Ch 13
I was obviously not looking forward to submitting to being Edward's mate because my mind was elsewhere. It was this distraction that allowed me to hear the hurried movement outside. My head turned away from Edward's lips.
"What's that?" I asked.
Edward grunted and lunged at me. Suddenly I was on my back and his lips were pressed against mine. The shock was momentary and that moment caused a whole world of trouble, because as I was laying there still as a corpse the door banged open to reveal a feral looking Jasper.
His black eyes took in the scene before him and he fell into a crouch while snarling and letting venom stream from his mouth. Just behind him were Peter and Char who looked worried and intensely sad. My heart wanted to explode in joy at seeing them, but also tightened in a vice at the pain I felt coming from Jasper. It was suffocating. I felt it in every cell of my being.
Edward lifted me up and placed me behind him not even noticing the incredulous look on my face. I was a newborn vampire for fuck's sake, stronger and faster then any of them. I tried to step around him but his arm tried to hold me back.
"Love, stay where you are. He's dangerous and I couldn't stand for MY mate to get hurt."
That must have been the really wrong thing to say because Jasper roared like a lion showing all of his teeth. Something must have gone wrong in my life because I found that incredibly hot.
"Get away from her you swine." The voice didn't sound like Jasper's. It was cold and heavy drowning me in its weight. I had to try and diffuse this situation or someone would be leaving in a cinder box.
"Jasper look at me please." His eyes seemed to have trouble focusing until they landed squarely on mine. The fire in them cooled to a warm glow that touched me from across the room. "Edward won't hurt me but I need you to calm down so we can talk ok? Please."
Peter and Char were flanking him and watched in amazement as he slowly came back to himself. His muscles coiled and rolled from the effort of restraining his inner beast. Watching it made me proud, and more then a little aroused. Wonder if Dr. Phil treats vampires. Finally he took a deep calming breath and spoke in his normal voice.
"I can talk now, but it would make the situation much easier if HE didn't touch you. That's the one thing I ask." His eyes were still holding mine and through his anger I could still feel the plea in his words. Edward tried to argue but I put my hand up to ask him to agree. He childishly sat in a chair with a humph. Rose and Emmett had joined us and invited everyone to sit down. Rose sat on one side of me, with Char on the other. Emmett stood like a giant gargoyle next to us not looking at all happy with the situation.
No one moved to speak and I doubted anyone would be able to do it civily so I started. "What are you guys doing here?"
Char patted my hand. "Well sug we were respecting your privacy and trying to give you time to come to grips with everything even though it damn near killed us. Rose would text us just to let us know that you were ok. But earlier she called and said that you had been awfully sad and that Eddie had just showed up. Sug it would've taken something a helluva lot stronger then me and Peter to keep Jasper from coming to ya."
It felt so good to have them here, to hear their ever present southern accent and feel the natural warmth that Char gave me. The only problem was that what she said confirmed my theory that these boys were just having a pissing contest over me.
"I have been sad and very confused. The only thing that made any sense was that it was just all a competition for you two." I pointed to Edward and Jasper. "Edward you completely disregarded me asking for time.
And Jasper you only showed up because you heard Edward was making a move. You've always waited for him to make a move."
My eyes stung from the venom pooling in them but they would never fall. Vampires don't get the release of crying or sleep. Hell I'd settle for a joint right about now.
Jasper leaned forward in his chair and caught my teary gaze."Darling you have to understand I beg you. I do not trust Edward or his emotions and that is why I came tear assing up here. You wanted time and as much as I felt like my insides were getting gnawed at by sewer rats being away from you, that's what you needed. But hearing that this slimy fuck was here brought out my protective instincts. I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt."
Edward scoffed. "You don't trust me? I'm not the monster here. That would be you Whitlock."
He was being judgemental and offensive. I wanted to even the playing ground so I turned to him. "Is it true that you went through a rebellious phase and used to hunt criminals same as Peter and Char?"
He looked at me shocked and almost disgusted, at being compared to the Whitlocks or to just being questioned I wasn't sure.
"Love, I did that for a few short years and I was able to read the thoughts of those I killed. I thought that I was dealing out justice, making amends to God for what I was, but in the end I couldn't stomach the depravity."
He punctuated his last words by looking at my vampire parents who honestly looked a little bored at his words. Peter made a jacking off gesture and I couldn't help but giggle. Edward looked put out, Jasper smiled.
The way he looked when he smiled reminded me of something from my human life that I couldn't quite grasp. It was like lowering myself into a warm bath, being enveloped in the wet heat and feeling goosebumps break out over my skin. It was comforting and exhilerating all at the same time. It was then that I knew I had never had a choice. The golden warrior in front of me was the other half of my soul. My body bloomed with the knowledge that this man was mine, just as I was his.
He must have felt my realisation because he sat back in his seat, arms laying on the arm rests. He was open to me, welcoming me home. I didn't even feel my body rise but I was moving towards him when Edward stood between us.
"Don't do this Bella. You told me that you felt the pain, that you had been miserable without your mate. Without me."
Jasper looked at me confused before I turned back to the bronze haired boy. Yes for all of his perfection he is just that, a boy. He has never opened himself up to anything in this world having only experienced things through the minds of others. In my heart I felt a burst of sympathy for him.
"Yes I did because I was miserable and because I did feel the pain of being away from my mate, but Edward that didn't go away when you got here. Not even when you kissed me." Jasper snarled again but Edward looked strangely pleased.
"You kissed me Bella, you submitted to it, you are MY mate and I refuse to relinquish that." He looked at Jasper with a challenge in his eyes.
Rose gasped and I looked at her for clarification. No one ever told me what happens in this situation or that this was even a possibility. Was I eternally bound to Edward now? Everyone started standing up and I was still entirely confused.
"What's everybody doing? What's going on?"
"None of this would have ever happened if you two panty wastes had done what I said and left her alone to get her bearings." Peter was not happy but wasn't really shining any light on the subject.
"Would someone please explain to me what the fuck is going on?" Maybe it was that I was being ignored or maybe it was that I was still a crazy newborn. Either way I was getting pissed.
"Sug when there is a dispute about mates there are really only two options. One, the parties in question go to Italy so Marcus of the Volturi can guage their relationships and tell everyone who's who."
I didn't like the sound of that. The Volturi didn't seem like people I wanted to get involved with but Edward was nodding his head like this was his choice alone. Wrong Eddie boy.
"What's the second option?"
"Remember sug we are more like animals in some ways then humans. That means the other option is a fight to the death over rights to the mate." I gasped in shock. Jasper couldn't be hurt, I wouldn't let him. I'd fight Edward myself before I stood by and let that happen, which was what I was about to say before I was interrupted.
Edward started up, "Obviously the more civilized option is to go to Italy. You will love it Bella and I can show you my family's estate in Tuscany. Our family's." I'm not sure but I think I was looking at him like an alien had just popped out of his forehead and started singing Teddy Bear's Picnic.
Jasper spoke up. "No can do, Bella is too young to be that close to so many humans. Too much temptation. She needs to build up her control better before she makes up her mind about diet."
"Of course she will be an animal drinker. All CULLENS are animal drinkers." Edward sneered.
And that's where my newborn control flew right out the window. "You listen here Edward fucking Cullen. If I accidentally kill a human I will never forgive you and the fact that you are willing to put that risk out there so you can be civilized tells me plenty. You are more concerned with your claim to me then with my emotional wellbeing. I am not a Cullen, I'm not a Whitlock. I am Bella Goddamn Swan and if I go all the way to Italy to find out that an inconsiderate know it all spoiled bitch of a little boy is my mate I will spend however long it takes to find a way to kill myself."
Edward's eyes were wide and looking at Emmett for backup. He couldn't help anyone right now because he was doubled over laughing along with everyone else. "Bella.."
"Don't Edward. I am not going to Italy and I am not your mate. If you still want to put up a fight over it, I guess it really will be a fight and I'll be more then happy to be the one who knocks your hard head off your shoulders."
Jasper stood up and crossed his arms, waiting for Edward's answer but he was looking at me still.
"Bella you are only a week old. You have a venom bond with the Whitlocks and that is confusing you love. I cannot in good conciousness allow you to make this mistake. You and I are meant to be, you are the first woman who has ever captured my heart or that I would give my body to. Your dear Jasper there cannot say the same."
Thinking of Jasper with other women turned on the waves of sickness in my stomach but that wasn't the only issue. Every fucking time I get some clarity something new pops up. Venom bond? That's a new one and I had no idea what it meant. "Char?"
"A venom bond is what you feel with your maker and sometimes with others that share the same venom. Jasper made both of us and I made you so there is that. But I can tell you honestly sug, as bonded as I feel to Jasper I never wanted to have hot monkey sex with him." She smiled at me kindly.
"Jasper? What do you have to say in all of this?" I needed him to speak up, to make a move of his own. To answer my question not just Edward's provocation.
"He's right Bella, I have been with other women in my past and I have been a true vampire of nightmares. But I never knew darling. If I had known that you would come into my life, if I thought for one second someone as beautiful and perfect could be my mate, I would change it all. In a heartbeat if I had one." He finished with a wink.
Jasper regretted his past, he was admitting his imperfections. Edward was unaware that he posessed any and that was his biggest flaw of all. I turned to him.
"Edward I will not submit to being your mate and I cannot go to Italy any time in the near future. You have to let me go."
He shook his head side to side. "Bella I can't. I love you. I would rather die then face an eternity knowing you are with another, especially one as undeserving as him."
Emmett rubbed his hands together. "Alright boys looks like we have a fight to arrange. Both of you fuck off for now, Bella stays here on neutral ground while you two prepare. Char and Peter you're welcome to stay of course."
So this was it. There was going to be a battle between these two men over my heart. In the end the choice was not up to me. I was in the world of magic and the rules here were not of my making.
Jasper and Edward both made the effort to come towards me but were blocked by Emmett. "No one's touching my little sis but the four of us who aren't having a pissing match over her."
Edward looked to me, begging with his eyes and I looked to the floor in sadness. If he truly believed everything he had said he had my heartfelt sympathy, but I honestly don't know if he did believe it. Jasper smiled at me and sent me a wave of reassurance, and then they were gone.
Peter broke the silent tension in the air. "I wonder if Eddie's hair will burn funny colours?"