampires are fucking complicated.


Before I could think anymore on it, his voice broke around my name.


“Bella…”


I gazed up at my tall, sexy vampire in question, but then suddenly became very concerned when I encountered the pained look on his face.


“What’s wrong, Edward?”


He didn‘t answer, just repeated, “I love you,” in a reverent whisper.


“I love you, too,” I assured him.


“Don’t…don’t make me go that long without you again,” he pleaded softly and almost reluctantly.


It was like he didn’t want to ask this of me, but for some reason, he just had too.


I hesitated, but eventually shook my head, knowing that I was unable to make such a promise to him.


I saw his jaw clench at my response just before I reached my hand out, and pressed my palm to the back of his neck, effectively bringing his pouting mouth down to mine.


I kissed him softly, trying to take the sting out of my unmade promise.


He kissed me sweetly, trying to convey his pent up feelings of longing for me.


I gently tugged on the fine hairs at the nape of his neck, then switched to softly caressing the back of his neck while I kissed and lightly sucked on his honey-sweet lips. He just tasted so damn good…like a hard and sweet and suckable candy. I could lick and suck on those pouty red lips all day long, if only he would let me. After a minute, I pulled my face away, but only just barely, and only long enough so that I could speak.


My eyes glanced up and when my boring brown eyes locked onto his warm golden orbs, I softly murmured, “Edward, I’m here now…it’s only been a day, honey. I woke up with you this morning, and I’ll go to sleep with you tonight. It’s okay, I’m here now…” I repeated my assurance to him, then pressed my warm lips back to his tasty, cold ones.


His instant, relieved sigh filled my mouth and I happily swallowed it down, letting his venom tainted breath cloud my mind and relax my body, while I continued kissing and caressing the beautiful vampire before me.


After another minute, he was the one to pull away this time. I reluctantly complied and let him go, facing the harsh reality that the awesome kiss was now over.


I sighed and looked up into his eyes, going almost rigid when I immediately took in the sudden and huge change in his body’s demeanor. A slight scowl marred his face and his eyes were now a coal black color.


“Bella…” his voice was rough now, no longer the calm softness of velvet and seduction.


“Edward?” I asked hesitantly.


I saw his jaw clench before he ground out my name in an even tone. “Bella.”


Uhmm…


I took in a shaky breath and exhaled, “Yeah?”


“You need to put some goddamn clothes on, before I give in to my overwhelming need to take you up against this wall and fuck you within an inch of your life,” he warned me huskily.


I felt my stomach muscles tighten at his words and my cheeks quickly warm up in a blush.


Ugh, damn. Mmm, what if I want you to throw my up against this wall and fuck me within an inch of my life…


Sounds good to me Marie added.


His dark eyes wasted no time in quickly hardening themselves, and narrowing dangerously at me just before they flashed down to look at the covered juncture in between my thighs. I knew then, that his weird and extra freaky vampire senses had picked up on my slight arousal at his words. His penetrating black stare came back to my face a second later, focusing intently on it.


Silence enveloped our still forms as he studied the now pink color of my cheeks for what seemed like forever, before I finally saw a hint of movement in his heavily transfixed eyes.


I watched, in a trance, as his white lids slowly covered the pitch black irises of his eyes. When he tilted his face down and leaned further into me, I heard him inhale deeply. I turned my face slightly to the side and saw a look of sweet serenity take over his beautiful face, quickly and effectively wiping away the previous scowl.


I started to relax at the sight of it, but then he let out his breath in a dark and menacing chuckle, effectively betraying his now calm features.


He opened his cold, black eyes and gazed into my wary brown ones. “Bella…” he said in a deep purr, causing my clit to tingle. Just a little bit.


“Y-yeah?” I managed to squeak out.


He leaned into me again, nuzzling my neck. After a few seconds, he spoke. “You like that, don’t you? Such a dirty little girl…” he whispered in my ear, then chuckled again in dark amusement, causing his cool breath to send a shiver down my spine.


He inhaled once more, then breathed out slowly, against my bare skin. “My Bella. Sweet, little Bella…” he cooed softly in my ear.


“Y-yeah? I squeaked out. Again.


Jesus, why can’t I speak coherently right now?


He kissed my neck before speaking into my ear again. “I want to mark you. Because you are mine,” he informed me, punctuating his statement with a possessive growl.


Oh god, yes. Fucking mark me. Now.


At his declaration, I could feel my excitement grow and my arousal deepen, just from anticipating what was to come. I fucking loved this ‘marking’ business. It felt damn good, and I loved the feeling of security that always came with it. He was claiming me…marking me for all to see. Surely, he wouldn’t do that unless he really wanted to keep me.


Right?


He pulled his face back then, gazing into my eyes for another moment before finally speaking. “Mmm, I sense your sweet desire, my Bella. I can smell it all over you…“ he remarked with a smirk, marveling in slight amusement at the changes in my scent that my aroused state had caused.


I blushed at his statement, and noticed how it caused his suddenly transfixed eyes to glisten with venom. He quickly blinked and dipped his face back to my neck, then kissed a trail up to my ear, eventually taking my tiny earlobe in between his lips and sucking softly on it.


“You are so fucking intoxicating, love,” he told my ear in a seductively rough voice.


I gasped for a breath. “Oh, god…”


He let my lobe go and closed his mouth then. He pulled back and looked at my face, regarding it somewhat curiously. I bit my lip, suddenly nervous being under his odd scrutiny again. After a moment, he laughed lightly, exhaling the small chuckle through his nose.


All of a sudden, he wrapped one arm tightly around me and brought my towel-clad body flush against his chest.


I smiled then, thinking that he was going to start kissing my neck and softly suck on the skin there, so that he could put his mark on me. But then, just as he had begun to nuzzle that special, sensitive spot, he abruptly stopped, and pulled away instead.


He just…fucking pulled away.


Ugh…will you make up your fucking mind already!


He likes teasing you… Marie offered.


Slightly disappointed, and believing her words, I looked up at him questioningly. But when I lifted my eyes to his, I saw that he was already looking down at me.


He had a fierce look in his eyes that caused me to suddenly feel so small in my spot against his chest. His eyes also blazed with something else that I couldn’t quite identify. My smile fell completely as I gazed back into his penetrating…almost threatening stare.


I furrowed my brow, slightly confused now. “Edward?”


He shook his head and continued staring into my eyes. “Shhh, my love. No more talking,” he whispered to me.


My eyes diverted from his when they caught the sudden and constant movement of his throat in my peripheral vision. They slowly and reluctantly trailed down his face, eventually landing on the base of his throat, just above his collar bone. I watched and I knew, almost immediately, that he was swallowing back venom.


Convulsively.


Uh-oh…


“Ed-“ I started but his sudden and sharp hiss at me abruptly cut me off.


Fear immediately consumed every cell in my body as I gasped in a breath and pressed me lips together, trying like hell to just keep quiet.


I knew that hiss. I remembered it. It was a warning.


My warning to stay still. And to shut the fuck up.


He glared at me, our faces just inches apart. My body began to slightly vibrate a second later from the very sudden but steady growl that had successfully erupted deep within the chest that I was currently being pressed against.


About two minutes later, he was able to calm that constant growl, but his nostrils continued to flare slightly.


He spoke then, and I was slightly surprised that it was in an unexpected soft voice. “I can smell your fear…” he told me in a whisper.


I didn’t respond though, just stayed silent.


I watched as his lips began to slightly curl into a cross between a small smile and a small snarl. “Aw…are you scared, pretty girl?“ he cooed softly to me with angry black eyes that glistened with venom.


I whimpered and nodded.


He blinked and smirked. Satisfied. “Mmmmm…“ he purred.


“Edward, no-“ my strained voice rushed out before he cut me off.


“Your adrenaline is so fucking sweet, I can almost taste it. I want to taste it,” he told me, while subtly tightening his hold around me and slowly drawing his mouth closer to my neck.


I was not turned on anymore.


And Edward needed to hunt.


I pushed against his chest with all the strength I could muster, then spoke in a loud and firm voice…just like he had taught me. “Edward, stop.”


He chuckled darkly, his icy lips pressed against my bare skin now. He trailed five kisses along my neck, then playfully shook his head and growled out, “No, I don’t wanna…”


“Edward, please stop,” I whispered.


My voice had went from a firm determination to a desperate pleading in a split second. I was pathetic and weak…and no match for him.


His grip around my upper back tightened, simultaneously holding me closer to him and giving me a silent ‘no‘.


Three seconds later, his face flashed away from my neck and he hissed out a load and harsh, “Fuck,” clearly beginning to battle against his most primal instincts.


He blinked against the shiny venom coating his eyes in a small effort to regain some control, but his grip on my body remained the same. Soon, the side of his face dipped itself back in and was firmly pressed into the side of mine. We were cheek to cheek.


And it hurt.


I caught his quick and repeated whispered plea of, “Jasper, help. Jasper, help. Jasper, help,” before he suddenly turned his head to the side and allowed his cool lips to start skimming along my sore cheek bone.


“Edward-” I whimpered out before he cut me off again.


“So fucking pink…you’re blushed so beautiful for me…so warm,” he murmured against my cheek.


I started panting and breathing heavily when I felt his lips begin to press hard and insistent kisses on my neck and shoulder. I was suddenly very confused on whether I should be frightened, or aroused. Honestly, I was a bit of both.


Was he getting ready to mark me? Or feed from me?


I was successfully being induced into a very fake, but relaxed state, thoroughly dazzled by the venom scent that was surrounding me at every turn. It soaked into my lungs and clouded my mind. I was so confused. My current fear and arousal only served to heighten and intensify my current state of mind. But…still, I could sense that Marie’s survival instincts were trying to override those feelings.


Bell, get the fuck away from him Marie’s low voice suddenly warned me.


Is my Edward gonna give us a owwie? Isabella hedged softly.


“So fucking sweet. So fucking mine,” he murmured against the skin below my ear.


“Edward, stop…” I whispered out, no longer finding the strength to protest.


Edward suddenly reached down and swatted my ass. “No,” he growled out, then left his stilled, cold hand on my right ass cheek.


Hot damn, that stings!


“You don’t tell me what to do,” he said in a suddenly stern voice, still keeping his face hovered next to my neck.


I nodded slowly, willing myself not to make anymore sudden movements. This was reality slapping me in the face.


Once again.


Stupid, stupid, stupid!


How could I forget?


I can never allow myself to forget the fact that Edward is a predator and that I am his intended prey. But apparently, I’m a dumb ass and happen to forget this little piece of information all the fucking time.


Aaaand, this is where shit gets complicated between inter-species relationships…


Memories of our early, budding relationship flooded my mind and I quickly realized the severity of our current situation. I kept still and knew that giving any kind of physical indication that I am going to run, or fight, only makes it worse.


We’ve been through this before.


He raised his head fractionally and pressed his cool lips to the shell of my ear for a gentle kiss, before softly whispering to me, “You are my Bella. Mine.”


When my only response was a sniffle, he lightly squeezed the sore spot that he had just spanked, and demanded in a hard voice, “Say. It.”


I swallowed back my fear and forced myself to speak. “I’m your’s,” I confirmed in a slightly shaky voice.


He just nodded and reluctantly took his face away from my neck. I watched helplessly as my Edward tried relentlessly to regain some semblance of control over the predator inside of himself. After a few minutes of the occasional clenched fist at the small of my back, and a few growls sporadically erupting from his chest, his tight grip around my body eventually loosened, but he still did not let me go.


His black eyes bore into mine as he stated, “What I said earlier about you and this wall was a threat, not a fucking promise, Bella.I am slowly beginning to lose my goddamn composure,” he informed me in a hard voice, stating the obvious.


I nodded in acknowledgment of his current dilemma and saw how his black eyes took on a slightly desperate look then. “But then, you just had to go and react like that,” he spat out accusingly.


I just shrugged, not being able to excuse or explain away my body’s very natural reaction to him and his damned dazzling ways.


He continued on. “You let me smell your delicious desire at the thought of me wrapping your legs around my waist while I plunge myself deep inside of your warm, wet heat over and over and over again…” he trailed off.


My eyes widened a bit and I blushed. Again.


I couldn‘t fucking help it!


I loved the sound of that, but I also knew damn well that I was becoming aroused all over again.


Fucking stupid period hormones!


His eyes flashed in anger at me then. “And you‘re doing it. Again,” he stated through gritted teeth, as his chest began rumbling in another low growl.


I just stayed quiet, patiently waiting for him to calm himself down. Again.


A minute later, his growl had stopped and he spoke. “That ridiculous rosy blush and your enticing adrenaline are not fucking helping matters any, Bella,” he admonished me.


I looked down and away from his accusing, cold stare.


I didn’t do anything wrong, damn it.


His used a cold finger to lift my chin up, forcing my gaze to be locked back onto his.


“Why are you doing this to me?” he asked in a perplexed whisper.


“Sorry,” I mumbled in apology, even though I wasn’t exactly sure what I had to apologize for. He was being unreasonable, like he always is when he’s thirsty.


It would seem that this time, he was blaming me for his urges, even though I did nothing to purposefully provoke them. I can’t help my body’s natural reaction to his fuckhott dirty words, and his light, trailing kisses along my bare skin.


But then again, I guess he can’t help his body’s natural reaction to the simple scent of my blood. How it sings to him…keeping him addicted to me.


Still…he should have known that he wouldn’t be able to handle my aroused state right now, for whatever reason. Thirst, stress, whatever. So he should have never provoked me. Because that’s how it happened. Not the other way around.


I stood there silently and placated myself, knowing that things would be better after he goes hunting and feeds on a poor, defenseless deer, or something. He will come back and apologize for his behavior. I will accept it and forgive him. A week later, if he’s not careful, then this process will repeat itself.


It’s a vicious cycle.


“Get dressed,” he demanded in a harsh tone.


I nodded and tried to step away from him, but he still had a pretty good grip on me.


I sighed. “Edward, let me go…” I whispered.


At my request, his grip only tightened around me. I stiffened as he buried his nose in my long, wet hair and began taking deep, gasping breaths. I stood completely still, waiting for the onslaught of round two, when his rough voice spoke against my scalp.


“Bella, I need to hunt. I need to go. I need to leave. Now,” he told me in a rushed voice between slight and subtle, rumbly growls.


“Go,” I said simply.


He groaned then, and it caused him to sound like he was in pain. The noise, in turn, caused me to immediately submit to him, making my towel covered body go completely lax against his hard one. He began continually pulsating his one-armed grip around me from tight to loose. Like a heart beat. Like he was matching it with my heart beat.


His breathing, which had gone from the occasional slight gasp to just being non-existent for a while, had thankfully calmed into the slow and shallow breaths I was used to hearing from him.


And I knew that my Edward was beginning to resurface again when he spoke, a few minutes later.


“But I don’t want to…” he admitted in a much softer voice, wrapping his other arm around me as well, effectively pulling me in for a hug, and gently cradling me, no longer pressing me, to his cool and comforting chest.


I nodded and reached a hand up to lightly run my fingers through his hair, offering what comfort I could to him. The dangerous behavior he displayed a minute ago, which had just barely been tamed by Jasper, was screaming out of his need to hunt, and I wasn’t about to risk my life any further by trying to convince him to stay, like he obviously wanted me to.


“Bella, I miss you,” he admitted in a whisper to my ear, and I noticed how his breath slightly hitched at that declaration.


I turned my face to the side and placed a soft kiss against his cool, smooth cheek. “I love you Edward. I’ll be here when you get back. But you need to go hunt now, honey,” I insisted, trying my best to hold back the tears that were starting to burn in my eyes.


He finally let me go then, stepping back and out of our embrace. He looked into my eyes beseechingly, silently asking me for my understanding and forgiveness at his recent behavior.


I gave him a slight nod, knowing that I could never begrudge him of his true nature. I heard his rushed sigh of relief before he hurriedly stepped back towards me, and quickly placed a cool kiss to my forehead.


“I’ll be back,” was his whispered promise, before he literally vanished out of thin air…obviously in a hurry to get away from me.


Okay…what the fuck just happened? Marie’s voice demanded.


Where’s my Edward goin? Isabella asked anxiously.


Alice appeared out of nowhere then, apparently trying to perform her own magical vanishing act. “It’ll be okay, Bella,” she told me in a soft, reassuring voice, adding in a small smile for good measure.


But he said I could go with him next time… Isabella mumbled sadly.


I looked in Alice’s direction and subtly nodded at her, but I didn’t answer any of them. I just numbly walked towards the bed and grabbed the pajamas that Edward had so carefully laid out on the bed for me. With my bed clothes now in my hand, I sighed and turned to walk back towards the bathroom, softly shutting the door behind me as I crossed over the thresh hold.


I was trying so hard not to cry. The rushed, messy emotions that the girls had caused to course through me while I was in the shower, was still upsetting me a great deal. Then there was the constant fear of Edward leaving, or giving up on me because of my now very obvious personality disorder.


Then, there was Edward’s current, and sudden erratic behavior. To say that he had just confused the hell out of me and hurt my feelings would be an understatement. I haven’t had to deal with that ‘predator’ side of him in a long time. Since before he left me after my birthday. Actually, since the beginning of our relationship. But believe me…what just happened caused my memory to refresh real quick, and I remember very clearly now all of the times that I would have to hold perfectly still while Edward acclimated himself to me and my deadly scent.


But, I guess it would sort of make sense for us to have to go through a phase like that again. After all…he has been gone for a while, and being back in my presence for only a week now could cause some of those familiar early-stage problems to occur again.


Right?


Plus, our relationship is still somewhat rocky…we are still trying to rebuild the trust. Add Edward’s predator and two of my uncontrollable alternates to the mix, and we have a near disaster on our hands. I just hope that we will be able to get over this huge bump in the road.


But at the same time, I don’t really understand why he had just behaved the way that he did and it’s frustrating the crap out of me because it only adds to my current confusion.


I mean…how could he be so incredibly intimate with me last night, but then go all creepy vamp on me a minute ago?


And didn’t he just hunt yesterday? Why does he need to hunt again so soon? Lust? Stress? Is it because I’m menstruating? The possibilities are fucking endless…


I found myself wanting him to just hurry back. I know that he will be himself again when he returns to me. I know this from experience, so I have no doubt in that fact. I just can’t wait to kiss him again and snuggle up into his chest. He always likes to softly caress his cool fingers through my long hair and down back while slowly rocking me…gently lulling me into a peaceful sleep.


Great.


He’s been gone for all of two minutes and I’m already pining after him like some love sick, obsessed little girl.


Pathetic.


I sighed and decided to just try and fucking relax until he gets home. I really need to quit over-analyzing and over-thinking everything.


I was planning on drying off the rest of my body, so that I could get dressed, but I was already mostly dry by now, so after a simple, quick rub down, I grabbed the blue panties that Edward had handed to me earlier.


When I looked at them though, I lost my battle at trying not to cry.


I stood there, just staring at the damn things, while tears blurred my vision, eventually spilling over and causing me to break the promise I had made to myself to not cry. I felt the traitor tears stream their way down my cheeks as the lump in my throat grew thicker.


There was a pad already stuck to the inside of the new, blue panties. I sniffled and felt my heart swell with love, the same exact time that I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment, from the sight of it.


How weird and completely awkward must all of this be for him? Among many other things, my vampire boyfriend took the time to explain the process of menstruation to my very fucked up, very confused five year old alternate, while simultaneously cleaning up a blood mess that was on her skin. And then he goes and makes sure that she always has a prepared and padded pair of panties to put on, just so that she will be comfortable. I mean…who does that?


My Edward.


That’s who.