Wash Away Those Years
written by Laura Spudzmom
banner by DeeBell1
​

~ Wash Away Those Years~

~~~
She came calling
One early morning
She showed her crown of thorns
She whispered softly
To tell a story
About how she had been wronged
As she lay lifeless
He stole her innocence
And this is how she carried on
This is how she carried on


Well I guess she closed her eyes
And just imagined everything's alright
But she could not hide her tears
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years
They were sent to wash away those years


My anger's violent
But still I'm silent
When tragedy strikes at home
I know this decadence Is shared by millions
Remember you're not alone
Remember you're not alone


Well if you just close your eyes
And just imagine everything's alright
But do not hide your tears
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years
Well if you just close your eyes
And just imagine everything's alright
But do not hide your tears
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years
They were sent to wash away those years
Maybe we can wash away those years


For we have crossed many oceans
And we labor in between
In life there are many quotients
And I hope I find the mean
the mean, the mean


Well if you just close your eyes
And just imagine everything's alright
But do not hide your tears
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years
Well if you just close your eyes
And just imagine everything's alright
But do not hide your tears
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years
Maybe we can wash away those years
I hope that you can wash away those years

~ By Creed ~
~~~



Fine dust and warm air poured into the open windows of the wheezing and spluttering old truck and Bella cursed roundly as she coasted onto the shoulder of the lonely West Texas road.  She hung her head and slammed both hands down onto the wheel just as the engine gasped, dying with a loud clank and a shudder.  “Shit!   Just...shit!   You wretched, no good, rotten piece of… ahhh!”


She sat for moments, forehead resting at the top of the wheel as she considered her dire situation.  Just to confirm her fears, she reached for her phone, almost afraid to look at it, but look she did.  


“Aw, damn it all,” she groaned at no hint of a signal, not even a hint of a bar.  She was well and truly screwed now.  She hadn’t seen another soul for miles, and the lonely road stretched before her as far as the eye could see, deserted, desolate.  


She cringed as she looked around at her desert surroundings as rivulets of sand snaked their way across the road, interspersed with an occasional tumble weed.  “Yep Bella, you’re screwed,” she mumbled.


She sat back in the seat, her head leaning back all the way to the window as her mind went to places that were best left behind in soggy Forks.  At this moment, she couldn’t seem to stop the reel of memories that played out in her head, the emotions that went with them cutting, the pain still raw.


She saw her first day at Forks High and the beautiful boy with eyes black as pitch, as he leaned away with a glare.  She saw him save her from imminent death by stopping the lethal strike of the van set to crush her.  She saw him sitting across from her in the restaurant as she learned his secrets, his crooked smile and beautiful golden eyes drawing her in completely, immutably.


Her heart ached afresh as her gaze rested unseeingly on the headliner of the old truck, tears tracing down each cheek as she progressed through their time together.


Their first kiss, her first visit to his home, their time in the  meadow, countless tender moments that she was sure, would remain in her mind and heart to torture her forever.  


Surrendering completely to this stroll down memory lane, she let her mind go to the fateful night of her eighteenth birthday party and the paper cut that caused Edward to lose control.  That night had changed her life forever.  That night had sealed the fate of her heart as he broke it with his cold, emotionless words and abrupt departure.


Closing her eyes, she braced for the memories yet to come; the memories of his subsequent return and the vast changes that had overcome him.  It seemed to her that the two months they’d been apart had… done something to Edward.  


She shook her head, still unable to fathom the events that had led her to where she sat this very moment, stranded in her broken-down truck, somewhere just east of El Paso, Texas.


Relief and joy had been her primary emotions when he’d returned to Forks, but it was soon very clear that something fundamental had changed within him, and not for the better.


Thoughts about the cold and hateful ways he would speak to her and the physical abuse that he employed any time she managed to irritate him, had her shuddering.  He’d finally gone too far and Carlisle had treated her fractured ribs and split lip at his home, even though she’d wanted to be seen by her regular doctor.  All the Cullen’s, with the exception of Rose and Emmett, had insisted that her injuries be kept quiet, and so she’d reluctantly submitted to their wishes.  Edward’s hateful glare, and Alice’s cold expression that promised even more pain, had a lot to do with that.


Now, here she was, having finally escaped with the grudging help of her friend Jake; grudging because he’d vowed never to speak to her after she’d taken Edward back.  Still, she was grateful and she felt a pang in her heart as she thought about his cold countenance as they’d said their final goodbye.  He’d still wanted nothing more to do with her and had made that plain as he turned away, his back rigid, leaving her to choke on emotion as she’d climbed in her truck and left.  


The Cullen’s thought she was still on the reservation and Jake was being kind enough to keep up the facade and for that she would be forever grateful, even if he no longer acknowledged her.


She sucked in a shuddering breath as she sat up, finally realizing she was crying.  This came as a shock for she hadn’t cried since that first night when she’d wept until the tears had run dry; as dry as her heart and soul now were felt.  “Fucking hell,” she sobbed, anger now masking the pain as she tried to regain control, drying her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt.  “Pull yourself together Bella, damn.”


She tossed her useless phone on the dash and reached down to pull the hood release latch.  She might as well try to see what’s wrong with the truck.  Maybe it was an obvious and simple fix.  She scoffed to herself at that ridiculous thought as she pulled the handle of the door and slammed her shoulder into it to get the damn thing open.


“Shit!”


She grabbed the door frame as the door popped open easier than it usually did, almost dumping her on her ass.


“Jesus, I should just torch the thing and get it over with,” she grumbled.


Stepping out, she left the door open and made her way to the front, lifting and propping the heavy hood with difficulty.  She sighed tiredly as she looked at the mess under the hood.  “Well, here goes nothing,” she mumbled as she climbed onto the front bumper and began what she knew to be an exercise in futility.


~o0o~


Peter Whitlock sat casually in his chair, watching the antics of his brother Jasper as he teased his mate, Maria.  They were so good together and had been together so long…  He felt a pang of jealousy and did his best to stifle it, but truth be told, he longed for the day he would meet his mate.  Eternity was a cold and lonely prospect when you were alone in it.  Sure, he had Jasper and Maria for company—for family, and god knew he didn’t lack in sexual exploits; far from it.  But still, it wasn’t on par with the companionship and connection a vampire is afforded with a true mate.  


He cringed a bit as his thoughts drifted to his former long time companion, Charlotte.  She’d turned out to be a raging harpy after a few years of having her around.  She’d gone a little— well okay, a lot fucking crazy and he’d been forced to destroy her.  


Okay, maybe ‘forced’ wasn’t an apt description… He’d gladly offed the crazy bitch and since then, he’d not allowed anyone too close, keeping his encounters to two days at most.  He had no wish to experience Charlotte’s particular brand of crazy ever again.


He turned his head, gazing absently out the window as a small sigh of frustration escaped him.  Maybe getting off his ass and taking a trip into town would help rid him of the fucking melancholy that was currently screwing with his mind.  He looked at his brother who was wrapped around Maria, kissing her neck as she giggled.  “Hey y’all, I think I’m gonna head into town.”


Jasper caught his gaze, a knowing smirk in place, his arms still around Maria who simply smiled in understanding.   “Go Pedro, enjoy yourself.”


He watched as his brother grinned.  “I don’t think ya gotta worry about that darlin’.  Pete’s never had a problem with findin’ entertainment, it’s gettin’ ‘em to turn loose afterward that’s been the challenge.”


Pete shot his grinning brother a dark look.  “You enjoy my misery entirely too much Major.”


Maria reached up and caressed Jasper’s cheek.  “Leave your poor brother alone.  He deserves a break, mi cielo.  You know how hard he’s been working to train the new recruits.”


Jasper raised a brow at his now smirking brother.   “Indeed my love, the poor baby’s lookin’ right peaky.”


Pete rolled his eyes and shot Jasper the finger as he rose from the chair.  “That’s it, I’ll see y’all later.  Be back in a day or two.”  He left the office as the sound of Jasper’s chuckle faded behind him.  


He loved his brother.  He did.  But when Jasper got it in his mind to tease, it usually wound up with the two of them in the fight circle outside, beating the hell out of each other until they felt better.  While that usually resolved Pete’s surly mood, he had a feeling that it wouldn’t help in the least this time around.


He straddled his bike and started it up, letting the finely tuned engine purr as he donned the black leather jacket, gloves, and helmet that would keep him from glowing like a fucking disco ball in the glaring sunlight.  In the years since his turning, he’d pretty much come to terms with each aspect of being a vampire, but the sparkling thing still pissed him off to no end.  In his not-so-humble opinion, whoever thought that shit up should have their head examined at the very least, and on his really bad days… well, let’s just say that a slow, painful death wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.  Sparkling…  He curled his upper lip in distaste as he slid on his black Raybans.  Time to get the hell outta here and find a distraction.  He smirked to himself as he nudged the bike forward off the stand and pulled out onto the road, hoping for a good one this time.


~o0o~  


The distant and intensifying sound of a motorcycle caught Bella’s attention as she rummaged under the hood of her truck, making her heart leap with hope.  


Backing out of the engine compartment carefully to hopefully avoid braining herself, she cursed as she lost her footing on the front bumper.  To check her fall, she grabbed at anything within reach and realized, too late, that she had latched onto the hood prop, pulling it out of the hole it was supposed to stay in; a startled shriek leaving her as the hood came down on top of her, pinning her under its weight.  She wasn’t hurt, per se, but she was now in one hell of a predicament with the top half of her body pinned, and her ass and legs sticking out the front.  She struggled in vain for a moment before going limp with enraged resignation as she heard the bike pull up.  


Could this day possibly get any worse?  At the moment, with her ass hanging out the front of this truck, she didn’t think so.


~o0o~


Pete slowed his bike as he took in the obviously broken down rust-red chevy truck on the side of the road, a smirk of amusement curving his supple lips when he saw the kicking legs and… damn, a luscious looking feminine ass sticking out from under the hood.


He pulled over and cut the engine, resting his hands on his thighs as he observed her for a moment, listening to her grumbling with a low chuckle.  


Finally deciding that he’d observed enough, he propped his bike on the stand and swung his leg over, flipping up the visor on his helmet as he approached the pinned girl.


Depending upon how the rest of her looked, his day may have just gotten interesting.


~o0o~


Bella stopped grumbling a moment after she heard the bike’s engine shut off, hoping against hope that her shit luck was about to change, but at this point, she was pretty much resigned to her fate.  She was fed up and her current mortifying position felt like the icing on the shit cake of her life.


She listened as booted steps drew closer and then stopped.


“Well, if this don’t beat all.”  A smooth Texas drawl reached her ears and goosebumps broke out across her skin despite her predicament and the unseasonably warm day.
 

‘Damn,’ she thought.  ‘If his looks match that voice, this day just got a whole lot more interesting.’


~o0o~


Lifting the hood, he held out a gloved hand and helped her down, dropping the hood when she was safely away.


Bella tried without success to wipe the dirt and grease off of her hands and clothes, finally giving up with a shake of her head when everything smeared.


She looked up from her ruined tank top and shorts, trying to see past the glasses he still wore beneath his helmet.  It was impossible though as the tint was too dark and gave nothing away.  “Uh, thanks,” she said as a blush stained her cheeks.  “Thought I was screwed for sure.  I’m glad you came along.”


He chuckled.  “No problem, sugar.  I ain’t even gonna ask how that happened.”


She frowned.  “It’s pretty much par for the course with me these days.”


“Really?”  He crossed his arms over his chest.  “Well then, I ain’t about to ask about that either.”  She looked grateful and he continued.  “I’d offer to take a look at your truck, but I ain’t gonna bullshit ya, I never bothered learnin’ shit about engines.  Never had the interest or the motivation.  If you’re stuck out here, I’m willin’ to give ya a ride into town.  Ya can get help there.”


She now looked nervous.  “Um, yeah I was kinda stuck.  No signal on my phone.”  She glanced at him.  “If you have a phone I can use, I’ll just call a tow, and you won’t have to bother with me anymore.”


He chuckled and a sandy colored brow peeked up from behind the shades.  “You’re serious?”  He gestured around the area with a hand.  “Have you looked around ya sweetheart?  You’re in the middle of fuckin’ nowhere.  It’s flat out here sugar.  Ya see any cell towers?  Nothin’ gets a signal here ‘less ya got a satellite phone, which I don’t.”


She scowled and looked down while she thought about her options.  She had to admit, they were pretty limited.  She was torn as she glanced at him.  Should she take a chance and get a ride from him?  It went against everything her law-enforcement father had ever taught her and yet, to stay out here on this dusty, abandoned desert road wasn’t exactly a comforting prospect either.  She just didn’t know…


While she was thinking, Pete finally got fed up with waiting and walked to his bike, nudging it off the stand as he straddled and started it.  He had better things to do than wait all day on this little girl to make up her damn mind.  “Look, I’ll stop by the local garage and tell ‘em you’re out here.  Have Bobby send the truck out for ya.”  He flipped down the visor of his helmet and pulled out with a lazy wave, leaving the now speechless girl behind as fine, dry dust swirled and fell in his wake.


She stared after him as the sound of his bike faded, not believing that he’d just left her here before she’d even decided what to do.  With anger finally overcoming disbelief, she jogged into the middle of the road and shot him a double bird, earnestly hoping that the ass could still see it.  


“Asshole,” she grumbled as she walked back to her truck.  Time to settle in and wait, but first she’d get some clean clothes on, just in case he kept his word and sent a tow.


She cleaned her hands as best she could on the side of her ruined shirt before digging in her bag for something clean to wear.  


As she changed, her mind wandered to the mystery motorcycle guy and his voice.  She got goosebumps again just thinking about it.  It wasn’t what one would consider perfect by any means, but there was just something about it that appealed to her, especially that lazy drawl he had.


She had to admit that she would’ve loved to have seen what he looked like.  She didn’t find it strange that he’d been so covered by black leather.  Many riders outfitted themselves in such a way to avoid road-rash, Jake being one of them.  But damn, she was curious to see what was under all that leather and gear.
 

Scoffing at herself, she dispelled the thoughts.  Why the hell was she even thinking about this?  He’d left and she’d never see him again.  


Hopefully, she had enough money to fix the rolling turd she was doomed to own, and be back on the road to her mother’s place in sunny Florida.  Bright, sunshiny Florida, where sparkling vampires fear to tread…  At least, she hoped like hell they did anyway.


~o0o~


Pete pulled into the parking lot of the only garage in town, still chuckling occasionally at what he’d seen in his mirror as he’d ridden away from the girl. He had to admit, once she’d snapped out of her indecisive stupor, she’d shown a bit of spirit flipping him off the way she had.  ‘She was pretty damn good lookin’ too,’ he thought to himself.  


He shrugged mentally as he propped the bike and swung his leg over, cutting the engine.  Too bad she hadn’t taken him up on that ride.  He’d have liked it to turn into a whole different kind of ride later, but that was impossible now.  He’d never see her again after all, and part of him -- the part that was being honest with himself -- regretted that for reasons he just couldn’t fathom.


~o0o~


Bella was just stuffing her dirty clothes into a separate bag when the sound of an approaching truck caught her attention.  “Oh thank you god,” she whispered, stepping out to flag them down.


She smiled as they slowed and when they drew closer, she could see that it was a honey blond man and a brunette woman in the cab.


They made a u-turn, their truck rolling to a stop behind her and she watched as the two spoke to each other for a few moments, the woman glancing at her a couple of times and nodding to the man.


She moved back to sit on the drivers seat of her truck, a strange feeling of dread filling her the longer the two lingered in their truck.  She couldn’t explain it really, but she knew, deep down, this was bad.  Why hadn’t she gone with motorcycle guy again?  She could kick herself right now.  At least with him, she hadn’t had this feeling of doom…


Making up her mind in an instant, she grabbed her small backpack that had bottles of water in it, and her phone and took off as fast as she could away from them.  Sure, maybe they would catch her, but then again, maybe they would lose interest and leave her alone.   In either case, she had to try.  She hadn’t put in all this effort in escaping Edward just to be abducted by strangers in this west Texas desert.


Her ears picked up the sound of a door chime and not a moment later, the blond male was in front of her, bringing her to an abrupt stop, his pale skin giving off a familiar tell-tale glow in the waning sunlight.  She drew in a gasp of shock and fright as a whispered word slipped past her lips. “Vampire…”  


He smirked at her and drawled, “That’s right darlin’, and I’m sure it’s an interestin’ story as to how you know that, but it’ll have to wait, I’m afraid.  Ya see, I can hear that beast of a tow truck makin’ its way here, and you can’t be here to meet it.  Accordin’ to my mate, you’re gifted, so you’ll be comin’ home with us.”


So saying, he grabbed her, hefting her over his shoulder as he carried her to his truck.   Placing her in the seat next to his mate, he hopped in after her, starting the truck and driving back the way they’d come.


She glanced over at the female who smiled and spoke with a subtle accent.  “I’m Maria and that gorgeous vampire is my mate Jasper, but everyone calls him the Major.  What’s your name chica?”


Bella stared down at her lap, tears of defeat falling freely.  “Isabella, but everyone calls me Bella.”


Jasper smirked over at his mate, pulling off onto a long, dirt driveway as she chuckled.  “Well Bella, welcome to Rancho Zaragoza, your new home.”


~o0o~


Pete sat at the bar, slowly turning his whiskey glass as his frustration built, the last several hours turning out to have been a big waste of time.


This just wasn’t working for him.


Oh, he’d had plenty of offers this night, and he’d even left with one of them for a time, but when it came right down to it, he just couldn’t…


For some strange reason, he couldn’t get road-side girl out of his mind and it was pissing him off.  He kept seeing her face… those big brown doe eyes… even the damn smudge of engine grease on her cheek.


And so he sat, nursing his whiskey and his frustrations in a desperate attempt to pass the time.  


Time… It seemed the more one had of it, the more of a curse it became, taunting the soul with unfulfilled promises of companionship, of love, of happiness…  He scoffed as he picked up his glass, knocking back the amber liquid inside it and tapping the bar with his knuckles.  


It was time to get serious about something and getting rip-roaring drunk sounded pretty damn good right about now.  Not an easy thing for one of his kind to achieve, certainly, but attainable nonetheless with enough dedication.  


The bartender refilled his glass and he spoke up before the man could move on.  “Leave the bottle Joe.  It was either a woman or whiskey for me tonight and it looks like the whiskey won out.”


“Yeah, what the hell happened Pete?  Saw ya leaving with that blonde that was built like a brick-shit-house…thought sure I wouldn’t see ya back here for the rest of the night at least.”


Pete knocked back another shot and Joe filled the glass again.  “Yeah, I thought so too Joe, but I just wasn’t feelin’ it if ya know what I mean?”


Joe eyed him for a minute.  “Well, either ya done switched teams, or god forbid, ya got a girl hauntin’ your mind that won’t turn loose.”


Pete grunted and took another shot and Joe hooted quietly.  “That’s it ain’t it?  Ya done gone and fixated on one certain girl.  I hate to break it to ya, but ain’t no amount of liquor gonna help with that until ya get her outta your system.”


Pete picked up his pack of smokes and lit one up.  “Yeah well that ain’t gonna happen Joe.  She’s probably long gone by now.”  He picked up his refilled glass and toasted with a smirk.  “So, whiskey it is.”


Joe chuckled, cocking a brow.  “Well, if ya change your mind, sweet little Jimmy’s been eyeing ya most of the night.”


Pete shot him a dark look.  “Real funny there Joe.  Thanks but no thanks.”


A couple of hours and an empty bottle later, he still hadn’t achieved any level of inebriation to speak of and now he was just disgusted with it all.  


Throwing down a wad of cash, he knocked on the bar as he rose.  “I’m outta here Joe.  Be seein’ ya.”


Joe gave him a lazy wave and he walked out into the early morning air.  Time for him to get a meal in before the sun came up.  He’d decided to give it up and just get on home.  Might as well work out some frustrations on some new recruits, hell maybe he’d even pick a fight with his brother.  God knows Jasper was always up for a tussle.


Keeping to the deep shadows, he made his way to an alley behind a bar that was notorious for the assholes that hung out there regularly.  Most of them belonged to a certain motorcycle gang that had members who traveled in from other states and Mexico, all heavily into the drug trade.  In short, no one was gonna be crying if one of them went missing, thus making them perfect meal material.  


He didn’t have to wait long and one of them came out, heading for the line of bikes parked in the alley.  Pete knocked the guy out before he ever knew he was there and commenced with his meal just around the corner.  He wasn’t really into terrorizing his dinner.  It was what he had to do to survive and he’d rather get it over and done with, cleanly.  He really didn’t have a sadistic, murderous streak but neither would he go the other route and feed from animals.  He shuddered.  He’d heard that there were vampires out there who did and he just couldn’t fathom it.


When he was just about finished, he stopped feeding and took out his knife, quickly slitting the guys throat.  He’d left enough blood so that it would look like a simple drug related killing.  It was much easier than trying to hide a body and he didn’t have to worry with forensics either.  Being a vampire changed things in his body so drastically that they’d never be able to identify anything that might be from him anyway.


Making his way back to his bike, he started it up and slipped on the helmet and gloves.  Time to get home.


Being back on the road brought his thoughts back to road-side girl and he wondered if Bobby was able to get her truck going again.  Just as that thought entered his mind, he began to make out the back end of a rust red truck, still on the side of the road, which was odd.  Seems like Bobby would have towed the damn thing at least, even if he couldn’t get it running.


He slowed and pulled up next to it, just in case she was stubborn enough to still be in the damn thing.  Seeing no sign of her inside, he shrugged and figured that she probably got a ride somewhere and maybe decided to abandon the truck.  In any case, she wasn’t here, so he pulled back out and headed back to the ranch, secretly hoping that she was okay and still not knowing why he cared.


After parking his bike, he walked up to the main house and entered, hanging his jacket on the coat rack by the door.  He could hear the low sounds of the TV in the great room, so he headed that way.  He figured he’d find out what was new, if anything, before heading out to work with some of the newbies.


Jasper looked over at him as he flopped into a chair.  “What ‘cha doin’ back so early?  Thought you’d be stayin’ in town a couple a’ days at least.”


He ran a hand through his hair, leaning his head back as he answered,“Yeah, that was the plan, but ya know how plans work out sometimes, so here I am.  What’s new?  Anything?  If not, then I’m gonna shower and head out to oversee some trainin’.


Maria kissed Jasper’s cheek, got up and walked out as Jasper looked back at him.  “Yeah, there’s somethin’ new all right.  Picked up a gifted one on the way to town.  She was broke down on the side of the road.  You probably saw the truck.  Old, piece a’ shit chevy.”


Pete cursed lowly.  Looks like she didn’t get all that far after all.  “Yeah,” he nodded.  “I saw it.  Even stopped and helped her out a bit.  Stopped by and let Bobby from the garage know she was stuck out there after she turned down a ride to town.”  He met eyes with Jasper.  “So she’s gifted, eh?  What’s her gift?”


Jasper shrugged and picked up his whiskey, downing it before he answered.  “Maria said she’s some kinda shield, but she’s a weepy pain in the ass if you ask me.  Beautiful, but still… Tried to kill herself just after we got her back here.  Said she had to use the bathroom, locked herself in there and busted the damn mirror.  Went to town on her wrist before I broke down the damn door and got to her.  Maria wrapped up her wrist and now she’s tied down to a bed in cabin one.”


“Shit.”  Pete shook his head slowly.  “She didn’t seem that bad when I spoke to her.  Hinted about being a bit down on her luck, but that was it.  ‘Course it wasn’t like I asked her about any of it.  Told her I wasn’t gonna as a matter of fact and she seemed relieved by that.”


Jasper smirked.  “I bet she was.”


Pete’s brows drew together.  “What makes ya say that?”


“Well, for one thing, she knew, the minute she saw me, what I was.  For another, she’s got a bite mark on her wrist.  Don’t ask me how the hell she’s not dead or turned, but there’s no mistakin’ that mark on her wrist.  She’s been around our kind before.”


Pete looked down.  “Damn.  How the hell did I miss that?”


Jasper poured another whiskey and gestured to it, shrugging when Pete shook his head.  “Well, ya probably missed it ‘cause she had some kinda thick, indian wrist band coverin’ it which she took off when she tried to off herself.”


Pete looked back up at his brother.  “So why’d y’all tie her down?  Why not just turn her and get it over with?”


“Well, we would have, had we fed before findin’ her.  We were on our way to do just that, but we found her first and had to take her then because I could hear the damn tow truck comin’ by the time we pulled over.  When we got back here, the drama kicked up and we’ve been checkin’ in on her ever since.  Shields are pretty damn rare, ya know?  Maria thinks she’s gonna be pretty damn powerful too, so we didn’t wanna chance losin’ her.”


Pete hung his head.  “Y’all are wantin’ me to turn her aren’t ya?”


“Well, yeah.  Ya smell like ya just fed, and you’re the best at turnin’ ‘em without killin’ ‘em anyway.  Besides, she already kinda knows ya from when ya helped her…”


Pete shook his head.  “Nah, no way she’d recognize me.  I had all my gear on the whole time, includin’ sunglasses, but whatever.  It don’t make a difference to me.  I’ll do it.”


He stood up.  “I am gonna grab a shower first.  Road dust and scents from the bar make me feel like I ain’t bathed in a month.”


Jasper gave him a lazy wave as he left the room and his thoughts went immediately to the girl tied to a bed in cabin one.  Seemed to Pete, she was destined to be a vampire seeing as how she’d been marked by one of his kind before.  What are the odds of her living and remaining human through that only to wind up here, waiting to be turned by him?  Pretty damn slim he would have to say, but here she was.


Emptying his pockets on the dresser top, he went into the bathroom and flipped on the water, letting it warm as he stripped.


He showered quickly, intent on getting on with the day.  It was still early morning, and if he timed things right, he could turn the girl and then get in an entire day of training and still have the night for other things.  He scoffed to himself as he dried off.  Just what those other things were he had no clue.  


Damn, he was becoming a cynical bastard lately, and he hated that fact.  He’d always been pretty sarcastic, but in a humorous way.  These days though, he could barely manage a smirk.  Seemed loneliness would do that to a person.  


He shook his head as he shrugged into a shirt.  Seemed it turned one into a crazy fuck that talked to himself in his head too.


Finally slipping on a pair of boots, he was ready to go get this turning out of the way.  It wasn’t something he particularly enjoyed doing, but he was the best at it, probably because he never reveled in the bite or the kill.  It was what it was to him; just something that had to be done.


Closing the door as he left the main house, he paused on the porch for a moment, staring into the east, watching as the sky slowly faded from black to a deep purple as the sun began to rise.  


That was one good thing he could say about his desert home; the sunrises and sets were pretty spectacular.  He shook his head.  Seems he was getting kinda sappy in his advanced years too.  


With a disgusted shake of his head and a low growl, he trotted down the porch steps and
headed to cabin one.  Time to initiate another into the ranks of the sparkling undead.


~o0o~


Bella laid quietly on the bed she was tied to, all the fight having gone out of her in her last-ditch effort at ending her life.  Oh, if she was free from these bonds, she’d be doing her best to finish the job, but they had made sure she wasn’t about to get loose, so what was the point in struggling?  She certainly couldn’t see one, so here she laid, her thoughts rambling in an uncertain chaos as sorrow and resignation filled her.


Even though they hadn’t said a word, she had a pretty good idea of what was coming, and it was the last thing she wanted now; immortality.


There had been a time, to be sure, when nothing would have pleased her more, but that had been back in the untarnished days of new love with Edward.


She turned her head, her eyes absently taking in the bright red blood that seeped through her bandage, a bitter chuckle leaving her as a tear traced a path into her hair.  


A few beatings and lots of venomous words from him had  killed her desire for a never-ending existence, leaving in its wake a need to escape back to a normal, mortal, life; a life, she was now sure, would soon be out of reach.


‘Just what were the odds of finding yet another group of vampires?’ she thought bitterly.  

The sound of booted footsteps on the porch had her turning her head listlessly toward the door.  Perhaps she’d get lucky and this visitor would be thirsty?  Such a thing was her last hope for an escape from this fate, and so she watched the knob rattle and turn, her eyes vacant, her body unmoving.


~o0o~


Pete stepped up on the porch of the tiny cabin, reaching into his pocket for the master key as he did so.  


As he placed the key in the lock, he wondered what kind of a reception he would get.  The brief contact he’d had with her the day before had left him with the impression of a girl who’d been through a rough time, as she’d looked a bit sad and weary, but he’d also seen a spark of fire in her and just thinking back on that brought a small smile to his lips as he pushed the door open.


That smile dropped instantly however, with the first breath he took after stepping into the room.  Her scent, the potency of her blood, hit him like a battering ram and he froze, his eyes changing to pitch black in an instant, every instinct he had now on high alert.


Was his reaction due to thirst?  Not a chance:  No, this reaction was that of a vampire finally finding his mate; the call of her blood too strong for him to mistake or ignore.
His mind raced with how to approach her.  He didn’t want to scare her, after all.  He didn’t want to be seen as her enemy.  Every instinct he had screamed at him to claim her, change her and he struggled to repress his urges as he stared.  She looked so lost, so broken… he knew he had to be careful with her, not only physically, but emotionally as well.


Bella watched as the vampire stepped into the room, taking in how his eyes changed to black in an instant.  ‘Good,’ she thought in resignation.  ‘Maybe this will all be over soon.’


The longer he stood staring however, the more confused she became.  ‘What’s he waiting for?’  Her brow creased.  ‘Can’t anything go the way it’s supposed to where I’m concerned?’  Her heart rate increased the longer he stood there and a tear escaped her eye as she finally spoke, her voice quiet, defeated.  “Please… just end this.”


Her voice, the sad tone of it, snapped him out of his inaction and he slowly walked to the bed, taking a seat on the edge when he reached it.  This surprised Bella, for while his eyes were still black, his manner was careful, gentle, the expression on his face almost comforting as he reached out, gently touching her cheek.  “Don’t be afraid of me darlin’.  I ain’t about to hurt ya.  There’s just no way I could ever do that.”


She sucked in a breath as her eyes widened in surprised recognition.  “Your voice… you’re the motorcycle guy…”


He smiled wanly.  “I didn’t think you’d recognize me, but yeah, that’s me sugar.”


He reached to untie her as he spoke.  “I would say I’m sorry this has happened to ya darlin’ but now that I’ve smelled your blood, I just can’t.”


She sat up, lightly rubbing her wrists as he untied her ankles.  “Yeah,” she murmured sadly, “I’ve been told that it smells good.”  She met his gaze, her brow creased.  “You’re very calm for being thirsty around fresh blood.”  She held up her injured wrist, the bright blood still slowly seeping through the gauze and he smiled.


“I ain’t thirsty sugar.”


Her back straightened and she locked her gaze with his.  “I’ve been around your kind.  I know what the black eyes mean but I’m not afraid.  I’d appreciate if you’d get on with it though.  I may be brave, but I’m only human; I have a breaking point.”


He held up a hand, his tone patient and gentle.  “Hang on now; you’re right, our eyes turn black when we’re thirsty, but that’s not the only time it happens.  One of the first things I want ya to know about me darlin’, is I’m not a liar to those I care about so I’m gonna be straight with ya.”


He moved himself over her as he urged her back against the pillows, drawing a quiet gasp from her as he kissed her neck and spoke, his voice low and tinged with awe.  “You’re my mate baby doll.  I could tell the second I scented your blood.”


Her reaction was not what he expected and he found himself at a loss as he drew back and watched her eyes fill with tears.


Bella just couldn’t believe she was hearing this line from yet another vampire, but she was done thinking… questioning… resisting.  If this vampire wanted her then so be it.  


She reached up and ran trembling fingers through his silky hair, drawing him into a kiss even as her tears continued.   Losing herself in the kiss, she opened to him, marveling in his sweet taste as their tongues met and played together.  It was nothing like she had ever experienced before.  He was dominating but gentle, forward but patient and he ignited something foreign inside her; a passion she couldn’t quite fathom.   


She broke the kiss, her voice little more than a whisper in his ear as she held him close.  “What is your name?”  She moved to kiss his neck and he groaned softly as his body settled more fully into her embrace, his sleekly muscled form molding perfectly to her softness and curves.


“Peter,” he murmured as he nuzzled her cheek, his breath a cool, sweet wash against her skin as his mouth found hers again.


He moved against her as they kissed, his hips tilting to tease as he settled fully into the cradle of her thighs.


He drew back and met her gaze, his hand gently caressing her temple, still wet with tears.  “Why do you cry sweet girl?”


She traced his face with her fingers as she answered.  “Because I mourn, Peter.  I mourn what I was, and I’m letting it go.  My tears cleanse my soul.  They wash away the past.”


They lost themselves in each other after that, neither speaking as they shed their clothes bit by bit amidst their building passion.


She arched in pleasure and pain when he entered her, feeling at once, slain and reborn as their souls connected,  his body loving and mastering hers.


Her tears continued as he held her close and moved within her, but now they were tears of a different sort; tears of hope, tears of renewal, as she gave herself fully while taking as much from him in return.


“Peter,” she whispered as she arched and held him tightly, her fingers pressing into the flexing muscles of his back as she peaked, the pleasure almost blinding in its intensity.


She felt his lips at her pulse then as he groaned and filled her, his voice husky with passion as he kissed and murmured, “Are you ready darlin’?”


“Yes,” she moaned, running her hands up to bury in his hair.  “Yes, I’m ready.”


He choked on his rising emotions as he marveled at the girl in his arms.  She was the end to all his waiting… the end to his loneliness, the end to his longing…  “I will love ya forever sweet girl.” he said, his voice rough with emotion as he spoke against her beckoning pulse.  “I vow it.”


Her hands tightened in his hair as she felt his bite and the last tears she would ever cry soaked the pillow as she answered, “I’m your’s Peter…


…now, and forevermore.”


​~ Fin

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