Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or its characters. But I claim the plot of this story.
Sorry this took so long. I was just so busy with some things.
BitterCinderella, bribumblebee, auroraboralis, deltagirl74, and Dori1587, thank you so much for your reviews.
Chapter five: Her safety, his protection
Jasper was glad that it wasn't raining as much as it did earlier, but was very upset when he noticed his three best horses gone and his carriage abandoned next to an old oak tree.
"How in the hell will I get to Tennessee without my dang horses?" he asked himself, scratching the top of his head while scowling at the abandoned carriage.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew James Hunter was responsible for this. Jasper guessed it was James' way of convincing him to consider their "deal".
He swore angrily under his breath as he retrieved his tattered brown suitcases, drenched waistcoat, and cap, and headed back to the boring old mansion.
The first thing he saw once he opened the door was the owner of the house. From the moment he met James Hunter, Jasper already disliked him; there was something about this Hunter fella that made Jasper just want to draw out his gun and shoot him. The bastard didn't offer him a meal or drink on his horrible arrival. All James did was address him as "Lord" and then began to discuss Jasper's glorious finances.
Jasper closed the door behind him a little harsh, and went on to greet the master of the mansion properly.
"Good evenin', Sir Hunter." he said as politely as he could through gritted teeth.
James grinned at the man and took a huge puff of his cigar.
"Have you thought about our little talk earlier, Lord Whitlock?"
Jasper's false smile bowed into a frown as his brows furrowed.
"Yes, I have, but there's goin' to be a problem..."
"Good. I'm glad that's all settled then." said James, cutting Jasper off, not caring about what ever he had to say. Business was business and he had no more room for any let downs. "You know which room you'll be sleeping in, do you?"
Jasper let out an exasperated sigh as he struggled with the two heavy suitcases in his arms. Instead of caring about Jasper's wealth, can't this bastard at least offer to relieve him from one heavy luggage?
As much as he wanted to say what's on his mind, Jasper couldn't afford any trouble. After all, despite the man's obnoxious manners, he was offering Jasper a room to rest.
"Yes, Miss Sally showed me to my room a bit earlier." he answered, wanting nothing more than to shove his heavy suitcases up James' arse.
James' beady dark eyes widened in amusement and barked out a sinister laugh.
"What?" Jasper growled.
"Miss Sally?" he laughed harder, his ghastly alabaster face flushing to a devil red color. "That little turd doesn't deserve to be addressed like that! The half-blooded Negro wench!"
"She's still a woman, Sir Hunter!" argued Jasper, very appalled at the lack of humanity in this repugnant man before him. "And she deserves to be treated with respect-"
"The only way she'll have some respect if she spreads those charcoal legs wide open..."
The two men stopped their bickering when a soft moan from up the stairs caught their attention.
Jasper's narrowed eyes caught a glimpse of white moving near the stair rails and also a bit of black, which kind of looked like hair.
"Who's there?" James snarled, slowly walking away from Jasper to the marble staircase. "Show yourself!"
Struggling with his suitcases, Jasper also followed suit. He glared at the back of James' sandy hair, tempting to pull out his gun and shoot his brains out.
"There's an intruder in my home." hissed James, taking a tentative step up the stairs.
"What should we do?" asked Jasper, not really caring if the bastard gets robbed. He deserved it anyways.
"We catch him and kill him." answered James, his beady eyes transfixed at the far end of the stairs.
"What if it's a poor kid just tryin' to find food for his family?" said Jasper, his forehead creasing with worry. There was no need to kill anyone.
"We catch him and kill him." repeated James and Jasper glared at him.
By time the men finished climbing the stairs, they found no one. Jasper sighed in relief but James, however, was the least bit satisfied.
He smirked evilly when he noticed one of the guest room's door half open.
"He's in there." said James, pointing at the guest room.
Jasper raised an eyebrow. "My room?"
"Apparently so." scoffed James as he kicked the door open, to intimidate the "criminal".
James's eyes landed on a nearby closet bureau and his smirk grew larger. He had the criminal right where he wanted him.
"You check over there and I over here..." he ordered, his eyes never leaving the bureau.
Jasper cursed silently to himself as he walked over to the other side of the room. He threw his belongings on top of the bed before getting on his knees to look under it. He found nothing.
He stood up and heard a couple of silent gasps coming from a wooden trunk just across from him. Wondering if the "criminal" was inside, Jasper made his way over to it.
He heard an intake of breath, meaning that whoever was inside this trunk, was terribly afraid of getting caught.
His big hands gripped the edges of the trunk's wooden lid and then lifted it. His jaw almost dropped to the floor when those familiar doe eyes stared right at him.
Alice couldn't breathe nor could she even blink. Those dazzling ocean crystals had her under some sort of trance.
His hand reached out to touch her and Alice shuddered when the tips of his calloused fingers grazed the fading bruises on her cheeks.
"Anything there?"
Jasper tore his gaze away from Alice and looked over his shoulder to find James slamming a hand against a wall.
He looked back at the young girl in trunk whose lovely brown eyes pleaded with him as her kissable rosebud lips quivered.
"Did you find anything?" pressed James, irritated by the lack of response.
Jasper saw a flicker of fear in her eyes at the sound of James' voice and he began to wonder if James was the one that gave her the bruises on her face.
"Nothin'." lied Jasper, controlling himself from ripping James apart. "Nothin' important."
Forgetting his anger, Jasper winked at Alice, who smiled thankfully at him. If there were words to describe what that tender little smile did to him, Jasper would instantly crash his lips to hers. Her smile was the prettiest smile he'd ever seen.
James growled in frustration and began to pace back and forth.
"Don't move." Jasper whispered to Alice, who nodded obediently.
He gave her a lopsided smile and snatched his two suitcases off the bed. He opened one of them and began to place several pairs of trousers inside the trunk.
Alice gave him a quizzical look and he whispered to her to play along with him.
"I guess who ever broke into your house got away." said Jasper, smirking as he tucked a couple of turn over shirts beside Alice's tiny feet. Her toes curled slightly when his hands caressed them.
"Perhaps not." hissed James, who stopped pacing when he spotted two pistol guns in one of Jasper's suitcases. "Do those come in handy?"
Jasper was too enthralled by the beauty still hiding in the trunk that he didn't quite pay attention to anything James was saying.
"What?" said Jasper, his eyes twinkling when Alice's little fingers barely curled around his wrist.
"Those pistols, are they any good?"
He huffed under his breath, tearing his eyes away from Alice's to look at the two small guns in his suitcase.
"They're unloaded." he responded and then drew his attention back to the beautiful young woman.
James stared blankly at the back of Jasper's head.
"I suppose I'll leave you to yourself while I search the rest of the rooms for that damn intruder." he growled, his beady eyes flashing dangerously.
Jasper didn't care and he continued admiring the hidden girl while James hurried out of the room, finally leaving Jasper alone with Alice.
Making sure James was truly out of the clearing, Jasper waited a few minutes. All the while he waited, he studied the small girl. As he did, the light pounds of his heart quickened at every little thing he found incredibly beautiful.
Her delicate heart shaped face was adorned with her dark short hair, enhancing her creamy white skin and her gorgeous pixie features; Her adorable nose was tinier than any nose he had ever seen. Small specs of gold shimmered in the depth of her large brown eyes, revealing her innocence. Those small yet enticing plump lips were the color of roses, matching the red patches on her bruised cheekbones.
"You're an exquisite little creature, aren't ya?" he asked her, his southern drawl causing her cheeks to flush and her lashes to flutter bashfully.
His eyes wandered down her thin petite body, and his own reacted in excitement when he made out the soft womanly curves beneath her long ivory gown.
Alice bit her lip nervously, and stared at her frail little fingers, which were toying with a loose thread in the front of her gown. She could feel his eyes roaming over her, and she had never been so embarrassed. The way he was staring at her kind of scared her, though he was not scary like James. Unlike the vile monster, Lord Whitlock had not defiled her...yet.
"You were hiding from him?" he asked her and Alice flinched as soon as his rough fingers grazed her cheek for the second time.
Alice lifted her gaze, and quickly averted her eyes when she saw something spark in his baby blues.
"Mhm..." she uttered, her lip quivering as images of James flickered through her head.
Jasper's heart throbbed painfully for her, feeling a wave of despair coming from her.
"Did he hurt ya, darlin'?"
He noticed Alice's legs lock tightly together as she curled herself into a small ball. A whimper escaped her quivering lips as her forehead rested on her knees.
"Where did he hurt ya?" he pressed, having an idea of what that James character had done to her but he chose to ignore it. He didn't know how he will take it once she finally tells him the truth.
"Is he gone?" she squeaked, her lovely doe eyes looking up at him. "I have to get back to Sally."
Jasper scowled, deeply upset that she ignored his question. He knew she was just scared. All he wanted to do was help her and make her feel better. But being the gentleman that he is, Jasper respected her wishes.
"He's gone." he told her, feeling slightly crestfallen. He didn't want her to go. He just wanted some more time to get to know this tiny creature.
Despite her slight trembles, Alice stood up. Jasper watched in amazement when her little hand grasped the bottom of her long gown and slowly began to lift it up. Jasper's eyes grew hot at the sight of her creamy white thighs, causing a slight stir in his trousers.
Alice lifted her tiny foot and stepped out of the trunk. Her cheeks burned, feeling his eyes on her.
"Do ya really have to go, darlin'?" he asked her, every fiber of his being yearning to touch and kiss her. "Ya could stay with me 'til sunrise..."
"No, no, it's fine." she squeaked, her entire face flushing furiously. "I promised Sally I'd return to her."
Jasper sighed sadly as he watched her adjust her gown in front of him, no longer allowing him the precious view of her porcelain thighs.
"It's quite dark out in those halls." he told her, hoping she would change her mind.
Alice shrugged, taking tentative steps around him for the door. She gasped when his large hands covered her dainty shoulders from behind.
"What are you doing?" she gasped, closing her eyes, fearing another repeat of earlier events.
"Ya need me to accompany ya?" Jasper asked her. He was so desperate to get closer to her. He needed her. He wanted her.
"I-I could manage, thank you." Alice stammered, her heart racing, feeling him stand so close to her that her back touched his taut abdomen. "I better go..."
"I don't want anything bad to happen to ya."
His nostrils flared when the sweet scent of her dark short hair intoxicated him and he couldn't help but bury his face in her raven locks. He felt her shoulders tense underneath the pads of his fingers.
"I have to go, Lord Whitlock..." Alice whispered, her doe eyes watering when she felt herself being pressed more but softly against his body. "I promised Sally..."
"Let me accompany ya, darlin'." he said, his fingers stroking the exposed skin of her dainty collar bones. "I just want to make sure you're safe."
Alice shivered at his touch and her eyes fluttered when she felt his lips dance along the gentle curve on the side of neck.
"I have to go..." she repeated, her mind shutting down while a sudden warmth erupted in the pit of her tummy.
Jasper sighed, his body reacting as he softly kissed her sensitive neck.
"Please don't go, darlin'." he begged, sliding his hands from her thin shoulders to her small waist. "I'll keep ya safe here 'til the sun rises."
She shook her head, bitting her lip as his mouth latched to the soft skin behind her ear. His hands rested on her clothed stomach and gently pushed her more to him.
Alice was so confused. After the incident with James, she just wanted to be out of harm's way. But in the strong arms of this handsome stranger, Alice felt so safe.
"I'll make sure nothing nothin' hurts ya, Miss Alice."
She wanted to believe him but she couldn't. She hardly knew him. The way they had met, in her opinion, was truly improper. She was in the bath, for goodness sakes! All she had on was a thin cloth. He admitted that he made a mistake, and as the gentleman he claimed to be, he should have left once he saw that she was indecent.
As she thought about their first encounter, Alice's healing cheeks blushed delicately, remembering the electrifying touch of his hands cradling her face as his head lowered to hers. He almost kissed her.
Her eyes fluttered open and she gently removed herself from his strong arms. She felt her heart break at the loss of his warmth and comfort.
"I must go, Lord Whitlock." she told him, her beautiful doe eyes gazing into his crystal blues, which were almost dark with lust and passion.
Jasper stayed completely calm, watching the magnificent creature before him blush madly as she took a couple steps back, away from him.
Her back finally collided with the hard wooden door and she turned around to open it.
"Will I see ya again, Miss Alice?"
Before Alice could leave, she locked eyes with his, and her heart throbbed painfully in her chest when she saw hurt and desperation in them.
She smiled meekly at him and answered. "Yes, Lord Whitlock-"
"Jasper." he corrected her, honestly getting sick of being addressed like he was some sort of a pompous rich man. "Please call me, Jasper, Miss Alice."
Alice giggled softly and Jasper smiled widely, loving the sweet sound of her quiet laughter.
"Goodnight, Jasper." she whispered, the bruises on her cheeks disappearing as they turned rosy.
"Goodnight, Miss Alice." he told her, his body aching for her warmth. "Dream of me and I will dream of ya."
Alice bit her bottom lip, her doe eyes trained on the kind man until the door completely shut him out of her vision.
By the time the door closed, Jasper sighed in frustration and sat down at the foot of the bed, his eyes never leaving the wooden door.
He could hear the lithe creaks caused by her tiny feet as she traveled down those deadly marble stairs. He knew he should have accompanied her, especially after he found her hiding from the despicable James Hunter. From the way she reacted when he touched her or mentioned the bastard's name, her lovely brown eyes would widen in fear while her body shivered.
"I should have gone with her." He said to himself, fearing that James could be lurking around the corner to cause more damage to his precious little Alice.
The poor girl was incredibly tiny and so fragile, that there was no way she could fight a man twice her size. Jasper exhaled sharply at the horrible image of Hunter touching his Alice in such a vile manner. He won't sleep without knowing Alice is safe.
Jasper swore as he got up from his bed and stormed out of his room. He couldn't see a thing; it was too dark. With careful steps, Jasper made his way down to the stairs. His heart stopped when he heard a creaking of a door, followed by soft whispers between two young women.
"Miss Alice, where have ya been? I've been waitin' for ya for a while. It's nearly past twelve, suga."
"I'm sorry, Sally." responded the melodic voice of his little angel. "I was caught up. I won't let it happen again."
"It's alright, suga. Come on, your bed is waitin' for ya."
He heard their whispers becoming distant as they furthered into their room, and Jasper was relieved that his little angel was safe and sound.
Jasper headed back to his room and began to prepare for bed. He was dead tired from all the travelling. He groaned in appreciation once his chiseled body rested on the neatly made bed. His eyes were starting to droop over and in a matter of seconds, his mind was clouded with images of his sweet doe-eyed angel.
Little did he know, that in the darkness of the dungeons, Alice was dreaming of him too.
So... what do you 5 think? The next chapter, both Alice and Jasper will have *more* time together.
In later chapters, I'll explain why James hates his half sister so much and also the "deal" he made with Jasper.
I had a little trouble giving this chapter a name. :/
Leave me some love, advice, or any criticisms, lol. Thank you!