What I'm Reading

I thought I'd give an update on what I've been reading lately in the fanfiction realm.

Beyond Time by TKegl just posted it's final chapter this weekend. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5755522/1/ . It still amazes me how much I have enjoyed this story. I give this completed story a five out of five stars.

I also started reading a story called Grasping Darkness by KiyaRaven. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5478849/1/. The first chapter of this story was amazing. It really pulled me in and made me want to read more. But as the story has continued, I'm finding my interest decreasing. The story has become all about the sex and little about plot progression. I have no problem with smut in general, however, I feel that it must be balanced within the story and I'm not seeing that here. It is sad considering the potential I saw in chapter 1. It is still in process and at this point, I give this story 3 out of 5 stars.

Let's Get Physical by Lalina is still in progress and on my list of fics I stop everything to read. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6063965/1/. I still think we have a little way to go in this story as there seems to be quite a lot of issues for them to work through, but I am looking forward finishing it whenever that may be. At this point I am still giving this story a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

The story Love in My Box by cosmoandmarvar is one chapter away from being finished. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5782455/26/Love_in_My_Box. The concept of this story was what drew me in. And I really like the Edward in this story. He is different and such a geek. *laughs* But he is oh so lovable. For some reason this story started to drag for me about halfway through even though I can't pin point why that is exactly. But with that said, it is a cute story and I give it 4 out of 5 starts.

And last but not least is The Nightingale Journals by kimpy0464. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5731421/1/. Since the author of this story is a nurse in her own right, she knows her stuff when it comes to the medical drama found in this story. She is able to bring to life the ups and downs of working in the critical care unit of a hospital while adding that flare of romance to complicate things. Recently, she has added even more drama with the discovery of a fellow medical professional committing a cardinal sin in the field of nursing. I am still excited about this story, and can't wait to see how it turns out. I give this story 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

If any of you have read any of these fics, please leave a comment with your thoughts. It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with me, leave a comment. We are all looking for good fics to read and we all have different tastes.

Upcoming Novel

First, I want to say thank you to all of those who have been supportive of me over the last month. It has been greatly appreciated.

I know some of you have been waiting to hear more information regarding my upcoming novel. For the sake of trying to keep things separate, this will be the last post on this blog regarding anything other than future fanfictions I may write.

If you are interested in getting information regarding my novels, you can follow my recently created fanpage http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sherri-Hayes/122511444477280?v=app_2373072738#!/pages/Sherri-Hayes/122511444477280?v=wall and click on the like button to follow me. The other option, is to follow me on Twitter under Sherri_Hayes. There will be updates on both, however, Facebook will have more content and will also be where I will announce the titles of the book I have coming out soon as well as future novels, book signings, etc.

Thank you again for your support.

Sad and Unfortunate News

It was brought to my attention tonight that some members of the fandom who are not happy about some of the fanfiction authors publishing their stories have taken it upon themselves to compile a list of fics and put them into a database for everyone to access who wants to. This makes publishing a story that one has written and posted on the fandom extremely difficult. It is sad that these individuals feel that they have the right from the author to take the story they've created to a larger readership, but that is exactly what is happening. We all share our writing on the fandom for free, but that does not mean that if we find our work to be 'good enough' we would not want to try and publish it and make money from it. We all put a lot of time and effort into these stories.

So, it is with a sad heart that I have removed Finding Bella. Given that I have announced that I am publishing a novel (not Finding Bella), I feel that I, and my story will soon be targeted by this group. Believe me when I say that I do this with great sadness. I know that Finding Bella has a huge following in the fandom and that it will be missed.

With that said, I want to assure you that you all will get your ended. Unfortunately, due to what is going on, you are now going to wait until the story is published. It will be a series of books instead of one and I am hoping to have the first one out, if all goes well, sometime next year.

I will not be disappearing from the fandom, and I will probably still write here although I will most likely be sticking to cannon or AU stories from now on.

I am asking that if you do have a copy of Finding Bella saved on your hard drive that you do not share it. Many of you will not be happy with my decision, but I do hope you understand. This is personal. Whether or not an author used the Twilight characters as a jumping board or not write their story, it is still their story and belongs to them. I ask my readers to please respect that and not help add to this.

Ekimmuh

What I'm Reading

Illumination: Edward's Meadow

http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=13157

This story is written by Rhian0000 and is rated G.

I'll be honest, this story's banner is what caught my attention. Anyone who says a banner can't draw readers doesn't know what they are talking about. Just like the cover of a book can draw you in, so can a well made banner.

This is a completely cannon story that gives the readers Edward's point of view of the meadow scene in Twilight. It is section of Twilight has been written and rewritten so many times, but it is rare that you find a really well done one.

Illumination: Edward's Meadow is perhaps the best version of this section of the story I've ever read. The author has been able to capture the range of Edward's emotions and thoughts, including his confusion, his pull, desire, and love for Bella.

I have never given a story a five out of five stars before, but this one has reached that level for me. Edward is one of my favorite fictional characters for his complexity that I feel is so often lost in the cannon fics. This one did him the justice that I find is so often lacking.

What's what

So many things are going on in my life right now, and for those of you who also follow me on Twitter you are aware of some of them. I thought this was a good time to give everyone an update on just what is going on right now.

First, the question I hear most often is when is Finding Bella coming back. I don't have an exactly posting date as of yet, however, I do plan to resume writing in November. The problem is that given all of the controversy the last couple of chapters caused, I have not decided if I want to post the chapters as I go anymore or finish the story first before I put anything up. Part of the reason I took a break was because all of the arguing and debating was too distracting. I want to put up a quality story that I'm proud of. In order to do that, I have to have the time to write it.

Next, again some of you know this, but my basement flooded almost a month ago. Everything in our basement had to be removed so it could be dried out. I also lost my washer and dryer. We're currently waiting on the insurance so that we can replace what was lost and get things moved back downstairs. Right now, I have crates and boxes almost to the ceiling in multiple rooms. Let's just say that moving around my house isn't exactly the easiest thing to do right now.

Finally, I wanted to give you all an update on my novel. It will be out some time in January, and pre-orders will begin in December. I know you are all wanting more information, and I promise that more will be coming soon. ;)

Halloween Countdown

October 1st started the second annual Halloween Countdown and Collaboration. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6326403/1/ Each day leading up to Halloween a new one-shot will be posted.

What is the Halloween Countdown and Collaboration? It is made up of two parts. The first, The Halloween Countdown, is made up of 35 invited authors. Each author involved wrote a one-shot with a Halloween theme.

One of the unique things about this is that it is not a contest. There is no winners or losers. Each writer was invited to participate in the countdown.

And to make it a little more interesting for the readers, it's anonymous! At the end of each posted chapter are 'author hints'. When you submit your review of the chapter you can also take a stab at which author wrote it. (A list of the participating authors is listed under 'Chapter 1'.)

The second part of this is the Collaboration. For the author's participating, the assignment was to be given one chapter of a 31 chapter story and write it without seeing any of the other chapters written by the other's involved. The organizer provides a loose outline, but the rest is up to the individual writers.

In case you are wondering, yes, I am participating in this. Can you guess which of the 35 one-shots is mine? If you're feeling that Halloween spirit start to creep up on you, check this out.

What I'm Reading

Beyond Time

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5755522/1/

This story is written by TKegl and is rated M. It can be found on both fanfiction.net and Twilighted.net, however there are more chapters posted on fanfiction.

Honestly I can't say what made me start reading this story. It isn't they type of fic I'd normally start reading. But whatever it was, I am very glad that I did.

Bella travels back in time to 1918 and finds a very human Edward who is not exactly what she expected. He is very much a young man of his time with all of the social views of that time. It throws him a off when he meets a modern Bella who also brings her twenty-first century view of women's rights into the mix. The author does a nice job of showing how Edward probably was back when he was human, before he had 100 years of watching the world change around him.

This is still a work in progress, but a highly enjoyable read. It has twists and turns both with Edward and Bella's relationship, but also involving Carlisle, Alice, and some original characters in Edward's 1918 life.

I give this story 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

If you've read this story, please leave a comment and let everyone know what you though. Remember we are all looking for good things to read. That's why we are here!

Twilighted

Those who reading my story Finding Bella know that it deals with some things that do not sit well with all of my readers. I have tried to portray the characters in realistic fashion and stay as true to both my original vision as well as the BDSM lifestyle as much as I am able.

Some of you know that I post Finding Bella on multiple sites. One of those sites was Twilighted. I use the past tense because chapter 31 will be the last chapter that will be posted there.

Twilighted has always been behind the other sites I post to because of 1) their validation process in general, and 2) because of some difficulties with the initial validation given the subject matter. One of the things I was hoping to accomplish with my hiatus was to get the story caught up on Twilighted. That is now not going to happen.

I received an e-mail from my validation beta regarding the submission of my next chapter (chapter 31) two nights ago. She did not like the wording of something that was said towards the end of the chapter and wanted me to change it. I struggled with how to both respond as well as what to do regarding her request. In the end, however, I decided to make the change to the chapter so that it could be posted and ask my readers there to come here so that I could let them know what was going on and why. Twilighted is a privately owned site and the administrators have the right to run it as they see fit, however, as the author I have issues with being asked to change my story.

If you are currently reading this story on Twilighted and wish to continue reading it, you will still be able to find it on fanfiction.net and twilightarchives.com. There are 36 chapters posted at those two sites, however the story is on hiatus at the moment. If anyone has any questions I didn't answer in this blog post regarding what is happening with the postings over on Twilighted, please leave a comment and I will try to respond.

Thank you all for your support.

Ekimmuh

What I'm Reading

Faking It

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5153711/1/

This story is written by spanglemaker9 and is rated M. It is a completed story.

Faking it was recommended on a fan blog. It sounded interesting so I decided to check it out. The premise of the story is that Edward is a huge movie star who has gotten himself in a little trouble. Bella on the other hand is the lead singer of a new band that is just making it's first mark on the Hollywood scene. She is fresh and down to earth. He is known for his bad boy ways. Their agents come up with an idea that will help them both.

The idea for this story was entertaining. I enjoyed it for the most part, but I found myself at times skimming. There was a lot of detail that I felt could have been left out, but over all it was not a bad read.

I give it three and a half out of five stars.

Let's Get Physical

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6063965/1/

This story is written by Lalina and is rated M. It is a work in progress and currently has 15 chapters posted on fanfiction.net.

Bella has been with her husband for almost twenty years when he leaves her telling her she is so disgustingly fat he can't even look at her anymore. She decides that she is going to show him, so she goes to the local gym and hires a personal trainer, Edward. The story is a lot of sexual tension as Bella begins to lose the weight and the attraction between these two grow.

Lalina is a fantastic storyteller. If you've never read any of her stories, you are missing out. She likes to throw in twists and turns that keep her readers on their toes. This is one of her lighter stories, but it still has the ability to keep the reader engaged and routing for Bella and Edward.

I give this story five out of five stars.

FB - Chapter 36 Teaser

It was another long night as I continued to think over what had happened and how best to help Isabella. I was worried about her. We had reached her limit, but she had not used her safeword. Instead, she’d gone into that frozen panic again. It was something we had to get past.

I woke a little early, got ready for work, and went to check on Isabella. She was still sleeping, so I left her a note saying I’d call her later and kissed her forehead before leaving for the office.

The ride to work was uneventful. I wish I could have said the same thing for when the elevator doors opened to my floor. Standing there in pressed kakis and a polo shirt was Jacob Black.

With a mental sigh, I walked forward. Angela, already at her desk, had glanced up at my entrance. She was watching the two of us intently. “Good morning, Mr. Masen.”

“Morning, Angela. Any messages?”

She looked over my shoulder at Black, then back at me. “Nothing urgent.”

I nodded to my assistant, turned my head slightly to look at Black, and motioned for him to follow me into my office. If we were going to discuss Isabella, and I was certain that was why he was here, then I would not do it as an open forum for passers by to hear.

He followed me inside, and closed the door behind him. At least he appeared to want privacy as well. That was a point in his favor.

I took a seat behind my desk, and motioned for him to take a seat opposite me. He shook his head and stood with his arms folded.

The staring contest continued for several minutes before I finally leaned back in my chair and said, “You can stand there all day, Black, or you can just say what you’ve come here to say. I, for one, have a business to run.”

Jacob’s eyes narrowed at my statement. He shifted his weight so he was now leaning forward with his arms on the back of the chair in front of him. “What’s wrong with Bella?” he demanded.

What I'm Reading

The Muse

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5559005/1/
http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=12193

This story is written by Deavlynn and is rated M/NC-17.

I'm not sure what lead me to start reading this story. One night I was surfing Twilighted for something interesting since none of the fics I am currently reading had an update, and for whatever reason this struck my fancy.

When I first started reading, as with most fics, I had no idea what I would find. This one begins with Bella as a college student with a lot of promise except for one thing. She is down to her last few dollars, and has no idea how she is going to get more. In fact, she is so broke that she has failed to turn in a paper because she can't afford the twenty some dollars it takes in order to get it printed. Luckily, one of her college professors has a way to solve her money problems. Edward.

One of the things that is not mentioned in this story's summary, but I think is important to note, is that there is a rather large age gape between Edward and Bella. If this bothers you, I suggest not reading this story. Personally, I found it highly enjoyable.

I give this story four out of five stars.

Real Women Have Curves

http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=12840

This story is written by Truefan and is rated NC-17.

For anyone who is looking for story recommendations or has a story they want to, as we say 'pimp', to potential readers, the Twilighted chat room is a good option. It is how I not only found this story, but many others.

When I first took a look at this story I had my doubts. I've seen a few other fics listed with Bella being an overweight girl and quickly passed them over. If it had not been for the ladies over on the chat room, I would never have started reading this story. Lucky for me I did.

This story opens very much as Twilight did. Bella moves to Forks with her dad at seventeen 'to give her mom and Phil some time to themselves'. The only problem is that isn't the real reason. Bella's true motivation behind her move from Phoenix to Forks is brought out in a way that had me tearing up and wanting to hug this Bella. The author does a nice job bringing emotion to the surface as she weaves this love story.

There are some grammatical errors, but nothing to major. For a first fic, I was impressed. I give his story four out of five stars, and hope we will all be seeing much more of this author in the future.

Exciting News

Those of you who stop by the Finding Bella thread over on Twilighted know that I have some good news to share. I wanted to do this on the blog since I know most of you don't stop by the thread.


A few of you are aware that I wrote an novel about a year ago, and that I had intentions of getting it published. I am happy to announce that that is now going to happen.


The process takes time so it will be a while before anything comes out to the general public. We have just started the editing process, so there is a long way to go. I'll have more information as things progress, and I will be eventually setting up an independent blog so that I can keep my fan fiction stories separate from my novels.


I know many of you are probably asking yourselves how this is going to effect Finding Bella. The only effect this news will have for the foreseeable future may be posting dates. I am still going to try and post every other Wednesday, however, depending on the editing schedule each week that may get pushed back.


I hope that you all are as excited about this as I am, and hopefully I will have more news soon.

FB - Chapter 35 Teaser

Edward’s arm stayed securely around me. I leaned into him, burying my face in his chest.

His body was tight, coiled as if ready for a fight. Something had made him upset, and I didn’t know what. Was I not supposed to talk to Jake?

“What’s it to you, Masen?”

“You are here. Where I live. That makes it my business, Black. Now answer the question.”

There was silence for a long moment before Jake answered, “I came to see Isabella. I didn’t realize I needed your permission,” he sneered.

Edward didn’t answer right away, and when he did speak it was to me. His hand came under my chin, making me look at him. “Do you wish to continue speaking to Jacob, Isabella?”

I bit my lower lip. He was waiting. “Yes, please,” I whisper, not knowing if that was the right answer but wanting to be honest.

He nodded once and placed a kiss on my forehead before turning back to Jake. “You may come upstairs and talk to her if you wish.”

Edward didn’t wait for Jake to respond. He just turned us both and we headed for the elevator. The doors opened, and we stepped inside followed by a not too happy looking Jake.

What I'm Reading

Master of My Heart

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5120651/1/


This is a BDSM story written by BriannaMarley. I read a number of BDSM stories in fanfiction before I started writing my own. This is a rated M story for obvious reasons.


Bella was in a very bad relationship with James that, after one night, left her nearly dead and with some permanent injuries. In order to try and keep herself from falling into another bad relationship, Bella joins a private BDSM club. There she meets Edward. There is instant chemistry.


I enjoyed the first part of this story. When it started, I had high hopes. However, they quickly dwindled into disappointment. Many of Bella's reactions were over the top and unrealistic for the experienced sub she was supposed to be. I tried to stay with this story, but finally had to give up on it as it had lost all interest for me.


Overall I would give this story two stars.


The Virgin Swan and the Cullen Intuition
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5354644/1/

http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=7865


I found this story through some of the ladies over on the Twilighted chat room. Bella falls head over heals for Edward, her best friend Alice's older brother. Edward is equally smitten, however, there is one problem. Bella is a virgin. And only 17.


This story is written by Kriskahn (fanfiction), Jocasta (Twilighted), and it is rated M/NC-17. Again, it earns it rating. There is a lot of sex in this story.

The connection between Edward and Bella is intense right from the start, but so much is against them. Edward's age. Bella's age. And also the little fact that Charlie hates Edward with a passion. But as with cannon, their love pushes through all of their issues and only makes them stronger.

This story is complete, and I give it four and a half stars.




If you've read any of these stories, let me and others know what you thought by leaving a comment. Remember we all are looking for good stories to read. That's why we're here!

FB - Chapter 34 Teaser

Angela greeted me with her usual cheerful smile when I got to the office. The morning was busier than usual since I was having to oversee the finance department now that James was no longer in charge. Hopefully HR would have some candidates for me to start interviewing next week.

Just before noon, Angela knocked on my office door to let me know that my cousin had arrived. I’d thought of many different things that I could tell him, however in the end, I’d decided to stick as close to the truth as possible.

Gino’s was packed with the lunch rush today. But since I am such a good customer we were able to get a table fairly quickly. It wasn’t private by any means, but I wasn’t going to say anything incriminating to Emmett.

Our server came to get our orders almost immediately, which gave me a little breathing room. I sat back in my seat enjoying being out of the office even though my thoughts, as they always did, filtered back to Isabella. To what she was doing. If she was alright. Did she miss me as well?

My thoughts were interrupted by Emmett’s rather booming voice. “So what’s going on with you and Carlisle? I got it narrowed down that much.”

“It’s complicated, Emmett,” I started.

Emmett didn’t appear to like that approach. “Oh can it, Eddie. I’m a big boy. Whatever it is, I can handle it.”

I straightened in my seat. “I have no doubts that you can handle it, Emmett. It’s just a rather delicate matter and I’d appreciate it if you’d treat it as such.”

My cousin looked a little taken a back. “Alright,” he said. “Well?”

“The short of it is that Carlisle doesn’t approve of me being with Isabella.”

“Your girlfriend?” Emmett’s surprise was evident.

“Yes. Isabella. My girlfriend.” I couldn’t help but smile at that. It wasn’t something that we had discussed yet. I saw her as my submissive, which to me was much more than just a girlfriend. But my girlfriend would be how the outside world would see her.

What I'm Reading

Nightingale Journals

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5731421/1/
http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=10519

I kept seeing this coming up on Twilighted pretty regularly so I decided to give it a try. In this story, Bella is a nurse who works in the PICU. Edward is a doctor. And it is written by kimpy0464.

There are so many stories out there with Edward as a doctor and it was the main reason why I almost didn't try this story. I have to say that I am so glad I pushed my reservations aside and read it. The author is a nurse herself and brings that knowledge to the table to make this more realistic.

It is rated NC-17/M. The author doesn't shy away from the medical issues in the story, but also makes them understandable to the reader. It's a great read and I highly recommend it.

I give this story five stars.

Love In My Box

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5782455/1/

I saw a banner for this story as a favorite of one of the ladies who frequents the Finding Bella forum over on Twilighted. The story is rated M, and to my knowledge can only be found on fanfiction.net. It is written by cosmoandmarvar.

Edward and Bella meet up in Miami for spring break and have a one night stand. The problem is that Edward can't stop thinking about Bella so with the little information he has about her, he tracks her down through her college e-mail address. A relationship begins between the two almost entirely based on e-mail letters.

I really liked this story's premise, and the author does a good job of making the characters of Edward and Bella have some unique personality traits. Edward is basically an awkward nerd. Bella is a pretty liberal bookworm.

This story was really pretty borderline for me until the two meet again in person. The author really pulled me in with their interaction. I got that feeling in my chest that I would get when I read certain sense in Twilight.

Overall I would give this story four stars.

FB - Chapter 33 Teaser

I had been writing for about twenty minutes when I heard the door open. Edward was home. A warmth spread through my chest as I tossed my journal aside and exited my bedroom.

He was standing in the kitchen when I walked into the main room. His back was towards me as I watched him survey what was cooking. I wanted to go to him, but I was stuck. Rooted in my spot just outside of my bedroom door.

Edward turned around seconds later. A sly smile covered his lips like somehow he’d known I’d been there the whole time. I gave him a shy smile in return.

Talk, I told myself. He said he wanted me to talk. I could do that. At least I was going to try.

“Hi,” I said still a little unsure.

“Hello, Isabella.”

Edward did come towards me like I had hoped. Instead, he leaned back casually against the kitchen counter watching me.

“Um. Dinner should be ready soon,” I managed to squeak out.

He nodded, but didn’t say anything. Had I done something wrong? I mean he had said he wanted me to talk to him. Had he changed his mind? My eyes lowered to the floor and my hands began to tremble. Did I mess up?

“Look at me.”

He was no longer across the room, but standing in front of me. My eyes rose to meet his. They didn’t look angry at all. I started to calm down.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he whispered, the back of his right hand caressing my face.

“I thought…I thought maybe I’d done something…wrong,” I whispered.

“Why did you think you had done something wrong?”

“You didn’t…I just…” I paused, took a breath, and looked down shyly. “You stayed in the kitchen. And you didn’t say…” I shrugged. “I wanted…”

“What did you want?” he encouraged.

What I'm Reading - Week's 4 & 5

Sorry about not getting a post up last week. We took a trip to see my in-laws for the 4th of July, and it took over everything. Over the last two weeks though, I have done some reading.

Die Tonight, Live Forever

http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=8513

This story would never have crossed by radar had it not been for The Word Lottery. The author, sben3208, is also a reviewer and we were paired up to read each others stories. Die Tonight, Live Forever is a very dark story rated NC-17, and deals with some hard themes such as cutting and multiple personality disorder.

When I started this story I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it, but after one chapter I found I wanted to read the second. Her characters are definitely OOC in this one, but without that it would not be the same story. It is a WIP, and there are currently 17 chapters posted on Twilighted.net. If you like darker stories, then I suggest you give this one a chance.

I give this story four and a half out of five stars.

Fog Over Dartmouth

http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=10545

This is a post-Breaking Dawn story. Three years have passed and now the Cullens have decided to leave Forks. Edward and Bella enroll at Dartmouth. It is written by Milk40, and is rated PG-13.

I like cannon stories. SM left so much unexplored in her books that, when done well, a missing moment story or one exploring possible futures can be a very enjoyable read. This one just didn't fit into that category for me.

The interaction of Bella and Edward in this story is pretty good and for the most part in character. What I found driving me nuts, however, and what made me stop reading before I'd reached all the chapters that the author posted, was the flow of the story. I would be reading along and then all of a sudden there was...well for lack of a better word, jump. Not a total 180 or anything, more of a slight shift like a connecting sentence or two was missing.

When I stopped reading we were just starting to meet an original character. I do think this story has potential, however I found that it was too frustrating to hold my long term interest.

I give this story two and a half stars.

FB - Chapter 32 Teaser

He turned to me, "Will you wait here? I have something that I want to show you." I nodded, and he got up. I watched as he went into his bedroom.

All while he was gone I kept wondering what he could possibly have to show me. My question was answered the moment he stepped back in the room. In his right hand, he held a long stick. A cane.

On instinct, my feet came up onto the couch, my whole body crunching tight into a ball. I waited for the first strike to hit me.

It didn't.

I looked up slowly to find Edward standing over me patiently waiting. When he saw that he had my attention he said, "I'm not going to cane you, Isabella. Put your legs down, please, and hold out your hands."

My brain kept shouting at me no, but I wouldn't forget what Edward had told me again. He wouldn't lie to me, and he'd proven it over and over. I could trust that when he told me something that it was true.

It took effort to uncoil my body, but I managed. One by one my feet found their place on the floor in front of me. Then I put my hands out and opened them hoping my trust in him was not misplaced.

I watched as the Edward took a seat on the coffee table directly in front of me, the cane lying across his lap. "This is a rattan cane," he said lifting it up with both hands. "There are many types made out of a variety of materials. They come in all different thickness, but this is one of my favorites." When he was finished with his explanation, he brought his hands out and offered his cane to me. I didn't know if I should take it. "Go one. It won't bite, I promise," he joked.

What I'm reading - Week 3

This has been a very busy week for me so I didn't get a lot of reading done. For those of you who are following me on Twitter, you know that we had a small little guest in our basement that took us two days to get out along with some adjustments to the outside of our home so that more unwelcome guests didn't visit in the future.

Illegal Contact

This story has been around for a little while. It is written by GreenEyedGirl17, and can be found on both fanfiction.net http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5268107/1/ and Twilighted.net http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=7110. The story is rated M/NC-17 for sexual content.

Edward is an ex-pro football player who's now the Forks high football coach. Bella has just moved back to town with her little brother, Seth. Sparks fly with these two as they both struggle to deal with their past, present, and future.

I love football, which is what first made me take a look at this story. For the most part I quite enjoyed it. It was fun and playful while keeping the sexual tension going and going. Once the two really got together however, it felt a little rushed, in my opinion. I wanted to see these two actually be together for a bit, and for them to tackle some of the many challenges that were in front of them. Instead, the story skipped ahead and left me longing for more time with the characters.

Overall it is a good read, and I'd give this story 4 1/2 stars.

Let Love In

Some of you know that I have recently gained an obsession with the Sookie Stackhouse stories. Once I'd read all ten books, I went in search of some fanfiction. I've read a few one-shots. And one of these days I may review those as well. However, this was the first multi-chapter story I read and I have to say that I was impressed.

Personally, I am up in the air regarding Bill and Eric. I honestly don't have a preference as to who Sookie ends up with as long as it's one of them. With that said, this particular story is all Sookie and Eric.

It is written by Terri Botta, and can be found on fanfiction.net http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4570625/1/Let_Love_In. It earns it's M rating. There are some pretty fun sexual encounters between these two including one that involves Sookie using Eric as a buffet table.

This story is excellently written. The author takes what Charlene Harris set up and adds her own imagination, lore, and history. She is so talented that I found myself, after reading the whole thing, trying to remember if something occurred in the books or in this fic!

No doubt that this story gets five stars from me.

FB - Chapter 31 Teaser

I glanced down at my watch. They had been gone for ten minutes. It wasn't long, but for some reason my worry increased. I positioned myself so that I was able to constantly watch the entrance they would most likely use.

My back straightened as I saw Alice. I looked behind her for Isabella, but she wasn't there.

Then I caught the look on Alice's face. Standing, I quickly closed the gap between us. "Alice, what is it? Where's Isabella?" I demanded.

"She's... Edward, you have to come. James..." It was all I let her say before I pushed her aside and all but ran out of the ball room and into the lobby.

As soon as I got into the smaller room, I let my eyes take in everything. There had been a commotion that was clear. Everyone was trying to act normal, but I noticed their eyes continued to glance over to a short hallway to my right. Turning to look that direction, I saw two figures obscured by a large plant. It was only the end of Isabella's dress that confirmed it was her. I wasted no more time closing the distance between us.

What I hadn't expected to find on the other side of the overshadowing foliage was Jacob Black. I leveled a not so friendly look at him before turning to Isabella. Her hair had come down a little and there was a large red mark on her neck. I knelt down next to her. "Did James really do this?"

She answered with a raspy 'yes' and I cringed at the sound. I pulled her to me and placed several kisses on the top of her head before turning slightly to face Jacob. He was watching me closely. I didn't care.

As much as I didn't like Jacob Black, I knew that he must have been the one to come to Isabella's rescue. She wasn't acting scared of him, which she would have been if he'd just harmed her. And he was acting very protective of her. That, I had to admit, I didn't like very much. "I owe you a thank you, Jacob."

"I didn't do it for you, Masen," he snapped back. I bit my tongue and nodded. Jacob Black was the last of my worries right now.

What I'm reading Week 2

The Fan & Stealing Second

These two stories, The Fan and it's sequel Stealing Second, are written by Pears 13 and can be found on fanfiction.net.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5161854/1/
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5629960/1/

In these stories, Edward is a short stop for the Chicago Cubs. Bella is a huge baseball fan with season tickets. The first story follows these two as they meet, date, and deal with Edward's past. Stealing Second picks up right where The Fan leaves off.

I have to say that I enjoyed The Fan more than I'm enjoying it's sequel, however it is still one of those stories that I always make time to read once I see there is an update. Again both of these stories are rated M/NC-17 and for good reason, especially The Fan.

Last year I ended up watching almost the entire World Series and it was all because of this story as I am not typically a baseball fan.

I would give The Fan five stars and it's companion piece, Stealing Second, 4 1/2 stars. Both are worth the read if you are 'fans' of Edward and Bella.

Unexpectedly

This story is written by edieswan, and can be found on fanfiction.net. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5537278/1/. It's rated M, however; there are thirteen chapters posted thus far and we have not reached that rating as of yet.

I enjoy stories that deal with that whole forbidden love aspect. Bella is a 17 year old girl who has a secret in her past that has kept her isolated from the community in which she lives. Her father, Charlie, in and effort to force her out into the world encourages her to get a job at the local bakery. Edward is much older with life complications of his own. He comes into the bakery one Sunday morning and that magnetic pull begins to take over.

This is one of the more unique story lines I've seen using this premise. The writing is decent and the story flows fairly well. Updates are a little slow as the author has three stories going at the same time, but it is one of those that I can't wait to find out what new challenge our couple is going to face next.

I give Unexpectedly 4 out of 5 stars.

What I'm reading Week 1

For this first post of this new addition to my blog I'm going to include two stories that happen to be on my mind.

Late Night Encounters
This story is one of those that I drop everything to read. It is written by kyla713, and can be found on both fanfiction.net http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5253229/1/ and Twilighted.net http://www.twilighted.net/viewstory.php?sid=7434.

This story is rated M/NC-17, and it is rated that way for a reason. The story is about an ER doctor who has spent so much time getting ahead in his career that he has put relationships on hold. One night he goes onto an on-line dating/sex site and finds himself talking and having cyber sex with Bella.

Although there is a lot of sexual content in this fic, the plot takes the reader through not only the challenges of a long distance relationship but also one that was started on-line.

The only real negative I have regarding this story is that the author does not update regularly. Some updates have taken almost two months.

But with that said, I would still give this story five stars. It is a highly enjoyable read.

Age of Consent
This story was recommended on another blog, which is how I ended up reading it. The story can only be found in it's entirety at http://adifferentforest.com/Fiction/default.aspx to my knowledge, and was written by littlesecret84. The first 12 chapters can also be found on fanfiction.net, but the author decided not to continue to post there due to the site cracking down on sexually explicit content.

Age of Consent is another story that earns it's M/NC-17 rating. (You will find most of the stories I read fall into this category) Edward is a lawyer working in Port Angeles. Bella is a high school student who is going to be working as an intern at his law firm for the summer.

This story is complete, which is a plus. I found the first 3/4 of the story to be a good read. The last 1/4, I could have done without. I am not a fan of drug use in a story, especially where it is encouraged, but it wasn't only that. The majority of the story dealt with the two of them dealing with their age difference and how it effected their relationship. By the end, it felt that it had become a different story altogether.

I would give this story three and a half stars overall.

FB - Chapter 30 Teaser

The minute we walked inside camera’s started flashing and a reporter I recognized from the Seattle Times was making a beeline for me. I knew exactly what he was going to ask before the words came out of his mouth. “Is this your new girlfriend, Mr. Masen? What’s her name?”

I smiled because that was what was expected of me. “Hello Riley.” Following behind him was a small woman holding a professional looking camera. “Bree,” I said nodding my head at her. As much as I didn’t want to deal with this tonight, the press came in handy when promoting the foundation. It was good to have them on your side.

Bree lowered the camera from her face and smiled shyly at me. “Evening, Mr. Masen.”

“So come Masen spill. Whose the lovely lady?”

Isabella held tighter to my hand at the unwanted attention. I glanced over at her giving her a reassuring smile before turning back to the reporter. “Ms. Swan. Riley. Riley. Ms. Swan.”

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Swan. Have you and Mr. Masen been dating long?”

Isabella became stiff beside me. I knew I needed to get us out of here. “Stop harassing my date,” I said to Riley with a smirk. “And now,” I turned to Isabella. “If you’ll excuse us, we have a party to attend.” I nodded once again to Bree before guiding Isabella to the elevator that was being held open for us by a hotel employee.

Question - What I'm reading

I've had several people ask me in reviews for recommendations on other fics that I like, and as readers of my blog I'd like to ask you for your feedback. Would you like to see an addition to the blog involving other stories that I read. If I do this, I would not only be commenting on stories that I like,but also ones that I didn't and why. For those of you that have submitted reviews to me, even negative ones, you know that I'm not malicious. I figure that if I took the time to read a story, then why not say why I loved it, liked it, or it bugged the crap out of me.

Again, this is an idea I'm throwing around. Comments?

FB - Chapter 29 Teaser

“Oh no thank you, dear.” Esme took a seat on the couch. I followed her lead and sat in my chair across from her. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here,” she said before I could comment.

“Well, yes, the thought did cross my mind.”

She looked around again. “Is Isabella here?”

“Yes,” I answered. “She just went to her room to get something. I’m sure she’ll be out shortly.”

“Oh. Well, good,” she said shifting in her seat slightly. My aunt was a very composed woman and for her to be nervous I knew it had to be something serious she wanted to discuss.

It would be better to get to the bottom of this quickly. “What is it, Esme?”

“Edward, I don’t know what happened Sunday between you and your uncle, but he is extremely upset about it. I may not know what’s going on, but I’m not stupid. I know whatever it is it has to do with Isabella. Maybe if the two of you talked…”

“No,” I said making it clear that I was not about to budge.

She looked at me almost pleading. “It is about Isabella isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“She’s seems to be a sweet girl. I don’t see why…”

I had no idea what my uncle had told her, but I figured there was no sense in sugar coating this for her. She may not need to know about my lifestyle, but as far as I was concerned, Isabella was going to be a permanent fixture in my life. “Carlisle does not approve of my relationship with Isabella.”

“Edward that doesn’t make any sense. I know you’re uncle…”

“He doesn’t like me,” Isabella whispered.

FB - Chapter 28 Teaser

Alice moved just a little to the left and the sunlight reflected off her necklace. It was silver, like mine, but much thicker. Not something a woman would normally wear.

My hand rose to the collar Edward gave me. The metal felt good under my fingertips. It was strange now that I thought about it. I wasn’t a slave anymore. I wasn’t owned by anyone. Why did knowing that I still had this piece of him around my neck make me feel better?

I closed my eyes and gathered my thoughts. It was now or never. “Alice?” I paused, and she waited.

Before I was able to get my question out though, the server came with our salads. After she checked to make sure we had everything we needed, we were once again left alone. Too much time had passed and I was wondering if I should even bring it up now.

“What is it?” Alice asked.

It was only then that I noticed I was only moving the lettuce around my plate. I hadn’t even taken a bite yet.

Once again, I closed my eyes and gave myself a pep talk. “Is your necklace? I mean is it…”

“You mean is it a collar?”

I nodded.

“Yes,” she answered as if she were talking about the weather. She didn’t miss a beat of eating her salad.“It’s one of them. I have several, but this is the one I usually wear to work.”

One of them? “Why?” I swallowed nervously. “Why do you have more than one?”

“Well I have ones I wear everyday and then ones that are only for the playroom.”

“Play…room?” No matter how much I wished it weren’t so, I could hear my voice shake.

“Yes, the playroom.” She cocked her head to the side. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t like play…rooms,” I whispered.

FB - Chapter 27 Teaser

The rest of Monday night was fairly uneventful. I joined Isabella in the kitchen to help her finish making dinner. She was still a little hesitant, but I could tell that she was trying not to be.

Tuesday morning, she joined me for a very quiet breakfast before I headed to the office. I beat Angela in, and was already in the middle of a current grant proposal by the time she knocked on my door. “Good morning, Mr. Masen.”

“Morning, Angela. Come in.”

She walked into my office and took a seat in front of my desk. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Thank you,” I smiled.

My assistant was one of the nicest people I had ever met and very loyal. “I brought you some phone messages,” she said handing them to me. I flipped through them quickly. There was nothing overly important here other than a call from Jenks. “Oh and Miss Brandon called just before five yesterday as well, but she said she would just track you down today. Should I call her and set something up?”

“Yes. I do believe I have lunch available today. Why don’t you see if she is able to join me and order us something from the deli across the street.”

She nodded. “Is there anything else, sir?”

“I think that’s all for now, Angela. Thanks.”

Less than five seconds pasts after my door clicked shut before I picked up the phone and dialed my lawyer. “Jenks and Associates. How may I help you?”

FB - Chapter 26 Teaser

“Also, I was curious as to which name you prefer?” His voice rose slightly at the end of the sentence making it a question.

“You know my name,” I whispered.

He nodded. “This is true.” He paused as if thinking through something. Then as if finishing his thought he began talking again as if he hadn’t stopped. “When I purchased you from Aro he told me your name was Isabella Marie Swan. He called you Isabella, and you’ve never said any different or given me any reason to think you preferred to be addressed in any other way.”

Now I was more confused. If he knew my name was Isabella, what was he getting at?

I didn’t have to wait long. “I had a meeting with Demetri this past week to see how things were going. He called you Bella,” he said, searching my face for a reaction. He got one. I sucked in a breath at hearing the name my family and friends had called me before this nightmare had begun.

Demetri did call me that, but for some reason it was different. Hearing him…Edward…say name again brought back the memory once again of the phone call with my father telling me that Saturday afternoon that a car would be picking me up. I felt my heart rate pick up along with my breathing, but I was okay. I was okay.

“I was called Bella. Before,” I whispered knowing he’d hear me.

FB - Chapter 25 Teaser

I watched as he left the room to go and speak to his uncle. There was a part of me that wanted to call him back. To ask him to never leave my side, but I couldn’t.

Alice’s voice brought my attention to her. “Are you okay?” Instead of answering her, my arms flew around her neck, nearly toppling her over, and I started crying once again.

Her hands came up to draw comforting circles on my back. “It’ll be alright,” she tried to sooth as she regained her balance.

She didn’t understand why I was crying. “You can…talk,” I choked out.

Arms squeezed me tighter before she pulled me back and wiped the tears from my cheeks. I sat facing her on the floor watching as she looked at me with a strange expression on her face. “I need to apologize to you, Isabella.”

“Alice…”

“No,” she said more firmly. “I did something very wrong and I need to tell you that I’m sorry.”

“But…” And then a fear went through me. “You’re not…leaving. Are you?”

“No. I’m not leaving. I’ll be here as long as you want me to be.”

Finally I was able to release the breath I’d been holding. “I don’t want you to leave.” She smiled back at me, but it held a hint of sadness.

FB - Chapter 23 Teaser

The utter lack of light was making me uneasy. It reminded me of being in Aro’s dungeon. But then I felt Master’s arms come around me, and I was able to calm myself. I was safe. With my Master.

Instead of wrapping around me, his arms only touched my sides. “Put your arms in front of you and take my hands, Isabella,” he instructed.

Blindly, I reached out using what I could feel as a guide. It took some work, but eventually I found his hands and laced my fingers with his.

Master’s hold was firm. “We are going to walk together. It isn’t far, and I’ve got you so you won’t fall. Take your time and try to feel what is under your feet.”

I wasn’t sure I could do this, but I was willing to try. He wouldn’t let me fall.

I lifted my right foot cautiously and moved it forward. The ground was farther away than what it seemed without the blindfold.
My next step was just as unsure, as was the one following. I had no idea how long it was until he finally told me to stop. But even though we were no longer moving, he made no move to take the covering from my eyes.

FB - Chapter 22 Teaser

The next morning, I called Angela and asked her to see if Demitri could stop by around mid-day even though I knew he would come anytime I asked. That man was more than predictable. I honestly think he’d jump off a cliff if I asked him to.

Sure enough, at twelve fifteen Angela knocked on my door to let me know Demitri had arrived. “Tell him I’ll meet him in the gym in five minutes.”

I changed quickly and headed down the hall. Demitri was standing near the stack of weights against the wall but turned when he heard me come in. “Mr. Masen,” he gushed.

Demitri was a great personal trainer. He had a way of creating targeted workouts for his clients but changed things up often enough to keep it challenging. “Hello, Demitri.”

He moved towards me. “Was there a problem with your workout, sir?”

It was no wonder he thought there was a problem. We normally met once every six weeks to go over and change things. I was two weeks early. “No. The workout is fine,” I said as I walked over to the mat to begin my routine. “I wanted to talk to you about how things are going with Isabella.”

FB - Chapter 21 Teaser

She walked behind me as we entered my condo; both of our arms full of groceries. Taking them to the kitchen, I set the bags down and left her to put them away.
In my room, I removed the jacket and tie from work I was still wearing since I’d not taken the time to change before we left. Unbuttoning the top two buttons of my shirt, I looked at myself in the mirror.

I could hear her moving around in the other room. The pull I felt toward her continued to get stronger, as did the conviction I’d felt tonight at dinner. Somehow in all this mess I had falling in love with the woman now gracing my kitchen.

Running a hand through my already messy hair, I took a deep breath. I had no idea what I was going to do, no idea how to deal with these emotions I felt. Why did the first time I fell in love have to be with a woman who may never be capable of loving me back?

For one moment I let myself imagine what it would be like to have her feel for me what I did for her. To be able to show her how I felt. Just thinking about it made my heart race like never before.

The memory of her spread out naked on her bed flashed in my mind, and I had to force it away. As much as I wanted her, I couldn’t have her. I had to face the very real possibility that she would never want me like I wanted her. Never be able to look at me as anything more than the person who bought her.

Finding Bella Interview

I was interviewed yesterday for a Twilight fanfiction site. If you'd like to take a look at the interview here is the link. http://amberandemeraldeyes.webs.com/authorscorner.htm.

FB - Chapter 20 Teaser

At twelve o’clock I locked down my computer and changed into my workout clothes before heading down to the gym. Angela smiled and waived to me as I walked past. It was good to feel some normalcy again.

After some basic stretches, I got on the treadmill and began walking. A mile registered on the machine, and I began picking up the pace. Soon I was running and it felt wonderful.

By the time the timer went off I was drenched and feeling good. Moving over to the free weights, I began my regular routine of curls and presses. My muscles were feeling the burn when I heard the door open and Angela’s frantic voice. “He doesn’t wish to be disturbed.”

When I turned around I saw my uncle standing just inside the door trailed by a rarely flustered Angela. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Masen.”

“It’s okay, Angela.”

She hesitated for a moment, giving one last look at my uncle, and then left.

Figuring my workout was pretty much over at this point I replaced the weights and started stretching. I didn’t address my uncle’s presence. He’d been clear on his position regarding Isabella, and I had no desire to hear more from him.

When he realized I was just going to ignore him, he asked. “Aren’t you curious as to why I drove across town to see you in the middle of the day?”

Perspective - Chapter 41 Teaser

Giving her arms a gentle tug, I bent down and pressed another soft kiss to her lips. “I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you, Edward,” she whispered back.

We walked hand in hand out to the backyard where Alice had not only done an impeccable job decorating, but also arranging the timing of it all. It was twilight. And as I’d told Bella on the night of her prom, it was the safest time of day for the vampires in attendance. But with lights placed strategically around the area, it created a magical scene for both human and vampire. Alice had truly outdone herself.

For the first time since seeing Bella walk down the staircase, I let the voices filter back in. They were no longer the din in the background.

Everyone gave us their attention, some of them applauding again, as we walked out and made our way over to the table Alice had set up with special place settings for the bride and groom. Carlisle and Alice also had places at the table even though the only one who would be eating was Bella.

There was a buffet set up with food about ten feet away from our table. The way it was arranged would make it so that everyone would have to pass by ours on their way to the buffet.

People were mingled about the area talking. The humans stuck close together and on the opposite side of the area than that of the vampires. I noticed Jasper moving along the edges with a rather expensive looking camera taking pictures. My sister had thought of everything.

FB - Chapter 19 Teaser

Less than a minute later I hung up the phone and took a deep cleansing breath. Maybe Jasper and Alice would have some idea how to handle this situation. I knew Isabella and I needed to talk about so many things, but maybe having Alice here would help put her mind at ease for a while.

After straightening a few things on my desk, I went downstairs to wait for Jasper and Alice. Exactly thirty minutes later I heard a knock at the door.

Before I’d even gotten it open fully, Alice was bouncing through the door. She took a quick look around and then rounded on me. “Where is she?”

By this time Jasper had made his way inside as well and I shut the door as I answered her. “She’s taking a nap. We had a long morning.”

“What did you do, Edward?”

I felt slightly offended even though I knew she was right. It was all my fault. “Why does it have to be something I’ve done?”

“Because I know you.”

FB - Chapter 18 Teaser

“Come on, baby. Try it on for me. Please?”

“I don’t know if I should,” the woman replied back flirtatiously.

“What do I have to do? Do you want me to beg? I will you know.”

I could see them now out of the corner of my eye. They were standing at the entrance to the fitting room, and their volume didn’t provide for a private conversation. Either they didn’t care or they were totally oblivious to my presence.

“Hm. Begging sounds good,” the woman said, wrapping her arms around the man’s neck with obvious amusement. “Beg me,” she said with a little more force.

I was ready to completely dismiss this game they were obviously playing and go back to my magazine when I heard a small noise come from inside the fitting room. The only person in there was Isabella, and I was up and out of my seat before even thinking about it.

I found a row of six doors behind the curtain, but only one of them was closed. The closer I got, the louder the sound I’d originally heard became. I tried the doorknob, but it was locked.

Just as I was considering my options, the sales lady came in waving her arms around and telling me I wasn’t allowed back here. Completely ignoring her protests, I easily removed the key ring hanging from her wrist and began looking for the one that would fit the lock and get me through the door.

FB - Edward's reaction to Aro in Chapter 17

A lot of you seem to be questioning Edward's bafflement over Aro's treatment of Bella. I'm not sure I would classify him as being 'slow', but he is perplexed.

First, Aro is older than he and is considered a respected Dominant in the community. As that, it would be assumed that he could treat his 'property' with some level of care. He does know that she was there against her will, but again he doesn't know if that has always been the case. Edward has no idea if there was an arrangement/contract/etc. He is still in the dark on this rememeber.

Edward is good man that helps people on a daily basis. It is what he does, who he is. He is a Dominant, but that means that things are consensual. Just the reality that what happened with Isabella wasn't is hard enough for him to swallow.

Everytime he founds out some new horrible thing that she has been through it hits him hard. Some of that is because of who he is, but some of it is because of who she is. As has hopefully became obvious, he is falling in love with her.

Part of him is trying to give Aro the benifit of the doubt, but he is realizing that he just can't. Everything he believes about being a Dominant, which is what he has always viewed Aro as, is pressing against him in every way possible. His instincts are to control, yes, but also protect. Aro seems to only have one of those traits, and it is hitting him very hard.

Another thing to remember is that Edward is only 24. He is still considered a young Dom even though he has been doing this for five years.

Hopefully this explains a few things for everyone.

FB - Reader Response

I asked permission to share this PM I received from one of my readers with you. As you all know, Edward has received some not very nice reviews. Thankfully that has decreased with the last few chapters. I love my Edward, and it is hard to read comments that say he is worse than Aro or a 'real bastard'.

This PM, to me, put everything into a nice, neat package and I wanted to share.

I wonder if some of the people who really are critical of Edward and/or hislifestyle do not really understand what the lifestyle is. I know there arepeople out there that practice Dom techniques without being truly a trainedDom, and who are just mean dominating people. Of course, there are probablypeople out there like Aro who are trained in the lifestyle but are still justmean people. But Edward strikes me as a true Dom. Really the fact that he isa true Dom, although it is I know extremely hard for him to repress hisnatural instincts and desires, makes him actually more qualified than atherapist to help her. For instance, if she had been turned over to thepolice, therapy would have been her only hope for a future, and she would havelikely been in therapy for life without ever having a real chance at life. Edward, being a true Dom, is attuned to everything about her, and thereforecan sense on a daily basis what she needs in order to make her feel secure andwhole again. She was trained as a sub, badly, but still trained as a sub, andfor someone to have taken her and automatically started treating otherwisewould have been even more detrimental to her psyche. He is trying toacclimate her to life with babysteps, keeping enough of her sub status to giveher a sense of security, in hopes that at some point she will "want" to be hissub in a healthy D/s relationship. I have read several D/s stories and havedeveloped a true appreciation, awe and sometimes envy (especially for thelevel of aftercare that you do not see in "normal" relationshiop) for thislifestyle. I think your story is particularly good and well thought out inexpressing Edward's character in what I would expect from a true Dom, at leasta really good one. I was reading this story on Twilighted, but then I kind ofby accident found it on http://www.fanfiction.net and found there were a lotmore chapters there. I was thrilled with that! Thanks again for sharing thestory!

FB - Chapter 17 Teaser

The remainder of my run was quickly forgotten as I turned off the machine and stepped towards her. As I got closer, it was obvious who had done this to her. The marks were precise, covering only the section of her back that would have been hidden by the tube top she’d been wearing when I’d first met her. Before I knew what I was doing, I was standing directly behind her with my hand reaching towards the marks on her flesh.

Isabella went rigid at my contact. I raised my eyes to meet hers in the mirror in front of her. She began to lower her eyes. “Don’t,” I said, as gently as I could.

Her eyes came back up and held mind as my fingers traced the patterns of raised tissue on her back. I didn’t need to ask if Aro had done this to her. I already knew the answer to that. Instead I said, “I would never do this to you, Isabella.”

And I wouldn’t. I had left busies before but never scares. I’m not even sure I would do it if a submissive asked me to, and I was absolutely positive that Isabella had never asked to be marked like this.

My declaration was met with nothing but silence, but I knew she’d heard me. Her breathing had become more labored, and her eyes opened just a bit wider as if surprised.

I had no idea how long we stayed there watching each other in the mirror, until I finally stepped back and broke the spell. “Finish, shower, and then meet me in the kitchen. We will get breakfast and then I have plans for us.”

With that, I turned and left her alone.

FB - Chapter 16 Teaser

 

He noticed my excitement, of course. “Are you hungry tonight, Isabella?” he said with amusement.

“Yes, Master,” I answered back still smiling.

Master didn’t say anymore as he finished his food but I could tell he was in a good mood, which made me even happier. Once he was finished, he made his way over to his chair while I cleaned up.

As soon as I was done I came to him, and he opened his arms to me. I sat down and relaxed as Master’s arms wrapped around me.

“What is on your mind tonight, Isabella?” he asked.

“Thank you for the car,” I said shyly.

My head was lowered so my hair was slightly obscuring my face. He brought his hand up to push it out of the way. I liked it when he touched me like this. “You’re welcome. You’ll need the car for school in a few weeks and to go shopping.”

At his mention of shopping, I stiffened a little. He noticed and brought my chin up so that I was looking at him. Master didn’t say anything. I could see everything I needed to know in his eyes. “I forgot about…shopping,” I whispered.