Leah didn't like at all the idea of being imprinted on the blood sucker. Both because she couldn't use him to forget Sam and also because this situation had rose chaos among the elders.
A spirit wolf shouldn't be able to imprint on a cold one. It was not possible. The only reason Jacob was even able to imprint on Renesmee was because she was half human.
But this one wasn't human. Not half human. He was a full vampire. Spirit wolves imprinted on humans and other spirit wolves. It was how it was.
She shouldn't have imprinted on him. It wasn't normal. It wasn't possible.
But she was.
And avoiding him was starting to make her feel claustrophobic. Like something was going to happen if she didn't watch over him. But what the hell would happen to that leech? He was obviously the most dangerous one among the Cullens.
She followed him. Odd enough he didn't go into the house. He came to a halt before turning around and walking off. She caught the scent of Charlie Swan. Weird.
He sat on a log at some point and she took it to glare at him. He glared back at her. To be honest? Part of her found amusing how among them all this one looked like a lion attempting and failing at acting like a domesticated cat.
The Cullens took their human charade to heart.
This one couldn't even look human.
She watched him stand up and walk past her.
Kind of.
Because one moment he was walking past her and the next he is on the ground clutching his stomach. His muscles tense and while there isn't a single sound coming out of him she feels the change in the air. Pain stabs at her skin like little needles made of acid. Right.
She did heard at some point about the odd leeches with powers. The mind reader. The clairvoyant.
And the empath.
She wanted to ignore him and leave but the wolf in her refused with tooth and nail to abandon him when he was in such obvious distress.
-You alright?- She questioned not bothering to get closer. She refused to let this manipulate her. She didn't want to be a slave to some animalistic instincts she didn't ask for.
He didn't answer.
The pain against her skin was turning from needles into knives.
And before she could think about the outcome she moved. The second she touched him the second he flinched back. But not even a second after he was grabbing her arms and bringing her down, straddling her against the ground and diving down to sink his teeth on her shoulder.
He didn't even give her a chance to retaliate for he was gone in a blink. Leaving her with flames licking her neck and collarbone.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jasper ran as fast as he could across the forest. His insides had been blazing but the second he tasted that sour blood it was as if a bomb had gone off inside him. Such explosion of maddening fire he could swear his skin was melting off his bones. He couldn't see. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't focus.
All he knew is that he needed to run. Because if he didn't run his insides would combust.
And run he did.
He didn't stop running until he stumbled on something and crashed on the ground. He fell down a hill and ended up landing into a river. He was panting as lava choked him.
He was in hell. And he was drowning in it. Fire fire fire fire fire.
His throat was split open as molten lava crawled up his throat. Acid that burned his insides to a crisp as his stomach twisted and his bones screamed.
He wasn't sure how long he spent there throwing up and almost choking on the fire but when the world finally stopped screaming in red and white he was left with nothing but shaking limbs, ears clogged and vision blurred. There was something salty but oh so bitter in his mouth. He spat it before barely managing to drag himself out of the river.
He dropped on the ground feeling too exhausted to even care about what had happened. The world was swimming in blurriness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacob had been with the Cullens when Seth bursted out of the trees to inform him that Leah had been attacked.
By the blond creep.
Naturally, the Cullens also heard.
Jacob had gone with Seth to check on Leah while the Cullens set out to find Jasper before the wolves did, because while Jacob may not go after him the Uley pack may. Sam was awfully protective of Leah and he would definitely not wait for an explanation on the why Jasper attacked Leah.
Not that the Cullens could figure out what would drive him to attack her. Jasper wasn't the aggressive type, he wouldn't attack anyone unprovoked, which meant Leah must have done something to set him off.
Which could be a lot of things all things considered.
His background had given him quite the list of things that could set him off. From the scent of carnations and the slightest touch on a bad day up to grabbing him or hugging him without warning.
Edward had made sure to make Bella aware of these things. She was still a newborn and therefore she had to be extra careful around Jasper.
The seven Cullens split in order to find him faster. Before the wolves.
Carlisle had known that Leah imprinting on Jasper wouldn't end well. A wolf like Leah imprinting on a vampire like Jasper... that was bound to be too problematic. Dangerous for both of them.
And while he knew wolves couldn't touch an imprintee he wasn't sure how that would fare if the imprinted wolf died.
Because a vampire's venom was poisonous to wolves. And he wasn't sure how much venom had Jasper injected in Leah. If she died... God. They would have to move way earlier than anticipated.Bella is the one who finds him.
She hadn't even known it was him. All she knew is that an intense acidic stench was drowning the place and she was curious enough to ignore her instincts screaming at her to run.
And she was glad she did.
Because there he was, laying on the ground and reeking of that acidic scent. It was coming from him.
She was kneeling at his side in less than a second. Her hand resting on his cheek. His awfully hot cheek. He didn't even twitch. Was he unconcious? Could vampires lose consciousness? And why was his skin so hot? Could vampires get sick?
-Jasper?
Silence was her answer.
She patted his cheek but again. No answer.
-Crap.- She pulled her phone out and sent Edward a text.
I found him.
~~~~~~~~~~
-What's wrong with him?- Alice questioned as she stood close to the door so as to not be on the way. Even if she wanted nothing more but to be close to Jasper she knew she would only just be in the way.
Carlisle for his side wasn't sure what to answer Alice. Truth was that he had no idea what was wrong with Jasper. His temperature was too high and while he had woken up a few times since Bella brought him he had passed out soon after each time. He wouldn't stop shivering and he was sweating. Vampires did not sweat.
And to top it all there was that odd acidic scent. It had grown faint but it was still strong enough to make his nose itch and his instincts anxious. He sighed as he removed his hand from Jasper's forehead.
-I'm afraid I don't know.- He wondered if this was because he bit Leah or if he bit Leah because of this. While rare vampires could get sick.
Only two illnesses could ail them; vervain poisoning and a werewolf's bite.
But vervain was quite hard to come across now days and if he were under its influence he wouldn't be burning like this.
And a werewolf's bite... Werewolves were at this point in life practically extinct, the Volturi had made sure of this, but had one of those been anywhere near this place the pack would have definitely felt it.
Plus.
Jasper had no bites on him. Carlisle had checked. Twice.
So what was this?
-All we can do now is wait.- He told Alice. Jacob had called earlier to let them know that Leah would be fine and that he had managed to talk Sam out of hunting Jasper down.
Alice for her side didn't like Carlisle's answer. She came to sit beside Jasper once Carlisle left. Her hand resting on Jasper's cheek for a moment. His skin was hot. Too hot for comfort. She hadn't wanted to tell the Cullens but...
She couldn't see him anymore.
The few visions she could get of him now were nonexistent. For some odd reason she had never been able to see him well with her gift. But ever since the near fight with the Volturi it had gotten worse. She couldn't see nothing but glitches of what was happening to him.
And now she couldn't see him.
She hadn't wanted to panic for it could be nothing.
But seeing him like this... what if it meant something? What if-
She cut her thoughts off. No. He would be fine.
But this stench... it didn't belong to him. But it did.
She sighed and gave him an Eskimo kiss.
-Everything will be alright.- She told softly before laying down on the bed with him, her fingers carding through his hair.
He would be fine.
~~~~~~~~~~~
-What's wrong with him?- Esme questioned the moment Carlisle stepped into the living room.
-I'm not sure.- Carlisle hated having to give that answer. Even more so when that answer made Esme's face fall.
-What does that mean?- Rosalie asked. Carlisle always knew what to do to fix someone. He wasn't old for nothing. He had way more knowledge about vampires than most vampires. For him to not know...
-I don't know what's wrong with him. I have never seen something like this before.- Carlisle admitted. He was feeling frustrated here, because his son was in pain and he could do nothing at all to help him. Had no idea how to help him.- I'm going to call Eleazar.
Eleazar was his only chance, if he didn't knew what was happening to Jasper either...
God, just this morning he was watching Jasper wrestling with Emmett.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Jasper woke up to an intense headache and a burning throat. He felt sore and like he had been hit by a train. A weight drapped over his chest caught his attention along with a familiar flowery scent, he forced his eyelids to part open, wincing as the light pierced his retina and shot a new stab of pain into his brain.
A groan left him and soon movement at his side was made. The weight on his chest disappearing as Alice came into his peripheral vision. Her hand on his cheek felt colder than it should but it was quite the welcomed feeling. He felt like he was back in Texas during a scorching summer.
Concern and relief were staining her emotions and he couldn't help but caress it. Pushing calm in its place as his hand came to rest on top of hers.
-What's wron'?- His voice came out so ragged and broken he barely recognized it as his own.
-Jazz, what happened?- Alice questioned stroking a scar on his cheek with her thumb. He frowned at her for a moment before the memories came back.
There had been so much pain God.
-The pain... it was worse than usual. I dun't know why. I think I threw up but 'm not sure.- He conceded. Alice did knew about his recurring issue that has been going on for the past few weeks.
Alice frowned at his answer. She knew about those odd "episodes" and while she had told him a few times to tell Carlisle he refused. Because he could handle it and because he was stupidly stubborn.
For it to have become worse enough to make him attack Leah and throw up... something wasn't right.
-I think you should tell Carlisle.
-Alice-
-You bit Leah.- Alice cut off. Jasper froze at that. He did what now?- She's fine now, don't worry. But Jazz, something is clearly not right here, you should tell Carlisle the truth, maybe that way he may know what to do.
-No. 'm fine.- Jasper stated sitting up with a wince. God was he sore. His muscles ached and his skin felt way too tight.
-Jas-
-I said no.- He snapped harshly before biting his tongue, he glanced at Alice who was giving him a surprised if not a bit hurt look, he had never snapped at her before.- I'm sorry, that wasn't... I'm sorry.- He pulled her into a hug and buried his face into the crook of her neck.
Alice's hand came to rest at the back of his head. Something wasn't right here. She could feel it. Hell, she could smell it. While it was almost gone that acidic scent was still all over him. He was still too hot and something about him in general...
Something wasn't right.
The sound of the door opening caught her attention. Carlisle stepped in and their gazes met.
-I will leave you two to talk.- Alice told as Jasper pulled back from the hug. Jasper watched her leave with a frown, he didn't want her to go away, having Alice so far away always put him on edge. He knew it was stupid but he could never, not even for the life of him, feel at ease when she was out of sight.
Once the door closed he felt the bed sink and he turned to look at Carlisle.
-How are you feeling?- Was Carlisle's first question as his hand came to rest on his forehead. Jasper didn't like the touch but he kept himself from swatting the hand away, there was worry in the man's emotions, frustration, relief, concern.
-I'm...- He would have said fine but Carlisle's look deterred him from it.- Sore, my head hurts and it feels as if my throat were on fire.- He decided to leave the tight skin out, for all he knew that was nothing but psychological.
-Do you remember what happened?- Carlisle asked as he retreated his hand, his temperature had gone down considerably but he was still way too warm, and his eyes while not completely black weren't golden either.
-Leah was followin' me... I don't know what happened but I couldn't focus on anythin' at some point, all I knew is that I needed to run, I don't know why. Everythin' was so blurry...- He told Carlisle half the truth. Maybe the man knew what was wrong, he couldn't give him the truth about something he himself didn't understand.
Because if he did he would get questions. Questions he didn't knew how to answer. What if he was kicked out because no one knew what was wrong and couldn't fix it? He was way too problematic as it was, this could very well drive them over the edge and break the little patience they may have over his issues.
And he didn't want to lose them. He liked this place.
Carlisle for his side frowned. Jasper's words... even if what happened could be explained as a panic attack or an unconcious reaction due having a natural predator so close that still wouldn't explain his temperature, the sweating, the headache and much less the scent.
Jasper did seem to be feeling better but that didn't mean Carlisle could forget about this. What if it happened again? What if it meant something important? He couldn't just ignore it. He had called Eleazar but he had been as clueless as Carlisle was.
This just didn't make any sense.
-Can I go huntin'?- Jasper's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
-Ask Alice to go with you, I don't want you alone right now.- He told. Jasper nodded before leaving the room.
And Carlisle still couldn't help but feel uneasy, something wasn't right here, but what? What was he missing?