Time seems to be flying, so once more I am facing the quandary of rec’ing a fresh fic for all you wonderful people out there. However, with so many fabulous writers in the realm of fan-fiction, I didn’t really have to work too much before I came up with this one!
Rating: M
Pairing: Bella/Carlisle
Genre: Romance/Drama
Summary: When Bella returns to the town she hasn't lived in since she was eight, she's intrigued by the Cullens more than she realizes. As she matures and starts to consider the weight of choice and morals, she realizes there is one man who's always there for her.
I became a fan of Storm when I first read her story ‘One weekend’ which is also a Bella/Carlisle story dealing with the controversial subject of Carlisle ‘relieving’ Bella of her pesky virginity because Edward did not have the self control to carry out the task himself. While I could not see eye to eye with her on the topic of Bella and Carlisle becoming intimate for that one sole human experience and then going back to their lives as they were before, I certainly became a huge fan of her writing skills.
Which brings us to our story of interest today, ‘Moonlit’. ‘Moonlit’ is a Bella/Carlisle story which is meant for the intellectual reader who relishes intellectual dialogue, human paradox and the moral conundrum in trying to define right and wrong. No sudden fireworks here, but the story draws you in slowly and surely. Bella learns of the secret of Cullen family and becomes a part of their lives. Surpises come her way when she meets the prodigal children of Carlisle Cullen- Edward and Rosalie. While they stick to Carlisle’s ‘vegetarian’ diet, their ideas regarding the sanctity of human life certainly differ from what Carlisle believes. Vigilante vampires, anyone?
Perhaps the biggest accolade one can give to this story is that despite pertaining to vampires and the supernatural, the story is almost real, very believable, which speaks volumes about the author’s knack of writing an incredibly entertaining story.
Salient features: If there is one thing that sets this story apart from the rest, it is the portrayal of Edward and Rosalie as vigilantes. The two of them, often at odds with each other, yet united in their effort of bringing justice to mankind, trying to prevent criminals from committing crimes and punishing them for those already committed is spine chilling. What adds to the allure of the story is Bella’s perception of Edward and Rosalie’s work. For someone so young who is introduced to the myriad shades of gray as seen by a couple of century old vampires, Bella’s reactions and thoughts are wonderfully portrayed.
Read this story, for it is bound to entice not just your heart, but also your mind.
Teaser from ‘Moonlit’:
Killers. They're killers. Bella spat into the sink, and brought her toothbrush to her mouth again, slowly working the rear teeth. She looked on the reflection of her face in the mirror without really seeing it. How was she supposed to be dealing with the sudden knowledge of two people who were out there purposely killing? Not for food or country, but for twisted reasons of their own?
Moving her brush to the other side of her mouth, Bella worked the bristles as she continued to stare blankly in the mirror. How would she have felt if she had been hurt like Rosalie? Or if she could have stopped something before it happened, like Edward? Yet all Bella got from trying to think of those things was a deep sick feeling in her gut. She spit out the last of the paste in her mouth and rinsed the brush. fAs she tapped the excess water off she heard Charlie on the other side of the bathroom door.
"Bella?"
"Yeah, Dad, I'll be right out."
Her father was standing in the hallway, hands tucked in his back jean pockets and flannel shirt hanging unbuttoned to reveal the "Fish Wanted" t-shirt she had gotten him for his birthday. If you catch this fish, please release it so I can catch him again. He's mine!
"What's up?" she asked.
"Just wanted to catch you before you went to bed." Charlie had a reluctant fatherly expression on his face that Bella interpreted to mean he felt he was about to deliver bad news. "There've been some budget cuts from the state. I'm not going to have as much money coming in as I did before."
"Oh, Dad, that sucks."
"Yeah," Charlie said in that single syllable tone that made it sound like he was about to deposit into a spittoon though he'd never chewed tobacco a day in his life. "You're eighteen years old, and I haven't been pushy on this subject so far. I know that you've been spending a lot of time with your friends, especially the Cullens. I'm happy about that but, Bells, I think it might be time for you to get a job. With Christmas coming up there's got to be some places about to hire part-time."
"You're right. I've been thinking about that, actually." Bella looked down at Charlie's t-shirt instead of his face. She acknowledged to herself that the Cullens were part of the reason why she'd delayed looking. "I'm sorry I waited so long. You shouldn't have had to ask me."
"You've only got another year here. I don't want you to be gone all the time, but a job would be healthy for you."
"I'll start looking," Bella promised.
"Alright," Charlie said, frowning at his daughter's downcast eyes. "Something wrong?"
The thoughts raced across Bella's mind as she looked back up at her father. The secrets that she had been keeping from him had taken a more severe turn that afternoon. She wished that she could tell him all about Edward and Rosalie, and how sick what they were doing made her feel. Yet she couldn't, not even in a general way. Her father was law and order, and if they weren't vampires it would be his job to stop them. He'd even be able to talk to her about why it was wrong and he had to take a stand against it. Bella felt a sudden fierce surge of love for Charlie.
Yet she couldn't take comfort from him.
"No, just tired, and a little regretful. I'll find a way to earn some money and help out a little more."
"You're a good girl, Bella." This time it was Charlie that felt the surge of love. Bella smiled at him.
"Thanks."
"Yeah, well." There would be no hug, or kiss on the cheek. Charlie didn't work that way. "Goodnight, then."
"Goodnight."
Charlie made his way down the stairs and Bella went into her room.
Though she didn't remember them in the morning, her dreams were fretful, and she woke to find her blankets twisted and half off the bed from her thrashing.
