Incendere sole I Chapter 13
<- Chapter 13 - out of touch ->
The birds haven’t yet begun their ballad, leaving the nearing dawn in stoic silence. There was peace in the quiet, often offering a sense of serenity. Yet for a house near a forest, silence was uncharacteristic and not necessarily welcomed.
The droplets of cold water cascaded over my face in a near-impossible effort to wake me up enough to be able to function. Normally, I would enjoy sleeping in; I would welcome it. However, work called, and who was I to say no to an extra buck.
Especially with the approaching prom.
It honestly couldn’t come fast enough. The theme for this year's prom was Enchanted Forest, which was quite the magical topic. There was a talk that it would be Transylvania, but Kim, ever the involved person in school affairs, turned it down.
I stared at the reflection in the mirror, thankfully seeing only myself, without any distortion. Magic was a fickle thing, often leaving traces and warnings behind. While I appreciated it on the best days, I wouldn’t be able to find it in me this early in the morning.
Dark circles decorated the heavy bags under my eyes, leaning into the ghostly vibes. I should really consider working in a castle rather than in a flower shop.
Paul was out on a patrol through the night, together with Jared, which meant less than ideal quality of sleep for me. Not only that, but since we had a visitor tonight, his presence wouldn’t be optimal. Because if he were here, he would definitely freak out, which would lead to an altercation over who gets to stay and who doesn’t.
Breaking an old treaty just because you want to be with your imprint probably wasn’t the brightest idea.
I was glad Edward and I managed to be civil, friendly even, around one another without making Bella suspicious. It was rather peculiar to watch us exchange pleasantries whenever we saw each other in the hallway.
The same wouldn’t apply to Paul. He wasn’t exactly a fan of theatrics and acting. Not even for the sake of my sister.
And I couldn’t blame him. But it meant he spent significantly less time here than we were used to.
Yawn crawled out my throat, escaping past my lips as I opened the door leading to the hallway. Even through my squinted eyes, I could make out the statue standing awfully close.
“I said I was mildly okay with you stalking Bella. Not me. In case you forgot, humans tend to enjoy personal space. And boundaries.” I stated, moving past him fully intentind to ignore his presence.
I was not awake enough to deal with whatever he had decided was crucial information to share. He took a step toward me, disregarding my comment. Those golden eyes of his shone in the dark like a pair of fireflies following me in the darkness.
Heaving a sigh in the wake of a lost case, I turned around, palms running over my face. “Fine, who do I owe the pleasure of your company this early in the morning? Because if I were you, I would be enjoying sleep. Or you know, relaxing.”
“I do not sleep.” He stated. It was interesting to watch the irritation sparking behind his eyes only to be extinguished with the next breath.
A tooth-rotting smile split my face. “Is that why you are so pale and unpleasant?”
I had to give it to Edward; he did possess a semblance of self-control, because he barely reacted to the snarky comment. Instead, his gaze focused on the pendant dangling from my neck. An instinct to cover it took over, the cold metal biting into the flesh of my palm.
“I see your hand is healed.” He noted, studying the nearly smooth flesh. A courtesy of Emily’s ointments and various spells.
Since the scars were a byproduct of magic, the possibility of countering it was just a matter of time and resources.
With a shake of his head, he continued, “Pleasantries aside, I would like to take Bella to meet my parents.”
“Shouldn’t you first meet our parents? Officially, I mean. That would be the customary thing to do.” I shrugged, sparing him a pointed glance.
Before he could stop the expression, his eyebrows flew up while his eyes grew a fraction bigger. If he were alive, a red tint would decorate the high points of his cheeks.
It was almost too easy to mess with him.
If he had to be in our lives, I was determined to make the most of it. At the end of the day, I wished for Bella to find someone she loved and who loved her back. Without a constant worry for her neck.
“No need to be flustered, my dear friend; you already sleep in her bed.”
A mortified expression fleshed across his face, and I was almost positive he was fighting the urge to either flee or murder me. The former one was the preferred option around this house.
Neither of which he ended up picking. Instead, he stared at me, his eyes shifting to my twitching lips that were now sealed in a thin line.
“Very funny,” He huffed after regaining composure.
Awarding him with another smile, I replied, “Thank you, I try my best while in your company.”
His glance slid towards the closed doors of Bella’s bedroom. A sigh left his lips, even though he didn’t have the need for breathing as his gaze returned to me. “I believe it would make it easier on her if you helped her dress. Or rather prepare.”
The pinch of my brows was followed by a shake of my head. “Prepare her to meet your parents? I’m not sure her meeting your family in your house is a good idea.”
“I understand your reservations; however, you had met them. They are kind, and they would like to meet the person I am spending my time with.” He stated without breaking eye contact. The intensity of his stare was met with my own as I contemplated his response.
When the frown hadn’t let down, he added, “I am more than happy to officially introduce myself to your father. If it weren’t for Bella suggesting we wait, I would have done so already.”
An involuntary giggle escaped me, “I was joking, Eddy.” It really was easy to mess with him. He was like a Victorian child deprived of his sense of humor. Or perhaps understanding it would be a better way of putting it.
“It’s Edward.” This time, his voice came out like a grumble. Irritating an old soul, a vampire, was quickly becoming one of my favourite activities.
I put my hands up in a feigned surrender. “No need to be so hostile. You might one day be my brother-in-law, Eddy.”
He let the snide comment slide by without a visible reaction. Pity. “Will you help her or not?”
“She is my sister; of course I will.” If it meant she would be more comfortable, it went without question. Bella was anxious to call a doctor to make an appointment; meeting her boyfriend’s parents must have set her off already. I could only imagine the nervousness that gnawed at her.
My gaze shifted toward her door, and a sympathetic look crossed my features. “When?”
I hummed, nodding. “I’m off to work now, but I’ll be back around, say two-ish?” I offered, fiddling with the pendant on my neck.
“That would be ideal. Thank you.”
With my brows knotting, I spared him a confused glance. “You know you don’t need to thank me? As I said, Bella is my sister. If it eases her anxiety, I will always help her.”
I offered a smile, for once a friendly one, which he returned with his own. “But we have to talk about some ground rules.”
Curiosity fleshed across his features, prompting me to continue, “You cannot jump me in a hallway like this for one. Secondly, we might need a schedule thanks to the treaty. Because I doubt either of you would be ecstatic to meet in the middle of the night. And Gods forbid break the treaty.”
His head perked to the side, as if he hadn’t been thinking of the consequences of his presence. With a blink, he nodded, “I apologize; it was not my intention to cross boundaries with you. It will not happen again.”
A smile spread across my features while my fingers grasped the pendant again. “Thank you. Glad to have you on board without using my magic.”
“As for your second request,” There was turmoil in his stance as he paused. He wasn’t happy about the possibility of leaving Bella alone, much less with a company of a shifter. “This is your house; it would be rude to impose.” He finally said, even when he clearly didn’t agree with the words that had just left his mouth.
It was understandable. Paul knew of Edward's nightly endeavours, and his reaction was much less tame than Edward’s was. But it was a compromise all parties had to respect if the treaty was to be left unbroken.
One Bella had no idea about.
She already suspected, thanks to Jacob, that there was something strange happening on the reservation. The only reason she hadn’t paid it much mind was that said mind was distracted by a handsome face. And that wouldn’t last if we couldn’t keep up the pretenses.
We already talked about it with Paul. He was hesitant at first, not wanting to leave the house to a vampire to roam free in for even a day. I, on the other hand, argued that we could spend it together elsewhere if he weren’t on patrol.
Sure, it would mean sneaking out, because Dad wouldn’t be so easily persuaded to let me spend the night at Paul’s that often. But it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.
Either that or persuading him, which was an alternative I was less ecstatic about. It was one thing to use it on strangers; it was a whole other thing to use it on the people I cared about.
“How does every two days sound?”
“You’re not wearing that.” A now permanent look of disgust took residence on my face while Bella pulled out another piece of her clothing.
This time, a khaki skirt a length even a nun wouldn’t consider owning, let alone wearing. Confiscating the item, I let it fall onto the pile of clothes that desperately needed to go. Or prehabs burn. “I am throwing that in the trash, Bells.”
A skirt that length and color couldn’t be styled anyway.
“When you offered to help me, I thought it would be just that. Not you criticizing my limited closet.”
“I wanted to take you out shopping on many occasions. You declined every one of those.” She opened her mouth to argue, so I continued without giving her a chance, “And I am helping.”
She huffed a response I couldn’t decipher and went back inside her closet. It took her a minute before the shuffling subsided; she pulled out a beautiful white short-sleeved blouse, the ruffles decorating the bottom half of the top swirling as she stepped closer.
Hope filled my lungs like a breath of fresh air. A victorious smile spread on my lips as I pointed at the item. “Now that we can work with.”
Bella’s expression warmed up as well, a feeling of pride substituting the annoyed and tired glare she had been sporting for the last half an hour. Her tense frame relaxed, and she let the fabric fall onto her mattress. “Finally.”
Not gracing her comment with a response, I stood up from my seat on her bed to stretch the half-asleep limbs. “Let’s pair it with jeans, so you’re more comfortable?”
She nodded with a small smile, backing into the closet once more. Even though she pulled out that hideous skirt, it wasn’t something she would be eager to put on under any circumstances.
Meeting a family of vampires, her boyfriend’s parents, was already a burden on her nerves. Wearing uncomfortable clothes would only fuel the anxiety, making it hard to focus on much else.
When she returned, now changed into her new attire, she was gnawing on her bottom lip.
Bella looked beautiful, with her locks cascading over her shoulders in delicate waves and soft features. The white blouse made the warm brown of her irises pop, excentuating the natural beauty she possessed.
“Bells, you’re gorgeous.” My hands flew to cover my gaping mouth. A small smile appeared on her lips while she turned around, facing the mirror and admiring the work we put in.
It was a simple outfit, a pair of dark jeans and a flowy short-sleeved blouse decorated with jewellery. Yet it felt so much like her.
A honk sounded from outside the house, disturbing the serene atmosphere. Paul’s truck stopped rattling, the noise so loud it could be heard miles away and wake up a dead person.
I jumped up, the mattress squealing under the lifted weight. “I have to go. But you look amazing. And they are lucky to be meeting you.”
“I don’t know, Liz.” Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her blouse. It creased underneath her fingerbeds. I took hold of her hand, moving it away from the fabric while my other hand smoothed the material.
I squeezed her hand in mine in reassurance, coaxing a timid smile. “I mean it. You put all of them to shame. If something happens, or you don’t feel comfortable, ring me, and I’ll come pick you up.”
Nervousness still gnawed at her as she squinted her eyes in disbelief. All I could do was offer another warm smile, because I mean every word of said sentiment.
They might have been beautiful, ethereal even, yet they lacked the soul that made humans enthralling.
I took hold of her pinky, squeezing it. “Promise.”
“This is even better than I expected.” I quipped while holding back laughter, which was becoming considerably harder by each minute that ticked by.
The song filled the space, partially drowning out the grunts of the men warming up. While they argued, bargained even, to get out of their promise to attend the class, not even gods could persuade us otherwise.
It was more entertaining than we could imagine, too.
While the music was supposed to help them relax, it was a cause for a rather awkward movement. Their tense frames shuffled through the studio, cautiously swaying in the rhythm, trying to feel the music and failing miserably.
It wasn’t the same as when they hit the gym, where they listened to a different genre to pump them up.
“And we’re still doing warm-ups,” Kim added, her head tilting when Jared yelped. His hamstrings were in dire need of stretching if he were to dance.
It was baffling how uncoordinated he looked now when we knew just how agile he could be in his wolf form. The stark contrast elicited another chuckle as an image of a wolf trying to replicate the routine we had in store for the boys flashed before my eyes.
An agitated voice cut through our session, cracking the image into shatters. “Ladies, less talking, more helping.”
“Yes, coach!” The immediate reaction was more of a reflex, or rather a trauma response from both of us. “They need all the help they can get.” I chimed in, elbowing my friend, who only giggled.
Saying that Paul was struggling would be an understatement of a century. He was tense, his anger flaring as he tried to replicate the step but coming up short.
“Baby, you have to loosen, you know.” My fingers lightly dragged down his abdomen, landing right at the top of the exaggerated V. The touch did little to relax him, yet I still pressed against bone, forcing his right side back as my other hand shifted to sit on his hip, pushing it down.
His knee bent slightly, letting the movement flow through his body. I took the chance, my hand traveling down his arm, urging it upward as if reaching for the sun. Locking his fingers with mine, palm resting on the back of his hand. I gently forced his arm down again with the beat of the song.
“Just like that, you have to feel the rhythm of the music. To one movement,” With a free hand I guided his shoulders to curl inwards while his palm still faced the ground. “The whole body reacts. Like when a water surface is disrupted by a rock.”
A smile spread on my face as I took a step back, drinking him in. He could hear the rhythm, feel it in his bones, unlike Jared, who still struggled to find his footing.
The choreography was a duet, a tale between two souls tethered, an allegory to what we were living these past few months. To dance it was to live it, to feel it. If one was able to grasp it and hold onto its meaning, the steps were insignificant.
That was what I found so freeing about contemporary dancing. It was a form of expression that didn’t heavily lean on the choreography or precise moves. Rather preferring to convey the emotion with the movement that feels right.
“It may sound counterproductive, but don’t think so hard about it,” I said gently, inching closer again as I could practically see the wheels in his mind turning and churning. His head whirled around, eye twitching with irritation.
With one stern look, he settled, rolling his eyes and offering me a crooked smile. “I don’t think dance is my calling, beautiful.” Paul huffed, trying to recreate the move that the coach presented.
“Dance doesn’t have such strict rules.” Shrugging my shoulders, I repeated the move, this time slowly to help him better understand it. To notice how different muscles stretched as limbs shifted, the movement fluid.
“Well, it does, but that’s not really motivationally, is it?”
As I flashed him another grin, he shook his head and glanced at Jare, who was struggling the most. Poor Kim tried to reposition his arms only for his shoulders to continue slouching.
“Ready for the big finale?”
The smirk dancing on his lips told me everything I needed to know. His overconfidence was one day going to be the death of either him or me. And in this case, I might be the first victim.
I shifted, standing before him. The warmth of his skin seeped through the thin fabric of his shirt into my flesh. Instead of reveling in it, as was my habit, I caressed his arm.
“Okay, one hand sits here.” I guided it just below my ribcage. “And the other under my leg.” His right hand traveled down, snaking around my thigh while his fingers dug in gently. He paused, waiting for permission to lift me.
One nod of a head was enough for his hold to tighten, a signal for my arms to get into posion. One stretching firmly while the other stayed bend, hovering just above my belly button.
With an ease, he hoisted me up, his hold never faltering. It was risky incorporating a balet move into this routine. Yet, there was a tinge of hopefulness that Paul dare to drop me.
Fish tilt wasn’t as difficult, especially this deconstrunted version of it, his only job was to hold, tilt and they gently let me down.
A smile ghosted my lips as I hummed, “Mhm, now tilt. And don’t drop me.”
Low chuckle revibrated through his chest. The sound sending chiles through my body as his lips hovered over my earlobe and he whispered, “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Red tinted my cheeks when he finally set me down. His fingers moving underneath my chin, gently coercing it up and forcing my gaze to me his. He stared at my lips, the stare lustful, eyelashes heavy. His chest bumbed into my back as he took a deep breath.
There was a squeal similar to one we heard many times from Kim. Just as we turned to inspect the source Jared was already caging Kim in a victorious embrace, and swirling her around earning fits of giggles.
Utterly lost in each other, they nearly knocked over the radio perched on a wooden stool. The CD buffed before mercifully continuing to play again.
While we might have found it sweet, not disrupting the class was one of the rules our coach wouldn’t let slide.
The moment was interrupted by a stern cough, which was quickly followed by a glare that not even a cold one spared the wolves. Her bony finger flew up, pointing in the direction of an exit.
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