Chapter Thirty-three
Yet again, I apologize for the delay. I was on vacation, dining with princesses!
Thank you to mynxi for being my beta and giving me the tough love I needed to get this done.
Twilight is the property of Stephanie Meyer.
JPOV
"Shut up, you fuckers," Emmett muttered grumpily, attempting to brush some of the mud off of his jeans. He and I had just hunted, and Peter had come along as a spectator/heckler. I had contented myself with a moose, but Emmett had insisted on chasing down an ornery bear, and his clothes were worse for wear. Peter, of course, was having a field day with jokes about table manners and Emmett's general aptitude for hunting wildlife. I was mostly keeping my mouth shut, but let's face it, Peter's a funny guy, and eventually I couldn't stifle my laughter.
Emmett and Rosalie had joined us about a week ago, immediately after Bella called to inform them that we were engaged. Bella had asked Emmett to officiate at our ceremony, and with his typical enthusiasm, he had already completed the online course to become ordained.
Sighing to myself, I wished that Emmett's enthusiasm for the ceremony was contagious. While I had no doubts that Bella loved me and would be my partner forever, over the last few days she had become tense and withdrawn whenever our wedding plans were mentioned. Initially, I brushed it off to her emotional volatility, but as her attitude continued, I was beginning to wonder if she was having second thoughts about formally getting married.
We approached the house and I could feel Bella's frustration and tension from outside. Stopping, I ran my hand through my hair and took a deep breath.
"That bad?" Peter asked sympathetically. He was aware of my concerns about Bella, but he was being uncharacteristically tight lipped with his opinion on the matter.
"Yep, that bad," I confirmed, mentally squaring my shoulders. "Might as well go see what happened."
Peter and Emmett followed me inside where we took in the sight of Bella, Char, and Rose looking at wedding dresses on the laptop. Bella was vibrating with stress and Rosalie and Charlotte were both radiating confusion and concern.
Walking over to them, I knelt down in front of Bella, taking one of her hands in mine. I smiled for a moment as I felt the peace that touching her caused.
"What's wrong, Sweetheart?" I asked, looking up into her orange-brown eyes.
She yanked her hand away and stood up, kicking the chair behind her as she glared down at me.
"Five thousand dresses on ten different sites, that is what's wrong Jasper!" she snapped angrily. Char and Rose quietly stood up and made their way to the front door. Char blew me a kiss as she led the way outside, leaving Bella and me alone in the house. "None of these are me, Jasper," Bella ranted, gesturing angrily toward the laptop. "Not even dressed up me!"
Desperately trying to put myself in her shoes enough to understand her frustration, I gently tugged her down so that she was kneeling on the floor with me. "Bella, I'm sure you'll find something you like eventually. There's no hurry, just take your time and keep looking."
She stared back at me, her lip trembling with emotion. "It's not just the dress Jasper!" she wailed. "Charlotte and Rosalie have been great, not pushy about anything, but none of this feels right! Not the locations, not the dresses, not even the fucking flowers! None of it's me, and that leaves us with nothing that we need for a wedding!"
Cupping her face with one hand, I leaned forward so that our foreheads were touching. "Sweetheart, technically all we need for a wedding is you, me, and a witness. The rest is all just decorations, and you're beautiful as you are."
Relieved, I watched her eyes soften and her body relax as some of her tension eased. "Call Emmett back here," I teased, "and I'll marry you right here, right now."
Her expression morphed into a full smile and I felt her happiness rush over me. "You're right," she said firmly. "We have everything we need." Her eyes drifted down to my ratty old flannel and she raised her eyebrow. "Except maybe a different shirt for you."
"Seriously?" I asked through my laughter. "Want me to call Emmett back?"
"No way," she answered firmly. "Let's go find him." With that, she was out the door tracking the others.
For a second, I sat there staring after her in shock, but I eventually kicked myself into gear and chased after my bride.
Less than thirty minutes later, Charlotte and I stood side by side in a pretty little clearing not far from the house. Emmett and Rosalie were waiting nearby, watching Bella and Peter walk toward us, arm in arm. The others had been pretty shocked when Bella and I tracked them down to inform them that were getting married now, but to their credit, they rolled with the change in plans.
I took in the sight of Bella, who was barefoot in her worn jeans and plain black tank top. Her hair spilled down her back in loose curls, tangled from our happy chase through the forest. She looked natural, beautiful, and perfectly Bella. They finally reached us and Peter grinned at me as he placed Bella's hands in mine before stepping over to stand with Char. Staring down at Bella, our hands clasped together in front of us, I was overcome with a feeling of profound peace and certainty.
"You look perfect," I whispered, smiling down at her relaxed face. She smiled back up at me before quickly reaching up to rip the shirt off my back, leaving my chest completely bare and revealing the fact that I had neglected to button my jeans that morning.
"So do you," she murmured, blatantly eying me up. Peter and Charlotte both chuckled and Emmett coughed as he attempted to stifle his laugh.
"Before we lose anymore clothing," he said, his expression growing uncharacteristically solemn, "I'd like to begin." Clearing his throat, he looked briefly at Rosalie, who seemed to give him some wordless encouragement. Returning his focus to Bella and me, he continued, "We are gathered here, as friends and family, to witness the union of Bella to Jasper. We love you each as individuals, and we love you as a couple. We are here today to witness your vows to each other as you come together in marriage. Thank you for the gift of your friendship and the privilege of sharing in your joy."
He paused for a moment and I took the chance to relish the sincerity he was projecting. Emmett was normally very light hearted and carefree, but when he felt strongly about something his emotions were deep. He grinned at me, revealing how hard he was working to maintain his solemn demeanor. "Before you exchange rings, would either of you like to say anything?" he asked.
Bella surprised me by speaking first. "Jasper, when you walked back into my life, I wasn't sure it was a good thing. I was afraid of everything. So afraid of losing more that I didn't want to risk having anything or anyone. Fear dictated my existence, but by just sticking around and being yourself, you taught me that love is worth risking loss. You taught me to trust again, and that trust became love. I am no longer afraid, and I thank you for that."
Her eyes swam with venom and she clung tightly to my hand before continuing, "You've given me everything, and now I give you everything that I am. Before these people that are my family, I give you my vow to be yours for eternity, as well as my promise that whatever the future holds for us, we will face it together. I love you, Jasper Whitlock, and I am honored to become your wife."
As her words faded into the air surrounding us, I bathed in the love and trust that I felt from her. Rubbing my thumb against her palm, I took a deep breath and spoke from my heart. "Bella, for most of my existence, I never dreamed it was possible to live in peace, let alone joy. Eventually, my friends led me to a different way of life and I learned that it was possible to experience this life without constant violence. I eventually found contentment and a peaceful way to live, but I never knew joy until I found you again. When I walked back into your life, I was lost. Finding you allowed me to find myself again and I thank you for that."
Projecting the love I felt for her and the pride I felt for both of us, I pulled our clasped hands up to place a kiss on one of her knuckles. Choosing to repeat her apt words, I made my vow to her. "You've given me everything and now I give you everything that I am. Before these people that are my family, I vow to love you forever and to stand beside you in front of every privilege and adversity eternity will afford us. I love you, Bella Swan, and I am honored to become your husband."
For a moment, everything was silent, as if the universe itself had paused to mark the moment we became one. Within a second, the sounds of forest life around us resumed, but the shocked looks on the faces of our friends told me I wasn't the only one who had felt the change.
Emmett faked a nervous cough and grinned sheepishly. "Ummm, I hate to ask this after all those beautiful words, but do you guys even have rings to exchange?"
Flashing a grin at Emmet, I slid my hand into my pocket to pull out the simple platinum band I had selected soon after Bella accepted my engagement ring. Looking deep into her eyes, I slowly slid it into place on her finger. "With this ring, I thee wed," I said firmly.
I was opening my mouth to tell Bella that we could get a ring for me later, when she surprised me by nimbly plucking a heavily etched silver band from her jeans pocket. Her eyes twinkled as she pushed it firmly onto my finger. "With this ring, I thee wed," she repeated.
Upon closer examination, I saw that the pattern etched into the ring bore a marked resemblance to the overlapping bite marks that covered my body. Amazed, I looked back toward Bella. "How did you get this?"
She shrugged her shoulders bashfully. "It's the only thing about the wedding planning that went right," she answered. "I found a place on the internet and chatted back and forth with the artist until we got it just right. If you don't like it, we can get something else…"
"It's perfect, Bella," I interrupted, pulling her into my arms and up against my body for a passionate kiss. She relaxed into me, and we kissed until it felt as if our souls were touching. Eventually, we broke apart, only to realize we were being stared at by four other aroused vampires.
Emmett's sense of humor came to the rescue again. "Well, I was gonna say you were supposed to get my permission before doing that, but damn, I can't argue with those results." Everyone laughed, and he continued, his voice becoming even more playful. "By the power vested in me by that website, I now pronounce you man and wife," he announced. "Now, the rest of us will just get out of your way so you can make good on the promise of that kiss," he teased.
Peter and Charlotte gave us a brief hug and Emmett and Rosalie waved casually as they all ran off, leaving me alone with my wife.
"Mrs. Whitlock," I said solemnly, pulling Bella back against my bare chest.
"Yes, Mr. Whitlock?" she asked, tilting her head to the side coquettishly.
"Let's go home and have sex for the first time as husband and wife," I suggested with a straight face.
"Sounds great," she deadpanned, only able to hold her serious expression for a second before getting the giggles. We grasped hands and walked slowly home, taking the time to enjoy the early spring sights and sounds in the forest.
When we made it to the house, the others were gone and there were no cars in the drive. Grateful that they had given us some privacy, I led Bella inside our temporary home.
I was struck by the stillness and peace that surrounded us, as if we were in our own little bubble that not even the sounds of nature could invade. I led her into our bedroom, chuckling when Bella surprised me by shoving me onto the bed. Immediately, she was on top of me, her hands and mouth travelling the planes of my chest.
After so many years of hiding my scars, it was still an amazing sensation to be touched there, and Bella's enthusiasm for my bare torso was a real turn on.
"Love you so much," she mumbled between kisses. "Every muscle, every mark, every part of you."
Eager to feel her skin under my hands, I slipped her shirt over her head and removed her bra. Before I could get my hands to her bare breasts, she slid downward, quickly tugging the remaining buttons of my fly open. I groaned out loud when her hand began to pump my dick even as she yanked my jeans off. With one hand, she reached out to pull me into a sitting position on the edge of the bed.
"Stand up and fuck my mouth, Mr. Whitlock," she ordered with a sultry grin, kneeling in front of me and taking my dick into her mouth. She knew I got off on seeing my cock all the way down her throat, so she made a big show of taking the whole length and swallowing, flirting up at me through her eyelashes the whole time.
"Damn, I love your mouth, Mrs. Whitlock," I groaned as I fisted her hair and began thrusting, loving the fact that I no longer had to worry about hurting her when she went down on me. She allowed me to control the pace, but she kept teasing me with her mouth, changing the pressure of her tongue, or using her teeth to keep me on the edge.
"Enough, Bella. Suck my cock now," I ordered, desperately hoping she would comply. She closed her eyes and moaned around me, causing me to curl my toes in pleasure. She increased the suction of her mouth, and I thrust into her, helplessly chasing my building orgasm. Bella slid one hand up my thigh, cupping my balls gently before tugging firmly on them. That sensation triggered my orgasm, and I moaned loudly as I shot my load down her throat. She sucked me thoroughly clean and leaned back to smirk up at me.
"Your turn," I said, tugging her back up onto the bed and yanking her jeans down. "Spread those legs wide," I ordered firmly, positioning her where I wanted her. "I want to see exactly what I'm doing to you."
She gave a throaty moan at my words and I smiled at the way she loved to be ordered around in bed. She quickly complied with my instructions and I playfully dragged a fingertip through her wet folds and tapped her clit.
"Such a pretty pussy," I murmured, leaning down to press a soft kiss onto her clit. She bucked toward me, looking for more attention, but I pulled back and tapped her sharply on the clit again. I was unsurprised when that action prompted another loud moan and a new trickle of moisture from her pussy.
"My Bella likes it so rough," I teased, tapping her again. She writhed against my fingertip, so I relented and pressed my lips back to her pussy, sucking firmly on her clit. I felt her moving her upper body and raised my eyes to see her staring down at the sight of me going down on her.
I pulled my face back and teased her wet folds with my fingertip. "You like to watch me touching you, Baby?" I asked, slowly slipping one finger into her pussy.
"Yes," she whispered, her eyes fixed on my hand.
"Enjoy the view," I murmured, quickly reaching behind me to move the dresser. Positioning it so that the mirror would give her an unobstructed view of what I was doing to her, I returned my mouth to her sweet spot. She moaned and tensed as I simultaneously penetrated her with another finger and spread her hood wide. I twisted my fingers to rub her g-spot and tongued her clit slowly, hyper aware of the fact that she was still watching.
I paused to look up at her again, taking in her lust filled black eyes. "I was gonna make you come with my mouth," I said slowly. "But I think I want to watch you watching me, so I guess my fingers will have to do."
I slid a third finger into her, groaning when she bit her bottom lip. Using my other hand to keep her clit exposed, I pressed my thumb against the engorged nub. Bella moaned weakly and I felt the walls of her pussy begin to tremble around my fingers as I slid them in and out of her.
"That's it," I coaxed, enjoying the mixture of pleasure and concentration on her face. "Keep those eyes open and watch my fingers while I make you come." Keeping the pressure on her clit, I moved my thumb slowly back and forth.
I felt the walls of her pussy contract as her orgasm began, but the only sound she made was a quiet sigh as she continued watching my fingers in the mirror. I stopped pumping and returned to rubbing her g-spot, and was gratified when I felt another orgasm around my fingers. She moaned and tossed her head back, finally looking away from the mirror.
I was unable to resist pressing another kiss to her clit, and I continued kissing up her abdomen until I reached her mouth. "Amazing," she sighed against my lips.
"I agree," I sighed, lining my throbbing dick up against her opening. "And it isn't over yet," I said, sliding home into her slick opening.
She wrapped her legs around my body, holding me as close as possible and I began to move. I kept the pace slow, focusing on every stroke in and out of her and allowing the pleasure to slowly build in intensity for both of us.
She moaned my name and rocked up against me, so I slipped my hand between us to pinch her clit, sending her over the edge again. My own climax quickly followed and I soared as I experienced this ecstasy for the first time joined together with my wife.
"I love you, Bella Whitlock," I sighed, pulling out of her and rolling her onto my chest.
"Back at 'ya," she answered, idly tracing the scars on my chest. She was silent for a moment, but eventually she sat up to look down at me. "So there's something I've been thinking about trying," she began hesitantly, "but I don't know if it's even possible."
"Yes?" I asked, waiting patiently for her to explain what she wanted. She looked flustered for a few seconds before she finally told me what she had in mind. My eyes went wide as she described her idea, and I couldn't stop myself from blurting out, "You're sure you want that, Bella? It'll be pretty painful and it's permanent."
She looked down at me, and I saw the resolve and love deep in her eyes. "I'm sure," she said, rolling away from me so that she was lying face down on the bed. "Now get over here and mark me." Thrilled at the thought of what she wanted me to do, I quickly complied, leaning down to press my lips to the middle of her back.
"I love you," I whispered again as I carefully aligned my mouth over her back bone and precisely bit down, wincing in sympathy when she hissed at the pain. "Are you still sure?" I asked her quietly. "Each one is gonna hurt like that."
"I'm sure," she answered simply. "No pain, no gain, just like a tattoo. Now get on with it," she ordered. I quickly followed her orders, carefully lining my mouth up to make the pattern she had described before biting down again. Over and over I repeated the action and eventually she stopped tensing at the sensation, becoming relaxed amid the burning she was feeling.
Over an hour later, I finally finished the last bite, leaving her with overlapping marks from the center of her back along the back sides of her arms, ending on the back of each hand. I carefully licked up the oozing venom and got a wet wash cloth from the bathroom to sooth the burning I knew she was experiencing.
"This should help a little," I said as I pressed the cool cloth against her back.
"It's okay," she mumbled. "I'm in the zone, I think. I can't wait to see it."
"You're amazing," I responded, lying down beside her and running my hand through her hair.
"Back at 'ya," she answered, nuzzling her head into my hand. We lay together and drifted into a completely relaxed state, rousing ourselves only when the others eventually returned to the house.
Three months after that day, we closed the door on our little cabin for the last time, eager to return to civilization and our home in Montana. While Bella still struggled with bloodlust, she had demonstrated enough control to be in populated areas for short periods after hunting. Her eyes had darkened to an orangish-amber color that wouldn't arouse human suspicion, so we decided that we had spent enough time in isolation and headed home.
We quickly settled back into the house we shared with Peter and Charlotte, although they were spending most of their time travelling at the moment, visiting other friends and just doing their own thing. They came and went as they pleased, and we were always happy to see them. We still treasured our time alone, however, and continued to spend most of our time together. Taking advantage of the high school diploma Jenks had created for her, Bella started some online college classes, and we frequently enjoyed discussing our opinions on her course work.
Not long after we settled in, Alice and Malcolm joined us for a short visit. While Bella still wasn't ready to accept Alice completely back into her life, I actually enjoyed their stay with us. Rather than feeling awkward, seeing her so happy with someone else actually gave me a great sense of peace. They were truly a well suited pair. Malcolm was a very calming influence on Alice and she didn't exhibit the exhausting, frenetic energy she used to display anymore. On the other hand, Alice had clearly caused Malcolm to become more connected to the world and to other vampires. He was less detached and socialized easier with those around him. They didn't stay with us long, but I felt sure they were likely to become more frequent visitors if Bella was able to overcome her feelings of resentment toward Alice.
Bella struggled with the process of fading out of Andy's life. For the first few months after her change, they had kept in touch via e-mail, but when Andy began making suggestions that they meet up, she realized that she just couldn't continue with the only relationship from her human life. Unwilling to "disappear" without giving Andy closure, she wrote him a final message explaining that she wouldn't be able to continue communicating with him. I held her tight through her tearless sobs as she hit the "send" button.
Surprisingly, Andy accepted her farewell without protest, simply saying that he assumed Bella was now like me and that he would always care about her. She was shocked that he had realized that something was different about me, but I wasn't surprised. He had struck me as a very perceptive person, even in the midst of his drug addiction. I sent him an e-mail of my own, wishing him well and instructing him to contact Jenks if he ever needed assistance with anything. The fact that he had saved Bella from having to exchange sex for shelter again had left me eternally in his debt, and I would do my damndest to make sure he had what he needed to start a new life.
Bella was working hard to overcome the anger she still harbored toward the Cullens for abandoning her in Forks. She was making good progress, but every once in awhile, Carlisle or Esme would voice an opinion too strongly in an e-mail and set her off again. To her credit, she always managed to stay polite, even when she was irritated with their overbearing affection.
Emmett and Rosalie were frequent visitors to our house, and for awhile they even toyed with the idea of buying their own property in the area. We convinced them that it would be a waste since they were always welcome at our place. Instead, I suggested they shop for real estate somewhere else that we could all visit for vacations. Emmett was Googling various remote spots with enthusiasm in search of the perfect location. Bella and Rose were steadily building a friendship from their mutual respect, which was a pleasant surprise to both Emmet and me.
Esme and Carlisle were trying hard to rebuild their relationship with Bella while respecting the boundaries she needed as she dealt with her anger. They e-mailed often and called every few weeks for short chats. According to the two of them, Edward was slowly adjusting to life without his power. Apparently, he had finally stopped the constant whining, but he was still resentful over what he considered the betrayal of his family. Carlisle and Esme were reacting with their usual patience and affection and were hopeful that he would eventually accept the changes in his life and become a better person. I had no idea if Bella had any intentions of trying to reverse the block, and I didn't really care. As long as Edward left Bella alone, I didn't care what he did with his life.
Esme had recently started asking to come out to visit us, but Bella and I both agreed that we would prefer to go out to New York to see them instead. We both felt strongly that our home was our refuge, and we wanted to keep it private with the exception of our closest friends. So we arranged to rent a home near the Cullen house, booked our private jet and packed our bags.
Bella was tense about the idea of flying since it would be her first experience in close quarters with a human, but I was confident that she would be able to handle it. She sat silently beside me as I drove us to the airport, visibly nervous, although her emotions were locked down tight.
"It'll be fine," I assured her, reaching over to wrap her little hand in mine. She rolled her eyes at me, but she squeezed my hand thankfully. "Seriously," I continued. "Worst case, you get a little tempted and I distract you with sex." I was rewarded with another eye roll, but she couldn't hide the tiny smile tugging at her mouth.
"You just want an excuse to join the Mile High Club," she said without heat.
"Not gonna lie, that'd be the icing on the cake," I admitted with a smile. She smiled back at me and leaned over to press a kiss to my cheek.
We reached the airport and Bella made it through the brief check in process without any difficulty, although she stopped breathing as a precaution. Within half an hour, we were in the air. Bella tucked herself tightly against me, actually giving a great impression of someone petrified of flying. The casual observer would have no idea that Bella's real terror was of losing control and draining the flight crew. After several minutes, she finally began to realize that she wasn't going to lose it and allowed herself to relax.
The flight passed quickly and although Bella tensed every time the co-pilot checked on us, she had no issues maintaining her control. She actually flashed the flight crew a bright smile as we exited the plane, unintentionally dazzling the two middle aged men. When I brought it to her attention, she looked so sheepish that I actually missed her human blush for a second, fondly remembering her human mannerisms.
My thoughts were cut short by Emmett's approach as he jogged onto the tarmac. Taking in the slim biker jacket Bella had tossed on over her cami, he let out a low whistle and gave her a once over ending only at her thick soled knee high boots.
"Hell's Bells," he teased. "Lookin' fierce Bella. You're rockin' a whole biker persona to match the body art!"
She giggled softly as she stepped closer to give him a hug. Reactions among our friends to the pattern of scars I had given her had been mixed. Peter and Char loved the effect. Rosalie was amazed and a little disgusted. Emmett was torn between thinking it was really cool and thinking it was painful to look at.
"You like?" she asked coyly. "I thought it might be a bit much for the Cullen family, but I love it."
Emmett eyed her carefully for half a second before calling her out. "Bella Whitlock, you're trying to ruffle Carlisle and Esme's feathers, aren't you?"
She opened her mouth to protest, but he held his hand up to forestall her reply. "No, no," he continued with a chuckle. "If you want to play the role of troubled girlfriend, I won't get in the way."
Tugging her back to my side to kiss the top of her head, I decided to break it up. "That's troubled wife, actually, Emmett," I drawled smoothly, gently leading Bella toward Emmett's ubiquitous Jeep. Emmett kept the teasing up as we piled into the truck.
"Edward's gonna love the new look, Bella," he enthused in an exaggerated voice. "Body art, bare arms, a leather jacket! I can't wait to see his reaction!"
I growled in warning, but Bella just rolled her eyes and clapped Emmett on the back of the head. Thankfully, Emmett took the hint and began filling us in on the minor idle gossip in the Cullen's extended circle of friends. Apparently, Tanya had made a brief visit, hoping to entice Edward now that he wasn't able to read her mind.
Emmett chortled as he described Edward's initial cold response to her invitation. We listened in amazement as he told us that as the week continued, Edward began to eye Tanya more enthusiastically. Unfortunately for him, by that time, Tanya had grown weary of Edward's whiney behavior. She spent a few more days shooting him down before finally getting bored and returning home to Alaska.
Bella maintained a dignified silence, but I smiled openly at the thought of Edward being taken down a notch or two. "Hearing" himself being admired by the human minds around him had long ago given him a big ego, and he could afford a dose of humility.
We turned off of the highway as we drew near to the Cullen's house and Bella and I immediately tensed as we picked up an unfamiliar vampire scent.
"Relax," Emmett said smoothly before we could question him. "We picked up the scent about a week ago. It's only one, and it seems like they just sniffed around a little and moved on. Nothing fresh for several days, so Carlisle thinks it was just a curious nomad. Bella relaxed slightly beside me, but I could feel that she was still nervous. I shared her hesitation to accept the easy explanation. Years of living with Maria had taught me to expect the worst.
I kept my eyes focused ahead of me and tested the air for more strange scents. However, it was the brutal emotional onslaught that was my first confirmation that we were in for trouble. I felt fear, rage, and the pain of my adoptive family, but surpassing all of it was a choking sensation of vengeance that I knew belonged to Victoria.
"Shit," Emmett breathed as he slammed the breaks and dove out of the Jeep, heading toward the chaotic scene in front of us. The scents of at least twenty vampires hit us as Bella and I followed quickly on his heels. The house had literally been overrun with newborns and as we stepped quietly through the front door I began a mental tally of enemies to be taken down.
The house was in a shambles and the Cullens had clearly put up a good fight. In fact, Rosalie still struggled against two male newborns, using every physical advantage she could against their superior strength. Emmett snarled viciously and immediately went to her aid. Edward was on the floor, covered in a pile of vampires who were viciously biting him wherever they could. He screamed in agony, and I spared a brief sympathetic thought for the pain he was in.
My focus was quickly brought to the horrifying sight of Carlisle being restrained on the sofa by several newborn vampires. In front of them stood Victoria, flanked by two other vampires who were holding Esme with her neck bared and exposed to the red head's gleaming teeth. Both Carlisle and Esme remained outwardly calm, but I could feel their fear for each other.
The vengeful vampire was so focused on her obsessive need for revenge that she hadn't even noticed our entrance. "Last chance," she snarled at Carlisle. "Tell me where to find Bella Swan, or your little wife loses her head."
"I've told you," he said, his voice calm yet desperate. "We don't know exactly where she is. We only know they have a house out west somewhere. They've been travelling- they could be anywhere," he lied, earning my admiration. Thankfully, he hadn't reacted to our presence and Victoria was still clueless that she had an audience as Bella stepped into the room, tossing aside her jacket and revealing her bare arms.
"No need to get ugly, Vic," Bella purred in a threatening tone. "If you want me, I'm right here. Come and get me. If you can," she sneered, assuming a battle ready half-crouch.
Victoria whipped around to face Bella, taking in the bite marks that decorated her arms and the self assured posture she had taken. Carlisle and Esme were temporarily forgotten as the easily distracted newborns followed the movements of their mistress. I grabbed the opportunity to leap over Bella and Victoria, landing neatly in front of the two vampires restraining Esme. Before they could react, I decapitated them, freeing Esme. She immediately flung herself on the newborns that were holding Carlisle down and quickly incapacitated one of them by ripping both arms off, allowing Carlisle to jump up and take the other vampire down.
Satisfied that they were capable of handling things from there, I turned back to Bella and Victoria, who were circling each other in the center of the large room. Victoria was snarling wildly, her manic expression matching the chaos of her emotions. Bella, on the other hand, was cool and collected, staring the red-head down with an aloof smirk. Victoria's little army had temporarily frozen, watching the battle that was ready to erupt. Emmett had helped Rosalie take down the two vampires that had attacked her and the couple began stalking toward the remaining invaders, taking down several before the others noticed and began to react.
"Go help them, Jasper," Bella instructed softly. "I'll be just fine here." Knowing that she was fully capable of defending herself, I forced myself to comply. It was difficult, because even though I was confident in her abilities, I hated the thought of her facing danger without me by her side. Against my will, I leapt at the nearest newborn and made quick work of dispatching him, keeping half of my attention on Bella.
Finally, Victoria grew too enraged to restrain herself any longer and flung herself toward Bella. Her speed was breathtaking, even for a vampire, but Bella read her intentions and easily dodged. Victoria literally howled in rage and launched herself toward Bella again, this time attempting to take her legs out from under her.
Bella neatly stepped around Victoria's attack, almost as if she were dancing. Victoria snarled and I was astounded at the level of rage and pain she was emitting. Again and again she lunged at Bella, but her anger was making her sloppy. Her attacks were vicious but out of control and Bella had no difficulty avoiding her. Bella still hadn't made contact with Victoria, but I could see her watching and evaluating, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Finally, as the crazed nomad rushed her yet again, Bella quickly and precisely shot an arm out to punch Victoria cleanly in the face. The sound of the impact was staggering, and Victoria immediately dropped to the floor, clutching her shattered face.
"You took him from me," she panted, staring directly at Bella with her crimson eyes. "I'm going to take everything you care about from you. I took your family and now I'm going to take the one you love," she said flatly, immediately shifting her position and lunging straight for me. My muscles moved automatically to avoid the attack, but Bella was on her before she reached me, yanking her backwards in mid air.
"Wrong," Bella answered calmly. "You're not going to take anything from me ever again, Victoria. I couldn't protect my parents, but things are different now, and I will protect what's mine," she growled, spinning their joined bodies so that she had Victoria pinned to the floor. Bella whipped a hand out to grasp Victoria's hair, baring her neck for the killing strike.
Victoria's emotions began to calm as she read her death in Bella's eyes. "I would do it all again," she said softly. "James was worth it all."
Bella stared down at the subdued vampire, her expression flat and uncaring. "I pity you for believing that," she said coldly. "He wasn't worth the ground my father walked on, and neither are you." With that, Bella leaned forward and cleanly sliced Victoria's head off with her teeth. Before Victoria's head struck the floor, Bella was in my arms.
"It's over," she muttered absently as I quickly ran my hands over her to check for injuries. My brain knew that Victoria had never touched her, but something inside me just needed to be reassured that she was safe and sound.
"You're right, it's over," I said soothingly as I finished my examination. Her eyes were haunted and although her emotions were closed to me, I could read the fear and pain in her expression. Looking up, I verified that the Cullens had the other newborns under control. They would have quite a cleanup project ahead of them, but I felt no guilt about leaving them to take care of the mess they had allowed by not taking care of Victoria in Forks.
I picked Bella up and carried her toward the door. "I'm taking her out of here," I announced quietly. "She needs some time to process this. We'll check in with you tomorrow."
"Of course, Jasper," Carlisle answered quickly. "Thank you both for your help. We wouldn't have made it if you didn't arrive when you did." I nodded my acknowledgement at him and automatically caught the car keys Emmett tossed at me.
"Thanks, for the help, J," he said seriously. "Go take care of her now."
Sending him a shot of my gratitude, I wordlessly followed his directions, helping Bella into the Jeep and driving to the house we had rented. I had purposefully chosen one in the opposite direction from the house we had stayed in before, so the drive took several minutes.
She got out of the Jeep on her own power and followed me silently into the rental house. Before I even flipped the lights on, Bella wrapped herself around me, pressing her face into my chest and running her hands over my arms. It took me several seconds to realize she was checking me for injuries.
"I'm fine," I said soothingly. "No one even came close."
"She was going to hurt you," Bella answered woodenly, her hands still moving restlessly over my body.
I tipped her face upwards to look at me. "You didn't let her," I said simply. "You protected me and your family and we never have to worry about Victoria again."
I was actually surprised when my words seemed to reach her and her face relaxed. In the next second, she had her hands in my hair, tugging my head down to press our lips together. Our fear for each other's safety and the lingering battle aggression morphed into passion and we literally ripped the clothes off of each other.
I wasn't gentle with her as I dropped to the floor, but rather than protesting, she simply shifted her body to get my dick closer to her pussy. Without a word, I entered her, moaning at the physical sensation as well as the emotional connection. We were each using our bodies to assure the other that we were safe and sound, and every touch and movement was meaningful as well as pleasurable.
Bella came quickly, screaming wordlessly and I quickly followed. As soon as I was capable of conscious thought, I carried her into the shower. We cleaned each other off and made love again in the water, our joining slow and deep this time.
After I made a high speed, bare-ass run to the Jeep for our forgotten luggage, we curled up together in front of the fireplace. I played with Bella's hair as the heat quickly dried the silken strands. Her body was relaxed against me, but I wasn't picking up her emotions. Concerned that she was still in shock, I quietly asked her, "How ya doin' with everything, Sweetheart?"
"I just feel kind of tired and empty," she answered after a moment. "Why? Are you waiting for a big breakdown or something?" Her tone was curious rather than defensive, so I allowed myself a small laugh at the question.
"No, I'm not expecting you to break down, Bella," I said in a mock-insulted tone. "I just know that getting revenge can bring a lot of feelings to the surface, and I wanted to make sure you were dealing with things okay."
Bella looked up at me, shaking her head negatively. "It wasn't revenge, Jasper," she insisted softly. "Vengeance implies retribution or punishment. Victoria didn't have the ability to give me my family back, and I don't think death was a punishment to her."
Shocked at one of the emotions I was suddenly picking up from her, I stared down at her. "You really feel pity for her?" I asked in amazement.
She shrugged slightly. "A little," she admitted. "Most of me hates her. She wasn't worth my family when she was alive, and her death certainly didn't make losing them any less painful. But part of me imagines what it would be like to exist without you, and then I can imagine committing all kinds of atrocities to destroy whoever took you from me."
I shuddered at the thought of life without my mate and allowed myself a brief flash of sympathy for Victoria. My anger at the pain she had caused Bella quickly over shadowed that sympathy, but I could at least admit that I hoped Victoria had moved on to some sort of peace.
A flash of light caught my attention from the French doors leading onto the deck.
"Look, it's a meteor shower," I said quickly, dragging Bella outside to watch. I had always enjoyed looking at the stars, drawing comfort through my long years in the sense of how microscopic we were in the scheme of the universe. Bella snuggled into me, and we stood there until the small hours of the morning, relishing the peace around us and the majesty of the sight of pieces of the universe raining down on our little planet.
AN-
Wow, so you can probably tell that we're about done here! A short epi to follow and that's a wrap! I have a few outtakes in mind already, but if there's something you'd like to hear about, give me a holler and I'll see what I can come up with!
*blushes* Sooooo, among the many ideas I'm tossing around for future stories are a few SUPER raunchy concepts. I mean, real porn-with-a-plot ideas: essentially stories built around sex. Now I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea, so I built an "alter-ego" to post these under just in case I ever get them written. If you think it's something you'd be into, put heavilysalacious on alert. If you're offended by any type of sex between any two (or three or four or more) people, these aren't for you. No worries, I have lots of other "mainstream" ideas that I'll write as heavyinfinity. I just wanted a place to let my inner sex kitten out to play
Now the love notes!
Dearest MM! Happy belated birthday, working girl! I missed you so- so glad we're reconnected!
Nics- thanks for taking care of Jasper while I was in Florida! I'm still waiting for him to come back though. *taps foot impatiently* Seriously, give him back. It's my turn!
Thanks for reading!
Love,
heavy