Chapter Sixty One

Bella

I climbed out of the boat my clothes dripping with icy water although I didn't feel the cold, it was just annoying having all my clothes sticking to me. Jasper took my arm and walked me into the trees that fringed the beach then picked me up and carried me into the heart of the island. To a cabin nestled among firs looking bleak and uninhabited.

"So this is your idea of a love nest is it mate? Can't say I'm impressed."

"Oh a lick of paint, smoke curling up from the chimney, a pot of flowers in the window, it could look very cosy."

"Cosy? Right!"

He marched me inside and shut the door pushing me to one of the heavy wooden framed chairs and standing back,

"Right, let's get the ground rules out of the way first shall we? No running, no attacking, no contacting anyone. You got all that before I go on?"

I nodded sulkily.

"Good. If you attack me I will retaliate and no escape bids because you will fail."

"We'll see"

He smiled coldly,

"Bella I used to control an army of newborns with attitudes like yours, you don't frighten me."

"None of your "army" had a gift like mine though did they?"

"True but then I don't see yours doing so much either but if you want to play the whose got the biggest dick game then fine. Here's a touch of mine"

Suddenly my mind was full of strange feelings, warmth and hope and the sweetest love, it would have brought me to my knees if I hadn't been sitting down.

"What the hell was that?"

"That was a taste of my gift,"

"You said my gift didn't work on you because we were mates? Changed your mind?"

"No, my gift wouldn't work on you if I were trying to harm you, but I'm not."

Jasper

This wasn't going to be easy but if I didn't reach Bella and pull her back she would tip over the edge and that would kill us both. I had a lot of apologising to do but for now she would see that as a weakness and she had to believe I was stronger and equally as much a bastard as she thought she was. It was a role I could fall into only too easily, after all it was one Id played for years while I was with Maria.

"So, are you going to tell me what started this giant temper tantrum or do you need more time to kick your feet, sorry foot, and scream."

"You know why, it's partly your fault."

"Oh yes, its my fault Garrett and the Cullens lied to you about Garrett being your sire, I wonder why they did that?"

"I intend asking them, just before I rip their hearts out of those stone chests and burn them."

"Yeah, better do it before, it might be difficult afterwards. Why do you think they lied to you? Why do you think Garrett teased you with human blood? Just to upset you maybe? Thought the little girl couldn't handle the truth?"

"Well this little girl has teeth, she fights back. Hence Sam Uley is in his grave right now."

"That was a cowardly way to take someone out, below you Bella."

"Really? I guess I should have marched up to him among all those Guardians and beat the crap out of him? You know something Jasper, I don't care how they die, just that they do so don't give me the honourable way to kill speech, you can shove that."

"You still haven't answered my questions."

"They lied to me because they thought they were so much better than you, that I'd be safer with them than with the infamous Major Whitlock. The bogey man they frighten little kids with."

"I like to think it frightens adults too, after all they are my natural prey."

"Yet according to Carlisle you're living on animal blood now. What happened? The thought of the slaughter too much for your delicate stomach after all these years?"

"Something like that, I see you aren't solely on a diet of humans yourself.

"I like to mix it up, that way I never go hungry. I might even try venom as a food source, I could start with you if you like"

I looked at the fresh scars on my arm and shoulder as I pulled a fresh shirt from my bag.

"Looks like you already did, wasn't it to your liking?"

"No, you're too soft. If I'm going to suck the venom from a body its got to be a real man, not some guy who reads his own press releases and starts believing them."

"I see, so you want the toughest meanest son of a bitch in our world."

"That sounds about right, yes"

"Well you're looking at him"

Bella

He turned slowly and I saw the scars that covered his arms and torso, so thick it was impossible to count them all.

"Each one put there by a vampire who thought they were stronger and meaner than me and all are dead except for one"

"What happened? Did he run screaming from you?"

"No, I left her before one of us killed the other."

"Why didn't you kill him?"

"I didn't kill her because she was my sire and I thought I loved her."

"Your sire was a woman? What a come down, I expected you to have been sired by Thor or Odin at least."

"No, the one who sires you doesn't get to choose how you behave or what you really are, besides I'd probably of killed either of them years ago, there's no room at the top for others, just me."

He was so damn sure of himself it made me angry and I tried to throw my shield against him again but it just vanished as it touched his body, becoming thin and gaseous before simply disappearing, this served to frustrate me even more.

He studied me for a little longer then sat down opposite, between me and the door and I wondered if he were fast enough to stop me leaving. Well there was only one way to find out. I relaxed back into my chair looking around the room before exploding into action and I reached the door ahead of him opening it with a wrench only to find it slammed in my face, his palm on the wood,

"Forgotten the rules already Bella?"

Grabbing my arms he twisted me round and I saw on his face a smile,

"I'm not complaining, I like an excuse to get up close and personal but you really should try to remember them, after all there aren't that many."

"Go to hell. If you like me so much why don't you take me now? There's no one to stop you."

"Oh I intend to, but it will be mutual."

"Your arrogance is unbelievable"

"No, I just know what I want and what I'm capable of while you...well lets just say you're still learning, a little too eager."

I pulled free and went back to my seat,

"I'm thirsty."

"You'll survive for a while, besides thirst will make you weaker and easier for me to handle."

"Oh you like them weak and unable to fight do you?"

He laughed again,

"I've never had to use persuasion yet but a weak prisoner is easier to watch over and once you're weak enough we can talk sensibly Bella. You see I'm not letting you go, not until you acknowledge that revenge will only get you killed."

"I'm not scared of death."

"Oh I know, but you should be. You should be terrified to leave your mate behind, alone in the world. For now you're too angry to think straight, understand your feelings, and that's partly my fault so I intend putting things right, however long it takes."