Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight and the characters contained in this story – I own nothing.
Warning: This story is very naughty! Rated MA only. Please be forewarned!
Thank you for continuing to read & review! Your reviews are like little presents in my in-box and I just love opening each and every one!
A huge THANK YOU to Jasper's Darlin' Kathy for rec'ing this story! Check out all sorts of yummy Jasperness at http: / / jaspersnaughtygirls . blogspot . com
I'm sorry this update took so long! The abridged version of my excuse involves a frozen pipe, lots of water, two flooded bathrooms and a ceiling, soaking carpet and walls in the rooms next to the bathrooms, an insurance company, and my house being torn apart by said insurance company. Followed by several very large, very loud fans (Did I mention they were loud? Like can't even hear yourself think, loud? Yeah.). Then add in the fact that it all happened on the twins birthday. =( (All three of our girls b-days are in Dec – it's a crazy month for us and I'm so glad it's finally over.)
On top of all of that, my Mom is still in the rehab. nursing home – we had hoped she'd be out by Christmas but they insisted on more time. Thank you to those of you who asked about her in your reviews, it truly means a lot to me. We are hanging in there and hopefully she'll be home very soon.
Okay, so maybe that wasn't abridged, let me try again: It's been a bad month! There, that's much better!
On with the story...
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
I glanced over to Bella warily as we headed for the house hand-in-hand, unsure whether or not to broach the topic with her...
"Just ask me," she stated unfazed, while I continued to toss it over in my mind. Her fingers tightened around mine in response to my silence.
I raised an eyebrow and glanced back at her – she was staring at me, waiting.
"Okay, then. Your shield has gotten stronger – much stronger," I told her, my voice not betraying my real feelings about the whole fucking matter. I wasn't fucking happy about it, to say the least. Bella was already an anomaly in our world – which was already a world of anomalies. You don't want to stick out – if anything, you want to blend in as much as possible. Drawing the attention of other vampires, never has a good outcome...and she stuck out with her combat skills enough. Combining that with her shield as it is now – or I suspect that it is – and it's too much. Like a flashing, bloody, neon sign over her head.
"Has it?" she asked, her voice anything but questioning. She knew what she was doing? I had assumed it happened by accident...without her trying or even her knowledge...but she knew?
At that, I stopped us and pulled her so she was facing me, our hands still intertwined between us.
"Why didn't you tell me you could shut me out?" I asked, slightly angry. I had no clue she was capable of that – at least not until she snuck up on us. It wasn't until we were heading back to the others that I realized, I should have been able to sense her coming with my gift. I never felt a thing from her. It was as if she wasn't even there. I knew her shield was getting stronger when she attacked Garrett and I couldn't calm her as much as I should have been able to – but I had no idea she was able to completely shut me out. I didn't fucking like it and I didn't fucking like her keeping things from me. I really hated the irony of that.
"I wasn't sure I could. Well, not really," she sighed, tugging on her hand to pull it from mine. I let her go – though I didn't want to. She ran her hands through her hair, seeming to search for the right words.
"It's like...this bubble around me...I don't know how to describe how it feels, but I can...thicken it? Reinforce it, I guess? I don't know. I was just messing around with it when you were away talking to Peter and Char behind my back," she paused to give me a pointed look that told me not to comment on her choice of phrasing. I didn't – though I wanted to. "It just happened, and it was like once I could do it – I could just...do it. Does that make sense?" she asked, frowning.
"It does. Most gifts are that way," I reassured her. I kept to myself that most vampires take years to get their gift to that point instead of mere days, however. Just another bloody letter to add to that flashing, neon sign. Just fucking wonderful.
"So I'm not a freak?" she whispered. My eyes snapped back to hers in shock. A freak? Who the hell told her she was a freak? I'll fucking kill them!
"Why would you call yourself that?" I asked incredulously.
"Because all of you look at me that way sometimes. I don't know how I knew to do those things so you wouldn't hear me...I just did. I'm sorry, Jasper," she whispered, looking so very vulnerable at this moment. My scared kitten once again showing herself.
"No, baby...you have nothing to be sorry for; you are not a freak. You are amazing," I stated, reaching my open hand out to her in offering, which she took without hesitation. "You are mine," I stated, giving her hand a gentle tug and pulling her up against me. I leaned down and placed a small kiss to the delicate shell of her ear. "And I love you," I murmured softly into her ear. "So much."
"I love you, too, Jasper," she hummed against me. "I wish you wouldn't shut me out," she breathed, her breath fanning across my neck. I swallowed thickly at her implied words. No, I couldn't tell her - not yet.
"Come on, darlin'...I need to talk to Carlisle," I said instead, avoiding the topic I knew she so desperately wanted to open. I went to pull away but she held me in place, her strength commanding me to stay right where I was. She searched my eyes, for what I'm not sure, but her gaze was intense; unnerving.
"Soon, Jasper," was all she said before letting me go. She really didn't need to say any more. She wasn't going to let me keep this secret for long, that's for fucking sure. Char was right, yet again. I was beginning to think, I should never bet against Char.
We made the rest of the run to the Cullen house in silence, my thoughts running through scenario after scenario of just how that revelation will go down when it happens. 'Not good' was a fucking understatement.
Stepping through the door of the Cullen house, the same house I had been kicked out of...wasn't as difficult as I had anticipated it to be. Partly because of my reconciliation with Esme and the realizations that I had made...and partly because Bella practically pulled me through the door.
It didn't take but a moment to figure out that Garrett and Carlisle were in the second floor study and that no one else was home. Where the fuck is Edward?
"Edward's not here?" Bella asked, looking around warily as if he might pounce from behind a piece of furniture at any moment. She really wasn't fond of him...God, I love her.
"He's not here, relax, baby," I soothed.
She nodded but still seemed wary as we made our way up the stairs to Carlisle's study. They knew we were here of course.
Reaching the door, I pushed it open, not bothering to knock or ask permission. I wasn't here to exchange pleasantries or play games.
Carlisle was standing tensely beside his desk waiting for our arrival, I assumed. Garrett was relaxed on the leather sofa across from him, his ankle resting on one knee and his arm lazily draped over the back. His eyes flickered casually over to me and then back over to Carlisle before resting on Bella and giving her a warm, genuine smile.
"Jasper, what are you doing here?" Carlisle asked incredulously.
"I want some answers and I want them now, Carlisle...and where the fuck are Edward and Alice?" I demanded, slamming the door behind me.
"Hey, newborn-girl," Garrett whispered with a wink.
"Hey again, vampire-guy," Bella replied, chuckling.
Carlisle looked between them and I swore his lips twitched at watching their interaction, but I had to be imagining that shit...right?
"Edward is hunting. Alice is away. And I don't know what other answers you are looking for. I'm not even sure why you are here after..."
"Away where?" I growled.
"Does it matter? She needed some time away, Jasper...she's hurting right now," he replied, sitting down in the high-backed, black leather chair behind his large mahogany desk.
"Esme says you encouraged her to leave...why would you do that?" I prodded.
"I just told you why," he snapped, glancing over to Garrett briefly. His emotions weren't quite adding up, but yet there wasn't any real deception coming from him...
"He's lying," Bella whispered from beside me, causing all of our eyes to snap to her.
"How do you know that?" I asked her warily. Please don't tell me she has another fucking gift, there isn't room on the damn sign for any more.
"Charlie is Chief of Police, remember? Forks may be a small town, but he had a friend that worked for the Seattle PD. He would call Charlie in from time to time to help them when they were short on man power – big cases and such. Anyway, he got very good at interrogating people over the years – he taught me some of it; told me I might need it some day," she explained, her voice tinged with sadness at the mention of her father but her eyes stayed trained on Carlisle the entire time. "He's lying – his blinking increased and if you notice that while he is looking seemingly into your eyes, he's really not...he's focused between them. Also, when he finished his 'explanation', he looked up and to the left briefly."
"Nice one," Garrett commented raising his hand up. She smacked it in a congratulatory high-five.
"Thanks," she said, plopping down next to him on the sofa. "So I'm right, yes? You are lying?" she asked Carlisle, putting him on the spot.
Carlisle shifted in his seat and it was then that I caught his true emotions seeping through...he was scared and...he was lying. What the fuck is going on?
His face hardened after a moment and his voice lashed out like a whip, "I think the two of you need to leav-..."
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, old friend," Garrett growled abruptly; angrily. "Tell him, Carlisle...tell him...or I will," Garrett threatened, glaring at his long time friend with an intensity I'd not seen from him before - at least never directed at Carlisle.
"You wouldn't, and this is none of your concern," Carlisle bristled, glaring right back at him.
"Try me. Simply knowing your family makes this very much my concern as well, wouldn't you say? Tell them what's going on, Carlisle," Garrett demanded, not back down.
"You have thirty seconds to start talking, starting now...30...29..."
Carlisle's eyes widened as he stared at Garrett in disbelief.
"25...24...23.."
Fear, hopelessness, anger, relief...
"10...9...8..."
Resignation, hope, sadness, anger...
"3...2...1..."
Nothing.
"Tell him."
Garrett turned toward me and opened his mouth to speak...
Carlisle sighed heavily, scrubbing his palms over his face roughly, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Sit down, son."
I glared at him. How dare he fucking call me 'son'!
"Please, son," he repeated, pleadingly.
I stood still, my anger pulsing from me in small, crisp ripples and crashing against Carlisle violently.
"Trust me, you'll want to be sitting down for this, Major," Garrett's voice sliced through the heated air.
My eyes turned to him and after sensing the sincerity with which he spoke...I reluctantly sat down next to my mate.
"I don't...I don't even know how to do this or where to start," Carlisle whispered, his frantic gaze flitting about the room instead of looking at the three of us. Guilt was pouring off of him in waves at this moment.
"From the very beginning – tell us everything. I'd like the whole version myself," Garrett told him firmly.
Carlisle nodded in resignation and set his eyes on me finally. "You know a little about my time spent with the Volturi." It was a statement, not a question...but I nodded in the affirmative anyway. "I haven't been completely honest over the years about Aro and my relationship. Some of what I'm about to tell you, you already know but most I've not told anyone - with the exception of Eleazar," he paused to glance at Garrett, "Before today that is. Are you sure you want to know this? Once I've told you, there's no taking it back and if..."
The look I gave him said everything he needed to know and he began...
"You know Aro is the ruler of the Volturi, along with his brothers Marcus and Caius - though Aro holds the most power of the three brothers. Aro, specifically, used to be a very trusted friend of mine. While he never understood my need to feed from animals, he never judged me for it either...and in turn, I never judged him for his need to feed from humans. It was a weird give and take relationship – we were equals in that way.
"I had been staying with them many years when a man was brought before Aro one afternoon – it was raining heavily that day and I can remember the man's shoes squeaked on the palace floors as he was brought forward – dragged forward. Normally, I wasn't involved in any of the proceedings that took place, but I happened to be speaking with Aro about some research at the time and he didn't seem concerned with my presence, so I stayed. The man's name was Lucian and he was human.
"I couldn't fathom what crime he had committed as a mere mortal against vampires, but I assumed there had to be a justification for what was happening.
"Lucian apparently had a daughter named Chelsea who was to be wed the following year; an arranged marriage, as the time period dictated back then. But Eleazar had sensed that she had a latent gift when he had walked past her in a neighboring town one day, one that was most intriguing...the power to change your loyalties; strengthen or weaken them. Her gift had great potential. Aro of course saw the many uses someone like Chelsea could bring him and he ordered her to be changed at once.
"I was unaware of her existence until that day. It wasn't a surprise really, Volterre is large and the goings on of the guard was not of my concern. I suppose you could say, I looked the other way - I was incredibly naive to what was happening all around me.
"It had been a year since her change that day that Lucian was dragged in front of Aro's throne and placed at his feet. Chelsea was escorted into the room moments later and gasped in horror at seeing her human father bruised, but not bloody, on the marble floor. Her father was shocked to see his only daughter with crimson eyes and snow-white skin – he had assumed she was dead. Their reunion was short lived, however," Carlisle sighed sadly before continuing.
"Aro was apparently having trouble convincing Chelsea to stay with them past her newborn year and become a permanent member of the guard - the sole purpose of changing her to begin with - and Lucian was to be his bargaining chip, so to speak. He informed her that if she stayed in service to him, that her father would never find harm from any vampires – ever. But if she were to leave, they simply couldn't guarantee his safety. It was a threat, and Chelsea was all too aware of that fact. She, of course, agreed to stay, for fear they would harm him. Aro was quite pleased.
"It was then that I realized I couldn't stay with them any longer – I couldn't stand by and watch Aro use others for his own gain. He was becoming hungry for more than just blood throughout the years, it was power that he sought more of with each passing decade and each subsequent obtained gift. I had looked the other way for too long. He tried to convince me to stay, but since I had no ties to anyone for him to manipulate there was nothing he could do and I left them just one month afterward.
"It was fifty years later that I came across Edward, dying of Spanish influenza. I was very lonely and his mother's plea was one that I couldn't stop replaying over and over in my mind; I believe she knew what I really was," Carlisle paused for moment and went to continue, only to be interrupted by Bella.
"What happened to Chelsea?" she asked him, her soft but clear voice startling him slightly.
He blinked back at her for a moment before answering, "She's still with them."
"Why?" Bella pushed further, scrunching her eyebrows together. She looked genuinely perplexed and absolutely adorable. God, how I want her...under me, over me, surrounding me... Time, you ass. Yeah, yeah. My conscience was beginning to piss me off now; not just my cock. My conscience scowled at me.
"Why what?" Carlisle asked in his own confusion.
"Why is she still with them? Her father was human and I assume they never changed him? So he'd obviously be dead now after so long...why would she stay once the threat to his life was over?" she asked him.
Carlisle looked stunned for a moment. "You assume correctly, he wasn't changed. Though Aro considered doing just that from what I was told, but due to his promise to never 'harm' him, he chose a different method. Marcus with the help of Demetri, their best tracker, tracked down Chelsea's mate..."
Bella growled and Garrett eyed her warily, moving just a little away from her on the sofa. No doubt he was still tasting the earth he inhaled earlier.
"He threatened her mate?" she demanded to know, her entire body tense.
"Yes," Carlisle sighed. "Afton, her mate, was still human. So once they found him, they changed him quickly and...after they were introduced, Afton sought vengeance. It was a reaction that Aro had foolishly dismissed as a possibility.
"Our mates are everything to us; pieces and extensions of our very own soul. Some say at some point during our transformation from mortal to immortal that pieces of our soul break off and seek out our true mate; marking and watching over them until we are physically able to join with them once more. Others say it's simply a curse - but how could finding love that powerful be a curse? I believe it's a blessing...a concession on God's part. We may be damned for eternity against our own will, but he gives us a slice of heaven in return."
"Regardless, there was no swaying Afton's view on the matter. He wanted Aro to pay for holding his mate prisoner against her wishes for so long, but in the end it was Chelsea who was able to sway her mate...with her gift..."
"She made him loyal to Aro?" Bella gasped.
"Yes. She had no choice, Bella. They would have killed him if he even raised a hand to Aro. She did it to save him, and herself," Carlisle defended, before muttering what sounded like 'fuck'.
Fuck indeed. Edward was back.
"Carlisle...why is Jasper here?" Edward spoke in a quiet tone from downstairs. Before Carlisle could respond, Edward was on the other side of the door.
"Son, why don't you go check on Esme for me, she's..."
"I don't think so," Edward said, pushing the door open and stepping inside. I moved to stand and stood between him and Bella. I didn't want him even fucking looking at her. Fucking pervert.
"Edward," Carlisle sighed dramatically, apparently not happy about his appearance before we were done. I was surprised...more than surprised at his reaction to Edward. "You may as well hear this as well, sit down," he ordered.
Edward stared at him curiously for a moment before he moved toward the sofa where my mate and Garrett were currently still seated.
I pushed him back. Perhaps a little too hard, as his back bumped into the bookcase on the far wall, knocking some of the books onto the floor by his feet. He glared at me with hatred and I glared right fucking back. You want to play, Edward – let's play. I guarantee I'll win.
"What the hell, Jasper?" Edward sneered.
"Edward, either sit down and listen...or leave," Carlisle hissed at him.
"Carlisle, what is all this about?" Edward demanded to know.
Carlisle merely raised an eyebrow at him and said nothing.
Pouting hugely at not getting what he wanted for once, Edward pulled a chair closer toward Carlisle's desk and sat down rigidly into it. He really does need to get fucking laid.
Then again, so do I.
Carlisle turned his attention over to Bella. "Did you have any other questions about that part?" he asked her, not unkindly, but rather matter-of-factly.
She shook her head, glancing with narrowed eyes over at Edward. She reached out and grabbed my hand and tugged me down to sit next to her once again, and then proceeded to practically crawl into my lap – not that I minded, not one fucking bit. I smiled smugly over to Edward who was scowling at her actions. Good girl.
Carlisle cleared his throat unnecessarily to gather our attentions once again. "After I changed Edward, word got back to Aro that I had taken a 'companion'. I didn't know who had told him at the time...but it would have been rude not to invite him to meet Edward in person. Aro was quite taken with him. He was envious of the range aspect of Edward's gift, since Aro requires touch to reach your every thought. He saw usefulness in Edward's gift, but not enough to warrant trying to recruit him into the guard – after all, it wasn't that unique of a gift to him in comparison to his own. Aro did, however, congratulate me on finding my...uh...mate," Carlisle said with a faked cough.
Mate? Aro thought Edward was Carlisle's mate? Oh, this is just too fucking good not to share. Bella snickered on my lap and Garrett turned his head to hide his twitching lips. Carlisle and Edward frowned at us, clearly not as amused.
"Excuse me just for a moment, please," I stated, pulling my phone from my back pocket. I dialed Peter and he picked up after the first ring even finished.
"Major! Do you need help disposing of the bodies?" he answered enthusiastically.
"Not yet, Peter, but thanks. I called to let you know that at one time people thought Edward was Carlisle's..."
Edward lunged for the phone – not a wise move. Bella shot up so fucking fast, she was merely a blur. She grabbed him and pushed him back down into his chair forcefully, causing it to break beneath him with a crash; his ass hitting the floor with a resounding thud. He sat there and stared up at her in shock.
"You'd think he would learn," Carlisle mumbled.
"Keep your hands to yourself, or I'll remove them for you," Bella sneered at him before gently seating herself once again in my lap.
Peter sighed dreamily through the phone. "I swear if she wasn't yours, Major," he said suggestively. Garrett sighed longingly as well.
"Peter," I growled loudly, cutting off their fantasies of my mate. "Did you know at one time people thought Edward was Carlisle's mate..."
"No fucking way!" Peter laughed. "Oh, this is golden... Hey, Emmett! You'll never believe this..."
I hung up the phone and smiled widely over at Edward and Carlisle before pocketing my phone.
"Are you done, Jasper?" Carlisle sighed, although I swear I saw another twitch of his lips.
"Sure," I replied nonchalantly.
"After that visit, Edward and I continued on with no interference or further contact from any of the Volturi...that is until after I changed Esme. Aro contacted me just six short months after Esme's change. He was less curious and more...suspicious. Once I explained that she was my mate, he began to question once again why I had changed Edward. He still all that time thought that Edward was indeed my mate and he couldn't fathom why I would have changed him if he truly wasn't. He alluded to understanding that I had...'physical needs'," Carlisle sighed once again, pausing to give me a look. When I didn't make a move to pull out my phone, he continued. I can wait to tell Peter that bit later. "I explained that Edward was like a son to me and there was nothing sexual in our relationship. He let it go and I didn't hear from him again for quite some time after that.
"Then I found Rosalie one night. Word didn't travel quite so quickly this time back to Aro and it was a few years after that, he contacted me. His tone was very different, stiff...brusque. He was angry and demanded to know why I was building a coven. I attempted to explain that that was not what I was doing, I simply couldn't let her die. It didn't matter what words I uttered, Aro's mind was made up. His parting words to me that day were a warning, loud and clear; 'No more, Carlisle'. The only reason I believe he let it go at all, was because Esme is my mate and Rose has no gifts."
"But...Rose said you changed Emmett?" Bella voiced the question we were all thinking at the moment.
"Yes, I did. What was I to do? He was dying and he was Rose's true mate – it was clear as day as she cradled his bloodied and bruised body to her like an infant. She didn't know if she had the control to do it herself, and I couldn't let her mate die...or worse yet, have her try herself and end up killing him. She would have never recovered from something like that – we would have lost her too. So to save my daughter, I defied Aro's warning that day and changed Emmett for her," Carlisle explained.
"He didn't take the news well, I take it?" I asked, though I pretty much could guess the answer – or so I thought.
Carlisle glanced over to Garrett and they proceeded to stare one another down. Carlisle's eyes closed for a moment before they opened slowly and pierced into mine.
"He doesn't know," Carlisle stated in defeat.
That was not the answer I was expecting. Aro doesn't know about Emmett? What the fuck? How can that be?
"Alice...myself?" I thought out loud.
Carlisle shook his head, "No, he has no idea either of you are with us either – though it's possible he's heard of you before, Jasper," he said pointedly.
Bella eyed me curiously at that and I cringed a bit, which she of course noticed.
"When you and Alice showed up, my first inclination was to turn you both away. Alice of course saw that, though she didn't know the reasoning behind it. I guess you could say she charmed me, as only Alice can...and after everything you had been through, you deserved a new start, Jasper, so I let you stay.
"Over the years, I've been very careful about any new vampire contacts we've made along the way. It wasn't difficult to find out who had been feeding Aro all his information throughout the years - Liam, a long time friend from the Irish coven. Aro knew that we kept in contact, and he used Liam to get his information. So I used that to my advantage, and began feeding only the information I wanted Aro to know to Liam – knowing it would have the desired effect. Aro has never heard of Emmett, you, or Alice, because as far as Liam knows, you don't exist in this family. The only leak of information now, would be the Denali's – and unfortunately, that may very well be my downfall."
"What do you mean?" I demanded. I didn't like his tone – his defeated and scared emotions. If there was a danger imminent, then I needed to know.
"Aro knows about our contact with them. He also knows that he could very easily 'drop by' and find out what I've been hiding from him for so long."
At my questioning look he explained, "Yes, he's aware there is something being kept from him, but he's enjoying the intrigue, the game of it all – for now, anyway. He will tire of it eventually," Carlisle replied, his eyes filled with years of fear.
I sat there and stared at the man that I once considered family. Okay, I should probably be honest with myself finally; I still do consider him family. It all goes back to the caring – fuck! It was at that moment, I suddenly realized the truth...
"You were trying to split the family up," I stated, gaping at him. It was finally all so clear to me. "You kicking me out was never about my supposed 'control issues', was it?"
"No," he shook his head. "I never doubted you, Jasper," he whispered sadly.
"Then why didn't you come to me? Why didn't you ask for help with this?" I asked angrily.
"Because this won't end well. No matter what I wish to happen, it won't end well for me – for Esme. Adding Bella into the mix...was too much. Aro will surely see it as a threat to overthrow him, regardless of what he reads in my memories. It's too late for us, but I have to believe it's not too late for the rest of you. You can leave, stay far away. Sure, he could track you down easily...but he'll see that you knew nothing of what I was doing; keeping your presence from him. He can't lawfully judge you for what I've done. There's hope for you to survive. Go, Jasper...take the others with you – but you have to separate, or he'll simply see you as another threat if you stick together," he said pleadingly.
"What the fuck, Carlisle! How could you keep this from me all this time?" Edward yelled, pacing angrily. "And what about Esme? Are you so selfish that you would have her die with you? Did she know about all of this while you kept it from me?" Edward's voice cracked with emotion. He was genuinely hurt by Carlisle keeping this from him. It must have been quite a difficult task for Carlisle to keep Edward from reading it in his thoughts all those years. I may have underestimated him.
"No, Edward, she doesn't know. It's been the hardest keeping it from her – but I did it in hopes of protecting her. In the end, none of it will matter, though. I can't save her," Carlisle choked out.
"I'm leaving and taking her with me then; I'll keep her safe if you won't! Where is she?" Edward demanded, glaring at Carlisle - the man he considered his father just mere moments ago - with a look of pure hatred. He was truly angry; hurt and angry – but he didn't really hate Carlisle. I knew the feeling all too well. For once, Edward and I had something in common.
"Edward, son, please try to understand. When they kill me...and they will, rest assured...when they do, she'll follow," Carlisle sobbed.
"You want her to die with you?" Edward gasped in horror.
"It's a mate thing, you don't understand! She'll want vengeance for my death – she'll go after Aro and he will kill her. Don't you think I've tried to find a way for her to live? I've done nothing but look for a way around it! Don't you think it's killing me that because of my choices, I have damned my mate to death? Me...I'm the reason she will die," Carlisle groaned in agony, his hands engulfing his dry face and venom filled eyes.
"I refuse to believe there's no other way," Edward stated, staring him down defiantly. His eyes flickered to me and then to Bella and I could see the wheels turning. Oh, fuck!
"Bella's still here. So, obviously, you are wrong," he sneered at him.
Carlisle lifted his head as if it weighed an entire world and looked into the eyes of his first companion...but said nothing.
"Why wouldn't I be here?" Bella whispered, her eyes bouncing between the two of them curiously. Fuck! Why couldn't she just be oblivious, just this once?
"Because if what Carlisle believes is right, you'd be hunting down Ma-..."
I lunged at him and pushed him into the wall, my hand snapping up to clamp over his fucking mouth...
A mumbled "-ria" still came out against my palm.
"Who's...Maria?" Bella questioned immediately, her voice touched with a hint of venom.
My hand fell limply from Edward's mouth and back down to my side.
"You didn't even tell her?" Edward accused. Fucking bastard. I sent him some fear and watched him cringe back against the wall away from me.
Not satisfied with that, I increased the dosage; watching as his body began to shake slightly at first and then more violently as I continued to up the amount, until finally, he was convulsing on the floor at my feet.
I vaguely heard Carlisle begging me to stop, but I didn't give a shit what he was saying at this moment. Edward had no fucking clue what he had just done to my mate!
Bella wedged herself in front of me, forcing my gaze upon her. Her fiery eyes were narrowed and calculating as she appraised me. She grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and drew it up my torso hastily. Her gaze wandered my chest, until she found what she was looking for... the large, vicious looking scar positioned over my left ribcage. I closed my eyes knowing what was coming.
Edward fell still as the room drowned in my own fear.
"What is this?" she asked while tracing the ragged and coarse edges with her fingertips – her fingertips should have felt the same temperature as my own, but instead, they felt like silken fire as they drew a path over my thickly scarred skin.
Up, down, up, down.
I opened my eyes and gazed into hers. I could see the recognition there, the anger brewing... the end coming.
"Answer me! What is this?" she demanded, her voice harsh. She knew what it was.
I grabbed her around the waist and clutched her deceivingly petite frame to mine in act of desperation, my body's own foolish attempt to keep her with me; to keep her safe. Her shield was blocking me, not an ounce of my gift was reaching her.
How can I save her from this...if Carlisle has searched for a way to save Esme for decades, how can I save her?
"Jasper," she growled. "What. Is. This?"
"It's a 'M'," I choked out, confirming what she already knew.
She said nothing as she spun in my arms and nudged Edward with her foot - he was still lying on the floor. "Where can I find this Maria?" she spat.
"Bella, NO!" I gasped, attempting to clutch her tighter to me, to futilely send her more of my gift. "Don't you dare say a word, Edward!" I growled at him.
"Edward!"
Edward's eyes dragged over to hers. "Think about it, Edward. Who do you think will hurt you worse?" Bella growled, staring pointedly at his groin. Edward gasped and made to move away from her, but she pinned him with her glare.
"She's... in Texas, I think," his quivering voice said. I will fucking kill him!
My muscles contracted as I made to restrain my mate with everything I had, but all they found...
...was the swirling air left in her wake.
I didn't have time to tear him apart the way that I wanted, the way that he so deserved. It was a mere moment later that I found myself flying down the stairs and out the door after her; Carlisle's words to Edward chasing behind me, "Do you have any idea what you've just done by giving her that information?"
A prescence beside me drew my attention. Garrett. He looked over at me with a similar look as Char and Peter had earlier, a look of pity.
No!
"Bella, please!" I begged into the approaching forest. I couldn't see her, I couldn't sense her with my gift...but I could smell her. I could see her fresh tracks on the ground.
We could still catch her.
My phone began vibrating in my pocket. Peter.
"Keep talking to her," Garrett urged, while taking the phone from my shaking hand.
"Bella, you have to stop! Please, baby," I continued to beg the forest. I could hear Garrett talking to Peter, informing him what had happened and what direction we were heading. Peter already 'knew' something was going to happen and they had set up defensive positions in response.
Garrett paused to glance over to me - awaiting my further instruction.
"Tell them to spread out further, it's our only chance of cornering her. Under no circumstances are they to attempt to restrain her, I don't know how far she will go to get away. Do whatever you have to to slow her down, but don't hurt her. Just slow her down for me, Peter! I can't lose her; I just found her!"
"I'll tell them, Major. No one will harm her. We'll get her to stop - we'll keep her safe. You have my word and my life," Peter assured me through the phone. I nodded, even though he couldn't see the gesture. Garrett continued to talk to him for a few moments, but I focused solely on her tracks that disappeared beneath my feet and then suddenly disappeared altogether.
I took to the nearest tree without hesitating; Garrett trailed slightly behind - wondering what the hell I was doing. Sure enough, her scent and fresh nail marks littered the barks about half way up.
I vaguely heard her growl of frustration up ahead as she realized we were still in pursuit and hadn't lost any ground from her maneuver.
I know you too well now, darlin'.
The wind shifted and I could smell Rosalie's distinct scent coming from up ahead. Bella's steps slowed slightly in response and she redirected to the west to go around her. Char's scent wafted in suddenly from the west, forcing Bella back on the same course - heading straight toward Rose and closing our gap just a fraction. That's it - keep pushing her to change her course. Bella readjusted yet again, this time to the east and Peter's welcomed scent filled my nostrils.
She readjusted once more, directly into Rose's path once again, but her scent suddenly made it's way higher up into the trees. She's going to try to go over Rose? Fuck! I snatched my phone from Garrett's hand and dialed quickly.
"Jasper," Rose's voice answered. "I think I'm closing in on her!"
"You are directly in her path, Rose. Go up! Go high up into the trees, now! She's going to attempt to go over you!" I yelled into the phone. "Push her back toward us, don't try to restrain her!" There was no doubt in my mind that Bella had deliberately chosen to go over Rosalie because she posed the smallest physical threat. From a tactical standpoint, it was a wise choice and one I'd have probably made myself. From an emotional one, however, I knew Bella would feel the worst about hurting Rose out of the four of them. Char was more than capable of handling herself and had been through hell right beside Peter and myself, but Rose...she hadn't had any real fighting experience and would be no match for Bella abilities. Fortunately, I knew that Bella would, subconsciously and consciously, do everything in her power to avoid hurting her if possible - but there was still a chance, and it scared the shit out of me.
"I see her!" was the last thing I heard through the phone before the line cut out. Growls echoed through the tree tops ahead and the snapping and rustling of branches followed quickly after.
"Move out of my way, Rose," Bella growled. "I don't want to hurt you!"
"Please, don't do this to him, Bella," Rose begged her, her voice pleading and softer than I've ever heard before. My chest felt heavy from her tone. I love you, too, sis.
After a few moments, I could finally see them. Rose was blocking her path as Char and Peter closed in from the sides and Garrett and I came in from behind. Another familiar scent filled the air - Emmett. He was on the ground below, blocking her from going down.
"Bella," I breathed. "You can't go after Maria..." She glanced over her shoulder at me and the look on her face was pure determination.
"I can and I will. She's going to die for what she's done to you, Jasper! She...her initial on your body...I can't even... she's going to suffer, I promise you!" she roared in anger and frustration, pulling at her hair as she attempted to move to a different tree. Peter and Char were there now, however, and she had no where to go, she was surrounded on all sides. None of them would be a match for her physically if she chose to push through them, though - my only hope was to get my arms around her and attempt to calm her with my gift once more. It was a crappy plan since it hadn't worked earlier, but it was the only plan I had...until Char gave me another...
"Tell her, Jasper," Char said, giving me a pointed look. "Tell her exactly what will happen if she does this," she continued to hint.
Tell her...what? That it's killing me... And then I understood.
"I thought you loved me, Bella," I said sadly. Her eyes narrowed as she slowly spun around to look at me full on.
"I do," she insisted, although looking slightly suspicious. "That's why I am going to make her pay. Now tell them to let me through, or I'll push my way through. I don't want to hurt them, so please don't make me," she gritted through her teeth.
"If you loved me, you wouldn't be sentencing me to death," I told her, not breaking her gaze. She visibly winced and shook her head, no doubt dismissing the very thought as ludicrous. It wasn't.
"I would never hurt you," she whispered, her eyes pleading and innocent but still scanning, plotting. She wasn't giving up and was just waiting for any kind of opening to take advantage of. A fighter that never gives up - she really was meant for me in every single way.
"When you find Maria, she will kill you, Bella..." I didn't get to finish as she cut me off with a disbelieving scoff.
"Fucking listen to me," I growled angrily, shocking her. "She isn't alone. If it was just her, I'd have taken her out long ago, believe me. But this isn't a fight you can win, no matter how fucking amazing you are. Her army will kill you with a flick of her wrist - and that evil fucking bitch won't even bat a goddamn eyelash as you are burned in front of her. What she will do, however, is kill me next when I go after them for killing you. Is that what you want?" I asked her, laying the reality of it all at her feet. She needed to see, she needed to understand - she couldn't win this. It was suicide.
"I can't let her or anyone hurt you ever again," she growled.
"You'll be dead, how will you protect me?" The thought of Bella protecting me was admittedly a hard pill to swallow. I knew she was more than capable - against most, anyway - I'm just not sure I'd be able to ever let her try.
"I will kill her..."
"You'll be dead, we'll both be dead."
"No, no, Jasper...you don't understand! I have to kill her! I need to...she hurt you!" she sobbed, her eyes welling with venom.
Oh, baby...
I leaped into her tree and made my way to her branch. Balancing myself in front of her with two feet of space between us; I gazed into my mate's agonized eyes.
"You have to fight it, baby, please. You have to fight that need for vengeance," I pleaded with her. I wanted so fucking badly to touch her, but I was afraid that would send her running once again, so I kept my distance - for now.
"Jasper," she gasped, shaking her head back and forth as she slid down the trunk of the tree at her back and sat down on the branch, pulling her knees up under her chin.
I copied her movement and sat down straddling the thick branch. Not the most comfortable position for my balls and cock - and he made me all too aware of his rather uncomfortable position. Words like 'crushed' and 'impotent' came from him like curses. Up until now, he had been silent, just as afraid of losing her as I was. I readjusted him unashamedly and steadied myself with the branch above me, taking some pressure off of him and my balls.
She looked into my eyes and a sob nearly ripped from my own chest at the expression on her face.
"It's pulling so hard, it almost hurts - it's pulling me so fucking hard," she panted. Her petite body jerked to and fro as she fought against it's relentless pull. I wanted nothing more in that moment than to track down Maria and tear her to shreds just to break her fucking hold on my mate.
"You have to fight..."
"I love you," she said softly, her eyes full of sorrow...then clearing as determination overtook her once again.
I knew.
I tried to lunge for her.
"I'm so sorry, it's too strong..." her whispered words of regret chased after her as she dropped down from the branch, landing right on top of Emmett below and taking him completely by surprise. He had let his guard down when she sat down on that branch, we all had, and she seized her chance.
She easily dodged Emmett's delayed attempt to grab her, and ran.
With all of us now behind her, there was no way to stop her.
I had lost her...
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
AN:
The End...
Just kidding! You want to slap me now, don't you? I promise I would never do that to yas!
Okay, I feel really bad leaving it on a depressing cliffhanger after such a long time between updates – but there was no other way around it, trust me! This chapter would have been way too long otherwise and I had to break it up. As it is, there was a lot of information in this - I hope it wasn't too much? Not my best chapter, I know...I just couldn't seem to get it where I wanted it to be and for that I'm really am sorry. =/
To recap:
~Bella's shield has grown stronger...
~Carlisle's been lying to everyone, for a very long time... (Do you think he did the right thing by trying to protect them from Aro? Or do you think he should have come clean ages ago?)
~Edward's an idiot...
~Bella got away and is now on a suicide mission... (If you want an insight into Bella's PoV listen to: 30 Seconds To Mars, Night Of The Hunter) *link on my profile
~Where is Alice you ask?... You are going to have to wait a little longer to find out that one.
~How exactly did Jasper get his 'M' scar since it's not a bite?... You'll find out next chapter (though you may not want to know).
~You really want to review and tell me what you thought even though you might be mad at me about the cliffhanger and the long time between updates... Please? ;)
~I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year! xo
(Oh, and roon if you are reading this, thank you! Now fix your pm's! =P)