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?”

She beamed up at me. “Yep.”

Truly, she was stunning. Lines of happiness creased the corners of her eyes, and a dimple appeared in each cheek as she smiled so widely. Her eyes were bright and happy, and she laid her cheek on my arm briefly. The kitten scrambled up her opposite shoulder, and I watched Bella trying to extract him from her hair.

“He senses what I am,” I breathed into her ear.

Dislodging him from her hair, she stepped away from me and looked up into my eyes. “I hadn’t thought of that.” She looked back at the furry mass. “It’s okay, Frank. Good kitty,” she cooed, stroking his head again.

We left, Bella holding the kitten in her lap on the way back as she did on the way to the store. She let us into her apartment when we arrived, and I placed her bounty on the breakfast bar.

“What will you do if one of your roommates is allergic?”

She stopped petting Frank and looked up at me. “Angela has a cat at home, and Jess said she had always wanted one when we were discussing pets. I’m more worried how he’ll react to you.”

“Well, we are natural predators, and animals sense that. He is likely to hide and not want to be in the same room as I.”

“Crap,” she sighed, sinking down on the sofa. “Here goes nothing.”

Bella placed the kitten on the rug, and after a brief sniff at the carpet, he streaked out of the room and out of sight.

“I better make sure the girls’ doors are closed,” she said sheepishly.

I turned to the bags of cat goodies and set about opening the food and pouring some into one dish, adding water to the other. Bella joined me and opened the bag of litter, tipping some into the litter pan before looking around the space in general.

“Where am I going to put all this?” she wondered out loud.

“Is there room in your bathroom or your closet?” I knew from the floor plans I’d studied before deciding, that there was a stackable washer and dryer in a hall closet, meaning no laundry room.

“There’s a closet in the bathroom. I’ll leave the door open and put the litter in there. The dish can go in the corner of my room.” She bit her lip. “Do you think Ang and Jess will be mad at me?”

I set down what I had in my hands and pulled her to me, wrapping her up in my arms and kissing the top of her head. “It was rather impulsive of you, but no one can fault you for your compassionate nature.”

Her hands rubbed over my back, and I found the desire returning in a rush up my spine. I took her face in my hands, cradling it gently, and brought my head down to kiss her.

Time was nonexistent as our lips melded to each other, moving together, retreating and returning. Her tongue slipped into my mouth and I moaned, my grip on her tightening. Her hands slipped down, and she grabbed my ass to pull me harder against her body. I could feel the heat radiating from her body to mine, especially at her core. I needed to claim her, I needed to make her mine, or the monster deep inside me would snap.

“Bella,” I gritted out against her mouth. “Which bedroom is yours?”

She broke away from my mouth, her lips swollen, her eyes shining, and her hair disheveled. My desire rose further. Taking my hand in hers, she turned and led me out of the living room. I followed her into her room, remembering the instructions I gave the decorator about light and airy and natural. It suited her very well, but those thoughts were secondary to what I wanted in that moment.

“Bella,” I said her name again, my voice guttural.

She faced me, rising on her toes to kiss me again. “Edward,” she whispered. “Why are we still dressed?”

I chuckled at her matching impatience and yanked my hooded sweatshirt over my head. Her eyes tracked my every move, and I pulled my white t-shirt off next. I kicked out of my shoes before my hands went to the button on my jeans, and she watched me as though it was the most riveting sight. I realized she was still completely dressed as I slid my pants down my legs, so I reached for her to remedy the situation.

“Too many layers, love.” I pulled her sweater over her head, dropping it behind her, and my hands went to her breasts like they were drawn in by a magnet. Bella’s head went back as I caressed her through the fabric covering her, exposing her throat and her pulse. I leaned in and placed my lips on her neck while I toyed with the cups of her bra. Her breath panted out as I scraped my teeth along the point that showed how fast her heart beat for me.

My hands soon roamed down to her pants, and I unfastened them while she toed her shoes off. When we were in nothing but our undergarments, I drew her down on the bed with me. Cradling her like a delicate flower, I resumed kissing her for her pleasure and my own. Her hips moved with mine, grinding her pelvis against my own until I was seeing stars behind my lids. I needed to be buried inside her, despite how enjoyable the foreplay was.

Removing the last vestiges of our clothing, I stroked Bella until she cried out, her scent coating my tongue. I breathed her in, feeling the bond that held us together strengthen and solidify. Moving gently, I hovered over her naked body and looked down at her beautiful face. Tears hovered at the corners of her eyes, and I kissed them away.

“Moments such as this will remain in my memory for eternity, my Bella. No one’s ever loved anyone as much as I love you.”

She smiled up at me. “I can think of one exception.”

Nothing could compare to sinking into her warmth, to being completely connected to my mate in every way possible. She hissed as I filled her, and I could not move slowly, no matter how I tried. With such a frenzied pace, I moved my hands to assist Bella with her pleasure. It was of utmost importance that she receive fulfillment as well as I.

“Just like that, Edward. Please, please!”

I knew from her begging that she was almost complete, and so I let myself go. The feeling of her muscles as they tightened around me were enough to send me hurtling over the edge, with Bella along for the ride.

I felt the odd need to regain my breath, and buried my head in the crook of Bella’s neck to recenter myself. I breathed in her unique scent as I rested against her curves; it grounded me, welcomed me home. We were complete again.

“Edward,” she murmured as her fingers traced up and down my sides. “I love you.”

I smiled into her skin. “I love you, as well.”

“It’s my turn to make dinner. Can we talk until my roommates come home?”

I knew to what she was referring. “Yes, of course. I believe I would enjoy a shower first. Do you wish to join me?”

I pulled away to look into her face, and I laughed at the mischief in her expression.

“Yes, of course.”

She pushed me off her body and raced to the bathroom, laughing the entire way. I allowed her to reach the shower before I rose, knowing that if I moved at vampire speed she would never win. She turned the water on quite hot, and I stepped inside the shower stall behind her. I took my time reaching around her for the soap, pressing the length of my body against hers. I lathered the body wash in my hands, deeply inhaling the scent that was most closely associated with my mate, and slowly, slowly, washed every inch of her skin. Bella was breathing with some difficulty by the time I spun her to rinse off the fragrant suds.

As I slipped my hands down her abdomen to the juncture of her thighs, an idea formed. I picked her up by the waist and lifted her high, bracing her against the tiles as I buried my face in her pussy. Her hands went to the ceiling to steady herself, and her cries echoed off the walls. Her taste permeated my senses, and I realized I was already hard as a rock again. I flattened my tongue to run it up her opening before flicking at her clit with the tip. She soon shattered, her hands grasping my hair as her hips left the wall to buck on my face.

I shifted my grip, sliding her down my body until she sank onto my cock. Every time felt brand new, and I savored the sensations as she cried out repeatedly.

“Edward,” she mewled. “What did I ever do without you?”

“Touch yourself?” I guessed, my mouth pressed to her ear.

Bella laughed and then moaned as I sped up the movement of my hips until she clamped down onto me, coming again. I allowed my body to follow hers before finally releasing my tight hold.

“Now we can add shower sex to the list of things to do often,” she commented breathlessly.

Indeed.