AN: No animals were harmed in the making of this chapter

Chapter Ten: Sleeping Beauty and the Skittish Prince

Okay hi, People! So I don't want to traumatize you too much...so I'm not actually gonna go over the whole Jake-turning-into-a-wolf-in-the-middle-of-sex fiasco in graphic detail or anything, but let's just say I'm gonna need therapy.

A lot of therapy.

Does anyone out there know any good vampire therapists?

No? Huh, too bad for me.

And the worst part? We sorta got stuck together for a bit. So it took waaay longer to end the sex than it should have. I ended up having to call Billy in to come help and then he had to call Sam and get him to Alpha order Jake to phase back because he was in shock and couldn't figure out how to do so on his own.

Which, based on what I knew about the wolves, probably meant that the wolf pack would forevermore be able to see the whole entire incident through their collective consciousness. Great.

Thankfully, Sam's Alpha order to phase back worked. So as soon as Jake was human again, I was able to detach myself from him and bolt to the other side of the room, where I am now very quickly getting dressed and wishing I could scrub the last half hour from my brain.

"I'm a freaking werewolf, Bells!" Jake states, clearly sounding unsure whether to be excited or upset about it.

Sure, sure, because that's the important part here, Jake, your new supernatural status! Not, oh...say...how about...the fact that you...TRAUMATIZED ME WITH YOUR GIANT WOLF DICK!

"That's cool. I'm...gonna go…" I say trying to conceal my emotions while backing toward the door.

"Oh, okay. Sure, sure. No, I get it. I'm sorry things got so messed up. But hey, thanks for giving me a shot Bells. I'm sorry I couldn't be your mate. Apparently, wolves don't even have mates, we have Imprints, which I think is the same but different? Okay, talk to you later!" Jacob waves as he realizes that I am actually leaving. As in immediately. I just can't stand to be here anymore.

When I get back home, I realize that in my urgency to get away from Jacob, I forgot my fucking truck over there because I ran all the way home on foot instead of driving! (And yes, teenage girls also curse when they are totally mortified and disturbed, by the way.)

I guess I can send my dad to go get it later since he's probably still allowed on the Rez and it will be much less awkward than going back over there myself.

So, I make the decision to ask him later and I head inside. Things surprisingly look a lot the same as they did when I left, except that instead of giving Garrett advice about cunnilingus, they have apparently moved on to giving him advice about the g-spot. Great. Just what I need to hear in my current mortified state.

"Jasper? I need you to help me take a nap," I plead, hoping he won't ask why.

"Yeah, no problem." He nods, following me to my room.

"Things went horribly at Jake's, didn't they?" He asks me, as I lie down on the bed. Oh yeah, I guess I can't hide my feelings from an Empath, oops!

"Let's just say, it is a very, very bad idea for a vampire to have sex with a hot-blooded young Quileute, and that I probably should have asked ahead of time what the warning signs are for the whole turning into a giant wolf thing." I cringe.

"Geez, Bella, I'm so sorry. I should've realized it was a bad idea for ya ta go over there. I dunno what I was thinkin'." He sighs, hitting me with waves of calm and love and relaxation.

"It's my own fault, Jasper. I'm the one who messed up my friendship with Jake by trying to have my cake and eat it too. I dunno how I can ever look at him the same again." I shudder, my mind flashing back to what I think I'm gonna refer to as the Traumatic Furry Incident or the TFI from here on out.

"Just remember, Bella, he isn't actually an animal. Even when he takes the shape of one, he's still a man. I know, 'cause I can feel the pack's emotions when they are nearby. I can't feel the emotions o' animals. Thankfully, otherwise, there'd be no point in the animal diet for me," he assures me, beginning to add lethargy to the emotional cocktail he is dosing me with.

"Yeah, well, let's just say Beauty and the Beast was never my favorite fairytale." I laugh bitterly, rolling my eyes at the absurdity of the day I've had today.

First, I saw my mother naked this morning when she announced her engagement to Carlisle. Then, I watched Phil snack on one of my good friends. Then, I had sex with Jessica's mate without realizing it. And after that I watched him regress to the state of a baby. Then she lectured him for not going down on me, which was hella awkward. Then, I left to go to Jake's and the TFI happened.

"Can you render me unconscious for like a few weeks?"I plead with Jasper.

He laughs sympathetically. "Sorry, Bella. The most I can do is a few hours. We have two newborn vampires in the same house as a pregnant human right now, an' a third newborn due ta wake up in two days. I'm not even countin' you and Renée in that number 'cause of yer control, but y'all are still newborns in other ways.

"Not ta mention, I don't have ta be a Seer ta know that there is a big storm brewin'." He sighs.

"Storm? What kind of storm?" I ask with a yawn.

"I'll give you a hint...what do you get when you cross a pixie control-freak party planner with an emotionally volatile bridezilla?" He whispers with a shit-eating smirk.

"Oh fuck! Alice and Renée!" I gasp, just realizing what kind of trouble is headed our way.

My mom might be a spaz, but she is no pushover. When she gets an idea in her head, no one can talk her out of it. And Alice is very much used to getting her own way. The thought of the two of them sitting down together trying to plan Renée's wedding is more horrifying than the TFI. And poor Carlisle and my dad will be stuck smack dab in the middle of it!

Come to think of it, so will I, since Alice, as my best friend and Renée, as my mother, will both be expecting me to take their side every time they disagree. And my mom is probably going to expect me to be her maid-of-honor again like I was when she married Phil.

"Jasper. Please knock me out now, I'm gonna need the rest while I can get it!" I state anxiously.

He chuckles, hitting me with a huge dose of lethargy and exhaustion. "Sure thing, Sleeping Beauty. Have a nice rest."

Man, I had no idea how much I needed that!

I "wake up" from my "nappy time" several hours later and fling myself into Jasper's arms sending him my gratitude.

"You have no idea how much better I feel now, Jasper, thank you, so much!" I beam and then roll my eyes at myself. "Oh wait, I guess you know exactly how much better I feel, don't you?" I laugh.

"Yes, I do. And I'm really glad 'cause we need ta be ready fer Angela to wake up soon, so we'd better go hunt in the meantime," he suggests.

"Good idea!" I agree, taking him by the hand and running through my open balcony door into the forest.

After we each find a juice box (his being cougar flavored and mine being Bambi flavored), I give him my best come-hither look. "Really? I didn't think you'd wanna do the sexuals after ya got traumatized yesterday…" he says, seeming slightly puzzled.

"Well, I thought about it while we were hunting, and for one thing, I'd kind of like to have something more recent to think about when it comes to sex than the big bad wolf. Like when you get a bad taste in your mouth and it makes you want to brush your teeth because toothpaste is much better. Be my toothpaste, Jasper?" I pout adorably if I do say so myself.

"Gladly." He chuckles, stepping into my arms.

"Besides, it's like falling off a bike, right? If you don't get back on right away, you never will." I shrug. (I was gonna say horse, but I think I will be very careful not to use any analogies involving animals for a while. Or possibly ever.)

"I see yer point. Now I'm gonna kiss ya." He grins sexily.

"Please do." I nod eagerly. Annnnd he does. Annnnd it's glorious.

I won't bore you with another sex scene of me and Jasper right now. Because trust me when I say that I don't plan on giving him up anytime soon (unless I find my mate, ha!) so I'm sure you will have plenty of opportunities to peep in on our love life, you pervert! Just kidding! I like reading about that stuff too. Although, it's definitely more fun writing it. And even more fun still experiencing it.

Which is why, when Jasper and I finish our long, luscious lovemaking session after our hunt (which is definitely what it is...lovemaking. We're not just fucking anymore nowadays. I'm officially in love with Jasper, oops!) I find that I am in a much better mood than I was beforehand. "Thank you, Jasper." I beam softly as we start getting dressed again to head back to the house.

"I should be the one thankin' you, Bella. I love our time together, I really treasure it." He smiles, kissing the top of my head as we embrace, savoring the moment.

That is when we hear a noise in the trees quite a way off, coming from the direction of Forks. As the noise gets closer it is identifiable as the sound of someone running. We soon realize the sound is also accompanied by the scent of an unknown male vampire. A red-eyed nomad appears in front of us. Jasper doesn't tense as much as I would have expected or position himself in front of me. So he either knows this man or has determined via his emotions that he isn't a threat.

The man is handsome, in spite of his rugged, unkempt nature and his apparent wariness of us. His long blonde hair hangs lifelessly around his face but not in an unattractive way. It is as if he has spent his existence trying desperately not to be beautiful and failing at every attempt. His beauty shines through in spite of his efforts to disguise it.

"Pardon me for the intrusion, but I've come west in search of an old friend. My only friend really. I typically hate people. Anyway, I smelled his scent in town, but it seemed to be heading this way. Do you happen to be acquainted with Carlisle Cullen?" The man asks us in a sexy British accent that nearly causes my panties to melt just listening to him.

"Very well acquainted yes, we're family to Carlisle. Judging by the accent and everythin' you've said 'bout yerself, I'd wager a guess you must be Alistair?" The man nods cautiously. "I'm Jasper and this is Bella. We were just about to head back to the house where we live with Carlisle and the rest of our family. We can escort you there if you wish? I'm sure Carlisle will be happy to see you." Jasper offers.

"Alright, thank you. I haven't seen Carlisle for a very long time. The last time was in 1912. I didn't know he had acquired a coven. Let alone a large one. I won't stay very long," he states tensely as we begin heading in the direction of home. "There were a great many scents in the area. How many are you?"

Jasper is silent for a moment and seems to be assessing this Alistair guy before he answers. "We were a coven of seven for the last several decades. My friend Alice and I were the last to join in the 1940s. Carlisle's first companion, Edward, was turned in 1918. Bella joined us in March of this year and her three parents have joined us since then, seeing as all three of them have mates in our coven. Bella herself is still looking for her own mate, though.

"Her stepfather is not a very controlled newborn. He tried to eat a local human who happened to be a friend of Bella's. So, the girl is currently undergoing her change at the house. She should be waking up in a few hours. But her other friend who was with her at the time turned out to be the mate of our friend Garrett who is in town visiting, so she will be changed eventually as well. But she is pregnant now, so it won't be until after she gives birth." Jasper explains.

Alistair stops running. "Garrett is staying with you? As in the same Garrett who hates the British?" he confirms raising an eyebrow.

"He'll behave, Alistair. Ya needn't worry. Garrett has a great deal of respect fer Carlisle and myself. He wouldn't start anythin' with ya," Jasper vows. "Besides, he just found out his mate is a pregnant human girl. He's pretty distracted anyway."

Alistair nods and begins walking again, albeit much more slowly than before. "I must admit there are parts of what you say that confound me though. Carlisle spent centuries on his own. What made him decide to start building a coven? And such a large one at that. Your eyes are tawny, so I take it he has converted you to his diet? He tried that with me once, but I wasn't interested. I like being a true predator. And unlike Carlisle, I have no desire to mingle with humans.

"I also cannot fathom how this exquisite creature here could have been newly born in March. She is controlled and carries herself as if she were much older than that." He frowns, puzzled.

Okay, no. We're gonna nip that shit in the bud right now!

I interrupt. "Not to be rude, Alistair, since we've only just met, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could refrain from speaking about me as though I were not present, if you please."

Alistair, who I had expected might be angry, seems amused instead. "That was meant to be a compliment, Child. My social skills are...rusty, at best."

"Oh." I smile. "I thought you were being patronizing. In that case, thank you."

"You're quite welcome." He nods as we arrive back at the house.

I really want to bangarang with this guy to see if he's my mate, ya know? But the poor man seems so skittish of people in general, I'm sure if I actually try to hit on him, he'll probably just shriek and go hiding under a rock somewhere.

For once, I have no idea how to approach this. So I decide not to do anything until after I have a chance to talk to Carlisle.

Speaking of whom, Carlisle comes out of the house when we arrive with a huge smile on his face. "Alistair. What a pleasure. It's been far too long old friend." He announces, saying everything in a calm manner, which, I know is partly just his way, but I can tell he is also being cautious not to startle the recluse.

"Carlisle." Alistair nods. "You're building quite the following these days, aren't you? One might almost think there was a bid for power afoot if he did not know what a pacifist you are."

Carlisle smiles, seemingly unconcerned. "Not for power, My Friend. For companionship. I spent quite a long time lonely, as you know. Until...in 1918, in Chicago, a seventeen-year-old boy lay dying of Spanish Influenza. And his mother, who had intuited that I was something more than an ordinary man, begged me on her deathbed to save her son.

"Something about her request struck a chord with me. It occurred to me then, that I had been a physician much longer than other men and yet I had never used that one thing which made me unique in order to save a life. And so, out of my loneliness but also from a desire to do good, I turned the boy, Edward.

"Ever since then, when I have come across someone in the prime of their youth who ought not to be dying, and for whom there is no medical cure, and to whom I have felt drawn, I have turned them. And for a long time, that remained my criteria for siring a newborn. Recently, however, circumstances have caused our family to grow for other reasons." Carlisle beams.

He begins to explain how I came into the family, as Stupid, Stupid, Stupid's singer, pet, and plaything, (my words, not his). He then explains how Charlie, Renée, and Phil each came to be changed and for whom. Carlisle introduces them each in turn (since most of the family have gradually filtered out of the house to see what's going on, by now) and then he elaborates on what Jasper already told Alistair about Ang and Jess.

I have to admit to tuning out during the whole explanation. Partly because I am finding it super boring and partly because my brain is still plotting ways to seduce Alistair. Though, I am considering that in spite of his extraordinary beauty, he might not make the best mate, since I don't think I want to live in a cave or under a bridge for the rest of my vampiric life.

But I owe it to myself (and to him as well, really,) to make sure. So I definitely still need to get it in.

"Well, as I told Jasper and Bella on the way in, I surely won't take up much of your time. I can see you have a lot on your plate, Carlisle, but I wanted to track you down just to say hello since it has been a while." Alistair smiles slightly.

"Yes, I think 1912 was the last time, wasn't it?" Carlisle grins. "You should at least stay long enough to indulge in some local hospitality. I know that Bella here would love to show you around, wouldn't you, Sweetheart?"

Bless your heart, Carlisle! He totally just gave me that opening intentionally. I'll have to thank him later.

"Yeah, definitely." I nod, looping my arm with Alistair's as we walk in the direction of town. He thinks we're going sightseeing, but the only sight I want to see is his sexy, naked, sparkly body.

He seems reluctant to go too far from the house with me alone and stops in a copse of trees, turning to face me before we are even out of earshot of the house.

"What exactly is going on here?" He questions, looking around nervously.

"Okay, paranoid much?" I laugh lightly. "I am a horny newborn who has been trying to find my mate via sex. I plan on leaving no stone unturned. Carlisle knows this and was trying to throw me a bone."

"Oh. You wish to engage in the carnal act with me?" he confirms.

"Yep. If you're open to it?" I inquire.

He thinks for a moment and seems to be assessing me. "Yes, you shall do quite nicely. I have not indulged in sexual relations for a great many decades."

"Oh good. I'm glad I meet your approval." I laugh, stepping into his arms.

"You do indeed. For a newborn, you are quite spectacular, in fact." He smiles, taking my shirt off.

I smirk, brushing his long hair off of his face. "Thanks. For a nomad, you are quite beautiful."

He wraps one arm around my back and pulls me close, kissing me desperately. I guess decades of sexual tension might leave a person feeling pretty desperate, yeah.

I remove his jacket and shirt, taking a moment to appreciate his toned, though not bulky, muscular chest.

"Like what you see?" he asks softly gazing into my eyes as if seeking approval.

"Most definitely," I assure him with a nod and begin unfastening his belt while he does the same with my bra. Once he has it off, I feel his hands as they begin exploring my chest almost worshipfully. He obviously hasn't seen a woman's breasts in a long time. "And you?" I ask.

He grins. "Very much so." He nods, removing my pants as well. I get his trousers off and sink down to my knees. "No," he says, pulling me back up. "You cannot do that."

I look at him, puzzled. Then, pouting, I look back down at his cock that he won't let me suck for some odd reason. That's when I see it. A silver reattachment scar around the base of his erect shaft.

"Shit!" I wince.

"Now you see why. I once made the mistake of upsetting the wrong woman and she bit it off," he admits quietly.

"Geez! No wonder you're so paranoid! I would be too." I empathize.

He pushes me carefully up against a tree, hoisting me up by the ass so my legs are wrapped around him. "I don't like to talk about it." He frowns, thrusting deep inside of me with no preamble.

"I understand." I nod, making a motion of zipping my lips.

His brow furrows. "Is your mouth itchy or something?"

I chuckle lightly. "No, it's a symbolic gesture. It means I am zipping up my lips and throwing away the key. In other words, I won't talk about it anymore."

He pauses, seeming to think about it for a moment. "That makes no sense. Zippers do not have locks. Otherwise, I would have needed a key to get into your pants."

Now see here is the part where I wish he actually was my mate. Because then I could say something like: "You have one, Baby. The key to my heart." Instead, I just laugh.

"How about instead of analyzing modern figures of speech, you just fuck me, please?" I suggest, turning our attention back to the task at hand.

"Yes, Milady." He smirks, inserting himself into my eager warmth once more with a groan.

What follows is a passionate, vigorous, albeit brief encounter that I truly enjoy. He even manages to get me off before he succumbs which Is some pretty impressive endurance after a decades-long dry spell. He must jerk off a lot.

Anyway, just as I feel him ejaculate within me, I hear the sound of someone running toward us and I find myself airborne, slamming into a nearby tree at full force, which knocks the tree over on top of me. Once I pry myself loose, I turn to face my attacker to find out who it is. I don't really recognize the scent.

When I finally get all the tree branches out of my hair and can actually see, what I see are two blazing red eyes staring back at me. It takes me a moment before I realize the eyes are Angela's.

"Angela, no!" I hear Jasper call, coming up cautiously behind her as we are all hit with a wave of calm. "Bella is a friend, remember? You can't attack her," he states gently.

"Mine!" She hisses, pointing at Alistair.

Oh, fuck! What have I done?

She lunges at me and I assume the defensive position Jasper taught me, but he hits her with a wave of something that stops her mid lunge and has her curled up on the forest floor whimpering.

"Stop! What are you doing to her?!" Alistair cries out, trying to shield Angela bodily from Jasper since it is obvious he's using his gift on her.

"I'm not usin' pain, Alistair, just guilt. I'm an Empath. My gift is to feel others' emotions and project them. The guilt I hit her with is yours and Bella's. See, Angela? They feel awful. They didn't know they were doin' anythin' wrong. No one knew he was yers." Jasper comforts, replacing the guilt with something more soothing.

"You weren't trying to steal him?" Angela whispers, looking skeptically up at me.

"No. I'm just trying to find my own mate. If I'd known Alistair was yours, I wouldn't have touched him, I promise." I assure with my hands in the air in a peaceful gesture. I begin getting dressed.

"I'm really sorry, Angela. My timing just totally sucks. The same thing happened with Garrett before I knew he was Jessica's. And with Carlisle, before I knew he was my mom's. I think I'm gonna have to start taking around the men I find and introducing them to all the other women I know first. Just to make sure they don't belong to anyone before I try them out." I sigh, shaking my head.

Angela frowns. "It's okay, Bella. I remember you. I know you were always nice to me. I believe you that you didn't mean to hurt me. But now, if you'll both excuse us, I need to have sex with my mate and get Bella's scent off of him before it makes me go feral again. And then I need to hunt."

"Alright, but Alistair can't take ya to hunt if ya wanna hunt animals. He's a human drinker," Jasper explains.

"Oh. You are?" Angela whispers, her face falling. "I don't want to do that. I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt people." She sobs. "Will you let Jasper or Bella take me to hunt after?" She pleads.

"Does it upset you, Love, that I drink from humans?" Alistair asks her gently.

Angela nods with a whimper.

"Then perhaps Carlisle's clan can teach us both to hunt animals?" Alistair suggests.

Angela gasps, her eyes filling with hope. She really looks like a little girl in an anime with those big watery eyes. Especially now that she doesn't have to wear glasses anymore. "You would change your diet for me?" She asks cautiously.

"Of course, My Mate. I would do anything for you," he vows.

And I'm pretty sure, based on the look in Angela's excited eyes, those words are gonna pave the way for the beginning of a brand new Alistair.

AN: There you have it, Ladies and Gents. I guess you really can teach an old dog new tricks after all. (Well, at least if he is your mate and you happen to have anime eyes.) Oh right, no animal analogies, I forgot! ;-*