Chapter Twenty Nine

Jasper

I heard an echo of her voice, the faintest whiff of her scent, in my hiding place. I knew the beast was on the rampage but I didn't care. There was nothing left for me to care about. Peter and Char wouldn't be stupid enough to try and take me down and once I was away the beast would start to feed and I would be gone. I closed my eyes and saw her standing before me, pleading for my life. Or was it a dream? It seemed so real. She was trying to reach me, but why? To explain she didn't want me. Why bother I already knew that. Then she was threatened but I knew it wasn't real. I could feel the emotion of her attacker, they never meant her any harm. Did they think I'd fall for that? I hugged my body, curling into a ball to stop the visions that were sending me crazy. I heard her again, calling my name, and through the distorted eyes of the beast I saw her, arm outstretched. The beast roared his thirst and ran at her but I wouldn't let him have that precious blood. I flexed my muscles and swerved him away, grabbing for her as I went but only managing a scrap of cloth. Then we ran, and ran, where we had no idea, but away from her. I wouldn't let him have her, he'd got me and that would have to suffice.

Bella

They took me back to the house although I would rather have stayed there to follow Jasper. I had no idea where he'd gone but I knew he was still there. Em and Rose sat chatting as Char went to get me some food. I walked over to where Peter was strumming a guitar, "Do you play?" I asked. He sighed and nodded, "Yeah Jasper taught me. In fact there isn't much I know that he didn't teach me. He was a good teacher" he sounded sad. "Peter I know you didn't want me to interfere, but what I don't understand is why?" He blew his lips out then scratched his head. "Bella, its complicated. Jasper is complicated. He's giving up and what's left behind will cause chaos and may bring the Volturi down on us". I hadn't heard that word before. "The Volturi? What's that?" He rolled his eyes, "Our police force I guess is the best way to explain them".

"Oh I know about your main law. Carlisle told me" I said. "Well I hope he told you to keep your mouth shut too" he snapped. "Yes he did" I defended him. "Well if you know that much it's not difficult to join the dots. Jasper will kill anything he comes across, animal, man, woman or child and the Volturi won't allow that behaviour so they'll send the guard to finish him. They'll have no choice and they may well blame us or the Cullens anyway for not stopping him. So you see, you might must have sentenced us all to death in your attempt to save someone who didn't even want saving. Ironic eh?"

As I thought about what he'd said I rubbed my wrist where the ripping material had left an angry red mark. He pointed to it, "See what I mean, he nearly ripped your arm off". I shook my head, "No. He could have easily, but he only ripped the material. I think that was Jasper controlling his beast as you call it". He thumped the wall, "Fuck, what will it take to make you see?" I touched my chest, "Stop this feeling in my heart then I'll believe you". Char came over and put her hand on his shoulder, "She has a point Peter. Perhaps we shouldn't write him off yet". His bark of bitter laughter startled us all, "I saw him Char. I saw those eyes and they were empty. He's not there any more. Jasper fucking Whitlock is dead. Now enough. Rose, Em take Bella back. I should never have brought her here".

I looked wildly to Rose, "No. I can't go. What about Jasper?" She smiled a little sadly, "Bella, we have to go. Charlie will send out search parties otherwise, and we can't afford to get involved in anything like that. You must be able to see". I did but I didn't have to like it. "I can't" I cried begging Emmett but he grimaced. "Bella you have to finish school and graduate. If he still hasn't gone to Mexico by the end of term I'll bring you back myself I promise". "How will you know?" I asked in a choked voice. Peter turned bleak eyes to me, "Oh we'll know. Maria will make sure the message gets around". Char smiled at me, "I'll keep a room for you and you come back in the summer with Em and Rose and if Jasper is still out there we'll try to find him OK?" It wasn't but it was the best I was going to get.

When we left the next day I could hardly see for tears and the terrible ache in my chest. Breathing was an effort and Rose was getting worried until I fell into an uneasy doze. They thought I couldn't hear them but I was too upset to really sleep. "He's gone Rose, you heard Peter". She must have shaken her head because he went on. "Rose don't tell me you believe he can drag himself back from this. Fuck he's a man when all said and done and even one as strong as he is can only take so much. I don't know now I would have carried on if you rejected me. How do you go on without your soul mate?" Rose stroked my hair as she answered him, "Emmett she felt him, that means something surely?" He snorted, "Yeah it means the beast has a bit of mopping up to do. Did you see him? Or were you looking at someone else?" Rose spoke again, "I'm taking her back Em unless we hear he's dead. If anyone can get him back its Bella".

Jasper

I found a sanctuary, a dark place to hide and think. The beast was screaming to return to Maria, he wanted to feed, to taste human blood once more and feel the power flow through his body. The satisfaction of a thirst quenched, but I couldn't let him, not yet. I needed to know what Bella's presence here meant. In my hand I felt the piece of material I had snatched as I moved the beast away from her fragile body. I brought it to my face and breathed in. It smelled of her so she hadn't been a figment of my imagination. She had really been here, but why? Why did she stop them? And why did they allow themselves to be stopped. None of it made sense to my aching and confused mind. I couldn't make sense of anything, I just wanted this confusion and pain to end. If I could have felt her emotions I might have an idea but she was almost completely screened from me. I felt flickers here and there as small amounts leaked out but I knew there was more still hidden and it frustrated me. As I felt this the beast roared louder and my head felt as if it would explode. I clutched my temples and screamed my pain to the rocky walls. I was so thirsty but I couldn't make myself move. I knew if I did the beast would take me to humans and that would be it. A taste of that sweet nectar and he would have won, so I locked my muscles and sat, watching the light cross the rocky floor over and over again until I was too weak to move. All I could see was Bella's face as she stood before me with her arm outstretched.