In The Blood Epilogue Teaser

The end is here. Thank you so much to everyone for reading. This has been a wonderful journey and Fragile and I are both humbled and thankful that you've trod this road with us. Without further ado, here is the final teaser:

Everyone gathered in Emmett's loft, and Rosalie and Emmett sat on the couch, her legs draped across his lap as he massaged her feet. They were the picture of domestic bliss, and only their burgundy eyes indicated the violence that existed within them.

Emmett had been teasing Rosalie about her pick for the World Series, and she was in the mood to needle him in return. "So, Emmett, you never did tell me why Angela looks at you with those big puppy dog eyes every time we visit Edward at his office."

Bella, sitting in Edward's lap on a huge blue bean bag chair, stiffened. "I think maybe Edward and I..."

"Not a chance, love." Edward laughed, tightening his arms around her waist. "I'm dying to hear this story."

Emmett shook his head. "You really don't want to know, dude."

Rosalie wasn't giving up. She straddled him, pinning him to the back of the couch. "Spill, now."

The playlist for the final chapter of In The Blood is Let It Be by the Beatles:

In The Blood Chapter 24 Teaser

Wow. I can't believe we're finally here. The penultimate chapter. And after all the angst our lovers have been through, don't you think they deserve just a little more loving? Yeah, me too! Enjoy!!

“Do you have a better idea, my champion?” Her eyes were challenge and lust and black thirst, and for a moment Edward wondered if there was another hunger he should be attending to.

“I do, but you haven’t fed in some time, Isabella. I should take you out…” his voice trailed off as he saw the stubborn look in her eye.

“I told you my favorite meal was always going to be copper-haired American boy.” She pressed her body against his and he knew this was one battle he wasn’t about to fight. They would be together and nowhere near humans. She would be safe.

“It just so happens I know exactly where you can find such a dish,” he purred into her ear as his hands reached down to pull her more fully against him.

“I was hoping you might be able to help me out.” Bella arms were about his neck, pulling him back down toward her when she realized they had some place they could go and be alone. She leaned back suddenly and the kiss Edward had been about to place on her lips fell awkwardly on her neck. Not one to be deterred, he simply adjusted his angle and began to run his tongue along the soft skin of her throat.

“Edward,” her voice came out as a moan. “I want something.”

“I’m trying to give it to you,” he smiled into her flesh, not willing to stop worshiping her.

“Something else,” she giggled back and Edward straightened up, willing to play along with anything that might please her.

The playlist song for this chapter is "Let It Grow" by Eric Clapton:

In The Blood Chapter 23 Teaser

Now that the rogue had been dealt with, Edward and Bella must decide how they will spend their forever. Will Edward be horrified by Bella's violent dispatching of Jane? Will their families support them or try to tear them apart?

Approaching the Cullen estate, Bella lowered her shield, hoping Edward would hear her.

I'm here. It's over.

No sooner had the words rushed through her mind than she saw Edward and Rosalie rush through the door and down the steps. Their parents stood in the doorway, warily watching the scene unfold.

Bella froze twenty yards from her lover, watching his stunned reaction as she let him see in her thoughts that the rogue was truly gone. As Emmett ran past her and into the arms of Rosalie, Bella remained in place, Aro's hand on her shoulder.

Now that he'd seen how vengeful, how calmly lethal she could be, she wasn't sure he'd still want her. She may have sworn off the hunt, but she would still kill without remorse. For him. For her father. For her new coven.

Edward walked slowly toward her, her shield still lowered to allow him to know her doubts and her nature. When he reached her and placed his hand on her cheek, she looked down, waiting to hear the reaction she could not bear to witness.

The playlist song for this chapter is "Let It Rain" by Eric Clapton.

In The Blood Chapter 22 Teaser

I know you were all waiting for fragile's chapter last week as much as I was. And now we've FINALLY gotten to the promise land! Edward and Bella have hashed out the past, they've made some plans for the future, they've been reunited in the best possible way...

So what's left? Well, there is that pesky, homicidal vampire on the loose with the grudge against Bella. We'll get to Jane eventually, but for now, let's get to this week's teaser:

In less than a second Edward was behind her, pinning her back against his chest, his mouth by her ear. “And what if I want all of it, Isabella?” He held her body flush against his, letting her feel just how much he wanted her, now and for always.

“It’s yours,” she breathed out huskily, then twined in his arms to face him. Her eyes sought his out and he could see the sincerity in their burgundy depths. “Everything I have is yours, Edward.”

He leaned in and took her lips hungrily, marveling that no amount of time together was able to decrease his need for her. The opposite seemed true: the more he had her, the more he kissed her, touched her, made her cry out for him; the more he seemed to need. It was endless and he felt the enormity of it keenly. But it was a pleasurable thing; to feel so intensely again. He wouldn’t deny it for the world.

His hands roamed down her back, slipping under the waistband of her jeans to cup her body and even though his eyes were closed he could feel the electricity between them arching out all around them in reds and oranges and bright white lights. Then suddenly Bella’s lips were gone. Edward’s eyes blinked open in confusion only to find Bella had flitted over to the chair next to his desk and was pulling on her boots.

"If we start that again,” she smirked, “we’ll never get downstairs and I for one don’t relish the idea of putting on a peep show for the Volturi guard.” She walked over to his closet and tossed a pair of khakis to him. Edward caught them with a laugh.

“No. That’s certainly not something I want either.”

I for one wouldn't say no to a naked Edward peep show, but that's just me. *wink*

The playlist song for this chapter is Livin' For You by Al Green

In The Blood Chapter 21 Teaser

Edward has swallowed his pride and confessed his love to Bella. In return, Bella has dropped her shield allowing Edward to see the horrors that have shaped her. What will Bella do now that Edward understands?

Wrapped in Edward's arms, Bella felt safe and complete for the first time since Adam found her in the meadow and took her life. Edward's touch, his embrace, and his lips on hers were all things she never thought she feel outside of her tender memories. Having his arms surround her, even after the horrible things she'd shown him, was surely a dream, some twisted fantasy she'd created since he found her to preserve her sanity. His gentle kisses over her face were real, though, and she slowly allowed herself to believe he loved her.

Still, there were things that needed to be said, things he needed to understand. Otherwise, they would never be happy.

Pulling back, Bella gazed into the golden eyes she'd feared for almost two centuries. "I need to tell you about your change."

Edward's eyes clouded over briefly then were bright and clear again. "We don't have to do this now."

"Yes, we do. We finally do."

Edward nodded slowly then lifted Bella onto his lap until she faced him, straddling his hips, her back against the keys of the piano.

The playlist song for this chapter is "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green:

In The Blood Chapter 20 Teaser

So we've brought our lovers together. Everyone's under the same roof even. Things are looking up. And while Emmett and Rosalie are getting to know one another, Edward and Bella are finally getting some alone time of their own. But as much as they're eager to get to the fun part of their reunion, and who isn't?, they still have a few things to hash out.

“Please don’t blame Aro for this, Edward.” Her eyes were fierce as she spoke of the Volturi leader and Edward could see she cared about the man deeply. “You have to understand. He considers me his daughter and he would do anything to protect me.”

“From what? From love?” Edward didn’t want to quarrel with her but Aro’s deception had wreaked such destruction on both of their lives, had made them both so unhappy for so long. It rankled that she could forgive him so easily.

Bella’s shoulders slumped a little, wearily. “When you were in Volterra, did you hear what others think of your kind? Of those that follow Carlisle’s…lifestyle?”

Edward’s pride was pricked. Yes, he had heard what they thought of his father, of him. How they took the respect that Carlisle held for all life and turned it into something perverse, considering abstaining from the murder of humans to be an abomination. Not trusting himself to keep the rancor from his words he simply responded with a curt nod.

“Then you know how strongly other vampires feel about the way you live. When Aro realized that you were living with Carlisle, he came to Chicago to witness for himself if you were truly committed to this way of life. When he saw that you were…” her words trailed off. They both knew what Aro did next.

“And what gave him the right to decide this for you? Even if he is your sire, Isabella, you are a grown woman with a mind of your own. You don’t care that he treated you like a child?”

“Edward,” she sighed, clearly not sure how to explain her point of view to him. “Aro’s not my sire but it’s because of that, because of what he knows of my early years that he wanted to spare me the choice. He didn’t treat me as a child,” she emphasized. “He treated me as his child.”

If Aro truly thought of Bella as his daughter, how could he so blatantly disregard her free will? Edward tried to imagine Carlisle if the situation had been reversed but he couldn’t imagine his caring, loving father taking the choice out of Edward’s hands. His father had too much respect for him for that. Bella must have seen the lack of understanding in Edward’s eyes because she began to chew on her lip in worry. Then suddenly her eyes lighted with wary inspiration.

Can she make him understand? Here's hoping so! Because I, for one, am ready for our erstwhile lovers to reunite already!

The playlist song for this chapter is Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen:

No you didn't miss it...

Come on! You know you can't be mad at a puppy!

It's true. Chapter 19 of In The Blood did not post this week. It wasn't a fanfic.net alert fail or anything like that. The truth is due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, the chapter got delayed. We profoundly apologize and fervently promise that it will be there, come hell or high water, that we'll post it this coming Wednesday, March 3rd or earlier should the Almighty decide to stop treating fragile like the 21st Century Job.

In the meantime, I have this message for my co-author:

*ahem* Hello? Fragile?
This is Doctor Lemon.
I know you've been under the weather.
So I'm giving you a prescription.

Take two of these:



and go to bed for the rest of the night.
Heck, take the rest of the week, baby!
With two of these bad boys, you're going to need it!
*wink*

Feel better soon, fragile!!!!!!!!!!