***The Redcoats Are Coming***
Part Two
My Alice lay in my arms, sound asleep and dreaming. As tired as I was, I was going to stay awake as long as I could, just to watch my wife smile in her sleep or whisper my name. I would be tired, but it would be worth it.
Sighing, I pulled her tighter into my arms as a smile widened my lips. I felt clean, now that she knew exactly what I would do for her. I felt weightless, the burden of unspoken words now gone. I felt loved, now that I knew that her feelings mirrored my own. I felt invincible- even more so than I already was, at least- like I could do absolutely anything- even find my supposed family, the Cullen's. I felt like I could even somehow share my Alice with these people I knew nothing about, as long as she was mine at the end of the day. I'd be sure to remind her just who she belonged to, either way, believe me...
Shaking my head with a quiet chuckle, I closed my eyes and recounted everything Alice had ever told me about the Cullen's. The leader of the coven, Carlisle, and his wife Esme, and their three "children," Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett. Too many males and too much testosterone...
Carlisle had changed Edward first, to save him from the Spanish influenza epidemic that swept the nation in the early 1900's. Esme had been in the same hospital, and was changed not long after Edward. It was just the three of them, for awhile.
Then came Rosalie, a young socialite from upstate New York who was assaulted and left for dead. She wanted to die, didn't know why Carlisle saved her, and had nothing to live for- until she found Emmett. I realized how alike we were then.
Mostly in the fact that neither of us had anything to live for once changed, until we'd found our soul mates- then we had absolutely everything. She was just like me, in a way. Almost as possessive and territorial, she was sure to keep the poor petty human girls away from her Emmett. Not that he would look at anyone besides her, anyway...
From what I remembered- all thanks to the vampire memory I'd grown so used to- Edward is a mind-reader- the only talent there is in the Cullen "family." Hope he likes how possessive I am...
Not that I was expecting much competition in anything- I could most certainly hold my own in a fight, as far as hunting I rarely spilled a drop nowadays, and when the sun went down my Alice and I so often pulled all-nighters. Yep, no competition.
If I knew all of that- if I was so sure in and of myself- why was there an inkling of doubt that said I couldn't do it, or that Alice would be so in love with her new family that she'd get bored, or even forget about me?! Why did I think it was a bad idea, to have to share her?! Why couldn't I just be as happy as my Alice?!
Thoroughly unsettled, my gaze slipped to her face as I sighed and kissed her forehead. She was always so beautiful and free as she slept, and tonight was no exception- even after I'd been such a monster to her only hours before. How she managed to make sleep look so good was way beyond me.
Even as I thought of my wife, the raging beast of jealousy and hunger surfaced, clawing deep at my throat. It wanted out, and bad. I needed to hunt. That in mind, I growled quietly as my black eyes flashed. I needed to hunt.
Caressing a slow hand down the length of her sheet clad body, I unwrapped my arms from around her and stood all at once, trying not to wake her. I was halfway in a pair of jeans when her voice broke through the stillness of my thoughts. "Jasper...?"
She sat up with a quiet yawn and stretched, the sheet falling in satin pools from around her body and bunching back onto the bed. Her golden eyes scanned over my frame and, seeing my half-clothed body, she quirked a curious brow. "Where ya going, baby?"
Zipping my jeans, my canines flashed dangerously as I breezed to her side with a smirk. "Hunting. Can I interest you in a game and dinner?! I'm sure we can work something out so you're not too terribly bored..."
An equal smirk tilted her lips as she flicked her tongue across my abs, lashes fluttering coquettishly. She'd become quite the expert at that, teasing me. "Let me think about it, big boy..."
Be it with tongue or teeth, lips or lashes, that woman had me whipped worse than a plantation slave. She knew it, too. Worst of all, she owned it.
Rolling my eyes, I gripped her chin sternly before she could do any more damage via teasing and stood her up in all her naked glory on the bed. Now that we were eye level, I noticed how dark her own were- she needed to hunt just as bad. "I think that'd be a yes."
Rolling her eyes, she trailed a blood red fingernail along my still-bare chest and hooked my chin in the palm of her hand. "I'm sure we can work something out so you're not too terribly bored..."
My dark eyes locked with hers, I growled lustfully as she patted my cheek patronizingly with a smirk. Then, her venom-coated tongue fought for dominance with mine as I licked my lips, watching her every move like the territorial predator that I was.
About to teach her lesson in teasing, a snarl rumbled in my chest as she spun on her heel and strutted to her closet with a sexy sway of her hips. The things that woman did to me!
~000~
A whole ten minutes later, my minx of a wife still hadn't surfaced from the depths of her closet. A second away from going in after her, I froze in shock-and-awe as she appeared, giving a complete new meaning to angel.
My wife wore a totally sheer nightie, white feathers along the hems from collar to wrists to upper thighs. A costume angel halo perched on her head, curls spilling from around it, as she bent at the waist to strap on her sparkly white kitten heels.
Straightening up, the nightie dropped open- not that it hid or even covered anything- and she stood practically bare before me like so many other times. "Well, how do I look?!"
Picking my jaw up from the floor, I blurred to her side with a dangerous smirk and trailed my fingers along her body, tying the knot around her breasts so the nightie closed. "Like you just fell from heaven..."
Purring sexily, her lips teased my ear as she giggled and spoke, voice soft and airy. "That's exactly what I was going for.
Now, how about that dinner you promised me, cowboy...?!" Taking my hand, she tugged me along behind her and into the surrounding night.
Five minutes later, I pounced on top of the buck from a low hanging branch, watching with an amused smirk as the rest of the herd scattered around him. My teeth broke through the thick hair and skin at the base of his throat as I drank in deep, needy gulps. The taste of human blood was still on my lips, still on my tongue, and I wanted nothing more than to be rid of it.
I was weak. I was worthless. I was behind saving. I, above all else, was a disappointment to my Alice. She asked one thing of me- one simple insignificant thing- and I couldn't even do that.
Wallowing in self-pain and pity, I didn't realize I'd drained the buck until Alice herself came and gently tugged me away. She must have sensed my pent-up emotions- how could she not- but she didn't say one word. She was good like that- she always had been- a speaker of words when they were needed but also a sharer of silence when they weren't. She was good like that- she always had been.
She led me into the forest with an easy grace, the quickly falling darkness clearly not affecting her. Stumbling slowly after her with my head hung, I bit back a frustrated growl. She didn't deserve this!
She didn't deserve a husband who couldn't keep away from his own demons, a husband who was uptight and angry only at himself all the time. She didn't deserve this- any of it- and I could not apologize enough.
Walking right into her as she froze, my eyes flashed worriedly and the need to protect her no matter the problem welled inside me. "Alice...?!"
"Take me home, Jasper." Her voice was soft yet demanding as she slowly spun on her heel and met my eyes with a fiery glare of her own. "Take me home so I can love you. Take me home so I can show you that I do deserve you because you are beautiful and smart and loyal and kind and my absolute everything.
Take me home so I can show you that it's ok to slip up and make mistakes- it's only natural after all- and that I'll be here, with you, by your side, no matter what, forever and always."
Tugging her against me with a groan, I kissed her forehead as my eyes clenched tightly shut. "Okay."
~000~
My Alice taught me something that night- that it is ok to slip up and make mistakes, as long as I learned from them. She taught me that I'll always have a need- a hunger- for human blood, but the more animal blood I drank, and the longer I didn't slip up, the less I'd feel it. She taught me that I'll always be hers, and she mine, and that it would all be okay in the end, forever and always.
Propped on my elbow some time later, a smirk tugged at my lips as I fingered the halo that still sat on her head with a wink. "Tell me something: did it hurt when you fell from heaven?!"
Glancing up at me with a brow raised in question, she slapped my hand away from her halo. "What?!"
"If I swore you were an angel, would you treat me like the devil tonight?!" Rolling over, I rested my elbows on either side of her head- trapping her- as my lips tugged into a smirk. "Is there any hope left at all for such a bad man?!"
Her red lips pulled into a pout as she batted her lashes before pulling me flat on top of her, voice low and sultry. "Hope so, cowboy! You are way far beyond too good lookin' not to come with me to heaven- even if you are a bad boy."
Then our lips locked as my finger found the ties of her nightie and easily slipped it from her shoulders, throwing it in a bundle to the floor. Pulling away with a smirk, I sucked in a breath as her eyes opened in confusion, a brow arching. "As much as I loved your getup, angel, it's about to be hot as hell in here..." And lord if it wasn't all that and more...!
Pulling her into my side with a small smile awhile later, I rested my chin on top of her head with a quiet chuckle. "That was a new outfit, wasn't it, darlin'...?!"
I, of course being the good husband that I was, knew the answer before she even opened her mouth. Still, it never hurt to let her gloat about all the success she'd had through the shops.
"It is, actually... I'm glad you noticed... I didn't even spend all that much money, either... I, uh, picked it up earlier, before I, uh, found you again..."
Nodding, I pressed my lips to her forehead as she sighed and her eyes met mine. "I love you so much, Jasper..."
"I love you too, darlin'... Get some sleep, I know you're tired... I'll see you in the morning..." This time my lips found hers as she arched against me. "Love the outfit by the way..."
Her bright golden eyes drifted shut as she slowly fell asleep. I sighed in bliss, wondering how in the world I was so lucky to have her- to hold her, to love her, to know that she loved me as well, to know that she was mine forever and always, even after the end of time. She was mine and I was hers- and all because I'd walked into some diner.
~000~
The morning found us way too early, still dead tired and drained, even with normal non-drowsiness that all of our kind knew and had. Rolling over with a groan, a small smile instantly met my lips as I watched Alice. She curled tighter into my arms with a groan of her own, mumbling a quite sleepy good morning before closing her eyes again. Then the doorbell rang- and it was hardly 8 o'clock in the morning!
Muttering a curse under my breath, I easily pinned Alice under me as she made for the door. "Be careful, I'm here if you need me." Then she was gone, the silky bed sheet still trailing the ground even as she wrapped it around her.
Not even two seconds later, her eyes met mine, wide and terrified as she took a hasty step away from the door. Whoever was at the door wasn't welcome.
Jerking on a pair of jeans in a nanosecond, I twined our fingers and tugged her behind me as I faced the door with a low growl. "Who the hell are you and what the hell do you want?!"
The two men were ones I did not recognize- though, something told me they weren't just passing through or asking for directions- they looked both too official and dangerous for that.
They shared a glance before the bleach-blonde spoke, voice nasal and arrogant, all the while leveling me with a glare. "We are representatives of the Volturi."
A small squeak sounded from behind me as Alice tightened her hold on me into a death-grip. This was about last night.
My suspicions were confirmed as the bleach-blonde gave a tight nod. I knew exactly what would happen. I don't know how I knew, I just did. "Give us an hour to get freshened up, gentleman..." With that, they were gone, their cloaks fluttering behind them.
"We have to go to Volterra and meet Aro, the Volturi leader. He's- curious... So are the others..." Alice's voice was bleak and to the point as she slumped onto the bed, hands clutching tightly at her dress. "While you didn't exactly expose yourself, you fed in their territory, then left them for other humans... They're only curious... I'm sure it will be okay..."
Turning the shower faucet on, I stepped in with a tight nod, not even bothering to pull the curtain to- Alice would after she got in. A minute later, she slipped in beside me with a small smile and closed the curtain behind her. Well, at least a few things hadn't changed simply because I'd fed on a couple of humans...
~Alice~
The heavy oak doors swung open before Jasper or I had even lifted a hand to knock. Sharing a glance, he took my hand tightly in his and walked in, a promise of safety and love staring back at me from his dark eyes. We would be okay... If I wasn't too sure of it, my Jasper certainly was...
The hallway was rather dark and dreary, the torches built into the cold, stone walls serving as the only light. Walking through, we saw many doors on either side of us, but none of them led where we needed to go. I don't know how I knew, I just did...
Then, seemingly from nowhere, a petite young girl stopped dead in our way. "Follow me."
Her voice was blunt and low, almost as if she hadn't reached puberty before she was changed. Her blonde hair was tied into a braided twist on the side of her head, and she wore the black cloak of the Volturi. If I weren't so scared to death right then, I most definitely would have suggested giving her a makeover.
After what seemed like forever walking through many twists and turns, we stopped in front of an elevator. Pushing a button, the girl motioned us inside as the doors slid open. "This way."
Jasper was tense and almost annoyingly overprotective, sure to stay between us the entire time, a glare in his eyes.
As much as I would hate to be on the other end of my Jasper's anger, I could not bring myself to feel sorry for her- I didn't even feel anything really. His anger slowly bubbled out then as he clenched his jaw tightly. "Is the elevator music really necessary?!"
The girl turned lucidly- as if in a trance- and jerked her chin to meet his glare head-on. "Yes it is. It is very necessary." The elevator stopped and we filed out, Jasper still just as protective as when we had arrived. "Wait here."
The second she was gone, I was in Jasper's arms, lips gentle and soothing. Pulling away in search of air after what seemed like forever, I couldn't help the cold shiver that came over me. "Jasper, I'm scared."
Wrapping me tight in his arms, he kissed the top of my head with a quiet sigh. Deeply inhaling, he tipped my chin with a caress as our eyes locked. "I know Alice, I know... Pun intended..."
Chuckling softly with a shake of his head, his face fell in regret as I jerked away and crossed my own arms over my chest. Trying to fight his gentle yet insistent hold, I finally gave in with a long exhale and ran a hand through my hair. "I'm still scared you know..."
Looking into his dark eyes as he tipped my chin once again, a sense of safety and solace flowed over me. "I promise and I swear that no one will ever hurt you, my Alice, ever. I won't let anyone ever get to you...
You're mine, Alice, and anyone who wants you will have to fight over my dead body before I would even dare to give you up.
Everything will be okay, come hell or high water forever and always- please believe me. I love you, my Alice."
The girl is back, appearing so suddenly I yelp, as a sick knowing smile spreads over her lips. "Aro will see you now.
~000~
The man known as Aro sat in a throne-like chair, his hair black and stringy blending pretty much perfectly with his official Volturi cloak. As soon as we walked in, his face broke into an awkward, stalker maniacal grin. Then, he cackled- like, full-blown evil witch laugh that chased shivers up my spine. "Well, heeelllooo..."
Immediately shrinking into his arms, I felt Jasper stiffen beside me as Aro's eyes ran the length of my body. I felt terrifyingly exposed and vulnerable and see-through, and I wanted so desperately to go back home, with my Jasper.
His voice was a soft whisper in my ear as he tucked me safely behind him. "Make it worse so it gets better..."
Then, our little bubble cocoon collapsed in on us. "If I might talk to Jasper Whitlock..."
The bleach-blonde roughly gripped his upper arm and led him away from me, towards Aro. "Ahh, thank you, Caius, old friend... Let us see if we can have some fun today, times two..."
Raising a brow, I watched as Aro snatched Jasper's hand and stared deep into his eyes. What is he doing?! Then, I realized- he could see anything and everything someone had ever thought with a touch of his hand.
A smirk tugged at Aro's lips as his eyes locked with mine. "You two sure do know how to have fun don't you...?!"
I couldn't help but stiffen with a shiver as Jasper's chest vibrated with loud, territorial growls and he jerked away, blurring to my side. "Let's get outta here."
We were at the door before he spoke again. "Jane darling, be a dear and rein in our guests." Then Jasper dropped to the ground with a groan as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
~000~
Muffling a scream, I sank to my knees beside him as Jane's lips parted with a gleeful laugh and her eyes locked with mine. She winked sadistically my way before her eyes wandered to Jasper, his eyes clenched and jaw tight. She was enjoying this...!
"Jasper, are you ok?!" Then, as I saw Jane hovering over us, I knew he wasn't. Whether it was in his head, like I thought, or he was really in pain, I wasn't sure. But I had to put an end to it.
"Stop! Whatever it is you're doing to him, please just stop it. We won't go anywhere, I swear..." My gaze locked with Jasper's as I twined our fingers and sent an icy glare at Jane. "Will we, Jazz?"
He nodded in agreement and sat up, running a hand through his hair. "We'll stay... As long as MY Alice isn't hurt, we'll stay..."
Aro's lips twisted into a smirk as his eyes wandered over my body, the tip of his tongue running along his lips like a snake's. "Not to worry, Jasper... Alice will be safe with me..."
Curling protectively around him with a quiet growl, I angrily rolled my eyes as Jasper's hand found mine. "She will stay with me, and you will not touch her."
As if to prove us both wrong, Aro was beside us in a blur, the same sadistic smirk on his lips as his eyes danced. "We shall see about that..."
Then he wrenched me off the floor into his arms, gripping my hand with an iron vice. "Let's see what you've been thinking about all day, shall we...?!"
"I can tell you exactly what I've been thinking about," I growled out through clenched teeth. "My husband! And how much fun we were having this morning before your goonies interrupted us!"
He gripped my hand that much tighter and stared into my eyes without so much as a blink, easily seeing my thoughts. "So you are looking for the Cullen's...?! Tell them all I said hello, won't you, Alice... Best wishes..."
He released me then, and I fell into Jasper's waiting arms with a sob. That was the only time I'd see him, or so I thought, until his next words caught up with me.
"I will see you again, Alice, I swear. Until then, best wishes in your search for the Cullen's... I hope your Jasper is okay, by the way- I know how much Jane loves to play..."