Chapter Seventy Four

Charlie

The pain in my body which had built and built over the past few hours now centred in my chest and I thought I must be a heap of ash by now. Then it burst into an inferno and died away just as suddenly. There was silence for a second then I could hear too much. There were suddenly too many sounds, slight movements which unnerved me. I knew there were people in the room, four I thought without opening my eyes. Then I was confused and angry, what had happened to be and how could I know things that I did? I opened my eyes to see if I'd been correct and seeing potential threats I jumped up, pushing the bed to crash into the wall and spinning so fast it should have made me dizzy, but it didn't.

As I looked at the four figures standing watching me I noticed one was different from the others. She smelled delicious and my throat burned fiercely at the aroma but something told me she was special, not to be harmed. The other female stood with her while the two men, barely men even, stood side by side protectively in front of them, watchful and tensed to move if I attacked. Then I heard a sound outside, a wet thumping and my throat burned even worse. I risked a glance outside and saw three deer in the distance grazing. My mouth watered and I went after them, jumping from the window without a problem and landing catlike on my feet. I moved cautiously towards them and suddenly worried that I didn't have my rifle with me but my instincts took over and I downed the first deer, snapping its neck with ease. I took down a second too and before I could stop myself I was biting into the neck of one, slaking my thirst with its warm blood. I drained the second one equally fast and stood wiping my lips, eyes darting around for danger.

The two men who had been in the room now approached slowly and I tensed,

"Charlie?" The blond one spoke. "Its Jasper. Remember me?"

I struggled with dim memories until suddenly it hit me and I knew what had happened and who the girl who smelled so good was.

"Jasper? Alice, she bit me? Am I a vampire now?"

I looked at the blood on my hand where I'd wiped my mouth.

"Shit I am. Was that Bella back at the house? You were protecting her from me. I could have killed my daughter".

I was horrified.

Jasper

I was nervous having Charlie around Bella but then Peter offered to babysit him at their place.

"Why can't I stay here with Bella?"

"You're a new-born Charlie, you wont be able to control your thirst for a while and that makes you a danger to her. Peter and Charlotte have experience with newborns and they'll guide you until everything calms down". I knew he'd noticed their red eyes so I added, "Peter will take you out hunting animals if that's what you want or you can follow his diet which is usually the scum of the community. It might be a way of keeping up law enforcement."

He glared at me but I knew I intimidated him,

"It's your choice Charlie."

"This is all your fault you know. If you'd left my daughter alone she wouldn't have spent so long in the hospital and I wouldn't have been bitten."

His fists were clenched and I knew he was seriously considering attacking me so I shook my head,

"You really don't want to do that Charlie"

"Oh and why not? I'm a vampire now too, and pretty strong if what I was told is right"

"Yes, but I'm faster, tougher, and more experienced. If you attack me I'll just break you into bits which take time to heal and hurt like as bitch. I won't let you touch me Charlie even for Bella's sake".

He tensed further and I dropped into a crouch but Peter grabbed his arm swinging him round,

"Charlie its too early in your career to take on God of War, trust me".

Charlie flexed his muscles and Peter dropped his arm. Then Charlie turned to me,

"OK, You win for now but you and I are going to meet some time."

I nodded, "If you still feel that way once you settle into this life, then come back."

"Fuck Charlie, you want to die again? I wasn't kidding, you won't win. I've seen the Major in action."

He took Charlie's arm and they moved away reluctantly.

Bella

I'd heard the exchange between Dad and Jasper and it scared me, because I knew Peter was right, my Dad couldn't win a fight with Jasper. I just hoped he could help Charlie over the next few months. I hated this new-born rage, it wasn't like Charlie at all. As I watched, Charlie pulled away from Peter and came at Jasper full tilt. I screamed and threw my protection over Jasper so Charlie stopped dead as if he'd hit a brick wall. My action proved to me that Jasper was the one, my first instinct had been to protect him, not my Dad. Charlie put a hand out and felt an invisible wall, he looked at Peter who just shrugged and looked at me. Jasper never took his eyes off Charlie.

"That was a stupid move Charlie, please don't try it again or I'll have to take you apart. Now go".

Charlie walked off with Peter and Charlotte shaking his head and Jasper turned to me.

"Why did you do that? So I wouldn't hurt Charlie?"

I shook my head,

"No. Because I didn't want Charlie to hurt you. It was instinctual, I know you could have defended yourself easily but I just couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt."

Jasper

Bella was protecting me? Even from her father? What more proof did I need of her love for me.

"Bella, I'm sure...about you and I. If you still want me to change you I will. I love you more than life itself and I see you feel the same way about me. You just showed it in the most primeval way possible."

I walked to stand in front of her and took her warm body in my arms,

"You protected me, not your father"

She nodded,

"Yes Jasper you are my life and I'll never let anything hurt you. I heard Charlie's words and if he comes back for you I'd exactly the same thing again. You are my world". She kissed me eagerly, "Whenever you are ready Jazz. I'm already yours I just want that to be forever."