Life With An English Noble
By: Wizardtho
Chapter 6:
My stomach growled again, this time much louder, causing Caleb to scowl at it, “Dangerous little thing, isn't it?”
He lifted me, wrapped my legs around his hips, then ran us to the kitchen. I giggled, saying when he set me down, "I like vampire speed with you. I always used to get nauseous with Edward or Alice, because they would put me on their backs."
He nodded, “Well, your rightful place is in my arms, so only in emergencies would you be on my back.”
He kissed me softly, then I pointed to the bar stools while saying, “Sit. While we talk, you can watch me do my own special brand of hunting.” He chuckled and sat while I went to the fridge.
I grabbed my tray, then loaded all the ingredients for an oven toasted sub on it. As I sat the tray on the prep island, I asked, “So how many houses do you own; where are they located?”
He smiled, “Well, there's the manor in England, along with the villa in Italy that you've already been told about. Then I have a place in Spain, one in New Zealand, one in Sweden, one in northern Canada, one in Denmark, a place in Ireland, one in Scotland, one in Russia, and 4 in the U.S.”
I choked out a laugh, "Christ, 14 houses?"
I started rinsing the lettuce and tomatoes as he said, "Not all are houses in the typical sense. Some are larger and considered manors, some are villas, then I own two castles."
I choked on the tomato sliced I had popped into my mouth, then coughed for a second. He looked at me worriedly, so I offered hoarsely, "I'm fine, you just caught me by surprise. Castles? Are you shitting me?"
He shook his head, "No, Precious. I'm quite serious. One in Catalonia, Spain; the other in the mountains of Tuckasegee, North Carolina."
I nodded, “That can't be too bad, can it? How many vehicles do you own?”
He chuckled, "I have one main vehicle at each residence. That way I'm not shipping vehicles back and forth overseas. I'm a bit of a speed demon when it comes to my cars, but the properties that are harder to navigate to -like the North Carolina one- have SUV's."
I chuckled, mumbling, “Never met a vampire who wasn't addicted to speed.”
He laughed, but when I asked where the other two U.S. properties were, he said happily, "Maine and Montana. Maine is the most private residence I own as far as humans go, but Montana has the most land as far as properties in the US."
I laughed, "I'm afraid to ask, but I'm going to anyway. How much land is the Montana house sitting on; why is Maine the most private?"
He got really serious, offering, “Just remember to breathe, Sweets... and don't put any food or drink in your mouth.”
I glared at him, so he held up his hands up in surrender, making me laugh. He winced as he said, "Okay, alright. Nautilus Island in Maine, which is 37 acres. The Montana parcel is 769 acres."
I laughed, "Impressive. That's a good chunk of land. I'm not really all that surprised about the island, though. Carlisle bought Esme an island off of Rio for their anniversary or something."
He nodded, "Yes, he told me of that during one of our conversations in the 70's. Isle Esme, I think they named it."
I nodded as I finished loading everything on the sub, then placed it on the baking sheet. I popped it in the oven as I asked, “Other than the English manor, which would you say is your favorite, and why?”
He thought for a minute, then said, "It depends. If I knew I was going to have extended company, especially if they were mated, I'd usually tell them to meet me in Maine. There are 3 restored historical homes on the island, making it easier for me to deal with their private times if they weren't right over my head. The three homes allowed me to set guests up in one or both of the guest houses, while I would take the main house. If I wasn't expecting company, I'd have to say either one of the castles. Spain's because of the vineyards and rolling landscape, or North Carolina's for the mountain views and sunsets."
I smiled, "It sounds beautiful. I'm used to this house now, but it's not really my style. This is Renee, all the way. Her quirkiness is branded all over this place. The Colorado cabin, though... my God, I love that place. It's a bit large for just me, but they bought it to throw week-long parties there when the season ended… to invite a couple of the guys from the team with their spouses. For obvious reasons, it's harder for me to go to the Forks house, but I do it yearly for a week to visit the pack. Speaking of which, I'm due to go in a few weeks. Are you up for a trip to Washington?"
He looked at me awed, like he would never expect me to invite him. “You want me to go?”
I nodded, then he asked warily, “Do they know anything about me?”
I pulled my sub out of the oven with a mit, then laid it on top of the stove as I turned everything off. "I told Jake right after I bolted from the room that first day, because I was freaked out, needing someone to talk to. He also knows that I have more than teacher/student feelings for you, but that's just Jake. He can get me to admit anything. He doesn't know that anything's come of it, though, since I haven't talked to him... oh, SHIT! I was supposed to call him tonight. Fuck, he's gonna be half way here before I get a hold of him now... you just watch. Can you please cut this into thirds and pour me a glass of sweet tea while I get my phone?" He nodded, then I ran to my bedroom to get my phone.
I rushed to flip it open, pressing the buttons in a frantic flurry. Jake answered immediately as I walked back toward the kitchen, "Isabella Marie Swan! If you aren't calling me late because you actually got some sleep or are in the fucking hospital, I swear to the ancestors!"
I winced, but he continued, “You had the whole pack in a goddamn uproar, and less than half an hour ago, Sam himself was threatening to get on a plane with half the fucking pack in tow!”
I winced even more, causing Caleb to rub my back soothingly as I walked into the room. Jake just kept on ranting, though, "It took me ten full minutes to calm him down, and it wasn't easy, since I wanted to do the exact same fucking thing! Did that professor hurt you? If he hurts one hair on your head, Bells, the whole pack is gonna be on a plane before you can finish saying 'Yes'!"
That was it. I had to stop him there. "Jacob William Black! Shut the fuck up for half a goddamn second, so I can get a word in! Jesus Christ! I'm more than fine, unharmed, and will explain what happened after you apologise for fucking yelling at me!"
Caleb guided me into one of the bar stools, setting my plate and drink in front of me as he tried horribly to hide his smirk, but Jake said softly, "Shit, sorry Hells Bells. Let me put you on speaker, the pack is all here with their imprints. We were seriously talking about getting on a plane. You're four hours late calling..... There, you're on speaker now, Bells."
I shook my head, then took a sip of my tea. "You're going to have to deal with me eating while talking, because this toasted sub is looking really damn good right about now. Okay, this is what happened. Professor Wakefeld asked me to our weekly coffee sit down; I agreed. You remember how I said he never pried into my past or asked questions on why I was always working after hours? Well he finally asked me, and oddly enough, I wanted to tell him. The coffee shop definitely wasn't the place for that convo, so I told him to follow me if he wanted to know."
I took a bite of my sub, hearing Sam say sadly, "Oh no, Bella. Did he see them? Your paintings? Are you alright?"
Once I swallowed, I said, "Yeah, Sammy, I showed him. Had to drink a heavy Jack and Coke to keep my nerves calm enough to tell him everything, but he knows. His first reaction to the paintings of them was, ‘Oh, Isa... what did that fool boy do to you?’ Of course I choked up, then had to rush out of the studio after I removed the sheet on my family paintings. He was appalled at what Edward did, as well as pissed that Carlisle left me alone to fend for myself, after being brought into their world. He knows Carlisle. He was the one to teach him how to hunt animals."
Sam asked, "He told you about himself? The vampire stuff?"
I smiled up at Caleb. With a nod from him, I explained, "Yeah, Sammy. He did. Remember how I told you and Jake about the funny pull in my chest, as well as the fuzzy spine tingle I couldn't explain?"
Jake hummed, “Yeah, is that still happening?”
I smiled wider, “Yeah, in fact, it's a lot like imprinting.” I didn't have to wait long for the whole room to erupt in gasps.
I knew I was going to get them by dropping this bomb, but hey... what can you do, right? Sam whispered sadly, “Oh, Bella... are you sure?”
I nodded as I swallowed another bite, then said, "Think about it, Sammy. Whenever he touched me, I got that pleasant sensation, and it always calmed me. Whenever I wasn't near him, I had that pull feeling in my chest. It's my guide to find him if we're parted. He has it, too. That's how he always knew where I was when I was working late, even if I switched things up, doing them out of order. There are some seriously good looking guys out here, but I haven't wanted to even talk to a single one of them... he's all I see. Didn't you tell me once, Quil, that you didn't want to have one night stands until Claire was ready, because she's all you see?"
Quil mumbled in the background, "She's got a point, Sam. She's never once mentioned other guys, and if you try to get her to consider dating, she shuts you down before you can get the words out."
I knew what was coming next, so I mouthed to Caleb as I pointed to the phone, ‘Watch this.’ He smiled while rubbing my back, then Sam said, "Alright, Bella. How long has he been on the veggie diet?"
I smiled up at Caleb. He mouthed, ‘Over 300 years’, so I relayed that to Sam. Jake asked, “Has he had any slips?”
I looked to Caleb, then at his head shake, I told them no. Sam mumbled to the pack for a minute before offering, "Bella, if he's there with you, invite him to come with you this time. We'll give him the same treaty as the others, but with the exception of you being his mate. If you have to be bitten while you're here, he needs to immediately get you out of Washington."
I breathed a silent sigh of relief, assuring them, "Sam, he's here and can hear you. If you want to get the paperwork in order, fax them to me here at the house, then he'll sign them. You'll have them back less than an hour after you send them. He didn't like how he fed before, so he clung to animal hunting tightly. He won't be any trouble as far as that goes, but we'll meet you so you can explain where the boundary line is first thing. Hey Jake?"
Jake asked, “Yeah, Bells?”
I laughed in reply, “I told Caleb I looked like a stuffed chew toy standing next to your wolf form.”
Jake barked a laugh, with most of the pack following. Jake abruptly stopped though, demanding, “He's not gonna dictate to you about seeing us, is he?”
Caleb chose that moment to speak, "No. She is her own person. Plus, from what she's told me, you have protected her on numerous occasions. I wouldn't tell her to stop any form of communication she has with you. If I would've known she was supposed to call you tonight, Jacob, I would've handed her the phone myself, making sure she called on time."
I thought I heard Jake muttering, "Good answer, Dude."
I rolled my eyes before Sam said, "I can have the treaty sent over in less than 30, Bella. Emily is revising it now. You said he knows the Doc? Does that mean you'll have to see them?"
I rolled my eyes again as I swallowed another bite, then said, "Sammy, you know I need closure. We've decided, together, that it would be best to settle into our mating bond before we go adding those certain vampires into the mix. I think while we're there, that you should really talk to Caleb. There's a lot to vampire mating that you'd find interesting. Caleb wants to do similar protection methods as you use with Emily, like the constant cell phone availability and the marking."
Sam asked in a horrified tone, "They scent mark their mates through biting? I thought that the venom..."
I shook my head, “It's a mates-only thing, Sammy, but I'll put you on speaker so he can explain while I eat.”
I put the phone on speaker as Caleb kissed my forehead, whispering, “Eat, Sweetheart, before your stomach gets any angrier.”
The pack laughed, then Caleb said, "Sam? With our mates, our true mates, marking is instinctive. Our bodies know when we're going to make the bite, and instead of our mouths producing venom, they produce a saliva-like fluid that contains our scent. There is no trace of venom in it, so it can be done while Isa is human, with no risk of turning her. It must be done during intimacy, as there is another aspect to the marking."
Sam chuckled, “The scent absorbs, doesn't it?”
Caleb smiled, "Yes, it does. The more there is, the better the absorption factor. Our bodies automatically make several times more than what's needed, but we can't mark if the person isn't our mate. The instinct won't kick in, causing our bodies to automatically know."
Jake hummed as Sam said, "Your marking is very similar to wolf mating marks. Is there a certain spot you have to mark, or is it choice?"
Caleb chuckled, "It's choice, but usually it's placed on the neck, collarbone, or above the heart. Dominant males have been known to mark more private areas for a subsequent mark, though. Visible is better, but with the way clothing is these days, I’ve seen a few with marks over their heart. The effect was loud and clear, practically shouting 'this heart is mine'."
Sam laughed, "I can see how that would be the ideal place. Wolf marking has to be done in the crook of the neck, on the imprint's left side, from behind."
Caleb gave me a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows as he mouthed ‘Doggy-style,’ which made me cough a bit. He rubbed my back, saying, "Sorry, Beautiful. I forgot not to say things like that while you have food in your mouth."
Jake laughed, "You said something sexual, didn't you? She always chokes on her food if someone makes an innuendo."
Caleb chuckled, then said, “The first time it was because I told her I owned a total of 14 properties.”
I heard several low whispers, so I spoke up, "Yeah, but he didn't tell you that two were castles, one was his original family manor, and one was a whole fucking island in Maine. Oh, I forgot to mention that one property has over 760 damn acres."
I heard a round of expletives as Sam whooshed out, "Jesus, Bella. How old is he?"
I looked at Caleb as I took another bite, then waved my hand towards the phone. He chuckled, saying, "I was born in the spring of the year 1266, so I am in my 745th year now. This year marks 320 years of my vegetarian lifestyle."
Jake was quick to say, "Holy shit, Dude! And not one slip in that whole time?"
Caleb smiled, "No, Jacob. After my first animal hunt, I have not tasted one single drop of human blood, nor have I come close biting another human. I have to admit that I have thought of biting Isabella to change her, but that is her choice to make."
I held Caleb's hand to my cheek, whispering, “Thank you,” causing him to kiss my forehead.
Sam butted in then, "Okay, Bella. Emily is faxing the sheet now."
I looked up to Caleb, "Go back towards the bedroom; the other set of double doors is the study. The fax will come in there. Let me note right away that it states biting, not killing. That means you can not change or kill anyone. I'm the only exception to that rule, and that's only for the changing part." Caleb nodded, dashing off to the study with a smile.
I chatted about mundane things with the pack and imprints for a few minutes, then Caleb came back in with a huge smile. He handed me a sheet of paper, saying, "This came with the treaty. I thought you'd want to see it right away."
I took the sheet of paper, then gasped, "Holy shit, Sammy. Really?"
Sam laughed, "Yeah, Bella. As soon as we stopped trying, Emily got pregnant. Seems there really is something to that saying about stress when you're trying to conceive."
I giggled, not being able to help how excited I was for them, then said, "Oh, wow, guys. Congratulations! Emily, we have got to go shopping while I'm in town. Promise me."
She giggled, "Just remember, Bella. We only have a two bedroom house, so you'll have to keep the shopping down to a level that will fit in the house."
Everyone laughed at that, but I said adamantly, "Nope. If the shopping goes over, I'll just have an addition built onto your house... and you won't complain about it. Got me?"
Jake snickered in the background, “Way to go, Bossy Bells!”
We talked and laughed for a few more minutes while I finished eating, then Sam said, "Bella, please don't forget to check in again. You scared the ever-living shit out of us. Get some sleep, too. You're coming up on your 24 hour mark."
I looked at the clock on the stove, making me realize how late it was. I nodded, "Yeah, Sammy. I know. I promise I'll get some sleep, and I'll call on time." We said our goodbyes, then I hit the end button on my phone before flipping it shut.
My stomach growled again, this time much louder, causing Caleb to scowl at it, “Dangerous little thing, isn't it?”
He lifted me, wrapped my legs around his hips, then ran us to the kitchen. I giggled, saying when he set me down, "I like vampire speed with you. I always used to get nauseous with Edward or Alice, because they would put me on their backs."
He nodded, “Well, your rightful place is in my arms, so only in emergencies would you be on my back.”
He kissed me softly, then I pointed to the bar stools while saying, “Sit. While we talk, you can watch me do my own special brand of hunting.” He chuckled and sat while I went to the fridge.
I grabbed my tray, then loaded all the ingredients for an oven toasted sub on it. As I sat the tray on the prep island, I asked, “So how many houses do you own; where are they located?”
He smiled, “Well, there's the manor in England, along with the villa in Italy that you've already been told about. Then I have a place in Spain, one in New Zealand, one in Sweden, one in northern Canada, one in Denmark, a place in Ireland, one in Scotland, one in Russia, and 4 in the U.S.”
I choked out a laugh, "Christ, 14 houses?"
I started rinsing the lettuce and tomatoes as he said, "Not all are houses in the typical sense. Some are larger and considered manors, some are villas, then I own two castles."
I choked on the tomato sliced I had popped into my mouth, then coughed for a second. He looked at me worriedly, so I offered hoarsely, "I'm fine, you just caught me by surprise. Castles? Are you shitting me?"
He shook his head, "No, Precious. I'm quite serious. One in Catalonia, Spain; the other in the mountains of Tuckasegee, North Carolina."
I nodded, “That can't be too bad, can it? How many vehicles do you own?”
He chuckled, "I have one main vehicle at each residence. That way I'm not shipping vehicles back and forth overseas. I'm a bit of a speed demon when it comes to my cars, but the properties that are harder to navigate to -like the North Carolina one- have SUV's."
I chuckled, mumbling, “Never met a vampire who wasn't addicted to speed.”
He laughed, but when I asked where the other two U.S. properties were, he said happily, "Maine and Montana. Maine is the most private residence I own as far as humans go, but Montana has the most land as far as properties in the US."
I laughed, "I'm afraid to ask, but I'm going to anyway. How much land is the Montana house sitting on; why is Maine the most private?"
He got really serious, offering, “Just remember to breathe, Sweets... and don't put any food or drink in your mouth.”
I glared at him, so he held up his hands up in surrender, making me laugh. He winced as he said, "Okay, alright. Nautilus Island in Maine, which is 37 acres. The Montana parcel is 769 acres."
I laughed, "Impressive. That's a good chunk of land. I'm not really all that surprised about the island, though. Carlisle bought Esme an island off of Rio for their anniversary or something."
He nodded, "Yes, he told me of that during one of our conversations in the 70's. Isle Esme, I think they named it."
I nodded as I finished loading everything on the sub, then placed it on the baking sheet. I popped it in the oven as I asked, “Other than the English manor, which would you say is your favorite, and why?”
He thought for a minute, then said, "It depends. If I knew I was going to have extended company, especially if they were mated, I'd usually tell them to meet me in Maine. There are 3 restored historical homes on the island, making it easier for me to deal with their private times if they weren't right over my head. The three homes allowed me to set guests up in one or both of the guest houses, while I would take the main house. If I wasn't expecting company, I'd have to say either one of the castles. Spain's because of the vineyards and rolling landscape, or North Carolina's for the mountain views and sunsets."
I smiled, "It sounds beautiful. I'm used to this house now, but it's not really my style. This is Renee, all the way. Her quirkiness is branded all over this place. The Colorado cabin, though... my God, I love that place. It's a bit large for just me, but they bought it to throw week-long parties there when the season ended… to invite a couple of the guys from the team with their spouses. For obvious reasons, it's harder for me to go to the Forks house, but I do it yearly for a week to visit the pack. Speaking of which, I'm due to go in a few weeks. Are you up for a trip to Washington?"
He looked at me awed, like he would never expect me to invite him. “You want me to go?”
I nodded, then he asked warily, “Do they know anything about me?”
I pulled my sub out of the oven with a mit, then laid it on top of the stove as I turned everything off. "I told Jake right after I bolted from the room that first day, because I was freaked out, needing someone to talk to. He also knows that I have more than teacher/student feelings for you, but that's just Jake. He can get me to admit anything. He doesn't know that anything's come of it, though, since I haven't talked to him... oh, SHIT! I was supposed to call him tonight. Fuck, he's gonna be half way here before I get a hold of him now... you just watch. Can you please cut this into thirds and pour me a glass of sweet tea while I get my phone?" He nodded, then I ran to my bedroom to get my phone.
I rushed to flip it open, pressing the buttons in a frantic flurry. Jake answered immediately as I walked back toward the kitchen, "Isabella Marie Swan! If you aren't calling me late because you actually got some sleep or are in the fucking hospital, I swear to the ancestors!"
I winced, but he continued, “You had the whole pack in a goddamn uproar, and less than half an hour ago, Sam himself was threatening to get on a plane with half the fucking pack in tow!”
I winced even more, causing Caleb to rub my back soothingly as I walked into the room. Jake just kept on ranting, though, "It took me ten full minutes to calm him down, and it wasn't easy, since I wanted to do the exact same fucking thing! Did that professor hurt you? If he hurts one hair on your head, Bells, the whole pack is gonna be on a plane before you can finish saying 'Yes'!"
That was it. I had to stop him there. "Jacob William Black! Shut the fuck up for half a goddamn second, so I can get a word in! Jesus Christ! I'm more than fine, unharmed, and will explain what happened after you apologise for fucking yelling at me!"
Caleb guided me into one of the bar stools, setting my plate and drink in front of me as he tried horribly to hide his smirk, but Jake said softly, "Shit, sorry Hells Bells. Let me put you on speaker, the pack is all here with their imprints. We were seriously talking about getting on a plane. You're four hours late calling..... There, you're on speaker now, Bells."
I shook my head, then took a sip of my tea. "You're going to have to deal with me eating while talking, because this toasted sub is looking really damn good right about now. Okay, this is what happened. Professor Wakefeld asked me to our weekly coffee sit down; I agreed. You remember how I said he never pried into my past or asked questions on why I was always working after hours? Well he finally asked me, and oddly enough, I wanted to tell him. The coffee shop definitely wasn't the place for that convo, so I told him to follow me if he wanted to know."
I took a bite of my sub, hearing Sam say sadly, "Oh no, Bella. Did he see them? Your paintings? Are you alright?"
Once I swallowed, I said, "Yeah, Sammy, I showed him. Had to drink a heavy Jack and Coke to keep my nerves calm enough to tell him everything, but he knows. His first reaction to the paintings of them was, ‘Oh, Isa... what did that fool boy do to you?’ Of course I choked up, then had to rush out of the studio after I removed the sheet on my family paintings. He was appalled at what Edward did, as well as pissed that Carlisle left me alone to fend for myself, after being brought into their world. He knows Carlisle. He was the one to teach him how to hunt animals."
Sam asked, "He told you about himself? The vampire stuff?"
I smiled up at Caleb. With a nod from him, I explained, "Yeah, Sammy. He did. Remember how I told you and Jake about the funny pull in my chest, as well as the fuzzy spine tingle I couldn't explain?"
Jake hummed, “Yeah, is that still happening?”
I smiled wider, “Yeah, in fact, it's a lot like imprinting.” I didn't have to wait long for the whole room to erupt in gasps.
I knew I was going to get them by dropping this bomb, but hey... what can you do, right? Sam whispered sadly, “Oh, Bella... are you sure?”
I nodded as I swallowed another bite, then said, "Think about it, Sammy. Whenever he touched me, I got that pleasant sensation, and it always calmed me. Whenever I wasn't near him, I had that pull feeling in my chest. It's my guide to find him if we're parted. He has it, too. That's how he always knew where I was when I was working late, even if I switched things up, doing them out of order. There are some seriously good looking guys out here, but I haven't wanted to even talk to a single one of them... he's all I see. Didn't you tell me once, Quil, that you didn't want to have one night stands until Claire was ready, because she's all you see?"
Quil mumbled in the background, "She's got a point, Sam. She's never once mentioned other guys, and if you try to get her to consider dating, she shuts you down before you can get the words out."
I knew what was coming next, so I mouthed to Caleb as I pointed to the phone, ‘Watch this.’ He smiled while rubbing my back, then Sam said, "Alright, Bella. How long has he been on the veggie diet?"
I smiled up at Caleb. He mouthed, ‘Over 300 years’, so I relayed that to Sam. Jake asked, “Has he had any slips?”
I looked to Caleb, then at his head shake, I told them no. Sam mumbled to the pack for a minute before offering, "Bella, if he's there with you, invite him to come with you this time. We'll give him the same treaty as the others, but with the exception of you being his mate. If you have to be bitten while you're here, he needs to immediately get you out of Washington."
I breathed a silent sigh of relief, assuring them, "Sam, he's here and can hear you. If you want to get the paperwork in order, fax them to me here at the house, then he'll sign them. You'll have them back less than an hour after you send them. He didn't like how he fed before, so he clung to animal hunting tightly. He won't be any trouble as far as that goes, but we'll meet you so you can explain where the boundary line is first thing. Hey Jake?"
Jake asked, “Yeah, Bells?”
I laughed in reply, “I told Caleb I looked like a stuffed chew toy standing next to your wolf form.”
Jake barked a laugh, with most of the pack following. Jake abruptly stopped though, demanding, “He's not gonna dictate to you about seeing us, is he?”
Caleb chose that moment to speak, "No. She is her own person. Plus, from what she's told me, you have protected her on numerous occasions. I wouldn't tell her to stop any form of communication she has with you. If I would've known she was supposed to call you tonight, Jacob, I would've handed her the phone myself, making sure she called on time."
I thought I heard Jake muttering, "Good answer, Dude."
I rolled my eyes before Sam said, "I can have the treaty sent over in less than 30, Bella. Emily is revising it now. You said he knows the Doc? Does that mean you'll have to see them?"
I rolled my eyes again as I swallowed another bite, then said, "Sammy, you know I need closure. We've decided, together, that it would be best to settle into our mating bond before we go adding those certain vampires into the mix. I think while we're there, that you should really talk to Caleb. There's a lot to vampire mating that you'd find interesting. Caleb wants to do similar protection methods as you use with Emily, like the constant cell phone availability and the marking."
Sam asked in a horrified tone, "They scent mark their mates through biting? I thought that the venom..."
I shook my head, “It's a mates-only thing, Sammy, but I'll put you on speaker so he can explain while I eat.”
I put the phone on speaker as Caleb kissed my forehead, whispering, “Eat, Sweetheart, before your stomach gets any angrier.”
The pack laughed, then Caleb said, "Sam? With our mates, our true mates, marking is instinctive. Our bodies know when we're going to make the bite, and instead of our mouths producing venom, they produce a saliva-like fluid that contains our scent. There is no trace of venom in it, so it can be done while Isa is human, with no risk of turning her. It must be done during intimacy, as there is another aspect to the marking."
Sam chuckled, “The scent absorbs, doesn't it?”
Caleb smiled, "Yes, it does. The more there is, the better the absorption factor. Our bodies automatically make several times more than what's needed, but we can't mark if the person isn't our mate. The instinct won't kick in, causing our bodies to automatically know."
Jake hummed as Sam said, "Your marking is very similar to wolf mating marks. Is there a certain spot you have to mark, or is it choice?"
Caleb chuckled, "It's choice, but usually it's placed on the neck, collarbone, or above the heart. Dominant males have been known to mark more private areas for a subsequent mark, though. Visible is better, but with the way clothing is these days, I’ve seen a few with marks over their heart. The effect was loud and clear, practically shouting 'this heart is mine'."
Sam laughed, "I can see how that would be the ideal place. Wolf marking has to be done in the crook of the neck, on the imprint's left side, from behind."
Caleb gave me a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows as he mouthed ‘Doggy-style,’ which made me cough a bit. He rubbed my back, saying, "Sorry, Beautiful. I forgot not to say things like that while you have food in your mouth."
Jake laughed, "You said something sexual, didn't you? She always chokes on her food if someone makes an innuendo."
Caleb chuckled, then said, “The first time it was because I told her I owned a total of 14 properties.”
I heard several low whispers, so I spoke up, "Yeah, but he didn't tell you that two were castles, one was his original family manor, and one was a whole fucking island in Maine. Oh, I forgot to mention that one property has over 760 damn acres."
I heard a round of expletives as Sam whooshed out, "Jesus, Bella. How old is he?"
I looked at Caleb as I took another bite, then waved my hand towards the phone. He chuckled, saying, "I was born in the spring of the year 1266, so I am in my 745th year now. This year marks 320 years of my vegetarian lifestyle."
Jake was quick to say, "Holy shit, Dude! And not one slip in that whole time?"
Caleb smiled, "No, Jacob. After my first animal hunt, I have not tasted one single drop of human blood, nor have I come close biting another human. I have to admit that I have thought of biting Isabella to change her, but that is her choice to make."
I held Caleb's hand to my cheek, whispering, “Thank you,” causing him to kiss my forehead.
Sam butted in then, "Okay, Bella. Emily is faxing the sheet now."
I looked up to Caleb, "Go back towards the bedroom; the other set of double doors is the study. The fax will come in there. Let me note right away that it states biting, not killing. That means you can not change or kill anyone. I'm the only exception to that rule, and that's only for the changing part." Caleb nodded, dashing off to the study with a smile.
I chatted about mundane things with the pack and imprints for a few minutes, then Caleb came back in with a huge smile. He handed me a sheet of paper, saying, "This came with the treaty. I thought you'd want to see it right away."
I took the sheet of paper, then gasped, "Holy shit, Sammy. Really?"
Sam laughed, "Yeah, Bella. As soon as we stopped trying, Emily got pregnant. Seems there really is something to that saying about stress when you're trying to conceive."
I giggled, not being able to help how excited I was for them, then said, "Oh, wow, guys. Congratulations! Emily, we have got to go shopping while I'm in town. Promise me."
She giggled, "Just remember, Bella. We only have a two bedroom house, so you'll have to keep the shopping down to a level that will fit in the house."
Everyone laughed at that, but I said adamantly, "Nope. If the shopping goes over, I'll just have an addition built onto your house... and you won't complain about it. Got me?"
Jake snickered in the background, “Way to go, Bossy Bells!”
We talked and laughed for a few more minutes while I finished eating, then Sam said, "Bella, please don't forget to check in again. You scared the ever-living shit out of us. Get some sleep, too. You're coming up on your 24 hour mark."
I looked at the clock on the stove, making me realize how late it was. I nodded, "Yeah, Sammy. I know. I promise I'll get some sleep, and I'll call on time." We said our goodbyes, then I hit the end button on my phone before flipping it shut.