AN: For some reason my disclaimer didn't post with my prologue like I wanted it to so here it is again: I do not own the Twilight series that we are all obsessed with…except in paper back with copyrights stamped all over the place showing it is still the property of Stephenie Meyer
Chapter 1: Of Pans and Fire
If he had been human, Jasper supposed the borrowing of eating and cooking utensils for "projects" from neighbors wouldn't seem all that strange to him. But as it was, not only were he and his family multimillionaires (hence rich enough to buy their own set of whatever was needed), but they were vampires. So, why borrow a frying pan when you didn't need to eat what was coming out of it? Oh well. Living with the females he did, particularly with his wife Alice, he had long ago learned it was better to simply to indulge their strange whims with patience. In the end, their smiles were a male's treasure. And the results did usually have some unique entertainment value, anyway. So if Carlisle's office thought throwing a happy-being–a-father-in-law party was a great idea, and Rose thought that it would be better to actually make something than to buy it, and Esme suddenly found she missed cooking things for a family…well he would do what it took to give them that small piece of humanity back to them. Even if it meant flitting back and forth to Bella's house to get it all and return it down to the last frying pan of the lot. He kind of wished Edward was there to supervise, instead of out hunting with the other guys. Despite Alice's assurances he wouldn't come back to a burnt house or some poor poisoned human guinea pig, his brother was a lot better with human food than any of them were, feminine intuition aside.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Bella stood beneath the steamy heat of the shower head and simply luxuriated in the feel of water sluicing down her body. Two days. The words had been acknowledged aloud and mentally over a million times. Yet, she still couldn't deny the giddiness that accompanied them.
Two days before she could call herself a bride and a wife to the most perfect man on the planet. Two days before the life she had chosen was hers to live.
'Well,' she amended wryly 'that and a few weeks while I manage to get all this chaos I call a life organized enough to make a clean getaway.' She frowned a bit. Two days before Alice went to absolute town and into every single one of her fashion nightmares and then some. This time Alice wasn't alone either, Rosalie's warming friendship ensured a make over from both ends of the fashion world and Esme would stop at nothing to see her daughter-in-law absolute perfection incarnated for her favorite son. "Oh well." she muttered into the towel she was roughly drying her hair with. 'Beggars can't be choosers, after all.' And really, it couldn't be any worse than the prom. Edward had assured her she was the closest thing to an angel anyone could get that night.
A smile tugged at her lips even as the nervousness surged for a moment. If she were to be honest, the only devastating problem was making it the whole daunting 15 feet down the aisle without falling flat on her face over the unavoidable heels; and for that she only had to hope Charlie was inventive enough to make itlook like something graceful when—no, no if-- she did indeed meet with disaster.
Positive thinking. No worrying. She'd sworn that one to Alice and Rosalie both. As the bathroom door opened, the steam escaped like a geyser; the shock of cooler air chilling her despite the denim and long sleeves. She was barely in the doorway of her room before she looked up and realized he was coming at her…
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Two miles out from Bella's home he knew something was wrong. He wasn't in range for his abilities to pick up any wayward emotions quite yet, but some nagging instinct told him something was happening and he needed to be there. He picked up his pace from light to an all-out run. Seconds later his phone buzzed at his hip; he knew it was Alice but he didn't bother to answer. Already he could hear the sharp splintering of wood, could feel the perverse, black amusement, the barely contained bloodlust, could feel Bella. Her anger, desperation, grief and fear slammed into him almost before he could comprehend it all; enough emotion to nearly topple him to knees but for centuries of control and practice. All of it released a tithe of a second later in an anguished sob that would haunt him the rest of his days. "CHARLIE!!"
The last of the distance would vanish between him and the Swan house in seconds and as her roiling emotions suddenly faded, fury fired in him. Seared white hot through his empty veins, molten and absolute. A fierce protective impulse, a vicious hate for those who would seek, would dare to harm his family. Whoever these interlopers were they were going to pay hell for it.
There were six of them, various heights, casual, non-descript clothing, a hint of darker undertones beneath the standard chalky pallor. Spanish by the look of them. Bella was sprawled carelessly on the ground between them, unmoving as they turned at his approach. He could smell blood thick inside the house—Charlie's blood; enough almost to merit…Jasper wrenched his concentration from the dusky perfume and strove for a calm front. Bella was his first priority and worry for her spiked. He couldn't smell any open blood from her or discern any kind of wound from this distance but that didn't mean she hadn't suffered a serious injury. She was so very, very fragile; if they had used just a little too much force…With the strangers between them he could do nothing for her yet. Nor would it help for him to show his concern openly about her. The vampires he had know the majority of his life were malignant and unpredictable to say the very least. He had no reason to think any differently of these men. One wrong move could kill Bella out of sheer spite. He glared at the vampires in front of him. "Que estan haciendo aqui?" (What are you doing here?)
"Nada mucho, senor, nada mucho" the leader replied smiling politely. He was about as tall as Jasper himself, black haired with a thin, but clearly muscled frame. "Simplemente buscando para un poco de almuerzo antes de vistando a un amigo antiguo de mi jefa." (Nothing much, nothing much; simply looking for a bit of lunch before visiting an old friend of my boss's) "Interestante," Jasper lied as an inexplicable chill fluttered down his spine. "Hablen ingles?"
"But of course, Senor" came the seamless answer, "Perhaps its better to go with introductions first, though. My name is Alejandro."
"Jasper." and the uneasy feeling increased ten fold at the expressions in front of him. While Alejandro kept is face schooled to the same polite curiosity, the practice of a true leader, the sudden sharp scrutiny of his emotions betrayed him: tension, fear, speculation. The others were less subtle in mood and expression, ranging from awe to surprise to shock, loaded glances and wire tight stances. Instincts on alert, he proceeded cautiously. "It seems rather strange," Jasper began slowly, "That so many would be sent for just one."
"Indeed" Alejandro said in the same tone of polite indifference, "However my employer is ever a cautious one. She wished no gravity to be lost in a certain proposal we were to present to this individual." He paused a moment and in a steady voice of polite curiosity asked: "Tell me, by any chance would you be familiar with a woman by the name of Maria Valasquez?"
Jasper's traction shifted swiftly, subtly. "I might perhaps have been acquainted with a woman of that name at one time," he shrugged, praying it did not reveal the tension that was singing through his hyper sensitive nerves, "The name is rather common in Spanish culture is it not?"
"True enough." came the amiable response. "Another question" the leader continued after a slight pause "Would you happen to be Jasper Whitlock? Changed outside of Galveston?" subterfuge would be worse then useless at this point, apparently.
Jasper let the pretenses drop. "That's Major Whitlock to you." He snapped back, slipping further into his crouch as the suave vampire took the smallest of steps toward Bella's inert form.
The fake smile broke as Alejandro chuckled, "Ah, truth is so much more refreshing than diplomacy, don't you think so? This has certainly made our trip far faster and easier than we had thought it would be. A truth for a truth then, Maria would like to extend her warmest greetings to you Major and—requests a meeting with you about a matter of considerable importance." Jasper couldn't help himself. 'Here I am, having spent 50 or more years trying to get away from all this 'considerable importance' and the habits its instilled and these men are…' He laughed once incredulously and the sarcasm came out thick.
"Well then, gentlemen, you'll just have to take a number for her. I have a great deal of better things to do with my time at the moment, beginning with my friend at your feet. Better yet, she can contact one of the other lackeys she no doubt has to do her dirty work for her. It would put her gambling skills to more successful use," Jasper listened to himself and for a brief moment smirked inwardly. He had been spending way too much time with Emmet lately…But the mood shift around him brought instant sobriety. It had turned black and ugly with simmering anger, barely held back. Clearly Marie had dedicated followers now.
Alejandro glared at him, jaw tightening as he annunciated each word as clearly as a knife slowly pushing inward on a wound. "Perhaps I did not make myself clear. You will be going with us. You will serve our purposes and you will do so without wasting our time. I was given express orders to bring you back with as little coercion as possible. That does not mean totally unscathed; to you nor to any of your surrounding nearest and dearest."
In the next second he had Bella in his arms, a hand cupped loosely around her throat; yet they both knew he could crush her windpipe easier than drawing a breath. Jasper tensed and growled a soft warning. "You say she is a friend, yes? But I'm thinking there's a bit more. She reeks of us and has such a pretty ring on that left hand. There is talk in this small town of a wedding, yes? To a man named Edward; an associate of yours no doubt. Or with all your pacifist associations with humans are you dreaming of playing house with a human pet?" The whole group laughed at that, a harsh sound that grated on already frayed nerves, relaxed and happy now that they were clearly in control once more.
Voice tight, Jasper responded quietly trying to keep anyone from doing anything rash. "If I go with you, you will release her. Unharmed." he emphasized.
Alejandro sneered, "Neither the conditions nor the proposal are yours to create. We will do with her what we see fit." He made a gesture and one of the men detached himself from the group, walking a few feet away to the right before moving forward. Jasper took the risk and turned his body to follow the man with his eyes to the curb and to one of the sleek black cars that waited there. The man held the door open mockingly and Jasper reluctantly followed climbing half-way in, keeping his sight halfway on his sister-in-law for as long as he could. Few other choices were available without making things precariously worse for Bella. There was a few moments of discussion and the captive waited as patiently as he was able, his mind racing through the possibilities and alternatives. He still had his cell-phone, at least.
"Oye, what do we do with the girl?" someone out of his line of sight called.
"Keep her up front with us, maybe." came the answer from in front of him. "A little snack for the road." There was another burst of ruckus laughter that set his teeth on edge. As the lackey passed the open car door, Bella limp in his arms, Jasper caught his glance and held it.
"Give her to me." he demanded flatly.
The fiend barked a laugh, "Or what?" Jasper bared his teeth in a snarl.
"Give her to me!"
"Relax", Alejandro drawled. "If he wants his coven's little pet, let him have her—for now. It'll keep him quiet." Jasper cradled Bella carefully and briskly searched for injuries with his fingertips. He winced as a shared pulse of pain swept through and was gone. Apart from a few handling bruises, Bella had a bump the size of a goose egg in the back of her head. Nothing too serious as far as he could tell; but he was no doctor. 'She'll probably be out for a while.' thought he grimacing. As doors shut and engines turned, the greater part of his being was filled with a curious mix of grave trepidation and profound relief. He thanked whatever gods there were he had fed the day before; he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wouldn't be feeding properly for a long time yet to come…
AN: Well there it is: my second step into a hopefully long odyssey of chapter fan fictions. Once again my salute goes out to my positively wonderful Beta Reader and to those of you who have read my one shots (My Misstress' Eyes, Second to a Haircut) and were thoughtful enough to leave reviews. I cannot TELL you how motivating those are and be on the look out for companion pieces to those (aka: OcherMe—sorry more work for you) IF YOU LIKE IT REVIEW IF NOT ESCHEW IT!