Thanks so much to my lovely beta, KJ. She is seriously amazing. All mistakes, however, are mine because I don't leave stuff alone. :D

Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Six

Alice POV

As Jasper and I dashed through the forest at full speed, the treetops caught a few glints of the setting sun. Following the thunderous heartbeats of a group of deer, we leaped across a shallow ravine littered with decaying logs. The scents of pine, dirt, and balsam fir permeated the mountain air. Zeroing my gaze through a mass of trees, I targeted our prey a few hundred yards ahead. I signaled Jasper, and we launched our silent yet deadly attack, drinking our fill.

Later near a clear, shallow creek, Jasper and I lay flat against the ground, staring into the inky sky. Neither of us spoke. We were content enjoying the pleasant hum of the quiet forest. The gentle sound of water trickling over stones and the synchronized chirp of male crickets calling to their mates were our playlist.

Turning in his direction, I studied his face. He looked so relaxed with his eyes closed—almost human. But Jasper Whitlock was far too extraordinary for a mere mortal. With piercing blue eyes and blond waves that tumbled around a chiseled face, his features were beyond perfection.

"I can feel you staring at me." He opened his eyes and met my gaze.

"Just admiring my handsome husband."

He smiled, and the sexiest dimple appeared in his right cheek. "Well, in that case, admire away. Would it help if I remove my clothes?"

I giggled. Jasper shared the common human male trait of always having sex on the brain. "It couldn't hurt."

His fingers deftly unbuttoned his shirt, but he parted the material at an agonizingly slow pace. His lips curved into a knowing smirk as I watched. He was such a tease.

Pushing his hands aside, I ripped the cotton from his torso and placed my lips next to his ear. "Why do you insist on making me wait?" I stroked his earlobe softly with my tongue.

Pulling me into his arms, he rolled us over, pinning me beneath him. "My apologies." His mouth covered mine for a hot, brief kiss followed by warm, gentle caresses down the base of my throat. He settled between my legs, and our kisses quickly became more demanding and urgent. Our tongues tangled as he pressed his hard cock against me. I moaned as his hands roamed my body, removing my clothing with smooth expertise. His lips soon followed the path traced by his fingers. Nibbling. Sucking. Biting.

Arching my head back, I whimpered as I scratched my nails down his muscular back. As he thoroughly explored every inch of my skin, I quivered with need.

"Now," I begged, reaching for his pants and unbuttoning them.

"Always so damn impatient." He chuckled huskily, kicking them off. With one swift thrust, he buried himself deep inside me. We stilled, overwhelmed by the sensation—our joining as powerful now as our first time.

Clinging together, we slowly started to move as the rest of the world faded away.

-GGB-

"We should do this more often." I lay wrapped tightly in his arms with my head resting on his chest, relishing the peace and calm of the moment.

"I'm ready to go again. Just say the word," Jasper teased as he raked his fingers through my hair. He thrust his hips, drawing attention to his erection. "Major Whitlock...reporting for duty."

I lifted my chin and met his devilish grin. Rolling my eyes, I giggled at his antics. "At ease, soldier. I was talking about getting away from Washington, not your dick. The change in scenery has been refreshing. I know it's not easy for you...being cooped up in the same area."

Silencing me, he placed his fingertips on my lips. "Hush that talk. I walked this earth alone long enough to know you're all I need to be fulfilled. It doesn't matter where we live—as long as we're together."

If I were capable of crying, his declaration would have done the trick. I could never adequately describe my feelings for my husband. Any words found in our standard vocabulary seemed too insignificant. Even though my heart could no longer beat, as soon as I saw him, it was as if my soul was reborn. "Have I told you today how much I love you?"

"If my memory serves me correctly, I think you might have mentioned it five hundred and thirty-seven minutes ago, but I don't mind hearing it again."

"I love you, Jasper."

"As I love you." He drew me closer and brushed his mouth against mine. "Now, where to next?"

Standing, we dressed. I glanced at his tattered shirt and snickered. "The cabin since you need a new shirt, but first let me check in with Jacob. He hasn't answered any of my calls or messages since Wednesday."

I tried him again, and for the umpteenth time, it went straight to voicemail. Trembling with frustration, I barely restrained my impulse to fling my cell across the woodlands. Why in the hell wasn't he picking up? I left another message. "It's me...again. Please call back as soon as possible."

"Still no answer?" Jasper leaned against the tree beside me. I shook my head, my shoulders sagged. "Maybe he's still asleep. It's only nine a.m. on the Pacific Coast. Lord knows he's not the most productive person."

I snorted. Jasper was far too kind. Downright lazy was a far better descriptor for Jacob Black. At almost twenty-five years old, he refused to keep a steady job and spent the majority of his time drinking at the local watering hole, rehashing tales of his high school glory days.

Sighing, I gripped Jasper's arm. "I'm worried. Maybe we shouldn't have left the area. Jacob is too reckless and irresponsible. Why did I ever trust him with Bella's protection?"

"Darling, you didn't have a choice. You couldn't have known that Billy would die."

At the mention of Billy's death, a wave of grief crashed through me. Although it had been over five years since his accident, the pain was still as fresh as the day it had occurred. Billy was one of the few people who I considered family. After my transformation, everyone else on the reservation turned their backs on me, claiming it was no longer natural to maintain a relationship—but not Billy. He had said I was stuck with him for the long haul—stink and all. Even though we didn't see each other often, I knew he was there for me, and I trusted him implicitly. That's why I went to him when I needed someone to watch over Bella.

Hidden by the dusky shades of night, I knocked three times on the worn, wooden door of the small house. Within seconds, he opened the door and ushered me inside.

"Alice," he said my name like a sacred prayer as his eyes roamed desperately over my face. It had been over twenty years since we had last met in person. "You haven't changed one bit."

"Hello, Billy." I removed my raincoat and hung it on the rack next to the door. "A perk of being immortal." Although I already knew about the changes in Billy's life, I took a moment to note the differences in his appearance. He had aged—now in his early forties, he was no longer the young man I remembered. "How are you? How are Sarah and Jacob?"

At the mention of his family, Billy's face split into a wide grin. "We're all doing well. Jacob just turned six. He's so smart and growing like a weed. And Sarah's volunteering part-time at the school." Pulling out of my grasp, he met my gaze. "And what about you, sister? Are you still seeing the same fellow?"

I smiled at his term of endearment. We had been siblings at one time. His parents had raised me from infancy until I turned eighteen and became a vampire. Laughter escaped my lips. "Jasper's my mate, silly. It's the same as imprinting. I've explained this to you before. So, yes. We're still together."

"And you're happy?"

I knew he wasn't talking about my relationship with Jasper. He wanted to know if I was happy with my life as a vampire. Even though I had never been upset about my fate, Billy had always been bitter—sad that I couldn't live my life as a human. "Very much so." I placed a cold hand on his warm cheek. "No regrets."

"Let's sit." He gestured to a plaid sofa. "I suspect you didn't stop by at three-thirty in the morning just for a friendly visit."

Once we sat, I grabbed my bag, pulled out a file, and handed it to him.

He opened the folder and looked inside. A photo of a young, pregnant woman appeared on top of a stack of paperwork. He shuffled through the rest of the documents until he finally discovered adoption papers naming him and Sarah as legal guardians to a baby girl.

His mouth gaped open. "I don't understand."

"A baby like me is going to be born in two weeks. She must be protected. I need your help."

He scrubbed a hand across his face and exhaled. "But what about the child's parents?"

I shook my head. "We'll take care of the details. I wish things were different, but if she were to stay with them, the entire family would end up dead."

As he leafed through the file, his forehead creased. "Alice, I don't know if I can do this."

I knew he was thinking about Sarah and Jacob—worried over their safety. I stood and paced around the small room. "Billy, the reservation is the safest place. We can't risk the Volturi finding her." I went to my bag and got another folder. "Here."

Opening it, he discovered a photograph of a beautiful little girl and two vampires. The girl was eating an ice cream cone. The male and female vampire stood on each side of her smiling proudly. "Who is this?"

"That was Elizabeth Masen. She was born in 1961. Peter and Charlotte Reyes pledged to raise and keep her safe until she was of age and could be turned. The Volturi discovered them when Elizabeth was nine. Peter and Charlotte were destroyed, and Elizabeth was taken to Italy."

His stomach churned at the thought of the sweet child in the hands of those monsters. "What happened to her?"

"She died giving birth to Aro's hybrid son. She was only nineteen years old."

"And the hybrid?"

"More powerful than Jane. He's the Volturi's most lethal weapon. It's said he has multiple gifts."

"How did you not get implicated when Peter and Charlotte were caught? Can't Aro read thoughts?"

"Yes. From my understanding, the guard destroyed them on sight, and Aro didn't get the opportunity to question them, which was lucky for the rest of us."

"I'll say."

"So, you see why it is imperative that you help us. We have to protect this child. Not only do we need to save her life, but also, we can't risk the creation of another hybrid."

His eyebrows screwed together. "I'll have to talk it over with Sarah. I won't give her the specifics, but I have to make sure she is willing to raise somebody else's baby."

Alice nodded and stood. "Can you let me know by Friday? If you can't do it, we will have to work out another plan."

"Alice." Jasper's voice snapped me from my musings. "Your phone."

Lost in my thoughts about the past, I wasn't aware that I was presently getting a call. When I saw his name on the screen, a mixture of relief and anger bombarded me. "Jacob—"

"Listen, bloodsucker," he interrupted in a condescending tone. "I don't have time to talk. Leah and Bella are missing. While you're out galavanting, I have to go find them."

Before I got a chance to respond, the line went dead. My knees buckled, and Jasper swooped in, catching me before I landed on the ground. Cradling me in his arms, he asked, "What is it? What did he say?"

"Bella. Oh, God. She's gone."

AN:

Next up more from Bella, then in chapter eight we finally meet Edward. (Eek! I can't wait!)

Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. And a special shout-out again to my wonderful pre-readers: K, Kay, Lizzie, Mandy, and Gail. I couldn't do it without you.

I hope everyone has a safe and healthy week.

Until next time,

HE