Chapter 5

The rest of them left after an hour or so. I had the chance to clean myself up, which consisted of brushing my teeth twelve times in a row. Carlisle told Edward to have me in his office at nine in the morning. Edward had already tucked me into bed to rest during their conversation, but I could still hear them. I wanted to know who this Steven was. I wanted to know why he was causing such a commotion. And why weren't the cops dealing with it? It was no use asking Edward. He would just tell me that nothing would happen to me. Alice would tell me.

I nuzzled myself into my pillow and sighed. I was exhausted. Then Edward flashed to my side.

"No more airline food for you." He laughed softly and brushed my hair with his long fingers. "Are you feeling better?"

"I feel like myself again. Hopefully that was the end of it." He looked down at his hand while twirling his fingers around mine. I noticed his lips were moving, and I could faintly hear my lullaby trail out of his mouth.

I stared at him. His eyes were still gazing into our hands. I gently tugged his hand towards me, inviting him. When he looked up at me, his crooked smile sent me into a frenzy. "C'mere, you."

Edward climbed over me, making sure not to put too much pressure on any part of me. But he was close enough to make the hair on my arms stand up straight. I stroked his arms up and down. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He grazed the tip of his nose on mine and then kissed me. This time, my tongue took the initiative to open the gates. I launched into his mouth and began sucking on his lips. His breath was intoxicating me. It was hard to think straight when Edward's mouth was on mine. I felt his hand creep down my side. And then back up again. Every square inch of my skin rose with goosebumps. I inhaled sharply. It's been a whole day since Edward's hands touched me like this. Somehow, I felt more sensitive to them. It was as if my body temperature was warmer, and his hands felt colder on my skin. Maybe I had a fever. I hated being sick. Maybe going to see Carlisle tomorrow morning wouldn't be a bad thing. I realized my thoughts were trailing off when Edward's head embedded itself into the crook of my neck. I felt him inhale, and then growl.

"Edward?" I patted his head.

"Yes, dear?"

"Everything OK?"

"Why do you ask?" He tickled my skin with his nose.

"You're smelling me and growling. That usually sets off my alarm."

Then I felt his icy tongue make a trail from my neck, up over my chin, and to my lips. "Ah good, you're back."

"Huh?"

"I lost you for a minute. You seemed to be preoccupied with other thoughts." He kissed my cheek. "Just because I can't read your mind doesn't mean I can't tell if you're distracted."

"Oh, sorry. I'm hanging around you too much, I get distracted easily."

With that, I leaned forward and grabbed his hair, harnessing his face to mine. Then I urged my hips forward, and his center met mine like a magnetic force. When my hips came back down, Edward's were attached to mine, and the pressure was amazing. We shared a passionate kiss while Edward's southern movements caused my breathing to become rapid. I felt him perfectly through my light pants, despite his unnecessary pair of denims. I reached for his zipper, my fingers aching for it. He moaned into my mouth as I slowly started freeing his beast. I felt the tip, it was hard and cold. My fingers teased it then went to free the rest of him when the phone rang.

We had the same reaction. Two disappointing sighs and four rolling eyes. Edward stayed on top of me and reached for the phone on the night table.

"It's Alice. Should I pick up?"

"Of course."

Edward sighed, again. He didn't like interruptions. "Hello? Yes, she's right here...No, why?...Alice, she's fine!..." Edward started moving his fingers in circular motions around his ear. "No she's not sick anymore, she's resting now...I will tell her that...Thank you Alice...Goodnight."

"Sisters." Edward mumbled while placing the phone gently back on the night table. In seconds his lips were on my neck again.

"What did she say?"

"She wanted to know how you felt. That's all." His lips only parted from my skin when he had to speak. Otherwise, I was his lip's hunting ground. "Oh..." He paused to kiss me. "She wants to me tell you to feel better and drink water. Well, the last part was from Carlisle." His lips were back on me.

"Oh..." I was breathing heavy. "Okay." My hands stroked his arms while his lips grazed me.

My fingers returned to their last encounter. He was half-free of the denim trap. My fingertips felt his tip again, and a surge shot right up his length. This drove me wild. I unzipped him completely and undid the button. Then I pulled his pants down enough so that his hardness shot up and slapped his stomach. His moans turned into a growl. His hips instinctively lowered onto mine, and I felt him on me, hard and cold, cemented into my skin.

"Stephanie..."

"Yes?" I got out with an exhale.

"Not tonight."

My head fell back onto the pillow, breathing heavy. He fell to my side, arms around me. "You have to wake up early tomorrow."

I tapped his hands to free me and sat up on my knees. "C'mere." I urged him, calling him up to him with my finger. Of course, he listened, and was facing me on his knees, holding my waist. His head hovered over mine and I locked my eyes into his. "I'm a big girl now, Edward." I twisted my hand into his shirt, pulling him closer to me. "And you can't just tease me like that."

I loved playing these games with Edward. I crept closer to him, he was as still as a statue. I felt his body's tension. I composed myself.

"Edward?"

He stared off into space. I watched as his eyes flooded with blackness. "Get under the covers."

I listened, afraid of what was going on. I didn't want to ask him. He looked terribly concentrated on the window. The light breeze of the night swayed the curtains back and forth, but he was focused on something deeper. I followed his gaze and peered out the tiny piece not covered by the curtain.

A silhouette stood motionless on the other side of the glass panels. I knew the shape of his body. The posture of his stance. The weight of his hands as they hung heavy at his sides. And though I couldn't see facial details, I imagined a cigarette hanging from his pale lips, and his green eyes glaring through glassy films. It was my Paul. My best friend before I moved to Forks.

But what was he doing outside my window? And why was Edward acting so defensive as if my life was in danger?

"Edward! What are you doing?" I tried shaking his arm. I might as well try bending a piece of steel.

"His scent is familiar. I've been around him before. I'm trying to remember, give me a minute." His eyes never left the silhouette.

"His scent is familiar? Edward, don't be silly. That's just Paul. I've told you about him before. He was my best friend."

As I spoke I wound myself out of the bed sheets to approach the window when two cold arms swept me back up and into the bed.

"And where do you think you're going?" Edward's voice was stern.

"To say 'hi' to him. It's about time you two met. It was only a matter of time."

"Stephanie, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? He's harmless, trust me." I was sure of it.

"Well, he's holding a catatonic posture, evident that he possesses a psychological illness. And since I'm able to pick up his scent, he must be refusing his medication. Humans who are on medicine, especially heavy doses of various drugs, lose their blood's scent. To us at least. They are impossible to track, God forbid anything should happen..." He stroked his hand across my cheek and kissed the spot where his fingers stopped. He then quickly shot a devilish glance towards the window and the black shadow was gone.

"Edward, Paul is my friend. We stayed in contact as much as we could when I moved but it got harder when... well, you know. He's not intent on hurting me or anyone." My words sounded true as they escaped my shaky lips.

"I can't risk it." Edward wasn't budging.

I furrowed my eyebrows and bit my tongue. I was not going to argue over something so useless. I already fabricated a plan to call Paul tomorrow afternoon after my visit to Carlisle, in order to redeem and explanation for his surprise appearance in Forks. And as always, my angry feelings towards Edward disappeared within seconds. I crawled into his arms and he held me.

"I love you," I whispered into his chest, "You controlling vampire, you."

I heard him chuckle. "Stephanie, in between my arms there is something that I cannot live without, I cannot exist without. Don't be foolish." He dipped his head to kiss my neck and his hair tickled my cheek. "I love you, too," he whispered into the hollow of my throat. "Sleep now. You have an early morning tomorrow."

I laid my head on the pillow, as Edward held me, and started to think. Paul's scent was familiar to Edward. Why? How could that be? The two of them never even met! Completely impossible. And why was Edward acting so defensive, as if Paul was a threat. And, a psychological illness? These thoughts flooded my mind but I continued. Why did Alice call and ask how I felt? Did she see something?

"Oh...my...God." I sprung up breathing heavily. "Edward!"

"What is it, love?!" His hands were around me begging for me to speak.

"Edward, get Carlisle on the phone." I was too shaken up to dial.

Edward obeyed my wish and I held the phone to my ear, the rest of my was a frozen statue.

"Hello?"

"Carlisle! It's Stephanie. I hope you don't mind me calling..."

"Of course not. Is everything okay?"

Before I could speak, I heard a voice like wind chimes get progressively louder and in seconds Alice was screaming into the phone.

"Stephanie! Are you okay!? What's the matter!"

"Alice, I'm okay. I'm just a little concerned about something. I think Carlisle has the answer."

"Oh, but...you don't feel sick?"

"Nope."

"Hmm. Okay, he's Carlisle!"

She sounded as if she was disappointed in me not being sick. As if one of her visions was wrong. That was strange.

"Sorry about that, Steph." Carlisle was back.

"It's okay. Listen, who did you say escaped from the mental ward?"

"Cops reported his name was Steven."

"Do you know his last name?"

"Fiori. But that's just what the cops told us. I could double check the hospital records if you want. I'll call up the mental ward and see what they have to say."

I sat there, frozen, staring into space, as the phone slid out of my hands and down into my lap. My hand slowly covered my chest and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Edward handed the phone back to me. I started where I left off. "And the man who was arrested on Isle Esme?" My voice was shaking.

"The same guy, this 'Steven Fiori'."

"Would you mind double checking for me?"

"Of course not. When you come in tomorrow we will look over the records together."

"Thank you so much."

"Anytime."

We hung up and I handed the phone back to Edward; my hands violently shaking.