The Witching Hour Chapter 2 Edward was on me before I could get away.

He grabbed me by the waist with his left arm, and used his right hand to take a hold of my hair, baring my neck to him. I felt his nose run along the column of my throat as he inhaled my scent. With lightening fast reflexes, his teeth sank into my flesh, opening the artery in my neck. Edward drank my blood in long pulls and the euphoria I had felt before returned. I felt myself begin to slip away, my body felt light, and I was fighting the urge to let go completely. My cousins' screams were the only thing to penetrate the fog. Then, something unexpected happened. Edward had stopped drinking from me and was holding his wrist to my mouth. At first, the warm, coppery liquid made me gag. However, as it ran down my throat, a burn began deep inside me, and I wanted more. The problem was he had me trapped against him so tightly that I couldn't free my hands. I wriggled around, my body rubbed against his, and he let out a long hiss. Every nerve in my body perked up and he relaxed enough that I was able to get one arm out. My hand wrapped around his wrist and I held it to my mouth, greedily sucking at the open wound. "That's it, little witch. Feed from me. Be one with me," he said, groaning. When he had felt I had enough, he pulled his hand away before taking my mouth with his. His tongue invaded my mouth, lapping at the blood that was left behind. I could feel his sharp teeth scraping along my lips and this only heightened my sensations. My tongue pushed against his, desperate to feel him intimately. Every part of my body was now pressed closely to him as his hands roamed up and down my side before stopping at one of my breasts. I moaned when he cupped it, lightly dragging his fingers over my nipple. Unconsciously, my body arched further into his and I felt his erection pressing between my legs. There was no way to stop it- I ground my hips into him, relishing the friction. "Bella," he growled, grasping my waist tightly so that he felt the movement of my hips. He held me closer as I gyrated against him, waiting for the release I knew was coming. Our faces were just inches from each other and he was looking deeply into my eyes. I don't know what he was looking for but I assumed he had found it when a smile broke out on his face. Edward bent his head so that his mouth was next to my ear. His cool breath sent shivers down my spine and my heart rate sped up. The coil of heat in my stomach burned hotter and I knew that I couldn't hold out much longer. Edward licked the shell of my ear before whispering in my ear how beautiful he thought I was, how much he wanted me, how much he loved me. My eyes rolled back into my head as I gave my body over to the pleasure he was giving me. I was racked with wave after wave of orgasm. As my body settled down, Edward kept his hold on me. Before I succumbed to the darkness that washed over me, I heard him whisper. "You are mine, Isabella. Forever." ~~O~~ I hated him. I loved him. Through the haze, I could feel his blood mixing with mine, forever linking us. I was now completely his, whether or not I wanted to be. It felt like there was ice in my veins as his blood became one with mine. Eventually, it reached my heart, and I knew that I had run out of any hope. Edward had got what he wanted. Any power I had was now also his. My eyes fluttered open to strong arms that were holding me, a sweet voice was whispering to me. I couldn't move my limbs, and I felt the panic begin to well up in my

chest. When I tried to open my mouth, no sound, let alone words, came out. Was I dead? Did Edward overdo it and drink too much of my blood? Was I now some sort of halfbeing? "Shhh, Bella. Relax, my little witch. It'll take just a few more minutes and you'll be back to yourself," Edward said. "Edward, she doesn't look too good. Maybe you should bring her back to the house?" I think it was Jasper that said this. "That's a good idea, my brother. It would be best if we had some time alone anyway." Edward looked deep into my eyes, and although every reasonable part of me protested this, I felt safe. He lifted me as if I weighed no more than a feather and then took off into the woods. I had to close my eyes to keep from getting nauseous as my beloved woods passed before me in a blur. He finally slowed as he came to a clearing and a beautiful white house came into view. "Esme, could you open the door?" I heard Edward say and was surprised that his mother was so close. Only she wasn't. I saw the back doors of the house open and Edward's mother stood to the side as he walked into the house. "Can I get you anything?" she asked. "No, thank you. I'm going to clean her up, and we need some time to sort things out." "Okay, I'm going to hunt then. She's making me thirsty." I shuddered at this. There was no way that I could reconcile that his sweet mother had just said that. I closed my eyes, and when I reopened them, I was on the softest bed, surrounded by pillows. My fingers twitched as I felt the comforter beneath me, and I was relieved that my motor skills were coming back to me. "Oh good, you're moving your fingers. Try to wiggle your toes," he said as he removed my shoes. Edward was pleased when I was able to move my whole foot. I opened my mouth but was still not able to speak. He lay down next to me, stroking my hair and humming an unknown musical piece. It relaxed me, for which I was grateful, but I was still wary of him. Edward leaned over and gently kissed my forehead before moving down to my mouth. For a minute, I thought he was going to take advantage of me but all he did was swipe his tongue over my lips. "Mmmm," Edward moaned at the taste of the residual blood. That completely turned me on, and I began to push my body against his. Edward held me down by covering my body with his, and again, as he looked into my eyes, I felt safe and quieted down. I felt my heart accelerate at his nearness and as our breaths mingled. He was turning me into a monster like him, yet I wanted nothing more than for him to kiss me. Edward watched my tongue intently as I licked my dry lips, the metallic taste of blood wasn't unwelcomed. Tasting our blood combined, I could now understand why he seemed to like the taste of it. It was his blood on my lips, but I could taste both of us. This made me ache to be closer to him, and I was happy when my hands started to work and I

grabbed his hips. A devilish grin spread across his face, and when he cocked his eyebrow in question, all I could do was nod my head. Edward took my mouth with his, claiming me yet again. He seemed frenzied and pushed his tongue inside my mouth until he was touching mine. I met him with ferocity and was becoming frustrated that my body wasn't completely working with me. I wanted to press myself against him. I wanted to wrap my legs around him and never let go. I wanted to feel his erection rubbing against my wet sex. I tried to make my legs work and was elated when I felt my knees bend. Edward must have wanted the same thing because he took my leg and wrapped it around him. He ground himself into me and I felt the heat began to pool deep inside of me. Even though I knew this was wrong, I couldn't help myself. I belonged to him and I loved him. No matter that in the end he would probably end up destroying me. "Ahh" I managed to finally get out. "Yes, that feels good, doesn't it? Will you come for me again, little witch?" "YesssEdward." My speech was coming back slowly, but at least I could say something. My body was now fully functioning and I was clawing at Edward for more. He awoke the fire within and I needed him so badly. I slid my hands between us and unbuttoned my jeans, hoping he'd take the hint. He did and soon he was dragging the zipper down and one long finger was stroking the cotton of my underwear. Electricity shot through me and my whole body arched over the bed. "There it is," he said. I wasn't sure what he meant by this but when I ripped his shirt open, buttons scattering across the room, I understood. His blood was in me. I was just as strong as him. We were equals. Putting that thought away for later, I touched every inch of his bare skin. He was beautiful, hard muscle lay underneath smooth alabaster skin. I raked my hands down his chest, watching the red lines that marked him. "Mine," I growled, flipping us so that he was now on his back. "I am yours, my little witch. We may need to work on you controlling your strength though," he chuckled. I straddled him, and as I sat on top of him, I caught my reflection in the mirror over the bed. It took me a second to recognize that it was in fact me. My hair was wild, like I'd been caught in a tornado and it was the only part of me that didn't survive. The brown eyes that I once loathed for being plain were darker, almost sultry looking. There was dried blood along my mouth and chin. Then I saw my neck; It was almost gouged open, more dried blood trailing its way under my shirt. Panicking, I scurried off of Edward and managed to fall off the side of the bed in the process of trying to get away. "What did you do to me?" I asked, on the brink of hyperventilating. Edward was now on the floor in front of me, trying to calm me.

"Bella, I swear it's not as bad as it looks, I promise. I'm sorry, but I got carried away. Your blood has been taunting me for months, and when I had the opportunity to finally taste it, I struck." "You got carried away? What the hell, Edward? I look like I was mauled by a bear! And my eyes, what happened to them?" I started to cry. "Please, calm down. We'll get you cleaned up and you'll see. I can't stand to see you cry," he said. I couldn't hear what he was saying. My life was rushing before my eyes and the enormity of what was going on had only begun to reveal itself. Edward came closer and I pushed at his hands before I finally let him pick me up again, this time to take me into the bathroom. He sat me on the toilet bowl while he turned on the shower, fiddling with the temperature. When he walked back to me and started to undress me, I flinched as my bra came off, and the cold air hit my nipples, making them pucker. His sharp intake of breath let me know that this had affected him. Edward pulled my jeans and underwear down before kneeling to take off my socks. I could hear his heartbeat as it picked up speed and knew he was restraining himself. He made quick work of getting undressed himself and then we were in the shower. Edward had a poof. For some reason this struck me as funny and I began to laugh. "Bella? Are you okay?" "You have a poof," I said, as I kept laughing. "Well, yes, don't you use one? Esme said all girls use them these days." "You have this for me?" I asked. "Bella, just because I'm inherently evil doesn't mean I can't do something nice for my little witch." That made me laugh even harder and he was looking at me like I lost my mind. Which I guess I kind of had. Then I noticed I was naked. Edward was naked. We were taking a shower together. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks and knew I was blushing. I put my head down to hide it but then I was looking at naked Edward. He put a finger under my chin and lifted my face. "Don't be embarrassed. I just want to take care of you," he said as he reached behind me and grabbed a bottle of body wash. My body wash. He squeezed a generous amount on the poof, ran it under the shower spray, and then he pushed me under it, letting the warm water pour over my skin. I ran my hands over my face, hoping to get some of the blood off. Too afraid to touch my neck, I went to my chest next and noticed the stream of dried blood that ran down over my breasts. "You're killing me," Edward said. His eyes were dark with lust, and I wasn't sure if it was because I was touching myself or the blood. Most likely, though, it was both. He came closer and I put my hands down. Edward bent his head, his mouth was now inches from my collar bone. His left arm wrapped around me, drawing me into him and he lapped at the blood. Like the predator he was, he followed the trail to my left breast

and cleaned me with long strokes of his warm tongue. I whimpered when he moved away and began to actually wash me. He was careful to stay away from my neck; he could see the fear in my eyes when he went near it. I understood the symbolism; he was washing away my former self. Once I was free of blood, he backed me up to the wall and knelt before me. His hands were on my hips and he looked up at me, now with wonder on his face. Edward sat back on his feet and gently lifted my right leg. Starting at my foot, he ran the poof over the top then bottom, tickling me a little, before making his way up my leg. When he reached my thigh, I started to tremble, and I knew he felt it. He did the same with my left leg, except this time when he was done, he spread my legs and kissed the inside of my thigh. "One day, my little witch, I will feed from here. It will bring both of us the most intense pleasure you could imagine." "Now, Edward," I demanded, worked up from his gentle touches. "Don't be in such a rush, Bella," he chuckled before lightly nipping at the tender flesh. He pressed his nose right underneath my belly button and drew in a long ragged breath before crawling his way up my body. Once we were face to face, he reached out his right hand and gingerly wiped the blood from my neck. I looked into his eyes the entire time, needing the safe feeling he gave me. When he had finished, he looked my neck over, and then gave the marks a soft kiss. Edward then ran his tongue over them and they instantly felt better. I raised my hands and twined them into his hair, holding him at my neck. My body and mind were at war. One wanted him to consume me; the other wanted me to run. It didn't take a genius to figure out which one won. I brought his face to mine and kissed him. His hands ran up and down my sides before settling at my hips. The need for him exploded inside me and my right hand let go of his head to find his left hand at my hip. I moved them so that he was now touching my dripping pussy. Edward knew what I wanted and stroked my wet slit up and down. "Edward, please" "What, baby? Please what?" He was going to make me say it. "I want to feel you inside me." "Whatever you want, my little witch," he said and then pushed a finger inside me. The scream that escaped my mouth was soon muffled by Edward kissing me. I had never felt such all consuming passion for another person. He was my Chosen; he was evil but he was mine. My hips bucked as I rode his finger until he slipped another inside me. Edward's thumb was now stroking my clit in time to the thrusts of his finger and I felt my orgasm building. As I was about to fall over the edge, he spread my legs further apart and replaced his fingers with his hard cock. I came violently, screaming his name again and he moaned every time my walls contracted around him. "Edward," I said, my voice sounding breathy even to my own ears. "Yes, Bella?" he asked as he thrust in and out of me. "I am yours."

"Of course you are, my silly little witch." ~~O~~ "Edward?" I asked a few hours later as we lay on his bed facing each other. "I know," he sighed, "you're mine." I hit him in the chest and he let out an "oomph." "Not that. Jacob Black," I started to say before he growled and cut me off. "Do not say his name again, little witch." "Fine, he was my Guardian," I stated. "Yes." "He was my Chosen." "No, Bella. I am your Chosen," he said firmly. "But you're a Destroyer." "I am. Does that mean that I shouldn't know love?" "Well, yeah. By definition you destroy things. You tricked me and my family. You killed Ja-" "What did I just say?" he yelled, flipping me on my back. "That dog was not good enough for you, Isabella. He was a common mutt. They thought he could be your Guardian? He couldn't even keep himself alive! I am your Chosen. I will now be your Guardian, too." "Edward, you're scaring me, and I don't understand any of this," I said, my voice shaking. I placed my hands on his still bare chest and looked into his eyes. This was the first time I didn't feel safe when I looked into them. My words finally penetrated through to him and he gave me a sheepish smile. The Jekyll and Hyde routine was going to give me whiplash. "I'm sorry. You were going to be mine no matter what, Bella. Even if I hadn't killed him, it would have happened eventually. This way, there's no way he could poison you against me. I couldn't let him have you. He was not your Chosen one." "Is this some sort of cosmic joke then? My Chosen one is a Destroyer? You were sent after me weren't you? And your brothers after my cousins? I have no choice but to love you, Edward. What do I do with all of this? You're supposed to be my enemy," I said, starting to cry. "Bella, I don't know if this is a joke on us. It's just the way it is. Know that I'm your Chosen. You would have sought the Guardian out if he was truly your Chosen. Yet you didn't even know that he existed until today. I did what needed to be done. I love you, my little witch. Soon, you'll forget about the unpleasantness that happened today, and you'll embrace your new life."

"Whoa, hold up. My new life? What's wrong with my old life?" I asked. "Bella, it will be easier if you accept the darkness that is now inside of you." "Accept it? Like hell I will! I didn't ask for this, you know. You took it upon yourself to bring me over to the dark side." "Oh, little witch, you already had darkness in you. Didn't you know that? And there was no way we could be together unless it was like this," he said. "I did not have any darkness in me until you made me drink your blood!" "Everyone has darkness in them." "Then you must have light in you now, too, from drinking from me," I reasoned. "Yes," he said, nodding. "I do have light inside of me. But I don't have to listen to it; neither do you." "I can't even deal with this right now. It's almost night fall and I have to get my cousins." "Why?" he asked. "Because it's Samhain, and I'm the Priestess of the coven you and your brothers just attacked. Don't forget that we share blood now, and I'm getting stronger from it every minute," I threatened as I got up from the bed and began to throw on my clothes. "Fine, run along and do your spells. I'll know if you're doing anything untoward. I highly suggest you and your cousins behave yourselves." "Whatever. I'm starting to not like you," I told him before kissing him on the lips and walking out of the bedroom. ~~O~~ "Alice, I don't know what we're going to do," I said to my cousin for the hundredth time that night. We were in our cemetery, a protective circle around us. It couldn't keep the Cullens out if they really wanted in, but we still planned on summoning the spirits of our ancestors as we did every year. "Jasper is just so, ugh! You know? One minute everything is amazing and the next he's all grrrr!" "That was really eloquent, Alice," Rose said. It was actually the only thing she'd said so far. "What's it like with Emmett?" I asked. "I don't think we should be discussing what goes on between us and our Chosen ones." "Are you fucking serious, Rosalie?" Alice shouted.

"Watch your tongue, pixie," Emmett said, coming out of nowhere. "Why? What are you going to do? Kill me? You think Jasper would allow that?" Alice snarked back. "She does have a point, my brother. I couldn't let you hurt her," Jasper said, appearing next to Emmett. "She needs to learn respect, Jasper. Maybe you can beat it into her." "You motherfu-" "Enough!" I shouted at the same time as Edward joined his brothers. "Hail, hail, the gang's all here," I said. "We're just here to observe, my little witch. Emmett, I do believe that you owe both Alice and Jasper an apology. Bella explained to you earlier how the three of them are together. She may be your Chosen, but she belonged to them first. And you never threaten your brother's mate," he said, his voice full of ice. "I apologize, Alice, Jasper," Emmett said with no sincerity in his voice. "See? That wasn't so bad. Now, let them get to it," he told him, sitting on top of a tombstone. He winked at me, and I couldn't stop the smile from showing on my face. "Okay, guys. Let's just regroup for a minute," I said to my cousins. We took a few minutes to meditate, grounding ourselves so that we could do what needed to be done. Our altar was set up with the pictures of our ancestors, a bell, a small cauldron filled with coals and bottles of lavender, cinnamon and wormwood next to it. I lit the coals, waiting for the fire to burn out before placing the herbs on them. Together, we chanted the spell, Rosalie ringing the bell three times when it was finished. "We welcome the spirits of our ancestors into our protected circle," I said, and gave Edward a stern look. The air around us crackled and the fog that had protected us last night began to form inside our circle. I could feel myself getting light-headed; I thought I was about to pass out when I relived the day's prior events, watching Edward kill Jacob. "Bella, what did you do?" Rose asked. I looked up and standing before us was Jacob Black and the other two Guardians. "I didn't do anything! I got light-headed and was about to pass out when I thought about what happened earlier," I said truthfully. "Damn you, little witch!" Edward bellowed, coming towards the circle. "Edward! Don't you dare!" I shouted back, standing at the edge of the circle, prepared to fight him. "You step one foot inside here, and I swear I will spend the rest of my days looking for a spell that will sever our ties. All of them."

"Five minutes, Bella," was all he said. I turned to the three figures. "Jacob Black, my Guardian, what brings you to our circle?" I asked, hearing Edward swear when I said his name. "We failed you. My brothers and I were meant to protect you, but the bloodsuckers got to you first. We didn't see their plans changing; had we known that they were coming for you already, I swear we would have been here first," he said solemnly. "Thank you, but as you can see, we're okay." "Okay?" said the one standing to his right. "You are not okay. You have their demon blood inside of you and should be destroyed." "Paul!" Jacob reprimanded. 'That is not for us to judge." "He's right though, Jacob. They're an abomination now. Half human, half vampire," said the other one. "Jared, it is our fault that this happened, not theirs." "Are you our Chosen ones?" I couldn't help but ask. "Isabella!" Edward shouted. My head whipped towards him. "We have a right to know." "Yes, we are," Jacob said. "Then how come it felt like they were? Did they do something to us?" Alice asked. "I don't believe so. Just as you do not manipulate people's feelings with a love spell, neither the Guardians nor Destroyers can influence love," he explained. "So you're both our Chosen?" I asked. "Yes, and it is up to you to decide for yourselves who belongs to you," Jacob said. "That's enough, dog," Edward said, approaching the circle again. "You've had your say. You failed your mission. Like I said when I was killing you, she is mine now." "True enough, bloodsucker. However, a part of me will always be with her," Jacob told him. "I plan on stamping that part out first chance I get." "I am standing right here," I reminded them. "It's time to say goodbye to your Guardians, little witch. I've humored you enough for one night," Edward said.

"Be well, Bella. If you ever need my assistance, you know how to reach me," Jacob told me. "Thank you, and I'm sorry that he killed you." It seemed a strange thing to say, even to my ears, but it completely incensed Edward. There was a deafening crunching sound and I turned to see Edward turn one of the tombstones into dust with his fist. Rosalie quickly rang the bells seven times, sending them back to wherever it was they came from. I closed the circle and stalked straight to Edward. When I was standing in front of him, I drew my hand back and let it fly at his left cheek. The resounding sound of hand against face was all that was heard. "How dare you! This is my family's resting place and you desecrate it like this? You're an animal, Edward Cullen." "How dare I? You apologized to that mutt for me killing him. I'm not sorry I did it," he yelled, seizing me by the arms. "Well, I am sorry. He did nothing wrong and you killed him! How could you do that to someone whose purpose is to protect me? You say you love me, then why would you want him dead?" "He stood in my way- in our way," he explained. "Edward, Destroyer or not, I would've picked you," I told him sadly. I walked away from him, headed towards my home. There was nothing I wanted more at that moment than to see my parents. The woods seemed to be impossibly long tonight, and it felt like it took twice the time for me to reach to my house. I ran to the patio doors, plywood now in place where the glass was, and yanked them open. "Mom? Dad?" I called out. "Bella!" my mother called from deep in the house. We met near the front door of the house and embraced. "My baby girl! What happened? I came home and part of the house was destroyed. There was blood everywhere." "I'll explain it all, Mom. I'd like to get out of these clothes first," I said, gesturing toward my ruined outfit. "I need to call your father. He has the whole force looking for you and your cousins. Are they okay?" she asked, taking out her cell phone. "Yes, they're fine. We were just in the woods," I said as I walked up the stairs. I could hear her talking to my father, and when I reached my room, I shut the door and locked it. Peeling the clothes from my body, they were thrown in the corner for disposal later on. I put on my comfiest yoga pants and a tank top, lay on my bed, and let the tears fall. My whole existence changed in less than twenty-four hours. I was confronted with vampires, shape shifters, Guardians, Destroyers, Chosen ones, murders, and to top it all

off, I lost my virginity to my evil vampire-Chosen One-Destroyer-boyfriend. Wait, was he my boyfriend? If this didn't send me into therapy, nothing would. I thought about what Jacob and the others had said. We were now half human and half vampire. Would I crave blood? Would I become a killer? Alice was a vegan; she would not be pleased with this. My mind turned to Edward; he was a vampire and he came out during the day. I saw myself in the mirror before at his house, so that could be crossed off the list. Could I eat food? Now that I thought about it, I don't ever remember seeing any of the Cullens eat. "Bella?" I heard Edward's voice, but he was not in the room with me. "Go away, Edward," I answered, convinced I had now gone crazy. I was hearing his voice in my head and I was talking to it. "Please, my little witch." "You're not even here; you're inside my head!" I heard him laugh. "Oh sweet, Bella, I'm not in your head, not like you think. I'm in the woods behind your house." "But I can hear you!" "A perk of being a vampire- excellent hearing," he told me. I got off my bed and went to the window. Sure enough, Edward was just coming through the trees onto our property. He looked up and waved. "I can't do this right now. I have to try to come up with some sort of explanation." "Let me be there for you." "No, you'll only distract me. And don't worry, I'm hardly going to tell them that their daughter is an abomination," I said, remembering those hateful words. Edward kicked a tree when I said that and it split in two from the force. "You are not an abomination, Bella. If I could I would kill him for saying that." "Edward?" "Yes?" "Besides what you did to my great-great-grandmother's tombstone, you are now killing my trees," I said. "I will plant you a forest of tree's if you let me in." "Can't you just come inside? You've already been invited." "That's a myth, and yes, I can just come inside, but isn't it more respectful if I ask rather then barge in? I realize I'm just an animal" I could hear a note of hurt in his voice.

"Let me do this alone. I'll come to you later," I told him before walking away from the window and going to talk to my mom. ~~O~~ I was standing outside the Cullens' house, waiting for someone to answer the door. "Bella!" Dr. Cullen exclaimed as he opened the door. "It's so good to see you again." "Uhhi, Dr. Cullen. Is Edward home?" Why was I acting like this was normal? "Oh, please, you're family now, call me Carlisle. And yes he is. I believe he's in the game room with his brothers, but he's been expecting you." He ushered me inside and I got to have my real first look at the house. I was so intent on getting out before that I didn't bother to look around. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it all seemed like something out of a magazine. "Esme's an interior designer; this is all her doing. If it was up to me and the boys, we'd have futons and bean bags," he said gesturing toward the soft leather couch where I placed my overnight bag. I heard the whiz of a dart being thrown and followed it. There in the game room, the brother's were playing a game of darts. Jasper and Emmett both spared me a look and a quick nod of their heads, but Edward seemed to be ignoring me. "Emmett?" I asked authoritatively. "Yes?" "Do you still have to do what I say?" I asked. "Yes. Not only are you a Priestess, but you are Edward's Chosen one." "So, we're like King and Queen of the Prom?" I saw Edward's lips twitch slightly. Jasper and Emmett laughed. "Yeah, something like that." "You have to answer anything I ask, too, right?" "Yes, Priestess," he said, showing me that he took it seriously. "If the Chosen ones are supposed to be human, how is it you three are ours?" I inquired. "We were human once," Jasper answered. "We were born just like you; we needed oxygen just like you." "Oh," I said shocked that the answer was so simple. Edward was still ignoring me. I couldn't stand it. My skin was crawling being this far from him, but I had to make one more thing clear.

"I will protect my cousins no matter the cost. If either one of you hurts them, I will hurt you. Do you understand? I will find out your secrets, and I will use them against you. Do not underestimate my love or devotion to them." "Yes, Priestess," they responded. "Good, now go. I need to be alone with Edward." He was sitting on the billiard table as they walked out, and I went over to him. I stood between his knees, his eyes were fixed on the wall just over my shoulder. "Edward?" I asked in the same voice I used on Emmett. "Yes, Priestess?" "If the time comes that I need your help, even if its against your brothers, you will help me." "Yes, Priestess," he answered, still avoiding my eyes. I placed my hands on his thighs, loving the feel of the corded muscles underneath. "My little destroyer?" He barely cracked a smile. "Yes, my little witch?" "I gave you my virginity," I told him. He closed his eyes as if remembering. "I know you did." "Did it mean anything to you?" At this his eyes opened. "What? Of course it did!" "Then why would you doubt how I felt about you?" "I don't," he said. "Yes, you do. But no more. You wanted my powers; well they're half yours now. I suppose if you were to kill me, you'd have all of them." He went to speak but I placed a finger over his lips. "It doesn't matter; I can't change how I feel about you, even if I wanted. And I don't. You're right, everyone has some darkness in them. I'll learn to balance this. There are still questions I have about being half and half. Maybe Carlisle can help me with that. I just need to know one thing: What's stronger- your love for me, or for my power?" "Bella, I can't answer that." "Why not?" "Because I love you, but your power is a part of who you are, so of course I love it too. This is like a trick question." "Edward, it's not, I swear. But I'd like to know if it's possible that I may wake up one night with you holding an ax over my head," I said.

"Why am I holding an ax?" "To cut off my head." "Bella, I can do that with my bare hands," he said seriously. "Oh. That sounds unpleasant." "Listen, I can't say I'm never gonna want to kill you. But I can say that for now, any time you wake up in the middle of the night and see me standing over you, it'll be because I need to be with you." "Can I get that in writing?" I asked. "How did it go with your parents?" he asked instead of answering. "Okay, I kind of lied to them. I wasn't sure what to tell them about you guys not being our Guardians. I don't know, it's all so jumbled in my head right now." "What is?" He took my face in his hands. For a split second, I thought about what he had just said; he could tear my head off with his bare hands. "What's right and what's wrong." "Does this feel wrong?" He gently kissed my lips. "No." "What about this?" His hands trailed down to cup my breasts. "Ahh, no." "And this?" He took my hand and placed it over his beating heart. "No." "Then let's not worry about that tonight," he said, taking my hand and leading me out of the room. We passed through the living room and I grabbed my bag from the couch. "Planning on staying the night?" he joked. "I wasn't sure, so I figured I may as well be prepared. Plus, I wasn't sure how I would feel about being away from you," I admitted. "Yeah, I know what you mean," he said pulling me into his room. I went into his bathroom to wash my face and change into my pajamas. Looking at the marks on my throat, I realized he was right- it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was. I pulled the tank top and bottoms that I normally wore to bed out. When they were on I gave myself the once over. The top was fine, but the bottoms were a disaster. Did I have the courage to walk out in just a tank top and underwear? He was already mine, it's not like I had to impress him. I could hear him pacing the length of his room and giggled. I

guess he was nervous in his own room. Pulling the bottoms off, I threw them in my bag and opened the door. Edward was now lying on the bed with the T.V. on. He looked over at me and watched me walk to the bed. "You normally wear pants to bed," he stated. "And you are a pervy stalker. Let's call it even," I shot back, not sure I wanted to know exactly how he knew that. "I wasn't stalking. I was observing," he said indignantly. "Oh yeah, I bet. Did you watch me in the shower?" "What? No! I'm not some peeping Tom." "You have my exact brand of body wash in your bathroom," I reminded him. "That's because I went to the store and smelled them all until I found the right one." "Aww, you did? That's so sweet and incredibly creepy," I said getting under the covers. "C'mere, my little witch," he said opening his arms so I could snuggle against him. "Yeah, don't think we're not going to talk about that either one day." "What?" "Following me and doing that scary voice on the wind thing. Although, if you could teach it to me, that'd be cool." "I was trying to scare you," he said as if I didn't know. "No shit, really? It worked. Extremely well." "It was a diversion thing," he defended. "I don't care what it was, don't do it again." "Yes, my little witch," he said rolling over so he was hovering over me. "Will I need blood to survive?" my throat was beginning to burn a little. "I don't know, we'll have to ask Carlisle. Why?" "Just wondering," I said squirming underneath him. "You're not telling me something." "I want to taste you," I said boldly. His body shuddered over mine, and I felt his heavy erection against my thigh.

"You do?" "Please," I begged, my tongue was going back and forth over my teeth and I was surprised at the ache in my gums. My teeth felt sharper than I'd remembered. "Where?" he asked. I touched his neck, telling him this is where I wanted to taste him. "Okay," he said, turning us on our sides. Before he could even bare his neck to me, I was on him. I kissed his throat up and down until I felt the vein plump up. My teeth dragged along it before I found the juiciest point. He jerked a little when he felt my teeth sink into him, and I let out a moan as the first taste of his blood assaulted my senses. I took long pulls, drinking him in, and his body writhed against mine. Edward was still hard, as was evident every time he brushed against me, and I took the leap and placed my hand on his cock. "Bellaaaa," he moaned, bucking into my hand. I took this as a positive sign and slipped my hand into his boxers. This was the first time I had ever touched a guy like this, and I couldn't believe the power I felt over him. While still drinking from him, I held him at his base and started to stroke his length up and down. This elicited more moans and incoherent babbling from him and I kept up my ministrations. Pretty soon he was moving erratically against my hand and I knew he was close to coming. I took one more pull at his vein and he exploded in my hand. Edward's body convulsed, and I was rather proud of myself for being able to bring him pleasure. "Fuck," he said once he'd calmed down. "Baby, that was amazing." "Yeah? I've never done that before." "I should hope not," he growled. "I would've snapped the head of any boy that touched you." "That's a romantic thought. I have kissed boys before, you know." "Bella, don't test me. I'm still on my orgasm high." "You're so overprotective," I said. "I told you that I'd protect you." "But I had a life before you." "If I hear that you kissed Newton or any of those children, I'm going to snap," he told me. "There's no need to get jealous!" "I took Jessica Stanley out." "What the fuck?" I yelled. "You went out with that whore? How could you? She gave it up to you didn't she? I can't believe you slept with her!" "Did I make my point?" he asked, and I realized that this was how he must feel. But I didn't have sex with them!

"But I didn't have sex with them!" "Bella, I didn't have sex with her. I didn't even go out with her. Geek, remember?" "You sneak! You're so lucky I didn't rip your balls off" "Damn, little witch, my blood makes you bold," he said proudly. "Whatever, little destroyer." "I think we both know that there is nothing little about me." "I wouldn't know, it was the first one I ever saw. But I guess I can go out and compare," I said throwing the covers off me. "Don't you dare." He tackled me before I could get up. "Mine will be the one and only you'll ever get the pleasure of knowing," he told me, pressing the weight of his body into mine. "Edward?" "Yes, my little witch?" "You taste delicious," I said, moving underneath him. "So do you, my little witch." Edward stilled himself and drew in a deep breath. He looked at me, and I knew that he was smelling my arousal. I loved that he could do that; it turned me on even more. "Am I yours?" I asked knowing the answer. "Yes, Isabella, you are mine." "Prove it." He attacked my mouth first, leaving me breathless with his kisses before he traveled down the length of my body, kissing, licking and biting as he went along. Edward was at the apex of my legs, running his finger up and down the seam of my underwear at the top of my leg. I felt his lips on my bare skin, followed by his tongue darting out to taste me. His head drew back before he opened his mouth and latched on to me with his teeth. Immediately, the euphoria rushed through me and I remembered what it was like the first time he had drank from me. That time it had been intimate, just like it was now. Edward stopped drinking and licked over the wound his teeth left. "Why did you stop?" I whined; I had been so close. "I've already drank from you too much." "That's possible?" I asked, still squirming from the lack of release. "Yes, baby, it's possible," he answered, ripping off my underwear before settling himself between my legs.

Holy hell, he was hard again. I felt the tip of his erection at my entrance and moved my hips slightly, urging him to go further. He eased into me, and when he was fully sheathed inside of me, he let out a deep breath. I snaked my arms around his neck and brought him as close to me as possible. His body slid up and down mine as he pumped in and out of me. My hands touched every surface of his body that they could reach, and I lifted my legs up to feel him go deeper inside me. "Fuck, Bella. You feel so good." My hips met his thrusts and I clawed at his back as my orgasm took over. I bit down on my lip and could taste the blood I had drawn. Edward pumped into me three more times before he came inside me. He collapsed on top of me and I loved the feel of his weight on me. Our breathing was still labored, our heartbeats erratic. We lay there, not saying anything and my mind wandered. This was my life now. I truly had no choice in this, not even in the beginning. Edward was my Chosen one-it was something that I didn't doubt. That fact came before whether or not he was a Guardian or a Destroyer. Things would no doubt be difficult from now on, but hopefully together we would find our way. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he lifted himself up on his elbows. He was looking into my eyes, as he had done so many times today, and I felt safe. No matter what may happen in the future, if I become evil, or if he eventually does kill me, I know when I look in his eyes I will feel safe. "Edward, I love you." "I love you too, my little witch." The Witching Hour Chapter 3: Rosalie and Emmett I know I should have trusted my instincts. Guys like Emmett Cullen did not take an interest in a girl like me unless there was a very good reason. Being my Guardian was reason enough. Being my Chosen was what sealed the deal. Now I had to let him drink my blood, then I drink his in return in order to solidify our bond. I won't lie and say I wasn't afraid. I was actually scared shitless. I've never kissed a guy, let alone have one feed off me which was a very intimate act. There was no other option though. "Don't be scared, Rose. I promise to be as gentle as I can," he said. "I've never done anything like this," I admitted to him. "I know, and I love that I'm the only one who will ever touch you. You have no idea what that does to me," he told me as he took me in his arms and gave me my first real kiss. It was too brief, just his lips softly touching mine. He pulled his head back to gauge my reaction and smiled when I wrapped my arms around his neck. This next kiss started off like the first but soon grew into the kiss I'd always wanted. Our mouths opened to one another, and when he slipped his tongue into my mouth, I gave in completely. Emmett grabbed me by the hips, drawing me as close to his hard body as he could get. There was a fire beginning to build in my body, and when it got to be too much, I rubbed myself against him, aching for friction. Believe it or not, I have had orgasms. Sure, they were self-induced, but I knew what it felt like. The feeling I got from Emmett's body was a million times better. He pulled my hips up and down helping me with my quest.

"Fuck, Rose, you're so responsive. I had no idea it'd be this good," he whispered as he kissed my neck. A sharp sting sent me over the edge and I realized belatedly that he had marked me as his. My body shuddered at the dueling sensations, and I cried out in pleasure. Emmett took only the amount of blood he needed, and then he closed the wound. "Thank you. I've wanted to do that for a long time," he said, sweeping my hair from my face. "You're welcome. Umm I guess it's my turn?" I asked awkwardly. "Why don't we do this from my wrist? It will be more comfortable for you, I think." "No! I want to do it the way you did," I argued, wanting to prove myself. He looked at me for a moment, silently questioning me. Emmett had yet to meet my resolve. I took him by the hand and led him to one of the chairs at the table. Once he was sitting, I sat on his lap. "As you wish," he said and swiped his fingernail over the plump vein in his neck. The blood began to seep through, and I gave it a tentative lick. Immediately I was overcome with feelings- lust, devotion, power. My mouth latched on to the wound and my teeth dug into his skin. Needing to be closer, I sat up enough to throw my leg over him. I was now straddling the captain of the football team, drinking his rich blood and listening to his moans. "Rose, yes, that feels so good," he whimpered, bucking his hips into me. I felt the change in me begin. The power I was taking into my body was amazing, and I wanted more. This was the first time that I had felt beautiful, sexy, wanted. Emmett finally had to pull me away, and I worried I took too much. He kissed me again, our blood mingling as our tongues devoured each other. On instinct, I licked his wound and it closed. "You learn fast," he said with pride. "I have the highest GPA, Emmett, I'm not a dumb blonde." "No, you're not. How do you feel?" "Powerful, like I could take anything on. Does that make sense?" I asked. "Yes, it does, and you should feel powerful. My blood is old. I've waited a long time for you, Rosalie." "Can we do that again?" "Of course," he said, laughing at my eagerness. There was shouting coming from the living room, and we ran to see what was going on. Alice lay lifeless on the couch, while Jasper was being confronted by three boys wearing nothing but jean shorts. They all had copper-toned skin and were impossibly huge. I

could smell the testosterone that was being flung around between the guys, and I wondered who they were. "Rosalie, get away from him," the tallest one of them said, looking from me to Emmett. "Who are you?" I asked thoroughly confused. "I'm Sam, your Guardian," he said as if it should have been obvious. "No, you're not. Emmett is my Guardian," I said pointing to him. "They are Destroyers. Somehow they got here first and have tricked you," he said. "Regardless, he is my Chosen," I told him, standing tall next to Emmett. "That's my Rose," Emmett whispered to me. "He wants your power," Sam argued. "And I want his. I guess it's a win-win." This news seemed to stun him and his body started to vibrate. Alice was waking up, and just as Sam's body burst into fur, she screamed. The other two turned into wolves just as Sam broke through the French doors leading outside. Emmett and Jasper ran after them while I went to my cousin. She looked terrified, and I gave her a tight hug before grabbing her and heading outside. Edward came out of the hole in the house, followed by Bella. I kept a close eye on Emmett, feeling the adrenaline that was pumping through him as he fought my Guardian. Somehow Bella found out they were our Guardians and she seemed conflicted. I wondered why but there was no time to ask as the Cullens attacked. Soon the wolves were lying on the ground, and Emmett was feeding from me again. )O( After Edward took Bella to the Cullen's house, Emmett told Alice and me to go back into the house while he and Jasper disposed of the bodies. They had shifted back into their human form and I had to hold my cousin as she cried. Before leaving us, Jasper took her aside and whispered to her, finally getting her to calm down. He gave her a kiss on the lips before handing her back over to me. "Take care of my girl," he said. "I've been doing it all my life, Jasper," I snapped. "Rosalie," Emmett warned. "What? I know my cousin better than he does." "That's not the point," Emmett said. "How about this for a point- why the hell was my cousin unconscious?"

"Rose, I'm fine," Alice had finally spoken. "Then what happened?" I asked her. "I fainted, okay? When Jasper kissed me, I fainted," she said turning bright red. "Oh," was all I could say. "I can't help it, my lips are squee worthy," Jasper joked. "Ass," Alice shot at him. "Aww, sweet girl, I was just kidding," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. "You can stop looking at me like that, Rose," Alice told me. "I'm sorry. It's just strange that you fainted. I would expect me to do that, but not you. After all, how many guys have you kissed?" I heard a low growl coming from Jasper; apparently he didn't appreciate that remark. "It wasn't the same though," Alice began, ignoring the sounds coming from Jasper. "It was like my soul recognized his, and I went into overload." "I may puke from the mush," Emmett said, but the look on Jasper's face said that he felt the same thing and would forget about the talk of the other guys she had kissed. "You didn't feel anything like that?" I asked my Chosen. "Rose, my soul recognized yours the moment I saw you," he answered, taking me into his arms. I heard Jasper mumbling, and the only word I caught was "mush." I was too busy grinning like a fool at Emmett to care. "Okay, we've done all we can here, so we're taking off," Emmett informed his brother. He took my hand and I said my goodbyes before he led me to his car. "Where are we going?" I asked, nervous all of a sudden to be really alone with him. "Wherever you want to go, love." "I guess we should talk about what happened back there?" "You guess? Why do we need to talk about it? You made your decision," he reminded me as the car accelerated. "Yeah but that was a lot of stuff to take in, and I have questions." "Rose, what more do you need to know other than I will take care of you and all your needs?" "Holy shit, you're going caveman on me already?" I couldn't believe this.

"What the hell are you talking about?" "You're acting like a nineteen-fifties husband! You're going to take care of me? I don't need someone to take care of me, Emmett, Chosen or not. I need a partner. We're equals in this," I told him, feeling the anger begin to rise. "Equals? Rosalie, I'm a vampire, you're human," he said as if I needed to be reminded. "I may be human but I'm also a witch, and I can teach you a thing or two." He gave me such a condescending look I could practically hear him saying, "You're no match for me." I centered myself and whispered a quick incantation. Emmett screamed and the car swerved before I took control of it with another spell. "My eyes! I can't see!" Emmett screamed. The car maneuvered to the side of the road, and I waved my hand in front of him, breaking the spell. "What the fuck did you do to me?" he growled. "Showed you that although you are a vampire, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." "Sometimes I miss the girls from my youth," he said. "Well then maybe you should have turned one of them and you could've played Ward Cleaver for eternity," I said snidely. "And be deprived of your fire? No thank you." "Make up your mind, damn it, before you give me whiplash." "Rose, I want you. Those girls were moresubmissive, yes, but they were sheep and have nothing on you. I was just trying to say that I want to take care of you, not that you necessarily need it. A man likes to feel wanted just as much as a woman does." "I expect there'll be a lot more fights between us," I said. "I've never been in a relationship before unless you count third grade when I played Mrs. Rabbit and Tyler Crowley was Mr. Rabbit." "We won't count that, love." "Then be prepared to have your head chewed off often and maybe some spells thrown your way. My temper isn't something I've always been able to control." "I love your temper, just don't fuck with my eyesight when I'm driving and have the most precious cargo with me," he said. "Really? Do those lines actually work on girls?" I asked. "Do you really want to know?"

"No, not really. I certainly can't see my cousins falling for it." "I'm sure they wouldn't. Now I'm going to pull back on the road and I have your word that you won't spell me again while I'm driving?" he asked. I nodded in agreement because, technically, he was right; it was a foolish thing to do and although I had control the entire time, it would take only one second of broken concentration for it to all go wrong. "So can we talk now?" I asked once he was safely back on the road. "Of course." "You are our Chosen, right? I mean, I get how we could be fooled about you being our Guardians, but you can't fake being our Chosen." "It's tricky. According to the stories passed down to my brothers and I, both the Guardian and the Destroyer can be your Chosen. The choice is always up to the witch. I'm not sure if one is better suited; I think that she would be happy with whom ever she picked," he explained. "I don't think I would've been happy with Sam," I said honestly. "If you had met him before you drank from me, you might feel differently. Don't look at me like that," he said as I made a face. "Trust me, I hate having to say that you may have had a bond with him, but it's the truth." "Is that why you were all gung-ho for us to exchange blood?" I asked. "Yes. Rose, I couldn't lose you; I can't lose you. It would be too much." "Why? You've lived this long without me." "I'd hardly call it living. I existed, sure and I kept myself alive, but it was all for you. There's no way for you to understand going through decades alone, knowing that there could be someone to share this life with but not having any control over when or if it will happen," he said as he pulled into the parking lot of the park. He found a spot away from the other cars and turned the car off but made no attempt to get out. We were quiet for a minute. I could tell from his face that he'd been thinking about his life before me. What he told me only proved to me that he was the right choice for me. "You know it's hardly a good idea to go around killing people, right?" I asked. "He wasn't 'people,' he was a werewolf. Our kinds have been killing each other for centuries. There was no way they would have stopped coming after you unless we dealt with them," he explained nonchalantly. It was like he was talking about gardening and not taking a life. "Tomato, toe-mah-toe. I want you to promise that you won't go around killing people." "Rosalie, I promise that I won't go around killing people," he said. "Or werewolves."

"Oh c'mon! It's bound to happen. I'm a Destroyer for fuck's sake! It's what I do, I destroy. Plus, I'll be your Guardian now and there is no way in hell I'm ever letting anything get near you." His eyes had gone black and I could tell he meant every word he said. "You make a good point. I certainly don't want anything to get me. Can you feed from people without killing them?" "You're still breathing. If you're asking if I normally kill anyone I feed from, then the answer is no. I respect human life, and unless the person happens to be bad, then I don't drain them." "This is all starting to get very real. Who do you normally drink from?" I asked even though I was afraid of the answer. "I don't have a regular donor. There are places that keep human donors on site but none are near here. Fuck, this is going to make me sound like even more of a monster to you, but I go for the easy targets. The ones whose memories I can wipe clean without hardly any work." "That soundsefficient. Listen, I don't think you're a monster, you do what you have to in order to survive and you don't kill people. I accept that, I accept you, all of you, but there are things that I'm going to have questions about and some things I'm just not going to like," I told him. "All relationships are bound to have bumps, I guess." "Could you drink from me?" I asked. "Would that sustain you?" He reached over so fast I barely had time to blink and I was in his lap. "Rose, it would be an honor for you to feed me," he said as he lightly stroked my cheek. "I will need to feed elsewhere from time to time though." "No girls," I said not caring how it sounded. "No girls," he agreed. "Just like that you agree?" "Would you rather I argued? If this one request will give you peace of mind, I can handle it. But I want you to know that it has never been about sex with them," he said, adjusting me on his lap. "Emmett, you expect me to believe that you never had any sex with the girls you fed from? I was there in the kitchen; I felt what it did to you." Just thinking about it was getting me hot and being on his lap wasn't helping the situation. "How about we let the subject drop for now," he whispered in my ear, his hand creeping under my shirt. "Emmett," I moaned as his fingers danced over my skin. "I can hear your heart beating. It was the most enticing sound I'd ever heard until you moaned for me before." He was now cupping my breast, running his thumb over my hardened nipple.

Emmett's other hand was at the back of my head, drawing my face closer until his lips met mine. My hands grabbed either side of his face, holding him as close as possible. Opening my mouth, I sighed as I felt his tongue seek mine out. The kiss lasted forever, or at least that's what it felt like, until I finally had to take a breath. I pulled back and was shocked when I saw how foggy the window had become. "Why did you stop?" he practically pouted. "Because unlike you, I need to breathe," I reminded him. He smiled sheepishly before capturing my lips again. Things escalated pretty quickly after that. Emmett had the seat in the reclining position with me lying under him in a flash. His hands were everywhere, roaming up and down my body as it heated under his touch. I could feel my panties dampen and he inhaled deeply, sensing my arousal. I bit his lip, just hard enough to draw a little blood and sucked at it, relishing the copper taste. That was all it took for him to rip my jeans off as he plunged a finger into me. He slid it in and out of me, spreading the moisture. I cried out when he added a second finger, stretching me to accommodate him. "Did I hurt you?" he asked, stilling his movements. "No, it feels good. I'm just not used to it," I said, moving my hips against his hand. "I won't ever hurt you," he promised as he peppered my face with kisses. When he returned to my lips, he bit down gently and my blood sprung free into his mouth. Emmett groaned and had begun to suck at my lip while speeding up his fingers movements. "Emmett," I said, completely panting at this point. "Please, I need more," I begged as my fingers found the front of his jeans. I just grabbed it and pulled. Gotta love button fly jeans. Each button popped as my hand found its way inside and under his boxers. "Fuck me" he said as I touched him for the first time. My hand fisted around his hard cock, and he thrusted his hips against it, showing me what to do. I couldn't believe how amazing it felt to feel him in my hand. Since I had nothing to compare him to, I wasn't disappointed. I would have to consult with my cousins as to whether or not I'd struck gold, but something told me that I did. Emmett's cock was long and thick, the skin was smooth, and I wanted to know what he would feel like inside of me. "Not here, Rose. I won't take your virginity in a car." "You knew what I was thinking?" I asked not embarrassed at all. "It's easy to tell since I'm thinking the same exact thing, but I can sense what you're thinking." "Then you must know how much I want you," I said, squeezing my hand around him. "Ahhdamn that feels so good. I want you just as much, baby, but not here. You deserve the best." We kissed again as we pleasured each other the only way we could at the time. He had a third finger inside me and I imagined that that was what it would feel like with his cock in me. My body shuddered at the thought, and he increased his pace, bringing me right to the edge. Subconsciously, my hand met his pace and soon we both came, crying out the others name.

I knew my life would forever be changed by the decisions I had made that day. To what extent that change would be, I wasn't quite sure, but I knew that I trusted Emmett with my life, and things would definitely never be boring with him. The quiet girl people knew was a thing of the past. I just hoped the world was ready for the new Rosalie.