Bella's POV

I wondered if he would he ever grow and give up his childish ways. I dropped my shield and he stopped, his head shooting up. Oh yeah he could definitely feel me and now it was time for him to feel how I really felt about him. I got the emotion ready to push towards him, making sure it was just right and then when I was ready I started to push it out, but the stupid fucker didn't even stick around long enough to get a good read on it. He ran, just like he had before, just like he always did and it pissed me off so much. I let out a warning growl. He may have avoided me for a century, but now that I had the Bringer of Darkness in my sights, Jasper in my sights, I wasn't going to stop until I caught him and finally got some answers from him. Like why the fuck he abandoned me after he realized I was his mate.

I gave chase, never allowing him to give me the slip. He thought he was faster than me, he thought he was smarter than me, but he wasn't. He was underestimating me and he always had. It would come back and bite him in the ass literally. We ran and we ran. Many state lines were crossed, but I couldn't get any closer to him and he in turn didn't allow me to catch up. It seemed as though we were too evenly matched.

My phone rang and I ignored it. It rang again and I still didn't look at it, but when it rang for a third time I reluctantly pulled it from my pocket, never stopping. I wouldn't allow him to escape again, not without some answers.

"What?" I asked.

"Umm, Bella," Carlisle said, "I think we have a problem."

"Carlisle, spit it out, I don't have time for this right now."

"I think you were right about Peter."

Of course I was, he was foolish to think otherwise.

"What is going on?" I asked when he didn't continue.

"I don't know what he's doing with Edward, how he's manipulating him, but just listen…"

I listened, making sure Jasper wasn't getting any further away from me.

"I'm not sure," I could faintly hear Edward's voice.

"Are you scared?" Peter asked.

"Well, yeah, but not of you. It's just, that's big and I don't know how it's going to fit."

Umm, was this heading where I thought it was?

"Don't worry," Peter said. "I've got the perfect lube, vampire venom."

Yes, this was definitely going where I thought it was.

"I won't hurt you, Eddy, I promise, just put your trust in me."

"Okay," I told Carlisle. I did not need to hear any more of this.

I could tell how this tale would end and I knew exactly why Carlisle was concerned. Edward was very set in his Christian ways and if he wasn't willing to have sex with Tanya, who he thought was his mate, then it made no sense for him to have sex with Peter… Unless he was his mate, it must be that.

"They must be mates," I told Carlisle, it was the only answer that made sense, unless a gift was involved, but Edward could read minds so surely he would be able to tell if Peter was playing a game with him.

"Bella, I don't think that's it. It's too much too fast. You need to come back and sort this out. You were the one who brought Peter into our home. This is your problem and you need to fix it."

"Carlisle, I can't."

There was no way I was giving up Jasper. If I let him go this time then he would surely go underground. He would disappear and I would never be able to find him. I needed to keep on course. I had been a vampire for a century now, plenty of time to track him down, but I never did because I was afraid. Well I was no longer afraid. I had found my courage and I wasn't going to give it up. Edward was a grown vampire, he surely knew what he was doing.

"Bella, this is important, family is important."

"Don't you think I know that, Carlisle? I can't. If I could, I would, but this is more important to me right now."

"Bella," he pleaded a final time, but I just disconnected the call and re-focused on Jasper. The distraction had allowed him to gain a little ground on me so I fought to catch up.

I was almost on top of him when he suddenly changed direction and started heading back the way we came. It shocked me and all I could do was stare at him, in all his glory, as he jumped over me. His eyes were black with rage, his face twisted in pain, his blond curls bouncing with every movement. He looked like a man on a mission, he looked exactly how I had remembered him; fierce and ferocious. He was not to be messed with. He was a powerful being, one I would never win against. I was momentarily rooted to the spot, but as I watched him run away from me, I snapped out of it. I didn't care how powerful he was, or if he caught and killed me, because I deserved answers. I was the victim here, not him.

I gave chase again, back across the country, heading back towards Washington it seemed. I allowed him to get ahead of me because I thought I knew his destination. I was wrong, so wrong. I was a fool. He switched and headed south at the last moment and I suddenly realized his game. I struggled to catch up. I willed my legs to move faster, but it was no use. I stretched out my shield and I just got it around him before he pushed it back with his gift and I was hit with his hatred. His hatred… It cut me deep, too deep. He hated me. It sent me off balance and I ended up tripping over a tree root, skidding through the forest. I managed to regain my bearings and follow him, but it was all too late.

By the time I got to the destination I was too late. There Jasper stood, his eyes still black, his hand wrapped tightly around Makka's neck. I stopped in the shadows. She looked so frightened and I knew there was nothing I could do. I was surprised he knew of Mackenzie and what we shared, but I was foolish to think otherwise. Jasper was not stupid. His eyes met mine and he didn't even hesitate. He ripped Makka's head off with one hand and lit it on fire with the other. I was a coward, I didn't even try to stop him. I let her die because I was afraid. His maniacal laugh hit me. The fire grew and he quickly dismembered Makka. It was too painful to watch, but I couldn't look away.

Even when he was done and Mackenzie was no longer alive, she was past help, she was dead. Jasper stared right into my eyes. I had imagined this reunion for a century, many different scenarios, but none of that mattered because as I looked into Jasper's savage eyes I was sure of two things. One, that moment we connected on my eighteenth birthday must have been imagined, and two, Jasper, the Jasper I knew was no longer in there, he was the Bringer of Darkness, no one else.

The Bringer of Darkness left and I just stood there. There was no reason for me to chase him, not anymore. I needed to stay away from him. I had been wise all these years, being in the dark was better. I could live in my little fairytale; that we were mates and that the moment that we met up we would be together. He was the reason I joined the Volturi. I wanted to be his equal. I wanted to show him that I could hold my own against him, but there was no point, not anymore. Jasper was dead and the thought crushed me. I had lost my mate, or potential mate, just like Edward… Edward. He needed me right now, I had to go to him. I looked in the direction the Bringer of Darkness had gone, but there was nothing there for me anymore, no pull, no nothing. I turned and headed back to Forks.