There was a nomad passing through the area.
Jasper had sensed the strange vampire first as his senses had developed past the norm during the years spent in the Southern wars as a defense mechanism. He had immediately tracked the scent until it mixed with salty air of the ocean nearby, and he couldn't smell it anymore.
Edward, his brother, had heard it in his thoughts and tipped off Carlisle. Jasper sighed, he wanted to deal with this on his own. Carlisle was a great paternal figure, and a great man to lead their family, but in Jasper's eyes he was an unfit coven leader; too kind; too merciful. He wasn't strong enough to deal with the nomad, especially if they were feral.
"Carlisle's better than you think."
Stay out of my head, Cullen.
Edward laughed and rolled his eyes. "You know I would if I could. And besides, I think you forget you're a Cullen too."
Jasper had been with the family for a month or two at most, and had yet to see Carlisle act as anything but a father. Carlisle was not a coven leader. "I don't," He replied. "I'm just not used to such an unhostile environment."
"I know," His brother said before walking away.
He followed him to the living room, seating himself next to Alice as Edward went to the piano. Esme went to sit next to her favourite son. Carlisle smiled. Jasper narrowed his eyes. That smile was such a caring gesture. It wasn't one often used by a coven leader. "You compare him to Maria too much." Edward's voice drifted across the room above the music.
"Be quiet," Jasper growled. I can't help it. He added in his head. Edward shrugged.
An unwelcomely familiar scent wafted through Jasper's nose just before the doorbell rang. Carlisle got up to get it. Jasper followed. "Hello," The nomad said formally once the door was opened. He had dark black eyes with bruises under them, yet his irises still had a red tint. His black hair was unwashed, and he was shirtless and barefoot. His smart trousers had tears in them, and were frayed at the bottom. "My name is Tom. I was passing through the area when I saw your leader." He nodded towards Jasper. "I haven't met any others for a while... I was wondering why your eyes are gold, as well."
The nomad, Tom, stepped forward. Jasper growled. "Jasper," Carlisle warned. Tom watched in surprise as the scarred, fierce-looking vampire quieted immediately. Surely he was the leader? "Won't you come inside?"
"Thank you, very much sir," Tom replied, but he still glanced at Jasper before stepping inside. Jasper jerked his head in the direction of his father. Tom frowned. "I'm sorry, but may I ask one question?"
"Of course," Carlisle said. The nomad frowned again, his forehead creasing. Was it possible this man was the leader?
"Aren't you the leader?" Tom asked Jasper. The blonde vampire smirked.
Carlisle glanced at his son before turning back to the nomad. "We don't have a leader here. We're all equals."
Jasper jumped in surprise. He expected Carlisle to introduce himself as one almighty, omnipotent coven leader. He never expected him to introduce his entire family as equals. That was something he was sure had never been done in the vampire world before.
Tom looked around the room at the rest of family. Jasper smiled as he saw them too, as they had cleverly rearranged themselves so to Tom it would just look like a family sitting in their front room, but to Jasper it was defense. If Tom attacked, he would meet Emmett and Edward first, and most likely his death, before he could ever get to the women.
But Tom had looked at the family for a different reason. He looked back at Carlisle in surprise. "Even the women?"
Carlisle nodded, a smile playing across his face. "Yes, the women too. Esme."
Esme walked forward, smiling at Tom as Carlisle grasped her hand. "Allow me to introduce everyone," Carlisle offered. "This is my wife, Esme. You've already met my son, Jasper. These are my other two sons Emmett and Edward, and those are my two daughters Rosalie and Alice."
"Pleasure to meet you," Tom muttered, looking around in wonder. "I have one more question. Do your strange eyes have something to do with your strange lifestyle?"
"In a way, yes," Carlisle smiled fully this time. "Why don't you come with me to my office. We can talk more comfortably in there."
Tom nodded, and followed Carlisle up the stairs. Jasper looked after him in wonder. Carlisle had stayed calm and polite, and because of this the nomad felt no need to go on the defensive. He was sure that if this very same vampire had met Maria, he would have been very defensive indeed. Carlisle was a father, and that's what made him the best coven leader Jasper had ever seen.
"Told you," Edward murmured from across the room.
Jasper snarled playfully; then grinned. "Shut up."