A/N: thanks guys, 'Be Careful' passed 10,000 hits xx Alexis
I'm not forcefully removed from Elijah's mind but it does close to me and for a few moments I'm disoriented. He is still out of it and I assume he just needs time to adjust, reboot, whatever you want to call it. But that's a good thing, it's a lot for him to accept and put in its proper place after all this time. He looks calm and relaxed and not even needing to be fed. I asked Jasper to pull his influence back and hope Elijah will just wake of his own accord soon. But I wouldn't be surprised if it took a couple of days or so. We were not alone; sitting off to one side was a very chastised Rebekah.
Jasper looks exhausted and I feel so bad for him and rush off for some blood, yeah it's human but it's not still in a body! He looks worried at first, but I assure him it's donated and it's not going to affect his emotions. Which is the only reason he feeds from animals, unlike Carlisle, it's an emotional need, not a moral stance. So he accepts and looks better than I've seen him ever. Like he was, at last, relaxed and chilled. So I tell him I think from now on this is the way he should go and I'll get Elijah to set up access to a supply for him when he wakes up. We owe him that and so much more for his help. Then I turn to his sister and raise my eyebrow.
"Your friends really care about you! Well this one anyway, he is very powerful. I don't usually come across Cold Ones, they don't always recognise us for what we are" she says flicking back her hair,
"Rebekah Mikaelson, meet Major Jasper Whitlock," I say winking at him and he laughs,
Ever the gentleman he bows to her. Next to arrive are Rose and Emmett and I introduced them to the real Rebekah. Unbelievably Rose and her click over a pair of shoes Rose is wearing and I shrug my shoulders in disbelief.
"What are you to Isabella?" Rebekah asks and Emmett bounces over and replies,
"She's my little sis! Aren't you Belly-bean?" he says crushing me to his side,
"Yup! Can't breathe Emmy-bear" I tell him hamming it up,
"Where's Alice?" Jasper asks Emmett trying to be casual,
"Your wife is at the lodging-house!" he says tersely and we now know that it's not going to be that easy for her to regain their trust,
Not that I blame them in the least, I want nothing to do with her either. But I feel for Jasper, truly I do. But well, she's his cross and not ours.
"Right, I have some witches to take care of! So if nobody minds I want Jasper and Rebekah with me. Rose and Em, I need you to stay with Elijah, please. He's the most important thing in my life and I'm trusting you to keep him safe!" I explain and Rose leans in and kisses my cheek,
"Go, crush those bitches and I'll take care of your man," she tells me,
"The Nine Covens?" Rebekah asks,
"No, Madame LaRue has pulled them all back. These are Marcel's little pets!" I inform her,
"Wow, has he lost his damned mind? Yeah, we abandoned him, but we really thought he's burned in the fire! But to attack Elijah, is he insane?" she says stunned by his stupidity,
"I don't care about him; it's the witches I want! They attacked both of us several times, of their own free will! Nobody does this kind of crap because they were ordered too, he's paying them and I want them dead! If they didn't want to, why didn't they just turn on him?" I retort,
And finally, they all see what I've always been saying. Humans can be compelled or glamoured, but witches and other supernaturals can find ways around it. Vervain*, spells, Shaman magic, so they do evil or wrongdoings because they want to, not because they are forced to! These witches don't want to be ruled by the Regent of the Nine Covens and are using Marcel for their own ends I'm sure. Well, that's as maybe. But they tangled with the wrong woman this time. I'm not interested in their petty supernatural fights, they attacked me and mine and for that, they will pay! Plus it's a bonus if their demise hinders Marcel's overblown plans for domination over New Orleans.
IOOH
I'm beginning to see Isabella Swan in a totally different light, yes I know if I'd given her a chance I'd have known that already. Plus it's obvious how much she loves Elijah! I was my usual bitchy self and never gave her a chance, but then she wasn't a pushover either and didn't care about my opinion and that's what rankled. These Cold Ones love her like family, they don't care she's human or isn't like them. In fact, that makes them more protective, but they don't smother her either and they listen to her. She gives them advice for God sake! But they either agree or not, but don't fight about it as we all would have! I'm beginning to understand why Elijah cares for her.
Hell, she even went inside his mind to help him, not something I'd do and I know that's wrong! My opinion of humans has deteriorated over the years, thinking them less and less capable of understanding us or having anything relevant to say to me. No wonder my circle gets smaller and smaller because most traditionals I know have involvement with the humans on several levels. No most respect humans and that's the difference. It's strange to find the Cold Ones never knew we existed, were actively never told about us by the Volturi, now there are some pathetic fools. I remember meeting them and Nik putting them in their place all those years ago!
I was confused as to how she was going to take on the witches, but Rosalie, I like this woman she has style and damn I thought I could be a bitch! She has explained that Elijah and Damon of all people said she was a Natural, a very dangerous Natural. I vaguely remember hearing about them years ago, but since it wasn't relevant to me didn't pay attention. Anyway, she saved my brother so I will help her, how I've no idea!
"She don't need you to do anythin' Ms Mikaelson, your presence is what's needed, to send a message! I will be able to affect them because they haven't had dealin's with Cold Ones, well most of them wouldn't have. But it's Bella who'll be doin' the fightin' and possible killin' of these rogue witches with her shield" Major Whitlock says and I'm surprised,
"Jasper can, not only manipulate emotions, but he can read them too. He knows what we're thinking by the cocktail of emotions we give off!" Rosalie says laughing at him and then I feel it,
I'm swamped by humour, so much so that I feel as if I could wet myself. Well, if I was human I might have! Damn, that's a nifty trick.
"That works for all emotions?" I ask and Emmett laughs now,
"He can make you feel sick as a dog or as morose and suicidal as it gets. But it's the best when he just makes me want to take my Rosie six ways from Sunday!" he says as she slaps his up the back of his head,
"Okay, I'll just go change and then it's time to take these bitches down a notch or two!" Isabella says and slips into the bathroom.
IOOH
I'm happy to help Bella, she's a good friend, no a little sister to me and although she won't talk to Alice I still hold her in high regard. I'm sure the witches will be very confused as to what I am, but even more so when my gift works on them even from under her shield. I did text Alice to ask if she'd seen anythin' and she said no in regards to Bella, but yes with me and Ms Mikaelson. That we would be safe and her bein' there definitely sends a loud message to Marcel that their family will not stand for this very personal attack on Elijah. This is only the second vision she's had in weeks, whereas my gift is gettin' stronger, but hers seems to be almost failin', that seems strange.
She also apologised and said the donated blood was a far more appropriate substitute for me. That she always knew it should have been what I fed on. She's tellin' me now! This was once again a slap in the face. Can't she see that, it should have been one of the things we discussed before arrivin' here? Why does she constantly hold things back? Why does she need to be in control? We were supposed to be on the same page now with the matin' marks and all or was it all too little, far and beyond too late? 'No Jasper! Please No!' she text's me, wow another vision. But I make the decision, it's done it's over, no I'm over it! I decide I want her to leave now and never come back!
I pull Emmett aside and ask him to spend the time here, sortin' out my finances and startin' legal divorce proceedin's for me. I wait for the pain, I wait for the devastation and realise it wasn't comin'. Why? Because I tried all, this time to fix an unfixable thing! Were we once mates and she destroyed the bond over our time together and now it was unsalvageable? While I was flogging a dead horse, I bet she knew it was over and said nothin'. So my final decision is I don't want Mary Alice Brandon to ever see my future again. I hear it and so do the others, one single scream of agony and then nothin'. Rose says she'll run over there and check what happened.
As we wait for both Bella and Rose, Rebekah started to ask what happened. I shake my head; it's too fresh, too confusin' to talk about at the moment. She was goin' to persist, I felt it. Of course, I damned well felt it, I'm an empath and I just knocked her out. Stupid entitled spoilt brat!
"Yeah, she's an acquired taste!" came from behind me and I met the eyes of Elijah Mikaelson,
"Sorry man, my private life is just that, my private life!" I said and he just stuck out his hand and shook mine,
"I wish I could do that. Imagine the peace, the quiet, the bliss!" he said and we both burst out laughin',
"Elijah!" Bella yelled and was in his arms faster than I've ever seen a human move,
Rose appeared lookin' a little off, nervous, twitchy even.
"She's gone!" she mutters,
"Good didn't know if she got the decision!" I reply,
"No she's gone, she's blank! She's empty!" she hisses,
"What?" we all ask at once, even Rebekah, who's awake again,
"I put her in Bella's room come and see" Rose insists and we all trudge behind her,
Alice is just sittin' there and I feel nothin' from her nothin' at all!
IOOH
We're all just staring at Alice and there is no reaction at all. Her eyes look empty, no light, no spark, nothing what so ever and it's a little scary. I no longer like her, but I would never wish this on her.
"I can feel a damn thing from her!" Jasper says and his phone buzzes,
"Captain! She's blank! Any ideas?" the Major barks, I can tell it's him and not Jasper,
Elijah and Rebekah just look at him and then at me questioningly. I mouth, 'That's the Major!' and Elijah nods. Rebekah is still confused, but my attention is on Jasper.
"She, well to be blunt Major, she was never completely sane! Alice Cullen had no bond to you, but you felt a slight matin' bond to her, Mary Alice Brandon that is! She ran with it and thought to control you as you know. But as your attraction and love weakened because hers was non-existent, she couldn't be that girl for you, because she had no memory of her!
Then when you finally bit her, it snapped what little grasp on sanity she had. When you decided it was over she just burned out. Every plan she ever had centred on you, you always bein' there for her to fall back on and you whipped that support out from under her today and she basically imploded! Damnedest thing I've ever heard of!" Peter said and we all looked at the shell, who was once Alice,
"I felt and feel nothin', no pain, no pull, just nothin'!" Jasper says,
"Yeah, it was all smoke and mirrors Major! She pretended to be what you wanted, but that wasn't really her, so she reinvented herself again and again like literally brought forth a new persona. Alice didn't even know who she really was, but that poor girl from the asylum was your possible mate, not the guises she showed the world.
Hell, you even told me yourself she changed from when it was just the two of you, to who she was around the Cullens! So when she closed down the bond severed painlessly because she never really was a mate to you. Her bitin' you destroyed her own gift slowly and pushed her mind over the edge, because you were not her, Alice Cullen's mate.
Hope that makes sense, it's pretty convoluted and I'm just bein' bombarded with the facts now she's gone!" Peter answers and we all are stunned,
"Like she had a split personality, Peter?" Rose queries and he said sort of,
"More like multiple ones who didn't know each other. Not like the Major and Jazz, as you all call him. They are very aware of each other and work together for the whole person Jasper Whitlock! She fought herself and it made her seem well, flaky, you know!
Think about it, she was quiet Alice, hyper Alice, fun-loving Alice and the more often manic Alice and sometimes even romantic Alice, but they were all different personas and didn't know each other. Imagine constantly wakin' up in charge, after who knows how long! That's why she flipped on a dime and only her visions kept her from losin' it years ago!" he says giving us all something to think about,
"What the fuck do I do with her now?" Jasper asks and it was him again,
"You have to destroy her; don't let the Volturi find out. Aro will want to take her and experiment on her; I wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even Alice!" Peter explains and we all agree,
"There is an incinerator in the basement and nobody will understand what the purple smoke is Jasper," I say and he nods,
"Thank you, Bella, I seem to be bringin' my troubles to your door! I'm so sorry" he says sadly,
"No, you helped me save Elijah and now it's our turn to help you," I say and Elijah nods in agreement,
IOOH
Well, that was not exactly what I expected to wake up to, but when does anything run smoothly around vampires of any description. Jasper Whitlock was all at sea until his brother called and he must be the best person to have on your side. But for all the joking, Peter Whitlock seems to get a lot of information dumped on himself, more often than not it's bad news. But he has the knack of getting it across to the recipient in a way that benefits them. I wonder if he even knows he's doing it or if that's a part of his gift too. So now we have to get rid of her body. I am keeping Isabella firmly by my side, I have so much to thank her for, but not here and not now.
Once Alice is dealt with we apparently have some witches to destroy! To attack me so blatantly and disguised as my own sister is beyond the pale, even for Marcel. He has gone too far this time, but I'm leaving Klaus to deal with his wayward charge. Without his witches, he'll be keeping his head down for a while and by then I want to be as far from here as possible. Isabella and I still have a trip to take and a life of our own to lead. But on a lighter note, I feel revitalised, mentally lighter. It's like a weight has been removed from my mind and my heart. What happened proves beyond a shadow of a doubt Isabella is my perfect match, no other could have done what she did for me!
The chimes of midday had just sounded when we all strode out onto the street under Isabella's shield. The day was thankfully overcast and the Cold Ones were not blinding us with their refracting skin. I wonder if daylight stones would help them, we must try and find out later. That could be my way of repaying them for all they had done to aid Isabella, whilst I was locked in my own head. I laugh when they tell me about the shapeshifter and Isabella's impromptu photo session. I ask for a copy of that for myself, what? I'm a man and damn we look good together. The French Quarter is quiet, even the local's seem aware something is wrong and are holed up inside. We are almost at the compound when the first attack happens.
"On our left Bella, three maybe, no four thoughts of death and loathing," Jasper says just loud enough for Isabella to hear,
"I feel it now, but I want to see the whites of their eyes and their fear when they see Elijah is here with us!" my strong, brave partner says,
We spread out across the street and stop. None of their attacks can reach us but Jasper seems to be having a little fun and is making them sick. It's like they have been hit with the worst case of food poisoning ever! The four who attacked are now rolling around on the ground vomiting and two have soiled themselves as well. They are all blaming each other for a hex gone wrong, unaware it was him. Then he just stops and they run into the compound and we wait. It's barely minutes before Marcel comes swaggering out, but grinds to a stop when he sees both me and Rebekah alongside Isabella. Yes, he really didn't think this through.
"How? They told me that would keep you out of the way for weeks, Elijah! They told me you had left town Bekah! It was only meant to be her, who, no what are they?" Marcel is just this short of stamping his foot and I'm embarrassed for him,
Isabella just starts to laugh and it has a cruel edge to it. She obviously feels an attack from the rear and before Marcel can move she yells,
"Down!"
We all drop and the spell hits him square in the chest and he's thrown backwards by the force of it. Thierry has their people rush out and suddenly they are all on their knees. Several are curled up in the foetal position and Rebekah shoots forward taking their daylight rings. They disintegrate on contact with the weak sun filtering through the clouds. She's back beside Isabella seconds later and I say,
"As usual Thierry, Marcel didn't think this through. So your choice is the witches or all his people, including you! Which do you think he is prepared to lose?"
His traditionals all edge backwards, well they seem to have made the decision for him. Isabella starts to smile and then I see why. With Jasper and Rebekah's distraction, she has found all the witches and is dragging them towards us with her shield and they are fighting tooth and nail.
"Do any of you belong to the Nine Covens, because if you do you have brought disgrace to your Regent? She gave me, Isabella Swan her word that none of them would be on the streets.
Did you know the last time a Swan came to New Orleans the Cormier Coven was wiped out, they were once the Tenth Coven! We don't take well to people interfering in our affairs!" she said and you could see them all looking at each other, with fear on their faces, they knew the story,
"So as a direct descendant of Edgar and Eloise Swan, I would send a reminder of that fact to you all. Now, ladies, I bid you adieu" she said before crushing them within her shield,
Before dropping the mangled, Bloody bodies amongst Marcel's people who devoured what was left of their blood. I was so proud of her, she didn't flinch from her path and sent a message which would travel far and wide the Swan's and the Mikaelson's were not to be trifled with! Jasper nodded towards her and I knew it would hit her soon. The guilt at what she'd done and I would be there by her side to help her through it.
*Vervain is a potent herb, a vampire's most well-known weakness. If one makes physical contact with vervain in any form, it will burn them. If they ingest vervain, their throat and digestive tract will be burned and they will become feverish and extremely weak. If a human ingests or holds vervain somewhere on the body (e.g., in a hand or pocket, wearing it in jewellery), the human is protected from a vampire's compulsion. (Original/The Vampire Diaries Lore)
