The Imprint or the Blood Singer

Chapter 16

The last thing Billy ever expected was that he would let a Cold One anywhere near him. But here Edward was, sitting on the couch with Maisie propped up in his arms. She had finally fallen asleep and when she did, Billy and Jacob felt okay to go to bed.

Maisie was first in the house to wake up the next morning. Edward helped her take off the wrapping that held her arm against her chest. The arm was completely healed, her shoulder and ribs still very damaged. It took longer than Maisie would've liked to take a shower and get dressed. When she walked out of her room Edward was in the kitchen cooking. He smiled when she hugged him from behind. The hug was partly out of affection, mostly to numb her ribs.

"Were you as good at cooking as you are at playing piano when you were human?"

"On the contrary, I was complete shit. But Esme was amazing, I asked her when you first started coming over."

Jacob and Billy entered the dining room area watching the scene between Maisie and Edward unfold. They wanted to awe and gag at the same time. Jacob walked past to grab a bowl from the cabinet. He looked down in confusion when a plate of breakfast was plopped in front of him.

"There's breakfast for everybody," Edward said.

"Thank you?"

"Just take the plate Jacob, I'm never doing this for you again."

Maisie laughed a little until her ribs started to ache again. Billy accepted the food without complaint, knowing his daughter would give him hell for it later if he didn't. Edward removed her arms from around him and turned to face Maisie with two plates.

"Embry's outside. Slept there all night."

Maisie took the plates from Edward and grabbed some of Jacob's clothes and went outside. The giant gray wolf on their front porch was still asleep. She set the plates down and shook Embry until the wolf woke up. Embry took the clothes she gave him and disappeared behind the house.

"You're looking a lot better," Embry said as he came jogging back around the house.

Maisie both sat across from each other cross-legged on the deck.

"My arm's fine. I'm going to Carlisle to check on the rest."

Embry hummed in approval. He watched her careful and measured breathing. It wasn't hard to tell Maisie was still in pain even without the imprint.

"You stayed out here all night?"

"I couldn't leave knowing you were hurt. I'm still your protector."

"My fierce protector," she joked.

Embry cocked an eyebrow at Maisie before the two of them busted out laughing. He quickly mumbled sorry when she clutched her side.

"Don't make me laugh," she said once the pain subsided.

"You made the joke."

Edward stepped out of the house. He held up the keys to Maisie's car and a small bag.

"Carlisle just called your dad. He wants you to stay overnight."

"What are you not saying?"

"There's an X-ray in Carlisle's home office. He wants to monitor you properly and make sure you're healing correctly, he's worried the mid-shift is having your bones heal not fully human... he might have to re-break a few more of them."