So here's the final installment. This one will be good. I promise.
I concentrated as hard as I could. My eyes narrowed in concentration. It was tense. This could go either way. It seemed like forever, but really couldn't have been going on for more than a couple of hours. And then, he gave me a goofy smile. I cracked up and looked away. I had lost the staring contest.
"Honestly," he said, kissing me on the cheek. "You are so easy to defeat."
"Hey," I snapped. "I could've won so easily if we were allowed to use our powers."
Luke folded his arms over his chest. "Then you would have won in the first minute. However, I just did it the good old fashioned way. You lasted longer than normal. How many different looks did I have to give you this time?"
"Twenty-three," I replied, having kept perfect track. He smiled gingerly at me and swept me up in his arms like I was as light as a feather. I giggled happily.
I had definitely underestimated this place.
It had been about a year since I had joined the Volturi. And in that year, I had risen through the ranks. Aro was planning on giving me my own special unit for more exciting tasks. I was up for it. It sounded like fun.
Also, in that time I had found my mate. It wasn't some stinky old dog like the last one. This time it was a clean, handsome, charming, lethal, wonderful, (I could continue with this for days) vampire. Luke was everything that Jacob wasn't. I still shuddered at the sound of that name.
For the most part, I had blocked out my time since I had come to live with the Cullen's. Mainly, just the memories of Jacob though. I still had plenty of fond ones of the others though. My time in La Push was pretty hidden. However, no matter how much I tried to forget, I couldn't forget how I had been hurt.
I still respected the Cullen's and my own family, keeping in touch with all of them. We had even visited each other at times. I no longer understood the reason for the "vegetarian" life style. Hey, it worked for me for a while. I guess that they could just tolerate it more, or something.
Luke was supposed to be apart of my team. However, there only was one other recruit so far –Connor, his powers match his hothead (very nice for cleanups though). This meant that we had time to just goof off. Staring contests were a good way to do that.
We sat down, currently having decided on playing Monopoly. Connor lounged on a couch behind us. He snickered silently. Jane walked in, sullen as ever.
"Do you want to play?" I asked. She looked at me, then at the board, and then back at me. In response, she sniffed her nose and kept walking. I really missed Gabe sometimes.
"I second that motion," Connor called in his Irish accent. Luke playfully shot a small lightening bolt at him. It obviously didn't hurt him, but he lightly growled at Luke.
"Jera, watch your boyfriend," he snarled at me. I rolled my eyes at his pissy attitude.
Jane strolled back into the room. She gruffly handed me and envelope and left. I checked the address. It was from the Cullen's. I smiled to myself.
"Ugh," Connor scoffed. "How come I don't get any mail?"
"Because nobody loves you," Luke snickered.
I briskly opened the letter. It surprised me not to find a letter, but an invitation. An invitation to Bella and Edward's wedding to be specific. I squealed happily at the news. A few seconds later I had Alice on the phone, letting her know that I would be attending the ceremony.
"At last," I told her. "So I'm betting you're having a lot of fun with planning this?" I asked as I admired her elegant invitation.
She sighed. "I am! So is Rose. I just wish that you were here to help plan this all too."
"Me too, but I can't just leave. I haven't even told Aro about the wedding yet."
"He'll let you go," she replied without me asking.
I smiled. "Good."
"Plus one?" she asked. I turned towards Luke and held up the invitation. He rolled his eyes but nodded. What a typical guy.
"Yes."
"Okay, so I'll have the dress sent over for you to try on. I'm absolutely positive it will fit; however, I don't want to take any chances. You are going to absolutely adore these dresses. They were picked out by me, so of course they're gorgeous!"
Alice had lost me. "What dress?"
"The bride's maid dress."
"I'm a bride's maid?"
"Of course, Jer! If it weren't for you, Bella would be in a totally different situation. Come on you two have been friends for years. You are basically apart of the Cullen family. Well," Alice continued to chatter. "I'll talk to you later."
"Remember to tell them congratulations on finally getting their wedding off the ground," I snuck in before she hung up.
There was a groan from behind me. "Do I really have to go?" Luke asked, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"Yes."
"But I'll have to get dressed up."
"You look nice in at suit."
"I'll have to put contacts in so I don't scare the guests…"
"Then you'll do that."
"I'll be stuck in a room full of humans."
"There won't be that many humans," I snapped. Growing weary of him trying to wriggle out of this, I kissed him lightly. "You'll get a special treat," I told him.
He was now intrigued. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What kind of treat?"
"It's a secret," I said with a giggle.
Connor made gagging noises. "Why did I have to be put under your leadership?"
"Zip it," I commanded him. Helping that process along, I closed his mouth for him. I turned my attention back to Luke. "So you'll go?" I asked, giving him my best puppy dog eyes.
He sighed again. "Fine."
I smiled at him happily. However, inside I was feeling so envious of Bella. I had already had one botched engagement. And no matter how much Luke loved me, he was not the type to get married. Besides, it wasn't really common around here for vampires to do so. It would appear that I would never get married.