Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer [136]
I rolled my eyes and snorted. Lets go hunt some stinking herbivores.
We found a large herd of mule deer as we ran back toward home. He hunted with me this time, now that Id gotten the hang of it. I brought down a large buck, making nearly as much of a mess as I had with the lion. Hed finished with two before I was done with the first, not a hair ruffled, not a spot on his white shirt. We chased the scattered and terrified herd, but instead of feeding again, this time I watched carefully to see how he was able to hunt so neatly.
All the times that I had wished that Edward would not have to leave me behind when he hunted, I had secretly been just a little relieved. Because I was sure that seeing this would be frightening. Horrifying. That seeing him hunt would finally make him look like a vampire to me.
Of course, it was much different from this perspective, as a vampire myself. But I doubted that even my human eyes would have missed the beauty here.
It was a surprisingly sensual experience to observe Edward hunting. His smooth spring was like the sinuous strike of a snake; his hands were so sure, so strong, so completely inescapable; his full lips were perfect as they parted gracefully over his gleaming teeth. He was glorious. I felt a sudden jolt of both pride and desire. He was mine. Nothing could ever separate him from me now. I was too strong to be torn from his side.
He was very quick. He turned to me and gazed curiously at my gloating expression.
No longer thirsty? he asked.
I shrugged. You distracted me. Youre much better at it than I am.
Centuries of practice. He smiled. His eyes were a disconcertingly lovely shade of honey gold now.
Just one, I corrected him.
He laughed. Are you done for today? Or did you want to continue?
Done, I think. I felt very full, sort of sloshy, even. I wasnt sure how much more liquid would fit into my body. But the burn in my throat was only muted. Then again, Id known that thirst was just an inescapable part of this life.
And worth it.
I felt in control. Perhaps my sense of security was false, but I did feel pretty good about not killing anyone today. If I could resist totally human strangers, wouldnt I be able to handle the werewolf and a half-vampire child that I loved?
I want to see Renesmee, I said. Now that my thirst was tamed (if nothing close to erased), my earlier worries were hard to forget. I wanted to reconcile the stranger who was my daughter with the creature Id loved three days ago. It was so odd, so wrong not to have her inside me still. Abruptly, I felt empty and uneasy.
He held out his hand to me. I took it, and his skin felt warmer than before. His cheek was faintly flushed, the shadows under his eyes all but vanished.
I was unable to resist stroking his face again. And again.
I sort of forgot that I was waiting for a response to my request as I stared into his shimmering gold eyes.
It was almost as hard as it had been to turn away from the scent of human blood, but I somehow kept the need to be careful firmly in my head as I stretched up on my toes and wrapped my arms around him. Gently.
He was not so hesitant in his movements; his arms locked around my waist and pulled me tight against his body. His lips crushed down on mine, but they felt soft. My lips no longer shaped themselves around his; they held their own.
Like before, it was as if the touch of his skin, his lips, his hands, was sinking right through my smooth, hard skin and into my new bones. To the very core of my body. I hadnt imagined that I could love him more than I had.
My old mind hadnt been capable of holding this much love. My old heart had not been strong enough to bear it.
Maybe this was the part of me that Id brought forward to be intensified in my new life. Like Carlisles compassion and Esmes devotion.