AVitD-Chapter 24

Chapter 24~ There Can Only Be One

“Damn it!”  Bella cursed as she tore a hole through another shirt.

Emmett shook in his effort to hold in his laughter, but Bella could still hear him even with her bedroom door shut.

“Shut up Emmett!  I swear I will kick your ass if you don’t stop laughing at me.” She growled out loud as she attempted to put on another shirt. Tearing cloth could be heard in the living room followed by another, “Damn it!”

Emmett was rolling on the floor by this point.  He figured he was safe for now because Bella would never come out without a shirt on.  Jasper knew better then to laugh as he saw the death glare that his wife was giving their brother.  She got up from her seat and kicked Emmett hard in the ribs.

“Ow Shorty!  What was that for?” he questioned as he rubbed his side.

“That was for my sister you big ox.  Now knock it off or I’ll tell Bella about the time Jasper convinced you that snails were edible.” Alice snarked as she headed towards Bella’s room.

Emmett shuddered at the memory, “Ugh, that was the worst!”

Alice knocked on the door, though it was no longer necessary since Bella could hear her walking towards the room the entire trek from the living room.

“Can I come in?” she asked tentatively.

Bella sighed as she answered softly in an attempt to reign in her anger, “Sure Alice.”

Alice stepped in and closed the door behind her.  The shredded scrapes of three shirts lay on the ground at Bella’s feet.  She gave her sister an empathetic smile.

“Why the hell don’t they make clothes out of something more durable?” she huffed in frustration.

Alice was going to offer to help, but then thought of something else. “Bella?”

“Hmm?”

“What makes you calm?  What sets your emotions at ease?” Alice asked.

She handed Bella another shirt; one of her favorite hoodies.  Bella looked at it with trepidation, fearful that she would rip it too.  Her gaze turned up at Alice in question.

She nodded to Bella in encouragement.

Bella took a deep breath to calm herself, “Carlisle’s arms around me?” she said it more like a question than a statement.

“Good,” Alice encouraged, “What else?”

“Cooking used to calm me, but now there is no one to cook for and I break everything I touch anyways.”

Alice could see her frustration growing again. “Just because there is no one here to eat it doesn’t mean that you can’t cook again.  Esme used to cook food for the soup kitchens in whatever town we lived in at the time.  There is no reason why you can’t pick that back up eventually.  Now, back to the subject at hand.  What else sets you at ease?”

Bella thought about it and smiled, “Carlisle singing to me.”

Alice grinned in return.  “Name one of the songs you love him to sing.”

“Someone to Watch Over Me.” Bella replied.

“Great!  That is a perfect song.  Now, close your eyes and keep your focus on the memory of him singing to you.” Alice instructed.

Bella did as she was told; a silly grin stuck on her lips as she thought about Carlisle’s velvet tenor playing in her ears as they danced.  Alice could see in her vision that this would work and had to hold back on her giddiness.

“Okay, now lift the sweatshirt over your head and put it on, but keep listening to Carlisle singing to you.”

Bella lifted the hoodie up over her head and pulled it down.  She then slid each arm into its respective sleeve.  She slipped the hood down and swept her hair free.  She opened her eyes with a huge smile as she realized what she had done.

“Alice!  I did it!!!” she cheered with glee.

“You sure did.” Alice beamed back.

Bella was so excited over the simple achievement, but then her expression turned dark as she flopped down on the floor near the bed.

“What’s wrong Bella?” she asked as she sat next to her.

“This is ridiculous!  I should not be so happy over putting on my own shirt!” she motioned to herself grandly.

“Hey, none of that.  You are so new to this life.  You are only three months old and your emotions are going to get the better of you.  If you lose focus, think about the things that calm you like you did just now.” Alice patted her hand gently.

“It will get easier as time goes on.  I promise.  And don’t worry about Emmett, I kicked him on my way in.” She added with a wink.

“I wondered what you had done.” Bella smiled once more.

She carefully adjusted her sleeves and the hem of her sweatshirt before looking up at Alice expectantly.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?”

Since her awakening, the family had all had a hand in helping Bella get used to her new life.  It was not easy.  Bella was a typical newborn in many ways.  She was easily distracted and driven by her thirst and her emotions.  Clothes and furniture had taken the biggest hit.  Alice was keeping several online stores in the black while the guys made regular trips into nearby towns to replace furnishings.  That was where Carlisle and Jasper were this morning.  They had to drive out a bit further than normal so as to not raise suspicions by repeatedly buying bedroom sets every other week…sometimes more. 

Bella looked up at the remnants of the eighteenth bed.  The frame was cracked and the head board was pulverized when Bella lunged at Carlisle the night before.  Good times, she thought to herself, but at the same time she was tired of breaking stuff just because she lost control.

“Focus Bella.” Alice called as she watched Bella smile as an obviously pleasant memory played across her mind.

Bella shook her head and looked contritely at her sister, “Sorry.”

Alice giggled in her classic tinkling voice, “Think nothing of it.  Come on.” She offered her hand to Bella which she took gently.

“Good job.  If I was human, that would be the perfect amount of pressure.” Alice complimented.

Bella smiled a megawatt grin as she walked into the livingroom to find Emmett and Rosalie sitting together in one of the arm chairs.  Rosalie was in her coveralls.

“Oh!” Bella exclaimed excitedly, “Do I get to help you in the garage today, Rose?”

Bella never had an interest in cars and motors in her human life, but with her expansive vampire brain she dove into any new information or possible skill training with fervor.

Rosalie disentangled her body from Emmett’s grasp and backed away shaking her head, “No way.” She took a deep breath as she watched Bella’s face fall. “Oh, hey.  I’m sorry Bella.  I would love for you to help me, but you need to get a bit more control before I feel comfortable with you around my babies.” She smiled reassuredly hoping to soften the blow, “Besides, Emmett has something different for you to do today that will get you one step closer to amping up the engine on the Hummer.”

Bella’s expression brightened once more, “Really?”

Emmett jumped in, “Yep, little sis, you are all mine today.”

The devilish glint in his eye gave her a moment’s pause, “You aren’t going to show me something that is going to leave my sweatshirt in tatters are you?” she questioned as she thought back to the last time Emmett taught her a vampire lesson.  Flying between trees was fun but it had shredded the sleeves of her shirt.  

Little by little they had tested her shield’s capabilities and they quickly discovered as effective as it was against everyone else, it did little to stop the elements and nature as a whole from coming in contact with her.  She protectively wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to guard her hoodie. 

Emmett chuckled, “Naw.  I know that is one of your favorites.  It may get a little dirty, but no permanent damage should be done as long as you keep a hold of that temper of yours.” He added with a wink.

Bella relaxed her stance.  “Okay, lead the way,” she said as she reached out for his hand.

He took it and smiled at her.  Having these minor physical interactions was all part of her training.  Not to mention, it just made her feel closer to the family as a whole.  Emmett led her out the front door and Bella stopped short when she saw the bags of topsoil and plant food alongside the countless flats of flowers.  Emmett turned and smiled as his teeth and skin sparkled in the sun.

“What is all this Em?” she asked though she knew the answer.

“You are performing your first solo brain surgery today Bells…what does it look like?” he asked sarcastically.

She stood silent for a moment longer as she observed the barren flower garden that ran along the front of the house.  It was in serious need of some TLC.

Emmett walked back to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “Esme used to love gardening.  It was one of her favorite pastimes and when I was first turned, she taught me all about it.”

Bella looked at him as if he had three heads.  Emmett gardening?  He let go of a guffaw of a laugh at her expression squeezing her to his side. 

“I cannot even tell you how many plants suffered an untimely death at my hands, but Esme never lost patience with me.” He smiled softly at the memory as a stray cloud shadowed them both; shutting down the disco show momentarily.

Emmett took in a lung full of sweet spring air to bring himself back to the present.

“So, to help you learn to focus and keep a handle on your strength, you are going to hone in on your inner garden gnome.” He said as he squeezed her shoulder once more.

Bella took a deep breath to settle her emotions and slowly pushed her sleeves up past her elbows.

“Alright, all great and powerful Brother Nature.  Instill your wisdom upon me.”

Emmett’s laugh echoed off the woods surrounding the property.  “That’s the spirit!  Let’s get started.”

His first lesson was for Bella to be able to pull the weeds from the garden-- easier said than done as far as she was concerned.  A steady stream of colorful adjectives followed each weed as the leaves and stems would break off in her hands leaving the roots firmly in the ground.  Emmett did his best to keep his laughter to a minimum; really wanting Bella to do well at this.  He showed her how to dig her fingers in the dirt around the plant first to loosen the roots and then to wiggle and pull the full plant out.  Bella whooped in triumph the first time she got the whole weed.

There were no gardening tools amongst their supplies.  “They aren’t needed in our case and to be able to feel everything with your hands directly gives you a better sense of how much pressure and strength to use.” He explained when Bella had questioned their absence.

As the sun stretched high in the midday sky they moved in to tilling the weed free ground and mixing plant food into the dark, rich soil.  Bella loved the feel of the cool earth as her fingers raked through it.  It was surprisingly relaxing.  The texture was amazingly intricate.  Soft yet firm.  Moist yet dry at the same time.  The tiny insects scurried out of her way and she listened to their multiple extremities push and excavate deeper into the ground.

Emmett brought out the flower pallets next.  Bella bit her lip as she took in the rainbow of colors in front of her.  She thought about all the weeds she had decimated and she worried about what kind of destruction she would do to these delicate creations.  Emmett saw the concern written on her face.

“Hey, no worries Baby B.  You can handle this.  Just watch me.” He said confidently.

Bella nodded.  She watched intently and listened as Emmett explained how to free each plant from its mini sleeve, then how to gently loosen the root bundle and finally how to pat the ground around it to keep it secure and upright.

He handed her a sleeve of eight mauve colored impatiens.  She raised her eyebrow at him in question prompting a chuckle that he just couldn’t hold in.

“It’s the name of the flower, Bells.  Now quit stalling and get them planted.”

He went back to a sleeve of his own flowers as Bella attempted to do what Emmett showed her.  As expected, all eight flowers became casualties of her training.

“Damn it!  Why did you give those to me?  They were so pretty and now they are shit!” she emphasized the last word as she threw the mutilated plastic holder against a tree across the yard.

“Easy Bells.” He said as he set his flowers down and knee walked over to her side. “We have plenty of flowers to plant and worst case scenario, we will just buy more.  It’s good for the local economy.” He said with a soft chortle as he bumped her shoulder.

Bella couldn’t stop the small grin that played on her lips.  Emmett may not have a traditional gift like her, Alice and Jasper, but he had a true talent for making people smile even when they were all but beyond help.

“Try again.  But this time I want you to do like Alice taught you earlier.  Look at the ground and see where the holes are.” Bella did as he said before accepting another group of eight flowers that he handed her; white impatiens this time. “Close your eyes and go to the place that sets your mind at ease.”

Again, Bella followed his directions and she soon saw herself lounging in Carlisle’s embrace in front of the fire in the living room.

“Keep your eyes closed and envision where the flowers need to go and put them there.” He coached her softly as he moved out of her way.

Bella squeezed the outside of the sleeve and then extracted the root bundle from its hold.  She leaned forward and placed it in the first hole to her left after loosening the roots slightly.  She pressed the dirt down around the flower securing it in its new home.  She opened her eyes and turned quickly towards Emmett with a giant smile on her face.

“Holy shit!  It worked!  I can’t believe I did it!”

“You sure did Baby B.  You sure did.” He said proudly.

They continued to work together throughout the remainder of the afternoon getting all the flowers planted.  Not only did they complete the garden out front, but they constructed a new one around the fully restored gazebo as well as a small one in the far corner of the back yard.

Sure, more plants were sacrificed at Bella’s hands, but she learned so much about channeling her emotions and keeping her strength at bay that she was beyond pleased when all the work was complete.

Carlisle and Jasper were in a deep conversation about covens vs. vampire families vs. nomadic vampires as they drove through town on their way home.  They compared their experiences of being a Major in the Southern wars to being an underling as part of the Volturri coven.

“I just can’t wrap my brain around how they have managed to sustain their power and not kill each other when there are three of them in charge.” Jasper pondered out loud.  “In all my years, I have never seen even a small grouping of vampires accept anything other than one distinct leader.”

Carlisle gave him a wry smile, “I was only with them for a few decades, but it took me mere months to understand that though they gave the impression of equality among the three ‘brothers’, Aro was the solitary leader.  Caius and Marcus were nothing more than bishops to protect Aro by alluding to their power and setting themselves up as possible targets.”

“That is really quite a sound and effective strategy.” He contemplated as they pulled into the long driveway.

Twilight cast its glow across the property.  Two figures stood side by side in the front yard forming sparkling shadows against the green grass.  Their sizes and shapes gave away their identities even from the distance and with the back lighting.

“She is happy and moderately peaceful.” Jasper whispered to Carlisle. “And if Emmett was any more proud, his chest could very well explode.” He added with a smirk.

Bella turned as the Mercedes made its way closer to the house.  The smile on her face made Carlisle’s heart ache and his arms yearn to hold her.  He hated being away from her, but he knew it was good for both of them to have a little separation now and again.

She was at his door before he opened it.  His arms encased her at lightning speed as he stepped out of the car.

“I missed you sweetheart,” he said as he kissed her hair; inhaling her scent.  “Did you have a good day?”

She nodded into Carlisle’s strong chest.  She was torn between her desire to stay as close to him as possible and her enthusiasm over her new found gardening skills.  Her excitement won out, but only by an infinitesimal margin.

“It started out kinda crappy; I ripped three shirts of mine, but Alice helped me settle down and then Emmett showed me how to garden without destroying everything!” she practically vibrated with joy.

Carlisle smiled down at his beautiful angel.  Her face exuded all the happiness and pride that she felt inside.  He cupped her cheek as Bella leaned into his loving touch.

“I am so glad you and Emmett had a good day.” He said.

Bella turned her face and kissed the palm of his hand before she reached up to take it in hers.

“Come!  Let me show you what we did!”

Her exuberance was contagious and Carlisle couldn’t help but bask in it.  Jasper and Emmett, who had been joined by their mates, followed behind them.  Bella rattled off all the new flowers she had learned about as she pointed to the sections she had tended to all on her own.  Emmett’s areas showed a higher level of quality and care, but no one dared to point that out.  She walked them around to the back of the house and showed off the new adornments to the gazebo as well as the fresh garden that she and Emmett had created from scratch.

Carlisle questioned the large hole in the ground in the center of a horse shoe shaped floral arrangement.

“That is for the mini waterfall and pond that Emmett and I are going to install.  Alice ordered it online and it should be in within the next few days.  And we—I mean he is going to head into town and pick up a stone bench and a couple of flag stones that I had ordered as well.”

Her excitement was laced with a hint of moroseness.  She missed her freedom and longed for the day when she could make a trip into town with the others.  It had been one of the few spots of contention between her and Carlisle.

Jasper sensed her sadness and pushed out a wave of encouragement towards her.

“Don’t worry darlin’ the next nine months will fly by and you will be able to mingle with the humans just like before.” He said as he gave her that crooked smile that she always had to give back.

Carlisle embraced her close by his side. “The gardens are absolutely beautiful Bella.  You and Emmett did an excellent job making the house look even more like a home.”

Bella’s mood quickly shifted back to a more positive aura; then swiftly changing once more.  Jasper sucked in an unnecessary breath as Bella’s lust hit him full strength.  He could only absorb so much before his natural reflex to push back kicked in, and just like that Bella and Carlisle were alone as the other couples made a hasty retreat to their separate rooms.

Carlisle felt the effects of Jasper’s gift like the others.  He stared down at his mate with lust filled, blackened eyes.  Bella’s chest vibrated as she growled with her need. 

“Bella,” he groaned as his lips crashed down upon hers.

Her mouth opened to him with very little coaxing and their tongues battled for dominance.  He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and lifted her off the ground.  Bella’s legs instinctually locked themselves around his back; grinding her hot center up and down his throbbing shaft.  Carlisle sped into the house barely able to shut the bedroom door before his shirt was ripped from his skin. She was feral with her need for him, and her actions showed it.  She went to take her sweatshirt off and the sound of tearing material stopped her cold.  Her emotions ran the gamut from sad to heartbroken then irritated and finally furious.  She jumped out of Carlisle’s embrace and tore the remainder of the hoodie from her back.  That wasn’t enough to quell her anger.  She continued to yank and pull at the tattered pieces till there was nothing that could even be discerned as having once been an article of clothing.  She panted and growled.  Non-descript words fell from her lips as she raged on.

Carlisle tried to sooth her, “Bella sweetheart, it is fine.  It happens.  You are still so new…” his words were cut off by a ferocious growl as she turned and actually snapped her razor sharp teeth at him.

His perpetually calm demeanor was obliterated; only to be replaced by the domineering head of the family; the coven leader.

“I don’t think so Isabella.” His voice quiet but ice cold, “You will settle yourself down or I will do it for you.”

In typical newborn fashion, she did not recognize the tell-tale signs of the dominant leader and she went with her first instinct which was to let her anger speak for her.  She growled again while showing her teeth. 

That was the proverbial straw.

Before her vampire brain could comprehend what was happening, Carlisle had her jeans and panties stripped from her; her body lay prone over his lap with her wrists bound together with his one hand in the center of her back. His right leg locked over the back of her knees leaving her nowhere to go; completely exposed to him.

“You will respect my position in this family Isabella.  I may be your mate, but I am first and foremost your maker and the head of this coven.  You will not show your teeth to me or endeavor to bite me.  Is that understood?” he asked in a tone that left no doubt that he was serious.

Bella struggled to free herself and hissed in anger and frustration.  In newborn, that would be a ‘no’.

Smack!

The sound of his hand coming down on her bare ass echoed around her.  She growled in indignation.  Her body bucked continuing to try and wiggle free.

Smack!

Again his hand came down with maximum force; leaving a stinging sensation on his palm.  Bella’s efforts to break away doubled. 

Smack!  Smack!

She howled in pain but never gave up her struggle to get loose.  Carlisle battled to keep the upper hand.  Bella’s newborn strength was nearly a match to his own.  He heard the commotion outside his door as Rosalie tried to come in.  Jasper’s voice was clear and commanding.

“This is for the best and you must not interfere.  Emmett, get her away from the house.”

Rosalie let go of a feral growl before there was nothing but the sound of retreating footsteps before the back door closed.  Bella attempted to curl into a ball before thrusting her legs out in an attempt to break Carlisle’s hold on her.

Smack!  Smack!

“LET ME GO!” she growled at him; venom dripping from her lips.  Her normally golden eyes were as black as night with her fury.

“Not until you have settled down and learned your place.  I love you more than my own life, but I will not allow you to endanger our family with your subversive behavior.  It ends today Isabella” He spoke with a monotone voice.

Smack!

With each crack of his hand against her flesh he felt a pain deep within his chest.  It was like each slap splintered his soul.  He hated this.  He hated it more and more with each passing minute.  But he refused to let his emotions make a play now.  This could not be about what she was feeling nor what he was experiencing.  This was about the hierarchy of the family.  In a coven or family of immoral creatures, there must be a leader and that was Carlisle.  However as much as his brain understood this, he could not shut out his emotions completely.  He was angry, hurt, upset with himself, but out of nowhere he found himself to be above all else…aroused. 

He had never had to make a play for dominance in the family up until now.  He didn’t know what prompted him to spank Bella in response to her insolence, but it seemed to be a fitting option given that a normal battle for leadership in a coven involved severed body pieces and the inevitable death of the conquered.  Bella had made minor attempts to subterfuge his decisions in regards to her remaining secluded during her newborn stage, but he had let them slide due to the fact that she was his mate.  Not anymore.

Bella tried to take a snip at his leg prompting him to secure her hair in the same hand that bound her wrists before spanking her again.

Smack!  Smack!  Smack!

Bella was beyond herself by this point.  Her anger coursed through her like the flames of her transformation.  As she writhed across his lap, she could feel his hard on press up against her abdomen.  This was turning him on?  She growled once more in frustration realizing that his hand blazing across her ass was causing her to get wet as well.

Smack!  Smack!

Damn it!  It hurt, but the after burn sent sensual receptors careening throughout her body.  She wanted him to stop, but at the same time she craved more.  His control over her was a heady aphrodisiac.  The mix of pleasure and pain was distracting her from her anger--but not completely.  Now she was infuriated not only with Carlisle, but with her traitorous body.  Her fight to break free rose to a whole new level.  Her shield went up, but since he was holding her against his body, she had actually encapsulated both of them within the fiery barrier.  Bella hissed in frustration; venom spat from between her gritted teeth.

Carlisle realized that this was not giving him the results he was aiming to achieve.  He had one more ace to pull, and so with sound splitting speed he had Bella on the floor; her head down into a pillow that had fallen earlier.  He removed his jeans and boxers in one move as he kneeled on the back of her knees.  His ready manhood pressed against her dripping entrance.  Her hands still synched at the small of her back.  Her face was turned so that her eyes could meet his.  He stared down at her.  Her hair was as wild as her soul was at that moment.  Her eyes were black; desire and fire reflected back at him. 

“I will make you understand, but I will never force my body upon yours.  Tell me ‘no’ and I will stop.  If you say nothing, than I will accept your silence as your acquiescence.”

Carlisle did not move; he remained stone still as his eyes bore into hers.  He would stay like this forever if that is what it took, but he would never, ever take her brutally.  The perfume of her arousal hung thick in the air.  He had smelled it developing as he spanked her.  His swollen length dripped his essence in anticipation of being inside her, but he would…not…move.

Bella wanted him; like a man hanging from a cliff wants a rope.  It was so much deeper than a desire.  Her body craved his.  It needed to give in to him.  She was no match.  She dipped her chin giving him a small but definitive nod. 

With that he sheathed his sword inside her; he was hard and unyielding.  He was not making love to his future wife.  No.  Carlisle was claiming his mate and staking his position as the one true leader of this family.  There could only be one.  He drove into her repeatedly over and over.  Bella bit back her moans of ecstasy.  It was her last ditch effort in an attempt to top Carlisle, but just as she would near her release, he would stop his movements.  She bit her tongue and tasted the venom leak from the punctures; stopping herself from groaning in frustration.  Once he knew her climax had ebbed back from the edge, he would begin his relentless thrusting assault once more; pistoning in and out of her at an inhuman pace. 

Over and over he did this.  Speed, power, aggression then nothing.  She never begged him to stop nor to let her cum.  He knew what she was doing, and there was a part of him that broke inside for playing such a dangerous game with the love of his existence.  But allowing things to continue down this path would lead to both of their destructions.  So he pushed his emotions back and allowed his beast; his inner alpha, to lead them through this.  He pushed into her again, and again, and again; her juices poured down the inside of her thighs.  Her swollen clit protruded out; practically screaming for release from the sexual pressure built up within. 

Carlisle’s shackle like hold on her wrists denied her the option to pleasure herself.  Her body hummed with need.  Over and over he had taken her to the very brink.  Had she still been human, she would have fallen unconscious long ago.  Hell, had she been human, he would have literally crushed her body with the sheer force in which he thrust inside of her.  Bella had hit her limit.  She could not withstand the immense strength of his conviction.  She finally gave in and whimpered as she felt the coil deep within her tighten for the eleventh time.

“Please!” she moaned.

Carlisle released her hands and reached around her and pressed against her pleasure button.

“Cum for me Isabella.  Now!” he demanded.

Her screams of existential bliss echoed throughout the house out into the woods far beyond the property line.  Her body convulsed as she came time and again.  Carlisle continued to push her over the edge repeatedly.  Just as one orgasm ran its course another would rise up in its place.  He used his thumb and forefinger to milk her clit; drenching his hand in her nectar as it poured from her center.  She cried out as he possessed not only her body but her soul; her very existence.  She was his.  She could live ten thousand years and she would always be his. He was her alpha, her sire--her one true north.  She would never deny him his rightful place ever again.

The clarity her release gave her allowed Bella to rethink her initial behavior that had set this all in motion.  The cacophony of emotions that blazed through her barely allowed her to recall his words, but her brain gave her no choice in the matter.  Endanger the family?  She would never purposely put any of them at risk.  Would she?

What the hell am I doing?  I fucking growled and tried to bite him?!?  I actually bared my teeth!

Her body gave out and crumbled to the floor.  Carlisle pulled back; extracting himself from her heat.

Realization of what she had done crashed in on Bella and she began to weep tearless sobs.  His dead heart shattered; thinking he had broken her.  That was until he heard her words and understood where her crying welled up from.

“Carlisle, I am so sorry.” She wept, “I never meant to hurt you or our family.  I swear I will never put the family in harm’s way.” She turned to find his loving gaze looking back at her. She swallowed back the venom caught in her throat, “I would give my life to protect our family.”

With those words, Bella found herself in Carlisle’s loving embrace.  She clung to him with all her might.  Her grip was uncomfortable, but he did not complain.  He had his Bella back.  The newborn ‘beast’ had been silenced and put into its cage.  Every newborn must learn this all important lesson.  Some do not live through it.  It is the defining moment when a new vampire crosses the threshold between being wild and uncontainable and obtaining a whole new level of self-control.

“I love you Carlisle.” She whispered softly into his silken chest hair.

“As I love you My Bella.” He answered back.

Carlisle held his soul in his arms until the sun rose the next day.  He lay her down and pressed his body up against hers.  Her breasts pushed against his chest and he felt her nipples harden against him as his lips caressed hers.  He entered her tenderly allowing their bodies to connect as was always intended.  His movements were slow and measured.  His mouth never left her body as he traced her shoulders and neck with kisses that made their way up to her waiting lips.  He came within her as he breathed her name across the curve of her neck.  Her head tilted back in ecstasy, her orgasm flowed through her entire being.

Carlisle pulled out of her and urged her back against his chest.  His arms securely laced around her midsection reassuring Bella that his love for her truly was unwavering and unbreakable.