SURFACED Chapter 5

Edward reaches the end of the hall and what he assumes is the master bedroom. The other rooms appear to be empty as he passes them and peeks inside. He hopes to hell Jane’s body isn't rotting in the shed or in a closet. He creeps into the burnt master bedroom, visions of a ruthless, blood soaked killer in his mind’s eye.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Edward nearly pisses himself when he hears the sound again, just on the other side of the closet wall. He inches forward, his gun raised and at the ready. He reaches the doorway and stops with his back pressed to the wall. He swallows the lump in his throat, wiping his sweaty brow on his shoulder. He counts down in his head, then swings around the doorframe, his gun aimed in the direction of the sound of banging metal.

SURFACED Chapter 4

Edward stands on the street with his coffee, staring at the house and wavering between staying put and starting his investigation. The dead cop is a major turnoff. What the hell happened in this damn house yesterday that’s worth a cop’s life?

And then he catches movement in an upstairs window. It’s dark, but the street lights give enough of a glow to see by. Still, he decides it's only his imagination and takes another sip of coffee. The world is quiet at this time of morning, and the ground is wet from the overnight rain. Streaky clouds hover over the moon, further restricting his vision. Thinking he’ll call Jasper again, he turns to his truck.

Thump. Thump.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 39

True to his word, Edward tucks me into my bed with some Advil and bandages for my knuckles, plus a kiss to the forehead. He spends a few minutes in my bathroom before crawling into bed behind me, pulling my body close to his. I’m not completely stupid, so I’m wearing a nightgown and he's wearing his underwear and undershirt. Still, he’s semi hard as he holds his muscular frame against my soft curves, and I have to tamp down on my building desire. I really am exhausted.

SURFACED Chapter 3

Edward wanders into the bedroom, sweeping his light along the walls and floors. The bed is disturbed, and not in a ‘I just rolled out of bed and didn’t bother to make it’ kind of way. The pillows are thrown on the floor, the bedspread half off. He doesn't want to jump to conclusions, but it looks like a struggle occurred. The closet door is open, so he walks over and looks in. There’s not much there, confirming his theory that he’s standing in the guest bedroom.

SURFACED Chapter 2

“It appears that someone was covered in dirt, barefoot, came in through the front door, was brought into the kitchen, and then came up for a shower. I’ve got a bra, underwear, a skirt, and a shirt that’s ripped to shit.”

He listens to Lieutenant Jasper Hale speaking on the other end of the line.

“I know that’s nothing substantial yet, but combine it with a missing wife on her husband’s birthday and the house burning down… Yes, my spidey senses are tingling.”

SURFACED Chapter 1

A protracted gasp. Acrid soil, damp and caked within a gaping mouth. Airways painfully constricted, eager for oxygen. A thrashing head creating a miniscule air pocket. Heart beating painfully slow. Clawing, digging at the surrounding dirt. Limbs nearly pinned by heavy earth, desperate for escape. Vision obscured by pervading darkness. White-hot pain behind rapidly blinking eyes. The smell of rot as air wheezes down a mangled windpipe.

Not dead, not dead!

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 38

I regret the words as soon as they’re out of my mouth. “You know what? Never mind. The last thing we need is to confuse whatever this is with sex, the way we’ve been doing.”

Edward presses his forehead to mine, and it takes all I have not to just jump on him and do the naughty things that are crowded for space in my brain. We need to take things slowly, be normal and go on a date.

Don't we?

Seismic Shift Chapter 19

Like an endless fire burning

Like a hope that fuels the light

Like the hands that simply hold you

When words can't make you right

Like the first time that I met you

I fell so hard so fast

Like the montage in a movie

Mmm, the way you move me

I wanna move you like that

~Kelly Clarkson, Move You

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 37

“Bella-"

“I thought I was a tough bitch that ran my life exactly how I wanted. I do what I want, when I want to, and nobody tells me I can't. When I decided it was you I wanted, I set about having you on my terms. When you got possessive, I thought ‘so what’? I can be possessive too. I can please you and still be myself. I pushed my feelings onto you, and I shouldn't have. So, it turns out I'm full of shit.” I feel like I’m rambling now, like I don’t even know what the fuck I’m talking about anymore. I have no experience with this.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 36

I’m standing out in the parking lot leaning up against the wall when the back door opens. I don’t have to turn to know who it is; I can smell his cologne, feel his presence. Like there’s an electromagnetic pulse beaming between us. I push off the wall and start walking, and I don’t stop when he falls into step with me. I walk out of the parking lot and down the street, and I don't have the first clue where I’m going or what I’m doing.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 35

“Apparently, neither do you. You called out more often than you were here, and now you quit without notice?”

“Now that you’ve summed up my month, let’s go. Hit me,” I egg him on so I can level him.

Seismic Shift Chapter 18

Sometimes, I think of the sun and the moon

as lovers who rarely meet, always chase,

and almost always miss one another.

But once in awhile, they do catch up.

And they kiss,

and the world stares in awe

of their eclipse.

~ Anonymous

BPOV

My damp hair was pulled into a ponytail that trailed down my back as I stood in the kitchen perusing the contents of the refrigerator. I had an idea of what to make, so I dug out the ingredients from the fridge and then the pantry. Edward sat at the counter, and it felt completely natural to have him in this apartment.

To say that I was ecstatic about his arrival would be an understatement, for sure. I’d tried to keep faith that we wouldn't be separated for long, but without his presence to ground me, I’d felt adrift. But now he was here, and he was in all of my classes. Better, he’d made so many improvements for the Quileutes that I was eager to hear about them.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 34

Feeling inspired 'cause the tables have turned

Yeah, I'm on fire and I know that it burns

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 33

Everything is finally complete at the new place, including the sign reading Cherry Bomb. Rose, Emmett, and I worked our asses off to turn the dark and dusty space into a bright and gleaming pole dancing studio. The grand opening party is two days away, and Rose sent out a mass mailing of invitations to addresses in the surrounding zip codes. Tonight, though… tonight is for quitting the club.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 32

I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel

I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real

The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting

Try to kill it all away

But I remember everything

I wear this crown of thorns upon my liar’s chair

Full of broken thoughts I cannot repair

What have I become, my sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away in the end

And you could have it all, my empire of dirt

I will let you down, I will make you hurt

~Johnny Cash, Hurt

“Edward?”

That voice was achingly familiar. She reminded him of his childhood; memories he needed to forget. He was steadily turning into their father, and he couldn't seem to stop himself. He'd ignored her calls for days, as usual, but something compelled him to finally pick up.

“Edward, it's Alice. Please say something.”

Seismic Shift Chapter 17

The smell of her hair, the taste of her mouth,

the feeling of her skin, seemed to have

got inside him, or into the air all

around him.

She had become

a physical

necessity.

~ George Orwell

The pet store Bella dragged me to was nearly unbearable. I do not believe it occurred to her that such a place is akin to a snack bar for a vampire who drinks only animal blood. She gathered food, dishes, litter and pan, collar, toys, and a fluffy blue bed after a second confirmation that it was, indeed, a male.

“I want to name him Frank.”

It was fortunate that vampires have infinite patience. “Frank?” I murmured as I paid the cashier. I had insisted, and she was too busy cooing at the kitten to argue.

She stroked the beautiful grey fur on the top of the little guy’s head. “Yes. Just look at these blue eyes.”

Finally, something I understood. “Ah, ol’ Blue Eyes?”

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 31

After too many sleepless nights worrying about it, I’ve convinced myself that Edward was not at the club. I don’t have time to worry about him and his issues, anyway. Rose and I have spent every daylight hour at our new home away from home, cleaning, drawing up ideas, and talking to suppliers. I’ve filed all of the paperwork with the city, after a long and irritating afternoon at the Seattle Municipal Center. I was lost on what all needed to be done and the woman was less than helpful.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 30

You're stubborn as they come, you'll never settle down

You'll always be the one who doesn't stick around

You make all the rules, you're set in your ways

You gotta have your freedom, you gotta have your space

One day you'll meet the girl you swore you'd never find

Start feeling things you never felt and spending all your time

Trying to figure out how she got this hold on you

And when you start to fall, you'll hold onto your pride

Start building up your walls and never let her get inside

You'll push her away 'cause that's all you know how to do

And then she'll leave and you won't beg her not to go

~Garth Brooks, Ask Me How I Know

“Edward, I need you. I love you.”

The words echoed in his head, taunting him. Nobody loved him; nobody but Alice, and he’d shut her out of his life years ago. Just like the selfish prick he knew he was, he’d done the same to Bella. He’d seen it in her eyes; the ease in which she’d slipped into his life and home. She wanted to make it permanent, but there was nothing permanent in his life.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 29

I go back to work the next day, mostly so that I don't have any idle hours in which to worry myself to death. Rose tells me she has a plan for our final dance when we quit, and we’re going to perform it together. She and I start working on choreography while we’re backstage, and I just know this will be talked about for a long time.

The realtor calls me the following day to tell me my offer was accepted. I bring Rose a giant bouquet of white roses to tell her thanks for her help, especially since she’s had to put up with my moodiness. Her squeal is loud enough to crack glass as she hugs me and tells me congrats over and over.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 28

I throw myself into looking for a place to buy for the dance studio. I call out sick to the club for three days in a row, ignoring the angry voicemails from Jacob. I can’t stomach the idea of being there, of picturing Edward there, or having other men watch me dance half naked. My heart is no longer in my job the way it used to be, which is all the more reason to find a prime location for my new venture.

Seismic Shift Chapter 16

Time does not puncture every moment

Sometimes pieces of it get trapped inside you

And they become the memories that won't let go of your soul

And these memories are the ones that haunt you

The ones that hurt your heart

The ones that tangle up your mind

The ones that make you want to go

back in time to where it all began and tell her

that you've spent a lifetime without her

And because of it

Life has no meaning

~ Jonny Ox

EPOV

I had finally convinced Carlisle to speak to the other Quileutes, the ones that were not on the council. After some research on Bella and her ancestry I had discovered that Jacob Black was the direct descendant of two ancient families, and therefore, the rightful chief. I urged Carlisle to persuade the others to hold an emergency vote as outlined in their ancient laws as a possibility and sometimes a necessity. They unanimously chose Jacob as their chief, ousting Sam, the elderly Quil, and Jacob’s father William, proving that many of the pack were tired of Sam’s reign. Sam had only disgraced himself more by stalking Emily Young once she moved to the La Push reservation, and Leah had broken their engagement as a result. Emily wanted nothing to do with Sam, as well, leaving him to his own devices.

My family drafted a new treaty to offer at the first council meeting of the new members; Carlisle was adamant that being able to swear that I had been incommunicado with Bella would appease the elders and ease the transition. The new contract was more mutually beneficial and much less combative. I came back home to attend the meeting, observing Sue and Harry Clearwater as they helped Jacob to learn the ins and outs of running a meeting. They were friendly and warm, helpful, and fully involved in the betterment of their community. It would be a welcome change to have members that cared about their people as a whole, and not merely holding a position of power. They were happy to help me find the oldest records of the tribe, the bits I hadn’t been able to find online. I had information on Bella that I wanted to confirm.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 27

“Edward.” He turns away from me, but I call his name nonetheless. “I need you, so much,” I whisper. It’s now or never. “I love you.”

The kitchen is dead silent as my words seem to reverberate around us.

He sets down his bowl and fork, leaving his back to me. He is vulnerable in this moment, and I don’t want to fuck it up. I reach out, tentatively touching his shoulder blade. He seems to curl in on himself as his shoulders become rounded.

Right Where I Want to Be Chapter 26

I take the opportunity to show him how I feel, to be gentle as I wash his back, to kiss him where I can reach, to brush off his hands as he tries to touch me. It’s always about me coming, and though he obviously enjoys himself as well, it’s only in controlled situations.