A/N: We're almost at the end! Only four more chapters after this one. I'll be sad to see it end, but I'm ready to move on to something new. :)

Thank you for all your reviews, favs, and alerts. It means so much to me! Big hugs to all!

Let's get these crazy kids back together! Enjoy xoxo

– Peter's POV –

When I returned to the training field Char jumped into my arms, kissing me passionately. Fuck, I can't wait to leave this place and go home with my lovely mate!

"I'd love to see the elephants with you, Buns." She purred.

"How did—"

"Ali," she smiled. "I think it's a great idea. We haven't spent a lot of time outside America. Garrett's been telling me all about the places he and Kate have visited. He wasn't sure about leaving the US at first. You know Garrett," she rolled her eyes, "but Kate convinced him and he says he has no regrets!"

Well, that was that sorted. As soon as this shitstorm has been dealt with and Maria is ash, the missus and I are off to Africa!

Half an hour after my return, Charlie wondered back. "Has there been any sign of Bells?"

Ali darted to his side. "She hasn't been back since she left. You couldn't find her?"

Charlie shook his head.

"A shield as powerful as Bella won't be found unless she wants to be," Eleazar stated.

Charlie snarled. "Nobody asked for your input, Eleazar! None of this would be happening if you hadn't betrayed my daughter!"

"I hardly think you can blame Eleazar for Jasper's brutish behavior towards his mate!" Carmen pipped up, defending Eleazar. Again.

"Why do you keep doing that?" I asked.

Carmen stiffened. "Doing what?"

"Defendin' Eleazar. You can see how wrong he was, right? Tradin' away one life for another, selling Bella into slavery, to save the man who put her life at risk in the first place."

"He was doing no such thing," Carmen admonished. "He was saving his mate."

"And what about Jasper's mate?" Ali asked, shaking her head. "What about the young girl you called your friend, Carmen?"

"You don't know, do you?" Kate asked, looking between all of us.

"Know what?" Charlie asked, dubiously.

"Carmen and Eleazar are cousins."

With a loud snarl, Carmen spun on her heels and ran away.

"Carmen!" Eleazar called, following her into the forest.

According to Kate, when Carmen was born, her father arranged for her to be married to cousin Eleazar—who was a twenty-year-old man at the time of her birth—when she came of age! Eleazar had never shown any interest in females and his family wanted to keep their wealth within the family. So, on her sixteenth birthday, Carmen married thirty-six-year-old Eleazar. They went on to have four children together, two boys and two girls.

But nine years later, while away on business, Eleazar was turned into a vampire and believed to have died. Three years after his 'death' Eleazar returned to his wife and turned her with the hope that they'd be together forever.

Life was fairly good for the couple until Eleazar met Carlisle and their mating bond manifested.

"They're both fiercely loyal to one another. Even after Eleazar mated with Carlisle, they've remained together," Kate finished.

"Until Katie told me the story, I thought Eleazar and Carmen were mated!" Garrett added.

"We all did!" Ali nodded in agreement.

"And that's why Carmen went along with his plan to trade Bella for Carlisle if it ever came out that Carlisle broke the law," Char hissed, "she's his wife!"

"This isn't helping us find my daughter," Charlie sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I don't think we'll find her, Charlie," Kate said. "Eleazar was right; a shield as powerful as Bella will only be found when she's good and ready."

"Don't worry," I smiled, slappin' him on the back, "The Major will find her. She might be able to hide from us and the rest of the world, but she'll never be able to hide from her mate."

– Isa's POV –

It was nightfall by the time my mate found me. Well, he didn't so much find me as I hadn't gone anywhere. I knew leaving town or the state would only make things worse. And as much as I wanted to be stubborn and angry, I couldn't do that to him. Or myself. Instead, I went back to my little cottage.

I spent the afternoon cleaning up the mess caused by Edward's attack last week—damn, has it only been a week! it feels like a lifetime has passed—and fixed the broken door. The Cullens hadn't bothered when they came to collect Edward's parts. But that was fine, I needed something to do to keep my mind occupied. For a little while, it was nice to think about something mundane.

One of the drawbacks of vampirism; I can think about the mundane stuff and all the other shit, and about fifty more things all at the same time! Sometimes, it can be exhausting.

The shame and guilt pouring off my mate when I opened the front door were staggering. I've never felt emotions like that coming from him. And I didn't like it.

He was covered in mud and dirt. His lovely golden blonde hair was almost black and matted with blood and fur. There was blood smeared on his face. His clothes were shredded. When his black eyes met mine he looked utterly broken.

Oh! Look at that face! Quick, kiss him and make it better!

No can do, Sunshine. We need to fix this mess, not just sweep it under the rug, have sex, and forget about it. That'll only make things worse. We're mated; we need to start acting like it and that means our relationship needs to be more than physical.

So, no sex?

No sex. Mating is about more than just a physical relationship. The physical stuff is great, we know we all enjoy that part. Now it's time to dig deeper.

Fine. I guess you're right. I'd rather not go through something like this again!

Offering my hand to Jasper, I invited him inside. There was no hesitation as he placed his hand in mine. Closing the door behind him, I locked it and then turned to face my disheveled mate.

Slowly, I removed what was left of his shirt, tossing it into the kitchen to be thrown away later. There were angry marks down his chest. They wouldn't scar, but his skin had been irritated by the claws of whatever animal he'd been fighting.

He's been hunting animals again.

"Bella spent her first year as a vampire living in the forest," I told him, picking leaves and twigs from his hair, "and hunting animals."

His eyes widened in surprise.

"I wouldn't condemn a diet Bella hadn't first tried herself," I smiled. "For months after our transition, Bella's life as a human was blank. But there was this voice in her head telling her, 'All human life is precious. We drink the blood of animals so we don't have to kill and be monsters.' So, that's what she did."

"She was about," I took a deep breath, "four months into this life when she came across a hiker with a twisted ankle. He was bleeding and—" I shook my head, "well, I think you can imagine what became of him."

He nodded.

"But he wasn't her last slip," I went on. "That voice in her head insisted she only needed animal blood. When she slipped, the voice became angry with her. Berating her. Telling her how disappointed it was. I figured, most of it was leftover effects of Edward's glamour and her mind playing tricks on her."

Jasper nodded in agreement.

"She slipped two more times after the hiker. And then, she began ravenously hunting animals. She couldn't handle the constant hunger, so she thought if she continued to hunt, eventually she'd get full. But animal blood wasn't what her body was craving. About four months after her first slip, when she was starving and barely sane, she came across a family who was camping."

"Afterwards," I shook my head, "she was distraught. Broken. But the voice in her head was gone and I was finally able to come forth enough for her to hear me. It took me months to get through to her, to just calm her down and make her see that animal blood was not going to satisfy her. She was a newborn and she needed human blood."

"About, six months later, we met Garrett," I smiled. "He taught her how to hunt and live this life to the fullest. He taught her that humans are precious, and they do deserve to be protected, but we are vampires and they are our prey. A lion deserves to be protected as much as a zebra, but the zebra is still the lion's prey. It's nature," I shrugged. "That's the way the world works, babe. We're just a much darker part of the world that chooses to remain in the shadows and keep the humans safe."

"I . . ." he sighed, "I don't understand what yer tellin' me, Isa."

I smiled. "You're making life too hard. Stop putting all these restrictions on yourself! If you want to hunt animals, hunt them! If you want human blood, then take it! If you want to do the world a service by hunting criminals, we will hunt those bastards down like it's an Olympic sport! If you don't want to choose one way or another, then have it all! who says you have to choose one way or another?"

He blew out a breath. "You want the list?"

"I want you to make the choice!" I told him. "Be your own man, Jasper. Take life by the balls and make it your bitch! You are a grown man. Stop listening to everyone else, they don't matter, listen to what you want!"

While he was contemplating what I'd told him, I unbuckled his belt and then dropped to my knees to remove his boots, they seemed to be the only thing not torn to shreds! Once his feet were bare, I unzipped his jeans and pulled them off, tossing them into the kitchen with his shirt.

Removing his boxers, my eyes met his. A low purr rumbled through his chest as his cock sprang free.

"Well, it seems my mate enjoys hunting, no matter the entrée."

He shook his head. "No, Isa. This is all for you, my mate."

Pressing soft kisses across his shaft, his abdomen, and up his chest, I got to my feet and wrapped my hand around his dick. "C'mon then," I smiled, pulling him along with me.

He groaned. "Where are we goin'?"

I led him into the bathroom and started the shower.

"Will you join me?" He asked, wrapping his arms around me.

I shook my head. "If I join you, we won't be able to resist and we'll spend the whole night having sex."

He smirked. "I'm okay with that."

I smiled. "But we need more than sex," I said seriously, reaching up to kiss him. "Now, be a good boy and go shower. Then join me in the bedroom when you're done. And take your time. We have all night."

I went to leave but he pulled me back into him, kissing me passionately. My body molded to his, loving the way he could ignite every molecule within me!

"I'm so sorry, Darlin'," He whispered, pressing his forehead against mine.

"I am, too." I leaned forward and kissed him again. "Shower. Then we'll talk."

While Jasper showered, I locked up the house and secured Edward's head in my wall safe behind the rows of clothes in my closet. I considered putting on pajamas but decided against it. Instead, I undressed and slipped into bed naked.

Tonight wasn't about sex. It needed to be more than that. We need more than just a physical relationship if our bond is going to last an eternity.

I wasn't waiting long before Jasper stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. I patted the space beside me and lifted the covers, inviting him to join me. His towel fell to the floor, pooling at his feet, as a handsome smile lit his face.

"What's your favourite color?" I asked, curling into his side.

"Dark red," he answered, wrapping his arm around me. "Like a burgundy or a dark garnet. You?"

"I gravitate more towards darker colors than pastels but my favourite color is Greece."

He frowned. "Greece?"

I smiled. "Greece is one of the most colorful places I've ever been. The blues of the ocean. The white stone buildings. The rooftops. The golden sandy beaches. The gorgeous flowers. The colors there are warm and vibrant and they make you feel alive!"

He smiled and took my hand in his. "If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" He asked me.

I smiled. "Italy," I told him. "I've always wanted to go but because of Eleazar's stories and the threat of the Volturi, I stayed away. Now, if that isn't the case, I'd love to go there."

"I've always wanted to be a nomad and travel the world, like Kate and Garrett," he told me. "There's so much to explore and see. I've been on this planet two hundred and forty-five years and I've never once stepped outside America."

I lifted my head from his chest and looked down at him. "Never?"

He shook his head. "Carlisle and Edward always insisted it was too dangerous for me to fly. Trapped in a small space with so many humans, they thought I'd lose control."

Bastards.

"If they went on vacations or traveled, I was left behind. At the time," he sighed, "that suited me fine. I'd usually go visit Pete and Char or just be alone for however long they were gone. It was like a vacation for me, too." he laughed.

So, it never occurred to anyone to take a private jet? Not just for Jasper's control but everyone's? Or, here's a thought, buy a jet! I'm surprised they don't have a private plane!

We spent the rest of the night talking about our favourite things and all our hopes and dreams for the future. We'd talked before, but this was different, somehow.

When we were quiet, we were content to lay in each other's arms, our nude bodies intertwined. It wasn't sexual. It was intimacy on a whole other level. We kissed and touched, but it never went further. I spent hours kissing every inch of him, and even longer kissing his scars. By the time I was done, there wasn't a single part of him that didn't smell like me.

My scenting and claiming of him seemed to calm him. We'd physically mated and claimed one another, we'd had sex, we'd fucked but this was . . . deeper. It was intense and almost mystical. Magical. Spiritual. We connected in a way I never knew was possible.

When we weren't kissing or touching, we were talking. About everything. Jasper told me things about his past that he'd left out the first time we did this. I shared things about my past, too. Including going into more detail about my first year when Edward's glamour was still affecting my mind and the mistakes I'd made along the way.

We talked about what we wanted from life, and what we didn't. About the Cullens. About Jasper's human life. How he'd been used and manipulated just as much as I have if not more!

By the time the sun was beginning to rise, our bond had changed and evolved. Deep in my heart, I knew this was something we'd do as often as we needed. It was as essential as touching and making love to one another.

"I've never felt anythin' like that," Jasper said softly as I rubbed my head against the scar around his heart. "It was . . . like our souls joined."

"Mm." I agreed.

He was quiet for a moment, as I placed soft kisses around the edge of his scar. The one around his heart was deep, and the most vicious. It was also the one that spurred my need for revenge. His Sire had removed his heart. She'd caused him unimaginable pain. I wanted her to feel the same. No! I needed her to feel the same!

"Maria isn't a fighter," he told me suddenly, his whole body going tense beneath mine. "She doesn't see why she needs to fight when she's got an army to do it for her."

"That's not to say she can't fight. She can. She knows the basics. She can defend herself if she's forced to. But she hasn't been part of a battle since her Coven and mate were killed in the early 1800s. After that, she met her sisters, Lucy and Nettie. They had a small Coven and tried to take out the man who'd killed their mates and covens. Until she found me, she failed, numerous times."

"When I awoke, everything changed for her. I was the one who killed Benito, the man who killed Maria's mate and started the southern wars. But that was just the beginning for Maria. She had a taste for it by then and with me at her side, she knew she'd never lose again."

"Before we even consider goin' to the south," his arms tightened around me, "I want you to train with me. Let me teach you everythin' I know, not only about fightin' and battle but about Maria."

I nodded. "Okay. I want to train my shield, too. I'm not sure what it's capable of yet. But I think it's time we find out. Especially with Victoria coming." I shifted against him, hooking my leg over his. "Is this what you want?"

He sighed. "No," he told me honestly. "And it's not because I don't think you could kick her ass and win, I do. I believe in ya, Darlin'. I just . . . I'm scared I'm gonna lose ya and I can't lose ya now I've found ya . . ."

"Then teach me," I said, running my hand through his hair, "make me as strong as you. Give our enemies reason to fear me as much as they fear you. Not because The God of War is my mate. But because I am as strong and as powerful as he is!"

"Outside the bedroom, we need to be equal," I told him. "One cannot be above the other. Otherwise, as two stubborn, powerful alphas we're going to be at each other's throats constantly and that's no way to live."

I placed my hand above his heart. "Let me be your partner, Jasper. Accept me as your mate, your equal. Not a submissive. Not an omega. Not below you or above you. But stood beside you. That's all I've ever wanted."

With nothing more to say on the matter, I left him with his thoughts. To be honest, I felt too old for this shit. I want a quiet, simple life. Not to be playing a constant game of tug of war with my mate, trying to gain the upper hand. All I wanted was to be on equal footing with him, and I didn't think that was too much to ask.

Now, in the bedroom, that's an entirely different matter.

Kissing his cheek, I slid out of bed, ready to start my day and get to the training field.

I wasn't expecting Jasper to join me in the shower, but I should've known better. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me back into him as his lips descended upon my throat.

After everything we'd shared last night, I knew exactly what he needed. I needed it, too! Something was changing within us. I felt completely in sync with my mate.

Turning around in his arms, my back hit the tile wall as our lips met. Nothing else mattered as he lifted me into his arms and slowly entered me.

– XOXO –

"You were right," Jasper said, coming up behind me as I slipped my feet into a pair of black boots.

Today I wore a pair of dark wash jeans, a black long sleeve Henley and a cozy, chunky knit grey cardigan. I tried out a few different hair colors—pink, green, blue, and purple—before settling on my natural mahogany. It suits me best and I know Jasper didn't like the blonde.

To be honest, I can't see my form manipulation gift being very useful in the future. Unless I'm going to become an international spy, and I can't see that happening anytime soon. I enjoy being a hybrid but I'm not the type of girl who's going to walk around with rainbow hair. Physically I may look eighteen, but, between you and me, I feel more like I'm a hundred and three!

It's the cold weather. It has this effect on us. We'll perk right back up when all this is over and we can leave Forks for good! I'm thinking we need to go somewhere hot and tropical. Stat.

I turned to face my mate. "Words every woman likes to hear," I smiled.

He chuckled. "I shouldn't have acted the way I did on the training field yesterday. I'm so sorry, Darlin'. Yer my mate, not some omega submissive fer me to order around. I never should've treated ya that way and I'm so sorry for what I said . . ."

"I accept your apology," I smiled. "And I apologize, too. We should've talked about what happened like rational adults and not made a spectacle of ourselves in front of everyone. And I'm sorry I called you a jackass . . . but you were acting like one . . ."

He smiled. "Yes, I was." His arms wrapped around me and he pulled me into him. "You are my equal, Darlin'," he told me. "I may not have acted like it yesterday, but I've never considered you less than me. Those terms and games need to be kept between the two of us, in the bedroom . . ."

"Where they're much more fun," I grinned, agreeing with him.

He laughed happily, seeming freer than he has since we mated.

Last night changed everything for Jasper, for me, for us, and for our bond. We're more in sync now, connected, and stronger. For the first time, I felt equal to him, not less than him or better than him. I could stand beside him, strong and proud. And I knew, from now on, that's where my place would be, at my mate's side.

– XOXO –

"Okay, Darlin', yer objective is to protect Pete," Jasper instructed. "I want ya to shield him from Kate, who'll use her gift to zap him."

I nodded.

Sounded easy enough.

Pete was across the other side of the training field. Kate stood next to him, ready to zap. I threw up my shield and wrapped it around Peter. With a cocky smirk, Kate placed her hand on Peter's arm and zapped.

Nothing happened.

"Kate, are ya doin' it?" Jasper asked.

"Yes." She nodded. "Hold on, let me try full power." She looked up at Peter. "This'll hurt." She warned him.

"Do yer worst, little lady." He grinned, not looking at all worried.

Still nothing.

"Okay," Jasper smiled, "you can protect one person. Let's see how far you can stretch yer shield."

I threw out my shield as far as I could push it and Kate went around, trying to zap everyone on the baseball field. There were ten on the field. The only ones missing were Carlisle, Eleazar, Carmen, and Irina. Everyone on the field was shielded and didn't feel Kate's zap.

Protecting and expanding my shield wasn't an issue. But could I use it in battle, that was the question? To answer it, Jasper set up a mock battle. Jasper, Peter, Garrett, Char, and Kate against the rest of us. I was to protect my team members and ensure they survived. To win, we had to make it past Jasper's team.

Honestly, not to toot my own horn, but it was ridiculously easy. As soon as my shield was up and everyone on my team was safe, it was just a matter of walking across the field. Jasper's team couldn't touch us. And, when Kate tried to use her gift, it seemed to be deflected back at her, as she went flying across the field.

After that, Jasper began throwing things at me—rocks, branches, boulders— and making me dodge or deflect them.

There was one thing I wanted to try, but I only wanted Jasper there with me when I did. He seemed to automatically know, even without me saying the words aloud. At the end of the evening, he dismissed everyone, praised them for a good day's work, and asked if I'd join him on a hunt.

"All right, Darlin', what do you want to try?" He asked when we were miles outside of Forks, deep in the Olympic National Forest.

I wasn't sure it would work, but Bella and I had considered trying it. Turning to face one of the trees, I wrapped my shield around one of the limbs and slowly pulled my shield in tighter until the branch exploded into a million teeny tiny splinters. Not crushed, exactly. The branch hadn't been turned to dust as I'd been expecting. It was . . . more explosive than crushing.

Still, if we can blow up vampires, that's pretty damn cool!

Although, dangerous. We'd have to make sure every tiny piece was burnt or our enemy could regenerate. Though, I'm still not sure how that works. If all their parts have been burnt to a crisp, except let's say a toe, can a vampire regrow its whole body just from that one toe?

According to what Edward told me when I was human, yes. But who knows if that information is right!

"Maybe there's a way for you to keep the explosion contained," Jasper suggested, wrapping his arm around my waist as he kissed my temple.

How he knew what Bella and I were talking about, I have no idea! But it's kinda cool how connected to one another we are now!

"Can we practice some more?" I asked. "I want to try keeping my shield wrapped around the explosion, so all the pieces remain in a bubble . . ."

"Tomorrow, Darlin'." He said, turning me so that I was in his arms. "You need to rest and hunt. Yer eyes are black after all the energy you've exerted today."

He was right, I was hungry.

And tired. I could use a nap!

"So, what'll it be tonight, Major?" I asked. "Animal blood or human?"

"Human," he answered, his chest rumbling with excitement. "I like yer suggestion of not choosin' one or the other, but embracin' both! Tonight, I want human blood."

I smiled. "Then let's go find us something tasty."

A/N: Okay, so here's my question, if one of the twilight vampires is torn to pieces and burnt, but one part is left, like a toe, can that vampire regenerate from just a toe?

That seems odd to me, but if I remember correctly, something like that was implied either in the book or movie. Anyone know?