303Play the Fox
Outtake One: Life With Her
A short glimpse into the life of Edward and Bella after her change.
'With foxes, we must play the fox.' – Thomas Fuller
"Catch me if you can!" My love shouted, darting off into the forest. Just before she was out of my sight, I saw her body shudder as she changed forms, leaving behind her clothes to run as a fox. I smiled at her, laughing slightly, before following the tell-tale pull of our connection that I knew would lead me towards her. I stopped to pick up her clothes along the way, knowing she'd want them soon.
I found her basking in the sunlight on the bank of the river. The sin under her fur was glittering just as mine was, but her fur itself looked like it was on fire, the sharp reds and oranges creating a dazzling effect.
"Caught you, my beauty," I whispered as I sat down beside her, drawing her lithe form into my lap. She huffed, smiling in the way only a fox can, before laying her head down on my lap. I smiled back at her, running my hand between her little ears, content to just sit here in the sun with her.
It had been five years since Bella's transformation, and every day was a blessing for the both of us. It still amazed me every day that, though we were prepared to leave behind her shifting all together, she was able to be both a human and a fox. We had learned later that, unlike with Bella, if we were to bite one of the wolf shifters on the Quileute reservation, they would die from our venom. It had worried be, at first, that we had taken a chance that could have killed Bella, but she reassured me that, since fox shifters had no reason to resent the vampires, they would never come up with such a drastic way of preventing the worst. "Plus," she said while rolling her eyes, "I'm fine. Your venom didn't kill me, obviously, so it's a moot point." So I let it go after that.
Bella finally seemed to fully understand how I felt for her, after she had imprinted, and when that occurred to her it was rare to see the two of us apart. Our siblings jokingly called both of us EdwardandBella, instead of having our names separate because it was like we were one being instead of two. Neither of us minded, instead we just enjoyed our time together.
As I mused over the happenings of the past, the darling creature in my lap began to shudder, and as she phased I held her clothes out towards her. I adored her body, and just seeing quick glimpses of it aroused me, but I don't think either of us were particularly up for that at the moment. We had spent the entire night 'getting acquainted' with each other, and now we both just wanted to sit and relax.
Thank you, her mind whispered softly as she dressed. I grinned, loving any glimpse into her thoughts she gave me. What Eleazer said was true; once she began practising, Bella gained control over her shield, which allowed me a look into her mind whenever she wished it. Knowing how much I enjoyed these times, Bella often let her guard down, speaking with her thoughts instead of out loud.
"You're always welcome, love," I told her, rubbing my face against her soft hair. She mewled quietly, and I laughed. "Do I get anything for catching you?" I asked, curious about the little game she had begun and ended so quickly.
She sighed dramatically. "I wasn't aware there needed to be a prize for everything, Edward," she teased, before cocking her head to the side in an adorable way and thinking. "I suppose I could give you a kiss." She stated, nodding to affirm the 'prize'.
I raised an eyebrow, smiling softly at her. "I get kisses from you every day, though, love," I bragged slightly.
She smiled back, biting her lip as she leaned towards me. "Well then we better make this one count," she whispered against my lips, sealing the words with a kiss.
I grinned against her lips, falling backwards, causing her to land on top of me. "I love you, Isabella," I told her, meaning it with my entire heart.
"Mmm, I love you, too," she replied, pulling away to lie on my chest. I couldn't stop smiling, thinking about our past and present, and the future to come. It was amazing what imprinting could do.
Author's note: Surprised to see an update? Well, there was a reason for this. It's a way for me to announce a new story of mine… or two.
First things first, I recently put up a story titled Masterpiece Theatre: Part I. I would appreciate it if you go and take a look at it, and even if you don't like it, leave a review and tell me what you think about it.
Second, and most importantly, have you ever wondered about Bella's life before she joined Edward? Have you ever wondered about the life of the foxes in the forest, about the legends, and about just how Bella came to be all by herself? Well, I'm writing a prequel to Play the Fox called Old Foxes (or, if you want to get technical, Strange Imprints: Old Foxes). It will be about all of these things, and probably more. It should be up by tomorrow morning, so if I have got you interested now, put me on Author Alert so that you can begin reading it as soon as I post it. I hope you guys enjoy it!
Have any ideas for a Strange Imprints story you'd like to read? Send me a message!
Review, please, and remember me.