CHAPTER TEN

MISTAKEN SHAMBLES

Jared grinned, "Excellent. If the redhead's after them, we've got bait."

With stunning speed, Jacob grabbed a four-pronged spading fork from the garden tools and flung it at Jared's head. But Jared easily caught it.

Jacob growled, "She is not bait."

We were all gathered around a small picnic table in Emily's backyard. Bella looked panicked, "We should leave town."

"Victoria will follow you and make it harder for us to catch her," Sam said.

Bella's eyes bugged, "No one can catch her. She can escape anything."

Paul snorted, "Ooh. She had special powers."

"Some of them do," Bella said without thinking.

Everyone looked at her, surprised.

Jacob sat beside her at the table, "Like... what? Bella?"

Bella looked at me. She didn't seem too affected by the question of the Cullens powers. But I still was.

Paul scowled, "They're still protecting them."

"Don't know why," Jared crossed his arms, "It's not like they stuck around to protect you two-"

"Guys," Jacob growled, "Back off."

I felt Bella put an arm on my shoulder but I shrugged it off and stood up, "I may not agree with them leaving. But they had their reasons." With that, I walked away. Into my car. And drove home.

When I got home, the lights were out. I just laid in my bed... and cried. But then I heard someone say, "Darling..."

I gasped and sat up and looked to the corner. "Jasper..."

He smiled but there was a pain in his eyes, "Why are you crying?"

I shook my head, "Just... missing you. It's pathetic."

He cupped my face and kissed under my eyes, "It's not."

"Please stay," I begged in a whisper.

Jasper stepped closer to me and kissed my forehead, "I'll be here when you wake up."

Jasper was there when I woke up.

Bella and Jacob were getting closer with time. A week. She'd call me every night when he came to her room and she sounded so happy. But every night she'd 'notice' how upset she thought it made me and spend about ten minutes apologizing before we hung up.

I sighed as I hung up that night. I sat down on my bed and put my head in my hands. I sighed again, looking up. I saw a picture of Jasper I had as my computer background staring at me in the face. It was the only picture I had left of him. He suddenly appeard at my window. I stood up and ran to him, "You're here."

Jasper chuckled and wrapped his arms around me, "Did you think I would not be?"

I leaned up to look at him, "I thought I may have imagined you..."

Jasper stroked my cheek, "I can't stay long..."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What? You can't leave.. again. What about the others? What about everything you said-"

Jasper interrupted me, "Don't worry darling. I just need to go back to tell them where I've been and all. I'm also going to try and convince them to come back. Except for Alice and Rosalie, everyone wants to stick true to their promise to Edward and stay away."

I shook my head, "I care about Edward but he's being stupid. It makes no sense to stay away."

"I know that now... I'm so sorry I didn't before..." Jasper whispered.

I took his hand into both of mine, "It's alright now. Just don't stay away too long."

Jasper placed a kiss on my forehead, "I'll call you everyday."

I stood abruptly and grabbed my car keys. I jogged downstairs before checking on Bianca. She was sleeping. My dad was still in San Francisco. I wouldn't be gone long and I quickly texted my neighbor Gloria to check on her if I wasn't home in thirty minutes.

I got into my car, and drove off. I was on the street to La Push but I didn't intend on stopping there. My hands clawed at the steering wheel and I breathed harshly through my nose.

Suddenly something smashed into the side of my car. It skidded to the other side of the road, half on-half off. I didn't scream. I was wide eyed and panting. I looked out my window. But I saw nothing but the … hand-shaped print on my car door.

I got out of my car and looked around. "Laurent's dead! You're next!" I knew who I was talking to. But I was done hiding. I faced James and lived. And without Jasper... I didn't care. Victoria could do her worst.

I yelled out to nothing again, "You hear me! You're done! You'll never win! You can't win a game you play alone! And I'm out!"

Suddenly Victoria was right in front of me. I tried to catch my breath, "Victoria."

She snarled at me, "Human." She crouched into a fighting stance, "The empath's mate."

I raised an eyebrow, "Come to die?"

Her lips folded off of her teeth in an ugly snarl, "Come to kill." She shot at me, grabbing my shoulder. But then there was a menacing growl behind her. We both looked over to see the wolves entering the road. Sam led with an intimidating growl building beneath his rib cage. Victoria had me on the floor so I smirked up at her, "I dare you."

I may be crazy. But that's okay.

A gray wolf lunged forward for her – trying to dodge me – but she danced away. She and most of the wolves disappeared into the woods. I looked after them, breathing heavily. I couldn't believe I was still alive. I thought, for sure, that she'd get the job done.

I turned slowly, getting to my feet and looked at the chocolate brown wolf. "Embry."

The wolf laid its giant body down and whined. I slowly stepped forward, my hand stretched out in front of me. I held my breath as the tips of my fingers pressed into the fur above his eyes. His eyes closed as I clasped my whole hand on him, letting out a breath. "Embry."

The wolf suddenly stood, making me stagger back, and disappeared into the woods. I was about to get into my car a moment later when Embry – human this time – came walking out barefoot, bare-chested and in jean cut-offs.

I didn't know I was shivering until he was close and I felt his stuffy warmth. He put an arm on mine, "You're cold. Get in the passenger seat. I'm driving you home."

THIRD PERSON POV

Alice gasped as she was pulled into a vision.

Heather got out of her car and looked around. "Laurent's dead! You're next!"

She yelled out to nothing again, "You hear me! You're done! You'll never win! You can't win a game you play alone! And I'm out!"

Suddenly Victoria was right in front of her. Heather struggled to catch her breath, "Victoria."

Rosalie sat beside Alice, "What is it? What do you see?"

"Heather," Alice rasped out.

Jasper's head shot up, "Heather? What about Heather?"

Victoria snarled at Heather, "Human." She crouched into a fighting stance, "The empath's mate."

Heather raised an eyebrow, "Come to die?"

Victoria's lips folded off of her teeth in an ugly snarl, "Come to kill." She shot at Heather, grabbing her shoulder. She had Heather on the floor, without any way out. Heather closed her eyes.

And then she disappeared.

Alice pulled out of the vision.

Jasper shook her shoulders, "What did you see, Alice? What's wrong with Heather?"

Alice let out a shuddering breath, wishing she had the ability to cry, "Victoria..." she swallowed, "Oh god... I can't see Heather's future anymore..."

Jasper felt his world crash around him.

Are you glad Jasper came back? But now he thinks Heather has been killed by Victoria... Hello Italy!

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