The alluring aroma of freshly roasted and brewed coffee filled the air, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in the morning air cafe. Each cup had its own unique fragrance, with notes of floral, fruity, spicy, earthy, or nutty scents wafting through the space. Sat Violet, also known as Bob, sat at her usual spot, sipping on her café latte and listening to the hustle and bustle of her staff around her.
As she sat there, she couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversations and laughter from her employees. She smiled to herself, grateful for their camaraderie and friendship. Her attention was drawn to Cyrus and Jasper's lively debate about the book Citadel, a topic that often sparked passionate discussions amongst their group of old friends from Ely. Jasper had first come to Violet years ago, asking for a job when he was in a tight spot. Despite not having enough space for another employee, Violet sensed there was more to his story than he was letting on.
With the help of JC (or Jennifer Charles), the small cafe had grown over the years and now had a bigger team of staff members who had become like family to Violet. As she took another sip of her coffee, the phone began to ring off the hook, signaling another busy day at the cafe.
"Cafae Latte, where the new slogan is apparently come from the coffee. Stay for the tea. On a related note, I'm no longer letting my ward choose what to put on our merchandise."
" Hey, that came from a customer. My slogan is I'm too ace for this shit, and that is both gold and true."
"Anyway, what can I get for you?"
" Ohh no I'm not ordering anything. Is Elsa or Carl available?"
"Yeah, sure. Hold on. Elsa's phone."
The bustling café suddenly falls silent as Elsa's face contorts in fear. Isabella's voice on the phone is strained and urgent as she asks, "Elsa, what's the tea?"
"Elsa, it's Isabella," the voice repeats, sending chills down Elsa's spine.
"What's wrong, Bells?" Elsa asks, her own voice shaking.
"You remember that boy I was dating?" Isabella's voice trembles with emotion.
"The one who left you in the woods? Please remind me to remove his head from his shoulders one of these days. What about him?" Elsa remembers clearly the pain her cousin went through when that relationship ended.
"Well, his sister Alice showed up yesterday. Coming to check on me. Apparently she thought I threw myself off the cliff." The cafe erupts in whispers and gasps as Bob looks up from her book, sensing the change in Elsa's tone from cheerful to dark and gruesome.
"Wait a minute...how would she know that unless she could see the future or had some sort of foresight? Is she stalking you? Give me more context, cousin," Elsa demands, her heart racing with worry for her beloved family member.
Bella hesitated, unsure if she should share this dangerous information with her friend. But they had been through so much together and he deserved to know the truth. "I've seen battlefields before," he assured her. "I grew up surrounded by Supernatural beings. My grandmother, who I thought was my mother, is actually a powerful fairy sorceress. I have connections and resources that could help you, but I need all the information."
Reluctantly, Bella divulged the secret she had been keeping. "Edward and his family are vampires."
He laughed incredulously. "Why on earth would you need to borrow my silver sword?"
"This isn't like the vampires you see in Hollywood movies," she quickly explained. "They're different and dangerous. Please take this seriously."
Her friend's expression turned serious as he considered the information. "What kind of vampire are we talking about? I know of two types, and one of them is on our side alongside other Supernaturals like silkies and witches. But there are also werewolves and more out there."
Bella's eyes widened in shock as she processed the information. "There are two types of vampires?" She asked, her voice trembling.
Her cousin, seemingly exasperated, replied, "Have you been living under a rock for the last decade? I know you're technically older than me by a few weeks, but even I know this information. It's not exactly hidden."
Bella shifted uncomfortably, her mind racing to catch up. "The native tribe here calls on the cold ones," she offered hesitantly.
Her friend's expression turned grim. "Ohh, you're that type of screwed then," she said with a shake of her head. "Especially with that cousin of yours. So what else is going on?"
Taking a deep breath, Bella began to explain. "Yesterday I went cliff diving and...something happened." Her voice faltered as she recalled the terrifying moment when Alice had told her family about her dive and they had all rushed back to town.
"Wait, let me guess," her friend interrupted with a hint of sarcasm. "Alice saw it all happen in the future and now they're all coming back to check on you."
Bella nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, something like that."
Her cousin's sigh was heavy with worry and dread. "Well, whatever it was must have been horrific if even Edward is coming back. Brace yourself for the worst."
The once cozy cafe suddenly felt like an icy prison, dark ominous clouds looming overhead as Elsa's eyes widened in fear.
"What was that name you just mentioned?" she asked, voice trembling.
"Alice," Bella replied.
"No, the last name."
"Carlisle Cullen. That's his family, or coven as they call it."
"How old is this Carlisle?"
"About 300 years old, give or take."
Elsa's jaw dropped in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. Looks like our deadbeat has turned out to be a really old freaking deadbeat."
"I need your help to get away from Forks," Bella continued, urgency in her voice.
"Yeah, that would be worse. I don't want to come face to face with those kind of vampires on their own turf," Elsa said, feeling a shiver run down her spine. "What abilities do they have? Are there any other dangers I should know about? You have to tell me everything."
"Alice can only see the future when decisions have been made. Edward can read minds. Carlisle has the gift of compassion," Bella explained, trying to suppress a laugh at the last one. ESMA is motherly and loving. Emmett has the strength of a newborn vampire. And last but not least, Rosalie has been gifted with extreme beauty."
Elsa's frantic voice broke through the silence of my room.
"Where are you now?" she demanded.
"At home," I replied, wondering where this conversation was leading.
"How did you call me? Landline or cell phone?"
"My cell phone," I answered, my heart racing with anxiety.
Then came her instructions, quick and urgent. Call my dad and lie about being sick. Blame it on her "lady problems." Keep my phone on me at all times. Act convincingly sick, even though lying wasn't my strong suit. And take Castor oil and prunes for some unknown reason.
As I hung up the phone, conflicting thoughts raced through my mind. Should I do as Elsa said and risk getting caught in a web of lies? Or should I come clean and face the consequences? Either way, I knew there was no turning back now.
"The less you know, the better," Cyrus snarled into the phone. "She's watching her decisions and we need to do the same: be ready for anything."
Elsa's heart raced as she heard her cousin Bella's voice on the other end of the line. She could tell from the trembling in her voice that something was very wrong.
"What's going on?" Cyrus demanded, his tone tense and urgent.
"It's...it's complicated," Bella stammered. "I don't have time to explain, but I need your help."
Cyrus hung up abruptly, leaving Elsa biting her nails nervously as she tried to come up with a plan.
"What was that all about?" Cyrus asked sharply.
"It's my cousin Bella," Elsa explained, her voice strained with worry. "She's gotten herself into some serious trouble."
"Sounds like fun trouble," Cyrus mused with a smirk.
"Not this time," Elsa countered, her expression grave. "Bella got mixed up with the Cullens."
A dark look crossed Jasper's face, transforming him from his usual cheerful self into a hardened soldier ready for battle. His voice deepened and took on a dangerous edge.
"Why do you want to know about them?" he asked sharply.
"Because my dear old cousin needs our help," Elsa replied coolly. "And I need to know their strengths and weaknesses if we're going to get out of this alive."
Jasper nodded grimly. "You're right about one thing - decisions with Alice are split second. We'll have to be ready for anything." Elsa turned to face him with the steely determination of a seasoned warrior who had seen too many battles. This was not their first fight and it certainly wouldn't be their last.
Jasper furrowed his brow in confusion as he tried to make sense of Cyrus's theory about Alice's inability to see other supernaturals. A part of him wanted to believe it, wanted to cling onto the possibility that there was some logical explanation for her blindness. But another part of him couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more sinister at play.
He paced back and forth, hands clasped tightly behind his back as he mulled over this new information. If there were other supernatural beings in the water when Bella had jumped off the cliff, then why didn't Alice see them? And how long had Jasper himself been invisible to these creatures?
The thought sent a chill down his spine. He had been working at this job for five years now, interacting with his friends on a daily basis, yet they had no idea he was a vampire. It made him question everything - his friendships, his decisions, and most importantly, his own identity.
As much as he hated to admit it, part of him longed for the days when he was living in secret, blending in among humans without anyone suspecting a thing. Now that his true nature had been exposed, he couldn't help but feel conflicted about where he truly belonged. Was he still one of them? Or was he now an outsider in both worlds?
All eyes turned to Bob as she exclaimed the information, her voice ringing out in a mix of excitement and concern. A hush fell over the group as they waited for her to continue.
Bob tilted her head to the side, her gaze intense as she looked at him. Her expression was a mixture of sympathy and curiosity.
"Didn't you two get into a really bad fight? And didn't they toss you out of the coven?"
He nodded grimly, his jaw clenched tight. Memories flooded back, painful and raw. The betrayal, the pain, the humiliation.
"Yes," he said through gritted teeth. "For years, Alice tried to claim that we were true mates. I didn't believe it. I kept telling her no. But she wouldn't listen. She kept trying to force herself sexually onto me."
Carlyle and Edward had tried to help her, he explained. At first it was little things - arranging for them to be in the same room or Edward giving Alice false information about his whereabouts so she could find him in vulnerable moments.
But it escalated quickly. The last time they pulled something like this was during a hunting trip in Alaska. Edward, Carlisle, and Emmett had ambushed him, holding him down while Alice got on her knees or lay on the ground, touching him in ways he didn't want to be touched.
After that incident, he couldn't take it anymore. He ran back to Denali House and stayed there for a few days before finally leaving for good. He separated his finances from the Cullens and never looked back.
As he drove away from their home in Montana, he felt a sense of relief wash over him. He was finally free from the toxicity and control of the Cullens.
They hadn't listened to his feelings or opinions - they only saw him as poor little Jasper, broken and in need of their constant guidance. And when they found out he was bisexual, it only added to their disapproval and judgment.
But he didn't care anymore. He was done with their closed-mindedness and manipulations. He was forging his own path now, on his own terms.
Try to point out the inherent disrespect in sleeping with a woman without genuine connection. Sorry, that's not my style. Wham bam, thank you ma'am, is not what I'm after. Let's face it, most men are in it for the one night stand. But women crave that deeper emotional connection. And during my time, such actions were not acceptable for a respectable lady. It was only considered appropriate for prostitutes.
Jasper's passionate rant had captured everyone's attention as he shared his thoughts on the matter. But now, with the revelation of his own near-rape experience, many began to realize just how often this must have happened during his 56 years among them. The thought left a heavy weight on their hearts, and a newfound respect for Jasper's strength and resilience.
Bob's eyes flickered to Elsa, who was pointing out something in the distance. She leaned in closer and whispered, "If she can't see around supernaturals, why fake the sickness?"
Elsa shrugged and replied, "Even though Bella is a few weeks older than Carlisle and myself, all three of us are technically 18 years old and working on our last year of high school." She chuckled dryly before continuing, "But let me tell you, Bella is a terrible liar. Like, atrociously bad. If lying were an Olympic sport, we would have won the gold medal if she was our teammate. She just can't do it."
Bob's eyebrows raised in surprise at this revelation. "So her father believes that she's actually sick?"
Elsa nodded. "Knowing her father, my dear uncle...well, let's just say he doesn't pay much attention to things. If Bella is throwing up and having the shits, he's most likely going to believe she's sick. And I happen to know that there's a fishing expedition off the coast of California that he's been looking forward to for months. He leaves today or tomorrow, so he won't be paying too much attention to anything else."
A look of shock and disgust crossed Bob's face. "How can anyone not pay attention to their own child like that?"
Elsa sighed. "And that's not even the half of it. Her mother, Renee...well, she ran off and married a 22-year-old minor league baseball player and they're living in Florida. She sent Bella to live with her father because she wanted to spend more time with her younger man." She shook her head sadly. "Her mother hasn't contacted her since she moved up there last year. Didn't even visit when Bella was in the hospital after a terrible accident last March."
As Elsa spoke, Cyrus began counting on his fingers. "Let me get this straight. She claims she's sick today, you help her escape, and no one will even realize she's missing until a week or so later?"
Elsa nodded, but then added with a hint of uncertainty, "Well, there may be a little hiccup in that plan. My uncle is the police chief of Forks, so he might have some extra weight and could potentially track her down sooner."
Cyrus chuckled. "Well, I guess we'll just have to cross our fingers and hope for the best." He grinned mischievously. "But don't worry, Elsa, it was still a pretty brilliant plan."
"Thank you, Cyrus Your insight is greatly appreciated," Bod said with a smile as she looked around the cafe at her goddaughter's meticulous planning. The group needed to know who was fast, brave enough to take on a dangerous mission, and had the least noticeable scent to avoid detection by vampires. They also had some charms and blessings to aid in their journey.
Bob nodded in approval as she observed her goddaughter blossoming into a skilled tactician. She then turned to Jasper and asked about Piercer in Charlotte.
"They're doing well. They're actually moving up here soon. Why do you ask?"
"Well, my dear goddaughter Elsa has come up with a plan on the spot that is quite impressive. She suggested sending our little dragon over to Forks with Cyrus, Peter, and Charlotte. The two of them can quickly gather necessary items and pack them up while the dragon flies back at lightning speed. And since dragons have a distinct smell of sulfur and chemicals, it will easily cover our tracks and provide us with a way to start fires if needed for distractions. We should also add being able to cover our tracks easily," Bob explained.
Jasper nodded in agreement, impressed by Elsa's quick thinking and strategizing abilities. It seemed like she was truly coming into her own as a leader within their group.
As Bob explains her twisted plan, a sinister gleam lights up in Elsa's eyes. She quickly catches on and turns to Bob with a sly grin.
"Do you really think we can pull this off? Blaming Charlie for his daughter's death and getting away with it?"
"In the simplest terms, yes," replies Bob coolly. "All we need to do is create a few extra connections and set the stage for a tragic accident. Charlie will be too busy trying to save himself to realize what's happening."
Elsa nods eagerly, her mind already racing with ideas. "We could make it look like Bella got sick suddenly, forcing Charlie to leave her alone at home. Or we could pin the blame on her mother, claiming they were desperate for money and pulled out a life insurance policy on their own daughter."
Bob cackles with delight. "I love it. We'll have everyone pointing fingers at each other, while we sit back and watch them destroy themselves."
Cyrus stares at Bob in shock, as if she's grown three heads. "Are you serious? We're really going to frame an innocent man?"
"Who said he was innocent?" retorts Bob with a shrug. "Besides, we've always liked sticking it to the police. This is just another opportunity."
Cyrus shakes his head in disbelief. "I don't know about this, Boss It seems too risky."
"Risky?" scoffs Bob. "We'll make sure everything is foolproof before executing our plan. And once it's done, we'll have gotten revenge on those neglectful parents and taken down that corrupt police chief." A wicked smile spreads across her face as she continues, "Florida doesn't take kindly to parents like that. And we'll have even more reason to prosecute him there."
A deep, familiar voice joins the group, causing everyone to jump and turn towards the source.
"I don't see why not. Sounds like a solid plan to me," replies the newcomer.
"Carl was really necessary for that jump scare on the group," Bod adds with a playful smirk.
He walks over to give his sister and mother warm hugs and kisses on their cheeks.
"Let's face it, Mom. You were scared. And so were the others. But who are we going to stick with you? Who will be our partner in this rescue mission?"
Jasper chuckles at Carl's antics and gives him a friendly pat on the back.
"Essentially, we're going to go rescue Bella. We're coming up with a plan because she asked us for help. And I know Patrick and Janine will throw a huge fit if we leave them out of it. Remember how they reacted last time we left them behind? Sorry, Jaycee. I know you and Nicole wanted to come along and enjoy it, but I think you two can contribute in other ways. Maybe bake some delicious treats for us to bring along?"
"Ohhh, I can add a dash of Pixie dust to a warm drink for her to help her sleep. If I remember correctly, she has anxiety about flying," suggests one of the group members.
"Well mom, she's more afraid of being trapped in a metal tube held together by duct tape, chewing gum, and sheer willpower," jokes Carl, earning laughter from everyone.
"Come on now Carl, don't ruin flying for me," playfully protests Cyrus.
"Like that'll stop you from flying anytime soon," retorts Carl with a grin before turning to the group, "Now let's go figure out what kind of warm drink would be best for Bella. She loves tea or hot chocolate but isn't a big fan of coffee. And whoever is going to be her partner, the drink better have some knockout power. We can only pull off this rescue mission if she's asleep."