Chapter Eight
Bella
The next morning Alice woke me up by shaking my shoulder.
"Bella, come on. It's time to get up, we have a busy day ahead of us."
I groaned and opened my eyes, annoyed to see her looking as glamorous as always.
Deciding there was no way she was going to allow me to go back to sleep again I jumped out of bed to head for the shower, Only as I reached the door did I remember that we had made no plans for today but I just kept going.
When I got back to the bedroom she'd picked out some clothes for me and, surprisingly, there was nothing glamorous, skimpy, or too short.
"Are you feeling OK, Alice? Where are the bows? Where's the lace?"
She laughed, that tinkling sound that always reminded me of Tinkerbell the fairy.
"I don't think your date would be impressed by lace and bows."
I frowned totally confused now.
"Date? What date?"
She pointed to the computer and I rushed over to find another message on the screen from Mr Mystery.
"11 a.m in the trees behind your house, if Alice Cullen is willing to cover for you."
There was still no signature, all I knew were his initials J. W.
I looked over my shoulder at my friend who was grinning like the Cheshire cat.
"Well, are you willing?"
She nodded.
"Yes, I've seen, you'll be safe. Just get back before Charlie and that means by 6 pm because I'm not cooking his dinner. I have to draw the line there."
She picked up a book and pretended to be reading but I knew she was actually watching me.
"Alice?"
"Yes, Bella"
"It's easier to read if you turn it the right way up, I said with a grin.
She turned it over answering me airily.
"'I'm learning to read backward actually."
"Yeah, sure you are."
I got dressed and then waited for the clock, which now appeared to be on a go slow, to reach eleven.
At five til I could bear the suspense no longer and went downstairs followed closely by Alice who skipped past me to open the door.
"Have fun, Bella, but remember, take care."
"What?"
But it was too late, she'd pushed me outside and shut the door.
I was walking across the road feeling a little apprehensive and excited when I heard a car horn and turned to see Jake parking up outside the house.
He ran across smiling and nodded.
"Bella, we haven't seen you since the barbecue so I thought I'd check up. Are you OK? By the way, there's another at the Res tonight, you coming?"
I cursed under my breath and hurried with an excuse.
"Sorry, Jake. I'm busy all weekend."
His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Oh yeah? With what?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but I've got a friend staying."
"That's no excuse. Bring your friend with you."
I smiled, amused by his offer.
"I don't think that would be a good idea, Jake."
He frowned.
"Why not? Your friends are always welcome Bella."
"Not always, and certainly not this one," I pointed out.
"Why not? I heard the leeches were away. Ask her, you might be surprised."
He turned as he heard the front door open and his eyes narrowed as he recognized Alice standing there.
"You might want to rethink that invitation, dog boy."
He glared at her before turning back to me.
"So, not all the leeches went. You're making it pretty clear you've chosen them."
"Jake, I haven't chosen anyone. You're a friend and so is Alice but I take it you've withdrawn that invitation?"
He sneered.
"Yeah, although we could use her to fuel the barbecue."
"You could try," she retorted.
"Enough!" I interjected.
"Jake sorry, I'm busy. Maybe another time."
I tried to sneak a look at my watch but Jake noticed.
"Am I keeping you from something important?"
He glanced over to the trees.
"Another leech is it, Bella? You're playing with fire and I can't protect you here, not while they're around."
He flicked his hand towards Alice dismissively.
"OK, Jake warning noted, but I'm perfectly safe, thanks. Now, if you don't mind, I have to go."
I walked on towards the trees praying that Jake wouldn't follow me, a vain hope as it turned out because I heard his footsteps behind me.
"Jake, go away."
"Who are you meeting? I know it's not Edward."
"Mind your own business."
"It is my business when you are playing with fire. Whoever is in there," he nodded towards the trees. "Is not like the Cullen's."
I turned to look at him trying to hide my annoyance and failing miserably.
"What exactly do you mean by that?"
"He's one of the leeches we kill."
"Really? And how would you know that when you don't even know who I'm meeting."
"Then maybe I should go with you, check him out. It is a he, isn't it? I wonder what Eddie boy would say if he knew you were creeping around behind his back?"
"Jake, go boil your head! It's up to me what I do and who I choose to see."
"No, it's not. I'm sure Charlie would be interested to know you are planning on meeting a stranger in the woods."
His eyes gleamed maliciously and my palm itched to slap him but I remembered just in time what happened the last time I tried that. Instead, I shot back a question.
"And what exactly would you say without putting your great hairy paw in it? Charlie, Bella is meeting a strange vampire in the woods and I know this because I'm a werewolf, but don't worry because that's OK."
He was getting angry now and his hands began to tremble."
"Bella" it was Alice and she sounded nervous now.
"So you've got Alice Cullen as stand-in bodyguard have you?"
He was almost snarling now and his hands were trembling more noticeably.
"Bella, come back to the house now. It's too dangerous out there."
Then I heard it, that same voice that I heard in the cinema. The one I felt I should know but couldn't remember where from.
"Stop now, Jacob Black. Before someone gets hurt."
Jake's head whipped around in the direction of the trees and with a roar he leaped forward, phasing as he did so and ran full speed towards the source of the voice.
I screamed for him to stop but Alice pulled me into the house and shut the door standing with her back to it preventing me from getting back outside.
"Someone's going to get hurt, Alice."
"Jake isn't fast enough or skillful enough to catch your friend."
I looked at her concerned now.
"Will he come back?"
"Oh yes. He won't be able to help himself."
I stared at her, waiting for her to continue but she just bit her lip and shook her head.
"I shouldn't be doing this, Bella, not really, but if I don't something might go wrong. You're playing with fire and I'm just trying to stop you from getting your fingers burned."
Knowing there was no point in going outside again now I followed her back upstairs to my room and sat heavily on the bed. I was feeling really deflated.
"You're sure he'll contact me again?"
She smiled pointing at the computer, "He already has."
I rushed over to read the new message.
"Sorry about this afternoon, I had to lead the pup on a wild goose chase. Meet me tonight at Miller's Bar instead? Bring Alice if you want."
I looked at her.
"Are you willing to go with me? Dad won't let me go on my own and I am most certainly not telling him I have a date."
She nodded.
"Why not? It should be fun."
With a certain amount of excitement and anticipation, I tapped out my agreement and hit send.
The Major
I had spent decades building a wall around me so no emotions could reach me, so I could find peace and it had worked. For the longest time, I felt nothing and that suited me, but since I set eyes on Bella Swan my defenses began to crumble. I felt something and no matter what I tried, I just couldn't stop it.
So, I would get closer to her, find out why she was affecting me so much. I felt excited when she had agreed to meet me and that scared me. I could face an army of newborns with no problem but facing Bella? That was a different matter, I felt nervous yet excited and scared to death of these feelings because I thought I knew what they meant and I was the last person a human wanted to get involved with. I was a killing machine pure and simple. Would Bella be able or willing to see beyond that? No doubt Alice Cullen had warned her or at least filled her in on my past although I had no idea what Bella made of it all.
Frustratingly, I couldn't get close enough to her house or the school she attended to hear her conversations with Alice or her closest human friend Angela Webber. So, all I could do was to wait and wonder.
My first meeting with Bella, in the cinema, had gone as I had anticipated. I was being very careful but I wanted to speak to her in person and show her that I was not a threat to her. After that, I felt confident enough to arrange a face to face meeting but the wolf cub had ruined that. Did he really think he was going to catch me? Or be able to warn me off? I was way faster than he was and if it came to a fight he would discover just how much of an amateur he really was. I didn't want a fight, but if it came to one I would try to incapacitate rather than kill him.
Despite the problem with him and anything she may have heard about me, we were finally going to meet in person. I had given her the option to bring Alice Cullen along because I wanted her to know that she was in control.
Bella
Charlie was happy that I was going out with Alice, not Edward, so he didn't argue about it. He just told us to be careful and not to be home too late.
I spent ages looking through my closet, despairing because I really didn't have anything suitable for a date. Then it occurred to me that this was crazy. I'd never worried about what I wore when I went out with Edward so why was it so important now?
Tutting under her breath Alice pulled out a new pair of jeans and a red blouse and handed them to me.
"Bella, I don't think he's going to worry about what you're wearing."
"Oh? Then what is he going to be worried about, Alice?"
She pursed her lips and scowled and I was sure she wasn't going to answer me.
"Oh, all right. He's going to be worried about why he's there and why you're there."
"What? I don't understand, Alice."
She sighed.
"I know you don't, and I promise to tell you more after you meet him. If, that is you are still interested."
We took her car and by the time we arrived, I was a nervous wreck. As we walked in I felt everyone was looking at us which was crazy, why should they? I looked around curiously and whispered to Alice.
"Is he here yet?"
She looked around then shook her head.
"No, not yet. Just relax, Bella. I'll get us some drinks while you find a table. Get one at the back away from the lights."
"Why there?"
"He's shy," she snapped then disappeared to the bar.
I found a table as she instructed and sat down eyeing up all the men in there. None of them seemed to be looking this way and none that I could see interested me. It amused me to see all heads turn to watch Alice as she walked over with our drinks. I smiled, It was inevitable with a figure like that!
She slid in opposite me and handed me a soda putting a beer down for herself. When she saw me looking at the drinks she smiled.
"Local color, that's all."
I thought about the family sitting in the school cafeteria with meal trays in front of them and nodded. They knew exactly how to act in order to fit in.
We sat and listened to the music for a while and I almost forgot why we were there until suddenly I felt something and glanced around.
"He's here isn't he?"
Alice looked at me with a small smile on her lips.
"How did you know?"
"I don't know. I just felt something."
Her smile got broader and she looked smug.
"Well, we'll soon find out, won't we?"
A minute later a tall man, broad-shouldered, with dusty blond hair, appeared at our table. As I looked up I saw he was wearing dark glasses despite the fact that our table was in the shadows.
"May I?"
He gestured to the empty chair by my side.
I found myself unable to answer and Alice stepped in.
"Please do."
He sat down and my heart started to beat faster. My mouth was dry and I still couldn't speak as he turned to me.
"Isabella."
"Just Bella." I croaked embarrassed.
"Bella, I'm Jasper ."
His voice was liquid honey and I remembered the sensation I had felt once before, in the cinema.
I took a deep breath and this time found I could speak normally.
"Hello, Jasper".
He smiled and suddenly I couldn't breathe. A smile like that should be registered as a lethal weapon!
"Well, I'm going to powder my nose."
Alice got up quickly and before I could argue she was gone.
"Do I make you nervous, Bella?"
His voice was deep with more than a hint of the South and it sent shivers down my spine.
"A little," I said gazing into his face.
"I know you. I've seen you before." I said quietly.
He smiled again.
"Yes, we've met."
Then it hit me.
"It was you! You stopped Laurent at the Baseball Game. You're..."
What was it the others had called him?...
Then it came to me.
"The Major."
He stiffened a little and I wondered if I had insulted him, but his smile stayed in place.
"Oh, so you've heard of me?"
"Not really, just your name. I mean your title or is it rank?"
He ignored my confusion.
"But not my reputation?"
"Well, a bit I guess. I was told you were dangerous."
"I see, and are you scared of me?"
I thought about that.
"No, not really. I don't think you'll hurt me, but I don't know how I know if that makes any sense."
His smile brightened.
"You fascinate me, and I have no idea why."
"Well, it looks like we're even then."
He nodded then looked over my head.
"I think your friend is coming back. I'd like to see you again, perhaps alone next time? Unless, of course, you would prefer not to."
"Yes, I'd like that."
"Good. Then could you get away for a couple of hours tomorrow? We could take a walk in the woods."
"OK, what time?"
"I'll send you a text."
"I don't have a cell phone"
He put a hand in his jacket pocket and handed me a small black cell phone.
"Now you do. My number is programmed in and it won't cost you anything. It's on my account so use it whenever you like."
"I can't take this from you. We've only just met."
"Please, it will make things so much easier. The computer is so impersonal and I'd like a way to contact you that's a little more personal."
I hesitated before putting the phone into my pocket where it lay, heavy and comforting.
As Alice reappeared he stood up and in a panic, I blurted out a question.
"Do you have to go?"
He looked at Alice and she smiled.
"Stay, I don't mind. You know, we almost met once."
He studied her as if trying to see inside her head.
"In Philadelphia," she continued and the frown disappeared.
"Oh, yes. In the rain. It was you?"
She nodded, beaming.
"Yes, you changed your mind at the last minute, but I knew we'd end up meeting eventually. I just hope the long wait wasn't too onerous. You'd have had a much easier time if you'd traveled with me."
"I never have an easy time, Alice. Never have, and I don't suppose I ever will. Anyway, it was a pleasure to finally meet you properly Bella, but I should go."
He smiled then walked away becoming lost in the crowd.
