Twilight is the property of Stephanie Meyer.
Beta'd by the mynxalicious myxni. Gotta run, she's goin' all Oren Ishii on my ass for giving her such headaches with this one!
AN- The following chapter contains violence. If you're sensitive, skip Jasper's POV.
Chapter Eighteen
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Beaten why for
Can't take much more
Here we go...Here we go...Here we go
One - Nothing wrong with me
Two - Nothing wrong with me
Three - Nothing wrong with me
Four - Nothing wrong with me
One - Something's got to give
Two - Something's got to give
Three - Something's got to give
Now
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Skin against skin blood and bone
You're all by yourself but you're not alone
You wanted in now you're here
Driven by hate consumed by fear
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
From Bodies by Drowning Pool
JPOV
I opened the door to the apartment and walked in, enjoying the early morning peace and quiet that met my ears. I could hear Bella stirring slightly from the bedroom, so I put her coffee on the breakfast bar. The sounds of the shower in the guest bathroom informed me of Peter's whereabouts.
Things had been interesting in our apartment in the weeks since Peter had joined us. I loved him like a brother and was so grateful that he was here to help me protect Bella, but the close quarters were beginning to strain us all. Peter was a natural born trouble maker and his current hobby was pushing as many of Bella's buttons as possible.
She knows his teasing is born of affection and she puts up with it amazingly well, drawing on some secret store of patience and letting most of his comments roll right off her back. However, eventually he pushes too far and she loses it. Then they bicker like two year olds until I interfere by kicking Peter out to let her cool down.
They always make up quickly and their emotions let me know they're both just frustrated by the waiting game we are playing with the K2 situation. But, the fighting is starting to wear on my nerves as well.
I broke out of my reverie at the appearance of the wonder twins. Peter was still damp from the shower and Bella was still adorably sleepy in her cotton pajamas. She shuffled over and leaned in to give me a kiss.
"Mornin' Sweetheart," I said with a smile, as I passed her the coffee and bagel I had bought for her.
"Lookin' a little rough around the edges this mornin' Little Bird," Peter drawled as he walked over to the sofa. I clenched my jaw, not ready for the bickering to start yet. To my relief, Bella kept her temper and merely raised an eyebrow at him.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said in an apologetic tone that was at odds with her twinkling eyes. "I'm just so busy HAVING SEX that I don't have time to take care of myself anymore," she said dramatically. She was rubbing in the fact that she was fully recovered and able to seduce me at will while he was a thousand miles away from his wife.
I couldn't hold in my chuckle as Peter howled in outrage. "Low blow, Bella," he whined from the couch, his face twitching at the effort of holding in his smile. "Do you know how long it's been since I've gotten laid?" Bella rolled her eyes as she sipped her coffee. "A long damn time," he continued on. "I'm not used to bein' apart from Char this long, and let me tell you, my hand is not the same…"
Bella sat her coffee down and raised a palm at him. "Trying to eat here, Peter. Not interested in how hard it is for you to spank the monkey." She blew him a kiss as he laughed at her and harmony reigned again for the moment.
Bella finished her breakfast and wandered off to take a shower after patronizingly telling Peter she didn't want her tousled appearance to remind him of the fact that he wasn't getting any.
"She's a gem, Jasper," he said affectionately, after she left the room.
"She is," I agreed conversationally. "Puttin' up with you better than I could have hoped for," I added with a look of warning.
We were interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone. "What's up, Jenks?" I asked abruptly, hoping for progress on the setup we were planning for Alex and his minions. I listened intently, a deadly sense of calm falling over me as my vampire mind kicked into high gear.
"Excellent," I replied after he finished updating me. "Make sure you go over the instructions with your team again. It's imperative that they vacate the premises immediately after me and my team arrive. Failure to do so is extremely likely to result in friendly fire casualties, and I don't want that on me," I ordered in a hard tone. Our setup required the presence of the human team to get our targets where we needed them, but I was worried that curiosity about the fate of the gang would cause someone to stray from the plan.
"I'll be sure to reinforce that with them, Mr. Whitlock, but they're very well trained. I anticipate no difficulties with following the plans we've made. You're paying them enough not to be too curious," he assured me.
"Good. I'll be in touch before my team arrives on scene." I ended the call and looked over at Peter's smiling face.
"Hell yeah, go time," he enthused.
We both turned as Bella walked back into the room, her expression serious. "Tonight?" she asked quietly, stepping into my waiting arms.
"Tonight," I said softly into her hair. "This will all be over after tonight." I felt her anxiety spike before she pushed it down.
"Don't tell me you're worried about us," Peter said in amazement. "This is no contest, Little Bird. Victory is assured."
"I know that Peter," Bella answered quietly. I could see the concern remained in her eyes, but I didn't want to press her in front of Peter.
Bella stood up on her tiptoes to give me a kiss before heading into the kitchen to clean up after her breakfast. I called Emmett, smiling at his enthusiasm for the night's planned events. He assured me he would be here in plenty of time to join us and we hung up. Bella joined Peter on the sofa, looking at the TV with a distracted expression on her face.
"I need to hunt," I said softly, shooting a questioning glance at Peter.
"No thanks, J," he said with a laugh. "I'll eat at the buffet tonight!" His crimson eyes nearly glowed against his pale face as he grinned evilly in anticipation. Bella stood as I approached her and I wrapped her in a tight hug before giving her a gentle kiss.
"Back soon," I whispered, pushing reassurance at her. Her little face was still worried and I planned on getting to the bottom of it when I returned.
I got in the car and drove quickly to the closest State Park. Eager to get back to Bella, I made short work of my hunt, taking the first couple deer I found. I fought my own worry about her as I drove home. She would be alone tonight while we took our revenge. Intellectually, I knew she would be perfectly safe while we dealt with the men responsible for her attack, but I would feel anxious until those men were all beyond the ability to hurt her again.
When I returned to the apartment, Peter was sitting alone on the couch. "She's layin' down," he answered my unspoken question about Bella's whereabouts. "She wouldn't spill about whatever's on her mind." He shrugged helplessly as I tossed my jacket on the table and headed into the bedroom.
Bella rolled onto her side to face me as I entered the room. She looked so tiny in the middle of our large bed, her worried face slightly relieved by a tiny smile for me. I joined her on the bed, lying on my side face to face with her as I grasped both of her hands in one of mine.
"What is it, Baby?" I asked softly, kissing her knuckles as I spoke.
"I'm just so worried about you," she answered, her brown eyes locked onto mine.
"You know Peter's right, this is zero risk for us," I assured her, before she shook her head at me.
"I know you won't get hurt, Jasper. I'm just worried that it will be hard for you to kill without losing control," she whispered.
My heart clenched at the thought that she was afraid I would return to her a monster tonight. "Bella," I said desperately, "I promise I would never let you down that way."
Her eyes flashed angrily as she sat up. I mirrored her movements, surprised at her sudden anger. "Jasper Whitlock, I will never be anything less than proud of you. I will love you and accept you no matter what color your eyes are when you come home tonight," she snapped at me. "Never doubt that. There is nothing you could do to let me down! Other than leave me," she added in a softer tone.
She reached a hand up to cup my cheek in her warm little palm. Our peace flowed over us and I closed my eyes at the sensation. "I just worry about how you'll handle it if you do slip," she admitted softly. "You already have this misplaced sense of responsibility for every fucked up thing that happens, and I don't want you to get lost in a sea of guilt over the assholes you're about to kill."
I opened my eyes, looking down into hers. The love and acceptance I was feeling from her floored me, and I realized she really meant it when she said she would love me no matter what color my eyes were after tonight. I realized that I had grown accustomed to the burden of being a disappointment to those I cared about. Bella's complete acceptance of my strengths and weaknesses was unfamiliar. I didn't want my guilt to come between us, so I struggled to be honest and still reassure her.
"Bella, I can't promise not to feel guilty. I think guilt over taking a life is a good thing, even if that life is an evil one." She watched me intently, her hand still cradling my face. "I will promise you that I'll let you help me live with it."
She nodded seriously at me in response before we were both surprised by the doorbell. It was a little too early for it to be Emmett, so I had no idea who it could be. I linked hands with her as we stood and walked out to the living room together. I caught the scent behind the door a second before Peter did, but he still nearly knocked Bella and me over in his rush to the door.
He yanked the door open, mercifully keeping it on the hinges as the tiny blonde woman flew into his arms. I glanced at Bella, who was smiling at the scene in front of us. "Charlotte, I presume?" she smirked up at me as we watched Peter and his wife suck face unabashedly.
"None other," I confirmed as Bella and I walked over to the sofa to give them a modicum of privacy. I sat back and enjoyed the feeling of their love, strong and focused as it has been since the day Peter whisked her away from Maria's death order. I tried to block the strong lust they were also projecting, but I was only partially successful.
Bella giggled when she noticed the physical evidence of my difficulty. Unable to resist the chance to tease her, I wiggled my eyebrows and pulled her onto my lap. "Climb on, Baby," I ordered in a cheesy voice. She laughed out loud as she fell on top of me, pressing sloppy kisses all over my face. The sight of her smiling down at me was breathtaking and I tried to memorize every detail of her happy expression.
"Bella, if you'll stop molesting Jasper, I'll introduce you to my wife," Peter drawled out in a bored tone.
"Don't you mind him, Sugar," a sultry voice chimed in as Bella climbed gracefully off of me. "He's just grouchy from the sexual frustration an' all."
Bella laughed out loud again as she stood up and walked over to Charlotte, who immediately squeezed her into a tight hug. "Nice to meet ya in person, Bella," Char said softly before releasing Bella to step back into Peter's arms. He dwarfed her tiny frame, but her size didn't stop her from running the show.
"I didn't know you were coming," Bella said excitedly as they sat down in the overstuffed chair together.
"Me neither," Peter chimed in a pouty tone.
Charlotte beamed at me as I stared at Peter in amazement. "I finally did it, J! I finally surprised the nosy son of a bitch!" she said triumphantly.
"Impressive and a long time coming," I said, clapping in applause at her success. "I'm glad you're here, Char," I added sincerely. "Thanks for coming."
"Well, the house is ready and waitin', so I figured why not head out here and get to know our Bella." Her crimson eyes twinkled at me. "She's prettier than you said, Jasper. Now I understand why Edward had his panties in such a knot when Peter and I visited Forks and why you're trippin' over your feet tryin' to rid the world of criminals."
I sighed dramatically. "Yep, it's a good thing she's hot, she's a lot of trouble." Bella eyed me in shock before bursting into laughter again, tears running down her face as she struggled to control herself.
"I'll give you trouble," she warned once she regained her breath. She was interrupted by the door bell.
"Emmett," I announced as I caught his scent and stood to open the door. I clasped his shoulder as he entered the apartment. "Thanks for coming, Em."
He flashed a grin at me. "Wouldn't miss the chance to end the fuckers who hurt Bella," he assured me as he followed me into the living room. "Hey, Bells," he said softly, a hopeful look on his face as he met her eyes.
She stood and walked over to him, stepping into his arms for a hug. "Hi Emmett," she whispered as she pulled back and returned to the couch. Peter and Charlotte watched interestedly as Emmett and I flanked her and sat down.
Emmett cleared his throat. "Peter, Charlotte," he said in greeting.
"Nice to see you again, Emmett," Charlotte replied politely. They had only met briefly in the past, but Peter had filled her in on Emmett's jealousy. Peter just flashed him a broad grin and nodded back, winking when Emmett grunted at him.
We spent the next few hours going over the setup and our plans with Emmett. I explained to him that Jenks and the team had posed as a group of wealthy men interested in funding K2's drugs and weapons trade. Weeks of fake negotiations had ended in an agreement with the gang. Tonight, the "investors" were hosting the upper level gang members for a celebratory dinner at a banquet hall in a quiet town on the north shore of Long Island. Emmett, Peter and I were going to be uninvited guests at their banquet.
Bella listened tensely as we discussed our plans. I sent her bursts of reassurance every now and then and she would always respond with a smile before falling back into her somber mood. Jenks checked in again to confirm our timeline, and before I knew it, it was time to leave. The guys and I grabbed our jackets and walked toward the door. Bella followed us, holding tightly to my hand.
I leaned down to press my forehead to hers before claiming her lips in a deep kiss. "I love you," she whispered into my mouth.
"I love you too. Be home soon, Baby," I said softly as I stepped away. I gave Charlotte a meaningful look. "Keep her out of trouble, Char," I added with a wry smile.
"Will do, Jasper," she answered with a grin. "Don't have too much fun without me, boys."
Bella's brown eyes met mine as I backed out the door. Even after I closed it behind me and walked away, the sight of her soulful brown eyes danced in my head as I walked to the car. Emmett and Peter climbed in as I started the engine and pulled the car onto the street.
Traffic was light and the drive passed quickly, even in the steady rain. Emmett and Peter both wore anticipatory smiles as we pulled into the parking lot of the banquet hall. It was ideally located for our purposes, on the waterfront yet isolated from other buildings. I made a quick call to Jenks to let him know we were on site before making contact with the team. After ending the call, I nodded shortly at Peter and Emmett, and in a flash, we were out of the car and approaching the building's back entrance.
We heard the sound of human footsteps coming closer and Peter whipped out a pair of sunglasses to cover his red eyes. It wasn't inconspicuous on a rainy evening, but better than the alternative. The rear door of the building opened and a nondescript man dressed in black swat gear stepped out.
"I'm Smith," he announced quietly. "I'm your contact. The others are just finishing sweeping the building for civilians before we get out of your way."
I nodded a greeting at him, impressed with the lack of curiosity I was picking up from him. "The building owner and staff have all been compensated as we discussed?" I asked.
Smith nodded. "Yes sir, they're all on board."
"Good. The accelerant is inside?"
"Yes sir, just inside the back entrance here. We also took the liberty of making a large donation to the local fire department to buy you some extra burn time."
Peter grinned broadly under the security lights. "I like the way this fella thinks, J," he drawled lazily. I nodded in agreement. We heard the sound of several cars starting before they exited the front parking lot. Smith's phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered quickly.
"Affirmative. I'll relay the info and vacate the premises," he confirmed into the phone. He turned to face us again, and I felt his confusion about us increase. "We've swept the building, all non-targets are off site. The targets are secure inside the main banquet room; you probably have five minutes before they get suspicious about the absence of the staff. We don't have an exact head count, but the catering staff said there are about a hundred people in there. If there's nothing else, I'm gonna get out of the rain," he finished quietly.
I could feel his discomfort about the unusual situation increasing, so I pushed a small wave of calm toward him. "We'll take it from here, Smith. Thanks for your hard work." He nodded at us before walking away and climbing into a black Jeep. We watched him pull out of the lot.
Turning as a unit, the three of us fell into step and entered the building. We made our way through the cluttered back hallway, taking note of the large canisters of accelerant Smith had mentioned. The scents and sounds of inebriated humans filled our senses as we walked through the kitchen area and toward the double doors leading to the banquet room.
I picked up waves of lust, aggression, and victory from the humans celebrating inside.
"Where are the bitches?" someone roared. "Go see what's holdin' up the entertainment!" Seconds later, the doors swung open into the kitchen as a large thug entered. His eyes widened in confusion at our presence, but before he could even register the question in his brain, Peter was on him.
He drained the goon dry and tossed him to the side. "Tasty," he purred. "Time for the main course, I think."
I nodded my agreement and the three of us stepped unobtrusively into the large room. The catering equipment and tables were immediately in front of us, but few of the seats were occupied. The majority of the men were gathered closer to the bar and soundstage located further into the room. I quickly counted one-hundred and thirteen heartbeats.
Smiling, I thought of the trickle-down effect that killing these men would have. I realized that the vacuum left by K2 would be quickly filled by other criminals, but it was impossible to ignore the fact that many crimes would be prevented by our actions.
Our entrance was finally noticed by one sober looking Asian guy, who immediately walked over to us, projecting waves of alarm and defense. Emmett smiled evilly as he walked up to meet him. The gang member moved to draw a weapon from his jacket, but before he could complete the movement, Emmett had ripped his head from his shoulders.
The scent of blood hit me hard, but somehow the mental image of Bella's eyes stayed in front of my mind, helping me keep my focus. Emmett's actions finally drew the attention of others, and the shouting began as the men in the room swarmed toward us. I felt myself become detached as I started killing. My mind tracked the motions I made as I clawed, ripped, crushed and tore, but I felt cold and dead inside.
Peter had his mouth locked onto the neck of one man while he crushed the throat of another with his foot. His crimson eyes gleamed underneath the blood and gore that covered his face. The gang members close enough to see him began to experience true panic as they realized they weren't dealing with a human being. He smiled cheerfully as he stepped away from the body he had just drained and stalked toward the next target. The doomed fucker tried to run, but there was nowhere to go. Within seconds, his body joined the pile Peter was leaving in his wake.
Emmett was pummeling his victim of choice, unleashing his true strength with every punch. "That's for Bella, Asshole," he muttered as his punching bag finally succumbed to his massive internal injuries. Em moved on to the next man, this time choosing to rip an arm off to use as a bat on the guy's head.
As the three of us tore into the men attacking us, the rest of the men in the room began to notice that their friends were being slaughtered. We were savagely efficient, and over half of the men present were already dead. Several guys attempted the exit doors, cursing when they discovered they had been locked inside. Complete chaos descended as we continued our progress toward the end of the room where Alex and the other upper level members were seated near the bar, their expressions shocked as they watched the bloodbath in front of them.
Futile bullets flew toward the three of us as we moved apart, killing anyone within our reach. I locked eyes with Alex as I tore the arms off of the man in front of me before crushing his windpipe. I honed in on the panicked mix of emotions he was projecting- disbelief, anger, and desperation all warred within him. Unfortunately, he was still devoid of the only emotion I wanted him to experience.
Moving on to the next man standing between us, I smiled evilly before snapping his spine over my knee. Alex took a step backward before bumping into the bar, frantically searching for a possible escape. I shook my head chidingly at him as I continued inexorably toward him, killing anyone who stood in my path.
The decreasing intensity of the screams around me alerted me to the fact that Emmett and Peter were making quick progress dispatching the men remaining in the room. I continued moving forward until I finally backed Alex up against the bar.
"Let me get you a drink," I said casually as I lifted him roughly onto a bar stool and shoved an abandoned beverage into his hand.
At last, I felt the fear I had been craving from him. "What are you people?" he whispered. His disbelief at what he was witnessing was written all over his pale face.
"We're the stuff of nightmares," I answered matter-of-factly.
"You arranged all of this to get to me?" he asked, clearly trying to buy some time. "All this over the girl?" I simply nodded in reply as I leaned over him, relishing the spike of terror my movement elicited.
"What can I give you to let me go?" he whispered, nearly choking from the fear. "Clearly, I underestimated her value to you, but I can make it up to you. I understand who I'm dealing with now," he pleaded. "We can negotiate, become allies. We have a lot to offer each other. No bitch is worth this!" Desperation filled his words, but I could feel the hopelessness beginning to swallow him.
I grinned lazily at him as I reached out to grasp his shoulder with one hand. "Ah, but she is worth it, Alex. I would do this shit every day if I needed to, just to keep her safe." His hands shook violently, spilling the drink over the bar surface.
"There's nothing you can do to get out of this," I said as I gradually tightened my grip. He flinched in discomfort as I squeezed harder. "Bella warned you that you were a dead man, and now she wants you to pay." He squirmed under my hand, trying to escape the pain I was inflicting. "Thing is," I continued calmly, "you actually died the second one of your punks laid a finger on my girl, you just didn't realize it at the time." With those words, I snapped his collar bone. He screamed pathetically and writhed under my hand as I continued to squeeze.
"Now," I continued casually, "I'm gonna hurt you like you and your boys hurt her, her boss, and all the other girls whose lives you destroyed. When I'm done hurting you, I'm gonna kill you, but you'll be begging for it by then anyway," I whispered into his ear as I pulled him closer to me.
"No, please, there has to be something!" he shouted as I started with his hands, crushing the tiny bones with one clench of my fist. From there, I dislocated both shoulders before tossing him back into the wall. Words finally escaped him and he screamed in pain as he collapsed to the ground, his arms hanging uselessly at his sides. I let him lay there for a moment before strolling up to him and kicking him in the gut, taking extreme care to restrain my motion enough to prevent rupturing his aorta and ending his suffering.
I continued assaulting his abdomen, the memory of the bruises that had so recently marred Bella's skin my inspiration as I struck him. I noticed Emmett and Peter approaching and I turned to face them.
"Finished?" I asked Peter tersely.
"Done and done," he drawled lazily, looking at Alex with a clinical interest. "This the one responsible for hurtin' our Little Bird?"
"It is," I confirmed unnecessarily. I turned to Emmett, noting his grim expression. "Wanna couple hits, Em?"
He didn't even answer as he growled low and moved in. I stepped aside to give him more room. He rained blows down onto Alex until the screams finally faded into wet sounding moans as he struggled to draw breath into his battered lungs. His face was a bloody mess and his limbs were distorted from the multiple fractures they had sustained.
I strolled back over to him and lifted him up with one hand. He was limp, unable to even raise his head enough to look at me. Relishing the pain he was projecting, I pulled his head back to expose his neck.
Turning to Peter, I raised an eyebrow in question. "One for the road?" I asked politely. Alex's eyes widened even further in terror as he finally processed Peter's red eyes. I smiled as I took in the sensation of his fear.
Peter grinned and shook his head negatively. "Nah, don't wanna pollute myself with that piece of shit, Jasper."
I snarled my agreement at him as I bared my own teeth and leaned in over Alex's bare throat, closer to the pounding artery in front of me. Emmett's intake of breath drew my attention, and I laughed shortly at his worried expression. "Don't worry, Em. I plan on kissing Bella with these lips, no way I'm gonna taint them with this fucker's blood."
I slid my hand up to Alex's throat, relishing the feeling of the blood pounding just under my fingertips. "Bye, Alex," I whispered as I began to squeeze. His eyes widened and he began struggling against me in vain. I took my time, gradually increasing the pressure as he fought to inhale. Finally, his fragile trachea gave in and I relaxed my grip, watching the life leave his bright blue eyes.
I tossed his corpse to the floor and looked up at Emmett's relieved face. My cold detachment continued to hold me as I ordered them to help me pile the bodies in several heaps before dousing them and the room in the accelerant. We made short work of the grisly job, and before long the room was in flames. After ensuring that the bodies would burn to the point of disguising the manner of death, we walked out of the building into the rain.
Without asking, Peter got into the driver's seat. The trip home passed in a blur as I struggled to mentally step away from the slaughter I had participated in. It was as if I had been divided into two pieces- one side the soldier, the other the man Bella loved. I closed my eyes, feeling adrift and ungrounded. I heard Peter and Emmett speaking to me and then about me, but I ignored them as I focused on the memory of Bella's eyes.
We reached my building and exited the car after Peter parked. As we entered the building through the back entrance, I vaguely registered that we were all covered in blood and soot. Fortunately, we avoided any humans on our way to the elevator.
As I stepped off the elevator, the sound of Bella's heartbeat called to me, drowning out Peter's voice as I made my way to the apartment. Desperate to see Bella, I opened the door and stepped in, my eyes darting to the sight of her moving toward me.
Suddenly, I felt two set of hands restricting my movement toward her as Peter and Emmett pulled me back by the shoulders. I took in the sight of Bella struggling toward me as Charlotte's pale arms held her back. Growling, I turned behind me, ready to eliminate anyone standing between me and Bella.
BPOV
Several hours previous
I cradled Jasper's beautiful face with one of my palms, trying to pour the love and faith I felt into him. My heart ached that he feared I would be disappointed with him if he slipped and consumed human blood during the violence tonight. I realized that it was a strong possibility, but I didn't give a shit. Nothing would change the fact that he was the man I loved, putting himself into an unsavory situation to protect and avenge me.
We were interrupted by the door bell, and we walked out to answer it together before being nearly blown over by Peter. I watched with unabashed curiosity as Peter tore the door open and caught the tiny woman jumping toward him. They began kissing frantically and I stared as Peter tried to force his tongue even farther into the mouth of the petite blonde vampire who had just invaded our apartment. Turning to Jasper, I asked unnecessarily, "Charlotte, I presume?"
He smiled and confirmed my hunch. I was glad to hear it, knowing that the Charlotte I had grown to know from over the phone would rip Peter to shreds for infidelity. Jasper and I moved to the couch to wait out the sloppy reunion.
I laughed when I noticed that Jasper was being physically affected by the lust the long separated pair was emitting. He teasingly ordered me to climb on, and I laughed again, my sprits lifting for the first time since I had learned that tonight was the night that K2 would be eliminated. I gladly climbed onto Jasper's lap and covered him in exaggerated kisses before being rudely interrupted by Peter.
Eager to meet my new friend in person, I stepped forward to hug Charlotte. Her tiny frame reminded me of Alice, but all similarity ended there. Charlotte's hair was a warm honey blonde, falling in shaggy waves just below her shoulders. Her eyes were bright crimson, but they were also full of warmth. She projected a sense of calm assurance, as though she was ready for anything.
She and Peter joined us in the living room and we fell into an easy banter. I enjoyed watching Jasper's relaxed manner with her as they teased Peter. It was good to see him at ease with the people who knew him best. We were interrupted by the door bell and Emmett's arrival.
I greeted him with mixed emotions, knowing I was disappointing him. I hated to make him feel bad, and I didn't want to carry a grudge, but I just couldn't allow myself to take that last step and fully forgive Emmett for leaving me behind. He was unusually formal with Charlotte and downright frosty to Peter, and I knew he was still struggling with jealousy over my relationship with Peter.
I listened intently as Jasper filled Emmett in on the setup they had used to entrap K2. It seemed like an airtight plan. There was little risk of innocent people being harmed and of course the guys were invincible against the mere humans they would face. However, I couldn't fight the continuing unease I was feeling about how Jasper would react to participating in violence again.
Time seemed to fast forward, and suddenly Jasper was walking toward the door, my hand held tightly in his. He leaned down over me and pressed his cool forehead against mine before kissing me sweetly. I told him I loved him and listened as he told me he'd be home soon. He told Char to take care of me, and seconds later, he was gone.
My heart clenched in my chest as my worry about Jasper peaked again. I jumped at the sensation of Charlotte's hand on my shoulder, pulling me gently back into the living room.
"Sugar, this worry's no good for you. There's no way those humans can touch him, and he'll be comin' home to you before you know it. Now come sit down so we can get to know each other while those boys take care of the bastards that hurt you."
I smiled wanly at her as we settled onto the couch. I was struck again by the calm strength that emanated from this tiny vampire woman. She smiled at me reassuringly as I wrapped myself into a blanket and got comfy.
"You're real good for him, Bella," she said softly. "I've never seen him so comfortable in his own skin." I looked at her in surprise. She nodded her head emphatically as she continued. "Well, he was practically a robot when he was with Maria. I don't know how he survived the emotional turmoil he existed in there, but somehow he kept his sanity long enough for us to haul his ass outta there."
I listened intently, eager for any further information she could give me about Jasper's life before the Cullens. She smiled sadly before speaking again.
"Then when we convinced him to come away with us, he was so lost, Bella. It was so hard for him to accept an existence without constant violence. For years, he was constantly on edge, always waiting to be attacked. But that wasn't the worst," she trailed off, clearly living in a memory.
"He's suffered so much," I whispered as I waited for her to come back to the present.
Shaking her head, she began again. "He gradually began to adjust to life away from Maria, and it was a joy to watch his personality unfold. But the hunting and feeding just about killed him emotionally. He needed to feed to live, but killing people was just crushing his spirit. That's one reason I will be forever grateful to Alice, no matter how little I like her."
I still struggled with the idea that Peter and Charlotte didn't like Alice. She had stepped right into my heart, and it was strange to me that Jasper's closest friends saw her so differently. Charlotte laughed at my obvious confusion and gave me an evil wink.
"Yep, it's true, Sugar. The All-Knowing One and I detested each other at first sight. Near drove Jasper crazy that we couldn't get along, but it just wasn't in the cards for us. I loved the peace that she and the Cullens gave him, but I hated that he had to sacrifice so much of who he was to be with her. He went from being a leader to being the one who needed to be babysat, and Peter and I had a hard time accepting that."
"I never really knew him with the Cullens," I mused thoughtfully. "We were rarely together, and when we were he was just really quiet."
Charlotte shrugged as she answered. "Well, he was where he wanted to be, so who were we to argue with him. But then the little fortune teller broke up with him with no explanation and he was lost again. He stayed with us for awhile, but then he said he wanted to be on his own. He was just drifting along from place to place until he bumped into you, Bella. You saved him."
Her red eyes shone with tears that couldn't fall as she regarded me. I swallowed hard, fighting my own emotions as I thought of Jasper's long, hard journey. "He's the one who saved me, Charlotte. All I've done for him is to love him."
Charlotte reached for my hand and squeezed gently with her cold, hard fingers. "That's just it, Bella. He's never had anyone love him for who he really is before. Maria only cared about what he could do for her, and Alice loved what she tried to make him into, not who he was."
A tear slipped from my eye, and Charlotte shook her head. "I'm s'posed ta be keepin' you calm, not makin' you cry," she chided. "Enough heavy stuff. Why don't you pick a movie to watch. I'll do your nails and we can talk about the guys," she suggested. I marveled at her vampire ability to shift gears so quickly, but I was glad to have something else to do other than worry about what Jasper was going through right now.
I enjoyed chatting with Charlotte while she painted my toe nails a deep purple. "Fierce, just like you," she said cryptically. She kept me entertained with story after story of Peter's nonsense over their decades together. No wonder she seemed ready for anything, she never knew what a day with Peter would bring. I lost track of time until I saw her turn alertly to the front door.
"Are they back?" I asked anxiously. She nodded her head, and I quickly moved to get up and meet Jasper. The door opened and the three vampires stepped into the apartment. I swallowed hard at the sight of them. They were all covered in rain streaked blood and soot, and I didn't want to think about how they had gotten so filthy. But the most upsetting sight was Jasper's face as his eyes locked onto mine.
His face was free of expression, even as Peter spoke quickly into his ear. His eyes were pitch black and full of desperation as he stared at me. I hurried toward him, gasping in shock when I felt Charlotte's arms restraining me. Jasper's growl brought my attention to the fact that Peter and Emmett were both holding him back from me.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing to him?" I screamed at Peter.
"Bella, you don't understand what he's goin' through right now. It's not safe for you to be close to him, 'til he calms down," Peter said urgently. Jasper growled again and turned, taking Peter and Emmett with him as he fought against them.
"He would never hurt me," I yelled in outrage. Turning to Charlotte, I struggled against her hold. "Let me go, Charlotte, he needs me," I insisted in vain.
Suddenly I felt her hold on me disappear as she slumped forward. I stepped away from her in shock, taking in the sight of Emmett and Peter falling to the floor before I realized Jasper had hit them with a shot of lethargy.
"That's better," I muttered as I ran to Jasper, thankful that my limited immunity to his empathy had protected me from the fatigue. He stepped away from Emmett and Peter and caught me as I fell into his arms, heedless of the disgusting mess all over him. I wrapped my own arms around him and he carefully sank to his knees as he cradled me to his chest. He pressed his face into my neck and I rubbed his back as I felt him inhaling deeply. I felt our special peace wash over me, and I hoped he was able to sense it through his turmoil.
"Bella, you don't know what you're dealing with," Peter said weakly from the floor. "You need to back away from him…"
I cut him off as I felt Jasper's low growl rumble against my body. "Peter, I know this nonsense is coming from a good place," I said vehemently. "But I don't need your instructions on how to love him. Now shut up and butt out."
I pressed my lips against the side of Jasper's head. "Come on, Baby. Let's go get you cleaned up," I whispered as I stood. I tugged gently on him, and he allowed me to guide him to a standing position. He followed me wordlessly into the bathroom where I nudged him to sit on the vanity stool. His eyes tracked my every movement as I quickly started the shower and gathered bath towels.
I carefully stripped his jacket and shirt off, trying to keep the mess from getting on the floor. "Time to go shopping, I think," I said softly. My heart stuttered in relief when his lips relaxed slightly. It was far from a smile, but better than the tight grimace he had worn since entering the apartment. I pulled him into standing to undo the fly on his jeans. I slid them down over his hips, taking his boxers with them.
I quickly got myself undressed and tossed all of our blood soaked clothing out of the bathroom. Jasper was still standing in front of the shower. I walked back to him and pulled him into the shower with me, standing us both under the hot water. After a moment, I nudged him to sit on the marble bench, allowing me to reach him more easily.
I knelt in front of him, using my fingers to brush the wet, grimy hair out of his face. "I know you're feeling lost right now," I said softly. "But it's okay, because I have you. I know who you are, I love who you are, and I have you right where you're supposed to be. So you take your time and let me take care of you."
He closed his eyes and reached for my hand to press a kiss into my palm. My heart beat easier at yet another sign that he was coming back to me. I reached for the shampoo and lathered his hair carefully, massaging his scalp as I worked. I grabbed the hose extension and tipped his head back to carefully rinse the soap away.
I repeated the process to cleanse his body, taking my time to lavish attention on each part. I pressed kisses along his scars and smiled as he reached one hand up to touch my head. I moved my soapy hands along his chiseled abdomen and over his perfect thighs before reaching his calves and feet. I neglected no part of him as I tried to paint my love onto him with my touch.
Leaning back, I looked up at his face. His eyes were closed and his head was resting on the shower wall. Determined to bring him back to me, body and soul, I leaned forward and quickly pushed his thighs apart before taking his dick into my mouth.
I gave a long suck, smiling as he grew instantly hard. Releasing him with a pop I looked up see to Jasper's startled eyes staring down at me. "Got your attention now?" I said in a sultry tone. He didn't answer but his eyes were now full of desire instead of turmoil. "Good," I said confidently. "Now sit back and let me see if all those lessons my stripper friends gave me were any good."
With that, I took his now ramrod erect dick back into my mouth, running my tongue along the bottom ridge before lapping enthusiastically at the head. I smiled as he twitched in my mouth, his hips lifting slightly to increase my contact. My own arousal began to increase as I took him deep and sucked hard, using my hand around what I couldn't swallow. He moaned and began to thrust gently into my mouth. The sensation of him fucking my mouth made my core ache for him.
I hummed around his dick and ran my teeth firmly along his length. In the next instant, I found myself on his lap, impaled around his dick as he used his hands to lift me up and down over his hard length. The pleasure pierced my body and I leaned back to allow him even deeper inside me. He hit me in just the right spot and I screamed my pleasure.
"Right there, Jasper. Right there! Oh my God!" My orgasm broke fast and hard and I screamed his name as I came. I felt him spasm inside me and he moaned my name as he reached his own peak. I leaned forward to kiss him softly on the lips. His eyes opened, and I smiled as I took in the fact that they had returned to their normal amber hue.
"There you are," I whispered as he smiled slowly back at me.
"Thank you," he said slowly. "Thank you for bringing me back."
"I'll always have you," I assured him quietly. He nodded solemnly as I climbed off of him and rinsed us both off before shutting off the water. Grabbing the fluffy towels, I dried myself quickly and then got to work on him, smacking his hands away when he tried to take over.
"Come lie down with me. I need to be close to you," I ordered when we were both dry. He scooped me into his arms and carried me to bed, tucking the covers around us as we wrapped ourselves together.
"All that killing, Bella," he began in a hollow tone. "I shut down, like I did when I was with Maria, so I could do what I needed to do. But then when it was over, I couldn't come back. I knew I needed to come back to you, but I couldn't figure out how."
"I'll always help you come back to me," I said, pushing my love toward him. "Thank you, Jasper. Thank you for putting yourself through this for me; to protect me and to avenge me and my friend. Thank you."
He looked back at me and I felt him push his love toward me. "There is nothing I would not do for you, Bella Swan," he vowed in a low tone, and I felt the truth in his words. This man would move heaven and earth my name if I asked him to.
"Ditto," I whispered as I snuggled into him. I felt my eyes growing heavy and allowed myself to doze off, realizing the stress of the evening had really depleted me. I woke gradually to the sensation of his fingers combing my damp hair.
"How long did I sleep?" I mumbled into his chest.
"Just about an hour, Sweetheart," he answered softly, sliding me up to press kisses along my jaw. I giggled at the tickling sensation.
"As much as I want to lay here and let you shower me with affection," I teased, "I have a few things I need to say to our chucklehead friends out there."
Looking interested, he pressed one more kiss to my lips before sitting us up. I dressed quickly in a pair of flannel pants and one of Jasper's shirts. I smiled widely when he simply threw on a pair of jeans, forgoing both boxers and a shirt.
"I love you wearing my clothes, Sweetheart," he murmured as we walked out of the room together.
"I love you wearing fewer of yours," I whispered back.
We approached the living room, facing the three serious looking vampires waiting on our sofa. Emmett looked faintly ill. Jasper noticed my curiosity and filled me in. "He's uncomfortable thinking about you doin' what you did to help me, Sweetheart." I looked at Emmett and shrugged. "I give good head Em. Get used to it or go home."
Peter, Emmett and Charlotte all choked simultaneously at my words. I felt impressed with my ability to shock the three of them into silence. Jasper and I sat in the over sized chair opposite of them and I held my hand up when I saw Peter open his mouth.
"I'll be glad to listen to whatever you want to say tomorrow, Peter," I began quickly. "I just have a few things to say that can't wait until the morning." He nodded in agreement, staring hard at my hand entwined with Jasper's.
"I'd like to start by thanking you all for being here tonight." I made sure to catch Emmett's eye, hoping he could feel how sincerely I appreciated him coming. "Thank you for killing for me. I know you didn't do it lightly and I appreciate you doing what I'm not capable of. We are both grateful to have friends that we can count on."
The three of them watched me intently as I paused. "However, I want you to understand in no uncertain terms that you are never to try to separate the two of us again." I met Peter's red eyes as he regarded me quietly. "I know you know things about him that I don't know, Peter. But you need to realize that the reverse is true as well. I know him in ways you don't and there are things that I can do for him that you can't."
"Damn straight," Jasper muttered into my hair. I couldn't stop my laugh as I realized he was talking about my form of sexual healing. Charlotte giggled as Peter's eyes grew wide and Emmett choked back a laugh as they all caught on.
I was relieved that the tension among us was dissipating, but I wasn't quite done. "I know you were trying to protect me, but if you're going to be around us, you need to know that we're always better together. I don't care what the issue is, separating us is not the answer. Got it?" I asked, briefly locking gazes with all of them.
"I believe we've got it down pat, Sugar," Charlotte drawled wryly. "Don't worry, I'll make sure Peter doesn't injure himself when he steps down as the reigning Jasper expert." Peter glared at her for a moment before looking sheepish.
"Sorry, Bella, Jasper. From now on, I'm deferring to Birdy here on all matters Jasper," he sighed dramatically. Charlotte rolled her eyes and smacked him gently on the back of the head.
Emmett laughed loudly at Peter's outraged howl. "I think you and I are gonna get along fine, Blondie," he said to Charlotte. "We sure do think alike." Charlotte grinned back at him. Before Peter could put his two cents in, I stood up.
"Alright, the human is now going to sleep. Keep your fuckery to a quiet roar, and I'll see you in the morning."
I blew them kisses and pulled Jasper up to walk beside me as I headed back to the bedroom, content in the knowledge that he was right where he was supposed to be.
AN- Hope Alex's end was vicious enough for all you Andy lovers!
My dear MM- thank you so much for your kick ass suggestions for the fight sequence and for all that you do. I'm sorry you had a rough week baby, you can take it out on my tush!
Ok, folks. I'm packin' the girls off to grandma's again for 10 days, so don't look for the next chapter for at least two weeks. Thank you for your patience!
If you're looking for something to read, check out Luv4Jake's blog:http:/luv4jake(dot)blogspot(dot)com. She has some great recommendations and a ton of fics that I'm looking forward to reading!
Fic I'm currently obsessing over: Raw and Rosy by tuesdaymidnight. Slashy, spanky high school awesomeness. She calls it PWP, but I'm loving the character development that's going on in between the sex!