Chapter Twenty Three

Peter

I thought we might be too late, the feeling was fading fast, whatever trouble there had been was over and with it possibly my friend. Garrett drove as fast as he could but the last few miles would have to be on foot. We had decided that Bella wrapped up warm would travel on my back, she couldn't keep up with us running. When we got to the end of the track we took the supplies in the rucksacks we'd brought to hold them and Garrett and Char put them on along with Bella and Garrett lifted her onto my back where she wrapped her arms around my neck and I grabbed hold of her legs.

"Right Bella, just hold on tight. I won't drop you but we will be moving fast, OK?"

She tapped my shoulder in assent and we started off as the snow fall became a white out. Just great, why could I never have a sunny day when there was trouble? Oh no, always a fucking tornado or a blizzard, someone really had it in for me! It didn't take us long to find the cabin although it was half buried by accumulated snow and seemed deserted. I took Bella straight inside out of the wind and snow and saw he had been here. There were cold ashes in the hearth and discarded clothes on the floor plus a pail of water in a corner but no sign of him.

Bella

I looked round and my heart bled, this wasn't a home or even a refuge, it was just another cage he had built for himself, the bars being the glacier outside his door. Garrett soon had a fire going and I went outside to find the toilet but with no success so I found a convenient tree, it wasn't ideal and I was frozen by the time I got back into the cabin but I was relieved! Charlotte had balanced the pail of water on the logs and it was just beginning to boil so I got a hot drink and waited for Peter to come back. He was covered in thick snow and shook it off over the floor before coming to sit beside me.

"He's not here Bella. No trace, well no fresh trace, he was here though, for a while. I found more clothes down by the water, looks like he just discarded it"

"Do you think he's still...alive?"

I could hardly get the words out but even as I said them I got the strangest feeling that not only was he still alive he was close by.

"What Bella?"

I hadn't been listening to Peter's words and he finally noticed my distraction.

"He's here."

"Well I can't find him and neither can Garrett, he and Charlotte have gone further out to look for a trace but I didn't think he is honey."

He stretched out his hand and pulled me in for a hug.

"I'm sorry Bella, I really thought we might find him here but the place is deserted."

I shook my head stubbornly,

"I know what I feel, and I feel he's close by."

"Bella, I don't care what you feel. If he was close by I'd know. Now as soon as Garrett and Charlotte get back if they haven't found anything were going back to Whitefish. It's too cold here for you."

I shook my head,

"I'm not leaving Peter. Not without finding him. Not now I'm here."

The other two returned shaking their heads,

"Nothing, no footprints, no scent trail, he's gone and the snow has covered all trace. He could be anywhere."

"Right that's it, come on."

"We're going?"

"Well unless you want to spend the winter trapped up here with the bears and wolves yes."

Jasper

Why couldn't I just be left in peace? It had been wonderful for a while drifting inside my head, with my dream girl in my arms. Then I heard it, the vibration of a vehicle travelling through the ice, someone was coming to the cabin. I guess they were checking it out before the weather closed in completely, well they might find evidence that someone had been here but there was no way they would find me here in my ice cage, no one would ever find me here. I waited, listening for the vehicle to go away but all went very quiet again, I sensed a presence up there. The ache in my chest pulling me to the surface, I resisted I didn't want to exist in the cold, inhospitable world any longer. I clenched my teeth and tried to ignore it but it was getting stronger with each passing minute and I stirred. Who was up there? Why was I being called back? As much as I resisted my limbs stretched out to move the snow and ice packed above me and suddenly I felt an urgent need to get out of my ice cage. I had to, I was needed, wanted, and panic seeped into my body as I struggled harder and harder through the compacted snow and ice.

Peter

Garrett got in and started the engine while Char shut the cabin door after dousing the fire we had lit.

"Right Bella come on we have to go"

She shook her head, standing there in the snow stubbornly refusing to move,

"I'm not going Peter. I can't, he's here"

She looked around her wildly as if expecting him to come sauntering through the heavy snow with a smile on his face.

"Bella we have to go. We'll track him down but he's not here. We'd hear him or smell his scent and there's nothing, Nada, zilch, now for fuck sake get in."

She moved back as I stepped forward to grab her arm,

"No don't Peter, leave me alone, I can't go back.

Several things happened at once, I made a grab for Bella catching the sleeve of her jacket and pulled, she screamed as in pulling I twisted her arm and as I dropped it the snow at my feet erupted, ice flying in all directions, snow blinding me for a second and when I wiped them I saw a figure standing between Bella and myself. It was wild and naked, snarling warningly and I thought it was a bear then realized it was The Major who'd been buried in the snow. He'd felt our presence and in his rage torn his way to the surface ready to attack. Unfortunately he stood crouched between Bella and the rest of us. She would smell very enticing to a thirsty vampire and The Major was one thirsty vampire. His black eyes sparkled with rage, his muscles tensed to spring but I had to try to save Bella, she was our responsibility.

"Keep still Peter"

Charlotte whispered low and urgent.

"If you move he'll attack."

"Yeah that was the general idea. Keep him occupied while you get Bella out of here."

"You touch her again and he'll kill you."