A/N: Congratulations to Babysis64 for being the 200th reviewer for this story xx A little calm before the storm now xx Alexis


Bella

I was reasonably calm and in control, for a newborn Peter said that was amazin'. My temper was a little out of whack and my brain to mouth filter seemed to be completely missing. Not that it was that great to start with but now, well! After telling Rose if I'd swung that way I'd do her and complementing Char on her spectacular rack several times, Jasper pulled me away up the stairs to the sound of Peter and Emmett's laughter.

"Darlin' how do you want to feed, the choice is yours? I will still be huntin' animals, but you don't have to you could go with Peter and Char" he said calmly while watching me peruse his body and I know he could feel my desire.

"Both, I could hunt with you sometimes and them at other times! Only carnivores though, none of that deer crap. I could always tell when you'd made do with them, the disgust rolled off you in waves" I say moving closer and touching him gently.

I was gently following the contours of his face and neck, running my fingertips over his shoulders and down his arms. I could feel the little dips and raised areas, where he had been bitten and needed to see them. As I went to push back his sleeves and he tried to stop me, I felt his fear,

"Why are you afraid?" I asked, now sliding my hands up his chest and heard his breath catch.

We didn't need to breath but did so instinctually, it aided our sense of smell and taste. He cocked his head at me,

"How did you know I was afraid? I'm not projectin' darlin'!" he asked in a low huskier tone,

"I feel you, I know what you are feeling, all the time" I replied, sliding my hands inside the collar of his shirt and just tore it open.

My eyes never left his and he stood stock still, waiting for my reaction. I pushed it off his shoulders and was confronted with a long-sleeved tee. Dear god, was he one of those parcels you opened to music, ripping off a layer each time it stopped? The tee shirt disintegrated under my more powerful fingers and at last, I could see him.

I don't think he expected my reaction, the deep purring sound emanating from my chest and my tongue darting out to soothe the scars on his neck and jaw. He made as if to stop me and a small growl left my throat as I nipped his skin in warning. Then I was hit by his reaction three different ways.

His feelings of desire and lust increased, his scent deepened with his arousal and his body quivered under my fingers and tongue. His more obvious reaction to my touch is to me, the most gratifying. I do that to him, my touch fuels that desire. He once more tries to stop me, but I'm in full on mate mode and my growling increases as I try to soothe these long healed scars.

"Don't fight her Major, just relax and enjoy the attention. You'll end up losin' an arm if you fight her! You'll make her distraught" Peter's voice floats through my consciousness and I feel Jasper relax under my ministrations.

The room now reverberated to the sound of us both purring loudly. I had worked my way down his back and was starting around his waist mewling and whimpering at the amount of damage inflicted on my mate's chest. One of his hands was on my head stroking my hair as he attempted to soothe me, I could barely register the words just the tone and feel of his emotions.

By the time I'd covered his whole chest with my venom and had once again reached his waist, the jeans he was wearing were no more. He had ripped them off himself and I gave a satisfied grunt as I pushed him onto his back on the bed. Barely seeing the hand that was stroking himself, as I continued my diligent attack on every scar.

I pushed off his boots, seeing scars on his feet, ankles and knees, the signs of dismemberment registering in my brain and demanding my attention. Bites were on his upper thighs and then the obvious indication that he'd had his legs removed at some point drove me on to near madness. But as I nuzzled and sucked the skin from his hip to his groin he convulsed under my lips and the smell of his spilt venom awoke another more primal need in my body. I let out the most guttural growl, roaring,

"Mine!" and in a move I didn't realise I'd made, removed all of my own clothes as I moved to lap it all up.

"Oh, fuck me!" was his gasped response and who was I to disagree with that.

I moved over his once more erect and pulsing cock, before sinking slowly down onto it. It was the most amazing and at the same time strange feeling. I was full, but needed more and as my ass touched his thighs he flipped us over. I had never felt so alive and loved as I did at that moment. There was no pain unless you could count the level of pleasure as it hit me forcefully, over and over the waves crashed onto me as Jasper pounded into me at an inhuman speed.

This was intense and beyond any expectations, my silly human brain had ever imagined. Jasper too seemed swept away by our combined emotions and was making some of the most erotic sounds I'd ever heard,

"Shit! Emmett, grab Rose and run unless you're up for a foursome right here!" Peter shouted and I heard at the edge of my sanity two bedroom doors slamming.

As the coil in my lower body tightened I knew I was about to explode and spiral out of control. Jasper too was grunting and growling at the edge of his own orgasm and then as it hit us both simultaneously, I bit down on his neck, as he also bit down on mine. We shuddered and convulsed for ten long minutes as the waves of emotion burst free of us into the surrounding area.

In the back of my mind, I registered the four other orgasms in the house, as I wrapped myself around the now limp body of my lover.

Jasper

It took several minutes for my brain to re-engage, that had to have been the most intense and sensual thing that had ever happened to me. I know when you are bein' scented you should remain still and calm, but Fuck! I couldn't she had turned me on so much I had to touch myself and her reaction to me comin', Damn! This was the most amazin' thing that had ever happened to me.

Sex with Maria had been cruel, brutal and degradin'. Sex with Alice had been borin', clothed and pedestrian. This was sexy, this was shared, this was awesome! I finally managed to roll us onto our sides, Bella still wrapped around me as if she was protectin' me from the world.

"Darlin', there are no words, I ..., thank you" I gasped out; her response was to purr at me.

She was the first woman ever to treat me as if I was a gift to her, not a possession like Maria. It wasn't forced like with Alice, a duty almost. Bella gave me herself freely, but she also shared herself emotionally with me and by the sounds from the other rooms so had I, to a wider audience. I was beyond happy, this was how it should be and for once I was on the recievin' end of bliss. Pure unadulterated bliss! Normally I gave it and received release alone.

I was holdin' her so close, almost terrified to let go in case this wasn't real. How devastatin' would that be to find she didn't love me. If this was only a dream I would literally die, panic was fillin' me for no real reason but my own insecurities. Then I heard her,

'I was just coastin', never really goin' anywhere. Caught up in a web, I was gettin' kinda used to stayin' there and out of the blue, I fell for you'

My breath just left my body in a whooshin' sound, she was singin' to me, singin' her love and with the most perfect song.

'Now you're liftin' me up, 'stead of holdin' me down. Stealin' my heart, 'stead of stealin' my crown'

In the words of a song, she was provin' how different from him I was, how much she preferred me to him and my dead heart soared.

'Untangled all the strings from 'round my wings that were tied'

Lettin' me know my love freed her from his tyranny. That freedom was the best form of love and I agreed wholeheartedly.

'I didn't know him and I didn't know me. Cloud nine was always out of reach. Now, I remember what it feels like to fly. You give me butterflies'

I was so moved and so elated, kissin' her eyelids, cheeks and lips. She was sinkin' into my soul with just her words. This was how it was meant to be, to feel. This was what had been missin' from my life and I wanted it, wanted her forever.

I'd seen Peter scent Charlotte before, but never the other way around and now I knew why. I was too intense, too personal and I would often feel his smugness afterwards but never understood why, but I do now. This was more than scenting, more than sex it was damn near spiritual. When females scented their mates, they reaffirmed the bond too.

I needed to get my act together and take Bella to hunt. Animals first or she'd never try them after a human. Then we had to get the hell out of here, Peter and Char had already had to get rid of some well-wishers and the local press too.

She'd sidetracked me from it earlier, but it proved her bloodlust was low and that's a good thing. Leanin' over her I whispered,

"Time to hunt darlin', then we need to pack and get out of here. Are you okay with that?"

"You're the boss, teach me something cool" she replied happily and for a moment I was stunned.

It's a heady feelin' when someone hands you the reins of their life, not somethin' I was used to since I was human. What little power I had with Maria was actually dictated by her, up until I decided to leave and then I did what I wanted and to hell with her. But with Alice I had no power at all. They didn't trust me, but Bella does.

FWTMTY

Bella

I was getting some strange emotions from Jasper; I think he's forgotten I can feel him. Anytime he asked me a question it's hesitant, I, of course, deferred to his expertise. Well, he's been a vampire for way longer than me and survived so he must obviously know more than me! But I get the feeling it's been a while since anyone asked his opinion on anything. We'd never discussed it before and I wish we had.

Which surely can't be right because only Carlisle was older than him in the Cullens? They must have sought his advice about things. If not, then I blame Carlisle, he can't have allowed Edward to lord it over everyone else? I noticed before my change Peter getting pissed off with Emmett once and I was confused, but then all that shit went down and I'd forgotten.

Emmett had asked Peter what to do and he'd snapped at him to ask Jasper as he was the coven's leader. Emmett and Rose seemed surprised; Peter was ranting at them,

"Who the fuck did you think taught Char and I all the things we told you in Wyomin'? I couldn't even read when I joined Maria's army, but I could by the time I left!"

I think both Maria and Alice kept Jasper on a very short leash because he's charismatic and a born leader. They wouldn't want that, they wouldn't want to give up control to the better man. Maria's men would have followed him willingly and not out of total fear as they did for her. That's why she probably tried to turn him into a beast. Alice well, she just didn't want to share the spotlight with anyone, I'm guessing.

Peter and Char were the only ones before me who actually gave him his place and the respect he was due. As the Major, he would have had his men's loyalty, but I don't think Jasper sees that. He doesn't think he's worthy, but he is and I'll make him see it. Even if we have to go through every memory he's ever had. He doesn't see he was a good man who was caught up in a shitty situation and lied to about what life really could be like.

But for now I had the problem of how to get dressed, I would rip the stuff and I don't think I could cope with Jasper helping me, it would probably make me too horny. He too was looking at my stuff, then me, then back at my clothes,

"I'll ask Char and Rose to come help you, would that be okay?" he said warily,

"Yeah, we might never get out of here otherwise and I'd most likely starve!" I said laughing and he relaxed.

"Baby, just cause I'm a vampire now, doesn't mean I've changed my attitude and personality. I'm not them and I never will be, if you ask me to jump I will" I say kissing his cheek,

He looked surprised and then nodded. It will take time but we'll get there together. I bet if we'd still been with the Cullens, Carlisle would have tried to take over and that would have been wrong. I'm Jasper's mate nobody but him has the right to teach me how to be a vampire. Advice is fine, but they never could find the line between help and interference.

Once I was ready Rose did offer to come with us on my first hunt, but I said no, Jasper would teach me all I needed to know. They were slowly grasping the fact that as far as the Whitlock's were concerned, Jasper's word was law and yes I counted myself as a Whitlock now.

Rose and Emmett were going to close up the house, while Peter and Char attended our memorial that Charlie had arranged. We would be on our way to another house up in the mountains, where I could learn without human distraction and they'd all join us later.

My first hunt was messy but not as bad as I feared. It was the aftermath that was the problem. I was having difficulty keeping my hands off Jasper and he felt guilty stopping me. But we didn't have the time and he did promise to make it up to me when we got to Montana. I'd be holding him to that promise and then some.

All in all my first couple of days went very well and Jasper was very happy with my control and told me so several times. I was looking forward to being alone just the two of us, we had lots to discuss. Things that we should have had two years to wade through were now much more urgent. We had decided to head out immediately after I'd changed following my hunt.

Jasper

It didn't take me long to realise Bella expected me to take charge, a novel concept for me where woman were concerned. I know during the search for her I had been in charge, but that to me was different and all guys. They had all automatically looked to me as the Major to lead the way and I had. But in a domestic environment, I usually got pushed aside.

But Bella was expectin' me to make the decisions now, she had even asked me to pick out a clean outfit for her. The phrase, 'Anythin' will do' was novel and scary to me. But I loved how much she trusted me to do that and when she added the 'You can choose my clothes anytime, this is perfect' I was beyond happy. I was such a small thing really, but it meant so much to me.

Brushin' her hair and braidin' it for her, was new for me as well. I hadn't done that for years, hell Alice barely had any and I was never allowed to touch it. I still insisted the girls helped her dress, cause I'd have been takin' it off not helpin' her on with it.

Much as I'd have loved to just crawl back into bed with her, we didn't have time. But once we reached Montana and hunted again, I fully intended to do just that. I know Rose had expected Bella to ask her to do her hair and she was a bit put out. But Bella wasn't like the Cullens, she didn't need all that fake shit to make her look spectacular, her style was natural and perfect to me.

I think the reason we fit so well was Bella was more used to a calm quiet existence. Both her father and step-father were the strong silent types and that what she liked. Charlie never looked for a pat on the back for just doin' his part in her life. Whereas all the Cullen men did. I often found that annoyin', but as no one ever asked me, So...!

I know Emmett's goin' to find life a lot different around us Whitlock's, but I think it might do him some good. Char too, was way more like Bella than Rose is, so she might find it a bit of an adjustment as well. One thing was for sure, I'd never ever be goin' back to high school. College yeah, cause things change and we need to keep abreast of the times. But they both needed to learn to be more self-sufficient.

In fact, this whole thing was goin' to be a learnin' curve for us all. Not just Bella learnin' to be a vampire, but me bein' a leader again after all this time. Peter and Char learnin' to be with others and Emmett and Rose learnin' to be more hands-on, actually involved in the day to day runnin' of our lives.

I'm sure we'll all butt heads occasionally, but that's what vacations are for. Once Bella's newborn year was over I intended to show her the world, both human and vampire. I have never had anyone want to share everythin' with me and I was lookin' forward to bein' part of a couple. Not an afterthought as I was with Alice in the beginnin'.


Butterflies by Kacey Musgraves