The Promise
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 10:
She watched as he took in a deep breath, letting it out with a low growl as his eyes darkened perceptibly.
“Looks like I’m a bit too late to enjoy all the spoils, ain’t I darlin’? I can smell your virgin blood and the seed of another man. Am I intrudin’ on a weddin’ day, or are your morals that loose?”
Her anger spiked, despite her fear and he chuckled darkly as she faced him squarely. “Go to Hell, asshole.”
He grinned wickedly, drawing a shudder from her. “I already live there darlin’. Hell follows me where ever I go.”
He moved just a bit closer, his head tilting slightly to one side as he studied her. “Now, how about you share with me just how it is that you know my name, ‘cause I gotta admit sugar, ya got me curious.”
She stared him down. “We’ve met.”
He chuckled, but there was nothing even close to mirth in his cold gaze. “No, we have not.”
She smirked at him, a decidedly stupid thing to do, she could fully admit, but he just pissed her off too badly to resist having something over on him. “Just shows that you don’t know everything doesn’t it vampire?”
He rushed her, and she gasped in fright, but when he reached to grab her throat, he drew his hand back with a curse when he encountered some sort of force around her that shocked the hell out of him.
“Shit!” He stared at her in shock and anger. “What the fuck was that?”
She looked back at him, her hands clutched together over her chest as she struggled to calm her racing heart. “Why should I give you any answers? You’ve been nothing but an asshole to me…”
He growled. “Because I’ll kill you if you don’t!”
She stood her ground, her chin at a defiant angle. “Really? How you gonna do that if you can’t touch me?”
He growled and reached for her again, this time gritting his teeth as he held his hand against the field that was sending an agonizing current through his entire body.
Bella trembled, tears now streaming down her face as she watched.
Finally releasing a pained gasp, he dropped to his knees and held his aching hand to his chest, eventually looking up at her. “At least tell me the name of the one being on this earth that I can’t seem to defeat.”
She backed away, weak with fear and adrenaline as she answered. “It’s Isabella. Isabella Swan-Whitlock.”
He stood and she backed off another step, watching him closely. He looked shocked.
“What did you say your surname is?”
Her voice really shook now as fright for Peter’s safety filled her. “Swan.”
He shook his head. “No, that wasn’t all you said. Now repeat it.”
“Swan-Whitlock, as of today, but you leave him the hell alone. Please, just leave us alone! I’ll beg if I have to, just please…”
She choked on a sob and he smirked at her. “So, ya got a weak spot after all. Good to know. Question is, would ya sacrifice yourself to save him little girl? Is he worth that to ya?”
She fell to her knees, her body wracked with sobs as she stared up at him. “Yes! I would! Just leave him alone, I beg you!”
He sneered down at her. “Then quit protecting yourself and allow me to touch you.”
Despair filled her as she shook her head. “I honestly don’t know how to stop it. There’s nothing I can do to get rid of the protection, you have to believe me! Please!”
He snarled. “Oh I believe ya. I can feel when someone is lyin’ to me and you are not. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that I didn’t get what I want. You see, I always get what I want little girl and I wanted you. I was gonna change ya and maybe keep ya for myself, but now I can’t do that. That’s all right though. I’ll figure somethin’ out. I have never been defeated and I ain’t about to start now.”
With that, he vanished into the surrounding trees and she collapsed on the pathway in despair. She just knew, could feel in her heart that he wasn’t done with her yet and the fear from that surety consumed her as she lay, curled on her side, hands over her face, trying desperately to regain control. She had to. There was just no way she could face Peter in the state she was in because she would have to give him a reason and she just couldn’t share this with him.
She rose from the ground, her whole body shaking like a leaf as she made her way to the privy since she still had that problem to take care of.
She’d just come back out of it when Peter opened the back door. “Isabella? Are you all right sugar? It’s been a while. Are you sick?”
She shook her head and tried to dry her eyes as she drew closer to him but he saw her distress clearly and rushed to her. “Bella, what’s wrong? What is it? Did I hurt you that bad? I’m so sorry…”
She shook her head again and choked on a sob that she just couldn’t stifle as he picked her up, holding her close as he carried her back to their bedroom. “Please Bella, tell me what’s wrong? Should I fetch the Doctor?”
She shook her head where it lay against his chest, her voice thick with tears as she spoke. “No, just hold me please. Just hold me.”
He scooted all the way back on the bed, leaning against the pillows as he held her in his arms, his fingers running through her hair.
Eventually her crying subsided, although her body still shook, and he spoke quietly. “Sugar, please tell me what is wrong? You really got me worried Darlin’. Please speak to me.”
She knew he was feeling terrible by the tortured tone of his voice, so she tried to reassure him without revealing too much. “It was nothing you did Peter. You didn’t hurt me. I mean, there was pain, but nothing lasting, so please don’t worry.”
He drew her closer, kissing the top of her head. “Don’t worry? How can you say that when I find you this way? Something bad must have happened sugar, and you’re refusing to tell me. Now why is that? Don’t you trust me?”
She began to cry again and she clung to his shirt. “Please Peter, I can’t explain why I’m upset. Just know that I’ll be fine in a little while. No one touched me. No one hurt me.” She looked up at him. “Did you draw that bath after all?”
She wasn’t sure how he managed to look hurt, angry and worried all at the same time, but he did as he studied her for a moment before answering. “I did. It’s ready for you. I just hope it hasn’t cooled too much.”
She nodded. “Thank you. I’m sure it will be fine.”
Moving off of his lap and then the bed, she entered the wash-room and stripped out of the soiled robe, stepping over into the tub and easing down into the water with a shuddering sigh.
She sat there staring at the wall in front of her for a few minutes, just trying to come to grips with her situation. Part of her wanted to rage and kick and scream at the hopelessness she felt but a bigger part of her was filled with dread and terror. She knew Jasper wasn’t about to give up. He would be back; perhaps not tomorrow or next week or next month, but he would be back and when he came, just as he said, he would be bringing hell with him.
Grabbing the soap and a cloth, she began thinking over possible solutions to this cluster fuck she now found herself in as she bathed.
One option would be to perform a ritual of protection on Peter, but she dismissed it quickly, just as she had after the first time she’d seen Jasper and for the same reasons; the ritual had to be performed with the person’s knowledge and consent and there was no way Peter and his archaic mentality would accept it. At worst, she’d lose him and find herself tied to a stake, being consumed by flames and at best, he would want to know why she was asking him to do such a thing and what was she to tell him? After all, the damn language of the ritual includes the word ‘vampire’. Again, a straight jacket and a burning pyre flashed through her mind. No, performing the ritual on her husband just wasn’t possible.
Dunking herself completely under water, she came back up and began washing her hair.
She could definitely perform a ritual on the house. At least then she wouldn’t have to worry about Jasper walking in whenever he felt the urge and Peter would be safe as long as he was home. She’d even be sure to include the damn outhouse.
If she was careful, she could even protect the Ranger’s office. She’d just have to do it without being seen.
She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling, rage and despair warring for dominance within her.
No matter what she did, the man she loved above everyone and everything would still be vulnerable for a large portion of the day, and there was nothing she could do about it.
She sighed and dunked again, rinsing the soap from her hair, her jaw clenched in anger.
One thing she did know. If that cocky bastard of a vampire managed to do something to her husband, she vowed to do whatever it took to take him out one of these days. She didn’t care if she had to hunt down Carlisle and beg him to change her or go to the Volturi in Italy and hope they changed her instead of killing her; whatever it took, she would do it.
Pulling the plug, she rose from the rapidly cooling water and grabbed a drying linen, wrapping it around her body before squeezing the excess water from her hair into the draining tub.
She stepped out onto a rug feeling much better than when she’d first come in here. At least the shaking had subsided. Now she just had to quell the anger that boiled just under the surface. It wouldn’t be fair to Pete to be short with him, especially when she was sure he was probably still upset over her non-answers as to her upset.
Sighing as she finished drying and dressing, she wondered just how she was going to handle his questions for she was pretty certain that he was just biding his time while she got herself together before renewing his efforts to get the truth from her.
Trouble was, she had no idea what to say to him that she hadn’t said already. She certainly couldn’t tell him the truth and even if she told him that she’d been accosted by a man, she knew that he’d be on high alert and that would put him in even more danger.
Now running a brush through her damp hair as she stared into a mirror, she realized that she was well and truly damned if she did and damned if she didn’t in this, and it was all the fault of one vampire; Jasper.
A knock at the door had her snapping out of her semi-trance and she cleared her throat, calling out, “Yes?”
She smiled softly as she heard him answer. “I was just checkin’ on you darlin’. You’ve been in there a while… are you all right?”
Instead of calling through the door, she walked to it and opened it, smiling up at him. “I’m fine Peter.”
Still looking concerned and not at all convinced, he nodded once. “My mother brought us supper while you were bathing. It’s on the kitchen table. Are you hungry?”
She placed the hairbrush back on the vanity and joined him with a smile. “I am actually. Let’s eat.”
It was a very quiet meal and Bella hated that they weren’t really speaking, especially since Peter was usually very chipper during meals, or at least he had been during the meals they’d shared since he began courting her.
She knew it was her fault; that he was hurt because she wouldn’t confide in him, and she didn’t know what to do to fix it, but she knew she had to try.
“Your mother made this?” She gestured to the meal and he nodded, looking back down as he continued eating silently.
She watched him for a moment and tried again. “It’s very good. I’ll have to thank her when I see her next.”
He glanced up at her, gave her a wan smile and a nod and went back to eating, drawing a sigh from her as she picked at her food. “Peter, please talk to me?”
He looked up, his gaze now piercing. “All right Isabella. What happened out there?”
She looked away for a moment, deciding to tell him something as close to the truth as she could get.
“I was… confronted, I guess you could say, by a man.” She met his eyes. “He did not hurt me or even touch me, but he threatened to hurt you.”
“Isabella, I deal with those sorts of things on a weekly basis…” He looked away, the muscles in his jaw tense as he worked to control his anger. “…but for someone to come on my property and threaten my wife?” He looked back at her again. “What did he look like?”
She was out of her seat in seconds, kneeling beside his chair as she took his hands, the expression on her face pleading. “Peter, please leave this alone. I obviously overreacted and we’ll probably never see him again. He was probably drunk or something and thought it would be fun to taunt the Ranger’s new wife. It was nothing, really.”
“It’s something to me Bella, and I aim to find him and deal with this!”
She leaned her forehead against his hands that she still held tightly. “Peter, please let this go?” She looked up into his eyes. “It’s still our wedding day… Let’s not let this low life ruin it, please? I’m sorry for overreacting, but to hear someone threaten you so casually so soon after you being shot…” She leaned her head back down, praying that he would let it go.
He was quiet for a moment and she felt him run a hand through her hair gently. “What did he look like Bella? I need to know.”
His tone was low and gentle, but the words he spoke cut through her because she knew that she would now have to lie to him again, and she hated it.
“He was wearing a large hat, pulled low over his face. I couldn’t even really tell you his hair color. He was dressed like any other ruffian in town and he really didn’t have any marks that I could see that would distinguish him from a hundred other people.” She met Peter’s eyes. “He wasn’t around long enough for me to tell you anything remarkable about him. I’m sorry.”
“Would you recognize him if you saw him again?”
She looked away with a slight shake of her head as she answered. “The hat shaded his face, so probably not.”
He pushed his chair back and reached down, pulling her into his lap where he held her to him tightly. “Lord, how I wish I had checked on you sooner… I could’a caught the scum.” He tucked his face into the crook of her neck. “I’ve never wanted to hunt a man down and kill him before, but god help me, I want to now.”
She ran her fingers through his sandy blond hair as she shook her head. “Please let this go Pete. I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you. It would kill me.”
Meeting her gaze, he cupped her cheek in his hand, his thumb rubbing gently. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice, do I? It’s not as though I can question every man in town, and you can’t describe him. Unless he comes back around, there’s nothin’ I can do. One thing I do know; I’ll be keeping a better eye on you. I should’a known that some of the low-lifes in this town would see you as a target now that you’re my wife…”
Shaking her head, she took his face in her hands. “Don’t go blaming yourself for this. There was nothing you could do…”
His brow pinched. “Not so. I’m your husband, it’s my responsibility to protect you, take care of you…”
A bit of anger welled inside her and she stood from his lap and faced him. “Really? We have lives to live too Peter. What are you gonna do, escort me to the privy every time I need to go?” She shook her head. “I can understand you being upset, but don’t be ridiculous!”
He stood and faced her. “Ridiculous? Look at what happened today Bella! You were a mess when I found you! You couldn’t stop shakin’ and cryin’ and now you’re tellin’ me I’m bein’ ridiculous for wantin’ to protect you from that happenin’ again?
He turned and paced to the other side of the room, running a hand through his hair as he faced the wall, obviously trying to calm himself.
Bella’s heart ached at having upset him so badly with her poor choice of words. She could see his point; she had been a mess, but that was due to facing a killer vampire which she certainly couldn’t explain to him.
She walked to him, placing her arms around his waist while laying her head against his tense back. “Peter, I’m sorry. You’re right, I was a mess and I love you for wanting to protect me from that happening again. I know that you’re motivated by your love for me and I can’t fault you for that, but we have to live too and we can’t do that if you’re stuck to me every moment of the day. You have a job to do and now I have a house to run…”
He sighed and turned in her arms, pulling her close and kissing her head. “I know sugar and I’m sorry for gettin’ so upset.”
She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss as her fingers played in the hair at the nape of his neck, a soft moan leaving her as he tightened his hold on her, his hands moving down to rest just above the swell of her ass.
He was becoming aroused, she could feel it and she felt her own body respond, the ache of need in her center prompting her to press herself into him as she sucked in his bottom lip which she nipped gently as she broke the kiss. “Take me to bed husband” she murmured quietly as she looked into his eyes.
“Yeah, it’s been a long day hasn’t it? I imagine you’re tired.” he said as he moved the hair away from her face with gentle fingers.
His brows inched up however, when she grinned. “No, I’m not tired yet. I want you to take me to bed because I want you again.”
He now looked confused. “But you said…”
She placed two fingers over his lips as she smiled. “The first thing you should learn about living with a woman is that it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. Now, take me to bed husband.”
He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom and she kissed him as she slid from his hold to stand in front of him where she began to help him undress, placing kisses to his chest as she went.
Swirling her tongue around one hardened bud, she smiled against him as he buried his hands in her hair, a quiet groan escaping him as she sucked and nipped.
Reaching for the laces of her dress, he pulled one and began loosening them until it was open enough to push off her shoulders. When the dress was pooled on the floor around her, she glanced up and nearly laughed at the look on his face as he stared at her shift and corset. “Good lord, I never knew women wore so many layers. How do you stand it?”
She pressed against him, kissing his chest as she looked up at him, amusement shining in her eyes. “You want to have a discussion on women’s fashions now husband?”
He leaned down and trailed warm, open-mouthed kisses down the side of her neck to the cleavage just above the shift and corset, drawing a moan from her as her head rolled back. “Well, you see my beautiful wife—” he mumbled against her skin, “—they’re in my way of being inside you again.” He grinned up at her as she felt the catches of the corset pop open. “That’s okay though, ‘cause I do believe I have figured it out.”
She held his face and kissed him lightly, smiling against him as she whispered, “There are laces in the back.”
The corset fell to the floor and he grinned wickedly, showcasing that dimple she loved so much. “I’ll remember for next time.”
She gasped and laughed as he abruptly lifted the shift over her head but when she looked back at him and saw the look on his face as he took in her form, all amusement left her.
Lifting her hand to his cheek, she caressed his skin softly as she met his gaze; a gaze that was filled with so much love and passion she found it hard to breathe.
“You’re so beautiful Isabella,” he said, his voice quiet, intense. “I can scarcely believe that you’re mine.”
“Peter, you fill my heart so completely, I ache with it at times. You’re everything to me, and I’ll love you until this world ends.”
He kissed her then, pulling her flush against him as they opened to each other, their tongues meeting in a languid give and take as he backed her toward the bed.
When she felt the mattress on the backs of her legs, she turned him, and pushed him down on the bed as she broke the kiss. “Lie back.”
Moving back on the bed, he laid back against the pillows, watching her as she joined him.
Kneeling next to him, she leaned down, placing light kisses on his lips as she straddled his body. She deepened the kiss when she felt his hands grip her hips and he groaned as she rocked her wet center against him.
He broke the kiss and stilled her hips, his brow furrowed as he met her eyes. “Bella, what are you doin’ sugar?”
“I want to try something.” She grinned and scooted back, taking him in hand as he grunted lightly in surprise.
Placing him at her entrance, she slowly eased herself down, taking him all the way in as he closed his eyes and gripped her hips.
She leaned down to him, giving him a slow kiss. “Is this all right?”
“It’s more than all right darlin’,” he said with a gasp.
Straightening up, she began to raise and lower herself on him, glad to realize that the pleasure, this time, outweighed any discomfort.
Soon, she lost herself to the rhythm, quickly learning what felt right and brought the most pleasure, her hips tilting and rolling as he began to thrust up to meet her.
She was delighted to feel a familiar tightening in her center and threw her head back as Pete caressed her breasts. “Oh yes, Peter, you feel amazing,” she whispered with a moan.
He caught her as she fell toward him, the rhythmic grip of her inner muscles drawing him to his completion as he held her tightly.
Kissing her, he rolled them to their sides and pulled the covers over, smiling when he saw her eyes close as she curled up close to him. “Good night sugar,” he whispered.
Closing his eyes, he relaxed back, a content smile curving his lips as he too surrendered to dreams.
She watched as he took in a deep breath, letting it out with a low growl as his eyes darkened perceptibly.
“Looks like I’m a bit too late to enjoy all the spoils, ain’t I darlin’? I can smell your virgin blood and the seed of another man. Am I intrudin’ on a weddin’ day, or are your morals that loose?”
Her anger spiked, despite her fear and he chuckled darkly as she faced him squarely. “Go to Hell, asshole.”
He grinned wickedly, drawing a shudder from her. “I already live there darlin’. Hell follows me where ever I go.”
He moved just a bit closer, his head tilting slightly to one side as he studied her. “Now, how about you share with me just how it is that you know my name, ‘cause I gotta admit sugar, ya got me curious.”
She stared him down. “We’ve met.”
He chuckled, but there was nothing even close to mirth in his cold gaze. “No, we have not.”
She smirked at him, a decidedly stupid thing to do, she could fully admit, but he just pissed her off too badly to resist having something over on him. “Just shows that you don’t know everything doesn’t it vampire?”
He rushed her, and she gasped in fright, but when he reached to grab her throat, he drew his hand back with a curse when he encountered some sort of force around her that shocked the hell out of him.
“Shit!” He stared at her in shock and anger. “What the fuck was that?”
She looked back at him, her hands clutched together over her chest as she struggled to calm her racing heart. “Why should I give you any answers? You’ve been nothing but an asshole to me…”
He growled. “Because I’ll kill you if you don’t!”
She stood her ground, her chin at a defiant angle. “Really? How you gonna do that if you can’t touch me?”
He growled and reached for her again, this time gritting his teeth as he held his hand against the field that was sending an agonizing current through his entire body.
Bella trembled, tears now streaming down her face as she watched.
Finally releasing a pained gasp, he dropped to his knees and held his aching hand to his chest, eventually looking up at her. “At least tell me the name of the one being on this earth that I can’t seem to defeat.”
She backed away, weak with fear and adrenaline as she answered. “It’s Isabella. Isabella Swan-Whitlock.”
He stood and she backed off another step, watching him closely. He looked shocked.
“What did you say your surname is?”
Her voice really shook now as fright for Peter’s safety filled her. “Swan.”
He shook his head. “No, that wasn’t all you said. Now repeat it.”
“Swan-Whitlock, as of today, but you leave him the hell alone. Please, just leave us alone! I’ll beg if I have to, just please…”
She choked on a sob and he smirked at her. “So, ya got a weak spot after all. Good to know. Question is, would ya sacrifice yourself to save him little girl? Is he worth that to ya?”
She fell to her knees, her body wracked with sobs as she stared up at him. “Yes! I would! Just leave him alone, I beg you!”
He sneered down at her. “Then quit protecting yourself and allow me to touch you.”
Despair filled her as she shook her head. “I honestly don’t know how to stop it. There’s nothing I can do to get rid of the protection, you have to believe me! Please!”
He snarled. “Oh I believe ya. I can feel when someone is lyin’ to me and you are not. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that I didn’t get what I want. You see, I always get what I want little girl and I wanted you. I was gonna change ya and maybe keep ya for myself, but now I can’t do that. That’s all right though. I’ll figure somethin’ out. I have never been defeated and I ain’t about to start now.”
With that, he vanished into the surrounding trees and she collapsed on the pathway in despair. She just knew, could feel in her heart that he wasn’t done with her yet and the fear from that surety consumed her as she lay, curled on her side, hands over her face, trying desperately to regain control. She had to. There was just no way she could face Peter in the state she was in because she would have to give him a reason and she just couldn’t share this with him.
She rose from the ground, her whole body shaking like a leaf as she made her way to the privy since she still had that problem to take care of.
She’d just come back out of it when Peter opened the back door. “Isabella? Are you all right sugar? It’s been a while. Are you sick?”
She shook her head and tried to dry her eyes as she drew closer to him but he saw her distress clearly and rushed to her. “Bella, what’s wrong? What is it? Did I hurt you that bad? I’m so sorry…”
She shook her head again and choked on a sob that she just couldn’t stifle as he picked her up, holding her close as he carried her back to their bedroom. “Please Bella, tell me what’s wrong? Should I fetch the Doctor?”
She shook her head where it lay against his chest, her voice thick with tears as she spoke. “No, just hold me please. Just hold me.”
He scooted all the way back on the bed, leaning against the pillows as he held her in his arms, his fingers running through her hair.
Eventually her crying subsided, although her body still shook, and he spoke quietly. “Sugar, please tell me what is wrong? You really got me worried Darlin’. Please speak to me.”
She knew he was feeling terrible by the tortured tone of his voice, so she tried to reassure him without revealing too much. “It was nothing you did Peter. You didn’t hurt me. I mean, there was pain, but nothing lasting, so please don’t worry.”
He drew her closer, kissing the top of her head. “Don’t worry? How can you say that when I find you this way? Something bad must have happened sugar, and you’re refusing to tell me. Now why is that? Don’t you trust me?”
She began to cry again and she clung to his shirt. “Please Peter, I can’t explain why I’m upset. Just know that I’ll be fine in a little while. No one touched me. No one hurt me.” She looked up at him. “Did you draw that bath after all?”
She wasn’t sure how he managed to look hurt, angry and worried all at the same time, but he did as he studied her for a moment before answering. “I did. It’s ready for you. I just hope it hasn’t cooled too much.”
She nodded. “Thank you. I’m sure it will be fine.”
Moving off of his lap and then the bed, she entered the wash-room and stripped out of the soiled robe, stepping over into the tub and easing down into the water with a shuddering sigh.
She sat there staring at the wall in front of her for a few minutes, just trying to come to grips with her situation. Part of her wanted to rage and kick and scream at the hopelessness she felt but a bigger part of her was filled with dread and terror. She knew Jasper wasn’t about to give up. He would be back; perhaps not tomorrow or next week or next month, but he would be back and when he came, just as he said, he would be bringing hell with him.
Grabbing the soap and a cloth, she began thinking over possible solutions to this cluster fuck she now found herself in as she bathed.
One option would be to perform a ritual of protection on Peter, but she dismissed it quickly, just as she had after the first time she’d seen Jasper and for the same reasons; the ritual had to be performed with the person’s knowledge and consent and there was no way Peter and his archaic mentality would accept it. At worst, she’d lose him and find herself tied to a stake, being consumed by flames and at best, he would want to know why she was asking him to do such a thing and what was she to tell him? After all, the damn language of the ritual includes the word ‘vampire’. Again, a straight jacket and a burning pyre flashed through her mind. No, performing the ritual on her husband just wasn’t possible.
Dunking herself completely under water, she came back up and began washing her hair.
She could definitely perform a ritual on the house. At least then she wouldn’t have to worry about Jasper walking in whenever he felt the urge and Peter would be safe as long as he was home. She’d even be sure to include the damn outhouse.
If she was careful, she could even protect the Ranger’s office. She’d just have to do it without being seen.
She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling, rage and despair warring for dominance within her.
No matter what she did, the man she loved above everyone and everything would still be vulnerable for a large portion of the day, and there was nothing she could do about it.
She sighed and dunked again, rinsing the soap from her hair, her jaw clenched in anger.
One thing she did know. If that cocky bastard of a vampire managed to do something to her husband, she vowed to do whatever it took to take him out one of these days. She didn’t care if she had to hunt down Carlisle and beg him to change her or go to the Volturi in Italy and hope they changed her instead of killing her; whatever it took, she would do it.
Pulling the plug, she rose from the rapidly cooling water and grabbed a drying linen, wrapping it around her body before squeezing the excess water from her hair into the draining tub.
She stepped out onto a rug feeling much better than when she’d first come in here. At least the shaking had subsided. Now she just had to quell the anger that boiled just under the surface. It wouldn’t be fair to Pete to be short with him, especially when she was sure he was probably still upset over her non-answers as to her upset.
Sighing as she finished drying and dressing, she wondered just how she was going to handle his questions for she was pretty certain that he was just biding his time while she got herself together before renewing his efforts to get the truth from her.
Trouble was, she had no idea what to say to him that she hadn’t said already. She certainly couldn’t tell him the truth and even if she told him that she’d been accosted by a man, she knew that he’d be on high alert and that would put him in even more danger.
Now running a brush through her damp hair as she stared into a mirror, she realized that she was well and truly damned if she did and damned if she didn’t in this, and it was all the fault of one vampire; Jasper.
A knock at the door had her snapping out of her semi-trance and she cleared her throat, calling out, “Yes?”
She smiled softly as she heard him answer. “I was just checkin’ on you darlin’. You’ve been in there a while… are you all right?”
Instead of calling through the door, she walked to it and opened it, smiling up at him. “I’m fine Peter.”
Still looking concerned and not at all convinced, he nodded once. “My mother brought us supper while you were bathing. It’s on the kitchen table. Are you hungry?”
She placed the hairbrush back on the vanity and joined him with a smile. “I am actually. Let’s eat.”
It was a very quiet meal and Bella hated that they weren’t really speaking, especially since Peter was usually very chipper during meals, or at least he had been during the meals they’d shared since he began courting her.
She knew it was her fault; that he was hurt because she wouldn’t confide in him, and she didn’t know what to do to fix it, but she knew she had to try.
“Your mother made this?” She gestured to the meal and he nodded, looking back down as he continued eating silently.
She watched him for a moment and tried again. “It’s very good. I’ll have to thank her when I see her next.”
He glanced up at her, gave her a wan smile and a nod and went back to eating, drawing a sigh from her as she picked at her food. “Peter, please talk to me?”
He looked up, his gaze now piercing. “All right Isabella. What happened out there?”
She looked away for a moment, deciding to tell him something as close to the truth as she could get.
“I was… confronted, I guess you could say, by a man.” She met his eyes. “He did not hurt me or even touch me, but he threatened to hurt you.”
“Isabella, I deal with those sorts of things on a weekly basis…” He looked away, the muscles in his jaw tense as he worked to control his anger. “…but for someone to come on my property and threaten my wife?” He looked back at her again. “What did he look like?”
She was out of her seat in seconds, kneeling beside his chair as she took his hands, the expression on her face pleading. “Peter, please leave this alone. I obviously overreacted and we’ll probably never see him again. He was probably drunk or something and thought it would be fun to taunt the Ranger’s new wife. It was nothing, really.”
“It’s something to me Bella, and I aim to find him and deal with this!”
She leaned her forehead against his hands that she still held tightly. “Peter, please let this go?” She looked up into his eyes. “It’s still our wedding day… Let’s not let this low life ruin it, please? I’m sorry for overreacting, but to hear someone threaten you so casually so soon after you being shot…” She leaned her head back down, praying that he would let it go.
He was quiet for a moment and she felt him run a hand through her hair gently. “What did he look like Bella? I need to know.”
His tone was low and gentle, but the words he spoke cut through her because she knew that she would now have to lie to him again, and she hated it.
“He was wearing a large hat, pulled low over his face. I couldn’t even really tell you his hair color. He was dressed like any other ruffian in town and he really didn’t have any marks that I could see that would distinguish him from a hundred other people.” She met Peter’s eyes. “He wasn’t around long enough for me to tell you anything remarkable about him. I’m sorry.”
“Would you recognize him if you saw him again?”
She looked away with a slight shake of her head as she answered. “The hat shaded his face, so probably not.”
He pushed his chair back and reached down, pulling her into his lap where he held her to him tightly. “Lord, how I wish I had checked on you sooner… I could’a caught the scum.” He tucked his face into the crook of her neck. “I’ve never wanted to hunt a man down and kill him before, but god help me, I want to now.”
She ran her fingers through his sandy blond hair as she shook her head. “Please let this go Pete. I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you. It would kill me.”
Meeting her gaze, he cupped her cheek in his hand, his thumb rubbing gently. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice, do I? It’s not as though I can question every man in town, and you can’t describe him. Unless he comes back around, there’s nothin’ I can do. One thing I do know; I’ll be keeping a better eye on you. I should’a known that some of the low-lifes in this town would see you as a target now that you’re my wife…”
Shaking her head, she took his face in her hands. “Don’t go blaming yourself for this. There was nothing you could do…”
His brow pinched. “Not so. I’m your husband, it’s my responsibility to protect you, take care of you…”
A bit of anger welled inside her and she stood from his lap and faced him. “Really? We have lives to live too Peter. What are you gonna do, escort me to the privy every time I need to go?” She shook her head. “I can understand you being upset, but don’t be ridiculous!”
He stood and faced her. “Ridiculous? Look at what happened today Bella! You were a mess when I found you! You couldn’t stop shakin’ and cryin’ and now you’re tellin’ me I’m bein’ ridiculous for wantin’ to protect you from that happenin’ again?
He turned and paced to the other side of the room, running a hand through his hair as he faced the wall, obviously trying to calm himself.
Bella’s heart ached at having upset him so badly with her poor choice of words. She could see his point; she had been a mess, but that was due to facing a killer vampire which she certainly couldn’t explain to him.
She walked to him, placing her arms around his waist while laying her head against his tense back. “Peter, I’m sorry. You’re right, I was a mess and I love you for wanting to protect me from that happening again. I know that you’re motivated by your love for me and I can’t fault you for that, but we have to live too and we can’t do that if you’re stuck to me every moment of the day. You have a job to do and now I have a house to run…”
He sighed and turned in her arms, pulling her close and kissing her head. “I know sugar and I’m sorry for gettin’ so upset.”
She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss as her fingers played in the hair at the nape of his neck, a soft moan leaving her as he tightened his hold on her, his hands moving down to rest just above the swell of her ass.
He was becoming aroused, she could feel it and she felt her own body respond, the ache of need in her center prompting her to press herself into him as she sucked in his bottom lip which she nipped gently as she broke the kiss. “Take me to bed husband” she murmured quietly as she looked into his eyes.
“Yeah, it’s been a long day hasn’t it? I imagine you’re tired.” he said as he moved the hair away from her face with gentle fingers.
His brows inched up however, when she grinned. “No, I’m not tired yet. I want you to take me to bed because I want you again.”
He now looked confused. “But you said…”
She placed two fingers over his lips as she smiled. “The first thing you should learn about living with a woman is that it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. Now, take me to bed husband.”
He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom and she kissed him as she slid from his hold to stand in front of him where she began to help him undress, placing kisses to his chest as she went.
Swirling her tongue around one hardened bud, she smiled against him as he buried his hands in her hair, a quiet groan escaping him as she sucked and nipped.
Reaching for the laces of her dress, he pulled one and began loosening them until it was open enough to push off her shoulders. When the dress was pooled on the floor around her, she glanced up and nearly laughed at the look on his face as he stared at her shift and corset. “Good lord, I never knew women wore so many layers. How do you stand it?”
She pressed against him, kissing his chest as she looked up at him, amusement shining in her eyes. “You want to have a discussion on women’s fashions now husband?”
He leaned down and trailed warm, open-mouthed kisses down the side of her neck to the cleavage just above the shift and corset, drawing a moan from her as her head rolled back. “Well, you see my beautiful wife—” he mumbled against her skin, “—they’re in my way of being inside you again.” He grinned up at her as she felt the catches of the corset pop open. “That’s okay though, ‘cause I do believe I have figured it out.”
She held his face and kissed him lightly, smiling against him as she whispered, “There are laces in the back.”
The corset fell to the floor and he grinned wickedly, showcasing that dimple she loved so much. “I’ll remember for next time.”
She gasped and laughed as he abruptly lifted the shift over her head but when she looked back at him and saw the look on his face as he took in her form, all amusement left her.
Lifting her hand to his cheek, she caressed his skin softly as she met his gaze; a gaze that was filled with so much love and passion she found it hard to breathe.
“You’re so beautiful Isabella,” he said, his voice quiet, intense. “I can scarcely believe that you’re mine.”
“Peter, you fill my heart so completely, I ache with it at times. You’re everything to me, and I’ll love you until this world ends.”
He kissed her then, pulling her flush against him as they opened to each other, their tongues meeting in a languid give and take as he backed her toward the bed.
When she felt the mattress on the backs of her legs, she turned him, and pushed him down on the bed as she broke the kiss. “Lie back.”
Moving back on the bed, he laid back against the pillows, watching her as she joined him.
Kneeling next to him, she leaned down, placing light kisses on his lips as she straddled his body. She deepened the kiss when she felt his hands grip her hips and he groaned as she rocked her wet center against him.
He broke the kiss and stilled her hips, his brow furrowed as he met her eyes. “Bella, what are you doin’ sugar?”
“I want to try something.” She grinned and scooted back, taking him in hand as he grunted lightly in surprise.
Placing him at her entrance, she slowly eased herself down, taking him all the way in as he closed his eyes and gripped her hips.
She leaned down to him, giving him a slow kiss. “Is this all right?”
“It’s more than all right darlin’,” he said with a gasp.
Straightening up, she began to raise and lower herself on him, glad to realize that the pleasure, this time, outweighed any discomfort.
Soon, she lost herself to the rhythm, quickly learning what felt right and brought the most pleasure, her hips tilting and rolling as he began to thrust up to meet her.
She was delighted to feel a familiar tightening in her center and threw her head back as Pete caressed her breasts. “Oh yes, Peter, you feel amazing,” she whispered with a moan.
He caught her as she fell toward him, the rhythmic grip of her inner muscles drawing him to his completion as he held her tightly.
Kissing her, he rolled them to their sides and pulled the covers over, smiling when he saw her eyes close as she curled up close to him. “Good night sugar,” he whispered.
Closing his eyes, he relaxed back, a content smile curving his lips as he too surrendered to dreams.
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.