Chapter 3 continued...

I stared in awe as I felt myself boil to my core. I inhaled sharply, and as I exhaled, I moved my mouth onto him. I heard him moan. Overwhelmed with desire to give him everything he wanted, I took him in my mouth, moving my wet lips down his length, leaving a lot bare. I wrapped my right hand around the bare inches and started moving up and down. My grip got tighter with every stroke, and my lips made him well lubricated. The motions became quicker as his moans became growls. I could feel the vibration they produced from his throat. I moaned on him, giving him the sensation of my vibrating lips against his shaft. He was losing his mind. I felt his surges on my bottom lip speed up through his hardness. Simultaneously, I felt myself burning up and soaking in my core. I needed him inside me. With one last deep suck, I gasped and sat up. He looked at me with lustful eyes, glistening like the sand. His right hand appeared at the waist of the white skirt I was wearing. With a flick of his fingers, it was completely off and blowing in the wind. My bikini top came off next with a flip of his wrist.

I crawled on top of him and kissed his cool lips. At the same time, I moved my lower body up and body along his his length, coating it with another layer of lubrication.

"Stephanie," he said while panting, "I need...you. Now, Stephanie." He moaned again as my hot center rubbed against him.

Then I lifted myself a few inches above him and took it into my hand. I positioned it right under me, and lowered myself onto him, sliding him into me. I let out a moan when I felt his tip reach places they never have before. I moved in circular motions on him, letting him feel all my insides until it became unbearable.

I propped my legs up to balance on my toes, and started moving up and down. I was coming down hard on his hips, allowing him to pierce right through me. I screamed in pleasure, quickening my movements. My hands moved to my breasts but two cold hands pushed mine away. Edward took it upon himself to hold them in place, while massaging them and pinching them. My legs were working hard now, keeping up a pace that felt exponentially better with each internal collision. I felt myself explode from the inside, dripping onto him, still moving up and down. One.

"EDWARD! Oh God!" I screamed. I would have fell backwards but my hands grasped onto his thighs for support. This made me feel him even more. Every time I crashed down onto him now, I felt him thrust upwards, colliding with me. He was reaching the deepest of me, and with every thrust he sent shivers up my spine like an electrical current, forcing my to jolt my neck back. I could feel he wanted to take over. I had no objection.

He pulled himself up, lips meeting my neck. They scowled down to my collarbone, and my movements stopped. My legs were spent. I collapsed against his chest, my head buried in his neck, breathing frantically. "Edward..." I managed to say his name between breaths.

"Sweetheart, can you hold onto my neck?"

I tied my hands around him, resting them at the base of his neck. "Like this?"

"Just like that. Now hang on."

He darted up, standing on two feet. He held me in the same position we were in on the sand. My legs wrapped around his waist, and I felt his cold, hard arousal on the back of my upper thigh. He bent his knees and snapped back up. Now, his tip was rubbing against my slit, and the most sensitive part of me. I moaned and tightened my hold on his neck, knowing I couldn't hurt him.

I looked into his eyes, full of desire and lust. They were golden like honey. In a flash his lips were massaging mine. First they were gentle, then they became violent and cunning, attacking my mouth with sexual force while Edward lowered my body down onto him. I felt him enter me inch by inch. I moaned against his lips while he started thrusting, holding my body up with his arms. His forceful bangs triggered my breasts to jump, and his mouth was soon on them, sucking and massaging them. His hips crashed into mine at such a high pace that after a while, the motion of his thrusts became a blur. I heard his sexy vampiric growls escape his throat.

"Stephanie..." He yelled my name while clenching his jaw. "Stephanie, the things you make me do..." His thrusts became more violent. I loved it. With every bang, my body shook in pleasure. I felt myself getting tighter around him.

"Oh my GOD, EDWARD! Don't stop!" I wrapped my legs tighter around him, deepening his throbbing hardness into me even more. He pulled himself out and slammed right back him, hitting my wall and making me scream.

"Ahhh! Edward!" My core erupted, spilling onto his intrusions from the inside, covering his tip in a hot layer of liquid. Two.

The sudden burst of my hot release made him let out a terrifying hiss. It crawled up from his throat and lingered around his razor sharp teeth. In was unbelievably sexy. My walls surrounding him were closing in, and opening. Closing in, and opening. I looked at his face from my glassy eyes. He was rigid and concentrated. His jawline was as sharp as a knife, and his neck was so tense, the bones were all easily visible as he slammed into me once more before darting to the bedroom, and placing me down on my back on the edge of the bed. He pressed his lips to mine and leaned back up to throw my legs up on his shoulders. His cold skin felt nice on the back of my legs. He then picked up where we left off, moving in and out of me in quick slippery motions. His hands crawled up to my breasts and held them tightly as he thrusted. His hair would toss itself over his eyes every time he came forward. With my legs being almost closed, I was narrower on the inside. His collisions with my insides were enhanced. He slipped and slid through me, and back out again. I grabbed the bed sheets and bit my bottom lip. I felt him getting close, his surges pulsing through his throbbing shaft. Finally, every cell in my body felt like they were burning and turning inside out. My body quaked and I came, violently and intensely. Exploding onto him, I screamed in pure pleasure.

"Edward! Oh my GOD!" I moaned loudly as he kept his pace. He was relentless. He moved in and out of my compressing walls while I rode out my orgasm. It wasn't until my body stopped twitching and dripping that I felt Edward spill inside of me. Three.

He bent down and started sucking on my breast while releasing himself into me. I felt him moan into my skin as his movements slowed. His orgasm filled me, and my breathing was no where near slowing. I stroked his arms and felt the last of his spurts empty from his hard center.

He face glowed when he came. He rested his body on top of mine while my fingers curled in his hair. I kissed his ear and heard him giggle. He quickly leaned up to face me and kissed my forehead.

"You're amazing, love."

"Edward..." I tried telling speaking but my heart was ready to pounce out of my chest. He laughed and picked me up like a small child, crawled onto the bed with his knees, and gently placed me beneath the covers.

"Edward, I love you." I finally managed to get out.

"And I you." He kissed my lips one last before wrapping his arm around me and singing me to sleep with the lullaby he wrote for me.


Edward never fell short of perfect. Yet, he always seemed to surprise me. By the time I woke, Edward had everything neatly packed and the house looked as though we had just arrived. The room was quiet and calm. It felt like a new chapter in my life was beginning. My outlooks were all filled with images of Edward and me laying in his meadow, roaming through the forest, and seeing him through a pair of my own golden eyes. Edward would always become angry and tense when I spoke of becoming...well, becoming like him. He tells me I don't know what I'm talking about. Well, I know what I want. I want to spend eternity with him. A long and happy life with him would be, in fact, perfection in itself. But it would eventually end. And the more I think about it, the fact that I would be without him doesn't bother me as much as the fact that he would be without me. I couldn't bear to see him go through something so devastating. I only know this because of his confessions when he came to me; when I saved him in Italy. I love him more than my body has the capacity to. When he frowns I feel my muscles ache. I want nothing more than to permanently seal our future of future. Our future of being together forever. Nothing will stop us.

We flew home on a tiny jet, built for comfort, not speed. I knew Edward would have requested this. I heard the pilot through a foggy filter say that we arrived in Forks. I longed for the day when I wouldn't feel as tired as I did now. When I could walk for days on end and run with Edward through the green of the forests, hand in hand. But for now, I was limply embedded into Edward's lap. I felt the plane touch down and roll roughly on its wheels, breaking furiously. I was reminded of how I felt whenever Edward carried me. He would put me down and my steps would feel rough and disorganized in comparison to his silent strides. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, ready to sit up and snap back to the real world.

Chapter 3

Curiosity struck me like lightning. I had stepped outside about a nanosecond before Edward darted next to me and hovered over me like a protective shield. He was tense. And furious. His eyes were a dangerous color. Black, with red lacing. Somehow I could tell that it was not due to his thirst.

"Edward, what happened?" My eyes flickered to the police men on the shore line and back to Edward's eyes. The bright lights of the sirens were giving me a headache and I immediately buried my face in Edward's chest.

He caressed my back, rubbing my arms in a quick up-and-down motion in attempt to warm me up. "Nothing, dear. I'm dealing with it. Go back inside, I won't be long." He kissed my hair and I complied with his wish.

From inside, I was listening with everything I had to make out the conversation between the policeman and Edward. I heard random words like medication, fire, eighteen, and silver. I tried unscrambling them in my mind to see if they had a link to each other. I sat on the bed with my face in my palms. I didn't like this. But with the agony of my headache and the premonition of something very, very bad happening, I tipped to my side, crashing against the pillows and fell deeply asleep.

I had that dream again where I was lost for good in outer space. It felt that way last time, when I was running along that empty high way. This time, however, there was no silver pick-up truck. All the colors became very dim. I was floating. Suddenly, every cell in my body started dislodging itself from my body, breaking apart every nerve, every muscle, every bone. They were gravitating at full speed toward a silhouette standing about 20 feet in front of me, in the blackness. I couldn't stop it. I was helpless. I watched my body rip at the seams. My arms disintegrated below me, into a bottomless pit, like a ball of yarn, unraveling. Then, the magnetic force in front of my pulled at my legs. Painlessly and furiously, I watched as they fell like sand. Then I felt my throat closing. The silhouette motioned his hands as if he were choking me. I grabbed my neck as reflex and as I was just about to scream, I woke up. . .

"STEPHANIE!" I heard his voice over my face, hard and demanding. His hands were at my sides, shaking me to life.

I came back into consciousness. My body was coiled around my pillow, shaking violently and sweating. I heard my teeth clatter as I shivered. Then my eyes opened and I felt like they were glassy. "Edward..." I said, shaking. My eyes were focused on nothing but whatever was in front of me. All I saw were blurs.

He pulled the blanket over my fragile body and repositioned his hands around my face. "Stephanie, speak, please!" He stroked my jaw line. I finally looked up at him, and took a deep breath, realizing my nightmare was over. His eyes were deep with worry, squinted. His eyebrows furrowed and his mouth was in a razor sharp line.

"Edward, I-" I shivered as I spoke "Edward, I'm sorry. I had a nightmare." I took his hands in mine and held them to my cheek, using them as pillow. I needed to cool my body down.

"Do you feel like telling me about it?"

I didn't want to. Talking about it would just make the horrific images of my body being ripped apart come back into focus, and I couldn't afford that right now.

"I...It's all hazy now. I can't seem to remember it..." I sighed and closed my eyes, holding back tears. One of his hands escaped the cage I trapped them in and touched my forehead. That felt amazing. Then his icy lips washed over mine. I was cured, for now.

"Sometimes you scare me more than anyone would think is possible." He smiled and tapped my nose with his finger. I untangled myself out of the sheets and blankets and crawled into his lap. He held me tightly against his chest and pressed his face in my hair.

"What time is it?" I finally asked, coming back to reality. Piece by piece.

"Seven in the morning."

"I feel like I've been up all night." Then the memory flashed into my mind like a speeding car. "Edward! The cops...on the shoreline...that wasn't a dream."

His loosened his hold on me and growled. "What is it?" I urged.

He spoke in a monotone voice, low and precise. "There was an incident. Trees were burned down and a few young animals were slaughtered over on the mainland. It was gruesome, Steph, for any human to see." He probably just mourned at all the wasted blood. "So the police did the obvious thing and came here to investigate, try to get clues. They knew it wasn't me, Carlisle is good friends with the police over there. We've known each other for a while."

"So, did they find who did it?"

"Yes. A human. His name is Steven. Apparently he had escaped from the mental ward in the hospital Carlisle works at. He called me while you were sleeping. He says we're safe here now."

"Steven, hmm." I tried to collect any memory I had that could trace back to a Steven. But it was seven in the morning. I had nothing. "Well, at least we're safe." I embraced him and he returned it. Rocking me back and forth, kissing my head.


As the mornings strolled into daylight, Edward and I kept ourselves busy with every activity imaginable. As the setting sun would lower itself into the horizon, we would relax on the sand, tangled in each other's arms and legs. There was a special perfection about these 2 weeks. Edward and I, connected in every way, expressing our love in every way. We were always in harmony. We were completely isolated from the rest of the world and that made this feel like fantasy even more. No one was around to interrupt our moments of pure bliss. And everytime he touched me, the butterflies that dwelled in my stomach fluttered their wings a little faster.

We laid on the sand our last night on Isle Esme. Edward lay on his back, his hands resting behind his head. I lay on my stomach, in between his legs. My chin rested itself on his stomach and I traced swirly lines all over his cool, marble, white torso. I made childish noises as my finger slid off his chest and crashed into the sand. He laughed at my entertainment. It was another blissful moment. His hands reached to brush my hair out of my eyes. I gazed into him.

"You know, I never asked if you ever got to go hunting."

"Stephanie, do you think I can bear to allow you to seduce me like this if that weren't the case?" He smiled his crooked smile.

I was seducing him? I quickly took into account our position. I was completely pressed up against the part of him I suddenly felt on my stomach. I giggled softly and shifted my weight forward a little to press my lips to his chest. The friction made him come alive. The butterflies were flapping their wings at full force. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too." His brushed his fingers up and down my arms. His eyes closed and his head was facing the sky now. The sun was just about to disappear under the ocean, when I decided to follow its course. Besides, Edward's body was much more beautiful than the sunset.

My heart started beating frantically as I started nibbling on his cold hard skin. I slowly shifted myself lower on him, so I can kiss his lower stomach. I pressed my lips in dotted circles onto him. I felt him breath deeply. My lips grazed him lower, down his center, until they were stopped by the waist band of his shorts. Hmm.

My fingers crept down his chest, slid over his lower stomach, and started undoing the button and zipper. I felt him rise, underneath his shorts, almost pushing me away with his stiff arousal. I saw him arch his neck back and squeeze his eyes shut.

"Stephanie..." He moaned in anticipation. He needed to be free of this sexual confinement. I felt him even harder against me, poking my ribs. Once the zipper was fully down, I wrapped my fingers around the belt holders.

"Edward, I need you tonight. Just one more time, on our last night here."

"I'm your's." Edward vowed. And with that, he started leaning up. No.

I put my hand against his chest, trying to push him back down. Yeah, right. "It's my turn to do the work."

Edward fell back onto the sand with a thundering crash breathing deeply, gasping at what I had just said. I ripped his shorts down his legs and his throbbing hardness catapulted to his stomach.

chapter 2 (continued)

"Ed...ward," I tried catching my breath, "you are too incredible for my body to handle. You nearly destroyed my ability to stand!" I took a deep breath and rested my head in his chest. "That was amazing. I love you."

"I love you, too, darling."

I never wanted this to end.

After Edward insisted that he washed me himself, which was inexplicably enjoyable, I dried up, got dressed, and skipped downstairs to find Edward sitting in the center of our bed. I crawled into his arms and let him hold on against his icy chest for a while. His palm made its way to my chest, right over my heart. He kept it there and stared at his something way beyond his fingers.

“What is it, Edward?” I asked. I looked up to see his beautiful face. It was frozen in place by a disgusted expression.

“Your heart.” He looked into my eyes. “The sound of your heart –it’s the most significant sound in my world. And every moment I’m with you makes me believe that my heart is going to start beating again… for you. For only you. It kills me that it never will.”

“Sweetheart… my lovely, annoying, sexy, unbelievable sweetheart. Sometimes I think you don’t have a brain.” I joked.

He looked down ashamed. Stubborn vampire I tell you.

“Look at me.” I lifted his chin with my thumb and pointer finger. “Are you aware of what happens to me when I’m near you? Do you have any idea what you put my body through? All of the deep breaths and high blood pressure. The exaggerated exhales and the lip-biting. Are you aware of any of that, mister vampire?” I was smiling by this point, but still serious.

He whispered, “I am aware of all of it, Stephanie. Every beat and every breath.”

“My body doesn’t react that way for no reason.” I held his hand in mine, over my chest. We now both felt the quick thudding.

“My heart, it’s beating for you, too, Edward.”

I kissed him and he cradled me in his arms again, rocking me back and forth.

My fingers lightly traced the sharp definitions of his chest and abdomen. My lips met the skin of his collarbone and my hips moved a little against him. Edward froze and pulled my arms back. One look into his eyes told me everything.

They were pitch black.

“Edward, I’m sorry…” I backed up and made sure not to touch him.

He frowned furiously. “It’s my fault. I’ve been distracted that I forgot to hunt. You should try to sleep. You look tired, love.” He faked a mocking yawn.

I yawned. Damn mirror neurons. Edward laid me down and covered me with the softest white covers. He moved my hair behind my ear and tucked it there. His lips pressed into the thin skin of my temples and my unconscious came washing over me.


I awoke a few hours later. It was still dark out. I rolled over and my hand landed on a note.

Stephanie, love,

I have gone hunting on the mainland just north of here.

I hope you don’t wake before I get back, but if you happen
to, know that I will be back shortly and I’m missing you more
and more with every minute that drags by.

I love you.

Edward

I sat up in the bed to observe my surroundings. I was always anxious when Edward wasn’t beside me as I slept. Somehow, I was always aware of his cool presence even when I was lost in dream world. Maybe that’s why I woke up. Then something caught my eye. A faint red light quickly circled the walls of the room. I heard the faint voices of two men talking outside the double glass doors. One of them was Edward. I would never mistake his voice. I shuffled to my feet and wrapped my robe around me. As I slowly slid open the door, my eyes glared to the scene in front of me.

There on the shoreline, were police boats, a police helicopter, and lights of sirens flashing in every direction.

chapter 2 (continued)

"Did you forget about my one rule, sweetheart?" He whispered into my ear.

"Sorry." I said, smiling timidly. "I'm all yours!" I quickly placed my arms at my side and let him take over. I had to admit, the thought of Edward washing my hair had me chuckle to myself. He obviously picked up on my internal enjoyment.

"What's so funny?" He said, smiling my favorite crooked smile.

"Just the thought of you washing my hair. It's funny to me." I chuckled again. This was all just nervous laughter. I've never showered with a man before, or anything like Edward. I was just anxious. "Just don't get soap in my eyes."

"My silly, love. Don't you trust me? And will you please open your eyes."

For a minute, I forgot I even had them closed. The vision I was painting in my head of Edward there in front of me was far too amazing to let disappear. But then I remembered that nothing could compare to the reality of Edward. I took a step back and rubbed the water out of eyes, blinked a few times quickly, and stared.

He was perfect. Standing under the hot waterfall, his hair curled off in wet sections, dripping in front of his eyes. Water crawled down his jaw line and dripped off his chin, his skin was almost reflective. His lips seemed to be even darker when completely wet, and the contrast to his white skin was breathtaking. His eyes locked into mine, and narrowed when seconds passed without me saying a word. I didn't even bother to look down.

"Stephanie?" His tone was concerned.

"Edward..." I gulped, and gave myself up to my emotions. I closed the gap between us, embracing his body, molding mine to his. He reacted to everything and embraced me tighter. My hands roamed the vastness of his angular back and traced his spine downwards. I felt what this did to him. Without thinking, I pushed my hips against his. Every inch of him was now branded into the soft skin of my stomach. My heart skipped and raced inside my chest. I felt my blood boiling faster than the water was hitting me, scorching through my veins.

Then I looked up into Edward's liquid golden eyes. They were shielded behind thick wet ribbons of hair. I combed it back with my fingers, and kissed his neck. I felt his body stiffen and freeze. Ironic, I thought to myself. How much more stiff and frozen could he be?

"Oops." I bent my elbows rested my palms on his chest. "I'm not as strong as you."

"I am completely under control, Stephanie. You just forgot the rule again."

"Oh, right." I collected myself. "Sorry to interrupt you."

"I just like to take my time. Moments like these shouldn't be rushed through." His words escaped his lips at the same time his hands rolled down to my hips. And back up again. His chin rose with a long inhale, and sunk back down with his prolonged exhale. His breath intoxicated me. "Turn around."

I listened to him and turned to face the white tile wall. His hands crawled up my arms and intertwined in my fingers. He guided them up the wall, and patted them to tell me I should keep them there for support. The cold tile felt good against my palm. Then something felt better.

He bent over my body, pressing his nose to my neck. He inhaled my scent and I felt him quickly lose control. But he wasn't thirsty for my blood this time. I felt his hands reach around my chest and fondle my breasts which firmly hung under me in perfect vertical alignment with the way I was bent. He held them in his hands, cupping and massaging them. And teasing them. I moaned in delight and arched my neck back. His fingers played with the tips, bringing them to life. He kissed my neck, and I felt the water dripping from his hair wash down my spine and down to my chest. Physically, I was losing control. Mentally, well, I was never actually in control, so I just let my body move.

Instinctively my lower half rubbed against his, evoking an ever-so vampiric growl to escape from the depths of his throat. His hands freed my breasts and moved lower, squeezing the sides of my stomach and then feeling the swell of my backside. His palms moved gently across the round plains and finally ended up in the caves of my body.

His icy touch caused my legs to jerk and lock. I felt him stop. "Did I hurt you, sweetheart?"

"No, no. Please don't... stop." I exhaled, palms still against the tiles, head down, eyes closed.

His fingers made their way to my fleshy folds, and they playfully drove themselves in and out. His thumb, I'm assuming, stayed behind and rubbed circles across the most sensitive bundle of nerves I had. The motion of his penetrating fingers, and stimulation elsewhere was crippling. I felt my knees go weak as I managed to moan, "Edward!"

I heard the monster in him roar to life. Quickly, I felt him withdraw his fingers with little spurts as he did. I felt the tip of his length tease the folds, and move up and down the slit.

"Stephanie..." he groaned.

He took his left arm and wrapped it under my belly, ready to hold me up if I happened to forget how to stand. Then his right hand grabbed it, and continued forward. The lubrication I had produced was enough to put the shower to shame. With one smooth thrust Edward was inside of me. He stayed there still for a moment, leaning lower to kiss my back. He heard me moan and my back arched itself, moving him inside of me, feeling every wall of my insides cave in on him. He was an animal now, moving in and out of me in smooth and swift motions.

"Oh Stephanie...you feel...you feel...SO AMAZING!" The last 2 words came out through gritted teeth as his thrusts became harder. I felt myself spill onto him from the inside and screamed.

"Edward! Oh GOD Edward... don't you dare stop!"

I collapsed onto my forearms so I could lean my head against the wall. I felt his frozen chest plaster itself against my back. His hands found my breasts and calmed them from jumping in every position. He held onto them, squeezing and massaging them while invading me from behind. I could tell he was holding off on finishing so quickly. He did want this to last. Just then, he swooped me up and my back was against the wall. His arms provided me with solid support as they held my legs up. I felt like I was sitting on an imaginary shelf, defying gravity. Then the teasing continued. He propped on his toes, poking my most sensitive area with the hardest part of him now. He smiled at me and his eyes were overflowing with desire.

I looked at him lustfully. "How dare you sto-" I was interrupted by his tongue's sudden intrusion. It was flipping mine out of the way while his lips massaged against mine. Then he lowered me, and he was inside me again. I looked down to watch his hips move up and down, thrust into me with the force I couldn't even handle.

"Oh.. my.. GOD!"

My arms flew against the wall, in search for something to grab. The tile didn't serve as much help as bed sheets do, so I went for his arms, tense and flexed as he held me up. Every thrust made my breasts jump up and his mouth was soon on them, licking and nibbling on them. He moaned into them and squeezed his eyes shut. We were both getting close. His thrusts were violent and mixed with his sexiest vampiric growls. It drove me wild.

"EDWAAARD!" My walls closed tightly on him, and I was able to feel every surge it was pulsing through me. I threw my neck back and screamed. I squeezed his arms, probably hurting my hands more than his arm. Simultaneously, he screamed into my neck with one last powerful thrust, and I felt his release shoot into me, a continuous stream flowing in rapid spurts. I was still tight around him, contracting against every inch of him. My breathing was still heavy as he whispered my name into my throat. I rested my chin on his head and ran my fingers through his hair. I still felt myself pulsating on him, and he stayed inside, letting out a few more spurts before finally exhaling and pulling himself out. My legs were still shaking from pleasure and my heart was miles away from slowing down. So, as I should’ve guessed, he held me in his arms while I calmed down.

chapter 2

Within the depths of my slumber, my mind wandered. I found myself running on a long endless highway. There were no cars except for one, stopped on the horizon. It was a silver pick-up truck. The road was inclined, so running became a strenuous act, but my legs didn’t show any sign of strain. I felt the Earth under the soles of my bare feet being pushed backward, as I struggled toward the car. But no matter how long I ran, I barely got closer. It was frustrating. It was as if I had been running on a treadmill. As fast as my legs sprinted, I never got anywhere. But I never gave up. I was determined to reach that horizon, to reach that car, but I kept tripping. Landing on my knees didn’t hurt at all, I got right back up and started running again, only to trip once more. It was a continuous cycle of running and falling. Running and falling. . .

Consciousness slowly materialized on my eyes. I think I was awake now. I was curled up in the fetal position, a ball of skin and bones wrapped tightly in a maze of blankets. There was something else near me. Cold and still, except for one finger I felt wipe a tear that was escaping from the corner of my eye. It was Edward. I opened my eyes and his face was inches from mine and he was stunning. Though it had been years, I was still utterly shocked at the fact that I wasn’t dreaming. Edward was here with me. The morning sun transformed my moonlit miracle into a shimmering statue. His hair was messy, I loved it. My hand looked for openings in the covers I was buried in, and in its attempt to find one, was greeted by something cold and inviting, his hand. We intertwined fingers and I let out a sigh as I smiled and yawned myself awake, stretching.

“Good morning, sleepy head!” In a flash Edward’s lips were greeting my face with a morning kiss. His energy was a pleasant surprise. He jumped up, propping himself on his knees by my feet, moving his fingers up and down my legs. “I made your favorite breakfast.”

“Are you going to stick yourself inside an English muffin?”

He chuckled and his eyes sparkled. “My silly, love.” He leaned over my body and kissed my nose. When he began to get up again, I grabbed his arms in a feeble attempt to keep him on top of me. I wasn’t done kissing him. He knew what I wanted. When his body was shadowing me, his lips moved straight to mine. A tiny growl escaped from the insides of my stomach. It's embarrassing when the person you’re with never has to eat. He quietly laughed and kissed my neck. Edward was always good at being a step ahead, so with one swift movement I was in his arms being carried to the kitchen. He placed me down on a high stool with a cushioned back. My personal chef handed me my breakfast.

“Bacon and eggs. Scrambled. Side of toast with a little bit of butter. And a tall glass of orange juice with 2 ice cubes.” His cool white hands crawled over mine and he looked into my eyes. “I hope you like it.”

I took a bit of everything. With my mouth full, I muttered, “I love it!”

“Good.” He smiled.

“It’s my second favorite.”

“What’s your first favorite?”

“Breakfast in bed.”

He looked confused. “Would you like me to carry you back to bed and serve you there, sweetheart?”

“No, no. I mean-” Why was I explaining this? “Breakfast in bed.” I said it this time with more emphasis and suggestion.

I could almost see the light bulb on top of his head being switched on. He walked behind me and slowly wrapped his arms around my waist. I then felt his cool breath on my neck, “Maybe tomorrow morning you’ll get your favorite.” His fingers drew lines up and down my arms. I turned and kissed him. He whispered “I love you” in my ear and kissed it, too. Suddenly, I wasn’t hungry for my food anymore. But it was nine in the morning. I needed to take breaks.

“I love you, too.” I said as I exhaled.


We spent the days doing everything together. Everything. We went snorkeling, scuba diving, water-skiing, wake-boarding, jet-skiing, and any other outdoor water activity you can think of. Edward was a professional at all of them. I watched him as his movements seemed to defy the laws of physics. When it was my turn, he persuaded me that it was easy. HA. It took me two seconds to lose balance on the water skis and fall backwards into the water, my legs swinging over my head. I heard his laughter from under the water. Then suddenly his arms were my life saver and I was on the boat. When he put me down, he arched his back and held his chest, and his laughter echoed through the sky. Stupid, shiny water god.

Despite my pathetic attempts at water sports, I was having the time of my life. It made the hours go by a lot quicker than I wished. I wanted time to drag, to take every second with pure attention.

The sky was a brilliant shade of dark blue. Some light spilled over the horizon, it was twilight. I was lying between his legs on the sand against his chest. His arms supported his weight behind him. His legs seemed to lengthen with every glance my eyes gave. My feet only reached his knees, it seemed. I felt him nibble my neck.

“I probably taste like salt.”

“You taste wonderful, love.” Did I hear him hiss?

“You know, Edward, I was thinking of something.”

His nose drew a line from my shoulder to my neck and then down my back a little. “Yes, love,” he breathed into my skin. His nose repeated that movement in the opposite direction.
I continued fighting the urge to turn my body over onto his and throw my tongue down his throat. I had to behave with my new vampire husband. Then again maybe what I was about to suggest was pushing the limits.

“Well, I feel terribly self-conscious whenever I have to take my human-moments. So I was thinking, maybe you can join me in one. I don’t see any harm in showering together.” My head was down and my eyes shut in anticipation for his reaction. I was embarrassed to even ask this question, but it was a desire I was not ready to ignore.

I was about to sit up to face him when two cold hands clutched my arms and crushed me to an answer. I felt his arousal pierce into my back. His lips, in shock, met the back of my neck again. “I would LOVE to shower with you. I have only one rule.” His fingers swayed across the flesh of my arm.

“What is it?” I whispered.

“I do all the work.”

Before I could account for his words, I was in his arms, heading for the house.


I turned the shower on and waited for the water to boil. Hot showers were always necessary for me. Now that Edward would be in there with me, the water would have to be a couple of degrees warmer. I stood in front of the mirror while the steam slowly drifted out from above the frosted glass door, masking the ceiling in a think cloud. My shoulders were a golden brown and the skin right under my eyes looked like rose petals.

Okay, Stephanie. Behave yourself in there.

What could happen? It's just a shower. A nice, relaxing shower with Edward. How dangerous could that be? I just have to remember not to get too ahead of myself. Okay, so no biting, no reaching for anything. I'll just look up the whole time and glue my hands to my head. When I snapped out of my anxious rambling, my hands were shaking. Minutes were passing when I realized that the mirror had fogged up to the point where I couldn't even see my reflection. Then his hands found mine. And something was cold on my back.

His naked body.

"Are you ready, love?" He was gently tugging my hands to follow him.

I gathered my thoughts and blushed. "Are you sure you'll be fine? I hate seeing you in pain of any kind..." I remember him telling me that when human skin is damp or wet, the scent of their blood is much stronger.

He lowered his face to the hollow of my throat and gently swept his cool lips against my skin. "You have nothing..." He slid my towel off my body and his lips trailed downward, moving smoothly over the supple plains of my chest. "...to worry..." He slowly rose back up and pressed his lips to mine and released. "...about."

Well, I was about to fall to my knees from lack of strength and coherency when his arms, as always, caught me. My eyes closed; I loved being this close to him. He stepped into the steaming shower and placed me down on my feet. I felt the hot water massage my back, soaking into me. I arched my neck back and let my hair enjoy it. I had not opened my eyes yet. I started to raise my hands to lather my hair in with the water when I felt his hands catch mine.

chapter 1 (continued)

“Edward, listen to me.” I started, staring into his eyelids. “I love you. I love you more than anything in the world and that’s never going to change.” I tapped his chin again but he didn’t budge. What a stubborn creature he was. “Edward! Are you listening?”

“I always do, sweetheart.” He whispered, keeping his stance.

“Good. Now, I never want you to feel this way again. There’s no reason to be upset. You’ve just given me the best day of my life. Don’t abuse yourself over one little almost accident. You can’t imagine how happy I am right now and I know it sounds impossible, but I think I love you even more!” I stopped there. I knew if I said how much I wanted to do it again, he’d get mad at me and call me reckless and tell me I have no sense of self-preservation.

“So, you’re not hurt at all? You’re not scared to do it again?” He slowly lifted his head, revealing his beautiful face to mine, eyes locked into place and serious. “You don’t think of me as a monster?” I can’t stand him.

“Yes you’re a monster. I am so scared of you. You terrify me with your sharp fangs. Oh wait, you don’t have fangs!” I struggled to get out of his grip. The water danced besides our figures. I was mad at for mistaking this for a happy moment. I glanced at him with angry eyes, and he was staring at me. As mad as I was at him, I couldn’t help but love him with every cell in my rigid body. If only he could read my mind now, so I wouldn’t have to abandon my pride and just say it.

“Say it, Steph.” He half smiled in my direction. His eyes pierced through mine.

I was relieved to sense his anger was subsided. I wasn’t sure what he had planned, though.

“You’re fighting back words. Your fingers are oscillating back and forth against your leg, you want to say something.”

He knew me better than I knew myself. I wasn’t even aware I was doing that little habit of mine. I bit my lip.

“Out loud! Come on, we’ve been through this before.” He muttered.

“It’s very hard for me to be mad at you.” My mood softened, and I turned to face him, folding my arms over my bare chest. My face turned red, I could feel the heat. This time, it wasn’t from the sun. Behind Edward, the sun was almost fully underneath the water, setting on us, rising somewhere else. The few rays that were left beamed on his back and around the contours of his flawless figure, making his body a perfect silhouette in the purple and blue water.

“I can’t stay angry with you for too long, ever.” I admitted. I shrugged my shoulders and threw him a smile as I looked down, peeking at his reaction through my wet, sloppy bangs. Batting my eyes at him always worked in ways I would dream about. This time was different, though.

Somehow, we had gotten closer to the shore. The water was a few inches shallower than where we were before, revealing more of his perfect masculine self. With every current, the “V” that formed his hip bones became more and more distinct, and where the two lines converged into a point was the spot I desired most now. I felt the water play tricks on my lower half. My longing for him was obvious now. I didn’t even realize how tense I had become. I shook my head free of these naughty thoughts but when I opened my eyes, Edward was crouched down, low in the water. He peered at me through his eye lashes, flashing a set of venomous teeth, sharp and keen. He hissed, and I was turned on. I’m a hopeless case.

In less than a second, Edward’s body lunged toward me, and we were soaring through the crisp air towards the sand. With a light crash, my back was on the sand and Edward hovered over me. He held me to his chest while his nose searched the boundaries of my neck, his breaths were short and exasperated. My blood was pulsing through my veins, racing the dark. I knew this killed him, so I stood perfectly still, a feather underneath his strength.

“Stephanie,” he breathed into my skin, “My life’s purpose is to make you happy, not upset, not angry, not disappointed. Happy.”

His lips traced curvy lines along my flesh, exciting different parts of me. But when his body leaned back up to kiss my face, a little piece of him collided where my legs met. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around him, holding him in place, allowing him to absorb me once again. In case he thought I wasn’t ready, I guided his hand to touch me. His fingers were cold inside of me, it was one of the best sensations. I exhaled and closed my eyes. When he took them out, they felt like the ocean just washed up on them. Our fingers intertwined, and his other arm held up my lower back, angling me to his form. He pushed forward with controlled force. My legs tightened around his waist, pushing him in deeper. This drove him wild. He let out an angry moan, through his gritted teeth. My fingernails slid down his back, until I could feel his animalistic movements below my palms. Rising and sinking, thrusting in and out in a rapid motion.

“Edward!” I managed to get his name out in one breath. “Oh my…GOD! Edward!”

My breathing was heavier than ever. I was covered in sweat. My toes curled when I felt him plunge even deeper into me, sending a current of pleasure straight up my spine. I screamed. He sat up on his knees and held my waist down to the ground, hindering me from moving. This was it. Whenever he would thrust into me, I wouldn’t budge, instead he would just move into the depths of me. I felt him even more now. Something I thought was impossible. His movements became too fast for me to count. But that didn’t stop me from feeling them. Every pound and bang was like a shock of euphoria. Every nerve ending inside of me was alive and spinning. I felt a wave of shock traveling through that piece of him, a tidal wave, emptying out into my throbbing tunnel of endless pleasure. His hands pressed into me, crushing my fragile body. I liked it. He liked it. His movements became slower as I continued throbbing on him, squeezing it inside of me, and releasing him. Squeezing on him, releasing him. He bent down to kiss me. His hair hung in front of his face, messy and chaotic. His lips were parted, crimson red and hard. His eyes were shut, he was beautiful. I felt his cool breath on my face, and I was suddenly moving in mid-air towards the bed inside.

Edward’s movements were always performed with extra caution. He laid me on the bed making sure every inch of me was comfortably carved into the feathery comforter before his arms slipped out from under me. Sometimes I wish he would just throw me across the room. The covers were cool, but his arms were colder. Instead of shivering at his touch, my body welcomed it. It was refreshing.

He wiggled his body next to mine, bent so that we molded together perfectly, like puzzle pieces to the clay.

“I picked a place with a hot temperature so you wouldn’t mind having me in bed with you. If it gets too cold for you I’ll move…”

I turned my head to look at him. “Edward, I don’t care if we had to sleep on a bed made of ice. I will always want you next to me.” I kissed his cheek and felt his lips curve up into a smile. I smiled, too.

“Steph?”

“Yes?”

“What are you thinking right now?” He was twirling my hair in his long fingers, pondering deeply while gazing into his fingers’ motions circular motions.

I sat up to face him, my eyes glowing and my heart sped up. He did the same thing, releasing the ribbon of my hair he was playing with to slide his arms under me so he can cradle me. He held me close to his chest, his head resting on my hair, kissing and smelling it. He whispered, “I need to know in order to keep my sanity.” He quietly laughed and kissed the edge of my ear.

I wrapped my arms around him and took a deep breath.

“I’m thinking of how whole I feel, here in your arms. I’m thinking about I never want this moment to end. I’m thinking about how lucky I am to be with you, when in reality, I don’t deserve you…” He was annoyed at that last part because I felt him sigh and hold me tighter. He continued to kiss me, now on my cheek and corner of my lips. “I’m thinking of all the times we had together, and how I never imagined I could be happier than I was. But I am. It’s inexplicable, Edward. I can’t believe how much I love you. And best, I can’t believe that you might actually love me as much as I love you.”

Edward extended his arms a little so that our faces were a normal distant apart, appropriate for talking. “You can’t believe that I might actually love you as much as you love me? You are absolutely out of your mind, sweetheart, do you know that?” He said that giggling, while lightly tickling my stomach with one hand, lowering his face to mine.

“This is when I wish you can read my mind.”

“Maybe one day. I doesn’t matter though. I’m complete right here holding you.”

“So am I. That’s exactly what I’m thinking.” I smiled at him, it was like a reflex, really. Every time I saw his flawless face I couldn’t help but smile. “Confession. I’m also thinking about how perfect this day was. Everything that happened. It was more than how I ever dreamt it to be. I still need to thank you for that.” I reached to kiss him. His lips were like liquid marble moving against mine. He pulled back to speak.

“It was perfect for me, too. And I had 107 years to dream about it! So you deserve and ‘thank you’ as well. Thank you my Stephanie!” He smiled that crooked smile that makes my head spin.

I pulled myself into his chest and he held me there, kissing my head in various spots, like he was creating a ‘connect the dots’ on my hair. He was gentle, so different from 2 hours ago, when he lunged towards me, surrendering to his lust and desire. I loved both sides of him.

“I love you, Edward.” I said, as I hugged him tight and rested my head on his chest.

“I love you, too, Stephanie.” He leaned down and kissed my lips. “Always.”

“Always.” I smiled as I tried to fight back a yawn, but I was weak.

“Sleep, my love. Dream of me, I’ll be here when you wake.”

“Goodnight, Edward.” My eyes were shutting as I spoke the words. What an exhausting, perfect, beautiful day. I slipped away in the unknown with images of Edward and I in perfect harmony. The last thing I felt as I fell asleep were his cool arms laying my down and holding me against him, his lips on my shoulder.

chapter 1 (continued)

At that moment I wrapped my arms around his solid neck, and pulled my face up to his. The tips of our noses touched, and his eyes penetrated mine. I watched the reflection of the water inside his irises, and felt other currents elsewhere. Without thinking, I threw my lips onto his. Our bodies were like puzzle pieces. Every gap between us was closed and perfectly molded. Our skin seemed to fuse together into one flesh. His lips moved wildly and rapidly against mine. His hands gripped me harder. I felt him more than ever now. Every part of his body was alive, excited. Every muscle in my body was tense. He freed one of his hands and drew a line with his finger down my chest to my belly button. He played with the string of my bikini that was automatically untied by his furious fingers. I wanted so badly to let out a moan, but I knew his reaction would be the ending of this perfect moment. So instead, I kissed him slower, easing it down to a passionate kiss. Then I broke away to look at him, still as can be.

“You do know me well.” He said, convinced. His hair blew in the breeze, covering his eyes. I combed it back with my fingers, an excuse to pull him closer to me.

“I love you, Edward…” I vowed, as I placed my hand on his chest and nibbled his neck. His cold skin felt refreshing to my lips.

“I love you, too, Stephanie. Always.”

My heart raced again as he nervously held me. In no time, I was on my feet in the water, crushed against Edward’s hard body, hands discovering his back. The water crashed up against us, forming currents as we kissed. His hands held my face to his. The sensation I was feeling on my lips did not compare to what I felt below the water’s surface. My hips instinctively moved into his, a motion he didn’t expect. His lips parted on mine and he let out a hiss. A hiss full of lust and desire. He was burning just as I was. My expression told him everything. His dark eyes penetrated mine once more, and I waited for that to happen a little lower. He was surrendering to me. He was all mine.

“Edward…” I moaned, as his lips brushed along my jaw and down my neck. His tongue made a shiny trail down my chest while his hands untied the knot to my bikini top. It ended up in a direct flight for the sand. In seconds, his lips surrounded my new exposed skin, his hands wandering, feeling. His fingers formed lines down my hips and his head followed.

I felt his nose poke my lower stomach, as he gently kissed me in the center. Then, I felt his hands become stronger around me, and his teeth ripped the other half of the bikini down my legs. His head was submerged in the water and I bit my lip.

When he finally came back up, something met me in between my legs. My knees went weak. But he caught me, his arms were supporting my back. I reached for him, my fingertips covering every inch of him. It sent electricity through my body as if I was a live circuit, and I gripped him with my whole hand now. He froze.

Shocked and still, I whispered, “Are you OK, Edward?” He gazed into me. Curiosity, shock, horror, love, lust, desire, and fear all packed into one stare.

“Stephanie…” He whispered as his eyes became softer.

“Edward, I’m sorry. I’m being so selfi-” He cut me off.

“Stephanie, you can’t imagine what that is doing to me. Go ahead, be selfish.” He demanded. I obeyed with no objection. My hands moving in uniform motions, back and forth. I watched him lose his mind.

Finally, he let out a moan, “Oh, Stephanie…!” He tilted my hips, and brushed my hand off of him, ready. I arched my back, my heart thudding against my chest aggressively, the blood in my veins boiling as it raced underneath the thin skin on my neck. Then I felt him. He invaded me, squeezing every inch of him inside in one smooth movement. He stayed deep inside me for a moment, to check on me. Then he moved in the opposite direction, and thrusted back in again. He must be feeling my own currents, now. I could barely think. My fingers wrapped tightly around his arms, like towers, protecting me. His eyes were golden when I looked at him, perfectly still. I was thrilled to see he was enjoying this, and not wishing to kill me.

I was breathing heavily, so I tried to get the words out. “Don’t…stop…Edward!”

Those three words were all he needed. His motions grew faster, harder. Every thrust sent water splashing between us. His face dropped to my neck. “Ah! Stephanie!” he screamed into my throat. I couldn’t tell if he was thrusting into me, or if he kept pulling my body down onto his. Either way, this feeling topped them all. Edward was inside of me. I was complete, one with him. I tried to concentrate, not wanting to tease him in any harmful way. But I couldn’t help myself.

“Edward! Oh, Edward!”

He was ravaging himself into me now. Wildly. His form was like an animal. The muscles of his back tensed up with every insertion, as I dug my nails into them. His hands grew tighter around my arms. As much as it may of hurt, I never wanted him to let go. I never wanted to feel anything else. My body sank deeper into the water. Our lower halves were completely submerged. His new effort to push through the water was indescribable. But when I went to inhale a breath of pleasure, I choked.

Water filled my lungs as the water rose above me. My eyes squinted shut. My breathing stopped. I tried to pull myself back up but Edward’s weight and strength was indestructible. He wasn’t stopping. Seconds passed, but it felt like minutes. I started to panic. I felt my head get light and dizzy. My hands flew everywhere, trying to find Edward’s face, his arms, but I couldn’t think. I sank faster into the blackness. Right before unconsciousness took over, I felt 2 arms push me up above the water, holding my back and neck, supporting me like an infant. The breeze over my face was cool since I was all wet, then I realized it was his breath.

”Steph? Stephanie!” He was shouting. “Can you hear me?!” I felt his hands on my cheeks.

I coughed and water came gushing out. “Yes.” I coughed. My eyes were still shut. “I’m OK.”

“Stephanie, I’m so sorry.” I realized were in the same position as always, and it made me forget what had just almost happened. I opened my eyes. “Love, I promise that won’t ever happen again.” He sounded so disappointed with himself.

“Edward, stop that. We were in the moment. It happens. You’re just stronger than you think!” I joked. He laughed with me, and the motion of our laughter had an amazing effect on the way our bodies were connected, effectively ending that conversation and starting again where we left off.

Every time he thrusted, his soaking wet hair would send off downpours onto my face. I loved it. I grabbed it and pulled on it. His face came up to meet mine and our lips interlocked in one our angriest, most passionate kisses ever. My hands crept down to the back of his neck; hanging onto to him with all my strength. His moaning sent vibrations along my lips and I knew I was getting close. He felt me tightening on him and it urged him to go even faster. His liquid movements caused a beautiful sparkling effect; every facet changing position so quickly, light bouncing off every inch of him. And with that, he thrusted one last time into me, deeper than ever. He gritted his teeth and moaned into my mouth. Then I felt his own currents, his surges, his release. His streaming river meeting mine, forming our own tidal waves inside. I was gripping him into me now, biting my lip from pure pleasure.

I let out one last moan, “Oh…Edward…” Every muscle inside of me contracted and held that piece of him in place inside of me. Feeling him this way made me crazy. I arched my back and my neck surrendered to gravity. He still held me up, his breathing starting to calm. My eyes were closed, and I felt Edward bury his face in my neck. I felt his chest rise and fall on top of mine, I felt him still inside of me. I reached for his face, flushed and glowing. His lips curled, revealing his dangerous set of perfect teeth. Then his lips, once again, pressed to mine, summer and winter fused.

“How are you, love?” He must have been worried about me. I swear…

I giggled in pure ecstasy. “Better than ever.” I admitted.

He placed me down on my feet again, one of his arms still around my waist, supporting me. I guess he knew the effect he would have on my ability to sustain equilibrium.

His hands came up to my face, cupping it tenderly. Water dripped from his fingers down my neck and my skin broke out in goosebumps. They were probably a result of him touching me more than the water. When my eyes met his, I was confused by their expression. He was nervous, disappointed. He seemed ashamed of himself. This boggled my mind.

“Edward, what is it?” I urged, putting my hands on his arms, concerned.

“Stephanie, I never want that to happen again.”

“WHA-,” I started to scream but he interrupted, “Not that silly!” I waited and listened.

“I took you under water. You couldn’t breathe. I almost killed you, Steph!” He paused and looked down. His face was hard, tense. His eyes shut tightly and his eyebrows lowered. I could tell he was hurting. I raised my hand to his chin and attempted to make him look up at me. I failed, as usual. So I just started talking.