Chapter nineteen
I clambered out of bed in the most elegant fashion i could muster, which honestly was only just enough to stop me falling flat on my face. I ran a hand through my knotted hair just managing to remain upright and stumbled into my bath room flicking the shower on and waiting for it to warm up. I rubbed my eyes slightly and went to remove my night gown.
"You know i don't know how he does it," I heard someone say. I almost tripped over the edge of the bath as i whipped around and saw Peter standing in the door way with a small curious frown.
"Peter...you almost gave me a heart attack!" I said accusingly waving a finger at him. He chuckled.
"I heard," He said stepping forward.
"Peter...the shower is on...i intend to get in it so you need to leave," I said dryly.
"Jasper told me to watch you whilst he has a...discussion...with a friend of his," He said with a sigh. I started to worry then.
"I am sure he didn't mean watch me in the shower! Where is Charlotte?" I said with a frown, crossing my arms across my chest and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Stopping Jasper destroying everything in his path," He said and pointed out into my bedroom, "I'll be out there...go ahead and shower,"
"Much obliged," I said shutting the door on him and proceeded to have the quickest shower i had ever had, all the time thinking what on earth could have gotten Jasper so angry. Maybe Margret had turned up again or some other local?
I had luckily brought my clean clothes into the bathroom with me so i dressed; blow dried my hair and then stepped into my room to find Peter looking out the open window.
"So what happened?" I said slipping on some shoes, hopping unstably as i did so.
"Maria turned up..." He muttered pointing out the window. I peered out to see Jasper talking with a small Hispanic woman who i assumed to be Maria. This was not good.
"What does she want?"
"She wants him to join up with her again. Seems to think her lands not big enough now and he is the only one who can help her. Damn witch was trying to seduce him. Like he's easy to seduce, i mean this is Jasper," I chocked back laughter, if only he knew how easy Jasper actually was to seduce, well for me anyway.
"Yeah...she's obviously going to fail miserably," I replied watching the scene below. They were talking and by the way Jasper was standing he was ready to attack her, if he did, she was a goner. And good riddance to her.
Behind Maria was a girl who was looking straight up at the window, straight as me. She had shoulder length blond hair, snow white skin and blood red eyes. She was almost something from a horror movie and i didn't do well with horror movies. Charlotte followed her line of sight and then back at the girl, she was eyeing me up and i swear she was about to drool.
"Urm...Peter we have a problem," I whispered.
"You've just cottoned on?" He said sourly rolling his eyes.
"Not Maria...look at the girl behind her," I said motioning to the girl.
"Ah...yes...that could prove to be a problem. That girl is a tracker why didn't i realise that earlier. Lizzie...do you trust me?" He muttered not taking his eyes off of the vampire girl, Maria had glanced back now at her follower and then up at the window with the most demented smile i had ever seen. I saw Jaspers golden eyes fix on me for a second and he growled meaningfully at Maria.
"I don't have a lot of options," I said quietly, "I'd rather take my chances with you than them," That was enough for him; he threw me over his shoulder and legged it. I heard a ripping snarl as all hell broke loose below.
We where soon running through the fields. It didn't take long for Charlotte to catch us up. As soon as we where a safe distance Peter dropped me to the ground gently.
"Where is Jasper?" I said quietly my eyes gazing back the way we had come. Charlotte and peter looked at each other for a second and Charlotte nodded slightly.
"He'll be fine, he was dealing with the tracker when i left...Jasper sort of decapitated Maria the second he realized the girl she brought with her was a tracker who had... taken a liking to you. Maria thought she'd follow Jasper back to Washington if he said no to her and destroy the Cullens and him. He didn't take it too well. I burnt her body and he took off after the tracker girl," Charlotte said with a crooked smile. I groaned and pulled out my phone gingerly debating ringing Edward.
I knew he'd go nuts and be on the first plane down here with Emmett and Carlisle. If he doesn't come back in an hour i'll call, i decided. We didn't need to make this in to another situation like they had with James.
"She was a new born wasn't she? The girl i mean..." I said looking up at them. Charlotte nodded slightly.
"Yes she was...no more than three months i'd have thought," Charlotte said as i sat down and sighed in relief.
"Thank you for protecting me...i really appreciate it," I said with a smile to the two vampires standing over me. They both smiled back.
"After what Jasper has done for us...it's no problem. And any way, i'm sure if you could you would have done the same for us," Peter said ruffling my hair before turning to Charlotte, "I'll circle round and see if i can cut them off," Charlotte nodded. I knew Jasper would be fine if it was a new born, tracker or not Jasper has the experience and mental capacity not capable in a new born. I could almost bring myself to pity the poor sod, but that still didn't stop me from worrying about him.
Forty minutes later Jasper and Peter turned up covered in soot.
"The damn pieces kept trying to crawl out of the fire!" Peter said hugging Charlotte, she wrinkled her nose slightly eyeing up his ruined clothes with disdain. I smiled brightly and pretty much leapt onto Jasper giving him a hug.
"You're okay!" I said smiling putting my hands on his cheeks as my feet connected with the floor again. He chuckled and gently twirled a strand of my hair between his fingers.
"You where worried about me?" He said sounding almost pleased. I rolled my eyes and hugged him close.
"Of course i was," I muttered into his chest as his arms encircled my waist.
"And i still don't get how he does it!" Peter complained loudly.
"Stop eating humans and eventually you'll be able to do it too," Jasper retorted as i smirked at Peter whose mouth opened and closed a few times trying to think of a witty reply. Jasper just chuckled and picked me up gently and we all headed home.
Charlotte and i ordered the boys off to the showers when we got home and we both changed our now sooty clothes. I then raided the kitchen after missing breakfast and almost missing lunch. As i pressed the top piece of bread onto my chicken mayo sandwich i sensed Jasper walk into the room behind me.
"Hello Jaz," I said with a smile.
"How did you know i was here..." H e said curiously.
"I dunno... i had a one in three chance of being right, lucky guess?" I said turning to him before biting my sandwich. He smirked and fixed his golden eyes onto me.
"What did you and Charlotte talk about last night?" He questioned innocently.
"Peter's interrogating Charlotte isn't he?" I said flatly, "And anyway it's none of your business," I popped the last bit of my sandwich into my mouth and smiled at him.
Oh crap, i thought as he approached me. He pinned me up against the wall his hands ghosting over my hips. His lips hovered over my left ear. My emotions sky rocketed, my vision blurring from arousal.
"Jaz...what are you doing," I whispered grabbing handfuls of his shirt as he ran an ice cold finger along the exposed skin on my stomach.
"Tell me what you and Charlotte talked about last night," He whispered, his cool breath caressing my skin.
"Why do you want to know," I muttered my voice almost failing me as his right hand trailed under my shirt.
"Tell me..." He purred in my ear as his lips skimmed my exposed neck. I couldn't deny him anymore.
"She said...y...you where courting me..." I muttered as his lips danced along my neck, "I..i didn't know," His lips stopped and i felt them straighten.
"You were unaware?" He said releasing my emotions. I panted slightly and nodded releasing his shirt, resting my hands on his chest.
"I never realised...if you have a problem with me courting you... " He started but i placed a finger against his lips.
"Jasper people don't court people any more. Parents permission is a thing of the past, thats why i never realised but...Jasper you make me so happy that i don't want you to stop..." I said with an honest loving smile.
"You do realise where courtship leads to," He pressed wrapping his arms around my waist as we sat on the sofa. It was mid afternoon now and Peter and Charlotte had gone...out.
"Engagement right?" I said standing perfectly still in his grasp, his eyes had darkened slightly. He nodded.
"And marriage..." He said with a smile manoeuvring me onto his lap. I smiled to him, tracing a finger up and down his arm.
"A child?" I said questioningly, i new children as in more than one was out of the question but a single child wasn't. He was silent for a few moments and then chuckled softly.
"Possibly," He said resting his forehead against the top of my head.
CAN WE PRETEND THAT AIRPLANES IN THE NIGHT SKY ARE LIKE... I sighed slightly and slid my phone out of my pocket. I was so glad i had personalised their ring tones.
"Hey Jasmine," I said with a small smile.
"HEY LIZZIE!" She squealed so loudly i had to hold the phone an inch away from my ear. Jasper chuckled.
"AND JASPER!"
"Hey...whats up!" I said with a small laugh.
"Just called to catch up! The last week of school was soooo boring without you! I can't believe you left me with Conner and Emmett in history! Ok well not so much Conner but Emmett was such a pain! Rosalie spent half the time whacking him round the head" She ranted. I laughed again.
"That sound like Rose!"
"So having a good time? No surprises for your parents when you get back?" She said and i could just hear the smirk.
"No...i'm not pregnant... and no me and Jasper have not had sex..." Jasper raised an eyebrow at me and i just rolled my eyes.
"You're no fun!"
"If you're so obsessed with me having kids why don't you go spend some time with conner and have some of your own!"
"But...child birth is painful!"
"And you want me to go through that pain?"
"Well...noooo...but..."
"Look Jaz's friends will be here in a minute so i gotta go. Goodbye mini," I heard her sigh.
"Bye bye," I hung up the phone.
Charlotte and i where sitting in the living room whilst Peter was stalking Jasper around whilst he hunted.
"So you got interrogated too did you?" Charlotte said with a lop sided smile. I nodded.
"Jasper manipulated my emotions...he doesn't play fair!" I said with a childish pout.
"You gave in then?" She said with a grin, i sighed and nodded.
"I'm weak! I strayed!" I said flailing my arms. She looked confused.
"Eh...it's a movie quote," I said shrugging, "But yeah i caved..."
"How'd he take it..."
"With surprise... he really didn't have a clue..." We both looked at each other and broke out laughing.
"I bet his face was a picture," She said with a grin, "You know you're pretty ok for a human..." I raised an eyebrow at her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I said tilting my head to one side.
"When we went hunting earlier i found it exceedingly difficult to hunt...because every time i went to grab something i could just see you," She admitted with a lop sided smile, "You're pretty special...I've known you a day and i have to say i consider you a friend and for someone like me...thats pretty substantial..."
"I'll take it as a compliment..." I said with a smile, "And i trust you...and Jasper obviously trusts you not to hurt me..."
"I'll take it as a compliment," Charlotte said with a wink before we once again broke down laughing.