There mysterious girl

Chapter 14

The rest of their day together passed in a pleasant blur. Aro had lunch brought to her room and he sat with her on the terrace while she ate. It was richer than she would have chosen for herself, but that was probably by design. Her weight had dipped lower than it had ever been during the months Edward and his family had gone.

Next was the garden, where he resumed reading to her. They sat in the grass, he with his back against a large tree, and she between his spread legs, resting her back against his chest.

"You're not even looking at the book," she murmured sleepily after a while.

"Vampires remember everything they've ever read, carina," he said with a smile in his voice. "You'll see."

"Everything?" she asked. Of course, she knew that they had perfect recall, but that almost seemed like a shame to her. Bella enjoyed rereading books and finding things she hadn't seen the first time.

"Everything," he confirmed. "But one does enjoy the feel of books."

She hummed in agreement. That is something she would miss.

"And the smell," she added.

"Yes," he agreed, grinning broadly, and pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. "The smell, too."

Pleasure rippled through her body from the place his lips touched. She shivered, despite the warmness of the day. Aro inhaled slowly, a low rumble reverberating through him. Bella felt keenly aware of him and the way their bodies were pressed up against one another.

The sun was starting to sink, casting long shadows along the rose garden. Bella had barely noticed they'd been there so long, she had been so enthralled by Aro and the sound of his voice as he read.

"I'd like to show you something," he murmured, standing, and helping her to her feet.

"Okay..." she reluctantly agreed. Was this the surprise he'd been talking about earlier? "What is it?"

"We can walk," he said, not answering her question. "But we might be too late for what I had in mind."

"Or, let me guess," she laughed, "you can carry me?"

"I would be honored," he smirked, sweeping her up into his arms.

The air left her lungs when Aro jumped. They went from one sloping rooftop to the next until they were somewhere in the middle of the castle, surrounded by turrets and battlements.

"Some warning would be nice next time," she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"My apologies, carina," he said, although he didn't look sorry at all. "I was under the impression that you were not afraid of heights. What, with your adrenaline-seeking behavior and all."

She must have looked confused because he was quick to clarify, "Alice showed me your new fondness for jumping from cliffs into the ocean."

Ah, she thought. Of course, he'd seen that in her once friend's thoughts. Only, Bella had claimed that she was jumping for recreational purposes. Anything but the truth- which had been that she was trying to see Edward, hear his voice, one more time.

"It turns out it's not for me," she said with a wry smile. No, it hadn't been for her. Not the risk-taking and, it transpires, not the reason she was taking the risks to begin with.

"In that case, we can take the stairs back down," he said smoothly. "But first, there is something I've been wanting to show you."

Aro turned her by the shoulders to a spectacular view. There was another garden on the rooftop they now occupied. Half cast in shadow from the setting sun, flowers in every color of the rainbow surrounded them, and beyond that, was a breathtaking view of the city and the farmland beyond. The sun was hovering at the horizon line, a burning, golden orb that cast the sky and the earth in every shade of crimson, violet, fuchsia, and indigo. Bella extended her hand, reaching it into a beam of perfect sunlight, feeling the sun warm her skin.