AN: Thank you all so much for being patient; I hope you'll think it was worth it when you read this. Originally, I had some extra things planned for this chapter, but since it wound up being quite long, the scenes at the end that were going to be here will be in chapter 12. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and it was worth the wait. I'm listening to Don't Dream its Over by Neil Finn as I write. Please leave me some love in the form of a review, good bad or indifferent. Thanks again.
Chapter 11-Proclamaition
Bella was silent for the duration of the car ride through town, and as I turned off onto the secluded driveway that led to the house. I heard the racing of her worried pulse. I felt an all-too-familiar surge of guilt for the stress she was under. This mess was my fault and I had no idea how to fix it.
I could hear the anxious buzz of both physical and mental voices coming from inside the house as I put the car in park a few moments later, and the sudden noise in my head seemed deafening in comparison to the last few minutes when I was alone inside my mind with Bella.
I opened the passenger side door and took Bella's soft, shaking hand automatically to help her out of the car. I wanted to reassure her somehow, but based on the goings on inside the house I could tell that there was really nothing I could do to make her feel better.
Rosalie and Emmett were out back having a quiet but heated discussion about whether or not we should go to Seattle within the next 48 hours. I heard Rose storm into the house and fly upstairs in a huff, leaving Emmett alone. I sighed. Bella would probably attribute Rose's poor mood to her presence.
Alice was sitting on the stairs trying to focus on the future with little success, and Carlisle, Esme and Jasper were all perched in front of the television watching a melodramatic female journalist with an annoying nasal voice. The volume was too low for me to hear her words clearly, but I could guess what she was discussing. This was going to be worse than I had anticipated.
Bella held on to me tightly as we walked through the front door. She clearly felt the tension that was radiating throughout my body. I needed Jasper in more ways than one at the moment.
"Hey, Edward," Emmett said, completely unaffected by the argument he'd just had with Rose. "Ditching, Bella?" He added with a smile. Getting her to skip school, huh…you're a bad influence. He teased me wordlessly.
"We both are," I said, as though that made a difference. Emmett laughed.
"Yes, but it's her first time through high school. She might miss something." Emmett continued jokingly as we made our way into the living room. I rolled my eyes at him, unable to relax. Emmett's lighthearted temperament usually made me feel better, but nothing he said at the moment would calm me.
"Did you see that they're considering a serial killer now?" I asked the room at large. Carlisle sighed.
"They've had two specialists debating that possibility on CNN all morning." This can't continue without an intervention from Italy, and I don't want them here any more than you do, son. I hate the idea of us getting involved in this, though.
"We can't let this go on." Carlisle continued aloud for the others' benefit as the journalist asked the FBI profiler rudimentary questions about what sort of person might have committed the crimes.
"Let's go now," Emmett said with unrelenting calm and decisiveness. "I'm dead bored." We need to get this over with and get on with our lives.
I heard Rosalie's disgruntled hiss from the bedroom she shared with Emmett. Bella looked up in the direction of the staircase and I knew she hadn't missed it either.
Impulsive idiot! Rose thought angrily. He'll get us all killed.
"She's such a pessimist," Emmett muttered to himself. Hmm, us versus a handful of newborns…it's a no brainer. We'd win for sure. He thought.
"We'll have to go sometime." I agreed. I believed that we definitely had the advantage of experience and combined with our extra talents I felt confident about our chances as well. It wasn't really the fight itself that worried me; it was the consequences of drawing attention to ourselves if it came to blows.
Of course, the others knew that there was no risk too great in my mind when it came to protecting Bella. I wouldn't give a second thought to sacrificing myself for her, and so they didn't trust my judgment on the issue as much as they would have under different circumstances.
Rosalie appeared at the top of the stairs and descended slowly. Her face was smooth, expressionless, but her thoughts were a snarl of anxiety and anger. She didn't want any part in what was going on and felt it wasn't our place to get involved, but she knew it was inevitable.
Carlisle was shaking his head at my words, and I knew what he was going to say before the words formed on his lips.
"I'm concerned. We've never involved ourselves in this kind of thing before. It's not our business. We aren't the Volturi." I hate the idea of us taking any sort of policing action against other vampires. It would set a bad precedent I think. He added mentally.
"I don't want the Volturi to have to come here," I countered as I clutched Bella's hand more tightly. "It gives us so much less reaction time." If they came to Forks without us having any kind of advanced warning of their arrival and Bella hadn't been changed yet, the consequences would be dire.
I tried to avoid looking at Alice as I spoke but she saw the quick movement of my eyes as I glanced involuntarily in her direction. She winced at my words, and I could hear the self doubt and irritation in her head. She was working so hard to see, and nothing had come to her. Alice loved Bella more than everyone else in my family and the idea that she might not be able to see some event that put her safety at risk was terribly upsetting to her.
"And all those innocent humans in Seattle," Esme murmured. "It's not right to let them die this way." There has to be something that we can do. She thought desperately.
"I know," Carlisle replied wearily. I had never seen him in such an indecisive state. He sighed again and hung his head.
I started to make another argument for taking pre-emptive action when Jasper's thoughts distracted me.
I think there are a lot more to this than we realized before. I believe we're looking at an army of newborns created for a specific objective. He thought.
I dropped Bella's hand and gasped almost inaudibly as my frozen insides churned with fear and shock. I knew at once that Jasper was right. We really were at war, and the consequences of our actions were going to be much more far-reaching than I could have ever imagined.
"Oh, I didn't think of that", I said in a choked and somber voice as my eyes met Jasper's. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Bella watching me closely but I couldn't look at her.
I know I am. I can feel it. He thought. What else could it be? If this were just an impulsive maker with one or two wild newborns, they would have left the area as soon as the news coverage became an issue. They must have some sort of vested interest in Seattle. He elaborated wordlessly as the others grew impatient with our seemingly one sided exchange.
"I see," I said, trying to keep my voice steady and even for Bella's sake. The curiosity in her face intensified as she waited for more information.
All the careless deaths, the increasing number of victims, it all adds up. Jasper thought.
You're right, that has to be it." I agreed with a sinking feeling deep in my useless gut.
And that means the Volturi will send the most powerful members of the guard to Seattle. They'll act swiftly without holding any kind of trial. They won't be in a tolerant state of mind.
I shuddered internally at the implications of what he was saying. If the Volturi came here with an absolute edict to destroy any and all lawbreakers in the area, they would surely visit us. And if Bella was still human when they got here…
"Well, that changes everything." I said flatly before I finished the thought.
Will you two stop this shit, Edward? Just because Bella is here doesn't mean you should keep the rest of us from knowing what the hell is going on. Emmett thought angrily.
Ugh, now I can see why this silent conversation stuff is so annoying when Edward and I do it. Edward, if you don't stop reading his mind and let him explain, Emmett is going to start breaking things, and Esme won't be happy. Alice thought irritably as she danced over to stand beside Bella with her arms crossed in a gesture of anxious annoyance.
"I think you'd better explain to the others," I told Jasper finally.
Jasper nodded slightly as he wondered where to start. He wasn't comfortable being the center of attention, but I had no intention of trying to explain his rationale to the others at the moment. For one thing, it wasn't my place to do so, and for another I knew from their thoughts that anything I said would carry less weight than Jasper's opinions. They all thought I had a skewed view of the situation, and they were probably correct.
"What could be the purpose of this?" I prompted him as I started to pace. I could feel Bella's wary eyes following me as I moved nervously back and forth across the thick white carpet.
"What is he rambling about?" Alice asked Jasper impatiently. Bella jumped slightly. She obviously hadn't heard Alice's stealthy approach. "What are you thinking?"
Bella's startled movement caused Jasper to focus his attention on her. Hmm, I think I need to explain all of this to Bella before I can talk strategy. The others will understand what I'm getting at when I mention an army, and she deserves the whole truth. He mused mentally.
I raked my fingers through my hair in response to his thoughts. I was sure I knew where his ideas were leading him and my anxiety intensified exponentially.
"You're confused," Jasper said softly, looking at Bella with an intense but gentle expression.
"We're all confused," Emmett grumbled. God, I wish he'd just spit it out already. He thought.
"You can afford the time to be patient," Jasper told him neutrally. "Bella should understand this, too. She's one of us now." I think it's good that you've included her in this discussion, Edward. He thought. I wasn't sure that I agreed with him at all.
Jasper's words seemed to shock her. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him as though he had just grown an extra head. Alice suppressed a small smile as she read the expression on Bella's face.
"How much do you know about me, Bella?" Jasper asked calmly, as if he wasn't about to tell her about directing troops in one of the bloodiest series of supernatural wars in the western hemisphere.
"Not much," Bella said, blushing slightly as though her lack of information was due to some sort of social gaffe on her part.
Oh goodie! I get to hear about all the fights Jasper has been in for the umpteenth time. Emmett thought sarcastically as he flung himself into his favorite place on the large white sofa.
Jasper stared intently at me and our eyes met as I read his thoughts. Have you told her anything about how I was changed and what my life was like before I met Alice? He asked me silently.
"No," I replied, feeling my insides twist. Jasper's tale would surely give her nightmares.
"I'm sure you can understand why I haven't told her that story. But I suppose she needs to hear it now." I continued in a resigned voice.
I really didn't want Bella to hear the graphic details of Jasper's gory history but he was right; it was time for her to know. I couldn't shield her forever.
I know you want to protect her, but she's part of this family and she needs to know everything. Jasper thought, nodding as he turned to Bella and rolled the sleeves of his thick sweater up to show her the bite marks on his arm.
Bella frowned in confusion as she watched Jasper hold his arm up to the garish lamplight. His scars were blatantly obvious even in darkness to vampire eyes, but Bella's human sight was too weak to see them without the extra light. He traced a finger across the blemish for her benefit, watching her face for comprehension.
"Oh," Bella whispered, her voice colored with understanding now. I watched her face intently for any signs of distress, but her features were merely curious…for the moment, anyway.
"Jasper, you have a scar exactly like mine." She said as she held out her soft warm arm to compare the marks.
"I have a lot of scars like yours, Bella." Jasper said coolly as he rolled up his sleeve even further. I clenched my teeth together and Jasper responded to my tension.
She's a strong girl, Edward. She can handle this. He assured me as he tried to soothe my body.
I nodded at him almost imperceptibly. I knew he was right, but it was hard for me to stand idly by and allow him to burden her with more horror and stress. Once he had finished his story and the others understood what we were facing in Seattle, so would Bella.
There was an army of immortals born and bred to kill in Seattle, and we were facing exposure and possibly our own destruction as a result.
Bella stared intently at the exposed skin on Jasper's arms, taking in the distinctive patterns of teeth that were permanently etched in his stone body. She gasped in understanding after a long moment, her eyes wide and startled.
"Jasper, what happened to you?" She breathed, and I could hear a slight change in the rhythm of her heart. The sound made the gripping anxiety in my chest tighten its hold on mine.
"The same thing that happened to your hand… repeated a thousand times," Jasper answered in a quiet voice. He let out a bitter laugh as he remembered how easy it had been to destroy his inexperienced and bloodthirsty attackers. "Our venom is the only thing that leaves a scar."
"Why?" Bella asked, and her voice was full of scandalized fear now. Her cheeks reddened, a likely result of the way her blatant staring would've burned a hole in Jasper's skin if such a thing were possible.
"I didn't have quite the same...upbringing as my adopted siblings here. My beginning was something else entirely." Jasper said, and I knew Bella didn't miss the bitter undercurrent in his tone.
He was thinking of Maria, the vampire who had changed him in the same way that she'd been changed. To this day his feelings for her were a twisted and confused mess. She had stolen his life like she'd stolen so many countless others for her own personal gain and love of power. And yet, she had been his world for so many years, his first companion and lover. The scars she'd left ran much deeper than the superficial bites that covered his body.
Alice's tiny hand briefly brushed the small of his back in a gentle and soothing manner, almost as though she could read his thoughts too. I knew it was hard for her to think about the way he'd suffered during those dark and difficult years, and so she made her way over to the couch to sit by Esme, unwilling to listen to the story she'd heard before.
"Before I tell you my story," Jasper said, encouraged by Alice's subtle show of support, "you must understand that there are places in our world, Bella, where the life span of the never-aging is measured in weeks, and not centuries."
I watched Bella's expression intently as she hung on every word Jasper said. Her face was a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. I could tell that she knew whatever he had to say was just as dark as it was interesting.
"To really understand why, you have to look at the world from a different perspective. You have to imagine the way it looks to the powerful, the greedy...the perpetually thirsty." Jasper continued as he tried to find the right words to help Bella comprehend what he was about to tell her.
"You see, there are places in this world that are more desirable to us than others. Places where we can be less restrained, and still avoid detection. Picture, for instance, a map of the western hemisphere; picture on it every human life as a small red dot. The thicker the red, the more easily we—well those who exist this way—can feed without attracting notice." He explained.
"Keep the analogies and descriptive adjectives to a minimum," I hissed in a voice that was too fast and soft for Bella to hear as she shivered involuntarily. Her pulse quickened a little more and she held her breath for 16 seconds.
You can't keep this knowledge from her any more than we can ignore what's happening in Seattle, Edward. And she deserves to know more about our laws and histories before she's changed. He thought.
"Not that the covens in the South care much for what the humans notice or do not… it's the Volturi that keep them in check. They are the only ones the southern covens fear. If not for the Volturi, the rest of us would be quickly exposed." Jasper continued deliberately without pausing to give me any further acknowledgement. Mentally, I knew he was right, but my heart wasn't as easily convinced.
Bella didn't miss the respectful inflection in his voice as he spoke of the immortal aristocracy that took it upon themselves to enforce our laws. She scowled at him to make it clear that she in no way agreed with his feelings about the Volturi.
"The North is, by comparison, very civilized," Jasper continued as though he hadn't registered the shift in Bella's mood. He was not the least bit surprised by her reaction. He'd felt her contempt for the Volturi on multiple occasions. He also knew that I had no love for the Italians, but unlike Bella, I understood his perspective. To him, the Volturi were the only things that kept our world from becoming a desolate wasteland of war and anarchy. He revered them.
"Mostly we are nomads here who enjoy the day as well as the night, who allow humans to interact with us unsuspectingly anonymity is important to us all," except for this group in Seattle. He thought.
He paused for a brief moment to allow Bella time to absorb what he'd just said before he spoke again.
"It's a different world in the South," He went on. "The immortals there come out only at night. They spend the day plotting their next move, or anticipating their enemy's; because it has been war in the South, constant war for centuries, with never one moment of truce. The covens there barely note the existence of humans, except as soldiers notice a herd of cows by the wayside—food for the taking. They only hide from the notice of the herd because of the Volturi."
"But what are they fighting for?" Bella asked, her curiosity outweighing her disdain for the Volturi.
Jasper smiled sadly at her innocent interest. "Remember the map with the red dots?" He prompted. Bella nodded at once, eager for him to continue.
"They fight for control of the thickest red," He replied darkly. "You see, it occurred to someone once that, if he were the only vampire in, let's say Mexico City, well then, he could feed every night, twice, three times, and no one would ever notice. He plotted ways to get rid of the competition. "Others had the same idea. Some came up with more effective tactics than others." He paused again, and I knew he was getting lost in the past he tried to hard to repress.
I tried to block some of the gruesome images that flashed in Jasper's mind at that moment, focusing instead on my Bella's sweet and naive face. How I wished that I could have accompanied her to school instead of allowing her to endure this conversation.
"But the most effective tactic was invented by a fairly young vampire named Benito. The first anyone ever heard of him, he came down from somewhere north of Dallas and massacred the two small covens that shared the area near Houston. Two nights later, he took on the much stronger clan of allies that claimed Monterrey in northern Mexico. Again, he won."
"How did he win?" Bella asked, and I could hear a hint of apprehension in her voice now. I started to raise my hand to stop Jasper.
She needs to hear this Edward. I promise not to tell her more than is necessary and I'll keep the gore and carnage to myself. Jasper thought, and I felt a wave or reassurance radiating in my direction. I nodded and relaxed my arm.
"Benito had created an army of newborn vampires," Jasper replied. Bella seemed to be riveted to the spot as her eyes widened in surprise.
"He was the first one to think of it, and, in the beginning, he was unstoppable," He continued. "Very young vampires are volatile, wild, and almost impossible to control. One newborn can be reasoned with, taught to restrain himself, but ten, fifteen together are a nightmare. They'll turn on each other as easily as on the enemy you point them at. Benito had to keep making more as they fought amongst themselves, and as the covens he decimated took more than half his force down before they lost."
"You see, though newborns are dangerous, they are still possible to defeat if you know what you're doing. They're incredibly powerful physically, for the first year or so, and if they're allowed to bring strength to bear they can crush an older vampire with ease. But they are slaves to their instincts, and thus predictable. Usually, they have no skill in fighting, only muscle and ferocity, and in this case, overwhelming numbers."
"The vampires in southern Mexico realized what was coming for them, and they did the only thing they could think of to counteract Benito. They made armies of their own.... "All hell broke loose—and I mean that more literally than you can possibly imagine. We immortals have our histories, too, and this particular war will never be forgotten. Of course, it was not a good time to be human in Mexico, either."
Bella's eyes were wide with fright now, and I saw the goosebumps raised on her soft pale arms. She shuddered, and if Jasper weren't exercising control over my tension, I would have picked Bella up and ran before he could utter another word.
"When the body count reached epidemic proportions in fact, your histories blame a disease for the population slump—the Volturi finally stepped in. The entire guard came together and sought out every newborn in the bottom half of North America. Benito was entrenched in Puebla, building his army as quickly as he could in order to take on the prize—Mexico City. The Volturi started with him, and then moved on to the rest."
"Anyone who was found with the newborns was executed immediately, and, since everyone was trying to protect themselves from Benito, Mexico was emptied of vampires for a time."
This was how Maria had come to be in Texas. She had fled just in time to avoid the carnage in the heart of the city. She'd had the good fortune to encounter an old friend who had connections to the guard and so she was aware of the Italian's plans. After things had died down and the Volturi had returned home, she followed in the footsteps of her maker and began to assemble armies of her own. She was trying to regroup after losing the Dallas area to a vampire named Christobal when she met Lucy and Nettie. Shortly thereafter they'd done some clever preparation before executing their plans to put together a new army.
"The Volturi were cleaning house for almost a year," Jasper continued. "This was another chapter of our history that will always be remembered, though there were very few witnesses left to speak of what it was like. I spoke to someone once who had, from a distance, watched what happened when they visited Culiacán."
The haunted face of a fair haired vampire who'd been changed in his mid-forties flashed in Jasper's mind. For a moment, I could hear his voice in my own head as though he were speaking to both of us from the depths of Jasper's perfect memories. His tale was rife with incomprehensible carnage; the ripping and tearing of stone, of Jane's pleasure as she tortured hoards of young vampires before she burned them to cinders…
Jasper shuddered, remembering the feelings of horror that had rolled off the man in waves. Bella's heart raced as she took in the change in Jasper's demeanor. She obviously knew that whatever he had seen was beyond any terrible thing she could comprehend.
"It was enough that the fever for conquest did not spread from the South. The rest of the world stayed sane. We owe the Volturi for our present way of life. "But when the Volturi went back to Italy, the survivors were quick to stake their claims in the South."
Bella's demeanor didn't change at this latest positive comment about the Volturi. She seemed too consumed by Jasper's story to be annoyed about his opinion of the Italians at the moment.
"It didn't take long before covens began to dispute again. There was a lot of bad blood, if you'll forgive the expression. Vendettas abounded. The idea of newborns was already there, and some were not able to resist. However, the Volturi had not been forgotten, and the southern covens were more careful this time. The newborns were selected from the human pool with more care, and given more training. They were used circumspectly, and the humans remained, for the most part, oblivious. Their creators gave the Volturi no reason to return."
Jasper had told me many times that discretion was the first lesson the young ones learned at Maria's hands. She made sure they witnessed firsthand what would happen to them if they disobeyed her. Her methods of killing could be particularly cruel when it suited her purposes. Jasper knew that she'd enjoyed the show of power.
"The wars resumed, but on a smaller scale. Every now and then, someone would go too far, speculation would begin in the human newspapers, and the Volturi would return and clean out the city. But they let the others, the careful ones, continue...."
'We care nothing for the human casualties, so long as they do not attract the attention of the more superstitious locals,' Jasper and Maria had been told by Demetri when they'd encountered members of the guard in Memphis just before the turn of the century.
"That's how you were changed," Bella said in a soft and compassionate whisper. It wasn't a question. Her face grew even paler and goose bumps erupted on her soft arms as she spoke.
"Yes," Jasper confirmed with a slight nod. He had known that Bella would understand that part of his story without a lengthy explanation. Now it was time to tell the rest. Jasper took a deep but unnecessary breath as he started to repeat the tale he'd told so many times before.
"When I was human, I lived in Houston, Texas. I was almost seventeen years old when I joined the Confederate Army in 1861. I lied to the recruiters and told them I was twenty. I was tall enough to get away with it. My military career was short-lived, but very promising. People always...liked me, listened to what I had to say. My father said it was charisma."
Jasper's mouth twisted into a half smile as he dimly remembered the man he'd so resembled in his human life. He had loved his parents dearly and missed them for many years. He'd resisted the urge to check on them for a long time, but he had gone to visit their graves before he came to the north.
I glanced over at the couch and flitted through the minds of the others to see what they were thinking. They were still watching the news intently, and I knew they were far too familiar with Jasper's story to pay strict attention, though Carlisle and Alice were vaguely watching Bella's reactions. I heard Carlisle and Esme having a whispered conversation about the FBI profiler Nancy Grace was questioning. Alice was the only one who ignored the television; she was still trying to see anything that might help us figure out how to proceed in Seattle. She still didn't understand the meaning of Jasper's desire to tell Bella his story.
"Of course, now I know it was probably something more," Jasper explained as he tried to think of a name for his unique talent, "But, whatever the reason, I was promoted quickly through the ranks, over older, more experienced men."
The Confederate Army was new and scrambling to organize itself, so that provided opportunities as well. By the first battle of Galveston—well, it was more of a skirmish, really—I was the youngest major in Texas, not even acknowledging my real age."
"I was placed in charge of evacuating the women and children from the city when the Union's mortar boats reached the harbor. It took a day to prepare them, and then I left with the first column of civilians to convey them to Houston."
'Don't worry boys; we'll lick those damn Yankees before we even have time to break in our new boots. I reckon we'll get it all squared away in time for Christmas.' Jasper had told the young, nervous men who were serving under him as they executed the evacuation. How naïve he'd been. Of course, history told the tale of their defeat in graphic detail, but Jasper would not be human when the darkest days of his battalion had played out, and the men he'd commanded would never see another Christmas.
"I remember that one night very clearly. We reached the city after dark. I stayed only long enough to make sure the entire party was safely situated. As soon as that was done, I got myself a fresh horse, and I headed back to Galveston. There wasn't time to rest. Just a mile outside the city, I found three women on foot. I assumed they were stragglers and dismounted at once to offer them my aid." But, when I could see their faces in the dim light of the moon, I was stunned into silence. They were, without question, the three most beautiful women I had ever seen."
Bella watched Jasper with rapt attention, waiting for him to continue. I stared intently at her colorless face for any additional signs of distress, but at the moment she seemed to be more intrigued than frightened.
"They had such pale skin, I remember marveling at it. Even the little black-haired girl, whose features were clearly Mexican, was porcelain in the moonlight. They seemed young, all of them, still young enough to be called girls. I knew they were not lost members of our party. I would have remembered seeing these three."
Images of the trio of ethereally beautiful female vampires standing in the shadows of the warm evening air played in Jasper's mind like a well watched film. I could see them as clearly as if I'd been standing on the darkened street beside his horse. The events of that night were his clearest human memories; they were his last ones.
"'He's speechless,' the tallest girl said in a lovely, delicate voice—it was like wind chimes. She had fair hair, and her skin was snow white. "The other was blonder still, her skin just as chalky. Her face was like an angel's. She leaned toward me with half-closed eyes and inhaled deeply.
"'Mmm,' she sighed. 'Lovely.' "
The small one, the tiny brunette, put her hand on the girl's arm and spoke quickly. Her voice was too soft and musical to be sharp, but that seemed to be the way she intended it.
"'Concentrate, Nettie,' she said.
"I'd always had a good sense of how people related to each other, and it was immediately clear that the brunette was somehow in charge of the others. If they'd been military, I would have said that she outranked them.
"'He looks right—young, strong, an officer....' The brunette paused, and I tried unsuccessfully to speak. 'And there's something more...do you sense it?' she asked the other two. 'He's...compelling.' "
'Oh, yes,' Nettie quickly agreed, leaning toward me again.
"'Patience,' the brunette cautioned her. 'I want to keep this one.' "Nettie frowned; she seemed annoyed.
"'You'd better do it, Maria,' the taller blonde spoke again. 'If he's important to you. I kill them twice as often as I keep them.'
"'Yes, I'll do it,' Maria agreed. 'I really do like this one. Take Nettie away, will you? I don't want to have to protect my back while I'm trying to focus.'
"My hair was standing up on the back of my neck, though I didn't understand the meaning of anything the beautiful creatures were saying. My instincts told me that there was danger, that the angel had meant it when she spoke of killing, but my judgment overruled my instincts. I had not been taught to fear women, but to protect them."
"'Let's hunt,' Nettie agreed enthusiastically, reaching for the tall girl's hand. They wheeled—they were so graceful!—and sprinted toward the city. They seemed to almost take flight, they were so fast—their white dresses blew out behind them like wings. I blinked in amazement, and they were gone.
"I turned to stare at Maria, who was watching me curiously. I'd never been superstitious in my life. Until that second, I'd never believed in ghosts or any other such nonsense. Suddenly, I was unsure."
"'What is your name, soldier?' Maria asked me.
"'Major Jasper Whitlock, ma'am,' I stammered, unable to be impolite to a female, even if she was a ghost."
I could see Jasper staring down at Maria as she stroked the brass buttons on his neat grey uniform and smiled.
"'I truly hope you survive, Jasper,' she said in her gentle voice. 'I have a good feeling about you.' "She took a step closer, and inclined her head as if she were going to kiss me. I stood frozen in place, though my instincts were screaming at me to run." Jasper paused, his face thoughtful.
A flash of memories of burning pain and writhing in agony surfaced in Jasper's thoughts as he remembered the dank smell of the basement where Maria had hidden him and five others during their transformations. The only sounds he heard were the piercing screams of the young men, and his gift had forced him to feel their anguish in addition to his own. His change had truly been hell. I nearly shuddered at his recollections myself.
Jasper opened his mouth to automatically continue the story where he'd left off, but I stopped him before his lips could even begin to form the words.
"She doesn't need to hear any more," I growled under my breath. Bella was too busy studying Jasper's face to even notice that I'd spoken. Jasper nodded.
"A few days later," Jasper said as he pushed the terrible memories to the back of his mind. "I was introduced to my new life."
"Their names were Maria, Nettie, and Lucy. They hadn't been together long—Maria had rounded up the other two—all three were survivors of recently lost battles. Theirs was a partnership of convenience. Maria wanted revenge, and she wanted her territories back. The others were eager to increase their...herd lands, I suppose you could say. They were putting together an army, and going about it more carefully than was usual. It was Maria's idea. She wanted a superior army, so she sought out specific humans who had potential. Then she gave us much more attention, more training than anyone else had bothered with. She taught us to fight, and she taught us to be invisible to the humans. When we did well, we were rewarded...." He paused, editing again.
"She was in a hurry, though. Maria knew that the massive strength of the newborn began to wane around the year mark, and she wanted to act while we were strong.
"There were six of us when I joined Maria's band. She added four more within a fortnight. We were all male; Maria wanted soldiers—and that made it slightly more difficult to keep from fighting amongst ourselves. I fought my first battles against my new comrades in arms. I was quicker than the others, better at combat. Maria was pleased with me, though put out that she had to keep replacing the ones I destroyed. I was rewarded often, and that made me stronger.
"Maria was a good judge of character. She decided to put me in charge of the others—as if I were being promoted. It suited my nature exactly. The casualties went down dramatically, and our numbers swelled to hover around twenty.
"This was considerable for the cautious times we lived in. My ability, as yet undefined, to control the emotional atmosphere around me was vitally effective. We soon began to work together in a way that newborn vampires had never cooperated before. Even Maria, Nettie, and Lucy were able to work together more easily.
"Maria grew quite fond of me—she began to depend upon me. And, in some ways, I worshipped the ground she walked on. I had no idea that any other life was possible. Maria told us this was the way things were, and we believed."
At this point in the story, Jasper's memories were far too intimate for him to ever share with anyone. Not even Alice knew the explicit details of his relationship with Maria. I didn't want to know, but thanks to my talents, I did anyway.
"She asked me to tell her when my brothers and I were ready to fight, and I was eager to prove myself. I pulled together an army of twenty-three in the end—twenty-three unbelievably strong new vampires, organized and skilled as no others before. Maria was ecstatic."
"We crept down toward Monterrey, her former home, and she unleashed us on her enemies. They had only nine newborns at the time, and a pair of older vampires controlling them. We took them down more easily than Maria could believe, losing only four in the process. It was an unheard-of margin of victory.
"And we were well trained. We did it without attracting notice. The city changed hands without any human being aware.
"Success made Maria greedy. It wasn't long before she began to eye other cities. That first year, she extended her control to cover most of Texas and northern Mexico. Then the others came from the South to dislodge her."
Jasper brushed his fingers almost absentmindedly over a grouping of scars on his arm as he remembered the fight where he'd nearly lost his…life, for lack of a better term. He'd been attacked by three newborns at once, and was only the intervention of another newborn male named Isaiah who had prevented Jasper's death. Isaiah had lost his own half-life as a result.
"The fighting was intense. Many began to worry that the Volturi would return. Of the original twenty-three, I was the only one to survive the first eighteen months. We both won and lost. Nettie and Lucy turned on Maria eventually—but that one we won." Jasper was lost in his memories again as he recalled the way he'd swiftly ended Lucy's life in seconds while she fed on a small child in New Orleans.
"Maria and I were able to hold on to Monterrey. It quieted a little, though the wars continued. The idea of conquest was dying out; it was mostly vengeance and feuding now. So many had lost their partners, and that is something our kind does not forgive...."I'll never forget the wailing cries of one vampire in particular who lost her partner of more than 300 years one night in Baton Rouge in 1901. I could feel her pain so sharply, but I didn't understand it then. I never felt that way about Maria…
I was distracted from Jasper's thoughts when Bella shivered again. I mulled over her reaction for a brief moment. Did she fear losing me half as much as I lived in terror at the thought of losing her? Her worries over my safety had always seemed silly to me, and yet in this situation, they might not be. It was true that my gifts gave me a significant advantage over my enemies, but I would be no match for more than two newborns. I pulled myself out of this unpleasant train of thought and listened to Jasper.
"Maria and I always kept a dozen or so newborns ready. They meant little to us—they were pawns, they were disposable. When they outgrew their usefulness, we did dispose of them. My life continued in the same violent pattern and the years passed. I was sick of it all for a very long time before anything changed... How many times did I think about just allowing myself to be killed in battle? Even I can't remember now…He thought.
"Decades later, I developed a friendship with a newborn who'd remained useful and survived his first three years, against the odds. His name was Peter. I liked Peter; he was...civilized—I suppose that's the right word. He didn't enjoy the fight, though he was good at it. "He was assigned to deal with the newborns—babysit them, you could say. It was a full-time job.
"And then it was time to purge again. The newborns were outgrowing their strength; they were due to be replaced. Peter was supposed to help me dispose of them. We took them aside individually, you see, one by one... It was always a very long night. This time, he tried to convince me that a few had potential, but Maria had instructed that we get rid of them all. I told him no.
"We were about halfway through, and I could feel that it was taking a great toll on Peter," Jasper explained to Bella. I could hear him replaying the story in his mind as he spoke.
"I was trying to decide whether or not I should send him away and finish up myself as I called out the next victim. To my surprise, he was suddenly angry, furious. I braced for whatever his mood might foreshadow—he was a good fighter, but he was never a match for me."
Jasper paused for a moment as he got lost in his memories. I could see the familiar scene in his mind.
'"Come on Jasper, Joseph's learned a lot in the last year. He could be a good fighter. We could save a couple. If you made the choice Maria wouldn't get too upset"' Peter had implored that fateful day.
'"No, Peter," Jasper replied as he decided to send an increasingly frantic Peter away. '"We have our orders and we have to follow them. Now, get those two over there.'"
'"I won't let you touch her,'" Peter had yelled when Jasper approached Charlotte.
"The newborn I'd summoned was a female, just past her year mark. Her name was Charlotte," Jasper continued. "His feelings changed when she came into view; they gave him away. He yelled for her to run, and he bolted after her. I could have pursued them, but I didn't. I felt...averse to destroying him. I knew that he loved her and all I could think about when I witnessed his feelings for Charlotte was the wailing vampire in Baton Rouge. I just couldn't do that to him.
"Maria was irritated with me for that..." Jasper broke off for a brief moment as he remembered that this was when he'd finally understood why the concept of love seemed so foreign to both of them; they witness too many deaths; murdered senselessly far too often. They had been together for many decades and yet, they did not have a fraction of the attachment to each other that Jasper had seen in other companions.
"Five years later, Peter snuck back for me. He picked a good day to arrive. "Maria was mystified by my ever-deteriorating frame of mind. She'd never felt a moment's depression, and I wondered why I was different. I began to notice a change in her emotions when she was near me—sometimes there was fear...and malice—the same feelings that had given me advance warning when Nettie and Lucy struck. I was preparing myself to destroy my only ally, the core of my existence, when Peter returned."
Jasper remembered how he'd decided to try to dispose of Maria when they moved on to Shreveport. He was sure he could win against her. He was desperate to be free and at the time he'd thought it was the only way out.
"Peter told me about his new life with Charlotte, told me about options I'd never dreamed I had. In five years, they'd never had a fight, though they'd met many others in the north; others who could co-exist without the constant mayhem.
"In one conversation, he had me convinced. I was ready to go, and somewhat relieved I wouldn't have to kill Maria. I'd been her companion for as many years as Carlisle and Edward have been together, yet the bond between us was nowhere near as strong. When you live for the fight, for the blood, the relationships you form are tenuous and easily broken. I walked away without a backward glance.
"I traveled with Peter and Charlotte for a few years, getting the feel of this new, more peaceful world. But the depression didn't fade. I didn't understand what was wrong with me, until Peter noticed that it was always worse after I'd hunted.
I heard Bella's heart skip a beat at Jasper's mention of hunting, and I was prepared to interrupt him again.
I can feel that she's fine, Edward. I promised you that I wouldn't get too graphic and I'm almost done. Jasper thought.
"I contemplated that. In so many years of slaughter and carnage, I'd lost nearly all of my humanity. I was undeniably a nightmare, a monster of the grisliest kind. Yet each time I found another human victim, I would feel a faint prick of remembrance for that other life. Watching their eyes widen in wonder at my beauty, I could see Maria and the others in my head, what they had looked like to me the last night that I was Jasper Whitlock. It was stronger for me—this borrowed memory—than it was for anyone else, because I could feel everything my prey was feeling. And I lived their emotions as I killed them.
"You've experienced the way I can manipulate the emotions around myself, Bella, but I wonder if you realize how the feelings in a room affect me. I live every day in a climate of emotion. For the first century of my life, I lived in a world of bloodthirsty vengeance. Hate was my constant companion. It eased some when I left Maria, but I still had to feel the horror and fear of my prey."
Bella's eyes widened in surprise at this new perspective on Jasper's abilities; she had never thought of the burdensome side of his talent. I knew it never occurred to her that the flow of emotion was a two sided thing. Jasper absorbed the feelings of those around him like a sponge in water. It was a difficult thing to cope with; in many ways, much more draining than my mindreading.
"It began to be too much. "The depression got worse, and I wandered away from Peter and Charlotte. Civilized as they were, they didn't feel the same aversion I was beginning to feel. They only wanted peace from the fight. I was so wearied by killing—killing anyone, even mere humans.
"Yet I had to keep killing. What choice did I have? I tried to kill less often, but I would get too thirsty and I would give in. After a century of instant gratification, I found self-discipline...challenging. I still haven't perfected that."
Jasper was pensive again as he remembered the terrible cloud of despair that always hung over him when he had to feed.
But, Alice was watching him now, sensing his distress just as easily as he could feel it in others. If vampires did have souls, I would say that Alice and Jasper were truly soul mates. He smiled slightly at her, and the memories in both their minds were the same.
"You should tell her the rest of the story," Alice whispered quickly. "She'll enjoy that part, and it will make her feel better."
Bella looked at Jasper curiously; she was clearly baffled by the abrupt change in his expression.
"I was in Philadelphia," Jasper began as he recalled the day Alice had literally danced into his life.
"There was a storm, and I was out during the day—something I was not completely comfortable with yet. I knew standing in the rain would attract attention, so I ducked into a little half-empty diner. My eyes were dark enough that no one would notice them, though this meant I was thirsty, and that worried me a little. "She was there—expecting me, naturally," He laughed softly as he remembered thinking that she was beautiful, but instinctively he was alarmed by her sudden appearance.
"She hopped down from the high stool at the counter as soon as I walked in and came directly toward me. "It shocked me. I was not sure if she meant to attack. That's the only interpretation of her behavior my past had to offer. But she was smiling. And the emotions that were emanating from her were like nothing I'd ever felt before.
"'You've kept me waiting a long time,'" Jasper said as he lovingly repeated the first words Alice had ever spoken to him.
"And you ducked your head, like a good Southern gentleman, and said, 'I'm sorry, ma'am.'" Alice said with a tinkling laugh. Jasper smiled down at her in adoration.
"You held out your hand, and I took it without stopping to make sense of what I was doing. For the first time in almost a century, I felt hope."
Jasper took Alice's hand as he spoke. Alice said with the special smile that she only ever wore for her husband. "I was just relieved. I thought you were never going to show up."
As I watched the interaction between the two of them, I realized for the first time just how beautiful their love story truly was. I had spent so many years envying my siblings, particularly Alice and Jasper in my perpetual state of loneliness that I had never really absorbed the miracle of them finding each other. But now that I had Bella, I understood. I could be happy for them now, because I had finally found my own happiness. In Bella, I had discovered the reason for my existence, and the century I'd spent in solitude meant nothing now. Jasper registered the positive shift in my emotions and turned his attention back to Bella.
"Alice told me what she'd seen of Carlisle and his family. I could hardly believe that such an existence was possible. But Alice made me optimistic. So we went to find them." He said, smiling at the memory. I could see the whole scene in his mind and my own. I laughed.
"Scared the hell out of them, too," I recalled, laughing lightly as I shared the story with Bella. "Emmett and I were away hunting. Jasper shows up, covered in battle scars, towing this little freak," I gave Alice a playful shove—"who greets them all by name, knows everything about them, and wants to know which room she can move into."
Alice and Jasper laughed to at the memory.
I planned the timing of our arrival very carefully. I had my reasons. Alice thought smugly. I didn't have to hear her thoughts to know what her motives had been. I snorted.
"When I got home, all my things were in the garage," I said, remembering how annoyed I'd been when I found that one of my favorite record albums had a scratch on it. Alice gave me an unapologetic smile.
"Your room had the best view." And I saw that you'd never let me have it if we came when you were home, so I waited until I knew you'd be gone.
"That's a nice story," Bella said.
We all turned as one to look at her in surprise. Surely she couldn't be taking Jasper's story so lightly. Jasper sensed that she was calm, and Alice and I were both afraid she was in shock.
"I mean the last part," She explained quickly as she took in our incredulous expressions. "The happy ending with Alice."
I relaxed at her clarification and I was grateful that Jasper had given her something positive to think about. Not that we were going to be able to focus on positive things for long.
"Alice has made all the difference," Jasper agreed. "This is a climate I enjoy." Sometimes I still can't believe my good fortune. He thought as he gazed down at his mate.
But the pleasant reminiscing came to an end when Emmett cleared his throat unnecessarily in an effort to pull us all out of our reverie.
When you all are finished acting like a bunch of sappy pansies, I'd really like to talk strategy. Emmett thought impatiently. I nodded at him and turned my attention back to Jasper. The rest of the family did the same and the news program they'd been engrossed in moments before was forgotten in light of this revelation.
"An army," Alice said, her voice trembling slightly. "Why didn't you tell me?"
No…but Jasper knows more about this than any of us and he wouldn't make this kind of assumption if he weren't sure, Carlisle thought.
An army! Well that doesn't change anything. It just means we need to step up our game and get on with it before the Italians get to have all the fun. Emmett thought.
"I thought I must be interpreting the signs incorrectly," Jasper explained. "Because where is the motive? Why would someone create an army in Seattle? There is no history there, no vendetta. It makes no sense from a conquest standpoint, either; no one claims it. Nomads pass through, but there's no one to fight for it; no one to defend it from.
We should just move; Jasper's got everything we need. It makes more sense to leave than to stay around. I don't want to be implicated in this mess. Rose thought. She was glaring pointedly at Emmett.
"But I've seen this before, and there's no other explanation. There is an army of newborn vampires in Seattle. Fewer than twenty, I'd guess. The difficult part is that they are totally untrained. Whoever made them just set them loose. It will only get worse, and it won't be much longer till the Volturi step in. Actually, I'm surprised they've let this go on so long." Jasper finished. He frowned slightly as he spoke.
I can't understand it at all. Why would the Volturi risk exposure, especially since the activity here doesn't make any sense. Wouldn't they at least want to know why a group of newborns are invading a neutral territory like the Pacific Northwest to start with? Jasper thought, frustrated at his lack of insight on the motives.
And suddenly the terrible pieces of this complex and confusing puzzle started to come together in my mind.
They were here for us.
But, why? How? My mind seemed to be just as frozen as my body for several seconds.
"What can we do?" Carlisle asked Jasper desperately. His normally calm and methodical manner had been replaced by anxiety and fear. My numbness evaporated and I felt a sudden and terrible surge of panic. Carlisle's demeanor made me fully appreciate the gravity of the situation.
An army of newborn vampires had been created for the purpose of destroying us.
"If we want to avoid the Volturi's involvement, we will have to destroy the newborns, and we will have to do it very soon." Jasper replied wearily. He hated the idea of a fight almost as much as Carlisle did. He'd seen and survived far too many battles like this one.
"I can teach you how. It won't be easy in the city. The young ones aren't concerned about secrecy, but we will have to be. It will limit us in ways that they are not. Maybe we can lure them out." It probably won't be an easy task. The only thing they're interested in now is blood and Seattle is definitely a better place to hunt than Forks. He thought.
'We will visit you as well to be sure that you follow through on your side,' Caius's voice echoed in my mind.
We had to stop them before the Volturi could, regardless of the motives for their existence. And yet, if I was right about their motives, we were facing a fight either way.
"Maybe we won't have to," I said darkly. "Does it occur to anyone else that the only possible threat in the area that would call for the creation of an army is...us?" I nearly choked on the last word. I looked at Bella and she was staring at me with nothing short of panic in her large chocolate eyes. I really didn't want her to have to bear this burden with us. But as Jasper had pointed out, Bella was one of us now.
Jasper gave me a searching look. Why? We've always lived in peace. How could anyone see us as a threat?
No! Surely not! But Edward is right; we are the only coven in the area…Carlisle thought. His face reflected the worry in his mind now, and I could hear Bella's heart beating faster as she turned her eyes to his. Carlisle's fear was spreading around the room.
"Tanya's family is also near," Esme said in a desperate and feeble attempt to try to alleviate the tension. She didn't want to believe any of this; the idea that someone might be out to harm her family made no sense to her, and the thought of losing any of us was unendurable in her mind.
"The newborns aren't ravaging Anchorage, Esme. I think we have to consider the idea that we are the targets." I replied gently. I was sure that I was right about their motives and I didn't want us to get sidetracked. We needed to come up with a plan of action right away. I had to keep the Volturi away from Bella. Caius's voice surfaced unpleasantly in my head again.
'Were I you, I would not delay too long. We do not offer second chances'
"They're not coming after us," Alice said vehemently. I know I haven't been as reliable as usual lately, but I would have seen that, She thought. She closed her eyes, searching…and I could read something in her mind that she had apparently seen before. Not a clear picture, but an indistinct man's face, blurred around the edges as though she was looking at him through frosted glass.
'You don't need to know,' He was saying to a group of shadows. The man's face twisted and vanished and only the shadows remained; restless, confused…
"Or...they don't know that they are. Not yet." Alice went on as the recurring flash of insight vanished.
"What is that?" I said curtly. The tension in the room was a solid three dimensional mass now. "What are you remembering?"
"Flickers," Alice said, her voice colored with frustration. "I can't see a clear picture when I try to see what's going on, nothing concrete. But I've been getting these strange flashes. Not enough to make sense of. It's as if someone's changing their mind, moving from one course of action to another so quickly that I can't get a good view...."
"Indecision?" Jasper asked in disbelief. How could someone who has created an entire army of fighters be indecisive? None of this makes sense.
Do their motives really matter? Let's just kill them and get it over with before they come for us. Emmett thought.
"I don't know...." Alice said, frowning as she tried to make some sense out of all the bits and pieces she was seeing.
"Not indecision," I said as another surge of understanding flashed in my mind.
Aro had seen everything in Alice's head with just a brush of his hand on hers. Aro had been obsessively fascinated with Alice's gifts from the moment he'd seen her in my mind. Aro was intrigued and more than a little fearful of the plethora of talent in Carlisle's family. He had wanted to see Bella once she was changed; he was sure she would be an immensely talented immortal; it was part of the reason he'd agreed to let us leave. He was hoping that he might be able to persuade us to join the guard together.
"Knowledge," I continued, "someone who knows you can't see anything until the decision is made. Someone who is hiding from us…playing with the holes in your vision."
"Who would know that?" Alice whispered. I looked at her intently, and she understood my meaning, but she didn't really agree.
"Aro knows you as well as you know yourself," I replied, remembering the way he'd extracted all of her memories and visions with a single touch. He was so enthralled with Alice, so desperate to study her gifts and understand them better that he would have gone to a great deal of trouble to add her to his supernatural menagerie.
"But I would see if they'd decided to come...." Alice argued, but I could hear the doubt and fear in her head. The holes in her vision had a profound impact on her confidence of late, and I knew she was afraid of all the possible outcomes she might not be seeing.
"Unless they didn't want to get their hands dirty," I countered bitterly. I knew I was fanning the flames of her fear and possibly hindering her further with my theories. But I couldn't help but voice my concerns.
"A favor," Rosalie interjected. I could hear the theory that had been forming in her thoughts for the last several minutes. "Someone in the South...someone who already had trouble with the rules…someone who should have been destroyed is offered a second chance—if they take care of this one small problem....That would explain the Volturi's sluggish response."
The Italians are behind this! It makes sense. Maybe Rose is on to something here. If it is the Volturi who are after us then no one is safe from their corruption. We should take them all down. Emmett thought.
Rosalie's theory made perfect sense; the Volturi didn't have just cause to charge us with anything now. They wanted to eradicate us, and yet they knew that if they attacked without just cause it would tarnish their reputation irreparably. So, this was their solution. Work with the lawbreakers to achieve their ends.
"Why?" Carlisle asked, still shocked. "There's no reason for the Volturi—"What could they possibly have to gain by sending a group of rogue newborns after us? We've done nothing wrong! Aro let Edward and Alice go with Bella with the understanding that she would be changed. Why would they want to destroy us now?
"It was there," I explained as I remembered the greedy timbre of Aro's thoughts when he considered Alice's gifts and Bella's potential. He wanted Alice and I for his own, and he wanted to see what would become of Bella after her transformation. He believed she would also be gifted, so he was waiting. His desire to add us to his collection was the only reason we'd been given a temporary reprieve that day in Volterra. He was sure that he would be able to lure us away once Bella was immortal and safe.
"I'm surprised it's come to this so soon, because the other thoughts were stronger," I continued in response to the horrified confusion on Carlisle and Esme's faces.
"In Aro's head he saw me at his one side and Alice at his other; the present and the future, virtual omniscience. The power of the idea intoxicated him. I would have thought it would take him much longer to give up on that plan—he wanted it too much. But there was also the thought of you, Carlisle, of our family, growing stronger and larger. The jealousy and the fear: you having...not more than he had, but still, things that he wanted. He tried not to think about it, but he couldn't hide it completely. The idea of rooting out the competition was there; besides their own, ours is the largest coven they've ever found...."
So what had changed? Why had he given up hope?
I glanced over at Bella and saw that she was looking at me with nothing short of sheer terror in her face. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she agreed with me; she'd been there when Aro had made the choice to let us go that day; she'd seen the look in his eyes, I was sure. We'd never talked about what happened in Volterra because any discussions about our separation, or rather my abandonment, were too painful for both of us to rehash. She hadn't known what I'd garnered from Aro's thoughts until now. She stopped breathing again for a moment. I was just about to insist that she lie down for awhile when she took a deep breath to calm herself.
"They're too committed to their mission. They would never break the rules themselves. It goes against everything they've worked for." Carlisle argued. I'm sure you're right about Aro's fascination with you and Alice but he wouldn't do anything to undermine his credibility. He values his position at the head of the immortal hierarchy too much for that. He thought.
He was so sure that he was right and I could tell that everyone besides Rosalie and I agreed with him. Carlisle had lived with the Volturi for many years, and he knew them well. Plus, his opinion was much less alarming than mine. I would rather think that he was right as well, but I couldn't.
"They'll clean up afterward. A double betrayal; no harm done," I replied bitterly. Caius would have no trouble at all with the idea of disposing of his toy soldiers and their creator once they'd served their purpose. It was the perfect plan.
Jasper shifted toward me, rubbing his chin thoughtfully with the tips of his fingers. I could hear his dissenting thoughts forming long before he spoke.
"No, Carlisle is right," Jasper said with a shake of his head. "The Volturi do not break rules. Besides, it's much too sloppy. This...person, this threat—they have no idea what they're doing. A first-timer, I'd swear to it. I cannot believe the Volturi are involved. But they will be."
"Then let's go," Emmett almost roared. "What are we waiting for?" We can't let the Volturi come here. It's too risky for all of us, especially Bella. He thought.
Emmett and I were on the same page exactly on this matter, and I could tell from everyone else's thoughts that they knew a fight was inevitable, but they just couldn't fathom why we might be the intended targets of the newborns.
My eyes met Carlisle's for a long moment, and his thoughts were full of pain and fear.
I know you would never accuse Aro this if you weren't sure son. I just cannot understand why he would do this when he knows that I would never set out to harm him or anyone else! I'm still not sure that the Volturi are behind the army…but nothing else seems to make any sense. But we can't let this go on. We're really going to have to fight for our lives, aren't we? He thought.
I nodded at him, and the heartache in his eyes was almost physically painful for me to see. My father possessed limitless kindness and compassion. The idea of having to engage in a battle was devastating to him. In over three hundred years he'd never raised a hand to harm anyone.
"We'll need you to teach us, Jasper," Carlisle said with a mixture of sadness and resignation, "how to destroy them."
I glanced over at Bella and saw that she seemed oddly frustrated and pensive, as though she was trying to figure out another reason for the mess we were in.
"We're going to need help," Jasper said.
We're looking at roughly twenty newborns and they will be inexperienced, but we'd be outnumbered more than two to one. But who would help us…Alice just saw that Peter and Charlotte are in Moscow visiting some friends at the moment. There's no way I could reach them in time.
"Do you think Tanya's family would be willing...?" Jasper mused aloud. "Another five mature vampires would make an enormous difference. And then Kate and Eleazar would be especially advantageous on our side. It would be almost easy, with their aid." He glanced at Alice for confirmation of their answer, but she was busy trying to see something more about Seattle and so he didn't interrupt her. Unfortunately, nothing was coming to her,
"We'll ask," Carlisle answered. I hate to bring them into this too. But if I must do it to save my family, I will. He thought.
Jasper held out a cell phone. "We need to hurry." We have to start planning now. With the latest news coverage I would say the Volturi will intercede within the next week. He added mentally.
Carlisle nodded and took the phone from Jasper's hands. He stared out of the window as he dialed the familiar number, hoping to hide the extent of his hurt and fear from Esme.
Bella was holding her breath again, and I could smell the salty moisture in her tear ducts. I took her trembling hand and sat down with her on the sofa. I needed to soothe her, and the only thing that would comfort her now would be the assurance that we weren't facing this alone. I stared intently at Carlisle as he greeted Tanya. Surely they would help us.
"How are you Carlisle?" I heard Tanya ask on the other end of the line. There was an edge of concern in her voice. They were obviously keeping up with the carnage in Seattle as well.
"Not well, I'm afraid," Carlisle said. "You see, we have a very grave situation on our hands here…"
"Yes," Tanya interjected. "We have been following the story. Are you planning to relocate soon?"
"I'm afraid that's not really an option at the moment," Carlisle replied. "You see, it has come to our attention that the newborns may very well be planning to attack us personally. I hate to ask, but we could really use your help with the situation." How I hate to endanger them.
"Well, I would say yes, but Irina is not feeling particularly charitable at the moment," I heard Tanya reply carefully. "You see, she was quite upset when Laurent was killed by those wolves. She was in love with him…"
"Oh," Carlisle said slowly.
To say that this news about Irina's relationship was an unwelcome surprise would be a colossal understatement. I could feel the shock in four other minds. Only Rosalie seemed marginally unruffled by this revelation. Apparently she had seen something between Irina and Laurent that the rest of us had missed, though to her credit she didn't believe there was anything serious about it.
I hadn't seen Irina on my most recent and very brief trip to Alaska. I had stopped there after I'd left Bella in September. I'd spoken to Laurent but I was too consumed with grief to consider anything except what he could tell me about Victoria's whereabouts. Rosalie had tried to meddle in several people's love lives on that trip. I cringed at the horrid memories.
"We didn't realize...that Irina felt that way," Carlisle continued.
"Yes, well she was devastated," Tanya elaborated. "And frankly she's quite angry that you continue to coexist peacefully with those wolves after they killed another vampire on your land, especially since he was our friend. Perhaps if you were willing to allow us to avenge him, we might be able to work something out."
Indescribable fury boiled and burned inside of me and it was all I could do to keep myself from breaking the window that Carlisle was leaning against. How dare they even consider asking us to do anything on his behalf! He would've killed my Bella without a second thought. He knew what she meant to me; he'd witnessed the lengths my entire family had gone to in order to protect Bella from James. He didn't give a damn about Irina or he never would have attempted to harm a Cullen.
"Damn it. Damn Laurent to the deepest pit of hell where he belongs." I growled furiously.
"Laurent?" I heard Bella whisper in a shaky voice beside me. I was too angry to explain the situation to her at the moment. I could hear her heart racing as I listened to the rest of the conversation.
"There's nothing to work out," Carlisle replied, and his voice was just as glacial as the anger in his head. "Laurent attempted to murder Edward's mate, and if it weren't for the wolves he would have succeeded."
"A pack of dogs seems like a small price to pay for the safety of your family, Carlisle," Tanya replied coolly.
"The wolves have done nothing dishonorable and neither will we," Carlisle interjected.
"I understand that you feel indebted to them, but Irina is my sister and she's suffered a great loss…"
"There's no question of that," Carlisle interrupted her curtly.
"Then why won't you…" Tanya began, but Carlisle had finally lost his patience.
"We have a truce. They haven't broken it and neither will we," He said unwaveringly. Carlisle's external demeanor was still relatively calm, but he was in a towering rage on the inside.
Does she really believe that Edward would have survived losing his mate! She was there when I found out what he was planning to do in Italy! How dare she ask us to do this! He thought furiously.
"If you cannot help Irina, then I'm afraid we cannot help you," Tanya said finally. Her voice betrayed no emotion.
I'm sorry to hear that," Carlisle said gravely.
"I'm sorry too, Carlisle," Tanya said, and there was a note of sadness in her voice now. "But I cannot choose to stand with you against my sister. I wish you well."
"Of course," Carlisle replied. "We'll just have to do our best alone."
Carlisle stared out of the window for a long moment. He was terribly hurt by Tanya's decision, and yet he understood why she had made such a choice. She and Irina had spent the last 700 years together, and the love they had for each other was powerful.
Well, that was a complete waste of time, Rosalie thought.
"What's the problem?" Emmett muttered as he rushed over to stand beside me. Another news story about the attacks in Seattle had attracted his attention and he hadn't heard Tanya's side of the conversation.
"Irina was more involved with our friend Laurent than we knew. She's holding a grudge against the wolves for destroying him to save Bella. She wants—" I stopped, glancing over at Bella. She didn't need any more stress, and I knew she would be terribly upset by Tanya's ultimatum.
"Go on," Bella urged me in a shaky voice. I sighed heavily and my insides twisted at the pale and frightened look I saw on her face.
"She wants revenge," I said finally. "To take down the pack…they would trade their help for our permission."
"No!" Bella cried, and her face was almost as pale as mine.
Tanya can't honestly think we'd go after the wolves when they saved a member of our family! Esme cried silently.
No fucking way is she asking us to help her avenge that spineless bastard! Carlisle told Eleazar what happened with Bella. She knows why the wolves took him out. Emmett thought angrily.
"Don't worry," I answered dully. My voice sounded hollow in my own ears; I could only imagine how it sounded to her. "Carlisle would never agree to it." I assured her. "Nor would I. Laurent had it coming," I couldn't stop the growl that built in my chest at the thought of him. How I would have loved to kill him myself for even thinking about hurting her. "And I still owe the wolves for that."
I consoled myself with the thought that he was dead, and it didn't matter how it had happened. Now if I could get to Victoria. It would all be finished then.
"This isn't good," Jasper said. "It's too even a fight. We'd have the upper hand in skill, but not numbers. We'd win, but at what price?"
I can't lose Alice no matter what else happens. She's strong but she's never faced a fight like this. I won't survive it if she doesn't. He thought as his eyes met hers.
And the tone of his thoughts frightened me far more than anything else had on this day. Jasper knew the casualties of war better than anyone, and he knew there would be casualties.
As it stood now, we would not survive this intact. My eyes met Bella's and I saw understanding in her deep brown eyes. She knew what Jasper meant just as surely as if she'd read his thoughts too.
The war had begun.