"No! Please don't do this." I was on my knees in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the two most important people in my life. Neither of them, though, seemed to care that I was completely hysterical, soaking myself with tears. They were both fixated on my enemy. On her.
"Bella, please. You look ridiculous. Do you really think the way to win someone back is to grovel like that?" Jessica never took her crimson eyes off of Edward as she spoke to me, her words making me sound like an insignificant creature--a nuisance--that she was forced to acknowledge. "Now can you please leave us alone?"
Edward was staring at her as though she were wearing nothing--his eyes roamed over her body, completely black with the need that I had only seen him carry for me. His hands were on her hips, pulling her toward him, their bodies pushing together in a way that made me feel ill. I looked to Jacob for help, hoping he might be disgusted enough with her to feel sympathy for me. She had, after all, changed into a vampire. Now not only was she his enemy, but she was a succubus. She had seduced Edward and had left Jacob--her previous lover--imprinted and alone.
"Jacob, please. Do something. Phase! Kill her! Anything!" He spun around, breaking his gaze on Jessica to face me.
"Bella, please! You look pitiful. Why don't you find someone else to pine over. Edward is with Jessica now, you need to accept that." He spat the words at me as he turned back to stare at the duo, and when my eyes followed his my heart fell out of my chest and into a thousand pieces.
Edward was holding Jessica off the ground and against his body, his lips crushing hers as her hands roamed freely over him, finally stopping and fisting in his hair.
I screamed as loud as I could, curling into a ball on the forest floor. "NO! Please stop this! Edward, don't you see what she is doing? Jacob, she is a succubus! She is making him do this! Please. . ."
Jacob's words--barely audible--abruptly ended my pleas. "She is happy. He is all she has ever wanted. If she is happy, I am happy." His eyes were soft as he watched them, now lying on the forest floor slowly undressing each other. "She is happy."
***
"Bella, it's Ok. Bella, wake up, everything is Ok." Edwards hands were gently shaking my shoulders, pulling me out of my restless sleep.
I sat up, distraught and out of breath as I searched the room , trying to remember where I was. My pillow and shirt were soaking wet with what I assumed to be my own tears. Edward was kneeling on the bed next to me, wiping my cheeks as he tried to draw me out of my daze. "I'm here, Bella, it was just a nightmare. It's not real. I'm here, Bella, I'm here." His eyes searched mine for any recognition of his words.
After a moment I found his eyes and felt a sense of panic run through me as I tried to forget the image of him from my nightmare--staring at Jessica. Lusting after her the way I wanted him to lust after me. I tackled him onto the bed, kissing him with as much force as I had. My continuing frantic cries made my movements unsteady as I pulled off my tank top and shorts, followed by his shirt.
"Bella, slow down. Are you. . ." I stopped him mid-sentence, covering his mouth with my own as I vigorously ran my hands all over his body.
"You. . . Are. . . Mine. . . Not. . . Her's. . . Mine. . ." my words were interspersed with frenzied kisses all over his face and chest. I was completely overwhelmed by my need for him to show me--in this moment--how much he needed me, too.
After a few minutes of trying to protest, he finally conceded and let his own desires take over.
***
"I - I'm sorry." I broke down, still trying to catch my breath, and fell onto his chest as I began to sob again. "You were with her. She stole you away. I can't let you go, I won't. . ." My thoughts were incoherent and my sentences jumbled together as I tried to explain. When I finally calmed enough to speak, Edward tried to understand what my nightmare had been about.
"What happened, love? You were screaming my name, and then Jacob's name... and you kept saying 'her,' 'she did this.' Was it Jessica?" He sat up, pulling me up next to him and running his fingers over my knotted hair as I began to explain.
"Yes. She left Jacob, and became a vampire. She was a succubus, and she seduced you right in front of me. You wouldn't even look at me! And Jake just defended her - he said she was 'happy.'"
Edward kissed me deeply and reminded me that it was just a nightmare, and it would never be reality.
"What time is it? It's still dark out," I muttered, still trying to gain composure.
"It's about three-thirty. Are you tired?" I shook my head and took a deep breath. I knew we needed to talk, and now, in the middle of the night, was as good a time as any.
"I think we should talk about what Carlisle told us. We need to discuss what to do next."
Edward continued combing through my hair with his fingers and I didn't move from my position as he spoke. "Well, there is really only one option, assuming you haven't changed your mind about being changed." I shook my head more vehemently than necessary. "I assumed that would be your answer, and spoke to Carlisle about the situation while you were resting. He agreed with my assessment, and ultimate conclusion. We will need to leave Forks."
My eyes widened in surprise but I stayed quiet as he continued. "If you can wait awhile we would like to get some things together, tie up some loose ends before leaving. Then we will go--to Hanover if you would still like to attend Dartmouth."
"But wouldn't that still be breaking the treaty? I mean, what would happen next time we came back to Forks?" He nodded at my first question, and let out a sigh at my second, doing his best to hide the sad expression I saw flash in his eyes.
"We wouldn't return to Forks, Bella. Yes, we will break the treaty. They won't allow us back without a fight, and that is the last thing we would want to do. We have plenty of other places we can go in the future. We will just need to keep clear of Forks and the surrounding area." My confusion faded as understanding took over. We would never be able to return to Forks. We would always have an enemy there.
The Cullen family didn't have enemies as far as I had seen. They were peaceful creatures, even though their entire being was focused on just the opposite, and they had spent their eternity so far trying to maintain that peace. Even the Volturi, as crude, vile and inhumane as they were, were still considered somewhere between civil acquaintances and friends to Carlisle and many members of the family. I couldn't fathom the idea that because of one decision that affected my plan, my new family was willing to give up a treaty they have had since far before I was involved. They were going to give all of this up for me.
"Edward, no. You can't do that--I mean, I can't do that." He began to speak but I held my had up and asked him to let me explain. "I understand that you want to do this for me, but I can't let you. Carlisle created this treaty to remain peaceful with the Quileutes, and I am not about to ruin that."
He tried to stop me again and I quickly cut him off, "Listen. Let me just talk to them. Maybe if I explain myself, explain my situation, maybe they will understand. They have to understand. They imprint because of 'mating imperative' or whatever, but they imprint on their mate. You are my mate, Edward. They have to understand that I would do anything to be with you forever. And if I were to follow a--um--different lifestyle than you after I am changed, that would be jeopardizing our life together. I won't do that, and I will tell them that. They will understand. I know they will." I leaned against him again and we were both quiet. I hoped he was considering what I had said.
All I could think of was Emily. She had sacrificed a great deal--her relationship with Leah as well as her physical appearance--to be with Sam, her mate. Surely Sam would sympathize with her situation and what she gave up to be with him, and understand that I am doing the same for Edward.
After a few minutes of silence Edward spoke, his words sounding unconvinced but consenting. "Okay, love. I understand what you are saying, and I don't see that talking to them could hurt the situation. We can discuss this further when we get back--I'm sure everyone will have strong opinions on the subject." I sighed, relieved that he had agreed, even as conditional as the agreement sounded, to my suggestion. I reached up and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, showing him my appreciation for his understanding before slipping off the bed and into the bathroom for a human moment.
When I returned from the bathroom Edward was sitting in the same position on the bed looking lost in his thoughts. I hurriedly shuffled to my suitcase and dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark blue short-sleeved button down. I turned to Edward and he focused his gaze on me, his eyebrows pushing together in confusion.
"Bella, it is four in the morning. What are you doing getting dressed?"
I smiled sweetly a him before pulling him off the bed by his arm--acting as though I had done this against his will--and placed a tender kiss on his mouth. "I'm not very tired, so I thought we could take a nice moonlight stroll. Would that be alright?"
"I'm a little tired, but I guess I can sleep later," he gave me a quick wink before pulling me onto his back and disappearing from the house.
A few moments later he was setting me down on the beach and strolling nonchalantly toward the water. I tried to smooth my windblown hair as I followed, looking out at the spectacular view.
The moon was full and bright, creating a beautiful blue-gray shade on Edward's already pale-white skin. There was a light breeze making the water to ripple toward us, and causing the reflection of the moon to break into shards before re-forming itself on the surface.
Edward sat on the soft sand, pulling me into his lap as we watched the soothing movements of the water. I inhaled deeply and my nose filled with the distinctly intoxicating smell of Edward mixed with the salty moisture of the ocean, the delicious aroma shifting my universe slightly. Although the last day had been quite eventful, I was still on Isle Esme, and I was still with Edward. Amazing, gorgeous, dazzling Edward. Nothing could make this moment more perfect, and nothing could ruin my time here with him.
Or so I thought.
