Seismic Shift Chapter 30

She remembered thinking falling for him would be like

falling in love with darkness, but now she knew he was

more like a starry night; constellations were always there,

constant, magnificent guides against the ever-present black.

~ Stephanie Garber

My dreams were filled with Edward; the hot tub and the fun we had there, before sinking into the soft mattress and being tucked in under a light sheet. He had the air conditioning on to combat the humidity, but the temperature had dropped to the mid-seventies overnight, keeping it bearable.

I shifted, reluctant to be awake when my dreams were so delicious they were turning me on, and burrowed my head deeper into the pillow. I felt feather light touches running down the length of my spine, and I shivered.

"Good morning," I mumbled.

"Good morning," he replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. His touches continued, slowly stroking up and down my back, brushing my hair aside to cup my neck before sweeping down far enough to curve around my bare ass cheek. I wiggled, and he groaned.

I suddenly felt his breath hot in my ear. "Do that again."

I wiggled again, and his fingers roamed between my cheeks, dipping down until he could stroke the tips of his fingers through my wetness. I moaned as he gently bit my shoulder, and I writhed as I grew wetter with each pass of his fingers.

"Yes, Edward, just like that," I cried as his movements changed from languid to hurried. He slid his other hand under me, creeping down my belly until he found my clit. He worked me over so thoroughly I was gasping, unable to form coherent words. Just as I trembled into an orgasm, he lifted me and slammed me down over his stiff cock. I had to hold on to the headboard as he pulled me down again and again, and I rode out the longest wave of pleasure as he finally came, emptying inside me with a noise so loud I half-expected the people in the room next to us to come running.

I collapsed over him, my hair draping over my shoulders to come down across his chest. I kissed him on the neck and across his sharp jaw. "Feel free to wake me like that any time."

I jiggled around as he laughed under me. "Yes, ma'am."

Since I was awake, I decided we might as well figure out if there was anything we could do today before we had to head to the airport. I disentangled the sheet from my legs and strode to the double door, holding the curtains closed below my chin before peeking through.

"Rain!" I exclaimed. "We have a little time to look around, don't we?"

"We do," he answered me from the bed, and when I glanced over my shoulder, I could tell he was staring at my naked ass.

"Okay, shower, breakfast, sightseeing, plane ride. Right?"

He smiled crookedly. "I will order breakfast while you shower."

"Oh, are there any cafés with outdoor seating under a roof? Something we could enjoy despite the rain?"

"There are, yes."

I smiled. "I'd like that."

I showered, and then Edward showered while I dressed. I went with shorts and a tank top, given the heat and humidity, and pulled my hair up in defeat. We packed our few things before leaving to find a restaurant.

The rain was coming down lightly, so we walked the few blocks to the place the concierge suggested. It was exactly what I had wanted; a few tables outside under the overhanging roof, and we could sit alone. I twisted my ring back and forth as we looked over the menus, and then placed our orders once the waitress came out.

"Bella." Edward placed his pale hand over my fidgeting one. "Why are you anxious?"

I sighed. "It's just that, I know Charlie doesn't feel the same way about me as Renée does. She seemed a little hesitant, but loving, and very eager to teach me the things I didn't already know I could do. Charlie, on the other hand, barely tolerated my presence."

"Well." Edward waited while our coffees and my granola and yogurt were placed in front of us. I made a show of giving him my fruit for the sake of the waitress.

"Thank you." I smiled politely, and she nodded, heading back inside.

"I agree that he does not feel the same. Renée has open, motherly feelings for you. She recalls you as a baby in her womb, and her hopes and dreams for who you would become when you were grown. She is proud of you."

I stared at the rain as it picked up, the way it blurred the brightly colored buildings around us. The sound of it splatting on the concrete was comforting; it reminded me of home. "She's proud of me?" I asked after a minute, blinking through tears and picking up my spoon.

Edward put down the cup of coffee he was pretending to drink. "Yes. Now Charlie…he feels a connection, but it does not seem to be love. He claimed to love you, but his thoughts are erratic and often centered around vampires. The Volturi may not have found them physically, but they live in Charlie's head."

I contemplated what he said as I finished my granola and grabbed my fruit back from him. "Then I'll just have to win him over."

I was treated to Edward's crooked, breath-stealing grin. "You do have that effect on people."

I frowned, thinking of my grandfather. "Well, not if he's anything like old Quil," I pointed out.

"He does struggle with the similarities in his mind. However, I believe he wishes to be better than his father. His memories of that time are bitter."

"I'd like to say I can remember my parents, but there's nothing more than the inkling of something familiar. I always thought they would be the type to die in each other's arms, and I'm right. They'll have to come to terms with the fact that there's more out there in the world than what they've created for themselves." I finished my coffee after that, and Edward placed enough cash to cover the bill on the table.

"I have a feeling that being surrounded by four other mated couples will show them that we manage to live our lives inclusive of the outside world and subsequently make time for our significant others." He kissed me on the nose after he said that, taking my hand and leading me down the street. The rain had cleared, leaving the sky the color of acid-washed jeans. There was a marina near the hotel, and Edward asked if I wanted a tour of the rivers.

"Sure. Which rivers?"

"The Rio Negro is the one we are looking at now; it meets up with the Amazon River on the other side of the peninsula. The difference in the color of water is intriguing. The Rio Negro is as the name suggests; very dark water that looks black from a distance. The Amazon is quite silty and more the color of the sand that swirls through the water. They meet but never mix."

There were plenty of tours leaving at all times of the day, so Edward paid for the tickets and we waited a short few minutes before the captain announced he was ready for us. It was still hot, but the wind felt good on my skin. I was especially glad I'd pulled my hair up, since it was trying its best to whip around the back of my head. As I leaned against Edward's shoulder and took in the greenness of the surrounding area, I realized that we would have endless possibilities for adventures like this, together. If I maintained my youth as my parents had, there was no end to this amazing love we shared. We could take our lives down any path we chose, as long as we did it together.

"What are you thinking about so intensely?" Edward asked in my ear, rubbing his thumb under the edge of my shorts.

I looked up into the eyes of the man I loved—gold, warm, meltingly gorgeous—and smiled softly, saying simply, "Forever."

He smiled in return, picking up my hand and kissing the engagement ring I still constantly fiddled with. I wasn't used to the weight of it yet. "That was my grandmother's, Bella. My grandfather died when I was just three, but I had my formative years with my grandmother. She was kind, strong, very giving, and selfless. She fed and housed any stranger that came along, regardless of the rumors and whispers it started. It was quite improper for her to allow strange men to sleep under her roof, but she had a faithful all-around man that she employed for odds and ends that kept an eye on her. She just couldn't handle the less fortunate being cast aside when there was something she could do about it."

"So she ran a homeless shelter?" I asked, looking back down at the ring.

"In a way." His smile faded. "She passed away when I was fourteen. Simply did not wake up one morning. At least she was not forced to suffer through the plague of the influenza like her daughter and son-in-law."

I wrapped my arm around his middle and rested my head on his stone chest. "It's beautiful, Edward. I can't believe it's that old."

"I have had it cleaned and preserved over the years, in the way I have all of the jewelry my mother left behind. If you would be interested, anything I have of hers is yours."

"I don't wear jewelry that often, but remind me the next time we have something to dress up for, and I'll pick something out." It felt like a solid compromise, considering that I didn't even wear earrings.

"All right," he agreed, kissing the top of my head.

We had reached the division of the rivers by then, and we spent half an hour looking at the difference in color, and listening to the guide talk about why they didn't mix. It actually made perfect sense to me, the science clicking in my brain. The guide offered to find the largest fish in the area, but Edward declined and told him we had a plane to catch. We were quiet on the ride back, looking at the water and the city beyond.

We collected our luggage from the concierge at the hotel and got back in the jeep we'd driven the day before. The sun was starting to peek out from behind the clouds, making the heavy window tint ideal for Edward. It occurred to me that it must be exhausting to keep up pretenses every single day.

"Do you ever get sick of hiding your true self?" I asked, picking up his right hand and threading our fingers together.

He didn't look over at me as he drove to the airport, but I saw the rise and fall of his shoulders that indicated a sigh. "Honestly, yes. That's why our house is set back in the woods. That's why we don't make friends unless they are immensely useful and can be paid to keep a secret. For instance, Jasper has a man he uses for identification when necessary, and the man has to have noticed by now that none of us have aged in our pictures. But the activity is technically not within the law, so he could never say anything without making things worse for himself. Also, Jasper pays him exorbitantly." I waited while he made a turn, and he spoke again. "Carlisle is the exception. He is extremely grateful for this life, and what it affords all of us. He would never squander that with idleness, and it brings him great joy to heal the humans we hide from. His bedside manner is impeccable, of course. The others work online under pseudonyms, or take college courses. It is simpler that way."

I hummed. "I'm so happy that I can be myself with you; even happier that you can be yourself with me."

"Trust me, that makes me happy as well. Ecstatic, even." He lifted our joined hands and kissed my knuckles. The gesture sent a current zinging down through my hand and wrist, straight to my shoulder. It felt like it jolted my heart as it beat double time.

I watched his profile as he drove. It was eerie how still he could be; as though he was truly carved out of stone as he often appeared. I knew I needed to brace myself for seeing my parents again, but I could only focus on Edward and the feelings I had for him. I tried to equate these feelings to my parents, and thought I understood, to an extent, how far my father would go to protect my mother. I would go to the ends of the earth to protect Edward. I would kill for him. I would die for him.

I prayed to the ancient gods I felt in my bones that it would never, ever come to that.