Jackson
Carlisle, Edward and Bella returned to the house at a human pace. Without a word Jasper, Alice and I headed in the opposite direction.
Emotions were fluctuating enough to make me dizzy. Alice clearly knew something which she had not shared with Jasper or myself. We both watched her carefully.
"Two Empaths are twice as annoying as one," Alice finally conceded when Jasper and I halted suddenly and stared at her expectantly.
"You seem oddly relieved," I said curiously, "It can't be about the conversation we just had."
"No," she agreed, "Definitely not. Your future is already looking murky because of that. Remember; you're either with the family or you beg us for a quick death."
"Do I have to agree with Carlisle in order to stay?"
Jasper shrugged, "I often disagree with him."
"What happens?"
"I am usually ignored," Jasper replied with a hint of annoyance.
"Carlisle believes that all human life is sacred," Alice said with a frown, "Jasper and I disagree but Carlisle will always be the son of a preacher."
"Vampires and religion," I snorted, "There's a stupid combination."
"I know," Alice said, "But he is unlikely to change. We might have more of a chance with Edward actually."
That didn't seem likely. Edward was too stubborn to listen to anyone except perhaps his mate.
"How so?" Jasper was interested. This was clearly an issue that had festered for too long.
"The boy will no longer have me as a target for his disgusting fantasies," Alice said with a sneaky grin, "Yet Bella will be there every day."
"I'm not sure if that will make much of an impact on Edward," Jasper said worriedly, "Even when those humans wanted to gang-rape Bella before she was turned Edward didn't insist that they die."
I was shocked that any Vampire could contemplate their mate in such a situation without attacking something. How had Edward not ripped their heads off?
"Edward had to focus on keeping Bella safe," Alice explained, "But later he made sure the ringleader ended up hog-tied in front of a police station."
"That's it?" I asked incredulously, "Some jail time and he's free? That's insane."
"Edward won't go against Carlisle," Jasper sighed.
Alice smiled, "Who said it will be Edward who makes a move? Bella is not the clumsy, accident-prone human she once was."
Tanya arrived for a visit the next day. I watched her saunter forward into my visual range with the same awe that had struck me earlier. She was truly gorgeous. It was maddening that I couldn't just bond with her so I could be happily mated right away.
"Good morning Jackson," Tanya greeted with a smile, "You're looking sexy and dangerous at the same time."
No-one else had been brave enough to comment on my scars. The flash of fear she displayed was now only present in the fraction of a second when she first saw me. Once she recognised me as a friend it disappeared.
"I was just lamenting that you are so beautiful and I am clearly hated by some sort of deity for not being able to claim you as my mate," I admitted.
She moved forward so we were able to speak quietly. Had she been a stranger I would have been half-way up the tree before she halted.
"I did get a 'friends' vibe pretty clearly last time," she admitted, still smiling, "Did Alice have a vision?"
"Yes, and apparently when I do eventually meet my mate she is going to be healthy and human."
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, "That is not good news; Edward had nearly a century or restraint and nearly killed her. Do you have any plans on how to train?"
"Not really; I was hoping you had some suggestions."
Within the hour Tanya had enlisted Esme in a plan to develop my ability to touch a human without injuring them. At first I was dubious how building a greenhouse would help at all but it was something to do.
Esme was thrilled that her garden would have a place to flourish in such a cold environment. While Tanya explained that handling plants was a good way to practise limiting my strength without risking harm to anything that could breathe I wondered how to bring up the reason why Alice and Jasper were not at school anymore.
I was admiring the row of small boxes I had built under Esme's direction. I had never been at all interested in plants as a Vampire, though I did have a vague memory of some sort of plant I had liked to smoke as a human. Considering the abundance it was probably tobacco I remembered. Cigarette smoke smelled absolutely vile to my Vampire nose so there was no chance I would pick up the habit again.
"Are Jasper and Alice wagging school?" Tanya asked suddenly, "I just spotted them making out in the forest."
"They'd better stay out of my hammock," I muttered, "I don't want their bodily fluids stinking up my favourite resting place."
Tanya giggled, "Maybe that's why Alice bought it for you."
I growled at that idea, though it was hardly aggressive.
"Shouldn't they be in class?" Tanya repeated.
"One of the students assaulted Alice there," I explained, "If they go back Jasper will kill him."
Tanya regarded me intently, "Assaulted Alice how?"
"She said that he 'copped a feel' and planned to kidnap her to perpetrate a sexual act," I said with as little emotion as possible, "Strangely even knowing that, she protected him from Jasper."
Tanya nodded, "I can see how you would find that strange."
"Can you? I assumed that killing the future sex offender would be a natural course of action; Edward acted like I wanted to skin a puppy and give it as a gift to an infant."
Her smile was gorgeous; it took effort to concentrate on what she was saying when she looked at me like that.
"Edward still hates himself for going rogue and killing people in the 1920s," Tanya explained, "He assumes that if you kill one, a rampage is on the horizon."
"There are ways to kill without spilling blood," I snorted, "Rosalie demonstrated that."
"Even if it were planned to perfection and the chance of slipping was absolutely tiny I doubt he would approve," Tanya continued, "He still holds himself to standards that Carlisle has lived by and it's impossible to reason with that."
"I don't know how Rosalie has put up with him for so long," I admitted, "His complete ignorance of the trauma left behind by sexual assault is infuriating."
She glanced at me thoughtfully, "Edward is a creature of the mind; he is a mere child in his understanding of emotions. He doesn't understand because it is too unsettling to imagine himself or Bella in that position."
"I will never understand him," I admitted.
"And he will never understand you or Jasper, despite hearing your thoughts. You don't need to agree with him to remain here thankfully."
"I do like it here for the most part," I agreed, "And I know I have a lot to learn, even if I have been able to resist human blood a couple of times."
"You're helpful to Jasper too," Tanya brushed her hands on her clothing and surveyed the greenhouse, "It's hard to believe we were so stupid we didn't realize his gift was making his control so tenuous."
"The materials for their cottage will arrive soon," I recalled, "Then they can stay the hell away from my hammock."
It really was a shame that Tanya was not destined for me. Her intelligence and humour ensured she was good company.
Alice and Jasper reappeared around midday. Alice announced that the sun would be out while the cottage supplies were being delivered within the next hour.
Esme disappeared inside. Within a minute she reappeared wearing a pair of white gloves and a large sunhat. I doubted the delivery people would suspect she was a Vampire; perhaps a time-traveller from the 1960s but not a Vampire.
"Jackson, you need a bath; you're filthy," Alice announced.
I rolled my eyes, "Thanks Alice, you look lovely too."
"I'll take Jackson for a swim in the river," Tanya offered, "the sight and smell of the upstairs bathrooms would make any male run away screaming."
"What on Earth could be in there?" I asked curiously.
Jasper shook his head and I quickly understood why. The litany of objects which were apparently 'necessary' for female Vampire beauty regimes sounded terrible. I couldn't remember what my mother and sisters had stored in the bathroom when I had been alive; other than a copious amount of hairspray.
Alice and Tanya entered the house to fetch 'bathing costumes' and their mischief-filled auras made me immediately suspicious. Jasper watched me with a smirk.
"They always look heavenly in bikinis," Jasper drawled, "And I have long since convinced Alice that I will not wear a Speedo if there is even the slightest chance of being seen by anyone other than her."
I gulped, "What's a 'Speedo'?"
His description left me on the brink of panic. If Alice expected me to don something like that I would be hiding back in my tree before she got anywhere near me.
A wave of calm settled over me. I glared at my uncle, a few generations removed.
"You can just say no to whatever she presents you with," he assured me, "It's not like she can force you to do anything."
He was right but I did not want to know what Alice could do to try to get her own way. I had had far too much experience with manipulative females in my lifetime.
Some clothing sailed out of the upstairs window, accompanied by a giggle. Jasper dashed over to catch the bundle before it hit the ground. He was muttering something unpleasant as he returned.
"Do I want to know?" I asked anxiously.
Jasper held out a pair of black shorts which were long enough for me to consider wearing. The sleeveless top in a dark grey was less impressive.
The countless scars on my arms were not going to go on display. Alice could shove the idea up her -
"You are a foul little boy sometimes," Alice huffed as she emerged from the house in a dark blue bikini which barely covered anything.
I began to reply but the sight of Tanya wearing three strategically placed triangles and nothing else stole all conscious though from my brain. Even if she was not my mate I wanted her badly; I doubted even Jasper was immune to her charms.
Tanya smiled at me while I tried not to drool.
"Jasper will be showing the scars on his arms," Tanya said gently, "Alice thought that showing your scars to us would be less threatening than dealing with the whole family. I must admit I am curious about them."
Alice giggled. I did not want to know where Jasper's hands were considering how she was dressed.
"I'll wear the stupid shirt," Jasper muttered.
Tanya was holding the clothing that Alice had picked out for me. She held it toward me hopefully.
How could I stand tall next to such beauty if my ugliness was on display? It wasn't just the appearance, but the humiliation and suffering that they represented. Yet I could not deny that the worst scar was the one which dominated my face.
Jasper headed into the forest while Alice remained. I slowly took the clothing from Tanya.
"One day your mate will look at you with such love that you will begin to accept what the rest of us know," Tanya said quietly.
I rolled my eyes at her poetry, "And what's that?"
"You deserve happiness as much as the next person."
Jasper made a retching sound from beyond the tree line. I was glad that he knew exactly how to lighten the mood.
Tanya began to say something else but Alice cut her off with a growl. I watched the small Vampire with growing concern.
"Tanya, if you do that your friendship is going to dissolve before it begins properly," Alice huffed.
My own curiosity was matched by the cloud from Jasper. He stepped back into sight to observe the three of us.
"Do what?" I asked.
Tanya shrugged, "I was only going to suggest that you boys might feel more comfortable if I was topless too."
The expression on my face left both of the girls giggling. They dashed past Jasper in a blur.
"Women," Jasper huffed.