Shed some Light

by Amber Naralim

  “Yeah. I have a massive headache, and I feel like my bones are frozen. One of the many pain in the ass symptoms of being human,” Ellie said with a chuckle. “Go eat. I'll kick your ass at a game of Monopoly when you get back,” Ellie wanted very much to prove to the boys that Edward was alright. She needed to prove it to herself.

  Edward grinned. He turned to look at Vincent. “You'll keep an eye on Anna for me?” he asked.

  Vincent nodded. “Safe as houses.”

  Ellie watched Edward jog down the hill and disappear into the trees. She pulled the sleeping bag in tight around her shoulders. Birdie came bounding into the living room with Anna following behind him. He rushed at Ellie jumping up to lick her face happily.

  “Whoa, mutt. I’m happy to see you too.” Ellie laughed, petting him between his ears. “You’d think it was ten years since you last saw me.”

  “Close. Three days, but who’s counting.” Anna couldn’t keep her tone anymore neutral.

  Ellie’s smile wilted at the edges. She supposed she deserved that. Ellie promised Anna she would be here to protect her. None of them believed the crazy bitch who attacked Anna had followed them up here. Even so, Ellie could understand the fear. She opened her mouth to tell Anna that Edward was here. That she didn’t have anything to worry about. The bruises on Anna’s arm made those words die on Ellie’s tongue. Hell, they nearly made her chest cave in. Superhuman strength. Ellie screamed those words at herself. Reese had a heavy hand. It was hard to control. Those excuses didn’t stand up to the dark marks Edward left on Anna’s skin, though. Ellie stood up, crossing the floor to where Anna stood.

  “I’m here now. I won’t let anything happen to you, Anna.”

  Anna’s delicate eyebrows knit together. A look of contrition crumbled her expression. Tears welled in her dead eyes. Anna knew damned well what she was asking of this girl wasn’t fair. Ellie’s promise that she would protect her was the only thing keeping Anna’s fear from eating her alive, though. Anna had come to need Reese’s ease.

  “I’m sorry-” Anna began.

  Ellie interrupted her. “Don’t be. I made you a promise, Anna. Nothing is going to hurt you. Nothing will hurt that baby. I will protect you.”

  “We will protect you,” Vincent said. Ellie smiled to hear that. So did Anna. Vincent glided in behind Ellie, hooking his fingers in her belt loops.

  “Come on, sugar,” Charlie said taking Anna’s arm. She led her to the dining table. “Why don’t you let me make you something to eat?”

  “Why can’t he see this baby deserves a mother like you, Charlie?” Anna asked.

  Vincent and Charlie shared an understanding look. Charlie had always wanted children. It was just one more thing James Mchenry took from her. Ellie could see the pain in Charlie’s eyes. She didn’t understand it.

  “You are going to be a great mother, Anna. Everything wonderful starts out a little scary.”

  The miracle of Charlie, indeed. Vincent took Ellie’s hand. “What do say you share a shower with me, beautiful?”

  Ellie flashed him a smile and followed him through the dining room and up the stairs. They climbed into the shower. The hot water felt delightful. Ellie would be feeling the after effects of their little trek into the mountains for weeks. She helped Vincent lather the blood off his back, deep in thought. He turned, blinking those storm-cloud gray eyes down at her.

  “I'm sorry I was afraid of you, Vincent.”

  His eyebrows pulled inward, coming down in a deep V shape. His lips came together. They pulled to one side as he blinked the falling water out of his eyes. He let his head fall to one side. Ellie touched her hands to his bare, wet chest. The look on his face made her heart ache. Vincent knew what she was trying to say. He leaned into her, laying a gentle kiss on her mouth. He feared no cold.

  “Are you kidding? You should be afraid of me,” Vincent said. He touched the side of his hand to the bottom of her chin. “El, you should always be afraid of me. I am a monster. I have control most of the time. But I know what I am. I need you to know what I am,” he said, blinking down at her. “I need to know that if I lost it, you would empty that clip into my head and set my ass on fire. Don't you ever hesitate, because,” he said, taking her hand and placing it over his heart. “What hides in here will devour you. It would destroy me when it's all over. But that won't stop it from doing it in the first place.”

  Vincent leaned in and laid his lips against hers kissing her once, and then again, his mouth closing over her bottom lip. He gave her a smile that was so sad. Clouds crashed in his eyes. He touched his hand to the back of her head. His eyes danced over her face. Vincent ran a lazy hand through his hair. His tongue darted over his bottom lip.

  “The only reason I have a soul at all,” he said, touching his hand to her chest. “Is because you keep it in here. You save me, El. That's why I need you, Ellie. That is why I will always love you.” He leaned forward, laying a gentle kiss upon her brow. “You are my light, my North Star.” Vincent tucked a swath of her long hair behind her ear. “You are my reason, El. You’re everything to me. But don't you ever forget what I am,” he whispered. “Don't you ever forget what I can do.”

  Ellie took in a shuddering breath. “Is that really what you think of yourself?” she asked. Her brows furrowed in sorrow.

  “I know exactly what I am.” Reaching up again, he swept the wet hair out of his eyes. “I don’t deserve you.” Vincent looked down at the floor.

  Ellie shook her head, reaching up to touch his face. “You may be deadly, but Vincent, that does not make you any less beautiful.” Ellie touched the side of his face.

  “Only in your light,” he whispered.

  “Vincent, one day you will understand how amazing you are. One day you will finally believe how much I love you,” she said. “God, I hope it's soon. But don't you worry,” Ellie said, sniffing. “I know exactly what you are. I never let myself forget it,” she whispered. “Your best, your worst, all of it. I love you, Vincent. All of you.”

  He wanted so much to believe that. He would never be enough for her. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t try. A smile split his lips and he closed his arms around her. Vincent held her to him, her face pressed against his chest. Ellie listened to the sound of his heartbeat. It was the most beautiful music she had ever heard. She committed every sensation of this moment to her memory. Ellie never wanted to forget the sounds, the smells, the taste of his skin. This was one of those moments in time Ellie would draw on. This was one of those memories that could block out all the other awfulness around her. Ellie would think back on this and remember heaven.

  She drew him into her arms, running her hands over him, laying open-mouthed kisses on his smooth chest. Ellie let him know that she wanted him. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted him to make love to her. It had nothing to do with the pleasure, though, that was more than amazing. His body moving inside of hers always was. This was about being close to him. The intimacy of being held in his arms. His trembling touch, the look in his eyes when he stared down at her in that dizzying moment. This was about her letting him know that she was his. Ellie always would be.

  The water was cold by the time they were finished. Vincent’s warmth kept her from feeling the chill. He left her side long enough to grab a pair of jeans from his room. Ellie pulled on a loose white t-shirt that had the shapes of angel wings cut out of the back, her skin showing through them. Her thick pair of socks looked more like leg warmers. Vincent led her to the bed. The two of them curled up. Twenty minutes later Ellie was snoring gently on his chest.

  It was close to four in the morning when the Dodge rolled up to the house. Reese shut off the ignition and grabbed his treasures. The downstairs was empty. Reese headed right up to his room smiling the whole way. He closed the bedroom door behind him with his foot and dropped the large canvas bag onto the bed. Reese pulled the box out first and tossed it onto the pillow. Then he went about pulling the stacks of money free, laying them in piles. He kept a few separat
e. It would make life on the road a little easier.

  The rest would make it so Charlie, Vetler, and Anna could start over. He stuffed the stacks into a smaller bag and zipped it. He dropped what he intended to keep into his footlocker. Reese hid the rest of it on a shelf in the furthest corner of his closet. He slid a stack of jeans in front of it.

  Vincent was sketching when he heard Reese come in. He considered letting her sleep. Her nightmares were getting worse by the minute. She kept saying the name, Elijah. Vincent laid a kiss against her mouth, whispering to her. Ellie’s eyes fluttered open with her deep breath. Vincent flashed her a grin. “Reese is back with your surprise,” he said holding out his hand to her. Ellie took it and let him lead her across the hall. Vincent rapped once on the door.

  “Yeah,” Reese called.

  Reese gave Ellie a dazzling smile when she came into the room. He liked that shirt too. He handed her a thin, rectangular, cardboard box. Ellie yawned. She raised an eyebrow.

  “Well, go on, open it,” he directed.

  She walked past him and flopped down on the bed. Both Reese and Vincent stood in front of her. She looked at both of them as she pulled open the box. Ellie smiled at its contents. Inside was a shiny new gun. It looked a lot like her Glock. She did notice a few differences, though. For instance, the safety had two extra settings. She reached in, closing her hand around it. It was heavy.

  There were two extra clips in the box with it. They were longer than she was used to. Ellie checked the safety out of habit. It had the small white S, the little red dot. Below that was a red 3, and the last step had a red A. It was a machine pistol, both three round burst, and full auto. Ellie pulled back on the slide to make sure there was no bullet in the chamber. Ellie looked up giving Reese wide eyes and a bright smile.

  “Oh, you sweet Georgia peach. Full auto?” she asked happily. Holding it up, Ellie sighted down her arm. “This is awesome! Thank you. I don't want to know where you go it. But thank you.” Ellie giggled.

  “The kick will take some getting used to. We'll take ya out first thing. Show ya how she works,” Reese told her. Another of those dazzling smiles spread across his face. She was the only girl he knew that got that happy over a gun.

  “We can't go now?” Ellie asked excitedly. Jumping up, she threw her arms around Reese's neck. Ellie hugged him tight, leaning against him. She stood on tiptoe, laying a peck on his cheek. The metal of the gun was cold against the back of his neck. Reese took in a deep breath full of the scent of cherries and cinnamon.

  “We could, but I don't think ya would hit anything,” he said, returning her kiss on the side of her cheek.

  “I love it! I've always wanted a machine pistol. What's the occasion?” Ellie asked hitting the switch. The empty clip popped out into her hand. Vetler mocked her for calling it that. Magazine was the technical term.

  Reese flashed her a sexy grin. “Call it an anniversary present.”

  “Come here,” Ellie said. She drew him in. Ellie pressed her forehead to his. “Can't thank you enough for my new toy,” Her smile was brilliant, full of ballsy bravado. She reached out for Vincent. Ellie pulled him over to them. She slipped her hand around the back of his neck and pressed her forehead to his too. Ellie loved this, being able to hold both of them so close. Her forehead pressed to both of theirs, both sets of their arms wrapped around her.

  “Ya look tired,” Reese mentioned.

  Ellie made a face. “Think I'm getting sick.”

  “Well, then go get some sleep, half-pint.”

  She frowned at the nickname. Ellie hated that one almost as much as Princess. “I told Edward I'd play Monopoly when he got back,” Ellie told him, looking out the window for him.

  “It's late. I'm sure he'll take a rain-check,” Vincent said. He wanted to keep her as far away from Edward as possible.

  “Will you guys come hang with me? We can watch Monsters INC.”

  “I suppose,” Reese agreed, with all excitement of a mortician.

  Ellie stuck her tongue out at him. “You love that movie and you know it.” Grabbing each of their hands in hers, she towed them down the hall. Vincent made sure to grab the box with the two extra clips.

  “Only because ya remind me of Boo,” Reese mocked.

  “Blow me,” she said with a laugh.

  “Uh, technically,” Reese began. His index finger raised in the air, ready to dole out a fun fact.

  Vincent shot him a look. “Watch it,” he warned, though, it didn't have quite the teeth of his others.

  Ten minutes into the movie, Ellie fell back to sleep with her head on Vincent's chest. Even in nothing but a t-shirt and panties, Ellie didn't bother with blankets. She didn't need them with Vincent beneath her and Reese curled behind her, spooning her as closely as he dared, close as Vince could handle.

  The bright blues and greens of the movie played on the screen of her laptop, without either of them paying it much attention. Ellie’s hair spilling across his arm pinned beneath her. Reese fought an inner battle with himself over where to put his hand. Vincent looked over at him.

  “Promise me something,” Vincent demanded.

  “What?” Finally going for broke, Reese lay his hand on the curve of her hip.

  “If something happened to me. You would take care of her, right? I could trust you to keep her safe?”

  “As safe as she’d let me. We are talking about Ellie,” Reese said with a chuckle. He shifted his weight, cuddling into the stack of pillows behind him. Since coming to stay here, Ellie had amassed quite a collection of them. Half of the bed was covered in pillows. She went around stealing them from the other rooms, mostly Reese and Vincent's. When Reese asked her about her nefarious plot to take over the world, one pillow at a time, she’d answered: “On the road, I rarely got to use a pillow. Hell, sometimes I couldn't even find a bed. I like pillows.”

  “Reese, I'm serious. Promise me you would take care of her,” Vincent said, giving him the full weight of his gaze. Vince had their mother’s eyes, sometimes looking at him made Reese miss her.

  “Ya got my word, little brother. I’ll keep her safe. I'll keep her alive,” Reese answered.

  “Good.” Vincent nodded. Turning his head, Vincent focused on the cartoon. There were a few seconds of just the sound of the movie playing in the background. “Now get your hand off my girl's ass,” Vincent demanded.

  Chapter 44

  A chill wind blew hard across the trees making the boughs dance and shake. Edward ran from tree to tree with an ease that proved just how primordial the Beast truly was. The sun had set long ago. Darkness pressed in on him. The town with its spattering of streetlights and handful of businesses did its best to bustle. Edward had spotted her the last time he came through.

  She had short red hair that clearly came out of a bottle and bright eyes. It was her smile that drew him. Her full and throaty laugh felt like velvet being rubbed over his skin. Edward watched her from the skylight in the roof. She finished up washing the tables in the tiny diner. One by one, the customers all trickled out, leaving her alone to lock up behind them.

  Once the cook left, she pulled an MP3 player out of her pocket, slipping the ear-buds in. Edward watched her with a wicked smile on his face. She danced, bopping to the music while she finished cleaning up. She shut the lights off in the front. Its large plate windows looked out onto the small deserted street.

  Edward pulled the window open with ease, slipping inside. He dropped down. His bare human feet touched the tiles silently. Edward took a few steps to peer at her through the wide pick-up window. She had her back to him, swaying to the song that played loudly in her ears. He didn't need the music to mask his movements. Edward was silent as death as he crossed the distance between them.

  He stopped an arm’s length away and watched her. All the smells of the kitchen rushed in on him, but he could pick out her scent. She smelled like lilacs. Edward could hear the thump of her heart beating out its strong rhythm. She was definitely no bear. Edward had tr
ied and tried again to feed that hunger on animals. He hated it.

  Vincent even admitted humans tasted better. They made the Beast happier. Sated it longer. Edward felt the urge to touch her hair, with its gentle wave. It looked hard and wet from the gel she used. A moment of doubt shot through him. Anna would never understand this. Ellie said she would love him no matter what. Edward wondered if she meant it.

  When they found out it was him, not the escapee from St. Verens, who was gleefully tearing these people to pieces what would they do? For now, it was a believable excuse. It would only last for so long. He knew Ellie. Ellie said she would hunt them down. She would do it. He would simply have to go back to the animals.

  Well, that is until she went away. Edward’s feelings were mixed on that. With Ellie gone, he was free to do anything he liked. Charlie and Vetler were content to stay at the house. Anna had no choice. It would be easy enough to keep his little secret from them. Ellie and the Wonder Twins- as Vetler called them- were more problematic. Let her go. It was the best thing for her. That tiny spark of him that was still left wanted to let her go far away from him. He still loved her. He didn’t want to hurt Ellie.

  The girl standing before him picked up a metal spatula. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back a touch. She began singing horribly off key to the Katy Perry song she had cranked. Edward forced his thoughts of Ellie down. The hunger was a sharp ache in his gut.

  The girl turned. Her eyes went wide to see the naked man standing behind her. She froze. A cruel smile split Edward’s lips. She took in two quick breaths. “You- you can't be in here,” she stammered. She reached inside her pocket. Edward’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist so tight it drew a cry from her. He pulled her staggering into him across the tiled floor. He reached between them with his other arm. His hand closed around her cell phone.

  Edward pulled it free, crushing it in his hand. He let the jagged pieces fall to the floor. She clawed at his wrist, trying to pull away from him. Her cries getting louder, more frantic the tighter he squeezed. Edward touched his index finger to his lips. “Shh,” he made the sound, leaning into her. Edward rubbed the side of his face against hers like a cat. Closing his stark blue eyes, his face went slack. This was the part he liked most.