Here's another chapter! Tell me how you find it in the reviews!
I have no beta, so all mistakes are mine!
BELLA POV
Jasper and I are walking in the castle's hallways, and all the guards that we meet greet us cordially. That's why I don't understand why Jasper is looking so murderous.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you glaring at everyone?" I ask him. He looks at me and shakes his head. I immediately get angry. "Hey. Don't you dare keep things for me. I've had enough of that with Eddie. Don't you start, too. You might be the Major but I have no problem putting you in your place. Now, what the fuck is wrong with you, and why are you glaring at fucking everyone."
While I speak he stares at me, and his eyes darken with every word I speak. Bitch, bring it on.
When I finish he turns to fully face me, shoulders squared and jaw set. "What is wrong with me? Ya should ask what is wrong with these fellas! They lustin' after ya like dogs in heat! Goddamnit they bombardin' me with lust an' I can't stand the thought of them goin' after ya! That's why I'm glarin' at every-fuckin'-one!" he snarls.
I am flabbergasted, not only because of the ferocity of his words, but also because I think that for the first time I am meeting the Major. To confirm my suspicions I call him by his rank. "Major?"
He only nods. I study him. Physically he looks the same, apart from his deep black eyes. There is a difference in the aura, though. He exudes danger. But it won't stop me.
"Well, Major. As I said, I don't care who you are. Just remember that I am a person, and I deserve to know things that concern me, and you and Jasper are my friends, so I expect honesty from you both" I say, planting my hands on my hips.
He raises an eyebrow, "But we just met, darlin'. How can we be friends?" he asks, in a deep voice with a heavy southern accent. I try to ignore the butterflies in my stomach that come alive with excitement due to the accent, but by his smirk I can tell that he noticed.
"Well, I know some of what you have been through. And I don't care if we just met. You are a part of Jasper, so that makes you my friend" I retort.
He chuckles deeply. "Ya brave, girl. I like ya. Let's hope ya don't die. I wonder what will Ares say when he'll meet ya."
I don't have time to retort as I see Jasper's eyes—or the Major's… whatever—returning to their beautiful butterscotch colour. Jasper blinks a few times, before his eyes widen and he looks at me. his eyes widen even more. Then he grabs me by my shoulder and feels everywhere, as if checking for injuries.
"Oh Lord, are you okay?" he asks frantically, after he stops touching me.
"Yeah, I'm fine. The Major didn't hurt me."
"Oh God, I'm so sorry. I thought I had him under control, that you were safe—"
"But I am safe. I'm safe and sound. I'm not hurt. The Major actually said he likes me" I say proudly.
His eyes bulge out of his head. He thinks about what I just said and then he sighs, "Yeah, now I remember him saying that. I'm still sorry, that must have been scary."
"Actually it wasn't. I was too pissed to be scared."
He bursts out laughing, "You're one of a kind, sugar. Now let's go get those maps, hmm?"
"Yep" I say, popping the 'p'.
He slings an arm around my shoulder as we make our way toward the throne room.
When we arrive we see the kings all seated around a table and doing some paperwork, with guards keeping watch all around the room. As soon as we enter, they look at us.
Aro lights up, "Oh! Hello, dear children! Isabella, how did you sleep? I trust the mattress was comfortable enough?" he asks, ever the good host.
I smile at him, "Yes, King Aro, it was perfect, thanks."
"Please, just call me Aro. We are old friends, after all. Major, how you fare?" he then asks Jasper.
"I'm good, too. Thank you. We are here for a reason, though. Can we have some maps of the area where we'll be staying or scouting during our mission?" he says, business-like and practical.
"Of course" Caius says. "I have had them prepared for you this night. Do you wish to study them here, in the library or in your rooms?"
My eyes light up at the mention of a library. "In the library" I quickly say, before Jasper can open his mouth. He playfully glares at me, smirking. Caius though, is still waiting. Jasper raises his brow, "The lady has spoken."
Caius finally nods, "Very well. We'll do as the lady says, then." He nods at one of the lower guards standing around the room, and she immediately speeds away. "She'll get them ready for you. I trust you know the way, or do you need someone to guide you?" Caius then asks.
Jasper chuckles, "We'll be fine. If there something Bella's great at, is finding libraries and books. We'll manage" he says, making me blush.
The kings smile—even Caius, albeit his smile is small and fleeting.
"Good studies, then" Marcus says, bidding us goodbye.
Knowing a dismissal when we see one, we walk outside and head toward the library. I truly have no idea where we are going, but we reach it in half an hour. I have no idea how I did that but okay.
As we enter, we see that the library is occupied by Alec and another vampire, and they are quietly reading in two corners on the room. The biggest table, near a fireplace, is full of maps and books. I suppose that's where we'll be studying.
"After you, darlin'" Jasper says, smiling a 2000-Watt smile. I smile back and walk toward the table, plopping down on one of the two chairs near the table.
"So, where do we start?" I ask, after he sits. He hums, "Well, I think we should start with the morphology of the territory, then we can start workin' on strategies. Does that sound like a plan?"
"You are the Major here, I follow your orders" I smirk.
He laughs, "Very well then. Let's dive in."
4 hours later
"God, I'm starving" I complain, massaging my neck with one hand. We have been studying every small detail of these territories for the last four hours, and my back and neck are hurting like hell. This is worse than preparing for finals.
Jasper chuckles, "Wanna go eat somethin'?"
"Yes please" I beg, standing up and stretching a bit. I feel my knees pop back into place and I grunt. I sound like a creaky old floor.
"Want me to give you a ride? So that your poor knees don't die" he jokes.
I snort, "Yeah, yeah, joke all you want. I'm still human, dude, we aren't supposed to stay in the same position for too long."
"Ya want a ride or not?"
"Yes! God, you're so cranky!"
1 day later
"Done! Here it is!" I say, presenting my strategy. Yesterday night we finished studying all the maps, so we decided that today we would be writing down any possible strategies that come to our mind, and analyse them.
It's 6 pm now, my head is about to implode, and we still haven't found a strategy that can ensure that we win. Especially since this morning Demetri brought us a copy of the latest report of the spies in the South. It said that Maria has now 67 newborns, all trained and some with gifts.
"Let me see" the Major says. The Major has gained control after the delivery of the report, and we had been trying to figure out a fool-proof strategy ever since. Caius was supposed to come and help us, as were Felix and Demetri, but a criminal was brought in in the middle of the morning and they are all still in the throne room, debating what to do.
As the Major examines my strategy, I pour myself a glass of cold water. I relish in the cold feeling but I'm soon brought back to reality when the Major speaks.
"This is quite good, but ya haven't thought about how to prevent the newborns to circle us and take us on from behind. If they circle us—"
I sigh. "We lose. I know. You already told me a hundred times."
"And I'll keep tellin' ya until ya no longer make that mistake. However, the trail trick could work. As would the swim. Keep 'em in mind. Ya doin' pretty good for a human."
I snort, "Thanks, I guess."
"I'm workin' on another strategy, but there is still the big unknown of the newborns' ability. The whore must have found someone powerful to keep 'em in line. We need ta find out what ability it is."
"But we don't have time!"
"I know, girl. That's why we're still sitting here and not loungin' 'round. Do ya think it usually takes me this long to figure out a strategy?"
"How the fuck can I know? I thought this was normal."
"Ah. You wound me, sugar plum."
Suddenly the doors to the library open. Demetri and Felix—along with the Kings—come flocking in. they all look at the huge stacks of paper piled on the table, and at the map, with chess pieces on it. The Major and I decided to use the black pieces to symbolise the newborn army, and the white one to symbolise ours. Pencil marks mar the map and my glasses of juice and water, and all my snacks are all around the table.
"Oh, dear me! You look devastated Bella!" Aro says, worriedly. He then feels my forehead's temperature with a hand. "And you're burning!"
"I'm fine, Aro. It's just that my brain is literally melting right now. Thanks for your concern, though."
"Y'all here to help us or what?" the Major says, nodding curtly as a greeting.
"Yes. So what do we do?" Felix answers, rubbing his hands together eagerly.
"First of all, get this woman a decent meal, she's been survivin' on snacks since yesterday mornin', and then think of any possible power that could help Maria control all those newborns."
Aww, he requested a meal for me! So he cares! How sweet!
Demetri speeds away, probably to find me some food, and the others all sit down and think.
A few seconds later Demetri is back, presenting me with a tray of cheeses and different kind of meats. I think I might die right now.
"Thank you" I breathe, then dive in. I inhale the food in less than ten minutes. All the vampire smile at my quickness, but say nothing.
"What about some kind of compelling power?" Marcus says.
The Major thinks about it for a second, then shakes his head, "To control a newborn ya need a stronger power, or they'll easily evade it. Their mind is constantly in a rampage, so Maria would need somethin' that reigns in their entire self, or it would be useless."
"Then what about a full mind controlling power" I say, after I gulp down some more water.
"I already thought about it, sugar, but I can't think of any reason why a vampire so powerful should accept to be ruled by Maria" the Major says, scrunching up his nose.
I raise a brow, "You are a powerful vampire, too. You said that you can control hundreds of newborns at a time. And yet you too—or Jasper, or Ares… whatever—you were under her thumb for a good while, if I recall correctly" I point out.
The Major looks at me, blinking and not saying anything. Everybody else looks at us. I look at the Major.
You could seriously hear a pin dropping.
Then the Major smiles. Really smiles, and I can feel my heart soaring. The butterflies make an appearance in my stomach once again. His smile is so beautiful it puts everything else to shame.
"I guess ya got it right, sweet cheeks."
THE MAJOR POV
This woman is a smart cookie.
I can see myself becomin' attached to her. I like her. She beautiful and clever as fuck.
She's a good fella, not like those Cullens. They might fit Jasper, but they too weak for me.
Ares would behead 'em in seconds.
I can't wait to see what he'll think of Bella, here. She ain't a mere human. She a fuckin' warrior.
I smile, "I guess ya got it right, sweet cheeks."
Here's the Major! We'll see more of him in the story, don't worry. What do you think about him? Let me know in the reviews!
