Twilight...in Reverse?

Part 6: Further Introductions

I was by no means eager to look from Edward's lovely, hypnotic gaze to meet Emmett's pretentious smirk reflecting in the car window. Unlike my amber eyes, Emmett's glowed aquamarine when his thirst was quenched and thankfully at this moment, they were. I couldn't bear the risk of anything or anyone, including my own testosterone-filled brother, harming Edward.

"Knock, knock," he ducked to get a better view of the living, breathing creature who had captured my vampire heart and soul. His smile widened in confirmation of Alice's visions and exposed the child-like dimples on either of his pale cheeks.

I sighed, still not wanting to leave the comforting, but painfully addictive touch Edward provided. I longed to stare into those deep, brown eyes and discover whatever lay beneath. Why could it not be like this forever? Because I didn't deserve him. Monsters don't deserve happiness, hadn't I read all the fairy tales?

I straightened myself in my seat. Out of the corner of I my eye, I noticed the face of my easily breakable human was wrapped in confusion. His distinguished brow furrowed and he looked disappointed. No. Confused? Sad? What did I do wrong? Ugh, it was so frustrating not being able to read every detail that lay in the catacombs of his mind. How did those humans do it?

"Who's that?" Edward asked, interrupting my thoughts. "Big guy."

"It's my brother," I explained as calm as I could. "Excuse him. Not everyone in my family is like this. He can be a bit-," I paused.

Emmett's voice rang in my head. "What's wrong? Not going to introduce me to your little, human lover?" Emmett lips puckered as he chanted. "Muah, muah, muah!"

"Much," I resumed my conversation with Edward aloud. My family and I due to our socially independent nature, were considered "the freaks" of the school. My vampire brother and I having words with the plain use of our minds was not helping.

"Oh, ok." His expression brightened. "Cool, I'd like to meet someone from your family!" he announced with innocent excitement. Well, I guess that doesn't seem so ba...What? No!

Before I could convince him otherwise, I was shot backwards into my seat.

Edward had lengthened his torso casually across my lap to reach for the main window switch on my side of the automobile. His scent had taken on an entirely different meaning of potency. With his heat pressing against my body, feeling his savory blood pump through his muscular body and his jugular vein inches from my fangs, it was a recipe for disaster. I held my breath and pinned both of my hands behind my back, internally begging for relief.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity and a death sentence for both of us, Edward managed to open the window. A brisk wind drafted through the car and I could exhale again.

Throughout the whole ordeal, he seemed completely at ease next to me, no elevated heartbeat or irregular breathing. He just looked...comfortable. Could he not feel the arctic temperature of my skin just below him? Edward with respect and humility, offered his hand through my window. His breath kissed my face as he spoke and I inhaled the sweetness.

"Hey, you must be Emmett," he said. How had he known that? Probably lunchtime gossip, provided by Mike or Jessica no doubt. Now that would be a match. "Nice to meet you," he continued.

I read my brother's thoughts. He was taken aback by Edward's sincerity. It was rare to find in a human. "That's me. Ditto," he returned the handshake and added a sarcastic sneer.

"I just wanted to tell my sister she missed a killer breakfast this morning. We had blood oranges with some Bloody Marys." Emmett's teeth glinted.

"Sounds gruesome," my dear Edward murmured with inappropriate amusement.

Emmett's towering frame immediately shook with humor. His cockiness and arrogance in this situation infuriated me. At times, he could be worse than Rosalie. Then again after being in a confined space, surrounded with Edward's warm scent for a period of time; I was beyond irritable.

"I like this guy!" Emmett rumbled and patted him with approval on the shoulder. I flinched as I saw Emmett's massive paw of a hand come down and throw my fragile human off balance. Edward winced from the weight, but remained upright.

"Not now, Emmett," I growled through my apple red lips, just loud enough for vampire ears. The bell rang obnoxiously in the background. Edward's eyes bulged at my unfriendly attitude towards the being who was supposedly my brother and Emmett took the opportunity to excuse himself. Thank goodness.

Emmett was the only one in our clan who embraced his vampirism. As a human, he had been a fan of extreme sports, women and protein shakes. Now that he had bear grappling, Rosalie and an unremitting storage of energy, he had no qualms with what he was. But if anyone was going to tell Edward what I was, what we were, it was going to be me. And I knew exactly how to do it without Emmett smudging my plans.

"See ya around," he laughed, waving to both of us. He zipped to the school's entrance to find Rosalie, but not without one last joke for the finale.

"Humans! Get ya hot, fresh humans here, folks!" he taunted me from inside the school, basking in his own reverie.

"Shall we?" I asked Edward. He nodded and surprised me by scrambling over at his fastest human speed to open my door. A gentleman indeed. He extended his hand.

I placed mine delicately inside it. He didn't flinch or run in fear from my touch, but rubbed his thumb over my porcelain-colored hand in a caring caress. I lingered, but it was bittersweet knowing I was peeking into Pandora's box.

We walked to class in silence, the tips of our fingers choreographing a subtle dance. Twisting, curdling, winding, squeezing, circling, distancing, then returning and tightening. It was mesmerizing and the most thrilled I had been in all my life. I pulled my arms through Edward's jacket that still hung off my shoulders. Edward smiled with the faintest blush painting his prominent cheekbones. When he wasn't looking, I lifted up the collar and drew in the fragrance. Not creepy. Not creepy at all.

"I like this," Edward commented.

"Like what?" I said.

"You talking to me," he half-smiled. "But I want it to last," his voice softened.

"I want to deserve you," I allowed my eyes to meet his and started to melt. Stop! Don't give him hope and then maybe he won't want you! I didn't want to know what heartbreak felt like or...murdering an innocent man.

"I think you do," he smiled. "I think you know you do."

"Not exactly," I retorted. "You haven't seen how the girls at this school gawk at you?"

Edward chortled and shook his head, "I'm a one woman kind of guy."

What's your policy on vampires?

I nodded sheepishly; on the inside I was exploding.

We had reached the outside of our first class, when I heard the agitated minds fizzling in the hallway.

"Oh, how convenient," thought James Henderson, scrambling to retrieve his books from his locker. "She finally decides on someone and it's the new guy, when I've been trying for three years! How cliché."

Another voice stood out towards the end of the hall. I identified it immediately as Jessica's. "Edward is looking so hot today."

My pearly teeth gritted. He was mine. Back the hell off. Hm...that was an unprecedented reaction.

"He is so perfect. Why is he with the weirdo? Mike is just uh, but Edward is like uh uh!"

She smiled to herself. "She is so not president of the student council," she affirmed and glared at me without waver.

I smirked at her. I was all for manners...when people deserved them. I nudged Edward sensuously against the nearest wall with a grace that seemed to impress him.

"What kind of woman do you like?" I asked him, fluttering my naturally long, lashes at the human boy. It was unfair, but necessary.

His heart was pumping faster now and his breath hardened. This was a good sign. This was good. Bad? Good?

"You," he bit the side of his lower lip. Delectable.

I grazed the translucent skin on his neck with the back of my hand. His heart was throbbing now.

"Do you have any idea what I could do to you right now?" My lips spoke near the hollow of his neck. It beckoned to me, and my venom began to accumulate. His muscles loosened as he spoke and the intensity between our stares flared.

"Yes."

"What a vampire could do to you right now?"