Edward's POV
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“Edward, hold me,” Bella whispered in a vulnerable, soft voice.

I swept her into a firm embrace, terrified by her quivering frame, oh how soft and penetrable her skin was! The monster in me purred sadistically, tempting me to bite into her thin flesh. I resisted with a heroic effort, pushing the evil thought away.

“I’m here, love,” I replied in a smooth voice, “Are you sure that you want to go through with this?”

She feebly pushed me aside, or attempted to more accurately. I took a step back, letting her have her way. I would miss her vulnerability, and I would miss being her protector always. Would she even need me anymore? Will I be just a companion to her? No, I loved Bella. It was enough. It had to be.

“Of course I want to go through with it. You promised! Today’s the day. The ring’s on my finger. I want to do it now.” Her finer traced the side of my face, her warmth making me shiver pleasurably.

How could I go through with this! What if I went too far? I could break her in an instance, and only imagine what could happen if she pricked her finger? The cloud that was her scent already surrounded me, irresistibly pricking my senses, especially my scent. The venom in my mouth tasted bitter as my desire for her rose, my throat burned with expectation and I felt as if my heart would burst.

I kissed her passionately on the lips, letting my guards down for that one moment. Her moist lips felt so good against mine, the scent overpowering me completely. The blood rushed up to her face, making a brilliant, rich red that practically drove me insane.

“What if something goes wrong? No one’s here to stop me,” I whispered with terror, though I hid it well. If only I could read her thoughts, through her dramatic facial expressions made up for most of it, and the rest I could pry from her with persuasion.

“Stop it. You made me a promise and if you love me, then this is what you have to do. I won’t give this up, Edward. Come on! You’re the one that said I needed more human experiences,” she cried in frustration.

My heart broke with anguish as I saw the tears pool up in her wide brown eyes. She was too good for me, but I was too selfish to give her up. I wiped the tears away and whispered in a crooked voice, “Don’t weep for me, Bella. I’m not nearly worthy of your affection.”

I took her arm and softly swept her into my arms, watching the blood rush up to her face once again.

“Let’s find out if the monster can be tamed,” I muttered, more to myself than Bella.