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WARNING: Contains sexual graphic scenes of dominant/submissive behaviors. Carlisle/Jasper Slash.
Spring 1951
Jasper's POV
Three male vampires living peaceably in an established coven? I would never have thought it possible until, against my better judgment I allowed my mate to convince me that this coven would be ours, we would be welcomed and become part of this unusual…family.
So here I was, wondering how I got here, how I could have been so far off in my estimation of what was possible and what was not. How completely ignorant I'd been in my assumptions that we were ruled by the laws of nature, our instincts could not be defied, our humanness no longer dictating how we behaved, bows towards civility an afterthought no longer afforded us.
Every day I existed as part of Maria's coven had been a lie. Every piece of information I'd gathered, everything I thought I knew about myself and others of our kind, none of it proved true, at least not as long as I'd been associated with the Cullens; the use of the surname as foreign to me as feeding from animals, something I still hadn't completely embraced.
And now I was the forth male in this coven, three of us mated and it worked. Not possible if I thought to consider my days with the newborns; Maria's creations, my duty to control them and the volatile day to day existence I'd lived, understanding that a simple disagreement could turn deadly. And that didn't even involved the sexually active ones, a natural evolution that Maria hadn't foreseen. It had been my duty to dominate those in the most primitive of methods, taking control of them as dictated by our species, destroying them if they could not be forced to submit.
I understood that within this unique coven at least that part of our nature still dictated behavior between the coven leader and his subordinates and this offered me the tiniest amount of comfort giving me something to relate to. The master, Carlisle, had control over the brute of a male, Emmett as a coven leader should. I could see it in the submissive posturing, the avoidance of eye contact, the lack of aggression that Emmett displayed when in the presence Carlisle and I relished this familiar behavior as evidence of my belief that our primitive self wasn't all a misinterpretation of my own past experiences and my actions that resulted in the deaths of countless newborns at my hands.
The other one, Edward, displayed no such deference to the coven leader's whims and this too made sense. He was still unmated, had no sexual experience and his behavior was that of my newly turned newborns, defiant but not driven by instinct to challenge the alpha male.
I came into this family with my emotions held tightly in check, my instinctual desires locked down. Nothing was more important to me than Alice's happiness and safety. The former was obvious. Her joy was evident from the first moment she led us to the Cullens, greeting them like her family throwing her arms around a startled Carlisle and a frightened Esme. She roared into their lives much as she'd done mine, her assumption that she belonged never in question, her confidence that she was wanted and loved completely evident. And with Alice, came me, we could not be separated so I too became a part of the Cullen family. I was accepted as Alice's mate, so it would go without saying that where she was, I would also be.
I did not need my gift to gauge the emotions of the others in my presence. The scars on my body told my story and I radiated danger in every respect. But to his credit, Carlisle welcomed me like a long lost son, encouraging the rest to do the same, leading by his actions. I had mixed feelings about this. On one hand, for any of us to put aside an instinctual wariness from an obvious source of danger simply at the request and by example of the coven leader, spoke volumes for his control over them. But it also suggested a weakness in the leader himself that he would be so quick to welcome a stranger who might pose a threat to those he was responsible for. I withheld judgment in lieu of Alice's happiness, but the warrior in me was worried that the next visitor Carlisle welcomed might be truly dangerous and so I was not completely confident in Alice's safety.
As the days turned to weeks and the weeks to months I gradually settled in with this unusual family. I still held myself in check, was always in control and through the guidance of the others I was able to find some humanness that kept me from lashing out and resorting to the brutality of my past to right a perceived transgression or implied threat by one of the others. I watched Carlisle closely, always looking for a weakness, a sign that he could be taken down, not necessarily by me, but the other one, Emmett or even a powerful nomad that might happen upon our coven and attempt to overtake the leader and steal what Carlisle had so carefully built.
I knew some of my paranoia, most in fact, stemmed from my past. Covens in the North were less likely to fight over territory and any battles that might ensue were usually the result of old rivalries or disputes that had built up over time and only a chance encounter might lead to an all out battle. Carlisle appeared to have few if any enemies so any threats from the past appeared unlikely. I'd never considered a peaceable nature to be strength, but where Carlisle was concerned, it obviously was. Still, I had my concerns, especially over Edward, who could easily mate and turn on his master, upsetting the fragile hierarchy that existed through the leadership of the kind, unassuming, unthreatening nature that was Carlisle.
Unbeknownst to him, I'd begun testing Emmett, his lack of knowledge allowed most of my antics to go undetected. A more experienced male would have understood that I was pressing him to gauge his strength, assess what threat he was to me and more importantly appraise whether he was worthy of his rank.
Initially I challenged him on hunts which would not draw his attention as we were all protective of our prey, even the females. Edward was always the fastest, his speed was without rival and he could always be expected to bring down the biggest and the best kill. Should he ever mate, this would give him a significant advantage over the rest of us. His prowess in the hunt alluding to the ability to provide for others, the natural leader as defined by our animalistic makeup. But Edward wasn't my concern; it was Emmett's strength that challenged me. He knew he was stronger than any of us and he displayed his power whenever he had the opportunity, but I was quicker and more experienced and I used my skills as much as he used his, creating a standoff between us.
His emotions fluctuated between a playful rowdiness and a need to control me, the newcomer, the strange invader. I was the disruption to the coven that had coexisted peaceably for years. His desire to establish himself as the beta by the shear length of his relationship with Carlisle was commonplace among our kind. It was always the newcomer that had to work his way up.
It wasn't until we hunted alone one evening, far from the invading ears of the family and the formidable tool of Edward's mind that I felt comfortable truly challenging him. We'd taken to wrestling when Esme wasn't within earshot and after feeding on unappetizing deer we were hot on the scent of a single black bear that was Emmett's favorite. I had no strong interest in the animal's blood, they all tasted the same to me, but pursing it gave me the opportunity to challenge Emmett on more than just a playful level, a style he adapted, no matter how aggressive I became.
I caught him before he had the chance to bring the bear down and his fury overrode his normally buoyant disposition. To say I was unprepared for his brutal strength was an understatement and when he threw me off with no more deference then a horse to an irritating fly, I knew that I'd sorely miscalculated his abilities and whatever half hearted challenges I'd presented in the past were quickly invalidated by his adept response. Stopping the momentum of my tumble, I was ill-prepared to handle his true strength as he caught me in the midsection driving me backward. He was under the primordial control of his instincts now and there would be no turning back.
My skill as a fighter and decade's worth of experience with newborns who were vastly stronger than Emmett, gave the advantage to me, but Emmett was not a newborn, he would not fight with mindless fury and he was sly enough to calculate that he had the advantage, not letting up, his legs churning into the ground driving me back eventually toppling me over a deep ravine. Held down under the power of his massive hands, I couldn't move and Emmett, sensing a victory that wasn't his to take, thrust against me, the pungent smell of his lust, burning my nostrils.
Though instincts drove us, the uninitiated and inexperienced seldom succeeded in their first attempts at penetration. There were too many variables to consider and a young one wouldn't understand the ramifications of an action that might tilt the advantage in favor of their opponent. Emmett was no exception. He'd done nothing to subdue me, he was only trying to exploit the strength he had over me at that particularly moment and thought it was possible through physical strength alone. And by not securing me face down, he was completely exposed to my own formidable weapons, namely my teeth.
His ignorance was due in part to his delight in mock wrestling with Edward. It had not prepared him for the true danger in engaging another male in a battle for dominance. Edward, though quite capable as a wrestling companion and perhaps even in a true battle given his gift, exuded none of the odors that influenced those in the struggle to determine rank within a coven and because of Esme's concerns, visible wounds were seldom inflicted.
I took full advantage of his mistake sinking my teeth into the flesh just under his larynx, the bite itself not lethal, but it would be the first step in decapitation if I choose to proceed. With a roar of pain and rage, Emmett propelled himself backward and I drove into him, never relaxing my bite, forcing him on his back, straddling him with his arms pinned at his sides, my warning growl rumbling uncontrollably from my chest and now it was I that reeked of the odor of my dominance. I suspected that Emmett was quite capable of breaking the grip on his arms which would leave me vulnerable, but I sensed in him a softening, a lack of motivation, a willingness to concede to me and though I'd run across it before, I was astounded all the same. It wasn't often that rank was decided through conscious thought yet that was what Emmett seemed to be offering; his concession to me without a mounting.
If it were a trick, it would be a very clever one, as we were not generally inclined to calculate a potential outcome during the act of establishing dominance. I released the death grip I had on his throat and with it, my arousal subsided, leaving me somewhat confident that I was judging the situation correctly as that particular apparatus did not normally respond so passively to the possibility of penetrating the tight flesh of a submissive.
I sprung up and away from him, feeling confident that I could take him down again if I'd misjudged his intentions, but as he stood rubbing his throat, he smiled in a lopsided grin and held up his hands.
"You win."
And with those words another member of this mysterious Cullen family shocked me with his civility and control.
It wasn't until later, back at the house with Esme's cries of dismay upon seeing the bite mark on Emmett's neck and Edward's suspicious pacing, keeping himself between Esme and Rosalie who hissed at me whenever I looked at her mate, that I realized what I'd done. Had I risked Alice's chance at a happy life that had been so long denied her in my attempt to keep her safe? Why had I felt a need to fight for rank when there had been nothing that alluded to danger?
Would I be forced out? Alice would come with me, but then what would we do? From the moment she found me, the Cullens were all she talked about. I'd risked it all by letting my experiences from my past; the suspicion, mistrust and rage provoking me into making an unforgivable mistake. Who was I to question the workings of a coven I'd only recently become a part of and why couldn't I control myself as they appeared to be able to. Why did I always have to revert to the animal that was always there lurking behind my human façade?
But my grievous actions, not justifiable in my own mind, just another example of my monstrous past, were greeted with raised eyebrows upon Carlisle's return and a slight nod of understanding in my direction. Esme had run to intercept him as his shift at the hospital ended, so the entire sordid affair as she understood it had already been relayed to Carlisle. But upon their return, I was surprised to see Esme smile hesitantly at me and when Carlisle followed her in, there was no anger in his eyes. Instead he examined the wound on Emmett's neck, almost healed from Rosalie's venom and then he did the oddest thing.
Holding Emmett firmly by the shoulder, he sucked in the air around him, his nostrils flaring his mouth opening, absorbing whatever odors he anticipated would exude from Emmett's body. Finding nothing unusual, he turned to me with a quizzical look on his face, then to Emmett who looked equally baffled and back to me again.
I knew then that he was looking for the telltale signs of my dominance. The odor of my desire that would still linger on Emmett, the remains of my venom that would still be inside him, the sign that I'd taken him, dominated him, and now owned him in a way. Carlisle's confusion, eased my own trepidation that the Cullens were a different breed of vampire, one that I could never hope to emulate or understand. He too was surprised that it didn't take a physical act of penetration for Emmett to concede to me, yet concede he did, because even as I looked at Emmett, his eyes shot away, his physical presence was mollified and he seemed uncomfortable with my scrutiny.
"Interesting." Was the only words Carlisle spoke on the subject and with that my place in the family was that much more secure, I was one step closer to Carlisle and though I knew what inevitably would happen, I spent months fighting it hoping upon hope that it would not be me that would radically change the dynamics within the family.
Carlisle's POV
Jasper was an enigma to me. From the moment he arrived with Alice on our doorstep, I'd been intrigued by the complex nature of his psyche. Our human history, our upbringing as a newborn, our travels through time could almost assuredly dictate the nature of our personality; the depth or our compassion, the level of our brutality and all other emotions that were once human. But conflicts remained; we were all driven by vampire instincts and how these instincts manifested themselves was governed by that personality.
That was not true of Jasper. He was raised as a savage, a monster from the moment of his turning and had the scars to attest to his violent past. He was suspicious, predatory, distrusting and untamed, but by the same token, he appeared loving, thoughtful, educated and civilized. He was a gentleman without Edward's refinement. A fighter without Emmett's thrill for the battle. A leader of men and vampires, but did not seek to lead, remaining politely in the background, trying not to draw attention to himself.
Where Alice burst into our lives with the enthusiasm of a child, Jasper was reserved beyond his years, reminding me of an old man who'd seen and done much in life and now was satisfied to just watch those around him live, his time already come and gone.
Initially I was skeptical of his ability to fit in and refrain from feeding off of humans. His will to adapt to a life that denied him much of the benefits that came with being a vampire would be challenged given that he only retained minimal amount of human memories and his entire vampire existence was of war, torture and death. I did not anticipate success. I tried to prepare Esme for Jasper's failure, his inability to integrate into our life style, but she wouldn't hear of it, too attached to Alice, refusing to accept that if Jasper went Alice would follow.
Alternatively, I ran through every scenario, every possibility, every logical option that would keep them with us but allow Jasper an outlet for his needs. In the end, I could only rely on Jasper himself to find his way, realizing that any concession that would result in the death of humans would make a mockery of the very foundation that this family was built on.
And so it was as I watched my newest son struggle, his misery radiating off of him as he tried to feed exclusively off of animals, tried to blend into the human population ignoring the scent that called to him, that he hungered for, pretending he understood what it was to a be a brother and son, refraining from resorting to the more violent tendencies of his former coven when he felt threatened or challenged. And he did it all for Alice, only Alice, but I wasn't sure if would be enough and in light of his failure I wondered what toll would be taken on this vivacious girl that we'd come to love.
In the ensuing months I remained hopeful. He seemed to find Edward and Emmett's relationship fascinating; their ability to wrestle playfully entirely foreign to him. Emmett particularly appeared to put him at ease and he began to roughhouse with his massive brother understanding the meaning of restraint when things got aggressive triggering his instinctual need to defend himself.
His ravenous need to read, quickly created a kinship with me and I helped him discover books, particularly those on history and more specifically the history of the civil war. His memories of this dark period in his human life were almost nonexistent but he understood the significance that period had played in shaping him into the vampire he was now, frozen during the heart of the war, all the trials and tribulations, the nightmare and pain that came with being a confederate soldier a part of him forever. And so it was through the history of that period that he sought to find himself.
His relationship with Esme and Rosalie was contention only in that he could not relate to any type of female interaction that didn't involve Alice. His experience with female vampires before Alice was abysmal and he had all he could do to let his guard down around them. This pained Esme, but I could only encourage her patience, hopeful that his aversion to females would not be part of his makeup for all time. He was always cordial, always gentlemanly, but beyond that, he offered no reaction or response to Esme's kind words and mothering tendencies.
Despite my concerns I was unprepared the day Esme greeted me at the hospital, having run several miles, meeting me as my shift ended. Anticipating the worst, I tried not to react to her words of a fight between Jasper and Emmett, a severe bite inflicted on the latter. Had the wall crumbled? Was this the beginning of the end for Jasper? Would it only escalate from here?
But as I listened to Esme convey her understanding of what transpired between the two, what ever feelings of dread I anticipated would follow, quickly evaporated. If Esme's description was accurate, their fight was a battle for rank, a confrontation to establish dominance and Jasper was the apparent victor if one could call it that as there was no winners and losers only the shuffling of rank to make the coven stronger.
I shouldn't have been surprised. Edward had alluded to a coming confrontation though he didn't understand of which he spoke. He could only explain Jasper's thoughts in terms of how he saw them; it was up to me to interpret the meaning. Perhaps I was taken off guard because of Jasper's buttoned up nature. He displayed no outward signs of a desire to be anything other than what I could only define as the omega of the coven. No matter how much he was provoked, he'd refused to rise to the bait and it offered Emmett endless amounts of entertainment.
Yet I was rankled that I hadn't looked beyond the obvious and understood that it was unlikely that Jasper wouldn't at least attempt to establish himself. He would go after the lower ranking males first and would ultimately challenge me. It was inevitable. But despite the violence that transpired I was heartened that Jasper apparently took the initiative to establish himself. It suggested a willingness to join our family which I hadn't seen from him before.
The bite itself would not be the indication of who took who. Physical injuries had no significance in determining rank. The dominate ranking vampire could be severely injured yet still establish himself over the other. Their disposition and the odors that permeated from them would tell me everything I needed to know. I did not relay any of my suspicions about the fight to Esme, though I might have considered her lack of commentary on the odors that should have enlighten her on the true nature of the confrontation. My assumption that Jasper was now essentially the beta in the family had more to do with Esme's description of a docile Emmett and docile was hardly the word I would associate with him.
If I'd been so blind to the signs of Jasper's intentions which were unlikely to be spontaneous, perhaps I needed to look more closely at how he behaved around me. Could it be that his reserved nature was a guise to lull his opponents into complacency? It was probable that he would make an attempt to challenge me. It wasn't his fault, he couldn't help it, but it could do much to destroy this family if he were successful. Jasper as a coven leader with only a few months in this new life would revert back to the only experience he had from the southern covens. I could not let that happen and I could not let Esme see that I was worried about further confrontations. Instead I reminded her of our way, explaining that males would fight amongst themselves and that was most likely the reason for their fight. Given Emmett's disposition, it was likely that it had been Jasper that had mounted Emmett and the only one that we had to worry about would be Rosalie who wouldn't be appreciative of this newcomer's infliction of an injury on her mate.
Upon returning to the house I was confronted with a wide range of emotions. Jasper was reserved, unsure of my reaction appearing confused by Esme's friendly demeanor. Edward was suspicious and prowled around the room; he was reading the thoughts of the others, no doubt confused by them, unable to relate to what he could not hope to understand. Emmett, was as I would expect after being mounted; docile, non-confrontational, resigned. His bite wound, though severe, was healing properly and needed no further attention from me.
So in order to complete the ritual that would allow the others to understand what had transpired, I pulled in the air around me surprised that Jasper's stench hadn't already filled the room, offering in that telltale odor, an explanation to Esme, Rosalie and perhaps even Alice who even through a first exposure would understand the significance of it. But I smelled nothing, other than then a slight scent of Jasper on Emmett's body. A quick look at Jasper confirmed that he understood my confusion, but there was no need for an explanation. It was rare, but Jasper had managed to establish his dominance without ever mounting Emmett. Would this damaged tortured soul never cease to fascinate me?
Now, weeks later, I contemplated that and Jasper's ever increasing struggles to conform. I needed no corroboration from him that he was suffering. The red glow of his eyes attested to that. The latest upheaval had occurred on a hunting trip. At my encouragement, Edward had joined Alice and Jasper. The explanation of the tragedy was short and without much detail. There'd been an accident, an injured women, Jasper smelling the aroma of freshly spilled blood could not resist its allure and neither Edward or Alice were close enough to stop him. They all returned home devastated. The human's car was dumped in a nearby river; her body was buried so she would never be found. When these rare accidents occurred there was little to do but clean up the mess. But it hit my family hard and Jasper the hardest. I felt I was losing him and with him would go Alice. I just couldn't bear to endure the pain it would cause Esme, a daughter lost; another child, no, two children gone for good.
Jasper approached me first with the suggestion he leave. It was too difficult, impossible for him to adhere to my values. He woefully suggested he would leave Alice behind, something that though admirably stood no chance of succeeding. He could not leave his mate. It was not an option even before we considered Alice, who would see his intention to leave her before he had the chance to sneak away. After discarding those plans, he'd slunk away in resignation, his pain evident not only through his carriage, but in the downturn of the emotions within my office. I felt his dependency and it weighed heavily on me.
But it was Alice that in the end showed me what had been staring me in the face all along. She did not dance in my room as she usually did, bubbling with overflowing enthusiasm that she couldn't wait to share. Instead she was solemn and thoughtful and a tad confused as she sat on the end of my desk swinging her legs deciding how to broach the subject that was heavy in both our hearts. It wasn't lost on me that she waited until the entire family was out of the house.
"I'm confused, Carlisle. I saw something and I don't understand it." She said hesitantly.
I settled back in my chair and clasped my fingers, giving her my full attention. Where Jasper and I shared much in the way of interests, Alice and I had little common ground and though I loved her dearly, this was the first time she sought me out without involving Esme. "What is it Alice?"
"I'm not sure how to explain it. I've been getting bits and pieces, random images. I think it's the same incident, but now, lately, the images are much clearer. It's most definitely going to happen and I'm…I'm…scared." Her voice broke and I immediately reached for her hand, gripping it in mine.
"Is this about Jasper? You can tell me Alice." I leaned forward, reaching my free hand out, lifting her chin to look at me.
She nodded, unable to say more.
"Do you want to wait until Edward gets home? He can see your visions and he can, for lack of a better word, transcribe them to me?"
She shook her head violently at that. "No. I can do this." She took a deep breath. "But Carlisle this isn't just about Jasper. It's about you too."
"Just say it Alice. Once I know what you see, I'll be able to help you."
"Carlisle, I think you will hurt him." The words came out in a rush. I had only enough time to gasp before she continued.
"You're fighting, chasing him, you get him down, your arm is around his neck, I can't see but you may be biting him and then you…then you…" Her voice broke.
"Ahhhh," I managed for her benefit. I didn't need to know more. I knew what Alice saw. The images I could see were horrifying to her, but for me, they gave me some sense of relief. She was witnessing my mounting of Jasper and that told me two things. Jasper would be around to challenge me for coven leadership and… he would fail.
"Alice, sweetheart, I know what you are seeing and let me say right now that I am not hurting Jasper, we are not fighting in the traditional sense." She was looking at me wide-eyed and completely confused. "You've never been a part of a coven before, but what you see is completely natural. If you ask Jasper he will tell you the same thing."
"No…no I can't ask Jasper. He'll runaway. He's so worried about controlling himself now. If he knows I'm seeing visions of the two of you fighting, he'll blame himself. I can't ask him…I can't…" She hiccupped out a sob and I stood, pulling her head to my chest.
"Alice…Alice…don't fret dear girl. I can explain everything to you."
"No!" She pulled from grasp and shot across the room lingering at the door. "I don't want to know, Carlisle. I don't want to know anything about it. Not from you."
I was hurt by her fear, but she viewed me now not as a father but as a vampire that threatened her mate. "Talk to Esme then. She will explain everything to you, what you can expect. Trust me when I say, things will be better afterward, better for Jasper."
And it was then that I had my epiphany. Jasper's inner demons, his struggles to adjust, his inability to relate to those he called his coven mates; I could help him with all of that, release him from his angst, shelter him from his pain, protect him from himself. The solution was so simple.
I smiled a little which was the wrong thing to do and Alice stormed out of the room, slamming doors as she went or if I was hearing correctly, tearing doors from the hinges as she went. She wouldn't have to seek Esme out; Esme would find her.
So I was back to contemplating Alice's visions. She'd obviously seen me take Jasper, mount him which bode well for any confrontation that we would have though as I was learning, her visions were not set in stone; the future could always change.
One thing I did understand was I could help Jasper in a way I'd not considered before. Once I took him, once he submitted to me, I could dictate his behavior. Not in the sense that I did with the girls or Edward, but truly control him, making it almost physically impossible for him to defy me. My powers would have limits. They would not override his bloodlust so I couldn't entirely keep him from feeding from humans if his instincts were triggered by a scent too powerful to resist. But I could keep him from actively hunting them. I could keep him from leaving if he failed to control himself and above all else, I could dictate his will as it pertained to adopting the values of my family that were so completely foreign to him.
I did not mention anything to Jasper about my conversation with his mate and I didn't need to talk to Esme to find out that Alice had sought her out; for the next time I saw Alice she was back to her old self and even offered me a dazzling smile. I wanted to quiz her about the timing of our confrontation and how confident she was in my success but understanding that too much information could be a hindrance and make me complacent, I refrained from satisfying my curiosity, wary that I would change the future by simply knowing about it.
Jasper's eyes remained a muddy red, his distaste for animal blood slowing the process that would change them back to ochre. He fed only when his eyes were black and his thirst was all consuming. This worried me. We often had humans come to the house, usually on the pretense of selling something, but occasionally we sought outside contractors and repairmen and there were always deliveries as traditional shopping could be problematic.
Edward wasn't helping the situation. He was reading Jasper's mind and confronting him when he saw Jasper stray from our path which put Jasper on the defensive. Their arguments and spats though entirely verbal were threatening to bubble over into something more. As I had worried when Emmett became increasingly hostile and aggressive, I now worried about Jasper. Edward's inability to understand the power of the instinctual pull to dominate and his lack of sympathy for Jasper's behavior could lead to a altercation that might hurt one or both of them. Jasper kept himself tightly reined in, his control was significantly better than Emmett's, but I could see the wall start to crumble.
Ultimately the decision to confront Jasper wasn't mine to make. It was Jasper that sought me out on a quiet evening that had my family out hunting and I returning from a twenty-four hour shift from the hospital. I was met at the door by Jasper, his marble features revealed nothing, but the intensity of his predatory stare put me on edge.
"What happened?" I said sedately.
He didn't respond and pushed by me bursting into a run that invited me to follow. I signed heavily. Alice's visions aside, I did not look forward to what awaited me. Violence in any form was abhorrent to me, but even as my mind resisted, I felt the overwhelming urge to seek him out, bring him under my control, make him submit to me. Instincts ruled me. In the end that was all that mattered. Any misgivings I had were quickly replaced by more primal urges and they were driving me to follow him. In his present state he was a danger to the family and it was my duty to deal with the situation in the most primitive of ways.
He was waiting for me in a clearing near our house. A place we often went to play baseball; a passion of Edward and Emmett's, a pastime for the rest of us. For Jasper, it was just another frustration, his failure to grasp the concept of playing a game, a waste of time in his estimation, had left him as a spectator, waiting impatiently for it to be over so he could take his mate and pursue something that made more sense to him.
I could see as I approached him, that he'd finally found something he understood. Everything in his stance suggested he was a predator and I, his prey. He was prepared. He'd done this before and he, unlike Emmett knew what his role was and what I would do to stop him. The sheer volume of bite marks on his body suggested that he'd been in hundreds of battles and despite his injuries, he'd always come out as the victor. Though he'd never spoke directly with me about his couplings with others, Edward had witnessed them in his memories, been baffled by them and assumed it was something only the southern covens did. I did not correct him, did not offer him any explanation and when he asked me if I'd heard of such a maneuver to dissuade an opponent, I'd told him that I had without offering any further details and to my surprise Edward didn't pursue it.
So to say Jasper was prepared was an understatement. He had much more experience in battle and certainly more when it came to dominant and submissive tactics then I. Only the fact that his former coven leader was female kept him from having one of his own. But now he stood face to face with me and it was entirely possible that he could take me and claim my family for his own. Edward would be lost, there was no possibility that he would stay with the family with Jasper as master and that was assuming Jasper wouldn't drive him out first. It was unwise to have anyone in a coven that did not submit to the master either by direct penetration or through an alliance with a mate. It was imperative that I was successful, but I would not rely on Alice's visions to attest to it. I could very well have changed the outcome by simply agreeing to follow Jasper here. Perhaps my day of victory as seen in Alice's visions was another time, another place and I'd changed the entire course of it by letting Jasper dictate the when and where.
Jasper was stalking me, moving around me as I stood alert but otherwise unprovoked by his actions. A soft growl was rumbling from his chest and his lips were parted revealing his razor sharp teeth. He was ready for me, but I would upset his estimation of what would transpire next, I would not fall under his level of predictability. He would not draw me in to an immediate battle that would play to his strength. With Jasper, I thought the prudent course of attack was no attack at all. This was easier said than done. My body was screaming at me to assume a crouch, stalk him as he stalked me. My lips quivered with a need to answer his growls with those of my own, my muscles coiled with the anticipation of a spring.
I pulled from me every ounce of humanity I could muster; a defiant gesture in light of Jasper's out and out challenge and I could see that my internal struggles were producing results in him as well. He appeared unsure, his growls subsiding, the stiffness of his muscles relaxing. He still moved around me, his eyes never leaving mine, but he'd lost some of the predatory look; the animal in him was evaporating. He looked like a graceful human prowling around me and everything about him seemed to soften. It wasn't until I saw his confusion that I spoke, understanding that he was under his own volition, however temporarily.
"Jasper, you don't want to do this. I know what you're feeling, what you think you have to do, but you can fight it, son. Think about it." I spoke softly letting him absorb my words ignoring the rumbling growls that had started again. "You're not an animal, you don't have to let yourself go to your instincts you can resist them."
A flicker of confusion crossed his face. I was playing dirty with my lies, but it was imperative that I gain the upper hand. Too much rested on my success.
"Think about how you handled Emmett. Hardly a battle at all. He isn't a leader, he knew, somehow, someway, he knew that it would be better to submit to you and he did so without any physical coupling. It can work that way with us too."
I had pushed him too far. An eyebrow went up. "Are you preparing to submit to me than, Carlisle?" His words were laced with disdain. H resumed his crouch.
"I was hoping it would be the other way around." I forced a chuckle. "You aren't ready to lead yet, Jasper, it's too soon. You know that."
"I've led hundreds in my life, more than you, so don't talk to me about who is ready to lead." He spat, circling again. His eyes turning black.
"In battle, Jasper. You've led them in battle. Is that what you plan on doing, lead us into battle? Who is our enemy? And what of Alice? Will you be able to concentrate on your duties as leader when you are searching for Alice on the battlefield?" I spoke evenly, reasonably, completely in control.
Again he was unsure. I was certain I saw pain in his eyes. He was remembering his past. Exposing Alice to that was the last thing he wanted to do. I stepped forward testing his level of defensiveness and was stopped by a sharp hiss.
"Stay back." He warned, he was sniffing the air searching for the telltale sign of my lust, but he wouldn't find it. I was tightly in control of that side of myself.
"Are you ready to start feeding on humans again? That's what will happen. You won't be able to control yourself or the others. Rosalie has never even tasted human blood. They will follow your example. Are you prepared for all the humans that will die at the hands of your coven." My voice was barely above a whisper. "You won't have to worry about me, I won't join the slaughter, but all of the others will, it's only a matter of time. And how will you handle the emotions of the dying, Jasper? Isn't that what drove you from Peter and Charlotte, their feeding? How will it be any better? And when it becomes too much for you, what will you do? Run away? Abandon your coven? Leave us to fend for ourselves? And Alice. What of her? She's abstained from humans for years. After you lead her back into that life, will you be there for her or will you run away from her too?"
"Stop." He had his hands over his ears, no longer circling me, no longer stalking me.
"You won't be able to stop Edward. He has no loyalty to you. He'll leave and when he does, how will you handle our grief, especially Esme's. He's her son. She lost an infant son as a human. Did you know that? How will deal with her grief? The power of it will bring you to your knees; I promise you that. Even with your gift I don't think you will be able to control it." My words were becoming more forceful. As he weakened I could feel my own control slipping. My need to take him though not overpowering was bubbling up to the surface. The animal I was, recognized the waning strength of an opponent. I didn't have much time left before my ability to think rationally would leave me.
Jasper was rocking back on his heels; his internal demons waging an almost physical battle within him. I could see the range of emotions flickering across his face as he struggled to quell his doubts and face the task at hand. Jasper's expertise in battle, his experience with other vampires, his understanding of what he was, all correlated back to newborns who had little in the way of control and if not raised properly, really were no more than monstrous animals with the ability to speak. So in hindsight, it was obvious to me that he was completely unprepared in dealing with a vampire wholly in control of his emotions as I appeared to be. I would exploit that illusion as long as I could.
I took another step towards him and when he did not react, another. "You know what you need to do Jasper. You know you aren't prepared to lead this coven. One day maybe, but not today. Why would you want to jeopardize Alice's happiness? What is driving you? I'm not sure I understand?" But I did understand. None of this was under Jasper's control, it wasn't his fault, but I was playing on his weakness, I could repair the damage of my words later, but for now I had to come out on top quite literally.
"I'm not sure I can…" he mumbled. "I'm not sure I can…"
I suspected that he was referring to his ability to resist his challenge of me. Jasper, despite his emotional upheaval was not by nature submissive. He also had his mate to consider and strong emotions often overrode an exemplary character. He would not concede to me without a fight but then I never suspected he would. I only needed to weaken him for my assault, ensuring my success. I had too much at stake not to take advantage of his weaknesses and I could add deception and deceit to the growing list of skill sets that I used to control my family.
I took another step towards him then halted as he stiffened. "Don't fight me Jasper. I'll be quick."
Whether it was a realization that I intended to mount him rather than allow him a verbal concession or an understanding that he would not be able to control himself and would fight me, to the death if necessary, I wasn't sure, but his eyes snapped open at my last comment and with a look of fear on his face, he ran.
I stood opened mouth for only a moment, his reaction not what I'd anticipated, then burst after him, crashing through the trees, wary that he would circle back and initiate a surprise attack, but more concerned that I would lose him, that he would keep running and running, leaving Alice and all of us rather than face what he viewed and I'd reinforced as his epic failures as a vampire, his flawed disposition making him unfit as coven leader, and subsequently unfit as Alice's mate.
I quickly realized, he wasn't Edward. He didn't' have his speed and though I was by no means exceedingly fast in vampire terms, neither was Jasper and I came upon him quickly enough.
"Jasper you must stop. You must face me." I said, still reasonable, but the panic was barely contained. "You cannot leave Alice; she will not survive without you."
He did not appear to be slowing, but he cocked his head to show he was listening.
"You challenge me only because you love her. You want what is best for her. You aren't a monster Jasper. It's who we are, it's our nature." I was inching up on him. "You need to make sure Alice is safe, well protected. It's why you challenge me. It has nothing to do with your past, Jasper. Now let me show you. Let me show you that she's safe. You need to stop. I can show you that you have nothing to fear."
When he stopped and spun I was not prepared for it, but it only took a moment for me to recover and I met his charge and screams of rage with those of my own, our bodies crashing together, the crescendo of sounds reverberating through the trees. We flew in opposite directions and as I jumped to my feet so had he. I let him charge me, his rage driving his aggression. I no longer battled my instincts, the need to take him was only masked by the need to first subdue him and I did not allow any other foreign emotions to play a part in the equation.
Casually I stepped aside as Jasper flew by me, taking down a large oak tree, the trunk breaking at its base sending the tree toppling over, branches splintering around me. I barely moved an inch to avoid the bigger of them. My non aggressive approach incited him further and he charged at me again, snarling and snapping as he approached.
But I did not move, did not try to evade his charge and when he attempted to predict which way I would go by ducking his head, I simply reached around and pushed him face first into the ground, pouncing on him, my arm wrapping around his throat, my teeth against his neck.
"You will submit," I said between clenched teeth against his ear.
He growled a long protracted rumbling his body rigid against mine, his teeth snapping at the air as I gripped tighter. I was prepared for a struggle, anticipating that he might try and throw me from his back, lunging out from under me all in one motion. But instead I felt an assault from another source, my body became heavy and sluggish, I felt numbed, paralyzed unable to use my strength and to my horror, I realized he was using his gift.
I struggled to hold my grasp on his neck but felt my hand slip. He was moving under me struggling to free himself, but with his gift came limitations. He was suffering under its effects as well so his efforts were muted, he was barely moving. It was as if we were both underwater, the air thick and heavy offering resistance to our overwhelming strength, our actions slowed by the thousands of pounds of pressure that pushed us on all sides. The benefit of using his gift that affected both of us equally wasn't lost on me. I would not be able to complete the act of mounting him with a flaccid organ.
Jasper, what are you doing? This isn't the answer. Just let it be done with and all your pain will be gone.
It took me a moment to understand that I wasn't speaking out loud and it was not Edward I held beneath me. Jasper couldn't read my mind.
I tried to speak but my lips felt anesthetized. I couldn't get my mouth to work enough to form the words. Beneath me Jasper was hardly moving. He'd reduced us both to a level of semi consciousness. I understood his attempts to defend himself in whatever means he had open to him, but this was an impasse that had no resolution until he refrained from exercising his influence on us.
Unless…unless…our instincts could rise above it.
I'd seen damaged vampires, catatonic in their deteriorated mental condition, respond to the scent of blood. Could Jasper's gift be manipulated in such a fashion? I forced my subdued mind to concentrate on his scent, triggering the primal memories bred in all of us. Initially I manually manipulated my hips against him, willing my lascivious need to rise above what my conscious mind could not control. In doing this simple act, I felt Jasper struggling beneath me, trying to free himself from my tenuous grip understanding what I was attempting to do.
At first my efforts were met with the great desire to rest and perhaps this too was Jasper's gift as he redoubled his efforts to stop me, but then I found myself moving against him without conscious thought, my arousal growing, the odor of it oozing from me. I sucked in the scent and felt myself rejuvenate, like a dried flower suddenly given a splash of water. My fingers locked around his neck again as his struggles intensified reacting to the instinctual pull from the stench of my lust. He was losing control; his gift was no longer a factor.
I slide my hand down between us ripping at his trousers, exposing him as he roared under me, but I was prepared when he bucked wildly and gripped him firmly until he paused, then released myself from my own pants, my organ swollen and ready for what I had to do next.
He flailed desperately under me as I pumped against him, seeking to penetrate him, his howls of rage unrelenting. This wasn't how I wanted it to be, this violent confrontation full of aggression and raw power. But it wasn't my choice, it wasn't his choice, this was who we were.
I gasped when I felt myself slide into him, everything else fading away as I languished in the exquisite pleasure of penetrating and forcing submission from another being. The scent of my own lust driving me, invigorating me and I moaned out my pleasure as my hips thrust against him, my organ sinking deeply within his bowels, the tightness of his flesh squeezing me, producing primal grunts and growls, my pleasure and desire increasing with each stroke.
I was beyond words, could offer him no comfort could provide no pleasure as it was all mine for the taking and I reveled in it, much as I had when I'd taken Emmett some years before, but this was different. In Emmett I felt the feral need to take control of another equally powerful being after what had been an accumulation of years of tight restraint. Emmett welcomed my invasion and offered himself to me understanding through his body I was finally getting acquainted with the vampire I'd buried through centuries of self control.
This time, under my violent strokes, Jasper was passive, he did not fight me, did not offer any resistance and most disturbing he did not radiate the smell that suggested his submission. I did not need this to drive my own passion. I took what I needed and would take him again and again if I felt his submission was not complete. It would only be later that I might feel disturbed that I was, for all intents and purposes, taking my pleasure from a corpse.
Jasper's POV
I knew the battle was lost the moment Carlisle defied my gift, his movements turning from sluggish and encumbered, to purposeful and strong; the musty odor of his lust permeating my own self induced near unconscious state. As I let the powers of my gift dissipate, I found my strength and fought against his grip. I felt like one of my newborns, the roles reversed, unable to break free of the hold of the dominating vampire. His teeth against my ear, his grip on my neck commanding and even as I felt him free a hand to tear away my trousers I could not break free of him. I knew from my experience that the key to his dominance wasn't in his strength but his scent. Once I was overcome with the aroma of his lust there would be little I could do to resist him. I held my breath, growling as I felt the length of him slide between my legs, his hips thrust against my exposed backside.
I could not stop his invasion; he was in an optimal position, his control of me unquestioned, his desire unrestrained. My only last hope to avoid falling completely under Carlisle's control would be my ability to resist his intoxicating scent. At the first probing of his organ a fit of rage had me bucking under him, but this only encouraged his carnal desire, fed his need, provoked his drive and he deftly moved me to accommodate his penetration. A whimper escaped my lips as I felt his length slide into me, his own moans muffled against the side of my face as he fed off my scent. I clenched my teeth feeling him react as I'd inadvertently clenched down on his organ deep inside me. He groaned and I felt his mouth graze my neck. Would he bite me? I often did when I took the newborns, but their strength and wildness was unpredictable and it was only my bite and the length of my organ imbedded in them that held them in place. I wasn't struggling, but bites could also be triggered out of pleasure.
The tempo of Carlisle's thrusts increased, his release was pending and I hardly moved, letting him take what he needed, his grunts timed with each stroke. I felt the tightening in my abdomen, felt a need to push back against him, despite not breathing in his scent which I knew would overpower me, make me completely his. Yet I still felt it, wanted to serve him. I bit the inside of my mouth, the pain distracting me as he pumped his semen in me, each grunt releasing a shot of it, the delicious fluid burning my insides with its iciness, eliciting little whimpers of pleasure, no doubt audible in Carlisle's ears. But I had not breathed in his scent; I still felt I was operating under my own cognizance. I waited for Carlisle to release me. I would run when he did, escape him. Leave Alice behind where she was happy. And she would be happy without me. Eventually.
But Carlisle didn't release me. His grip didn't loosen; his arm remained firmly around my neck. His male member was not withdrawn and remained rigid inside me. Once the sounds of his spent pleasure subsided, I heard him sigh.
"Jasper are you holding your breath?"
To utter a response I would have to use up the last of my air so instead I nodded. Obediently? I didn't think so, but I wasn't entirely sure that I still had the wherewithal to defy him. How did it feel to be mounted and forced into submission? I could only draw from my own experiences and I was always the dominate one. The newborns always submitted or if I felt they were not in my control, I killed them. It hadn't occurred to me that I could be facing such a fate from Carlisle and I shifted uncomfortably in his hold, testing it.
"Why do you resist me?" Carlisle's lips were against my neck. Was he preparing to bite? I felt a need to protect myself, a soft growl rumbled from somewhere within me. He pressed himself against me. I could feel him still rigid within me. He was going to take me again. I was astounded. I'd never heard of such a thing. Again I struggled against him, but this time I felt his lips along my shoulder, not biting, but licking me, his tongue circling against my flesh. It took me a moment to decipher the pattern but then I realized he was tracing my scars and I gasped, releasing the rest of the air in my lungs. I wouldn't be able to speak unless I took a breath.
"What are you afraid of?" he asked between ministering on long healed wounds that could not be erased with the touch of his venom.
How could I tell him the truth? How his words of earlier in the evening resonated with me. I was not capable of leading this coven, any coven that didn't involve war and death and I could never expose Alice to that, so my only option was to leave her. No, that wasn't right. I could take what Carlisle offered. Submit to him, recognize him as master, but that too would end with my failure. I was too different from them, too damaged. I would never be able to conform to their ways and I saw only failure in my future. It was for the best that I just leave and I couldn't leave if Carlisle forced my submission to him. He would be able to stop me, control me, I had to resist him. But his tongue, it was still moving now along the other shoulder; too many scars, he could never touch them all. Without releasing the grip around my neck he'd tilted my head and started in on those on my throat, vicious nasty scars that could have been fatal bites if the combatant had managed to secure me with his hands. I tensed, sensing my vulnerability, Carlisle's teeth only centimeters from a lethal bite, but still I only felt his tongue and a mumbling, a humming against my throat; the sound was coming from him. It was soothing, the sensation of his tongue on me and the sounds of comfort he was producing drew a sigh from me; more air expelled.
The sounds turned into words. "You need to let me help you Jasper. Don't carry your burden alone. Let me do it for you."
More licks and was he purring? I wanted to believe him. I was so tired. Always struggling, always trying to maintain control, keeping my monstrous behavior locked down and hidden from the others that didn't struggle as I did. Could Carlisle really help me with that?
I groaned as he adjusted himself, gently, pushing himself in me, but his tongue continued along my hair line searching for the scars that were imbedded there. What could it hurt to give myself over to him? I couldn't really leave Alice anyway could I? It really was my only option.
"I need you to breathe in, Jasper. There is no point in resisting. Just let it happen and you will see that I was right all along." His tongue was swirling around the scar that was at the base of my skull at the top of my spine. Maria's bite; she'd almost killed me with that bite and yet I'd served her for decades. Was I so messed up that I couldn't show equal deference to a man that had only shown me compassion.
I was pulled up into Carlisle's lap as he rocked back on his heels; his grip still tight, his organ still buried deeply within me, but then his free hand was sliding over my abdomen and down between my legs seeking my own male member semi erect between my legs. I gasped as his fingers closed around it, first in trepidation then in unanticipated delightful agony when he began to stroke me. Never, never had I enticed pleasure from a newborn. It was always only about achieving my release and securing his submission. Yet here Carlisle was running his fingers back and forth along my rapidly expanding erect organ and it was just too much.
The next gasp was followed by an intake of air as I sucked in the smells around me. Carlisle's odor was overpowering. The musky maleness invaded my nose, my mouth, and I lapped at the air wanting to drink every drop, berating myself for resisting it from the start. My head fell back against Carlisle's shoulder no longer under the restraint of his arm that was slowly sliding down holding me around my chest, his other hand pumping me as I thrust into it..
The chorus of sounds that escaped my lips was inciting his own groans and I could feel the quick little thrusts of his hips as he was fully taken over by his desires again. I worked myself against him, impaling myself on him then thrusting up into his fist as he pumped me. I was moaning and whimpering, my need as strong as his, my desire on par with that of being the dominate one. But another urge that I never experienced before propelled me as much as the pleasure of his hand on me. It was my desire to please him, to be the vehicle for his pleasure and the incredible need to serve him.
The sounds that emanated from me increased in volume and tempo as I felt the tightening in my loins, the pressure of my release building. I forgot all else in those brief moments that I pumped my venom into Carlisle's hand, the release as much physical as emotional. All my pent up angst drained from me with that simple animalistic act.
Without being aware of it, I was face down again, my arms out stretched, my hands bracing against the ground as Carlisle took me again, hard….ramming himself into me, all tenderness gone, the sounds of his pleasure coming in growls and hisses. I found the need to meet his thrusts overwhelming and I pushed back against him, my own sound of what I could only assume was submission matching those of his; the opposite end of the spectrum of noises our experiences similar, yet our needs so different.
With one final roar, Carlisle collapsed and I felt the continues flow of his venom pulsing in me, the delicious fluid sending little shudders of pleasure through my body, eliciting the need to milk his organ with my muscles wanting to fill myself with him. Eventually his desire subsided, the aroma of his dominance fading. He still pressed against me, but his passion was spent. I sighed as he slipped out, lowering himself on me so that we still held the dominate-submissive position, but without penetration.
His lips were back against my neck, but I was no longer fearful of a bite, felt no urge to defend myself, no desire to fight him or flee from him. I had no idea if this was the result of his dominance over me or if it was something else. Something I'd never experienced before other than with Alice, something that had eluded me for decades.
For I understood that by submitting to him, I would no longer feel the need to defend myself or Alice, the decisions in our future would no longer be mine to make, the burden of my former life no longer mine to bear, at least not alone. But perhaps more importantly, I recognized that for the first in my vampire life, I felt compassion from another outside of my mate, a kinship and I finally identified with what Carlisle stood for, what he believed he could accomplish. I felt as if I truly belonged and that he and the others were my family. I felt that maybe I was finally home.
Author Notes:
I wasn't really sure how to work Jasper's gift into any confrontation or even if I should, but it would make sense that he would try to use it to get the advantage over Carlisle.
Next one shot will include Bella after her change and how dominant/submissive behaviors impact the more traditional matings between couples.