Chapter twenty eight
Two months later: 12th March
Things were different after that, Jasmine and the Cullen's where a lot closer and she never once even thought of mentioning anything about them, and we had Edward constantly reminding us of this, not that i ever worried that she would tell. She knew i wouldn't be able to spend that much longer with her, a few more years and i would be one of them, we would move and start again and she would have her own family and she accepted that after a while. We both accepted it, begrudgingly but it was accepted all the same. She simply asked i kept emailing her, which i nodded too and pointed out i still had time. A few years, that's enough time.
Dad's fiancé was lovely and she too had been bugging him to let her meet me for the past few years. We hit it off immediately and she has now moved in. It's nice to come home and someone actually be there to greet me. Dad feels slightly stupid for not letting us meet before; we all feel it's a few years wasted on being a proper family again.
Alice and i get along fine and she has told me so many embarrassing stories about Jasper and he now refuses to leave me alone with her so i still may have some respect for him. Tomorrow is Jasper's 172nd birthday and we've talked him into having a birthday party to make him seem normal. Alice and i let our creative minds flow and everything is prepared for his '18th'. He to be quite honest is not that impressed but when i gave him the puppy dog eyes he conceded defeat, leaving us to it.
I tried the door of the Cullen's house only to find it locked, sighing slightly i pulled out my key and opened it. They were all out today hunting as the sun has peaked through the clouds. I had brought around the decorations for tomorrow so with Jasmine's help i loaded them into Alice's bedroom before leading her into the kitchen.
"Oooh Esme made cookies!" I said clapping before grabbing the disk which was the mouth watering, god of a triple chocolate chip cookie. Jasmine chuckled and took one as well tentatively taking a bite, and then another and then another.
"That...was the best cookie ever!" She said as we sat at the dining table.
I heard a chuckle behind me a turned to see a dark haired man standing there. I blinked a few times.
"Peter?" I muttered in confusion. He waved and kept in the door way.
"Lizzie..." He replied with a grin. I leapt to my feet and skipped over.
"Why are you here? Where is Charlotte?" I said standing a few feet from him. I noticed his red eyes where flecked with golden specks, i couldn't help but smile at him.
"Charlotte said she needed to hunt quickly before we got here, it was a long trip. So she's in the woods stalking some critter," He said opening his arms in a gesture for a hug. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"You sure?" I said with a smirk.
"Gotta try at some point," He joked with a mock sigh. I laughed and reached forward, wrapping my arms around him for a moment, i felt his cold arms encircle me before letting go. I stepped back and smiled.
"Peter this is my friend Jasmine, Jasmine this is Peter," I said with a smile. Jasmine walked over and then looked nervous. She must have noticed his eyes, i thought. Peter raised his hands up defensively, he must have noticed her unease. He gave me a 'does she know look' to which i just nodded my head.
"I'm a convert!" He said calmly, "I've been on my new diet for two months now," I smiled and nodded to her.
"It takes eight to nine months for the eyes to change completely to gold," I explained, "You are safe with Peter," Before ushering Peter in from the door way.
"What are you doing here?" I said slowly, realising he was going to be here at the party, with a smorgasbord of people for he and his mate to drool over. It's not that i didn't trust him i just knew it was very difficult. It took Jasper almost fifty years to master.
"Charlotte wanted some tips from Carlisle. Pointers on how on earth he does it...she's finding it a lot more difficult that she thought," He said shrugging. I raised an eyebrow.
"And you're not?" I said flatly. He shrugged again.
"Sure it's hard but she is just trying too hard. She wants to do it for Jasper and you. She's straining herself and...slipping," He said quietly. I mentally slapped myself, oh god...this party is going to be interesting.
"Peter i feel that i should warn you now it's Jasper's birthday party tomorrow and we're having about forty humans round..." I said sitting back at the table.
"It would seem we'll be out tomorrow night then," He said with a lop sided smile as a petite woman arrived in the door way.
"Hey Charlotte!" I said smiling. She just smiled and waved her eyes flickering to Jasmine and back.
"Jasmine this is Peter's mate and my good friend Charlotte, Charlotte this is my best friend Jasmine, and don't worry Jasmine knows everything," I said motioning for her to come in.
After five minutes talking Jasmine excused herself to go home as she still had work to do for school.
"How long are the others going to be gone?" Peter said glancing around the room.
"I wouldn't think much longer, they left yesterday afternoon," I said twirling my engagement ring around my finger. Charlotte's eyes locked on to it and her face lit up.
"So...when is the date?" She said with a smirk which confused Peter.
"April 24th of next year," I said and i couldn't help but smile. Peter was concocting some sort of explanation to himself for our convocation. At that point i heard the front door open and Emmett's booming laughter.
"Peter...Charlotte?" I heard my angel say from the door way. I turned to see him and the rest of the family in the doorway. Charlotte looked unimpressed to see Alice.
"Jasper! You got her pregnant?" Peter said in shock. I slapped myself on the forehead.
"What on earth are you talking about you nut?" Jasper grumbled walking over to sit next to me, pulling me onto his lap.
"Well then what's happening on the 24th of April next year?" Peter pressed.
"I'm getting married to Lizzie," Jasper said rolling his eyes in sheer amusement. Peter's lips made an '0'.
"Hello Peter, Charlotte!" Alice said skipping in and plonking herself on the seat next to us.
"Alice..." Charlotte said and then stood up to go greet everyone else and talk to Carlisle.
"Alice...i thought you'd run away to the Volturi?" Peter said with a frown crossing his arms across his chest. Alice frowned slightly.
"No i went for Alec, that doesn't mean i don't want to be a part of this family," She said defensively. I shot peter a look which said to drop the subject. I felt Jasper start to twirl the ends of my hair around his fingers and i couldn't help but smile.
By eight o'clock i was in Alice's room trying to convince her that we did not need to attack spot lights to the roof of the house.
"A few fairy lights around the porch and perhaps a banner, but getting Emmett to attach spot lights to the roof...that's a bit much," I said with a look of amusement across my face. She frowned.
"But it'll look pretty!"
"And we'll have search and rescue knocking on the front door thinking it's a sos beacon," I pointed out. She giggled.
"Fine but i get to put the running lights down the drive," She pressed.
"Well i'm pretty sure Esme doesn't want people driving down the lawn so that is a good idea," I said waving as Rosalie walked in frowning.
"Whats the matter Rose?" I said as she shifted slightly.
"You know you're friend Tom from school?" She said with a sigh to which i nodded, "He went missing after school today...they've just found his body...he was attacked by an animal," My eyes went wide.
"Peter and Charlotte wouldn't do that..." I whispered, "Not so close to our home...they..." Rosalie shook her head.
"Edward says it definitely wasn't them, Jasper went with Carlisle to the hospital to help, we suspect there may be a newborn on the loose in Peak," Rose said, i buried my head in my hands. Tom was a good friend who i had known almost as long as Jasmine, it broke me to know he was dead. I sighed and stood up slowly.
"I'm so sorry Lizzie," Rosalie said softly. I shook my head.
"It's not your fault...all we can do now is make sure no one else gets hurt," I sighed shakily. Rose nodded.
"Edward, Bella and Emmett went with Peter to track down a scent...i'm going to head out now to help," Rosalie said leaving the room.
"I should head home to make sure Julie stays inside," I said to Alice who nodded.
"I'll come too, Jasper would self destruct if anything happened to you," Alice said. I shook my head.
"Go help look, there are more people in Peak than just me to worry about...i don't want to lose another friend to this," I said grabbing my bag and keys before hurrying out to my car and driving full speed home.
My front door was wide open when i got home, i mentally swore. I grabbed my lighter from the glove box and a can of aerosol and headed towards it, not bothering to lock my car. I crept through the door way and checked the living room. I heard a bang from up stairs and a scream before a door slammed. I darted up the stairs to see a deranged looking man about to kick down my dad's bedroom door. He was soaked in blood from head to toe. I whistled to get his attention.
"OI NEW BORN!" I yelled, "LEAVE HER ALONE!" He whirled around hissing madly and jumped at me. I held up my protection and pressed down the button on the aerosol, lighting the gas with the lighter causing a decent size fire ball to go rushing towards the newborn vampire who was in mid leap. He roared and went crashing to the floor his skin peeling from his face. Oh crap, that's just made him angry.
"What did you think would happen!" I heard Edward say very quickly as he rushed in up the stairs tackling the man to the floor before he got up again. I ran around the struggling pair and banged on the door.
"JULIE IT'S LIZZIE LET ME IN!" I yelled the door opened and i whimpered as the smell of blood hit me.
"It...it burns," She cried clutching her shoulder.
"How long ago where you bitten? I said dropping to my knees, Edward and Emmett were dragging the man from the house as i felt the two cold hands of my fiancé rest on my shoulders. Julie cried out in pain slightly, falling to her knees.
"Just as i shut the door," She whispered as her eyes started to roll.
"That was about a minute ago...please Jasper you can't let her change," I said turning to face him. His expression was hard as looked to Julie.
"I don't know if i can..."He started, almost chocking on his words as he looked to me. My eyes were starting to water as she collapsed into my arms shrieking in pain, my heart tore in two as the closest thing i had to a mother lay burning in my arms. As soon as she shrieked Jasper dropped to his knees gently grabbing her from my arms and sank his teeth into her bite wound. By now Carlisle had appeared at the top of the stairs. I watched, my stomach churning as Jasper sucked both blood and venom from her. After a moment Carlisle rested his hand on Jaspers shoulder and with a slight snarl he released her before quickly leaving. I quickly helped Carlisle roll her into the recovery position as he bound her wound.
As we sat in the ambulance Carlisle smiled to me slightly. We were the only two in the back along with the unconscious Julie.
"That was a very brave thing you did...brave but stupid..." He said as i sighed slightly.
"When i leave...Julie is going to be all Dad has left...i...i can't see him hurt," I whispered as Carlisle wrapped an arm around my shoulders hugging me gently.
"Is Jasper ok? I feel so bad about asking him to do something like that but...but there was..." I started to break down at that point.
"I know there was nothing else you could do...Jasper would do anything for you and knowing he can stop is something that will only help him be with you...so don't worry," He said gently glancing to the heart rate monitor and oxygen levels before smiling down at me as the ambulance drew to a halt. As soon as the doors opened my dad was in looking his fiancé up and down.
"What happened?" He croaked gently taking her hand. My mouth opened and closed a few times, Julie was bound to remember being attacked by a vampire.
"We'll explain later, now we need to get her in a hooked up to a blood transfusion," Carlisle said as the paramedics wheeled her out. Dad took a deep breath and nodded.
"Rosalie is bringing you a change of clothes!" Carlisle called to me before rushing off with Dad to the emergency room.
I saw Tom's parents once i entered the waiting room. They looked miserable, i took a seat and watched as a policeman came over to me.
"Miss Daxon i need to ask you a few questions about the animal which attacked your stepmother," He said softly kneeling down in front of me.
"I...I didn't really see anything, as soon as i saw something in front of my dad's door i started to make a lot of noise and well...i had brought a aerosol can and a lighter from my car and shot fire at it. It left through an open window at that point, shortly after the Cullen's arrived and the rest was a blur of checking if Julie was alright. All i know was that it was big and black and smelt foul," I said with a shrug looking sincere, "I'm sorry i can't be of more help," He nodded and left.
Not long after Rosalie turned up and i went to get changed in the toilets. When i came back i headed for Rosalie only to be stopped by Tom's dad.
"Lizzie...i couldn't help over hearing that your stepmother was attacked by the thing...which...which...killed Tom," He said shakily. I frowned and nodded slowly.
"I'm so sorry about Tom...he really was a great friend..." I whispered softly. He nodded and looked down.
"And i'm sorry for you...i hope...she recovers," He said before leaving to go to see his wife.
Me and Rosalie talked for a while before Carlisle came and led us though to the ward.
"She lost quite a bit of blood but we stopped the bleeding and got her on a blood transfusion quick enough that she should recover quickly," He said as he showed us into the private room. Dad was sat down next to Julie who surprisingly was awake.
"Sweety do you remember anything," He was pressing. She groaned softly.
"Only a burning sensation and Liz shouting for me to open the door and a very very pretty man who was kissing my shoulders," She said groggily. I gave her a lop sided smile.
"There wasn't anyone kissing your shoulder Julie..." I said softly.
"What a shame he was very beautiful...maybe it was an angel come to save me," She said.
"She's on morphine isn't she?" I said with a chuckle. Carlisle just nodded and laughed slightly.