"The man in front was easily the most beautiful, his skin olive-toned beneath the typical pallor, his hair a glossy black. He was of a medium build, hard-muscled, of course, but nothing next to Emmett's brawn. He smiled an easy smile, exposing a flash of gleaming white teeth. The woman was wilder, her eyes shifting restlessly between the men facing her, and the loose grouping around me, her chaotic hair quivering in the slight breeze. Her posture was distinctly feline. The second male hovered unobtrusively behind them, slighter than the leader, his light brown hair and regular features both nondescript. His eyes, though completely still, somehow seemed the most vigilant. Their eyes were different, too. Not the gold or black I had come to expect, but a deep burgundy color that was disturbing and sinister."

But it was the fourth vampire that proved to be the most intriguing. When Bella laid eyes upon her, she could see that she was wrong in her earlier assessment of the olive-skinned man being the most beautiful of the group. There was no doubt that this woman put them all to shame and even rivaled Rosalie. She was maybe five three or five four with a lithe figure and gentle curves. Her skin was a cool rich brown, her lips a full and even cupid's bow. Her perfect face was framed by tight brown-black curls that just reached the tops of her shoulders. The front of her hair was two intricate braids woven tightly against her scalp that went back into her curls, though just before they disappeared, they were decorated by two golden jewels bands. Her eyes though were a beautiful shade of golden honey, a striking contrast to her red eyed companions. Surprise and confusion registered on her face as she took in the Cullens.

Bella was curious about the fourth woman and how she came to join with human drinkers, but it was Jasper who caught her attention. A low rumble echoed from his chest as he gazed at the woman. The woman stared back at him, a look of utter shock on her face before she took a hesitant step backwards. What was going on? The others noticed as well and exchanged surprised and worried glances.

"Jasper," Alice hissed, but Jasper paid her no mind, his focus was on the other woman who shifted and finally looked away from his intense gaze. She had distanced herself somewhat from the others, though not too far.

"We thought we heard a game," The first man, the beautiful olive-skinned man said pleasantly, the slightest hint of a French accent in his voice. "I am Laurent," he said, before motioning to the orange haired woman and the plain looking man. "This is Victoria and James." He motioned to the last woman. "And this is Millie." The woman gave a slight nod of her head, her eyes still wary. "No doubt you must share the same feeding habits as our companion here." Laurent mused, and Carlisle cast a glance at the woman before nodding.

"I'm Carlisle. This is my family, Emmett and Jasper, Rosalie, Alice, and Esme, and Edward and Bella," The head of the Cullen family said, his tone light and friendly.

"Do you have room for a few more players?" Laurent asked.

"Actually, we just finished up, but we'd certainly be interested another time. I must say your grouping is unusual." But again, there wasn't the slightest hint of hostility in Carlisle's voice. Bella fervently prayed that they didn't notice her. It set at her ease that Millie was by all appearances, a vegetarian, but she was still ill at ease by the human blood drinkers.

"It is, I was just keeping company with them until I returned to my own coven," The woman named Millie spoke, her voice soft, yet beautiful and clear. Bella thought she heard a southern accent, but it was rich and sweet. She noticed that Jasper had raised his eyebrows and there was a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips at her words.

"Are you planning to stay in the area long?" Carlisle asked.

Laurent shook his head. "No, we were headed south when we heard the noise and was thus curious to see who was in the neighborhood."

"Perhaps we should be on our way, Laurent," Millie said softly, when a low growl threatening growl erupted from Jasper. She shot him a full-fledged glare which he met stoically. Alice tugged at his arm which he brushed off with frightening ease. Bella wanted to know what was going on? What was Jasper's fascination with this woman? Especially when he had Alice?

"What's your hunting range?"

"The Olympic Range here, up and down the Coast Ranges on occasion. We keep a permanent residence nearby. There is another permanent residence in Denali, with a family that follows our lifestyle as well."

"Permanent? Is this what you were speaking of Millie?" Laurent turned to the woman who nodded cautiously.

He turned back to Carlisle, "How do you do this?"

"Why don't you come to our home? We can discuss it more there, as it is a pretty long story," he suggested, and Bella perked up at this. Perhaps everything would turn out all right. They hadn't really noticed her. But still, there was now the thing with Jasper and Millie.

"That sounds very welcome," Laurent said, turning to his companions who exchanged surprised looks but remained silent.

"I'll have to ask you not to hunt in the immediate area as to not draw suspicion," Carlisle warned, and Laurent nodded amicably.

"No need to worry, we just ate outside of Seattle," he said, and Bella felt a chill at his words. She wondered how many humans it took to fill up a vampire, let alone three of them.

"Good, how about Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice and I will run with you there?" Carlisle asked, when the wind picked up and blew Bella's hair causing the four new vampires to turn to her. The second male, James, whipped towards her his nostrils flaring and his gaze intense. Edward stiffened and let out a low hiss in response before sinking into a crouch. James slipped into a crouch as well, baring his deadly white teeth. Bella bit back a scream of horror and worry for Edward.

"What's this? A snack?" Laurent asked in surprise as Edward let out a snarl at James who hissed back. Victoria sprung to his side, hissing in defensive warning.

"She's with us," Carlisle said, his voice firm and his eyes hard.

"She's a human!" Laurent exclaimed in disbelief.

"She's with us," Carlisle repeated, his voice harsher this time. James feinted right, but Edward easily matched his position never taking his eyes off of him. Victoria warily watched the group, her gaze moving from face to face, her eyes searching the field and the surrounding forest while Millie, clearly surprised that a human was present, showed not the faintest hint of desire for Bella's blood, which Bella found to be a good thing at least.

"I see, it seems we have much to learn from one another," Laurent said, his tone placating and apologetic.

"Indeed," Carlisle retorted, coldly.

"We won't hunt in your range, and of course we won't harm the human girl. I would like to accept your invitation though," Laurent continued, ignoring the look of disbelief from James, who straightened somewhat from his crouch. Edward didn't rise from his crouch at all which Bella took comfort in. She caught James gaze and quickly looked away, not wanting to cause further trouble.

"Of course, we will show you the way, Jasper, Esme, Rosalie?" Carlisle turned slightly in their direction. They converged together in a group while Emmett and Alice moved in front of Bella. Edward said nothing before lifting Bella onto his back and taking off into the woods. They made it to Emmett's red jeep, where Edward flung Bella into the backseat.

"Strap her in," he ordered, and Emmett quickly fastened the harness before sliding into the seat next to her. Alice hopped in the front with Edward, her face troubled.

"This certainly was not the time, but there is not much to do about it now is there?" Edward growled as he stepped on the gas pedal and the jeep roared off.

"Where are we going?" Bella demanded, but Edward ignored her causing her fury to rise. How could he ignore her when James was hunting her? It wasn't about him!

"Damn it, answer me! Where are you taking me?" Bella shouted as the speedometer began to climb past eighty-five. She began to tear at the harness that held her in place. Edward was going to listen to her whether he liked it or not.

"Emmett," Edward said grimly, and Emmett grabbed Bella's hands. His hands were like iron bars, immovable and unbreakable.

"No! Edward!" Bella shouted, trying to struggle and failing miserably. Emmett's hand didn't even budge against her failed attempts to break free of them.

"We have to get you far away from here, right now," Edward said furiously as the speedometer reached over a hundred.

"No, I am not leaving Charlie! He'll call the FBI and they will go after all of you!" Bella shouted, desperate for him to understand. Why couldn't he just listen? She knew how Charlie would react and she didn't want any of the Cullens to face repercussions on her behalf.

"We've been there before," Edward said coldly, and Bella found herself stunned into silence.

"Pull over Edward," Alice said quietly, and he shot her a hard look before speeding up. Emmett sat in grim silence, his eyes focused on his adopted siblings.

"Edward," Alice said, a warning note in her voice this time and Bella prayed that if he didn't listen to her, he would at least listen to Alice.

"He's a tracker, damn him! Don't you understand? I read his mind, he begins the hunt tonight. She is his obsession now!" Edward roared as the speedometer hit one twenty. Emmett stiffened at his words and Alice look even more disturbed, but this didn't deter her.

"He won't know where she is-" She began when Edward cut her off. "How long before he catches her scent and tracks her to her house?" Bella felt her stomach almost do an entire flip at his words. Charlie!

"Do you want to hear my plan?" Bella asked.

"No!" Edward said, not taking his eyes from the road as he kept his foot all the way down on the pedal. Alice glared at him on her behalf irritated with his behavior.

"I. Am. Not. Leaving. Charlie." Bella spoke slowly though her anger was more than present in her words.

"He doesn't matter!"

"Yes he does, he could get killed because of us Edward!"

"We have to take her back." It seemed at least Emmett was agreeing with her.

"We should have taken Jasper with us, he would been of great help here," Alice said thoughtfully, though her expression darkened as she mentioned the empathic vampire.

"No." Edward wouldn't budge.

"He's no match for us, Edward. He won't be able to touch Bella with us defending her."

"He'll wait."

"I can wait too." Emmett's smile was terrifying, and Bella was glad that she wasn't James. The odds were on her side for once, she tried to assure herself.

"If it comes down to a fight, we may have to kill him," Edward said, and Emmet nodded. "It's probably our best option."

"There is another option," Alice said quietly.

Edward whirled around snarling: "There. Is. No. Other. Option!"

Bella had had enough of this. "Listen to me! Here is what I can do…."

It had worked and now Edward was driving Bella's truck back to the Cullen's house. Bella was hurting after her cruel and callous conversation with Charlie, but she knew it was for the best. They pulled into the driveway that led to the house but instead of going there Edward made a left that led to a detached garage. Bella hopped out of her car, landing gracelessly on her feet. Edward rushed to her side and they made their way into the garage. It was dark outside, but there were lights attached to the garage that gave Bella somewhat of a view. It was quite a large garage with four solid white wooden doors with lights above each one of them. Inside she could see Carlisle's Mercedes, Emmett's Jeep, Rosalie's BMW, and Edward's Volvo. An argument was happening between Alice, Jasper, and the second woman from the nomadic group, Millie. Laurent was there as was Carlisle and Esme.

"What's going on?" Bella asked, causing everyone's heads to snap towards her. She felt very small in that moment but held her ground.

Carlisle was the one who responded to her inquiry. "It seems that Jasper found his mate," Bella's eyes grew wide at those damning words, and she looked at Alice, who looked positively furious at this pronouncement. "How? I thought Jasper and Alice were mates?"

Jasper let out a dark chuckle, his eyes blazing brightly. "Vampires can form bonds, whether that be friendship, brotherhood, or that of a parent and child. We can also form temporary bonds as partners in well, sexual relationships, but this is not the same as being mates. A vampire has only one mate, and this does not change. Alice and I were the former, not the latter," Here he glanced at Millie who merely sighed and looked away from him.

"Shouldn't you focus on the matter of James? He wants your human," Millie retorted, and Edward let out snarl at her words. Jasper's head snapped up towards him, assessing Edward in a way Bella found terrifying. She had never paid much attention to Jasper, but now she could tell that there was something dangerous about him and it wasn't just him being a vampire.

"What can you tell us about him?" Carlisle asked, redirecting the conversation. Millie and Laurent looked at one another.

"Well, I haven't known them that long," Millie began, "But I know James is a tracker, a very good one from the little I have seen. And that woman, Victoria, she enjoys the hunt with him, though not necessarily in the same capacity," Here Laurent took over. "I have never seen anything like him in three centuries. He has unparalleled skills and is absolutely lethal." Here Jasper snorted and shook his head in disgust.

"I've had to fight our kind before, they aren't easy to kill, but it's not impossible. Even a man like James has weaknesses," he retorted drawing everyone's attention. "We will have to rip him apart and burn the pieces."

Carlisle grimaced and turned away. "I don't relish the thought of killing another creature, even a sadistic one like James," He said, before motioning for everyone to follow him. They entered a large clean, and neat garage, lined with several cars. Rosalie's BMW, Edward's Volvo, and Carlisle's Mercedes were present.

"Are you sure it's' worth it?" Laurent asked, and Edward roared with such a fury that Laurent shrunk back, holding his hands up placatingly.

"You have a choice to make," Jasper said flatly, his eyes boring into Laurent's with deadly intent as he crossed his arms across his chest. Laurent looked around frantically at the hostile faces before looking imploringly at Millie who merely shook her head.

"You already know by my eyes that I share the same diet as them. And while I may tolerate feeding from humans, I do not tolerate sadistic games of cat and mouse with innocent people," she said firmly, before turning on her heel and walking out of the garage. Jasper's eyes trailed after her before flickering back to Laurent.

"I am curious and fascinated by the life you live here and have been ever since I met Millie. But I want no part in this battle, I bear your coven no ill will, but I will not fight against James." Here he paused and looked down. "I think I will head north and visit the coven you spoke of in Denali."

"Then go in peace," Carlisle said amicably, and Laurent took one last look before hurrying out the door. Bella hoped he meant what he said and wouldn't fight against the Cullens or help James or Victoria.

Bella could tell that Jasper was impatient and ready to spring from the place. "What's the plan?"

"Alice is going to run Bella down South to Phoenix, and we'll head him off. Afterwards, we begin the hunt," Edward said darkly. Jasper shook his head, his expression stern. "Have you ever tracked someone before Edward?"

"I've tracked and hunted humans, and I also have my ability to read minds," Edward retorted. Jasper stared at him in disbelief and irritation, his eyes flashing.

"You really think that hunting and killing humans is the same as tracking a vampire? And a skilled one at that?"

"Perhaps I can help with that." Millie walked in, but stopped just by the door of the garage.

"Help? What could you possibly do?" Rosalie sneered at her. Bella took some comfort in the fact that Rosalie seemed to act that way towards others as well.

"Some vampires have special abilities," Millie said simply. "I have the power of imperceptibility,"

"What can you do with it?" Jasper asked, his tone somewhat lighter as he spoke to her.

"I can make myself or other imperceptible in regard to scent, and other mental vampire abilities. For instance, you may see and touch me, but if I wanted, I could make it, so you could never know I was here, and you wouldn't be able to track me." Emmett whistled, and Alice scowled and looked away.

"Remarkable," Carlisle said, his eyes alight with interest and curiosity.

"We don't know you, how can we be sure we can trust you?" Edward asked abruptly, and Bella had to admit it was a good question and considering the circumstances he wasn't overreacting.

"You don't. You can take it or leave it," Millie said shortly, before turning to leave. "I'll be outside while you make your decision." With that she glided off, Jasper's eyes once again trailing after her.

"Jasper, how can you think that woman is your mate!" Alice cried, rushing over to him. Jasper looked down at her, his gaze softening somewhat. "You knew this day would come," he said, before striding out the door, no doubt in the direction Millie went. Alice's face crumpled, and Esme came and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"If she can help, I think we should take it," Bella said, determined to do whatever it took to evade James and his deadly game. Edward glared at her but said nothing before turning to Carlisle.

"Jasper is right, you don't know how to track and if Millie can help us then we should accept." Carlisle said after a moment. "She follows our diet, so there is no need to fear her wanting Bella's blood. Have you detected any malicious thoughts from her?" Edward was silent. "Edward?" The bronze haired vampire shook his head. "I heard her thoughts earlier and detected nothing malicious, but just now I realized I didn't hear anything from her."

"Her talent," Bella murmured, though she knew they would be able to hear her with their vampire hearing. "I need a human minute." She was pointed in the direction of the bathroom, which was up a set of stairs. On her way back, she stuck her head out of one of the windows, inhaling the crisp cool air without a care in the world. Or at least that was what she was trying for. She heard voices and looked down to see Jasper and Millie standing about 20 feet from one another. Jasper was rigid, his arms folded across his chest, his face hard as Millie paced back and forth away from him, clearly infuriated.

"Try as you like darlin, I know you feel the pull as well," Jasper said grimly, before Millie stopped and turned towards him. "Yes, yes I do," she hissed. "I know who you are, I'm a southern woman. Major Jasper Whitlock, the God of War, the Major of the Southern Armies." She took a deep breath and flitted away from him somewhat. Bella was intrigued. The God of War? Major Jasper Whitlock?

"What am I, Jasper? What am I?" Millie asked, placing her hands on her hips as she came to a stop, her eyes narrowed.

"My mate," Jasper growled as he began to stalk forward. Millie remained still as he came up to her, a few millimeters from her. "Hmm…. you know that is not what I meant now is it? You were a major in the civil war. What side was it again?" Her voice began to rise, and Jasper eyes flickered with understanding.

"You think that I look down upon you because of your race," he said matter of fact, his face stone like and impassive. "You think I am still a man of that era," Millie glared at him, before wrapping her arms around herself and looking away. "I don't know you, and mates or not, I'll not let a lifetime of good sense and the reality of my identity ignore your background," Millie said, her voice softer but there was steel to it.

"I have walked the earth for almost two centuries," Jasper began, and Millie blinked at him. "I have known death, war, suffering, turmoil, and pain beyond imagination. I may have found a peaceful existence with the Cullens, but I will not let my one chance at happiness walk away." Here his tone became sharper. "If the pull will not suffice, then I will gladly show you who I am darlin." His eyes glistened with desire and power. "You will know who Jasper Whitlock is and you will find there will be no conflict for you and there is nothing to worry about."

Silence stretched, and Millie looked at him before slowly nodding. "We shall see Jasper, all I know is that the man that I am apparently mated with, in entirety, had better be a man of the present with full understanding of what his mistakes were, and what the actual reality of the past was and how it affects the present, and what will be his atonement and...what has he been doing all these years?" Millie's voice was grim and her face hardened. Jasper didn't move, but his eyes were soft, and he had nodded his head in assent to her questions and reasoning.

"Now about this human of yours, who apparently doesn't know it's rude to eavesdrop, we will start from there and see how this will go."

AN: So yes, I mixed the book with the movie here a bit, taking some of Stephanie's chapter and mixing it with my own to form Bella's point of view which is the set up of this story. I am inspired by the fandom's version of Jasper, with his alter ego the Major (major mode refers here to Jasper and his time in the Southern Armies, not Confederate Jasper for obvious reasons) and his inner demon the God of War, and the fandom interpretation of Peter and Charlotte (well I guess the predominate one from the stories I have seen that are connected with Jasper and the Major. I am also making some changes of my own. Number one, I am going to address Jasper's past as a confederate soldier (which is detestable end of story) because I think it's sloppy writing to bring it up and then not address it, leaving readers wondering well did he come to realize what he did was dead wrong? He is one of my favorite characters, but I don't like his him fighting in the confederate army (also doesn't help that I am a black woman myself), so I am going to address this in a realistic way I hope. Also I think Carlisle and Esme's ages are quite ridiculous, and therefore instead of 23 and 26, they will be 33 and 36. And I upped Jasper's age from 19 to 21 and Millie well, we'll get to her background and story eventually! The beginning of this story takes place in March of 2016. I hope y'all enjoyed the first chapter!