~ Chapter Twenty-Eight — Somewhere Safe ~

Jasper POV

Isabella growled low in her throat. The sound drew the attention of the family, and they hurried away from the wolves and to our side.

"What has happened?" Carlisle asked in a whisper.

I ignored his question and asked one of my own.

"What did she say to you, Peter?"

"She said she wanted to look you up for old time's sake, but it was a lie. She had that intense look in her eyes that used to come before some kind of fuckery. What have you done, Jasper?"

There was no time to explain all that had happened, even if I had the desire. Isabella was standing with her hand outstretched for the phone. "It is a long story. I'll tell you all about it another time. Can you talk to Isabella for a moment?"

"Who the hell is Isabella?"

"I am," she said simply into the receiver. "What did you tell Maria?"

"I told her that we didn't know where Jasper is and that we had no way of contacting him. Now, who are you and why do I have the feeling you are the reason Maria is looking to bring Jasper out of retirement?"

As if Peter had not spoken, Isabella handed the phone back to me. "If you value him, tell him to come get somewhere safe." Her voice was heavy with foreboding.

"I can't tell you everything now, Peter, but you need to get out of the way of Maria. Go somewhere safe and wait for me to call you."

"This is bad, isn't it, Jasper?"

"I'm not entirely sure," I said honestly. The fact Maria was looking for me wasn't good, but the fact it seemed to have derailed Isabella so much was more worrying. Judging by the tense set of her jaw and her fisted hands she had read more into Peter's news than I had.

"You take care of yourself, Jasper," Peter said seriously and then he ended the call.

I cupped Isabella's face in my hands and looked deep into her topaz eyes. "What is it?"

"Not here." She looked at the wolves that were standing where we had left them. They were listening to every word we spoke. It was not advisable for them to see us weakened like this.

She took my hand and broke into a sprint in the direction of the house. The rest of the family followed in our wake. When we reached the river bordering our property, Isabella released my hand and jumped the expanse of water in a smooth leap. Even through my distraction, I noted and appreciated the grace with which she moved.

Carlisle unlocked the front door and we all trailed in. Like me, the rest of the family seemed confused about what was happening. Maria seeking me out was troublesome—the last time we had met she had almost exposed us with some injudicious hunting—but not worthy of the stress that was etched on Isabella's features.

Isabella paced the length of the room in a state of high anxiety. She was wringing her hands. I had not seen her so agitated since I arrived in Volterra following the aborted fight with the Romanians. I caught her hand as she passed me and pulled her to a halt. She looked irritated for a moment and then her features softened.

I stroked the curve of her cheek. "Please tell me what you are thinking."

She twitched as if wishing to resume her pacing and shook her head. "Maria is looking for you."

"Which is unfortunate but not a real cause for concern," I said reasonably. "She may just be seeking my assistance with the Romanian situation."

She shook her head again. "This is no coincidence. Something more is happening here, but I don't understand what." She took a deep breath and exhaled in a gust. "We need to get you somewhere safe."

I was a little confused by this reaction, and my pride was hurt. I was more than capable of defending myself from Maria.

Rosalie answered for me. "Don't you think you are overreacting? Jasper may not be an almighty leader of our race, but he is not the weakling you are treating him as. There are enough of us to defend him if Maria does come calling."

Isabella turned her stony glare on to Rosalie. To her credit, Rosalie gave no sign of her discomfort, but it was obvious to me that she was uneasy under Isabella's scrutiny. When Isabella spoke, it was not in the patiently indulgent tone she had maintained when dealing with Rosalie thus far. It was as if she was speaking to a slow-witted child.

"Maria has an army. Do you feel capable of defending him from that?"

Rosalie huffed, but did not answer.

Isabella turned her attention to Alice. "Alice, are you familiar with Maria?"

"Yes."

"Can you see where she is now, please?" Though Isabella formed it as a request, it was clear she expected Alice to do as she asked. I could see that she was fighting the urge to become her other self. The self that commanded armies.

Alice closed her eyes dutifully and concentrated. "She is heading north."

Isabella groaned. "Eleazar."

She rifled through her pockets and pulled out the cell phone she so hated. She dialed rapidly, and a moment later, Eleazar's voice could be heard.

"Isabella?"

"Eleazar, we have a problem. Maria is seeking Jasper and she is heading in your direction."

"What do you want me to do?" Eleazar asked.

"I don't know her motivation, but I think it would be best if you came to Volterra for the time being. We will be there presently."

We would? Judging from the expressions of disbelief from the rest of the family, they were no more eager to make a trip to Italy than I was.

"You are sure that is necessary?" Eleazar asked.

"I am," she said simply. "There is something I am missing and I have a creeping suspicion that Aro is behind it."

Eleazar sighed heavily. "Tanya, Kate, and Irina will not be keen to make this trip."

"Are they keen on living? I am not mistaken Eleazar; there is something happening that bodes ill for us all. If they refuse to come to Italy, persuade them to leave Alaska. It doesn't matter where they go as long as it is far from their usual haunts. Stefan and Vladimir know our history and will surely have told Maria. You are all targets now."

The change Isabella had been struggling to quell had happened as she spoke to Eleazar. She was speaking with brisk confidence. Not making requests but issuing orders. I almost expected her eyes to change into the bright crimson that she favored when in Volterra.

"Very well, Isabella. I will do my best."

"I will see you very soon, old friend."

Isabella locked eyes with Alice and a moment of silent communication passed between them. Then, Isabella's eyes became unfocussed as she searched out an unknown future. I felt her frustration as she searched and then a wave of pure fury. It was so intense I stepped back from her reflexively.

When she spoke her voice was a hiss. "Damn Aro!"

"What has happened?" Carlisle asked again.

She didn't answer but took the phone from my unresisting hand and began dialing again. A moment later Aro's voice could be heard.

"My dear Jasper, this is an unexpected pleasure. What can I do for you?"

"It is me," Isabella said briskly.

Aro's tone switched from jocular friendliness to alertness. "What has happened?"

"We have received news that Jasper's sire is seeking him out again."

There was echoing silence on the other end of the phone. I felt the tension in the room increase palpably.

"Aro, what have you done?" Isabella asked in a voice heavy with ill suppressed anger.

"Now, Isabella, you must understand that I did it for you. I knew how it troubled you to leave him alone."

She growled. "Aro!"

"I sent the newborn back to his mate." Aro's tone was defensive.

"You fool!" she hissed. "You damn fool!"

"Now, Isabella, I hardly believe it is necessary to cast slurs. I acted for you."

"And thanks to you, Maria has intimate knowledge of my life. Mainly the fact I am now mated for her former lieutenant. Did you not think of this before acting?"

Aro did not speak for a long time. I could easily imagine him shifting uncomfortably in his throne. "So Maria knows about your relationship with Jasper. It does not necessarily mean that she is targeting him now."

"Did you not listen?" Isabella snapped. "She is seeking Jasper now. You have damned him." She paused for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose. I felt her anger shifting into steely determination. When she spoke it was in a much calmer tone that she had used thus far. "We are coming to the city. Prepare the army for our departure. I want Demetri and Felix at the airport."

Now I had bodyguards? This was becoming ridiculous. Maria was one vampire. Rosalie was right; if they attacked, there were enough of us to defend the vulnerable—Esme and Rosalie. I would not think of myself as vulnerable.

Without saying goodbye, Isabella snapped the phone closed and turned her attention to the rest of us. "Pack what you will need. I will give you ten minutes and then we are leaving."

"You will give us?" Rosalie scoffed. "We are not your guard. We do not take orders, and we are not going to be dragged out of our home to satisfy your paranoia."

"You will come with me by choice or I will have Alec come here and freeze you all until we reach Volterra." Isabella's tone was cold.

"Carlisle, what do you think of this," Rosalie asked pleadingly. She was desperate for Carlisle to support her. It was in vain, I could have told her that. Carlisle was nothing if not cautious. Isabella's fear had infected him.

"Isabella, do you truly believe we are in danger?" he asked.

"I am certain of it." She locked eyes with him and he nodded.

"Very well. We will come to Volterra."

Rosalie opened her mouth—surely to argue—but Emmett gripped her hand.

"I believe her, Rosie, and I'm not risking you. Whether Alec comes or I have to carry you there kicking and screaming, we are going to Volterra."

I had never heard Emmett speaking like this, least of all to Rosalie. She was as stunned as I was. I did not ponder the situation long as Alice had caught my attention. Her eyes were glazed as she sought out a future I could not see. From her emotions I understood what she was seeing was not something good.

"Enough!" Edward said angrily.

"What did you see, Alice?" Esme asked, but it was Edward that answered.

"Maria is not alone. She has a group of ten newborns with her, and…"—he gulped—"and they are feeding now."

"Feeding savagely," Alice said in a whimper. "It will be all over the news soon enough, a massacre in Yukon."

"She is trying to draw us out," Isabella said. "She wants the guard to separate to come to deal with her. Now do you believe me?"

None of us answered Isabella directly, but we all moved into action as one. Edward and Alice prepared the house for our absence, closing the shutters and flicking the fuses to cut the power. Carlisle called the hospital and told them there had been a family emergency. I went to the library and collected passports for us all, including one I had made for Isabella. She trailed after me, unwilling to let me out of her sight even for a moment.

She caught my arm as I passed her on the way to the safe and threw her arms around me.

"I know you think I am being overly cautious," she said, "but I cannot lose you."

I kissed her lightly on the lips. "I understand. I feel the same way about you."

She leant closer to me and hid her face against my chest, speaking in a whisper. "I love you, Jasper."

Joy filled my heart, overwhelming me. "You love me?"

She looked up at me. "I do. Now let's get you somewhere safe."