Epic fail

I missed Sunday's post and I'm sorry... Like sorry enough to want to punch a kitten. The weather in my neck of the woods, Smoky Mtns, has been horrible...

So being the sales woman I am...I'll give you a two for one special.

Tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday, I'll post both Sunday and Thursday's chapters.

Lots of love

Amanda

Chapter 11 Teaser

Bella's POV

“Are you ready?” Emmett asked me as I finished getting ready and packing my bag. It was only six a.m. but we were getting ready to commence our mission. We would spend the day around the Volturi’s property before making our move tonight.

“Just about,” I answered trying to fight off the need to hear Edwards’ voice.

“Can I ask you a non work question Birdie?”

“If it’s about your brother… no,” I said turning back to my desk and straightening my things.

“Listen, you seem really great and amazing but Edward’s my whole life… I just want to make sure that if… I mean… what if…”

“Emmett don’t. He doesn’t know enough to put him in any danger.”

“No, not that… but he seems quite taken with you. I just don’t want him to get hurt… emotionally,” Emmett clarified and I smiled at hearing that a man was smitten with me… me of all people. That smile faltered as soon as Emmett’s words actually sank in. If I didn’t make it back Edward would be hurt.

“Oh.”

“Yeah… oh,” Em said and this time I could hear his big brother tone.

“If, and it’s a very small if, I don’t make it out… then let him know,” I started but didn’t know what to say. The whole truth would put him in danger but a lie would break his heart. So I said something that I would want to hear from him.

“Tell him… that the time I spent with him… was the very best of my life.”

Chapter 10 pics

Just imagine him....

.... doing this

Chapter 9 Teaser

Bella's POV

Our plans were set and we had five days left before this would happen.

Was it the craziest mission I had even been assigned? Maybe.

Did I have the greatest chance of not making it out? Most likely.

That’s the problem with being the grease man, I was the first in and the last out.

Five days.

I knew that I needed to spend every waking second studying the layout and looking for plan B through L, but the only thing I want to do was see Edward.

Not that I thought was wasn’t going to live, very much the opposite, however if Chance did point the gun at me this time… I wanted my last days to be filled with him.

His smell, his laugh, his touch, his… fight for life.

“Birdie?” Em said and I looked up to see five eyes looking at me.

“Right… where was I?” I asked looking back over my notes.

“Third floor terrace on the right wing… you were saying something about…”

“Right… sorry Em… as I was saying I should be out within six minutes after you make the switch and start the fire. Cameras go out and I exit through here,” I said pointing towards my first exit.

“And…” Sam asked leaning back in his chair and eyeing me. I didn’t know if he was proud or irritated.

“And… if I’m not out by six then… just wait longer,” I answered like the cocky shit I was.

Chapter 8 Pics

Chapter 8

Edward's POV

“What happened Edward? I mean to your shoulder?”

“I got shot,” I answered shortly.

That day was the deepest darkest part of my time across the sea and something in my tone must have made that clear because instead of pushing… she pulled.

Her hands found my face and I let her guide me towards her lips, lips I had wanted to kiss for the last twenty minutes. She tasted like whiskey and woman and for a moment on this balcony, my balcony, she was mine. Our past was just that and while it was as unchangeable as the sunrise, this moment was shapeable and completely at our mercy.

As we both became breathless, Bella pulled our mouths apart and pushed me back onto my lounge chair, a devious smile on her now smeared red lips.

I watched, making sure not to miss one of her movements or facial expressions, as she swung one her legs over my chair. She stood like a dark goddess over me as her fingers pulled open the red belt around her waist before slowly undoing each button on her long jacket making my heart beat out a staccato ragged rhythm.

As she reached the top button I saw one eyebrow raise before opening the jacket and pulling it behind her like a cape.

I made a sound.

Maybe a groan.

Maybe a whimper.

But a sound.

Words failed me. 

Chapter 7 pics

Chapter 6 teaser

Edward’s POV

It was late but I needed to talk to Emmett. I had not spoken to Bella since she left my place and I desperately wanted find a way to contact her… Em was my only shot, he had been avoiding my questions about her and my calls, but that was changing tonight. I hoped that Alice had delivered my message, but I still hadn’t heard from her. One day and I was already inpatient. 

Em had booked some small apartment only a mile or so from my place to stay for his unexpected extended visit.

He would be up.

Finding his apartment was easy enough and as the elevator doors opened to his floor all the blood drained from my face.

Standing outside the lift was both Bella and Rose dressed like damn sexy Navy seals. I saw Bella’s hand flinch towards her weapon before she realized it was me. Em’s cursing breath followed behind them, and I looked around the girls to see my brother wearing only a towel.

What. The. Fuck.

“I apologize,” I said stepping back into the lift and fleeing the scene as quickly as possible. The ride down to the first floor seemed to take hours instead of seconds, but as the doors opened again there stood Bella.

“Edward, wait,” she breathed barely winded from the stairs.

“Bella, just don’t. I didn’t mean to intrude,” I said trying to walk out of the elevator, but she stopped my advances pushing me back into the lift and shutting the doors behind her.

“You were not intruding, I was… sorry, but I…” Bella was speechless. There were no words to describe our strange situation.

“You tell when you’re ready…You know where to find me,” was all I said as I pushed the doors open and fled to my car.

Chapter 5 Pics

Paul

Paul and Sam

Jake

Emmett Cullen, FBI (why this pic? because I can)

Chapter 5 teaser

Bella's POV

There was about a ten-foot space from the building to left onto the roof, Jake was waiting when we arrived perched on top of the building the right.

Rose stared at the jump.

She wasn’t particularly fond of heights but she didn’t complain.

Rose was too tough for that.

Going first I centered my balance, took three steps back, and flung myself through the air over the forty-foot drop below. As I landed lightly I heard Rose only a second behind me.

We didn’t speak as we moved silently through the darkness and popped open the roof’s fire escape door. The elevator was not empty as expected and Rose dropped quickly from the ceiling to incapacitate the guard. I couldn’t see her face but I knew she was smirking.

Luck was with us and the apartment in question was closest to this side of the hall. The door was open with yellow caution tape strung across the door.

Inside everything looked in perfect order, if there was a struggle it didn’t happen here. We searched all the normal places, closets, underwear drawer, freezer, under the mattress, but found nothing. The cops had already been on this case for hours meaning that any blatant evidence would have already been seized, but we didn’t specialize in the blatant.

Then I saw it.

An oversized book placed on a shelf just below the nightstand. Opening it I found that it wasn’t a book at all, but a treasure chest of sorts. Pictures, bank logs, an envelope, and a roll of old 35mm film.

It was enough.

Chapter 4 pictures

Bella's Date dress, except darker purple and shorter

The Chef

Edward's place, but imagined it to have exposed dark beams. 

Chapter 4 Teaser

Bella's POV

His building was nice and wouldn’t be a bad place to hold up defensively. Front and side exits and what looked to be about twenty apartments all with large terraces.

“May I help you Miss?” and apparently a rent-a-cop security guard.

“I’m here to see Dr. Cullen,” I offered wondering if I should have brought I.D.

“Of course, Miss Black, top floor. He’s expecting you.”

“Thank you.”

Before I even knocked, he opened the door looking like he should be a Doctor on General Hospital.

“You came,” he said opening the door wider. He was very edible in his dark washed jeans slung casually low across his hips and black untucked button up and bare feet.

“I didn’t want to,” I lied stepping into his apartment. It was slightly larger than mine and actually had some of the same features. Exposed beams across high ceilings, huge kitchen, dark floors, lots of windows.

“Wine?” he asked turning to walk back into the kitchen.

“No thank you.”

“Bourbon?” he tried again.

“I’m fine.”

“Sedative?” he asked and I wanted to punch that stupid crooked smirk off his face. 

Chapter 3 pics

Bella's Drink

Bella's Bar dress

Alice's Bar dress

Bella's Bar dress front

Dr. Jasper Whitlock

Alex's Bar

Edward on bar night

"Maybe it was the gloves... it was all very good"- Edward 

Chapter 3 teaser

Somewhere in chapter 3...

I sprinted towards Bella and caught her by the arm just before she entered the shower. As soon as my hand closed around her arm she spun on me, her eyes full of fire.

“Dr. Cullen, that is the second time you have put your hands on me… I wouldn’t recommend a third.”

“Sorry… I just… fuck…” I stuttered putting some space between us. I couldn’t form words because I didn’t know what to say or what I wanted.

She was unbelievably sexy and dangerous and I was so intrigued by her that it was hard to think.

It’s as if she gave me the same rush I got when I was fighting for someone’s life.

“I didn’t catch all that,” Bella asked relaxing slightly.

“I just want to apologize for my behavior the other night, and the first night… hell just about every time we’ve met. I was rude… please… forgive me,” I said my voice calm and low.

“I don’t need apologies Dr. Cullen…”

“Edward,” I interrupted realizing how pompous I must have seemed this whole time never offering her to call me by my first name.

“As I was saying I don’t need your apologies Edward, but thank you anyways, you’re forgiven just this once,” Bella replied with a sly smile and my name falling from her lips sounded like honey wrapped in velvet.

It was this moment that I knew I had to do whatever I could to have her.

“Maybe just once then…you could allow me to show my gratitude by taking you to dinner,” I offered taking a very measured step closer.

Chapter 2 teaser

Here is a little bit of the good doctor and his mystery. This has not been betaed...

Edwards POV
The next morning


I woke up covered in sweat, the usual.

No amount of therapy could stop the dreams, and even though I felt as if my mind was almost back to functioning on a borderline normal level, the nightmares still came.

It was strange to wake up and simply wait for the time in which I was required to show up for work instead of being submerged in it every second of every day. Normal people, I did not consider myself part of that group, would call days like today off days. Something I wasn’t quite accustom to, but a perk none the less.

Shaking off the last images of my sleep I made coffee and read the paper. My eyes scanned the articles until a mug shot leapt off the screen at me.

Stephan Nobakolv was arrested early this morning after his discharge from Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Nobakolv was under suspicion of drug trafficking and arms dealing and arrested for assaulting an officer. After searching his home, CPD found two kilos of cocaine as well as many firearms. Police Chief Phil Rizer’s only comment was that Mr. Nobakolv was shot during a stand off with Detective James Thompson, which was started when Nobakolv pulled a knife on Thompson. The Chief stated, “I don’t want, I expect every member my law enforcement team from detectives to traffic cops to defend themselves at all cost. We put on our lives on the line everyday to make sure Chicago stays safe, and sometimes that means brandishing your firearm.” Thomson was not available for comment but the Chief assures us that the detective is doing well and was not injured during the fight. Bond was denied to Nobakolv.

The picture was of the boy.

The one she shot.

I can’t remember her name, but I know it was not James Thompson.

Who was she?

Chapter 1 Teaser

“Got another one,” I heard from behind me and like a robot I washed my hands, put on new gloves, and moved to the next emergency.

“You again,” our head nurse Angela Webber said as I made my way over to them. I didn’t like Nurse Webber’s tone towards the patient but this was not a time to teach. 

Save.

“Screw you, this wasn’t my fault. That punk fucking stabbed me!” the patient snapped.

It was a woman.

A small brunette woman that was trying to stretch her head up to get a glimpse of my first patient being wheeled towards surgery, she was the shooter if I had to guess.

“What do we have?” I asked like clockwork expecting my normal triage information.

“Who the hell is this?” the woman asked and Angela chuckled. The woman had fire in her eyes, and from what I could tell a deep laceration just below her left rib cage turning her white shirt a familiar dark red.

“This is Dr. Cullen our new ER doc, behave,” Angela answered as the woman raked her eyes across my face.

“Aww hell, I need an actual doctor, not some newby intern, where’s Dr. Whitlock?” the woman asked, and since I was getting a hard time and not any answers, I stepped forward to assess the wound. As I reached for her it took all of a half of second for her stop my advances with what was a rather strong and quite impressive wrist bar. It would have taken me less time to snap her small wrist in half, but I try not to hurt patients at all cost no matter how difficult they are. Plus I’m sure that would have been a great first impression on my new staff. “Crazy Dr. Cullen abuses his patients”… rumors would start up in no time.

“Hands to yourself,” the bleeding woman hissed as I broke free from her hold.

“I am new here, ma’am. Not a new doctor. Now stop getting in my way so I can patch you up so you can go shoot someone else,” I replied coldly, and I heard the rest of my crew gasp as she huffed at me. I had dealt with difficult patients for far too long, no one impressed me.

“You better not fuck this up or you will be that someone else,” she muttered under her breath but loud enough for me hear, on purpose no doubt. 

Full first chapter will hopefully be posted tomorrow... let the fun begin...

Into

Intro

Acquiring a Taste for Life

Bella’s POV

There has only been one time that I thought I wouldn’t make it back, that all my luck had finally been exhausted or that maybe Fate or Karma were about to rear there ugly heads in my direction.

What ill hearted bitches they both are when tested repeatedly.

The sounds that were searching to find me were deafening and the smell of gunpowder and gas seemed to clog my already throbbing mind.  My body was demanding to shut down but my mind was too sharp to ignore the signs of life.

There was pain, and I welcomed it.

Pain means that you are still alive and as long as I was alive there was always a possibly to make it out.  I was trained to find these possibilities in rather impossible situations.

I had only one option that didn’t really sound like an option at all, but I couldn’t be picky, not when I could hear waves of heavy footsteps carrying high powered weaponry just a floor below me. There was no plan B, no rethinking, no chance of making it either way, so I unloaded a full clip into the closest window and dove head first out into the sixty-story drop below.

I did make it out that night, however knowing what I know now I might have been better off to drown in the icy water’s of the Chicago Bay.

Lives would have been spared.

The Collective would be intact.

And I wouldn’t be stuck trying to hold onto life while the world around me went up in smoke.

And a new story begins...

Thank you for everyone that has followed me through my first two adventures and I hope that this one will top them both.

Acquiring a Taste For Life is one of those crazy ideas that sprung up in my mind and would not go away until I started putting it down on paper... and by paper I mean my mac book. It's a smooth blend of cannon characteristics given to new and exciting characters.

This story is about two broken souls that are buried within naturally strong people and those souls will use the other one to heal itself.  Many characters from the TSS will have parts in this story however the main plot will form around Bella's life as an agent of The Chicago Collective and Edward's life as an ex army doctor who is recently back in the states working as a trauma surgeon. On his first night Edward's ER is blessed with an unpleasant surprise in the form of an injured secretive smart mouth woman that peaks his need for more information.

He knows he's broken, he knows she could be trouble, but sometimes what you know doesn't stop your curiosity.

Rose, Jake, Sam, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper all play supporting roles and many more will make appearances through out. Being that this story is a suspenseful thriller we will also have many characters that will be the bad guys (insert evil laugh).

The story is rated M for a reason... you have been warned. If lemons, action, or blood is not your thing, skip over those parts... there will still be plenty story to enjoy.

A quick shout out to my beta Ginger VonDiesel for making my stuff readable and also to one of my favorite people Eva for making that kick ass banner.

Thanks for spending time out of your world to visit mine.

Amanda.