Disclaimer: We own nothing but the right to fuck with Edward…and Jasper's head as we see fit.

Dark Salvation

AN: Kitty is home early. Please read the A/N at the bottom.

Jasper POV (Chapter 40)

Eight months. I hadn't planned on being away this long. Everything was supposed to be tied up in neat little packages, but they weren't.

"Master Jasper, you've received correspondence from Lady Alice. I left it unopened as you requested. If you check your email, you'll see it is still there waiting."

Megami set my laptop down in front of me and grabbed my Tanqueray on the rocks with a fresh lime from my hand. "Emily said you don't need to drink and I'm holding you to that." Why did I ever let Emily talk to Alice and then to Megami in the first place? This business trip would have been much more relaxing had I been able to have more than a look at a drink.

"I'd rather you held yourself to me." It was a long standing agreement between us. Megami pretended to be my personal sex slave, would not tell Sakura or the others of my lack of interest, and I would barter with Sakura to give Megami her freedom.

"Every time I've tried, you can't get it up, Master. You don't want this life and I'm just a sub playing at secretary until you go home. Mistress Sakura will be here this afternoon to take the rest of the Italy group off your hands, then you're free. Smile, for me?"

I waved her off and suddenly had two thin arms wrapped around my neck. "I said smile, Master."

I laughed and pulled Megami off of me. She truly was like my Alice. "I don't know how to 'smire,' Megs." Whenever I didn't want to comply with her, or rather Alice's, demands, I pretended to not understand her. I spoke Japanese so it wasn't as if her accent bothered me at all.

Megami kissed my cheek and danced away, shouting at me to read my email.

I started up Thunderbird and sure enough, at the top was an email from Alice, sent from my computer at the house as my name was still in the sender information.

Jazzy,

I received your postcard a couple of days ago. It'd be so much easier if you'd just answer my emails or talk to me. I get that you are busy trying to close things down, but please, just tell me you're okay. I spoke to Megami, she sounds like fun. If I ever come to Tokyo, she's agreed to take me shopping.

Edward is a mess, still. He's going through the motions of being okay, but he's not. You fucked up, Jasper. We need you.

I still haven't told them anything. But then, you haven't given me much to go on. I saw Seth at the chocolate shop. He said that Eleazar came home. Does that mean you will be soon?

Love Always, even when you're stupid,

Alice

I know she has been keeping tabs on me through Emily when I was in Italy. Izzy had opted to go with Chelsea out into a country estate. Emily was running the office in Gianna's stead. Gianna had left with Felix and Demetri, living out their own happily ever after in Rome. They each went with my blessings along with four hundred thousand euros awaiting them in private bank accounts, as did all of the staff who agreed to leave in peace, not picking up whips or cuffs again.

Eleazar and I took Aro's private car from the airfield to the castle. It was nighttime when we arrived so there was no one at the main desk. I used his keys to unlock Gianna's desk and there on top was my bracelet.

Do I want this? I was about to become the "king" of Volterra. By swiping my keycode across the scanner, I was sentencing two more men to death. "But you're saving Edward." I heard Maria's voice in my ear. "You'll always do what you feel is right, darling pet. You wanted to shut me down, now you can shut it all done. Show me you have the strength."

For Edward.

I ran my wrist across the plate. The line of red lights went yellow and then green. I touched the wall and let the blood of all the subs and slaves soak into me. This was for them.

~*~

Marcus, Caius, and Aro were all lain to rest the next morning in a private ceremony in the decrepit cemetery and mausoleum. Felix and Demetri piled the bodies inside, filled it with old files that I would not need, doused the building in oil and tossed in a match. I called all of our subs and slaves into the main hall and emancipated them. I gave them each three months to prove they were mentally stable and could live outside the walls. I spent an additional three removing the worst of the equipment and having it dismantled and shipped off to various contacts who wanted it for the cost of shipping.

Selling the castle to the city to become a museum of Volterra's history was a bold and surprising move that gained me much respect from the citizens. They had their suspicions of what went on inside and called me their savior. Parents no longer worried their teens would be kidnapped by the Volturi although there were stories of three male ghosts lurking in the streets.

Only two more weeks and I'll be free of it all, especially the last bandages. Edward will be proud of me. I found, with Sakura's help, a woman who put me through very rigorous mental therapy so that while I still long for someone to make everything go away, I am able to cope with the outside world without my collar. I'm turning into the man I need to be for them. I'll go home to my three loves, whole and free.

Edward used to call me daily, then it was every other day, weekly, and eventually he stopped. I had to let him go. I couldn't focus on getting well if he was there to accept me scars and all. I have had my physical scars removed for the most part, only a hint of pink flesh remaining in the largest areas. I would abolish all remaining traces of Volterra from my body so that my only darkness was in the deepest recesses of my soul.

I could be his sunlight as he was mine.

~*~

My meeting with Sakura went well. I declined her invitation to be tied up, much to her dismay, and even refused her attentions that night. I'd wanted her for so long but now, with the numbness that had filled me, I did not gain pleasure from physical acts. I needed to be home with the holders of my heart.

With the last of the subs removed from my hands for Sakura to continue mainstreaming, I only had to worry about the sale of the castle and to get my personal items shipped home. Aro had a room decorated for me and in it, he truly showed his love and understanding of me. The room was in warm sienna brown and terracotta shades with blue accents. A painting on the wall depicted a field of bluebonnets against a clear blue sky, not a cloud in sight. It felt like my home more than any other place had. Emily was taken down all of the artwork today to ship back to Seattle. What couldn't fit in the house could go to Eleazar's.

Talia took the news hard when I told her. She'd longed for the day to repay Aro for my scars. However, she told me that she was proud to wear my ring and would do so until I took it back, even though I doubted I could do more than spank her again.

Cracking open the vault, as Aro had dubbed it, the room that held photos and information on every sub to have entered the doors of the Volturi's compound, had broken me. I found pictures of Aro when he was only twenty years old, cuffed to a wall by an older man dressed in black, looking every bit the vampire of Volterra legends. One of Aro, bound naked to a bed while his master sat beside him with a smile, was in a dust-covered and tarnished silver frame on the lone desk in the archive.

His master was responsible for my breakdown. He trained Aro, who trained Maria, who broke me. They knew I wouldn't be fixable as I was, yet Eleazar had orders to let me go. I ran from my nightmares, one therapist after another, until Eleazar and Aro brought me back into the fold. A bullet to the brain would have been kinder.

I threw the photo the ground, the shattered glass scattering across the floor. In the front of the room, a red and black tabbed section held files on all the current staff, Eleazar and I included. In my folder, was a simple purple sheet of paper, silver ink indicating my file was now with Aro's in the locked desk.

Walking back over, I saw a piece of paper sticking out of the photo's frame. It was old, yellowed with age. The creases were beginning to crack as I opened it carefully.

The lamp turned on with a humming complaint, the bulb flickering before finally staying lit.

My dearest Aro,

My daughter has informed me that the two of you are to be wed. How little did I know when I took you on as my sub that you'd become my son-in-law. Be happy and know that wherever I have gone when you find this, I am your master always. Even in death, I will rule your heart. The secrets of Volterra will be yours, use them for your pleasure. May your life be long and your submissives be bountiful.

Baldassare

But I brought down Baldassare's legacy. It will end with me.

~*~

Sakura had insisted on coming back to the hotel with me in order to release Megami from her collar. She accompanied me to the bar and was waiting for the invite to join me. Sakura was still adjusting to her change in hierarchy in regards to our relationship in every day friendship. We'd had an easier time of it when I had to answer to her.

Her eyes drifted to the doorway and I saw a spark of interest in them.

"He's a catch. Must be some American businessman with that hair. I've never seen such an odd shade of brown, almost iridescent with red tones."

My breath caught as I thought of my Edward at home. I turned to see who she was talking about, planning on telling her that her find was nothing like the lover I have back in the States. My eyes traveled over the bar seating...and then I saw him. His face was gaunt in the light, his eyes having lost a little of their sparkle. It couldn't be my Edward. I blinked and shook my head. He wouldn't have come to Tokyo.

"Edward?"

Sakura took a few steps back with a smile on her face, fading into the background as I watched one of the loves of my life whisper my name.

"Jasper."

What was he doing here?

"Edward?"

He ran to my table, closing the distance between us.

"What are you doing here?" I was stunned. What was one of the loves of my life doing here, in Tokyo?

His arms locked around me and he whispered my other love's name into my ear. Was Alice hurt? What happened?

"Is she?" I broke off, unable to voice my concern.

"She's fine, but she and Bella…they…well, they cooked this up."

Oh, you didn't really want to see me. You were sent. I understand, I'm too broken for you to love. You only came because Alice made you. I won't let you see how badly that hurts. I'm stronger now. I'll be fine without you now that I'm unwanted.

"Well, it's very nice to see you. I was just on my way to dinner."

"I know. And I'm your 'date' for this evening."

Stupid, meddling, Alice. "Yes, that's Alice, isn't it? So, shall we?" I waved him on into the dining room to where my usual table in the private nook now had two chairs and the curtain drawn for privacy.

I ordered us a bottle of sake, warm, and enjoyed watching Edward's eyes light up as he took a sip. Since holding him in my arms was out of the question, I made small talk.

"So, Edward, what have you been doing these last few months?"

He took a deep breath before answering. "Oh, not much. I'm an attending now. Bella's eight months pregnant, you know, no big deal."

P...pre...pregnant?

"Excuse me?"

"I made attending." He smirked at me

"No…the…ah…other part."

"Oh, yes, Bella's pregnant. The little stinker wouldn't give us a view between its legs. It already has Bella's stubborn streak."

"And…ah…do you…I mean…is it…?" You haven't said that it's yours and you're ten times more stubborn. Am I going to be a father?

Edward spat out, "It's fucking mine, Jasper. Don't worry about it. You know how careful you are. It was the weekend before you left. The two of you weren't intimate in that way, if you recall."

His hostility towards me broke what little bit of my heart I had left. I was coming home to him, to Bella, to Alice... now they don't want me. He has a baby coming, they don't need me. Maybe I should just stay. I sighed as my eyes threatened to fill with tears.

Steaming bowls of miso soup were brought to us and I took a sip as Edward watched me. He sighed and then it was almost like a tension rippled between us. His fingers drummed on the table and I looked up into his eyes, green like cat eyes.

"Look, I'm really tired of this, Jasper. You said you love me. I love you. You left anyway, I dealt with it. Does it hurt? Yes. Does it matter? No. Because, no matter what I do, no matter what I say, you won't come home. Not yet. You have other things to deal with."

I watched in horror, in shock, as he pulled my ring off. I am coming home! My mind screamed but I couldn't form the words, paralyzed with what this meant. He was leaving me. I was right, I'm not worth it.

"One little ring. It holds so much power. But why? Why does it?" Our eyes met and I saw such pain in his that I wanted to cry. "I never saw you as a master, not really. You never saw me as a sub. I loved you, wanted you, enjoyed the pain and the pleasure you gave me, but I never really saw you as a lord over me, not once I got well enough to realize what we were doing. Not once I realized I'm stronger than you. Physically, mentally…Jasper…I love you, man. I really do. But you're completely fucked up. I hope you realize that."

I do, that's why I was getting better for you. I wanted to come home whole. I wanted to be strong and worthy of all the pain I caused. It's all lost to me now. He should have let Master kill me. Edward slid the ring across to me and I felt a part of my soul break. It was too much. I wasn't strong enough to take this. It would all end tonight. I'm sorry, Alice. I'll just disappear, it's easier that way.

"I don't need this anymore, Jasper and neither do you. Go finish this fucked up mess, get your head on straight and come back to us. Come home to us for good."

Come home? That's what I've been trying to do. He wants me to come home, to them?

I was on my feet running after him, but I hadn't been keeping up with my runs, too busy with shutting down a slave ring empire, and he had. He was already in a cab when I made it to the glass doors. I pounded against them, the glass rattling in the frame.

"Master, you're making a scene. Let's go upstairs."

"No. Call the airport. I want my jet readied by the time I arrive. Landing at Sea-Tac International. Call Emily if you need anything else. I... I have to go."

She pushed my briefcase into my hand. "I know. Be well, Master."

She bowed to me before shoving me through the doors.

There was a traffic jam ahead and I could see several taxis stopped as they waited for their turn around the corner. If I run... I didn't complete the thought, I just took off in my expensive silk suit, the pants no doubt ruined by the puddles I ran through. It was still misting, the rain moving inland, and my hair was curling around my face.

I reached the traffic jam and dodged slowly moving cars, ignoring the drivers' protests. I cupped my hands around my mouth. "Edward!"

I looked in all of the cars around me and was met by dark hair and eyes, not those of my beloved. I had to find him. Fear rushed through me. I wouldn't make it in time. He thinks I delayed coming home because I wanted to stay in Italy. I've got to set things straight.

"Edward! Where the fuck are you?!" I screamed out into the darkening sky.

My cellphone began to chime with his ringtone. "Where the hell are you, dammit."

"In front of the bus at the light."

I ran, fumbling for my phone as it fell through my fingers. I didn't stop to pick it up, I just kept going. The light changed and I heard the bus's engine begin to rev. I wasn't going to make it in time. My feet pounded on the asphalt as I wove my way back to the sidewalk and continued to run.

I reached the crosswalk just as they rounded the corner. Edward's pale hand pressed against the glass and the car was gone from my sight.

"Matte! Matte!" I yelled 'wait' at each car that went by until finally one of the taxis slowed to a stop. His light was green, on night rates, but I didn't care.

"Kuukou made onegai shimasu. Hayakushite-kudasai." (**Take me to the airport, hurry please.)

I pulled out my wallet and grabbed the remaining cash and threw it into the front seat. It was easily eight times what the fare would be. The driver cut back into traffic with a nod, his eyes casting glances as the money on the seat next to him.

I caught sight of the bus several blocks ahead and pointed it out to him. He tried to catch up but a light halted his efforts. The Volturi jet, now mine, was in a private international strip but Edward would not know that. I had the driver drop me at the International Terminal. I could easily look over the heads of most the travelers, looking for that glimpse of auburn in amidst shades of dark brown, black, and the occasional pink or blue.

"Jazz!"

I heard his voice from a distance and started my apologies as I moved against the flow of several passengers just coming off a bus. I rounded a support pillar and there he was. His suit jacket was off and over his arm, his hair a disheveled mess, and his eyes were slightly red from tears.

I ran to him, folding my arms around him, my briefcase slapping against his back.

"Sorry."

He shook his head and pulled me tightly against him. "You listened."

"And you jumped the gun. I was coming home in a few weeks. It is over."

Edward leaned back, his eyes searching my face. "It's over?"

I nodded. "The compound is being sold off as a museum. I gave an acquaintance the remaining staff members who were not ready for finding other jobs. Eleazar has the others at home. My plan was to be home by the end of the month. But then you said that Alice made you come and I thought you didn't want me anymore."

Edward's eyes filled with tears and he buried his face in my neck. "I'll always want you, Master of my heart. I need you and the Mistress to keep me in line."

"And Alice?"

He nodded. "And your damn meddling Alice."

I tucked my face into his neck and inhaled the warm musky scent that was my Edward. "Jet. Now."

He looked up at me in confusion. "Fuck the regular airplanes, you're coming with me, now. We're going home in style, baby."

~*~

"This is yours?" His eyes were wide as I gave him the tour once we were up in the air.

"Uh, yeah, job perk. I've kinda grown attached to it though and am keeping it."

I followed Edward back into the bedroom portion and he looked at the bed. "I suppose that bed has a lot of memories."

I shrugged. "It's new; I didn't want Ma... Aro's bed in here. If you're asking about me, I haven't had sex with anyone since you and I were last together with Bella."

He looked at me with shock. "You haven't?"

"You, Bella, and Alice are the only people I want. I don't even know if anything still works down there. Outside of the random shower wank, I haven't gotten off since I left. I haven't had any interest."

I found myself hitting the bed, hard, as Edward lunged at me. We collapsed in a pile of giggles as he kissed me. Our teeth smashed together as we sank into the mattress, making our laughter come out from hands held over our mouths. When the pain subsided, I kissed him again.

His tongue thrust between my lips as his hand slid between my legs. The warmth of his hand on my cock was torture. Edward squeezed me lightly.

"I think you're interested now." His words were mumbled against my lips, his tongue barely leave my mouth long enough to speak.

I rolled us until I was on top and his hands came up to my buttons and began fumbling to undo them. "Do you have more shirts here?"

I looked over to the closet and nodded. Edward's fingers folded around the lapels of my shirt and rent the button placket in two. His eyes dropped from my face to my chest and then his hands came up to touch.

He ran his fingers over my now smooth skin in disbelief. "How? When?"

"The past six months, roughly... I wasn't going to come home until they had all healed. I still have two larger spots on my back to be finished. The deeper spaces will probably take another surgery."

Edward pulled my shirt my arms and flipped us so that he was sitting across my hips. His fingers explored the silky skin, tracing the pale pink edges. When he lowered his tongue to them, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Heat, pleasure, wetness, and then.. oh God- his teeth... There were so many sensations running through me at his touch. Edward moved off of me and began tugging until I turned to lie on my stomach. His fingers, followed by his lips, kissed my back. There was still a faint line from the "A" and one of my first lashings, but the rest were now smoother and less visable.

"This will take some getting used to. Now you're as smooth as Bella. I won't know who I've grabbed in the middle of the night." His hands drifted down to my ass and squeezed, earning a groan that made him chuckle.

"Oh, I think you'll know." I rolled over within the confines of his arms which were pressed down on either side of me. Pulling him down on top of me, I could feel the hard contour of his cock where it pushed into my hip.

His mouth teased mine, his tongue flitting against my lips, leaving just as I opened to him. He was playful, loving, and everything I needed. "I love you," I whispered against his mouth.

Edward smiled and leaned up to unbutton the top few buttons of his shirt and then pulled it up over his head. I arched up into him and teasingly bit at one nipple and he sighed, his hands coming back to rest in my hair.

"I've missed this, Jazz. I love you. I want you, now."

I nodded and moved my hands to his belt, pulled the leather through the buckle, and then lowered the zipper. His cock sprang free. I raised an eyebrow as I smiled at him.

"Megami. She insisted that I skip the underwear, just in case."

I shoved his pants down his legs until he stood to step out of them. I already had my zipper undone as he reached to pull them off me. He covered my body with his own as soon as we were both naked, savoring the skin-to-skin contact.

"You're never fucking leaving again. Got me?" Edward growled against my neck before nipping at my skin.

"Yes, Master," I replied teasingly.

"Master? Hmm... I could get used to that."

I lifted my hips up against him, our cocks grinding against one another. While our bodies rocked harder and faster against each other, our eyes and lips were loving. His lips caressed mine, our tongues gliding against each other. Eyelids fluttered open and closed, green eyes meeting blue, lashes brushing against cheeks.

"Edward, make love to me."

He moved off of me, lying back against the pillows. I shook my head and his eyebrows furrowed infinitesimally. "I want you inside of me, Edward." I unlatched the drawer of the nightstand and grabbed a condom and lubricant. He looked at me, questions in his eyes.

"Just because I haven't, doesn't mean Eleazar hasn't," I said on a laugh.

I opened the condom and slid it down over his shaft after taking a quick lick at the precum beading up on his slit. His hips bucked up and I stroked him a few times before switching places with him. Edward reached for the lube, coated the condom and then gently worked some into me. He wiped his hand off on the duvet cover before leaning over me.

Edward pressed his cock against me and we both let out a groan as the head slid inside. It hurt, a good hurt, but uncomfortable at first.

"You're even tighter than last time."

I nodded. "The Master of Volterra typically isn't taken from behind."

Edward kissed me softly. "I'd take all those memories away if I could." Tears fell down his cheeks and one landed on my nose before he kissed it away. His hand moved between us to cup my cock, stroking it.

"I wouldn't want you to. They made me who I am, good or bad, they're a part of me, just like my love for you."

Our words stopped as he moved within me, a dance between our bodies as we arched together and drew apart. I clung to his back, a sheen of sweat making him hard to grip. His head fell forward onto my shoulder as he grunted through each thrust, shorter ones now as we got closer.

Edward's hand pulled harder and the combined sensations of his cock inside me and his fingers sliding along my shaft pushed me higher. "Come for me, Jasper. Let it all go and just be here with me. Show me that I can still make you feel better than anyone else."

I felt as if I was exploding. All of the pain that was hidden within me, all the emotional scars, were obliterated by the love I felt for and from Edward. He groaned and withdrew from me as I climaxed around him. Edward continued to stroke my cock as I came, milking the last of my seed from me.

"I'm not done yet. Can you stand up?"

I tried to move my legs but found they couldn't even bear my weight to shift me over. Edward looked over his shoulder at the two large rings mounted to the paneling.

"That's fine, you can hang onto those. I'm sure that was why they were installed."

He lifted me as if I weighed nothing, and honestly, I had probably lost twenty pounds in my stay overseas. I was too busy to eat and when I did have time, I wasn't hungry. I grasped the rings with the padded finger grooves and lifted my weight up on them to wrap my legs around him.

Edward supported me with a hand around my waist, the other positioning his cock before he moved to thrust into me again. My legs tightened around him and his now free hand ran up and down my thigh. He was panting with each thrust, groaning as I used the rings to raise and lower myself upon him.

"You. Feel. So. Fucking. Good."

I grunted in agreement with him, his hips slapping against me now. From the stretched position, my head was higher than his, and I could watch his angelic face as he thrust into me. No, he's no longer an angel. He fell to save me, my dark salvation.

Edward looked up at me, his eyes darkened with lust and he smiled at me, warm and tenderly, before closing his eyes to rest his head on my chest. "So close, I'm so close."

I released one of the rings and stroked his face, my fingers gently tugging at a lock of hair, gliding over his strong shoulders, and down an arm.

"I love you, Edward. Love me, Edward. Fill me."

He growled into my chest and I felt his cock harden even further, swelling inside of me, as his body shook. I continued my gentle caress as he relaxed. He whispered, "let go of the ring, Jazzy," into my chest and began staggering backwards until we fell on the bed. He slipped out of me along the way and reached down to pull off the condom, tied a knot in the end, and then tossed it into the garbage canister.

We pulled the blanket up over us and I slept curled up in his arms, his fingers trailing up and down my spine on occasion. We woke a few times during the flight across the Atlantic and made love again, switching roles as we pleased. Other times, we awoke and just lay there quietly, absorbing one another in our gazes. He whispered more about Bella and their baby, his fears of becoming a father, and how they want me to be the child's godfather. We cried at times, silent tears leaking out a few at a time before we kissed them away.

In the evening, the pilot announced that we needed to return to the chairs soon and we reluctantly let go of one another long enough to use the bathroom and dress. We stopped in New York to refuel and we went into the airport for food while the pilot took a nap. Edward pulled me into the handicapped stall of a public restroom and proceeded to blow me like a born cock-sucker.

We laughed like love-struck fools as we ran through the terminal, following our noses to food. After a year of pain for both of us, we were finally free to love. Neither of us could wait to get home to our other loves. Edward called them from his cellphone while we ate; I could hear their squeals from across the table. He handed the phone to me, mouthing 'Bella' as I put it up to my ear.

"Well, hello there, little mama. How's the baby bakin' business goin'?"

After much excitement from both women and the promise that we'd be in later tonight, they let us go to make arrangements for Emmett to come pick us up. Alice didn't want to leave Bella alone, with only a few weeks left to go in the pregnancy, and Rose was busy with their own little Sage.

Our flight to Sea-Tac was not spent in bed but we did sit as closely as possible on the couches in the front. Edward asked more details about what all I'd done in my time in Italy, and I told him everything, down to the letter I'd found from Aro's master.

His fists clenched and then relaxed. "But it's over now. You're coming home?"

His words were meant to be a statement but came out as a question. "My home is with Alice, Bella, and you. I will have more trips to make. The subs are still my responsibility, I need to ensure they are all put back out into the real world with a smooth adjustment. But, I'm back. I am not that monster anymore."

Edward nodded and stroked my hair. "Just so you know, now that you're back and all, Alice threw out all of your clothes."

A/N:

**forgive kitty if the translation isn't exactly right, she hasn't had to speak Japanese in quite a while.

You could finish the story this week.

ch 41: Monday if we get 175 reviews on chapter 40
ch 42: Tuesday if we get 200 reviews on chapter 41
ch 43: Wednesday if we get 225 reviews on chapter 42
ch 44: Thursday if we get 250 reviews on chapter 43

Let's send this story out with a bang. Otherwise, chapter 41 will show up in your inboxes Wednesday night/Thursday morning and we'll resume our original posting schedule, your decision.

Also, in appreciation/incentive, ala TFR, for every 1000 reviews upon the posting of the final chapter (44) we'll write an outtake. Do you really want to know what happened between Carlisle and Jasper? Or perhaps a Bella/Alice scene is more your taste... We'll put up a poll and the top outtakes will be written in order of the number of votes.