CHAPTER 21
-:- Patience is Bitter, But Its Reward is Sweet -:-
2016 -:- Memories of Jasper's Past
Three weeks had gone by, and I was still stuck in this godforsaken place. It was a long time, when one didn't sleep, and didn't get to see the sun to know the days were passing. It felt like an endless night with no hope of dawn breaking. In all that time, I was never left alone. Always with Maria, or one of her guards, she still didn't trust me to walk about on my own and kept me to certain areas.
I still had not laid eyes on Bella.
She seemed like an enigma now. Three weeks ago there was hope when Garrett had told me she existed. But now, it was hard to believe anything was real. We had been abruptly interrupted, and all of my chances of finding out more about Bella had vanished. Garrett warned me not to get sucked into the void of this place. He said it would be easy for me, given my ability, and I needed to fight the emptiness.
It was a struggle every day.
I didn't get to see Garrett all that much either. Maria sensed our kinship, so he was designated as my guard only when there was someone else with him. This hindered our discussions greatly. He managed to tell me that 'Phoenix' had been moved from the cage and taken somewhere else. It wasn't uncommon, as the cage wasn't exactly used to restrain her, for one thing, it couldn't. Any vampire could break the bars and leave the confines of it. It was more of a metaphorical cage, reminding the other vampires that Bella was different. Maria was right in what she had said earlier, Bella did not 'play well with others' and the cage kept her separated from them.
I hadn't been able to get the full story from Garrett, only bits and pieces that I had been putting together. Garrett and Bella had been here for over eight years. How they got here, I still didn't know. I couldn't imagine anyone being down here for that long. I didn't know how it wouldn't have changed someone, and that was my biggest fear. Knowing the way Maria operated, I assumed they couldn't exactly leave a place like this, or leave Maria without some repercussions. She never willingly let anyone go.
I hadn't seen the devil-child since that first day, but there was always a constant parade of humans who were marched down to her corridor. I never knew where they came from, and from the looks of them, they had been down here long enough. They looked as though they would welcome death. Three weeks of this and I was struggling. Bella had been here eight years.
The days were long, and fairly uneventful. I had been introduced to many other vampires, and their faces showed recognition when Maria told them who I was. It was Maria's wish that I resume my old duties. She told me she had a whole crop of newborns who needed to be trained. In my current weakened state, I knew I was going to have to feed soon if I'd be working with the strength of newborns. Maria offered daily to "fix" me something, but every day I declined. It was getting more difficult to resist, especially with the smell of fresh blood always in the air. I had taken to the rats, but it was never enough.
As I leaned against the wall, warily watching, I could feel the other vampires' eyes on me. They definitely knew about me and my past reputation. Maria must have warned them to keep their hands off me, because they kept their distance, even though I could feel their malice. Some of the older vampires were waiting patiently for their chance at me. Hopefully, that would never happen. They fought without mercy, and most times it was to the death. I didn't understand why Maria would let that happen, unless she was sure of her numbers for her army and was trying to weed out the weak anyway she knew how. It wasn't that far of a stretch, we had done it in the past, but only in the most extreme of circumstances. It was difficult to train a newborn, but she acted as if they were disposable.
"Making friends, Jasper?" I heard Maria's spiteful voice behind me.
"As always," I said, pushing away from the wall, turning to face her.
It was our custom to eye the other up before we continued our conversation. I tried to dispel her trepidation to trust me, and she tried to see through my façade.
"See any potentials?" she asked, still curious about my motivation for being here.
"A few," I nodded, "but I still don't see what this is all for. You have more vampires than you've ever had." I waved my hand at the dozen or so vampires who were gathered in the area still trying to best one another. There were men and women, and there was no discrimination as to who would fight whom. From what I could tell, none of them had any extra abilities. These were 'grunts,' as we used to call them.
"They can fight," I said. "But why do you let them destroy each other? Surely you could still use them?"
She laughed at my comment, patting my chest. "These?" She pointed to where I was looking. "These are nothing. Insignificant. I don't care what they do. The ones that live?" She clapped her hands, giving them a victory applaud. "Good for them. They can join my army. These are just foot soldiers, or what you would call infantry. I don't care what happens to them." She shrugged her shoulders, feigning indifference. "It's the cavalry that I care about." Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
On the outside, I made sure to mask my expression. I desperately tried to keep my emotions at bay, but inside, my senses were aflame, burning away, knowing that she had more sinister plans that I had yet dared to imagine.
"The cavalry," I said, repeating her word.
"Yes, well we'll get to that. I came to find you because Emilia is bored, and we must keep her entertained. Or, I want you to keep her entertained." She traced her finger down my chest, and rested her hand on my hip. "I get the feeling you two don't like each other very much. And that makes me very, very upset," she said pouting, pulling me closer to her. She stared into my eyes, and there was a hint of vindictiveness in her gaze. "And you don't want to make me upset, do you, Jasper?"
The idea of spending anytime with that child sickened me to the core. I couldn't imagine what her "boredom" consisted of. "What would you have me do?" I said reluctantly.
"I want you two to bond, is that so much to ask? You're going to be spending a lot of time with each other, and I can't have this animosity. It'll never work." Her voice was condescending and it was getting under my skin, just as I am sure she intended. "You'll spend the day with Emilia and Flora. Garrett will accompany you." I turned to see Garrett behind me, but he didn't acknowledge me, instead he stared straight ahead as if my presence meant nothing to him even though I could feel his contrasting emotions. He was definitely uneasy about something.
"If that will make you happy, then I'll be happy to oblige." I bowed my head at her.
"Go with Garrett, and I'll see you later." She smiled, but I saw the deceit in her eyes. She had something planned, and I knew damn well I wasn't going to like it.
.
AS WE WALKED DOWN the corridor, I waited for the right opportunity to ask my questions. We were constantly under watch, guards were everywhere, but I couldn't wait any longer.
"What does she have planned?" I asked, not really sure if I meant Maria, or Emilia.
He took a deep breath, a natural reaction to his hesitation. "It depends. The child gets anything she wants. Anything, and if it's what I think, you're not ready." He kept walking, while I paused. He turned back to me, his expression deep in thought. "Have you fed recently?" he asked in a somber tone.
I shook my head. "Nothing significant, but I'll be fine. I'll need to get to the surface soon to hunt, but I'll be okay."
He shook his head, disagreeing with me. "No, that'll never do. If I know Maria, and I do, this is another test to her. You're still walking a fine line with her, Tex, and if you don't wish to, ah … what would be the word … slip?" He raised his eyebrows, smirking a little. "You'll need to feed."
"I'll be fine," I responded in a clipped voice.
"Look, I'm not trying to be rude, but I know you have troubles with restraint. One drop of blood—"
"I'm not that person anymore," I said quietly. He knew. So, Bella did remember. Even if it was a painful memory, it was a little piece of hope that I could hold on to.
He eyed me suspiciously, and I could feel his doubt. "Well, that much I do know, but it still doesn't mean you're ready. I can bring someone up, someone who's on their last legs, so to speak. It won't make much difference. It's what we do to get by."
"I won't go down that road again." I looked down at my boots, because I couldn't look at his eyes. The pity I was feeling from him was enough. We stood in the corridor, both not saying anything. I knew he was thinking hard about other options. I still had not adjusted to what I had been exposed to so far, so if he was that worried about my control, I didn't even want to think about where we were going.
"Okay," he eventually spoke, "what about cats? Maria keeps a few cats down by the cages to keep the rats away from the prospects. Will they do?"
"What cages?" I asked confused. "Is Bella there?" I raised my head, pleading with my eyes, forgetting about everything else.
He shook his head. "No. She's not."
"Where is she? Does she know I'm here?" I could finally ask the questions I had been desperate to ask him now that we were alone.
"Listen, that's not our priority right now. I know you want to see her, but we can't risk it. You'll get us all killed. Our priority is getting you to a point where you aren't going to go all blood thirsty on us. Got it? We don't have time for anything else right now."
I glanced around to see that eyes and ears were all upon us as we continued to walk. The guards were everywhere, or as Garrett called them, Maria's spies. These were vampires that were loyal to her and undoubtedly were watching me and reporting anything that seemed suspicious.
"I'll take you down to the cages, but we have to hurry. It's only a little side trip, so don't get any ideas. Got it?" He grabbed me by the elbow, guiding me toward another tunnel. There was a dark-skinned guard posted in front of it who looked extremely bored. He was just a little guy, but from the set in Garrett's shoulders, I could tell this was someone not to be messed with.
"Wattagwan, Gar-rut? A who dat?" His accent was thick, somewhere from the Islands, and it was hard to understand him.
"Just heading down to the cages before we see Emilia. Have to show the new guy his way around." Garrett pointed a thumb at me as he gave the little vampire a closed-mouth grin.
He was dubious, so I did my best to work my magic on him, and even Garrett felt the effects as I caught his eye for a brief moment.
"Galang bout yuh business." He moved aside, and let us pass.
Garrett gave me a look as if to tell me to keep my mouth shut as we walked down the darkened tunnel. We had been walking for a few minutes before he finally spoke up. "Some party-trick you have there. Comes in handy I suppose?"
Agreeing, I asked who the little vampire was.
"That," he said, "is one vampire you do not want to cross. He's not loyal to Maria, he's not real loyal to anyone, and that's the problem. He'll sell you out in the blink of an eye. Isaac's a tricky bugger and looks out for himself above everything else."
"So why's he here, then? And why does Maria keep him?"
"You said you were in the South right after the bombs, right?" I nodded in agreement. "After you and your people went back up North, it got pretty savage around here, human and vampire alike. The horrors of what happened eventually sunk in, and two years later, the fight for oil began. You did what you could to get by. Joining up with Maria is sometimes the only option if you want to live. And Isaac, well to him, he's got an all you can eat buffet with Maria. And Maria, well, she has a real voodoo priest in the form of a vampire." He grinned.
I raised my eyebrows skeptically. "You don't believe that, do you?" I laughed.
"Nah, not really, but that boy's got something in that head of his. Makes you see things that aren't really there. Plays on your fears, kind of thing."
"Right," I said mockingly.
"I'm just saying …" he laughed again, "if you're afraid of spiders, he'll make you think hundreds of them are crawling on your skin. It's all pretty harmless stuff, but it'll do a number on your head." He shuddered, rubbing his arms as if the spiders were actually crawling on him.
We'd been walking for a while. I still couldn't believe the depths of some of these tunnels. Garrett had said they had been digging for years to create this cave system, and they were still digging. This tunnel was not lit by the familiar string of lights like the others. It was completely dark and even with our heightened eyesight, it was difficult to see.
"It stops the humans from escaping," Garrett explained. "And with Isaac at the tunnel entrance, he can pretty much play on their fears."
We were following the scent of blood and it guided our way toward a soft and faint glow of light up ahead. It looked like candlelight, and my assumption was confirmed as we entered into another open cavernous room. The smell was unimaginable. Emilia's chamber was strong and filled with death, but this was much worse if at all possible.
There was a line of cages, about twenty, stacked three high all in a row. Not all of them were filled, but the ones that were, each held one human, men and women alike. They were kept like animals, and I was feeling such a mixture of emotions from each of them. Some were terrified and desperate, while some felt empowered and angry. There were a few that stalked back and forth, almost like dangerous beasts that needed to be kept behind the bars. I took a closer look, and realized that is exactly what some of them were. They were blood thirsty animals.
As we walked past the cages, it was impossible not to look at each of their faces. There was such a broad spectrum. Some whimpered and pleaded for help, some yelled obscenities at us, while others seemed to roar in triumph.
"What the hell is this?" I couldn't keep the shock and horror from my voice.
"These … are Maria's prospects," he said sullenly.
"What does that mean?"
"These are potential newborns for her army. These are the survivors, or extreme fighters, whichever way you choose to call them."
"I-I don't understand." I stopped walking placing my hands over my face, trying to scrub the images, and get control of my emotions. "She's mad," I said quietly to myself, over and over again. What was I doing here? In four short weeks I had entered a different realm. Four weeks ago, I was back with my family, back with Alice, and possibly starting a new life. It all seemed like a distant memory.
"You have to distance yourself, man. I know it must be working triple over-time on your system, but you have to put it aside." He placed his hand on my shoulder. "They're just faces. There was a time when you knew what that was like. Remember that."
He was right. There was a time that I thought nothing of humans, nothing more than a meal. That was before I met Alice. Her words echoed in my head. That's someone's mother, sister, child. I pushed her voice back in the corner recesses of my mind. I had to get it together. If this is what Maria had in store, she had to be stopped before she spread like a virus across what was left of this continent. I had to get out of here.
I continued walking, trying not to look, but I was compelled to see each one of their faces. They were just random people, no one I had any ties to. I shouldn't care, and I tried not to, until my eyes rested on familiar features. I stopped in my tracks, and narrowed my eyes at the man in front of me. He stood at the bars, gripping them tightly staring at me with a defiance and hatred in his eyes. I knew those eyes. I had seen them only weeks ago, but a much younger version.
"Jonathan," I felt myself whisper.
The look of surprise that crossed his face was nothing compared to the feelings that emulated from him. I stepped closer, and he jumped backward.
"Jonathan Campbell?" I asked quietly, recognizing his face from the small picture Abigail had shown me of her husband.
His eyebrows knitted together and I felt his confusion. "How do you know my name?" He stepped back again, unsure of what I could want with him.
"I know your wife, and child," I said as gently as I could, reaching up to the bars.
A look of agony crossed his face as he dropped to his knees, crying out in disbelief. "You bastards! What did you do to them!" he yelled, his eyes wild with hate and dread. "She promised!"
"They're safe." I held up my hands, sending him a wave of calm. "They're safe. I promise. I left them three weeks ago. I'm a friend."
He stopped his cries and looked at me quizzically. "Right," he scoffed, "and you expect me to believe that."
"You've a fine boy … Christopher." I waited for him to feel the effects of my abilities before continuing. "I'd say he listens to a few too many ghost stories, though." I laughed a little trying to ease the tension.
"Noah," he said quietly.
"Yeah," I chuckled. "He mentioned him."
He shook his head, and I could feel his terror as he thought about them. "Are you telling me the truth?" he pleaded. "They're safe, they're not here?"
"They're not here," I confirmed. "I shared their fire. Your wife was awfully kind to me. I hoped to return her kindness and promised I'd look for you."
"But how? I don't under—"
"I'm different than the others. I don't follow their ways." I turned to Garrett. "We have to get him out of here. We have to—"
"Now hold up. This ain't some rescue, Tex. It's not possible. You know how Maria operates, these people were chosen for a reason."
I stepped back, taking a look at all the cages, almost sixty of them. That was a lot of humans, a lot of prospects. I knew Maria always looked for humans with potential when she chose to turn someone, but I didn't understand how she could know so much about these humans.
"All of these people are going to be turned?"
"The ones that survive," Garrett stated gravely.
"Clarify this for me. Make it simple here."
He sighed and reluctantly started to tell me Maria's plans. "She pits them against each other. They fight until they die, basically. The strong ones, she wants as her newborns, the weak ones are weeded out. She's creating the ultimate blood-thirsty fighter."
My stomach clenched, but I steadied myself as my anger took over. "Has she turned any of these 'fighters' yet?"
"A few, as experiments. She considered it a success, so she's waiting until the time is right to turn the rest so they'll be at their strongest for when she needs them."
"The cavalry," I whispered Maria's term, and he nodded his head sadly in confirmation.
I placed my hands on my head and started pacing, scuffing my heels along the rock. "This is madness," I said in disbelief, and then a thought occurred to me. "But how can she control them? I could barely control the emotions of the newborns over a hundred years ago, and they were nothing compared to this."
Garrett looked away from me, and I quickly moved so I was directly in front of him, grabbing his arm. "Tell me, I can feel your reluctance." I squeezed his arm, as I gritted my teeth. "No more secrets."
"Well, now, that's where Miss Phoenix comes into play." He shrugged his arm from my grip, and lifted his chin boldly. I didn't know what to say, so he continued. "She can control them, or block them. The weak minded can't seem to compete with her powers. These newborns are so blood-thirsty, they have a one-track mind, and she can stop them from turning on each other. She can walk into the midst of the fighting, and no one can touch her. They can't move unless she lets them."
"Bella? She can do this? She's helping Maria?" I asked in disbelief, my heart sinking at the thought.
He turned on me so fast, and the next thing I knew I was slammed up against the wall.
"Don't you judge her," he said through clenched teeth. "We've never had a choice. We do things to survive. You think any of this is easy for her? You have no right!" He shoved me again, his teeth dangerously close to my neck.
"I'm sorry." It was the only thing I could say and he held me there for a moment before releasing me. "You're right. I'm in no position to judge. But if Bella can control people why haven't you left?"
"It's not like that. She can control people when they're at their weakest. It doesn't work on you or me, or Maria for that matter. And you've seen what that devil-child can do. Mentally, Bella's strong, but physically she's weak. She refuses to eat, only when she has to, and only the sick or dying. Throw Emilia into the mix, and she's extremely vulnerable." I could tell by his voice he truly cared for Bella. His emotions were that of love, and I felt a pang of loss as to what that could possibly mean. I couldn't bring myself to ask the question though.
"And I can't prove it," he let out a frustrated sigh, putting his hands in his pockets, "but I'm pretty sure Maria's using me as leverage."
"I'm not sure I follow."
"Bella could have left a long time ago, she stays for me." He turned back to me with a sober expression in his eyes. "When we stumbled upon Maria all those years ago, she was going to have Bella destroyed. We didn't know of her capability back then. I knew there was something, but it just hadn't developed yet. To Maria, she was nothing but a weak vampire who brought nothing to the table for her. I pledged myself to Maria, on one condition …"
"That she spare Bella's life," I finished for him.
He simply nodded and continued. "As the years went on, I worked with Bella, trying to get her to tap into that side I knew was there. Eventually the tables turned, and it was Bella that Maria coveted, and I can only guess Maria's threatened Bella with my life if she were to leave. So she stays, despite all my protests, she stays for me." His voice cracked a little on the end and he raised his hands and placed them on the back of his neck.
"But you could both go, couldn't you?"
"I'm sure you can understand, but I'm a man of my word. I'm stuck here, and now that Emilia's here, she's stuck too. We missed our chance," he said.
"We're getting out of here," I spoke with certainty. "All of us." I grabbed him by the shoulders. "You understand me? All of us. You might have made a pledge to Maria, but you made a promise to protect Bella first, right?" He nodded. "Well, it's settled. We get out of here, head up north to my family."
"She'll never go for it. I haven't even told her you're here."
"What?" I breathed out, astonished that he'd chosen to keep this from her.
"Look. I've been with her for ten years. I've been through it all, right from the start. I know everything. I know what your family cost her. And I wasn't about to send her down another tailspin after all these years, especially when I didn't know where you stood in all this. She's my family, and I'll protect her from you and anyone else that wants to harm her and that includes any member of your family." He was seething, breathing heavily, strictly because of his anger.
"It was never like that," I said quietly. "You don't know the whole story, and neither does she."
"I know enough." He walked away from me, ending the conversation. I watched as he hastily grabbed what looked like a small animal. He was in front of me in an instant, holding a large feral cat next to my face. "This is what we came for," he thrust it closer, "so drink."
I reluctantly reached for the cat, and drank greedily. It wasn't satisfying at all, but it was better than the rats, and it would hopefully help for whatever was planned with Emilia. I walked back over to Jonathan, and rested my hands on the bars.
"I will do whatever it takes to get you out and get you back to your family. That's a promise." I could tell he didn't take too much stock in my words, and all I could do was keep that promise to prove otherwise.
"Let's go. We've been down here too long as it is." Garrett started walking back the way we came.
"I promise. I'll get you to your family," I said one last time to Jonathan and ran to catch up to Garrett.
"You'd do better not making promises you can't keep." He said it simply, just a statement of warning to me.
"I'll get him out."
"We're going to have enough trouble without adding Maria's champion to the mix."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That human," he said, "is one of Maria's favorites. He's a boxer, a scrappy little fellow." He said it with such indifference, it was hard to believe we were on the same side. "You'll see what I mean." It was the last thing he said to me as we walked the rest of the way to Emilia's chamber.
I understood now, what Garrett meant about Emilia. Whatever Emilia wanted, Emilia got. She didn't say much, but she had her own little entourage that seemed to know exactly what she needed. They catered to her every whim, no matter how absurd it was. I tested my abilities on her, trying to sway her emotions. All it did was anger her and as she held the hollowed out head of a doll, she hissed at me again, while the others looked on with great amusement.
We were being escorted down another new corridor I had never even known existed. I no longer knew which tunnel actually led to the surface, and I'm sure that was Maria's intentions. This tunnel, however, was lit, and the walls were covered with letters and symbols and from the smell of it, they were all drawn in blood.
I couldn't take my eyes off the walls, and Garrett leaned over to whisper in my ear. "The victors." It was all he said, he didn't explain any further. My curiosity was still not satisfied. I heard a thunderous noise up ahead. It sounded like cheers and shouts coming from a large crowd. The excitement in the air was almost exhilarating and it was contagious. For once I was actually feeling happy, which was a terrifying thought.
We walked out onto a platform and the sound amplified until it felt as though the walls were vibrating. Emilia stepped forward to the edge, and again, the crowd's cries intensified. I leaned forward to get a better look at what was below. I swayed when I saw the scene and two hands pulled me back.
"Easy, Tex," Garrett said.
There were hundreds of vampires below us standing around a large cage-like structure. We were in a giant limestone cave. There were stalactites hanging from the ceiling, some of them large enough to reach down and touch a corresponding stalagmite. They created a natural column in the middle of the cavern. There were four of them, and in between each, metal bars had been erected. With astonishment, I realized it was an arena. I looked to Garrett for confirmation and he simply nodded. It was quite an amazing site to see, and I would have been impressed if I hadn't known what it was for. I kept my mouth shut, fearing the worst. I had put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and my stomach roiled knowing what I was about to witness. Sure enough, the cage door opened, and I could see someone struggling below. The shouts and laughter increased while something or someone was being dragged through the crowd. A man was shoved inside the cage and he went sprawling on his hands and knees. I closed my eyes in dread. I felt his fear. It was the only thing that separated his emotions from the others.
"Don't," Garrett whispered. "You can't help him." I opened my eyes to see Jonathan standing in the middle of the cage, his chest heaving as he tried to gather his courage. Our eyes met, and the sense of betrayal was evident in his eyes. I didn't look away though. I owed him that much. I needed him to know he had a friendly face in the crowd. We stayed that way for what seemed like minutes before more cheers and shouts erupted from the crowd. I turned to see what the commotion was. It looked like Jonathan's opponent was making his way through the mob. I strained my neck to get a closer look, and my jaw dropped.
A giant of a man with a clean-shaven head, and muscles sprouting up from everywhere, was making his way through the vampires. They made a path for him, and patted him on his back as he walked by. This monstrosity was larger than Emmett, and at least twice the size of Jonathan. He walked into the cage, and the gate slammed shut with a large clanging sound. The crowd cheered in response. The huge man raised his arms acknowledging the horde of vampires; apparently he was a favorite. He beat his fists on his bare chest and let out a huge roar. Pointing a finger at Jonathan, he laughed, and the crowd laughed along with him as he made a gesture indicating how tiny Jonathan was.
"This is my favorite part." Emilia clapped her hands.
The mammoth sought her out in the crowd and smiled when he laid eyes on her. He walked up to the bars on the cage, grasping them tightly, he slammed his forehead against the bars and blood trickled down the side of his face. He wiped the blood with the palm of his hand and his tongue flickered out as he licked it clean. The vampires in the cavern went wild, and a few of them rushed the cage, only to be kept back by Maria's guards stationed all around it.
Jonathan's eyes opened wide with terror, and I gave him a reassuring nod as our eyes made contact again.
"We have to get him out of there," I pleaded to Garrett.
"That'll never happen, not unless you want to die along with him."
"Maria can't be serious! He'll never survive going up against –against that!" I pointed at the giant who had now climbed up on the bars and was trying to garner more cheers from the crowd. "What is that?"
"That is the reigning champion. He's been here for over two years now. He fights for Emilia. She picks the battles, and Maria's 'little champion,'" he pointed to Jonathan, "is her next target. Normally, Maria wouldn't agree to pit someone so new against him, especially someone with that much potential, but Emilia's been particularly troublesome ever since you showed up. This is Maria's way of making amends."
"So they're going to fight each other?" He nodded in confirmation. "What does the winner get?"
"They're not dead."
Dread swept over my body as I realized what he was telling me. The match was to the death. I let my instincts take over, and I tried to push past Garrett to jump over the barrier separating our party from the rest of the vampires below. His arm shot out to stop me.
"What do you think you're doing, man? I told you we can't help him. It'll all be for nothing if you go down there."
"I promised him …"
"And I told you it was a wasted cause. These humans are nothing. You'll do better to realize that. They're dead the second they're brought down here. I'm sorry if you can't accept that, but it's the harsh reality of this place. We are two amongst hundreds. Hundreds, Jasper, and if you want to get home to that pretty, little wife of yours, you best remember that." His grip was tight on my arm, and his voice was low enough that no one could hear us. "You get those emotions under control, because I can feel everything you're projecting, and you can sure as hell bet Emilia is too. Everyone is watching you."
I looked down at Jonathan, who was staring back up at us. He was backed up against the far corner of the cage and I had to turn away. I couldn't bear to watch as his fear took over.
"I want them to start," Emilia whined, and just as she said the words, a bell rang out from across the cavern.
The giant roared and went after Jonathan with both hands outstretched as if he was chasing a rabbit. "You're next!" he yelled. He had wiped the blood that had seeped from his forehead all over his face. It looked like some ritualistic war paint, and only made him look more menacing. He continued to bellow as he chased Jonathan around the cage. His gait was cumbersome, and Jonathan was quick to avoid his moves.
Jonathan had a boxer's stance, he clearly had some training, and while he danced on his toes around his attacker, the crowd applauded him for his efforts. I didn't know how long he could keep it up though before one of those massive fists connected with Jonathan's head.
He managed to keep dodging and every so often landed a punch on the backside of Emilia's champion, but they did nothing to slow the beast down. He could keep up with the kidney punches, until eventually they started to do some damage, but that was going to take a lot of time and a lot of effort which Jonathan didn't have. The tension and excitement in the crowd was at its highest and the energy I was feeling from everyone was not helping my nerves. My fists were clenched and my body twitched with every one of Jonathan's punches.
He was doing well, but I could tell he was getting tired. One wrong move was all it would take. And there it was. A massive hand shot out and connected with Jonathan's shirt-front. The other hand grabbed him by his belt and lifted him from the ground. It was quick, and before I knew it, Jonathan was being held high in the air, up over the giant's head. His rotting teeth were evident from where I stood as he yelled out to the crowd for encouragement. He threw Jonathan across the cage. I winced along with him, as his back collided hard with the bars, but surprisingly, he landed on all fours and broke his fall with both hands.
I could feel the anger rippling off of both fighters. A look of pure hatred crossed Jonathan's face as he stood up, his chest heaving and his heart pounding. The room was wild with shouts and jeers, and I had to fight to concentrate on Jonathan and what he was feeling.
The giant rushed forward again, charging toward him. Jonathan stepped to the side and hit him with an uppercut hard to the nose. He gave it everything he had, and landed the punch perfectly, crushing the giant's nose. I felt the explosion of pain, and couldn't help but shout and punch the air in victory.
Emilia turned her scarlet eyes my way, hissing at the new development.
The giant shrieked with agony. Turning to face Jonathan with blood streaming from his nose, he charged, and again, Jonathan sidestepped delivering a lightning punch to the face. The crowd could no longer be contained. They rushed the cage with their praises switching to Jonathan. I tried to send waves of calm, but there were too many people to be effective. Jonathan ignored the shouts, and continued to concentrate on the giant, who was now spitting up quite a bit of blood, his chest was heaving as he tried to regain his breath. He was moving slowly and trying to get Jonathan into a corner so he could crush him.
Jonathan knew what the giant was trying to do. It was obvious he was a seasoned fighter and recognized the signs. He feigned his way into the corner and the giant followed raising his fist, telegraphing his punch. Just as he swung, Jonathan ducked and weaved out of the corner. The giant's fist connected with the metal bar. We heard the bones crunch from where we stood. I couldn't contain the large smile on my face. My shoulders relaxed a little, and I laughed at the giant's pain.
The fight continued, and by now, both fighters were covered in blood. The blood lust in the room was palpable, and I understood why Garrett was adamant that I be in control for this. The giant was tiring, but he was strong, and no matter what Jonathan threw at him, he still continued to stand. Eventually, Jonathan had cornered him and delivered an impressive series of combination punches. The giant, as if in slow motion, fell to his knees.
Jonathan's knuckles were bruised and bleeding as he stood over him. He was exhausted, and battered, but standing. He leaned against the bars for support and the crowd yelled out, "Finish him!"
He looked up at me, almost pleading for guidance. I didn't really know what kind of man he was, and I didn't have any answers for him. He let out an exhausted breath, and leaned back against the bars. He wasn't a killer. And I breathed a sigh of relief for him, smiling along with him.
The crowd was still chanting for him to kill the giant. They wanted their blood. They were demanding it. Emilia was livid, and she started to throw a tantrum. The scene was chaotic all around us, but I continued to keep my eyes on Jonathan, hoping to convey my relief and my pride as well.
It happened quickly. The vampire's hands reached through the cage before I even knew what was transpiring. The hands gripped Jonathan by the neck and the look of shock on his face would forever be ingrained in my memory. I heard the snap, and he was dead before he hit the ground.
"NO!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. My anger took over as I vaulted down from the platform rushing toward the cage. "He won!" I screamed. "He beat him fair!" I pushed through crowd to where I knew the vampire had been. The cavern became silent and the sea of vampires retreated like the tide. A path was created, and at the end of it was Maria, her face twisted with malice.
"I decide who lives or dies. Me," she said callously. "Don't ever forget that, Jasper." She turned, her long dark hair swinging over her shoulders and left me standing there in utter dismay.
I felt myself dropping to my knees, as the edges of the cavern began to disappear. Hands lifted me up and dragged me away from the mob and their cries. All my hope… all my fragile strength was gone. I couldn't handle any more of the heartache. I was not supposed to be here, there was nothing here for me. I needed to leave before I went mad right along with everyone else.
"You can do it." I heard someone say in my ear.
"I can't," I disagreed, my voice almost in hysterics. "I can't."
It wasn't supposed to be like this. There comes a stage when the nervous system in a human adjusts to its surroundings. They can accommodate to their environment. An anxious state becomes one of calm. An angry state becomes one of peace. The rush of adrenalin that a human feels, I feel it too. I can play off of it. This could be said for when a person slips over the edge into madness as well. All around me a world of insanity existed, and I was close to slipping over that edge right along with them. The blood lust, the violence, the lack of mercy and humanity was pressing in on me. I needed something to guide me through it. Make me believe I was here for a reason, and remind me that a better world did exist. Ten years ago this feeling was all too familiar. I needed an anchor to get me through it.
"Please," I begged clutching to Garrett's pant legs as he dragged me through the crowd. "I need to see her. I can't take much more. I need to see her with my own eyes."
.
GARRETT LED ME DOWN yet another darkened tunnel, but I was unaware of my surroundings. He could have been leading me to my death for all I knew. The only thing I was aware of was the droplets of water hitting the rock beneath us, and the sound of our shoes scuffing along the surface. Time seemed to stand just as still as my breath. I felt his unease the further we went along. The air seemed to get lighter, and the temperature shifted. I thought maybe he was taking me to the surface, for the ground beneath us sloped upward unlike most of the tunnels in the place. My mind was torn between relief and panic. I couldn't go back to Edward or to the rest of my family without having laid eyes on her. I would never convince myself this was real otherwise.
I pulled against his arm, trying to turn the other way. "I'm not leaving without her!" I cried out. "I can't."
He tugged on my arm harder, pulling me through the tunnel. There was a light far up ahead, but it wasn't that of candlelight or the small electric bulbs like the other corridors. This was different, and my curiosity got the better of me. I rushed forward, but his strong hands held me back again.
"Stay here," he commanded, but it was pointless. I caught a glimpse of what was ahead and the pit in my stomach grew. I pushed past him, walking with reservation toward the soft light.
She was alone, sitting with her back against the rock wall with her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around her. Her head was turned away from us, her cheek resting on top of her elbows. She looked so tiny, so fragile.
She sat in a single ray of moonlight which shone down from an opening high above her head. It looked as if she was a mirage, a being from another realm, which is exactly how it felt. She was supposed to be dead, not sitting here in this place.
I stumbled forward, my feet not complying with my brain. She finally looked up and our eyes met. She closed her eyes, and I saw her lips mumble something under her breath. She shook her head, and opened her eyes again. They were wide, and unfocused. She shut them tight, as I slowly moved closer. I was almost crawling toward her, and I could hear her whispers.
"Go away. Go away. Go away," she said over and over. I was right in front of her now. My hand was shaking steadily as I raised it up to reach out and touch the mirage, but I couldn't bring myself to touch her. I was afraid it would shatter the illusion.
She warily opened her eyes again, but didn't seem surprised my hand was inches from her own. She continued to mumble, but this time her words were different.
"You're not real," she whispered.
Her words echoed my sentiments. My hand made contact with hers and we both jumped. She scrambled away from me with a look of terror on her face and her whispers changed to curses.
Garrett rushed forward, pulling her into his arms, soothing her with hushed tones. "It's okay. It's alright. He's not going to hurt you."
"I don't understand," she whimpered. "It's not real. He can't be." Her head was tucked into the side of his neck while her hands gripped tightly to his shirt.
"Do you know who that is?" Garrett asked, his voice full of concern.
"Why now? After all this time?" she whispered. "What's happened?"
"Bella …" My voice cracked, and I choked on her name.
Her head snapped around to glare at me. "No one calls me that!" she snapped. "I'm not her!" I felt all of her pain and sorrow, and all the loathing rising up in her. It was unexpected, and it crushed me. She hated me. I lowered my hands in defeat and accepted her blame. Her face softened a little, and there was a twinge of hope mixed in with her anger. I pushed it back to her trying to play on that, hoping to get through all the repulsion she was radiating. I would take whatever I could get, and would use it anyway I could.
She felt the effects, and smiled. It was brief, but I saw it. "It's been a long time since I felt that." She laughed half-heartily. "At least that's something." She put her hands to her face, and collapsed to the ground.
Confusion rang throughout her body, as I assumed she contemplated what it meant for me to be standing in front of her.
"How long?" she asked Garrett. He didn't answer right away, and she gave him a single glare which spoke volumes between the two of them.
"Three weeks."
She cursed again, and that was something that had definitely changed with her. "I thought I saw him, but you said I was imagining things again. I believed you. I never would have guessed… not in a million years. Is he the one Maria's been talking about?"
The two were having their own private conversation, almost as if they had forgotten I was there. I was content to just sit back and watch her. She had a stillness about her. She spoke without movement, and it seemed so foreign, so unlike the Bella I had known. I realized with clarity her stillness was that of a vampire. Bella was a vampire. She had been on this earth all this time. She was real, and my heart soared with the possibility of what this meant to me, my family and more importantly, Edward.
"Well, well, well." Maria's spiteful voice pierced the air. "And how is it you've come to know our little Phoenix, Jasper?"
Before I could turn around, Bella was standing between me and Maria. "We don't," she said bitterly.
Maria glared at Bella, and then her eyes shifted to me. "That's a lie," she snapped. "It's written on both of your faces."
"I asked Garrett to bring him here. I heard about this 'prodigal son' of yours returning, and I wanted to meet him. See what all the fuss is about." She shrugged her shoulders as she glanced back at me. "Not much to look at, from what I've seen."
Maria was suspicious, I could feel her doubt. "How long have you been bringing him up here?" she asked Garrett.
"Just now," Garrett responded. "I swear."
She tilted her head. "I don't think so." She moved around Bella so she could get a clear look at me.
"Maria," Bella warned, "you'll leave him be." She moved so she was standing between us again, her body shielding me protectively.
Maria cackled. "Now I know you're lying. Is this some lover's tryst?" she asked Garrett. "I haven't seen her this sentimental since I took some chunks out of you, dear Garrett."
"He's done nothing wrong. I asked Garrett to bring him here. That's all." Bella's fists were clenched at her sides.
"There's only one person you care about here, and that's him." She pointed a finger at Garrett. "We already made an agreement about him. But Jasper, well now, he's mine."
"Give me your word you won't hurt him."
"I don't have to give you anything," Maria snapped. "I let you have this place. Your own special place away from the others. I give you this fresh air!" She pointed to the crack in the ceiling high above. "I am more than charitable to you. Or have you forgotten that? Maybe you need a little reminding again?"
"Oh, you remind me every day. How could I forget?" Bella scoffed. "But you will not hurt him, Maria." Bella's voice was direct and flat.
Maria's guards had stepped into the room and it was crowded with all the tension rippling off of everyone. I slowly stood up with my hands in the air. I wasn't sure what was about to happen, but the strain in the room indicated something was coming. I tried to relieve the energy and I watched the guards' shoulders relax a little.
"How about I give you a choice?" Maria smiled wickedly, ignoring the effects. "Him," she pointed to Garrett, "or him." She pointed to me.
Garrett moved to step in front of Bella, but Maria's guards held him back. I could feel a pressure weighing heavily on my body, like it was pressing down on me. It seemed to envelope me, creating an enclosure of some sort.
"Uh-uh," Maria's voice sang as she held up a finger at Bella. "I don't think so. You don't want me to get Emilia do you? We know how that will turn out." She frowned.
At once I felt the pressure release, and I looked at Bella realizing I had felt the effects of her power. She was trying to protect me somehow, almost like a shield.
"That's what I thought." Maria nodded her head in my direction. The guards immediately dropped Garrett's arms and grasped mine instead. She snaked her finger in my direction. "Come now, pet. I have questions."
2016 -:- Present Day
Jasper's words were laced with the vivid images in his head and it made for such a compelling tale. I was so engrossed in his story that I hadn't noticed he had stopped walking. He needed a break. It was horrific so far. If I hadn't seen all the appalling scenes play out in his head, I might not have believed what he was telling me was real. And there was still more to come.
I was anxious to know more about Bella. I had seen brief images of her in his head. But they weren't clear enough to satisfy my curiosity. I wanted to see every inch of her. I wanted to know what she sounded like, what she smelled like. Everything. But I couldn't ask any more of him at this point. He was shaken up. I felt terrible knowing he would have to explain all this again to the family. Perhaps it would be easier the second time, but I didn't think so.
We had been hiking in what was formerly Glacier National Park. Climbing alongside a mountain range for what seemed like hours. I had an idea of where we were going, but I wasn't sure how much further until we reached St. Mary Lake. We had stopped at the summit of small peak and were looking down into a valley. The autumn colors of the trees were rich and plentiful. I hadn't seen that many shades of yellow in a long time. The yellow, mixing with the green of the evergreens and the blue sky, created such a dramatic landscape. It was simply stunning, and quite the contrast to the imagery in Jasper's story.
I didn't know what to make of this Garrett, fellow. It was clear Jasper trusted him and had some loyalty toward him, but he was still very cautious in what he revealed to me. I was lost in my own thoughts, so I hadn't heard that Jasper was talking to me.
"Did you hear me?" he asked.
I looked at him in confusion. "Sorry," I apologized, smiling a little, "I didn't."
"He's her maker."
It took me a moment to register. I shook my head back and forth. "No," I whispered. "Victoria. It was Victoria." I wasn't sure which was worse. Thinking that Victoria had laid her hands on Bella and took her away from me, or this man, Garrett, whom I was supposed to trust and welcome into my life had done it.
"What?" I breathed. "How?" I didn't want to believe it.
"I promised Bella I would let her tell you," he said quietly. I wondered just how much Jasper had shared with Bella, how much she knew of the past ten years. He guessed what I was thinking, or feeling I supposed, and explained. "We shared quite a bit, Bella and I, but I never shared things you may have wished to keep private. These last ten years of yours are yours to tell, just as I will do the same for her."
"Thank you." I was relieved, but at the same time, I wondered if it would have been easier if he had just told her. That would have been the coward's way though. I was tired of living that way. She deserved so much more than that. She deserved so much more than me, maybe she had found it in Garrett.
"Are they …" I tried to get the courage to say the word, but couldn't bring myself to say it.
"Together?" He finished the question for me, sighing deeply. "Honestly, I don't know." He looked up, his face was sad, but honest. "They love each other deeply. That much I know. I felt it. I just don't know to what extent."
Closing my eyes, I let out a breath while I nodded my head. I understood. I didn't want to, but I did. Ten years was a long time, and I had cast Bella aside, or so she thought. I always hoped she hadn't believed me, but those words … those words I said in the forest were so cruel and harsh.
I paced around the clearing, the pain in my chest was building, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I wanted to cry out, but I didn't have the right to. I deserved every bit of this pain. It was nothing compared to what Bella had endured.
"You have to understand, Edward, they've been through a lot together. They've seen things I can't even begin to describe. Extreme circumstances like that are bound to bring two people together. It's inevitable. This is why I need you to hear my story. I need you to understand what it was like. They had been living in hell, or as close as one could come to experience for over eight years. Garrett has looked out for her, protected her, when there wasn't anyone there to do that for her."
I didn't want to hear anymore, even though I knew I needed to. It never occurred to me that she would love another. Just because I hadn't, didn't mean she never would. I never thought the pain could ever be as bad as the day I lost her. But this was possibly worse. I gave up on our love. I gave up on her, so it was only right that she would give up on me as well.
"He's a good man, Edward. I trusted him with my life." I felt his soothing touch on my shoulder.
I swallowed my pride. Turning back to face him, I could only nod my head, and accept the hand that fate had dealt me. He was the one who was there for her, not me.
"She's alive. That's all that matters." I tried to convince myself. I took a deep breath. "I don't deserve anything more."
"Enough!" I felt the waves of anger rolling off of him. I heard his thoughts, and he was aggravated with me. "This guilt you're filling yourself with is premature. Garrett and Bella have a history, that's undeniable, but so do you and Bella. She loves you. I know what I felt when I told her you were alive. That emotion could not be faked."
I stayed silent for a moment, mulling over everything he had shared with me so far. "But ten years! They've been together for ten years!" I raised my hands in the air in frustration. "Bella and I weren't even together ten months! How can I compete with that?" I asked desperately.
He sent another calming wave my way, as he smiled. "You have an eternity to figure that out."
"If she'll have me."
"If there are two people who deserve to have a happy ending, it's you and Bella." He walked toward me and patted my shoulder, grinning widely. It'll work out. It has to. We didn't go through all this for it not to. "I'll get you there, and then it's up to you to do the rest."
That's what I was afraid of. Since the moment I found out she was alive, all I wanted was to see her, to hold her in my arms. I hadn't thought far enough ahead as to how this was going to work out. For ten years I'd lived with the idea that we were one. It was so cliché to say we were 'meant to be,' but that's what I felt. I hadn't thought that she might not think the same way. And if she didn't, where would that leave me. My courage collapsed and my knees buckled along with it.
"I can't."
Jasper dropped down to look me in the eye. "Yes, you can."
"No." I shook my head. "If she doesn't want me, I'd rather not see her. I can't."
Jasper's fist pulled back and slammed into the side of my cheek. I grasped my jaw, rubbing the pain away. His face was stern as he gripped my chin.
"You done, now? You done feeling sorry for yourself?" He raised his eyebrows in question.
"Jasper …"
"No, Edward! I just went through hell for you, for her, and now you tell me you're too much of a coward to make this right? I'm sick of it!" he screamed. "Was it all for nothing? I don't give a damn about your pride, because that's all this is." He pushed my chin, and stood up to walk away. "Goddamnit! When are you going to stop this guilt? You're rank with it!"
I slowly stood up, my teeth clenched as I felt the effects of his anger.
His voice was haggard and desperate as he pleaded with me. "You have to fight for her! What you had is worth fighting for! Can't you see that? It's there within your grasp and you're too afraid to grab it. You always were!" He was breathing heavily, and the desperation was rolling off of him. "Edward, what are you so goddamn afraid of?"
I saw the bewilderment in his eyes, and it was in his thoughts as well. He was going over everything in the last ten years. I saw myself in his thoughts. The misery, the anger, the guilt, even my pride. He was absolutely right. I had done everything possible to sabotage my own happiness. I was hours away from fulfilling every hope and dream that had consumed my thoughts in the last ten years, and I was doing it all over again.
Bella didn't need a coward. She didn't need a seventeen year old boy too afraid of taking chances. She needed her own victor, someone who was willing to risk it all for her. She may no longer be the same person, but neither was I. I'd had enough of sitting on the sidelines. I was ready to step into the cage for her. And I would fight to the death if needed. It was time to find out if our love did stand the test of time like I had imagined all these years.
Jasper felt my resolve and my determination, and started to chuckle. It was infectious and we both laughed at what had just transpired.
"Now let's get you cleaned up and looking presentable. Alice would have my head if she found out you weren't looking your best when you reconnected with the love of your life." He pushed me forward, mussing up my hair. "We're almost there and I still have to tell you how we escaped."