Chapter Forty Three

Edward

I took Gemma hunting when Jamie went to bed, I wanted her take on the family. We ran for some time before finding enough deer to satisfy us, Gemma was very choosy, this wasn't her usual diet but she was adapting for my sake. Afterwards we sat on a fallen tree to talk.

"So what do you make of the family?"

She shrugged,

"They don't like you very much do they? The kid is cute and his father's not so bad either, I like the dangerous smouldering type"

She laughed as I scowled at her,

"Edward lighten up, I'm teasing you. He's too brooding for me, she's OK, not like a newborn at all, Carlisle reminds me of an absent Professor and Rose is quite sweet."

"Rose sweet? Those are two words I never expected to hear in the same sentence. What about the other two?"

"Oh you mean Mr Obnoxious and his wife. She's a bit of a non entity but he's different. Always trying to get a rise out of you, and you make it so easy for him. He's not gifted though is he? Not like her, but even hers is very weak."

"What about Bella and the kid?"

"Jasper has a weak gift too but then you already know that. Bella, well its difficult to say, I don't get anything from her but neither do you. She could be a shield but if she is again it's not very strong."

"And Jamie?"

"I didn't get anything. He seems like a normal, well sort of normal, kid, quirky and sweet but that's all. I like him"

"He's a kid, what's not to like? You don't get anything from him?"

"No, my antenna isn't vibrating. I think Aro was misled by your sister for some reason."

"She's never wrong, well hardly ever, and not as wrong as this."

"Well you can believe her if you like but I don't feel anything there. And if you tell Aro differently I'll have to contradict you. Where's your mother by the way? No one mentions her which is weird."

Peter

I'd stayed back far enough to be off Edwards radar, he didn't seem to be picking up our thoughts anyway but I wasn't taking any chances, and got the gist of their conversation. We were right, they were spies for Aro and I waited hoping to learn more.

"Edward, remind me why there's all this excitement about the kid anyway."

"Aro has been researching the history of the Volturi family for a long time and he was getting close to some much more up to date leads when the computers went down. Since then he's been unable to find the research he was doing and he's suspicious that someone is sabotaging it. I've been trying to follow it back but he really needs a computer expert to do the work."

"What's this got to do with the kid though?"

"Well it seems he thought his research was leading towards Bella's family in some way . If so then the kid could be a descendant of the Volturi."

"Yes but they were created not born so what's all the fuss about?"

"If Bella was a descendant and had a kid with a vampire it would be a direct link between the two worlds."

"And?"

"I have no idea any further than that but I think he was hoping if the kid were related in some way to the Volturi and had Vampire blood it might have some kind of super gift, like Alice's weapon. Or have something in his blood that could be extracted to create a race of vampire hybrids without our limitations."

"Oh right. We'll he's not a two-legged nuclear bomb, that I can tell you"

Shit, this sounded serious and I knew Bella would be interested to hear what they'd been discussing so I slithered back and ran full speed for the house.

Jasper

I saw Peter hit the track leading to the house and went outside to intercept him, if he was going to make a row I wanted it outside where hopefully it wouldn't wake Jamie.

"Major you have a problem...maybe"

Bella came out then with Char,

"Peter where's the fire?"

"Volterra at the moment but it could be headed this way."

I explained what I'd heard but before I finished I knew I was telling them some things they already knew.

"What's the story?"

Bella explained while Char and I listened spell-bound.

"You're telling us that Jamie is a direct descendant of Caius Volturi?"

"Yes, but Aro doesn't know...yet."

"He will if he gets a computer expert on the job. Do you think it was Caius who sabotaged the computers there?"

"If not he arranged it. He's trying to keep us safe."

"Spoiler alert, the shit is getting closer to the fan with every passing minute and the wolves are at the door, excuse the mixed metaphor"

"You said Gemma didn't feel anything from any of us?"

"Only weak gifts as she put it. I guess she's right with me and Char but The Major's is pretty fucking amazing when he puts his mind to it and what about Jamie? What aren't you telling us?"

"He's got a gift, or gifts, but they can't know about them. How come Edward isn't able to hear anyone's thoughts? Is that down to Jamie?"

Jazz shook his head

"No but I have a theory"

"Oh good. I'm glad someone does because I'm sinking in the quicksand here."

"Bella has always been able to shield her thoughts from Edward, I think she's a shield but I'm not sure how powerful. Jamie is enhancing it because Bella needs to shield all our thoughts."

"How the fuck does he know?"

"He's got a psychic link to both of us, he helped Bella through the change and he was only a baby then but he knew what she needed."

"So Super Boy is behind it all? Cool. What do we do?"

"Bella get on to Caius and alert him. Peter be your usual obnoxious self to Edward and hopefully he'll skulk off soon."

"Hey do you think Jamie is stopping Carlisle worrying about Esme?"

"I don't know Peter. He might see she's a threat so he doesn't want Carlisle to ask for her...voilà he doesn't."

"That's fucking amazing. Just think, he could influence anyone into doing or not doing anything...Wow! Thank God the manic Pixie couldn't see that."

Carlisle came out then,

"Rose says Jamie has just woken up and I wondered if we could go hunt now you're all here? I want to be back by lunch time to do some tests with him if that's OK?"

"Sure Grandpa I think he enjoys them as much as you. I'll go rescue Rose"

I went upstairs to get Jamie who was demanding a morning bath of Rose who was trying to persuade him to get dressed.

"Are you misbehaving with Auntie Rose?"

He looked at me, a picture of wide-eyed innocence,

"No Daddy. I just asked if I could have a bath."

"Bath time tonight now let's get dressed cowboy"

He rushed over and grabbed my legs, pulling on my jeans.

"Are we going riding Daddy? Can I hold the reins today if I'm good? Can I? Please"

Rose smiled as she went out,

"Putty in his hands Major"

I had to smile, she was right of course, I was a sucker for my sons demands. If he asked me for the moon I'd try to get it for him and he knew it, but he also knew if he pushed too hard he'd be in real trouble, we got on real well.