Perpetual Existence

A Battle of Lusts

The Place In Between

Edward

"Unbelievable," Bella moans from across the dark space.

Using my limited vision, I can just make out the shape of her. I regain what little sense I have and make my way toward her, crawling over her soft, warm body, and take note that she's significantly warmer than the last time we were here.

It makes no sense to me, but then again, none of this does.

"Are you all right?" My question comes to a stop in a whisper; her answering look clearly says not to ask something so stupid ever again. Of course, she's not okay, not since she first laid eyes on me.

She moans again, her hips undulating under my own, though it seems far from pleasure. "Can you please try not to make this pain," she makes a motion toward herself, "about yourself, please?"

I'm in shock, having never noticed I do that, and I have done so a lot if my limited memory serves me right. How can she read me so easily?

Sheepishly, she looks up at me, finally stilling enough to meet my dark gaze. "What? You get this look on your face that says, 'woe is me' or 'this is all my fault' or even 'how can she love me,' every time I show even a hint of pain here."

My brow furrows as her words hit me. She's right; she's the one hurting, and my first thought is how I'm the reason we're here. Then the last part of her little speech makes me freeze. "Are you holding back, Bella?"

Her eyes widen as her hand lifts up to hold two of her fingers an inch apart. "Only a little; I promise."

I gather her in my arms, rolling us until she's draped over my body. Beneath me, the ground softens and the space grows warmer, infinitely better than the cold concrete. There is no missing the smile on her lips as I manage to transform the area into something resembling a bedroom in some grand hotel.

"You're learning." Her body contorts in pain for what feels like forever, but she eventually relaxes. "I'm sorry I've kept how much I'm hurting from you."

I understand why she's kept it from me. "If you had been honest, I would've stayed away from you much longer."

She nods and hums her lullaby; the tip of one of her fingers traces patterns on my chest. "How long does it take for the transformation?"

Once again, I freeze at her question, unsure how to proceed considering my thoughts during the end of the last cycle. "Transformation?" Clearly, she's remembered the fight we had a few loops before, where I refused to change her to save us from this perpetual hell, in front of my entire family.

She shrugs but soon sighs hard. "I may have been a bit out of it as I lay gasping in your arms, but I do remember our fight."

"Are you always so dramatic?" I deadpan, hoping to lighten the tension between us.

"Asks the emo vampire." She tries to stretch above me, but doesn't seem satisfied and shifts until she's sitting up, her arms rising high over her head. Her knees tighten along my hips, but there is no helping my reaction. Not with her looking the way she does, and all that warmth that surrounds me.

She smiles as if she's reading my thoughts again. "The pain is always there, but if I'm thoroughly distracted, I feel it a little less." A finger taps her chin in contemplation, a tiny smile on her beautiful face. "What should we do to distract me?"

I have some ideas.

Instead of acting on those, I sit up quickly and roll her beneath me again, eliciting a squeal of surprise and a few giggles. "How about we get to know each other some more?"