Copyright
Copyright 2013
Dedication
This book is dedicated to Stephanie Meyer and fans of Twilight and Edward.
Introduction
My name is Edward Cullen and I am a vampire. Carlisle took care of me when I was a human, after my mother died of a disease. When I was seventeen, he turned me into a vampire. When I started out with the blood of animals, I sometimes cheated, killing humans with the minds of rotten things; rape, murder, robbery, and etc. But now I am a full "vegetarian" vampire. I was already a vampire when Carlisle changed Rosalie. Then, when she begged him to, Emmett. She wanted me in the beginning and I declined. But soon, she found Emmett. Then came Alice and Jasper.
My feelings of not wanting a mate, changed when I met Bella Swan. Now she's my girlfriend, and I intend on keeping her human. This is my life.
Ch. 1: Party
It's a beautiful day, as I wait for Bella to arrive at school, Alice at my side.
Once she's out of her truck and in front of me, Alice skips forward to meet her, a small silver-wrapped square box in her hands.
"Happy birthday, Bella!" she says cheerfully.
"Shh!" Bella hisses, glancing around the lot; probably to make sure no on heard Alice.
She ignores her.
"Do you want to open your present now or later?"
"No presents."
"Okay...later, then. Did you like the scrapbook your mom sent you? And the camera from Charlie?"
Bella sighs.
"Yeah. They're great."
"I think it's a nice idea. You're only a senior once. Might as well document the experience."
"How many times have you been a senior?"
"That's different."
I hold out my hand and she eagerly takes mine. I give her fingers a gentle squeeze and she looks up at me. I hear her heartbeat stutter a little and smile. I lift my free hand and trace one fingertip around the outside of her lips, as I speak.
"So, as discussed, I am not allowed to wish you a happy birthday, is that correct?"
"Yes. That's correct."
"Just checking." I run my hand through my tousled bronze hair. "You might have changed your mind. Most people seem to enjoy things like birthdays and gifts."
Alice laughs.
"Of course you'll enjoy it. Everyone is supposed to be nice to you today and give you your way, Bella. What's the worst that could happen?"
"Getting older," she replies to my sister.
I tighten my smile, unhappy at what she's implying.
"Eighteen isn't very old. Don't women usually wait 'til they're twenty-five to get upset over birthdays?"
"It's older than Edward."
I sigh.
"Technically. Just by one little year, though," Alice responds, her tone tight. She then asks, "What time will you be at your house?"
"I didn't know I had plans to be there."
"Oh, be fair, Bella! You aren't going to ruin all our fun like that, are you?"
"I thought my birthday was about what I want."
"I'll get her from Charlie's right after school," I tell Alice, ignoring Bella.
"I have to work," Bella protests.
"You don't, actually. I already spoke to Mrs. Newton about it. She's trading your shifts. She said to tell you 'Happy Birthday,'" Alice tells her.
"I-I still can't come over. I, well, I haven't watched Romeo and Juliet yet for English."
Alice snorts. "You have Romeo and Juliet memorized."
"But Mr. Berty said we needed to see it performed to fully appreciate it-that's how Shakespeare intended it to be presented."
I roll my eyes.
"You've already seen the movie," Alice accuses.
"But not the nineteen- sixties version. Mr. Berty said it was the best."
Alice glares at her. "This can be easy, or this can be hard, Bella, but one way or the other-"
I interrupt her threat. "Relax, Alice. If Bella wants to watch a movie, then she can. It's her birthday."
"So there," Bella adds.
"I'll bring her over around seven. That will give you more time to set up," I continue.
Alice laughs. "Sounds good. See you tonight, Bella! It'll be fun, you'll see." She grins and pecks her on the cheek and dances off toward her first class.
"Edward, please-" Bella starts to beg, but I press one finger to her lips.
"Let's discuss it later. We're going to be late for class."
After school, as I usually do, I walk her to her truck, but this time I open the passenger door for her.
She folds her arms and doesn't make a move to get out of the rain. "It's my birthday, don't I get to drive?"
"I'm pretending it's not your birthday, just as you wished."
"If it's not my birthday, then I don't have to go to your house tonight..."
"All right." I shut the door and walk past her to open the driver's side. "Happy birthday."
"Shh," she shushes me, before climbing into the opened door.
While she drives, I play with the radio, shaking my head in disapproval.
"Your radio has horrible reception."
She frowns. "You want a nice stereo? Drive your own car."
When she parks in front of Charlie's house, I reach over to take her face in my hands. I gently press the tips of my fingers softly against her temples, cheekbones, and jawline.
"You should be in a good mood, today of all days," I whisper.
"And if I don't want to be in a good mood?"
"Too bad."
I lean in and kiss her. She wraps her arms around my neck and throws herself into the kiss. I let go of her face and reach back with my hands to gently unlock her grip on me.
"Be good, please," I breathe against her cheek.
I kiss her once more before pulling away. She folds her arms across her stomach.
"Do you think I'll ever get better at this? That my heart might someday stop trying to jump out of my chest whenever you touch me?"
"I really hope not," I say with a smile.
She rolls her eyes. "Let's go watch the Capulets and Montogues hack each other up, all right?"
"Your wish, my command."
I sprawl across the couch while she starts the movie, fast-forwarding through the opening credits. When she perches on the edge of the couch in front of me, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her against my chest. I pull an old afghan off the back of the couch and drape it over her so she won't freeze beside me.
"You know, I've never had much patience with Romeo," I comment, as the movie starts.
"What's wrong with Romeo?" she asks.
"Well, first of all, he's in love with this Rosaline-don't you think it makes him seem a little fickle? And then, a few minutes after their wedding, he kills Juliet's cousin. That's not very brilliant. Mistake after mistake. Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly?"
She sighs. "Do you want me to watch this alone?"
"No, I'll mostly be watching you, anyway." I trace patterns across the skin of her arm with my fingers. "Will you cry?"
"Probably. If I'm paying attention."
"I won't distract you then." I press my lips gently on her hair.
As the movie goes on, I whisper Romeo's lines in her ear.
"I'll admit, I do sort of envy him here," I say, drying her tears with a lock of her hair.
"She's very pretty."
I make a noise of disgust. "I don't envy him the girl-just the ease of the suicide. You humans have it so easy! All you have to do is throw down one tiny vial of plant extracts..."
"What?" she gasps.
"It's something I had to think about once, and I knew from Carlisle's experience that it wouldn't be simple. I'm not even sure how many ways Carlisle tried to kill himself in the beginning...after he realized what he'd become...," I explain. "and he's clearly still in excellent health."
She twists around and looks at me.
"What are you talking about? What do you mean this is something you had to think about once?"
"Last Spring, when you were...nearly killed...of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive, but part of my mind was making contingency plans. Like I said, it's not as easy for me as it is for a human."
"Contingency plans?"
"Well, I wasn't going to live without you. But I wasn't sure how to do it-I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help...so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi."
"What is a Volturi?"
"The Volturi are a family. A very old, very powerful family of our kind. They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family, I suppose. Carlisle lived with them briefly in his early years, in Italy, before he settled in America-do you remember the story?"
"Of course I remember."
"Anyway, you don't irritate the Volturi. Not unless you want to die-or whatever it is we do."
She holds my face in her hands tightly.
"You must never, never, never think of anything like that again! No matter what might happen to me, you are not allowed to hurt yourself!"
"I'll never put you in danger again, so it's a moot point."
"Put me in danger! I thought we'd established that all the bad luck is my fault? How dare you even think like that?"
"What would you do, if the situation was reversed?"
"That's not the same thing."
I chuckle.
"What if something did happen to you? Would you want me to go off myself?"
The thought brings me pain, when she asks that.
"I guess I see your point...a little," I admit. "But what would I do without you?"
"Whatever you were doing before I came along and complicated your existence."
I sigh. "You make that sound so easy."
"It should be. I'm not really that interesting."
"Moot point," I remind her.
I pull myself up into a more formal posture, shifting her to the side so that we are no longer touching.
"Charlie?" she guesses.
I smile.
She reaches out and takes my hand firmly.
Charlie comes in with a pizza box in his hands.
"Hey, kids." He grins at her. "I thought you'd like a break from cooking and washing dishes for your birthday. Hungry?"
"Sure. Thanks, dad."
"Do you mind if I borrow Bella for the evening?" I ask Charlie, when she and Charlie finish eating.
She looks at Charlie.
"That's fine—-the Mariners are playing the Sox tonight," Charlie explains. "So I won't be any kind of company...Here." He scoops up the camera and throws it to her. She misses and I catch it before it can hit the floor. "Nice save," he notes. "If they're doing something fun at the Cullens' tonight, Bella, you should take some pictures. You know how your mother gets—-she'll be wanting to see the pictures faster than you can take them."
"Good idea, Charlie," I say, handing her the camera.
She turns it on and takes a picture of me. "It works."
"That's good. Hey, say hi to Alice for me. She hasn't been over in a while."
"It's been three days, dad," she reminds him. "I'll tell her," she adds.
"Okay. You kids have fun tonight."
Charlie heads towards both the living room and TV.
I smile and take her hand to pull her from the kitchen.
When we get to the truck, I open the passenger door for her again, and this time she gets in.
I drive North through Forks, unhappy of how slow, in my standards, her truck has to go. It groans louder when I push it over fifty.
"Take it easy," she warns me.
"You know what you would love? A nice little Audi Coupe. Very quiet, lots of power..."
"There's nothing wrong with my truck. And speaking of expensive nonessentials, if you know what's good for you, you didn't spend any money on birthday presents."
"Not a dime," I say virtuously.
"Good."
"Can you do me a favor?"
"That depends on what it is."
I sigh. "Bella, the last real birthday any of us have had was Emmett in 1935. Cut us a little slack, and don't be too difficult tonight. They're all very excited."
"Fine, I'll behave."
"I probably should warn you..."
"Please do."
"When I say they're all excited...I do mean all of them."
"Everyone? I thought Emmett and Rosalie were in Africa."
"Emmett wanted to be here."
"But...Rosalie?"
"I know, Bella. Don't worry, she'll be on her best behavior." I then change the subject. "So, if you won't let me get you the Audi, isn't there anything that you'd like for your birthday?"
"You know what I want," she whispers.
I frown. Now I wish I had stayed on the topic of Rose.
"Not tonight, Bella. Please."
"Well, maybe Alice will give me what I want."
I growl.
"This isn't going to be your last birthday, Bella," I vow.
"That's not fair!"
I pull up to the house.
She moans, seeing the pink Roses and Japanese lanterns outside.
I take a few deep breaths to calm myself. "This is a party. Try to be a good sport."
"Sure."
I come around to get the door, and offer her my hand.
"I have a question."
I wait warily.
"If I develop this film," she says, toying with the camera in her hands, "will you show up in the picture?"
I laugh. I help her out of the car, pull her up the stairs, and am still laughing when I open the door for her.
"Happy birthday, Bella!" my family greets her when she walks in. She blushes and looks down. There's pink candles and dozens of crystal bowls filled with hundreds of roses on every flat surface. There's a table with a white cloth draped over it next to my piano, holding a pink birthday cake, more roses, a stack of glass plates, and a small pile of silver-wrapped presents. Of course, Alice did all the decorating and setting up.
I can smell her distress, so I wrap my encouraging arm around her waist and kiss the top of her head.
Carlisle and Esme are the closest to the door, so they start. Esme hugs her and kisses her forehead, and then Carlisle puts an arm around her shoulders.
"Sorry about this, Bella," he stage-whispers. "We couldn't rein Alice in."
Rosalie and Emmett stand behind them. Emmett grins, while Rosalie just stands there.
"You haven't changed at all. I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always," Emmett says with mock disappointment.
"Thanks a lot, Emmett."
He laughs. "I have to step out for a second"-he pauses to wink conspicuously at Alice.-"Don't do anything funny while I'm gone."
"I'll try."
Alice lets go of Jasper's hand and skips forward, smiling. Jasper smiles, too, but keeps his distance. He leans against the post at the foot of the stairs.
"Time to open presents," Alice declares. She puts her hand under her elbow and tows her to the table with the cake and packages.
"Alice, I know I told you I didn't want anything-"
"But I didn't listen. Open it." She takes the camera from her and replaces it with a big, square silver box. The one from Emmett, Rose, and Jasper. She opens it.
"Um...thanks."
Rose cracks a smile and Jasper laughs. "It's a stereo for your truck," he explains. "Emmett's installing it right now so you can't return it."
"Thanks Jasper, Rosalie." She then calls more loudly, "Thanks, Emmett!"
Emmett laughs and then Bella.
"Open mine and Edward's next," Alice says excitedly. She holds a small, flat square box in her hand.
She gives me a basilisk glare. "You promised."
Emmett bounds through the door. "Just in time!" he crows. He pushes in behind Jasper, who is a little closer, curious what's inside.
"I didn't spend a dime," I assure her. I brush a strand of hair from her face.
She sighs and turns to Alice. "Give it to me."
Emmett chuckles with delight.
She takes it and rolls her eyes at me, as she sticks her finger under the edge of the paper and jerks it under the tape.
"Shoot," she mutters when the paper slices her finger. She pulls it out and a drop of blood oozes from the tiny cut onto the carpet.
"No!" I roar, reading Jasper's mind.
I throw myself at her, flinging her back across the table. It falls as she does, scattering the cake and the presents, the flowers and the plates. She lands in the mess.
Jasper slams into me. He snarls and tries to shove me, snapping his teeth just inches from my face.
In the next second, Emmett grabs Jasper from behind locking him into a tight grip, but Jasper keeps struggling, eyes red with hunger, only focused on Bella.
Even as all of this goes on, the rest of us try controlling our own thirst. Because it's not just a paper cut. Her wrist and arm are cut. It's much easier for Carlisle to resist, but more difficult for the rest of us. Right now, all we can smell is the overwhelming scent of blood in the air; her blood.
Ch. 2: Stitches
"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside," Carlisle orders calmly and quietly.
"Come on, Jasper," Emmett says, nodding once to Carlisle.
Jasper struggles, trying to get free, still past reason, hungry for the blood.
I crouch over Bella, taking a defensive position, growling in warning once, teeth clenched, not breathing. It's easier to fight the urge if I don't breathe it in.
Rosalie steps in front of Jasper, face smug, and helps Emmett wrestle him through the door Esme holds open, keeping a careful distance from his teeth. Esme holds one hand over her mouth and nose with the look of shame.
"I'm so sorry, Bella," she cries, as she follows the others out the door.
"Let me by, Edward," Carlisle murmurs.
I nod slowly and relax my stance after a second.
Carlisle kneels beside her, leaning close to examine her arm.
"Here, Carlisle," Alice says, handing him a towel.
He shakes his head. "Too much glass in the wound." He reaches over and rips a long, tin scrap from the bottom of the white tablecloth. He twists it around her arm above her elbow to form a tourniquet.
"Bella, do you want me to drive you to the hospital, or would you like me to take care of it here?" Carlisle asks softly.
"Here, please," she whispers.
"I'll get your bag," Alice says.
"Let's take her to the kitchen table," Carlisle tells me.
I carry her, while Carlisle keeps pressure on her arm.
"How are you doing?" Carlisle asks her.
"I'm fine."
I set her down in a chair and Carlisle pulls up another one. He sits down. Alice is there, the bag on the table, a small but bright desk light plugged into the wall. Carlisle goes to work. I stand over her, still protective, still not breathing.
"Just go, Edward," she says, sighing.
"I can handle it," I insist.
"You don't need to be a hero. Carlisle can fix me up without your help. Get some fresh air."
She winces as Carlisle starts in with her arm.
"I'll stay," I say.
"Why are you so masochistic?" she mumbles.
"Edward, you might as well go find Jasper before he gets too far. I'm sure he's upset with himself and I doubt he'll listen to anyone but you right now," Carlisle intercedes.
"Yes. Go find Jasper," Bella agrees.
"You might as well make yourself useful," Alice adds.
I narrow my eyes at them as they gang up on me, but I finally leave to obey both Carlisle and Bella; Get some fresh air and find Jasper.
Later, after Bella is home and everything is quiet, I see Bella in her room and we lay on her bed together. I help her open her presents. Carlisle and Esme got her tickets for me and her to go to Jacksonville and I got her a CD with a lullaby on it. The lullaby I always love playing for her on the piano at my home. Sometimes, I even hum it to her before she goes to sleep at night.
We kiss a few times before we say our farewells until tomorrow, and I leave her room from the window.
Ch. 3: The End
The next two days of school are silent and slow. All I can think about is what had happened. So I know it's time. So on the third day, my family is already packed up and gone, but I have to stay to tell her. So that's what I do. I ask her that afternoon after school to take a walk with me.
Once we're in the forest, I stop and that's where I break up with her and leave her there. Hopefully, she'll keep her promise not to do anything reckless.
Six months later, Rose tells me that Alice had a vision that Bella drowned cliff diving. She didn't say cliff diving, but the way she described it to me, it sounds like it.
When I call the house, Jacob Black answers. I then race to Italy and make a plan to provoke the Volturi.
The next day, before I can step into the sunlight, Bella is with me.
"Amazing. Carlisle was right."
"Edward, you have to move!"
I softly brush my hand against her cheek.
"I can't believe how quick it was. I didn't feel a thing—-they're very good," I muse, closing my eyes and pressing my lips against her hair. Then I murmur her one of Romeo's lines. "Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty." I then say, " You smell just exactly the same as always. So maybe this is hell. I don't care. I'll take it."
"I'm not dead," she interrupts. "And neither are you! Please Edward, we have to move. They can't be far away!"
"What was that?" I ask politely.
"We're not dead, not yet! But we have to get out of here before the Volturi-"
I suddenly realize that she's right.
When I hear them coming, I yank her gently away from the edge of the shadows, spinning her so that her back is against the brick wall and my back is to her, as I face away into the alley. I spread my arms wide, protectively, in front of her.
"Greetings, Gentlemen," I greet calmly. "I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I appreciate it very much, however, if you would send my thanks to your masters."
Soon after, Alice arrives at our sides.
Later, after a talk with Aro and Alice showing that she has seen that Bella will become a vampire, they let us go home.
Ch. 4: Vote
Later, after Bella has some sleep, she gets ready and we go to my house. She wants a vote on her becoming a vampire. She's determined to become a vampire. Plus, the Volturi will be checking in.
After the vote, there are five yes's and two no's. Rose and I say no, but for different reasons. I want to keep her human, while Rose doesn't wish her as a vampire since she never wanted this. The rest of them say yes. Since I won't do it and Alice doesn't know how, Bella makes an agreement. After Bella graduates, Carlisle will turn her. But later, Bella tells me that she wants me to turn her. So I make an agreement that we marry before she is turned. She agrees.
In the afternoon, we have an argument with Jacob in the forest. She tells him about her being turned and he reminds me about the treaty, acting as spokesperson for the pack. Me reading his mind angers him, so I keep my distance. He wants to stay friends with Bella, but it's hard for him now that we're back in town. And then the conversation is over and I walk Bella home where an angry Charlie waits. And as I do, I can feel Jacob watching us with intensity and anger. And an angry, young werewolf is the worst thing ever.
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