There mysterious girl

Chapter 10

"Marriage!" she squeaked.

Nobody had said anything about marriage- an institution which had been blackened by Renee since she was in nursery school.

"Well," Aro said, "it might not hold up in a court of law, but essentially, you are our wife, mia stella."

"Wife," she repeated hollowly.

Aro shot Caius an annoyed look, but she hardly noticed. Were the walls closing in on her? She couldn't be sure. Yesterday she had been a senior in high school and today she was married to three vampires. What other surprises did the universe have in store for her, she wondered.

"When a vampire is mated, Bella, it is more binding than marriage," Marcus said his soothing, feathery voice. "Mates cannot be separated."

"Yeah," she said, "I know. But marriage..."

Aro looked as though he was in full damage control mode, while Caius looked chagrined. They obviously hadn't meant to drop the M word in their first conversation about their unique relationship. Aro must have seen her lack of enthusiasm about this topic in Edward's mind. They'd discussed it often enough before he disappeared from her life, and even more once he'd come back, although Aro wouldn't have been privy to those memories, of course.

"You don't want to be married to us?" Caius asked stiffly.

It wasn't that, not the commitment at least, that she balked at. Caius's jaw was clenched again. Combined with his terse words, she could tell she was circling a sore spot.

"That's not it," Bella amended. "It's just, this is...just...it feels fast."

"Of course, precious one," Aro agreed. "It must seem like things are moving quickly for you. We have been searching for our mate for centuries, while this has been sprung on you quite suddenly."

Bella nodded pensively.

"It's not that I don't have...feelings for all of you," she admitted shyly. "I do. I just don't understand them because we don't even know each other."

"That is the mating bond you feel, cara," said Marcus. "It supersedes all other ties. We were not sure if, or how you would be affected by it. As you know, when a vampire meets their mate, they both know instantly. Usually," he amended, earning a scowl from Caius. He went on, "I am sure you are familiar with the expression love at first sight?"

"Of course."

"The mating bond is where it originated from," he explained. "It is as supernatural as we are."

She remembered Caius's words from Carlisle's office, telling her the same thing. Love at first sight. Was it possible? It was not the sort of nonsense Bella usually held with. A childhood spent parenting the irresponsible Renee saw to that. And yet she could not deny that she was drawn to them, like a comet pulled into their orbit.

"But I'm human," she protested. "Why..."

"Ah," said Aro, looking pleased. "That is a mystery to us as well. Just like your uniquely silent mind, amore. Perhaps you would tell us exactly what you are feeling and we can figure it out together?"

"Um, well," she stuttered, blushing fuchsia. "I feel drawn to all of you, I guess. But it's more than that. After I left here with Edward and Alice," she rubbed her sternum, remembering the pain. "I felt...empty somehow. It was like a pulling in my chest. It was painful. I don't know if that makes any sense."

"It shouldn't be possible, Aro," Caius said darkly.

Aro looked at her with his brows drawn together in consternation.