Chapter Sixteen

Jasper

It was easy to see that Peter was getting on Bella's nerves and I had to admit he was an acquired taste, I had learned long ago to ignore his more annoying traits most of the time and yet he had driven Alice into a frenzy which is why we saw so little of each other for years. How the two of them had managed to forge some kind of peace treaty was a mystery to me but I was pleased. Thinking to get Peter off Bella's back for a while I suggested we take a walk, get some air, and Bella could tell me more about this Jay as she called him. So far I hadn't formed a very good opinion of him.

Any man who leaves a young woman to fend for herself on a lonely road in the dark wasn't going to earn any brownie points from me. She agreed readily enough and grabbed her jacket looking more worried now than when I had walked in, did Jay mean something more to her than just another lame dog she was trying to protect? And if so what did it have to do with me?

Alice

I watched them go with a funny feeling in my stomach, one I couldn't put my finger on but I wondered if there could be something between the two of them. A few minutes of fidgeting was followed by Peter pulling on his jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"Just for a walk, I have a strange feeling. Don't forget he's been out of it a while. He might need someone to keep an eye on him."

I rolled my eyes,

"You just want to know what they're talking about."

He grinned,

"Well one of us has to have his head screwed on and with you drooling over Dar here and The Major making cow eyes at Bella that just leaves me doesn't it?"

"Drooling!"

I threw the cell phone I'd been holding at him and he caught it with a grin,

"See, on the ball, reflexes like a ninja. You get the whip out and get Dar working harder…..no thinking about it not the whip he might enjoy that."

He was gone before Darius could get up, his laughter fading slowly as he moved further away.

I turned back to Darius a little worried,

"Do you really think Jasper might be rusty?"

He shook his head,

"No its just Peters way, he's just very protective of The Major, you know that. Besides while he's annoying them, he's leaving us alone."

I put my arms around his neck and kissed the top of his head,

"True, come on then, we'd better have something to report by the time he gets back or we'll never hear the end of it."

Bella

I had no idea where we were going but getting away from Peter for a while would be a relief.

"So tell me about this Professor of yours and how you two started comparing notes on me."

"It wasn't like that. I guess it was my fault for thinking I recognized him. Then he got curious and started asking me questions. He knew quite a lot about you then he told me about that paper he'd written and I slipped. I spoke of you in the present tense and he picked up on it. Once I saw the vampire watching him I felt I had to do something."

"So you and he aren't close?"

I blushed as I shook my head, unsure why it was so important that Jasper know Jay meant nothing to me.

"No, take no notice of Peter, he doesn't know what he's..."

He turned suddenly then and I lurched forward almost ending up in his arms but he steadied me just in time and I felt my cheeks flush.

"Sorry but it seems we have a shadow after all."

I turned but I couldn't see anyone, then I put a hand to my mouth suddenly concerned and whispered,

"Who is it? One of the kidnappers following us?"

"No, worse I'm afraid. Come out Peter. Do you have a message for me? I assume that's why you're here?"

Peter strolled into view trying to look casual and innocent, hands in his pockets whistling a merry little tune.

"Major, Bella, fancy bumping into you two. I just wanted to stretch my legs, get some fresh air, you know the kinda thing. I had no idea you'd taken this direction."

It was blindingly obvious Peter was lying and I saw a flash of annoyance flit across Jasper's face before he sighed,

"I don't need a babysitter Peter."

"Actually you do because I've been following you for some time and you were too busy with that young woman in your arms to notice."

We sprang apart suddenly as if we'd been doing something wrong and he cackled in delight.

"See? If I'd been the enemy I could have attacked, ripped your arm off and beaten Bella to death with it before you got your brain out of your…."

"You finish that comment and you'll be the one looking for a new appendage Captain."

I couldn't help laughing and Peter grinned mischievously,

"Well as I'm here now I may as well join you."

Jasper

I didn't want Peter here, I thought I'd made it clear I wanted to be alone to talk to Bella, not about this man Jay, not about what was happening, just to talk like two friends who hadn't seen each other in a while but of course that was next to impossible with Peter here and he insisted on going over everything again, managing to insert himself between Bella and I as he did so which again made my temper rise and again I couldn't explain why not even to myself. Peter and Bella began to laugh which brought me back to earth with a jolt and again I found myself becoming angry. Did I think they were laughing at me? Of course not, then why did their laughter irritate me so much? I looked down to see he had taken her hand and tucked it under his arm like a couple and that annoyed me even more. I found myself snap at him,

"Good thing Charlotte's not here yet!"

Peter turned to look at me with a cheeky grin,

"Oh? And why is that?"

"You being so familiar with another girl."

He looked at me stunned for a second and I could see a flippant response on his lips but that died too. Did I really look and sound that annoyed? If so I had no idea why, except he had gate crashed my….my what? I'd just taken Bella out so we could discuss what had happened without any interruptions…...yes that was it….and Peter had interrupted after I'd made it clear I didn't need him. Peter was always doing that kind of thing….yet it had never annoyed me before. Maybe I was just feeling irritated because it had been so long since I'd been in company, I'd forgotten what Peter was like, he didn't mean anything by it.

Bella

The mood changed in an instant, one minute I was laughing with Peter although I wished he hadn't come along and the next I felt the chill of the atmosphere although I didn't know what had changed. It felt awkward, my hand in Peter's arm and I freed myself dropping back a little to walk beside Jasper once more. As I did so Peter's phone rang and he murmured into it then smiled at Jasper,

"She must have heard you, that was Charlotte. I'll walk you back to the motel then I have to go meet her at the airport, unless of course you'd like to come with me Bella. Charlotte is dying to meet you"

I saw Peter look enigmatically at Jasper still smiling,

"Why would Charlotte want to meet me?"

Now trying to look nonchalant Peter shrugged,

"A girl who gets herself tied up with our kind, why not? You'll like her, she's down to earth Bella. Anyway you two ready?"