They paused in the foyer, Bella stopping to gather control of her emotions. Jasper tried not to influence her too much with his empathic ability, it would be easier for her in the long run if she worked at it herself. Before, in the Southern Vampire Wars, Jasper didn't give a shit if a vampire had long term problems controlling their emotions, thirst, or impulses. They weren't useful to Maria if they were capable of coherent thought. Capable of coherent thought, meant capable of collusion. Maria would never give someone else the chance to betray her again, not After Lettie and Lucy. Except for that one time when Peter and Charlotte escaped and Jasper let them.. Of course, then there was that other time when they came back for Jasper and he left without a second thought. Leaving Maria's camp swarming with out of control newborns, as a final 'fuck you'.
"You might be afraid of him at first, he has a few visible scars but nothing like Peter and I." Bella had to take a second to think about Peter, she hadn't been paying much attention to him before. She was otherwise occupied, with tearing limbs off of ex-boyfriends and indulging herself in her new enhanced vampire senses. She couldn't say she recalled, even with her vampire memory, that Peter had many visible scars at all. She supposed she would have to take Jasper's word for it. She reached out then and ran a finger along one of the scars along his jawline, she didn't find his scars threatening, though she knew they meant danger. They made her feel proud, and extremely appreciative.
"Compared to you?" Jasper would have felt some kind of way about that, except she wasn't radiating negative emotions towards him or his disfigurement. Not the way Alice always had. It was curiosity, pride and desire. The curiosity was typical after vampires got over the initial fear, the pride and desire were different. Maria's pride had never been towards him, only herself... As for desire, the females at the camp stayed far the fuck away from him. He was the one in charge with punishing them if they fucked up. No one wanted to fuck the guy who ripped your arm off.
"Darlin'" Jasper drawled, "I don't think you'll ever find a vampire with as many scars as me." He didn't mean for it to come out like he was boasting, he actually hadn't felt pride for his scars in many years. He used to be proud at the terror and fear they instilled in other vampires, when that was the only world he had known. Not since he had started traveling with Alice, and she had unknowingly made it clear she found them more than threatening, she found them disgusting and gross. She never asked that he wear a shirt, but he did anyway. He should have known better to think they were mates, but you couldn't argue with Alice when she said she saw it. She radiated hope and excitement when they met that day, in that bar in Philadelphia. He had no reason to believe it was deception, not that he thought that now. He knew her visions were subjective, and sometimes she didn't tell us all the details because she didn't think they were all important. Bella hummed then, her eyes traveling along his neck to the few different thick silver jagged lines along his throat. She wanted to ask about them, but now wasn't the time. He could feel her curiosity, and was glad her apprehensive nervousness was shoved aside. He tried to redirect her growing attraction towards him into appreciating him instead. They couldn't get distracted with that, either.
"I can tell when you do that, you know." Jasper wasn't surprised, she had always been able to notice it when she was human. Sending him appreciative little smiles he was surprised Edward never noticed or at least commented on. Most vampires, let alone newborns didn't notice. It helped if they knew what he could do. He shrugged non-apologetically, stopping his influence.
"Just stay behind me, alright? It'll make you feel safer if you keep me between you and him. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on her forehead, feeling her disappointment that it wasn't her lips, and annoyance because Edward had always done that. "Come on, darlin'". He was on edge and uneasy, especially since this wasn't his property. The sooner they got on the road and away from the Volturi's last known sighting of him the better he would feel.
"Jasper, I attacked Edward without even realizing it was him." She confessed, worried about attacking his friend, much more than she was worried about them attacking her. She had a complete confidence in Jasper, even though she had never seen him fight. She wondered if that was part of the mating bond, the unconditional confidence in them and their ability to keep you safe. She didn't want to make a bad impression by taking a bite out of his friend. Especially since he had mentioned that he was Carlisle's friend too. It made her curious as to what kind of vampire Garrett was.
"Isabella." Jasper hadn't used her full name since she was changed, and she found that she still enjoyed it quite a lot. He pretended not to notice just what she was feeling. "Edward dated you for five months, and spent most of that five months convincing you of how much you were meant to be with each other, while also not letting you hang out with your human friends or do anything without him. Lets just ignore the whole nomad bullshit and Phoenix," Jasper didn't want to talk about it because it still chafed his ass that a little human teenage girl had managed to give him the slip, "and then, after he threw you into a table causing his entire vampire family to radiate bloodlust at the local empath, he used that situation to break up with you in the middle of the woods. Declaring that he never loved you at all and were just a passing fancy, right before a thunderstorm and the only reason why you're alive today is because a wolf found you." Jasper paused and then added, "It's almost like he was trying to get you killed." Not realizing how close he had just come to the truth.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you about Laurent." Bella said, just then remembering about the trouble she had been in before she left Forks. "He tried to kill me when he realized you were all gone, and the wolves got him." This made Jasper pause, and he would have to ask her more questions about that later. Laurent wouldn't have come after Bella even if the Cullens were gone, the claim of a coven on a human doesn't end just because they left. They might have had plans for them. He had an ulterior motive Jasper was unaware of and he didn't like that at all. Especially since the vampire in question had been killed, so he couldn't be questioned. This was a frustrating revelation.
"You really are a danger magnet." He said thoughtfully, adding that to the list of near misses. "You're like a cat." He looked out the still opened front door and could see Garrett in the distance with Peter and Charlotte. They would stand with him in case Bella went after him. "You should be fine, is what I'm trying to say. Garrett hasn't done anything to you, you shouldn't want to attack him anymore than Peter or Charlotte." She nodded, that seemed logical... Not that much about being a vampire was exactly logical. She hadn't given Peter a second thought when he had pulled her off of Edward. In fact, she had gone to him in shock when she removed Edward's limb, for reassurance and guidance. She was still apprehensive, but she trusted Jasper and believed him when he said he would protect her and wouldn't let her hurt his friend. He had killed James after all. Edward had no part of that, he was too worried his human pet would lose her tantalizing scent, so he was focused on keeping her human. She tried not to think about it and get angry all over again. Alice had taken Edward far away. Unfortunately.
"If you say so..." She gestured to the door indicating she was ready, and stepped behind Jasper, close enough that if he stopped walking suddenly she'd run into him. She placed a hand on his hip, needing to feel him to soothe her frazzled nerves. She wanted to make a good impression and hoped that wouldn't involve ripping his arm off like she did Edward's.
"Major!" Garrett wasted no time greeting his old friend, the second he crossed the threshold of the house with Bella right behind him. "How ya been? Long time no see!" He made a motion of tipping an imaginary hat at Bella, "Ma'am." Garrett had chose the solitary life of a nomad, not because he disliked social interaction or being around other vampires. He just didn't like to stay in one place, not with how much the world was changing around him. He wanted to see history happen. Around his people? He was a fuckin' social butterfly.
Carlisle and Garrett had met long after the American Revolution was over, surprisingly enough on a tour guided by a historian through colonial America. Carlisle had booked 'The American War of Independence' tour, and who chose to sit next to the blonde doctor? They spent a great deal of time talking at vampire speed while Garrett corrected random inaccuracies that were completely meaningless to the grand scheme of history and therefore forgotten. Which means they were incredibly fascinating to Carlisle. When Jasper was in Philadelphia, it was because Garrett had invited him to go metal detecting in old battlefields. The three of them were completely insufferable when it came to history. It had been entirely too long since they had caught up. It was just unfortunate Carlisle hadn't come back. Understandable, Jasper wouldn't want to leave his mate for long in such a situation.
"It's only been a few decades." Jasper said, itching to go forward and envelop his old friend in a hug, but needing to stay with Bella for her safety and comfort. They can bro-hug it out later. Bella was peeking around him at Garrett, and he didn't sense any change of her emotions, just constant curiosity. She wasn't sure what she had expected of the new vampire, she knew he had been alive during the revolutionary war but he didn't look that old. Then again neither did Carlisle, and he was older than Garrett. The Cullens had kept to an incredibly boujie lifestyle for humans, let alone vampires. So seeing this nomad vampire, dressed so casually, was strange for Bella. He was wearing boots, jeans, a-t-shirt and a jacket. She couldn't tell you what brand any of it was, but it was worn in and looked like he had them for awhile. The Cullens donated their clothes every time the fashion season changed. He seemed far less intimidating to her, than any of the Cullens had been when she first met them. Most vampires over a hundred had taken time to invest in something or another, and Garrett was no exception. He just did not care about spending his money on clothes or fancy houses.
"This is my mate, Isabella Swan. She's a newborn." Jasper said, prompting Bella to step out around Jasper, intent on greeting his vampire friend not hiding behind her mate. She hadn't seen any of the scars Jasper said would most likely intimidate her and decided that he wasn't a threat. It was then the wind had decided to make itself known and ruffled Garrett's hair, picking up his scent and floating it along towards the newly mated couple. It wasn't Garrett's scent she reacted to, however. Garrett, knowing the Cullens didn't feed off of humans, and would prefer if their human drinking friends would feed far away from where they choose to live, had fed before he arrived in the area. If he had known that the Major's new mate Peter mentioned was a newborn just days old, he would have cleaned up better and changed clothing.
The scent of his last kill reached Bella just as she had cleared Jasper. A second earlier and she would have still been in reach. It wasn't until a second after that, that he felt her bloodlust rise like an unexpected summer storm. His hands reached out to grab her, grasping nothing but air as Bella unexpectedly leap at Garrett, knocking him to the ground with her mouth at his throat and her arms pinning his to his sides. The seasoned newborn rearin' vampires moved quickly, Jasper sending waves after waves of calm and joy at the newborn, hoping to derail her feelings away from hunger and thirst. Peter was ready to grab Bella off of him the second her mouth wasn't at Garrett's throat, waiting for the Major to do his magical whammy. Charlotte stayed back, not wanting to get involved as this wasn't her rodeo. Jasper must have gotten Garrett just as much as Bella, because he started laughing underneath Bella's deadly grasp. They wasted no time pulling Bella off of Garrett then, the Whitlocks being thoroughly confused when there wasn't a bite mark and no venom was spilled. Garrett sat up still laughing, though Jasper's influence had stopped when they realized Bella wasn't actually attacking him and had allowed herself to be pulled away rather easily.
"I think she's hungry, Major." He got out between his guffaws, his hand wiping his sleeve vigorously against his neck, wiping the venom Bella slobbered all over his neck and shirt away.
"Wait, she didn't bite you?" Charlotte asked, stepping closer and looking at Garrett's neck. It was fine. Not even a nibble.
"No, she just drooled all over me and sucked on my shirt collar." Garrett was disgusted, but it was too amusing to be mad about for long. What a story to tell.
"Ew, what the fuck, Bella?" Peter asked, taking a look at Garrett's neck himself. Jasper had let her go the second Garrett sat up with a clear neck. She wasn't even trying to get at him, she was looking down and radiating shame and disgust for drooling all over Garrett. And still a bit of bloodlust. Jasper hadn't realized it until now, but she didn't radiate constant thirst like most newborns. He wished again, that Carlisle had stuck around. He could use the older vampire's wisdom.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." She apologized, still staring holes into the ground. She knew less about the cause of her actions than everyone else, even though she had been told all about how hard it is to resist a humans blood from Edward when she was human. "I just had this yearning and this itchiness in my throat and the next thing I knew I was slobbering all over Garrett..."
"Welcome to a newborn's first year, shug." Charlotte said, beaming with pride at Bella. She had seen other newborns in similar situations, older than Bella, rip the throat out without even realizing they had done it. Blood made newborns frenzied and irrational, and it had been days since Bella woke up. Her human blood had to have made its way out of her system by now. "Let's get the baby vamp some food. What do you want to eat Bella?" She asked, confusing the newborn, who had assumed she meant it the way someone would mean it if they asked a human.
"I thought we could only drink blood?" She asked hesitantly, recalling a trip to Port Angeles with Emmett where he had eaten a Big Mac and had spent the rest of the evening throwing it up.
"I meant, human or animal?" Charlotte corrected.
"Oh..." Bella hadn't really given it much thought. She had always assumed if she convinced Edward to change her, she would be on the animal diet. It was what Edward did, and it was what all of the Cullens did. She also felt like she didn't want to kill anyone. She did recall being told that it was easier to control oneself on a human blood diet, since animal wasn't as sustaining. "I don't really know." She said thoughtfully, not really sure. "I guess, I'd like to try animals first?" It was more of a question than a decision, and Jasper couldn't help the disappointment that rolled through him. He wouldn't try to sway her one way or another, it was a personal choice. "Would that make it harder for me?" She turned to ask Jasper. "Would it be easier to be a vampire on human blood instead of animal? Would I be less strong as a vampire if I had animal blood in my first year?" She wanted more information, and felt like she had barely any at all. The truth was, that question had never been asked by another vampire in the history of vampurism.
"That's something we would have to ask Carlisle. He's the only one I've known to change newborns and have them on the animal diet from the beginning." Never mind he was the only one who had the idea to drink from animals. Jasper was sure that if there had been another vampire to do it, they would have heard about it. Even vampires across the world heard about Carlisle Cullen, with amber eyes from an animal blood diet. There was a reason that there weren't more amber eyed vampires in the world, because animals tasted truly disgusting.
"I didn't really notice the burn in my throat until now, there were so many other things to focus on." She was feeling a bit embarrassed now, and Jasper couldn't help but feeling a bit proud that part of the many things she had been too distracted with, was him. "Now that I know what it is, it's all I can think about." Her hand went to her neck then, rubbing it. "It's like when I had that cast and I had an itch in it, but I don't think shoving a chopstick down my throat would have the same effect it did then."
"Let's take you out hunting then." Jasper said, being the only one who willingly fed off of animals and knew what he was doing. Hunting animals was a completely different ball game than hunting humans. Animals were more wary of vampires than humans were. You couldn't pick up a deer at a bar and have them willingly take you to their apartment. Jasper had an advantage with humans and animals, because he could send them waves of calm acceptance. He didn't usually do that though, because half the fun of feeding off of animals was playing with your food. Something you didn't really want to do with a human, anyway. Not just for exposure, but there was a different kind of kinship with humans than animals. Animals could fight back, and while they had no chance against a vampire, much like a human, they didn't know that.
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"I'm not sure what to do." Bella whispered at vampire volume to Jasper. The other vampires had opted to hang back, just in case of the Volturi, and if Bella got a whiff of a human. Though she was unsure on what diet she wanted, Jasper wanted to make sure she willingly fed off of a human, and not just because her thirst drove her to acting on it involuntarily. The guilt Emmett always had after running into one of his singers, was gut wrenching. He didn't want that for Bella anymore than he had wanted it for Emmett. Luckily Jasper had only been around for one of his singers, and only for the aftermath. Singers were supposed to be rare, and the amount Emmett ran into was either unlucky or fortunate. Obviously unlucky for the women, but to be able to have 3 of the best meals of your entire existence, when others will most likely never have the experience... Gave one a bit of jealousy.
"Just listen to the deer's heartbeat. Can you hear it?" He asked and when Bella nodded, he continued. "Imagine the heart pumping the blood through it's veins, hear it thrumming as it brings the deer life. Just like how the blood will bring you life." Bella tried to focus on his instructions, but the harder she tried to listen the more she heard anything but what she was trying to listen to. She could hear the buzz of insects wings, water flowing languidly through a river somewhere to their right. She heard the wind rustling the leaves on the trees, the snap of a stem when one shook free of it's home and floated down to the earth.
"Focus, Bella." Jasper breathed into her ear, causing chills of pleasure to roll down her spine. She had forgotten he was here. "Du dum, duh dum." He repeated in time with the beat of the deer's heart. It helps her focus easier, and she's grateful for his assistance. "Duh, dum, duh dum." He continued quietly while he backed away from her, not wanting to distract her with his presence. Noticing that her hesitance and uncertainty were fading away to the background, and hunger rising to the forefront. She can feel it now, the hunger. The constant underlying need for blood thrumming to the surface of her skin. Vibrating with want, with need. She is focused now, following the beat and hum of the blood until she finds where it's the loudest. An artery. Before she realizes what she is doing, warm pulsing lifesblood is flowing down her throat, gently sating her hunger. She only half noticed the scratchy fur on her lips and tongue as she sucked from the animal greedily, with each gulp the need for the animal's blood lessening. Finally, the blood slowed and she knew it was time to stop. Dropping the deer, she noticed that she felt physically full even though she wanted more. She knew it was enough for now, there wasn't any more room. Vampires drank to live, they couldn't drink to excess without throwing up. She still wanted something though...
She turned towards Jasper then, intent on fulfilling another one of her wants, but he was nowhere to be found. Her eyes darting around the clearing while she strained to hear him over the cacophony of sounds surrounding her. He wouldn't just, leave her? Would he? He was just here a moment ago, it hadn't taken her that long to drain the deer, had it? Her eyes scanned the treeline, and she couldn't hear him anywhere. Her confusion was starting to make way to worry and fear. Did he leave her, like Edward? Did she not do it right? Was she not good enough, again? Her panic started to rise, and Jasper's name on her lips came out as a strangled gasp. Jasper hadn't promised to be with her forever, but he changed her. He had made a forever with him possible. Edward was never going to change her, and she wasn't sure if she knew that when she was human with as much certainty as she did now. But then where was Jasper, now? Her mind was swirling with panic and confusion. He had bit her and marked her as his. Then he left her. Like Edward. She couldn't just stand here anymore, she had to move. Sprinting off in seemingly a random direction, panic overriding all else. Needing to release some of her pent up feelings that she couldn't control anymore than she could control her irrational thoughts of Jasper abandoning her to this life, after making her think he was yet another soulmate. Edward had said they were mates too, but Jasper changed her. Edward couldn't let that happen, even when she was already changing. Jasper had changed her at the first second he realized they were mates, he wanted her. He wanted to keep her, he wouldn't just leave her. Bella hadn't been paying attention to where she was going and almost ran smack into Jasper, feeding on a bear. She stopped short and stood there, trying to calm herself down. Her vampire senses knowing what she needed and understanding how to get there better than she could comprehend.
He feels her panicked emotions roiling around them and drops the bear, his meal not quite finished. Worry and fear in his eyes and posture as he turns to his frantic mate. He approaches her with his eyes roaming her body looking for an outward cause of stress. Satisfied that it wasn't physical, he pulls her into his arms. Not understanding what is wrong, but needing to soothe her of her fears. He reaches out then, trying to feel the emotional signature of anything nearby. Aside from animals, there's nothing. Even his coven mates weren't in range, probably to give the two privacy while they hunted.
"Jasper." She finally managed, the fear clogging her throat loosening it's grip.
"Isabella, what's wrong?" He could feel her myriad of emotions swirling around them, her panic and fear pushing into him, her inadequacy and insecurity choking her from speaking. He tried to envelop her in calm waves of reassurance and safety, but it wasn't reaching through the cloud of despair around her. "I'm here." He whispered into her hair, after making sure she was safe against him in a hug. Starting to feel distressed himself, at his inability to help his mate in her time of need he clung to her, kissing her hair and asking her to tell him what happened. Bella felt like she would have been crying, if she had been human. Vampires couldn't cry, but they could feel the urge and she wanted to, so badly.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, clinging back to him just as tightly around the waist. Her head buried in his shoulder, inhaling his scent in gasping breaths. They said your mates scent appealed to you like none other, and it was specifically tailored to attract you and you alone. Jasper's unique blend of cinnamon and cloves along with the coppery bite of the animal he had just fed on. She was ashamed at how irrational she had been feeling, even knowing it was because newborns are irrational. She was still feeling it all, in an never ending loop that was lessening with every breath.
"Darlin', you have nothing to be sorry about. I'm the one who should be sorry. I know better than to leave a newborn alone like that. I just heard the bear, and thought I could be quick." He pulled back then, looking into her blackened eyes and breathing deeply with her. His breath washing over her face, soothing her irrational feelings. With each breath her calmed and felt more embarrassed at how she acted. Touching Jasper, feeling his bare skin, being surrounded by his spicy aroma. It was like a balm to her crazed thoughts and she was relieved. That she found him, that he hadn't left her.
"I just thought that..." She paused, feeling ridiculous. "I thought you left me like Edward had, alone in the woods." She finished weakly. "He had said I was his mate, too." She said by way of explanation, causing Jasper to growl loudly in his throat, and pulling her tight against him, in an almost desperate need for her.
"Haven't I shown you that you are mine?" He put a hard emphasis on 'mine', his voice rough with an emotion Bella couldn't place. One of his hands dragging down to her ass and gripping it tightly, using it as leverage to pull their lower halves closer together. His erection straining against his jeans, and she gasped at the sensation. "Haven't I?" He thrust himself against her then, growling into her mouth as he kissed her possessively, his lips bruising against hers. The air was thick with his desire for her, and the idea that she could still harbor such insecurities drove his desire to prove her otherwise. That he was not leaving her. That she was his. She couldn't help but respond, her earlier emotions being replaced with need for Jasper, to claim him, to have him claim her. She wondered if it was because they were mates, or because she was a newborn and so easily distracted from one train of thought to another.
"Jasper." She tried to say, but it came out in a moan instead as he moved from her lips to sucking and nipping at her neck. Teeth grazing along her mating mark as he growled lowly. Bella was heated, this was different than last time. She had acted before she really realized what she was doing and then her and Jasper and been joined and it had felt too good to stop, to even think about what she was doing, just who she was doing it with. Her mate.
"I fuckin' love the way you say my name." He purred into her neck, sending vibrations straight through her nerve endings. Whatever feelings she thought she had of love for Edward was a pathetic mockery of how she felt for Jasper. Bella had never needed anything more, than the way she needed Jasper in this very moment. Needed him to touch her skin, to feel his lips on hers, feel his thick length inside of her. She knew, without a doubt that he was it for her. That she had found her person, and her other half. So why was it so hard for her to understand that he felt the same way? She could feel it in his emotions and see it in his actions towards her. The way he was holding her to him now, grinding his hardness against her and igniting a fire in her she had never experienced in her human life. She needed him then, so badly. To show him that she felt the same way, to feel him inside her again and again.
"Jasper." She moaned loudly, causing Jasper to walk her backwards until her back was against a tree, needing to hold her up against something so his hands would be free to unbuckle his belt. She had wanted to say something, but he had pushed her dress up by then and hooked one of her legs over his hip. All rational thought outside of Jasper's cock at her entrance faded away. She gasped for air even though she didn't need it, as he slid himself all the way inside her. The instantaneous feeling of content and completeness filling her absolutely. He groaned then, never having felt his needs satisfied before. Never having felt like it was enough. It still wasn't, not yet.
"Tell me," He demanded against her neck, holding her tight against the tree as she squirmed in his arms, trying to use her one leg as leverage to get him to move inside her, for him to be deeper. "Tell me you're mine." His teeth biting lightly into the skin of the other side of her neck, a promise. Bella's mind was whirling with need and she grasped for the words but she was so overcome with emotion she couldn't think of any, so she acted. Her teeth sliced through Jasper's neck with minimal effort as she completed her half of the mating ritual. Her venom flowing freely from her mouth into the wound, marking him with her scent. His hips involuntarily thrusting himself in and out of her in response. Jasper had been bitten many times, by many different vampires, very few who lived today. Nothing would ever compare to the euphoria he was feeling at Bella's mouth at his neck, teeth deep in his shoulder and unyielding. The sting of her venom mixing with his was a pleasure he had never experienced. The tree may have stood for hundreds of years, but it was no match for the intensity in Jasper's next thrust into Bella, the tree making a loud creaking noise right before it fell over, taking the two vampires with it. Jasper's resounding growl before he bit Bella back, echoing through the trees around them.
a/n: this one wasn't too spicy. but the last chapter was, and it's on ao3! my username is last_girl_on_earth. 3