Blood Is Not Just Food!

Bella

I'm stunned, poor Jake, Christ, I didn't love him, but we were once friends. The funny boy I had known was gone forever, well his wolf had destroyed him before now, but... Oh god! Billy! at this thought, I really started to cry silent tears not for the son, but for the father who would have to bear the loss. Rose looked up at me now and I just said

"Billy!"

she nodded understanding, it's the ones left behind that pay the price for their loved one's folly. We made our way back up into the house and I thanked Rose for being my protector through this, I knew if it had gone down differently today, she would have defended me to the end, she felt she owed me. I smiled saying

"I count that as a debt paid Rose, thank you, my sister, you are a true friend"

If she could have cried, she would have now, as she hugged me to her firmly. That was how the Cullen men found us on their return, tears of relief and suppressed joy that it was all over, on my face and Rose's eyes brimming with venom that would never fall.

Emmett

I have no idea what has been going on, but I can see something has fundamentally changed within my Rosie, she seems surer and aware of herself than she has ever done. This has to be Bella's doing, but what? We all turn to Edward and he shrugs

"I can't hear her! That has to be because of Bella, she does it to Garrett all the time now!" he murmurs.

Just then, Garrett, Peter and Charlotte rushed in and Garrett scoops Bella up as she's saying,

"It's good Emmy, Rose did something wonderful today!"

God, she hasn't called me that since before we left her.

"Rosie does something wonderful every day Bella, just by being my mate,"

I tell her and Rosie sobs and rushes into my arms.

Jasper

Somethin' serious has happened today, that's obvious, again I look at Edward and he huffs,

"God damn it she's shielding them all now! What the hell Bella?"

he says starin' at them all, in turn, then shrugs and drops down into a chair.

"We have some stuff to discuss Jasper, I suggest you call the women back, as everyone needs to hear this!"

Garrett tells me and I flinch, disturbin' Alice, when she's shoppin', is never a good thing.

"As her coven leader and mate, I suggest you make that an order Major!"

Peter says to me smirkin', fucker! he knows she won't listen. I pull out my phone and speed dial her

"What! You know I'm shopping! right Jazzy?" she blasts into the phone,

"This is not a request Alice, it's an order! You all need to return, you have thirty minutes, I suggest you hurry!"

I say, then hang up before she can refuse, now we wait and I pray she doesn't defy me for once. Carlisle 's cell went off and he say's the same thing

"Yes, come home now! Jasper's orders!"

then he hangs up, not willing to admit he knows nothing about what's gone on, just like me.

Peter

This would be beyond funny, if it wasn't so pathetic, he has no control over her and God alone knows what he'll do if she refuses to come back with Esme. He needs to assert himself more, he needs to show her the 'Major' just once, that would pull her into line.

But can he even summon the 'Major' anymore, I really don't know! Shit how the mighty have fallen! I'm slightly ashamed of my sire, he was always so strong and now this is a pale imitation of the vampire I once knew!

Esme

"I don't care, Alice, Carlisle says it's an order from Jasper and we're going! You might enjoy being able to defy your mate, but if this is a coven leader's order we have to go! Remember though if you show him up in front of everyone else you will have to be punished!

A leader who can't control his mate will get no deference from the other members, are you prepared to shame him like that? Do you feel no respect for your mate?"

I ask Alice as she stands defiantly with her hands on her hips.

"Dear god it's only shopping, Alice! They wouldn't call us back unless it was important!"

I yell at her and Alice looks horrified. I take off running to the car, leaving her just standing there.

"I'm throwing everything in the boot, Alice, we can pick the car up later, it's quicker to run home from here!" I say over my shoulder.

Alice

What the fuck! It's only shopping! Does she hear herself? I bet this is all that fucking bitch Bella's fault! What has she done now, broken a fingernail? Why do we all need to go running every time she wants or does something? I thought it would get better once Jazz was our leader, well their leader, nobody tells me what to do!

I even managed to get him to give me control of all the money! But no she still interferes in our business, I wish we'd never met her or Edward had killed her that first day and things would still be as they were, with me calling the shots and Edward thinking he did, fucking moaning virgin.

Edward

"They're almost here, Oh man, Alice is seething Jasper! Shit, she's blaming Bella for all of this!"

I say as I hear their minds as they come into range, Esme is just full of concern, but Alice, dear god, she's raging and about to do something really, really stupid! Well, I'm not stopping her, that's Jasper and Garrett jobs. But I think I'll just move away a little, this won't be very pretty if Garrett has to stop her.

Garrett

Coven leaders mate or not if she tries to hurt Bella I'll kill her, I start to move Bella to the side and slightly behind me, she squeezes my waist, letting me know she trusts my judgement. The two women burst through the door and Esme peels off to her mate's side, but Alice keeps coming towards us and raising her hand as if to strike Bella, fully knowing at that force it would kill her, I'm growling full out now and drop into a fight stance.

Suddenly the air is rent with the most feral growl I have ever heard, everyone freezes, a voice I haven't heard in over seventy years fills the air, it's the timbre and the quiet volume, the scary tone that commands attention.

"Alice Cullen Whitlock! stand down now, don't make me repeat myself!"

he says and she turns towards her mate only to be confronted with the 'Major'.

Peter

At fuckin' last! Char and I had, like Edward taken a few steps back as we saw the fury in Jasper climb, Emmett caught on quick and gently moved Rose back out of the line of fire too. Alice didn't even look at her mate as she flew in aimin' directly for Bella, what did she think we would do, stand by as she smacked her full force.

But the voice that followed that gut wrenchin' growl, was a welcome sound, don't get me wrong he's a bad son of a bitch! but he's my sire and I've sorely missed him. Alice being her usual stupid selfish self, once she got over the initial shock tries to get him to do what she wanted, Ha! Not a snowball's chance in hell.

"Quiet woman, stop talkin'!" he hisses at her,

she, of course, takes offence and tries to defy him, he drops her to her knees with his gift and floods the room with fear. Garrett, Char and I steel ourselves against it best we can but the other all go down too, except Bella. She realises quickly what's happenin' and shields everyone but Alice to the blast, they are so relieved as they gain their feet once more, we must do some serious trainin' with her now she knows it's there she's usin' her shield more and more. The 'Major' looks up and nods,

"I told you to be quiet woman, are you deaf or just stupid? I tell you when and if to talk! I tell you when and if to move! I am your mate, leader and lastly, but least importantly your husband! You will do nothin' without my permission and say so! Do you now, finally understand me, Alice?"

he says and she's noddin' and shakin' at the same time. Everyone is in awe of this vampire in front of us, even behind Bella's shield we all want to do what he says and to please him, this is a leader! He glances up,

"Report Captain!"

I quickly and efficiently tell him everythin' that has gone down today, includin' why we did not inform him what we were doin', he nods.

"I believe you have a theory, Isabella!"

he states and she to explains her ideas about their feeding and how it has affected them over the years, but she also adds,

"Those of you who were feeding from higher up the food chain animals, for example, Edward's love of mountain lions, actually were better off, but it still wasn't enough to just feed on carnivores, the vital ingredient was there, but not in high enough amounts!"

She finished off by saying

"You need to drink human blood to fulfil your needs and to sustain you properly for all eternity. Especially you 'Major', you and Jasper are not two separate beings, just two sides of the same coin, you have to embrace yourself and become whole once again, becoming Major Jasper Whitlock!".

Carlisle

Oh god, I had done this to them, insisting they feed my way and it has slowly been turning us into apathetic, uncaring sociopaths, not caring enough about the people we loved or the friends we'd made. Bella explained that she thought because I had been the most compassionate and least aggressive to start with it had taken longer for it to affect me, unlike the others especially Jasper who became the opposite of what he'd been before.

The rest somewhere in the middle caring only for themselves and their wants regardless of who it hurt along the way. I asked Jasper if I could research it more and see if mixing the two would be any good even just for myself, I could use bagged blood, I just won't be able to kill people to live. It also might just make my eye colour a deeper golden/orange rather than red. He assented, saying

"Yes, I don't want to have to go back to feelin' their emotions when they die, so bagged blood might benefit me too, for the moment anyway Carlisle, thank you! But the rest of you until we change back, no more deer! We'll be taking it slowly in case it has adverse effects, like newborn bloodlust tendencies, so only predators!"

WC

Grab Life With Both Hands!

Bella

Jasper, or should I say the Major is taking this time to interrogate his mate and he is finding her to actually be cold, heartless and beyond greedy, all that and she hasn't been on the animal diet, he has plans for her, a reintroduction to the ways of real vampire mating and she's looking terrified,

if he bites her she knows her lifestyle is over, permanently. She will become the one thing she never wanted to be, the good little wife and mate, doing her dominant mates bidding. I can't believe her whole attitude, I thought we had been friends before they left me! Turns out she need a toy to play with and it was me!

But if she could do that to her mate and family, then I was just a fly in her ointment. I really am having a hard time reconciling what I thought happened before to what actually did, I was taken for a first class fool! My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out to see my father's name,

"Hi dad, how'd the game go? Sorry, I was sick when I got back, junk food you know!"

I say and I hear the barely restrained tears in his voice,

"Bells honey, I'll be late back, there's been a tragic accident at the rez"

he says and I gasp, that was quick.

"Jake was working on his car, it fell off its jacks and crushed him, ruptured his heart, he would have died instantaneously!"

my father says and he barely holds the sob that's trying to escape.

"Oh dad, how's Billy coping? Stay with him as long as he needs you, okay! Dad, Esme says I can stay here for as long as you're at the rez, so I'm not alone and you don't need to worry"

I reply and I am once again crying for the father and not the son. The vampires all agree that was a good cover story and he will be cremated, as is their tradition so all evidence will be wiped away. For a moment I find it all a little callous, then I realise the ages of the people surrounding me, they have seen death many times and I am only eighteen, that's just a nanosecond in the grand scale of time.

"Are you alright Little Swan?" Garrett asks and I nod

"My tears are for his father, not for him!" I inform them all.

"So before I take my mate away for some intense trainin'! Any other business we need to address?

Jasper asked Alice whimpers and Edward clears his throat,

"If I'm to go back on a human diet! Bella can't be around the house, I struggle as it is with her being my singer! but if she's my food source as well! he says and I shudder at this",

"No problem Major, I'll stay at Bella's place with her or the Cottage! Can you handle that Edward?"

Garrett says and Edward nods relieved.

"Oh Edward, before you were all set to take on the world as a soldier! What did you want to do? I mean what were you going to be?"

I ask randomly,

"I... Well... I don't know! Why?" he mutters,

"It's not important, but think about it please!"

I tell him. He looks perplexed but nods slowly. Everyone is still buzzing about what happened and I was right Emmett was a little hurt, that we didn't ask him to help.

"Sorry Emmett, but this needed a woman's touch, no one would have fallen for you taking food to Charlie or babysitting me while I was sick!"

I remind him and he nods feeling better.

Esme

Rose tells Emmett she want to get Garrett to teach them to hunt and she also wants to get a place of their own, like Bella and Garrett and Peter and Charlotte.

"It doesn't have to be a ranch or anything like that! Maybe a base to start a business from, what do you think?" s

he enquires and he nods enthusiastically,

"Yeah! Separate but together" he agrees.

This is going to be the beginning of the end, everyone living separately, but if we were human that's the way it would work out, so I suppose it's right.

"Emmett, when Carlisle and I get back, I was thinking about a Restoration Business, If you like we could be partners, me doing the interiors and refurbishments, you doing the exteriors and renovations! What do you think?

We don't have to live together as the jobs would be all over, but I'm guessing Rose's business will be car based? Whereas building is your forte!" I ask him hopefully.

Rose is smiling at me and she says

"You'd be so much happier doing that, wouldn't you baby?"

Emmett scoops her up for a big kiss and then gives me a hug

"Thanks, mum," he says "That would be super awesome!"

So as Garrett and Bella leave for the cottage we three discussed business plans and locations.

Edward

Why on earth did Bella want to know what I wanted to do, for a living before I decided to join the Army when war broke out? I sat with my eyes closed and my head bowed as I contemplated this puzzle she's set me!

I remember arguing with my father about becoming a soldier, he wanted me to..., What? I just kept sifting and digging through my memories hoping to trigger one that would answer her question. Oh good lord! He, wanted me to become a soldier and fight for my country,

I had other plans, I was going to become a ...! Well, hell and damnation, that explains a lot, at least I think it does, I must talk to Carlisle.

Garrett

I was glad to get back to the cottage, I needed to be alone with Little Swan, to be sure she was okay and tell her all that had happened, while she had been in the safe room with Rose, I know she heard Peter's report, but not the details, she needed to hear them from me.

I was all ready for a night of talking and tears, recriminations and what if's! But as usual, my angel didn't react as I expected. She held her finger to my lips as I started to talk,

"Tomorrow Garrett! Tomorrow will be soon enough!"

she said as she started to undress me and herself, then lead me by the hand into the bedroom, sitting me down and slowly covering me with kisses and licks as if she was checking me over for damage, just as I had been going to do to her!

She crawled over me not missing an inch of my body from my feet to my head. It was possibly the most calming, but intensely erotic thing, that had ever happened to me. I was now on my back on the bed, as she looked me directly in the eyes while she started to lower her body down onto my by now rock hard and throbbing erection.

It was wonderful to watch her, her eyes darkened and her breathing speed up as she set a slow languorous rhythm. I held her by the hips guiding her up and down my length as she started to slowly lose control. Her hands were behind her braced on my upper thighs and her body has arched away from me.

But the view was beyond breathtaking and I could feel her tightening around me as the blood infused her skin a soft pink, so I slid one hand down to her clitoris and started to gently massage it and she was panting and cursing now! God, I loved her filthy mouth, she was my perfect match, the half I didn't know was missing till I met her,

with a gentle pinch from me she was flying and I sped up just a little before I joined her in our own little ecstasy filled bubble. Here together nothing and no one existed but us. I held her tight as she slid into a deep slumber, as the day caught up with her.

Bella

I awoke to the sound of Garrett singing softly to himself in the kitchen, as he I presume prepared my breakfast. I grabbed his shirt off the floor and padded in there as I buttoned it up. We sat on the deck and talked about yesterday at length and I was so happy he held nothing back.

I had made a decision, I told him I was going to tell my dad I was deferring college for a year, going to help him on the ranch first. My reason, as poor Jake showed us, life is not a guarantee, and I wasn't going to lose out on time with Garrett for the sake of something I could do later, either when we were a couple living together or married, but I was grabbing my future with both hands now, not putting it off for anything or anyone.

When we got back to the big house, Emmett was in the huff, not talking to anyone including Rose!

"What's up?"

I asked her and she shook her head answering

"We decided to move to Ellendale North Dakota, it's halfway roughly between Silver Lake and Forest Grove" Emmett grunted

"Okay I decided we're moving there, but the reason why's Emmett is sulking is, I wouldn't live in Eureka! Deadwood! or Fargo!"

"Never mind Emmy, we'll go visit them together okay!" I said smiling and roughing up his hair.

"Thanks, Belly, you're the best!" he said,

giving me his signature rib-crushing bear hug. Everyone else was laughing at him and smiling at me for forgiving him at last, about our past.

WC

Supernatural Classes 101!

Charlie

The atmosphere on the rez is a little confusing, it should be one of just sorrow, at a tragic death. But there is also a general buzz of elation and respect being directed at young Quill and Embry. They were very close friends of Jake's and although they are saddened by his death, they weren't as surprised as I expected when the news broke. I feel like I missed something.

Like yesterday when their heads all swung simultaneously before we were all seeing that strange purple smoke in the sky, but that horrendous howl that rent the forest not long after that was beyond eerie, as was its reply.

The tribe dismissed it a wolf close by, saying it was just echoing off the hills. But everyone was agitated after that, when Quill and Embry appeared they looked strained and strangely sad, it wasn't long after that when Jake's body was found in his garage.

I also realised how there was always one or two of them missing, during events or even meal times, then suddenly they'd appear and another was gone. If I wasn't a cop I probably wouldn't notice all the little things. They for want of a better term acted like a pack! All those tall tales Billy used to tell me were swirling around in my head.

Apart from Quill's coming and going yesterday, there was no sign of Seth and Leah either. But the worst thing about this whole situation was, my Bells was mixed up in it somehow! I knew this deep down inside, but how? She spent way more time at the Cullens than the rez, so why did I think she was involved with all of this crazy strangeness?

I was gazing out of Billy's kitchen window, waiting for the kettle to boil as this all ran through my head. That's when I saw her, Leah Clearwater, one minute she was arguing with her father near the rear entrance of their house and the next she was..., she was a wolf!

Snapping and growling at her father, who just stood there unimpressed, shaking his head and then turned and walked away. I watched her paw the ground, swaying her head from side to side and then she shimmered, actually shimmered and was now standing with her back to me, naked in the sunshine and I could not look away, I know I should, but I'm still only a man and she was a glorious sight to behold.

I felt this overwhelming need to go to her and must have moved slightly. She spun around looking directly at me through the window and I felt her touching my soul with her eyes, then she ran, into the forest shimmering back to her wolf form as she went. I dropped into a chair panting and realised I was hard, I was rock hard, dear god I'd just gotten a hard-on from looking at one of my best friends, twenty-plus-year-old daughter naked, shit! God, I was so screwed!

WC