Love in Cold Blood

Chapter 35: Infinity

“Good Morning love.” I heard a low god-like voice greet me. I let the sun force my eyes open to mind my husband smiling down at me.
“Good morning.” I whispered back at him and I sat up in the bed to kiss him. “I love you.”
“You know I do.”
I yawned again and stretched, letting my arms go over my head. I forgot that all I had covering me was a blanket and when it fell I raced to pick it up.
Jasper’s laughed fill the generously sized apartment and I blushed.
“ahh!” I gasped
“What.”
“Today’s the day!” I called and frowned when he turned to glare at me. “What?”
“You’re so eager to die.”
“I’m eager to be with you, forever.” I sat completely up, grabbed my slip off the floor, threw it on and headed for my luggage. I pulled open the case to find it packed full of dresses and a few things I’m not going to mention. I pulled out an airy black dress made of gauzy fabric along with make-up and a hairbrush. I went into the bathroom.
I could barely hear my husband in the next room as soon as the shower started. It was kind of unnerving; not readily hearing that he was indeed there, but every few moments I would hear a drawer close or the rustle of fabric letting me now he was there. I relaxed and let the warm water flow over me, running through my hair and soothing some weird aches and twinges I had acquired. It felt so good; though I have to say, lying with Jasper felt much better. I smiled as I shampooed my hair and washed it out. I flicked the silver nozzle at the front of the shower off and immediately the water stopped.
“You’re done?” came Jasper’s voice from the bedroom.
“Yeah,” I called as I toweled off my hair and body “Why?”
“You’ve been in their for forty-five minutes.” He replied
“Shit...” I muffled my curse with the towel and began drying furiously. “What time is it?”
“Nearly noon.”
I had told Carlisle to be ready by two yesterday; I still had time (especially considering the speed of Jasper’s driving) but I needed to get a move on.
My hair was finally dry enough and my body not so wet that the fabric of the dress would cling horribly. I whipped the dress on, careful not to rip it, and started brushing out my knots.
“Can I come in?” came a soft god-like voice.
I assented and soon that god, to whom which I am married, entered the spacious hotel bathroom. I soon saw his laughing face in the mirror.
“Stop tugging so hard.” He murmured and wrapped his hand around mine, immediately stopping my process “You don’t want to pull your hair out or worse, break a nail.” He eyes my fingers and the long shapely nails.
Alice and Rosalie both reminded me that though the process of becoming a vampire did heal any wounds it did not grow your nails and thus the “Do Not Touch Anything Or Lift Anything; and the All Around Be Careful Of Your Nails Winifred” plans had begun months before my nuptials.
I sighed as my husband/god soothed the brush through my hair effectually de-knotting it and calming me at the same time. His hand stopped as I began swiftly putting my make-up on and pulling my hair back in an as graceful as I could manage knot. He sighed and grimaced.
“What’s the rush? Are you so ready to risk your life?” he wound his arms around my waist.
“I’m ready to risk my life for something worth it.” My blue eyes met his gold.
“Immortality?” He offered
I turned, still encompassed in his body and gave him a slow and sweet kiss. I whispered on his lips. “You.” He smiled and kissed my gain, making my heart pound effectively.
I licked my lips. “We should get going.” He sighed but let me go.
I gathered up all my stuff in the bathroom and found that in my time in the shower not only had my hubby dressed up suavely in a nice pair of black pants and a blue sweater vest over a white and blue pinstripe shirt, but he also had cleaned up the room and re-packed our bags. I stooped down to put my toiletries in the bag and smiled up at him.
“Thank you.”
He smiled.
We checked out of the very nice hotel and walked to the waiting black Mercedes. He climbed in the front seat and I snuggled into the passenger side. Soon we were zooming over miles of black highway and into Forks. I smiled and gazed out the window to the hazy forest beyond, the old green trees that now comforted and calmed me; even though I was very possibly driving with a god by my side to meet my demise. (The god part as assured; it was the demise part was not so certain and I was riding on that hope.)
All too soon (or was it not soon enough?) Jasper reached the long turn off to the Cullen family home and drove up to the front of the house. Alice and Esme were already at the door with Carlisle and Emmett not so far behind.
Jasper ghosted over to my side of the car in less than a heartbeat and had the door open. I stepped out, making sure that I didn’t damaged Alice’s gift, and settled a kiss on his hard, cold lips. Those statue lips quirked upward and kissed me back.
“Come on guys!” I hear Emmett call from the steps “I thought you guys would have gotten enough of that last night. Wink, wink.”
Both Jasper and I sighed as we began our walk up the familiar steps, hand in hand.
“Congratulations again!” sighed Alice as she gave me a firm hug “The wedding was wonderful, you were a vision.”
“Thanks to whom?” I teased and she smiled.
“Welcome.” Smiled Esme as she ushered me into the house were I saw the rest of the family, minus Bella. Edward noticed my look.
“If you don’t back down…”
“I’m not.” I interrupted but let him continue.
“It isn’t really something Bella needs to see, but she sends her well wishes.”
“Tell her ‘Thank You.’” He nodded his bronze-topped head.
I turned to Carlisle. He laughed “No pre-change talk?”
Jasper laughed darkly “Nothing could get her here faster.”
“Well then…” mumbled The Doctor “Follow me.”
He led me up the stair and about half way turned to me. “You don’t have to go threw with this.” His eyes were pure.
“I know, I want to.” I assured him. His blonde hair nodded.
“Well, then.” He turned to his family. “You all better stay down stairs.” He looked at everyone besides me and Jasper, and then he paused and looked thoughtful “Though, Emmett might be needed.” I heard his unspoken words ‘If Jasper cannot stop.’
Emmett’s face for once in his life was serious and he followed my husband and me up. Jasper didn’t say a word.
Carlisle led us to his study, the one filled with beautiful paintings. But, there were sheets covering all the art work and his desk had been moved in exchange for a hospital bed.
With one look at everyone I hopped up.
My father in law turned to me once more with compassion “Are you sure?”
I put on my strongest voice and answered “Yes.”
Carlisle worried his lips but nodded his head to Jasper; all of the play had already been pre-arranged. His honey blonde head lowered to my level.
“I love you.” He whispered
“I know.”
He slowly bent my head to kiss my throat, and then he bit it.
It hurt, bad. It felt like I had two knives thrust into my jugular along with the poison of a thousand bees. I squeezed my eyes and lips shut. I only was able to feel bites on my wrists and ankles and a whispered “I love you.” Before I succumbed to the darkness and fire.

***

I sighed as I watched Winifred writhe in pain, at least she wasn’t screaming. That just might cause Jasper to go insane. Well, I sighed, more insane than he was. I checked the time on my cell and smiled at the picture of Bella and I. She was horribly worried about Winifred. So I had my brothers and two sister’s worried thoughts along with my parents running through my head. I had a migraine. I rubbed my temples. I should play something, Winifred liked the piano.
I quickly strolled to be bedroom and came back with a small speaker and my I-pod. I swished through my tens of thousands of songs until I came upon a Chopin piece. I turned the volume a little higher than normal and clicked play. At first I didn’t notice anything different, just the soothing music but soon I noticed another voice in my head.
During the time when someone was changing, it was impossible to hear their thoughts. Their mind is just a blur of pain and emotion and occasionally the though of death, nothing really tangible. But, I hear Winifred. I shut of the music to get one more sound out of my head as I concentrated but as soon as I pressed pause the pain came back into her head. I started the song; the pain stopped. I smiled and listened in. She was thinking about Jasper. About that first day they met in art class. I laughed at Jasper’s face. Her thoughts turned to out trip to Europe to shopping with Alice, and of her dinner with Jasper. To her wedding day, to when Jasper swept her up into the hotel and…”
I shut my mind off of her private thoughts but recognized this as a good sign. One: she wasn’t regretting her decision. No one wants a suicidal vampire Two: if she could hold full thoughts she wasn’t in much pain though she had a whole other day to go. My lips quirked. It was the music.
“Carlisle.” I called softly and he was at my side in less than a moment.
“Yes Edward?”
“The music is helping with her pain, she has coherent thoughts.” I beamed up to my father. Who smiled back.
“That’s good.” I nodded.
“Could I have the piano up here?” Carlisle assented. He watched my sister-in-law as I told Alice of my plan. She swiftly picked up one side of the piano as I listed the other. WE made quick work going up the stair and laying it, as quietly as possible in to study turned hospital room. I turned off the I-pod and quietly noted her now confused mind. I sat down at the piano and started to play. I played songs at first but then finally settled down just to play the notes that came to my head and followed Alice’s voice. She didn’t make words, just followed the sway of the music.
“What’s going on?” Jasper entered the room, he didn’t even spare a glance to Alice and I. he only had eyes for his wife.
“We’ve been playing for a few hours now, when Winifred hears music her pain subsides.” I answered my brother. He nodded.
“How long is left?”
“About nineteen more hours.” The night was followed by day and soon the tenor of Winifred’s voice turned.
“Carlisle.” I called again and he was by my side. She’s almost done, he heart is weakening, and in the next hour she will either die or become one of us.”
“Jasper.” Yelled Carlisle. Jasper was somewhere in the nearby forest but in seconds I hear the rustle of leaves outside the window as Jasper entered. As soon as he was there he realized the passion his wife was in. His eyes strained.
“Talk to her.” Carlisle offered. “She will soon be able to hear you.”
He nodded and went to the bed, holding one of Winifred’s clammy hands he whispered in her ear.
“I love you.”? He whispered “I love you so much.” I continued to play as the end neared.

***
“I love you.” The voice of my husband reached me.
“I love you too.” I offered silently in my head. The fire was burning so badly; though I could sense it leaving my extremities and nearing my heart. I didn’t know is that was bad or good. I focused in on his voice as the soothing parts of piano pieces flowed.
The heat was only in my heart now and it beat faster and faster as the burning swelled. Then my heart stopped and my mind cleared. I hear a mumble of voices. The tenor was happy so I smiled.
“She’s smiling!” I recognized Alice’s voice but it was different. Not higher exactly but smoother.
“Winifred.” I heard Carlisle “can you open your eyes?” I murmured incoherently. But I slowly opened my eyes up to the bright white ceiling on Carlisle’s office. I noticed the smell and taste of the air. Of voices that were not the Cullens’ and the bubbling of a stream. I turned my head to the right and saw my family’s faces. I smiled.
“Welcome back.” Yelled Carlisle though his mouth made it look like a whisper.
I sat up slowly, though I was up before I thought about it.
“Wow.” I sighed then stopped prematurely. My eyes widened. That did not sound like my voice. I looked down. Those hands did not look like my hands.
“It’ll get some getting used to.” Said Edward. “Everything’s a little different.”
“You’re telling me!” I laughed then stopped, not at the unusual sound but that in the crowd I couldn’t see Jasper. I looked into Edward’s eyed and he turned behind him to motion my husband forward.
“Jasper.” I sighed but my thought was arrested by his expression. “What? Do I look weird?”
“No.” he whispered. I pouted.
“Then get over here.”
He slowly came toward me but stopped.
“What?” I asked again.
“You’re not afraid?” I didn’t like his tone, or the question for that matter but I let my eyes close and let his voice was over me like a spring rain. I was Heavenly. I had been deaf.
I finally answered “Why would I be afraid of you. I wasn’t afraid of you when I was human why should I be afraid of you when I’m less breakable?” I hear Alice laugh.
“My face.” He whispered.
Yes, his face. It was gorgeous. In addition to being deaf I was also blind.
Edward answered from my thoughts. “She doesn’t know what you’re talking about.”
My god’s brow furrowed as he pointed to his temple. “My scars.”
I looked and they were there. Just like little crescent moons adorning his face as the sky.”
“Yeah?”
His eyebrows practically connected. “You aren’t afraid, disgusted?”
“They are sexy.”
I could a blurted out laugh that could only belong to Emmett erupt as Jasper’s eyebrows flew up. I grabbed his arm and pulled him to me and looked him in the eyes.
“They are sexy.” I kissed him and nearly fainted, though I wasn’t sure if I could faint. He broke away.
“Really?”
“Yes really!” I cried exasperated and continued to show him just how many ways he was sexy, beautiful, loving, caring and above all: the only one for me. My true love.

The End
Infinity has no end; just selected pauses...