A/N: Not beta'ed, blah-blah, you know the drill.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Rosalie's pronouncement had been met with first shock, then denial.
"What? I don't know what you're–," Angela began quickly. "I–."
"Breathe, Ang," Bella directed. "We know."
"How could you? I–," the girl scrambled to produce a coherent thought. "But you're not–, you're dating Jasper, you can't know!"
"I know this is a very overwhelming day, and you've had a lot to deal with, but we needed you to know that you can talk about it with us if you need to," Rosalie chimed in.
"But how do you know?"
"I'm a little something extra too," Bella admitted with a small smile.
Angela fell silent, growing paler with each passing second. "What?" she finally asked, voice weak. "What are you?"
"Well," Bella said, drawing out the word. She stood and walked to the partition separating Angela's dresser and closet from the rest of the room. She didn't risk looking back, lest she lose her nerve.
"What is–."
"Wait for it," Rosalie answered with a grin.
Sorry, mom. Can't follow the rules all the time.
Removing her shoes and leggings, Bella tried to think of an animal that wouldn't immediately terrify her friend. Coming to a decision as she removed the remainder of her clothing, she shifted into the fluffy cat that she had once became with Rosalie. She rounded the edge of the partition, studying Angela's face for a reaction.
"I–, I don't have a cat," Angela panicked.
"I don't think you have a deer, either," Rosalie remarked with a grin.
Bella took the hint and Angela watched as the cat's body grew larger, fur shortening, pointed ears morphing into longer, low, twitching flaps. She had decided on a small fawn, due to the size of Angela's room. She took her time to shift slowly enough to not startle her friend.
Angela realized her mouth was hanging open and closed it to swallow before asking, "more than one kind?"
In answer, Bella shifted more quickly into a white fox and dashed over to the table and gave a quiet, excited yip in confirmation.
"You too?" Angela asked Rosalie curiously.
"Heavens no," the vampire answered with a giggle.
Angela looked down at her shifter friend, suddenly concerned as she tried to make sense of the world she found herself living in. Her nerves became apparent as she twisted her hands in her lap. Taking the hint, Bella headed back to the partition and set to changing and getting dressed once more.
"So," Bella started awkwardly. "I guess the cat is out of the bag."
Rosalie groaned at the pun, while Angela remained seated and shifted position only to rest her face in her hands.
"I know it's a lot," Rosalie began softly.
"No, it's," Angela breathed heavily through her fingers. "It's actually a bit of a relief to not have to carry all of this by myself. I mean–." Her voice wobbled as she fought back a wave of tears. "I've just been so scared."
Rosalie extended a hand towards Angela's shoulder who, surprisingly, didn't pull away.
Angela set her elbows against the table and allowed herself to crumble, something neither shifter nor vampire had ever witnessed her do.
Not even the ones that keep it all together can stop from falling apart sometimes.
"I don't know what it means that I'm an imprint," Angela finally spoke again, her voice echoing softly on the wood of the table. "I mean, I know we're basically soul mates," she continued in a tone that sounded more like a question than a statement.
"That's the gist of it, from what I understand," Bella offered helpfully.
"And I love him, I really do," Angela stood up swiftly to grab a tissue from the box on her desk.
She's growing calmer, just by talking about him.
"We have so much in common, and he's been great about this, too. I just–."
"You feel like you're betraying Jess?" Rosalie asked knowingly.
"Yes! Because I love her too, I just know it isn't the same," Angela exclaimed with relief, grateful to be understood. "Then there's the whole wolf thing, and tribal legends and laws, and all of these things that I don't know how to be part of," she continued, the words coming more steadily. "I just don't understand what I could possibly offer, biologically speaking. I mean, why was I was chosen over girls in the tribe that might be like him and could strengthen his line?"
Neither of her friends had the answer, but Angela had finally reached her normal level of calm. A few moments later, the sound of Mrs. Weber swishing up the stairs in her tracksuit reached them. Speaking through the door she gave a verbal command of: "Shoes on, out in three," before swishing away once more.
"Well," Rosalie started with a shocked grin on her face. "Isn't she efficient?"
Angela sniffle-laughed and grabbed a few more tissues from the box. "Thanks for coming today. I'm honestly feeling so much better than I was, even with everything still going on." She say for a moment then added, "And I'm sorry for being a total bitch."
"It's okay," Bella whispered and leaned in to hug her friend. "Grief turns us into people we don't recognize. Trust me, that I know." She pulled away from her friend. "Thanks you for not freaking out about the shifter thing."
"Well, not too much," Angela answered her with a smile.
Rosalie gave the human a parting hug, and the group departed from the Weber house with only a small fuss from the little boy.
"Buh-bye Rosie-Bella," he called out to the girls who couldn't help but smile back at him.
"Bye-bye, Anthony," they answered in unison, much to the boy's amusement.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
It only took three short days from the time Jessica had been changed for the happy couple to get into their first big fight. Jasper couldn't blame either of them, however, as both were carrying around their fair share of baggage. He was, however, sad that the serene evening on Lake Maligne had been cancelled for their showdown.
I'll have to bring Bella someday. After all of this. Jasper National Park–, she'll find that hilarious.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jessica snarled menacingly as she rounded on her mate who had merely dared to follow her from one side of the shore to the other. "Stop following me! You don't have some kind of vampy-claim on me just because you changed me!"
"You're right, that isn't how it works, Miss Jessica," Garrett countered, a frown deepening in his face. "I don't have some claim on you because I changed you; you're my mate, and I'm your mate."
"No, no one gets to claim me at all!" Jessica exploded in response.
"Claim certainly isn't the right word, and, truthfully, I can't exactly say I'm thrilled about it either, Madam" Garrett responded, his voice raised for the first time since he met her.
"Madam? Well, excuse me, John Paul Jones" she snapped.
That pulled Garrett up short. "Are you going to keep naming off the men I knew and died for in an attempt to push my buttons or might I expect some reprieve?"
"Are you going to keep following me around like some overbearing guardian or let me learn how to take care of myself?"
There it is.
"I'm impeding your learning?"
"Yes," Jessica shouted back. She turned her face away from him, her anger abating quickly. "Somewhat, anyway. I feel like I'm not allowed to mess up at all in front of you, I can't lose control, and it puts a lot of pressure on me. Then there's this mate thing which is probably what the actual pressure is coming from; why must you push me so hard about it?"
"Because it isn't something we can just ignore," Garrett explained with a frustrated sigh, pacing back and forth, catching her attention. "It just is," he tried, extending his arms outward.
Which is exactly what Bella said to me, just a radically different delivery.
"And we need to figure out what that means for each of us before we can figure out what that means for us together."
Jessica's body released some of the tension that had her wound so tightly before as she realized her mate wasn't trying to force the relationship. "How can we do that?"
Garrett sighed once more and walked slowly away from the girl, trying to sort his own thoughts out. "Talking, which, unfortunately, that yet hasn't yielded positive results."
A mix of Jessica's conflicted emotions reached Jasper. She was embarrassed for overreacting the way she had, but on top of that, she was feeling a large amount of sadness and loss.
Well, let's see, there's her ex-girlfriend Angela, not to mention losing her life in general.
He tested the waters to see where Garrett was at mentally, and realized his old friend was processing both grief, and regret.
Ah, his wife. Well, they certainly make quite the pair.
"So, it doesn't have to be like–," Jessica started then trailed off.
"It can be whatever works best for us," Garrett reassured her.
"It seems like it's more more than that, though. I get the feeling you don't really want to be with me."
Garrett remained silent for a little too long, and unable to stand the combination of feelings that being both eternally connected to and rejected by someone, Jessica fled through the trees.
Jasper sighed and looked at his Second. "Really? You couldn't have warned us she'd run? Had no idea?"
"Where's the fun in that?" Peter shot back. "She isn't going to slip up, she just needs to think."
Garrett ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his face vigorously. "I feel like I shouldn't have told her," he whispered hoarsely.
"Why?" Peter asked, truly curious.
"I didn't get to make the choice," he spoke after some time. "I've never had it in me to turn anyone. I do try my best to not take away choices from others, no matter what it may be; which is why, even without your guidance, I have fed on animals for so long." Garrett was silent for a few beats. "Before I changed her, I gave her the choice. I let her choose, but she didn't know what all it would entail."
"So, now you feel bad for springing this information on her in a way that made her feel like she doesn't have one."
"Correct."
"Well, she does have a choice, and so do you, but it isn't like either of you would be happy keeping apart from one another," Peter countered logically.
"That's true," Garrett allowed. "Being together could cause immense pain to both of us, however, at least in the beginning."
Peter looked exceptionally confused, and without further explanation, Garrett walked off in the opposite direction his mate had and disappeared into the woods to work through his own pain.
The minutes ticked by before Peter finally looked at The Major.
"You wanna tell me what the fuck that was about?"
Jasper wasn't sure he did but didn't think he had much choice in the matter.
Things might get tricky between them and context is key. Understanding and compassion are necessary.
"They're both grieving," Jasper began with a sigh. "Jess was dating someone up until a week ago. Her girlfriend, who is also best friends with Bella and Rose, was imprinted upon by one of the wolves."
Peter whistled lowly. "Shit. What about Gar-bear?"
"He had a wife and child before he was changed; finding a mate feels like the ultimate betrayal."
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
It was Wednesday when the Fork's High School basketball team resumed their practice and training exercises and stumbled across Jessica's car near the trailhead. A search team was dispatched that evening, comprised of both local and state police alongside the FBI. In less than five hours, they came across the grisly scene, thankfully not tying it to the other missing cases, meaning federal involvement would pull back to Port Angeles once more.
Neither Bella nor Rosalie heard from Angela since their visit and were growing increasingly nervous about the consequences.
"They had to have told her we're the 'cold ones'," Rosalie considered anxiously. "That's the only explanation."
"Then why haven't they confronted us?" Bella wondered out loud.
"Maybe they're preparing."
"Preparing for what? It isn't like they didn't already know what you and I are."
"Yeah," Rosalie agreed, "but with Jess 'missing' and the smell of vampire all over the scene, it's going to scream 'Cullen involvement' which is very bad."
"You didn't kidnap or kill her, so?"
"Don't you know what's in the treaty?" Rosalie asked, raising her hands in frustration.
"Uh, territory lines and no eating people?" Bella asked, feeling as though she were missing something.
"The stipulation regarding our 'eating people' is worded as 'not biting' humans."
Whoops. I guess Jasper and I were a little naughty.
Bella flushed with her realization. Understanding her sister's fear, however, she shifted gears and reviewed the circumstances surrounding Jessica's change. "Your family didn't bite anyone, though!"
"True enough." Rosalie allowed.
"But?"
"I think it's safe to assume that the wolves don't know anything about who turned her, and will come to us first," Rosalie explained with a sigh. "And I don't foresee them being the sit-down-and-talk type."
No. They'll come in, proverbial guns blazing.
"We're spread out so thinly already," Bella whispered. "I hate to keep asking this, but what now? We seriously just have to wait for the Newborn Training Traveling Circus to come home?"
"Yes."
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Jasper watched on as Peter instructed Jessica in basic defense skills. She pulled herself out of the pile of trees they had created with their sparring and shook pine needles from her light blonde hair. They had already covered everything else she'd need to know for the start of the rest of her existence; while their lessons weren't exhaustive, they at least gave her a jumping off point, not to mention gave the girl some time and space from her mate.
Jessica was taking amazingly to her new life, but Peter and Jasper knew they'd have to press their luck sometime.
After their evening hunt, Jasper pulled Jessica aside, and the two went for a walk, Peter and Garrett not too far behind.
"How do you feel?" Jasper asked her kindly.
"You would know," she muttered back flatly, taking a seat on a rock overlooking the lake and trees, clouded sunlight sending reflections of the rippling waves across her face.
"Doesn't mean I know why," he retorted, and sat down next to her.
"Ah."
He allowed Jessica to sort through her thoughts without prying. He knew what it was like having to adjust but, thankfully, wasn't cursed with as many human memories to remind him of what he'd never have that way she did.
"Do you know that I can see farther, but in terms of minute detail, it's almost exactly how it was for me? The sound bombardment, the tactile sensitivity of my skin; it's all much like it was."
"That's probably why you haven't exploded on us yet," Jasper realized quietly.
"It's easier to manage, but it's nothing new," Jessica agreed. "I've been thinking about my mom," the newborn admitted slowly. "And have come to the conclusion that I'll probably need to stay a missing person's case, and eventually assumed dead."
Jasper nodded, knowing she'd catch the movement in her peripheral vision.
"That's what I'm struggling the most with. I'd like to think I have the control to eventually be around her, I think it would endanger her too, just to know, wouldn't it?"
"It would," The Major confirmed sadly.
She drew in a shuddering breath, trying to keep herself from slipping into her rapidly shifting emotions.
"I'll have to leave for a while, won't I?"
"That's a likely possibility, but we'll have to head back to Forks to see what the situation is like, talk as a family."
"Then I guess, if I'll be back around a town full mostly of humans, it's time to see how much of a people person I am."
"Yeehaw," Peter whooped from behind them, starting a group of ducks that had tucked into the reeds for cover from the predators. "Time to get this show on the road."
The four took their time to prepare, each dipping into the lake to rinse any traces of dirt and animal blood from their bodies. Jessica took a few extra moments to run her fingers through her newly shiny hair, which she had the foresight to pin-up before cleaning off. She traded out her ripped, dirty clothes for a fresh pair of jeans, and a soft pink blouse and leather jacket, compliments of Rosalie.
When they were finally presentable to be seen among humans without raising suspicion again, they set off.
"So, where are we headed?" Jessica asked, excitement coloring her tone.
"Calgary," Jasper called back. "It's kind of on the way back to Forks and we'll definitely have service down there."
"I know it has sucked being away from your little schnookums, Major, but if we had needed to be within reach, I would have known."
"That's true," Jessica murmured. "And I think our excursion will go well."
"Finally have faith in me?" Peter barked with a laugh.
"Well, your string hasn't glowed yet, so I imagine it will."
Peter stopped running through the woods, even as the group outpaced him. They slowed to a stop and regrouped, confused by the interruption.
"What did you mean, Jess?" Jasper asked quietly.
"His string hasn't glowed."
"What the actual fuck are you talking about?" Peter asked, looking around the woods for any kind of strings, glowing or otherwise.
"Uh, duh, the strings we all have."
"I truly apologize for breaking the news to you, Miss Jessica," Garrett whispered, back to his well-meant formal address. "There are no strings."
"But–," Jessica's forehead wrinkled. "I asked about them! Esme said it was overwhelming but that I'd get used to it!"
"When you asked about the colors?" Jasper realized quickly. "We thought you just meant all the levels of color depth you can see now."
"Uh–, no. We all have these colored strings above us. They're really thin, like thread, and I'm sure if my vision hadn't enhanced to see further, I'd have never seen them."
"Might this be–," Garrett mused with a smile.
"Glowing!" Jessica squealed and smiled expectantly at Peter to confirm her.
Peter's mouth fell open in response. "Yeah. You definitely have a gift." He frowned with the news, however, something Jasper noted to ask him about later.
Jessica jumped up and down, clasping and flapping her hands uncontrollably. "Yasss," she drew out the word. "This is so exciting!"
Before the group could stop her, Jessica took off happily, skipping along the way. "You better catch up if you want to show me where to go!"
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Bella woke on Thursday and couldn't bring herself to leave her bed.
Gee, between the near-constant danger from a shielded vampire that may or may not be involved with the missing people cases, having to lie about the details surrounding Jess' disappearance to everyone including her mother and Charlie, Angela not speaking to me, preparing for an altercation with the wolves, pretending to prepare for Aunt Lottie and Uncle Pete's visit, wondering if Jess can handle her new life, and missing my mate who I haven't heard from in days, I guess I'm a little beat.
Oh. And the Vampire Royalty, compliments of Fuckward. Can't forget them.
Thankfully, Charlie was sympathetic for his daughter and called the school to let them know she wouldn't be in for the rest of the week.
I guess he understands how I grieve well enough by now.
A knock sounded on the door, followed by it opening with a whoosh of air shifting quickly.
"I'm here!" Aunt Lottie's voice called out dramatically enough for a neighbor trimming his hedges in the distance to hear.
Bella giggled at her aunt. "Quite the entrance, but you know Charlie isn't here."
"True, but it isn't like I'd want Mr. Hendrick down the way to think I'm here to kidnap you."
"Ah, yes, because bursting through my front door wearing massive sunglasses, a silk scarf covering your hair, and a pair of black driving gloves, which are super cute by the way, totally won't ring any alarm bells."
Charlotte laughed back and stepped aside to allow Bella to be seen by the neighbor. "Be a doll and grab the smaller bag, Sug?"
The shifter smiled at her aunt's careful planning and stepped onto the porch to assist her. Bella took a moment to wave at her neighbor, who nodded in acknowledgement.
Crisis averted.
"Charlie said you and Pete can stay in the spare room downstairs. Everything should be set up."
"Well, at least I won't have to sneak around here anymore. It's hard not to get caught; red hair against all this greenery is a no."
They settled back into the living room for the time being, unable to enjoy the quiet of the day due to current circumstances.
"Do you need anything?" her aunt asked, hoping to be helpful.
Bella sighed, her breath catching in her throat. "I need to know what's going on, and what I need to do."
Charlotte frowned deeply and scooted closer to her niece. "I know, Sweetpea. I will say that in this instance not hearing from them is good news."
"How so?" Bella asked, wondering what the protocol was.
"If things had gone to shit and Jess rampaged through a town, they'd have cell service to let us know."
Bella couldn't stop the borderline hysterical laugh that escaped her right before bursting into tears.
"Sorry," the shifter murmured. "I've been crying so much lately."
"There's a lot going on," her aunt reminded her. "And with how compassionate you are, I'd be very worried if you were doing fine."
When Bella didn't respond, she suggested, "why don't you go up and take a relaxing bath? I'll make you some tea, and then we can enjoy a movie or three. Some girl time while we pine for our mates."
"That sounds like a good idea," Bella agreed with a smile.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
The Dragon spent all her time reading and re-reading the journals, looking for any clue that would help her cause before she went out to surveil the girl for herself.
If I get too close, they'll realize how to track me. Just look for the spot your gifts don't work. Tada.
It took everything she had to not charge into the shifter's home and grab Bella herself. She was frustrated but knew that her emotions would make for sloppy work, something she couldn't afford now.
Justice. That's all I want. I'll never be able to get it without her.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Bella stared at the phone in her hand, and any hope she had of relaxing vanished. She stared at her screen until it went dark, unable to move or breathe, even to shift the towel on her hair to keep water from trickling down her face and neck.
"Rose," the girl whispered from her bedroom, hoping the vampire would hear her from outside. "Lottie."
Rosalie was slid through her window a moment later, followed by Charlotte. Both examined Bella's room for any possible threats.
"What is it?" Rosalie asked, finally catching Bella's haunted expression.
The shifter slid her phone across the bed and waited for her sister and aunt to read it.
We need to talk – Jake
"Okay, so that isn't good, but at least the didn't knock down our door and shred first, ask questions later," Charlotte offered.
Bella rolled her eyes and huffed in exasperation.
"You're right, thank goodness for that, but it also means he's mad enough to speak to me directly. He knows I was keeping the vampire thing from him"
"You didn't out us?"
"Of course, I didn't!" Bella answered, shocked they'd even have to ask. "The last thing I wanted to do was confirm any legends they had, especially since I'm with Jasper. That would have put everyone in danger and it isn't like I needed his opinion or permission anyway."
"Well, thank you," Rosalie answered gratefully. "I don't know if it was worth it, though, if he's going to lay into you now." Bella looked confused at the concern, so Rosalie clarified. "If he wants to talk to you there's a good chance he doesn't want any of us there.
"Which obviously isn't going to happen," Charlotte muttered darkly.
"What do you suggest?"
"I don't know," Rosalie muttered, finally tossing Bella's phone back to her. "Maybe suggest neutral territory?"
"I think it would be a good idea to talk as a group, if possible," Bella mused. "They should be clued in on the visitors and the attack, as well as how likely another will be."
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Jasper could tell the newborn was extremely tempted by the warm bodies that filled almost every square inch of space around them and was impressed with her ability to squash that feeling down. The excitement of the people surrounding them was contagious, quite literally for the empath, and he thanked his lucky stars he couldn't share it with her.
Peter and Garrett excused themselves to get drinks from the bar, and Jasper took the opportunity to speak to the girl alone, knowing the music thumping would prevent them from being overheard.
"How are you holding up? Really?"
Jessica debated the question. "I'm fine, I think. It's still a lot, but with every hour, every minute that passes, I'm becoming more and more. Does it ever stop?"
"After the first year or so the sharper edges of this life wears off."
"Specifics?"
"Oh, sorry Jess," Jasper realized his mistake with chagrin. "Your emotions and senses will soften a little, your strength will ebb, and the thirst will lessen."
"What about the mate stuff," Jessica asked more quietly than they'd spoken before.
"That, I don't know," he answered with a frown. "I only just met mine a few months ago."
"Thought so," Jessica said with a large grin. "I'm happy for you two, really."
"But not so much for yourself?"
"It's complicated," she allowed. "He seems nice enough, and I appreciate that he wants us to figure ourselves out, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it."
"Fair," he remarked neutrally, trying to not influence her feelings one way or the other.
"We're going to have to talk and I'm not really looking forward to it."
They lapsed into silence, each in their own thoughts.
"Unfortunately," she continued, her eyes darkening. "I don't think we'll be able to put it off much longer."
"I agree," he responded carefully. "With everything going on in and around Forks, you might not have this kind of chance for a while."
Jessica mulled it over and took a sip of her drink then grimaced. "This is disgusting."
"It is," he agreed with a chuckle. "From what I understand, however, alcohol can help in terms of thirst."
"Probably because it's so gross. Who can think of draining a human blood bag when you have lighter fluid in your stomach?" she asked dryly.
The flames in Jasper's throat flared in response. "How are you doing it?"
"Again," Jessica answered with a smile, "what, specifically?"
"Fighting your thirst," Jasper clarified. "I've never met a newborn with this much control, and trust me, I've met far more than I'd like to."
She considered for a moment and swirled the thin straw in her drink around the rim of her glass a few times before answering him.
"I just keep reminding myself that if I ever want to have a semi-normal life again, I need control," she sighed. "And I know that if I slip up, even once, it'll be over for me. I'm a very all or nothing kind of person," Jessica explained.
Apparently overhearing the tail end of their conversation, Peter chimed in with, "Just say no to drugs, and all that."
Jessica groaned exasperatedly in response. "Basically. Can we go home yet?"
A flood of texts came through on Jasper's phone.
Apparently, my phone decided to take its time connecting to the towers here.
He scanned the messages that ranged from I love you and I hope you're safe, all the way up to full updates regarding an impending discussion with the wolves.
A growl rumbled in Jasper's chest, setting the others on edge.
Jessica's eyes darted around and caught sight of something above Peter's head. "You've got mail," she mimicked the highly outdated AOL sound.
"I know that one!" Garrett exclaimed, momentarily distracted.
"We should go," Peter whispered solemnly.
Jasper's eyes froze over, an endless abyss that seemed to suck all the hope and happiness out of the room. Suddenly, every single human in the club crumbled to the floor. The vampires froze, unbreathing, unblinking, waiting for the sound of heartbeats. Thankfully, the sounds of life around them continued.
Peter risked laying a hand on his friend's arm. "Major," he tried slowly.
The Major turned his focus to his Second, preparing to direct him as necessary.
Whatever it takes to save her.
"We should go because you are going to going to kill people on accident if you don't stop that right now."
Jasper stared at the vampire, not sure he deemed the information sufficient enough reason to back down now.
"I didn't say 'we should go' because they need us home," he added reassuringly.
After a few more moments, The Major relented, withdrawing slowly back into Jasper's depths.
Realizing the danger Jasper posed had passed, Jessica fled from the building, unable to be around the humans any longer, particularly while recovering from her fear.
Garrett followed her almost as quickly, leaving Jasper and Peter to bring up the rear and assess the need for damage control. They worked quickly, removing security footage tapes and switching the breaker to turn all of the lights off. Stepping outside, Peter ran for the trees and grabbed a thick branch then set up to swing against the largest windowpane.
"You ready?" Jasper asked quietly.
"On your mark," his Second replied with a smile grin.
"Now."
Jasper sent a wave of alert and fear through the club, rousing the humans just as Peter smashed the tree through the glass.
The combination was enough to reassure the humans that they were merely reacting to the sudden sound and lack of light. The sound of bar staff working to right the situation could be heard, a sign for the two vampires to high-tail it after their friends.
"Next round on us," the bar manager called out, earning cheers from the crowd that began to escalate to their previous levels of excitement, if not more enthused than before.
Nothing like a thrill to get the night going.
"A storm is kicking up," Peter offered to reassure Jasper. "They'll blame the power and window on it."
Jasper agreed and the two men followed their noses to Jessica and Garrett. The mated couple was waiting a half mile or so in the woods, trying to calm down.
Garrett actually had his arm around the girl and appeared to be offering her comfort.
Confused, Jasper whispered, "I'm sorry if you felt that, Jess."
"It wasn't what you were giving off," Jessica spoke slowly. "I didn't feel that, but the way the humans were, how they reacted to you–, it was like suddenly, everyone was on the menu; too easy for me to take. I had to get out."
"I'm so, so sorry Jess," he repeated himself, wishing his words could make it better.
"Is there anything I can do to help right now?" Garrett asked her softly.
Jessica looked up into her mate's face, reading the support he offered there. "Take me away from here?"
Garrett nodded. "Where would you like to go?"
"I don't know, I–," Jessica tried to articulate her thoughts, not sure she could make the decision.
Garrett waited for her, not wanting to rush the girl.
"Suggestions?" she asked finally.
"There's are very relaxing hot-springs up north," he spoke slowly, trying to gauge her reaction to the idea. "With the snow still falling, it's absolutely beautiful this time of year. It's quite secluded; not even the most experienced hikers could make it there."
Jessica wrung her hands, considering what alone time with her mate would look like.
"It would give us time to talk," he prompted her gently.
She looked to Jasper, wanting to know what he thought.
"It's truly secluded?" The Major asked Garrett, needing to know what sort of danger the newborn could pose.
"Very much so," he confirmed with a smile. "I've spent a lot of time up there in my travels. Great place to think."
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \