Chapter Twenty Nine
Emmett
When we got the reply from Darius to say that Alice and Star were happy to play along, in fact, Star had already started then we knew it was time for Jasper to explain to Bella what he really was and hopefully she wouldn't freak out too much. The fact he could tell her that her sister was still alive and that she might just be able to save her from eternal imprisonment would certainly help. Of course another hurdle was telling the family, they would be angry and devastated by Aro's duplicity.
"Maybe we should tell them first Jazz."
He shook his head watching for any sign of the others from the garage window. We had retired here to be away from other ears.
"Bella has a right to know first if she refuses to believe me or is too frightened to become involved then there is nothing we can do about the others and it wouldn't be fair to tell them the truth."
"Are you sure? I can't keep this from Rosie much longer Jazz, she already suspects I'm hiding something from her."
"Just give me a day Em, one day. I'll take Bella for a drive and explain the situation."
"Best of luck, rather you than me brother."
Bella
I was so pleased to see Jasper and when he asked if I would go for a drive with him to Port Angeles to pick up a package for Esme I was more than happy. Dad having finally met Jasper seemed to approve.
"He's how a boy should be. Most of them today don't give a damn about parents. I like his manners and he's always well turned out. I see most of the teenagers in town and it looks like they dragged their clothes from a dumpster."
I'd heard all this before, my dad didn't understand the idea of distressed fashions, holes and slits in jeans went straight over his head although I had to say I agreed with him. It always seemed a little odd to pay more for clothes that looked worn out. A little like tattoo's which were a blasphemy in our house. It seemed Jacob Black had just got a tattoo and dad freaked out, especially when he heard Leah had one too. I had promised him I wasn't into tattoo's or body piercings and could see the look of relief on his face. Of course, the fact I had a needle phobia certainly helped me to make up my mind on the subject!
We hadn't gotten far out of Forks when Jasper pulled into an empty picnic area and turned the engine off, looking at me with the strangest expression, part anxious part resigned.
"What's the matter? I thought we were going to Port Angeles?"
"We are but I need to talk to you first Bella. There is something about me you deserve to know."
"Something about you? Oh...is this the brush off speech? If it is, don't worry, I'll live, just take me back home Jasper."
"No, far from it Bella. I love you and because of that I have to tell you my secret but I need you to promise me that you will never tell anyone else, especially not your dad."
"You want me to keep something from my dad? I don't like secrets Jasper, they make me nervous. Do I have to know?"
He leaned across and stroked my cheek with one cool hand,
"I love you Bella and I think you love me so yes you have to know."
I kissed him feeling my heart pound as our lips met,
"Yes, I do love you so whatever secret you have will make no difference to me unless of course you are going to tell me you have a fiancee or wife somewhere."
He laughed,
"No, there is only you but this secret will make a difference. Before I tell you I want you to understand that I will never hurt you or let anyone else hurt you, I would die first. Do you believe me?"
I nodded, I could hear the sincerity in his voice but I was becoming nervous at his serious expression.
It started to rain as he spoke and soon we couldn't see out of the car windows, it was as if we were hidden deep inside a waterfall but his words rang out loud and clear despite the hammering on the roof. At first, I thought he was joking and then I wished he was but by the time he finished speaking I was too astounded to utter a word. All I could think of was that Jasper and his family were vampires, blood drinkers, eternal, all powerful and extremely dangerous. I saw in my head a vision of Carlisle dressed and speaking like Christopher Lee, Emmett as Tom Cruise in Interview with a Vampire yet that didn't make sense. How could a man who worked surrounded by the sick and bleeding be a vampire? It registered that the Cullens lived on animal blood but even so, I had been kissing a man who drank warm blood from an animal, a man who could just as easily hunt down and drain a human, drain me!
He waited sliding as far from me as possible to lean against the door and held out the keys,
"If you are scared take the keys, Bella. I'll get out and you can drive yourself home, I promise you are safe."
I looked at the keys dangling from one pale slender finger but I didn't take them. I was shocked, of course, who wouldn't be? But I wasn't scared, I trusted Jasper not to hurt me, I trusted the whole family who had been nothing but welcoming and kind to me. Was it possible to be a vampire and not also be a monster? Well, Jasper could never be a monster in my eyes. I knew he wouldn't do or say anything, he was waiting for me to decide how the rest of this conversation went and I took my time. I wanted him to know I had thought about his words before replying.
"Why are you telling me all this now?"
"Because you have a right to know and because, in order to tell you something else, to get your help, it is necessary that you know the truth about us."
"My help? What can I do to help a vampire?"
"Do you still trust me, Bella?"
I smiled a little ruefully and took his hand, keys as well in mine,
"I love you, Jasper, of course I trust you. I just don't understand what it is you think I can help you with."
He brought his other hand up and touched my face, my lips with cool fingers,
"The first time I saw you I knew you were extraordinary but I never dreamed just how special you would be. I can't lose you, Bella, to do so would be to lose the only thing that matters to me. There is more I need to tell you and some of it will frighten and may even disgust you but I have to tell you everything. Please hold on to the love you feel for me Bella and I know we can get through this."
He started to speak again, this time about his past, about his early days as a vampire and I was truly horrified, disgusted, and angry, and I could see that he was aware of these feelings but he carried on to the bitter end, how he met the Cullens and how much they had done for him, to turn his life around.
"So you see Bella, I am not the person you thought I was. I have a dark side although I am ashamed of it and I would change my past if I could."
"You shouldn't, your past suffering made you the man I fell in love with and from what you have told me none of it was your fault, you were manipulated, used and abused yet you fought your way back and you should be proud of that."
"Thank you...for seeing the good in me Bella but now you must decide whether you want to leave and go home, forget about me or..."
"You said you needed my help, what is it you want me to do Jasper?"
He pulled me close hugging me to him and I felt the tension slowly leech from his body,
"Just let me hold you for a few minutes, and then I'll try to explain."
