TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

This week, TLS is once again featuring the talented writer, MeteorOnAMoonlessNight. Her stories like The Ember Sword, Heart of Stone and Façade have often been featured on the TLS Rec List. We are so excited to share an exclusive peek of her newest one, Fallen Angel. 

banner by Belizabetty

Fallen Angel by MeteorOnAMoonlessNight

Summary: When notorious criminal mastermind Edward Cullen came back to town, Bella was blindsided by old feelings of infatuation. She knew better than to dance with the devil... but she did it anyway. 

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Recently, I reread my mafia fic Façade, and I started thinking about writing something else in that genre. As all my plot bunnies do, it lingered in the back of my mind, but I tried to ignore it because I had other things going on. Then, the TFN Family Affairs Contest came up and I figured I would write something short and enter it.

Yeah, right.

I opened a doc to write a new chapter of the wip I’m working on, and the plot for this story came pouring out. I started the first chapter, and then it sort of flowed out of me over the following week. I continuously added to the plot as thoughts came to me, and I drafted the first ten chapters in six days. Thoughts kept me up at night, bugged me while I was doing other things, and I had to type out one liners all throughout the day so I wouldn't forget.

I planned to wait until my other story was complete before posting this one, but I can’t help thinking about the current state of the world. I’m going to post now so I can entertain you if you have nothing else to do. Or, if you’re busier than ever, to give you a respite during the brief moments of peace.

This fic is full of tropes. I don’t think a time is going to come that I’ll surprise you with what happens next within the pages. We all love tropes and clichés, which is why they stick around, but my hope is always that I can bring something unique and exciting to the development of the characters. The way they react to the typical storyline is where I want to hook you and make you fall in love with them. I know I’ve fallen—I can’t help it—so I invite you to join me on their journey.

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The sound of Edward clapping his gloved hands echoed as he entered the warehouse, his overcoat billowing behind him. Walking toward the man currently hanging upside down over an oil barrel caused him to smile widely. 

"Marcus, my man, so good to see you."

Marcus looked up at him, but he couldn't respond for the duct tape covering his mouth. 

"Shall we go over the rules you agreed to when you were hired to work for the Cullen Family?" He circled the drum, glancing at the viscosity of the contents. "You fuck me over, I fuck you over a hundred times worse. An dtuigeann tú?"

Jasper pushed the button on the winch to lower the dangling man, and Marcus struggled against the ropes binding him as he slowly descended. 

"You thought I wouldn't notice that you were telling the Volturis every secret we trusted you with, but obviously you're not that smart.” Edward circled, leaning down to look into his eyes. “Not only were we on to you, but you haven't heard any real information in about six months."

Jasper stopped lowering Marcus when his face was mere inches above the oil. Edward stared impassively as Marcus struggled again, eyes rolling wildly.

"Everything we fed you was a test. Every location, every meeting, every buy. And you failed that test spectacularly." Edward shook his head. "I'm not even angry with you, Marcus." He leaned in very close and spoke quietly. "I'm disappointed."

Needing to release months of pent-up frustration, Edward used his fists on Marcus. A jab to the kidney was painful, but unnecessary on a dead man. When he felt as if he'd done enough damage to satisfy his need for violence, he headed back to the car. Years of practice meant that though he broke a sweat, he walked out of the warehouse as spotless as when he arrived. The whirring sound of the boom being lowered behind him was music to his ears. 

Nobody fucked with the Cullens and got away with it. 

Jasper would seal the drum with Marcus inside and deliver it to the Volturi Family in the morning. It sent a clear message that the Cullens knew what was going on at all times. The other Families squabbled constantly over territory, but Edward wasn't interested in such trivialities. What was his was his, and he wouldn't trade, sell, or otherwise make alterations. 

He sat in the back of the limo waiting for Jasper with his phone in his hand. Picturing Bella was as easy as breathing; she remained in his mind’s eye even when he wished she’d give him peace. But he couldn't help looking through the pictures he’d taken of her while they were together. He wanted to put an end to the way he felt, to force himself to get over her. He couldn't afford an infatuation and he knew it, but there didn't seem to be an end to the gnawing in his gut. 

Jasper slammed the door when he got in the car. “He’s nice and snug for now. I’ll come back tomorrow and oversee the delivery.”

“Thanks, Jasper.”

Pulling through the lot toward the exit, Jasper glanced at Edward in the rearview mirror. “You all right, boss?”

“Of course.”

Silence descended as Jasper navigated the car through the wet streets in the direction of Edward’s house. They used it as their office more often than not, and Jasper had spent the day there working with Emmett and a few others. Not more than five minutes passed before Jasper spoke again. 

“Edward, you and I have known each other for a long-ass time. We’re friends before we’re coworkers, but more than that, we’re Family.”

With a frown, Edward asked, “What is your point?”

Jasper clenched his jaw and swung around a slow-moving vehicle. “That you’re a lying piece of shit.”

Edward stared at the back of Jasper’s blond head and contemplated coldcocking him. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means that something is not right, and it hasn't been since we got back from Forks.”

“So you know me, congratu-fucking-lations.”

Jasper sighed and pulled to a stop at a red light. “I’m not bullshitting here, Edward. Tell me what it is so I can take care of it. That’s my job. We don’t need your head in the clouds when we’ve got shit going down left and right. If you’re not in the game, tell me what to do to get you there.”

He couldn't answer the question of what was causing his distraction. None of them knew what went on in Forks for those five glorious days. He’d wreck Bella if given half a chance, so he wouldn't ask Jasper to bring her to him.

“Drop it, Jasper.”

“I’ll let it go for now, but I’m giving you forty-eight hours to get your head out of your ass and into the game, or I’m going digging.”

Edward came close to growling, absolutely wished he could punch Jasper in the face, but ultimately said nothing.

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You're not going to want to miss this! Be sure to put MeteorOnAMoonlessNight on alert so you can follow along with us. Fallen Angel begins posting Sunday, April 12.