I don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyers does.
Chapter 4
He knocked on the door that was given to the seer. He could tell already that she was out but for some reason the boy, Carlisle and Esme were in there. The door was answered quickly by Esme. Isabella went to walk in but Jasper held her back and entered first. He surveyed the room before allowing her to enter.
She looked rather annoyed when he finally let her in. Jasper ignored it and kept his eye on Edward. He saw Esme tentatively come forward and hug Isabella. He allowed it but sent a glare to Carlisle when the man attempted the same.
Edward ignored his cold glares and came forward, he tried to hug Isabella but Jasper growled loudly and pushed him back from her. He looked like he wanted to challenge him but Isabella spoke up.
"Edward let's sit down. You wouldn't believe the library the Major has in his..." She stopped and flushed bright red. He knew she was embarrassed to have slept in his room and didn't want the boy to know but he wanted the boy to know it
Jasper smirked as Edward's anger and jealousy spiked. Isabella ignored it and went to sit on the small couch in the room. Edward sat beside her, his anger replaced with calculation. Carlisle and Esme gathered chairs close, Jasper just stood by the door watching the scene closely.
Edward began to reach for Bella's hand, Jasper growled loudly and Bella kept her hand from his. "Ummm where are Alice, Rose and Emmett." She asked.
"They went exploring. They are going to be sorry they missed you." Carlisle said.
"Whose room is this? It's very nice." Bella asked. Jasper knew he was making them nervous with his intense stare but there was no way he was going to leave her alone with that boy. He could practically feel the boy salivating at her scent.
"It's Alice's. All the rooms are very nice." Esme said looking over to Jasper. Jasper ignored her, he didn't care to be friendly, better they feared him.
Esme fidgeted for a minute before turning back to Bella. "I love that dress. It's very beautiful." She said with a smile.
Bella flushed with pleasure.
"Very lovely." Edward said. Bella seemed overly pleased with his compliment and Jasper wondered if he complimented her much. He, of course ruined it. "Of course a lighter color would have enhanced your skin tone better. That dark color makes you look washed out and you know I love blue more than green."
Bella frowned and looked down in her lap, twisting her hands. Jasper waited a moment for Carlisle or Esme to reassure her, when that didn't happen he took it upon himself.
"Isabella is by far the most beautiful woman I have seen and any dress that she should choose to wear couldn't help but compliment her beauty." Jasper said in a gruff tone. He felt Bella's embarrassment at his extravagant compliment. Maybe he had overdone it a bit...oh well might as well go for the gold. He grabbed and held her eyes. "Green is my favorite color." He said softly reaching out for a moment with his emotions.
The whole room heard her sharp intake of breath. Jasper held back a smirk, she definitely wanted him.
"I talked to Alice this morning. She seemed uncooperative. She said you didn't want her looking at your future. Could you please talk to her and explain she needs to find a solution? We can't stay here forever." Edward said drawing Bella's attention. His words caused a pang of guilt in Bella.
"You are welcome to stay as long as you need." Jasper said harshly his eyes turning dark, with suppressed anger. He didn't like the boy. If he truly cared for Bella he would have changed her but he suspected Edward knew she wasn't his mate and didn't want the rest of his family to know. He felt no love in the boy for his Isabella instead he felt almost an obsessive amount of ownership.
"We appreciate your hospitality, but this is hardly a permanent solution. They are to be married in a couple of months..." Carlisle began before Jaspers growl cut him off.
He didn't want to hear about a marriage that was not going to happen. Isabella was his, he wouldn't force her but he wouldn't allow that boy to further destroy her either. If her family couldn't see it then he would have to overrule them.
"There will be no marriage." He stated emphatically.
"What?!" Edward screamed and stood up. Bella also stood up angrily.
Jasper ignored the boy and faced Bella. "Why would you marry him?" He asked his eyes narrowed.
"I..I love him." She stuttered. Jasper continued to stare at her, it was a part of the reason but not the full reason.
"He's going to change me after we marry." She whispered.
So he had manipulated her into agreeing by giving her what she wanted only if she married him. He was hoping to trap her through marriage. He was now more sure than ever that Edward knew she was not his mate. He couldn't help the disappointment he felt in Isabella. She was letting the boy manipulate her. She could have gone to the Volturi and had them change her, he suspected Alice would have changed her. Instead she made a deal with the boy.
"Do you want to be a vampire that bad?" He asked.
"I want my family to be safe and they won't be safe till I am changed." She told him as she looked up at him defiance in her eyes.
Jasper was about to reply when Edward interrupted. "Look we as a family and have made our decisions. You aren't part of our family so mind your own business and let us visit with Bella."
Jasper took a step forward about to teach the boy a lesson when Esme piped in. "Please Major Whitlock we just want to spend some time with her." Esme's plea wormed its way through his anger. He nodded and resumed his watchful posture.
"You have a little under an hour before I must take Isabella with me." He said. He felt disappointment from the group. Edward and Bella sat back on the couch, he noticed that Edward didn't try to touch her. They began to talk and Jasper could clearly see the love that Bella had for her family. He listened to their conversation but didn't interrupt again.
He didn't like the way that Carlisle seemed to defer to Edward. He especially didn't like the way Edward put Bella down subtly. He could feel her confidence slip the longer they talked. He hadn't liked what she ate for breakfast and made subtle references to her weight, saying she should exercise to remove the extra calories. Jasper thought her body was perfect. He told her she had slept too long and was acting lazy without him to wake her up. He then told her that her legs were too pale to be on display and she should wear tights.
He was telling her how she should broaden her horizons and read something other than Wuthering Heights, when Jasper had finally had enough. It wasn't quite time yet but he was going to kill the boy if they stayed any longer. He was beginning to understand why she agreed to the marriage, simply put the boy had brow beat her into it.
"It is time for Isabella and I to go." He said gruffly, trying to suppress his urge to growl.
Edward stood up angrily but Bella put a hand on his arm. He grinned and leaned down to kiss her. Jasper snapped, all the anger he had held in came flooding out and in a flash he had Edward pinned to the wall by his throat.
Esme screamed and Carlisle started forward but one growl and a look at Jasper's black eyes stopped him. Bella said nothing but he could feel her fear beating at him, bringing his sanity back. The boy was smirking at him as if he won something. Jasper turned to look at Bella and saw the horror on her face. She was looking at him with such a strange look. He couldn't decipher her emotions, she felt disgust, excitement, fear all jumbled together in an overall bundle of abhorrence.
The boy was definitely a manipulator. He had gotten him to act in rage. Well as long as he was in trouble anyways...He grabbed Edward's arm pulling it out to the side. He found the exact spot where he had found the bruise on Isabella and bit him. Edward cried out in pain.
"For every mark I find on her I will put one on you." Jasper said his voice low and dangerous. He dropped Edward unceremoniously on the floor and reached out for Isabella. She shrunk away from him. He didn't have the patience to coax her and growled softly at her. She walked in front of him to the door.
"What is he talking about Edward? What marks?" He heard Esme ask before he closed the door. He heard Edward begin to give the excuse that Bella was clumsy, but he could tell Esme didn't believe him. Carlisle however bought it hook, line and sinker.
He grabbed Bella's hand and tucked it into his arm. She seemed loathe to touch him but he ignored it as he led her to the main hall.
Bella was still reeling from the scene before. She was having to practically run to keep up with the Major. He was obviously still angry. She wasn't sure what had set him off. Was it Edward trying to kiss her? Surely he would expect it, Edward was her fiancé.
He had been so frightening in his rage. She had really thought he would kill Edward. In that moment she realized just how much more powerful the Major was than Edward. She had been frightened of Edward but he was a kitten compared to the Major.
She glanced up at the man who led her, remembering the scene in Alice's room he had looked dangerous and exciting. The feeling he evoked scared her. Part of her had liked his show of strength, that scared her. Was she some kind of disgusting freak who got off on being abused? After all she hadn't left Edward. She had stayed while he destroyed her confidence, she had stayed when he began to physically hurt her, she had stayed when he began to order her about.
Did she only fall for men that elicited fear in her? Wait a minute she wasn't falling for the Major. Sure he excited her but that wasn't love.
Her hand tingled where it touched the muscle of his arm. He had such nice muscles, she thought distractedly. Yep there was definitely something wrong with her. Still it was nice to see Edward hurt for a change. She felt guilty at the thought and quickly squashed it.
She deliberately tried to keep from thinking, her thoughts were dangerous, traitorous. She watched as vampires they passed made room for them. None of them meeting their eyes. She knew they feared him but their was respect in their eyes as well.
She was slightly winded when they finally reached the main hall. He gestured for her to sit on the throne. Bella was hesitant but he picked her up and sat her down.
"Are they here?" He asked with his voice filled with its usual demanding tone.
"Yes." One of the guards spoke up.
"Show them in." He told him.
Bella watched and waited till a group of five humans, flanked on either side by vampires appeared in the hall.
Their were four men and one woman. Two of the men wore police uniforms. They looked at Bella curiously but no one asked a question about her.
"Have you given your reports to Peter?" The Major asked without preamble.
"Yes, we have several candidates for you. Also there is a disturbance in Abilene that we think may be a rogue." One of the men spoke up.
The Major nodded. "I know who is at fault and it is being taken care of. I have had Michael prepare a meal, would you care to join us?"
The group looked like this was expected and accepted happily. The Major again took her arm and began to lead her. This time he walked a bit slower and the group followed.
They entered a large dining room and the Major moved to the head of the table, guiding her to a seat at his right. Bella noticed a dark glass beside the Major's setting. He brought it to his lips and drank deeply. Bella watched him in dark fascination. She was sure it was blood he was drinking. Usually that would have made her feel queasy but watching as he tipped his head back and his Adam's apple moved slightly she felt strange.
He set the glass down and looked at her. She turned her head away quickly.
"This is Isabella, she is under my protection. The Volturi have decided that they want to use her to get at her coven and I won't allow it. If you have any news of the Volturi in your areas I will expect quick reports." He said, his tone authoritative.
The human woman didn't look pleased. "Why are you protecting her? We don't need another vampire war here." She said in obvious distress.
"I have my reasons Elizabeth. You would do well to remember the things I have done for this area and the order I keep. I'm sure you wouldn't want me to abandon your district." He said glaring at her.
The woman quickly backed down. The meal was very tense after that. The food was delicious but Bella was very aware of the eyes on her and couldn't eat. She snuck looks at the Major but he seemed unaffected by the atmosphere.
They finished their meal and the humans were escorted away. Bella started to rise but Jasper held out a hand and stood up with her.
"Come with me." He ordered.
Bella followed him obediently, tired and stressed she just didn't have any fight in her. She was surprised when she found herself in the kitchen. He went to the refrigerator and pulled out some meat and veggies. Soon he had made her a very appetizing, looking plate of food. He grabbed a bottle of water and put it all on a tray. He grabbed the tray and motioned for her to follow him.
He led her to his room and deposited her in the arm-chair. He set the tray up beside her on the end table then grabbed her book, setting it along side the tray. He turned on the lamp and walked away. She watched his back as he sat down at the computer, a new stack of papers sat on his desk.
"You have three hours before I have to make my rounds. You will accompany me." He said before he opened up the first folder on his desk.
She had so many questions she wanted to ask him. Why were there humans here? They obviously worked with him. Wasn't that against the rules? In the end she decided that she wasn't ready to ask questions. She opened her bottle of water and took a piece of cheese. She saw a vase with a daisy on her tray. When had he put that there?
She fingered the daisy, touching it's petals. The man was such a contradiction. One moment scaring the heck out of her, ordering her about, and making her life hell. The next he was feeding her, making her comfortable and safe, and over all this he was making her feel things she shouldn't feel. Things she didn't have a right to feel. Edward was her mate, he was the one she had promised her eternity to.
She was going to be a Cullen, not some warlords play thing. She wanted to be a civilized vampire. Live with her family and hunt animals. Maybe he would let her visit Alice later. Alice always made her feel better.
She looked back at the Major, his head was bent over his report. His blonde curls shined in the light, looking so touchable. She sighed and opened her book before grabbing a carrot and settling into her chair.