chapter 1

Glancing over to my left, out of a little window about the size of a large book, I saw ocean. It was stretched far over the perfectly round contours of the Earth. In the distance, when I bent a little to look, I could distinctly see where the Earth ended, in my visual field at least. The ocean seemed to dip off into the endless mysteries of space, and disappear. It was beautiful, breathtaking. My hands were folded on my lap as I took in the views. Then I felt something cold on my right hand. It was Edward’s hand. I looked down and saw his fingers playing games with mine and smiled widely. With every movement, the ring that circled his 4th finger glanced in the sunlight that shone in from the tiny window. His other arm reached over me to shut it.

“We don’t want people staring when I start to look like a disco ball, do we?” He smiled my favorite crooked smile, and kissed my forehead.

I squeezed his hand and looked at his face. I was suddenly reminded of real beauty. The horizon of the Earth meeting the sky and vast oceans stretching to meet different pieces of land like puzzle pieces suddenly seemed dull compared to what my eyes now encapsulated. Edward’s eyes were a warm topaz as they gazed into mine. I quickly shot a glance down to my ring. I played with it, watching it sparkle without sunlight, and was swimming in my overflowing happiness when the reason we were here came back into my consciousness.

Edward married me. I wasn’t dreaming. We made our vows and I loved him more than life itself. Of course, he always protests that I could never love him more than he loves me, but he’ll find out one day. Vampires and their stubbornness...


When our plane touched down, I had no idea where we were. Edward had kept our honeymoon destination a secret. He made sure he tipped the pilot to keep his mouth shut about our status and the weather. Edward knew I was good at figuring things out.

To my surprise, our journey wasn’t over. Edward wrapped a black piece of fabric around my eyes while we walked off the plane. As usual, he carried all my things with one hand, and held mine tightly with the other. Once we got into the terminal, he leaned over to my ear and whispered, “I love you, sweetheart. We’re almost there.”

I was too intoxicated by his cool, unexpected breath in my ear to even have noticed the loud voice announce something that started with “Welcome to…”

“I love you, too, Edward. Will you please at least give me a hint,” I begged. “You know how much I despise surprises!”

All I heard was a giggle escape his – as I imagined – perfect, marble-like, crimson lips. His arms wrapped around my waist and we starting walking again.

After a short car ride, I began to hear to sounds of the ocean. I wanted so badly to peek out and see the waves crash against the shore that my imagination had just painted up. The sun on my arms felt nice; different from the gloomy light I was restricted to in Forks. I wondered where we were. I heard Edward talking to a man nearby. This was my chance. I began slowly lifting my hand to the black fabric, but to my disappointment, something cold stopped it.

“Ah, no you don’t, silly. Patience is a virtue, love.”

I should have known not to even try. Not with a husband faster than a cheetah. A sick, masochistic cheetah. I had a little party in my head for a couple of seconds, envisioning the near future and what we were both going to have in store. I must have been smiling, because I felt a smooth set of lips kiss my cheek, making me aware of my curved lips.

“Smiling already? The fun hasn’t even started yet!” Edward assured me.

We were then at sea. Sailing away for what seemed like years. The water was calm as I judged from the quiet sounds around me, and the steadiness of the boat –or whatever it was we were in. Suddenly, I felt the bottom of our… vehicle, break the shoreline, and wash up onto what sounded like silky sand. Edward’s hands grabbed mine and pulled me up, helping me onto the ground. My bare feet identified it as sand, after all. I felt Edward standing behind me, his whole body against mine. He buried his face in my neck. “We’re here,” he whispered, as he slowly untied the blind fold. With a little kiss on my neck, my vision was restored. My eyes had to blink numerous times to be sure they weren’t seeing things. I was standing on the shore of an island. It was so tiny and intimate that I could see the opposite shoreline only a few miles in front of me. To the right, about 20 feet inland, was a little wooden sign with engraved letters reading “Isle Esme”.

“Esme!” I said to myself.

“It was a gift from Carlisle, just a token to show how much she means to him.” Edward grabbed my waist as if to portray the same kind of gratefulness.

Of course! Who doesn’t buy their loved one an island as a token of appreciation? I was in awe, and then I looked to my right. Sitting there, under a canopy of palm trees, was a warm, inviting little house. It had two floors and large windows decked white tapestry, gently blowing in the calm breeze. From this angle, I saw straight into what looked like the master bedroom. Through sliding double glass doors, I could make out a huge white bed, with layers and layers and covers, it seemed. I had so many questions, but I knew they could wait. There were other things on my mind. . .



It was hot. Hotter than I remembered it to be in Phoenix, even. The sun’s rays beamed strongly through the tiny window of the bathroom I was comfortably sitting in, browning my shoulders already. My skin was not use to it. Then again, Edward's arms didn't exactly keep me warm in a scientific sense. But despite his icy temperature, I burned up when he cradled me into his chest. Despite his marble composition, my heart softened and sped up in a race to close the gap between us. I blushed every time, watching his eyes shift, knowing what that must do to him.

I could barely concentrate on unpacking. I hardly remembered shoving all these unnecessary accessories into my toiletries bag. Then it hit me.

Alice.

I was mortified as I held up a black piece of lingerie in front of me. For a quick second, my mind took its own course and projected a future scene for me. Edward was there, lying still like stone on the huge, fluffy bed downstairs. He seemed to be waiting for something, nervous. His eyes glimmered to the hallway as I shyly walked into his line of sight. I had caved it, and slipped it on. Edward’s eyes then widened and he smiled my favorite crooked smile.

“You’re beautiful.” He whispered.

His lips parted in lust and longing. He let out a long breath, as if he could have ever lost it. I watched his chest rise and fall with his intake and exaggerated exhale, my eyes traveling across the plains of his flawless chest and stomach. His left hand stretched out to me, but my eyes were strung to his right hand. It wandered somewhere lower down his smooth, icy stomach. . .

“Stephanie, sweetheart! There you are.” His voice hit me, and I realized I’d been sitting on the floor holding up the naughty number like a statue. I hurriedly stuffed it back into the front little pocket of my second carry-on, hoping to never see it again. I turned red and felt my face get hot. Simultaneously, I was floating. Cradled in his arms, his cool, strong arms, I felt like I was dreaming again. But this time I wasn’t.

“Were you trying to hide from me, silly?” His tone was comforting and happy. Like I would ever hide from him. Silly vampire.

“Actually, yes. You found me!” I played along, poking his chest with my finger, almost crushing it. “You’re it!” I struggled to release myself from his protective hold so I can give him a chance to count while I found a good hiding spot. I should really learn to stop trying. His grip only got stronger.

“Not so fast, love.” He pulled me up to his face, inches away from his crimson lips. His voice was a whisper now. “We’ll have plenty of time for fun later.” His cool breath tickled my ear as his lips traced the edge of it, following the curve down to my jaw, kissing it. His soft kisses were my favorite. I could feel him exhale again against my skin, causing every hair on the back of my neck to stand up straight like soldiers. Except, I was defenseless against him.

“I promise.” He said into the hollow of my throat. Then he pulled back and looked into my eyes, and pressed his cold lips to mine. His movements were like currents, moving like liquid against my lips, one motion, connecting himself to me. I knew it was easy for him now; he barely paused to control his urges, his terrifying vampiric urges. I would never tell him this, but hearing him hiss would send me into a frenzy he would most likely never expect. He still thinks he scares me. I enjoyed my own private laughter.

“Why does the fun have to wait?” I must have sounded like a child. My lower lip protruded out and my eyebrows lifted in disappointment. We were alone, the two of us, far away from civilization, and still, he found the need to wait. This magnificent creature that I am so in love with and just got married to is completely unbelievable.

“Don’t you want to go for a swim? The water is warm, here.” Without the chance to answer him, we were gliding down the stairs and towards the glass paned sliding doors of our bedroom. He placed me down on my feet. I almost forgot how to stand when I realized he was wearing only a towel around his waist. I heard him giggle as he intertwined our fingers and started walking out the door towards the shore.

I stared at him, inexplicably beautiful. The sun was like a magnet to his form. Its rays reached for him, and bounced off his sharp edges with blinding sparkles. He shimmered like a diamond. A thousand tiny facets carved into his skin. I swallowed hard as I felt the tide wash up against my feet.

Then my hand was alone.

“Come on, Steph.” He invited, as he walked ahead of me.

I closed my eyes to take everything in. I felt things better when my sight was hindered. My other senses became front liners. I felt the currents on my toes. I felt them sinking into the wet sand, getting lost somewhere underneath. I felt the sun bake my shoulders and I felt the warm breeze ribbon around my hair. I felt a desire, burning from the inside. Then I felt something soft brush up against my ankles. There, laying on the ground, wet and sandy, was Edward’s towel. I looked up to see the man, the vampire, who was mine, waist deep in the calm water. I gasped.

He turned his head in a flash, his eyes on me and smiling, “Love, would you like me to carry you in?” He tilted his head while he smiled that crooked smile again.

As much as I wanted to say yes, I laughed a quiet laugh, “Coming, Edward.”

His eyes stayed on mine as I walked through the shallow waters, fighting off the little waves that climbed the shore. I must have been looking down to make sure I didn’t trip when two big, cold arms wrapped themselves underneath me. Now, only my toes and back were treading the water.

“You don’t know me at all.” He said, half smiling.

“Oh, I beg to differ.” I challenged.