AN: This is for stealth. Because earlier today you were asking what Jasper did and was thinking after he attacked Bella. And because it's a one shot that I can actually finish.

Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own an alternate reality that millions of screaming fangirls (okay… and some fanboys… fanguys? Fanmen?? Whatever) would love to exist in. I do own an alternate reality that I live in… because authors can't really live in reality. It's impossible. So all these characters and places and events belong to the talented, the rich and the inspiration to writers everywhere… MRS STEPHENIE MEYERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! (Pretend I have an announcer's voice.)

*Some of these events may look familiar. This is right as Bella is opening presents.

Oh! I almost forgot to add my lovely playlist (chapter titles are corresponding song titles). Not a lot of songs for me. You can pick and choose as you like.

Assassin by Muse (Darn it, Steph was right! They're perfect inspiration!)

More than Useless by Relient K

Chapter One: Assassin

I could feel Bella's embarrassment and anxiety like Cloroseptic. It was a taste I experienced a lot around her. She always seemed to be embarrassed about something. I didn't mind the taste so much. It was tingly sort of numb feeling that my mind experienced, just as all emotions did. I remembered the taste of anger, hot and metallic. I basked in the sweet, spicy tang of lust and passion. While I enjoyed the fizzy, glowing taste of love, my favorite emotion was happiness. Happiness tasted warm like sunshine with a sweet, refreshing wave like mint. It was the greatest feeling I could find.

I watched Bella take a little package from my beloved Alice, while rolling her eyes at Edward. While I didn't have a problem with Bella, I wondered momentarily why he was so attracted to her. She seemed to hate everything he seemed to love. He gave me dry look so fast that Bella missed it. I watched her stick her right index finger under the edge of the paper and jerk it under the tape.

What happened next was something that I will never forget.

I could smell, instantly the sweet, spicy scent of Bella's blood, a single drop, oozing from the papercut she'd given herself. Exposed and so close that it drove me half mad with thirst and the beast, the animal inside me instantaneously jumped at the opportunity, surely fate. I heard, as if through clogged ears, Edward roar "No!" and throw himself at Bella, tossing her over the table. It fell and scattered Alice's dream-cake, the gifts, the flowers and…

And the plates.

She landed on a the shattered crystal just as I crashed into Edward like a landslide, a monster clawing at the prey, staring at me with big, fearful brown eyes and a horrorstruck expression. I could taste, in the back of my mind, the bile flavor of terror. I snarled from deep in my chest, the demon ripping his way to the surface. I tried to move past Edward, to get to my prize. My teeth snapped inches from his face, showing him that I was stronger, I would win. I wanted her blood! I wanted to suck the beautiful liquid from the tiny slice that broke through the skin to the blood vessels and capillaries that pumped the hot fluid through her fragile, defenseless body.

Emmett grabbed me from behind and kept me in his iron grip, but I was relentless with the thirst, the frenzy, keeping my eyes solely on the treasure I wanted.

But there was more.

As she'd fallen, Bella landed on the sharp, serrated shards of the crystal plates. The pieces had torn through the thin film of skin and red, hot blood was seeping out onto the floor and into her shirt.

My thirst was tripled tenfold.

Chapter Two: The Taste of Shame

"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside," Carlisle said quietly. No! I hadn't tasted her yet!

"Come on, Jasper," Emmett grunted at me, dragging me towards the backdoor. I struggled, fighting to try and reach the prize that lay by the table. I would get her! I would break free of Emmett's –and now Rosalie's –restraining grip. Edward crouched over Bella in a defensive position, a low growl escaping from his chest in response to my thoughts.

They pulled me through the door Esme was holding open and into the cool night air, clean and untainted by the fragrance of the Bella's blood. It was a completely different environment. As I inadvertently took in some breaths of the fresh air, my mind cleared, my senses caught up with me.

Oh God. What had I done?