Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


Beta services provided by 2Shaes and StoryPainter of Project Team Beta.

A/N: Thanks to creative consultants juliangeles and Bonzie and the discussion of scent.

I am slow with the updates. I'm thinkin' maybe two weeks until the next one. In the meantime, I've signed up for Project Team Beta's Smut University 2013, and my first homework assignment has been posted. I've also written a side-shot to I Live.

I Live is posted on FanFiction, Archive of Our Own (AO3), The Writer's Coffee Shop (TWCS), and A Different Forest (ADF) — feed a tree!

Age 18 and over, please. Thank you.

I Live side shot Jasper and Peter by GeezerWench. Posted on FFN, AO3, and TWCS.

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Chapter 48, I Track

Jasper's POV

We'd gotten back to the house about two o'clock in the morning. Emmett and Rosalie had been watching a movie and Peter and Charlotte were up in their room. I was only a little disappointed we hadn't interrupted anything.

After they had joined us, Bella and I had explained very quickly and briefly that Bella had become upset when she had smelled the strange vampire's scent.

Emmett had chuckled. "That explains why you're down another T-shirt."

I'd thought about changing it when we got back to the house but decided that could wait until after I spoke with Carlisle.

Bella glared at him but continued with our theory that the strange vampire's scent had seemed familiar to her but she couldn't remember who it was because she must have smelled it when she was human. We would call Carlisle and describe the scent to him.

Oddly, it was Peter and Rosalie who looked the most thoughtful.

"Thoughts, Peter?" I asked him. I wondered if his intuition was telling him anything.

"No." He seemed puzzled by that. "But somethin' made me run the lines every night. I don't usually do that. I didn't find his scent anywhere else." Peter dropped into one of the new chairs Rosalie and Charlotte had bought and waved at Charlotte to sit in his lap. "Welp. We should make ourselves comfortable if you're goin' to call Carlisle. C'mere, sugar."

I'd shoved a chair and ottoman around so I could face the family room and living room and dug my phone out of my pocket as I sat down. Bella settled in beside me, running her hand over my chest.

Unfortunately, neither Carlisle nor Esme answered their phones. That left Alice. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to her. She just got a little enthusiastic now and again.

Like right now.

"Alice, Alice, Alice. It's good to talk to you, too. Now slow down. Everybody wants to listen." I pulled the phone away from my ear and rolled my eyes at Bella who was curled up against my right side. I was sprawled over the chair, my left leg over the well-padded arm and my back braced against the right arm. Since I had a chance to finally sit on one, instead of being knocked over it, I found I actually liked it very much. The chairs were plenty big enough to hold two. Despite the empty one, I was glad they had bought four and the matching ottomans. The furniture was heavy, but we could easily move it to meet our needs at the time. If we didn't want to use the ottomans, we could just shove them to the side. It wasn't anything like what Esme would have picked out for any of her living rooms, but they suited me just fine.

Bella's legs were draped over my right that was propped on the large ottoman. She was smiling up at me and quietly picking at the frayed holes in my T-shirt.

"Sorry, Jasper. I'm just so happy to talk to you! Esme and Carlisle are out hunting. Esme said we couldn't call you because you needed some time, and well, I didn't want to bother you, but I've wanted to know how Bella has been doing. And how's the house? How are Rosalie and Emmett? How are Peter and Charlotte? Is everyone doing okay and getting along?" Alice's excited questions shot out one after another.

I glanced at Peter and Charlotte who were sitting in the chair closest to us. Emmett and Rosalie were farthest away—lounging in the chair at the front of the house near the bay window. They could all hear Alice very well even after she reined in her excitement.

"One thing at a time, Alice. Bella is doing very well. We've worked with her shield, and it seems to be stronger than it was at first. Everyone else is doin' good. The house is fine. Peter and Charlotte have kept it up well over the years. Everyone is getting along pretty well, too. Bella has only bitten Peter once."

As Alice's delighted laugh chimed through the phone, Bella thumped my chest, Charlotte and Peter chuckled, and Emmett snorted out a loud "That's my Belly-boo!"

I kissed Bella's forehead. "Alice, that's your summarized version. Now I want to know where Edward is."

Her laugh quieted, and she sighed. "Edward." She clucked her tongue. "Nearly as soon as he had his diploma in his hand he took off for the Denalis'. I don't know why he didn't go to one of the other houses we own."

Rosalie hissed with disgust. "Because Edward's misery isn't complete without an audience," she said with a sneer. "Who better to listen to his self-incriminations and …"

"And all his pissin' and moanin' about what a monster he is, and how the love of his life was stolen by a heathen," Emmett added, rolling his eyes.

"What's wrong with bein' a heathen?" Charlotte asked.

Peter's eyes flashed with ire. "Why are we even talkin' about that fuckin' useless piece of shit that shoulda been lit on fire?"

It wasn't that I didn't agree with him, but Peter's sudden surge of anger seemed a little excessive. I gave him a sharp look as Bella hissed at him.

Raising her hand toward him, she frowned. "Peter! We want to know where he is. And yeah, well, we all know I wasn't the love of his life. I was just his la tua cantaloupe or whatever."

Emmett grinned. "More like la tua calamity."

"La tua catastrophe?" Rosalie snickered.

Charlotte started to giggle. "Then she had a la tua conniption."

"Coulda been a real la tua cataclysm." Emmett laughed, beaming at Bella.

Bella snorted and her hand went over her mouth as she started to laugh.

"You shoulda la tua cauterized him," Peter grumbled.

What was that weird power Emmett had over Bella? Almost no matter how pissed off she was he could make her laugh. It had to be his gift.

A gift that only worked on Bella.

Through the phone, even Alice started to giggle.

As quickly as it rose, Peter's anger disappeared as his head swiveled to watch the snickering Emmett and Bella.

Bella sat upright, holding both of her hands in the air. "Okay. Knock it off. That's enough." She tried to keep the smile from her face. "We're trying to have a serious discussion here. Right, Emmett?"

Eyes still twinkling, he nodded as Bella settled into my side again.

I kissed the top of her head. "Yeah. Ya'll knock it off." I loved to hear Bella laugh, but we did need to ask Alice a few more questions.

Bella peered up at me and cleared her throat. "We're good now, I think." She shrugged her shoulders and looked back to Peter. "Peter, Edward needs to exist so he can remember what he did to me. So he can remember what I showed him."

Still in his serious mood, he cocked his head at Bella. "Bubba, ya shoulda crushed his fuckin' head and then danced around his pyre."

Bella started to get up from our chair and glared at me when I held her down. She huffed loudly and turned back to him. "Sometimes I think I should have ripped his head off, but he thinks our death is the end of us. I don't know if it is or not. Carlisle doesn't think so, but if it is, why let him off easy? Why put him out of his misery?"

"He has been miserable," Alice volunteered during the slight pause.

"He should be. The fucker should've at least had pieces removed." Peter grumbled.

I agreed with Peter, but I kept my mouth shut about it for the time being. "Everybody through? Goin' to be quiet now?" At their slightly guilty nods, I said into the phone, "Please continue, Alice."

"Yes. Um, he had a bag packed and in his car before we even went to the graduation. Carlisle called Tanya and told her Edward was on his way. He even told her why, and Tanya was not happy about that. We could hear her calling to her sisters and Eleazer and Carmen so they could hear everything. Kate could not wait for him to show up so she could zap him where it counts." Her tinkling laughter sounded through the phone again, and she finally took a breath. "Well, you know how Tanya has always felt about Edward, but she was very, very angry at him. They let him stay, but they wouldn't let him have a room in the house. He's in a room over the garage." Alice chuckled.

Bella looked up at me with a puzzled frown.

"Hang on, Alice. What's wrong, Darlin'?" My fingers brushed over her cheek.

"I don't remember the Denalis. How does Tanya feel about Edward?"

"Tanya has always been … interested in Edward." I smiled at her. "I think primarily because he's one of the few males who has spurned her advances."

"Along with Jasper and Emmett," Rosalie added from across the room.

"I wouldn't have spurned 'em," Peter began, "except I didn't want my honey-love here to dismember my member." He squeezed Charlotte to his chest, and she smacked his shoulder.

"Peter, you know you wouldn't have touched those succubae with a ten foot pole," Charlotte said with a huff.

"Sure I would've. It's just you were there when I met 'em."

Charlotte growled at him, and I gave them all a warning look.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Pfffft! Tanya can have him, but why would she want him?" Then her finger trailed lightly over my chin. "You know, depending on the light, I can just make out that you have a five o'clock shadow." Surprised at herself, she shook her head. "Okay, never mind about that. Succubae?"

My lover had the most interesting scattered thoughts at times, though I agreed with her opinion about Edward. "The legend of the succubus originated with the Denali sisters. They would lure humans to them to have sex then end up killing most of them. Took 'em a while, but they became vegetarian vampires so they wouldn't kill them anymore."

"Oh." Bella picked lightly at my shirt again. "Well, they can have him."

"I agree, my angel. At least we know where he is." I turned back to the phone. "Alice, I want them to tell me if he leaves."

"Oh, Carlisle already told them that. They are to call us and you. None of us have talked to Edward because he won't answer his phone, but Carlisle calls Tanya every couple of days to see how he is. He hasn't left the room over the garage. Though I don't think that will last. Apparently, Tanya thought his new scars made him look rogue-ish." She sighed lightly. "We closed up the house in Forks, and we've moved back into the house in Alaska. So if you want to visit? There's plenty of room with just the three of us here."

Bella shook her head emphatically, and I grinned and kissed her nose. "Maybe when Bella's past her newborn year." Clearing my throat, I went on to the next topics. "Tell us about the memorial and the graduation."

"Oh, Jasper, are you sure you want me to tell you about it right now? Does Bella want to hear this?"

Gripping a handful of my T-shirt, Bella closed her eyes and nodded sadly. I shifted my position in the chair so I could wrap my arm around her and hold her closer to me. "Yes, Alice, we all want to hear."

Alice sighed sadly into the phone. "Okay, well the memorial was very sad. There was a parade of cars from the funeral home to the Forks Cemetery, though I don't know why there was a casket. Anyway, there were hundreds of people there. There were even police officers from a few of the surrounding states and even a couple from Canada. I heard that the police from Canada were there because Charlie had helped them on some case or other several years ago, but I don't know what it was." There was a slight catch in her voice. "Charlie let us stand near the front because of Edward. Edward said Charlie wasn't thinking very clearly, and he always had a hard time reading his thoughts, but he didn't blame Edward for the … accident." She sniffed lightly. "The wolves were there with several of their family members. A woman was sitting next to Charlie and holding his hand. I think that was Sue Clearwater. Billy Black was sitting on Charlie's other side. Five of the, er, boys were standing behind them. Jacob looked …"

Bella shivered against me, and I kissed her forehead. "How did Jacob Black look, Alice?" I could hear that she was pacing.

"Well, Jacob was standing right behind Charlie. Sam and Paul were holding his arms. He looked like he was vibrating, but I'm sure the humans couldn't tell. Edward said he was very close to phasing, and he was thinking constantly about killing Edward. He blames Edward for Bella wrecking her truck." She took in a quiet breath. "Then Seth was next to Paul, and Embry was next to Sam. There were others, but they were at the back of the crowd and spread out. Like sentries or guards. Several of the Quileute Elders were there also, but they were seated farther back. There were so many people it was hard to see specifically who was there. I think everyone from Forks High was there. You know how Edward always tries to pick up thoughts throughout a crowd, but he couldn't. He was paying very close attention to Jacob and the other wolves."

She paused, and I could hear papers shuffling. She was probably nervously straightening and flipping through her drawings.

"But nothing happened! If anything had happened, we would have called you right away. Edward said that Seth was a mess, Embry was in shock, and even Paul was thinking that he would miss Bella."

"Paul?" Bella asked, surprised. "He always hated me. I was nothing but the leech lover to him. I was a traitor."

"Bella, Edward had thought the same thing." Alice answered her in a gloomy voice. "But he said Paul was thinking he couldn't wait to kill some blood sucking leeches because he knew it was our fault you were dead. He just wished he could kill us, but Sam wouldn't let him."

I heard Alice shudder at that.

I held Bella tightly to me. "Bella, you know the wolves liked you. Some of them even loved you. Alice, how is Chief Swan?"

"We left quickly after the service, but we heard that Sue and Billy and some of the others were going with Charlie back to his house. Edward was able to hear that Charlie and Sue had been spending a lot of time with each other. Even if we had wanted to, we weren't able to get near the house because the wolves have included it in their patrols. Carlisle didn't say anything to them about that, even though it's not part of their lands, but since that other vampire had been near Charlie's house … Well, anyway, Esme just wanted to leave and let them all grieve in peace but we had the graduation to go to." Alice's voice had become quieter, but we could all still hear her.

At Bella's sob, I told Alice to hang on. I shifted my position again and drew Bella onto my lap. "It's okay, Darlin'."

"I'm so glad they're with him, Jasper." She sniffed as she gripped my shirt and pulled it up to cover her face. "I know you said they would be there for him, but it's so good to hear it. Sue is so nice to be there for him. I know she must miss Harry, but maybe she and Leah and Seth can help him."

"I'm sure they will. He does have friends, Bella. He won't be completely alone." I was curious about why the wolves had continued their patrols around the Swan house, but maybe that was more to keep an eye on the Chief than for any other reason.

I tried to comfort Bella, but I knew she would miss her father. I just held her shaking body to mine, tucking her head under my chin. I began to wonder about her mother. Alice had not mentioned her. I didn't want to, but I thought I should ask. Get it all out there. Bella was strong and was controlling herself well, but if she lost it I was confident I could get her outside quickly.

Rosalie's and even Emmett's eyes shone with venom tears, and Charlotte had burrowed more deeply into Peter's arms. Surprisingly, even Peter looked unhappy and concerned.

After another moment or two, I picked up the phone again. "Alice?"

"Yes, Jasper? I'm still here. Tell Bella I am so sorry about Charlie."

"She can hear you, and she knows that, Alice. Thank you." I took in a steadying breath. "What about her mother?"

"Um, she wasn't there," Alice said hesitantly. Then she added in a rush, "But Edward heard from Charlie that she was pregnant and has been suffering badly from morning sickness. Uh, he was angry that she wasn't there, but he could remember the morning sickness that Renee had when she was pregnant with Bella. Apparently, it was really bad."

"She's pregnant?" Bella looked up at me with wide eyes. "A baby? She's going to have a baby? I hope Phil knows how to change diapers." She brought a hand up to cover her face. "I don't even know what to think about that. I hope the baby doesn't smell like me. But how could he … er, she? Whatever. Charlie's not her father. Whoa. Renee with a baby." She blinked rapidly. "Wow. That's … wow." Her fingers went to her mouth. "I won't ever be able to see my little brother or sister. I wouldn't want to get near him — it might draw in other vampires."

I didn't know what I could have said to that, but I thought she was probably right. "We can talk about it later, if you want."

Bella sighed and nodded and tucked her head back under my chin. She was feeling remorse and grief, but I could tell she was working to control it.

I turned my attention back to Alice. "Alice. Graduation?"

"You know how that goes, Jasper. It was just like every other graduation we've been to. Everyone lined up and walked onto the stage to get their diploma in those gowns. The principal did make a little speech about Bella, and the school decided to build a memorial garden behind the cafeteria. Of course, Esme donated quite a bit to that so it would be maintained." She hesitated again, and I heard a little cough. "I know it was wrong, but I broke into the office before graduation and stole Bella's diploma. I replaced it with a copy." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I thought Bella would like to have it."

Bella sobbed again and covered her face with her hands. "Thank you, Alice. I would like to have it," she cried. "Could … could you send it to me here?"

Her emotions were picking up speed as they began to whirl from one to another; gratitude and sorrow being the most dominant. I was grateful to Alice for doing that for Bella. We hadn't been able to get into her room to take any of her personal belongings.

"Yes. Thank you, Alice," I said softly to her. She didn't need to do that, but I knew she did it for Bella.

"Of course, I can send it to you, Bella! I still can't see anything of you and Jasper. I can't see Rose and Emmett now either. I think it's because they're near you. I never could see Peter and Charlotte. Well, anyway, I didn't want to just mail it without telling you first. I didn't want it to be a shock. I'll get it to the post office tomorrow."

I could hear the relief and happiness in Alice's voice. I knew she still wanted to be a friend to Bella, but I was reasonably sure we would have to wait through most of Bella's first year. I didn't know if she would still feel jealous over Alice.

The news from Alice was as I expected, though I was surprised to hear that Alice couldn't see Rosalie and Emmett anymore. I knew she hadn't been able to see Peter and Charlotte. I had always thought that was because of Peter, and where he went Charlotte went. I was sure that was why she hadn't ever been especially fond of them, though some of that could have been due to their scars. The sentiment had always been mutual.

I was relieved Edward was in Alaska, but I had a feeling that would be the end of the brief respite. We hadn't gotten to the most important question yet. Above Bella's head, I signaled Peter by raising a finger, wanting him to be alert. He looked directly into my eyes with curiosity, but he nodded. He kissed Charlotte's head and shifted her so that he could get up out of the chair quickly if he needed to.

I began to comb through Bella's hair with my fingers, drawing my fingers down her back, hoping to keep her calm, but prepared in case it didn't work.

"Alice, we have another question for you."

"What is it, Jasper? You sound serious."

"It could be." I glanced again at Peter and Charlotte then at Emmett and Rosalie. All four were alert and paying close attention, their eyes on Bella. "When you and Bella went to Volterra to get Edward, you came in contact with several vampires."

"Er, yes?"

I could hear the curiosity in her voice.

Alice cleared her throat nervously. "Um, yes. First, there was Felix and Demetri in the alley. Then Jane came to … collect us."

Even though I couldn't feel it, I knew by the sound of Alice's voice she was becoming anxious and probably tugging at her clothes.

"They eventually led us into a large circular chamber and Aro, Caius, Marcus, and Alec were there. There were quite a few vampires there. I don't know who they all were. I think the wives were there and some that I thought were bodyguards. Why, Jasper?"

Bella tensed in my arms, and she was holding her breath.

Continuing to run my fingers through her hair, I asked, "Which vampires came closest to Bella?"

Alice sounded puzzled. "We were in an elevator with Jane, Demetri, and Felix. When we entered the … the room, Alec walked up to Jane. Then Aro went up to Bella to hold her hand. Of course, he couldn't read her mind."

I steeled myself for the answer to my next question to Alice. Somehow I knew that the scent of the strange vampire who had crossed into our territory was one of the Volturi.

"Which one smelled like cedar and moss?"

"Demetri. Why?"

Instantly, Bella's emotions were cut off from me, and she began to tremble. Though I tightened my hold on her, she exploded out of my arms, knocking my phone across the room. I managed to grab her foot, but I only succeeded in keeping her from going through the ceiling. She slipped out of my grasp, rolled over the ottoman, and was on her feet in front of the fireplace.

At her first movement, Peter was up out of his chair and leaping for the sliding glass door.

As I scrambled toward Bella, her emotions broke loose. The blast of terror from her stunned me, hitting me so hard I dropped to the floor, my outstretched hand just missing her arm.

Panic and fear crashed over me, forcing me to curl instinctively into a fetal position. I tried to fight it and shove it away knowing it was Bella's and not mine. It didn't make any difference.

I heard a loud grunt and then glass shattering and wood splintering.

Someone grabbed my shoulder, and I spun away from them, colliding with someone else whose arms closed around me like a vice. I was lifted from the floor and the next instant was outside in the yard, lying on my back, staring up at the stars and the full moon.

I lurched to my feet, one hand going to my head, the other clutching at the ache that was constricting my chest. I tried to slam down the wall in my mind against Bella's terror. It wasn't gone, but it was reduced. I could handle it.

Emmett and Charlotte were between me and the house, watching me warily. The deck railing had been destroyed again. There was broken, pebbled glass strewn across the deck and into the yard.

"Bella?"

They both pointed behind me. I spun and ran into the forest, picking up Bella's, Peter's, and Rosalie's scents. I was grateful Peter and Rosalie had gone after her.

Finally, my brain began to recover from its shock at the assault. I thought I had been ready for whatever Bella might have put out. I was so wrong. Had it been that bad when she was in Volterra? It had to have been worse for her than I could imagine. She had been a pitifully weak human surrounded by vampires. How had she controlled herself and not been killed? I shuddered to think what could have happened there. We were so lucky the brothers had allowed her to leave.

I trained my eyes ahead, looking for some sign they had passed through; wanting some further confirmation I was going in the right direction.

Freshly broken tree branches, along with her scent, told me she was running directly east. She'd be down the side of the mountain and into a grassy area in no time — if she wasn't already. Again, I found myself grateful it was night. If she didn't run back into the forest, at least she wouldn't be a shining, shimmering streak across the open fields.

I didn't slow when I reached the tall grass; I just kept going, leaping over the dirt road that led to our house and continuing down the mountain. When I reached the level valley between the mountains, I soared over the meandering creeks and the deep green grass but came to a skidding stop when I reached the next mountain pushing out of the ground. As I searched for Bella's scent, I heard a terrified shriek up the mountain above me. She had gone straight up the barren, nearly vertical rise in front of me. I couldn't see them so I opened my senses just enough to try to feel her.

The piercing ache in my chest pulled me in the same direction as the sound of her cry. I started up the rise, not even needing to find any handholds to climb it to find my Bella. As I reached the first shelf, to the left I saw the beginnings of the next tract of forest.

Fortunately, she had continued east with a slight northerly curve and had taken to the trees instead of turning south and following the treeless valley.

I felt her. I heard her snarling and thought she was a little over half a mile away.

As I raced through the trees, I noted their scents were stronger. Finally, I heard Rosalie speaking Bella's name in a low monotone.

"Bella, it's okay. Peter's not going to hurt you. Jasper's coming. He'll be here soon. Oh!"

I blew past Rosalie kneeling on the ground with her hands raised toward Bella and Peter who were about thirty feet away. Peter had Bella caged in his arms and legs, much like I had done to her previously when she had run, and Peter's back was up against a boulder. The difference was her teeth were sunk into his left forearm, and she was snarling through a frenzied mix of fear and fury.

I kept enough of a wall up against her emotions so she wouldn't overtake me as I slowly crept toward her. "Rose. Maybe you should back up — get out of her line of sight. And thank you." My hands were out, palms facing Bella. "Bella, I'm right here. I'll help you."

When I reached them, I knelt down, relieved she hadn't put up her shield to keep me from getting near her. Peter's teeth were clenched as he was straining to hold her. His hands were gripping each of her wrists, and he had her arms crossed over her chest. His jaw was pressed tightly against the side of her head. His eyes were matte black with his pain.

"Is she hurt?"

"No. She broke my fuckin' ribs." He grimaced. "Whatever the fuck you're doin' … I feel both of ya. Both of you together is—"

Bella's rippling snarl cut him off, and I reached to touch her forehead. "Bella, I'm right here." As soon as my skin came in contact with hers, the ache in my chest ceased. I leaned closer and breathed into her face. Her hands were opening and closing spasmodically.

"I'm here. I'll help you, Bella."

Finally, her flat black eyes showed a spark of recognition as they jerked up to mine. She let out another muffled snarl and renewed her struggles.

I backed away from her and Peter and slowly stood up. "Ready to let her go?"

"Sure. Soon as she pulls her teeth out of my arm."

I opened my arms to catch her. He released her wrists. As she yanked her head back from his arm, he grabbed her shoulders and shoved her at me as he tried to roll away from her. She still planted her feet on his hip and side to launch herself away from him, forcing a wheezing grunt out of him.

Even though I was ready for her, she crashed into me hard enough to knock me to the ground. We just missed hitting one of the tall pines. She was all over me, sniffing, running her hands over my shoulders and arms then checking down my legs. She was back at my face, studying me and growling. I couldn't get a handle on her emotions. They were spinning faster than I could identify them, but I thought there was concern and possessiveness, fear and rage. Suddenly, her face snapped up, her nostrils flaring and her eyes darting back and forth like she was searching for something.

I hoped it wasn't Rosalie and that she had moved away or at least hidden herself.

Bella looked back down at me and her anxiety flared. She grabbed my right hand and began examining it and my forearm. When she was satisfied, she grabbed the other and repeated the process, growling the entire time.

"Bella, I'm okay. I'm not hurt."

Crouching next to me, her eyes glanced to mine then she ripped my shirt off and studied my torso, running her fingers over my chest and down over my ribs. "Bella, I'm okay."

I was concerned. In fact, I was alarmed. She was feral, wild, and she wasn't responding to me as quickly as she had before. She was checking me for injuries or damage — why?

Demetri's name had set her off. Had something else happened to her in Volterra that Edward and Alice hadn't told us about?

In a flash, she spun around and went after Peter. She was so fast I didn't have time to stop her.

He had stood up and was stepping away from the boulder, but he hadn't gotten very far. He heard her movement, and as he turned and his arms came up to either defend himself from Bella or catch her, she plowed into him, knocking him past the boulder and to the ground.

"Oh, fuck!" he shouted in pain, drawing his legs up as he hit the ground.

He caught her right hand with his left and held it away from him as he laid there, but her left ripped his T-shirt away and ran across and over his chest until she reached his ribs on his right side. The volume of her growl lowered, and she jerked her hand from his skin. Kneeling at his left side, she turned slightly, her back to me, and her left hand clamped on his arm just above his left elbow. She began licking the deep bite on his arm.

"Shit. Jasper, I didn't … I don't know … what the fuck is she doin'?" Peter had let go of her fist and tried to scramble away from her, but she grabbed his wrist and held him. He was panting with the pain in his ribs, and his right arm dropped to the ground beside him.

I knew he could break away from her, but he would have to hurt her to do it. He either didn't want to hit her, or he didn't want to do it in front of me. He was fucking trapped and he knew it.

I almost couldn't bear seeing my mate licking another male, even if it was just his fucking arm. I stalked toward them, a growl building in my chest. Before I lost my shit, I tried to tell myself that Bella wasn't in control of herself, and maybe she was trying to help him since she had bitten him. I had no fucking clue. I paused enough to test her emotions again, and she was radiating protection. If I made any moves she thought were threatening, she might put up her shield, and I wouldn't be able to reach them at all.

"Peter, tell her to stop. Tell her you're okay." My eyes drilled into his, and I could barely contain the jealousy boiling through my heart.

"What is she doin' besides actin' like a fuckin' crazy newborn!?"

"Protecting you. Maybe trying to help you. Tell her!"

"Bubba, uh, Bella," he said quietly. "You can stop now. I'm okay. It's okay. It's better." He started to reach for her with his right hand and halted, his eyes back on me.

I could see dread in his black eyes. I reminded myself that what Bella was doing wasn't his fault — she was a panicked newborn — but my instincts were screaming at me to rip her away from him and finish crushing his chest. I ground my teeth and clenched my fists as I sucked in a deep breath. "Do what you were going to do," I growled out.

Watching me, he slowly reached for her head and stroked her hair. "Bella, I'm fine now. It's okay. It's healed up. Let go."

Seeing him touching her like that, I couldn't contain the snarl that ripped through me. Thankfully, she stopped licking his arm and turned to look at him. I couldn't see her face, but I could feel her curiosity flash through the storm.

Just the corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. "Yes, Bella, it's okay," he said in a soft voice. He reached for her left hand and lifted her fingers from his arm. "I'm fine now. You did a good job. Thank you." His eyes flicked to me and back to her. "Jasper. Go see Jasper." He slowly reached for her hand that was gripping his wrist. "I know you want to see Jasper."

Longing burst from her. She rose from her crouch as she turned toward me, maintaining her grip on his wrist. Her dull black eyes weren't as wild, but her emotions were still jagged and rough, tumbling out of her.

She stepped toward me, and her left hand reached out. "He'll find us." In a blur, she was on me, dragging Peter with her. Her left arm shot around me, and she was sobbing into my chest. "He found us!" Panic overrode the longing and she trembled against me.

I held her, one hand to her head, the other going around her waist, and I glared at Peter as he groaned and struggled to stand. He didn't want to be anywhere near me, but Bella wouldn't let go of his arm.

As she pressed her head against mine and whimpered into my ear, all I wanted to do was take my mate away from everyone, especially Peter, and comfort her.

"Bella." I said her name firmly, trying to make her focus on me and my voice. "He can't track you. He can't track any of us. He's never gotten close enough to any of us." I had no idea why Demetri would be in the States, unless he had been sent to check up on Bella. He would know her human scent, but he wouldn't know her scent as a vampire. We hadn't run to Wyoming; we had driven. We wouldn't have left a trail.

If he had been to see the Cullens, Alice would have said so — but only if he had knocked on the fucking door. He could have gone through their territory and picked up all of our scents, including Bella's. They would never have known unless they happened across his scent while hunting. They didn't make perimeter checks. I hadn't even done it after the first few years I had been with them. That shit had to change. I'd been a fucking fool. Demetri could have picked up Emmett's, Rosalie's, and my scents back in Forks. If he had been there, he would have smelled the wolves, too.

My hate for Edward Cullen grew. The Volturi wouldn't have found out about Bella if it hadn't been for him. When they had returned from Italy, he had told us that Aro had not been able to read Bella's mind, and Demetri had been astonished when he had not been able to sense that spark in Bella that would enable him to find her anywhere. But he was a tracker. Apparently the best in the world, or the Volturi wouldn't have compelled him to join them. If he couldn't use his gift to find vampires, he could always do it the old fashioned way.

"Then how did he find us?" Bella and Peter were looking at something behind me. "Charlotte! Where's Rose? She was here! Where is she?"

"Right here, Bella," Rosalie answered from somewhere above us.

I turned and saw Rosalie drop from a tree and join Charlotte as they came cautiously toward us. Bella tried to pull away from me to reach them. She would probably drag that fucking Peter with her.

"Come here!" I barked at them. I was incapable of letting her out of my arms. Everything in me was demanding I keep her next to me. I didn't want any of them near us; I wanted my mate to myself, but she wanted them. They would have to come to us.

Though they were afraid, they were instantly beside us. Charlotte gently touched Peter's ribs and then her arms were around him. Rose went to my right side, putting an arm around me and running her fingers over Bella's hair.

Bella was sniffing at all of them. "Emmett?" Her voice had climbed higher.

Charlotte's forehead was against Peter's, and her hands were holding either side of his face. "Emmett circled around," she answered.

"Jazz," Emmett whispered from behind us.

"Emmett!" Bella's head jerked away from Rosalie and me to search for Emmett as he came toward us.

He wrapped one arm around Rosalie from behind and put his huge paw of a hand on top of Bella's head.

"More group hugs, Bells? We never used to do this shit before you became a vamp." Emmett ruffled her hair.

She glanced up at him timidly and a little embarrassed. "I … uh, it's just …" She ducked her head to my chest and peered at him with one eye. "It's just that you're mine, and I don't want him to take you. That sounds crazy, right?"

"No, Bella." Rosalie stroked her hair. "You sound just like a vampire. The difference is you say it." Rosalie continued combing her fingers through Bella's hair. "It's okay for you to feel that way. Are you sure that it's Demetri's scent?"

"Yes." Bella nodded. The frantic spin of her emotions was slowing, and she finally let go of Peter's wrist. She turned slightly to face Charlotte and grasped her shoulder as if she had to be in contact with each of them. "The more Alice talked about what happened in Volterra, the more memories came up. Surfaced. Whatever." She rubbed her face against my chest. "I remember being in the elevator with them. He was right beside us the whole time we were in that room. Then when Aro and Caius said we could go, he led Edward, Alice, and me back to the reception area and said we couldn't leave until sunset."

She shuddered, and I tightened my hold around her. She patted Charlotte's shoulder and then her arm was around me.

"We should head back to the house, Bella," I whispered in her ear. The thought of the Volturi's best tracker anywhere near her set loose my own sense of protection and possessiveness.

She nodded and looked up at me, fear still showing in her eyes. "Okay, Jasper."

-oOoOo-

"Shhhhh, Bella. He can't track you," I said into her ear, wondering why I would trust anything that Edward had told us. At the time, I didn't have a reason to not trust him, and he had been pleased the Volturi's powers could not touch her. More than pleased, he had been smug. "Shhhh, Bella." I forced down my anger and jealousy and reached for the serenity I felt when I came in contact with her. The spin of her emotions had slowed to near normal, but she still clung to me.

Peter had said he could feel both of us. Could all of them or was it just him? I had not been projecting to him on purpose.

When we had reached the house, Bella hadn't wanted to go upstairs to our room. She had planted herself in the chair we had been sitting in earlier and raised her arms up to me. I had sat next to her and pulled her into my arms, tucking her head under my chin.

Peter had found my phone over by the front door and tossed it to me. There were five missed calls from Alice. As the other four settled themselves in their chairs, I called her back.

"Jasper! What happened? I tried to call you!"

"I know, Alice." I sighed and squeezed Bella to my chest. "Bella got a little upset when you said Demetri's name. We just got back to the house." It had taken an hour and-a-half to walk back. "Alice, we're all fine. Do you know if Demetri had been near Forks or the house there?" I hoped to hell she didn't.

"No, Jasper! If we had noticed any other vampires around, we would have told you. Esme, Carlisle, and I left Forks just a few days after graduation. There was no reason to stay any longer. We just packed a few things and left. We can go back and check on the house any time. We only brought Carlisle's car with us. My Porsche wouldn't be very practical here in Alaska."

She was nervously rambling, and I wanted to be off the phone and concentrate on Bella. "Alice, we're fine. If you should happen to hear or see anything, please let me know. Ask Carlisle to give me a call when he gets back."

"I will, Jasper. I promise. But what's going on?"

"We found a strange scent and think Demetri has been near our territory here. We haven't seen him. Just have Carlisle give me a call. I should go now, Alice. Bella is still a little upset. I appreciate you fillin' us in."

"Oh, no! I wonder if he came to check up on Bella? If we hear anything at all, we will call you!" She drew in a breath. "I'll tell Carlisle as soon as he gets back. We'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Yes, and don't worry, Alice. We'll be fine. Thank you."

"Okay, Jasper. Bye."

I snapped my phone shut and looked to the others, capturing their eyes. "We'll continue running the perimeter every night, varying the time and direction so we don't create a pattern. If we get a rainy or cloudy day, we'll take advantage of it. It might be a risk having all of our scents out there, but I think it would be better to let any stray vampires know there are six of us in this coven." I gently tilted Bella's face up to mine. "Darlin', as much as I don't like it, vacation is over. We start training you to fight. It'll be good for all of us."

"But my shield …"

"Is a good defense, but you should also know how to defend yourself without it. We all know gifts can be blocked or worked around." I kissed her forehead. "You blocked Aro and Jane. You'd probably be able to block Jane's brother Alec, but you never know what you may come up against. You still need to know how to fight."

I looked up at my coven-mates — my brothers and sisters. We were all in agreement.

..


"la tua cantaloupe" from Supercharged by Sinvisigoth on FFN.