Chapter Sixty Five
Jasper
I felt very humble after Char's tale and somewhat saddened, I'd never wanted to come between Peter and Char and I knew sometimes she found me hard going but she'd never shown the depth of her jealousy and she had come for me, was here even before Peter. I held out my free arm and she cautiously moved over to sit at my other side,
"Well look at that, ain't you three snug as bugs. I suppose its down to me to sail this ship through the gales to shore"
"Peter its an inflatable boat and the shore is about ten foot from you in both directions"
"Now see you spoiled my imaginary journey. Bella wouldn't have done that. She'd have joined in, been the pirate crew for me.
"Peter, cast the anchor and head for friendly shores."
I hadn't realized Bella was awake but Peter was now beaming,
"See. Someone fucking understands me. Aye, Aye Captain Bells."
He steered the boat to shore and helped me out while the girls held it steady. Then Char deflated it and tucked both it and the outboard under a trap door beneath the bushes. Seeing my glance she smiled,
"I've got little caches of things like this all over the place. Just in case"
"Worked pretty fucking well this time Char" said Peter pulling her into his arms.
"So now what? We finished? Heading for home or do we have other butts to kick?"
I was about to direct him back towards Forks when Bella spoke,
"We have business in Forks but first Jasper needs rest and to hunt and I need him so home will do if you don't mind two house guests for a while"
"I like the way you think lady. Home it is but I'm telling you now there's no way I'm carrying his sorry ass all the way. We need wheels and I'm just the man to get them. Stay here and be quiet till I get back. You never know how far Maria the bitch will go looking for you. Mind I think she'll be entertaining guests soon. Volturi guests, which will be fun for her. I'll be as quick as I can folks"
Charlotte and Bella helped me into the tree line away from the river bank and out of sight. The legs were mending but without hunting it was going to be a long process.
"Will you be OK on your own for a while?" Char asked looking at me
"Sure why?"
"Bella and I have business"
I shrugged and watched as they disappeared from view, wondering what they were up to now and hoping they'd be back soon, I missed my dark-haired beauty more than I could say.
Bella
Char and I tried hunting for Jazz, I wasn't much help but I wanted to try. We found some tracks leading back to the river a way ahead and Char stalked while I watched, she was as graceful as Jasper when hunting and I marvelled as she took down two of the deer in seconds breaking both their necks quickly and silently. I felt my own mouth water thinking about them but swallowed it back down, Jaspers thirst was the more important. As we walked back, Char dragging the deer behind her I spoke,
"Char I'm sorry but I heard your story. I was shocked to think that Carlisle was like that years ago. Do you hate him?"
"No, not really, not any more, but I think his wife should know enough to realize she doesn't have to worship the ground he walks on. I feel sorry for Peter because knowing what he did he still had to go into Carlisle's home as Alice's protector and take any little remarks Carlisle may have made. Just knowing he was in my lovers company must have been hard for him but he did his job as always and never complained.
"Do you still resent Jaspers relationship with Peter?"
"Yes in a way. It's difficult Bella when there are three of you. He and Peter have a whole other history that I wasn't part of. Mates are very possessive and jealous. You'll find that out Bella. So I guess I can't help the way I feel but its better now you are here. Do you feel jealous of Peter and I?"
I thought about that,
"No I don't think I do. I'm grateful he had such friends for all those years. The person I was jealous of was Alice funnily enough. She was with him for so many years, she shared a lifetime with him and that hurts."
Charlotte laughed,
"If only you'd seen the way she treated him when they were alone. We were far too lowly for the Seer, I think she saw herself as a female Aro in the Volturi who had to bide her time waiting for her little sister to turn up before she could claim her crown and then to finds out her little sister is more coveted than her must have been a real kick in the teeth.
I giggled,
"I'd never thought of it like that. Thanks Char. I'll never see you and Peter as rivals for Jasper, just as family. The brother and sister I never had."
"Well the ones who love you. Don't forget your other siblings"
"Don't. How can I forget Jane, Alec, Demitri and of course Felix. Not to mention Alice the menace."
Jasper
I shook my head as the two of them came back like a pair of goddess hunters dragging their catch behind them, but the smell of the blood had my mouth watering and my throat burning and seeing this Bella dragged one over to where I sat by the bushes, my useless legs spread before me. She helped me into a better position and supported me while I fed, as usual taking it all in her stride. I'd drained it before I thought of her own thirst and looked at her guiltily.
"Sorry Bella"
She leaned in and kissed my bloody lips,
"Oh don't worry you'll pay later."
The look on her face said it all and I cursed my useless legs but promised myself to repay her double as soon as the bones were knitted. I looked over to where Charlotte sat, her deer drained too and a wary look on her face. She'd never been comfortable feeding in a group and I think Bella made her self-conscious. Luckily Peter appeared then with a huge grin until he saw the deer.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you its bad fucking manners to start dinner until everyone's at the table. Still deer, yucky, give me a nice juicy druggie any day."
I frowned at him but he just laughed and hauling me onto his back carried me the short distance to the road and the car he'd "picked up". Seeing my face he smiled again,
"Don't worry Major. It's not going to be missed for a couple of day's. It belongs to hunters who just left with a tent and all their equipment, mind you they won't be missed for a couple of days either."
I couldn't help laughing at that. Trust Peter!