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Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this.
The was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.
Chapter Four — Bully For Him
Jasper POV
As we approached the Denali's home, I inhaled deeply, searching for a hint of Isabella's distinctive scent, ignoring the amused looks from my family. It was there, but weak; she wasn't in the house. I felt a wave of disappointment so intense it threatened to make my calm mask falter.
This was ridiculous. I had seen her only once, and yet, I was already grieving for her absence. If this was how it felt now, with only a tenuous bond, how would it feel if we actually allowed it to progress into mates?
"Don't worry, Jasper," Esme soothed. "I am sure she will be back soon. She is probably just hunting."
"I'm not worried," I lied.
"Yeah, you're peachy," Emmett stated. "But your emotions are another matter. You might want to get a better handle on your gift. It weakens your argument when you project all over the place."
I was mortified. They felt everything I felt. I concentrated on reigning in my emotions, cursing my contrary gift. Edward didn't project his thoughts to us all when he was feeling particularly emotional. Why must I be forced to share my feelings?
"We understand, Jasper," Edward attempted to reassure, evidently following my chaotic thoughts. "We have all been in your position. We felt the same way when each of our mating bonds were formed."
I nodded, attempting to look grateful, though I felt anything but. I was a private man by nature, and now that persona had been stripped away, leaving me feeling raw and exposed―all because of her.
They heard us coming, and Tanya opened the door for us as we crossed the wide porch.
"Hello all," she greeted brightly.
She gave me an appraising look. Her emotional tenor was a mixture of curiosity and amusement. I was growing tired of providing entertainment for everyone. I much preferred my previous role as the quiet observer.
We exchanged the usual pleasantries and gathered in the vast lounge area.
"She will be back soon. She is hunting at the moment," Eleazar said gently.
"I didn't say anything," I said innocently.
"True, you didn't. Though your eyes have not stopped searching the room since you arrived, so I assumed you were looking for Isabella." He sounded like an over indulgent uncle talking to a child caught in misdeeds.
"How long have you known Isabella?" Carlisle asked. "You have never mentioned her before." Though he tried to hide it, there was a trace of hurt in Carlisle's voice. He and Eleazar were good friends, and we were all surprised to learn that Eleazar had a guest that had not been introduced.
"I have known her a long time. She is very private and a rather…" he struggled for the right word "...unique character. She is unpredictable."
"Understatement," Irina quipped. "What he means to say is, Isabella is equally as likely to greet you with a kind word as she is to criticize your posture and correct elocution."
"But she is great fun though, never a dull moment when she is around," Kate added.
Wonderful, my mate, or potential mate, was an unpredictable elocution master with a propensity for creating drama. I was in for a wild ride.
As if to demonstrate my thoughts, a piercing scream cut through the air. "Eleazar!"
We leaped to our feet as one and made for the door. My mind was reeling. What could have happened?
"Stay here," Eleazar ordered as he flew out of the house.
I had no intentions of listening to him, but Tanya caught my arm. "Wait," she cautioned. "This is exactly what we mean about unpredictable."
She led me to the window looking out onto the rear of their property. I saw Eleazar sprinting toward the edge of the tree line, his concern battling his caution.
A figure came out of the trees dragging something behind her.
"Hey, is that a bear?" Emmett asked incredulously.
Kate snorted. "Yes. Lord knows why she has brought it back. I smell mischief."
We could hear their voices clearly through the glass, which of course meant they could hear us. I prayed that the family restrained themselves from mentioning the potential mating. It had caught me by surprise, and if she was still ignorant of it, this was not how I wanted her to find out.
"Why did you scream?" Eleazar asked.
"I was in a hurry," she said happily. "I knew you'd come faster if I screamed. It was the logical choice."
"In a hurry to do what exactly?" he asked. "And why have you brought your dinner back with you? You aren't usually one for left-overs."
"Leftovers?" She shuddered dramatically. "Lord, no! I want its pretty fur. I am thinking a rug. The fur is too coarse for a coat and–"
Emmett snorted, highly amused at their interaction.
"Isabella," Eleazar growled. "Did you really call me out here to discuss interior design? I thought something had happened."
"Eleazar," she growled back with surprising ferocity. "I did not call you out here to discuss interior design. What queer ideas you have. I called you so you could help me put it in the shed. I knew Carmen would be upset if I brought it into the house." She finished with a pious look, evidently expecting Eleazar to be pleased by her thoughtfulness.
He sighed dramatically. "And why could you not put it in the shed yourself? You brought it back this far."
"Honestly, Eleazar, you used to be such a gentleman. What happened to you?"
Carmen giggled, then answered my questioning look. "He may look unhappy, but in truth he is loving every minute of it. This is the way they interact. You will have to get used to it. Nobody can confound Eleazar like she can."
Eleazar hoisted the bear over his shoulder and made his way to the outbuilding. Isabella walked at his side chattering happily about her new rug. "I need a black bear next," she said animatedly. "To compliment the red."
"To compliment the red what?" Alice wondered aloud.
"Eyes," Kate whispered. The attention of the family snapped to her. "You'll see," she said carelessly.
We had lost sight of Isabella and Eleazar as they had circled the house, and it seemed foolish to stand, staring out of the window. We settled ourselves onto the couches again and waited for them to return. I heard footsteps crossing the porch and then the door swung open.
I held my breath nervously, wondering what she would say when she saw me. She must feel the same curiosity for me that I had for her. If what Carlisle said was true, I reacted to it because of my history. I sincerely doubted this slight female shared the same experiences, so she should be more open to it that I had been.
She scanned the room, Eleazar stepped in beside her.
"Which one of you is Emmett?" she asked stonily, her face expressionless.
What on earth had Emmett done? Why would she ask for him?
"I am," Emmett said, raising a hand.
"Excellent," she said, her blank mask giving way to a dazzling smile. "I need a black bear, and Eleazar said you're the man I need."
"Sure. Want to go now?" Emmett asked happily, eager to show his prowess as a hunter.
She considered for a moment then shook her head. "No, it would be rude to dash out now. Besides, I want to get to know your coven."
"Actually we prefer the name family," Carlisle ventured.
"You must be Carlisle," she said with an amused look. "I've heard a lot about you."
Eleazar groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. Carlisle shot him a confused look, evidently wondering what was causing such a reaction.
"Oh settle down, Eleazar," she scolded. "I am not going to be rude. I'm just curious. Carlisle understands that, don't you?"
Carlisle nodded mutely, growing ever more uncertain by the second.
"Wonderful," she said brightly then launched into her questions. "You're a human doctor, yes?"
Carlisle nodded again. His emotions betrayed his excitement at the possibility of sharing his theories of humanity with her. I had a feeling Isabella was not going to be the receptive audience he hoped for.
"Why?" she asked curiously. "What made you choose to save human lives? It seems to me, given your diet, you would be better suited as a veterinarian."
Edward laughed, apparently responding to Carlisle's thoughts. I could feel the chaos of his emotions. I could only imagine how his thoughts reeled as he processed her question. This was not the reaction he had been expecting at all.
"But you are an animal drinker, too," Carlisle said. "Surely, you understand the sanctity of human life."
"Heavens no, dear boy," she laughed. It was bizarre to hear Carlisle referred to as 'boy.' Eleazar seemed to accept it without thought, and it made me wonder how old she was. "I am a mere victim of circumstance. I would be feeding on the good stuff if I were able."
Kate stifled a snort, badly. "Hush, Katrina," Isabella said, without taking her gaze from Carlisle.
More shocking than her severe tone was the fact that Kate accepted it. She settled back in her chair and remained silent.
I wondered if she had used the same curious ability on Kate that she had on the human earlier. Edward shook his head almost imperceptively in response to my thought. This shocked me. If Isabella was able to render Kate, the most outspoken of us all, silent with a word, she must have immense power. Edward nodded again.
This is the woman the fates have decreed my mate, I thought apprehensively. How on earth was I supposed to court her?
"I know one of you is an empath, but what about the rest of you? Are any of you gifted?"
"Isabella…" Eleazar began warningly.
"Oh, Eleazar, do settle down. I am merely curious," she said indulgently.
"How do you know I am an empath?" I asked, curiosity momentarily eclipsing my caution.
"Well, my dear, you were projecting your emotions to the room. Are you usually so nervous?"
"I wasn't nervous!" I defended.
"No, perhaps nervous is too strong a word," she said thoughtfully. "Are you always so cautious?"
"He is," Alice answered for me.
"Always," Emmett agreed.
She gave me an appraising look then turned away, seeming to lose interest again. "So, are any more of you gifted?"
"I can see the future," Alice said. The way she said it made her sound a little like a carnival gypsy selling her wares. "It is limited to people's decided paths at the time but it is accurate."
Bella's smile was dazzling. "What fun. How far ahead do you see?"
"It is dependent on people's decisions, but some things are more certain than others. For example, I saw Carlisle and the family years before we actually found them."
Isabella fixed Alice with a concentrated gaze, which changed to an expressionless mask. It was the same look Alice had whenever she was having a vision and suspicion teased the corner of my mind.
Isabella came back to herself with a laugh. "That really was fun."
"What did you just do?" Edward questioned. "I couldn't hear Alice's thoughts at all."
"A mind reader!" she said, with even more animation that before.
"Isabella," Eleazar said warningly.
"Oh do hush, I am only having a little fun," she said impatiently, then fixed her gaze on Edward.
Could she possibly be doing what I thought she was doing?
"That depends, what do you think I'm doing?" she asked me brightly.
I was dazed by her smile. It lit up her whole face and gave her a vibrancy reminiscent of the way our skin sparkled in the sunlight. She seemed highly amused by my confusion. It took me a moment to collect myself enough to realize she had asked me a question.
"Did you take their gifts?"
"Take? No, that would be rude. I merely borrowed them a while. I assure you there are no ill effects to them."
Truthfully, I hadn't even considered the effect it may have had on Alice and Edward. I had been more concerned by what she may have heard or seen in the process. I had struggled enough with the concept of being mated. I wanted to approach the subject with caution and certainly not in a room full of my family and friends.
"How do you do it?" Carlisle asked, his curiosity almost overwhelming.
"I don't truly know." She sounded a little frustrated about her lack of knowledge. "Eleazar has not been able to get a read on me. It is limited. I am only able to borrow the gifts while in close contact with the holder, and it does not always work. I am unable to use Katrina's gift for example, or Eleazar's. I posit that it is gifts that are purely mental."
Limited, but still very powerful. I wondered how she had remained free for so long. Any coven would be eager to have someone so gifted with them.
"Have you tried to use Jasper's ability?" Alice asked.
Once again her face transformed as she smiled, and my breath caught in my throat. I was powerless to fight it even if I wanted to. All my uncertainty about the mating was cast aside as I became lost in her eyes.
"I did try," she said unabashed. "But was unsuccessful."
"So, it is not mental," Carlisle mused. "That makes sense. His ability is grounded in the ability to feel and that is physical."
She seemed to tire of the subject quickly and gazed out of the window, a faraway look in her eyes. Carlisle was frustrated by her lack of enthusiasm but did not press the subject. Instead, he joined Esme and Carmen in their planning for a group hunting trip.
"Isabella, will you be joining us?" Carmen asked.
She didn't seem to hear at first, which was of course impossible for our kind. She continued to gaze out of the window, lost in thought. Kate reached across the chair, a glint in her eyes. I realized that she was about to 'jolt' Isabella back into awareness. A fierce growl rumbled up my throat, and I half rose to stop her.
"Katrina, if you do that, I will be most displeased," Isabella said, not taking her eyes from the window.
Kate slumped back in her chair, repentant and not a little scared.
"I think I will come," Isabella said eventually. "If the resident bear hunter will accompany me, that is."
"Sure," Emmett said happily. "We'll find you a nice black bear to make into a rug."
She turned her smile onto Emmett, and he looked a little dazed himself. I felt a surge of jealousy. She had barely noted me other than to inquire about my gift. She seemed far more comfortable with Emmett. This is not how it was supposed to work.
Edward cleared his throat unnecessarily and gave me a pointed look.
If you don't like my thoughts, you can stay out of my mind, I thought severely.
He rolled his eyes and gave me another meaningful look.
What?
"You're projecting again, dear," Isabella said in her clear bell tone voice. "You really should try to control that."
I fought the urge to hide my face in my hands. This was positively mortifying.
The ringing of a cell phone broke into my thoughts, and we looked from one to another, wondering whose it was.
Eleazar moved to a side table and picked up a phone. "Isabella, it is yours."
"I don't have a telephone, certainly not one of the horrid pocket…" Her eyes hardened. "He sent one to you, here?" she asked sounding exasperated.
Eleazar nodded, glee dancing in his eyes. He snapped open the phone and held it out to her.
She huffed impatiently, taking the phone and spoke brusquely to the caller. "One moment."
She slipped through the glass doors leading onto the back of the property and ran out into the wide expanse of land surrounding the house. We could not hear what she was saying, but her expressions were animated, from annoyance to interest, finally settling on acceptance.
The call ended and she scowled at the phone disdainfully as if expressing her annoyance at the caller. She walked back towards the house, her expression turned to amusement and then with a devilish smile she crushed the phone to dust.
"He sent spares," Eleazar called when she was within earshot.
"Bully for him," she said. "Well it has been fun meeting you all, but I have to go."
She and Eleazar shared a meaningful look, and she nodded curtly. He was disappointed but accepting, which was far more than I was.
"Why do you have to go?" I asked, shocked at my own daring. I was horrified at the thought of her leaving so soon. How was I to approach the subject of mating if she wasn't here?
"Sorry to disappoint, empath, but duty calls. I don't doubt I will see you again, though. You really are a curious being."
Eleazar groaned but she was unapologetic in her returning smile.
"Nice meeting you all," she said, addressing the family. "Would someone care to ride pillion so I don't have to leave my bike at the airport?"
Tanya and Irina both jumped to their feet, their excitement palpable.
She looked amused by their enthusiasm. "Sorry, Tanya, maybe next time."
Tanya looked disappointed, but Irina beamed happily. Eleazar handed Isabella a small holdall and pulled her into a fierce embrace.
"You will take care." It was the closest to commanding Eleazar had managed with Isabella thus far.
"Don't I always?" she asked with a wide smile. "I will be back before you even have time to miss me."
She gave us a hasty wave and followed Irina out of the door. I moved to follow, unsure of what I would say, but the thought of her driving away made my chest constrict.
"Don't do it Jasper," Eleazar warned, placing a restraining hand on my shoulder. "She will be back, but if you pressure her, you will have to wait that much longer. Trust me, I speak from experience."
He was in earnest, and I heeded his words even though it hurt me.
I watched her disappear down the drive and knew she had taken a little piece of my heart with her.
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Simaril x