A/N: Congratulations to Gaijin Vamp for being the 200th reviewer for this story xx trying out, putting the translations beside the foreign words. Is it better or was having them at the end of the chapter okay xx Alexis
I had an epiphany early this morning, well at least a flash of inspiration. Who better than Esme to tell us where exactly Jasper had never been allowed to venture? So I called her to come over alone, after all, it wouldn't look odd the Doctor's wife calling on me.
"Don't let the boy follow you. In fact, make sure he knows if he turns up here I will rip him apart and only let him have a bit back every ten years!" I warn her, we all heard the shocked gasp in the background and knew he was listening into her phone call,
When Esme arrived she had the look of a satisfied cat. I knew she'd done something to the fool, just not what!
"I took a leaf out of your book and removed his hand. It's in my bag and only if he didn't follow will I return it" she says looking very pleased with herself,
"The boys are running perimeter, if he's out there they'll catch him," I tell her,
I got right down to business then and ask where Alice had never once in their sixty years taken Jasper. She had a pensive look and then the look of realisation,
"Two places really, the first of course, was to see Peter and Charlotte right from the start. Even after Garrett joined she never allowed it to happen. We tried on his behalf, but she insisted they would force him back onto human blood.
The other, I can't believe I didn't see it before. That was to the Milan fashion week, even though she forced him to attend all the others. She always sent him home before going there herself since it started in 1958. She went to that alone every time, except for meeting up with her friend Gabriella.
Now I'm beginning to wonder if it wasn't her way of keeping Jasper away from Gabriella. How could she do that and pretend to be that girl's friend? Does she have a death wish? Damn, she'll have seen this and do something!" Esme says with a look of devastation,
"No worries Esme, you're under my shield. Alice is blind to everything I say or do and anyone with me is protected too. So how do we get a hold of this Gabriella?" I ask excitedly,
"Well, that's actually quite easy. She is one of the few vampires in our world the Volturi don't interfere with. I believe it's her name that scares them, not just the girl herself.
She is Duchessa Gabriella Medici and she is well known for removing those that try to hurt her or her family. She's not anywhere near as old as her more infamous ancestors, but she is as deadly! What did Alice think would happen when she found out? Dear God, I can't even contemplate what Gabriella will do to her?" Esme answers me in a stunned voice,
"Fuck me!" Is all I can say and hear Charlotte's whole-hearted laugh coming from the next room,
"Couldn't happen to better bitch!" she exclaims and Esme nods her head in resignation,
"Well, we'll be finding out soon. Esme can you not think about her at all, just in case, Alice sees some minor decision. I want this to come as a complete surprise for her!" I ask and she again nods,
"Thank God, you curbed Eddie's gift. That fool would ruin Jasper and Gabriella's chance for revenge. Right, we've got an important phone call to make!" Char says as she bounces into the room,
"I'll leave you, ladies, to it. Much as Alice deserves this, I can't be a party to it. I'm sorry!" Esme explains and we both smile at her as she leaves.
I ask Charlotte to call the Denali's because if anyone else has her number it would be them. They are as into fashion as Alice. It takes just a few minutes and the promise that Peter and I will visit them soon, to get what we needed. I contemplated telling Peter first but decided against it. He would tell Jasper and then he would kill Alice right away, but Gabriella should be there too. So with a minor tremor in my fingers, I tapped out the number that would change things forever. Well here we go, all for the greater good I hope.
"Ciao, parla Abriel Medici" (Hello, Abriel Medici speaking) says a lovely voice,
"Hi, you don't actually know me, but I am also acquainted with Alice Cullen!" I reply with bated breath,
Si, (Yes) I know Alice. How can I help you?" came her answer in a distinct Italian accent,
"My name is Bella Swan and I believe Alice has done something unforgivable to you. Not just you but also to my future brother in law Jasper Whitlock or as she would have called him Hale. They were never mates, but for the last fifty years, well since the inception of the Milan fashion week she has kept you both apart. Can you think of any reason she'd do that because I can think of one big one?" I drop the bomb on her, a torrent of Italian comes over the line,
But even with my grasp of Italian, I couldn't translate it. I did recognise it as less than flattering that's for sure.
"Jasper's sister, Charlotte and I have arranged the next available flight for you. I should mention I'm a shield so Alice has no idea I've made contact with you. Make no decision to come to Seattle or to seek revenge, she'll run otherwise. The first-class ticket is in my name Isabella Swan, to keep her blind.
We the Whitlocks will meet you at the airport, that is Char and her mate Garrett, myself and my mate Peter and of course Jasper. He has no idea, I didn't want him to kill her until you were present!" I rush in to say and hear her taking deep breaths,
"Grazie, mia nuova amica e, spero, futura cognata" (Thank you, my new friend, and hopefully future sister-in-law) she replied calmly, but it had a steel edge to it.
Char and I look at each other as the line goes dead and shudder. This woman would take no prisoners; Alice was in real trouble this time. Well, that gives us about eighteen or more hours to prepare for her arrival and no doubt Alice's demise.
OTITRM
When the guys return, Jasper senses our giddy behaviour and we pass it off as excitement at going to Seattle to shop. He says we could go alone, we the four of us he means, but we say no,
"You need stuff to Jasper. Let's make a day of it and get some of the house stuff too. We'll take Garrett's SUV for the room. It'll look like I'm away for an appointment to the neighbours" I state hoping it was nonchalantly,
We separate for a few hours to hunt giving Char and I time to let our mates know what has happened. Peter is a little shocked and annoyed that I didn't say anything to him first. I raise an eyebrow,
"You're my mate, not my father or drill sergeant, Peter! This in no way threatens me; therefore I am more than capable of dealing with it!" I clarify and he deflates somewhat,
"I know suga', I'm just used to sortin' out all his problems, myself" he answers,
"Well, now I'm here to help and soon Abriel will pick up that mantle. So you best get used to it" I explain and he nods slowly,
"Fuck! She the real deal, the Major's mate at long last!" he sighs in a relieved tone,
It only takes an hour for Peter's gift to start going haywire. Now he knows that Gabriella is Jasper's real mate he starts to get information, lots of it. No matter where he looks all his leads point towards Volterra and he's not happy. He promises to wait until the two meet, but then he will have to speak up. This shit with Alice is more than just sour grapes; also he knows Carlisle is involved up to his neck. There is a mole in Gabriella's coven too. Someone watching her, like Carlisle has watched, kept tabs on Jasper all these years. Oh, this is convoluted, but why? Why does the Volturi not want them together? What's going on?
"Okay baby, just keep bouncing your thoughts off of me and as soon as they get together we'll all sit down and work this out, Hell six heads should be able to crack this wide open!" I tell him and he agrees,
We get back just as everyone else does and I don my cast and use the crutches Carlisle gave me to hobble out to the SUV. Jasper is volunteered to drive, we hope it distracts him from all of our emotions, but we're not that lucky.
"I know you're all hidin' somethin' from me, that's okay as long as it's not dangerous. But if Peter gets anymore freaked out I will demand to know!" Jasper says from the front seat and I sigh,
"It's not bad Jasper, but it's gonna bring trouble along with it. By then you'll know everything, I promise" I say and he relaxes and lets it go for now,
"So, we want to hit up the lumber merchant first, place our order and go on from there yes?" Garrett asks and we all make a plan,
If we work it right our last stop will be nearest the airport and then we just have to get him there. It's not military precision but it should work. Peter just needs to say he knows we need to be there for some reason and Jasper will comply. He's used to Peter's weird feelings after all these years. We've been silently texting back and forth as new info hits him and it's not good. So far he knows now that Alice was recruited by Aro. Her life as the others know it is a lie. She was sent to meet Jasper after she had a vision of him with Gabriella and told to take him to Carlisle.
She seems to have changed the plan to incorporate herself and they initially agreed. She then played her fake mate card and the Volturi were too slow to stop her. Neither the Volturi nor Alice realised Jasper knew she wasn't but was too broken and depressed by his past to care at the time. Her making friends with Gabriella was just pure Alice or should that be malice? It was her power trip, thinking she was getting one over on the other woman. But we know something they don't and it would be fucking hilarious if it wasn't so damned sad.
Jasper hadn't laid a finger on her in more than fifty years, as long as they had been with the Cullens. He used his power on her when she initiated sex because her fear of his scars turned him off. He couldn't do the deed after the first two years they were together. Their life had been a lie on both sides, they just didn't know it. The other thing that popped into Peter's head was Gabriella's power. That's a doozy, she's a power amplifier. So imagine what they could do together if she amplified his empathy, it's mind-boggling. Looks like this whole thing is because Aro fears them trying to take over his power base.
He never considered that Jasper didn't want that, all he wants it a quiet life. But are his brother's Marcus and Caius, aware of what he's been doing all this time? Also, we are sure he doesn't know she can do the opposite too, turn your power off completely! Looks like we are about to be one of the most powerful covens in our world, ever. Of course, Aro knows about Peter and Char's gifts and even that Garrett is a really good tracker. But they don't know about me at all. Carlisle will be too afraid to tell him, due to Edward's newest set of cock-ups.
Peter has seen, although Alice has been paid handsomely to whore herself out for them. Carlisle has not been given a red-cent; he's being forced to do it too. They covered up several of Edward previous indiscretions for the payment of him controlling Jasper. All he had to do was keep him from ever meeting Gabriella. Well, he's about to be well and truly screwed. Again, them not knowing about me has put the cat amongst the pigeons. In all this Esme, Rosalie and Emmett know nothing. They are just there to make them all look like the perfect family.
I feel so sorry for Esme, at least Emmett and Rose have each other; all she has is a lying sack of shit for a mate! I can't wait until she finds out he works for the Volturi and always has, since his stay with them in the seventeen hundreds. I really wonder about their relationship, because he seems to be more concerned about Edward. All the time I've known them he has tried to protect that boy. He seems to care more about him than he does about Esme and her reactions to his behaviour. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out they were just companions. As I said a lying sack of shit!
OTITRM
Can a vampire feel tried, yes they can! It's been a long day and a strain on poor Peter. He just desperately wants to tell Jasper everything, but I don't want the moment they meet tainted just yet. He understands that, but he hates withholding information from his brother. We've gotten everything done and now need to get to the airport.
"Major, take us to the airport! Someone we need to meet, no you need to meet is landin' in less than thirty minutes" Peter blurts out and Jasper nods and takes the road to the airport,
"Anythin' else Captain?" is all he says,
"Flight is comin' in from Milan" Peter adds heaving a sigh of relief,
"Do we know this vampire? I presume it's a vampire!" Jasper asks now,
"Nope never met her" is Peter's quick reply,
"Her? Interestin' and she needs to speak to me personally?" he hedges and Peter just nods,
"Okay Peter, you've never steered me wrong before. Let's do this!" Jasper tells us as he pulls into a short-term stay area,
Wow, fucking wow! She's a vision in leather. I am reminded of the Underworld movies when I see her. Only her hair is dark red, Titian red I think and she's wearing Gucci shades. I hear an expletive from my left and Jasper looks stunned at seeing this vision striding towards us. I look around and we're all gobsmacked. Five gorgeous vampires and we're stunned by how beautiful she is. How on earth could Alice think to measure up to that? Hell even Rose will look plain next to this woman and yeah she's a woman, not a teenager but a grown fine assed woman.
"Shit Char, am I drooling? She's fucking gorgeous!" I ramble and then we start to giggle and she smiles brightly, Jasper is still staring as she halts in front of us and says,
"Ciao"
It's when she pulls off her shades that we actually feel the sizzle between them and sense both his and her emotions. He's projecting and she's amplifying. I try to move them but Jasper growls deep in his chest and Peter is getting a little handsy behind me.
"Fuck Jasper, you're gonna start an orgy here in the airport. Rein it in for a minute for God sake!" I squeak, wondering if Peter and I have time for a quickie,
I grab the back of Char jacket as she tries to make a dash for it with Garrett. I wrap everyone in individual bubbles and start pushing us out towards the parking area. They realise that they now feel nothing and I put my hands on my hips and give them the stink-eye. That's all it takes to make everyone burst out laughing and move under their own steam. Thank fuck, crisis averted! This could have made the front page of tomorrow's paper,
'Sudden Unexplained Orgy at Seattle Airport'
Char had the foresight to book suites in a classy hotel and we, I mean me, drove over there. Once we each reach our doors I tell them,
"Make the most of tonight, Peter's got a lot to tell us tomorrow. It's still a bit patchy, but we'll put our heads together and sort it out. By the way, pleased to meet you Abriel, I'm Bella"
Everyone gives their names quickly and then we're all inside our own suites and ripping each other's clothes off. How do I know this? Because I can hear it and before Peter throws me onto the bed naked, I flip a shield over our three suites to stop anyone else from hearing it as well. This is a totally new experience; sex with Peter is mind-blowing normally. But sex with Peter while, Jasper is projecting and Abriel is amplifying it, is out of this world. We're going at it at his pace and he hasn't had sex for fifty years, so he's making up for the lost time so to speak.
Halfway through the night, there's a lull and we drag ourselves out to feed. We meet an equally exhausted Char and Garrett in the elevator. One look at each other and we burst into peals of laughter.
"Fuck that was different!" Garrett says between chuckles,
"Sorry I shielded us all together and we got caught in the storm!" I explain and Char winks,
"No need to apologise suga' that was..., wow!" she sounds high on it all,
"Yeah, but let's not do that every time. I think he was aimin' for a world record and draggin' us along with him" Peter jokingly says, but we all nod,
"I've given them a bubble all to themselves, I'll keep it that way when we get back," I say feeling like I want to yawn loudly, they are all nodding along with me,
"There was an awesome surge about an hour in; any idea's what that was?" I enquire as we reach the lobby,
"Oh yeah, she was cataloguing his scars and we all know how sensitive they are!" Garrett mumbled as we spill out the hotel door and head in different directions,
I feel genuinely happy for them both. Fifty years isn't that long in a vampire's life, but Aro, Alice and Carlisle broke the second vampire law; never come between mates! This is punishable by death normally. I wonder how they'll try to wiggle out of that. Alice, I'm afraid stands no chance, but what of Carlisle? Of course, Aro will hide behind being one of our leaders and doing this for the greater good. But was it? No, it was fear, plain and simple fear. I don't think we want to take on the Volturi, but he needs to pay somehow. Well, that will have to be a plan for the future, one where Aro can't get out of it or away from us.
Once we manage to get Jasper and Abriel out of their suite we all move to mine and Peter's. Jasper already knows it was me who sent for Abriel and he thanks me profusely.
"That's what family does Jasper, you're my brother now," I tell him and he sends me his love and admiration,
Peter first tells Abriel she has a mole in her coven and she laughs,
"Si, Umberto! He is Aro's man. I know all about him and his plans. He thinks to wear me down and bed me, tying me to Aro. That will never happen!" she says without a care, but Jasper is growling at the thought,
Now we're getting down to the nitty-gritty, what to do with the Cullens and why. Alice dies, of course. Peter explains why Carlisle was roped into this debacle, to pay off Edwards debts. Does Esme know? Peter doesn't think so. Rose and Emmett are equally in the dark about it.
"Are Carlisle and Esme mates?" I ask and Jasper nods,
"It's not that strong of a bond, the weakest I've ever felt. But yes they are" he says sadly,
"Are you going to kill Edward, Bella? Because once he's gone they will actually be happier" Peter asks and I nod,
"I wasn't sure before. But since half of this is due to him. Yes, that boy has to be eradicated!" I point out,
"So, Alice dies, Edward dies and the others?" Char asks now,
"Disbanded! I want Carlisle out of the human world and covenless. I want him in Volterra where he can cause no more harm to humans and vampires alike" Jasper explains,
"Rose and Em can look after themselves. They hate the school crap and have left often as you know. They will make it on their own or by attaching themselves to the Denali's" Garrett interjects here,
"Good! Okay, that's settled. We'll deal with Aro later, once we have a rock-solid plan!"
Well, that was painless and easier than I thought. We are a strong coven and everyone gets an equal say. Only when the shit hits the fan will Jasper take full control. By then it will be the Major who makes the rules and I'm okay with that!
OTITRM
I take the greatest joy running through the forest to the Cullens house with Char and Abriel. I had explained this morning all about my situation to her and she was horrified. That they didn't check any details about me at all blew her mind. She laughed at the stupidity of Edward and also Jacob Black. The fact I literally own their asses, because of the land made her gleeful.
"You would have made a great Medici, my friend. It's all about being one step ahead at all times" she told me and I was honoured,
The three of us slow as the house comes into sight and it takes a minute for anyone to notice us. They know I'm a shield so where are their defences, early warning signals. Still the same old lackadaisical Cullens, well I'm not helping them.
"Hey, Bella, what brings you here?" Emmett finally sees us and asks me with curiousness in his tone,
Emmett, Hi. Is Alice in I've brought a new friend to meet her?" I reply and hear the sound of feet coming towards us,
"Gabriella! How? Why? What could possibly bring you here?" Alice squeaks glancing around the room checking for Jasper,
" la mia nuova amica, Bella. Pensava che avrei dovuto finalmente incontrare Jasper!" (My new friend, Bella. She thought I should finally meet Jasper!) Abriel tone was deadly smooth, but she is refusing to speak English,
"What? No! No, you can't! You mustn't! Carlisle help me?" Alice squeals as she hits my shield in her hasty retreat,
"Duchessa, this is an honour. Welcome to our humble home. We didn't know you were coming" Carlisle sickeningly fawns at her,
"Ah Carlisle, piccolo rospo ossequioso. Stai ancora lavorando per Aro, vero?" (Ah Carlisle,you obsequious little toad. Still working for Aro, are you?) Abriel says and chaos descends,
"WHAT?" shouts everyone but Alice, which is very telling,
"Oh, sei stato un ragazzo cattivo?" (Oh, have you been a naughty boy?) Abriel asks laughing loudly,
"What's so funny my amazin' mate?" Jasper appears beside her to ask and Alice screams manically,
"Non posso credere che non l'abbia mai visto arrivare, amore mio" (I can't believe she never saw this coming, my love) she purrs in reply, kissing Jasper possessively,
"What about you Carlisle? I bet you can't believe you failed Aro either!" Jasper barks,
But it's not Jasper, it's the Major talking and he's not amused. It's Carlisle turn to try and run but he just bounces off my shield too. He's laying on the ground whining worse than even Edward now, while Esme beats him about the head with anything she can grab hold of. It's like watching a farce from years ago, except it's not that funny! Rose is screaming, demanding to know what's going on. Edward is for once totally silent, watching everything that's happening almost impartially. How could one family be so screwed up, easy they are not a family?
They are a made-up group of vampires to fool and contain one man and all it took to topple their house of cards was..., well me actually!