So you all seemed to like the third task quite a bit as I got heaps of reviews. I'll respond to those shortly but thanks to everyone. So here's the next chapter which is a short one but I will have a surprise for you at the end. Enjoy!
Chapter 37.
"So it was all Jane's meddling." Bella said softly once they all sat back in Carlisle and Esme's room.
"I can't believe she would do that…" Esme whispered; distress ebbing from her.
"Aro is pissed; as are his brothers." Jasper commented quietly. He turned to look at Bella. "Why did you move to stand in front of Aro, darlin'?"
"I remembered what you'd said about Jane turning on them and I didn't want that to happen."
Jasper smiled at her, "You really are amazing."
"You're only just working that out?" she teased; he could sense her embarrassment even though he could see no visible signs of it anymore.
"I think I've known it all along." He whispered in her ear; smiling as she shivered in his arms.
"So, when are you guys going to have the ceremony?" Rose asked; smiling at them tenderly.
"I don't know. I guess we need to speak to them about what it actually entails."
"It said in the information Aro sent Edward; I take it you didn't read that bit?" Carlisle said. Jasper shook his head and Bella looked just as confused. "The ceremony is basically a wedding ceremony although there is also an element of the ceremony that relates to the bond and it said something about a ritual."
"Does it say what we'll have to say?"
"No but they may be able to give you more information." Carlisle said; referring to the Volturi leaders.
"Then I guess we need to speak to them before we can make a decision. We obviously don't want to delay it too much though; not if James is on his way here. Jane must've arranged for him to get here in the next few days; she would've wanted him to get here before the bond was in place; so we're going to have to be quick."
"I can't believe you both managed to resist the humans," Emmett said in wonder. "Especially when Jane cut that girl; I was really thirsty then."
"It wasn't easy." Bella whispered; closing her eyes and feeling the shame wash over her.
"Hey, we'll have none of that; you did resist it and that was what was important." Jasper said softly.
"But…"
"Bella." Jasper growled; kissing her fiercely so she stopped protesting.
"It must've been just as difficult for you as well, son." Carlisle said.
"That's understating it slightly," he replied; hugging Bella tightly as he couldn't kiss her. "I felt the effect of everyone's thirst; becoming almost painful when she started to bleed. The only thing that kept me rooted to the spot was Bella." He said; turning his eyes to look at her face and then kiss her temple gently.
"Didn't my gift make it worse for you?" she whispered.
"I don't know; I think it was just going to be bad anyway because of the number of people there. The number of humans didn't help either; there were so many of them so it was always going to be a struggle."
"I'm so proud of you both," Esme said; walking over and hugging them both.
"We should go and hunt," Emmett said, "It's been a few days since we were able to and after what we've been through, it'd be nice to get something."
They all got to their feet and moved out of the building; running into the nearby trees and heading for the nearby wildlife. Bella and Jasper quickly found a herd of Elk and after taking down six or seven of the beasts they were both completely full. Jasper found a nearby water reservoir and they were soon cleaning themselves in it.
"It feels good to know we've passed the tasks." Bella said, "There were times when I didn't think we'd get through it."
"Didn't you have faith in me, darlin'?" he asked; a hint of a smile on his face.
"It wasn't that I didn't have faith in you; it just seemed the odds were stacked against us." She stopped what she was doing and turned to face him, "I'm sorry; I should've believed in you; in us." She whispered.
"Hey." He said; walking to her side and pulled her to her feet; his arms holding her against him. "Stop thinking like that." He picked her up in his arms and walked closer to the water's edge.
"Jasper, no…" she squealed; realizing what he was intending to do.
"Why not?" he asked; a huge smile on his face. "Convince me not to." He whispered huskily.
Bella almost came there and then; hearing the tone of his voice but she stretched her neck and kissed him hard; her tongue pushing into his mouth as he deepened it. Seconds later she was in the cold water; which was a shock that made her gasp and swallow a lot of water; the gasp wasn't because of the temperature but because she hadn't been expecting it. She came back to the surface of the water and stared up at Jasper; seeing the smile on his face as he looked down at her. "Jasper…" she growled.
"Oops." He said before laughing heartily at the look on her face.
She reached up and grabbed his ankle, yanking him into the water and surprising him just as much as he had her. As she watched for him to resurface, she coughed up the water she'd swallowed which wasn't a pleasant experience and she hoped he was going to have to suffer the same. She waited and still he didn't come up; she thought he was playing with her but after five minutes there was still no sign of him. Now panic was setting in and she fought her natural instinct to call for help; knowing her family would appear if they heard her. "Jasper Whitlock, so help me God, I'm not going to lose you now. Not after we've been through all this." She dove under the water and began swimming through it; her eyes open, searching for the man she loved. 'Can vampires drown?' she asked herself. 'Surely not.' She was just beginning to lose hope when she felt something grab her ankle and she twisted around and found Jasper standing in a deeper part of the water. "Jazz." She said as her head emerged from the water; her arms closing around his neck as she clung to him.
"Bella?" he said.
"I thought I'd lost you." She whispered.
"You aren't losing me, darlin', ever."
Bella pulled away from him and saw the mirth in his eyes; she realized he'd been hiding from her and quickly slapped his arm. "Jasper Whitlock, you're very bad."
"What did I do?" he asked; the tiniest hint of a smile on his face.
"If I didn't love you so much, I'd be considering how to dispose of the body right about now."
His mouth met hers in a heated kiss that only got hotter. His hands moved up and pulled their clothing from their bodies; throwing each soaking wet item onto the bank. He thrust his rigid length into her body and Bella moaned at the feel of it. "Is this bad enough for you?" he panted against her neck.
"So good…" she moaned; feeling his lips curve into a smile. His hips moved faster and she was already close to climaxing; in a moment of clarity she realized his nickname was sorely misplaced; God of War just didn't do him justice; not at times like this anyway. God of Sex seemed much more appropriate and Bella made a mental note to tell him later; much later. She wrapped her legs around his waist and urged him deeper inside her; this was intense; it was the first time since they were truly together and it felt different to the times before; although she wasn't sure she would be able to explain why. She lowered her head to his shoulder; kissing the skin gently; brushing her teeth across the marked surface; the growl that rumbled through his chest ignited her passion even further. Her lips climb higher; sucking on the skin of his neck and then jaw until they pause for a few minutes on his mouth. Jasper tries to deepen the kiss but she won't let him and he growls again when she leaves his mouth and moves ever closer to his ear. She kisses the scar in front of it; her tongue brushing across the surface before shifting to dance around the shell of his ear; she blows air across the damp skin and she feels him shiver; even though what she'd just done shouldn't have that affect on him. "Did you like that, Jasper?" she whispers in his ear; surprised by the huskiness of her own voice. He sighs his answer; a yes that wafts through her hair as he exhales deeply. Bella can feel how close he is and knows he only needs a little more encouragement. "Can I ask you something, baby?"
"Of course." He murmurs.
"Fuck me, Jasper." His movements falter briefly and then he's moving even faster; he doesn't stop when they both fall over the edge; continuing to pound into her; bringing them both back to the edge in minutes. Just as Bella thinks she's going to come again he pulls from her body and spins her round; her back now against his chest. He pushes back into her hard and it sends her flying; her scream of his name breaking the quiet surrounding them. Her body tightens on him and she can feel the fight he's having as he tries to last longer. "Come for me, baby." She whispers; her head turning to watch his face in that moment. He shakes his head and the determination in his eyes turns her on; this is the Jasper she adores and desires; the man she's seeing now isn't hiding anything from her and she doesn't want him to; she does, however, want him to come; more importantly she needs him to. His hand is at her hip and she grabs it; pulling it to rest on her clit; her own fingers joining his. She's still watching his face and she sees him close his eyes as he touches her and she wants to do so too but she wants to see his face when that moment strikes. They set just the right amount of pressure on that spot and Bella can feel her body climbing again; how he hadn't come again she didn't know; it felt like her body was on fire and she knew she must be sending him some pretty heavy emotions; but still he didn't come. "Please baby…" she whispered as she concentrated on making him feel the way she was. Finally her efforts work and he roars her name; her eyes watching his face as the look of pure joy washes over it. He kisses her neck when he collapses against her; his teeth and tongue brushing the skin as he does so.
"Wow." He says; words failing him. She smiles at his lack of vocabulary and turns her head to kiss him on the lips.
Time has passed quickly and they realize they should be getting back to the city; they pull on their still damp but at least in one piece clothes and run back to their room. Jasper sends his father a quick text to tell him they'd gone back.
TBC
A/N: I love Jasper in this chapter - and for once he's not all broody. Let me know what you think and send me a review.
Now on to your surprise... there will be another chapter tonight because the two one's after that need to be done on the same day and I can't do three chapters tomorrow. How good am I to you? :-)