Disclaimer: I do not own these wondrous characters-they belong wholly to Mrs. Meyer!

Prologue

I thought my transformation would change everything; that once we overcame that one obstacle, all our problems would cease. But, that wasn't the case. The more embroiled I became with the vampires, the more problems I had. I was not ordinary by any standards and like a moth to a flame I drew them all to me.

On the bank of First Beach, all those problems were hurtling toward me.

Marcus's beatific form damn near materialized in front of me. He searched the surrounding area then turned his intense gaze back to me. "Come, my Bella." He held out his pale hand and I found that mine was already reaching for him. The moment our hands touched, I was instantly in his thrall again. The battle was irrelevant, Edward immaterial. "It is too dangerous for you here. We must leave now." He pulled me into his arms and began to run from the macabre scene.

Heidi's fist came out of nowhere and used our own momentum from running to drive her hand through his chest, fingers locked around his heart. His hand that had been gripping mine convulsed once before it went slack. I stumbled away from the scene, my heart torn at the sight of his anguished face and the venom-like blood roiling out of his transparent chest. Bella, please.

Aro's hard hand rested on my shoulder, restraining me from going to Marcus's aid. I was torn. Heidi was family now, but the urge to attack her was like no other. Only Aro's strong form kept me in place as the two graceful vampires fought.

Edward's face snapped in my direction and horror colored his features as he realized that I was in the midst of the true force of the Volturi. He sprinted up the beach with Demetri close on his heels.

Chapter 1 Patience is a Virtue

I awoke to his hands dancing softly over my abdomen. "Good morning, my love," he whispered against my ear, his breath tickling me and making my blood boil. His tongue licked the edge of my ear causing my breath to hitch in my chest. I clenched my fists, trying desperately to ignore his morning greeting.

My resolve to abstain from pre-marital sex was wavering. I wanted to give him his one pure moment. Keep just one aspect of his life unblemished, but he was making it so damned hard. He'd started every morning for the last week this way. And, every morning it became just a little harder to ignore.

"Now, now, now," I said once I'd finally found my voice. "There'll be none of that, Mr. Cullen." I laughed as I fished his hand out from under my royal blue silk pajama top where he'd been slowly running his hand up and down my ribs. I quickly hopped out of bed to the relative safety of the rocking chair. "Stay," I warned.

His lips curled into my favorite crooked grin, his eyes alight with desire and, underneath, mischief. The urge to wipe that cocky look off his face almost made me call his bluff. Almost. He knew well enough the effect he had on me. He needed his very own warning label.

He practically floated out of bed, and I found myself pressed tightly against him. His lips captured mine forcefully as I fought to restrain my desires. My will weakening, I found my traitorous body responding, kissing him back. His tongue slipped into my mouth, and our breathing became more frantic.

"Bella!" Charlie screamed. "Alice is on the phone."

Whew. Saved by the phone. I broke away unsteadily as he smirked at my stumbling feet. Maybe Alice had foreseen what was going down and decided to use her powers for good. I'd talked to her about it two days ago when he'd made it abundantly clear what his intentions were. He hated that I was doing things that went against my wishes in order to make others happy-like allowing Alice free reign over the wedding plans. His goal in life was to give me what I'd craved for so very long. But I'd grown up some in between that time, and I knew that this was the right thing to do. Get married then have sex. Lots and lots of sex. Then agonizing pain as I gave up my mortality to the man I loved. It seemed like a perfectly acceptable plan to me. Now, if I could only get him to work with me instead of against me.

I rushed down the stairs, missing the last step entirely and catching the side of the wall to keep my balance, before rushing into the kitchen to grab the phone off of the counter. "Thanks," I said, full of gratitude. I was going to have to have a "no Edward sleeps over rule" if he kept trying to seduce me.

"You are so very welcome," she answered in her sing song voice. "I want to go shopping today, Bella. And you are going to be my shopping buddy, because I just saved your virtue." I could just imagine the little smirk playing on her perfectly made up lips and the glint of delight in her eyes. She so had me. And she knew it. But maybe time away from Edward was just what the doctor ordered. No good could come of us being alone, and Charlie would be elated if I spent some girl time with Alice.

"You win Alice. I'm not even going to try and fight you. What are we shopping for today?"

"Oh, a little of this and a little of that," she added evasively. "I'll be there in an hour." She hung up without any goodbyes.

Charlie came in clutching his coffee and newspaper, yawning wide. "Morning, Bells. What was that all about?" He sat heavily at the table and unfolded the newspaper, taking a sip of coffee.

"Going shopping with Alice today, if that's okay?" I'd given up on him refusing me time with Alice. He simply adored that girl.

"Without him?" he asked, eyes rising from the paper.

"Mmm-hmm."

"Good. I'm going fishing anyways." Pain covered every inch of his face. Fishing with Harry had been one of his favorite past times, and he hadn't done it much after his death. He could've asked Billy to join him, but they'd had a little tiff over the fact that he didn't think Billy was doing enough to find Jacob.

But Billy, like me, knew that Jake was fine. Or as fine as he could be with a broken heart. I missed him terribly and called Seth almost daily to see if there were any updates, but so far he had nothing to share. How much longer could he stay away?

I gave Charlie a brief hug and kiss on the cheek. It broke my heart to see him hurting this much. And, to think, that I was going to be the cause of even more pain and heartache in less than two months time…it was almost unbearable. He'd get his goodbye, his chance to walk me down the aisle and gain some closure, but it would never be enough. I still needed to break the news that Edward and I were getting married. There just never seemed to be a good time.

I tried to push those negative thoughts out of my mind. If Edward saw me upset, he'd do his damnedest to make me feel better, and that would most likely involve something sexual. "I've got to get ready, she'll be here soon." I squeezed his shoulder. "Have fun fishing."

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the assault I was about to face. I possessed no weapons to protect me from Edward's nefarious plans.

I smirked at him as he lay sprawled across my bed reading my copy of The Iliad. "Alice is picking me up in an hour for a shopping trip," I said as I went through my drawers picking out something that she wouldn't deem offensive. I grabbed an emerald green, flowy top and my nicest pair of jeans.

His arms wrapped suddenly around my waist, and I hadn't even heard the bed move. "You two have a wonderful time, love. I have some things to take care of anyway." His lips brushed along my jaw and worked their way to mine as he turned me roughly around and kissed me feverishly. "Til tonight," he said, brushing his fingers down my throat before flinging himself gracefully out my window.

It took me more time than I'd care to admit to get my body under control. His words lingered as I tried to imagine how I was ever going to make it until our wedding night.

I managed to be showered, dressed, and fed before Alice honked her horn impatiently.

We headed to Seattle. I'd been banned from there by both Charlie and Edward until recently because of a rash of serial killer-like slayings. I found myself actually looking forward to some time in a big city. Forks was bearable because of the Cullens, and a little part of me admitted, because of Jacob Black, but I needed a dose of a big city from time to time.

She led me to Bliss Spa, and I found myself in a whirlwind of manicures, facials, massages and rounding it all out-a new more grown up hair style. Fun, fun. Alice seemed to enjoy each treatment more than the last. Once our toes and finger nails were sparkling with corals, and red in her case, and my hair had been sufficiently chopped off into an edgier layered cut with long side swept bangs, we were on our way.

I stared in horror at the skimpy lingerie displayed in the windows that she was looking over. "Oh no. Hell no." I shook my head back and forth defiantly. "You are so not picking out my lingerie."

"Don't be silly, Bella. You don't know the first thing about seduction," she said as she pushed me into the store and began rifling through the plethora of corsets.

"I don't want to be seductive, remember? I'm trying not to have sex." I added disgustedly. She was supposed to be aiding me but, apparently, she was all about furthering Edward's agenda. Little traitor.

"This isn't for now, Bella," She rolled her eyes and flung a deep sapphire-blue corset into my hands as she moved hastily onto the robes. "This is for your honeymoon."

Oh. I'd been so focused on just getting through each day with my virginity intact that I hadn't really given much thought to after the wedding. She threw a few more garments, if that's what you could call such small pieces of fabric, into my arms and ushered me into the dressing room.

"Alice, how on earth does this thing go on?" I complained after fumbling with it for nearly five minutes to no avail.

Her laughter radiated throughout the store and she was abruptly behind me deftly lacing up the back. "There now, isn't that just lovely?"

I inspected my reflection in the three-way mirror and had to admit that I looked hot. Looked older and, certainly, sexier. I walked out of that store with four bags full of, what Alice referred to as, necessities.

I plopped my shopped out body into the booth and sighed dramatically. "What now?" Snapped Alice. I didn't mean to be such a pain in the butt but doing these girlie things did nothing to raise my spirits. I picked up the menu the hostess had left with us and bit my lip as I looked it over.

"I need to tell Charlie about the engagement, and I don't know how," I admitted, never taking my eyes off the menu. Mmm, Steak Diane. "I don't know if Edward should even be within a ten mile radius when I break the news to him."

She chuckled and nodded. "Perhaps you're right. But Edward would never let you do this on your own. No," she sighed, "the two of you will have to do this together and soon, too. You mentioned a promise that Charlie extracted from you not too long ago. I think he's pretty aware of your feelings for Edward, and I don't think that marriage is going to be the giant leap that you think it will be."

I snorted. Inelegant, but so what? "I'm Renee's daughter." I said it like that should mean something. "He knows better than anyone her views on marriage before thirty, and he also knows that she's made her views known to me and anyone else who'll listen."

"Yes, but you have been away from her influence for a while now, Bella, and he's watched you and Edward get closer, and more intense, with each passing day. This is not going to catch him unaware."

The waitress brought my food, and I began concentrating on cutting the steak as I mulled over her words. Whether he expected it or not, it was still going to crush him. Disappointment aside, I needed to tell him, and tonight was as good as any night.