Pinned but Fluttering

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

As Edward and I approached the house, I had a sudden attack of shyness. While part of me wanted to hide my face in Edward’s chest and never leave his embrace again, the other part of me wanted to distance myself from him a little; I wasn’t sure why. I just had a bad feeling about this meeting. Tanya’s impolite presence put me on edge, and I felt distinctly uncomfortable.

Trying to be casual, I dropped my arm from around Edward’s waist and pulled away slightly. I tried to ignore the confused look he shot at me before he, too, dropped his arm from around me, but he captured my hand in his just as we reached the back door, turning me to face him.

“Are you all right?” he asked, tipping my chin up with his hand and examining my expression.

Looking away, I shrugged. “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady as I twisted my hand from his and stepped toward the back door.

Ever the gentlemen, Edward opened the door for me and led me through the kitchen into the now-crowded living room as five unfamiliar vampires milled about the large room, chatting with various members of the Cullen family. Sensing my trepidation, Edward took my hand again, and this time I let him; I needed his support as I faced these strangers.

“Ah, Isabella,” Carlisle greeted me, a thread of enthusiasm in his usually quiet, gentle voice. “We’d like you to meet our ‘cousins’ from Denali, Alaska.”

I took a deep breath to calm myself, and Edward, ever vigilant, noted my stress and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. I stepped a little closer to Edward, and he dropped my hand to place a comforting arm around my shoulders and pull me against his side. I took another deep breath, and the strength of Edward’s scent calmed me to the point that I could venture small smiles of welcome as Carlisle prepared to introduce me to the “cousins.”

The five vampires were very much as Esme had described them. Despite the normal paleness of our kind, both Eleazar and Carmen appeared to have had olive complexions in their human lives; their skin had a slightly warmer cast than the rest of us. Carmen was gracious and affectionate as she leaned in to embrace me, her smile genuine and welcoming. Yet Eleazar, despite his warm response to Carlisle’s introduction, sized me up with a penetrating stare. I felt Edward stiffen at my side and give a low warning hiss; apparently he didn’t care for Eleazar’s thoughts for some reason. But Eleazar refused to back down in his assessment of me. In fact, when Carlisle led us past the couple to the three sisters, I felt Eleazar’s eyes continue to follow me, as if he were trying to figure out a very challenging (and perhaps frustrating) puzzle.

I felt like a science experiment gone wrong.  

Of the three Denali sisters, Carlisle introduced me to Irina first. While all three were lovely with their blonde tresses, amber eyes, and supermodel figures, Irina seemed moody, almost morose. She nodded at me without smiling, and I sensed wariness in her eyes, perhaps even judgment…as if I had failed some sort of test. I glanced down, embarrassed, and Edward’s arm around my shoulders hugged me affectionately to his side as I felt rather than heard a subtle growl reverberate in Edward’s chest at her cool reception. Perhaps her thoughts offered the reason for her apparent dislike; whatever the reason, Edward’s displeasure with Irina was clear.