Chapter Thirty Seven
Jay
I was pleased that Bella hadn't just ignored me once she worked out she'd got the wrong guy but at the same time I understood she wasn't exactly standing up for me either. She just wanted peace all round and I think what worried her most was that her mate The Major might lose his temper. I admit I'd been less than kind to her when she tried to help me and I understood my ancestor better than I had but apologizing had still been very hard.
Telling him that Maria had read his journal had been unnecessary and probably a bad idea and I regretted it. I might just have made an implacable enemy but I hoped Bella would speak up for me again. Alice had explained all she could and I had done so in return but I was still confused. No one seemed to be able to explain why I had been changed and was to be trained to replace The Major.
Jasper
Seeing Bella in his arms had my temper up and I could so easily have attacked and killed the imposter but then she had spoken up. It was her voice as much as her words that had held me back although I had to admit that she had a point. She sounded so strong, much more so than when I knew her last, when she had been dating Edward. This Bella was much more interesting and alluring, she had self confidence now and I felt a heat in my chest and groin.
I wanted her, I needed her yet it seemed there was always something in the way. Now we had to find out why Caius wanted Bella dead and my double so badly and get ready to take on the next assassins he would undoubtedly send. When Alice had stopped on the way back and gasped I knew she was seeing something again and waited for her to tell us what she'd seen. The imposter looked concerned and reminded me Alice was his mate. How ironic, she divorces me and ends up mated to my double.
Alice
I was relieved when Bella stepped in because I was afraid I was about to lose my mate the moment I had found him. It seemed strange to see the two of them standing there so close, like mirror images but Jasper, Jay, didn't seem like Jazz to me, he felt different altogether and for that I was thankful. I didn't want to feel the same as when Jazz took me in his arms, this was something very different. I knew Jasper, no Jay, was nervous and resentful, I'd had to tell him that Jazz had once been my husband, it was only fair and I knew he hated the thought that the two of us had once been intimate. Explaining this was very different wasn't easy when I was talking to a newborn but I had done my very best and I would be very careful to keep my distance from Jazz, not that it would be difficult with Bella and he mated.
Jay
We went back inside and the atmosphere although still cold was not as uncomfortable as it had been. No, I didn't like the idea my Alice had once been his but at least she had been honest with me and I could see he had eyes only for Bella, the girl who had done all she could to save me from this fate. The girl I had called crazy and suggested talk to someone about her delusions.
Well I owed her my very life and freedom and she had led me to the real Major Whitlock and despite our differences and bad start I hoped we could at least become comfortable enough to talk eventually, I had so many questions I wanted to ask him.
Bella
Alice sat with Jay, holding his hand while Jazz and I took places at the opposite side of the room giving both men a little space. It was evident that everyone else in the room was stunned by the similarity between the two men and there was a long awkward silence while they stared at Jay as if he were some freak. Deciding this wasn't getting us anywhere after a while I spoke,
"Right the sideshow is over. Where do we go from here? Darius?"
He shrugged,
"Hunter and I will do all we can to find out what the hell is going on and watch out for any incoming. That's the best we can do I'm afraid."
Jazz nodded taking over as if it were the most natural thing in the world and of course it was, he was used to being in control.
"We need to keep Bella and…...Jay safe until we find out exactly what is going on, assume they are still targeted. Whatever Caius Volturi wanted…..Jay for I doubt he'll be happy to lose him."
"Didn't Maria agree to keep him in the dark though? About me that is?"
Jazz looked at Jay coldly,
"If you knew Maria you would understand just how seriously you can take anything she says."
"A fucking men to that Major."
Jazz nodded curtly at Peter but kept his eyes on Jay.
"Well I don't know her like you did…"
"No you don't."
"But I spent a lot of time talking to her and I think she's telling the truth. I think she wants to make amends."
"My heart bleeds for the bitch, she's really done a number on you hasn't she newborn?"
Jazz glared at Peter this time before looking back at Jay.
"I don't know what Maria told you but I wouldn't trust her as far as I could spit. She's devious, cruel, and self serving, and you'd do well to remember that."
"Message received…..Major."
I wondered if Jay had said that to wind Jazz up but he seemed not to have noticed and just carried on.
"I think we need somewhere we can defend if necessary."
"From who? I told you I don't think Maria will double cross you."
Peter rolled his eyes,
"Fuck me you are thick, the resemblance is only skin deep! From Caius or maybe the whole fucking Volturi…."
"No, not Aro. If he wanted Jay then we wouldn't have got him back. He would have left some of the guard to make sure of that. If this is Caius work then he's operating alone or at least separated from Aro."
"And Marcus?"
He shrugged at Hunter's question,
"Who knows, but I doubt it. Marcus doesn't care either way and I have no quarrel with him or Aro for that matter."
Jay leaned forward,
"But you do with Caius?"
"Yes, seventy years ago I stopped him from taking out a village in Mexico just to get his hands on a girl he wanted. Caius likes to kidnap young women, he keeps them for a while then kills them personally. Maria knew he was in the area and told me to stand down but I decided it was our territory not his and stopped him. He hadn't expected any opposition so he came with just three of the guard and we wiped them out."
"But you said you had no quarrel with Aro Volturi.
"I don't. Caius was working alone, without Aro's blessing so he could hardly complain. You see Jay, I'm not quite the coward you thought."
"I already apologized for that but if you need to hear it again….."
"I don't. I was just reminding you that's all."
"OK, well I do apologize again and I hope some time I can prove as brave as you."
"Yeah, good luck with that asshole."
I'd had enough of the sniping and I'm afraid I snapped at Peter,
"For Gods sake grow up. We're in this together lets try to remember that shall we?"