A/N: Back to Jasper, and a little show and tell. Later than I would've liked, but it couldn't be helped. It's making me uneasy that this fic is unbeta'd, and I apologise for the inevitable mistakes that I've missed during my read through. Much love to all of you that have faved/followed and reviewed so far!
Enjoy...
Jasper
ooooOoooo
Three things I learnt in the five minutes before I left the house. One; even vampires, with our super brains and longevity, can get it so very wrong. Two; I will be stopping Edward from influencing Bella Swan any more than he already has done. Pretty boy dazzler. Three; I really fucking hate loafers.
Esme was waiting for me when I made it outside, her stance and body language relaxed, though her true demeanour was obvious to me. She wanted to talk. As mate to the coven leader, Esme often took on an almost motherly role, more so for those turned at a younger age. Or, as Alice so ridiculously show cased, for those in need of guidance. Though Alice enjoys surrounding herself with people she believes she can manipulate.
Maybe that's it…Alice surrounds herself with Sugar Daddies, Mommies, and whateverthefuck she labeled me as in her mind.
I will never be discussing this with Peter.
"I thought you would appreciate some company on your hunt," Esme stated, her smile warm, though I knew she wouldn't take no for an answer.
I really wasn't in the mood for an argument anyway.
"Sure," I said, and returned her smile, motioning her to lead the way, "A short one though, if you don't mind."
I wanted to be back in time to intercept Bella and get her away from Closet Boy.
"They're not even on their way back from Seattle yet, you've got time."
How did she know it had anything to do with Bella?!
"You sure you're not related to Peter?"
She simply laughed and set off running. Having had more than enough of messing around, I didn't push for further conversation just now, and set off running after her. Regardless of the easy time frame, my hunt was expedient, and the kill swift. I found myself sitting on a large boulder waiting for Esme to come to me. I didn't have long to wait.
"You feel lighter now, I expect," she stated, jumping up to face me, legs crossed and body relaxed.
I didn't need to ask her what she meant.
"Yes," it was a curious feeling, like something had been lifted from my shoulders, I was standing straight for the first time in a long time, "It was a long time coming."
That admission made me wince. Cause seriously, Jasper Whitlock, once one of the most feared of our race…and I'd been reduced to a shopping bag carrying lap dog.
"Yes, it was."
"Why didn't you say anything?" I was shocked that she'd agreed with me.
Her and Carlisle both had seemed happy for Alice and I, encouraging even. Definitely indulging.
"Would you have listened? Besides, had I become determined to comment, then Alice would see it, and lord only knows what kind of dramatics she would've concocted in response," she paused for a moment, head cocked to the side as she considered what to say next, or maybe how to say it, "What are your plans with Bella Swan?"
Straight to it then.
"Past getting her out from under Edward's nose? I don't' know. Nothing? I'm not planning on killing her, if that's what you're asking."
She laughed, bright and happy, she was incredibly amused, "No, no, that wasn't what I was asking. Have you seen her since that first time? I know that you haven't been back to school since then."
Bad subject. Being an empath sucks ass when you're around a vampire and their singer. That kind of bloodlust is not something that we usually come back from. It's a case of smell it, eat it. Done. But our Eddie's a special case of stubborn, wanting to be just like his daddy in the control department, and having already known the peace of her silent mind? I was actually impressed with him for being able to control himself. I wouldn't have.
But then we were in the school hall way, far enough away that we didn't seem like we were hovering, but close enough to make a difference if he did lose the fight. He'd been determined to talk to her again, claiming the need to double check her apparent immunity to his gift, and Alice had been all about it. She'd bounced.
What's worse that being around a vampire and their singer? Adding a few more vampires to the mix and the aforementioned singer being especially, and unusually, delicious to our kind. Hello mega bloodlust overload, and goodbye nice none bitey Jasper.
Still, when I think back to it I don't remember the monster rising to kill. Not really. Oh, I wanted to bite, I wanted to taste. I wanted to fight each and every one of them there for her. But kill? Even with Alice's babbling that I would've attacked Bella, and probably eaten half the school along with her, it had never sat right with me. It left me feeling uneasy and out of step. Still, I hadn't gone back since. Why tempt fate, right?
"I'll be going back on Monday," and I would be, though I hadn't known that till I said it. Huh. Fate, I thee tempt. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Her smile was wide and smug; her eyes were shinning. I hated not being in the know.
"Because you're so damn adorable, that's why," oh, she was so damn pleased with herself.
"Adorable?!" I sputtered. Adorable?!
"Why do you want to protect Bella from Edward?"
"Edward's a dick," obviously.
"No, he needs dick," she grinned, reminding me again of Peter, "The stick up his ass can only be removed by someone going poking around to retrieve it."
If the women in the PTA could hear her now…
"Yeah, I'm thinkin' that Bella ain't gonna want that responsibility."
It's gonna take a special kind of male to tempt Edward into relaxing.
"She's all starry eyes and teenage romance, but she's very mature for her age," Esme observed and I wondered where she was going with this, "She knows about us now, which leaves her with only two choices."
I wasn't surprised. Edward's MO was be as obvious as possible, basically. Saving Bella from an out of control van with his bare hands wasn't exactly subtle. His past dalliances haven't had the choice, bunny boilers do not good vampires make, but this time around? This is different.
"Change or die."
"Grim, but true. She does hold an enviable position though." Esme pointed out as she fiddled with a pebble, smoothing it down with the pads of her fingers.
"How so?" I asked.
"She has the chance to truly know what she's getting into. To learn about us before the change happens; to be guided. And I think that you're the perfect one to do just that."
"Vampire 101 with Professor Jasper Whitlock?" I laughed, trailing off when I realised she was actually being serious, "You want me to induct Bella Swan into the Cullen Coven?"
"You make it sound so sinister, Jasper," she said, throwing the pebble at me, "I mean, chat with her, answer any questions, allay any fears she might have."
"And if Alice really was telling the truth about me hurting her?" I asked, not looking up.
Hello insecurities, my old friend.
I listened to Esme sigh, felt her deep sense of sympathetic hurt, it sliced right through me.
"I really hope that you know that's not an issue," she said softly.
"The other's…" I trailed off, she would know what I meant.
"Should never have gotten to that point," she looked so sad at that moment, running her hand through her thick auburn hair, staring out into the forest around us, "Edward had no right to expect you to clean up after his messes. He also had very bad taste in women."
"Until Bella," I said softly.
"Until Bella."
"So," she jumped up suddenly, her emotional landscape changing to one full of sunshine, "Time to get back. I don't want to miss Edward's face when he realises what's going on."
The closer we got to the house, the more something pulled me to it. A tugging in my consciousness that lit a fire under my instincts and powered my legs. I pulled ahead of Esme, leaping over the river lining our property, and landed on the opposite bank with a fresher mind. I started to feel stronger, almost, my mind was definitely clearer. I knew what I wanted, knew what I didn't, and then was the time for change.
I ripped off the fucktarded sweater vest Alice had insisted on that morning, the pale blue shirt beneath it quickly followed. I shouldn't know that it was duck egg blue. The hated loafers were kicked off as I came up behind the house, one of them going through Alice's bedroom window, a happy accident. And when I ripped off the pair of trousers which had been laid out with the rest of the outfit…I suddenly felt free; and not just because I was then completely naked.
"Oh my," I heard Esme breathe out somewhere behind me.
She would've had a great view.
"Are you sure this is okay? I mean, what if they don't like me?" Ah, Bella's nervous about meeting the fam.
"You have nothing to worry about, love. No one will try to eat you," Edward simpered, the simpering bastard.
And no one's gonna eat her? Speak for yourself, Virgin. I got plans.
"I know they won't hurt me," Ooh, she's pissed, "Will Jasper be here?"
Yes, yes he will. She's asked about me. I was one naked smug mother fucker.
I slowed down, enough for Bella to be able to see me at least, as I rounded the house…
…
"Of course not, I told you why he hasn't been in school. I would never have him anywhere near you."
…and basically lost it.
Edward had Bella pushed up against his pussy ass 'safe and blendy-in' Volvo, staring into her eyes, and breathing all up in her face. Poor girl was practically fucking cross eyed and had no Goddamned idea that she was being treated like prey.
"What the…?" Edward's shock at my appearance would've been funny as fuck if he wasn't drooling all over my woman.
Yeah, fucker, my woman.
I caught, and maintained, eye contact with Bella as I rushed forward in all my naked glory, backhanding Edward 'Dazzle-means-no-Hassle' Cullen out of the Goddamned way. Watching him sail away through the air, flailing his lanky self all over the damn place, was almost as satisfying as seeing Alice breakdown over the loss of her money and credit cards. I, and everyone else who had come out to witness the situation, watched him until he thudded down a few hundred yards away. Hard.
It was awesome.
I turned my attention back to a wide eyed Bella Swan, who's gaze snapped back to mine, right from where she'd been ogling my package. I smirked, she blushed, Esme was laughing her ass off, clapping as she watched.
I offered Bella my arm, like the gentleman I am, and grinned wide when she took it. Her hand was so freaking warm on my skin, and I ain't ashamed to say I wasn't flopping in the breeze anymore, so much as saluting and leading the way back towards the house. In other words, the head on my shoulders wasn't the only thing that was held high. It also made me take on the 'fuck it' attitude, and whisked her up into my arms.
"You're not scared," I observed, ignoring the fuming Alice on the steps leading up to the front door, didn't even glance at her as we walked past.
I did, however, make a very firm decision to contact Jenks for divorce papers.
Her outraged squeak let me know that the vision was received.
"You're naked," Bella pointed out. She was trying, and failing, not to look at me, "Why are you naked?"
"You complainin'?"
One beat…
….two…
"No, not complaining…just curious."
I headed straight for my study, head clear, instincts roaring. Esme wanted me to teach Bella about vampire life, and boy did I have some lessons in mind for her. So many lessons. I could be mulling over a bunch of what if's. What if I'd ignored Alice and just gone with my instincts, and therefore Bella. What if I'd given into the lust on that first day, sure most of the school would've been massacred, but I'd have had Bella. But what are the points of what if's? Nothing. None. Nada.
I kicked open the door to my study and treated it to the same to close it, and set Bella down in front of the doorway, watching her ass as she walked in and looked around the room. I kept my eyes on her as I reached behind me and clicked the lock. The sound echoed loudly in the room, an audible underlining of the situation, and caused Bella to jump. She spun back around to me, hand over her racing heart, eyes wide, lips parted.
She was on her own in a strange room, with a strange vampire, who happened to be naked, and there was no freak out in sight. I was impressed. In fact, she's turned on, and cautiously hopeful…and biting that damn bottom lip of hers. I was very impressed.
My cock twitched and her eyes got wider.
"Welcome to Vampire 101, I will be your professor…for the foreseeable future." My voice was a rumble, deep and growly.
She backed away as I stalked forward, my movements slow but intent on my target. I stared at her throat as she swallowed, nerves finally showing up, but still no fear.
"Vampire 101?" she murmured, squeaking adorably when her back came in contact with my desk, and she could move no more.
"Chapter One; The Vampire Mating Phenomenon."
"Holy Crow."
"Indeed."
I pounced.
E/N: So that happened! Leave me some love...
