Edward's POV

I held onto my victim tightly. My hand over their mouth to stop any screams from escaping. They struggled against me and I laughed. They weren't getting away from me. I opened up my mind and listened to their silent pleas. I watched as they thought of everyone in their life and how much they would miss them; family, friends, a boyfriend. Their life was literally in my hands and I felt so powerful. I had already drained six humans and the blood was slowly making its way around my system. It felt so good. It made me feel so strong. I could no longer remember why I had subjected myself to animal blood all these years. The taste, the benefits, the thrill of the kill, it was incomparable.

I bared my teeth and bent forward. I could smell my victims fear, it was so sweet. I could hear their heart beat faster and faster, pushing the blood around their system quicker and quicker. I sunk my teeth in and they struggled harder. I held their body tight against mine. Their thoughts were screaming at me, they were pleading with me, but I didn't care. This human meant nothing to me. The blood washed over my tongue and I was in heaven. It was warm and so smooth. It ran down my throat like velvet. I sucked harder and harder, trying to get all the blood out of my victim and into me.

I heard their thoughts before I saw them. Another vampire was coming in hard and fast. I pulled my head away from my victim, but kept a strong hold on them. I wasn't giving up my kill for nobody. Thankfully my victim had lost enough blood now that they were no longer struggling and their thoughts were no longer coherent. The unknown vampire came onto the scene and stopped fifteen yards in front of me. I let out a warning growl, but they didn't falter. They just stood there, their arms crossed over their chest. I could tell they were strong. I tried to get a clear read on their thoughts but it never came. It reminded me of Peter and Jasper. Their thoughts were there, but they were hard to grasp. Who was this mystery vampire and why didn't I feel threatened by them?

"My name is Garrett," he said, taking a step towards me.

I still wasn't certain that he was after my kill, so I let out another warning growl.

"Calm down, boy," Garrett said, "still approaching me. I don't want your sloppy seconds. I only want you."

"Why?" I asked, never letting go of my victim.

"I was headed through town but there was this feeling right in the middle of my chest. The mating pull no doubt. I thought I'd find myself a fun little thing, but then here you are. Not that I'm complaining, you're a lot younger than me, but that's a good thing. It means you haven't been tainted yet. I can teach you the ways of the world and you won't struggle, too much."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "I am not your mate."

"Now, now, boy, don't try and fight this. If I feel the pull then surely you can."

I took note of how I was feeling and I could admit that he was right. There was something there, but I was too heartbroken to take it on board. Peter had fucked me up good. He was so kind to me, he loved me so much, but it was just an act. He was lying to me, manipulating me. I wasn't ready to open up my heart again just yet.

"I can't believe that fucker was right," Garrett said to himself and I looked at him closely. "He said if I came he would give me my mate, I thought it was impossible, yet here you are. He must have known, but how?"

"Who are you talking about?" I asked.

"Peter," he answered and my heart broke all over again.

I dropped my victim and their head hit the ground with a sickening crunch, splitting open. They were now dead, but I didn't care. Peter sent Garrett? But why? What was he trying to achieve? Why was he playing with my heart again? Couldn't he just leave me alone?

"You know Peter?" Garrett asked me. I guess I wasn't too good at hiding my reaction. I nodded my head. "And who is he to you? Friend? Foe?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly and I hated that I couldn't seem to lie to… my mate. I hated to call him that, but that's what he was to me.

"Are you going to finish off your kill? You can if you want, I'll just stand here and wait. It's such a waste to not drain them dry."

I looked at my victim, but I no longer felt hungry. I shook my head no.

"Do you mind if I finish it then?" Garrett asked me and I wondered why he wanted to when just moments before he said he wouldn't.

I stepped aside and he closed the distance between us, grabbing the body and draining it dry. I watched him. He looked so strong and regal. His muscles rippled under his tight fitting shirt. His tight fitting jeans were filling out with the more blood that he took. I couldn't look away and he caught me and in that moment his thoughts slowed down enough for me to catch them. He wanted to take me against the wall and he wanted me now. I wanted him too, but the scars were still too fresh. I turned my head away from him.

"What's going on?" Garrett asked, grabbing my face and forcing me to look at him. "Who hurt you?"

I didn't get a chance to answer as we were soon joined by Bella and Peter.

"You stay the fuck away from me," I hissed at Peter, using Garrett as a shield to protect my heart from any further damage.

"Good, you're already here," Peter said to Garrett.

"Why are you with her?" Garrett asked. "I am not going back to Volterra. I will kill her if I have to."

"Relax, Garrett, she's temporarily on our side, just forget it for now."

"I'm going to kill you," I roared as I gained more courage and charged Peter. I hated that he was acting like nothing happened. I hated that he wasn't feeling as much pain as me.

"Tsk, tsk, boy," Garrett said, reaching out to stop me.

He wrapped his arms around me, his body becoming flush against mine. I could feel all of him. All. Of. Him. I continued to struggle when I noticed his dick was getting harder.

Peter laughed at me and I roared out in pain.

"Calm down," Garrett told me. "Peter is a fucker and we've all wanted to kill him at one point or another but we can't."

"Why?" I asked and it sounded so pained.

"Because Jasper would kill us."

"Jasper?" I asked. "What the fuck does he have to do with this?"

"Oh," Garrett said, "so nobody told my boy that Jasper is the Bringer of Darkness?"

The Bringer of Darkness? Jasper? That can't be right. Jasper was not malicious and cold-hearted enough to be that monster. There must be some kind of mistake. I looked up at Bella and she nodded her head. It was true. It was all true. My brother was the most feared vampire around and I had no idea. I was a mind reader and I still had no fucking idea. I stopped struggling, there was no longer a point. I expected Garrett to let go of me, but he never did. Jasper was the Bringer of Darkness and Jasper mated with Bella…

"Fuck."

"He knows, always has," Peter said and Bella looked up at him.

"Knows what?" she asked.

"The day of your eighteenth birthday when you mated with Jasper," Peter said, "Edward heard his thoughts. It was a single thought, clear as day; Jasper acknowledges that you're his mate. We may just be able to pull this off yet."

"Wait, hold up," Garrett said, "this fucking vixen is Jasper's mate and that fucker's known for a long while? Fuck is right, my mate," he said, holding me to him tighter.

I was no longer complaining, I liked being in his arms.

"So what's the plan?" Garrett asked.

"We track down Jasper and we force him to admit his feelings and we don't take no for an answer," Peter said and Garrett laughed.

"It is not going to be that fucking easy," Garrett said.

"Oh, I know," Peter agreed.