Charlie Swan: Vampire Hunter

27

Vampires explode out of the woods from every direction. My sword ignites and I launch into action. I lose myself in the fight and let myself mourn my little girl through the action. With each thrust and parry of the sword I let her slip a little farther away. I don't realize I've started crying until the tears blur my eyes past the point of being able to see past them. I can feel Carlisle at my back, so I let my sword drop to my side, then fall to my knees. The grief washes over me, but it's a far more manageable wave than the suffocating weight that has been on my chest the past several weeks. 

I feel Carlisle drop down in front of me. He puts two finger under my chin and lifts my face up to his, then claims my lips with his. I'm so taken by surprise I don't pull away. And even if I hadn't been taken completely by surprise I'm not sure I would have pulled away. His lips are sweet and soft and leave my lips too soon. He leans his forehead against mine, a bloody hand cradling the back of my neck.

 "I- Charlie I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." He whispers against my brow. 

I don't say anything, but I also don't pull away. I relish the feel of his skin against mine,  as confusing as it is it's also undeniable. I'm also in shock in so many ways that I wouldn't look twice if hippos dancing the can can came out of the woods. 

I shake my head, trying to clear it. "Can you take me home?" 

He nods. "Of course. You did a great job out there." 

He helps me up and to the car where I collapse into the passenger seat and let myself succumb to the exhaustion weighing down my every movement. 

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I wake up back in Carlisle's bed, the dark windows tell me I slept for at least four hours. Not exactly what I meant by 'take me home' but considering was unconscious, I know why he brought me here. I start to sit up, then catch sight of Carlisle in a chair across the room. His head is down and his eyes are closed, but I remember him mentioning that vampires don't sleep. I don't know what he's doing, but beyond that I don't know what I'm doing. I need some serious time to think. About him and me and us. And that kiss. 

That kiss. 

I feel my cheeks light on fire just thinking about it. It was perfect and yet so wrong at the same time. And to think everyone at Bella's funeral saw it happen. I groan and cover my face with a pillow. This is not what I needed so soon after Bella. 

"Finally awake?" I hear Carlisle ask. 

I make some noncommittal sounds through the pillow and throw it in his general direction. 

He laughs and easily catches the fluffy projectile. "I'll take that as a yes." 

I prop myself up on my elbows and look at him. Really look at him for the first time. His tousled and damp blond curls fall across his brow in a way that reminds me of pictures of the god Apollo. The perfectly shaped brows quirked in a silent question. His amber eyes, guarded but dancing with laughter. His marble like white skin that is completely blemishes apart from a small scar across his cupids bow. The dimple that graces his left cheek when he smiles. His perfectly shaped lips that look so tantalizingly soft. 

"You're staring." It's more question than statement. 

"I know. Sorry." I shake my head again, trying to disperse the brain fog that comes with waking up. 

He stand and takes a single step towards me. "Are you hungry?" 

My stomach grumbles in response and I nod vehemently. 

Carlisle whips out some pancakes and whipped cream. They are perfect- fluffy but slightly crunchy on the edges. For someone who drinks blood to survive he's a surprisingly good cook. He makes sure I eat every bite, probably remember the weeks where I ate next to nothing. 

"Where is everyone else?" I ask when I finish. 

"They went hunting. Jasper hasn't eaten in long enough having you around was starting to get to him. He can be... unpredictable around humans." Carlisle leans on the counter in front of me. "In his early years as a vampire he was part of a coven that fed on humans and the taste for human blood is a curse he has yet to shake. Our pseudo vegetation diet taxes him in ways it doesn't the rest of us." 

I nod in understanding and push my plate away. "I need to run by my house for a change of clothes. Do you mind driving me over there?" 

"Of course." He pushes off the counter and grabs his keys. "Lets go. We should talk on the way." 

I feel my stomach flip, but follow him out into the darkness.