Chapter Fourteen

Jasper

Peter, Charlotte, and I went back to the Whitlock ranch to regroup. We knew if Aro wanted us we couldn't outrun him and there wasn't any way to make it difficult, not with Demetri around.

"So Major what next? You want to split up or stay together?"

"It makes little difference as far as Demetri is concerned, he'll track us all down eventually. You do whatever you think best but I'm going to stay here, live my life until the Volturi come for me, I don't suppose our guardian angel will intervene again"

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure about that Major, I think we'll be seeing her again before long"

"Her Charlotte? Did you see something we missed because I sure as hell couldn't tell the sex of that cloak"

"It's a woman and she's looking for The Major."

"And just how the fuck could you tell that?"

"Because Peter, she's his mate."

"What?"

Charlotte looked at Peter rolling her eyes then turned to me,

"You know her and she knows you. She also knows you are her mate but that scares her."

"I'm not surprised, it would scare the fuck out of anyone. Who is she then Char? Not Alice Cullen please."

I shook my head before Char had the chance to answer, whoever that mystery figure was it certainly wasn't Alice Cullen, I would have recognised her however disguised she was.

"Who then?"

"I don't know Peter, its someone I've never met before but you felt something didn't you Major?"

I couldn't lie, I had felt something although I hadn't recognised it at the time, so I nodded.

"Well, she'll be back, if she's your mate she can't stay away now can she?"

Charlotte's knowing smile irritated me, even as I knew she was right.

Peter

I didn't like this any more than I liked the idea of the Volturi guard looking for us but I knew who they were so I stood a chance at least of recognising my executioner but a cloaked and hooded woman who may or may not be his mate was far more scary.

"Right Major cough up."

"What?"

"Names, possibilities for the hooded ghost."

"I have no idea, I've met a lot of women in my life but not one I could think might be my mate."

"Well you need to think about it and think hard because the Volturi could send one of their own dressed like that and you wont know whether we're killing friend or foe."

"We take it they are all foes unless they can prove otherwise."

"Good thinking Major but don't come crying to me when you find out I just made charcoal of your mate"

Charlotte glared at me but then that was nothing new!

"Peter, he'll know when he sees her, he'll feel it just the same way we did"

"Well excuse me but his track record isn't exactly a shining example of good choices so I'm a little fucking sceptical".

Jasper

The sad thing was that Peter was right, I 'd picked wrong twice and I couldn't afford to get it wrong this time or it might result in the death of all three of us.

"Lets hope you recognise her Charlotte. You'll see the relationship before I do"

Char smiled and shook her head,

"I think you'll recognise this one but for now we need a defensive strategy, keep the Volturi away as long as we can."

She was right so the subject of my mystery mate was dropped but my mind worked behind the scenes trying to work out who it might be. The thing that confused me most of all was that whoever she was, she had arrived with the Volturi. Who in the Volturi guard might be the one? Not Jane because she was in full view, Heidi? Chelsea? Who? There was no one who seemed even remotely likely as a candidate.

Bella

I let the pull lead me back towards Jasper nervous that he wouldn't even recognise me after all this time and if he did, would he even acknowledge me? When I felt I was close I slowed right down and scouted the area to be sure the Volturi weren't here yet, I didn't think Aro would send anyone straight away but then one of his strengths lay in the fact that he didn't always make the predictable move and I didn't want to run into the Volturi yet. Not before I made sense of my feelings for Jasper. He was still living with his two friends but they were wary and alert and I decided a low key approach might be taken as a threat so I would make a frontal approach in the open. For two days I watched their routine or such as it was because they never did the same things at the same time, they were ready for a fight whenever it might come. By day four I knew if I didn't approach the house they would know someone was around and might try to kill me before I had a chance to speak so I walked up the dirt track to the house still wearing my cloak and hood, both hands visible and moving slowly.

Peter

I saw the figure in the distance and whistled the other two over,

"We got company and it look like Volturi but whoever it is they're alone."

The Major and Charlotte came at a run and we stood together watching as the figure moved closer then Charlotte relaxed,

"Its her"

She may think that was a good thing but there was no way I was letting my guard down until I knew for certain she was on our side of the fighting line. The Major tensed even more at her words but I could see he was intrigued and one hand came up to rub his chest absently so Char could be right, we'd soon see in any case as the figure stopped a hundred feet from us and waited.

"Well caped crusader its good to see you again and thanks for the help with the Volturi but how about you letting us see your face. I hate talking to a mountain of black cloth."

The head turned to me then back to The Major and two hands came up grasping the hood and throwing it back onto her shoulders.

Jasper

I could hardly believe my eyes, Bella Swan stood there looking at me, her face vampire pale and her eyes a vivid red. She was so beautiful, so alluring, that I couldn't help taking a step forward before being stopped by Peter's hand on my arm.

"Whoa Major, you know this woman?"

"Of course, I told you he did Peter."

"Bella?"

She nodded and took a few steps closer,

"I mean you no harm, I'm not with the Volturi any longer. That was my last mission and I think I burned my boats helping you to escape."

"You're right there girl, he'll be spitting nails and brimstone right about now. You have a death wish or something?"

She turned her attention to Peter although her eyes never left mine,

"No more than you. After all who takes out one of Aro's commanders unless they've got a death wish themselves."

"True, I'll grant you that one but we didn't know how important to him she was and we had a debt to repay, what's your excuse?"

"I wasn't going to stand by and watch the man I love destroyed if I could help it."

"Well you surely did that."

There was a long silence then, I had no idea what to say to the beauty in front of me.