Sorry, there will be a cliffhanger at the end of this one, but I had to stop somewhere and you already got a chapter last night…

still don't own twilight, still problems with the ***** keyboard

55

Jasper's POV

I screamed out my satisfaction and release and sank to my knees. Finally they couldn't hurt Bella anymore. Then the first conscious thought entered my vampiry brain: Bella – I had to get back in control before I saw her or I would frighten her as much as these monsters had. I swallowed. Probably I already had, she must have heard the sounds coming from this room. Well, there was nothing for it, and as I planned on changing her as soon as possible, she might as well get used to some aspects of this life.

Get organised! I had Laurent in several pieces and was about to throw a lighted match at his remains and those of Victoria, when the door opened and I heard a voice I had never wanted to hear again.

"Hello Jasper!"

If my heart had still been beating I am sure it would have stopped. What was she doing here?

My question must have been easy to read on my face, because she answered. "I heard that someone was looking for me, which could either be an army or someone with news about you. There had been no movements of any sort lately, so I assumed the later to be true. I planted spies in several places, in case it was the Volturi, and then made sure I was known to be on the other side of the continent, when all the while we were watching what went on here. Then yesterday this Victoria creature called me and offered your mate." Her gaze at me was disgusted. "A human? really?" Waves of jealousy were rolling from her, and I sensed that she definitely meant to hurt Bella, no matter what she would promise.

"A bit on the graceless side, isn't she? Not a beauty either, I must say."

I growled at her talking about Bella like that, but she merely looked amused. "Oh, Jasper, I'm not grudging you, you can take her along, she's a feisty little creature, probably make a good newborn fighter as well."

My brain clicked off and I pounced on her. That was obviously what she had been aiming for and she sidestepped me easily – she had a hundred and fifty years on me after all. She didn't even flinch when I turned and crouched facing her again. "No, Jasper, you are not going to attack me. I've come to take you back into my service, and I want loyalty. You know that!"

"You can't make me fight for you again", I hissed. "I'd rather die before I went anywhere near you again."

She came closer to me and drew her finger lovingly across the scar on my neck, my first one. "You might, but I'm not so sure how you feel about your Bella…"

The floor dropped out of my world. "What have you done to her?" Of course, she had come through the hall where I had sent Bella. She never travelled lone she had probably given my angel to her guard, the biggest and most brutal creatures she created. I tried in vain to stop the pictures in my head. I knew what they could do to a vampire, let alone a human girl. I slammed my hand through the nearest wall in frustration and regret. While I had been indulging myself with revenge, they had taken my mate whom I had sent their way.

"She's outside with my guard. You see, I was quite sure you would need some persuasion to come back to me after you had taken so much trouble to stay invisible for such a long time. And yes, Jasper, I can make you fight for me: If you want your little human safe, you will."

"You won't let her go anyway." Damn, she was enjoying herself. This was just the kind of game Maria loved.

"Of course not, the Volturi would come for us at once. Let's say, I keep her with me, to ensure your… cooperation. I would change her of course, can't have a blood-bag walking the compound…"

Think! I ordered myself, but my fear was getting the better of me. Maria was going to introduce my angel to the hell she had made me live through. She would have me watch Bella change in the most painful way she could devise and train her to fight, and when she had outlived her usefulness, she would find way to kill her. Someone must have taken over my job. Or Bella would be killed in one of those useless battles, or die from Maria or her latest consort having some fun torturing the newborns. I could not envisage my angel in that kind of environment; I had always imagined us together with the Cullens or Charlotte and Peter. There was far too much love and humanity in Bella to survive even the first few months in a place with Maria near. "Let her go, and I'll come with you."

She made a show of thinking about my suggestion for a while, but dismissed it with a shrug. "Can't do that, Jasper darlin', the Volturi, you know."

"As if you ever cared about them" I scoffed.

"True, but you know your buddy Carlisle is actually friends with Aro, and I'd rather not risk having to account for Bella when he finds me. Now come on, Jasper, we can't stay here all day, we have some planning to do for the next campaign." She pulled me out the door and snuggled up to me. "We also have some catching up to do in another department. I'm sure your little human has nothing on me there." She placed a kiss on my lips and only fear for Bella kept me from snarling and biting her head off.

Bella's diary

Once again we were waiting outside for Jasper. Two of the four men that had come with Maria were guarding the door, while the third stood lookout at the front. The fourth had turned into a sculpture at my side his grip tight around me body. The only part I could still move was my head, and I looked to the others for guidance on what to do. They were all preoccupied though.

Peter had his arm around Charlotte and looked as tense and frightening as I had never seen him before.

Seth had bridled at the entrance of the new vampires, he had actually started shaking bodily, and Rosalie had tried to calm him down, when suddenly his head snapped up as if someone had called him. After that he had retreated to his place again, putting himself slightly in front of Rosalie as if to protect her. I could see she had noticed that as well, and saw her biting down a smile.

Then the door opened, and Jasper came out with Maria hanging on to him like a climbing plant. I felt sick at the sight, something which she seemed to enjoy. She snuggled up to hi even closer and kissed him. Something like a little growl made its way up to my throat at that, and she snickered before turning back to oozing power and danger. She hooked her arm through Jasper's and addressed the people in the hall. "As you can see, the Major has decided to come back to fight with me again." At the mention of fighting with her Jasper looked more pained than he had when Laurent had been torturing him.

My anger exploded. "No way!" I screeched. "And take your hands off him. Don't you dare hurt him any more!"

At my outburst Jasper went rigid, and the man holding me looked to his leader for an order.

Maria however was unfazed. "Ah, you have so much to learn, Bella. But then, you could not have any idea about what I and Jasper had. Do you really think, you weak little human could be the Major's mate?" She threw her glorious shining wavy black hair over her shoulder again and whispered something into Jasper's ear. He relaxed and bent down to kiss her passionately.

I felt sick; it was as if every light in my life had just gone out. I looked at Jasper pleadingly but he only gave me a cold stare and said. "Bella, be quiet, you don't understand any of this."

I was still grasping for something to say to that when I heard Rosalie. "What? Jasper Hale, you bastard. How can you be like that to her?"

Maria snickered and turned to Jasper to stagewhisper. "Seems like the ice-queen isn't too impressed with you right now, cowboy." Then she addressed Rosalie directly. "You're free to leave!"

Rosalie got up at once and held out a hand to me. "Ok, come on, Bella, Seth, we're out of here!" Seth got up, but looked from her to Jasper, obviously not sure what to do. I still couldn't move against the iron grip of the vampire.

"No!" Maria told Rosalie. "Bella stays exactly where she is, she is coming with me."

Peter's head snapped up at that. Then I saw him exchanging a glance first with Jasper, then with Charlotte. They kissed briefly and then attacked the vampire holding me together. I could feel him pulled away from me but I could not make out anything about the fight that ensued, other than Maria and Jasper simply standing by.

I let Rosalie grab my hand and pull me toward the door, not sure how far we would make it or how to get past the mountain of a man blocking it, when suddenly everybody's attention was diverted by the growl of an animal. Seth had phased and was set to attack Maria.

düdelüdelü (*whistles then ducks under desk*) – leave your opinion!