Chapter Twenty Five
Bella
He slipped off the hood and walked closer. "If I were to tell you he was involved with a nasty piece of work otherwise known as the Pixie Bitch from Hell would that help?" I had to smile "Ah, so it does?" I looked over my shoulder, "Do Emmett and Rose know you?" He grimaced "Yes but I'm not their favourite Vamp".
Peter
I saw them coming across the car park as fast as they could with humans around. "Bells you OK?" asked Em before turning to me, "Peter" I nodded "Em, Rose". Bella turned to Emmett, "You know this guy?" He nodded, "Yeah, he's a friend of Jasper's". She sighed in relief and looked at me again, "OK, now I'll talk to you". Rose looked at me keenly "What's wrong Peter? Do you know where Jazz is?" I wriggled my hand back and forth and she groaned, "Going on feelings again are we?" I smiled, "Well they always pan out don't they Rose? Why don't we all find somewhere to talk".
Bella
We drove to the local burger take away where I got something to drink and we parked up in the far corner. Peter was sitting up front with me while Emmett and Rose sat in the back. "Right Peter spit it out" said Rose. "Well Jazz turned up at our place just after Christmas and he was bad. Worse than I've ever seen him. Wouldn't hunt, wouldn't talk, wouldn't do anything. It took us weeks to get a sentence out of him. Then he told us about Bella, the girl who broke him. I thought the fucking Pixie did that, but nothing like this. He told us he met her and she seemed interested, how she made him feel and then how she'd given him the big No" I looked aghast as he continued, "I think he's going down this time, he can't make it alone any more. I think maybe he's going South". Rose and Emmett gasped, I'd missed something "What? Tell me?" Peter looked at the other two and sighed.
Peter
"OK looks like its down to me I said "Bella, what do you know about Jasper's past?" I asked. "Not a lot, he had a hard time when he was changed and he fought in the Civil War. That's about it". I scratched my head, "So, nothing then. OK, Jasper was turned by a psychotic Mexican bitch called Maria. She used him as her commander to make and train newborns into an army" Her eyes widened, "An army?" I nodded "Yeah, just listen will you or well be here all fucking day. He was an excellent tactician and soldier. He made vampires and taught them to fight so Maria could gain new territories. The Southern Vampire Wars were the bloodiest ever and Maria won, with his help. She also used him to kill the soldiers when they were of no further use. She ordered him to wipe out entire villages and he did. Nothing living survived and I mean nothing. People, animals, all killed. We also terrorized to get our message to other vampire armies, we raped, mutilated, whatever it took, and Jasper was the best, the most bloodthirsty, the most powerful but he was also an empath"
Bella
I nodded, he'd told me that. "Which meant" Peter continued "that he felt the pain, the fear, the agony of every single person he killed. It was destroying him and he allowed myself and Char to escape, we were soldiers too, and we came back to persuade him to come with us. It took a long time but in the end we persuaded him. Maria was getting suspicious of him and he knew his days were numbered. She had found herself a new lover so he was surplus to requirements. He came with us but he still couldn't settle, he was still killing humans and feeling it with every one. Eventually he wandered, became a nomad, then he met Alice, bitch number two. She showed him a new way to live by joining the Cullens. He found some peace but...and its big but...he gave himself up to get it. Our Jasper disappeared and the Jazz you saw came into being. Doing as she instructed him, wearing what she bought him, even being told what to think. At the time he felt it was a small price to pay but she destroyed him the same as Maria"
I could feel tears pricking my eyes as he went on. "Then he met you and he knew he couldn't stop himself", I interrupted, Knew what?" Peter rubbed his face, "Shit I'm not sure about this".Rose turned on him "Oh for Gods sake" She turned to me, "What Peter is trying to say in his usual half-assed way is that Jazz knew when he met you that he'd found his true partner, what we call a mate. Your other half. The one that makes you feel whole. But you were a human and he didn't know how to handle it especially with Edward after you for a completely different reason. He was going to speak to you about it, see how you felt about him when he took you to Seattle but you never rang back and he knew you didn't feel for him more than a friend so he left. He stayed with us over Christmas but it was killing him, the feelings he had. So he left and now Peter said he turned up there".
I looked back to Peter "Yeah, and he was a fucking mess, physically and mentally. We tried to get through to him but no dice. He'd almost given himself back to the dark side and I think he might be headed back to Maria to finish the job. Either she'll kill him or welcome him back with open arms. Either way that's the end of Jasper. There'll only be the Major left, and he's a fucking animal, a scary fucking animal". My heart was bleeding as Peter explained and the tears were flowing. "We have to find him" I managed between sobs.
"You'd do that?" he asked startled. I nodded and Rose explained. "I think what Bella is trying to say is that she feels the same way Jazz does. She didn't let him down, Alice and the dogs got between them and Bella's been in hospital. So she couldn't do much for a while. Peter looked at me appraisingly, "You'd come with me and try to save my brother?" "Brother?" I breathed. He grimaced, "Well, he sired me actually so I guess technically he's my Dad but we stick to brother". Em grunted, "I'm not sure its safe for Bella" but Rose cut him off. Em would you do it for me?" "Hell yes" he said. "Then shut up idiot".
I'd arranged to be away with the Cullens for a few weeks on a convalescent holiday, so we were ready to leave the next day. "I'll be here" said Peter and he was about to walk off until I called him, "Peter? Where are you going?" I asked. "Dinner" he said "then just hang around". I took a deep breath "Would you come to my house later and tell me more about Jasper?" He looked reluctant, "I don't know Bella. I've said too much already. The Major's gonna tear me a new one as it is". "Please" I said through my tears. "OK" he said grudgingly, "leave your bedroom window open. I'll see you later."