Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it. And shout out to breaiden0413 for editing this for me, and taking me up on my search for beta. I hope you enjoy!
"Are you in love with Jasper?" Bella asked. Blair looked up with raised eyebrows. It was the Friday before the dance they wouldn't be attending, and that afternoon, Bella had waltzed into her room and sat on her bed.
"Where did that come from?" She asked. Bella bit her lip, trying to form her next words.
"You guys just seem to be in love. You've been sitting on his lap at lunch, and…the way you look at him…the way he looks at you." Blair ran her tongue over her teeth, unsure of how to reply.
"I care about him a lot." She settled on a simple answer. Even if she was a hundred percent sure about her feelings, she wasn't going to admit it to Bella for the first time.
"I'm…I'm in love with Edward," Bella stuttered out. Her blush rushed to her cheeks and Blair sighed.
"I know."
"You don't sound like you approve," Bella inferred, frowning at the thought.
"I think you've made him your whole world," Blair said as she walked over to her computer and fired it up. It had been a week since she'd emailed her mom, and she hoped that her sister would end the conversation if she seemed busy.
"Is that a bad thing?" She asked and Blair chuckled darkly.
"Well, the thing about making someone your whole world, is that if something happens…if they were to leave, then you have nothing left."
"They're not leaving." Bella's voice went up a notch in pitch and she shook her head vehemently.
"I never said they were, but you've made my point with your panicking." Blair heard Bella huff before she got up and left the room. Blair figured her advice had gone in one ear and out the other. Bella had rose-colored glasses on, so any and all red flags looked normal in her eyes.
She shook her head and went back to her email. She'd already filled her mother in on everything about Jasper, minus the vampire aspect. Her mother would demand every detail. Unlike Bella, Blair felt no desire to keep her mother in the dark about her life.
Maybe it was because she'd had time to process what Bella hadn't even realized: that their time with their parents were possibly limited. Bella thought that the lives of vampires was glamorous and didn't seem to take the time to examine any other aspect. Her younger sister was in for a rude awakening in the near future.
/
Her dad brought home take-out. He was off early, citing that the hunt for whoever had killed the mill worker was now out of his jurisdiction. Blair felt relieved. It possibly meant that the nomads were moving on and away from the area. She glared at Bella as the girl ate quickly and disappeared back into her room. Being an angst-ridden teenager infatuated with a creeper didn't mean that her younger sister needed to ignore everyone else in her life.
"There's a hockey game on tonight," Blair said to Charlie. His face brightened and they headed to the living room. He got her a coke and himself a root beer as they sat in comfortable silence for the next hour.
"So, have you decided which college you're going to attend?" Her dad asked as he turned to look at her. Blair swallowed hard.
"I'm actually thinking of taking a year off and spending some time around here." Charlie's brows furrowed at her words.
"Why would you want to take a year off? Is Jasper taking a year off?" His tone was disapproving,
"Dad, I don't make decisions like that based on what someone else is doing. Even if I'm dating them." She paused, trying to forge her next words. She couldn't tell him that there would be plenty of time for college later, but there wouldn't be time to spend with her parents, "I just don't know what I want to do with my life. I don't know where I want to go, and I want some time to think about it."
"I guess I can understand that. College really wasn't for me, so I'd be a hypocrite if I berated you about it…as long as you go after the year is up. You're too smart to waste your potential," He said gruffly. Blair grinned at him.
"There are plenty of smart people who don't do the whole four-year college thing. I mean, look at you." Charlie's cheeks reddened and he waved her away, hiding a grin. She smiled at him softly, feeling affection for her father mixed with fear…fear of leaving him behind, "I love you, Daddy."
He looked at her in surprise. She hadn't called him 'daddy' since she was a small child. While he believed that his love for his daughter was obvious, they rarely spoke the words to each other. He preferred to show it through his actions.
"I love you too, Blair." He was confused by the sad edge in her returning smile, but she just turned back to the tv and said nothing more about it.
/
Her father went to bed by 9, saying that he had an early morning. Blair retreated to her room. Tomorrow was Saturday. He'd be going fishing with Billy, and she'd be hanging out with Jasper and his family. Bella would be meeting the Cullens for the first time, but Blair wonder if Edward had told her sister of that fact since Bella hadn't mentioned it.
It would be like Edward to try and spring something like that on Bella. The man was obsessed with trying to get her sister to react the way he thought she should. It made her wonder what Bella saw in him: a vampire who was still a boy in many ways. So completely different from Jasper, but maybe that had to do with the lives they led leading up to their vampire life and the events that happened afterwards.
Jasper was a soldier years before he was turned and remained a soldier long after. Edward had a good life and was coddled by Carlisle afterwards. All in all, it didn't inspire the penny-headed vampire to grow up. In some ways, he reminded her of Peter Pan: a boy who never aged, but never matured either…a boy looking for his own personal Wendy and had found it in Bella.
"Deep in thought?" Blair sucked in air and whirled around towards the voice. Jasper stood on the tree branch with his head cocked to the side and a smirk on his face.
"You scared the shit out of me," She said, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat. He grinned lopsidedly in reply, "What are you doing here?"
"Just thought I'd stop by and see you. Edward isn't pleased I'm copying his actions of sneaking in through windows."
"Edward can eat a dick," She replied, knowing that the vampire could hear her from Bella's room, "Plus to copy his actions, you'd have to sneak in when I'm not aware." He chuckled before climbing all the way into her room.
She watched as he surveyed his surroundings and wondered if it was an old habit that refused to die or if it was because he was genuinely curious about the things in her room. Probably both. He gingerly picked up a photo of her and her mother at their make-up class. They smiled at the camera with their make-up caked on poorly. She came to stand beside him and grinned fondly at the memory.
"Bella didn't go with you for this?"
"No. She figured she didn't need it since she never wears make-up…Are you keeping my father asleep?" His sly smirk was the only answer she needed.
"Now, why would you think that?"
"Because you don't seem worried about waking him up," She replied smartly.
"Well, I figured you wouldn't want your father walking in to find me here." Blair nodded.
"Probably not. It might damage his chances of liking you."
"We wouldn't want that," He murmured, pulling her closer and placing a chaste kiss to her lips. Blair got a thoughtful look on her face before inhaling sharply.
"Not that I particularly like copying my sister's actions, but you could always stay the night with me." Jasper's brows shot up.
"You want me to stay with you?" Jasper hadn't expected that when he'd come over, but he wasn't going to deny her anything either.
"As long as you don't stare at me creepily while I'm sleeping, I wouldn't mind waking up next to you," Blair replied softly. She felt distinctly vulnerable in that moment.
"Well then, ma'am, I don't think I'd mind staying one bit." His voice was warm. The accent that she loved so much thickened to the texture of honey. Her nerves were on fire at the prospect of sleeping next to him, and she knew he could feel it. She cleared her throat.
"Well, it's only ten. We could play a game."
"What kind of a game?" He asked warily.
20 minutes later
"Got any three's?" She asked and Jasper looked at his cards.
"Go Fish."
"Damn." She drew a card. Her hands were full of cards, and she was convinced Jasper was cheating somehow.
"You know, there's no strategy to this game. We could at least play Battleship or Monopoly," He grumbled.
"We don't play Monopoly in this house. It almost ended my friendship with Peter," She replied loftily. She remembered that the one and only time they did play ended in a ripped Monopoly board and crushed game pieces.
"He's pretty competitive," Jasper replied.
"And you're not?" She watched Jasper duck his head to hide a smirk, "It's definitely a Whitlock thing. Even Charlotte gets edgy when playing games."
"I'm afraid that's more to do with our entrance into this life. Our days were a competition to prove our worth so that Maria wouldn't end us," Jasper replied grimly. Blair frowned. The card game was forgotten, and she felt hate rise in her gullet for the woman.
"Why didn't you kill her? Maria, I mean," She asked, hoping she wouldn't offend him with her prying question. He simply shrugged, seeming unbothered.
"She's my sire. There's a bond there that makes it difficult to go that far, even with one as evil as mine. So I simply left, which she probably saw as more of a betrayal than if I had tried to kill her."
"She sounds vain," Blair replied and wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"She was," He sighed, and she felt guilty for the far-away look that overtook his face.
"I'm sorry for bringing it up," She murmured. He shook his head.
"Don't be. I don't mind tellin' you about it. Just don't like thinkin' about what a fool I was."
"Whitlock, you are many things, but a fool isn't one of them." She meant what she said. He was many wonderful things mixed with terrifying, but a fool he was not.
"Oh, many things, am I? Like devilishly handsome?" He placed a kiss at the corner of her mouth.
"I was thinking more along the lines of humble," She murmured against his skin.
"Mmm, not one of my finer suits."
"Nor should it be." Blair wet her lips, taking in the contours of his face. His lips descended on hers, demanding entrance with his tongue. She pulled away reluctantly and giggled at the put-out look on his face, "Not that I'm not enjoying this, but my father is sleeping down the hall and your brother can hear everything." Jasper sighed and nodded, leaning his face against his hand.
"I should probably get some sleep." Blair's bed was fortunately a queen-size, able to comfortably fit them both. She turned off the light and got under the covers. Jasper wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled into his chest, taking in his cool temperature. It wasn't unpleasant, and she felt warmth spread through her chest, "Goodnight, Jasper."
"Goodnight, Blair," He whispered into her hair.
/
Jasper listened as Blair's breathing evened out. He had been shocked when she'd invited him to stay the night. He could hear Edward's grumbling through the wall when he agreed, but he ignored it. His pseudo-brother wasn't going to prevent him spending time with his mate.
He surveyed her briefly, knowing she wouldn't appreciate it if he stared at her while she was sleeping. Her dark hair fell in her face, and her lips were slightly parted as she slept.
If someone had told him when he'd moved here that he's meet his mate and that she'd be human, he'd have called them crazy. But now, he couldn't imagine a future without her. He owed Peter a lot of things. Coming back for him was a big one but keeping Blair safe was something he could never pay back.
He felt more at peace in her presence than he ever had in his existence, and at the same time felt at the edge of his seat wondering what she'd do or say next. It was an interesting combination that didn't seem like it would work, but in a weird way, it did.
He could tell that Blair was coming closer to accepting her place in his life. Her initial cautiousness was rational considering the horrible example Edward and Bella gave her on mates. But both he and her were learning to make their own way, fitting into a niche all their own.
He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, careful not to wake her, and he walked over to her bookshelf. True to her previous statements, it was filled with sci-fi and fantasy novels. He plucked a book from the shelf, not caring which one, and sat down to begin to read.
/
Blair woke at 6 and blearily opened her eyes. It only took her seconds to gather her senses and look around for Jasper. He was sitting in the armchair in the corner of her room. He put down one of her books and gave her a mischievous smile.
"Good morning, darlin'," He said, barely keeping his chuckles at bay. Blair didn't reply and narrowed her eyes. Her hands came up to feel her hair and immediately discovered why he was amused. It felt like a rat's nest had taken residence on her head, so she could only imagine what it looked like.
Blair pursed her lips, staring Jasper down, almost daring him to laugh. A moment passed before she decided that he wasn't going to give in. She got up and grabbed her hairbrush, wincing briefly as it tugged at her scalp.
"Morning hair and breath is just something you'll have to get used to when dating a human, Whitlock." He got up from the chair and gently took the brush away from her. She was surprised when he started to carefully run it through her hair. She closed her eyes at the feeling.
"I think bad breath and messy hair are the least of my concerns with dating a human," He murmured softly, taking note to the almost undetectable sigh that passed through Blair's lips. His girl liked having her hair played with.
Blair leaned back against his chest, pausing his actions. Her scent enveloped his nostrils, seeming to almost calm the forever burning ache in his throat. The effects she seemed to have on him was amazing. The sound of the bathroom door closing signaled the fact that Bella was awake, and Blair pulled away.
"I'm usually not one for breakfast, but I'm craving peanut butter toast."
"Well, it is the most important meal of the day," He teased. She rolled her eyes.
"You sound like my mom." She took him by the hand and led him down the stairs.
Bella and Edward came down the stairs about 20 minutes later to find Jasper sitting at the kitchen table while Blair buttered her toast with crunchy peanut butter. (The best peanut butter in her opinion) Bella stopped short at the sight of Jasper. She seemed unsurprised at his presence but nervous all the same.
"Good morning," She stuttered out, attempting to be pleasant.
"Mornin'," Jasper greeted back politely. Bella walked over to grab cereal as Edward sat down at the table. There was an awkward vibe that was almost tangible.
"So, Jasper stayed the night?" Bella whispered to Blair, making the girl wonder if her sister had any concept of vampire hearing. The two men were valiantly pretending not to listen and carried on their own conversation.
"Yup."
"Seems a bit hypocritical seeing how much crap you gave me about Edward," She hissed.
"At least I knew he was there," Blair shot back amusedly before picking up her plate and walking over to Jasper. She plopped down on his lap and he circled her waist with his arms. His nose wrinkled as the strong scent of the peanut butter hit his nostrils.
Bella's face was red as she joined them, and Blair caught the glare Edward was sending her way. She simply wiggled her eyebrows and went back to her toast.
"So, what are the plans for today?" Bella asked as she pushed around her cereal.
"What would you say to meeting my family?" Edward asked.
"Really?" She squeaked.
"Are you scared now?" He asked, his tone hopeful. Blair sent him a dirty look, which Edward ignored.
"Not of them. I'm afraid that they won't like me."
"So, you're not afraid of going into a house full of vampires, but because you're worried they might not approve of you?" Edward's voice was filled with exasperation.
"Blair met them, and everything was fine," Bella reasoned.
"Well, my first meeting was more of an interrogation. I don't think yours will be as intimidating. When you're finished, I'll help you find something to wear." Edward looked like he wanted to protest but was silenced by a look from Jasper.
After they finished their dishes, Blair and Bella headed towards their rooms to get ready, leaving Jasper and Edward in the living room. Blair dressed in simple jeans and a thin sweater. Bella came into her room wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt and a khaki skirt.
"What do you think?"
Blair hesitated, "I think you look fine. Kinda like you're going to a job interview though. I think jeans would be more casual," She stated as she pulled her hair up.
"I'm meeting his parents. I want to look nice."
"I get that, but you can look nice and not be too formal about it, but do what you want," She said with a shrug as she headed back down the stairs.
Blair and Jasper left the house first, not wanting to be part of the love fest any longer.
"I'm taking Charlotte and Peter hunting when we get there for a little while," Jasper said as they pulled onto the highway.
"Because you need to hunt or because Edward doesn't want them to be around Bella?" Blair asked shrewdly.
"Both," He admitted, causing her to snort angrily, "It's just better to keep the peace right now, more for my family's sake than mine."
"I guess," She huffed, causing him to grin at her put-out tone. Peter and Charlotte ran out to greet them as soon as they parked in front of the house.
"Edturd is making is leave for the day," Peter said immediately, as if he was tattling to a teacher.
"For a few hours," Charlotte corrected.
"I heard," Blair said in a pouty voice.
"We'll be back before you know it," Charlotte said as she gave her a hug.
"They'll be here in a second. We should probably get going," Jasper said. He turned to Blair, "Rose is waiting on you, darlin'." He placed a kiss on her mouth and then took off for the forest. Blair sighed as they disappeared into the tree line before heading to the house.
It seemed that Bella's introduction into this world was interfering with the time she could spend with her friends…and boyfriend, if that were actually a word one could use to describe Jasper. She headed towards the door, which opened to reveal Rose.
"I figured you and I could hang out today since your sister is coming over," She said with distaste. Blair chuckled and followed her inside. They walked into the kitchen to find the rest of the Cullen family working over the stove.
"Blair," Esme greeted warmly.
"Hey. Thanks for having me over," She greeted in return.
"Anytime," Carlisle said sincerely, "You and your sister have given us a reason to use the kitchen for the first time." His voice was excited, causing Blair to smile.
"How do we even know if she like Italian food?" Rosalie asked snidely.
"Her name is Bella," Emmett replied confidently.
"I don't think that's how it works, Em," Blair said in an amused tone. The large vampire shrugged, "Well if she doesn't eat it, I will. It smells delicious." This earned an appreciative smile from the pseudo-parents of the Cullen family. They all paused and looked towards the door. Moments later, Bella and Edward entered the room, the former looking awkward as ever.
Blair watched as her sister met each of the Cullens. Alice appeared out of nowhere and introduced herself. She kept forgetting that Bella hadn't formally met any of the family besides Edward.
"As I told your sister, you've finally given us a reason to use the kitchen," Carlisle said as he went back to the stove, "I hope you're hungry."
"Starved," Bella replied shyly.
"She already ate," Edward corrected. There was a shattering sound as Rosalie crushed the glass bowl she was holding.
"Perfect," She snarled.
"It's just…I…I know that you guys don't eat," Bella stumbled out.
"Of course. How very considerate of you," Esme said kindly.
"Rose, I wanted to eat some of that," Blair said tartly before turning to Edward, "What was the harm in letting her have a few bites after all the work they put into it?" Edward opened his mouth to retort angrily before Esme cut his off.
"It's fine. Really. Rose, clean this up," She looked at Edward, "I'm sure that you want to take her on a tour of the house." Edward nodded, pausing to give Blair one last glare before ushering Bella out.
Rose began to clean up the mess quicker than her eyes could follow and tugged her towards the stairs when she was done. They went into what she could only assume was Rosalie and Emmett's room. It was softly decorated with warm crème colors and a large bed sat in the center. A beautiful antique vanity sat against the wall, and Blair wasn't surprised to see a massive tv with every gaming system known to man against the opposite wall.
"Do you like your nails done?" Rosalie asked, drawing Blair's attention to the multiple colors of nail polish in her hands.
"I do, but I haven't done it in a while." As Rosalie pulled out the rest of her supplies, Blair was struck by how much Rosalie seemed to lack female companionship. Of course, the vampire had Alice, but the two had vastly different temperaments. She sat on the bed and laid her hands out for Rose to start working on. After moments of silence, the blonde vampire broke it.
"Jasper told me that you want to be a vampire?" Blair lifted an eyebrow.
"I do," She confirmed, causing Rose to frown.
"Have you actually thought about the consequences of what you're asking?" Her tone was stern, and Blair knew that she didn't approve of her decision.
"I have…although you're acting like your laws would allow it any other way?"
"There are ways around that," Rose said decisively.
"Mmm, and if say…ten years from now, you happen to run into a vampire from the Volturi…like Aro for example, and he gleans from your mind that two humans know about vampires. Do you think he wouldn't level this town and everyone in it just to make sure no evidence is left?" Blair's voice was soft, but unmoving. She'd made her decision, and there was no changing it. She watched Rosalie frown as she took in her words.
"Peter and Charlotte left nothing out, did they? But there are ways to avoid the Volturi." Rosalie picked a color and started to paint her nails.
"The Volturi have been in power for what? 1500 years? I'm sure they have their ways of finding out things."
"Is that the only reason you want to be a vampire? To avoid angering the Volturi?" The blonde pried heavily.
"You want to know if I want to spend an eternity with Jasper." Rosalie nodded sharply and Blair sighed, "I told Jasper that I wasn't ready to have it confirmed. But I'm no longer in denial, and I can feel this pull in my chest. I don't know anyone that wouldn't want to spend an eternity with him." Rosalie's expression softened, but Blair's next words made her flinch.
"Tell me, Rose. What happens to a vampire if their mate dies…whether it be from a fight or old age?" Rose's silence was the only answer she needed. She already knew what would happen. The other vampire would go insane with grief before eventually finding a way to end themselves. Peter had been solemn when he'd explained that little fact, completely uncomfortable with the mere thought.
"Those shouldn't be your only reasons for becoming a vampire," Rosalie finally said. She'd finished Blair's nails by that point. They were a perfectly done emerald that Blair admired briefly before looking back at Rose.
"It's not. I've been considering the consequences for 3 years, Rose. This is my decision…I don't know why you have such a hate for this life, and I'm not asking. But you're not going to convince me to my mind," Blair said gently. Rosalie sighed.
"I guess not. At least, not right now. But maybe I'll tell you one day…about how I came to this life."
"And I'll be here to listen when you do," She replied with a soft smile that the vampire returned.
/
Blair was playing video games with Emmett when Jasper returned. The large vampire had conned her into playing Call of Duty, and she was failing miserably.
"Son of a bitch," She said with frustration as Emmett beat her again.
"No use trying to beat him, Swan. He's a master at anything involved with gaming," Jasper said, coming up behind her.
"I'm starting to get that," She grumbled and pointed at Emmett, "Next time, I'll win." He snorted.
"Not likely." She sent him a glare before looking back at Jasper.
"Where are Peter and Char?" She asked. Jasper just grinned wickedly causing Blair to roll her eyes.
"C'mon." He pulled her towards the stairs towards the last door on the left. She could only assume it was his room and was proven right when the large bookshelf was the first thing she saw. Most of the books looked old and ranged from the Classics to anything and everything military. It was accentuated by a comfy looking couch.
"This room looks like you." He pulled her towards the couch and sat them down, their knees touching.
"It should. It's mine," He replied in her ear. "Where did you sister and Edward get off to?"
"Probably off making googly eyes at each other. Makes me want to heave."
"Did you just make a 'Buffy' quote?" He snorted and she smiled at him widely.
"You recognized that? Don't make fun. No one is too good for Buffy, vampire or not. Spike is my favorite baddy, although I prefer Buffy and Angel as a couple," Blair explained.
"Of course, you'd like her broody, souled boyfriend," He teased. She smirked at him.
"Hmm, yeah. Guess I have a type." He growled and pulled her underneath him. He nipped at her chin gently.
"You think I'm broody?" His voice was playful, so she knew he wasn't actually mad.
"I know you're broody." He growled again low in his throat, caging her in between his arms. He gazed down at her and the mischievous glint in her eye. The woman in front of him wasn't afraid of teasing him, and he appreciated her all the more for it. Most people were too intimidated to poke fun at him in any type of playful manor.
"You know, Swan, you are pretty much the most important thing in my life." Blair's eyes widened in surprise and she swallowed hard. She didn't know what to say but had a feeling that he didn't expect her to. Things seemed to have progressed so quickly that it made her head spin. She couldn't stop it, nor was she sure she wanted to.
They were interrupted by the door opening with Peter waltzing in like he owned the place. Charlotte followed with a look of exasperation. Jasper helped her sit up while sending his brother a dirty look. Peter ignored it and continued on like he hadn't just interrupted an intimate moment.
"Alice says it's going to be thundering later. You game?" He crowed. Jasper started to grin and glanced at Blair excitedly. She looked at them, confused.
"What does thunder have to do with anything?"
"Thunder, my dear, sweet human, is the only time we can play baseball," Peter explained.
"Huh." She supposed it made sense, having heard the sound a vampire's skin makes when it collided with something. She wondered where the hell they found bats and baseballs strong enough to withstand their strength.
"Do you wanna go?" Jasper asked her with an excited edge.
"Of course." Her answer was definitely worth Jasper's answering smile. There was a hesitant-sounding knock at the door. An impatient look crossed all three of the vampires' faces. Jasper called for them to come in. Edward opened the door, and Blair saw Bella behind him, slightly shielded by her overprotective boyfriend.
"Bella wanted to come talk to Blair," Edward said in a strained voice. Immediately, Peter and Charlotte were on guard. Their posture went tense.
"Bella, this is Peter and Charlotte," Blair introduced.
"Um, hi. It's nice to meet you. Thank you for all you did for my sister," Bella said with her eyes wide as she gazed at Peter and Charlotte's burgundy ones.
"She's done just as much for us," Charlotte said. Her tone wasn't unkind but carried a hard edge to it. Peter just nodded.
"Oh…I came to ask if you were coming home before the game?" She asked Blair, unsure of what to say next.
"No. I'll stay here and text Dad. Besides, it'll give you time to introduce Edward to him." Bella blanched at her words, causing Blair to smirk.
"Yeah, I guess. I'll see you in a little while then." Edward ushered Bella out quickly as if she were in danger of being attacked by rabid animals. Neither Peter nor Charlotte looked offended, but Blair felt offended for them. She looked at Jasper.
"Your brother is a douche, Babe."
/
They decided to watch a movie until it was time to go, but Blair fell asleep an hour in with her feet on Jasper and her head in Charlotte's lap. As the movie progressed, Peter's frown began to deepen, and he began to shift in his seat. His maker and mate noticed almost immediately and exchanged a concerned glance.
"Something's wrong," He said lowly as to not wake Blair. Most of the time, his gift told him what he needed to know immediately, but there were times, like now, when all he got was a feeling of impending trouble.
"What do you mean?" Jasper demanded.
"I don't know. I don't know what it means besides something bad is coming." They all seemed to glance down at Blair, who was still sleeping peacefully, none the wiser of the turmoil.
"Tonight? Do we need to cancel the game?" Charlotte asked. Peter considered for a moment before shaking his head.
"No. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen regardless of what we change. It's important." Peter didn't like this feeling but couldn't tell if something would happen tonight or a few weeks from now. It was unclear.
"One of us stays near Blair at all times. Understood?" Jasper ordered.
"Yes, Major," They replied immediately, but they wouldn't have needed an order to protect their human. They took it seriously all the same. The movie ended with tense silence, and as if sensing it, Blair started to stir. She opened her eyes slowly and glanced at the tv where the credits were rolling.
"Well, I guess I ruined the plan to watch a movie together," She said as she swung her legs to the floor. She rubbed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair.
"You seemed like you needed some rest, Darlin'," Jasper said quietly, running a hand down her back. She heard the strained inflection in his voice and glanced at each of them with narrowed eyes, taking in their tight faces.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, B. Just amped up for the game," Peter replied convincingly. Blair tilted her head to the side with a frown.
"You're lying. What happened?" She demanded calmly. Peter groaned in frustration.
"I mean it, B. We're just really competitive about this kind of stuff." Blair watched as Jasper and Charlotte agreed with him before nodding. She was still suspicious but decided to let it go.
"Ok. I think you're full of shit, but ok." Pete sighed in slight relief. He didn't want to lie to Blair, but also didn't want to scare the girl unnecessarily.
"We're gonna go get ready," Charlotte said while tugging at Peter. Jasper followed suit, and as soon as they were out the door, he wasted no time in pulling off his shirt to change.
Blair sucked in a breath as the planes of his back became visible, completely forgetting about her suspicions. She was close enough to see the scar that littered his back. Before she could talk herself out of it, she reached out her hand and began to trace the raised ridges on his back.
He inhaled sharply as the warmth of her hand transferred to his cold skin. He slowly turned around, giving Blair an eyeful of his sculpted chest that have way to a formed 'V' that disappeared into the seam of his pants.
He looked down at her underneath his lashes as her hands traced the contours of his collarbone. Unable to resist, he pulled her close and lowered his lips to hers. Blair felt her back hit the dresser gently as he backed her against the hard surface. His hands found their way to the bottom of her thighs, and he lifted her up to sit on the dresser. She wrapped her legs around his waist as his kisses seemed to get more desperate. When he pulled away, both of their breathing was ragged and labored.
"Stay close to one of us tonight," He said.
"Is that part of the thing I don't need to worry about?" She asked, breathing hard.
"Please, just do it." Her eyes traced his face before she nodded. He reluctantly released her and helped her down.
Jasper pulled on his baseball t-shirt. He smirked when he heard her sigh in disappointment. He gave her a sweatshirt, which she pulled on, and he couldn't deny that the idea of her wearing his clothes was a turn-on.
The family was waiting downstairs, each of them in their own uniform garb, and they headed out the door.
Peter, Charlotte, and Blair piled into her jeep since Edward had taken Emmett's to pick up Bella. Jasper drove since Blair didn't know the way. The field they stopped at was massive, and she could make out the figures surrounding each other a little way away. Jasper laced his hand through hers as they walked towards his family.
"Ready for some baseball?" Emmett asked exuberantly with his arm around Rosalie.
"Ready to watch him get his ass kicked more like," Peter taunted. Emmett snorted and cracked his knuckles.
"Behave," Esme called affectionately. Each of them turned to look towards the edge of the field when Bella and Edward broke through the trees. Blair heard Rosalie snort scathingly as they made their way to the group.
"Was that you we heard, Edward? It sounded like a bear choking," Esme asked as they got closer.
"Oh, that was him," Bella replied.
"Bella was being unintentionally funny," The penny-headed vampire shot back. Bella blushed as a clap of thunder sounded overhead.
"It's time," Alice said excitedly. Blair followed Jasper as they split into teams, already knowing who went where. Bella and Esme brought up the rear as the matriarch took her position as the umpire. Blair stood back as Emmett took a few practice swings and Alice prepared to pitch. Edward, Charlotte, and Rosalie were in the outfield, while Peter, Jasper and Carlisle stood beside her and waited for their turn to bat.
Alice reared back and sent the ball flying faster than her eyes could follow. Blair realized exactly why they needed the thunder when Emmett's bat connected with the ball. She resisted the urge to cover her ears as the ball disappeared amongst the trees.
"That's gotta be a home-run," Bella said in an awed voice. Esme shook her head.
"Emmett hits the hardest, but Edward runs the fastest," Esme paused before shouting, "Out." Edward broke through the trees with the ball raised high in his hand, his grin apparent even from a distance.
The game progressed quickly, and Blair was impressed by both Jasper and Peter's skill, but whenever either of them was up to bat, the other would seem to move closer to her.
"You're hovering," She finally said to Peter as Jasper ran around the bases at almost undetectable speeds.
"I am not," He defended quickly.
"Whatever you say." The third out was called and they all moved to trade places. Edward immediately veered towards Bella, while Jasper turned to Blair.
"So, what do you think?" He asked. She smiled.
"I think my dad would love this. He'd never be able to watch normal baseball again." Jasper laughed in agreement.
"We're about to go to the outfield."
"So, Charlotte's going to take over the hovering then?" He gave her an exasperated look but shrugged all the same. It was in that moment that two identical gasps varying in depth were released.
Jasper's head snapped to where Peter and Alice were exchanging a glance. His posture snapped to attention as Edward let out a growl.
"They're coming…Nomads. They were leaving, but they heard us playing. They're curious," Alice said quickly. Peter nodded in confirmation.
"How many?" Carlisle asked grimly.
"Three."
"Let them come," Emmett snorted.
"Is there any way to get Blair and Bella out of here?" Charlotte asked and Alice shook her head.
"No, they're too close. If they catch their scent, they might start the hunt," She said. Blair went to stand beside Bella, who was wide-eyed.
"What's going to happen?" She whispered to Blair.
"I don't know." Edward pulled Bella away and tucked her into his side. Alice passed over her hat as Edward asked Emmett for his sweatshirt.
"Like that'll help. I could smell her across the field," Rosalie snarked.
"Not helping, Rose," Charlotte said as she took off her own hat and passed it to Blair, who put it on quickly. Her scent wasn't as recognizable as Bella's, but it lacked the sharpness that accompanied a vampire's. Jasper pulled her close as they walked to the middle of the field.
"I knew you guys were lying," She hissed lowly. Peter threw up his hands.
"I didn't know this is what the feeling was about," He defended. Their heads snapped to the edge of the field as a noise Blair couldn't hear caught their attention.
There were three of them, just as Alice had said. The woman's bright hair was visible from a distance, and she noticed that they walked with a cat-like grace. It didn't take them long to make their way to a stop in front of them. Blair stepped closer to Jasper, hoping he couldn't feel her fear, but knew that he could.
"We heard a game and thought we could join. I am Laurent, and this is James and Victoria," The dark-skinned man said first, giving the impression that he was the leader, but Blair's eyes were immediately drawn to the one named James. His eyes were predatory and calculating. The female looked wild and unpredictable.
"I'm Carlisle, and this is my family." Carlisle took the lead and introduced them all by name, not drawing particular attention to any one of them.
"How about a game?" Laurent asked. Carlisle hesitated, "Oh, c'mon. Just one game."
"Alright. Some of us were leaving. You can take their place. Although we do ask that you not hunt in the area on the way out. We keep a permanent residence nearby, so we need to be discrete. You understand." It was in that moment that Blair understood why Jasper respected Carlisle as the head of the coven. His voice was respectful, but there was a powerful, unyielding undertone. The three nomads exchanged glances of disbelief.
"Permanent? How do you manage that?"
"We'd be more than willing to discuss this at our home after the game," Carlisle offered diplomatically.
"Yes, we've been running for a while. And, of course, we won't hunt in your territory. We were just passing through." Carlisle smiled his thanks.
"Thank you. We'll bat first." He tossed the ball in their general direction. The redhead caught it.
"I'm the one with the wicked curveball," She said as they began to turn away. Blair hadn't taken her eyes off of James at this point. His gaze was fixated on Bella and she knew that he felt something was off. He seemed to shake it off when Victoria began to move towards the outfield.
It happened in an instant. A gust of wind blew through the field, stirring both Bella and Blair's hair not hidden by their hats, and the atmosphere changed. James inhaled deeply and crouched into a defensive position.
"You brought a snack." He glanced at Blair as if she were a second thought, "Two snacks." The Cullens immediately went on the defensive.
The snarls coming from Edward's mouth were inhuman. Peter and Charlotte crouched down; their lips curled over their teeth as venom dripped from their lips. Jasper didn't move from his position beside Blair, but his presence emanated intimidation and danger. He looked every bit of the vampire it was.
"I think it's best you leave now. The girls are with us," Carlisle said from his crouched position.
"But they're human," Laurent said disbelievingly. A dark, mocking chuckle cut off Carlisle's reply and they all looked to Peter, who'd lifted himself up gracefully from his crouched position. Charlotte remained defensive, looking every bit as wild as the red-headed female, whose eyes were flitting to each member of the coven.
"What I think we have here is a failure to communicate," He crowed, his expression dangerous, "How 'bout I properly introduce myself." His accent thickened, "I am Captain Peter Whitlock. This is my wife, Charlotte Whitlock, and my sire, Major Jasper Whitlock." Blair saw the recognition that filled their eyes and the fear that filtered in afterwards. Laurent straightened up.
"Major Whitlock…Captain…your status is legend," He said respectfully.
"And what of the girl?" James asked, eyeing Blair from his position.
"I'm his mate," Blair spoke up and she felt Jasper's grip tighten slightly on her arm. Just as Blair suspected, the interest in James' eyes intensified.
"We apologize for the misunderstanding," Laurent said respectfully, although he seemed confused as to how a human could be mated to one such as Jasper.
"At least one of you is smart. Tell your boy to back away and keep his eyes off of her before I pluck them out and feed them to him," Jasper said calmly with his head cocked to the side.
"Yes. We'll go now, and we won't harm the girls, of course." James glanced at Laurent disbelievingly, and Blair knew that this wasn't even close to being over. But he simply straightened up, recognizing that he was outnumbered, and began to walk away. Victoria followed, and they took off towards the forest. As soon as they disappeared, a flurry of movement began.
Edward grabbed Bella and hurried off towards the car. In a second, Jasper picked Blair up and the world blurred around, coming to a stop in front of the car. He placed her inside her jeep as Peter and Charlotte got in the back. They tore out of the field, scattering mud behind them.
"You shouldn't have told him about your status as my mate, Blair. He's taken it as a challenge," Jasper growled angrily. He couldn't look past his concern to be happy that she had finally admitted it to herself.
"I know." His head snapped to look at her.
"You did it on purpose," Charlotte snarled.
"He was focused on Bella too much. I thought it would at least make him focus on me a little more than her." Three identical growls of anger sounded through the car.
"I don't give a damn about Bella," Jasper said loudly.
"He would have taken it as a challenge anyway, as soon as he heard your name," She defended.
"Blair, he might have thought you were some insignificant human that wasn't worth the trouble of going against us if you hadn't opened your mouth," Peter said.
"But he would have gone after Bella." There was an angry silence that followed. None of them cared about Blair's sister, but she did, regardless of their relationship. Blair was Bella's big sister. She doubted that this would stop James from going after Bella as well but felt like she could at least bear the brunt of his attention. Finally, Peter sighed.
"We're not going to let anything happen to you, B," He said with conviction. She looked at the determined set of their faces and felt guilty that they had to protect her. She faced the front.
"I know."
So, there it is. I hope you enjoyed and felt like it was worth the wait. Please read and review if you can and/or want to! We're getting to the end of Twilight in approximately 4 chapters. Then I'll have 2 for the summer…and then New Moon, which I know many of you are curious about. Thanks again!