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I don't think they will be coming close to home, but it is a possibility. I knew that the news of a coven feeding in the area would be important to you considering you love a human. Alice added. And I love her too.
I nodded once to acknowledge their thoughts. I would tell Bella though. The word secret had a different meaning to me now, because I knew from now on I would tell her all of them. They would be our secrets.
I tried to not listen to my family's thoughts, but they were always as clear as if they were talking directly to me. I watched a vision along with Alice as it played out in her head; I was playing the piano, Bella in awe. The vision shifted and we were talking about the cross in the hall.
So far, the day looks uneventful, Alice mused. She was wrong about the day being uneventful. Every brief moment of time was tremendously significant to me, and very much so...eventful.
And Emmett wanted me to tell you sorry for not being here... Rosalie has become...irritated at the fascination Emmett has on humans now. She remembered a conversation about the Ben kid from Spanish class.
Of course, I thought. I returned my gaze to Bella. We were so close I could still feel the warmth flowing through my body from hers. I inhaled her scent while my wild desires and new found sensations went through my body. Jasper gave me a look. I knew he could feel everything I was feeling. Esme's thoughts brought me back to the room.
She keeps staring at the piano, Esme pondered.
"Do you play?" Esme asked Bella, leaning her head to suggest the piano.
Bella shook her head, "Not at all. But it's so beautiful. Is it yours?" she wondered.
I added this news to the list of things I knew about Bella, which was growing at a massive rate. She doesn't play the piano, but liked the piano...she was classy.
Why haven't you told her? Esme scolded me.
"No," Esme laughed, a sign of ease, "Edward didn't tell you he was musical?"
"No," Bella glared in my direction, indignation on her face. I formed an innocent expression, anticipating her reaction. "I should have known, I guess." she added.
I don't understand, Esme lifted her eyebrows at her words.
"Edward can do everything, right?" she explained.
Did she really believe that? She was so absurd.
What have you been telling her? Whatever it is, I want to know...I mean seriously, you have got to be kidding me, Jasper thought and then snickered aloud.
Tisk, tisk, Esme criticized.
"I hope you haven't been showing off ?C it's rude," Esme reprimanded me.
"Just a bit," I laughed.
Please keep her around...please please please. I have never seen you so light hearted. Esme thought.
Bella distracted me from Esme, "He's been too modest, actually." she corrected.
"Well, play for her," Esme encouraged me. You can play her the song that she inspired, sheadded mentally.
"You just said showing off was rude," I objected feebly.
She smiled, "There are exceptions to every rule."
I turned my gaze to Bella, "I'd like to hear you play," Bella insisted.
"It's settled then," Esme pushed me to the piano.
At the look on Bella's eager face it was inconceivable to think to say no to her. I conceded. I reached for Bella, bringing her into my side and taking her to the piano. I breathed in her heady scent while the electric pulse that always came from our touch surged through my body.
He just casually touches her...how fantastic. Esme thought.
We sat at the bench, her warmth warming my cold skin from the inside out. I turned my gaze to her, gauging her reaction. I didn't know what to play.
Her song Edward, her song...Esme encouraged.
I was still looking at Bella and she could sense the exasperation in my face. I placed my hands on the keys then, and settled on playing Esme's favorite. I was measuring Bella's expression. After a few seconds I watched her face go from peaceful to shocked instantly. Her mouth opened in astonishment. I heard my family members chuckling behind me at Bella's reaction. I was probing their minds to see all the different views of Bella at once. What was she thinking? Was it good or was it bad?
"Do you like it?" I inquired.
"You wrote this?" she inhaled quickly, realization in her eyes.
I nodded, "It's Esme's favorite." I noted.
We are just going to leave you two alone. Esme nodded to the others to leave, she is wonderful... no wonder he is so protective of her.
I ignored the crowd leaving the room because I was so absorbed by Bella's every reaction. I watched as she lightly closed her eyes in exasperation and shook her head back and forth. Did I do something?
"What's wrong?"
She looked saddened, or upset. "I'm feeling extremely insignificant." she explained.
I decided to take Esme's advice and play her song. The music slowed, and I began playing the beautiful song that I had composed and changed many times since I had met her until it became the sweetest of notes blending together to make magic.
"You inspired this one," I whispered, making sure she understood that she was the most significant thing in my world. She was speechless. The silence of her thoughts was just as frustrating as ever. I breathed her in, letting the flames rip down my throat. Desire was constantly raging a war inside me. She was still silent.
"They like you, you know." I admitted, "Esme especially."
Her eyes darted over her shoulder and then around the room. "Where did they go?"
"Very subtly giving us some privacy, I suppose," though I knew they could hear everything that was going on in the room.
Bella sighed and I turned to look at her again.
"They like me. But Rosalie and Emmett..." she trailed off but I understood where her thoughts were going, for once, I added.
Of course she would notice that they weren't here. I didn't want to talk about Rosalie. My lips turned down, "Don't worry about Rosalie, she'll come around." I lied smoothly, though I hoped one day she would.
She looked unconvinced, "Emmet?" she wondered.
"Well, he thinks I'm a lunatic, it's true, but he doesn't have a problem with you. He's trying to reason with Rosalie," I tried to explain.
I looked into her wide eyes, trying to read her thoughts. I saw the line between her eyes crease at the complexity of her mind, "What is it that upsets her?" she finally asked. She looked anxious, waiting for my explanation.
I didn't want to tell her something that would possibly upset her. The thought of causing her any type of pain sent an overwhelming feeling of remorse through my body. I took in a deep breath, a sigh really. The burning temptation was still present. I distracted myself, no more secrets, "Rosalie struggles the most with...with what we are. It's hard for her to have someone on the outside know the truth. And she's a little jealous." I explained, the words coming quickly.
Her eyes grew wide during my explanation, "Rosalie is jealous of me?"
"You're human," I shrugged. I thought it was obvious why she would be jealous of something as magnificent as her, "She wishes that she were, too." I continued to explain after seeing her question my first statement.
"Oh," she looked upset by this, but shock was still present on her delicate face. Her facial expressions changed to contemplation. I wanted to groan in exasperation from her quiet mind. What was she thinking? Her short pauses were the loudest silence I have ever heard.
"Even Jasper, though..." she left the sentence hanging, realizing I would understand her thoughts. She didn't know how much I didn't comprehend them, though. I sighed.
"That's really my fault," I explained, "I told you he was the most recent to try our way of life. I warned him to keep his distance."
I watched while a shiver ran down her spine. Was she finally scared or was she cold?
"Esme and Carlisle...?" she added quickly.
"Are happy to see me happy. Actually, Esme wouldn't care if you had a third eye and webbed feet. All this time she's been worried about me, afraid that there was something missing from my essential make up, that I was too young when Carlisle change me...She's ecstatic. Every time I touch you, she just about chokes with satisfaction." I finished her sentence.
"Alice seems very...enthusiastic." Bella noted.
Of course she noticed.
"Alice has her own way of looking at things," my lips grew tight at the many visions I had seen in her head since I meet Bella.
She must have read the hesitation in my voice, "And you're not going to explain that, are you?"
I saw myself mirrored in her eyes, watching as each of our expressions changed in unison. She knew I was keeping Alice's visions from her. There were several good reasons why I was keeping these from her. One, I didn't want to scare her, and two, I didn't want her to get any ideas. No, I would still not confess what I have seen through the eyes of a psychic.
"So what was Carlisle telling you before?" she asked, bringing me from my distraction.
She was incredible. She picked up on all the signs that I thought were subtle. Was she really that perceptive or was my fa?ade waning? I could see the wrinkle appear between my brows through the reflection of her deep brown eyes.
"You noticed that, did you?" it wasn't a question, it was a statement.
She shrugged, like there was nothing unusual about the whole situation, "Of course," she murmured.
Better tell her now, I suppose. I monitored her face, I continued to play her song. She seemed complacent enough so I answered, "He wanted to tell me some news ?C he didn't know if it was something I would share with you."
"Will you?" she responded quickly, eagerly.
"I have to, because I'm going to be a little...over-bearingly protective over the next few days ?C or weeks ?C and I wouldn't want you to think I'm naturally a tyrant." I said.
"What's wrong?" she gasped in horror. Her blood started warming and moving at a quicker pace. The monster inside me clawed at my bones, wanting to embrace the temptation. I took in her fragrance, letting it fill my lungs. I easily over-rode any enticement this caused me.
"Nothing's wrong, exactly. Alice just sees some visitors coming soon. They know we're here, and they're curious," I explained quickly, trying to calm her now rampant pulse.
"Visitors?" she questioned.
"Yes...well, they aren't like us, of course ?C in their hunting habits, I mean. They probably won't come into town at all, but I'm certainly not going to let you out of my sight till they're gone." I watched her face apprehensively.
Her body trembled under stress.
"Finally, a rational response!" I exclaimed, "I was beginning to think you had no sense of self-preservation at all."
She didn't contest my observation and I was shocked that she would have this reaction to anything dangerous at all. Her blood slowed in her veins bringing her pulse back to its normal speed. She turned her face from mine, her eyes flowing from one end of the house to the other, distracted. I followed her gaze. Was she still looking for something suspect? "Not what you expected is it?" I asked.
"No," she admitted, returning her gaze to me briefly before continuing to soak up the rooms setting.
"No coffins, no piled skills in the corners; I don't even think we have cobwebs...what a disappointment this must be for you," I teased.
She remained serious, "It's so light...so open," she said.
"It's the one place we never have to hide," I explained to her. I also wanted to admit that she was included in this place... I would never have to hide from her.
My fingers were on the piano, automatically playing. The song was finally coming to a close. When it was finished Bella looked at me, "Thank you," she murmured.
I turned in my seat; bringing my whole attention back to her. There was moisture prominent in her eyes. The tears flowed over her eye lids. The aroma emitting from her tears was something I had never smelt before. She wiped the tears from her eyes. I noticed she had missed one. I brought my hand to her face, trapping a tear on my finger. I studied it. As a vampire, we could not produce tears. This was something entirely new. I brought it nonchalantly to my lips, seeing how it would taste. I was curious. It didn't taste disgusting, but it held no significance for me. She was staring at me with curiosity flaming in her eyes.
"Do you want to see the rest of the house?" I asked, distracting her.
"No coffins?" she verified.
"No coffins," I promised, a smile forming on my face.
We walked up the staircase that led to the upstairs where my room was. I watched her carefully as she made her way to the top. She was lightly caressing the stair rail as she went. I was jealous... I wanted it to be me. When we reached the top of the stairs I pointed out rooms as we walked, "Rosalie and Emmett's room...Carlisle's office...Alice's room..."
She froze, turning into a statue. Her eyes grew wide. I followed her gaze until I realized she was staring at the wooden cross at the end of the hallway. I remembered Alice's vision.
"You can laugh," I told her, "It is sort of ironic." I took a deep breath, bringing her fragrance into my lungs again. I was used to the dull ache.
She brought her hand out to touch the cross, but she did not proceed, "It must be very old," she guessed.
I shrugged, "Early sixteen-thirties, more or less." I mused.
She turned to face me, "Why do you keep this here?"
"Nostalgia. It belonged to Carlisle's father." I explained. I knew I was giving more information away then I had ever told a single soul before.
"He collected antiques?" she suggested doubtfully.
"No. He carved it his himself. It hung on the wall above the pulpit in the vicarage where he preached." I said.
She looked shocked.
"Are you all right?" I asked, worried about her expressions and silence.
"How old is Carlisle?" she wondered, trying to do the mental math in her head. I watched as her eyes looked fully in thought. I could almost see here calculating the numbers mentally.
"He just celebrated his three hundred and sixty-second birthday," I admitted.
She looked at me, questions burning in her eyes. I knew I would answer them all, if she were to ask. I took in another deep breath while I let her scent assault me.
