Chapter Six

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, ect., are the property of their respective owners.  The original characters and plot are the property of the author.  The author is no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.  No copyright infringement is intended.

Summery:  Eight years after Bella’s abandonment in New Moon, she is thrust back into a life of the supernatural… but as she soon finds out, not all vampires are created equal.  AU.

Most characters will be completely out of Fan-fiction character.  Just a warning.

Warnings: Rated Mature for language, gore and adult situations.  Readers under the age of 18 are discouraged from reading.

Kiss Me. Bite Me. Love Me.
Chapter Six
~ Garrett ~

Garrett

She is just as beautiful as I remember, perhaps even more so in this human shell.  Her purity and fragility make her thus; like a delicate white rosebud nearly to blossom.  It makes me tingle in anticipation.  I want to see her bloom. 

Isabella has always been somewhat of a delicate creature, always.  As a child she made herself small and meek, hardly speaking to anyone outside of Peter, Charlotte and myself.  As a adolescent, she was stuttering shy and always so dedicated to her studies and the written word.  In fact it wasn’t until the year 1791 after her blossoming into womanhood, a still virtuous age of 321, did I see her true self emerge. 

Strangely enough, it was after she made the young Major.  He was a breath of fresh air where Peter cloistered her.  He made no demands of her, forced her to live her un-life and he positively showered her with affection.  He truly did or should I say ’does’ love her. 

Peter may hate the crazy bastard, which I understood too.  I wouldn’t want a woman, especially one belonging to me and looked like Isabella to flounce the days away with another man.  Another man that professed his undying love and affection upon her daily.

He quickly became the light in Isabella’s dark and it ate Peter to no end.  It hurt him that Isabella would go to Jasper instead of himself in times of comfort and need.  It also made the already uptight noble incredibly bitter which is why I suspect he’d punished Jasper as he did, sending him to Maria on purpose was dirty business and I bet my un-life on the gamble that he’s  been neglecting to share information with our little princess for just the same reason. 

He’s absolutely terrified that Isabella will go screaming straight back to Jasper’s arms the moment she re-awakens. 

Personally, I loved the honey blonde from the South, although he does look ready to take a bite out of me at any moment.  Perhaps he’s just pissed at Isabella?  A fellow can dream can’t he?

“What the fuck are you doin’ here, Garrett?”  Jasper growls lowly, his black eyes boring into mine with such intensity that were I a lesser man, I might have turned to ash under his deep gaze. 

Can’t have that, can we?

Smirking, I give him a mocking little bow.  “Feisty, Feisty, Jasper.  Really, is it so bad to see me here?” 

His lips twitch but there is absolutely no amusement in his eyes.  “That depends on why you’re here.”  He snarls, lips curling over teeth as his obvious protective instincts come roaring to the forefront. 

It’s terrible, I think, the way torturing him so makes me giddy to no end, but I honestly can’t help myself.  It’s just like old times; with Charlotte twirling about the room, Jasper entertaining Isabella and all of us annoying Peter to the pits of Hell.  It makes me want to rub my hands together like the mad, cackling scientists of cinema’s silver screen.  It’s truly diabolical. 

As much as I wish to try the Major’s patience this night, I decided against it as he truly doesn’t look up to the mood.  As a matter a fact; I don’t believe I’ve seen him look so pissed off since Peter informed him that Bella was still alive and well, trapped in this human shell.  He was bloody murderous. 

I fear that one of these days that the Count will eventually push Jasper too far and the Major will make good on a promise he made many years ago.  I shudder to remember that day…

“Are you going to state your business here or not?”  Jasper asks, louder this time for what I believe is Isabella’s benefit.  The woman in question quirks a brow high on her forehead showing her blatant confusion of the situation. 

I smile at both of them.  “I believe I have just as much right to be here as you do, in fact, I believe I have more…”  There’s no need to elaborate on what I mean, he knows damn well who and what I am.  He also knows better than to test my patience where my little Soră (1) is of concern. 

Sighing deeply with defeat he takes a more humbling stance and directs Isabella to the room that has been purposefully hidden from her.  “Keep an open mind,”  he whispers reverently into her hair as she passes. 

Without removing my eyes from his, I jerk at the lock lightly and it breaks under my grip with ease.  “Careful of what you wish for, Unul mic.”  I wish for nothing more than to kiss her crown and remove the trouble weight from her brow.  She’s positively terrified about what she is about to see, and with good reason.  Her whole world is about to change and once changed… it can never again be what it once was. 

It is my selfishness that compels me to do the reprehensible things I do to her now, but I have longed for her company for so long now, even before the betrayal of Charlotte, and Bella’s…

“My god,”  She gasps, most likely taking in the largest and most telling nature of her past, hung beautifully above the fireplace.  It has always been Peter’s favorite and admittedly, mine as well.  Our little rose blossom is beyond stunning and oh, so very happy.  It was commissioned several years after Isabella’s first bloodletting, a right of passage among noble vampires.  It was ritualistic, barbaric and Isabella abhorred it, but it made Peter so happy, it in turn made her happy as well.

Before I can comprehend myself, Jasper flies past me, frantic and clutching at his Bella as her knees go week.  Hmm, not quite the reaction I was expecting.  Hear-tell from Alice, our Isabella is tiring of the Count’s cat and mouse but she’s not throwing anything, she’s not cursing his name or making idle threats we all know she can’t follow through with.  She’s in tears and clutching an all too familiar frame to her bust, completely ignoring what should be the frightening wedding tapestry hanging right above her button nose.  Oh, dear. 

“Shh…”  Jasper coddles, shushing her repeatedly and trying to pry the sharp crystal photo frame that is digging into her still buttery flesh.  She must have plucked it straight of Peter’s desk. 

The strong smell of her salty tears permeate the room as well does the crimson liquid that flows from her cut palms.  My eyes dart to Jasper’s face immediately, concern and protective instincts practically radiating out of my arse.  He growls lowly.  “I can control myself!” 

Of that, I have no doubt but as Isabella fed him directly from her flesh from the time he was changed until her slumber, I’m sure the temptation must be of a magnitude I can’t fathom. 

“Is- Is this me?”  She questions me directly, turning the photo over so that I may have a look.  “This can’t be me…”  Her face is dejected as she knows more than anyone that it is indeed her.

The similarities are too great and the fact that Jasper is standing next to her, stupid grin on his boyish face… she knows, she has too. 

Sucking in a deep breath she points a bloodied finger at my likeness.  “Who are you? No.  That’s not right…  Who are you to me, both of you?” 

Jasper goes to stuttering almost instantly, tripping over his own feet and tongue as he tries once again to shed her of the delicate portrait that if ruined could not, ever, be replaced.  It wouldn’t have mattered to him at all, if not for it being his own possession.  Another of Peter’s punishments for something done long ago, something that to this day I believe Jasper to be undeserving.  It was just a kiss, after all, but Peter took it as the greatest offense against him.  Isabella remains unawares, she was slipping into sleep and Jasper thought she was dying. 

“Jasper, stop!”  Isabella demands roughly, and like a petulant child, he does. 

“Now,”  she says firmly, thrusting the tattered portrait once again into our viewing.  “Who are you?” 

I decide to spare the poor boy and get the biggest shock factor out of the way, though I am uncertain that her relationship to me will be more shocking than the fact that she, herself, sired Jasper.  “Might I look at your wounds first?”  I ask politely, smiling to myself before she ever opens her mouth.  I already know her stubbornness and curiosity will not allow it.

“No.”  she responds curtly.  No surprise there.

“Alright then,”  I tell her as I glide into a high-back style of wingback chair and ottoman that I believe has been reupholstered since I last visited this homestead.  “I’m your brother.” 

Her eyes almost cross as the shock of what I have told her registers on her beautiful face.  “You mean-- like, like…”  Poor rose bud can’t even string words together.

“You are my younger sibling, three hundred years my junior to be exact.”

“You seem much older than three hundred years old,”  she states condescendingly, then turns pale as she realizes that wasn’t even close to what I meant.  “How old are you?” 

“Seven hundred and seventy years young, my dear.” 

“Oh God!  Oh God!…  That means… Oh God!” 

Yes, that meant that she was in fact four hundred and seventy years old, a lot to take in, especially for someone who previously thought themselves to be human.  Jasper grimaced as the revelation passed across her face, for a good long moment I thought she was going to be sick, and I couldn’t blame her for a second. 

Pardon my French but, fuck!  She thought she was a honest-to-god human until fifteen minutes ago, and in some sick way, I had taken that from her.  Peter was just as fault in my mind, he should have had her well aware before my presence was ever called upon, but still, I could see where Peter was having a hard time.  My sister was one of the most stubborn women I’ve ever met, but I had news for his Highness:  She was going to be twice as pissed with him for keeping such secrets. 

With tear of what I am sure were both equal parts frustrations and rage she rounded on the Major again.  “And you? What are you to me, Jasper?”  she whispers, her gaze frightful but unwavering.  She is committed to finding the truth and I would truly feel sorry for Goldie Locks should he lie to her now.

He sighed heavily, running a fidgeting hand through his unruly hair.  “You are my maker, you saved me from my mortal death… you told me you couldn’t bare to see me die.  You have been my everything since that day.”

~ Bella ~

“That- that can’t be!”  I exclaimed to the two, clearly insane vampires standing before me. “Maria sired Jasper!”  One had to be insane.  Just had too.  Garrett was just like Peter and Charlotte, impossibly more beautiful than even a normal vampire.  Normal vampires?  Maybe it’s me that needs the padded room?

“It’s true Sora, I was there on the day you made the claim on his life.  You begged Peter to let you change him and as normal, Peter can deny you nothing.”  Garrett informed with a whimsical smile. 

That insanity theory was beginning to seem more and more likely.

I wanted to scoff in his face… Peter not deny me anything?  What a crock.  It’s all the man has done since I met him. 

Then there’s Jasper, standing there with that adoring look on his face, like I was his sun, moon and stars all rolled into one.  That’s when I noticed it… For as much as the supernatural races have told me I’m observant, I clearly am not.  It was hanging there, right in front of my nose since I walked through the door, a tapestry.  There was no denying the resemblance.  The likeness of me was uncanny and though, it wasn’t exactly what I had imagined myself as an immortal the vestige was incredibly more so. 

“Peter really is Dracula, isn’t he?”  I whispered as I studied the two characters woven into the finest materials, I’m sure.  I wanted to deny everything, claim that it must have been one of my ancestors but down to every detail the woman in the red dress was me.  And I was standing next to Peter, eyes glowing in the same chocolate-covered-cherry way. 

“Yes,”  My brother responded.  “And you are Lady Tepes, confined for the last twenty-six years inside this shell to protect you from those who wished you harm.” 

I could only nod, I knew it was true… my strange dreams, the unhealthy pull to Peter.. Oh god, the blood, it tasted fantastic and now I know why.

“Are you gonna be alright, Bella?”  Jasper asked, concern lacing his voice, even tinting the air.  He must be projecting. 

After taking a shuddering breath, I smiled.  “Yeah, I really think I am.” 

“Come child, let us leave these rooms…”  my brother started.  I had a brother.  “Peter will no doubt sense that I am already here and he knows I abhor secretz.  He will likely be put-”

Garrett cut off just as Jasper pulled me behind him and a voice floated into the room, a voice filled with fiery anger. 

“Peter is already here!”  

Authors Notes:




(1) Sister

Unul mic = little one
 
Mostly just a filler chapter.  We’ll find out more about Bella and how she came to be in her human shell in the coming chapters.  Sorry for the Cliffy, you know how I love them. 

Chapter Five

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, ect., are the property of their respective owners.  The original characters and plot are the property of the author.  The author is no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.  No copyright infringement is intended.

Summery:  Eight years after Bella’s abandonment in New Moon, she is thrust back into a life of the supernatural… but as she soon finds out, not all vampires are created equal.  AU.

Most characters will be completely out of Fan-fiction character.  Just a warning.

Warnings: Rated Mature for language, gore and adult situations.  Readers under the age of 18 are discouraged from reading.

Kiss Me. Bite Me. Love Me.
Chapter Five

~ Bella’s Point of View ~

~With the white lace of winter raining down around me, I stood my ground.  Outrunning it was not an option anymore.  My legs were heavy and weak with fatigue; my clothes were soaked weighing me down. 

My lungs were burning with each breath as I stared down the shadowed creature in front of me.  I knew what it was, my father had warned me long ago of there existence and yet, I was not frightened.  Yelling with all my might I asked,  “What do you want with me!”  

The glint of ivory fangs in the moonlight was the only reason to believe it even heard me.  It was smiling at me but it said nothing. 

Stepping out from the shadows of the surrounding forest I could finally make out the lithe form of a man, thin and tall.  His pale hair was gleamed like moonbeams making him almost ethereal looking but his eyes glowed a hellish red.  There was nothing angelic about this man.  No.  This man that stood before me was a demon; a beast in human form.  “So sweet.”  he murmured.  “So sweet.” 

He took a step forward and I in turn took a step back, but it was no use.  There was no one that could save me now.  I was alone, there was no one here that could stop it. 

A cold hand slithered around my neck, rough pads and sharp claws trailing along my skin.  A sharp sting followed shortly after and the sharp his of the creature above me.  Ice cold shutters ran the length of my spine when I felt my warm jacket being peeled away and then the cloth of my shirt being shredded.  “No!”  I screamed, feeling the pools of burning liquid seeping from my back. 

The creature chuckled, apparently enjoying the fear that now wracked my body.  ~
Surging straight up in bed, I struggled to find purchase on this reality and shake myself from what ever the hell that was.  The dreams were becoming worse now.  Every night I had them and sometimes during the day as well.  It wasn’t all that surprising anymore to have them while my eyes were open and someone was talking to me. 

Several weeks have trickled past, like a leaky faucet that drips.  And just like that leaky faucet, living among Peter, Charlotte, Jasper and Alice has had much the same effect on my sanity.  I want to rip out the proverbial plumbing and bash Peter in the face with it until he nothing but a pile of bloody goo and smashed fangs. 

Peter even ended up on the receiving end of another broken antique recently, the bastard.  But I totally believed and still believe he fully had it coming to him.  He should have told me he was planning to remove me from the country and into the wilder parts of Eastern Europe that were still so fucking cold I couldn’t even go outside. 

It was the biggest argument I had had with Peter to date.  Well it wasn’t so much an argument as it was a lot of yelling and throwing things, both on my part.

Once my temper was sated, the tears came.  It was humiliating to break down the way I did and in front of who I did but he just had to understand.  Yes, while there was no longer a family that would miss me it didn’t mean I was ready to give up my life at the drop of Peter’s hat. 

Of course, he didn’t understand that.

He was right on one aspect.  I didn’t really have much of a life to go back too.  My father has been dead for six years and Renee and I stopped talking not long after Edward’s departure and she threatened to put me away for good if I couldn’t deal with my issues.

My issues?  I scoff even now, at the thought. 

Our little tift came to a head when I called him a heartless monster.  He turned on me, his face lived and… hurt?  He hid it was a callous smile and fake enthusiasm.  “Yes, I am.”  he said before leaving the room entirely.  He didn’t speak to me again for three days, and we were already on a flight to the old country.

~

I felt incredibly childish, sitting above the coverlet on my bed, drawing out Peter’s name over and over again in my journal like some hormonal teenager. In my defense, it hadn’t started out that way but I had just learned Peter’s full name and felt the incredible urge to see it penned out in my own script. Or at least, that’s what I told myself for sanities sake.

Peter Rimidalv Tepes

What a strange name, I thought to myself. Adding my own flare to the A’s and D’s. As my pen continued to move in heavy fluid marks against thick parchment my mind started to wander to his face. Those strange chocolate crimson eyes, so dissimilar from the other vampires I had seen before to the strong ivory teeth that seemed to nearly explode from his mouth when he was angry. What was it about him that made him so different from the others?

Sighing I flung myself into the mass of pillows at my back, angry and frustrated.  I was still no closer to finding any answers about Peter and I was starting to unravel under the strain of my mind.  I desperately craved those answers as I seemed to crave his presence.  And that I didn’t understand either.

Peter was an enigma to me; mysterious and exciting and I made this as an excuse to myself for the longing I felt for him. 

Sitting back up with renewed hope I took my journal and pen in hand, determined to figure this all out.  I was just about ready to turn the page and start fresh, to list the anomalies I had come across in his home. Suddenly I stopped dead, my heart slammed into my ribs as my fingers grappled at the thick pages like a life line.  My knuckles were turning white with the force of my own terror.  Shakily, I looked down at the page once more and blinked and blinked again, thinking that maybe I had strained myself a little too far.  There was just now way I was seeing… that.  It just wasn’t possible. 

With my heart pounding in my ears I picked up my pen with trembling fingers and started to write.  As a child I had loved word scrambles and puzzles, loved the challenge they presented and the feeling of completion when I figured them out correctly.  None of those feeling came though as I started to write out his name.  This time slower.

Peter Rimidalv Tepes

I stared at the name like it would hold the key to my salvation.  ‘Peter’, not at all an unusual name.  I tried it backwards and snorted at how stupid it looked.  ‘Retep’, not anything dangerous or captivating, so I ignored it.

‘Rimidalv’ was definitely a little more exotic but with Peter’s dark hair, eyes and strong European nose I thought nothing of it.  So the guys from Europe, nothing scary about that, right? Even backwards or scrambled up I really couldn’t find anything of interest. Backwards it was Vladimir but even then, that wasn’t such a strange name. But why would he hide it by spelling it backwards?  Was that even the case?  Was I just really paranoid?

But it was the name as a whole that I had been dreading, it was what the whole reason I had started this dissection of his beautiful name.  Just as it was, it was exotic… erotic and beautiful but as I stared at the page a new name sprang forth from it.  Then I did it backwards, hoping beyond hope that I was just an insane, childish woman with a fairy tale complex.  I wrote out each individual letter just below the original spelling.

R-I-M-I-D-A-L-V

V-L-A-D-I-M-I-R
As I thought about it I put my new findings together and nearly shrieked. 

‘Vladimir Tepes’

I read and re-read the name carefully.  Trying to think of anything other than what was right in front of me. It could be just a coincidence.  I could possibly be an ancestral name.  It could have been a lot of things but somewhere in the depths of my soul I knew that it was true. 

Vladimir Tepes as in thee Vladimir Tepes.  As in Vlad Dracul Tepes lll. 

“Dracula.”  I gasped.

“My, my, look at my naughty Nancy Drew.”  Peter’s voice crooned lowly in my ear. “Don’t you know it’s impolite to snoop?”

I swung around, my mouth open and ready but as his dark crimson eyes met my own, his nose only inches from my own my terrible scream died in my throat.  Instead, I grasped at my robes and trembled.  “I-I wasn’t s-snooping.”  My voice sounded less defiant and more terrified than I had tried for but this man… was deadly.

His eyes no matter how frightening held nothing but pure amusement.  More than likely he enjoyed scaring the shit out of me.  He was sadistic after all.  His chocolate brow cocked in question as a smirk upturned, a single fang pressing into that plump bottom lip.  As I realized I was staring, so did he and his smirked transformed into an all out gloating grin.  “Is that so?”  He asked silkily, raising his pale hand to caress the apple of my cheek.

When I said nothing he advanced a step, discarding his half empty glass of crimson liquid onto the dark wood nightstand.  “So then you know I’m not this Dracula correct, little dove?”  He stated casually, but mocking all at the same time.

“Aren’t you?”  I asked sassily, cocking a brow and mirroring his expression.  He was not amused and it showed plainly in his eyes, though he quickly hid it.  Sometime I couldn’t help but think something was wrong with me.  Why did I feel the need to push his buttons?  And why the Hell did his voice, even when he was being a condescending pain, cause me to tremble - not in fear, but in total desire?  Was I sick or something?

“Am I?” He purred silkily, a soft growl rising up from his chest.  He was toying with me, this I knew for certain and I wondered momentarily if he had really fallen so far into boredom that he resort to tormenting his human. 

I smirked back him saucily.  “You tell me.” 

His whole demeanor changed then, his eyes going from that sweet chocolate-cherry to flaming red in an instant but his face remained the same as if my retort had had no effect on him whatsoever.  He eyed me for several minutes before I suddenly had the urge to pull up my covers like a child and hide from the big bad monster. 

Before my eyes could register anything, my back hit the soft down of my pillows and Peter was hovering above me his eyes still glowing like beacons of death as a firm knee nudged between my thighs and his cool hand came down to caress the crook of my neck. 

My eyes watched him warily as his hand slipped over to the glass at the bedside. Peter’s eyes soften into malicious amusement, his face giving nothing away as he dipped a solitary digit into liquid and slowly held it before my lips. “Do you want a taste, Isabella? A taste of true darkness?”  I nearly moaned from the seductive tone of his voice but bit it back.  I would not humiliate myself in front of him again. 

He chuckled as if he plucked the thought straight out of my head, his long canines lengthening in his mouth before my very eyes as he smeared the thick, pungent blood across my bottom lip.  Without thinking my tongue darted out to taste the foreign substance and I groaned in rapture and shut my eyes as the salty, sweet taste exploded in my mouth. 

“That’s it, Puţin Prinţesă.”  (1) He crooned darkly, his weight lowering till his chest was flush with mine.

When I felt the icy coolness of his lips at the corner of my mouth, my eyes shot open and I jolted upwards but nothing was there.  It was as if Peter had vanished into thin air or perhaps I had imagined the whole thing. 

Yes, that had to be it.

“Don’t be so sure.”  A chuckling voice echoed off the walls of my room and I gasped.  Had he been reading my thoughts again?  Was this still some wicked part of my twisted imagination? 

My eyes darted frantically about the room, searching, for anything that would prove that he had really been here and that I wasn’t insane.  I smiled ruefully as my eyes caught site of my nightstand and the glass of blood still standing there and next to it a single blood rose, freshly clipped and meant for me. 

My temper rose as I stared at that rose, a symbol of affection in my eyes but nonetheless, a reminder of all the secrets I wasn’t privy to.  It pissed me off to no end that Peter was keeping things like this from me, and that bastard never did answer my question.

Well no more!

Jumping of my bed I strode to the door with renewed determination and flung them wide.  Not surprised at all that Jasper was standing there, a deep frown on his face as his eyes zeroed in on my lips. 

Shit! The blood.

“Where the fuck is Peter?”  I commanded, jabbing my finger into his chest.  He said nothing of course and I could tell the cogs were turning in his mind, trying to figure out why my hair was in the state it was in and why I had blood smeared across my lips.  “Snap out of it!”  I finally yelled, raising my hand to slap him.  Probably wasn’t the brightest idea I had ever come up with.  More than likely I’d just break my hand, but I was done with this cryptic shit!

Faster than a striking snake he grabbed my wrist and backed me forcefully against the doorjamb. “What has he done?”  he growled, his grip tightening.  It wasn’t meant to be painful, I knew full well what a vampires strength was like and Jasper wasn’t even bruising the skin, but rather making sure I understood he was serious.  Well, so am I.

Harding my face I growled back.  Of course, it wasn’t nearly as intimidating as Jasper’s or Peter’s but it got the point across.  Don’t fuck with me right now.  “Where. Is. He?” 

“Gone.”  He answered tersely, his hard eyes never wavering from my face as he obviously tried to understand what had just happened.  “Now, tell me what happened?”

Jerking my arm from his grasp like I had been burned, I turned and started down the hall towards Peter’s private study with purpose.  Jasper swore under his breath and followed hot on my heels.   “What are you doing, Bella?” 

“Getting some answers.”  I told him without turning back.  His frigid hand grasped at my elbow tugging me to a gentle stop, before he darted in front of me. 

His face was twisted in concern as his eyes bored hard into mine.  “I can’t let you.”  Even he winces at his words and I can tell it’s not something he wants to tell me but even so…

“Let me?”  I questioned angrily, shoving at his shoulders.  It wasn’t a surprise that he didn’t budge but it did piss me off. 

After another little shove, I growled.  “Goddamnit, Jasper, let me through!” 

Strangely enough he did move, but it wasn’t by his will or mine.  Standing next to Jasper was a startling beautiful man… er, vampire.  An unfamiliar one with long auburn hair that reached his elbows and startling bright red eyes. 

“Let her pass, Jasper.”  He commanded softly, his accent was muddled and old but very American.  Who the hell was this guy. 

Jasper hung his head.  “Peter’s gonna be so pissed.”

“I will deal with him.”  This new vampire growled.  I liked him instantly.

Sticking my hand out in the politest manner I could muster, I introduced myself.  “Isabella Swan.”

He smiled and I was very pleased to see two rows of perfectly sharp but straight teeth.  “Pleasure, Miss Swan.”  He bowed low at the waist.  “My name is Garrett.”

(1) Little Princess

Chapter Four

Kiss Me. Bite Me. Love Me.
Chapter Four

~* Bella’s Point of View  *~

It was just after dark when I opened my eyes again and all was quiet, only the faint ticking of my bedside timepiece could be heard and I briefly wondered where everyone was.  I could have sworn I heard snarling just after Peter put me to bed and for a few seconds I thought Peter was going to kill Jasper.  I didn’t get up to inspect the scene or to stop him.  It wasn’t that I particularly wanted Peter to end him, but at the time I was just to sleepy to care. 

But now, I was wide awake.  Wide awake and ready for answers and not that rehearsed, cryptic bullshit they were spewing earlier, either. I understood that everybody has some things they wanted to keep for themselves, and I respected it.  But not when it involved me. 

Tick-tock…Tick-tock…Tick-tock…

“God, I hate that fucking clock,”  I grumbled, realizing a second too late that I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was. 

Peter’s heavy voice filled the silent air with a heavy chuckle, “Are you always so pleasant when you wake up?” 

With a startled cry I scrambled to a sitting position, frantically brushing my hair back to free my eyes of the birds nest of tangled locks.  When I could see again, I really wished I couldn’t because him sitting there looking incredibly casual, shirt parted at the collar, free of his usual neck-tie and sports coat made me want to do something incredibly foolish… like lick him. 

I blushed vibrant red when I realized I was staring, or practically drooling and the incredibly smug and sexy smirk he sported a second later let me know he knew exactly where my train of thought had gone.  “Shut up.”  I grumbled halfheartedly, sniffing the air indignantly. 

His highly amused chuckled followed as he leaned forward, his pouting lips just grazing my ear as his clove scented breath washed over my face when he whispered.  “Why would I do that?” he asked in a sultry deep tone as his cool lips pressing just above my throbbing pulse.  I shuddered uncontrollably, and my breathing grew heavy.  “You’re so beautiful when you’re angry.” 

If that wasn’t a like a cold bucket of water, I didn’t know what was.  In a flash the tractor beam of lust and desire that pulled me to him was gone and I was left seething mad.  It was only when the fog of lust induced mist lifted that I realized; I wasn’t supposed to be bantering, flirting and most certainly not necking with the cretin before me… no.  Hell no, I was supposed to be angry and just like that I killed two birds with one expensive, annoying, antique crystal clock. 

It shattered over his head like a storm of twinkling stars and by the look on his face I’d say he wasn’t expecting it.  His eyes were wide that if I hadn’t been so pissed off at him I might have laughed at how comically shocked he looked.  Just as quickly though, that look of complete and total confusion washed over him, it was gone, replaced by a look I could only describe as primal. But he wasn’t angry, oh no, his eyes burned brighter than fire with lust and it was all directed at me.

A growl rumbled from his chest as his lips parted into a crazed, maniacal smile.  “Yessss!”  he hissed, fangs near exploding in his mouth.  “Hit me! Show me your spirit!… Mult prea mult timp a trecut de cand am simtit ultima focul, Zeita mea.” (1)

I could barely register what he was saying in English, never mind all the shit he said that I couldn’t, I was a woman on a mission.  A mission to beat the living shit out of something and it just so happened that Peter was there, the giant elephant of mystery.  I continued to thrash wildly against him, slapping his face and punching his chest and he let me.  His eyes were blazing with lust and affection as his hysterical zealot laugh boomed around us, the glass of the window panes shuddering with the sheer force. 

Utterly spent but still teaming with emotion, I sobbed, clutching frantically at Peter’s shirt as he drew me into his arms and cooed soothing words to the top of my head.  “Shh,” he told me quietly as I hiccupped and gasped.  “All will reveal itself in time.  If you can be patient with me I will tell you things that others could only dream of knowing.” 

Flushing with embarrassment, I nodded against his soaked shirt, wet from my tears.  Kissing the top of my head and whispering something too low for me to hear he pulled me into a higher more comfortable position in between his legs.  I don’t know why I allowed it.  I was still very angry with him, but in light of my little breakdown I realized that in some sick, twisted way… I needed him.  He was my comfort when I was upset.  He was who I went to when I needed to be provided for.  I didn’t understand it and this point, I wasn’t going to try.  I was content to just be for a moment, my back pressed against Peter’s strong chest and my head lulled into his shoulder. 

Or I would have been if my door hadn’t been opened a moment later by a nosy pixie-pire and her Southern-Seeking-His-Death, alleged non-husband.  “Um…”  she croaked nervously as her black head peeked through the crack of the door, eyes uncertain.  “I hope we’re not interrupting something?”

I’m not immature enough to say that I didn’t turn my head and give her the stink eye, because I did. She knew damn well they were intruding on a private moment and I was in no mood to speak with either of them right now. If they pursued a conversation with me, I wouldn’t deny them but I also wasn’t going to be held responsible for my actions. My eyes were already shifting about looking for heavier things to throw.

“Not at all,”  Peter replied genuinely, but I could hear the amusement in his tone.  That sadistic bastard was probably just itching to see me get all riled up again. 

I shot him a glare from under my lashes, trying to ignore the two shuffling through the doorway like a heard of wildebeests. “Jesus, have you two always been so loud!”  I snapped and the fucked-up grin Peter had been sporting since I woke up was now a full on fang-smile.  Apparently the sick creep liked an aggressive woman. 

“You have no idea,”  He murmured, nuzzling his nose against the sensitive skin of my neck.  Jasper growled and like a light bulb I understood that Peter was teasing him, goading him into doing something foolish.  He’s more insane than I thought!

My hair blew around my face, tickling my skin as Peter laughed quietly into my hair.  “Yes I am.” 

I rounded on him, my neck straining against the force of my head swinging around to look him dead in the eye.  “You can read my mind!”  I yelled, horrified that he had heard my earlier thoughts about him being sexy. 

His laugh grew in volume as he threw his head back.  “Forgive me,”  he said after a moment.  “I really thought you knew.” 

I huffed, grumbling unladylike things under my breath, which I knew they all heard but keeping my eyes locked on Peter letting him know silently that that conversation was not over.  As Alice let out a little giggle I turned my anger on them.  I was highly embarrassed and just looking for an outlet.  “Either the two of you sit down and shut up or you can get the fuck out! I’m done with your vampire bullshit for the evening.” 

Alice’s face went completely slack, then turned angry as she stomped her foot like a scolded child and defiantly thrust her arms under her chest.  I was about to tell her exactly what I thought about her little temper-tantrum when Peter hissed from behind me, his lips going a mile a minute across the top of my head.  What ever he said seemed to do the trick because she looked terrified as she scrambled out an apology and went to sit at the window seat while Jasper warily took the club chair closer to the bed. 

I wanted so badly to ask him what was going on with him, why his sudden interest in me but I didn’t dare with Peter sitting at my back.  After this afternoons display of male hormones I wasn’t about to risk getting in the middle of a cock fight for curiosities sake.

Ignoring the fact that Peter could read my mind for now, I turned to my next question.  It was an easy one in my mind and it shouldn’t be a problem for them to answer.  “Where is the rest of your family?”  I snarled.  It hadn’t meant to come out so hostile but… well after what happened I could hardly contain some of the negative feelings I had for them.

Jasper who looked the most remorseful spoke first.  “I believe they are somewhere in New Hampshire at the moment, but I’m not entirely sure.  I… We’ve only spoken to Emmett and Rosalie a handful of times throughout the last six years.” 

Trying to wrap my mind around that one and finding that I really couldn’t yet, I moved on.  “Okay… So, you said earlier that neither of you were who you claimed to be, right?”  at their nod.  “Care to elaborate?” 

It went on like that for hours, me asking questions, Jasper and Alice dodging the ones that Peter obviously told them to steer clear of and answering the ones they could. 

Jasper, it turns out was the bad-ass feared vampire from the Southern Vampire Wars but he was there solely in a leadership position to watch over what Peter - chuckling, I might add - called his investments.  But that also created a hiccup for me in the story I had once heard long ago.  “Wait a minute,”  I interrupted, waving my hands like a lunatic.  “I thought…”  Trailing off, I gathered my wits. 

“Obviously you’re not Peter’s sire then?”  I asked with a groan. 

At that everyone laughed, I could even here Charlotte tittering down the hall like a school girl but it was Peter who answered my question.  “No, I am far older than he.” 

“Alright,”  I stammered as I tried to control the beating of my heart.  “So does that make you his Sire?” 

Then he laughed, nearly snorting with amusement.  “Bite that sentimental fool? Niciodată. (2)  Asqueroso. (3)”  He responded in that deep, smooth voice sending chills down my spin and pooling wetness between my thighs. 

Jasper growled lowly at Peter and I could kind of relate.  I mean he did just insult Jasper by calling him a sentimental fool and what ever else he said that I couldn’t understand.  But for some reason, call it a niggling in the back of my brain, tells me that insulting Jasper was not the whole of his growl.  But that was a question I’d have to ask both of them in private.  Perhaps outdoors where they wouldn’t destroy my habitat.  Habitat?  Jesus, I’ve been hanging out with Vampires too long.

Reading my mind again he chuckled darkly, nipping at the sensitive flesh of my earlobe.  “You will understand everything in time.”  

I wanted to groan, moan and smack him all at the same time but somehow found the deep seeded resolve to hold it in an not make myself look anymore the wanton hussy than I already was.  I could feel him shake his head, having picked up on my train of thought and childishly I stuck my tongue out only to have him growl back and thrust his hips upwards as he let out a low hiss of warning.  “Be careful how you tempt me, little vixen.” 

Finally hungry enough to eat and entirely fed up with the process of dodging and weaving around the questions I knew they weren’t going to answer tonight, I decided to put an end to this frighteningly fake play and get on with my evening.  “Well, this has been fun and all but it’s time for my fake friends to take a hike so I can eat and enjoy my new bathtub.”  I said nonchalantly, kicking them out with out really ever saying it. 

They’re centuries old vampires, surely than can read between the lines? 

Peter laughed long and hard at my inner dialogue and gently lifted me up from his lap and placing a chaste kiss to the top of my head before shooing a stunned Jasper and Alice from the room like a herd of sparkling cattle.  If Peter actually heard that one he didn’t betray it, at all.  He only smirked at me and pulled my doors closed. 

“Would you send Charlotte in, please?”  I asked quietly but all I got as a response was a distant chuckle to tell me he had heard me.  I wanted to face palm at my own stupidity when Charlotte entered even before Peter laughed.  Of course, she heard me just fine as soon as I opened my mouth.  Stupid, perfect vampires…

 ~ Kiss Me. Bite Me. Love Me. ~

Dawn. 


A sparkling river in my sights surrounded by lush green mountains capped with winking snowflakes.  It is cold here but it doesn’t blister my skin even though I know it should.  It is blissful.  I am happy.


Tingling laughter catches my attention as a ball, crafted from sheepskin and thick twine whips past.  A beautiful voice follows.  “Isabella, pay attention.”  the voice laughs.  It is distinctly female and familiar.  It makes me smile.  Turning with a bright smile I watched as a blue eyed girl, the same age as I points behind me.  She is dressed in royal blue velvet gown, something a princess would wear but it confuses me. 


Looking down at myself I notice that I am dressed much the same.  It is a wintertime dress with heavy sleeves of brocade crimson, trimmed in a heavy rose cotton.  My gaze returns to her, looking for answers and she giggles again, gesturing with her hand that I should look behind me.  I do.


A deeper chuckle, by still boyish captures my interest. I spin into a vested chest. With my eyes still on the ground I see two black boots, fit for riding.  Startled by the presence of a man, I look up and meet a set of deep cherry chocolate eyes.  They are familiar as well and make me want to blush.  His face is kind and so beautiful in the morning light.  I remember him and yet I do not.


“Isabella,”  he rumbles, this boy. 


“Who are you?” 


He laughs at this but does not take his eyes from mine.  He opens his mouth to speak…

I jerk awake to the sounds of a low kneeing, it was both mournful and lonely.  Shaking the fog of sleep from my mind along with the strange dream I shifted my eyes to dart about the room in search of the sound.  It didn’t take me long to find it but when I did I had a momentary laps in higher brain function.

It was a dog. A huge dog.  A Mastiff, I think, sitting on its haunches at the foot of my bed, head resting against my feet. He was as black as the night sky and his eyes burned bright red.  His eyes reminded me of Peter when he was agitated, they smoldered through your soul but for some reason I wasn’t afraid. 

“Who are you?”  I asked it as I reached out to pet its muzzle, feeling a strange sense of foreboding came with the beast eyes as they stared right back, somehow pleading with me to understand.  I didn’t but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t try.  Slapping the space next to me in the bed, I called for it to join me in and it did, happily.  It crawled its way up the length of my bed to rest its massive head in my lap, tongue lulling out to the side. Giggling to myself as I thought with hope that maybe Peter would somehow be allergic.  But then again, knowing my luck the dog was probably some watch hound from Hell that he scent to spy on me. 

A dark, familiar chuckle echoed of the walls in my room and I could only sigh at Peter’s strange impromptu visits.  It didn’t matter if I protested in the slightest, if he felt like it he didn’t hesitate to let himself in.  “And I never will, Zeita mea.” 

I shrieked at how strangely distorted his voice sounded as it seemed to becoming from inside the walls and nearly had a heart attack when a black mist formed in the east corner, the corner closest to Peter’s privet study.  A pair of fire red eyes appeared from it and I watched in horror and rapt fascination as Peter, suit and all, stepped out of the wall like a cartoon character stepping out of a black hole. 

My expression had to been comical if Peter’s face was anything to go by.  I swear that man lived to scare me to death and I wondered briefly what I had ever done to anyone in life to deserve such harassment.  “Wha- How-?”

Of course the rat bastard only smiled smugly at the fact that I couldn’t seem to string words together let alone a sentences.  “His true name is Câine din Iad  (4) or roughly translated; Dog of Hell but I like to call him Damon.  He’s is one of two of my familiars that can roam without the need of my physical body close by.  That is what makes him so special.” 

Not bothering to hide my awe, I openly gaped at the creature who lovingly nuzzled  my hand much like a domesticated house pet faithfully serving its Master’s needs.  “Familiar.”  I whispered, more than taken back by the implications of this animal.  Closing my eyes, I sighed.  “You really aren’t like the other’s are you?” 

A low rumble coming from directly beside me told me how amused and proud Peter was that I liked his pet, I guess I would call it.  “We are not even close.  They are as different from me as the moon is to the sun.  And he is not a pet, love, he is part of me.” 

My head snapped up so fast that I was surprised I didn’t get whiplash.  “Apart of you?” 

“Yes,”  he purred, scooting both me and the black beast to the other side of the bed so he could sit.  Once settled he pulled me to him and for reasons unknown to me, I curled against him like the contented little kitten I was.  Despite having just woken up, the smell of Peter all around me mingling with the rich gravely voice had me yawning again. 

“Peter?”  I asked, quietly almost mumbling out my words.

“What is it, little Kitten?”  He growled teasingly, obviously having picked up on what I was thinking.  “You can ask me anything, Bella.  I can’t promise I’ll always answer you, but do not hesitate to ask.” 

Nodding against the hard planes of his chest, I wasn’t about to pass up this chance for a couple hours of beauty sleep.  I could nap later.  Peter was in a rare mood, cuddly and content to tell me things.  “Why are you different than the others?” 

He chuckled at my question.  “Would you like scientific makeup or are you content with the cliffs notes, Nancy Drew.” 

Slapping his arm playfully before I snuggled back into Peter’s cool body, I huffed.  “What ever, just tell me.” 

“As you wish.”  He answered seductively, running his elegant fingers through the mass of my wavy hair.  I wanted to ask him to stop it for fear of falling asleep but it felt so good.  “Think of them as a totally different race altogether.  They are a completely different species than I, created by vampires like me for servitude.  They were originally created for war.”

“That sounds horrible.”  I commented, not caring in the least if I offended him.  Although I shouldn’t have been surprised when he wasn’t.  Peter, I had figured out is an insanely confident man, who gave little thought to what others around him assumed.  He held an air of absoluteness that scared me and thrilled me all at the same time. It was both excruciating and exhausting to be in his presence for very long and yet I couldn’t quell the desire to be around him as much as I could. 

He went silent for a moment before speaking again and when he did he sound almost remorseful.  “It was in the beginning.”  he said so quietly I doubted for a moment that I even heard him and not imagined it.  “But,”  he said louder, quickly changing the subject.  “The reason for the differences between us is simple.  I was born to this life, the others like Jasper or Alice were made. Changed is the description you are most familiar with, correct?” 

I couldn’t say anything.  Nothing could have prepared me for what he just told me but in the back of my mind a startling revelation dawn upon me.  Somehow, I already knew that.

Chapter Three

Previously…
Bella’s head jerked up at hearing my voice and turned to look at me while clambering up on shaking legs.  She stood there for a long moment, her eyes so wide it was nearly comical.  It was comical at least to me.  Tears welled in her beautiful eyes and all the mirth left my body.

She crossed the room to stand just in front of me, trembling like a newly born colt as her hand reached out hesitantly to caress my cheek.  I nearly purred in satisfaction at the feeling of her warm, divine fingers tracing the planes of my face as if she were trying to justify to herself that I was, in fact, real. 

A tear slid down her cheek as her bottom lip quivered, then the most beautiful sound left those petal pink lips. 

My name. 

“J-Jasper?”  

Kiss Me. Bite Me. Love Me.

Chapter Three
~ Bella’s Point of View ~

Rooted to the carpet where I stood, I reached out a timid hand and brushed across icy marble skin… he was real.  He wasn’t a figment of my imagination and I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that just yet.  Sure I was ecstatic to see him standing there in the freezing flesh but then the hurt and anger set in. 

Now I could understand why Charlotte had, in her own roundabout way, refused to tell me who our visitors were this morning…

Darting into the bathroom after her, I asked again.  “Charlotte, what do you mean “again?”  She said nothing at first, only smiled and I could almost see the insanity creeping in again.  What could have happened to her?  She clapped her hands together, then waggled her finger at me disapprovingly while her adorable face scrunched up.

“Ah ah ah, we’s not supposed to tell.  It would ruin the parade.”  she whispered, her eyes darting about the room in search of listeners.  It was a funny thing to watch but also sad because though she might be off her rocker she had every reason to watch the walls.  The walls here seemed to live and breathe a life of their own and I have witnessed it with my own eyes. 

Shaking my head in defeat, I conceded to just shut up and take my bath.  Whoever or whatever was coming would be here this afternoon…. 
Hot tears pelted down my cheeks as I dared to do what I swore to never do again… I said one of their names.  “J-Jasper.” 

His answer smile was not what I would have expected, it was sad, heartbreaking almost and it threatened to suck all the air from the room.  “Bella…”  he whispered, almost like he was praying to a goddess instead of the awkward woman I knew myself to be.  He looked like he would sob along with me until a chipper voice startled both of us from our strange mood. 

“Hello Bella..”  I think my heart stopped beating altogether as her dainty frame came into view, shoving Jasper to the side with a hard nudge to the rips.  “Don’t be a Bella hog, Jasper.”  she scolded playfully and pinned me once again to the floor with a perfect white smile.  “Learn to share.” 

My head started to spin as the theme song for the Twilight Zone started to filter through my brain.  I wanted to laugh, scream and cry but I couldn’t even manage to gape in her presence.  She hadn’t changed a bit in the last eight years.  Yes she had, like Jasper, changed certain things pertaining to her appearance, but her face remained forever unchanging. 

“Alice,”  I managed to finally sob, throwing my arms around her like all the years of abandonment had never happened.  Her thin arms slid around me as she rocked me back in forth like an infant.  Her body was trembling nearly as bad as mine was and I was certain, though I couldn’t see her face, that she would also be crying if she could. 

“Oh Bella, what have we done to you?”  She whispered quietly as she continued to stroke my hair while I buried my face into her cool neck. 

It could have been minutes or hours we stayed like that, but all to soon I heard the peaceful treble of Jasper soft voice.  “Alice, we really should explain before Peter arrives.” 

She nodded against my head before pulling back and leading me by the hand to sit on one of the insanely expensive couches Peter kept in here.  Vampires and money, I snorted to myself earning myself a raised brow from Jasper and Alice.  Charlotte seemed immune to the whole thing and kept blissfully ignoring us in favor of decorating one of her newly crafted china dolls. 

Taking a deep breath I seated myself, with Alice at my side and Jasper sitting directly across from me.  It was strange to see him this way, he in the past had never seemed to hold any real interest in me at all, but now, the way his eyes burned through me made had me shifting in my seat nervously. 

Alice’s icy digits patting my arm brought me from my thoughts and I turned slightly to face her.  She looked serious and it made me more than wary to hear whatever it was she had to say.  “Right,”  she started jerkily, and it was hard for me to imagine her being as nervous as she clearly was.  “Well, I guess I should start by saying I’m not who you think I am.” 

Of all the things I had imagined her to say. Out of all the times I had fantasized about the day we would all meet up again, that was the last thing I would have ever thought her to say.  “Pardon?”  I asked confused and slightly shocked.  I must not have heard her right. 

“It’s true, Bella.”  Alice continued.  “Well… I mean that, while we were Cullens for a time, we-” she cut off, pointing to Jasper.  “we didn’t seek them out for the reasons we told you.” 

Completely flabbergasted, I shook my head.  “What does that mean?”

Smiling, she continued… “Bella, most of the things you have been told about Jasper and I are false.  For instance, Jasper and I are not married.” 

“What?”  I shouted, then winced at my tone, it even hurt my ears.  But… I just couldn’t wrap my head around the concept.  Alice and Jasper, not married.  It was mind boggling. 

“Please Bella,” Alice pleaded, and I nodded for her to go on. “And though what I told you about the insane asylum was true, I had never resided in the United States until Peter called for my help.”

My head still spinning, I turned to Jasper, “And you?”  I questioned. 

He nodded.  “While I am in fact from the United States and Texas I was born a little earlier than I led on.  I did fight in the Confederate Army and I did work for Maria, though it wasn’t quiet as horrific as I made it sound.  I was never her slave as much as she was mine, at Peter’s request, of course.” 

“Holy Shit!” 

“Well said!”  Charlotte barked, waving her doll in the air as she saluted the use of my language while Jasper and Alice chuckled. 

“So let me get this straight,”  I said, grabbing at my throbbing temples to sooth away the headache that was forming at all this information.  “Both of you work for Peter and for some reason he wanted you both infiltrate the Cullens?” 

“Yes.”  Jasper said quietly, his eyes darting from my face as if he had a hard time looking me in the eye. 

When it became apparent that no one felt like elaborating I turned to Alice with a scathing glare and asked, “Why?”

Her face scrunched up in a pitiful display as she rubbed her hands together nervously.  “We’re… not supposed to say just yet.” 

My face twisted up in anger.  Alice knew first hand how I felt about this and here she was, just like before, keeping me in the dark.  At my look her eyes went wide and she held up her hands in a defensive manner.  “Please Bella, don’t be angry! I… I would tell you if I could, but it’s not time yet!  Please believe me, I’ll tell you everything when I can.”

A laugh bubbled up in my throat then, that probably made me sound just as cracked as Charlotte.  “Believe you?”  I asked incredulously.  “Why should I believe anything you have to say? You’ve both have done nothing but lie to me since the day I stepped foot into that house in Forks.”

“We did what we had to do,”  she whispered softly, bowing her head as her body trembled with silent sobs. 
“Why? Because you were paid to? That makes me feel so much better.”  I remarked dryly with a snort. 

“NO!” Jasper shouted as he shot up out of his chair, startling me back against the couch.  Pacing the room like a caged lion he started to mutter to himself.  It was one of the times I wished like Hell that I had vampiric senses, I really wanted to know what he was saying.  Finally he turned to me, his face relayed nothing but sincerity and affection.  “I may have had my orders Bella, but I tell you now, that I’m not the kind of man that follows them blindly. I wanted to be there.” 

Taking all of this in was more challenging than trying to dance at prom with that cast on my leg.  Sighing I turned to Alice, not really understanding why she hadn’t said something similar but all the same I wanted to know if he was telling the truth.  “Is this true.”

Although I wasn’t speaking to him, they both nodded.  Sighing past my now fully developed headache, I had to ask. “What about my birthday?” 

“A ruse,”  Jasper chimed in, coming to kneel at my feet and grasp one of my hands in both of his.  “We had good reason Bella, but I can’t tell you why, not yet.” 

Feeling the sting of betrayal welling up again I looked to him harshly.  “Did Edward have something to do with it?”  I asked my voice trembling with anxiety as I waited for his answer. 

He face seemed pained somehow before he lowered it in shame.  “Yes, partly.”  Then with determination burning in his eyes, he lowered his mouth to the top of my hand, cool lips ghosting across my knuckles, before he raised his ocher eyes to mine.  “I could never hurt you, My Lady.  It would kill me to do so.” 

This time I think all the air did leave the room.  Had I been standing, I was sure to have hit the deck.  To me it seemed like he was pledging fealty to me, like he was my faithful servant and I really didn’t know what to do, so in true Bella fashion… I bolted. 

Or at least I would have if the I hadn’t been so damn dizzy that I tripped over the edge of the Persian that sent me spiraling straight towards the hardwood floor.  Of course, with three vampires in the room, I never actually smacked the ground.  Looking up from heavily glazed eyes I saw that it was the Jasper who had caught me.  I should have been grateful he caught me, I should have felt special, but in truth… I really didn’t want him touching me right now. 

To my great displeasure, Jasper had something else in mind, as he threw his arm under my thighs and hefted me up in a bridal carry.  Moaning from the speed he used, I begged.  “Jasper, put me down.” 

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Bella.”  He replied with a chuckle, his voice sounded very amused with a strong undertone of desire. 

Shocked… that’s what I was.  It’s so strong, I thought to myself. If Jasper was projecting, Charlotte and Alice showed no outward sign.  It wafted off him like a musk of pheromones, thickly coiling itself around me. It smelled wonderful, but felt… forced.  I didn’t like it. 

Alice gasped, her face twisted up in horror as she flew to us and frantically tugged on the arm supporting my legs.  “Put her down, Jas. He’s here.”

As soon as the words escaped her lips the front door slammed open and Charlotte’s head shot up from her workstation. Jasper became like a living statue as a low growl rumbled just to my left.  I was unsure I wanted to see what was standing there, but I realized a moment later that only one man on this earth could strike fear like this in Alice.  Sure enough, when I turned my head, Peter was standing propped against the doorjamb.  “I believe my Lady gave you an order, servant.”

Jasper spluttered for a few seconds before he hastily approached Peter and placed me in his arms before lowering himself to the floor on one knee.  “Forgive me, My Lord?”  He bit out sarcastically. 

Feeling much better in the comforts of Peter’s arms, I snuggled into his chest and breathed in his smoky, clove scent, trying to tramp down the urge to vomit.  Offhandedly I thought that when I felt better I would have to have a talk with all these vampires about “Bella and motion sickness”. 

As if he heard my thoughts, Peter chuckled.  “Perhaps, my little Yuuki (1). Now sleep.” 

I wanted so badly to protest his notions of treating me like an infant, but just the same I snuggled deeper into his designer shirt and shut my eyes.  Maybe a nap doesn’t sound so bad after all.
~ Kiss Me. Bite Me. Love Me. ~

~* Peter’s Point of View  *~

After putting Isabella to bed I returned to the drawing room to find Jasper sitting in the club chair, cradling his head in his hands while Alice tried to sooth him like a baby.  Pathetic

“And just what did you think you were doing, servant?”  I asked in a cold tone.  I knew very well what he was doing, but as my hands were tied at the moment I couldn’t likely kill him without serious repercussions later.  I consider myself a strong vampire, but there are things that even I would rather not be on the receiving end of.  

Jasper’s head shot up and pinned me with a hateful glare, “You forget, Sir, that I have never been your servant.  I answer to only one, and you aren’t it.” 

Chuckling at his passion and loyalty, I waved him off but decided to remind him of a very useful fact.  “That may be, but as you are also aware until your Master’s return, you serve me.”

I knew that would piss him off, and he did not disappoint. With a growl he rose to his feet pushing past Alice who was begging him not to start a fight.  “Yessss,“ I crooned in his head “Start a fight! Unleash your jealous wrath!”  I taunted him, and like a good little vampire, he snarled. 

Coming to stand nose to nose, he glowered.  “You may be my superior.  You may be able to kill me easily.  And I may be a man who covets what another has, but do not think that anything I have done since my making has been in your name!” 

Waving him off again with a smirk and a shrug of my shoulders, he relaxed, right before I swung him into the wall.  Charlotte jumped in fright, slinking to the corner of the room to cower from my wrath.  “Do you think I’m some foolish boy, Jasper?  Do you think I don’t know all of your little secrets?  What would she do, if she knew the depths of your little obsession, hmm?”  I laughed.  “Do you think she would take it in kind, to know you depraved thoughts or what you do at night in your bed while you think of her?  Well?” 

“ENOUGH!”  He roared, looking to be on the brink of tears.  “I don’t care what you tell her, she would never have me destroyed.” 

“Well see about that.”  At my snarl, he tensed again, knowing I could remove his head before he could blink and bowed his head.  “Now, can I trust you to behave?”

“You have my word.”  He whispered.

“Good,”  I replied with a smile and released him.  “Alice, see to it that he does.” 

She smiled brightly at me, racing over to kneel at my feet and kissed my hand.  “Yes, Master.” 

“Good girl.” 

Chapter Two

Previously…
Jerking forward in my bed, I clamped a hand over my mouth to silence my scream.  My body was trembling and sweaty cold as tears cut a burning path down my cheeks.  Memories raced through my mind, reminding me that I was not at home in my bed and that last night had not been simply a nightmare.  It was all too real and there was nothing I could do but leave my fate in the hands of the chocolate haired vampire that saw it fit to save me.   

“Are you alright?”  A voice sweeter than honey asks, it was timid and strangely enough it sounded frightened.  My eyes darted this way and that but in the darkness I could not pinpoint her whereabouts.  Only the faint glow of the moon filtered through my windows, just enough to see the outlines of a small shadow standing in the corner of the room. 

“W-who are you?”  I trembled in a voice still horse from sleep.  “Where- where am I?”

The small figure crept forward, slowly and drawn out.  Stepping from the shadows her strawberry blonde hair was the first thing I noticed before she smiled, her pearl-white fangs glinting in the waning light.  

“You’re home.” 
Kiss Me. Bite Me. Love Me.
Chapter Two

~ Bella’s Point of View ~

A faint rapping at the door had me near snarling.  It was still early enough in the morning to be considered ungodly and not just by my standards either.  Groggily, I sat up, pushing away the comforts of my warm blankets and straightened myself out, making sure everything was as it should be before I dared allow anyone in. 

Having been here for a total of three days had taught me a valuable lesson; never ask who was at your door until you were ready to receive them.  Vampires will barge in. 

“Come in,”  I called grouchily, praying to all gods and deities that my morning knocker wasn’t Peter, I wasn’t sure if I could have controlled my temper in the wake of his smirking face so early in the morning. 

A flash of pale blonde hair twirling through my door had me sighing in relief.  It’s only Charlotte. 

Well thank the heavens for that. 

While Charlotte was annoyingly strange in her own right, nothing could compare to Peter’s visits filled with cryptic messages and sardonic smiles.  As beautiful as he was, he unnerved me greatly… the way he would stare at me. 

I shook myself to rid my thoughts of his face and turned my attention to the smiling blonde still twirling about, dancing her way to my bed with the most happy smile. 

“When the cat’s away the mice will play!”  she sang, tossing herself carelessly on my bed.  It never failed to amuse to see her this way but it did make me wonder what she meant as she rolled around on my bed like she was a dog and my now rumbled sheets were a patch of freshly cut grass. 

Nevertheless, I giggled.  I really couldn’t help it.  Charlotte - as insanely demented as she was, she was as infectious as small pox and her mood was greatly affecting me.  “Good morning, Charlotte.  Is there any reason you’re here so early?”  I questioned after greeting her politely.

Peeking at me from her burrow of my ridiculously high thread count sheets, she smiled like a naughty child about to do something that would eventually earn her a spanking from her parents, or in her case Peter. 

I flushed red at my own thoughts, Peter and spanking! What the hell is wrong with me?

Charlotte’s eyes darted to and fro for a second before a pale hand peeked out from under the covers and beckoned me forward like we would share some huge secret.  Well if it was about His Majesty, I was all in. 

Leaning forward until our foreheads were almost touching, I waited.  “PETER’S GONE”  She squalled happily and… loudly forcing me to jerk back to defend my throbbing ears as she looked sheepishly at me then started giggling like a mad woman.  In her defense, I really should have known better.  I had figured out my first night in this strange house, where you feel eyes always upon you that Charlotte was insane, or I supposed as insane as a vampire could get.  Or maybe that was just the hope talking.  I sighed thinking back to that first night, the night my life had changed…

Ignoring her claims of this being my home, I shrank back against the down pillows and soft sheets before pushing the sweat soaked hair from my eyes.  The figure stood there docile as a house cat, wringing her hands together like she was the nervous one. 

Nervous or not, I was curious.

At first glance I had pegged her as a vampire but no where in the history of the vampires I had come across did any of them ever sport fangs of the Dracula nature.  But there she was, her eyes glowing in the darkness like some beast I had only read about in my mother’s library. But even as her demonic eyes held mine there was something positively angelic about her face, or what I could see of it. 

She took a footstep closer, her obvious pale hair swaying from side to side in pigtails like some demented vampire doll.  As she hedged closer my heart rate sped up to what I considered an unhealthy level and I focused hard on chocking back the bile that burned in my stomach. 

Just as quickly she took a step back, her hands raised in the universal sign of peace as she shook her head furiously.  “Please don’t be frightened, Bella. Please!”  She cried in a panicked plea.  “If you don’t calm down he’s going to-”

She stopped where she stood an expression of intense anger in her furrowed brows as she turned her head and hissed into the night air.  “Shut it,”  She hissed at no one before a bright and cherry smile broke over her lips and she twirled delicately in a circle, arms extended like the perfect ballerina.  “Punish you I will… with rose tea.”  She giggled in the most disturbing way.

Just as I was about to ask the obvious question of ’He, who?’  Or possibly if there was some form of medication I should get her.  A dark presence filled the room, bringing with it a heaviness that I couldn’t begin to describe.  It was angry and malicious; almost as if a demon spirit decided at that moment to haunt the walls of my room. 

The pig-tailed woman either didn’t sense it or she ignored it.  Continuing instead to dip and twirl around the room, tapping to the beat of her own drummer.  But as a ghostly set of red eyes appeared to solidify straight from out of the wall, she froze and I think my heart stopped.  “Did you sleep well?”  A throaty voice chuckled from the shadow in the corner. 

“Peter?”  I asked nervously, recognizing the voice and wondering if I had finally cracked up enough to imagine the whole thing.  I mean come on, who ever heard of materializing vampires or ones with mental health issues? 
Am I still dreaming? 

Lights flickered to life instantly, starting at the Tiffany shade lamp at my side, fixtures humming to a soft glow one by one till the majority of the room was lit.  Shielding my eyes from the sudden light from the bedside lamp with a hand I sought out the familiar face of Peter. 

His brow was set in a firm scowl as he crossed the room to flick on the desk lamp the only one that hadn’t become possessed by the unseen force, but his eyes never left the strawberry blonde still frozen in the center of the room.  “You are scaring our guest, Charlotte.”  He chided, wagging a playful finger at her like he was scolding a small child instead of the petit woman that I could plainly see she was.  That deep, honeyed voice sent a trail of shivers down my spine and pissed me off all at the same time.  Was he always this demanding. 
As Charlotte bowed, “Forgive me, Brother.  I meant no harm.”  I could answer my own question with a resounding yes.  Even this woman was bowing down to him like some meaningless servant and it begged the question… Why?  Is he someone important? Or is she just some slave of his? 

Feeling the need to stand up for the female race I sat up and leveled this man, who astonishingly enough looked even more handsome in the light, with a defiant glare.  “She was just trying to be friendly, Peter… she doesn’t have to apologize on my account.” 

Turning to ‘Charlotte’ apparently I tried my best to smile, though I think it came out more as a grimace as I took in her stricken face.  She looked like she might be the one to vomit as her eyes darted from me to Peter and back again, shocked.  I’m sure it was because I raised my voice to his Majesty… but well, he wasn’t my King. 

As tense seconds ticked by I began to grow more nervous.  Peter hadn’t moved from his spot and his face gave nothing away, not that I expected it to.  Finally after what seemed like forever, the corners of his mouth twisted upwards into a smirk, revealing the same elongated ivory fangs. 

“What are you people?” 
Of course I didn’t get any answers that night, not from Charlotte, who actually looked like a forthcoming person and definitely not from Peter, who did not. 

Shaking myself once again, I looked at Charlotte who was smiling devilishly at me.  Smiling back I had to ask.  “What do you mean “Peter’s gone”?”

Her smile widened, showing me a row of deadly teeth and piercing fangs.  “He’s away on business…”  she crowed, leaping from the bed.  She stopped suddenly, her body growing tense as she hissed.  It was frightening to me that it didn’t even bother me anymore that she did this. 

She hissed again, this time more ferociously.  “Shut it you Git, not supposed to talk about it…” 

“What he does not know will not hurt us…”  she sang back to herself. 

“Sees everything… this we know…”  Her harsher voice practically snarled and efficiently ended the conversation when I cleared my throat. 

She turned, her head bowed, ringing her hands nervously and I breathed in relief.  She was back to normal.  “Sorry Bella,

“It alright,”  I told her kindly, shaking my head in protest of her apology.  In my mind it wasn’t her fault she was insane.  In fact I strongly believed that somehow Peter was a fault but I didn’t dare ask.  I had slyly brought it up one night during one of his pestering visits and his response was not a pleasant one.  He had immediately clammed up and turned colder than an iceberg, leaving minutes later and not returning for two days.  Never again, I promised myself. 

Shaking myself out of my stupor, I patted the spot on the bed next to me invitingly.  She looked most wary for a moment before she made her way over to me and gently took sat down.  “Now,”  I started with my own mischievous glint.  “What’s all this about Peter being away on business and what should we do in his absence?”

Her timid stare made me lift a questioning brow but watched with a mild fascination as a slow but menacing smirk graced her pale pink lips.  “The others return today.”

“Others?”  I asked without thought and her smile only increases. 

She nods her head.  “Yes, Peter’s underlings. They’re very excited to see you again, Bella.” 

I smiled warmly at her and nodded my head as she jumped off the bed and headed to my wardrobe.  In the days before coming into Peter’s protection and this intense but strangely comforting house I would have been irritated to have someone dress me as a their own personal doll, but mostly I think it might have had something to do with left over resentment towards them…  The family that had abandoned me to the harsh cruelties of the world. 

A moment late Charlotte came bounding out of my closet, a off white cashmere sweater in one hand and a beautiful pale blue, silk skirt in the other.  She was a terror when she was like this but as she was my only true companion in this house… well, I wouldn’t change a thing about her. If she wasn’t this way well I think I’d have gone stir crazy by day two.  She was after all, very entertaining. 

Like a whirlwind she tossed said articles of clothing on the bed and just as fast blurred into the bathroom where a second later I could here the sound of running water.  It was only then that her words caught up to me and with out a second thought I ran to the bathroom.

“What do you mean, “again?”

~ Kiss Me. Bite Me. Love Me. ~

~* Unknown Male Point of View  *~

Thanks to the beauty of the overcast sky, I was finally drawing closer to home.  Even having lived with Peter for countless decades it would never be my home until she returned.  My beautiful Bella.  She was everything good, clean and pure in my world and I longed for so many years just to gaze upon her lovely face again. 

Often at night, my mind would drift to her pale face and think longingly on those beautiful chocolate eyes.  Then I would wonder how much the world had changed her, if it had at all.  Would she still be the same trusting girl, so full of love and compassion for those who could possibly tear her to shreds?  Would she still be kind to those who roam the night?

“Are you alright?”  A tinkling voice next to me asks and I  can’t help but turn to her and smile.

Her beautiful face pinches together in concentration, as lovely black brows raise in speculation.  “You’re thinking about Bella again, aren’t you?” 

Just as always she can read me like an open book.  I nod to her satisfaction and she gives me a smile that is filled with both excitement and sadness before she schools her features back to the chipper woman I have spent most of my life calling best friend.  “I’m both excited and wary.”  I tell her evenly.

She throws a hand of her heart as her eyes widen in mock astonishment.  “Never!”  she exclaims with a playful gasp.  Her eyes shift then, taking on the previous sadness I had seen before.  “You know how this path leads.  Why do you still go to her?”  she asks in a whisper.

It’s a reasonable question and one that I have asked myself many times over that last few years.  Why do I return?  I have been freed of my servitude and yet I chain myself to her.  The answer in my mind was a simple one.  “You can’t control your own heart.” 

I’m nearly trembling when we reach the white double door, as I can clearly hear her giggling voice along with Charlotte.  There no telling what kind of mischief they could have possibly gotten into with Peter still away on business.  My hands shake as I grip the brass knob, wanting so badly to see her smiling face and yet terrified of it all at the same time. 

My companion hand reaches my shoulder and grips it comfortingly.  “You know you can still change your mind.”  she says cryptically, but with a hint of knowing amusement because I know that she knows that I can’t.

Pushing the door open with a gentle swing, a smile breaks upon my face as I take in her sweet scent.  My Lady, My Queen, My Love…  “No, I really can’t.” 


She laughs at my back as I make swift work through the long corridors that would lead me to Peter’s wing of the high-rise mansion.  It was a brilliant idea on his part, building so far from humans and their prying eyes.  It wasn’t as large as our home in London, nor was it anything close to the slenderness of Peter’s home in Eastern Europe but it was exceedingly comfortable nonetheless and it was perfect place for Bella at the moment. 

Her tinkling laugh and Charlotte’s insane outburst lure me to them.  They are in Peter’s drawing room.  The door were wide for me to see and see I did.  I stood there not able to move any close for fear of doing something that would cause me to lose my head, and watched. 

She was more than I remembered.  She had matured and was no longer the scrawny woman-child I had fallen so desperately in love with.  Her hair had grown and darkened into the darkest chocolate luster I had ever seen.  Her skin still pale as ivory glistened against the late afternoon sky and her smile lit the room with its own glow.  Once again, she arrested my heart and held me captive, once again in a matter of seconds she had pulled me in and I toppled over helplessly in love. 

Charlotte head jerked up and over to my direction, hearing the gasp that I only just realized I had made.  She smiled warmly and waved a hand childishly in my direction while she spoke.  “Planning an invasion we are.” 

I chuckled at her insane ways.  “Are we now, and against who are we planning to pillage?” 

Bella’s head jerked up at hearing my voice and turned to look at me while clambering up on shaking legs.  She stood there for a long moment, her eyes so wide it was nearly comical.  It was comical at least to me.  Tears welled in her beautiful eyes and all the mirth left my body.

She crossed the room to stand just in front of me, trembling like a newly born colt as her hand reached out hesitantly to caress my cheek.  I nearly purred in satisfaction at the feeling of her warm, divine fingers tracing the planes of my face as if she were trying to justify to herself that I was, in fact, real. 

A tear slid down her cheek as her bottom lip quivered, then the most beautiful sound left those petal pink lips. 

My name. 

“J-Jasper?”