Chapter Thirty One
Alice
The last vision hit me so hard I could only grip Edwards hand in the car and try to stop myself from screaming. When I came back he was looking at me concerned and Carlisle had stopped the car,
"Alice what's wrong? What did you see?"
I shook my head trying to get my thoughts in some kind of order and force the words out through frozen lips,
"Maria, she knows about Jazz and Bella"
"What? How could she Alice? Why would she care anyway?"
"Olivia, I knew there was something going on with her but I couldn't see what. Edward told me that she wasn't sure her mate was dead, she just knew he'd gone missing in the area that the Mexican covens fight over. She went back looking for him and she must have told someone about Jasper, The Major and his human girlfriend. Maria heard and she's using Bella to force him back to her."
"Has she snatched Bella?"
"No, she threatened to kill Bella and he's gone, he's gone back to Mexico. He knows she wouldn't make an idle threat but we have to get back as quickly as we can just in case Maria decides to steal Bella away or worse still kill her."
"Can you see what Maria is going to do?"
"No not at the moment but I don't trust her."
"Try Alice, keep trying I'll get us to Forks as quickly as I can."
Carlisle was as good as his word, speeding down the roads far faster than was legally allowed and I just hoped he wouldn't be stopped. We couldn't afford any delays getting to Bella. Lady Luck was on our side in that respect at least, we didn't see a single police car and pulled up outside Bella's well within the hour I had told her but she was waiting and came running out as soon as she recognised the car. I didn't give her time to ask any questions just grabbed her bag and threw it and her unceremoniously in the back with Edward and then joined her.
"Please Bella just let us get you safe and then I promise we will answer all your questions."
She nodded white faced and strained then turned to gaze at Edward who had stopped breathing but otherwise seemed to be handling her proximity well.
"Don't worry Bella you are safe with us"
"Even Edward?"
He nodded and tried a reassuring smile but I'm not sure it really came off because she moved closer to me looking at the back of Carlisle's head as he drove into our turn and sped to the house, then he and Edward climbed out and went to check the interior, we were taking no chances. We'd all heard about how devious Maria could be.
Once Carlisle came out to signal all clear I got out and waited for Bella to join me then walked her quickly up the steps and into the hall, Esme coming up the rear with her bag. We went up into the lounge and I gestured for Bella to sit down on one of the couches taking the seat next to her while Carlisle sat opposite.
"'Ill make you some coffee Bella and then we will tell you everything but please try to stay calm."
"Is Jazz dead?"
We looked at each other shocked that she thought this and Carlisle shook his head smiling just a little,
"No Bella, he's not dead I assure you"
"Are you in some kind of trouble with drug dealers or the Mafia?"
"No."
"Well then are you hiding from someone?"
"Not in the way you mean, no. First let me assure you that Jasper is not dead nor is he in any danger of being killed provided he does exactly as he is told and he will for fear of you being harmed."
"You mean someone is blackmailing him? To do what?"
"This is where our story becomes less easy to believe Bella but please hear me out before asking any questions. I promise you I will answer all of them at the end."
Bella
Esme came in and handed me a steaming cup of coffee which I sipped as I listened to Carlisle, I didn't understand any of this but as he started to speak I forgot all about my coffee and Alice took it from me as it started to spill onto the carpet from my numb fingers. I waited until he finished looking from one to the other half expecting, hoping maybe, that they would laugh and say April Fools but they didn't.
"You're vampires? All of you? Jasper too?"
"Yes Bella, hence we don't drink or eat human foods."
"Is that why you feel cold to me?"
"Yes its one of the drawbacks I'm afraid."
"And you drink blood to survive?"
"Yes but we choose to drink animal blood not human so you see you are safe here."
I looked at Edward and he grimaced,
"You are no longer in any danger from me Bella. I did desire your blood when we first met. You are my singer, which is just a fancy way of saying that your blood calls to me particularly strongly but I have mastered that I assure you. I would never harm Jasper's mate"
"Mate?"
"We'll get to that but first I think you need to hear a little of Jasper's background because like Alice he came to us as a vampire. I did not change him personally."
"Not like the others?"
"No, as I said Esme, Edward, Rosalie and Emmett were all dying when I changed them. Alice was changed, well we don't really know much about that and Alice remembers nothing of her human life. But Jasper, well I know he planned on telling you all this and his history today in any case so I think I had better do it under the circumstances."
The more Carlisle told me the more I saw Esme and Alice stiffen and at first I thought they were shocked but then they must already know all this so why? It dawned on me eventually that they were worried what I would think, how I would react to hearing his horrific and sickening story. When Carlisle finished they all looked at me expectantly.
"So Maria, his sire wanted him back and she used his relationship with me to get what she wanted?"
"She used Jaspers love for you Bella yes."
"He would go back to all that for me?"
"To keep you safe? Yes. Jasper loves you Bella and he would lay down his life in order to keep you safe."
"So what are we going to do?"
They glanced at each other a little puzzled,
"We aim to keep you safe Bella, just as he would want us to"
"But what about him? We can't leave him there with Maria? Do you think he'll escape again?"
"He can't, if he were to leave Maria would simply have you killed."
"So I just stay here and leave him in Mexico with Maria?"
"Well I don't see what else we can do Bella. We aren't fighters, Maria has an army of newborns at her disposal. Besides Jasper would want us to look after you. If we can get word to him then perhaps he would chance escaping but it would mean you would never be safe and he would not leave you in such danger."
"No, I wont stay here and just leave him there. You have to find a way to save him."
"Its really not that simple Bella, as I said we aren't fighters"
"Then find some Carlisle, do something."
They looked at each other and I knew there was someone in their minds,
"Tell me, who are you thinking of?"
"Well Jasper has a couple of friends we could try but it wont be easy, they aren't exactly friends of ours."
"Does it matter? If they can help Jazz you have to contact them"
There was a sudden banging on the door and Alice turned with the ghost of a smile on her face,
"I think the news already reached at least one Bella"