Chapter Seventeen
Trouble and Love Don't Mix
Alice

Darkness.

Overwhelming darkness.

I can't see anything other then the darkness, the only sounds are the ringing in my ears and my labored breathing. Suddenly there's a light, a warm glow against the dark of the night. I run towards the light and it turns out to be the Cullen house.

"Happy birthday!" The Cullen boys yell from the entryway as I burst inside.

"You scared me half to death!" I cried and they all laughed at me.

"What's your birthday without a few surprises?" Edward smirked, kissing my cheek.

"I don't think that fireworks and werewolves go very well together." I grumbled.

"Werewolves?!" Edward exclaimed.

"What about werewolves?" Edward asked me as I came out of my vision.

"What?" I questioned.

"You said 'fireworks and werewolves' while you were in your vision, is everything alright?" Edward asked worriedly.

"Really? That's strange." I giggled.

"It's getting close to your birthday Alice, do you have anything in mind for a party?" Carlisle asked excitedly.

"Oh, I haven't had a birthday party since I was five." I giggled.

"Well we have to throw one then!" Emmett exclaimed making us all laugh.

"It's on the fourth right? We can get some seriously cool fireworks." Jasper smiled and Emmett high fived him.

"Hell yeah!" Emmett boomed.

"Nothing too dangerous guys, we may be indestructible but Alice isn't." Edward chuckled and kissed my head.

"She will be soon enough." Emmett laughed. "And I'm going to be the first to arm wrestle her." He spoke proudly.

"Arm wrestling? Really?" I laughed at him, and people think that I'm childish?

"It's tradition unfortunately." Jasper sighed.

"Did you lose?" I asked him.

"Spectacularly." Jasper grumbled. "But, then again I wasn't a newborn or anything when I joined the family."

"Oh, you had been in the south, right?" I asked and he nodded.

Jasper has told me about the vampire wars before. He says he's lucky, that he managed to get out and not ever have to fight. He's told me about some of the awful scars that the other more experienced vampires had. He says he's luckily that his flesh is as smooth and perfect as everyone else's. The scarred vampires were terrifying and off-putting even to their own kind.

"I'm just saying that with or without newborn strength I think I can pretty much take Alice down blindfolded." Emmett spoke cockily.

"Oh really?" I smirked. "A reminder that you are talking about the girl who took on and outsmarted four nomadic vampires."

"Psh, I could've done the same thing." He chuckled.

"Oh really?" I taunted him. "And what would you have done if James had come from the left instead of the right?"

"Oh, I-uh, I just would've taken him out like we planned." Emmett shrugged.

"No you wouldn't have." I smiled. "Because if he had come from the left and you went head on with him from the right, he would have seen you and snapped my neck before you could reach me." I giggled and everyone got that strange grim expression they get when questioning my mental state.

"Alice, that's a little heavy." Emmett let out a lungful of air.

"Well it's only the truth, and besides, it doesn't even matter now, that probability has come to pass." I shrugged.

"Why don't you go get some sleep hmm?" Edward spoke into my hair.

"I'm fine." I shook my head.

"You get a little dark and depressing when you're tired." He chuckled.

"I'm a very dark and depressing person." I giggled.

"Okay, evil little pixie, listen to your fiancé now and go nighty-night." Emmett chuckled.

"Fine." I huffed and stood up, pulling Edward with me as I stood and a vision flashed across my sight.

Emmett came barreling towards me then, and I stepped out of the way just a second before he would have crashed into me, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

"Nice try Emmett, though, you should really try not to get yourself into so much trouble." I smirked at him as I walked past.

"That's it, I'm leaving." Emmett huffed and stormed outside.

"I guess we're leaving for our hunting trip now." Carlisle laughed, motioning for Jasper and Rosalie to follow him outside after Emmett.

"You really showed him Alice." Edward chuckled as he pulled me upstairs with him and shut his bedroom door behind us.

"Yeah well I-" I froze as I turned to face his bedroom and was met with a four poster bed with the comfiest looking bedding and pillows I've ever seen in my life. "What's this?" I raised my eyebrows up at him.

"A bed." He answered.

"I see that." I giggled. "Why is it here?" I asked.

"Well, I've hated seeing you sleeping on that couch so I thought I'd get us something more comfortable." He responded, kissing my shoulder.

"That's very sweet of you." I smiled. "But what's the real reason you did this?"

"Alice, I want you stay here, to move in with me. Everyone else wants you here too." Edward told me.

"Even Rosalie?" I asked doubtfully.

"She doesn't want your father to hurt you anymore, every time you step back into your house you're risking your life." Edward sighed deeply.

I could see the pain in his eyes, the fear of losing me, the look of loathing for my father.

"What about Cynthia?" I sighed. "I can't just leave her."

"Your father adores Cynthia, he would never hurt her." Edward retorted.

"Okay, I'll move in." I nodded, a smile creeping into my face.

"Really?" Edward looked surprised that I actually agreed without protest.

"Really." I nodded. "I know how much it hurts all of you to see me in danger, so I won't argue over this. Plus it will be nice to finally feel safe. It will be nice to have a home." I smiled and reached up on my tippy toes to kiss him.

"I love you Alice." Edward spoke passionately.

"I love you Edward." I promised him.

"Here's your bag, I'll turn down the covers while you change." He kissed me sweetly.

I changed into my silky black nightdress, it's very modest with short sleeves and a long body to it that ends just below my knees. I brushed my teeth and my hair and made my way back into Edwards room.

He was sitting up in bed, reading a book, and as soon as I entered the room he set the book down and opened his arms for me.

I giggled as I ran across the room and threw myself up into the large bed and barreled into Edwards arms.

"Thanks for catching me." I giggled.

"I'll always catch you Alice." He spoke sweetly to me as he ran his hands through my hair lovingly.

He surprised me by kissing me very passionately, wrapping one hand into my hair and the other securing tightly around my waist.
His cold lips ignited hot burning fires beneath my skin. His hands held me tight but lovingly, making me feel constricted but safe as they roamed my body. His scent was so intoxicating, I felt drunk as I drank it in, it relaxed my every muscle and calmed my every thought.

He slid my legs to the side easily, sitting me into his lap as he kissed me with more urgency, even more passionately. His teeth grazed down my neck, never finding any purchase, as he nipped and licked at my skin. Soon capturing my lips with his again.

I pulled at his shirt as my heart started beating widely in my chest, his hands slipping up under my nightdress to roam up and down my thighs.

"Edward." I gasped as we broke apart so I could breathe. "We should stop..." I moaned as he gripped my hips tighter.

"Alice...I want you, just like this." He grumbled as he attacked my lips again, slipping his hands farther up my thighs. "You're just so beautiful." He purred against my lips. "Please?" He begged, golden eyes wide as they darkened to black, expressing his lust for me.

All my resolve flew out of my mind then and I attacked him with the same fervor he had previously shown me.