Edward ignored Lestat and finally sighed, though he did not let Lexi slow down. "Are you alright, dear?" he asked softly. "Please say something."
"Shh," Edward tried to soothe. "Calm down. It's fine, love," he murmured, making sure he crushed Hannah between himself and Lexi's neck. "Just stay still."
Then let him have me! Edward growled in return, gritting his teeth. He'll have to leave Angelyn behind to follow and if he does, you get the girl out of here! Back to Rome... anywhere but here!
"No!" Edward snapped, yanking Hannah toward him. He ran over to Lexi whom Van Helsing had detached from the carriage already. He tossed Hannah up in front of him and then sprung up behind her, grabbing the reins. "We'll follow the trees," Edward said now, turning Lexi as she paced frantically. "You'll catch up with us!" And he dug his boot heels into Lexi's sides, sprinting off into the border of the forest.
"You don't know how much I want to go out there right now as well," Edward growled, surprised his grip wasn't hurting Hannah.
"Don't worry, dear," Edward said, giving Jinx a worried look. "I won't."
Edward kept a tight grip on either of her shoulders. "He's doing it on purpose," he snarled, remembering Lestat's words. "He's trying to get you out there."
Edward sat up, grabbing Hannah's arm. "Stay here," he said sharply, seeing the look in her eyes. "It's not worth it."
"Good," Edward replied, smiling and pulling away from her enough to kiss her softly. "I hope Jinx and Beatrice won't be mad that you've stayed."
"Thank you!" Edward sighed, crushing her in a hug against him. "You don't know how good of an idea that was."
"That's why you shouldn't go," Edward insisted, ignoring Jinx. "Let me go out for you. Stay here and if I find them, I'll let them be. Please," he added, "don't go out there because he will find you. Lestat can't help that."
"That's the point," Edward began. "Lestat followed John and Will. They have the girl... Elijah's little sister. She came out here to find us for killing her brother. He wants to meet you when you go out and... just stay," he began suddenly, sitting up and kissing her cheek. "Just stay here and I will find something for you."
"Leaving me, are you?" Edward yawned, leaning against her touch. "That's fine. I've..." he faded off, yawning again. "I've got to tell you something before you go."
Edward stirred, trying to ignore Lestat's voice in his head. He kept his eyes shut, his cheek still aching, and he put a hand to it. The swelling had gone down only slightly.
Edward yawned again, half asleep. He could already almost see his dreams when he slurred, "I love you, too."
"Hmmm," Edward mumbled in agreement, shutting his eyes and holding her tighter. "Good idea... and... Hannah..." he faded off.
"Yes," Edward confirmed, a small yawn in his voice now. "I've only heard the tales from others in Rome... that would not really be somewhere we'd like to go, though, would it?"
Edward hid a grimace, hearing Lestat's information. "I've never been at all," Edward replied. "But I heard it's a lovely place to live."
Edward nodded against her. "I see..." he began slowly. "What do you want to do after all this? We should live in Paris..." he faded off, laughing softly to himself.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Edward soothed. "It will go away, though, like you said?"
