Disclaimer: The plot belongs EstrellaGrace and the rest is Stephanie Meyer's. There is abuse in this chapter so if you are uncomfortable….Please stop reading. Proofreading by Strongwolfprincess.
JPOV
I barely remember getting home about an hour after dark. My aunt and uncle wouldn't be home until after midnight. Not like it mattered, they could care less about me.
They were working late at their camping supply shop. I figured they would make a run to the liquor store Saturday to restock their mini-fridge in the back office.
Ed walked me to the front door. We had said very little verbally since we left the meadow in the middle of the woods.
Edward Cullen wasn't human. He had to live by two sets of rules. If he was going to have any interaction with humans, he had to abide by some of their rules. Then he still had to follow the rules of vampire society.
I wish I knew where I fit in with all of this. Ed said I was his mate. I wanted to know what that really meant? I know he gave me the simplified version. I could tell that there was a lot more to it than that.
He appeared to be ignoring what was going on in my head, but I knew better. I didn't want to call him out on it. He was trying to give me the privacy I was yearning for. When my mind wandered to bad places, there would be a sharp spike in emotions from him so I know he was paying attention.
We walked into the house, through the back door. I wandered around the kitchen for a few minutes. Another E-M-F-H night. That was Texan for every-man-for-himself. I got the joy of warming up a couple of hot pockets in the microwave and calling it dinner.
There was no telling when Mike was going to come home. That was fine with me too. I wasn't in the mood to deal with him.
I was sitting at the kitchen table when I realized I didn't have a clue where Ed was. The vampire had wandered off somewhere.
I paused for a few seconds and closed my eyes. Yeah, I could feel him. I could even guess a general direction. Weird, but I liked it. Normally a person had to be within 10 to 12 feet for me to feel them. It was strange to able to still feel him.
I leaned back in the hard wooden chair. I wanted to go off and find him. But I let my head stay in charge and decided to stay where I was and think about things.
If I was his mate, what was James to Vicky? If a vampire like Vicky was attracted to a man like James, what kind of vampire was Ed? I was damaged.
That's when I became aware of him coming in and sitting down at the table next to me. My mind was going at top speed. I was only mildly aware of what was going on around me. I knew the person sitting next to me was Edward.
I could feel his concern for me spilling off of him. And something else. Something I had never felt direct at me before. I had felt it from other people for other people, but never for me. It was strange and heady and I liked it. I closed my eyes and relaxed. I almost felt peaceful.
"Go to bed. Sleep off the stress. Nothing will happen to you tonight. I'll know if somethings coming." Honestly, that wasn't what I was afraid of. I was still awake right now. What happens after I go to sleep was what scared me. "Just try, please" Mike used to wake me up when the nightmares would start. "If that's what you need me to do, I can do that. Go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."
I was tried. There was no one it the house. I could feel the weight of the past week bearing down on me. I didn't say anymore and I wandered my way upstairs to Mike and mine's shared bedroom. I barely remembered getting changed for bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.
The next morning was strange. It's been a very long time since I had been given the luxury to wake up slowly. The blankets were I had left them last night. I hadn't moved from where I had fallen asleep at last night. Normally I was a restless sleeper on a good night. On a bad night, Mike would be there to wake me up.
I hadn't opened my eyes yet. I was trying to figure out what was wrong. Maybe it was because there was nothing wrong. That was a strange and novel idea. I couldn't feel another human in the house.
I decided to enjoy my leave of school by rolling over and going back to sleep. I curled up on my side, enjoying a feeling of serenity. Absently I blew a stray hair away that was tickling my nose. That stirred up the smell of lavender, almost lulling me back to sleep. Lavender made me think of Edward.
I felt someone pulling the blanket back over me. Everything still felt peaceful, but now my brain knew someone was here. I stayed still letting my brain finish waking up.
"It just me Cowboy. Go back to sleep." The whisper of Ed's voice made me relax again. I could feel him now. No that wasn't right, some part of my brain knew he was there. I had adjusted to his presence. That same part of me knew I was safe with him. He was sitting on the floor near my bedside table, near the head of my bed.
"No, I'm awake now," I told him. I still kept my eyes closed. My voice was still course with sleep. A part of me was refusing to admit I was awake. Perfect sleep and perfect mornings were a rare gift.
After a few minutes, I gave up and sat up. I used my arms to push myself up and leaned against the headboard.
His book bag was on the floor next to him with some reading books next to him. I saw a Tom Clancy paperback sticking out. I love to read, but the written word is not my friend.
Sometimes it would take an hour to read a single chapter. Compared to a normal person who could do in ten minutes. Sometimes I would have to look at a word more than once to make sure that was what I was really seeing. Words and letters would appear out of place and mixed up. Spelling was even worst. Sometimes I would even get all the right letters in the word, but they would be in the wrong order. The only spelling test I could half-ass pass was a rare multiple choice. Getting to high school meant I didn't have to deal with that embarrassment. It did lead me to other problems.
I realized Edward was listening in on my thoughts. I didn't want to think about my problems right now.
"No, but that does explain a few things." His head was bent down, looking at the book in his hands. "That sounds like dyslexia. Have you ever been tested before?"
"The thought never crossed my mind," really it hadn't. I wasn't sure what dyslexia was.
"When I handed you that note the other days, I was trying to see what the words liked when you read it." Slowly he turned to face me. His long sweeping eyelashes had the same red tint as his hair. They were long and graceful. Any woman would kill to have them. I enjoyed his misleadingly delicate but masculine bone structure. Everything was perfect about him.
"Not everything," his voices was hushed and somber. "Please never forget I am and will always be a monster." I didn't like him like this.
I reached out to pull his chin in my direction. It took some effort to make him look at me. I think he gave in and let me do it. I could feel the self-loathing rolling off him.
"Ed, look at me," and I look deep into his eyes. I gave myself a moment to fully study his infinite butterscotch liquid pools and then stopped. I had plenty of time later admire him. "I have seen what human monsters look like. I have seen what your kind can do." I paused to make sure Ed wasn't going to move. "You have a lovely soul. I can tell there is a little bit of darkness in there. I don't care. I have seen so much worse. You don't have to tell me why right now." I pushed his hair out of his eyes. I couldn't bear to see those covered up. "Like I said, I don't care. I'm only worried about today and tomorrow. I can't change the past. Neither can you."
For just a second I felt a lot of raw emotions coming off of him. I watched as he closed his eyes and took a ragged breath. I felt the great effort he into clumping down all his emotion. I could almost feel him locking them away, making himself seem numb. Deaden like. Not healthy.
"I know why I'm not going to school. Whats your excuse?" Edward flashed me a mischievous smile before schooling his face. I could tell he was relieved to be changing the subject.
"You see, Alice and I have this rare blood disorder." This must be their cover story for the humans. "It's an extreme form of anemia." He dropped his voice to a stage whisper. "She wanted to get in on the fun and decided to stay home and make Vee go to school without her. So he's a little miffed at both of us." I could care less. There was something about Vee I just didn't care for. "Trust me, he's not my favorite brother in the world either. He's a bit of a sore loser because of yesterday."
Why is that? I didn't bother saying anything out loud and it didn't bother him. He seemed to prefer it.
"Because I only hear the answer once. Most people think about something right before they say something. It's not always the same as what they were thinking. It was confusing when I was first turned. Still is every now and then." He paused for a breath. I could tell he was fighting a small smile.
"Vampires by nature, we are very aggressive. Emmett, me, and Vee- a couple of times a week, we'll play fight and wrestle. Most of the time it's friendly competition." Now he wore a full grin. "Now mind you, I have a built-in advantage. I see what you're going to do, right before you physically do it. I am also the fastest in the coven. That means I have a split second to react to what you're going to do before you have a chance to do it."
"Nice," I could think of plenty of times that would have been great. Half the time, my gift crippled me or it would turn me into a blind rage that wouldn't stop until no one was moving.
"Mine can do that too. Its taken many decades to get it under this much control."
"You still didn't tell me why Vee is upset with you." Edward ducked his head in embarrassment. Shame he couldn't blush.
"Emmett and I were on the third round when Vee made a crack and about him losing to a Fairy. Before anyone could react, I jumped from Emmett to Vee and started attacking him instead. Emmett had to pull me off of him. All morning long Emmett was ribbing him for losing to a Fairy."
It didn't seem to really bother Ed being called by slur names. I always hated it. Some milder watered down teasing I could take. Like the kind that guys do in a locker room. Peer pressure is a real thing to me.
That was when I realized I wouldn't be able to tell anyone about me and Ed. This was a small town with small-town prejudices. He was watching me closely. There was no judgment in his eyes, but I could feel his worry.
"I came from a time that if I admitted what my sexual orientation was, I would be ostracized by friends and family at best. Or beaten and left for dead by my community at the worst." I could see his brow knitted together for a few seconds. "Our family has to move every 5 to 10 years. I'm used to not mingling with the rest of the town folk. Realistically I would prefer not to do things that draw attention to me."
I had no idea what to say to that. I caught the word 'our'. How far was he willing to take this? He didn't answer the question, but those golden eyes burned into me. Desperation burned like a candle in him. I was trying hard to understand everything I was feeling off of him. Most of it I didn't understand.
"They already think of you as one of us. If I can't be near you to protect you, someone else will be close by. Also, Alice has a unique way of looking at things." Bye, bye freedom. "That is not what I intended." I knew his intentions were good and probably justified. It still sucked.
"Have my folks left for work?" He only nodded. "Good, take your damn shoes off and get your ass up here," I had every intention of going back to bed. Fuck it. I knew he didn't sleep, but the bed had to be more comfortable than the floor.
"That doesn't bother me, but I am not very warm to curl up with." I didn't care. I slid back down under the covers. I felt his weight settle next to me on the bed. I stretched my back out and arms out on and felt his weight settle against me.
The unnatural chill of his body didn't bother me. It bothered him more than it did me. When I lived on the streets of Dallas, a warm body was a bad thing. I never really slept. I was always half awake, and the second I felt someone touching me or get near me would cause me to want to react and attack. Everything about him was just different enough that he didn't set off my emotional triggers.
I was on the verge of drifting off to sleep when I heard a car pulling up. I didn't move. I was just listening. I felt Ed move a little to peek out the window.
"Who is it," I mumbled. My eyes were still closed. I was being stubborn. I really didn't want to get up.
"Someone who thinks of themselves as your friend." Then his whole mood went sour.
"What's wrong? What now?" Fuck it. I was getting up. Whether I wanted to or not.
"How much do you know about your friend? And what does he know about us," Edward whispered.
As in me and you? Ed nodded. Nothing. All he knows about us is that I know what are you.
"He can smell me here." He graceful slid out of my bed and was toeing on his shoes.
That's when I heard Jake banging on the front door shouting. "Damn it, Jasper, I know your home. I just heard you talking to him." Damn, he could hear me upstairs and in my bedroom. His hearing must be as good as Ed's. Looked at Ed as he gave me a brief nod in response. Great.
"Then you can wait a damn minute and let me wake up." The heavy knocking stopped. Yep, he heard me. I didn't bother pulling on shoes and I raked my fingers through my hair as I headed downstairs to get the door. Edward was sitting cross-legged at the foot of my bed when I pulled the bedroom door shut.
I was not in the mood to deal with stupid shit today. Before I open the door I paused to close my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I opened my eyes again when Jake gave a soft tentative knock on the front door this time.
Slowly I open the door. I lean on the doorjamb and study him. He wrinkled up his nose and tried really hard to look over my shoulder.
"He's here, isn't he?" Jake sounded weary. He felt nervous and upset.
"And who would that be," I said in my most secretive and dangerous tone. I level my eyes at him and gather all my will into focusing on Jake. Making him feel off balance and uncertain of himself. I'm not sure how I do it, I just know make it happen. I can just make people feel things if I want it bad it enough. He was already feeling uneasy. I turned around and feed that emotional fire.
"Your leech. The redhead." It took some effort not to grin at the big black-haired native. Yes, he is mine and mine alone. It was a strange possessiveness that I'm not used to. I liked it. I had a feeling that Ed didn't mind. "Just let me in. We need to talk. We might as well do it comfortably."
I left the door open and walked away. I heard him close the door behind him. I head to the kitchen. I wasn't really hungry but I know I needed to eat something. Hot pockets for dinner the night before wasn't enough fuel to keep going the next morning.
Jake didn't say anything, he just sat down at the kitchen table and watched me move around the toaster oven. I found myself humming the county song Dogs of War by Blue Saraceno. It fit my mood.
"It's not healthy to have that thing in your house." I felt myself bristle from his comment. I had ignored the 'leech' remark.
"That THING," and I slammed the coffee pot back in its holder. "Maybe the only person that can protect me." Both my first were balled up and I was beyond pissed.
"Jazz, I can protect you. I have a whole pack. That's what we do. We protect people from his kind." He was very still and he said the word very calmly. He was back to worried again. About me. "I don't know what he has said or what he has promised you, but you do have other options."
"And what is that, Jake? Hide on the Reservation the rest of my life and hope that bitch Victoria doesn't come looking for me. I'm praying she didn't turn my uncle. He's a vindictive son of a bitch. I mean either way I'm fucked, dude." Edward had offered a much better future. Already I could feel an itch under my skin. Almost a wanton need to go back upstairs and be near him.
"That was going to be my offer." He looked defeated. But I knew better. Jake was horrible poker. "But there is another option."
"Whats that, hunt her down?" I need to sit. I grabbed the old wooden chair and turned it around and sat down. "Ed is already working on that. And what the hell did you mean pack?"
"I'm a werewolf." He paused to gauge my reaction. I didn't budge except for the tick I could feel in the corner of my left eye. This was irritating me more and I made sure he could feel it. Why not, I have vampire hiding in my bedroom and a werewolf at my kitchen table.
"Why not! Edward would you come down here please." I wasn't done saying the sentence and he was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. I motion to the chair on the other side of the table. Jake was stiff. The only thing moving was his eyes.
"And why are you not in school," the thought just popped into my head. It was an odd thing. I was suspended until Monday and Ed had his little cover story, but was Jake out of school.
"The teachers at the La Push High School are all tribal. Some of them are in on the secret." He had a smug smile on his face. His hands were trembling a little and saw Jake clench hands into fists.
"If you're having trouble controlling yourself," Ed speaks up."We can take this to the backyard. I doubt the rain can make the smell any worse." He leaned back and crossed his arms. Trying to look cool and relaxed, but I could tell he was pissed off.
That's when Jake reached out and grabbed my arm. Ed became tensed he but didn't move. Jake flipped my arm over, pushed my sleeve up, and was looking for something. He looked over at Edward with a question on his face and then looked at me real hard.
"How the hell did you get that fixed?" It took me a few seconds to realize what he was talking about. That burn was the first scar I had ever shown him. It was one of the few you could see when I had a shirt on.
"Vampire venom did it." What the hell! Was he piss because Ed fixed a psychical painful scar?
Unfuckingbelievable!
I saw Ed glance at me. He was worried and I suspect the werewolf was making him a little nervous. The animosity in the room was getting to me. Making me very short tempered.
"Why are you here," I said more sharply than I meant to.
"Well, let's start with, you left yesterday. When you told me you would be there when I got back." I could tell he wasn't done, but he kept glancing at Ed. The vampire was throwing him off balance and Ed was enjoying it. "You told me about the trouble that you're having. Then I find you here, with one of them. I told you to stay at my place." Jake placed both hands palms down on the table. Then he turned to glare at Edward.
"I don't belong to you Jake," I stood up abruptly. One knee on resting on the chair with me leaning on the back of the chair. Both of them stayed seated. Briefly, I saw Jake bare his teeth at me in a canine-like way.
Something rose up in me. A surge of anger rushed through me. Edward crossed his arms and became still as stone. I could tell he was seething too.
"I was freaked out yesterday and looking for answers. I don't have all of them yet but I have a better grasp of the situation. Just get off my damn back!" I wasn't yelling yet, but I wasn't far from it.
"So what is he doing here? Is he just here to keep an eye on you like a bodyguard or is he here to keep you quite? How deep are you in Jazz?" I was in real deep. I didn't want to tell him, but I was way over my head. Way over.
"More of the first," came a quite answer from the other side of the table. Edward hadn't moved. I was relieved that he was keeping the secret for me. I wasn't ready to come out of the closet yet. If I am going to pull a disappearing act down the road, there is no reason to make waves and draw attention to ourselves.
I know one day my skin will be hard, I will run as fast as the wind, and my heart will cease to beat. One day I will be like Ed and I was at peace with that. Ed's eyes flickered to me. I guess I had come to a full decision and I was okay with it.
"Once you came clean to him about what you knew, everything was taken out of my hands." Ed kept his voice even and smooth. I knew Ed would have fessed up eventually but Ed was trying to push a point with Jake and I wasn't sure why. "Yeah Jasper would have figured it out, but you put the life of your tribesmen in danger."
"And how do you figure," the wolf spat back.
"As Alpha of your pack, that means you are also chief of your tribe. In the eyes of the Volturi, you speak was the entire tribe. You hold their life in your hands. In this modern age, there is still a lot of bad things that they could to you and your clan. Their coven has the highest and oldest trained assassins in the world. They have a collection of other vampires in their guard that can do an array different talented things. I know first hand." Now I could feel what was worrying him about that clan. I was willy to bet they had asked Ed to join them. He glanced at me and raised his chin a half inch. I was right.
"You have personal dealings with them," I asked. "Don't ya?" Ed closed his eyes for a fraction of a second then looked at me and nodded. Ed was talented.
"Why," Jake growled out.
"Carlisle is very good friends with two of the three brothers. Well, he calls them friends. That is not what I would be classifying it. Think of it as more like an alliance between covens. As first born, I can speak for him if need be. My coven is the second largest in the world, but we are peaceful for the most part and pledge our loyalty to the Volturi." Yeah, Ed wasn't going to say shit about his telepathy. Not that I could blame him. "One of the three brothers can hear everything that you are thinking. He can see everything that you ever remembered, just by touch."
Yeah, I can see why Ed is a little upset with how this went down. I know what he wanted. For this to be all sweep under a rug. He and I should have been able to pretend to be normal teenager high school students and friends. Graduate from high school, leave this town, and never come back. None the wiser.
Jake was fly in the ointment. He had opened his mouth to someone that wasn't supposed to know.
"Your actually worried about his whole tribe aren't you." It was my turn to grill Ed.
"Yeah," came his quiet answer. I had hit the nail on the head.
"Somehow I doubt the serenity," Jake said gruffly. He didn't trust Edward an inch. And I could see why. Jake didn't see why a Cold One would willingly help his tribe unless there was a catch.
"Is there a catch?" I figured he would say 'no' and then we would spend the next hour trying to convince the big wolf.
"Yes," the vampire answered. That was not the answer I expected. For a second Edward almost looked defeated and Jake looked very smug. I decided I didn't like that. "Since you broke the code of silence, you have to give aid and help protect Jasper."
Strangely he didn't look upset. "I would be glad to," the wolf said to the vampire. "He has been my friend since he moved to Folks." the serenity in his voice matched how he felt. I could tell That Ed was reading him and understood.
"Good, I need to hunt tonight. I'll meet you on the borderline with Jasper tonight."
What the hell Ed? This was not something I was in favor of. I didn't like this idea. That thought brought me up short. Jake's place was where I usually ran away.
Why did this bother me? Ed cut his eyes at me for just a second. Maybe there is something wrong with me.
At the borderline, I was handed off like a bad date. Ed apologized many times and I only gave him a little bit of a hard time. After Jake left, he did explain. I forgave him. I did understand once I thought about it.
Yes, his eye was golden, but they were duller in color then they had were last night. He told me that he had to feed more often to be around me.
He had feed yesterday but he was still hungry. He said that my blood didn't make him thirsty in the normal way. He did a lude to other complications. He wouldn't go into detail, but it did embarrass him. I figured I would get it out of him later.
The dark circles under his were getting really dark. The more I studied them, the more I realized he hadn't been feeding in a healthy way. A vampire that went too long without blood could lose control easier and be a bigger danger to the community. Any vampire was a risk, but a starving one was dangerous.
Jake and the boys were wanting to head out to Port Angles. I guess they were a pack. Now that I knew what they were, I could see the similar traits between them a pack of wolves. There were other things that I had started to see that my human brain had ignored. The inhuman way they moved. Not graceful like a vampire, more like a self-assured wolf. None of them made a noise when they walked or moved. They were one with the earth and nature. This explained a lot when I use to go hiking with Jake. Trying to keep up with him the woods was hard.
Tonight they were wanting to go somewhere with dancing and women. Only three of them were old enough to drink. I doubt any of them would get carded. They all looked about 25. Even Jake and he was my age. Jake told me it was the wolf gene that did that. He said the gene was activated by the presence of the Cold Ones. Vampires.
Some of us piled up in Jake's Rabbit and some of them got in the back of Sam's pickup truck. It took us about an hour to get there from La Push.
At some bars, a minor could go in during early evening hours. Usually to catch music shows or have dinner with a more mature group. Tonight Jake had promised me country music and line dancing. I volunteered to be the designated driver. More of them were under age than not, but if you didn't know their age you wouldn't believe me. They looked more like a group of frat brothers out on the town. The youngest looked 25 and I knew for a fact he was 16.
Drinking wasn't my thing. Really bad stuff happens to me when I get drunk. It fucks with my jinxed up gift of mine. It makes it easy for people to control me. It lowers all the wrong inhibitions. Makes me very susceptible to peer pressure.
Something out of the corner of my eye made me turn my head. Something about the woman behind the bar reminded me of Ed. Maybe it was the way the light reflected strangely off her skin or the inhumanly graceful movements that she made.
I broke away to head to the bar.
"I thought you were driving?" Jake's massive hand grabbed my arm, pulling me to a stop.
"There nothing wrong with a coke," I said rolling my eyes. Most of the time the bartender didn't charge the designated driver for the first one or two virgin drinks. "Besides, I'm underage. Remember?"
I saw him glance at the bar and then shake his head. He knew what the lady behind the bar was. I had a few questions for him too. I wanted to wait until there were no witnesses to that one. Edward stayed very tight-lipped on that subject. He told me it wasn't his secret to tell.
I unbutton the top two buttons on my shirt and hoped that if one of the Res kids got upset or lost his temper I had enough time to move to the other side of the room. Fast.
I sat down at the bar and waited. She took her time coming towards me. I could tell she was taking care of the other folks so she could take her time with me. I could feel her curiosity burning.
She laid a napkin down then set a glass down on top. She pulled a soda tap out and filled, then stuck a blue mini-umbrella thing in it. It was the same as the wristband on my wrist.
I saw her noes twitching around me. Picking apart my scent was my bet. Her eyes were the same as Ed's. Almost the same. These eyes were older.
"Why are you working in a bar? Why torture yourself if you're not hunting." I had the privilege of watching her head jerk back in surprise. It wasn't much, but I had seen it. I only smiled a little. Maybe I was feeling a little suicidal. Just a little too ballsy. I didn't care anymore.
She gave me a long side glance then she did the same at the passing tribesmen. I saw her noes scrunch up in disgust. She knew they were different too. I was going to talk to Jake more about that later. Fuck it, I was in it this deep.
"You belong to someone. I can tell you're not a lack-wit." She was openly studying me. "In fact, I know who I smell." Her hair had a strawberry tint to it and she wore a fierce grin on her face. "Even with the present company around you, I can still smell him. On you." Those old eyes were searching me for something and be damn if I knew what.
"When Rose called to tell me that Edward had found someone, I got a little upset." I could hear traces of an old Russian accent in her voice. I was starting to feel worried. I should have stayed with Jake. "I've been chasing that boy for almost 80 years. She had the gall to laugh about the hot blonde he had found for himself."
I could feel the heat starting to burn across my face. I was getting a very motley mix of emotion from her. I could tell she had been jealous when Rosalie had told her. Now she was embarrassed.
"I am actually glad that you're a guy." She was giving me a cheeky grin. "Edward was starting to giving me a complex. Always the one to turn me down. Always the gentleman. Always just out of reach."
She raised a single perfect finger and traced my jawbone lightly. She was studying me. She was trying to decide something. With eyes this old there was no telling what she was looking for. She nodded her head.
"I may have wanted his body and never got it, but I valued his friendship more. He can hold his own in any fight with some of the best, but he has a very gentle soul. If you abuse that trust I will make sure hell really will last forever for you." I searched her face. Maybe it was her age that made it hard to read her. There was no way she was younger than Ed.
Maybe this was a chance to get some answers. I looked over my shoulder at Jake and his pack. "Do you think they can hear me?"
"Nay, the bass from the music is too much. My hearing is as good as theirs. I can't hear what they are saying, then they can't hear us." I had to admit, there was something about her that I liked. She reminded me of someone, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Do you mind if I pick your brain for a few minutes?" She smiled a genuine smile and nodded. "Oh, I'm Jasper," and I held out a hand on shake.
"Tonya," we didn't exchange last names, I had a feeling we will see each other a lot more before it was over with. Very gently she gripped my hand to give me a shake. Like Ed, she treated me like I was made of glass. I knew that was a vampire thing. All vampires were strong enough to bench-press a Buick with one hand. I had been on the receiving end of that strength before from Vicky.
"Why are you here?" I tried to be nonchalant about it. The grin on her face grew wider.
"I bought the bar." I wasn't expecting that answer. "The Cullens are like family. We often refer to each other as family. Calling each other cousins. Both of our covens have ownership in thousands of different stocks and many businesses." Then her smile went back to a grin. A very rueful one. "Besides, there is more than one reason to call a woman a man-eater." She wiggled her eyebrows at me and gave me her best attractive leer. "I would be more than happy to have you and Edward in my bed any day. I could teach you both a thing or two."
I could feel my face heating up. I was not a newcomer to sex and all its perversions. There was no telling how old the vampire behind the bar was. With age comes experiences.
That was when I felt Jake and one other person walking up behind me. Both of them glaring at Tonya. She returned the favor by blowing a kiss at Jake and licking her lips at the other one. I think it was Jared. Jake just glared harder and Jared looked sick at his stomach.
"Hello boys," Tonya was having too much fun. She also thought they were hot. I needed to get away from her. My gift made me susceptible to the feeling of others around me. I had more control now then when I was younger. But if a strong enough emotion was present it could override what my head said to my body. All strong emotion did that to me.
When someone was angry I got into a bad fight. When they were happy I was unreasonably giddy. Then the worst one was lust. That made me easy for the first piece of ass I ran across and that made me ashamed.
I got up and walked outside. There are too many bodies in here. I needed air.
EPOV
It wasn't wise the hunt close to home so often. We tried to leave the natural prey near home alone. This was a special case. I had a newly found mate and I was trouble leaving him for long periods.
It also made me have some very bad cravings. When I was around him for long amounts of time, I wanted him other reason besides sex. I wanted to sink my teeth into his neck this morning so bad my teeth and gums were hurting. The need to claim him was starting to get bad.
For the most part, my family was being very understanding. And very patient. Alice went out with me this time. Here lately when I was home she was sticking like glue to my side. She was like my sister in every way but in flesh. That was how I loved her.
I let the second buck fall to the ground and I heard Alice gasp. Her vision slammed into both us. It was Tonya. She was standing over Jasper's fallen body snarling. There was blood everywhere. His blood.
I was moving before I realized what I was doing. Alice followed close behind. Night had fallen. No one was there witness us moving like the wind. Within minutes, we were passing through Folks and heading towards Port Angeles. By car, it was about an hour. It took less than twenty for me. Alice caught up with me after about two minutes. Where was he?
I closed my eyes and stretched my mind out trying to find him. Something was wrong I could feel it.
"I can't see him now!" Alice was standing beside me with her eye closed like me, searching for him in her own way.
"That means he's with the wolves," I mumbled. "Show me your vision again." I was looking for small details to show me where he was. In the background, I saw the back glow of a neon sign and I could make out country music playing the background. There was only two place in town that offed that genre and only one that allowed minors. I was off in that direction with Alice hot behind me.
Bars were a favorite hunting ground for vampires and muggers alike. I saw the vision. There was no blood on Tonya and she wouldn't show herself to a human.
JPOV
The air was damp and smelled salty. There was a slight chill in the air that told me it was almost the fall season. I leaned back against the damp brickwork.
I needed to go home. Dealing with Jake's wolfpack was putting me on edge more than Edward whole coven could.
I don't think Jake told them that I know about them and the vampires. Jake didn't want them to know that he broke the treaty. Another secret I was keeping.
I let my mind wander. I let me scenes stretch out, feeling the people nearby. That was when I felt something cold and calculating. Something familiar. That something was watching me. All the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
I stayed still. I didn't want it to know that I was aware of whatever it was.
EPOV
Alice and I found him. She made us go around the back of the building and then up on the roof. Her thoughts told me that she was trying to stay downwind. I didn't question her. I knew better. Neither one of us said a word out loud. With our gifts, we had it down to a science.
There, Alice thoughts said to me. I followed the pictures in her mind until I saw what Alice was having trouble pinpointing.
It was another vampire. She was about five foot and six inches. She had a very slim build and bright flaming red hair. Her eyes were a bright ruby red. She was standing in the shadows behind the dumpster. She was standing statue still across the ally from the back door of the club.
I watched as Jasper made his way out the door. I could tell the atmosphere of the club was getting to him. He had a similar problem with crowds like I do.
The female vampire stayed still as stone watching Jasper. In her mind, she was putting the bits and pieces together. Right hair, right skin tone, and the scent all matched.
Jasper knew there was something in the ally with him. He just wasn't sure what it was. He was being careful. He didn't want whoever was watching him, knowing that he knew.
Alice saw what I was about to do. I wanted to go down there. I wanted to rip her apart, throw her in the dumpster, and then set it on fire. Alice put her hand on my leg and her thoughts told me to be still.
She has a special talent, Alice thought. That made me pause. I raised a single eyebrow at her. It was my way of asking her to explain. I can't say what it is, Alice said in my mind. It's like she has a gift for being able to get out of a trap or avoid trouble, I'm not sure really what it is.
Just then Jacob Black swung the back door really wide. He looked straight at Jasper and grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back inside.
The female vampire was curious about the big stinky guy that hauled her little 'Jazz' back in the club. Her six-scene told her to stay still. That now was not the time to make a move. Everything about the big dark skin native set all her warnings off.
She was also thinking about another vampire. She didn't trust him in a large crowd of people yet and left him down near the docks. He was younger and his control was not as good as hers.
What is she thinking, Alice asked. I held one finger up. I was letting her know I was already doing that.
The male that was waiting for her had a talent too. He was a tracker. He knew Jasper was here. Her six-scene wouldn't let her go near Folks. The male didn't understand why. The female didn't understand either until she got a look at Jacob Black. He set her fight or flight feelings off like a bight torch. She was betting that the dark haired man was part of her problem.
My lips curled up into a cruel smile. The werewolf was the least of her worries. I was going to enjoy ripping her apart and burning her.
We watched as the redhaired female slinked off into the darkness. They were just scouting right now.
I was going to talk to Jacob tomorrow. This was going to have to be a group effort. The wolf has known Jasper longer than me. I was certain that he would be happy to help me.
What are you planning? Alice's head whipped to look at me. My future had disappeared. I'll explain later. I mouthed the words to her. She was an excellent lip reader.
You promise, She asked and held up her pinky finger. I rolled my eyes at her and hooked my pinky finger around hers.