A/N: So…the no label on this first POV is def intentional. I am sure you will all figure out who it is anyway, but, ya know, whatev. Please enjoy!

************************************************************

Don't run from me, darling… that voice whispered in my head again. I shivered, unable to make my fear of her disappear. For some reason my power didn't work on her. I just need to get to Mary, and then I know things will be better.

I ran as if the devil was tripping on my heels, and I think she just may be the devil incarnate. I laughed grimly to myself at that thought. All those lectures from Da had been right; evil was a real and constant threat.

I ran despite that fact that she wasn't chasing. Not yet, at least. I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me she would come for me. Soon. She kept whispering in my brain, sometimes cajoling, sometimes threatening, and promising wonders beyond my imagination.

I kept running until the whispers stopped, finally out of whatever range she had on communicating with me. Thankful for the first time for this curse running through my veins.

I finally slowed, looking around, trying to catch my bearings. I cursed silently when I realized I'd run too far north and would have to turn around. I was hungry, and I needed something to eat before I got to Mary. I came to a stop, sniffing the air around me. There were clearly no people around, but I could smell something not entirely unappetizing in the distance. I crept silently forward, following the smell, until I reached a clearing and saw a doe drinking from a small creek. Better than nothing, I shrugged, not that anyone would see it.

I pounced, a little too forcefully, and the deer was crushed beneath me. I'm still trying to get used to all this extra strength and speed. I drank my fill before taking off again, this time running in the creek. Maybe she wouldn't be able to track me through the water. It was a faint hope, but it was hope nonetheless.

It was not quite dark when I reached the brick wall surrounding Mary's residence. It loomed over me, dark and foreboding, topped with wrought iron spikes. I climbed up a tree and settled in to wait until full darkness. My anxiety about being followed made the time drag by. After what felt like days, but was really only a couple of hours, I deemed it dark enough to enter the grounds.

I leapt over the fence, landing lightly on the balls of my feet. I ran across the lawn, keeping and eye out for guards. Saying a quick prayer that Mary was in the same room she'd occupied last time I was here, I scaled the west wall, lifting the north-most window on the third floor. I crept in, silent and cautious. She was here! I watched her, lying in bed, purple shadows under her eyes, short dark hair, matted and messy.

I touched her arm with the tip of my finger, trying to wake her without startling her too badly. She shivered from the cold, eyelids drifting up. Her eyes popped completely open when she saw me towering above her.

"L…" I covered her mouth with my hand before she could say anything else.

"Shh, Mary mine, I'm going to get you out of here," I whispered, trying not breathe while in such close proximity. She nodded at me, and I felt her smile.

I turned and gestured for her to climb on my back. I felt the warm weight of her on my back, and she wrapped her arms around my neck, completely trusting.

I stepped up to the window ledge, ready to jump, when I heard her whisper, "I was waiting for you…"

"Aww honey, you waited up, how sweet…" her voice was thick, cloying, and it broke me from my memories.

"How did it go?" I asked wearily, not bothering to respond to her failed attempt at humor.

"He's…different than he used to be…" she said, a frown wrinkling her brow, "But I'm sure he'll come around."

"And the others?" I didn't care really, but playing her game was easier than dealing with the consequences of her anger.

"He only had one with him, and it wasn't even Peter or Charlotte, but I am sure he is busy informing them and trying to strategize," she smirked, enjoying her power to disrupt lives, "My boy always was a planner."

***********************************************************************

Alice POV:

I burst into the house, nearly taking the door right off the hinges.

"Meeting. Now. Living Room." I shouted, which was completely unnecessary, but made me feel better.

Within seconds Rosalie, Emmett, Carlisle and Esme were all sitting in the living room, looking at me expectantly.

"I had a vision…we have a new problem in town," I stated baldly, finding no way to sugar-coat this bad news.

"Who, or what, is it?" Carlisle asked.

"Her name is Maria, and she's going to do some bad things if we can't stop her," I said, closing my eyes and trying to keep the memory of my vision at bay. "Jasper and, I'm assuming, Peter and Charlotte know her."

"When did she get here?" Emmett growled.

"I'm not sure, but Jasper was pretty damn surprised to see her, so I'm guessing recently," I answered.

"Does she have anyone with her?" Rosalie questioned.

"That's where I'm having trouble," I pressed my fingers to my temple, as if pushing hard enough would pop open some new part of brain and allow me to figure everything out. 'I can't see anyone with her, but I somehow know she does have help," I shrugged helplessly at the shocked looks they all gave me. "Jasper should be here any minute with Peter and Char," I added.

As if I had spoken them into existence, the three vampires appeared in the doorway. Jasper strode into the room, full of purpose.

"Can you tell us what we're dealing with?" Carlisle let his question hang in the air gazing steadily at Jasper.

"Maria…" it was Charlotte who spoke, barely above a whisper, but the fear in her voice was enough to make us all shiver.

"And just who is this Maria?" Rosalie demanded, her features pulled taut in anger.

"Maria is the vampire who made Jasper," Peter sighed, watching Jasper carefully as he stiffened.

"I was her…right hand man, you could say, for the better part of a century," Jasper bit off the words as if they tasted bitter.

"You worked for her?" Esme gasped.

"That is a complicated story," Peter cut in, glancing at Jasper, "What is more important at this point is that you learn what her pattern is, so we can effectively stop her."

I wanted to protest, demand that Jasper explain more fully, but Carlisle seemed to sense this before I could even open my mouth. He frowned at me and shook his head slightly.

"Please, go on," Carlisle prompted when Peter hesitated.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I can't believe she's back after all this time," Peter took a deep breathe, releasing it slowly. His tension eased and he glanced gratefully at Jasper. Had Jasper just calmed him down? And Peter was okay with it? Whoa.

"Maria specializes in…well…armies," Peter was staring at nothing as he spoke, stilted, "She and her main helpers create hundreds of newborns. Then she takes over the territory she wants, and when they get to old, she kills off her soldiers and replaces them with more newborns."

Esme gasped somewhere in that explanation, but I had fixated on the mention of armies. I had seen no army in my vision. Which meant either A: she had not brought an army with her, or B: she had an entire army that I was unable to see. I like option A better.

"Guys, I don't think she has an army with her, at least not that I saw," I vocalized my thoughts.

"Have you seen anything since that first vision?" Carlisle turned to me, and I snapped out of my daze.

"No, but I can try," Jasper frowned as I said this.

"I don't think you should, at least, not so soon," he protested.

"Jasper, I've been doing this for years, chill," I was defensive now, and it had more to do with all the vampires staring at me and my own embarrassment than with Jasper's concern.

"Listen, that wasn't fun for me, back there in the woods, and I don't want to do it again," Jasper's fists were clenched and his jaw was tight with tension.

"What happened?" Esme asked, concern painting her features.

"It was nothing," I answered shortly, glaring at Jasper. He just snorted at me, the bastard.

"Well, vision or not, Jasper and I are familiar with the way she works, so we can use that information to plan our strategy," Peter tried to ease the tension, "But you should definitely call the rest of your family home."

"I'll do it," I called over my shoulder, taking the stairs two at a time, desperate to get away from Jasper's disapproval and everyone's concern.

**********************************************************************

Jasper POV:

I flew home, worried that I would find Maria had already been there. The house was still and dark and I slowed down some as I entered the yard.

"Peter? Charlotte?" I whispered urgently.

"Jasper?" Peter called back quietly.

"We have to go back to the Cullen's, I'll explain on the way," I commanded, all illusion that Peter and Charlotte were my elder's gone. They stepped out of the house and ran alongside me back towards the Cullen's.

"What's going on?" Peter asked, and I could feel his curiosity and anxiety.

"Maria is here," I said grimly, pushing us a little faster.

"In Forks?" Charlotte gasped, and her instantaneous fear made me falter mid-stride.

I nodded in response, too caught up in analyzing what this meant for us, for the Cullen's, for the state of Washington, to bother with further conversation.

In minutes we were on the Cullen's porch, just in time to hear Alice say, "Jasper should be here any minute with Peter and Char."

I stepped into the doorway, Peter and Charlotte right behind me.

"Can you tell us what we're dealing with?" Carlisle spoke softly, watching me carefully as I strode further into the room.

"Maria…" Charlotte breathed the name in a reverent fear, shaking slightly as she sat.

"And just who is this Maria?" the Amazon Queen asked, icy with disdain for whatever bitch had dared trod on her territory.

"Maria is the vampire who made Jasper," I forced myself to stay still as Peter answered, forced myself not to vomit the rage that was bubbling in my empty stomach.

"I was her…right hand man, you could say, for the better part of a century," the memories were clawing at me and I struggled to even speak.

"You worked for her?" Esme's shock at my closet full of skeletons was almost comforting.

"That is a complicated story," I was grateful to Peter for trying to keep my shameful story from unfolding, "What is more important at this point is that you learn what her pattern is, so we can effectively stop her."

Peter looked at me, silently asking permission to continue.

"Please, go on," Peter was still waiting for me to nod, when Carlisle spoke.

I tilted my head in ascent, but Peter looked at me, overwhelmed, asking me to lead, to be the man I had worked so hard to become. "I'm sorry, it's just, I can't believe she's back after all this time," I did my best to calm him down, knowing that I couldn't speak yet, but that I could make it easier for Peter to do it for me. His shoulders relaxed and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Maria specializes in…well…armies," despite the blanket of calm I'd laid over him, speaking about Maria after all this time was difficult for Peter, "She and her main helpers create hundreds of newborns. Then she takes over the territory she wants, and when they get to old, she kills off her soldiers and replaces them with more newborns."

I could feel Esme's shock, Rosalie's disgust, Emmett's eagerness for a fight…but what stood out was Alice. Always Alice's emotions seem to hit me the hardest. Her brow was furrowed and she was angry and worried and disappointed in herself.

"Guys, I don't think she has an army with her, at least not that I saw," she spoke into the silence that had descended after Peter's explanation.

"Have you seen anything since that first vision?" Alice's eyes snapped back into focus at Carlisle's words.

"No, but I can try," she said bravely, but I could feel her hesitation.

"I don't think you should, at least, not so soon," I spoke before I could stop myself. I knew it was a mistake the moment I felt her get offended and embarrassed.

"Jasper, I've been doing this for years, chill," Alice spit out, eyes promising retribution.

My fear and concern for her were clouding my better judgment and I spoke again, angrily this time, "Listen, that wasn't fun for me, back there in the woods, and I don't want to do it again!"

"What happened?" Esme startled me with her question.

"It was nothing," Alice was a terrible liar and I couldn't help the noise of disbelief that spilled out of me.

"Well, vision or not, Jasper and I are familiar with the way she works, so we can use that information to plan our strategy," Peter interrupted before it turned into an all out fight, "But you should definitely call the rest of your family home."

Alice was out of the room in a flash, already heading upstairs, calling "I'll do it," down to the rest of us.

Everyone turned their gaze on me, a mixture of concern, confusion, and expectancy.

Damn you, Maria!