A/N: First, I want to say I'm sorry I didn't post this on Monday. Since midday on Sunday, I went into my own little world and didn't come out of it until late Thursday night. I spent most of yesterday I spent working on other stuff. Second, I want to say for some reason I wasn't able to answer all the reviews I would get an error message. Some days I just hate FF, so I want to thank each of you for your support. I have half the next chapter written and it's with my pre-reader to see if she likes the train of thought I'm going with… Last I want to say I don't own Twilight.

Chapter 10

Bella's POV

It's been four weeks since we came to Alaska. I talked with dad every day. He was mad the first few days after he woke up, not understanding why I never told him the truth about what was going on. He said, like me, he always believed there were supernatural beings living around us so being a vampire was not a problem to him. The only thing he had trouble with was, me being the most wanted to a group of vampires. It was very unsettling to him.

My shoulder was now fully healed. Both Jasper and dad have asked me when I wanted to be turned. I have told them both point blank; I would help fight against the Volturi as a human because it was this human, they want dead.

Dad didn't understand it but, thankfully, Jasper did. I practiced every single day on rocks, trees and whatever else I could find. Jasper still had to have his food brought to him, even though the distance, we could be apart had grown.

I'd slowly gotten to know the Denalis. Kate was sweet, and we got along great. Irina tried not to visit; she seemed a little put off that she had to put her life on the line for a human. Tanya was very annoying and liked pushing my buttons, but I felt I could trust her with my life.

I really liked Carmen and Eleazar, who said he had never met a human like me or whose gifts showed so readily. He fully believed I was a shield both physically and mentally. He also believed that it was solely my bond as Jasper's mate, which allowed me to feel the emotions behind his thoughts and him like wise my emotions behind my thoughts.

Since that one phone call right after the fight in Forks, we hadn't heard anything from Aro or his brothers. This worried Jasper, and he had everyone training to fight. With the fight on the horizon, Peter and Char spent some time with Charlie, making sure he could put his new strength to our advantage.

When they weren't off training the rest of the Cullens and Denalis, they were here to watch over me. So it's still three people protecting me, even though I can do a much better job at protecting myself now that my shoulder was healed.

Over the past month, I've asked a lot of questions about newborns. I wanted to understand what my dad was going through. I knew I would also go through it one day, when I was ready to be changed. It seemed dad was the typical newborn, having his good days and bad days.

When he initially woke up, Carlisle explained everything to him, hoping he wouldn't get mad and go out on a rampage. Dad was calm until they took him for his first hunt. With it being at the height of Elk season, the woods were filled with hunters.

Dad drained one hunter and was on the trail of his second when Carlisle, along with Emmett, took him down. They talked to him until he was calm again and someone else had escorted the hunter out of the forest. I was told later by Dad, he felt so guilty for taking the life of that man. He then vowed only to drink from animals.

He had twice run into humans while hunting since that day and had to be held back. He didn't want another repeat of his past experience. Jasper told me drinking the blood from animals isn't as satisfying as drinking from humans. However, drinking from animals helps you maintain your humanity.

I was just so pleased that dad was still in my life. I was also very glad he wasn't upset with me for allowing him to be changed.

As normal, we spent much of the day practicing. I, with my Katana, while Jasper, Peter and Char exchanged hand to hand combat with each other. On days Peter and Char would go to the Cullen house to work with everyone over there, Emmett and Rose came here. I was so tired of Jasper not fully trusting me. This is the biggest part of why I wouldn't let him change me now. I needed him to trust me as much as I trusted him.

If he couldn't trust me as I was now, what says he would be able to trust me once I was turned? I had just cut through a small sapling when Jasper picked me up and ran toward the house.

"Jasper, put me down now and explain yourself!" I yelled.

"Darlin', we have visitors coming this way, and I can't say if they are friend or foe." He said, sitting me down just inside the door.

"Jasper Whitlock, when are you going to start trusting me and my ability to take care of myself?" I screamed, now filled with rage at his inability to trust me.

"Isabella, just do as I say." He said, using his commanding voice.

Damn he made me so mad at times. I stayed right where he sat me down as he stood in front of the doorway with Char and Peter flanking each side of him. We stood there for a few moments before two male vampires walked into our back yard.

"So it's true. You are protecting the assassin; but why?" Asked the one on the right.

"Garrett, Randall…it's been, what, fifty years or so since we have last seen each other?" Jasper replied calmly.

"Yes, at least fifty, but I think it's more like sixty, and you failed to answer the question." The same one said.

"She is my mate." Jasper answered him.

"Why not change her then?" the other guy asked.

"She is not ready to be changed." Jasper stated.

"You know, there is a price on anyone's head caught protecting her. I'm wondering how such a petite woman could kill, one of our kind?" stated one of them. I stopped looking at their faces and started watching their body movements.

"I have taken out eleven vampires. Want to try for twelve and thirteen?" I asked.

"Now, now little lady; we're not here to harm you. We just wanted to find out why the Volturi has a price on Jasper's head, along with why he would protect someone who has killed our own kind." He said.

"Jasper, if what you say is true, and she is your mate, does the Volturi know this? It doesn't make sense they would want you dead for protecting your mate," the other questioned him.

"They know and seem to have no qualms about killing either of us." Jasper replied.

"Would you be opposed to us staying and backing you up in whatever is to come down?" one asked.

"Garrett, that would be of great help," Jasper said, stepping to the side and motioning for me to step forward.

"Darlin', I would like to introduce you to Garrett and Randall. Both consider Carlisle a great friend," he said and then added, "Garrett, Randall this is Isabella Swan, better known to our kind as the Assassin."

"Isabella, it is a great honor to meet a human that can best one of us," Garrett said.

"Carlisle has his moments, but I think right now we could use all the help." I said, causing my family to look at me. They all know I'm not a big fan of Carlisle's after what happened back home, and I still had problems trusting him.

Garrett and Randall were invited inside. They sat with Jasper and Peter discussing battle strategies. I learned Garrett was changed during the Revolutionary War and Randall in the early sixties. My stomach growled and alerted me to my hunger. I headed to the kitchen to cook, and Char decided to join me. Not long after I started to cook, everyone left the house keeping the back door open, so I could still feel Jasper. I knew it is because of the smell. Randall made a comment as he was leaving about how rank human food smells. It didn't even faze me as I heard it from everyone at one point in time. Char, even though she is an awesome cook, turned her nose up at it all the time. However, she remained to keep me company.

After they were all gone, Char told me that she saw mating threads, which tells her Randall and Garrett's mates are close. They just needed to meet them. We talked while I ate, catching up on a few things since they had been at the Cullens most of the week. While I was cleaning up, Peter and Jasper came back in stating that Garrett and Randall went to hunt and would be back soon.

This reminded me of Jasper's need to feed. Someone would be bringing him something soon. Since it was getting close to nightfall, I ran upstairs to grab a sweater. The sun was dipping in the sky, and the temperature was already getting chillier.

As I came back downstairs, I heard Char complaining about something.

"Why does it have to be her? She always upsets Bella." Char gravels out.

I cringed, knowing full well who Char was talking about. Tanya Denali. I understood everyone needed to take turns, but Tanya always tried her best to cause problems; it was all a game to her. Knowing she could push my buttons and not do anything about it.

I wasn't smiling when I reached the bottom stairs.

"Bella, just stay by the back door, maybe she won't stay long?" Char told me.

I groaned as I stepped out the door, right behind everyone else. Jasper turned and gave me a quick kiss before dashing to the edge of the woods to meet with the Bitch and drink his dinner.

"I heard that groan Isa…..bell…a." Tanya said as she handed the Caribou to Jasper.

"Tanya, please don't start anything like you did last time you brought me my food." Jasper warned her.

"Awww, the little human can't handle me?" She mock questioned.

"Tanya, I'm only warning you one last time. Trust me. You don't want to piss her off now that her shoulder is healed." Jasper stated before he, sunk his teeth into the neck of the Caribou.

I watched as Tanya moved closer. I wish that I had brought my sword out with me. It would make me feel so much better if I took her head off and more fun to see her in pain as it's placed back on.

"Now, now, I only have one thing to say this time, so I won't be here for long." Tanya said, stopping about twenty feet from me.

"Say it and leave." I said forcefully, almost in a growl.

"My, my…You are testy today; it sounds like someone needs to get laid, but I'll get straight to the point. You know that Jasper has a habit of getting tired with his women after a few decades. He was with Maria for his first hundred and with Alice for almost seventy. So, I'll give you two only fifty at best. From what I hear Maria has never gotten over losing her Major. I can only guess she misses his dick." She uttered, glaring at me.

I didn't even get a chance to say anything as Tanya went down into a crouch, growling towards something, in the distance. It must be our two new visitors returning from their hunt.

"What in the hell do we have here?" I heard one of the guys say as they appeared in the backyard.

"Garrett, Randall, meet the bane of my existence, Tanya Denali." I said.

"Is she always like this?" Garrett asked.

What happened next was all but a blur. The only thing I caught was Randall colliding with Tanya, and then they were gone. I was still shaking my head trying to understand what had just taken place when I heard Char say, "One pair down and one to go."

Jasper drained his Caribou and joined our little group. We went back into the house, and I joined Jasper for a quick shower. I like touching him as well as having him touch me. He has yet to claim me. We've gotten close a time or two, but it still stays with touching, that is with both hands and mouths. That tongue of his is magic.

It was still early, so we went back downstairs to watch a movie and talk. I was glad that no one really said anything else about Randall and Tanya. God only knows where they are and what they are doing at this moment.

As we watched some war movie, the guys discussed needing more people to fight if possible. Garrett mentioned that he knew many nomads who would most likely stand up if they heard the truth; that the Volturi wanted to kill not only the assassin, but the mate of one of their own.

Garrett reminded everyone what it meant to find your mate and the pain you endured if you lost your mate. He then said he would set off to spread the word but would call every couple of days with updates. I felt Jasper relax beside me. I knew all this was taking a toll on him just like it was on me. However, I survived a year on my own with vampires wanting to kill me. I knew we could make it a little while longer.

I knew this fight could mean my end as well as the end of my mate, but I had to face them as myself and not a vamped up version. They needed to fear me as I was. I looked forward to the day that I could behead one of the three kings of the world; I had become a part of.

I started to yawn, which prompted Jasper to get me to bed. After saying a brief goodnight, he picked me up and took me to our room. I did enjoy lying in his arms, even though I was wrapped up like a human burrito in my blanket, so I wouldn't get chilled as I slept next to his ice-cold body. That was one thing I did look forward to when I did decide to be changed; my skin on his skin.