Chapter Eighteen:

Forests and Protection.

Another family meeting was called. I knew who it was about. What happened in the woods yesterday wasn't forgotten. None of us had any recollection of what would come except for my Alice. We weren't worried, that is, until she told us.

"She's going to get hurt," Alice whimpered, looking towards the ground. She looked small and weak. My Alice didn't often look like so, unless worried. "I know we're only up against one this time, but I saw her get hurt. Why would she get hurt? What would we be doing that we missed this?"

Carlisle's gentle hand, a comforting one to us all, rested on Alice's knee. "Did you see where they were?" His soothing voice rang out. "Did you see anything at all that could help us better understand when it happened?"

"It was dark out," Alice nodded, remembering. I watched her blank, beautiful eyes meet mine. One look, one look was all I needed to calm her. "It was dark, and I couldn't see where they were." My powers were working. She relaxed, leaning back against the chair.

Rosalie scoffed from the side of the room. No one even bothered to look at her. We knew her expression was fierce, and that her words would follow in her aggression. "Maybe this is a sign that we shouldn't save her," her vile tone hissed quietly. "Obviously we're not going to rush out and save her in Alice's vision/. So, why should we worry about it?"

Now we all shifted our cold gaze to her. She shot us all back a menacing one. "Rosalie," Esme sighed softly. "Eden is our friend. We're going to do whatever it takes to protect her. Alice may not have seen us saving her in her vision, but we might not have known. It's not because we didn't want to."

"For all we know," Rosalie continued. "She could be getting hurt right now." Rosalie twisted her face to the sunshine shooting through the glass. Her face sparkled, her beauty no longer dazzling us. "Even if it is light outside, the woods aren't always."

I sighed heavily, turning away from everyone. "Jasper?" I heard my Alice coo. I frowned and continued to walk up the stairs. Sometimes, I just needed a moment away from everyone. Away from Forks, away from my love, away from my family. I just needed some time to think.

As I entered my bedroom, my first movement was to go to my large window sill. It's my comfort zone... my place to think. My own little seminary.

I thought about what happened yesterday when Carlisle, Edward and I ran into the woods. I thought about it. I thought about her face. Her body. I thought about how threatened I felt, even with my brothers beside me.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Our feet took us as fast as we could go into the forest. Our cars were passing beside me, and before I knew it, everyone was gone, except for Carlisle and Edward. We stopped, breathing heavily.

"Edward," Carlisle whispered. "You're faster than me and Jasper. I can smell her scent coming from there," His pale white finger pointed in front of us. "If you could run ahead and check..."

With a nod, I watch my brother zoom past us, fast as a bullet. "Alright," Carlisle grunted, taking his stance. "Let's go." He sped off towards the direction of my brother. I followed him, not shaking. If our scents were right, it was only one vampire. It was a vampire we had never smelled before.

As we continued to run, I continued to think. Alice had taken me aside on the baseball field to tell me what she had seen. She had seen a stunning vampire, lovelier than ever, attacking Eden. It didn't seem fair… that Eden had gotten attacked in her vision. It meant that it was planned to happen. What if no one stopped it? What if no one knew?

"Okay," Carlisle sighed heavily as we stopped behind a tall bush. "Listen." We both grew silent, our ears turned. I waited. I heard nothing but air. "That's not right," Carlisle murmured, barely audible. "I can smell them. They should be right here." As could I. I nodded, puzzled.

"Hello, boys."

Me and Carlisle instantaneously spun around. Standing up straighter, I was awed by her beauty. Her hair was light, a strawberry blonde, and it hung around her shoulders and down to her waist. Her eyes were as dark as could be, and I felt weak staring into them. I looked away. "Who are you?" Carlisle smirked, inclining his head.

She stepped closer to us with Edward behind her. She extended a cold hand. I lightly shook it, the freeze of it stinging my own cold skin. "It's good to see you again," she spoke with a voice like a song. "I know you were looking for me." Her devilish smile displayed her tease. "What concern do I give you, gentlemen?"

She had a thick accent. It surprised me when I heard it. I couldn't tell what it was though, until she spoke again. "We're sort of the head of Forks vampires," Carlisle explained. I knew he meant, the head vampires. "I know you we already met you the other day, but we're a bit curious."

"Curious?" Her thin brows raised on her white, marble face. "Curious about what? I was just about to hunt actually. I think you should be more apologetic than curious. My bait got away." I could feel my hands gripping tighter. She better not have been speaking of Eden. I hoped Emmett had gotten Eden safely back to her home.

"I think you're hunting someone we know," My eyes narrowed. I didn't even recognize my firm voice. My brother moved beside me, the three of us now forming an alliance. "That is, if you're hunting a human."

She nodded, pacing back and forth. Her hands tied behind her back, as her light tank top flapped with the wind. "A mortal is who I seek." She snapped her eyes to mine. "Her scent isn't fully known to me. I've gotten some part of it, however."

Carlisle narrowed his brows, keeping a steady pose. "I think you're mistaken. No human has been up in these woods for quite some time."

Of course, she didn't buy it. "No," she chuckled lightly. "That's where you're wrong. I could smell her. I did smell her. She's mine now. There's no stopping me." We exchanged glances. Edward seemed frustrated, searching for something to say. Carlisle merely held his ground, tight-lipped. "If I didn't know any better... I'd say she was with you."

"No," Carlisle sighed. "We do not converse with mortals." If I wouldn't have known, I would say he was telling the truth by the tone of his voice. "Trust me. Humans around here are stiff. I wouldn't lock your focus on just one. Take a look around first." Carlisle sounded like a true vampire, but at least Edward and I knew he was drawing her attention away.

"Well," Gemma sighed, her pink lips pursing. "I think I'd have to disagree." She was about to leave. "I'll find my prey, and I'll kill her. What does a human matter to you? I know she does. I can read it on your faces." She snickered, placing a hand on my shoulder. The cold air seeped through my light jersey. "Especially yours."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

There was a rapping at my door. Without looking back, I murmured, "Come in". I heard nothing and when I turned my head around, my Alice stood beside me. She was frowning as she reached for my hand. I grabbed it lightly, holding it to my chest. "Alice, what is it?"

"I'm worried about you," she whispered, kneeling down to me. "We're all worried about Eden, but I'm also concerned about you." I shut my eyes and turned my face to the open window. The cold air stung, but I ignored it. Coldness was my friend. "You seem weak. You have been feeding, though. Do you want to talk about it?"

Grunting, I patted the spot next to me. She sat down and I held her hands in mine. "I don't think there's much I can say." My voice seemed distant once more, like it wasn't me speaking. "Something… bothers me, and I don't know what it could be besides her."

"Do you love her?"

I jumped, my eyes shooting open. I tightened my grip around Alice's hands. Did I love her? How could Alice ask such a thing? I stumbled, trying to explain in my shock, but I couldn't find an answer. "I don't mean like you love me. Yet, Jasper, she's full of goodness that is finally opening up to us. You've told me that you find yourself wanting to protect her. You want to keep her safe, so you must love her in some way."

Some way. I must love her in some way. Alice was my companion, then and forever, but what about Eden? I didn't want her to die; to be lost to the ground of humanity. Yet, if she became immortal, how would I go on looking at her from day to day and never knowing she was mine? Alice was my savior, my comfort blanket, and my friend all in one, but what was Eden to me? "I don't know," I confessed. "I don't want to lose her." Alice nodded, understanding. "I don't think that makes much sense."

"It makes perfect sense," she smiled lightly, stroking my pathetic mop of hair. "The others are going out in a few hours. You look hungry, but knowing you, I don't think you want to eat." I nodded as she assumed correctly. "Then I'll stay with you."

Shaking my head, I began to stand up. "No, it's quite alright." Her hands clasped mine as she hauled herself up. "I know you're hungry. I think you should go. I myself, will probably go early tomorrow morning."

"Okay," She sighed, dropping her hands from mine. "Then when we leave, what will you do?" We both exchanged glances. I thought of something and so did she. We could read one another's expressions. "I think that's a splendid idea." Her beam was comforting. "Now come downstairs. Bella is here."