Chapter Eighteen
Peter
"Major?"
The head turned slightly and a pair of dull brown eyes opened looking into mine. His throat worked convulsively but no sound came. I took his limp hand in mine, it felt cold, even to me.
"Major what the fuck have they done to you?"
He lay unspeaking and seemingly unaware of his surroundings, I'd heard of these sensory deprivation tanks but the thought he might have been in there for two years was horrific, they sent humans mad if used for too long, what had they done to my friend? I needed to get him out of here but I wasn't sure how. I put an arm around his chest and sat him up, he swayed slightly then stabilized so I chanced taking my arm away to step back, I could heave him over my shoulders if I could find something for him to wear. I remembered some gowns on the back of the treatment doors. They would suffice so I hauled him upright and walked him to the steps, his feet not moving in any coordinated way so deciding it would be quicker I slung him across my shoulder and ran up the steps being careful not to smash his head against the wall.
Sitting him on the couch I grabbed a gown and wrapped it around him, the liquid still on his skin darkening its whiteness but it was better than nothing. I picked him back up and carried him to the window, opening it and dropping him outside then climbing over to join him on the grass. He was breathing but his lungs weren't expanding properly yet and he kept coughing. The car was only round the corner so moving as fast as I could I picked him up again and ran to it throwing him in the back and taking off as fast as possible. I didn't want to lose him to a random security patrol or the cops on routine patrol in the area. Driving out of Boston I found an out of the way Motel and paid for two nights, unsure if he'd be OK to travel before that.
He needed blood, plenty of it and while he wouldn't like it when he was with us again it was plain that animal blood wasn't going to do the job quickly enough. Besides which my hunting skills worked best on humans not fucking Bambi! As soon as I felt he would be OK alone for a while I went out, soon finding the kind of grimly back lot where my kind of prey could always be found and I wasn't disappointed. At the far end of a weakly lit alley I saw a drug buy in progress and decided as there were three of them I could feed at the same time. As the little party split up, the seller going out the end of the alley into a better lit street the other two came my way, straight into my waiting arms. I held one round the throat tight enough to knock him out without killing him then dropped him to the filthy floor of the alley and concentrated on the other. He had chance for one strangled cry before my teeth sliced through his throat and his hot blood pumped into my mouth.
When I got back with the other one he was just coming round, perfect! I helped The Major to sit up and carefully slit the guys throat enough for the smell of his blood to send my friend into a feeding frenzy. He was so thirsty and weak that he didn't even realize he was feeding on human blood and as he finished his eyes flickered to me in gratitude before closing again. Now I would ring the girls with the good news and then look for the fucking deer, the things I got roped into doing for The Major, he'd owe me big time for this!
Bella
Grace had been playing with some boxes and material Char had given her, making a bed for horse when she suddenly stopped and her eyes went blank. Scared by this I fell to my knees at her side and pulled her into my arms,
"Grace? What's the matter darling?"
She stayed like this for a few seconds then looked at me and smiled hugging horse to her,
"Daddy"
"Yes darling, you'll see daddy soon I hope."
The phone rang but I ignored it not wanting to leave Grace. I heard Charlotte's voice then,
"Bella, quick its Peter, he's found Jasper.
I picked Grace up and ran to the phone which she held out to me,
"Peter? Is he OK?"
"Bella I don't know what to tell you. He's alive and here with me but that's about it. I can't tell you any more than that but as soon as he can travel we'll be home"
"Is he hurt? What's Carlisle done to him?"
"He's not hurt physically although he's very weak, I'm gonna hunt for him in a few minutes, he's been pretty much starved to keep him weak. I have to go now"
"Peter, put him on the phone"
"Bella its difficult"
"Put him on the phone, please"
Peter
I took the receiver to the bed and held it to The Majors ear,
"Jasper can you hear me? Its Bella, Bella Swan. I have someone who wants to speak to you"
He moved his head a little then I heard the quiet little voice,
"Daddy"
His eyes flew open and he lifted a hand weakly to the receiver so I gave it to him and he held it pressed close to the side of his head,
"Did you hear that Jasper? I don't know how it happened but that's your daughter Grace. She's waiting to meet you"
"Daughter?"
It was so quiet coming through a parched throat but she must have heard it,
"Yes your daughter. She wants to say goodbye, we'll see you soon. Come home Jasper"
"Daddy."
He handed me back the receiver and closed his eyes again laying back.
"Well be back as soon as we can"
Jasper
Was this a dream too? A figment of my fevered imagination? A daughter? It wasn't possible but it was a good dream and I wanted it to go on, her voice was like music to my soul, Grace, a daughter by Bella Swan. My imagination was better than I thought. I'd dreamed Peter finding me, escaping from my watery hell and feeding me rich warm blood then the call. Maybe madness wasn't so bad if I conjured up such wonderful fantasies. I heard a door, sounds? Was I imagining those too? Along with sights? I could feel too, cool sheets beneath my back, pressure against my body as if I were laying on something, perhaps this was the final fling of a breaking mind, one last throw of the dice before oblivion or the hell of real madness, I wasn't sure I cared any more. When the door sound came again I didn't bother to open my eyes, I could smell Peter return but there was another smell, one that flooded my mouth with venom and set my throat alight, blood, fresh warm blood. My eyes snapped open once more to see a deer still struggling weakly in Peters arms and I held my own out greedily.
Bella
I waited impatiently to hear from Peter again. Grace had fallen asleep after talking on the phone, a smile playing around her lips and horse held close to her. The blonde ringlets she now had fanned out across the pillow and she looked like a sleeping angel. I was excited that Jasper was coming but very apprehensive too. How would he take to the idea of a child? A daughter? Especially one he had no memory of siring and with me of all people. Perhaps he wouldn't accept her or me, maybe he'd laugh it off as a cruel joke and walk out of our lives. What would I do then? How would I support myself and Grace? I could go back to Charlie but how could I explain away a daughter who looked more like a two year old than her few months. She couldn't register with a doctor or have her shots, she wasn't human, we had no idea what she was or how much human DNA she possessed. Char felt my internal struggle and came to sit beside me putting her arm around my shoulder,
"Bella stop worrying. As soon as he sees Grace he'll recognise himself, its plain she's his child"
"What if he doesn't though? What am I going to do Charlotte with a hybrid child? Where do I take her? I can't lose my little angel"
"Bella, you have a home here. Stop panicking."