A note from the author~

Surprise, surprise, darlings, I'm alive. Due to personal issues and lack of muse, I stopped writing for a very, very long time. However, seeing as I've suddenly regained both my inspiration and my freetime, I've returned and plan to write as often as possible. I plan to rewrite my stories; I've grown and matured as both a person and a writer since their beginnings, and would like to improve them.

This particular story will be a prequel for the reworked version of For Your Entertainment, what seems to be one of my most popular stories.

A few warnings in advance-

This story will be somewhat complicated, but I will do my best to flesh out every idea and make it clear. It is a complete AU, and I'm basically screwing around with pretty much everything. Also, do keep in mind that this a prequel, a backstory if you will. The Mikaelsons will not enter, they may at the very end. It would be far too complicated for both me and my readers if I brought them in here, but they will come in quite soon in the story that follows this. This will probably be shorter than the sequel, as it's really a background drabble. Also, keep in mind, this is not a Jasper/Bella pairing. There might be some hints at it, but overall, I think it's best for them to stay platonic.

This will also contain mature themes- Generous amounts of mature language, gore, anything that would apply to The Originals, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, and The Vampire Diaries.

If you're a fan of a canon Bella Swan or a perfect Edward Cullen, this is not the story for you. Edward will most likely end up being some sort of antagonist, and Bella will most certainly not be the same as she was in the original Twilight Series. I do enjoy playing with characters like this. Speaking of an AU Bella, for the sake of the story, I've switched it so Renee is Latina, making Bella biracial, meaning I will be altering some descriptions for her.

You can imagine anyone you'd like for Bella, I suggest Eiza Gonzalez or Emeraude Toubia- I would not recommend Kristen.

Disclaimer-

I own nothing, of course, except the base idea for the plot.

Eyes Find Eyes

-oOo-

Since time began, we have lived in the shadows of the moon and the blood of the earth.

Today we will rise, and the world will be ours, beyond dark and light, beyond fire and water,

beyond dusk and dawn.

She was running.

Thunder roared above her, only to be blocked out by the deafening sound of her own heartbeat, pounding like a war drum. Rain soaked her skin, but the cold went unnoticed. She could feel the drenched earth beneath her feet as she pushed herself faster. She could hear them behind her; there were too many, she'd never get away. That didn't stop her from trying.

The silk of her dress swept around her legs as she ran, clinging to her wet skin. Her breath came out in fearful pants. She couldn't pinpoint exactly why she was running- she just knew that she had to keep going. She couldn't let them catch her.

She could hear them yelling behind her, could see the flicker of torchlight. She made the mistake of turning her head, if only to see how much distance she'd gained on them. Only a few seconds later, she crashed into a hard chest, the force of the impact sending her tumbling to the ground. A small gasp escaped her lips as as she stared into the face of the very priest she was running from. Victory flamed in his eyes, and she found no mercy in them. She attempted to crawl back, away from him, but of course, it was in vain.

"In ye tlapoyahuac, in oc tlachipahuaz." He spoke lowly, in a tongue she didn't understand. He dragged her off the ground, gripping her forearm.

She struggled the entire way, no matter how futile she knew her attempts to be. She was much smaller than the men that had been chasing her; they were warriors, and she'd never despised her own physical weakness this much. They tugged her along further through the forest, paying no mind to her screaming and fighting. One of the soldiers held her other arm in an iron grip as they pulled her into a small clearing. In the center, a large pit had been dug.

Her struggling intensified as they began to move towards it. She clawed, tugged, cried out, but her captors seemed to take little notice. They stopped just before the edge of the hole, and she had just enough time to catch a glimpse of what awaited her. The floor of the pit writhed, the walls shifted, and a loud hissing carried through the air. It was a snake pit, filled with every type of serpent she could imagine. A terrified noise left her lips as she realized their intention; they were going to sacrifice her.

Then she was falling. A scream tore from her throat as she plummeted towards the ground. She landed on her back, atop the wriggling reptiles. She let out a cry of pain as one launched itself forward, digging it's fangs into her neck. Her hand flew to the bite, only for another to strike from her other side. Another cry left her, her body beginning to writhe as a Python began to wind its way around her. She reached up, begging for one of the men to help her, pull her out, something. Another serpent wove around her arm, and her mouth opened in a blood-curdling scream, only to be silenced as one of the snakes forced itself down her throat.

"Isa, wake up."

She jolted slightly, her eyes flying open. A frowning Jasper hovered over her.

"Another nightmare?" A reluctant nod confirmed his suspicions, and he let out a soft, nearly inaudible sigh. These dreams had been going on for months, nearly every night since he'd returned to Forks. At first, it had been dreams of their former family. Edward had haunted her sleeping mind for a solid month or so, but Bella had long ago revealed that he was no longer the subject of her nightmares. She'd hinted at other things, but had never outright told him. He didn't push, and Bella was grateful.

"Sorry," She muttered, her voice a bit hoarse. Her hand flew up as a piece of her dream replayed in her mind, what was easily the most disturbing part. She massaged her throat lightly, silently reminding herself that it was just another one of her bizarre dreams- she hadn't actually swallowed a damn snake.

"What have I told you about apologizin'?" The blonde chided gently, his southern cadence making her smile.

"Sorry, dad." She mocked him. He'd often scolded her for apologizing so much, and though it irritated her, she had stopped...for the most part.

A wicked grin formed on Jasper's lips.

"Do it again, and I might just have to spank ya'," He teased, and Bella forced herself to stifle a giggle as she forced herself out of bed.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" A sharp squeal escaped her as Jasper swiped at her, attempting to grab her and yank her back down. She dodged quickly, making her escape to the bathroom. Behind her, Jasper's laughter carried through the house, and she was grateful that Charlie wasn't home.

She did adore seeing him act this way, so different from the quiet, reserved, almost cold man she'd known during her time with the Cullen's. Things like this made her almost grateful that they'd left; she would've never gotten the chance to know Jasper as she did now, and if by some miraculous turn of events she did, she doubted things would be the same. In the end, she knew both she and Jasper were better off this way. That, of course, didn't excuse the actions of their former coven by any means. They'd given both Bella and Jasper a family, a place they thought they'd finally belong, and used it to shape them into someone unrecognizable. Then, they'd abandoned them both, leaving them to deal with a vengeful, vindictive vampire.

Victoria.

Victoria was the absolute bane of Bella's existence. Bella could never truly enjoy herself, never relax. She was constantly looking over her shoulder, always praying that the bitch never got to someone she loved. However, she knew it was inevitable. Even with Jasper protecting her, he couldn't always be there, not for everyone. Victoria would get restless, and in the end, someone she loved would die, and the blame would fall to her.

Jasper had suggested leaving. At first, Bella had replied with a resounding no, but as Victoria grew bolder, her resolve began to waver. During the last few months, she'd began contemplating it. She'd weighed the pros and cons countless times, spent many nights contemplating all the possibilities and outcomes. In the end, her conclusion remained unchanged; the only way to ensure the safety of the ones she loved was to leave.

Charlie would be fine, this she was sure of. They'd never truly been close, and as guilty as she felt for essentially abandoning him, she saw no other feasible option that would guarantee his well-being. He had been getting quite close with Sue Clearwater lately, and had already seemed to form quite a close bond with her children as well. He wouldn't be alone, and that took a countless amount of weight off her shoulders.

The pack would be safe as well. They'd no longer have to risk their lives hunting Victoria. Most of them were still essentially children, utterly inexperienced in combat. Their supernatural abilities would only protect them to a point. Victoria was clever, and as had been made apparent by their countless failed attempts at catching her, quite capable of outsmarting and outmaneuvering the Pack. There was far too great a risk of her hurting one of them, or worse. Bella would not have the blood of children on her hands.

Jasper would certainly be under less stress as well. He would no longer have to protect everyone. Bella's physical weakness, though she knew it was not something she could help, especially with the random bouts of illness, induced plenty of self-loathing. She despised being the one that always had to be protected. She hated being so useless, and she hated putting so much pressure on her best friend.

She would not miss Forks. She'd never felt at home there, nor anywhere else for that matter, and she knew Jasper felt the same. She felt trapped, and like she was losing it more and more everyday-however, the dreams and hallucinations most likely contributed to that as well.

As she studied herself in the bathroom mirror, these thoughts swirling around her mind, newfound resolve gripped her, and she finally came to a decision.

She would leave Forks, and very soon.

-oOo-

"Mexico." The word escaped her, the finality behind it bringing down the reality of what she was doing. She was leaving; leaving her father, Forks. Hell, she was leaving the country all together. She'd been planning this for awhile, but had subconsciously put off choosing a location to escape to. A more juvenile part of herself told her that if she didn't decide, she wouldn't have to abandon everything she knew. However, her logic, coupled with gentle encouragement from Jasper pushed her to make her decision. She had to leave- this was for the greater good, after all. The threat of Victoria loomed over Forks like a blackened cloud. She wouldn't allow it to continue.

"Okay." The soft reply brought Bella's attention back to Jasper, who was perched next to her on her bed. He was studying her intently, as she often caught him doing, especially lately. She appreciated him not questioning why exactly she'd chosen Mexico- having to explain it would make her feel and sound crazier than she already did. "I am gonna warn ya', babydoll'," the rumble of his southern accent made her smile, "that the South has a bit of vampire overpopulation issue. Dark shit goes down there." Her dark eyes flicked to the way his hand brushed over his forearm as he spoke, over his scars. He'd shown her those awhile ago, but had never given her an in-depth explanation as to where they came from. She knew it had something to do with his past, but she'd never pried. It was his truth to tell, so she refrained from letting her curiosity best her.

"I'll take my chances with them. I won't give Vicky the satisfaction of having me for a mid-day meal."

"Mm, you'd work better as a desert." He snapped his teeth at her playfully, drawing a small giggle from her.

"Is that why you tried to eat me at the party instead of the cake?" Bella teased, arching an eyebrow at him. Her smirk widened at the dirty look he gave her. "What, too soon?"

"It'll always be too soon, ya' fuckin' brat." Jasper huffed. The party was still a bit of a sore spot for him. He hated being reminded that he'd almost slaughtered someone he now considered to be his closest friend. Even before they'd grown close, he'd felt so unbearably guilty that he'd returned to Forks just to apologize.

That had been how all of this started. Both remembered the day he'd showed up on her doorstep. Bella recalled how beaten-down he'd looked. His shoulders sagged as if something was perpetually weighing them down, and the haunted look in his golden eyes had broken her heart. She'd allowed him inside, let him plead his case. Jasper remembered the way she'd looked at him as he'd spoke, her expression unreadable. He'd expected fear, hatred, anger. He certainly hadn't expected her to interrupt him with a "Shut up, Jasper, self-pity is Edward's thing", swiftly followed by her informing him in the plainest of terms that she didn't forgive him- there was nothing to forgive. It was vampire nature, she'd told him, and she wouldn't fault him for that.

After that, he'd stayed. Even now, he couldn't say what had compelled him to stay with her, in a place they both hated, but it was not a decision he could bring himself to regret. It had been a bit of a slow burn, their friendship. It had taken nearly a full month before they actually properly spent time together, and he had not initiated it. Bella had practically dragged him out of the woods where he'd been spending his time-he would've rather thrown himself into a pyre than return to the Cullen mansion- and sat him down, and eventually pulled him into a full conversation. They'd danced around the Cullen's, among other personal matters, opting instead to discuss more trivial things, but it had been a start.

"I'm not a brat, culo." The brunette narrowed her eyes at him, launching a pillow at him. Jasper caught it easily, a grin of his own forming. He'd noticed a lot of Bella's little mannerisms over the course of their time together, one of his favorites was hearing her slip into Spanish. Apparently, her mother had spoken it often at home, as had her grandmother, resulting in Bella's occasional use of it. His time in the Southern Wars had gifted him extensive knowledge of the language, so he understood her little insults and responded in kind. He loved it because it was a piece of her past, an insight to what she'd been like before she moved to Forks, before the Cullen's. She'd once told him that that was exactly why she adored his accent.

"I beg to fuckin' differ, niñita."

"Fuck you." He snickered as Bella glared daggers at him. She despised being called anything close to small. He'd admit that a majority of it was his fault; he was at least half a foot taller than her, and loved reminding her of it. However, his amusement ebbed as he saw her wince out of nowhere. He sat up slowly, reaching out and brushing his fingertips across her skin.

"You're getting sick again." It wasn't a question. Her skin was pale, paler than it should be, and it felt as though it were on fire. He recognized these symptoms from last time.

One of the first things Jasper had noticed when he'd returned was her scent. Edward had always said she smelled of freesias and strawberries, but to Jasper, her scent leaned more towards chocolate and, well, sex. It was alluring, of course, and intoxicating at first. However, as they spent more time together, he grew used to the sweetness, and was able to finally take note of the off undertones to it. It seemed as though there was some sort of toxin in her blood, tainting the delectable aroma that emanated from her. His concern grew, however, when he learned of the episodes of vomiting, the perpetual aches, the hallucinations, the shivering-and of course, the blackouts.

She'd claimed to have seen several doctors, all of whom had told her that there wasn't anything wrong with her, nothing they could find. Bella had repeatedly assured him that she was always fine, the symptoms never lasted very long. He believed her until he'd actually bore witness to it. He'd attempted to take care of her, but as neither of them had the faintest idea of what ailed her, he had little clue of what to do. She'd be absolutely ravenous for days on end, then suddenly not eat all. She'd go from being so hot he feared she'd burn alive, to nearly matching his own body temperature.

He could handle most of it, he'd seen a lot of disease in nearly two centuries, but it was the little blackouts that took him by surprise. He'd watched one happen; they'd been traveling down the streets of Port Angeles, as they often did, and Jasper had parted briefly to go hunt down some civil war book, leaving a cheerful Isabella waiting outside the store. He'd returned to seeing some little shit of a teenager attempting to flirt. He'd been perfectly prepared to snap the guy's neck, but hadn't the chance. Bella had moved so fast that even Jasper, with his enhanced vision, had not picked it up. She'd had the asshole against the wall of the store, her hand around his throat. The image of her nail's digging brutally into the boy's neck, hard enough to draw blood flashed through Jasper's mind. She'd spat out threats like knives, and left him sputtering as she stalked off. Jasper could've swore he'd seen her eyes flash yellow-like that of a snake's.

"I'll be fine," Bella swatted his hand away,her voice firm as she attempted to reassure him. While Jasper had grown out of his reserved, lap-dog tendencies, he still retained some of the traits he'd picked up from the Cullen's, fussing seemed to be one of them. She'd never enjoyed people worrying over her, thought it entirely pointless. She could take care of herself, and Jasper knew that. The vampire even often found himself a bit shaken when he realized he was worrying over a damn human, of all things. A human that he'd tried to kill, nonetheless-twice.

"You always say that, but you usually end up throwin' up everything and tryin' ta' rip someones throat out." He muttered under his breath. Another pillow came flying at him, and he failed to block this one.

"Fuck you."

-oOo-

She hadn't cried. When she'd sat down to tell Charlie that she'd be gone for awhile-forever, most likely-she'd managed to maintain a somewhat cheerful expression. She didn't reveal that she wouldn't be returning from her little summer trip with Jasper. Charlie trusted him-it had taken awhile, of course, seeing as he still considered the vampire to be a Cullen-, and Jasper's usage of his abilities to influence Bella's father had certainly made things easier. She was grateful, one, that she had long ago cut ties with Jacob, as well as a majority of the Pack. His reaction to her running off like this, especially with a "blood sucker", would not have been pleasant. Another positive was that it was less pain, less goodbyes, less people to miss. They would be safe from Victoria,that was all that mattered. The guilt from putting them in danger with her continued prescience in Forks lifted, and she felt as though there was one less thing weighing her down.

She hadn't cried while she was a packing. Jasper had advised her to only pack what was important, assuring her that they could get her new clothes during their trip. He could catch the faintest hints of Alice's scent lingering on the clothes in Bella's closet, and doubted she'd want to keep them. Both of them had worked through the grief the Cullens had caused, but the damage had been done, and neither of them enjoyed any reminders of the family.

He simply watched in silence as she shoved her prized possessions into a small bag, and took notice of how she opted to leave her beloved copy of Wuthering Heights behind.

"Why?" His curiosity got the better of him; he knew how much Bella loved that book.

"I'm really fucking tired of love stories." The answer he received drew a small snort from him. Not once, during her time with the family had he heard her swear. However, during these past few months, the F-Bomb seemed to become a favorite of hers. She accused him of being a bad influence, and though he wouldn't admit it, she was probably right.

She hadn't cried when she'd said her final goodbyes to her father, intentionally avoiding making any promises of return. She refused to give him false hope. She'd climbed into her beloved truck-despite him adamantly insisting that it would break down on them, he agreed to take it- and curled up in the seat. Jasper swung himself into the drivers spot. He paused for a long moment, studying his companion's nearly limp form. Her eyes were unfocused, her gaze detached. If he hadn't known any better, he'd think she was dead.

He could pick up nothing from her-no grief, no longing, nothing. It scared him for the briefest of moments, as he was used to the gloriously abnormal intensity of Bella's emotions. When she felt, she felt with the entirety of her being. Now, however...absolutely nothing. He wondered if it was the same thing that had blocked Edward's gift that was barring Jasper's, or if she had simply shut down. He prayed for the former.

As he started the engine, he felt a sudden warmth against him, and allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of his lips. Glancing down, he found Bella had intentionally tucked herself into his side, her head resting in the crevice of his shoulder.

"You know, Iz, humans are supposed to run away from me, not wanna cuddle. You're bruisin' my ego, here, doll." He teased softly, and was relieved to finally feel a small wave of mirth from her.

"Mm, maybe you've just lost your edge, culo." She replied, her tone deceptively innocent.

"Yeah, we'll see if I've lost my edge when this truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and you're suddenly the only snack for miles." An idle threat. Both of them knew he'd never hurt her, not intentionally. She had become far, far too important to him. A year ago, the thought of Bella, or any human, truly meaning something to him would've been hysterical. When she'd first came into their lives, he'd often thought of sneaking into her room and ending any possibilities of her becoming a danger to what he'd thought then to be his family. Now, he couldn't bear the thought of something happening to her.

Better yet, he trusted himself. He knew he wouldn't hurt her. The Cullen's had been so insistent that he'd snap, eat her alive, destroy her, and he'd believed them. But now, now he had confidence in himself, in his own self-control, and Bella had faith in him as well. He no longer felt as though he was weak.

So much had changed over their time together in the past months. Both of them had, and with that change came an odd adoration for the human that was currently clinging to him. He didn't see her as a pet, fond only of her human imperfections, as the Cullen's had, nor had he the slightest bit of romantic inclinations towards her. She was his best friend, someone he felt free to let his guard down with. He hadn't had a connection like this with anyone aside from Peter, and he loved it.

"I wonder if I'll taste like Mexican food," She mused.

"With how sweet you smell? Not a chance. I was thinking more of a chocolate fondue type flavor."

"Pity, I was hoping I'd be spicy." The pout that formed on her lips made him grin. She certainly had an odd sense of humor for a human-dark, and quite dirty at times. He strongly doubted he'd ever come across another mortal that would so brazenly joke about being eaten, as she often did.

"Well after I get that first taste, I'll let you know."

"Try not to drain me completely, if I taste half as good as all you lot say I smell, we can bottle my blood and sell it. We'd make a fortune."

"Not a bad idea. We could market it as 'Cocaine for Bloodsuckers'," At that, Bella seemed to choke slightly.

"Edward used to tell me that I was his own personal brand of heroine." She muttered, struggling to keep it together. Humor rolled off of her in waves, and Jasper let out an inhuman noise-something between a snort and a snarl.

"Sounds like him," he muttered. Melodramatic, cliche, and quite creepy, if one truly thought about it- exactly Edward's style.

A comfortable silence fell over them as they coasted the roads of a town neither of them would ever miss. Bella's eyes fell to the 'You Are Now Leaving Forks' sign as they passed it. She expected a wave of grief to befall her, but like before, she didn't cry.

This is all for the greater good, she reminded herself. Leaving Forks was a win-win. The people there would be safe, and both she and Jasper would no longer be trapped in the town that had brought them little more than pain.

With that in mind, she nuzzled her face against Jasper's neck, finding comfort in the warmth and familiarity of his scent. He smelled of leather and some type of spice. It was warm and inviting, and served to help soothe her to sleep. Just as she began to drift off, she caught something out of the corner of her eye. A man, standing completely motionless on the side of the road. She sat up abruptly nearly pressing her face to the window in an attempt to get a better look. As it was dark, she could make out very little-aside from his eyes. Two almost blindingly bright yellow orbs cut through the night, meeting hers. They seemed to stare into her soul.

"Did you see him?" She asked, turning her head slightly to face Jasper, who shook his head. He eyed her, looking quite confused.

"There's no one around us, darlin'. I didn't see anything." She frowned, and turned back to where she'd seen the figure. As she'd expected, he was gone. With a sigh, she settled back into her previous position, opting to say nothing more of the matter. She didn't want Jasper worrying that she was losing it...again. She forced her eyes to close, curling up as close to Jasper as she could get. She felt him send a wave of lethargy her way, and pressed a kiss to his shoulder in thanks.

Right before her eyes closed for the final time, an ethereal, masculine voice echoed through her mind.

Soon, Diosa, you'll learn to see. You're almost home.

Well, there's the first chapter! I have this entire story planned out, as well as the beginning of the sequel, so hopefully updates won't take too long. I actually have the second chapter started already. Tell me what you think, loves!