The Magic Within Update

The Magic Within Epilogue on FicPad

The Magic Within Epilogue on Stars

The Magic Within Epilogue on AO3

The Magic Within Epilogue on FFn

The Magic Within Epilogue on Wattpad

“Edward,” Bella whispered. She poked me. I groaned, snuggled deeper into our bed. “Edward, wake up.”

“Only with my sexy mate, my sihrena,” I said, tugging on her hand, trying to drag her back into bed. She held fast. I opened my eyes, seeing she was dressed. “What is it? Are you okay?”

She sat down, her normally luminescent skin looking sallow and her eyes tired. “I’m not feeling well,” she said. “Peter is going to check me out.”

“You were feeling fine last night,” I smirked, remembering our lovemaking.

“I was. I did, but something’s not right,” she said. “I want you to come with me.”

I sat up and kissed her. “Anything for you, sihrena,” I said.

We were staying in our large and rustic home near Bozeman, Montana. It was beautiful and over-the-top, large enough for all our families, but small enough for a first home for me and my mate. In addition to the house, we had twenty magical creatures working on building the magic school. We’d broken ground for the school just after Thanksgiving, in late November. It was just before Christmas and the foundation of the school had been laid, but a major snowstorm stalled any progress and would probably stay that way until the heavy snows melted in the springtime.

After I dressed into a pair of jeans, a heavy sweater and some hiking boots, I met Bella down in the kitchen of our modest home. She was nibbling on some cereal, her nose wrinkled. “Not a fan of the cereal?”

“It tastes funny,” she shrugged. “But, everything else just doesn’t seem appealing.” She looked to me, walking to me and wrapping her arms around my body. She felt so warm and it was welcomed since the weather outside was frigid, even to me – the human/fae icicle. “Do you want to blink to Peter’s office or drive?”

“That blinking ability is amazing, but with as tired as you look, I think we should drive,” I said, brushing my lips to hers. “Come on, love.” We put on our coats and made our way to Peter’s office in downtown Bozeman. Bella snoozed, her cheek pressed to my bicep as I made my way in the SUV I’d purchased. I parked in the rear of the office, gently waking her up. She scowled but got out of the car. We walked into the office and was greeted by the elf, Kebi, who was the receptionist for the medical office. She ushered us into an examination room. I lifted Bella onto the table and kissed her forehead, sliding my arms around her body. She sighed, snuggling into my arms.  

Peter breezed into the office, wearing a white lab coat and a stethoscope, along with his clothes. He smiled, his eyes twinkling. “How are you two doing?”

“I’m fine, but Bella said she’s not feeling well,” I said. “She said that something’s not right.”

“I already know what’s wrong, or rather your condition,” Peter replied, breathing in deeply. “And it’s not something wrong.”

“You haven’t even examined me,” Bella scoffed, her eyes flashing angrily.

“Inhale,” Peter said to me, a smile ghosting over his face.

I did, and I smelled him, a slightly musky scent. I also smelled Bella, which was more floral with a touch of citrus. There was also a third, but faint unknown scent. It smelled like sunshine, hope and love. He arched a brow. “Do you smell it now?” Peter grinned.

“What is that?” I asked, focusing my attentions to that indistinct, new scent.

The Magic Within Teaser

Three Months Later …

“Edward,” Bella whispered. She poked me. I groaned, snuggled deeper into our bed. “Edward, wake up.”

“Only with my sexy mate, my sihrena,” I said, tugging on her hand, trying to drag her back into bed. She held fast. I opened my eyes, seeing she was dressed. “What is it? Are you okay?”

She sat down, her normally luminescent skin looking sallow and her eyes tired. “I’m not feeling well,” she said. “Peter is going to check me out.”

“You were feeling fine last night,” I smirked, remembering our lovemaking.

“I was. I did, but something’s not right,” she said. “I want you to come with me.”

I sat up and kissed her. “Anything for you, sihrena,” I said.

We were staying in our large and rustic home near Bozeman, Montana. It was beautiful and over-the-top, large enough for all our families, but small enough for a first home for me and my mate. In addition to the house, we had twenty magical creatures working on building the magic school. We’d broken ground for the school just after Thanksgiving, in late November. It was just before Christmas and the foundation of the school had been laid, but a major snowstorm stalled any progress and would probably stay that way until the heavy snows melted in the springtime.

After I dressed into a pair of jeans, a heavy sweater and some hiking boots, I met Bella down in the kitchen of our modest home. She was nibbling on some cereal, her nose wrinkled. “Not a fan of the cereal?”

“It tastes funny,” she shrugged. “But, everything else just doesn’t seem appealing.” She looked to me, walking to me and wrapping her arms around my body. She felt so warm and it was welcomed since the weather outside was frigid, even to me – the human/fae icicle. “Do you want to blink to Peter’s office or drive?”

“That blinking ability is amazing, but with as tired as you look, I think we should drive,” I said, brushing my lips to hers. “Come on, love.” We put on our coats and made our way to Peter’s office in downtown Bozeman. Bella snoozed, her cheek pressed to my bicep as I made my way in the SUV I’d purchased. I parked in the rear of the office, gently waking her up. She scowled but got out of the car. We walked into the office and was greeted by the elf, Kebi, who was the receptionist for the medical office. She ushered us into an examination room. I lifted Bella onto the table and kissed her forehead, sliding my arms around her body. She sighed, snuggling into my arms.  

Peter breezed into the office, wearing a white lab coat and a stethoscope, along with his clothes. He smiled, his eyes twinkling. “How are you two doing?”

“I’m fine, but Bella said she’s not feeling well,” I said. “She said that something’s not right.”

“I already know what’s wrong, or rather your condition,” Peter replied, breathing in deeply. “And it’s not something wrong.”

“You haven’t even examined me,” Bella scoffed, her eyes flashing angrily.

“Inhale,” Peter said to me, a smile ghosting over his face.

I did, and I smelled him, a slightly musky scent. I also smelled Bella, which was more floral with a touch of citrus. There was also a third, but faint unknown scent. It smelled like sunshine, hope and love. He arched a brow. “Do you smell it now?” Peter grinned.

“What is that?” I asked, focusing my attentions to that indistinct, new scent.

Bozeman, Montana

Edward and Bella's home

The Magic Within Update

The Magic Within Chapter 34 on FicPad

The Magic Within Chapter 34 on Stars

The Magic Within Chapter 34 on AO3

The Magic Within Chapter 34 on FFn

The Magic Within Chapter 34 on Wattpad

After a few more days ‘recuperating’ at her mother’s home in Forks, we locked up the house and blinked back to the castle in Seattle. When we got back, Bella began working with Carmen, Charlotte and Marcus’ mother, Kathryn, to plan for the memorial of our fallen comrades – Maggie, Marcus and Tanya. I knew their remains had been brought to Seattle and cremated, as according to the fae customs. We just needed to have a memorial and honor their bravery, their strength and their loss.

The castle, which had been buzzing with creatures from all over North America, was empty, save for my sister, her mate, Peter, Charlotte, Emmett and Rosalie. The rest of the creatures were staying with Eleazar and Carmen in their home, just next door to the castle. They were providing us the necessary space for our healing but were close by in case we needed their support.

I was much better, almost to full strength, but I knew that Rosalie was dealing with horrific flashbacks, night terrors and extreme anxiety. Bella spent a great deal with time with her, trying to help Rosalie with her emotions since she’d lived it. I’d felt Bella’s overwhelming shame for what Jacob had done to her. She still felt dirty and unworthy of me or the   happiness she now had. Through our connection, I heard Rosalie describe the awful things that Jacob did to her and she’d need a great deal of help before Rosalie could truly heal.

“Lord Edward?” came the gruff voice of Peter. I looked up from my seat in my office. I was working on the preliminary plans for a magic school, to teach the next generation of creatures. He glided inside and sat down, dwarfed by the fae-sized chairs. We’d been in our human forms, getting used to our human bodies again. “I’ve put in my papers at my hospital, resigning my position. Charlotte has done the same. We’re looking for permanent residence here in Seattle.”

“Hold off on that,” I said. “I think that … with the magic school … we may need to relocate. Some place remote. I’ve been looking at real estate in Montana and Wyoming. We could …”

“Both locations are beautiful,” Peter said. “It would be nice to have a secured location, far off the beaten path, but near a larger city for those of us who need jobs. Granted, with long lives and smart investments, Charlotte and I don’t have to work.” He blinked to me, smirking. “You, on the other hand, are set for the rest of your immortal life.”

“Why do you say that?” I asked, sitting back and closing the computer.

Peter handed me a large envelope, addressed to me via the legal aid office. I opened the envelope, pulling out a thick packet of paper from my old law firm. I scanned the paper, my eyes widened. “Carmen filed an unlawful termination suit against my old firm.”

“She was pissed off that they’d fired you when you were on FMLA. I provided testimony that what they did was unfair and illegal, backing up her claim. Rather than be dragged into the courts, and into a huge legal battle with the powerful son of disgraced congressional candidate, Carlisle Cullen – who was brought down by his own children. They saw you as a man without scruples and they offered you a significant monetary settlement,” Peter said.

I flipped the pages, finding an eight-figure settlement on the next page. That, coupled with my released trust and inheritance from my biological father, I would be set for my immortal life. “When did she do this?”

“She started it when I came to Seattle,” he answered. “She used my connections as a doctor to further along this process.” He sat forward, arching a brow. “Carmen also found an inheritance for Bella, too. Renee had left her a decent trust. We’d found the paperwork in the home in Forks.”

Seattle Castle