Chapter 7!

A/N: Dearest apologies to xoyellowporschexo for all the spelling mistakes. In fact, sorry to everyone, I've only just figured out how to spell check on fan-fiction! (I repel computers) ):

On with the story!

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Chapter 7: Following the scent

Jasper's POV

The trail was faint but fortunately no rain had fallen since Alice had been taken so it remained there. I'd never felt so much strenuous tension in the air in my whole one and a half centuries of existing. The worst was my own worry and tension. We tracked the scent southwards though an enormous forest. Now we had decent cover, we could run. Edward was leading the 'search party' because he was the fastest of us. Also, he knew from my thoughts that if he let me lead, I would attempt to leave them all behind so that they wouldn't be harmed.

I concentrated only on my own feet pounding along the floor. If I didn't, my mind would wander to all the horrible things that Alice could be subjected to. I shook my head to try and throw the images out but they had invaded my brain now. I imagined her scent to dispose of the images - her face - and the way I would run as fast as I could to meet her...

"Focus Jasper," Edward snapped "We need to concentrate."

I returned my mind to the hunt. Alice's scent was partly obscured because one of Maria's comrades had lifted her up. I snarled; that meant that Alice was too weak to move under her own power. Very unusual. It took a lot of power to incapacitate an immortal. I hissed at the thought of how much pain Alice must have been subjected to.

Edward echoed my snarls as he followed my train of thought. I tried to think of how I'd stop Maria from a military perspective. I could use my curious control over emotional atmospheres to pour despair into her evil mind - perhaps remorse too - so I could ensure she believed she was going to lose the fight. She would hide behind her newborn 'coven' naturally and I hoped that all I'd taught my family about newborns and their fighting instincts sank in so that they could fight them. I would fight Maria, I was certain of that. Without her newborn army to protect her, I was confident that I would obliterate her. Almost arrogant about it. Then Maria would be destroyed and life could return to some degree of normality. I felt immensely guilty for inflicting this torture onto my family - especially Alice - nobody deserves this. If I could have shed tears, I would have, it would have been a way to ease the pain at least. Instead, choking tearless sobs were reverberating in my chest in a vain attempt to show some remorse and worry.

My eyes were coal-black but I refused to hunt. I wouldn't until we rescued Alice; I left myself in searing pain in my throat so that I could at least burden some of the pain Alice must be experiencing onto myself. Again, I tried to sheath calm onto my family but this time, I failed miserably. I couldn't even conjure up any emotion but despair in the tortured state I was in. I wasn't just experiencing my own pain, I was sharing everyone else's too.

The trail began to magnify, meaning that we were getting close to our target - targets - I reminded myself mentally as Maria was sure to have newborns by her side. The forest was thinning which meant that we had to slow down to a more human pace. Alice would have suggested 'grand theft auto' at this point and I smiled unexpectedly.

"It's time for some grand theft auto."

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Sorry for the short chapter!

I don't have much time left at the library!