JASPER POV
The two vampires in front on me are terrified. They should be.
They pain they will experience will be like nothin' they've ever felt before.
I can feel Bella's eyes on me as I growl, "Begin!"
Heidi and Jane stare at each other for a second, then they jump and collide mid-air, fightin' like ferocious dogs. I notice that Jane isn't usin' her gift. Smart move, for if she uses it, I'll subject her to the same pain her glare causes.
I look at the two fighters: Jane is tenacious and determined to survive, but Heidi is more experienced—havin' no gift to protect her from physical attacks she prolly learned a thing or two.
I let it go on for a minute longer, then I decide to start the fun.
I hit 'em with a blast of pain so intense it rivals the one of the change. Sure enough, they both crumble to the ground, kneelin' in pain. They are pantin' and whimperin' like the filthy worms they are. No offence to worms.
"Fight!" I roar at them, puttin' the fear of God up their asses. They scramble to their feet, Jane fallin' down again due to the pain she feels. Heidi is wobblin' too, but she catches the chance and jumps on Jane's prone form.
The excitement I feel from the others in the arena fuels my energy, and I strengthen the flow of pain I'm sendin' them. A stutter in their movements tells me they felt it.
It's comical, watchin' them fight each other for their lives, but also fight the pain I'm sendin' them.
"Oh, God, please stop!" Heidi whimpers, droppin' to the floor. Jane takes the opportunity to rip her left hand off. A screech and the fight begins again. Heidi avenges her hand by ripping a chunk of Jane's hair off.
This is way more boring than I thought it would be. The guards and the kings are enjoyin' themselves, but that's mostly 'cause they usually kill the offenders directly, without much fuss. But for me, havin' witnessed the horrors of Maria's rule, this is cake.
"You have one minute to kill your adversary, or I'll kill ya both!" I roar at the two wounded vampires.
The room as a whole shivers at my words, but not Bella. As Heidi and Jane resume their combat, with more vigour despite the pain, I focus on her emotions. She is sittin' perfectly still, and her emotions mirror her stance. She's feelin' nothin'.
Not an ounce of fear, excitement, pleasure, satisfaction… nothin'.
She is just lookin' at the scene in front of her eyes like it's the most useless and borin' thing in the world.
God thing that I gave them one minute.
Sure enough, a screech and the sound of tearin' flesh signals that someone has prevailed.
I turn my gaze back on the two fightin' vampires and the surprise I feel from the rest of the arena mirrors my own.
Heidi is standin' there, venom drippin' down her mouth, eyes blacker than black, with bits of flesh missing and scratches all over her body—and holdin' Jane's head in the air with the hand still attached to her wrist.
Well, shit, this is a surprise.
"I am free!" Heidi growls through the pain, throwin' Jane's head at my feet, "I have beaten the little shit, I have paid my price, and now you will free me!"
I chuckle sadistically. "Oh, you ain't goin' nowhere. That was just the first fight of your trial" I say, pushin' more pain to her.
I laugh at her horrified face as she falls to her knees, screamin' in pain.
"Now you'll have to fight against me!" I hiss, jumpin' in the middle of the battleground.
CAIUS POV
Jasper jumps in the middle of the arena pit, dust forming small clouds around him. He looks otherworldly—even more than usual. Danger exudes from him like light from the sun, and Heidi seems to feel that too, for she scrambles to the farthest corner of the circular space she's in.
The pain makes her motions uncoordinated and clumsy, and she falls on her butt on more than one occasion. The injuries she sustained fighting Jane don't help.
Jasper moves like a panther, his feet stealthy as he approaches his prey, vibrating with energy and barely contained fury.
He mush lighten up the pain a notch, for Heidi no longer trembles, instead she shakily rises up on her feet—dripping venom from her wounds—and snarls lowly.
Her lunge is clumsy, yet very fast. But not fast enough for the great God of War.
He easily evades her, landing a crushing blow on her back in a single move. The reverberation of the impact Heidi makes when colliding with the wall is felt in all of our bones. Jasper then grabs her ankle, swinging her around like a rag doll. He does it so fast that he creates a bit of wind.
Bella's hair sway with the breeze, and I can tell she's having difficulty following the fast moves of her mate.
Her mate. I still struggle to imagine it. He is certainly better suited for her than the pubescent mind reader.
Jasper slams Heidi to the ground, wrenching off her ankle in the process. Her shriek is cut midway by his hand, that closes around her neck like a vice. Cracks form on her face from his tight grip.
The guards cheers when he rips out one of her ribs, causing a gush of venom to cascade from her mangled body.
I worriedly look at Bella, to check if the sight disturbs her, but her face in unreadable.
Another triumphing shout from the spectators causes my gaze to fall back on the fighting.
Jasper has Heidi into what we call the dance of death—one of the two opponents is moving so fast and so seamlessly that it looks like they're dancing around the other. Usually this is done to tire out the opponent before the final, fatal blow, to make the opponent seem pathetic and powerless in their last moments.
The God of War moves so fast that even with vampire vision I strain to see him move.
During the dance he rips off bits of Heidi—her other hand, one ear, another rib, a chunk of hair—and with every wound her movement become slower and sloppier. He must also increase the level of pain, for she falls on her knees on more than one occasion. Despite the missing foot she is holding up quite nicely.
It would have been boring if she had fallen immediately. I'm also positive he must have procrastinated her end to make a spectacle out of her, for he is powerful enough to vanquish her immediately.
A hush suddenly fall over the excited guards, and all eyes are fixed upon Jasper, who has Heidi in a chokehold, one knee planted in the middle of her back, facing Bella and us.
Heidi's mangled body is quaking in fear.
Me and my brothers rise as one, Bella and the others following suit. "Heidi Volturi, you have been judged and deemed guilty of unspeakable crimes, and for that your sentence is death" my brother's voice is loud in the silence, but even louder is Heidi's screech and the sound of flesh ripping.
Her beheaded body falls on the dirt with a loud thump. "The sentence has been carried out accordingly" I say, "This session is dismissed."
The guard in charge of the online connection immediately closes the meeting and all the guards present go out of the Arena, only a couple staying to bring Heidi's body to the furnaces, in the lowest part of the castle.
As Jasper exited the room from another way—probably to clean himself up before facing Bella—Marcus led her outside, with us following them.
"The God of War was spectacular, such talent and power!" Aro says excitedly, clapping his hands in glee.
"I sincerely hope you aren't thinking of trying to get them to join the guard, brother" I say.
"Of course not brother, I know Jasper would never agree, and Bella—as much as she is loved here—is a free spirit. Cooping her up in this place would cripple her more than it would do her good."
I nod, pleased that he is being sensible for once.
"So, what happens now?" Bella says, drawing our attention back on her.
Walking down the corridors toward her rooms, Aro responds. "Well, dear child, you have two options: you could either stay here another week, month, or however long you decide, or you can leave within a few days and return to your beloved home. You'll always be welcome to return, of course."
She thinks about it for a moment. "I want to know what Jasper wants to do, but I think we have to go back home soon. The cover with my father lasts only another two days, and I can't afford to lengthen it or he'll get suspicious, and the last thing we need is a cop breathing down our necks" she says, biting her lip. We reach the door to her suite and another voice joins the discussion.
"Fine by me, darlin'."
We all turn, seeing Jasper—cleaned and dressed in a pair of jeans and a crisp white shirt—walk toward us.
"Actually," he continues, after he reaches Bella's side, "It's better if return sooner rather than later. A series of killings has occurred in Seattle while we were in Mexico, and Carlisle thinks it's the work of a vampire, or rather several vampires. Our help might be required."
We all frown, "If our help is needed at any time, do not hesitate to call us. We'll assist in any way we can" I say.
They both nod—Bella curled in his side and Jasper looking grave.
"Do you think it might be newborns, Jas?" Bella asks, apprehensively.
He sighs heavily, "Maybe. I can't know for sure. But I want us back at home as soon as possible."
"We can have a jet ready for you tomorrow evening if you desire. Tomorrow you'll pack and say your goodbyes" Marcus suggests.
Jasper and Bella exchange a look, "Thank you King Marcus, we'll take ya up on yer offer" he says.
"Very well. Now I think it's best if you relax. It's been a taxing day."
The day after
BELLA POV
I slept soundly this night, after assuring Jasper a thousand times that I was fine and not into some sort of shock due to his fight with Heidi.
It's just that Heidi was no one important in my life, and I'm not going to mull over her death. I have a life to live.
As I sit here, in the comfy couch of the private jet the Volturi gave us, I think back on our visit to the Italian vampire city. It was certainly far more pleasant than my first one—except for Jane and Heidi—and I made a lot of new friends who I'm sure will help me and Jasper when we need it. I was also indirectly presented to the vampire world, and the only thing that worries me are possible repercussions. What if some vampire decides to peek at me? Would it end like the James mess?
Speaking of, Victoria has been MIA since then, but I somehow don't think she is willing to leave me alone.
Well, however things are going to go, a chapter in my life has just ended. Now it's time for another one to begin…
Jasper in a white shirt... *swoons*
Anyway, you know the drill! Review and tell me what you think of my story!
