Ch 3: Men are more Trouble Than They're Worth

I begged, I pleaded, but she wouldn't relent. She was going to paint my beloved jeep PINK. Finally I glared at her in defeat. "You are an evil, terrible little demoness, I hope you know that." She simply laughed at me and curtsied deeply.

"Why thank you my good sir." And then she yawned. "I'll tell you what. I might be convinced to use a different color, if you take me home. Since These monsters," she pointed to her brothers who were engaged in a game of chess with Jasper, "are obviously too busy. And I'd like to get home before it rains again."

I couldn't help it, as miffed as I was with her I smiled. "Yea, sure babe. Lets go." I lead her outside and scooped her up into my arms, bridal style. She made a sound close to "eep" and clung to my neck, looking startled.

"What are you doing?" She gasped as I took off running.

"Taking you home." I said, happily. Her hot little body was pressed to my chest and seared my arms in a pleasant way. I tingled like I'd stuck my hand in a light socket, yes I HAVE tried that once… Anyway, back to Kallie. Her sent was almost unbearably sweet. I couldn't help myself, I pressed my nose to her collarbone, her heart pounded like mad in her chest, and I inhaled. "What is the fruit you smell like?" I murmured into her ear, letting my lips brush her ear. She shivered and I wondered if she was cold, or if she was getting as turned on as I was.

"I… umm…" she was blushing, the shade of pink ghosting her cheeks made her even more desirable, "It's raspberry. I smell like raspberries naturally so I… I use raspberry shampoo."

I inhaled again, taking in the fresh smell of mint. "You also smell like mint." I murmured again, against her cheek this time, as I came to a stop at her house.

"I… It's my body wash. It's calming." She looked around, then back to me. "Umm… you can put me down now."

If I could have blushed I would have. Gently I forced myself to let her slide to the ground. I wanted nothing more than to keep my arms wrapped around her but I knew I'd look like a freak if I didn't. And Jasper or Edward would have my hide.

Speaking of Jasper… I smiled down at her, catching her chin in my big hand. "So, do I get a conciliation prize? Since my poor jeep is going to be pink for a while?"

She blushed and murmured, "What do you have in mind?"

"This," I whispered as I leaned down and pressed my mouth to hers. It was all I could do not to lift her into my arms, press her into the door and deepen the kiss. I tried my best to keep it light, sweet, but I felt myself nibbling her lower lips as I pulled away. Her breath was coming in short, harsh little breaths, her cheeks were flushed, and I could smell the very slight smell of her arousal. She'd enjoyed it too.

With that thought I bowed playfully and ran off into the night.

I felt Kallie's emotional signature thrum with shadows of nervousness, then I felt that same emotional heat that I'd felt in her bedroom as she was dressing. I realized exactly what it was, a small thrill of lust. I felt my back go rigid, and a growl build in my chest.

"Edward," I growled out, "What's Emmett thinking right now?"

He looked at me, startled at my request but his eyes became glazed and he allowed his mind to wander. And when I felt his anger flash I knew what he was going to say before he did, because I felt a sudden flood of pleasure and lust from Kallie.

"He's kissing her," he growled, standing as I was.

"Oh chill," Korum said calmly. "Let Kal have a little fun. Poor little love's had almost no attention from men for the last… thirty years. Ever since… what's his name."

"Leon," Mika supplied, his annoyance and anger obvious, "Leon broke her heart, among other things." He explained to us.

Nikki smiled, "She could use the ego boost, having a vampire as attractive as Emmett noticing her when he lives with such beauties." He winked at Rose and I felt her embarrassment and pleasure.

Edward was seeing the sense in it, I could feel his emotions calm, and then he pulled his Bella into his arms, smiling. "Well if they're going to have some fun, then why don't we my love." He murmured into her ear, pulling her toward the stairs.

I fought the urge to groan as I felt the lust emanating from them. And then Emmett was suddenly back, his emotions haywire, leaping from anticipation to joy to lust back to joy. He fell onto the couch beside Nikki and Rose, grinning.

"Damn Nikki, that sister of yours sure can kiss." That was the last straw, I ran.

Dawn was just breaking when I returned. I had considered running all night, but as soon as I could no longer feel Kallie's emotions, about twenty miles from her house now I was tuned into them, I began to slow down. I walked, instead of ran, and I thought.

But as I thought I had paid little attention to where my feet were taking me. I realized I could feel Kallie's contentment when I stopped just outside her home. And then a fierce meow echoed from her bedroom. I leapt into a near by tree to watch as a large cat, the size of a medium dog, leapt onto her bed and butted it's head against hers.

I could suddenly feel her shadow of annoyance, "Bloody Nyanko." I heard her growl at the beast but it simply began washing her nose with its tongue. "Yea, yea," she said calmly, "I'm up." She sat up and I couldn't help but smile. The covers of her bed slid down to her waist and her black sleeveless tshirt said in big, silver letters "I'll rise, but I refuse to shine." She slid her feet to the carpeted floor and stood and I felt my desire leap to new heights. She wore no pants, only a pair of tight underwear that looked like they had once been shorts and been shrunk. They didn't even cover her rear. I leapt away from the tree, giving her some privacy and giving myself a moment to compose myself.

Finally I heard music filling the house and I knocked at the door. She obviously could not hear me over the music, so I opened the door and called inside, "Kallie! Can I come in?"

I heard her grunt something incoherent and followed the sound of her heartbeat to the kitchen. She had hardly opened her eyes, and she had NOT gotten dressed as I'd expected. Instead she flitted from the fridge to a kettle of boiling water. I locked every muscle in my body and stopped myself from taking a breath of her scent. I had to keep my hands to myself, but I longed to prove I was just as capable of inspiring those feelings in her as Emmett. She leaned against the island and took a deep sip of her drink. Slowly, after a few long minutes she seemed to begin to really wake. She started to sing along to the music that filled the house, "School bag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning, waving goodbye with an absent minded smile…" The song switched and I felt her flash of joy and playfulness. She sang along. "Don't go wasting your emotion, lay all your love on me." She hummed as a man sang part of the song, dancing around, pulling things from the cupboards and starting the stove, humming along. And then her voice filled the room again. "Don't go wasting your emotion, lay all your love on me! It was like shooting a sitting duck, a little small talk, a smile and baby I was stuck, I still don't know what you've done w/ me a grown up woman shouldn't fall so easily." She set the pan on the stove and cracked a few eggs into the pan, dancing around as it cooked. And then she opened her eyes and saw me.

She leapt a good foot into the air and yelped, "Bleeding HEY! Why do you DO that?" But she wasn't really angry, just startled, and… I felt a flash of joy across her mind.

I smiled slightly. "Because you fail to notice me does not mean I'm sneaking up on you." I had to take a second breath to continue but when I did her scent hit me full force. And I could smell her sweet, sweet blood, and it called to me. My entire body locked as it was, fighting my other desires I could hardly keep myself still.

I felt her fear, hardly a ghost of an emotion, but I could smell it too, so I knew she was petrified. But she did not run, instead she blushed and embarrassment flashed across her. " I am so sorry Jasper," I knew she could see how black my eyes were, how they burned for her blood. My venom burned in my throat. "I… I didn't expect you to be here… I… I'm sorry." She eyed me carefully, but continued to speak to me. And her voice combined with her emotions kept me sane, barely. "I… I need to go get something from my bedroom. Why don't you go on up and I'll follow you? Is that possible?"

I felt her calming energy, her attempt to keep herself calm helped me. So I nodded, slowly. "I… I think so." I murmured, and because she couldn't hear me I felt a flash of trust and pride come from her. Pride in ME. That helped me keep my wits about me as I lead the way to her bedroom.

"Closet," she murmured from the doorway as I stood in the middle of her room. Fighting my every instinct I turned my back to her, and I felt her slip into the room. A moment later she stepped into the room again, and stepped closer to me, her trust washing over me like a cool breeze. "Take a breath Jasper."

"Can't" I growled out, my southern accent showing through more in that moment than it had in four decades, since I left Texas.

"I trust you Jasper, it's ok now. Just take a breath." Her trust didn't waver, but finally I snapped.

I turned around and caught her off guard. I rushed toward her and pinned her bodily against the wall. But as I readied myself to bite her I took a breath to savor her sweet smell. And it was still sweet as ever, but I was suddenly free of the beast. Suddenly her blood, as sweet as it smelled, did not call to me. I shuddered and leaned against her and the wall. Keeping her pinned beneath me, my weight on my arms beside her.

I put my face to her throat and inhaled again, awed. "I… what happened, darlin?" I murmured. The heat of her body pressed against mine, her smell, it all began to melt one desire, the desire for her blood on my lips, into another, almost as dangerous desire.

"I… when I realized my brothers could still smell my blood, and that it called to them… I used what little knowledge of our parent's ways to create a ring that would suppress the desire for my blood in anyone around me."

I could feel her tiny thrill of fear, fear of what I was doing, pressed so close to her, but I could also feel her anticipation, and I felt a thrill of heat from her, a little river of pleasure. I smiled. "That's a very interesting idea." I murmured again, leaning slowly away from her. "Show me?" I asked softly. Slowly she brought her hand from flat against the wall by her side up to my chest. I leaned on one arm and grasped her hand in my own. The heat of it, the frailty in her bones, how soft her skin was made me fight a smile. I eyed the silver ring that adorned her right ring finger. It was a small heart, topped with a crown, being held by two hands, a claddagh. The crown was facing inward, I felt myself smile slightly, tracing the beautiful little ring.

I rose my eyes to hers to ask a second question, but I instantly forgot what it was. Her green eyes met mine and I felt a flood of emotion from her- relief, joy, trust, pleasure, and desire. Her green eyes were dark with heat that I imagine had nothing to do with the heat of the room, but everything to do with the feeling of my body pressed to hers. She gave nibbled on her lower lip and my eyes were drawn to it.

Emmett had done it, why couldn't I? I had fought off my blood lust, surely I could steal one little kiss… I felt my head leaning down towards hers, of its own volition, and I watched as her eyes lit up and she began to rise onto her toes. Her lips were so close to mine I could feel the heat, could almost feel the softness of her lips upon my own. She'd had plenty of time to escape me if she wanted. I lowered my lips that final millimeter to hers. Just as I felt the soft, wonderfully hot pressure of her lips upon my own the front door burst open and someone called out my name.

With a curse I flung myself away from her as footsteps sounded up the stairs. Edward and Alice ran into the room, eyes wild, Kallie's brothers not to far behind. "Jasper NO!" Alice cried, then stopped and blinked like a noob, taking in the situation. "What… what happened… I saw…"

I growled at my favorite sister, my eyes surely black with desire, but not that sort of desire. "I" I snarled at my favorite siblings, "am perfectly capable of keeping myself in check, thank you."

Kallie blushed then turned to my siblings, "guys, it's fine. I… I just forgot to put my claddagh on this morning and Jasper smelled me." Her brother's eyes took on a look on understanding, "But he did wonderfully. He kept himself under control long enough for us to get up here and for me to find my ring."

"But…" Alice said, gasping, "I SAW it. I saw him pinning you to the wall and… his mouth on your neck and…"

I couldn't help but laugh, it was not a pleasant sound I'm sure, but it did make Kallie grin slightly. "Alice… I don't really get the 'you saw it' bit but… He had pinned me before he took a breath and his instincts stopped calling for my blood. Once he did he was pinning me to the wall trying to regain control of his emotions, I'm sure. How would you feel if you almost killed you friend huh?" She walked to my side and placed her small hand on my arm. "I've never had it happen but... I can assume that when one desire is stopped short it converts to a different type of desire. He got… a little frisky." She blushed but continued, "So you got here just in time, to stop him from snogging me and making our friendship a little awkward for a while." But I felt a shadow of disappointment and wondered if she had wanted it to happen, now she was calming down and thinking rationally.

And then Nikki saved us all by looking calmly at his sister and asking, "You weren't cooking when he freaked, were you?"

"SHIT!" her voice echoed as she ran from the room and down the stairs to the kitchen.

She could not salvage her breakfast so she pitched the eggs, scowling. I watched as she selected an apple from the bowl on the island and bit into it. I felt her mental sigh of pleasure just before she hummed her approval for the world to hear. The apple was crisp, and crunched as she ate it, but apparently also juicy, as a thin line on juice ran from her lips, to be caught by her little tongue. I looked away and met Edwards knowing, but disapproving eyes.

'I didn't hurt her.' I thought angrily to him. He scowled back at me and flicked his hands from her ring and back to me, and had I been able I would have flushed in embarrassment and anger. 'It will NEVER happen again. Now I know it wasn't just her, but her ring I will NEVER breathe in her scent unless she's wearing it.'

He rolled his eyes and I narrowed mine at him, my anger growing. As I was ready to explode at my sibling I felt joy crash into me and I turned to see Kallie and Alice singing along to the song that was playing.

"Honey honey, how he thrills me, a-ha, honey, honey.
Honey, honey, nearly kills me, a-ha, honey honey.
I've heard about him before.
I wanted to know some more. And now I know what they mean, he's a love machine. Oh, he makes me dizzy" Kallie met my eyes and blushed deeply, letting her eyes skitter away from my gaze, but she continued to sing. "Honey, honey. Let me feel it, a-ha. Honey honey. Honey honey, don't conceal it, a-ha. Hoeny, Honey. The way that you kiss good night, the way that you hold me tight, I feel that I want to scream, when you do your thing." Laughing they finished the song, but I was a little to preoccupied with listening to her emotions to really pay attention.

Kallie's heart was beating like mad, and her emotions seemed all the more powerful as she sang. Her joy and happiness were first and foremost, but every time she locked eyes with me embarrassment and shyness flickered along with the joy. And as she sang the last line, her voice hanging in the air I felt a flash of affection. Her eyes had been on me.

Korum smiled a little deviously, and I could feel his playful mood. "You should see Kal dance." He said sweetly, eyeing his sister, who turned a brilliant red and looked away. "She's amazing."

Suddenly Kallie met her brother's laughing eyes and smiled. "I'll dance Kor, if you sing with me."

I could feel the sudden excitement from Alice, her joy. "Oh, Korum, please sing!" she all but bounced into the larger man's arms, smiling.

He blushed, and I could feel his embarrassment but his slight pleasure at Alice's attention. "Sure, fine." He met Kallie's eyes and smiled slightly, "You want to do a duet or are you going to torture me more than needed?"

Kallie smiled sweetly, but I felt her taking pity on her brother. "Sure." She turned and walked toward me and Edward. She reached past our shoulders and pressed a few buttons. I fought tooth and nail to prevent myself from reaching out and touching her as she turned from us, her sweet scent wafting toward me from her beautiful hair. Edward scowled at me while I eyed her, tempted beyond belief to pull her against myself and to kiss her silly.

Kallie rolled her hips as a loud song came on, I recognized it immediately as a Good Charlotte song, "I Don't want to be in Love". Her mood switched from shy to flamboyant in an instant, and I shudder in pleasure at the seductive feel to her emotions. I hardly noticed Emmett enter the room, only his wave of lust as Kallie tossed back her head and rolled her hips again gave him away.

Apparently they had found an instrumental only version of the song and a warm, deep tenor filled the air as Korum began to sing.

"She's going out to forget they were together

All that time he was taking her for granted

She wants to see if there's more

than he gave she's looking for"

I watched as Kallie eyed us all and danced up to Emmett her hand sliding along his arm, up to his shoulder then down his chest. I could feel his lust run wild, knowing her hand had to be searing him, leaving trails of tingles where she touched. From her I could sense a hint of lust, but mostly it was exhilaration and joy.

"He calls her up up

He's trippin on the phone now

He doesn't want her out there

And alone now"

She slid away from Emmett and right into my waiting arms. The heat of her body nearly consumed me, but I kept my mind on the music and spun her, then dipped her low, my right hand skimming down her bare leg and back up. When I pulled her upright her chest was pressed to mine. I felt Edward's anger and Emmett's lust and jealousy and released her reluctantly, feeling the pleasant tingling all throughout my arms, chest and hips.

"He knows she's movin it

Knows she's using it

Now he's losing it

She don't care"

She'd reached her brother, who had slid away from Alice. Together they danced in place, shifting their weight for the most part but I could tell that everyone in the room, aside from their siblings, was aroused as all hell.

Kallie rose her voice with Korum's, and I was lost to the emotions from those around me and those her voice awoke in me.

"Everybody put up your hands

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

Feel the beat now

If you've got nothing left

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

Break it up now

You've got a reason to live

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

Feelin' good now

Don't be afraid to get down

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love"

Korum tugged Alice to him and danced with her, dipping her low and teasing her with his hands and his mouth.

Kallie's voice filled the room. "He was always giving her attention

Looking hard to find the things she mentioned

He was dedicated

By most suckers hated

That girl was fine

But she didn't appreciate him"

Korum dipped Alice and then released her, tugging Rose into his arms. I felt jealousy ripple up in Alice's chest, and knew without looking at her she was glaring daggers at our sister.

"She calls him up

She's tripping on the phone now

He had to get up

And he ain't comin home now

He's tryin' to forget her

That's how we come with her

When he first met her

When they first got together"

Korum released Rose, kissed Alice's cheek, and turned to his sister, who he pulled into a playful dip as his voice joined hers once more.

"Everybody put up your hands

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

Feel the beat now

If you've got nothing left

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

back it up now

You got a reason to live

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

Feelin' good now

Don't be afraid to get down

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

to the beat

to the beat

to the beat

You got nothing to lose

Don't be afraid to get down

We break up

It's something that we do now

Everyone has got to do it sometime

It's okay,let it go

Get out there and find someone

It's too late to be trippin' on the phone here

Get off the wire

You knew everything was good here

Stop what you're doin'

You don't wanna ruin

The chance that you've got to

find a new one

Everybody put up your hands

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

feel the beat now

If you got nothing left

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

Back it up now

You got a reason to live

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

Feelin' good now

Don't be afraid to get down

Say I don't wanna be in love

I don't wanna be in love

Nooo...Noooo"

As they finished Korum pulled Alice into his arms roughly and kissed her, ignoring us all. I'd not have minded it really, except I knew I wanted desperately to do so with Kallie, and so did Emmett.

Kallie laughed and kissed Emmett on the cheek, murmuring thanks to him and then danced on over to me. When she reached me she leaned upward and kissed my cheek also, smiling. "Thanks for playing along," she murmured against my stone cold cheek.

"Anytime darlin, anytime." And I heard my southern lilt show through a little. Stupid… I felt the flash of heat from her emotions, the flash of lust. Was… was that because of ME? My accent…? I noticed Edward's glare and realized I'd guessed right.

Edward seemed to have been listening to Emmett's thoughts and scowled at Kallie. "Shouldn't you get dressed Kal? You'll catch a cold dressed like that, won't you?" He asked her sweetly, his eyes worried, but I knew better, he simply wanted her to be decent around us, because he apparently did not like either Emmett or myself thinking dirty thoughts about her. And I WAS trying not to, no gentleman thinks such crude thoughts about a lady he's not already intimate with. Or at least not around a telepathic best friend of said lady.

I laughed as Edward asked me about my state of dress. To be honest I'd completely forgotten it until he mentioned it. But now I realized it I blushed and realized why Emmett's and Jasper's eyes were still dark golden with desire. "Yea, you're probably right." I dashed upstairs as fast as my legs could carry me. I wasn't really fast, not compared to my brothers and new friends, but I was sure as heck faster than a normal human.

I dressed as quickly as possible, not quite paying attention to what I threw on. I brushed out my long hair and threw it up into a bun using a pair of chopsticks. I figured I didn't really care enough to do make up so I walked back downstairs, wondering what the day would bring me. It was only, I checked my watch, eight oh five. Wow, attacked by a vampire, ruined breakfast, been nearly snogged by the same vampire, and then dancing with two very hot vampires and singing with Korum, all before nine am.

The Cullen boys- Edward, Jasper, and Emmett- helped Kor, Mika, Nikki and I finish unpacking. I found it funny that I was never left alone with either Emmett, who had defiantly enjoyed our kiss last night, not that I could believe I'd even DONE that, or Jasper, whose eyes would randomly and without cause darken to an almost black color. I wasn't sure if he was having trouble with his desire for my blood or if he was feeling lingering affects from our… close encounter.

Goddess knew I was feeling those affects. Every time he spoke and that slight southern lilt made an appearance I flashed back to him pressing me against my bedroom wall, sounding for all the world like he'd spent the last 160 years in the deep south. And I swear it was a miracle they couldn't all SMELL how turned on I was. That voice of his was… dead sexy.

But to be fair every time Emmett locked his eyes with mine and gave me that slight grin, his eyes darkening to a deep golden brown, I felt the same thrill of lust. Goddess they were both unbelievably attractive, it was so not fair. Thirty years of men ignoring me and when one does notice me it's not just one, its two. And they're vampires no less.

Really, life wasn't fair, and men- vampire or human- were just far more trouble than they were worth, coming in waves, not constantly, one at a time. I'd have to choose, soon, before the entire situation spiraled out of control…

Yes the song is "Don't Wanna Be In Love" by Good Charlotte, not mine.