A/N: I have always felt that Carlisle had a special soft spot for Edward, however, I would like to think he is also a fair man in dealing with the people in his coven. That being said, you will see how he deals with Edward in this chapter. Edward isn't exactly acting like a sane guy right now, so we'll see what happens. Enjoy the new chapter!
Chapter 14 – Warning
Edward knew the moment Bella got away from him that there would be trouble. The murderous rage that he read in Jasper's mind told him that the southern vampire wanted to rip him apart and scatter the ashes to the four corners of the earth, and even then one of the thoughts had said that a quick and easy death was still too good for the mind reader. Today should have been the warning, the clue if you will, that he needed to leave town again and this time he needed to stay away, and yet he didn't think he could bring himself to actually leave Bella. Someone had to protect her, and it was more than apparent no one else had any intention of saving her innocent life from the monster who had ensnared her.
In this world there are different types of monsters, and one could argue that Edward himself was a monster… the stuff that bred nightmares and caused them to become reality. A bloodsucker that stalked its prey like a wild beast, took it down, ripping away what it needed to live, and then throwing the carcass away. Human or animal, both would satiate his thirst, but now that another desire had been awakened in him, only one thing could slake that new craving… Bella. And the one thought that kept running through his mind was if he drank here blood, it would be peaceful. There would be no thoughts to hear, he wouldn't feel her terror as he read her mind, it would be utterly silent and he would be able to close his eyes and pretend he had caught a deer instead of a girl.
He had raced away from campus the moment Jasper ripped Bella away from him and hid in the woods to regroup and rethink. Shaking his head, Edward punched a tree and watched it collapse to the forest floor, no longer standing tall and mighty amongst its brethren. What was wrong with him? If he allowed himself to think about Bella and quenching his burning thirst with her blood, then that made him no better than Jasper because he was convinced that was the Texan's ultimate goal… to drain Bella, to take her away from anyone and everything she knows, to take her away from Edward. Yelling, he dropped to his knees and beat the ground causing dirt to rise up into the air and rain back down to earth. Frustration, aggression, yearning were clouding his mind and causing an ache in his body. Just thinking about Bella caused the ache to grow and his dick to become harder than it was a moment before. After Jasper had barged into the room and thrown him across the small space, some of the desire that had overtaken him had died down, but now that he thought about everything that happened before that, it flared up within him yet again. Nothing had ever caused him to become his hard before, nothing had ever incited him like Bella had, and he craved her more now than ever. Jasper couldn't protect her like Edward could, couldn't love her like he could, and couldn't satisfy her like he could. Edward had convinced himself that he was the safer and better man for the brunette and he would force her to see the truth.
Breathing hard, Edward had to find something to let loose his aggression on or he feared he would drown in it, go made because of it. Focusing on his hearing, he forced himself to calm down and look for a victim. There was a whole school of victims if he wanted them… and part of him wanted them very badly, but he would refrain, he was the better vampire after all. He scanned the area for anything that would give him a clue as to if there was prey in the area for him to hunt, and he found it. About a mile away was the steady heartbeat of a deer. It was dangerous to hunt so close to home, to the school, but he had no choice, he needed this.
It didn't take him long to find the animal that he sought, and like any hunting stalking its prey, Edward circled downwind and got as close to the deer as he could before he leaped up and gave chance, taking it down within minutes of finding it. It struggled, but it lost its fight and the hunter drained it dry of blood; and as his crotched rubbed up against his prey as he fed and it struggled, his desire once more grew and he found himself unconsciously moving against the deer until it had been drank dry. Throwing the animal away from him, Edward pulled his cock out of his pants and finished the job. It didn't completely slake his cravings, but as he came, the edge had been taken off.
He lay there for about thirty minutes in order to force himself to calm down before he pulled out his phone. Rubbing a hand over his face, he noticed he had three missed calls and two text messages from Carlisle. Edward should have known that Jasper would go running to their leader, however, Edward believed that he would still come out on top. He was his "father's" first son, his first companion, and Carlisle would not turn his back on Edward just because of some lies Jasper told him. Hitting redial, he waited for the other man to pick up and then said, "Carlisle, we have a problem."
"Yes, we do. You need to come home now," the older man ordered.
"Carlisle…" he was unable to say anything else because his creator cut him off.
"Don't. Where are you? Actually, just get home now!" Carlisle demanded and disconnected the line. Did he think Edward would just follow orders… he did, but there was that small sliver of fear that told him his son was already lost and would not obey.
Pulling the phone away from his ear, Edward stared at it for a moment before he crushed it in his hands. Come home? His leader had never taken that tone of voice with him, had never ordered him to do anything before, and instead tried to give him the freedom he needed to find himself. What had changed in the past week? Was it Jasper's influence over him? Did the patriarch really believe that Jasper and Bella were mates? That just wasn't possible. There was no way in hell that could ever be possible. Meeting her by chance when she was the tender age of ten… yah right. There was more to the story. There had to be. It did not matter to him that when he had read Jasper's mind there was nothing more than a chance encounter, but that didn't matter. There had to be more. They could not be mates! Go home? Not until Jasper had given up his claim to Bella and the southern vampire had turned to ashes. Until then, he would watch over Bella and wait for the moment Jasper made a mistake, and then Edward would rescue her and prove to his family that he had been right all along.
An hour had passed since that phone call and still Edward had not returned home. Carlisle waited even longer, praying his first son would come to his senses and walk through the front door. Two hours had now passed and the Cullen leader knew his fear had come to pass: Edward would not be returning. He was either rogue and would try to do what he could to separate Jasper and Bella, or he had left the area; however, given what he had done earlier and his fascination with Bella, Carlisle believed the young vampire would still be in the area… watching, waiting, and looking for his opportunity. Nomads who were content to stay put for now and a rogue son, Forks danger just increased at least tenfold and he needed to warn Jasper.
Carlisle picked up his phone and dialed Edward's phone number in an attempt to reach the perpetual teen, but it was as he feared, there was no answer, and with that the next number he dialed belonged to the southern vampire. This was a call he did not want to make, loathed it in fact, but there was no way around it. Jasper needed to know that Edward had disappeared and at that moment there was no telling where the copper headed vampire was. He knew he had been somewhat indulgent with Edward and gave him certain freedoms, but his first son had been 17 when he was first turned as he lay dying of the Spanish Influenza. Maybe Carlisle had been trying to make something up to the teen all this time. Edward had been lonely and the loneliness had grown when the people around him had found their mates and he was still left single. Carlisle had thought that the teen's rebellious stage would have cured him of some of his whims, but apparently not. Now they had to fear what Edward might do… and Carlisle had to prepare himself that in the end, there was a good chance he would lose a son.
"Hello?" Jasper spoke into the line the moment it started to ring. He had been hesitant to answer it since he was still comforting Bella, but he knew it was his coven leader and that meant news.
"Jasper, Edward has disappeared. I'm not sure what's going through his head, but you need to stay on guard. After what happened this afternoon, Bella shouldn't be left alone at all," Carlisle explained.
"Damn it!" The Texan had wanted to deal with Edward himself and knowing he was gone to "who the hell knew" did not sit well with him.
"We are going to try to look for him, but I wanted you to know what was going on. With the nomads also running around…."
"Got it. Thanks," Jasper said and disconnected the line, pocketing his cell once again.
Shaking his head, Carlisle dropped his phone to his desk and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. How had all of this gone so wrong? He didn't blame Bella. She and Jasper had met long ago and the connection was already firmly established, but not only was she Jasper's mate, she was also Edward's singer… and it seemed as if Edward had developed a bit of an obsession with the brunette.
"Want to talk about it?" Esme asked as she walked into her husband's office. She had heard his voice carry down the hall to their bedroom and knew he was frustrated.
Carlisle's eyes swept the room until they landed on the one woman he cherished and loved above all others, "Edward is gone."
"He's left before," she tried to make an excuse, hoped that this was like all the previous times, but something told her that this was very different.
"He attacked Bella at school. Jasper got to her before anything happened, but now he's disappeared. This isn't like before; this is far more dangerous for everyone."
Moving quickly to her mate's side, Esme wrapped her arms around him, "Is Bella alright?"
"She's shaken up, but Jasper is with her. I don't think Edward is going to come back and we have to prepare for the worst."
"Already talking as if we have lost him. That isn't like you."
"He's never acted like he did or run away without saying anything. He's not the person I thought he was. Without drinking his singer's blood… I don't know. Maybe it is starting to affect him psychologically. I just know that it's not a good situation right now."
Esme wasn't sure what to say to make her husband feel better, however, whatever decision he made, he would support him; and if Edward crossed the line, then he needed to face the consequences. Inwardly, she had wondered when the copper haired vampire would cross the point of no return. He would periodically push boundaries without consequences… today was the day of change. Maybe it was because another in their coven was involved, Esme wasn't sure, but she could see that Edward would not get off so easily this time.
At the park…
Glancing down at the woman sitting next to him, Jasper picked her up and placed her in his lap so that he could hold her close, "Darlin' I got some bad news."
"Edward?" Bella inquired, a slight tremor could still be heard in her voice.
"Yah. No one is sure where he is right now. So I need you to promise me that you won't go anywhere alone. If I can't be with you, I'll get one of the others to watch you."
Her voice caught in her throat, she nodded her compliance. Bella had never been more terrified than when she had been trapped inside the janitor's closet. The way Edward had looked at her, touched her, made her skin crawl, and she wanted Jasper's touch to replace it; however, she wasn't sure how to ask for it and instead requested they come to the park. The place that was theirs, where they reconnect, where she could hopefully forget about the monster lurking in the closet. He had called Jasper a monster, and maybe he was, but Edward was the real nightmare.
God how Jasper wanted to kill Edward, but it appeared that would have to be put on hold for now… at least until that asshole was found. The moment he had gotten Bella away from the other man, he had wanted to mark her, make her his, and erase anything and everything Edward had done to her; and yet after what she had experienced, he knew she wasn't ready. One day, he would make her wholly his, but for now, he would wait and take his time with her… even if part of him was screaming to take her now.
Using his fingers to comb through her long brown hair, Jasper whispered, "He isn't ever gonna touch ya again darlin'." He stopped his ministrations and lifted her chin so that he could look into her eyes and found himself drowning in those deep pools, feeling the love and lust she was feeling in that moment, and experiencing his own bout with those emotions. Leaning down, he was unable to resist capturing her lips in a kiss that soon sparked out of control. One of his hands moved from her back to her waist and up her abdomen before it cupped her breast and brushed against her now erect nipple. Growling when she pushed her body closer to him, he had to force himself to slow down and pull back.
Bella did not want this to end and tangled one of her hands into his hair as she breathed against his lips, "I trust you JW." Desire sparked anew when his lips slammed down on her again, prying hers open before his tongue delved in to turn her body into a fiery inferno. She needed him, wanted him… now! "JW," she moaned into his mouth.
He could feel his own desire spiraling out of control, pushed closer to the precipice by Bella's. However, before he took her on the old splintery table, he stopped because this was not safe, this was not where her first time should be, and he didn't want Edward sneaking up on them. With his breathing out of control, he pushed her away and leaned his head against her shoulder, "Not here." Jasper could feel the disappointment she felt and silently promised her that he would satisfy both of the when the time was right, but not in the open, in a park, where anyone could come upon them. She deserved better than that… and better than a janitor's closet.
Hearing a ring, he groaned. Another call, but since Alice was calling, he couldn't ignore it, "Did ya'll find the bastard?"
"No, but he will show his face soon. Peter and Charlotte will be here before that though and can help," Alice explained.
"When?"
"Less than two days. They are going to be difficult about Bella at first, but will accept her. You also should move away from the park. Charlie is going to be passing through that area soon and then be on his way home, so I wouldn't start anything you can't finish."
"Thanks shorty," he hung up and looked at Bella with her kiss swollen lips. It was virtually impossible to resist, but he endured as he picked her up and carried her to the car, "Looks like company is comin' and we need to get out of here because your dad is comin' this way."
"My dad?"
"Yah, Alice saw it. I'll take ya home," he grinned as he set her in the car and got in on the driver's side a moment later.
They had been at her house for less than five minutes when a knock sounded at the door. Answering it, Bella found Jacob Black on the other side, "Hey Jake. What's up?"
"My dad says that he needs to talk to you," the other teen stated, noticing someone standing behind the brunette.
Glancing over her shoulder, Bella smiled, "Jake, this is… Jasper. Jasper this is Jacob."
"Hesitating over a name?" Jacob teased, but could feel a swell of jealousy sweep through him.
"She calls me JW and has for the past seven years, so she trips over my real name sometimes," Jasper explained studying the other man closely. He knew exactly who Jacob Black was and he could also feel the hate and jealousy the teen was feeling.
This grabbed Jacob attention, "Seven years?"
"Yah, we met when I lived down in Arizona," Bella stated starting to feel a little uncomfortable with all the testosterone in the area. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Your dad said he needed to talk to me? About what?"
"Not sure, but since I was coming into town for a part, he asked me to deliver the message. Can you come out to the house tomorrow?" The Quileute teen asked.
"Umm…" she hesitated and looked behind her at her boyfriend. Turning back around to focus on Jacob again, she said, "I'm not sure about tomorrow. Can I just call him?"
"You can try, but I think he wanted to talk to you in person," Jacob stated.
The truth was, she did not want to be without Jasper and something told her that he would not be a welcome addition to the discussion. She wasn't sure why she thought that though, "I'll call him tonight and if he still needs to meet, then I will see what I can do. Is that alright?"
Glancing to the side to hide his irritation, Jacob nodded, "That's fine. I see you later." He walked away as fast as he could because the longer he stood there, the more he wanted to rip Bella away from Jasper.
"I wonder what his problem was," Bella muttered to herself.
"We don't exactly get along with the local tribe," Jasper explained pulling her back into the house and shutting the door.
"Why not?"
"There are reasons and one day I will explain, but not right now."
Rolling her eyes, she Bella shook her head, "Ok, fine." She really didn't understand what was going on, but surely it couldn't be that bad… then again she was already dealing with nomad vampires, a missing Cullen, and a school full of gossiping teens; so maybe it could be worse. However, as long as Jasper stayed with her, she knew she would be alright.