56. The Ransom

BPOV

I sat nervously in the car next to Edward, waiting for the sword to fall. He stared straight ahead with a smug smile on his face, thought I knew he was watching me from the corner of his eye. I fidgeted in my seat, getting more and more anxious as the minutes ticked by, and he seemed to be getting some sick sense of pleasure out of my agitation. He must have been taking pranking lessons from Emmett. I expected this sort of torture from Emmett, but this was a first for Edward. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"What is the ransom?" I blurted, clenching my fists. He started chuckling, eyeing my heaving chest, my red face, and my sparkling eyes.

"You're beautiful when you're agitated," he murmured smoothly. I growled, not appreciating his amusement at my expense. He gave me his innocent cherub expression, and I couldn't help smiling. I forgot for a second and got lost in his melting pools of liquid topaz. I forgot everything but him and how much I loved him and enjoyed being in his company.

"Breathe, Bella," he whispered with an amused smirk. I took a deep breath and blinked. The blink cut off the connection long enough for me to drop my gaze. After a few more seconds, my reasons for being upset came rushing back to me.

"No fair dazzling me, Edward Cullen!" I raged. "Stupid gorgeous vampire."

"But you were dazzling me," he protested with a grin. "I figured turnabout was fair play."

I scoffed. "I don't dazzle you!"

"Oh, but you do, my dear," he declared quietly, completely serious this time. "You make me forget everything and everyone until I want nothing more than to give you the moon."

"Really?"

He gave me a half smile, but it wasn't amused. "Really. I don't think you have any idea what you do to me or how much power you actually wield over me. I'm not sure I want you to know either. You are a very dangerous creature, my Bella. I do believe you will be the death of me."

At first, I was intrigued and enamored of the idea of wielding power over him. I wanted to experiment with that power, mainly in the age old way of women conquering the devotion of the men they love. With his last statement though, I became instantly angry.

"I can't be the death of you, Edward, as you are already dead!" I spat, hissing like an angry kitten. He smiled patiently at me.

"Actually, love, I believe you will be the death of the 'me' I was before I met you. Everybody seems to prefer the new Edward Cullen anyway, including me. I'm definitely a lot more fun to be around. I'm even better than the Edward in Meyer's books. Don't you think?"

I thought about how overprotective and annoying that Edward could be. Obsessed with keeping me human, obsessed with maintaining strict boundaries, always keeping secrets from me. Yes, this Edward was much better, but I didn't want to feed his ego too much.

"Perhaps," I allowed. "But I still see some room for improvement."

He grinned. "Just like a woman. Ask Esme, and I'm sure she'll tell you that she loves Carlisle more than anything else, that he is absolutely perfect, but that he still has room for improvement. Try to narrow her down on what exactly he needs to improve, and she'll just narrow her eyes and tell you it's none of your business. For the first fifty years, she could always come up with an answer to that question, and he would always work on whatever it was, but now she will never tell. She slipped once in her mind though. She loves him just the way he is and ran out of complaints, but she doesn't want him to get complacent and take her for granted."

"Humph!" I grumped. "I wonder how many decades it'll take you to get to that point. Carlisle was pretty perfect already by the time he and Esme got together. It looks like you'll be busy for next several centuries."

He laughed at my complaint. "Just be glad you're not with Emmett."

I paled and gulped at the thought. "Poor Rose! She's going to have answers for millennia!"

He laughed again. I noticed we bypassed the turn to go to my house. Later, I noticed we bypassed the turn for his house. "Where are we going?"

"To the meadow. I thought we could use a little alone time together." He heard my heart rate increase, as I released an anticipatory moan. He wagged his finger at me. "Not like that, my wanton fiancé. I wanted to be able to talk to you without being interrupted or overheard." He could see the huge look of disappointment cover my face. He reached over and gently squeezed my leg. "Though I suppose if you're a really good girl, we might find time for other things as well."

I grinned at him and arched my brow. "Other things."

"Hmmm, yes perhaps we'll do a little cloud watching, or pick wildflowers," he suggested with amusement, trying to push my buttons.

"Or perhaps we'll just make mad, passionate love under the clouds on top of the wildflowers," I countered smoothly. I saw him swallow heavily at my words and shift in his seat uncomfortably. Hah! Two could play this game. I could torture him as much as he tortured me.

He groaned. "Bella, you know I don't want to go that far until we're married."

"Are you going to play the whole chastity card again? Because as far as I'm concerned, once we've made our vows to one another in front of witnesses, then we are married. The Bible doesn't say anything about requiring a big ceremony or a piece of paper to make it official."

"Bella, are you forgetting how fertile we are together?"

"Have you ever heard of birth control?"

"It's not 100% effective, and I doubt any of it has been tested against vampire sperm."

"True. Hmm. Vampire sperm. Think how fast those little suckers must swim. Not to mention how strongly they would attack the membrane around the egg. Have you ever studied them under a microscope? Do they look like human sperm on steroids? Do they look like human sperm stuck on fast forward? Do they look like human sperm at all?"

He gave me an odd look. "I've never thought to study it," he admitted, looking a bit uncomfortable. I started bouncing in my seat, rubbing my palms together.

"Oooooh, I can't wait to talk to Carlisle! What time does he get home tonight? We are going to have so much fun! Finally, we can bond over something other than me getting injured and him fixing me."

His discomfort increased significantly. "You're planning on bonding with Carlisle by studying the characteristics of vampire sperm with him?"

"Yep," I replied, nodding eagerly.

"And where exactly were you planning on getting this vampire sperm?" he asked pointedly. I blushed. I hadn't thought that far ahead.

"Weeellll, I suppose I could help you provide a sample for us," I suggested calmly.

He choked and started coughing. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I accused grumpily. "I don't need to repeat it."

"Have you lost your ever-loving mind?" he shouted. I glared at him, folding my arms across my chest. "You want me to provide a sample of my reproductive substances so you and my father can play with it? Do you realize how sick that is?"

I glared at him some more, but he didn't back down. "Fine! I'm sure Emmett will be all too willing to help us out in the name of science."

"What? No way! NO freaking way! You are not going to ask Emmett to give you his sperm! Are you utterly insane?" He was practically frothing at the mouth.

"No, but I think you are," I sneered. "Are you sure you didn't drink from an animal with rabies on your last hunt?"

He stared at me in shock, opened his mouth and then shut it again. He pulled to a stop at the end of the road leading toward the meadow. He rubbed his hands over his face and took a few deep breaths.

"How about we talk about this idea later, okay? This isn't the discussion I brought you here to have," he begged, willing me to let it go for now. I didn't want to fight with him either, especially during one of our few alone moments. I smiled at him.

"Sure, honey. Let's go ahead and get to the meadow. This other discussion can wait," I agreed. He gave me my favorite crooked smile.

"Thank you, Bella. Besides, I still have a ransom to collect."

My heart beats started pounding in staccato. "Mmmm. So you do, Mr. Cullen, so you do."

We got out, and he helped me onto his back. The speed still made me nervous, so I closed my eyes and tucked my head into his shoulder. In no time at all, we were there in the beautiful, peaceful place that was our favorite getaway spot. He spread out a blanket for us to sit on, and gestured for me to have a seat. I smiled my thank you, then grabbed his hand and pulled him down with me. I knew he wouldn't have budged, no matter how hard I pulled, if he didn't desire it, so I gave him a kiss once he was on my level again. He grinned and kissed me back.

After a minute or two, I pulled back and looked at him through my lashes. "So, Mr. Cullen, it appears we have some business to conduct. A little matter of ransom?"

He grinned again. "Indeed so, Miss. Swan. I have thought long and hard about what I wish to ask for in return for your hand. Several of my ideas would definitely spark your blush, my dear, but I don't ever want to have physical intimacy be a bargaining chip between us. Rose does it all the time with Emmett, and I feel like it demeans the act and the feelings behind the act. It boils it down to a commodity to be bought, sold, and traded. I want our physical acts of intimacy to always be freely given expressions of our love for one another, never forced or obligated or withheld purely out of spite. I then considered asking you to accept the Corvette as your own and donate the truck to Leah."

I started shaking my head. He smiled knowingly.

"I guessed you would balk at that idea, though it would be nice. I then thought about deciding that for an entire month I could spend money on you to my heart's content, anytime, any amount, anywhere, and you would agree not to utter a single complaint."

I grimaced, hoping he hadn't decided on that one. He laughed at my expression.

"You look like you just swallowed a bug. Finally, I decided I want you to agree to the whole Prom experience with not just no complaints, but actively trying to enjoy it."

It was my turn to look at him like he was crazy. "Define the 'whole Prom experience'."

"The fancy clothes, the fancy dinner, the fancy car, the dance itself, the pictures, and the after-Prom party."

"What about the other Prom tradition?" I asked carefully.

He was confused. "What other Prom tradition?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure you've heard it in others' thoughts. Have you seen the movie American Pie?"

He thought about it for a minute or two before his expression darkened. "Isabella Marie Swan, we've already had this discussion. You and I will be signing the Prom promise cards. That is part of the whole Prom experience."

"What are the Prom promise cards?"

"The cards they pass out at school before the prom, on which you give your written promise to abstain from sexual activity on prom night."

"They really have those?"

"Yes, they do. I've seen them at the past three high schools I've attended."

"Bummer!"

He growled at me. "It is not a 'bummer'." He started singing, "We don't have to take our clothes off to have a good time. Oh, no. We could dance and party all night and drink some cherry wine. Uh,huh."

I giggled. "So you're going to drink some cherry wine?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course not."

"So you're going to let me drink cherry wine?"

He frowned. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Oookaaay, so the song doesn't really apply, does it?"

He growled again. "So change it to cherry soda."

I snickered. "Then it wouldn't rhyme."

"Well, time and wine don't rhyme anyway, so who cares?"

"Soda has too many syllables. It throws off the rhythm."

"So change it to lime. Time and lime both rhyme and it has only one syllable."

"Drink some cherry lime?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It's short for cherry lime juice. Or cherry limeade."

I just stared at him. He shrugged defensively. "What difference does it make?" he asked, aggravated.

"Whatever."

He shook his head again. "You drive me crazy, and I can't help myself," he sang.

"You brought me here to serenade me with '80s music?"

He took a deep breath and sighed wearily. "No, I came here to talk about Prom, remember?"

"Are they having an '80s theme? Or music of the previous century theme?"

"No, it's going to be a cruise ship theme."

"Like the Titanic?"

"Very funny."

"So who's organizing the after-Prom party, as if I have to ask? It wouldn't happen to be my best friend, would it?"

He grinned. "Got it in one. She wants your help planning the theme."

I groaned. Stupid, future seeing, party loving, shopaholic pixie. No doubt she has already picked out our prom dresses. I wouldn't put it past her to have already ordered my wedding dress, for that matter.

"Well, at least you aren't going to have a broken leg," Edward remarked comfortingly.

"Hush, don't say that. At the rate we're going, I'll probably be in a wheelchair instead. Don't tempt fate, Edward. I don't think it likes me very much."

"If you were anybody else, I'd laugh at you right now, but somehow I can't help but wonder if you're correct," he mused.

"I just wish I knew what I did to make it mad in the first place."

"Well, honey, you're so unpredictable, maybe you just caught it off guard. I'm not sure fate would like that very much."

I laughed. "Yeah, you're right. Catching fate off guard. Talk about an oxymoron."

"Like ugly vampire, fun high school, serious Emmett, and intelligent werewolf."

"Watch it, Cullen. No insulting my friends."

"Didn't you get the memo, Swan? You're allowed to insult your own family, but nobody else is allowed to say anything against them."

"I see."

"I'm glad you do."

"I see you're full of bull."

"No, I can't say I've ever tasted a bull. I doubt their blood tastes any better than cow's blood, and I've tried that."

This time I shook my head. How on earth had we gotten on this topic anyway?

"Okay, Edward, do you have anything interesting to say? Because I'm not getting dragged into a discussion about cow's blood."

He smirked. "You were about to give me your word of honor to willingly and actively participate in the whole Prom experience."

I wrinkled my nose. Ugh. He frowned. "You agreed to pay the ransom, Bella. Are you going back on your word? Am I going to have to hold your hand hostage again?"

"Well, now that we're here without witnesses, I wouldn't mind giving you my hand back."

"So you're breaking your promise?"

"Fine, Edward. I will willingly and actively participate in the whole Prom experience, but in exchange, I get to pick the theme for the after-Prom party."

He frowned. "I'll have to check with Alice."

"I pick the theme or it's a no go."

"We'll see."

"Not good enough."

"Fine, you pick the theme, I'll take care of Alice."

I smiled and kissed him. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hehe....

SO! Our GOALS----

40 votes and ill upload!

Have a great day ahead!

<3 You-Know-Who-But-Not-Voldemort!