Troubled:
*
I focused intently on the scent I was following. It smelled like mountain lion, maybe a large one. I wasn't quite sure – I hadn't yet familiarized myself with each animal's individual scent. I was still very new to this life of a 'vegetarian vampire', as my husband and family like to call it. I was running full speed, totally unaware of everything going on around me. I didn't hear Emmett's roars of laughter as he and Jasper tackled each other time and time again. I didn't smell the animals Esme and Rosalie were hunting. The blood from the large elk Edward was feeding on didn't make the burn in the back of my throat flare up, unbearably painful. I didn't notice the amused face of Carlisle, seeing me hunt for the first time. I paid no attention to Alice as I passed by her at full speed. I was totally and completely absorbed in my hunt, so I didn't notice when she started seeing the future.
I was nearing in on it – the scent was growing stronger. I could feel the control slipping from my body, being replaced by my vampire instincts. I could see the cat now, draped up on a high branch of a sycamore tree, seemingly deep in sleep. It faced the opposite direction. In a way, it smelled old, even musty. I didn't pay attention to that. I was too hungry. I bunched up my muscles, coiling back, and ready to lunge. I could already taste the warmth of the salty blood on my tongue…
"Wait," Alice cried frantically. "No, Bella, don't jump! It's a trap!" I heeded her warning and tried to stop my body, but it was too late. I was already airborne, flying towards the graceful looking cat. I landed on the thick branch, which didn't quiver at all. Even if the mountain lion had been alive, it wouldn't've wakened. But, seeing as it was dead and just placed up there as a prop for a trap, I didn't have to worry about that.
As soon as I landed, I heard a sharp snapping sound. The branch I had been standing on, which was actually mostly sawed through – as to weaken it, ripped from the trunk of the tree. It fell freely through the air, I along with it. I tried to jump, but I was too disoriented, and lost the chance. I figured the branch would thunk to the ground, on the soft grass, and I would step off, unharmed. But that's not how it worked out.
The branch hit the ground, which promptly gave way with a moaning noise. The branch and I sailed down,
Down,
Down…
…until finally, after a few twirls, it crashed into the bottom of the stone-lined pit. The light streaming from the opening of the hole ceased slowly with a grating noise, like rock against rock. Within just a few seconds, I was surrounded by black. I shivered. Not from coldness, for nearly nothing felt cold to my granite like skin, but from fear, this was still as potent to me as to any human.
A feral snarl broke the uneasy silence. About four more followed. Five sets of glowing, blood-red eyes popped out of the darkness. I shuddered again. My eyes were adjusting to the darkly lit area. I could make out five, pearly white and shimmering figures coming towards me, arms outstretched like a zombie's. I could smell the dried blood crusted around their mouths. It burned my throat. And suddenly, at the shake of the leader's head, all five ferocious vampires grabbed at me. I screamed.
*
Above, my family was having their problems. They'd all gathered around where I'd fallen and they were facing dangers, too. From the trees stepped a beautiful, woman vampire. Lots of new-borns crowded around her, almost protectively. From his defensive place in the Cullens' lineup, Jasper drew in a shocked breath. He let it out slowly. It whistled highly as it passed through his tightly clenched teeth, through the almost non - existent gap between his top, two, center teeth.
"What is it?" Alice asked in a tiny, quavering voice. She dared not to look at the woman's stunning face while Esme, Rosalie and Emmett all stared in disbelief. Edward was still looking at the place where I'd fallen. He wanted to call out, down the opening of the hole, but he thought it best if he didn't. Carlisle studied the vampire's face carefully.
Jasper didn't answer Alice's question, and she didn't repeat it. Instead, he sucked in another tight breath and held it. He was, stony, cold and inhumanly still, like a person carved from porcelain.
"Jasper," Carlisle asked cautiously, "is this your Maria?" All eyes immediately fixed on Jasper's tense face. Jasper managed to nod 'yes' brokenly. Everyone remembered Jasper's horrifying story of his past. Maria was the one who changed him, the one who put him in control of her newborn army so many years ago, the one who rewarded him with human blood when he did what she said. No wonder Jasper looked so terrified.
"Jasper," Maria purred in a scarily enticing voice, "My dear, it's been too long." She stepped forward fluidly, opening her arms to embrace Jasper in a hug. Jasper's eyes bugged out and he shied away from her by instinct. Jasper…afraid? How different!
"I can see you've changed your ways," noted Maria disgustedly, "Your eyes no longer shine the red of the tough vampire you used to be. Now they glow dull and boring amber, topaz, gold. Where did my best vampire go? And who are you that have replaced him? Jasper, come back with me and I can show you true happiness once again." By the end of her little speech, Jasper wasn't moving or breathing or anything. He looked like he was about to run away.
"What are you doing here, Maria? You're not welcome in these areas." When he finally spoke, he was filled with tension. He spoke to her unwillingly, not meeting her eyes.
"Go cover up that hole," Maria instructed the newborns. Eagerly, they all dashed to be the first to follow their master's commands. Maria turned back to Jasper and said, "I've decided it's time for you to come back with me. You've been gone long enough." She looked at the rest of the Cullen family and sneered at them. Emmett and Rosalie growled lowly, everyone's eyes glinted dangerously.
"No," Carlisle firmly insisted, "my son is not the Jasper you knew. No, he has changed his ways. He is no longer a danger to human society. He leads and almost normal life. But if he does wish to leave, he is welcome to. We will not let you take him without a fight, though."
"Your death," Maria muttered quietly. "You stand no chance against my army." She used her slender arm to gesture towards the ten newborns. "You do not know how to fight them off. I'm sure Bella will be encountering another section of my army down there." She pointed towards the pit. Edward growled. Emmett held him back, though he too was close to lunging at Maria.
"Your choice, Jasper," Maria cooed, her voice dangerous and velvety. "Come with me and be rewarded, or stay with them and suffer. If you stay, they suffer a fait worse than death." Jasper looked around at the faces of his family, all filled with worry. He read each person's emotions. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke.
"I most go," he said to his family.
"No," trilled Alice, bursting into sobs (without the tears, of course).
"To save you," Jasper reassured. "I'll be back, I promise." He then turned back to Maria. "Let's go," he said dryly. The Cullens watched as Jasper disappeared into the thick forest.
"He'll keep his promise," Edward whispered. "He already has a plan."
"Oh," choked out Alice, "yes, he does. And it will work. I'm sure of it!"
"I hope so," Esme murmured tearfully. "Oh, how I'll miss him."
"Well," Emmett declared, "guess I've got no one to tackle now." He made a face and pulled Rosalie tight into his arms.
"We need to help Bella," Carlisle pointed out, giving Alice a reassuring pat on her shoulder.
*
I'd heard none of their conversation; I was too busy fending off newborns. I'd already killed off two of the five, but I had a good bunch of bites. Light shined in again as the covering to the top of the hole was slowly removed.
"Bella, I'm coming down," Edward called from up top.
"God, I thought I'd never hear your voice again," I yelled back, relief flooding my body. A moment later, Edward appeared at my side. He casually ripped the head off the head of the newborn that was biting my neck. There were two left. They both jumped out of the hole and made a run for it. Emmett and Rosalie took care of them, leaving Edward and me free to escape.
When we emerged from the pit, I could sense that something was wrong.
"Jasper helping Emmett and Rosalie?" I asked, noticing his lack of appearance.
"Actually," Edward started hesitantly, "Jasper's not here."
"Why?" I gasped in horror.
"We'll explain everything later," Carlisle swore. "We should leave her now, though." Esme locked her arm around my shoulder and lead me towards Emmett's giant Jeep. When everyone had packed inside, we left slowly and the story was told.
"Will he come back?" I inquired, not too hopeful.
"I don't know," a doubtful Carlisle replied.
"He will," Alice exclaimed forcefully.
"I hope," Esme sighed from the front seat. And only three days later would we find out the fate of Jasper.