Five years later- Edward

"Dad!"

I sat back with a grin. "What now, Masen?"

My five-year-old son, who looked ten, and had the brain of a much older child, glared at me, his hands on his hips.

"Carlie won't play with me."

"Is she reading?"

"Yes," he huffed. "She's always reading."

I tapped his nose. "She loves to read."

"But I want to play."

"I'll play with you."

His smile was wide, and I knew I had fallen into his trap. My son was intelligent. He walked at four months, spoke complete sentences at two, and by four was reading, writing, and carrying on conversations. Yet, as mature as he was intellectually, he was still a child. I loved spending time with him, watching him discover the world. He was my best buddy.

His favorite person, though, was his sister. He adored the ground she walked on; although, if asked, he would tell you she floated.

Everyone loved my Carlie. She was, without a doubt, the sweetest creature that ever walked the face of this earth. Always smiling, she was a light that shone on the darkest of days. Her laugh was pure sunshine. She loved pink, frills, anything soft and furry, and above all, her books. She had me wrapped around her tiny finger, and I gave her anything she wanted, which was surprisingly very little.

A new book brought forth her luminous smile and lots of hugs. A favored candy bar or a new dress made her day. She was patient, sweet, and twice as smart as her brother. She was ahead of him in every way, but somehow was so quiet about it, we could easily forget. She let him take the lead on everything, happy to follow his suggestions. It was as if she knew he needed that, and she was happy to give it to him.

They were as different as night and day. Carlie was the spitting image of Bella, except with my hair color. She was tiny and slight, and her face and arms were covered in freckles. I adored the tiny flecks of color, and she hated them. Her favorite food was peanut butter anything. She only tolerated blood in small doses, and only from animals. She grew weak without it, but it wasn't high on her list of things she enjoyed. She accepted it like medicine, but refused to hunt, so we brought it to her. She liked peace, and could sit alone and read for hours. She spoke gently and often preferred to remain quiet, simply smiling and nodding in agreement with us. Her second favorite spot to sit was my lap, and I knew it would be something I would miss as she outgrew that phase.

Masen was tall with my green eyes, and Bella's dark hair. I knew as he grew, his shoulders would be broad, and his height would rival mine. He was in constant motion, always looking for an adventure, and wanting to discover something new. He was a carnivore, and loved to hunt with me; although he did lean more toward human food. He "snacked" from animals, leaving them alive, albeit rather dazed. He was the one who would drain some blood into a thermos for Carlie, his innate sense of his twin's need always guiding him. Silence was his enemy, and his voice boomed while he was awake—which was more than a normal child. He required little rest, whereas Carlie loved to sleep, wrapped in blankets and holding one of her stuffed animals.

They were both the greatest blessing of my life, and I doted on them. So did their grandparents. We were rarely without one of them around, and my children loved having them. Aside from Bella and me, they were their favorite people.

"Can we go for a run in the woods? Play hide and seek?"

I chuckled. Our version of hide and seek would make most people faint. The top of trees, the inside of a mountain lion's den, hanging on to the ledge of a cliff, flattened against the cold rock, hoping to remain undetected, were common places for me to find Masen. I never told Bella of his antics. Regardless of his strength and agility, she would freak out if she saw some of things he did when we were alone. We had an agreement. I let him run loose while keeping an eye on him, and when his mother or sister joined us, the game became far tamer.

"Maybe Mom could pack us a snack! Would you ask her, Dad? I'll go get some stuff to take!"

I ruffled his hair, knowing he hated it when I did so. "Sure, bud. You go get ready. I'll get Mom to round up something for you."

He hurried away, and I walked toward the cabin. It had been home since the twins were born. I had made a few trips to Forks, eventually selling ownership of the bar to Riley, and leaving the other businesses in the hands of the managers I had hired. On occasion, I went to make sure things were running okay, but most of what I needed to do I accomplished online; the way I did with my other companies I had in various places. I hated being away from my family.

My parents visited Forks periodically, but never stayed long enough for people to notice they never changed. They wore their hair in different ways, and my mother was a genius with makeup, adding a few wrinkles in place, but it was a lot of work to maintain the façade. The town thought Bella and I had adopted some young children in Canada, and we chose to remain there for them. It was the simplest lie, and allowed me to go back when I felt the need to. I had so many pictures of the twins, that showing them off wasn't a problem. The person seeing the pictures had no idea how old they were—they simply saw adorable children.

I stopped on the porch, watching Carlie. She was in her favorite chair—a hammock style swing Mom had bought her. A blanket draped over her, and her newest happiness curled onto her lap. She had begged for a kitten for months, and one day we found a pair of them abandoned on the roadside. I couldn't resist her pleas, and they came home with us. She named them Tick and Tock because she said they sounded like a clock with their funny clicks in their purrs. She loved them fiercely, and they were never far away from her.

I kneeled beside her, pressing a kiss to her forehead, teasing the kittens' heads with the tips of my fingers.

"Hey, baby girl. Gotta new book?"

She looked up at me, a mirror image of Bella, and nodded. "Hi, Daddy. Gran sent it to me."

"I saw the box arrive yesterday. How many books were in it?"

She smiled, light spilling from her eyes. "Six."

I dropped another kiss to her head. "Someone is spoiled."

She nodded happily, her fingers stroking her kittens. "Mom says they are coming next week—I'll save the rest of the books to read with Gran."

"Can you wait that long?"

"I'll try."

Laughing, I stood. "Masen and I are heading to the woods. Wanna come?"

She wrinkled her nose. "No. I'll stay here with Mom. She says I have to redo my math test from this morning."

That surprised me—Carlie never failed a test. "What happened there?"

She looked guilty. "I saw the box and I knew it had books in it. I didn't pay attention."

"The books are a reward. You know that," I stated sternly, knowing that was what I was supposed to say.

"I know. I studied some more, and Mom let me have one to read and 'simmer down,' as she called it. She said I could read for an hour, then retake the test."

"Okay."

I paused at the door, looking back at her. She was already lost to the words on the page. We taught them every morning, taking turns with their lessons. When my parents were here, they did, as well. But my children were so clever at times, I wondered who was teaching whom, and it often overwhelmed us all.

I found Bella in our room, putting away laundry. She hadn't changed much in five years, except to become more beautiful. The effects of our blood sharing had stopped her aging—or at least slowed it to a minimum. She was healthy, agile, and strong. Her heartrate wasn't as slow as mine, but certainly less than a human. She was immune to illness and most injuries, but I was still as protective of her as I was when we met. She ate human food, but needed my blood to keep her strong, the way I needed her blood to rejuvenate me. She tried animal blood, but it didn't agree with her. My father experimented with trying other human blood, but it had been a disaster, and I put an end to any more experiments. I was more than fine with the fact it was my blood she required. It satisfied the monster that still dwelled deep within me to be the one she needed above all others.

She glanced up, her smile wide. "Hey, vamp boy."

I laughed and strode toward her, yanking her in my arms and kissing her soundly. The desire between us hadn't waned over the years. It was still strong and palpable in the air when we were close. "Hey, kitten."

"I heard Masen in his room. Going on an adventure?"

"He wants to play in the woods. His favorite person is busy with her kittens and new book."

She smiled, brushing my hair back and running her fingers over my jaw. "His favorite person wants hot dogs and marshmallows by the fire pit later."

"And does she get them?"

"If she passes her math test this time."

I smirked. "Once, Bella. She already told me she wasn't concentrating. You know she'll ace it."

"I know. I just want her to know her actions have consequences."

"She does. Our kids are great. But you know how books distract her." I tapped her nose. "I also noticed she is reading one of them."

She grinned. "She was so cute, begging for an hour with her book. I couldn't say no."

"It's difficult," I mused. "They look like children, but their minds are so advanced."

"They've changed so much this past year."

"Eleazar and Dad think the growth spurts might slow down soon." They kept endless charts and graphs with meticulous notes on our children. They were unique, and Eleazar found them both fascinating. He and Carmen spoiled them as much as Mom and Dad did and were frequent visitors.

"I hope so. The time is going by too quickly."

I ran my fingers over her cheek. "I know, Bella. But we're so blessed to have them."

She nodded. "I know. I heard them talking the other day about how great it will be when they stop growing and can go to school like other kids." She shuddered. "Masen said he was already looking at colleges! He's five, Edward! Five!"

"With the mind of a teenager, if not older. I remember driving my parents crazy wanting my body to catch up to my mind and be able to be on my own."

"I can't even fathom them not being with us."

"It's not for a long time, Bella. They're still just little. We have years with them, and once they decide where they are going to go, we'll be close." I brushed my lips across her forehead. "We'll never be far from them. I promise."

Masen and Carlie knew they were different. They understood where they came from; the fact their grandparents and Godparents were vampires, I was a hybrid, and their mother was human. Their minds were much like Bella's and were closed off to me most of the time. I could catch glimpses, but that was about all. And again, like Bella, only when they were asleep and I held their hands. I loved seeing their thoughts of their life and the world around them, even if it was brief.

They understood the need for our solitary lifestyle, but I knew they looked forward to seeing more of the world one day. They wanted to attend college and experience life in the human world. I dreaded the day they weren't under my roof 24/7, yet I knew it would come quickly. Far more quickly than either of us wanted.

"Let's not dwell on that today. You spend the day with your little shadow and I'll try to exhaust Masen. We'll have dinner at the fire pit, and once we get them to bed, maybe I can exhaust you." I dropped my face to her neck, kissing the soft indent by her shoulder, swirling my tongue on her skin.

"I think you need a good night's sleep," she retorted. "Maybe I'll tire you out."

I laughed against her skin. The effects of her blood were still potent. Powerful orgasms and sleep were two of the benefits. I enjoyed them both; although, the orgasms still held the number one spot.

I eased back, wishing I could throw her down on the bed and have her, but I knew Masen was waiting.

"Your son needs a snack."

She nodded, knowing exactly how I was feeling. I knew she felt the same way.

"Okay."

I playfully swatted her ass as she went by. "Tonight, Mrs. Cullen. I'll have you tonight."

"Promises, promises," she teased as she went down stairs.

I grinned.

She should not have said that. I was going to make her eat those words. After I ate her, of course.

~o0o~

The fire danced, the flames crackling and throwing sparks into the night. Masen finished his sixth hotdog, squirting mustard on it and eating it right from the stick the way his mother did. Bella and Carlie had eaten one hotdog, then moved on to the marshmallows—another trait they had in common. I made sure to toast them perfectly and had them ready once Carlie downed her few mouthfuls of blood. She needed the sweetness to wash away the taste she told me. I hated seeing her dislike, but knew it was something she required. It also explained her test failure—Masen told me he felt her waning strength, and I realized he was right. She used the books as an excuse, hoping not to have to drink the blood. But the effects were immediate. Her posture became straighter, her eyes brighter, and I knew her concentration would be sharp again. I was going to have to watch her more closely and insist doses that were more regular. I would also talk to Dad and Eleazar to see if they could come up with any ideas on how to make it more palatable for her.

Masen threw his stick into the fire, then settled back, resting against my legs. I ruffled his hair and grinned when he leaned back into my hand. He sighed, his weight shifting as he settled closer.

"Tired, bud?"

He tilted his head back. "Yeah. It was a good day, Dad."

I stroked over his brow. "Yeah, it was."

We had run, played hide and seek, swam in the cold creek after hunting, and then lay by the banks, the cool breeze drying us off while we talked—or he talked, and I listened. I loved hearing his voice and thoughts. Like their mother, the only time I got a glimpse of their mind was while they slept, so actual conversations about his ideas were important to me. Time with him was important.

I looked over to my girls with a grin. Bella was leaning back against a log, Carlie curled up next to her, her head on Bella's lap. Her eyes were already drifting shut as Bella stroked through her hair with long, gentle passes. She was humming softly, the sound drifting across the flames.

Masen sighed. "I like it when Mom sings."

"Me, too."

"We're a great family, right, Dad?"

His remark surprised me. "Yeah, I think so."

"I like it when Gramps and Gran are here, and Uncle E and Aunt C, too. There's lots of people and fun, but this is my favorite. Just us." He looked up, his not often seen child-like quality showing through clearly. "I love us. We're my favorite thing in the whole world."

"I love us too, kiddo."

I met Bella's eyes. She had heard his words. Her eyes glimmered in the firelight. My family, something I never thought I would have, was with me. We were safe, happy, and for now, time was endless. We had decades to look forward to. Centuries. Bella and I had agreed to wait until the twins were older before making any decisions on our lives. As long as she was healthy, and strong, nothing had to happen. When the time came, we would decide together.

Right now, though, I had them all—my wife, my children, loving parents, good friends, and this perfect moment. One I would cherish along with the thousand other memories locked within my head. I bent over and kissed his head.

"We're my favorite thing, too."

I met Bella's glance again.

"Especially you," I mouthed.

She smiled and made the night perfect.

The same way she made my life.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed my little twist on a hybrid vampire tamed by love. Many thanks for your reviews - I read them all. Huge thanks as usual to MidNight Cougar for her beta work. She rocks it, but I do love to tweak so all mistakes are my own.

I will see you again soon - The Boss will continue, and I have another story or two to tell still.

Until then, be safe.