Chapter Twelve

Jasper

The closer I got to town the more urgent the feeling became and I found myself running as fast as I could although I had no idea why. Then ahead I heard voices, male voices using words that should only be heard on a battlefield. I could sense their excitement, their lust, and then was almost blasted from my feet by another emotion, pure undiluted fear.

They had someone, a woman, and I could well imagine what they planned to do. I hated bullies with a vengeance and rapists, even more, so my rage burst forth as I threw myself at the semi-naked man positioned above the naked and bloody form of a young woman they had already beaten and cut.

Well, if they wanted some fun I was just the guy to give them some, in fact I felt The Major alert at the scent of human blood and worried I would be drawn to it, to feed on their victim but no, he wanted her attackers in the worst possible way and so, I gave myself over to him.

Bella

I waited expecting to feel more pain and his hands on my body but there was nothing, it was as if time had stopped, frozen in the moment before my ordeal and I opened my eyes terrified what I might see. Three of my attackers stood wide-eyed as a figure I couldn't see properly ripped the limbs from their leader spraying blood everywhere. Their mouths were open and I guessed they were screaming although I could hear nothing.

As the figure dropped what remained of their leader they turned and ran and I was glad, I didn't want my rescuer killed by them although there seemed something so powerful about him that I didn't think anyone could take him down. I blinked and he was gone racing after them so fast he was a blur. First one and then a second body flew through the air to land close to me and I could see from their expressions that they were in pain and terrified, just like I had been at their hands a few minutes before.

As the third body landed by the first two and flopped around like a landed fish I guessed his back was broken but I felt no pity, in fact, I wanted them all to suffer as their leader had, to die screaming in agony for the things they had done to me. I wanted to know they would not live to tell anyone else about it.

My rescuer was back before my thoughts were finished and he looked at me with bleak dead eyes but I wasn't afraid, I recognized him.

It wasn't possible, I must be dreaming or hallucinating, the man standing here was my Knight, the same blond hair and golden eyes that looked at me and promised to fight for my freedom.

He lifted the first of the three and brought his body down across his knee, from the way the man went limp I guessed he was dead but my knight wasn't satisfied, just as I was not and he continued to smash the lifeless body down across his knee again and again until it was like a limp rag doll, all the bones in the spine smashed although how he had such strength I had no idea. The second, the one with the broken back continued to flop around in a futile effort to get away but the remaining guy, he was gone, he had run away in the confusion.

I wanted to alert my Knight when I saw a movement and understood the escapee had found the dropped knife they had used on me and planned on stabbing it into my Knight's back. Terrified I tried to make him understand, I thumped the ground and made whatever noises I could but he didn't turn. He finished with the third man leaving his body a bloody pulp as the last attacker launched himself knife held out to slice into my Knight's back. I closed my eyes unable to watch as he was stabbed and waited for the last attacker to take out his wrath on my defenceless body.

When a hand touched my arm I flinched but I had to open my eyes and knew I would see the triumphant smile of the remaining attacker and beyond him the lifeless body of my saviour but I was wrong, it was my Knight and he smiled reassuringly.

I looked around and saw that the final attacker had met his just desserts although I couldn't see all of him, only his head. The ground was littered with body parts and shredded clothing soaked in blood and my knight was no longer shining white either, his hands and clothes were also splattered with blood and gore but although I should be frightened, after all he had torn four grown men to pieces after chasing them down at superhuman speed I was not. This was my Knight and he had finally ridden in to save me. Of course, I knew this was just my knee jerk reaction to being almost raped but he did resemble my dream knight and he had appeared just in time to save me, leaving me feeling safe for the first time since my accident. Somehow I knew he would let no harm befall me, whatever it took he would keep me safe and that was all I needed to know.

His hand was cold against my arm and I noticed for the first time that it was now snowing much more heavily. I shivered and he shrugged off his jacket wrapping around my shoulders while he went to collect up my clothes, not that they would cover much now, ripped as they were but the pants did stay up when he took off his belt and looped it through mine. I was shivering more violently and crying in relief and pain.

Suddenly my hands were throbbing and I could hardly bear weight on my torn feet and he understood lifting me up into his arms as if I were no more substantial than a feather and the world began to spin before fading to darkness.

Jasper

When the red mist of rage finally cleared and The Major receded I found myself surrounded by body parts and splattered with human blood. The only person still alive was the naked girl who lay watching me with huge wide eyes but there was something wrong with the picture. She must have seen me tear four men limb from limb or, if she had closed her eyes, at least hear their screams yet there was no sign of terror in her eyes, no feeling of revulsion and fear in her emotions and she was silent, not a cry or screaming now and none I had heard while in the grip of The Major.

She shivered and I shook off my jacket covering her shoulders but it was not enough, she would freeze to death out here and she was in shock. I needed to get her inside but even running it would take time so she needed covering from the snow that was falling heavily now.

Looking around I saw her discarded clothes and grabbing her pants I approached very carefully, I didn't want to scare her even more, after all, she might think I had only saved her for myself.

She allowed me to lift her up and slip her pants back on watching me all the time but still saying nothing and then I saw what they had done to stop her trying to escape although she could hardly have evaded four of them.

She winced and I lifted her up just in time as she fell into unconsciousness. Now what should I do? The only place I could take her safely was home but she needed medical attention, I had no idea what her attackers had subjected her to before I arrived but there were nasty bruises coming on the side of her face besides the knife cuts on her hands and feet.

I ran as fast as I could back to the house and lay her on the couch covering her with blankets before ringing Carlisle wondering what to tell him.

"Doctor Cullen."

"Carlisle, it's Jasper."

"Jasper? Is there a problem? You sound stressed."

"I need you to come home, now. There's a girl and I don't know how badly injured she is but she's bleeding."

"OK, I need to arrange cover and I'll be there as soon as I can."

As I put the phone down it occurred to me that he hadn't asked any questions, did he think I had attacked her and was looking to him for help? I guess it was the logical assumption but somehow I doubted he would jump to such a conclusion, he just wasn't like that.