Shed some Light

by Amber Naralim

  Vincent frowned. His arms folded across his chest. He stood in front of the windows in the living room. He had gotten back about an hour or so ago. Edward informed him that Reese and Ellie had headed out for a surprise. His first instinct was to hunt them down. Problem was he wasn't as good at it as Reese was. He knew Reese wouldn't hurt her. Not anymore, at least.

  Vincent looked down at Anna, his brows coming down in a sharp V over his roiling eyes. His frown deepened. “Sorry, Vincent.”

  “Oh,” Anna said, running her tongue over her bottom lip.

  Vincent looked over his shoulder. Edward stood in the hallway watching her. The look on her face made Vincent break his silence. “She's looking for you,” he said aloud. He knew damn well Edward heard everything they said. He smirked unpleasantly when Edward came out of the shadows into the dining room. Vincent was more than just a little pissed off that Edward had let them go. Childish? Maybe.

  Edward glared at Vincent as he said, “Do you need something?” Edward’s voice worked at sounding neutral.

  He was still dressed in his black silk pajama bottoms. His hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. The few loose strands of his bangs smoothed back behind his ears. Edward went rounds when it came to facial hair. Some days he would let it grow out. Others he would shave it all off. Today his cheeks were smooth. Not even a stubble.

  Anna frowned, her delicate brows knitting together. “I don't know, maybe we could talk.” Her voice sounded annoyed. Every day that went by she got just a little more tired of these games he was playing. She took a step back toward the sound of Edward's voice, blinking her dead eyes.

  “Sure, let's talk.”

  Vincent rolled his eyes. He thought Edward was being a douche when it came to Anna. Vincent understood more than most being afraid to be near someone else being what they were. But Edward had enough control that it wasn't a problem. Edward barely felt the hunger. There was no real danger in their relationship, no guilt. Vincent looked at Edward for a moment. Charlie and Shane had taken the Liberty to town. Reese and Ellie were gone.

  “I think I'll go for a walk. You know, let you two kids have some privacy.” Vincent’s eyebrows rose at the word kids. He gave Edward one of his tense, angry little smirks. Vincent crossed to the door and headed outside. Making sure the door closed loud enough for Anna to hear it. He wasn't about to give Edward another excuse to blow her off. Vincent headed toward the tree line.

  Edward sighed as the door closed behind Vincent. He pressed his lips into a tight line. And Vincent wondered why he found him so damned aggravating. Edward’s eyes slid from the door to Anna. She wore her hair down. A mane of thick red fire that made her cheeks look pale. Her skin was almost translucent. He could see the tiny veins that drew lines in red and blue beneath it.

  She was dressed in black leggings and a bat wing, three-quarter sleeve shirt that hung from her slender shoulders. It was a shade of blue that matched the dot of blue where her pupil should be. He couldn't get over how sexy she looked standing there. But then again she could be dressed in a moo moo and he would find her sexy. Edward sighed, padding further into the room.

  He made a face at the awkward silence that was stretching between them. “Not used to having no one here,” he said to fill the hungry quiet.

  Edward’s eyes dragged over her. All he could think was that he couldn't breathe without her. He was nothing without her. That he loved her. He wondered if Charlie knew what she was doing to him. His emotions were thrown so out of whack whenever she tried something new with his dose of the serum. But it was more than that. He swore that when he was with Anna he was in his right mind. He found himself again. The awful things that happened at that hospital were a forgotten memory. Without her, it was like he’d gone mad. Edward slipped back down into the darkness that nipped at his heels. The shadows followed him from that fucking hospital.

  Edward wanted to be a good man. He wanted to be the man that Ellie needed, that Anna needed. He could only be that with Anna. Right now, he was so full of want, of need for her. Every ounce of strength was ripped out from under him. Edward couldn't resist her and all she was doing was standing there.

  Anna opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again, trying to figure out just what to say to him. “What are we doing?” Anna felt she deserved an answer to that question.

  One moment he was all over her. The next he was avoiding her like the plague. She was getting whiplash from the way he treated her. She didn't understand it. Anna didn't know what she was doing wrong. All she knew was that she was lonely. That she had nothing left but him. This one time Anna didn't want to give up without a fight.

  Edward swallowed past the tightness in his throat. The thought that he never knew what he loved until it was gone screamed at him. Problem was she was standing right there. All he had to do was reach out to her. Edward didn't want to hurt her. But didn't he deserve a little happiness? Just a tiny bit. It was too late to go back. He couldn't fix what had been done to them. He couldn't get back what they lost. No matter how much he wanted to. No matter what he would give to do just that.

  “Anna,” he breathed.

  “Was it just because you were lonely? Do you... do you not want this? Whatever it is.”

  “I want it! I want it more than you'll ever know.” Those words left his lips before he could stop them. Edward sighed. His eyes dropped to the floor. He did. He wanted to spend his last months happy. He wanted to spend them in her arms. He wanted his sister. But he just kept pushing them away because he didn't know what to tell them.

  “Then what are you doing?” Anna asked, letting her head drop to one side. “Why are you pulling away from me?”

  “I don't know, Anna. I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm not trying to hurt you.”

  “Well, you are.” She scowled fighting against tears. “I know this isn't easy for any of us. But the only time I have felt even remotely happy was with you.” She was done tiptoeing around this. Anna figured she would tell him the truth and if that wasn't enough, then it was never meant to be.

  Edward gave his head a shake, cursing Vincent for forcing him into this conversation. He didn't have it in him to deny her right now. He just didn't have the strength to fight against it. Edward wanted her too much. He was too damn lost, too alone. Too afraid. He let his eyes slide over her pretty face. For the longest time, he had tried to think about what was best for her. Today Edward was just too damn selfish to do that anymore.

  “I've lost everything, Edward. But that's alright so long as I have you,” Anna said. “But if you don't want to be with me then say it. Decide. I can't keep dangling in the wind. You need to make your choice so we can both move on to what comes next.”

  Edward took in a deep breath and dragged his head around in a tight semi-circle. Before he was even sure what he was doing, Edward was moving across the floor. Pulling her into his arms, he laid his lips against hers. Anna startled when he grabbed her. She hadn't heard him move. She certainly hadn't seen it.

  After that initial shock, she melted into him, into his kiss. She let go of her cane. It dropped to the floor with a clatter. Anna's hands slid over his bare arms, around his back. That was a decision. Relief flooded through her. Edward ran his fingers through her wild red hair. His mouth closed over hers.

  His hands slipped over her chest, sliding down the line of her body. Edward grabbed her ass with both hands lifting her off the floor. His right hand traced over the bottom of her thigh hooking at her knee. Anna was slightly taller than him this way. As he fed at her mouth, she hooked her elbow around his neck. Her other hand glided over his smooth cheek as that kiss grew.

  Her mouth spilled over his chin, over the line of his jaw. She kissed his neck. He considered taking her right there on the dining table. But he did not want to see the look on Charlie's face when she walked in on them there. Instead, he carried her down the hall. He turned with her in his arms and pushed through the doorway. He kept walking until his shins hit the edge
of the bed. Edward laid her back against the mattress.

  He came down on the bed one knee between her thighs. Anna took in a heaving breath. His fingertips slid under the hem of her shirt. He pushed at the thin fabric of her leggings. Hooking his fingers over the lace of her thong, Edward pressed his mouth to hers as he slid them down her thighs. Resisting every urge he had to rip through them out of the frustration of needing her bare skin against his. He had to back away from her to get rid of them. Anna took that time to pull her shirt up and over her head leaving her breasts bare. It drew a smile over Edward's face to see them. He pushed at his pajama bottoms. Let them drop to the floor.

  Edward came back in sliding between her thighs. His fight against every urge these past months left him with little want for foreplay. He wanted her. He wanted to be inside of her. A press of his hips made Anna cry out. Her dead eyes flying open wide. He ran his hand down over her throat, the top of her chest. His hand closed over her breast.

  Anna traced her hands over his smooth shoulders, balling her fist into his long hair. The hair tie fell over his back as his hair came loose of it. He rocked them back and forth with the movements of his hips. Anna screamed out her pleasure. Her neck bowed, head buried into the pillows. Edward gave another sharp thrust that had her entire body tightening around him. He laid his mouth against hers. Let it slide wetly over her cheek. One hand glided into her silken hair. The other slipped beneath her hips pulling her body into his.

  Anna shuddered with her orgasm. She could barely catch enough breath to cry out. His new senses made it hard to hold on. Every sensation was a hundred times sharper for him. It wasn't just sight, taste, and smell that were heightened. His sense of touch was off the charts. And right now that was all he could think about.

  The way she moved her hips against him had him rushing toward his edge. She cried out moments before he laid his mouth against hers again. Her tongue dancing with his was just enough to send him careening over. His body went rigid with that sweet release. He pulled back from her his head falling back against his shoulders. His eyes shut tight as the aftershocks ran through him.

  His breath fell out of him. Edward’s eyes opened and he saw her laid bare beneath him. His thoughts rang with the horrible mistake he'd made. And he didn't give a damn. Anna collapsed back against the bed breathless. A smile so lovely spilled across her lips. She brought her hand up awkwardly looking for his face. Edward bent his head down touching his forehead to the palm of her hand. Edward moved it back letting her splayed fingertips slide over the side of his face. It was a sensation he had come to love.

  “I do love you, Anna.” All of his secrets rushed to his lips.

  “You do?” Her laugh ran like silk over his spine. “Say it again.”

  “I love you,” Edward’s voice was gentle. Tears stung his eyes. In that moment, Edward was glad she couldn't see him. What was he doing? Anna didn't deserve this. But he needed her. He needed something.

  Edward pulled away from her, pushing gently at her raised knee. He lay down next to her and pulled her into his arms. A mistake it might have been. But if he was going to feel guilty about it anyway he might as well enjoy it while he could. He would eventually have to tell her. But for now, he pushed it all back. Edward ran his hands through her hair. Let his fingertips slide up and down over the silky skin of her shoulder.

  They lay like that for a long time. She pressed her ear against his chest listening to his heartbeat. Anna had come to love that sound. It was something she had never even noticed when she had her sight. Now she collected sounds like they were precious jewels. That was one of them. That whispering beat inside his chest.

  He heard a car come up the drive. A few moments later, the front door opened and he could hear Charlie and Vetler talking. Edward smirked to himself, guess he could have gotten away with the dining table after all. He wanted to get up, but he didn't want to let her go either. An idea struck him. Edward looked down at her, smoothing the hair back away from her face.

  “What do you say we take a bath? That thing up there is gigantic and I'm pretty sure the only one who uses it is Reese.”

  Anna chuckled at that. “I could handle a bath.”

  “Do you need me to carry you?”

  “Need, no,” Anna said with a shake of her head. “Want is another thing entirely.” A happy smile rushed over her lips.

  Anna was in the best mood she had been in a long time. She felt Edward pull away from her. She had to strain to hear him move about the room. He came back to her. Touched her hand and helped her guide it into the sleeve of what she realized was one of his button-down shirts. She supposed with the others in the house just walking up there naked was sort of out. But she had to admit that was one of the things she missed about her little apartment in Chicago. She could go where she liked with as little or as many clothes as she felt like.

  Once he weaved a few of the buttons through their respective holes. Edward slid his hand over her hips and lifted her. She felt the silk of his pajamas. He must have put them back on before he helped her into the shirt. Anna threw her head back and laughed. Being carried about the house made her feel like a toddler. But she was trying this new dependence thing. Edward heard footsteps coming toward the hallway.

  “Anna, honey, are you okay?” Charlie's voice called out full of concern.

  “I'm fine.”

  Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. It was the first time the house had been this quiet, nearly everyone gone. Then she found Anna's cane on the floor and thought the worst. She heard Edward's door open while she folded the cane up. Shane gave her questioning eyes. To which he received a shrug of Charlie's ample shoulders. Shane carried in the groceries. Normally Charlie asked Vincent to do it or if he was out hunting Reese. But as neither of them were here it fell to Shane.

  Edward flashed Anna a smile that she couldn't see as he walked them toward the doorway. He gave Charlie the benefit of a playful roll of his eyes. The moment she saw them an overly cheerful smile graced her face. Charlie did a little dance in the spot she stood. She thoroughly approved of the two of them together. Something she had told him on more than one occasion.

  Charlie chuckled to herself and turned on her heel to help Shane. Edward took Anna up the steps headed for the larger bathroom. He shut the door with his foot and sat her on the edge of the tub. Her hands came up to smooth her hair back behind her ears just to have it escape from them less than a moment later.

  Edward made himself busy running them a bath. His hair fell into his face. He kept thinking about chopping it all off. Anna worked at unbuttoning the shirt. Edward leaned his hips against the counter watching her as the tub filled. Edward couldn't keep the smile from his face. He let his head drop to one side. Anna looked up, her head moving slightly. He wondered if she was trying to listen for him.

  “Edward?”

  Right here.”

  Anna pulled his shirt from her shoulders laying it on her lap. She could feel heat from behind her and in front of her. It confused her as to where she was. Edward took the shirt from her. She looked up. The tub was pretty much full. He shut the water off and leaned into her lifting her up and sliding her into the water. That bothered Anna a little. Once she knew where Edward was, she could find the tub on her own. She did her best to wipe the frown from her face. He slipped back out of his pants and climbed into it with her a moment later.

  This bathtub was indeed gigantic. There was still room with the both of them in it. Edward wasn't exactly a small man. Anna was petite. She was larger than Ellie, but that wasn't exactly saying much. Edward lay back against the edge just watching her. She frowned, chewing on her bottom lip. Anna lay her hands against the surface of the water.

  “You're being quiet,” she stated.

  “Sorry.”

  Memories from the night with the redhead he let take him home were flashing in his mind’s eye. Edward didn't want to be that. He didn't want to hurt Anna, but he didn't want to be that, more. Edward needed her. He needed
Anna to keep him grounded, anchored to the real world, not this shadowy existence. Edward blinked his eyes trying hard to concentrate on her.

  Anna began to worry at his silence, wondering if he was second-guessing his choice. He was. But Edward also enjoyed watching her. He ran his hand over her knee, the outside of her thigh. That helped push her anxiety back a bit, not too much, though. Anna sighed. She blinked those dead eyes at him. Edward found them fascinating.

  “Are you alright? Is everything alright?”

  This was sort of new territory for Anna. The sex was great. Edward had decided and that is what she wanted. She couldn't help thinking that maybe there were a few things they should be talking about. Edward had been tense and awkward since his sister came back. Shane was scared to death of having Vincent and Reese here. She wondered if he was too.

  At first, Anna was. But both of the Hale brothers treated her nicely. Vincent walked the house while the others slept. Anna tended to do the same. These new settled down hours were not her speed. She was used to racing a deadline. That kept her up into the wee hours on more than one occasion. Admittedly, Vincent wasn't the greatest when it came to conversation. Reese had not only given her the trick of counting her steps. He taught her to listen for sounds, not just listen for them. Try to pinpoint their location. It helped her to deal with not being able to see. It didn't make up for it, not by a long shot. But it made it just a little easier. And that was precisely what she needed. Anna rather liked both of the Hale brothers. She was sure Ellie hated her.

  Edward nodded his head and then rolled his eyes, feeling like an idiot. He leaned forward and took one of her hands. Lifting her, he gave her a spin so that she was sitting between his thighs. Anna smiled and laid her head against his chest. That was better she supposed. Being able to feel him left her less in the lurch.

  “I'm fine.” Edward lied to her with an ease that surprised him. “I missed this.” That was the truth.

  “Yeah,” Anna said with a smile. “Me too.”