Jasper POV
I hummed a quiet lullaby as my fingers sifted through Bella’s soft hair, attempting to soothe her turbulent emotions as she slept. She had wrapped her arms around my waist, crying in earnest while standing next to the body of her father. After feeding her a measure of calm, I had urged her out of the funeral home and back into the car with Carlisle and Esme. Both Cullens were sensitive to Bella’s grief, feeling distressed for the young woman as we drove the rest of the way to the Cullen home.
Upon reaching the house, I took note of the layout while leading a distraught Bella inside. Esme showed us to the room she had set aside for Bella, turning down the bedcovers and helping Bella out of her shoes and coat. After asking if we needed anything else, to which I shook my head no, she quietly left us alone in the room.
The room itself was decorated in neutral colors – oak wood with brown and cream fabrics on the furniture and windows. I barely noted its simple elegance, however. My attention was focused on the woman on the bed, her head laying on the pillow as she stared unseeing across the room and out the window. She wasn’t crying, though her nose was red and her eyes still glassy from her earlier tears. Her blank expression tugged at my heart and I couldn’t bear seeing her like this.
Shrugging off my own coat and toeing off my shoes, I rounded the bed to the other side and crawled onto it behind Bella. Slowly, carefully, I curled up next to Bella and put my arm around her waist. As soon as I got close, Bella turned and buried her head into my chest, her arm circling my waist.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.
“My pleasure,” I whispered in return, pulling her flush against me. “Rest, Bella.”
She just nodded and sighed, sniffled once, and relaxed. A few moments later, she was sleeping fitfully.
I stayed a while, listening to her sleep and feeding her a little extra lethargy to make sure it was deep and restful. It had been a long flight with an emotional trip this afternoon.
As I lay with Bella, Carlisle came to the door, speaking quietly from the other side so as not to disturb Bella. “Jasper, I’m leaving your bags just outside the door. The rest of the family is patrolling. They will return this evening.” He paused just a moment. “Esme is making a light meal for when Bella awakens.”
“Thank you, Carlisle.” My voice was soft and too quiet for Bella to hear.
“Of course,” was Carlisle’s reply before I heard his footsteps recede down the hall.
It was another hour before I decided to ease back on the lethargy I was sending to Bella. I wanted her to be rested and refreshed before meeting the other Cullens, as I am sure she would as well. As I let the last of the lethargy go I looked down at the sleeping woman, struck as always by her natural beauty. She didn’t need the modern trappings of makeup and other such products to showcase her allure. Bella was an exquisite creature in her own right.
Of its own accord, my hand slid up her side and over her shoulder to cup her neck. My thumb brushed lightly over her lips and cheek, reveling in their silky texture. My eyes followed my fingers as they traced the curve of her jaw, the arch of her brow, the length of her nose, and then the fullness of her lips again. I was so distracted by my discoveries that I failed to notice she had awoken until I saw her eyes flutter and open slowly. She gazed up at me, her eyes shining beneath the soft pink blush that began to spread over her face and neck.
“Jasper,” she said, her voice as soft and silky as her skin. I felt her small hand flex against the skin of my hip before rubbing gently with her thumb. I felt my eyes half close and my head dipped even lower in response to her innocent touch.
“Good evening, princess,” I greeted, keeping my voice low, making it all the more intimate.
Bella’s eyes dropped and I saw her look at my lips briefly before taking her bottom lip between her teeth. When her eyes returned to mine, looking up from beneath her long lashes, and I felt the spike of lust associated with the look, I nearly groaned. She’s not ready, I told myself, followed with a rundown of all the reasons it would be better to wait before pushing things in this vein. But, damn, if I wasn’t tempted.
Taking a deep breath as I fought with myself, I pulled her closer to me, tucking her head under my chin and denying myself the temptation of her soft lips. Hearing her sigh, I felt her touch of disappointment and felt a ghost of a smile cross my lips knowing she had wanted the same thing as me. In spite of her disappointment, though, she was feeling content and calm within my embrace and so I prolonged it, enjoying the sensations swirling between us.
It wasn’t until we both felt and heard the protests of her stomach that our moment was interrupted. She blushed again with embarrassment and I chuckled softly.
“How about you shower and freshen up? Then Esme has some dinner for you,” I said, leaning back to look down at her.
“Sure,” she agreed, pulling away and turning to get out of the bed. I watched as she entered the bathroom before standing and crossing to the door to get our bags. As I set them on the bed, I heard Bella return from the bathroom. She smiled as she opened her bag, grabbing some toiletries and clothes before returning for her shower.
Knowing she was disrobing and would soon be standing naked under the water of the shower made me groan softly and close my eyes. I allowed myself the small luxury of letting my imagination fly for a moment. I could see the beads of water plastering her hair to her back, following the gentle curves down her spine and coming to rest just above the swell of her ass. I briefly wondered if her ass would be as soft as her face had been were I to grip it with both hands while pulling her wet and naked body flush against my own. What would it feel like, her delicate flesh against the hardness of my own? Breast to chest, hip to hip, thigh to thigh…
This time my groan was almost humanly audible and I knew I needed a distraction. Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I made a few phone calls to check in with Peter and Demetri before calling Aro to give him an update.
Peter and his team had arrived in California but were still gathering their Intel. He had a meeting with an old contact in an hour, he informed me, and would get back to me afterward.
Demetri didn’t have much to report either. They had to be more careful while the sun was out, but once the sun was low enough, he and Felix would each be taking out a team to hunt for newborns.
I had every confidence in both men and their teams. While I, too, did not have much to report, I still contacted Aro to inform him of the news. He also asked about Bella.
“And how is our fair Bella, Jasper?” he asked. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was worried about her.
“She is holding up well, Master. It was a hard afternoon for her. We stopped by the funeral home on the way here.” Aro made a noncommittal sound of sympathy. “She rested for a while this afternoon and seems in better spirits at the moment, though.”
“Ah, good, Jasper. Very good. I’m sure you will see to our Bella and take care of all her needs. I’ve the utmost faith in you. I don’t need to tell you how special she is, Jasper,” Aro told me.
“Of course, Master,” I replied. “She is very special.”
There was a pause, as if he was going to say more, but instead he just proceeded to say his goodbyes, asking that I send Bella their love and sympathies, before disconnecting.
I was just tucking the phone back into my pocket when Bella emerged from the bathroom in a pair of worn jeans and a dark green, long sleeved shirt. She smiled and set her dirty clothes on the bed.
“Feel better?” I asked.
“Yes, much. Thank you.” She smiled, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. “Now, what was this about food?”
I laughed and grabbed her hand. “Let’s find it together.”
After making our way downstairs, we were greeted by Esme, who led us into the kitchen. We exchanged small talk as Bella ate a foul smelling tomato soup with a ham and cheese panini that she seemed to enjoy all the while praising Esme’s cooking skills and showering her with compliments.
Once Bella’s meal was finished, Esme offered to show us around the house. I paid particular attention to the layout – entrances, exits, and other weak points of the building while – trailing quietly behind the women. Bella again complimented Esme, this time on the beauty of her décor, while asking about some of the items in the rooms – artwork, pictures, books, or whatever else she thought was interesting. She was polite and courteous to our hostess, who beamed at Bella’s attention.
The main areas of the house were decorated in much the same way as the bedroom in which she had shown us earlier. The furnishings were oak blended with creamy fabrics and brass tacks. Everything was accented with deep rich browns that made me think of Bella’s eyes – though in my opinion, nothing could compare to the swirling depths held within them.
There were artworks, artifacts, and other items throughout the rooms. If you didn’t know better, you’d think they’d raided an antique shop in some cases. But in truth, they had simply filled their home with mementos from their pasts. It is a trait of many vampires, although less likely with nomads.
We were given glimpses into the bedrooms, each decorated differently from the rest of the house, with the exception of Carlisle and Esme’s room. One was very feminine, with pastel colors, lots of fabrics all over the place and a mannequin in one corner. Esme commented that it was Alice’s room and that she enjoyed designing clothes.
The room across from Alice’s was more masculine but with clean lines. It was immaculate, not a thing out of place, and it had a wall filled with shelves of books and CDs – mostly the latter. This was Edward’s room, Esme informed us. She explained that he was quite a musician and loved to play the piano that we had seen in the alcove off the living room.
The last bedroom was reminiscent of a boudoir done in deep red and gold and filled with dark wood furniture. The bed itself was four posted, massive and seemed quite solid, obviously custom made. It somehow came across as both masculine and feminine despite the intense color. Emmett and Rosalie’s room, Esme explained.
We drifted back to the living room. Bella took a seat on the sofa, smiling and taking my hand as I sat down next to her. I returned her smile and rubbed her hand with my thumb. Esme perched herself on the love seat opposite, Carlisle appearing after a moment to take the empty seat next to his wife, his arm curving around her waist. They looked at each other for a moment and I felt the love flow between them, which made me smile.
Feeling a tug on my arm, I looked down to see a questioning look from Bella. I smiled and nodded at them, and she grinned.
Once the moment passed, Bella asked them how they met. Esme was just getting ready to speak when I heard running footsteps – four sets – moving faster than humans could. There were vampires approaching. I rose from the couch, standing protectively in front of Bella as they reached the front door. Carlisle and Esme also stood up, their expressions unworried and loving, so I assumed it would be the rest of the family. But I did not remove myself from in front of Bella.
The first to appear was a mountain of a man. He was as tall as me but so broad he could easily make up two of me. He would have been frightening if not for the smile on his face and the mop of dark curls on his head that gave him an almost boyish charm. His grin and his emotions were light and playful as he looked at us.
Next to the great bear of a man was a beautiful woman – no, not just beautiful, but stunningly gorgeous. Hers was the kind of beauty to make men stop and stare. She was tall for a woman, with light blonde hair that fell in soft waves down her back and legs that went on for miles. She could have stepped off the cover of a magazine. Her emotions were curiosity mixed with apprehension and a touch of resentment.
From behind the large man came a very short woman. She stood at only about five feet tall and I was surprised because she was actually shorter than Charlotte. She had short, spiky black hair and elfin features. You’d almost think she was a child if not for the way she carried herself. She stood tall and proud, confident even, and she had a welcoming smile on her face, which matched her emotions exactly. She seemed excited and happy.
The last to appear was a tall, lanky-figured man with wild auburn hair that shone with different shades of brown and copper. His face was angular with a sharp jaw and half tilted lips as he smiled at Carlisle and Esme in greeting. He seemed at ease but curious, looking intently in my direction. I raised a brow at his gaze.
Across from us, Esme began introductions. Until now, Bella had sat quietly behind me. But as Esme spoke, Bella stood and took my hand, holding my arm in front of her as she gave everyone a shy smile. “Jasper, Bella, this is Emmett,” Esme indicated the tall, broad shouldered man, “Rosalie,” the statuesque blonde, “Alice,” the small fey woman, “and Edward,” the auburn haired man with the heavy gaze.
“I’m Jasper Whitlock. This is Bella Swan.” I squeezed her hand and smiled down at her. She was a little nervous but not frightened. I found it endearing.
“Hello,” Bella said quietly, moving to stand beside me as she took in Emmett’s wide grin and Alice’s welcoming smile. She still seemed a bit apprehensive of Rosalie, though.
I felt frustration and curiosity surge from Edward. Looking over, I noticed his brow was deeply furrowed. I knew from Aro that he was the mind reader and wondered at his reaction.
“What is it?” I asked him.
Edward took a breath to reply and three things happened simultaneously.
First, I heard Alice gasp and then scream out, “No! Edward!”
Second, Edward’s frustration and curiosity dimmed in a millisecond, only to be replaced with the most blinding bloodlust I’d ever encountered.
Third, I realized Bella was Edward’s singer and he was about to fall off the veggie wagon.
He was fast, I’ll give him that. If I weren’t who I was, Bella would be a goner. And the Cullens were going to find out exactly how dangerous I can be. So I bit down on my reaction to Edward’s bloodlust. There was no way I was going to let Bella be hurt, especially by me.
As Edward flew across the room, I twisted my arm, curling it around Bella’s waist and pulling her behind me in one swift movement. With Bella secure behind me, my other hand flew out and caught Edward by the throat. Had I been a fraction of a second slower, he would have gotten through. As it was, the force of the impact made me stumble back a few feet, pushing Bella back down onto the couch. Recovering swiftly, I used the momentum of my body to spring back up and flip over, Edward’s throat still in my grip. I landed in a crouch over top of him, his hands clawing at mine as I looked into his pitch black eyes. A loud, fierce growl erupted from my chest – a warning – coupled with an intense wave of fear so strong that Edward immediately quieted and lay still, trembling beneath my hand.
Ignoring the sounds from behind me, I leaned down and sunk my teeth into the side of his neck, my growl still rumbling from my chest. My other hand reached up to grip his jaw and I felt his fear spike even more. I smiled against his neck and tensed to pull.
