Chapter Seventeen

Jasper

We were getting close to safety and Bella was relaxing a little now although she wouldn't let me leave her. I didn't mind but it did mean I couldn't hunt and that could become dangerous for her although I didn't crave her blood as much as her company, her body. How Edward had been able to resist her I couldn't understand but I was glad he had. One day hopefully I would be able to rub his nose in it and enjoy doing so but for now we needed to stay off the grid. When my phone went I expected it to be Alice but it was a number I hadn't seen in a very long time. I pulled over and answered, holding Bella's hand in mine as she stiffened in fear,

"Its not Edward Bella, relax"

She nodded but she didn't relax,

"Darius, its been a long time."

"Not long enough Major, I'm sorry to be the bearer of what I assume is bad news. I had a call from Garrett asking me to get an untraceable message to you so I'm guessing that's what it is."

"Garrett? What's the message?"

"The tracker has visited the Whitlocks. Does that make any sense to you?"

I clenched my fist in frustration,

"Yeah it does, thanks Darius."

You're welcome. Listen if you are in real trouble I have a place off the grid, in Mississippi, its not much but it is safe and there's plenty of hunting in the delta. I'll send you the coordinates, then I suggest you ditch the cell phone, it can be traced by anyone determined to find you. Whatever vehicle you have, ditch that too and go on foot. It'll take longer but its safer. I'm going now before this call pops up on the network. Good luck Major."

He was gone before I could thank him and I checked for his text, memorizing it before crushing my phone and throwing it in the back of a flat bed headed in the opposite direction, just in case. Bella's face was even paler as she looked at me searchingly.

"What's wrong?"

"We can't go to my friends, they've had a visit from the Volturi. It seems maybe they know you aren't dead and they've sent Demetri to find you. How Garrett got the information I don't know but we're running out of options."

"Why didn't Alice see this? She could have warned us"

"I get the feeling Alice is done with us, she's got what she wanted, me out of the way, you too if we're right about her and Edward being mates."

"You think she'd be happy to let the Volturi find us? What will they do?"

"I don't know, change you I guess because Aro is fascinated by your potential gift"

"And you?"

I shrugged,

"It depends, kill me maybe"

"But if you are my mate then killing you would kill me too wouldn't it?"

"If they believe we are mates."

"How do you prove it"

"Its just a feeling you get when two are connected, Marcus will see though, if he's there"

"Marcus? I saw him when I was there but I didn't know he had a gift"

"He sees relationships, rather like my friend Charlotte but a little more clearly."

"Is he likely to be there? In Volterra you mean don't you?"

"Usually he is, Aro doesn't trust him out of sight in case he tries to run"

"Run? Why?"

"I'll explain later, for now we have a problem. Darius suggested I ditch the car, move on foot, down to a place he knows in the delta, but you can't travel on foot and he obviously doesn't know I have a human with me."

"So what do we do?"

"Steal transport I guess and travel as fast as we can but you'll have to stay hidden. If I can steal a panel van it will be better, you can hide in the back, out of sight."

She didn't like it but it was the best I could do. Once we got closer I could carry her but for now that would be too conspicuous.

"Why don't you leave me? You'd be safe that way."

"Bella have you understood nothing I've told you? There is no leaving you now, not for me. you are everything"

"I'm sorry Jasper, its just after Edward I find it hard to trust"

"You'll believe in the end and I can wait."

Bella

I wanted to believe him but I also wanted him to be safe. There had been too much pain all round caused by me. The only thing I could do was wait for an opportunity and leave. Despite what Jasper told me about love and mates I had to believe otherwise, I couldn't believe that he wouldn't find true love, a true mate in his own world. I had to give him a chance to find a real mate, not what he thought was his, not a damaged and suffering human who had no place in his world. If I had then Edward or Carlisle would have changed me long ago, Alice had told Aro she'd seen my transformation, that she would do it herself but when I asked her she back tracked and now Jasper knew the Volturi were looking for us and yet he was desperately trying to get me to safety instead of offering me what he knew I had wanted for so long. If it hadn't occurred to him to change me then how could I be his mate? Short answer, I wasn't, he just thought I was because Alice, the infallible Alice, who sees all, had told him.

Jasper

Bella was very quiet as we travelled a little further in the car, I felt her confusion and sadness and a hint of despair but I would keep her safe and she would come to trust me. Then I would change her, have my mate beside me finally after so many years effectively alone. As I drove into a small town Bella suggested that she should eat while I hunted and found a van. We needed to have one more night in a motel, it was a risk but a calculated one, I didn't think Demetri was looking for me whatever he said or he'd have been here by now. I hated leaving Bella alone but at least she would be reasonably safe in a motel room if she kept the door locked and I really did need to hunt. My thirst was beginning to affect my ability to think. I stayed with her and ordered dinner and then feeling her apprehension decided the quicker I left the sooner I'd be back, meaning she wouldn't be alone in the dark for too long and we could get going under cover of darkness.

"I'm going to leave the keys in the car and hope the locals aren't too honest, if anyone knows our vehicle it will put them off our scent."

"I'll do it if you like as I go back to our room."

I handed her the keys and leaned down to kiss the top of her head

"Don't worry Bella I'll keep you safe, there's no need to feel scared or worried."

"I know Jazz, I trust you."

As I left I felt her eyes on me and felt her sorrow, she missed me once out of sight which was a good thing. I took off into the woods hoping to range far enough to find a van that wouldn't be connected with us or the car. As I ran I felt uneasy but that was because I was away from Bella and as long as I knew the reason I wouldn't worry.

Bella

I forced down the meal Jazz had ordered for me, paying with some of the handful of bills he had handed me before he left. As I ate I wrote him a note on a napkin explaining things then went to the room and grabbed my bag leaving the napkin propped up on the table then got into the car pleased to see the tank was almost full. Which way should I go? He would expect me to turn away from our destination so I headed that way, it was stupid to try outrunning a vampire but maybe I could outsmart him. I drove south as fast as I could for an hour then turned east. I needed somewhere he couldn't hunt me down easily and the sunnier the better.