Chapter Twenty Four

Bella

I woke up confused and stiff, still leaning against Jasper but for just a second I thought it was Edward and froze before relaxing again. He took his arm away and I got up stretching my cramped muscles.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Only an hour, we'll be landing soon and Charlotte will be waiting with transport. She's got supplies in for you so we'll leave straight away, it'll be safer that way."

I nodded and went to use the toilet and wash my face and looking in the mirror I groaned, one side of my face was all wrinkled from laying against the shoulder seam of Jasper's shirt but I wasn't sorry, it was the best sleep I'd had in ages and I felt so much better now. When I came back into the cabin I saw Garrett and Jasper leaning over a map so I joined them.

"Is this where we're going?"

"Ah Sleeping Beauty is awake at last"

I smiled at Garrett and Jasper turned putting his arm around me once more,

"Yes, we're going to the Gates of the Arctic National Park. It's very cold but it's also very isolated which is good for our purposes."

"You can see the bad guys coming"

"Correct Bella, you win a prize, any one off the bottom shelf"

I hadn't heard Peter come up behind me but I turned and smiled at him,

"I already have all the prizes I need, a vampire bodyguard force all my own."

"Now you see that's what I like about you Bella, you see things so clearly. You have the best bodyguards in the vampire world."

We had to sit down and buckle up then, or at least I did, my escort were all indestructible. Jasper sat beside me and took my hand in his. When he saw me looking at our joined hands he squeezed it gently,

"Does this bother you?"

"No, its nice. I feel safer this way."

"Good. You should feel safer with me Bella. As long as I'm alive you will be too"

"You mean that don't you?"

"Yes, I'll never lie to you Bella."

"You love me don't you? Really love me?"

"Yes Bella I do."

"Aren't you embarrassed to say that in front of your friends?"

"No. Why should I be? It's the truth and I'm proud that you are my mate. Ask Peter if you don't believe me, we aren't ashamed to show how we feel. Having a mate is the most wonderful thing in our world."

True enough the others didn't seem in the slightest embarrassed or amused by his words which made me wonder why Edward hadn't been more demonstrative. After all these were human hunters who should have posed a bigger danger to me if I acted at all like prey, fragile and vulnerable. As the wheels hit the tarmac something finally registered, they were all human hunters, all...Jasper! I shot a swift look at him and saw it, his eyes were an unfamiliar muddy brown. He felt my stress level spike and looked at me,

"What's wrong Bella?"

"I really have ruined everything for you haven't I? And after all those years."

His brow creased as he tried to make sense of my words,

"What caused that?"

"I know, I can see the sacrifice you had to make."

Understanding flashed across his face and he looked ashamed, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry Bella but I had no choice. I used up my reserves of energy getting to you before the Volturi and there were no animals available but I promise you it wasn't an innocent I killed."

My tears of guilt ran freely as I touched his face,

"Jasper, open your eyes please."

I waited until he did so and they were filled with pain,

"You did what you had to do, you shouldn't be embarrassed or feel guilty, that's my place. I was the one who put you under such pressure and I'm so sorry"

I leaned across and kissed him on the lips but he pulled back,

"These lips have tasted human blood Bella, maybe you should think again before you touch them with your own innocent ones."

I shook my head and put my hand behind his head pulling his face close,

"You made that sacrifice for me Jasper."

I kissed him again and felt the tension ease from his body then the plane came to a halt and Peter opened the door. The cold air was biting as it blew in and with it flakes of snow.

"Well folks now for the fun bit. They're forecasting a blizzard in a couple of hours so we need to get moving people."

Jasper

How could Bella bear being close to me knowing I had killed and drained a human being? I had hoped she might not see it in my eyes but I should have known better, she was very observant and the colour change was quite marked, worse than I had thought it might be for one human. Her words confused me but the relief was palpable. Despite everything she still loved me and she forgave me for being a killer. Understanding of her thought processes would have to wait, we needed to move quickly before the weather closed in and made it impossible to travel, not for us but for Bella. As we descended the steps a truck rolled to a halt and I saw Charlotte's tiny form in the driver's seat. She wound down the window,

"Get in quickly. Its freezing out there and we need to move fast."

The customs guy was already making his way over so Jerome collected our papers and walked over to meet him. I think money changed hands although I couldn't be sure. He was back in a couple of minutes smiling and handing our passports back.

"Good luck Major, I have to leave now before the airport closes down."

"What do we owe you?"

"Nothing Major. Darius covered everything. He said it was the least he could do. I hope you sort out whatever trouble you're in."

Bella had already climbed in the truck and I could see her holding her hands to the heater vent.

"Right let's go"

Garrett and Peter jumped in the front with Char and I joined Bella in the back but kept away from her cold body, not wanting to make things worse. She smiled over and pulled her coat closer around her then slid across to sit beside me,

"I'd rather be close and cold than distant and warm."

I nodded,

"Suits me darlin'"

and I put my arm around her as Charlotte drove into the thickening blizzard, steering only by her heightened senses.