Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the original characters.
Special thanks to: AJFM Drofnats, aka A-Jasper-For-Me, for being my beta.
Thanks to my Bulgarian pre-readers, too.
Witchcraft Issues
Chapter One, The Beginning
~Bella~
"I'm getting old! Shit, shit, shit, I'm getting old!"
I look at myself in the mirror, small wrinkles have started to frame my eyes. I notice the skin on my hands is dry and pale. Impotent rage makes me scream louder. My sisters are sitting in their chairs around our huge round table in silence.
They are silent because they can not help me with anything. They are young. Wrong, they look young. And I have to cope with my aging by myself.
The problem is, we maintain our beauty and youth in a very special way, and I can never keep up with my sisters.
The most beautiful is Rosalie with her flawless skin and gorgeous blonde hair. She attracts men with her powerful nature and is so sexy that she is successful nine out of ten times. She entraps them like little hapless moths, does what she has to do, and abandons them with burned wings, useless and discarded.
Alice is quiet and mysterious. She fascinates them with her childlike face. Everyone wants to protect helpless little Alice, that tiny girl with short, spiky dark hair. She feigns to be a clairvoyant, lying to them that she sees their future, how she envisions them as successful businessmen, brilliant politicians, or just good lovers. They long for something - she gives it to them. Yeah, like any of it will come true. Bullshit.
Esme is our romantic. She thinks love makes the world go around. She's the only one among us who sincerely pities the men we use. She saddens easily. Her warm eyes make men think about maternal affection; you can hardly find a man who will not give in to her protective gestures, to her warm and calm voice. They can never believe what happens once Esme gets a hold of them.
And I ... I am rarely a winner. Remembering my years as a plain and clumsy human, I still can not get used to my abilities and the power of magic. In my defense, I have to tell you I've only been a witch for a few years.
My abilities came to light in the schoolyard, about fifteen years ago. In our high school, there was a small parking lot where incidents often occurred. In my case, a classmate lost control of his car and could have crushed me on the spot. However ... the car didn't reach me because somehow I stopped it just inches away by my look alone. Even though it was moving at full speed, it stopped - at my will.
A little later, three of my classmates, Rosalie, Alice and Esme, took me aside and explained a few things to me.
~Maria~
Candidates for new recruitment to my army are gathered in a pathetic group. At the end of the games they all look tired and disheveled.
These two had done relatively well, they had volunteered to start first. The others after them were simply impossible to watch. Incapable suckers.
I nod to both of them to come closer and congratulate them. I explain to them they have earned the honor to stand beside me. The others are free to go – with their meager abilities, they are not capable of anything but boiling soup. They couldn't move pot and kettle, let alone attempt to throw a heavier object. My God, I was a child when I used to pound my bed from one wall to the other, even with one eye closed. With my hands behind my back, I could stomp my foot and bump the bed to annoy the neighbors at night.
Yeah, suckers.
The two kids who have at least some potential are Peter and Charlotte. Peter has managed to light a fire at the tip of his finger, make stones and hardware levitate with a look and knew some other minor spells. Charlotte has boiled an ointment for wounds and only missed one ingredient of the ancient recipe, but she is very fast and accurate with the measures. Good thing she knows over a dozen spells and curses. In other words, they will do after training.
I need a strong small army, not more than fifteen people. In older times, I would use them to conquer a castle and harass a small province. Now I want to get settled in a suburban house, appoint them to guard shifts and live my life quietly. My old bones need a rest. Well, it would be good if I had at least one specially gifted apprentice to train them all instead of me and be my second in command.
~Bella~
My dear sisters insist I should pick a man immediately.
The thing is, I have to put a spell on someone, seduce him and drag him into bed. Then, you know, use him. With a special incantation uttered at the moment of his ecstasy, his power will overflow into me. At that moment, youth and beauty will return to me ... for some time. The man's hair will then suddenly turn white and he will lose some of his memories. From now on, if you see a young man with white hair and partial amnesia, you will know what has happened to him.
We have surrounded a house in the suburbs. Its distance from civilization provides us with the necessary secrecy. We've been able to observe for a few days without being followed by nosy neighbors, passers-by and other useless vermin.
"Try that one ... Emmett. I think he's a great, strong man, young and cheerful. I'm sure you will remain without a single wrinkle for a long time after he erupts!" Rosalie giggles and I blush. "If you don't take him, he's mine you know."
No, he does not seem appealing, he's too huge.
"Take him, I don't like him. I want someone more sophisticated, I think."
It's Alice's turn now, "What about Edward? He looks gentle, maybe you will like him?"
"Nah, he's too soft, if you get me right; he will want to court me and follow protocol. I bet it will take him a year to think of getting into bed. Uhm, no. Not him."
Esme speaks from the opposite side of the path. "Carlisle is very handsome, why not charm him? He will be very pleasant, believe me, I can feel it."
"Esme, I guess you're right. No doubt he will be a great lover, but he's old."
My three sisters were visibly upset, or should I say very angry.
"You are a brat."
"You are out of your mind, you will never find the perfect one!"
"You should finally decide what you want!"
I feel depressed. I found a white hair on my head the other day.
"Okay, okay, the fourth in the house, what was his name?"
Three voices answer simultaneously. "Jasper."
~Maria~
Peter and Charlotte are becoming my favorites. They progress very quickly and learn with passion and enthusiasm. Sometimes they even show creativity. I feel a friendship is blooming between them. Both are young and beautiful, really young, and perhaps love will flare sooner than later.
I don't care. I'm no longer interested in men. I do not need them. The thought that I outlive all my lovers saddens me. Yes, I really just want peace.
The rest of my army are progressing at a slower pace - given that some of them started training years ago, it makes me want to pluck my hair. No talented young people nowadays ... what a pity. Even my two favorites don't shine.
I refuse to teach them more. It's now or never. With an army of eleven, I decide to capture myself a permanent residence. I spin the globe, close my eyes and stop it with my finger. Okay, now the location is selected. I use the crystal ball - there is a forest there and near a small town. In the forest there is a three-story house away from all roads, virtually undetectable. Perfect. Several people live in it, actually four men, but that should not be a problem. I stare at the ball for signs of any danger.
The crystal surface responds in angry red letters: "Jasper."
~Jasper ~
It turns out my participation in this little social experiment has been a good idea. Things are working out so well. Everything is flowing smoothly.
Over the past two months we have been living in this house - Carlisle, the project supervisor, and the three of us, the psychology students. We examine behavioral problems in a small group of people isolated from the outside world for a long time; we ourselves are both participants and analysts. This is something for the army. They want to optimize their observation posts in enemy territory. We receive a stock of food once a week and only Carlisle has contact with the suppliers. The three of us write in our journals and discuss what we have said and done during the day. We have no TV, radio, internet, or phones. We have to invent funny things to do so we don't go crazy from boredom - various logic games and stuff.
Apart from that, most of the day we spend in training. The house is equipped with a wonderful gym where everyone can spend unlimited time. Emmett loves lifting weights for hours - I think he can push at least twice his own weight. Edward mostly runs on the treadmill, sweats a lot and his shapelessly cut hair becomes more and more disheveled. Let me tell you, sometimes he stumps me so badly that I expect him to bring a serious injury to himself. Carlisle exercises on all the appliances without overloading too much and I think he is very reasonable.
My favorite pastime? I dash on a punching bag tirelessly, hoping to reduce my sexual tension. Two months without a girl, and who knows how many remain. Yes, that's what's wrong with cloistered life – you have no sexual intercourse whatsoever.
For the last two or three days we see some motion around the house. Some young ladies are peeking out from the forest. We do not know why they hide, and we cannot see them well but their silhouettes often appear in the distance. Strange, so strange. Looks like we are under surveillance.
Today we clearly see four female figures at the far end of the path. They seem to be arguing. They are gesturing a lot as three of them stand up to the fourth one, screaming at her. After that, they pat her on the shoulder, one of them even playfully smacks her ass and they push her ahead - facing our house.
The chick approaches with timid steps, scratching herself behind her ear and sighing. She looks very nice, not tall but with long legs and a gorgeous reddish-brown hair. As she comes closer, I see a cute face. There is a defect of her upper lip that makes her mouth stay open, and her teeth are white and shiny in the afternoon sun.
The rest are standing beside me and we are all staring out the window. Emmett whistles, Edward is coughing, Carlisle makes for the door. Too bad he will not let her inside.
A few minutes later, Carlisle returns and explains that he has kicked her out. "I have to tell you guys, she is totally nuts. She said she would be back tomorrow with her sisters. We have twenty-four hours to reconsider and let her in. She wanted to meet you, Jas! She said if you wouldn't agree to talk to her, the four of them will invade the house and kidnap you. Hah, can you imagine? How do you actually know her, Jasper, and how the hell did she know where you are? You have signed the privacy policy."
"What are you talking about, I do not know her!" I watch the chick walk away down the path in long strides; her jeans cling to her shape in a very pleasant way. "What a mess."
Our evening conversation revolves entirely around that crazy chick. I have not laughed so hard in years. Emmett bombards us with imaginary scenarios for tomorrow's clash, each scenario more attractive than the other. Then Carlisle ends the fun.
"I'm not going to let them in, don't be stupid."
Upstairs in my bedroom, I'm wrapped up to the nose with the white sheet, rewinding the scenes with the hot chick. She's been very sweet, that's out of question. I push my hand beneath the band of my boxers.
Ahhh, I really liked her jeans, especially the rear view.
A thunderous noise from the forest interrupts my pleasant activity. Lightning cuts through the darkness, yellow, white and blue, but I realize there is no storm. I rush to the window and lean out, one of the huge pines collapses before my eyes, only to be followed by a second one, even more enormous. My brain refuses to comprehend what is happening. I close the window and decide to run downstairs. I meet Edward, and in his eyes I read the same disbelief that is probably written on my face.
Carlisle and Emmett are standing by the window of our dining room. Shoulder to shoulder, we are watching the madness happening outside. Giant trees continue to fall with thunder, lightning and strange outbursts of colourful rays brightening the darkness as figures fly across the path. Reflections of light allow us to see that crazy chick and the familiar silhouettes of the three other women she had called her sisters. The four of them are running around in different directions until they are gathered back to back, in a small square formation on the path a few yards from our front door. Then other figures converge from every side - male and female, emerging from the forest. At that moment the moon chooses to show up and brightly illuminate the scene before our eyes. Eleven people are surrounding our four acquaintances. There's tension on everyone's face, looking questioningly, their fists clench and relax.
The very last to emerge from the woods is the figure of a white-haired, incredibly beautiful woman. The pride in her slender figure reigns over all the participants in the scene. She takes a place in the outer circle and closing it into perfection. Then she raises her hand and a fireball materializes right in front of our eyes that rises into the sky and hangs over the heads of the four beautiful girls.
I cannot tear my eyes from the picture outside. This whole shit with the lightning and the falling trees is completely supernatural, but the way the participants are sorted and frozen in a breathtaking, mesmerizing symmetry is also beautiful. I realize none of us in the house are moving either, and we are holding our breaths.
The air vibrates with tension as if something huge is going to be born any minute from the womb of the night sky. The fireball changes color from orange to deep red and it seems as if an invisible force barely keeps it in place. The white-haired woman speaks but we can't hear her from here. Her lips are moving for about a minute, her look travels across the small group in the center of the circle. She is apparently talking to each of them individually.
Our four acquaintances stand in silence. When the white-haired woman's lips stop moving, it's the crazy chick's turn to respond. Her answer is a single movement, with which she manages to direct the fireball to the left into the outer circle and the lightning falls over two short men. In mere seconds, the two bodies turn into piles of smoldering ashes.
Now the white-haired woman is furious.
~""~
A/N: From here, the story branches into two possible endings. I'll post two more chapters, one for each of these endings. Then, I'm going to ask you to pick one.