Lips of an Angel

Chapter 23-Together

A/N

There was a nice dramatic chapter last week, but this Saturday you've got a nice bit of fluff. Drama too, of course, but less than last week. I promise there's a bit more E&B going on in here!

The Richardson Gang was a real gang in South London during the 1960s, and the crimes they committed were many and absolutely barbaric. If you're interested in that kind of thing, you can find more (surprisingly accurate) information on the Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Richardson_Gang

Enjoy, and I'd love to hear what you thought, as always!

Lucy xX

***

Edward and I headed downstairs, and I was glad to see that Tanya had vacated the premises; I wasn't sure if I could deal with her attitude at current. I told Esme, quietly, where we were going, and then lead Edward outside towards one of the only flashy, unnecessary products I allowed myself - my Aston Martin Vanquish.

"Holy hell," Edward said, laughing slightly as he caught sight of the car. "That's yours?"

I shrugged slightly. "You tend to acquire a lot of unneeded money when you live for decades and don't eat food that requires money to obtain. I don't indulge myself often."

"Where are we going?" Edward asked as we both climbed into the car and I keyed the engine.

"Green Park Lake. It's about twenty minutes away, and it's suitably private during the spring."

There was a comfortable silence between us during the journey, which was not broken until I parked in the empty car park and unlatched my door, waiting for Edward. We walked side by side as I navigated through the paths to the stretch of the riverbank that gave you a truly beautiful view, and found myself wanting to take Edward's hand in my own as we walked. I'd kissed him, for God's sake, so why was I so hesitant about holding his hand? I wouldn't hurt him, that much I knew.

Slowly, I moved my hand sideways and brushed my fingertips against Edward's. He responded in kind, glancing over at me with affection clear in his eyes; the look made my dead heart lurch in my chest, and, before I could think any further, I twined my fingers through Edward's, his warm skin pulsing rhythmical against my cold, marble flesh.

"Is it hard?" Edward's voice was quiet as he spoke. "Being around me, I mean."

I shook my head. "No. When I first met you, it was like someone shoving a white-hot branding iron down my throat. But it's become easier every time we've met."

"I don't really understand why it was so much worse for you when you met - when you smelt - me than when you met other humans."

I bit my lip lightly, thinking about how best to answer him. It was difficult to describe. "This might seem like a bit of a vulgar analogy, but it's the only way I can put it. If you were to take a recovering alcoholic and put him in a room full of ordinary beer, he could resist easily, if he wanted to. Put him in a room with a single bottle of the finest malt whiskey, and he'd be lunging for the bottle. It's like that. I can defy my natural instinct to drink from humans easily, but some humans call to me - or their blood does. We call you my singer, because your blood sings to me."

"Why did you let me live? I mean, I'm forever grateful that you did, and stunned you managed it, but why bother? I'm just a human. I'm not important."

"Of course you're important," I whispered as we reached our destination. I sat down on the grassy bank, pulling Edward down with me. "You're important to lots of people, Edward. Myself included. But there's a- a connection between us. It's perfectly normal, just usually between vampires, not a human and a vampire. But even when I first met you, my sub-conscious mind realised this connection. I couldn't kill you. I didn't truly realise it until Jasper..." I trailed off, sighing. I didn't want to terrify Edward by telling him what our connection was - that of soul mates.