Another Fate
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 5
“Mistress, a Volturi guard contingent just pulled up outside the gates. Shall we prepare to fight?”
Maria’s head snapped up from the documents she’d been signing to eye the guard standing at attention in front of her massive, ornate desk. With one hand, she closed her laptop as she leaned back in her seat.
This wasn’t good. She had hoped, by keeping a rather low profile all these years, the Volturi would ignore her, but of course, their memory was long. She supposed she should’ve anticipated this visit upon the disappearance of Caius’s mate. She was his sire, after all. It was only logical to look here first. She also knew if she tried to run now, it would only serve to solidify her guilt in their minds.
“Fight only if they attack first, otherwise escort them in.”
He bowed. “Yes, Mistress.”
He walked out and closed the door and she opened her laptop, immediately opening her security monitoring program to watch the camera feeds. It was dark, but the cameras were equipped with a night vision feature so she was still able to see what was going on. With a growl, she watched as they jumped the fences and began taking out her guards with practiced efficiency.
“Damn,” she muttered, knowing this wasn’t going to be a pleasant meeting for her, especially when she spotted the infamous Jane standing calmly to the side.
With gritted teeth, she prepared herself for what she knew would be a very unpleasant interrogation. She knew it would be painful, but she also knew she could not crack.
If she admitted to anything, she knew it would be the end of her. However, if she lasted through Jane’s questioning, she would disappear. She knew she had to, because if Caius Volturi got his hands on her, he would end her just on principle. She was Jasper’s sire, after all, and therefore had power over him.
In all honesty, she’d been shocked he’d left her alive all those years ago, but then, it had all been so new and unexpected, the platinum King probably hadn’t been thinking in those terms. He’d been too focused on getting his beautiful new mate back to his home, and that mistake had benefitted her greatly.
Caius Volturi was not stupid though. She would never make the mistake of thinking such a thing. Out of the three brothers, he was probably the most cunning. She knew there was no way he’d make that same mistake again and could only hope that Jane’s only purpose here today was to seek information. If so, she would persevere through whatever the sadistic blonde meted out, keeping her silence, even if she had to bite off her own tongue to do it. Then, when they left, she would make sure they’d never find her again by cutting all ties, even those with Alice Cullen…especially those with Alice Cullen.
The door opened and she growled at the frantic guard who bowed. “My apologies, Mistress, but all the perimeter guards have been destroyed. Should I still escort the Volturi in?”
“I believe those were my orders, Rico.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
He vanished from her office and she watched on the monitors as he approached Jane with his hands up. They seemed to speak for a moment before turning and heading into the house.
Seconds later, she heard them approach and she took a bracing breath before rising from her seat as the door opened. “Mistress, Jane of the Volturi is here to see you.”
“Show her in, Rico, then you’re dismissed.”
Jane strolled in a second later, reaching up to draw back the hood of her cloak as several other Volturi guards assembled themselves behind her. Her red eyes glittered with malice as a slight smirk curved her red lips. “Maria. I assume you know why I’m here?”
Maria canted her head. “I do not. I’ve maintained a peaceful existence since your last visit. I have broken no laws.”
The smirk dropped from Jane’s face. “Of course you haven’t.”
“Then, why are you here?”
Jane’s eyes narrowed. “I can see you’re not going to make this easy, and while I normally would love nothing more than to take my time torturing information from you, today, I am in no mood to waste time. Where is our Prince Consort?”
“Who?” She dropped to her knees as soon as the word left her lips, the pain exploding through her entire being like millions of tiny blades grating on each nerve ending. She shuddered and shook, keeping her lips clamped together for the first few seconds before an agonized scream tore itself from her throat. If she thought screaming would make her feel better, she was sadly mistaken, and before she knew it, she was writhing on the floor in a heap, the nails of her fingers chipping and raking furrows in the floor beside her.
Then, just as suddenly as it began, it ended, and she climbed to her knees, her breath coming in pants as her vampire mind tried to forget the vivid pain.
“Where is our Prince Consort?”
“I don’t…” Again, she collapsed as pain unimaginable washed through her like a tidal wave, ripping growls and screams from her as the venom in her mouth began to gather and foam, bubbling from her lips like the saliva of a rabid dog. Still, she refused to crack, knowing to do so would mean her permanent death. She would endure…she had no other choice, and she hadn’t come this far in life and gained so much to quit now.
Her screams cut off abruptly with the torture, but this time she laid there, her body shaking as she tried to recover herself and move past the vivid ghost of the pain. “Please,” she began to beg, “I know nothing. I haven’t done anything to anyone.” She climbed back to her knees and locked gazes with the blonde guard while wiping her chin. “Why would I want to? I have everything I want. I am comfortable and not stupid enough to risk that by riling the Volturi.”
Jane’s eyes narrowed. “Who has him? Surely you know something—have heard something? You’re his Sire…”
“Jasper was taken from me ages ago, and while I was not happy about it at the time, he was taken by his rightful mate. I got over it and, as you can see, moved on. I may be a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them! Lord Caius is not one to trifle with. I know this! Please…”
Once again, the pain ripped through her and she screeched, twisting and writhing as she fell to the floor, nearly choking on her own blood and venom as her sharp teeth sliced into her tongue, her eyes rolling back as her body bowed into an impossible arch. Her screams turned to gurgles and just when she thought she could take no more, it ended.
A deep frown marred Jane’s brow as she watched the other female slowly get to her knees again. Her head was hanging and shoulders hunched, no longer maintaining the proud bearing she’d had when they’d first arrived. She looked broken, something Jane was very familiar with. Usually, this was the point she would get information if there was any to be had, and the fact that this female was still claiming ignorance vexed her. Still, she was certain, if Maria knew anything, she would have spilled by now, just to escape the pain.
“Please,” Maria rasped as a mixture of blood and venom ran unchecked down her chin, “please Mistress Jane, I know nothing. I would tell you, I swear…”
Jane strode forward, burying a hand in the female’s hair and yanking her head back as she hissed in her face, “Where is he?! Tell me, you whore! Tell me!”
Maria’s face crumpled, her chin quivering as she shook her head. “I…I don’t know!” she wailed, her eyes full of fear. “P—please! I don’t know!”
Jane scoffed and shoved the sniveling female onto the floor, hitting her with her gift one more time, just to be sure. The gurgles and screams seemed to go on and on this time, her determination to be sure causing her to make this last effort the longest yet.
When it was obvious further torture would be fruitless, she ended it, curling her lip at the sobbing, slavering mess the vampire was reduced to. “You still know nothing?”
“I know nothing…” the female whimpered. “Please Mistress, no more…”
With a scoff of disgust, Jane gestured to the door, causing her contingent to file out soundlessly. At the door, she turned to the crumpled mess she’d reduced the proud female to. “You’d better pray we find him soon. I’m certain you don’t want Lord Caius to visit.”
“No Mistress, I don’t. But I swear on all the gods, I know nothing. It would do him no good if he did.” She met the gaze of the blonde who sneered.
“If I find out you’ve somehow bested me this day, you should know it will mean your end.”
“Yes…I do know,” she whispered as the blonde swept out. And she did. She knew it as she knew her own name and that was why, as soon as she arranged things, she would run far and fast.
As soon as she heard the door close downstairs, she snarled and spat a mouthful of blood and venom on the floor before picking herself up. She’d never been brought so low and if she had her way, never would be again.
With rage-blackened eyes, she began to pace, her mind racing as she planned her escape. The only snag in all of this was Alice as the female still counted on her to keep Jasper in line. And if there was one thing Maria knew, it was that her progeny had a stubborn streak a mile wide to match his equally rebellious streak.
No, she knew her Major and knew he wouldn’t be kept down for long—not without something drastic to keep him in line…
And if he wasn’t kept in line, everything—absolutely everything—would unravel and they would all die…painfully.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Carlisle sighed and rubbed his eyes with a thumb and forefinger, a very human response to stress, and ingrained after so many decades of mimicry of the beings he’d chosen to surround himself with.
He’d just hung up from speaking with Eleazar…a very concerned Eleazar, especially so after he’d shared with his old friend just what group’s pendant his newest ‘son’ wore. It’d been a tough go, getting his friend to agree to sit on the information and not contact the Volturi immediately, but he’d managed…for now.
Picking up his phone, he scrolled through and sent a text to his petite daughter. ‘I need to speak to you. My study. Now please.’
A light knock sounded at his door and he chuckled at the efficiency of her gift as he rose to let her in. Calling out for her to enter would do no good, since he’d gone to extra measures to soundproof this room. As leader, he sometimes had to discuss private matters with his family members, and it was nice to be able to afford them the luxury of privacy. “Come in, please. Have a seat,” he said while closing and locking the door.
She did so, her eyes wide as she watched him take his seat behind the desk. He folded his hands atop the desk and regarded her calmly. “I suppose you’ve seen this conversation?”
She nodded. “Well, yes, but please, proceed. It’s a little strange not to.”
He chuckled. “I agree. All right then, Jasper. He wears a Volturi pendant, and tells me he can’t share any more information about it, or them, than that.” He leaned forward. “What can you tell me about all that, Alice? And make no mistake, this is a very serious matter.”
Her eyes went even wider. “Oh, I know, Dad, but please believe me when I say, it’s not as serious as you think! He was just a guard with them, but he was suffering there with them and Maria knew it, so she got him out of there.”
His brow furrowed. “Suffering?”
Her expression didn’t waver from wide-eyed pity as she nodded. “Yeah Dad, remember, he’s an empath, so every time he had to drain a human, he would feel their emotions and after so long, he was falling into a terrible depression. Maria was afraid he would try something drastic if she didn’t get him outta there, so she did, and I…I agreed to protect him, here…with you all.” She dropped her head, staring at her hands as she wrung them in her lap, and Carlisle sighed.
“While what you say is quite plausible, Alice, it doesn’t explain his apparent reluctance to be here.” He caught her gaze as she looked up and nodded.
“That’s true, and it’s a bit difficult to explain. From what Maria tells me, he’s quite proud and stubborn and was unwilling to admit to his weakness, so she removed him from a bad situation against his will.” His eyes narrowed and she sat forward, placing her hands on the desk as she pleaded. “He just needs time, Dad, please? He’s so used to the brutal day to day of the Volturi…” she trailed as Carlisle rubbed his brow. She knew she had him doubting though, so she went in for the kill. “And think about it, Dad, if Jasper was all that important to them, don’t you think Demetri would’ve been knocking on our door by now?”
“Have you seen anything?”
She shook her head. “Not a thing. You know I would tell you if I had.”
He stared out the window for a moment before slowly nodding. “What you say about Demetri is true. He’d find him in an instant were he that important to them…” He looked back at Alice. “All right, Alice. I’m going to take the cautious approach in this situation. We’ll wait and see. In the meantime, we’ll still do all we can to integrate him into our family.”
Alice bounced and clapped, smiling widely. “Thanks, Dad! You won’t regret it!”
He chuckled. “We’ll see,” he said dryly, as she hugged him and zipped from the room. He was still shaking his head at her antics when Esme let herself in, taking a seat on the sofa. Rising from his seat, he crossed the room, kissed her cheek and joined her.
“What brings you to see me, my lovely wife?”
She cocked a brow as he grinned and kissed her hand. “Do I need a reason, other than I want to see you?”
“Of course not,” he denied, smirking as she bit her lip. She always did that when she needed or wanted to talk about something, so he waited while managing to keep the grin from his face.
She glanced askance and finally caved. “Fine, I did want to talk to you…”
He gusted a laugh and she playfully slapped his shoulder. “Quiet, you.”
He leaned in and kissed her softly, their heads resting together as he murmured, “You know you can always talk to me about anything at anytime, right?”
She returned the soft kiss and nodded. “I do know that.”
“Good,” he murmured with a smile. “Now, what is it?” He drew back and placed an arm around her, pulling her close. “You’ve got me curious.”
She rested her head on his shoulder and shrugged. “It’s Jasper…”
He chuckled and she glanced at him. “Why is that funny?”
“I’m just wondering when Rose will show up to talk about him. He seems to have the full attention of all the women in the family.”
“Well, he’s just so…” She looked at him and he raised a brow. “He’s just so easy to love, Carlisle. Half the time, I have to stop myself from mothering him too much! I know he probably thinks I’m crazy, but I just feel so close to him already.” He nodded and she took that as encouragement. “I look at him and I see…” She ducked her head and Carlisle’s brows rose.
“You see what, love?”
“You’ll think I’m crazy…”
He lifted her chin with a crooked finger. “I would never think that.”
A wan smile was his reward as she continued, her tone soft, almost whimsical. “When I look at him, I see what a son—a biological son—between the two of us might have been. And I…I can’t seem to stop myself from loving him just a little bit more than the others because of it.” She looked up. “Crazy, right?”
His brow creased. “Es, do you ever feel as if he’s…manipulating you…?”
She was shaking her head before he’d finished his question. “No. Absolutely not. I thought of that, I truly did, but Carlisle, most times, he shuts down and shies away from me. There are no feelings flowing from him during those times, and to be honest, it makes my heart ache when he does it. It’s like he knows how I feel and doesn’t want to encourage it.”
“Is he becoming cold toward you?”
“No! Not at all, he’s always sweet and polite, but…lately, he’s been careful and…reserved, like he knows I’m becoming attached and doesn’t want me to for some reason…”
He raised her chin and smiled softly as he searched her eyes. “But it’s too late, isn’t it, love?”
She blinked and smiled. “Yes, it is. I love him, Carlisle. I can’t help it. I just want to gather him close and protect him.” She scoffed a laugh. “How ridiculous is that?”
Carlisle sighed and kissed her temple. “You, my dear, are a natural mother, so it’s not ridiculous at all.”
She hummed and relaxed against him and he carded his fingers through her hair as his thoughts wandered. If he’d been having doubts about what to do, they were certainly gone now. Jasper Whitlock, it seemed, was fated to be a part of his family. After all, his beloved mate loved the young vampire as a mother loves a son, and there was no way he would take that from her—not now that she’d finally found the one thing she’d been missing all these years.
“So, I guess we truly have another son then, Mrs. Cullen,” he murmured after a long moment of silence.
She smiled and snuggled against him. “I certainly hope and pray so. He just needs time, and our love, and we have that in abundance.”
“We do, indeed,” he answered, thinking of the call he needed to make to Eleazar. “We do, indeed.”
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Alice had barely made it out of Carlisle’s study when Edward grabbed her arm. “You’re coming with me.”
Her eyes rolled but she followed him from the house and deep into the woods where they could speak unheard by anyone else. Once they’d stopped, he rounded on her. “What game are you playing here, Alice?”
Her brows inched up and she crossed her arms. “I don’t know what you mean…”
His eyes narrowed. “You know exactly what I mean. You’re keeping secrets—big ones, and I don’t like it one bit. Your supposed mate? I saw Caius Volturi in his thoughts, Alice! Caius Volturi!” He leaned toward her, into her personal space. “Now, why is that?”
She shrugged. “He was a guard for the Volturi. I’m sure he saw all the Kings at one time or another.”
His lip curled. “They were kissing, Alice. I hardly think those are the duties of a guard!”
She burst into laughter and his temper rose as she fought to control it, finally tapering into giggles. “Oh god, he got you good, didn’t he?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She grinned. “He’s obviously messing with you!”
He blinked, his brows drawn down.
“Oh, come on Edward! Really? You really think Jasper…my Jasper is involved in a sexual relationship with Caius Volturi of all people?! Have you heard Carlisle and Eleazar’s stories about Caius Volturi?”
“Of course I have,” he snapped.
She raised her brows and he shook his head. “Okay, so it’s a bit far fetched, but I know what I saw…”
She sighed. “Fine, let’s say what you saw is true… Just how fast do you think Caius Volturi would have their tracker on his lover’s trail, hmm?”
He shrugged. “Perhaps they had a fight?”
“Now you’re grasping at straws…” she said with a sigh.
He pinned her with a look as a vision flashed through her mind, almost too fast for him to catch before she covered it with nonsense. Still, he’d caught enough to raise his suspicions once again. “You’re playing a dangerous game here, Alice and I don’t like it. Esme is already attached to him. I’ve heard her thoughts and she loves him more than any of us because she thinks he looks like what a child between her and Carlisle would look.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “So?”
“So?” he growled as he grabbed her arm. “If this all blows up in your face, guess what? It’s not just you that’ll be hurt now, Alice! Esme genuinely loves him! She’s just shared those feelings with Carlisle and if Esme gets hurt, you can bet Carlisle is going to bring hell down on whoever is responsible—that’ll be you, dear sister!” He paced away, running a hand through his hair as he muttered, “I should really tell Carlisle all this…he should call the Volturi…”
She hissed and grabbed his arm. “You do that, and everything falls apart, you hear me?! Everything! That includes your precious Esme’s dreams of motherhood! So I suggest you keep your misgivings to yourself, dear brother, if you want our family to go on peacefully, as it has.”
He growled. “I should end this right now.”
Her eyes glazed for a moment and she smiled. “But you won’t.”
He sighed and looked away. “No,” he murmured, “I won’t, because, unlike you, I actually care about Carlisle and Esme and their happiness.” He glared at his ‘sister’. “This is the happiest I’ve ever seen Esme in all the years she’s been with us and I won’t take that away from her, even if it means going along with your fucked up agenda.”
“My fucked up agenda,” she drew out with a sigh. “Edward, he really was just a guard, okay? And I really do think he showed you that to mess with you. You have to admit, the lack of the Volturi tracker knocking at the door supports my theory better than it does yours, right?”
He pursed his lips for a beat before nodding. “Yes, it does, plus he’s already shown a penchant for screwing with me…”
She tossed a hand. “Thank you! Yes, you see? He’s definitely not above fucking around with people’s heads and emotions…”
He blew out a heavy breath. “Fine, Alice, you win…this time. But I’m gonna be watching, and that goes for both of you.”
“Fine, Edward, whatever makes you feel better. Like I’ve done all these sinister things all these years I’ve been with you…”
He had the decency to look contrite. “No, you haven’t. It’s just…his presence. It’s going to take quite a bit of getting used to…”
She giggled. “Not to mention he’s taken your spot as Esme’s favorite.”
“Whatever…” he muttered, flipping her the bird before taking off back to the house.
Only then, did Alice allow herself a smirk. It had been a close thing, but she’d managed. Now just one more major event to go, and things should be smooth sailing from here on out.
With a spring in her step, she made her way back to the house. She had an escape to head off and a guest to greet very soon after.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Jasper breathed deeply, trying to center himself as he gathered the will to do what he needed to do.
Alice and Edward were out of the house, and he didn’t know for how long. Carlisle had just left for work and Esme, Rose and Emmett were all upstairs doing their own things…
Point was, the timing was perfect. If he didn’t act now, he didn’t know when he’d have another chance or the will to follow through, so with that last thought, he opened the garage door and slipped inside.
Without turning on the lights, he made his way over to the key box on the wall, but just as he reached to open it, the door opened and the lights flickered on. He spun, a low growl of warning vibrating his chest.
His jaw clenched as Alice sauntered toward him, a frown on her face as she stared up at him. “Going somewhere, Jazz?”
He felt sadness from her and was puzzled by it, as she usually felt pretty smug with herself when she confronted him. “No, I just wanted to see that classic Nova Esme was telling me about.”
“Hmm,” Alice muttered as she nodded with a frown. “Well, you see, I saw exactly what you were going to do.” She met his gaze, still with that same sadness rolling off her. “And I’m sorry Jazzy, but I just can’t let you do it. You belong here, with me, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner we can get on with our happy eternity—you, me, and the whole family.” She ran a hand down his chest and he cringed at her touch. “Don’t you want that? A happy life?”
His anger spiked. “I had a happy life,” he snapped, “and you took it from me!”
She shook her head. “You just don’t know what’s best for you. You could have it so good here, but you fight it…” She smiled at him then, that sadness still rolling off her. “But something tells me, after today, you won’t fight nearly as much.” With that, she turned to head back into the house, but before entering, she paused. “Oh, by the way? All the keys are gone and just for good measure, you’ll find certain wires missing on the remaining cars too. See you inside.”
With a hiss, he turned and checked the key box, finding it completely empty, just as she said. Leaning his head against it, he thumped his clenched fist against the wall, seeing his time here grow ever longer and darker. Every escape route he could think of had vanished due to her insidious gift and the iron will of his Sire conspiring against him.
“Fuck…” he whispered, his voice echoing in the cold, cavernous space of the garage.
His head rose when the sounds of an approaching vehicle snapped him from his little pity party, and, curiosity getting the better of him, he made his way inside to see just who it was.
Once inside, it didn’t take him long to pick up on a very familiar emotional signature coming from the vehicle and he hissed, his head whipping over to stare at the seer as she stared back, that sadness still rolling off her in waves. “I didn’t want to have to do it, Jazz, but you left me no choice.”
“No choice,” he sneered before getting in her space. “I swear to every god known to man, you’ll pay for this. Someday, you’ll pay for this, when I tear you apart with my bare fucking hands.”
“Jazzy, please, try to understand…” she pleaded and he snarled, his fists clenched at his sides.
“Understand?! What I understand is that you’ve just brought down hell on me, and I won’t ever forgive that!” he hissed quietly.
The doorbell rang and Esme stepped from Carlisle’s study and glided down the stairs to answer it, a smile on her face as she took in their visitor. “Oh, Maria! Have you come to visit Jasper?”
Maria smiled. “Yes, I have. I’m going to be traveling for a while, so I thought I’d come see him before I leave.” She gestured to her companion. “This is Rico. He’ll be joining me, if that’s okay?”
Esme stepped aside to let them in. “Of course. Let me just get Jasper.”
Alice walked into the foyer then, heading Esme off. “Mom, I’ll show them in so you can go back to working on the plans for the Forks house.”
She smiled brightly. “That would be lovely, dear.” She turned to their guests. “I was at a crucial point. You don’t mind, do you?”
Maria waved her off. “Not at all. Please, don’t let us interrupt your work.”
Esme turned to Alice. “I’ll be in Carlisle’s study if you need me.”
“We’ll be fine, Mom.”
They waited until they heard the study door close, then Alice led them into the living room where Jasper was standing, gazing out a window, his whole body tense. “Is there a place where I may speak to him…privately, Alice?” Maria began without preamble.
“Yes, I thought the basement would be appropriate.”
“Good. Lead on, as I’ve no time to waste. Major, follow me.”
She began following Alice, but when Jasper hesitated, she turned to him, her eyes narrowing. “Now, Major.”
“Yes, Mistress,” he rasped past his clenched jaw and the lump in his throat. He knew, based on the malevolence and determination coming off his Sire, this was going to be bad. Those feelings were only compounded by the anticipation he felt coming from her lackey, Rico, who was now leering at him as they walked.
With a growl, he threw a wave of fear at the lackey, watching in satisfaction as the leer was replaced by widened eyes and a quickened step.
After descending into the basement, he looked around at the sparse space. It was bare concrete with only a couple of work tables occupying the space, all of it lit by two quietly buzzing overhead fluorescent light fixtures.
After setting her large shoulder bag on one of the tables, Maria turned to Alice. “Thank you Miss Brandon, that will be all.”
Alice seemed to study the other female for a moment before nodding. “Nothing permanent, Maria, I mean it.”
Maria sneered. “I will do what I have to. This is my ass on the line too. Don’t forget that.”
“Fine,” Alice snapped before turning and zipping up the stairs. Jasper nearly flinched when the heavy door closed with a click. It might as well have been as loud as a gunshot with the dreaded finality it brought.
“Well, Major,” Maria drawled as she circled him, one red fingernail trailing over his lips and cheek, “I warned you, did I not? And now, here we are, all because you could not follow orders.”
Into the middle distance he stared, his body taught as the string of a drawn bow, his emotions under lockdown. He couldn’t afford to lose the scant amount of control he had, especially in her presence and that of her leering lackey. She slapped him for his efforts. “I’m speaking to you, Major. You will look at me when I speak to you.”
His eyes darted to meet hers. “Yes, Mistress,” he droned. She grinned.
“You know,” she continued while popping each button on his shirt, “I had to endure quite a bit of torture myself just two days ago, and all because of you,” she said, yanking the shirt from his body in shreds.
Hope bloomed in his chest and she smiled viciously. “Yes, Major, I feel your excitement at that, but you’ll be disappointed to know the little blonde bitch got nothing from me,” she snarled as her pointed nails swiped weeping furrows into his chest.
He hissed but remained unmoved, thanking god that he’d had the foresight to remove his pendant and tuck it away in his room just the day before.
She smiled. “You’re quite resilient yourself, aren’t you, my Major?”
He watched her without comment even as his trepidation rose.
“Yes,” she mused. “I seem to recall the only punishment that ever really affected you was of the…” she reached down and palmed his flaccid cock, “sexual kind.”
He shifted with a grunt, his fear and desperation spiking and she grinned. “Seems some things never change.” She backed away, her chin tilting arrogantly. “Strip, Major.”
He hung his head, hands clenched at his sides. “Mistress, please…”
She hissed a laugh. “A little early to beg, isn’t it Jasper?”
“No Mistress, please, I swear to follow orders…”
She grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head up, hissing in his face, “Too late for that! I warned you and you chose to rebel. Now, strip!”
He met her eyes, his own filled with desperation and fear as he fought the overwhelming compulsion to submit. “Please, Mistress…don’t do this…I…I swear, you’ll never have to correct me again…just please, not this…”
With a growl, she struck, sinking her teeth into the Sire mark on his neck, the pain of it bringing him to his knees as she pumped streams of venom into the bite. Ripping her fangs from the ragged, weeping bite, she snarled, “You will do as you’re told! Now strip!”
With unsteady hands, he reached down and unfastened his jeans before rising to his feet to remove them. He tossed them on the table and looked at her as she raised a brow. “All of it, Jasper.”
Her lackey chuckled and Jasper clenched his eyes shut while removing everything else until he stood there, completely bare before them. “Well,” she purred, her hand running over his body as she circled him again, “that wasn’t so hard, now was it?” He shuddered and she chuckled along with Rico, the lackey. “Speaking of something else that isn’t hard…” He grunted as she grabbed his soft cock, stroking it a few times before letting go with a frown. “Now, that just won’t do, will it, Rico? How am I supposed to do anything with that?” She tapped her chin and Jasper’s fear climbed as she smirked and looked at her companion. “You know, I do recall you having a certain preference, Jasper. Perhaps Rico would be more to your liking? What do you think, Rico?”
The male chuckled. “He is very pretty, Mistress. I would not mind sinking my cock into that.”
Jasper sank to his knees, his head rising to stare up at his Sire. “Please, Mistress, not this…”
She sneered. “You spent years with the Volturi. I’m sure you’re well used by now…”
“No Mistress! I’ve…only ever been touched by my mate!” He dropped his head. “Please Mistress, I’ll never defy you again…”
She leaned down and carded her fingers through his curls while whispering in his ear, “There’s only one problem with that, Jasper… I don’t believe you.” Tightening her grip on his hair, she yanked him up and shoved him face first over the table, pinning him there as he struggled. “Be still!” she snarled, ending his protests as he lost control over his gift, blanketing the room in absolute fear.
“Rico,” she beckoned, and Jasper bucked, earning a slap from his Sire. “You will be still and silent!”
“Please, Mistress…please…” he whispered. “Caius…oh god, how will I face you…?” he whimpered as he felt hands on him from behind. Slowly, they roved over his shoulders and back, seeming to take forever to descend to his hips. Then he felt one hand caress his ass and a low cry escaped his lips as a single digit trailed the crack of his ass.
“Use this,” Maria said, her tone clinical, cold as Jasper heard the snap of a bottle opening. “The seer said no permanent damage…”
“Yes Mistress,” the lackey answered and seconds later, Jasper died a little inside as a finger slid into him.
“Please, Mistress, if you ever cared for me at all, please stop, because I swear…” he choked out as that foreign finger glided in and out, “…I swear on all that I am, if this happens, I’ll walk into a pyre.”
“And what of your mate?” she sneered.
His heart felt shattered in his chest as he answered, his tone broken, resigned. “I’d be useless to him…worse than dead, if this happens.”
He grunted as another finger was added.
“You swear to obey my orders? No defiance?”
“Yes, Mistress,” he answered, his cheek pressed against the cold table top and his tone flat…utterly detached, matching the dead look that now reflected in his eyes.
Maria saw all of this and smiled.
Now satisfied with her efforts at breaking his will, she nodded to Rico who withdrew his fingers and wiped them on the remnants of Jasper’s shirt.
“My work is done here.” She patted Jasper’s cheek as he stood, staring into nothing. “Don’t make me come back.”
“No, Mistress,” he droned and she chuckled as she slung her bag over her shoulder, climbed the stairs and left.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Esme looked up with a smile as the study door opened to her mate who returned it with a kiss to her cheek before setting his bag beside his desk. “Hello, love, how was your day?”
“Productive,” she said with a gesture to the finished renovation plans spread across her drafting table.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips. “I missed you.”
“Hmm, and I always miss you.”
He grinned. “Good to hear, but then, you’re always good for my ego.”
She scoffed a laugh. “Doesn’t your ego get enough stroking from all the women at the hospital?”
He nipped her neck and murmured, “But none of them compare to you, my love.”
“Charmer,” she breathed, tipping her head back as he lightly sucked his mark on her neck. “Keep that up and we won’t leave this room for a while.”
He chuckled. “And that would be bad, why?”
She drew back and ran her fingers through his hair. “Well, Jasper’s Sire came to see him earlier and I haven’t spoken to him since. I only got a glimpse of him as I came back up here, but he seemed a bit…tense when Maria arrived. I wanted to make sure everything was all right after the visit.”
With a groan, he dropped his head onto her shoulder and she laughed. “Come on, Doc,” she coaxed, “I just wanna make sure he’s fine and then you and I,” she drawled, placing a kiss on his neck, “will have the rest of the night to pick up where we left off.”
He took her hand and turned toward the door. “Fine, but after this, no more interruptions.”
“Yes, dear,” she said with a smirk as they walked into the hall and down the stairs.
There, they found Alice in the living room, flipping through a magazine. “Sweetheart,” Esme began, “have you seen Jasper recently? I wanted to see how his visit went.”
Alice stifled her momentary panic and smiled. “No, I haven’t seen him. Maria wanted to speak to him privately, so I showed them to the basement since you were in Dad’s study.”
Esme exchanged a frown with Carlisle. “The basement? That’s hardly a place I would entertain guests, Alice. It’s horrid down there. What were you thinking?”
Alice’s eyes widened. “Well, she said private, Mom, and aside from Dad’s study, it’s the most soundproof room we have.”
“That may be true, Alice,” Carlisle said with a deep frown, “but it’s hardly fit for socializing. Please keep that in mind in the future. Surely they could have stayed right here in the living room while you excused yourself.”
“I’m sorry, Dad. You’re right.”
With a look at his mate, he sighed. “Well, what’s done is done, Alice. Where is he now? Your mother and I would like to speak with him.”
The younger vampire shrugged. “I haven’t seen him since.”
Carlisle’s brows inched up. “You mean he hasn’t come out of the basement?”
“I don’t think so, but you know how he is—always wanting alone time,” she said while making air quotes. “So, I didn’t really question it.”
“Did you see his Sire leave, at least?” Carlisle questioned and she nodded.
“Oh yes, she and her companion left about thirty minutes after they arrived,” she commented as she flipped a page in her magazine. “They didn’t stay very long at all.”
“Companion?” he questioned and Esme nodded.
“Yes, she showed up with a male companion. She said she planned on traveling for a bit and wanted to see Jasper before leaving.”
Carlisle’s frown deepened. “You did’t see anything happen concerning this visit, did you Alice?”
She looked up, her eyes a bit wide. “No, Dad, not at all. Why?”
“No reason, sweetheart,” he said while tugging Esme’s hand. “We’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay,” Alice said with a wave as they left the room.
“Carlisle, what is it?” Esme asked as they headed to the basement entrance.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I don’t have a good feeling about any of this,” he said as he eased open the basement door. The lights were still on, so they took the stairs down at a human pace.
“Jasper?” Esme called out when they’d reached the bottom. “Honey, are you in here?”
A low hiss came from a darkened corner and their brows creased at the sight of him. He was curled there, his head tucked against his jean-clad knees with his arms wrapped around them.
He peeked up then, his black eyes narrowing on them as he hissed again. “Jasper, son, are you all right?” Carlisle asked while taking a slow step forward.
Jasper’s reaction was immediate. He growled loudly and backed away as far as he could, his feet now under him as his gaze darted around the room, looking for an escape.
Carlisle raised both hands. “It’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you.”
He took another step and Jasper raised himself into a full crouch, his lip pulling back to expose his fangs.
Esme grabbed Carlisle’s arm. “Wait…let me.”
The look he shot her was incredulous, but she shook her head. “He won’t hurt me. I know it. He’s just,” she looked back at him, crouched there in the corner, “he’s upset over something, and I think I can get through to him.” She looked back at Carlisle. “At least let me try?”
Closing his eyes for a beat, he looked at her and nodded. “All right, but if he makes a move to attack, I’m stepping in and I’ll do what I have to to protect you.”
She nodded and stepped around him, going immediately to her hands and knees as she slowly approached Jasper. When she was about four feet away, she paused and held out a hand. “Jasper, come here, honey. I only want to help.” He canted his head to the side and she stretched a little farther. “I promise, honey. I won’t hurt you.”
With a sob, he launched himself at her, allowing her to wrap her arms around him and rock as he tucked his face into her shoulder. He made no other sounds, but his body trembled as she held him. “What happened, sweetheart? What happened to you?”
He shook his head and stayed silent as she carded her fingers through his hair. “All right. You don’t have to talk. It’s okay. We’ll just be here, okay?”
He nodded and she cast a glance at Carlisle who watched with growing concern before glancing around the room.
“Oh god in heaven,” he whispered as his gaze caught the lube coated remnant of shirt with the opened bottle of lube next to it. He looked back at the young vampire his wife comforted, the pieces all falling together in his mind and his fists clenched at the brutality of it all.
For thirty minutes, they hadn’t protected him and this had happened… “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his gaze locked on the young empath before flitting to meet his wife’s.
“I’m going to…” he gestured up the stairs and she nodded.
“I’ll find you later,” she said as Jasper’s hands tightened their hold on her shirt.
“Take your time, love. He needs you.”
With sorrow in her eyes, she nodded and cupped the back of Jasper’s head, still gently rocking. “I know,” was all she said. “I know…”
“Mistress, a Volturi guard contingent just pulled up outside the gates. Shall we prepare to fight?”
Maria’s head snapped up from the documents she’d been signing to eye the guard standing at attention in front of her massive, ornate desk. With one hand, she closed her laptop as she leaned back in her seat.
This wasn’t good. She had hoped, by keeping a rather low profile all these years, the Volturi would ignore her, but of course, their memory was long. She supposed she should’ve anticipated this visit upon the disappearance of Caius’s mate. She was his sire, after all. It was only logical to look here first. She also knew if she tried to run now, it would only serve to solidify her guilt in their minds.
“Fight only if they attack first, otherwise escort them in.”
He bowed. “Yes, Mistress.”
He walked out and closed the door and she opened her laptop, immediately opening her security monitoring program to watch the camera feeds. It was dark, but the cameras were equipped with a night vision feature so she was still able to see what was going on. With a growl, she watched as they jumped the fences and began taking out her guards with practiced efficiency.
“Damn,” she muttered, knowing this wasn’t going to be a pleasant meeting for her, especially when she spotted the infamous Jane standing calmly to the side.
With gritted teeth, she prepared herself for what she knew would be a very unpleasant interrogation. She knew it would be painful, but she also knew she could not crack.
If she admitted to anything, she knew it would be the end of her. However, if she lasted through Jane’s questioning, she would disappear. She knew she had to, because if Caius Volturi got his hands on her, he would end her just on principle. She was Jasper’s sire, after all, and therefore had power over him.
In all honesty, she’d been shocked he’d left her alive all those years ago, but then, it had all been so new and unexpected, the platinum King probably hadn’t been thinking in those terms. He’d been too focused on getting his beautiful new mate back to his home, and that mistake had benefitted her greatly.
Caius Volturi was not stupid though. She would never make the mistake of thinking such a thing. Out of the three brothers, he was probably the most cunning. She knew there was no way he’d make that same mistake again and could only hope that Jane’s only purpose here today was to seek information. If so, she would persevere through whatever the sadistic blonde meted out, keeping her silence, even if she had to bite off her own tongue to do it. Then, when they left, she would make sure they’d never find her again by cutting all ties, even those with Alice Cullen…especially those with Alice Cullen.
The door opened and she growled at the frantic guard who bowed. “My apologies, Mistress, but all the perimeter guards have been destroyed. Should I still escort the Volturi in?”
“I believe those were my orders, Rico.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
He vanished from her office and she watched on the monitors as he approached Jane with his hands up. They seemed to speak for a moment before turning and heading into the house.
Seconds later, she heard them approach and she took a bracing breath before rising from her seat as the door opened. “Mistress, Jane of the Volturi is here to see you.”
“Show her in, Rico, then you’re dismissed.”
Jane strolled in a second later, reaching up to draw back the hood of her cloak as several other Volturi guards assembled themselves behind her. Her red eyes glittered with malice as a slight smirk curved her red lips. “Maria. I assume you know why I’m here?”
Maria canted her head. “I do not. I’ve maintained a peaceful existence since your last visit. I have broken no laws.”
The smirk dropped from Jane’s face. “Of course you haven’t.”
“Then, why are you here?”
Jane’s eyes narrowed. “I can see you’re not going to make this easy, and while I normally would love nothing more than to take my time torturing information from you, today, I am in no mood to waste time. Where is our Prince Consort?”
“Who?” She dropped to her knees as soon as the word left her lips, the pain exploding through her entire being like millions of tiny blades grating on each nerve ending. She shuddered and shook, keeping her lips clamped together for the first few seconds before an agonized scream tore itself from her throat. If she thought screaming would make her feel better, she was sadly mistaken, and before she knew it, she was writhing on the floor in a heap, the nails of her fingers chipping and raking furrows in the floor beside her.
Then, just as suddenly as it began, it ended, and she climbed to her knees, her breath coming in pants as her vampire mind tried to forget the vivid pain.
“Where is our Prince Consort?”
“I don’t…” Again, she collapsed as pain unimaginable washed through her like a tidal wave, ripping growls and screams from her as the venom in her mouth began to gather and foam, bubbling from her lips like the saliva of a rabid dog. Still, she refused to crack, knowing to do so would mean her permanent death. She would endure…she had no other choice, and she hadn’t come this far in life and gained so much to quit now.
Her screams cut off abruptly with the torture, but this time she laid there, her body shaking as she tried to recover herself and move past the vivid ghost of the pain. “Please,” she began to beg, “I know nothing. I haven’t done anything to anyone.” She climbed back to her knees and locked gazes with the blonde guard while wiping her chin. “Why would I want to? I have everything I want. I am comfortable and not stupid enough to risk that by riling the Volturi.”
Jane’s eyes narrowed. “Who has him? Surely you know something—have heard something? You’re his Sire…”
“Jasper was taken from me ages ago, and while I was not happy about it at the time, he was taken by his rightful mate. I got over it and, as you can see, moved on. I may be a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them! Lord Caius is not one to trifle with. I know this! Please…”
Once again, the pain ripped through her and she screeched, twisting and writhing as she fell to the floor, nearly choking on her own blood and venom as her sharp teeth sliced into her tongue, her eyes rolling back as her body bowed into an impossible arch. Her screams turned to gurgles and just when she thought she could take no more, it ended.
A deep frown marred Jane’s brow as she watched the other female slowly get to her knees again. Her head was hanging and shoulders hunched, no longer maintaining the proud bearing she’d had when they’d first arrived. She looked broken, something Jane was very familiar with. Usually, this was the point she would get information if there was any to be had, and the fact that this female was still claiming ignorance vexed her. Still, she was certain, if Maria knew anything, she would have spilled by now, just to escape the pain.
“Please,” Maria rasped as a mixture of blood and venom ran unchecked down her chin, “please Mistress Jane, I know nothing. I would tell you, I swear…”
Jane strode forward, burying a hand in the female’s hair and yanking her head back as she hissed in her face, “Where is he?! Tell me, you whore! Tell me!”
Maria’s face crumpled, her chin quivering as she shook her head. “I…I don’t know!” she wailed, her eyes full of fear. “P—please! I don’t know!”
Jane scoffed and shoved the sniveling female onto the floor, hitting her with her gift one more time, just to be sure. The gurgles and screams seemed to go on and on this time, her determination to be sure causing her to make this last effort the longest yet.
When it was obvious further torture would be fruitless, she ended it, curling her lip at the sobbing, slavering mess the vampire was reduced to. “You still know nothing?”
“I know nothing…” the female whimpered. “Please Mistress, no more…”
With a scoff of disgust, Jane gestured to the door, causing her contingent to file out soundlessly. At the door, she turned to the crumpled mess she’d reduced the proud female to. “You’d better pray we find him soon. I’m certain you don’t want Lord Caius to visit.”
“No Mistress, I don’t. But I swear on all the gods, I know nothing. It would do him no good if he did.” She met the gaze of the blonde who sneered.
“If I find out you’ve somehow bested me this day, you should know it will mean your end.”
“Yes…I do know,” she whispered as the blonde swept out. And she did. She knew it as she knew her own name and that was why, as soon as she arranged things, she would run far and fast.
As soon as she heard the door close downstairs, she snarled and spat a mouthful of blood and venom on the floor before picking herself up. She’d never been brought so low and if she had her way, never would be again.
With rage-blackened eyes, she began to pace, her mind racing as she planned her escape. The only snag in all of this was Alice as the female still counted on her to keep Jasper in line. And if there was one thing Maria knew, it was that her progeny had a stubborn streak a mile wide to match his equally rebellious streak.
No, she knew her Major and knew he wouldn’t be kept down for long—not without something drastic to keep him in line…
And if he wasn’t kept in line, everything—absolutely everything—would unravel and they would all die…painfully.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Carlisle sighed and rubbed his eyes with a thumb and forefinger, a very human response to stress, and ingrained after so many decades of mimicry of the beings he’d chosen to surround himself with.
He’d just hung up from speaking with Eleazar…a very concerned Eleazar, especially so after he’d shared with his old friend just what group’s pendant his newest ‘son’ wore. It’d been a tough go, getting his friend to agree to sit on the information and not contact the Volturi immediately, but he’d managed…for now.
Picking up his phone, he scrolled through and sent a text to his petite daughter. ‘I need to speak to you. My study. Now please.’
A light knock sounded at his door and he chuckled at the efficiency of her gift as he rose to let her in. Calling out for her to enter would do no good, since he’d gone to extra measures to soundproof this room. As leader, he sometimes had to discuss private matters with his family members, and it was nice to be able to afford them the luxury of privacy. “Come in, please. Have a seat,” he said while closing and locking the door.
She did so, her eyes wide as she watched him take his seat behind the desk. He folded his hands atop the desk and regarded her calmly. “I suppose you’ve seen this conversation?”
She nodded. “Well, yes, but please, proceed. It’s a little strange not to.”
He chuckled. “I agree. All right then, Jasper. He wears a Volturi pendant, and tells me he can’t share any more information about it, or them, than that.” He leaned forward. “What can you tell me about all that, Alice? And make no mistake, this is a very serious matter.”
Her eyes went even wider. “Oh, I know, Dad, but please believe me when I say, it’s not as serious as you think! He was just a guard with them, but he was suffering there with them and Maria knew it, so she got him out of there.”
His brow furrowed. “Suffering?”
Her expression didn’t waver from wide-eyed pity as she nodded. “Yeah Dad, remember, he’s an empath, so every time he had to drain a human, he would feel their emotions and after so long, he was falling into a terrible depression. Maria was afraid he would try something drastic if she didn’t get him outta there, so she did, and I…I agreed to protect him, here…with you all.” She dropped her head, staring at her hands as she wrung them in her lap, and Carlisle sighed.
“While what you say is quite plausible, Alice, it doesn’t explain his apparent reluctance to be here.” He caught her gaze as she looked up and nodded.
“That’s true, and it’s a bit difficult to explain. From what Maria tells me, he’s quite proud and stubborn and was unwilling to admit to his weakness, so she removed him from a bad situation against his will.” His eyes narrowed and she sat forward, placing her hands on the desk as she pleaded. “He just needs time, Dad, please? He’s so used to the brutal day to day of the Volturi…” she trailed as Carlisle rubbed his brow. She knew she had him doubting though, so she went in for the kill. “And think about it, Dad, if Jasper was all that important to them, don’t you think Demetri would’ve been knocking on our door by now?”
“Have you seen anything?”
She shook her head. “Not a thing. You know I would tell you if I had.”
He stared out the window for a moment before slowly nodding. “What you say about Demetri is true. He’d find him in an instant were he that important to them…” He looked back at Alice. “All right, Alice. I’m going to take the cautious approach in this situation. We’ll wait and see. In the meantime, we’ll still do all we can to integrate him into our family.”
Alice bounced and clapped, smiling widely. “Thanks, Dad! You won’t regret it!”
He chuckled. “We’ll see,” he said dryly, as she hugged him and zipped from the room. He was still shaking his head at her antics when Esme let herself in, taking a seat on the sofa. Rising from his seat, he crossed the room, kissed her cheek and joined her.
“What brings you to see me, my lovely wife?”
She cocked a brow as he grinned and kissed her hand. “Do I need a reason, other than I want to see you?”
“Of course not,” he denied, smirking as she bit her lip. She always did that when she needed or wanted to talk about something, so he waited while managing to keep the grin from his face.
She glanced askance and finally caved. “Fine, I did want to talk to you…”
He gusted a laugh and she playfully slapped his shoulder. “Quiet, you.”
He leaned in and kissed her softly, their heads resting together as he murmured, “You know you can always talk to me about anything at anytime, right?”
She returned the soft kiss and nodded. “I do know that.”
“Good,” he murmured with a smile. “Now, what is it?” He drew back and placed an arm around her, pulling her close. “You’ve got me curious.”
She rested her head on his shoulder and shrugged. “It’s Jasper…”
He chuckled and she glanced at him. “Why is that funny?”
“I’m just wondering when Rose will show up to talk about him. He seems to have the full attention of all the women in the family.”
“Well, he’s just so…” She looked at him and he raised a brow. “He’s just so easy to love, Carlisle. Half the time, I have to stop myself from mothering him too much! I know he probably thinks I’m crazy, but I just feel so close to him already.” He nodded and she took that as encouragement. “I look at him and I see…” She ducked her head and Carlisle’s brows rose.
“You see what, love?”
“You’ll think I’m crazy…”
He lifted her chin with a crooked finger. “I would never think that.”
A wan smile was his reward as she continued, her tone soft, almost whimsical. “When I look at him, I see what a son—a biological son—between the two of us might have been. And I…I can’t seem to stop myself from loving him just a little bit more than the others because of it.” She looked up. “Crazy, right?”
His brow creased. “Es, do you ever feel as if he’s…manipulating you…?”
She was shaking her head before he’d finished his question. “No. Absolutely not. I thought of that, I truly did, but Carlisle, most times, he shuts down and shies away from me. There are no feelings flowing from him during those times, and to be honest, it makes my heart ache when he does it. It’s like he knows how I feel and doesn’t want to encourage it.”
“Is he becoming cold toward you?”
“No! Not at all, he’s always sweet and polite, but…lately, he’s been careful and…reserved, like he knows I’m becoming attached and doesn’t want me to for some reason…”
He raised her chin and smiled softly as he searched her eyes. “But it’s too late, isn’t it, love?”
She blinked and smiled. “Yes, it is. I love him, Carlisle. I can’t help it. I just want to gather him close and protect him.” She scoffed a laugh. “How ridiculous is that?”
Carlisle sighed and kissed her temple. “You, my dear, are a natural mother, so it’s not ridiculous at all.”
She hummed and relaxed against him and he carded his fingers through her hair as his thoughts wandered. If he’d been having doubts about what to do, they were certainly gone now. Jasper Whitlock, it seemed, was fated to be a part of his family. After all, his beloved mate loved the young vampire as a mother loves a son, and there was no way he would take that from her—not now that she’d finally found the one thing she’d been missing all these years.
“So, I guess we truly have another son then, Mrs. Cullen,” he murmured after a long moment of silence.
She smiled and snuggled against him. “I certainly hope and pray so. He just needs time, and our love, and we have that in abundance.”
“We do, indeed,” he answered, thinking of the call he needed to make to Eleazar. “We do, indeed.”
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Alice had barely made it out of Carlisle’s study when Edward grabbed her arm. “You’re coming with me.”
Her eyes rolled but she followed him from the house and deep into the woods where they could speak unheard by anyone else. Once they’d stopped, he rounded on her. “What game are you playing here, Alice?”
Her brows inched up and she crossed her arms. “I don’t know what you mean…”
His eyes narrowed. “You know exactly what I mean. You’re keeping secrets—big ones, and I don’t like it one bit. Your supposed mate? I saw Caius Volturi in his thoughts, Alice! Caius Volturi!” He leaned toward her, into her personal space. “Now, why is that?”
She shrugged. “He was a guard for the Volturi. I’m sure he saw all the Kings at one time or another.”
His lip curled. “They were kissing, Alice. I hardly think those are the duties of a guard!”
She burst into laughter and his temper rose as she fought to control it, finally tapering into giggles. “Oh god, he got you good, didn’t he?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She grinned. “He’s obviously messing with you!”
He blinked, his brows drawn down.
“Oh, come on Edward! Really? You really think Jasper…my Jasper is involved in a sexual relationship with Caius Volturi of all people?! Have you heard Carlisle and Eleazar’s stories about Caius Volturi?”
“Of course I have,” he snapped.
She raised her brows and he shook his head. “Okay, so it’s a bit far fetched, but I know what I saw…”
She sighed. “Fine, let’s say what you saw is true… Just how fast do you think Caius Volturi would have their tracker on his lover’s trail, hmm?”
He shrugged. “Perhaps they had a fight?”
“Now you’re grasping at straws…” she said with a sigh.
He pinned her with a look as a vision flashed through her mind, almost too fast for him to catch before she covered it with nonsense. Still, he’d caught enough to raise his suspicions once again. “You’re playing a dangerous game here, Alice and I don’t like it. Esme is already attached to him. I’ve heard her thoughts and she loves him more than any of us because she thinks he looks like what a child between her and Carlisle would look.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “So?”
“So?” he growled as he grabbed her arm. “If this all blows up in your face, guess what? It’s not just you that’ll be hurt now, Alice! Esme genuinely loves him! She’s just shared those feelings with Carlisle and if Esme gets hurt, you can bet Carlisle is going to bring hell down on whoever is responsible—that’ll be you, dear sister!” He paced away, running a hand through his hair as he muttered, “I should really tell Carlisle all this…he should call the Volturi…”
She hissed and grabbed his arm. “You do that, and everything falls apart, you hear me?! Everything! That includes your precious Esme’s dreams of motherhood! So I suggest you keep your misgivings to yourself, dear brother, if you want our family to go on peacefully, as it has.”
He growled. “I should end this right now.”
Her eyes glazed for a moment and she smiled. “But you won’t.”
He sighed and looked away. “No,” he murmured, “I won’t, because, unlike you, I actually care about Carlisle and Esme and their happiness.” He glared at his ‘sister’. “This is the happiest I’ve ever seen Esme in all the years she’s been with us and I won’t take that away from her, even if it means going along with your fucked up agenda.”
“My fucked up agenda,” she drew out with a sigh. “Edward, he really was just a guard, okay? And I really do think he showed you that to mess with you. You have to admit, the lack of the Volturi tracker knocking at the door supports my theory better than it does yours, right?”
He pursed his lips for a beat before nodding. “Yes, it does, plus he’s already shown a penchant for screwing with me…”
She tossed a hand. “Thank you! Yes, you see? He’s definitely not above fucking around with people’s heads and emotions…”
He blew out a heavy breath. “Fine, Alice, you win…this time. But I’m gonna be watching, and that goes for both of you.”
“Fine, Edward, whatever makes you feel better. Like I’ve done all these sinister things all these years I’ve been with you…”
He had the decency to look contrite. “No, you haven’t. It’s just…his presence. It’s going to take quite a bit of getting used to…”
She giggled. “Not to mention he’s taken your spot as Esme’s favorite.”
“Whatever…” he muttered, flipping her the bird before taking off back to the house.
Only then, did Alice allow herself a smirk. It had been a close thing, but she’d managed. Now just one more major event to go, and things should be smooth sailing from here on out.
With a spring in her step, she made her way back to the house. She had an escape to head off and a guest to greet very soon after.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Jasper breathed deeply, trying to center himself as he gathered the will to do what he needed to do.
Alice and Edward were out of the house, and he didn’t know for how long. Carlisle had just left for work and Esme, Rose and Emmett were all upstairs doing their own things…
Point was, the timing was perfect. If he didn’t act now, he didn’t know when he’d have another chance or the will to follow through, so with that last thought, he opened the garage door and slipped inside.
Without turning on the lights, he made his way over to the key box on the wall, but just as he reached to open it, the door opened and the lights flickered on. He spun, a low growl of warning vibrating his chest.
His jaw clenched as Alice sauntered toward him, a frown on her face as she stared up at him. “Going somewhere, Jazz?”
He felt sadness from her and was puzzled by it, as she usually felt pretty smug with herself when she confronted him. “No, I just wanted to see that classic Nova Esme was telling me about.”
“Hmm,” Alice muttered as she nodded with a frown. “Well, you see, I saw exactly what you were going to do.” She met his gaze, still with that same sadness rolling off her. “And I’m sorry Jazzy, but I just can’t let you do it. You belong here, with me, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner we can get on with our happy eternity—you, me, and the whole family.” She ran a hand down his chest and he cringed at her touch. “Don’t you want that? A happy life?”
His anger spiked. “I had a happy life,” he snapped, “and you took it from me!”
She shook her head. “You just don’t know what’s best for you. You could have it so good here, but you fight it…” She smiled at him then, that sadness still rolling off her. “But something tells me, after today, you won’t fight nearly as much.” With that, she turned to head back into the house, but before entering, she paused. “Oh, by the way? All the keys are gone and just for good measure, you’ll find certain wires missing on the remaining cars too. See you inside.”
With a hiss, he turned and checked the key box, finding it completely empty, just as she said. Leaning his head against it, he thumped his clenched fist against the wall, seeing his time here grow ever longer and darker. Every escape route he could think of had vanished due to her insidious gift and the iron will of his Sire conspiring against him.
“Fuck…” he whispered, his voice echoing in the cold, cavernous space of the garage.
His head rose when the sounds of an approaching vehicle snapped him from his little pity party, and, curiosity getting the better of him, he made his way inside to see just who it was.
Once inside, it didn’t take him long to pick up on a very familiar emotional signature coming from the vehicle and he hissed, his head whipping over to stare at the seer as she stared back, that sadness still rolling off her in waves. “I didn’t want to have to do it, Jazz, but you left me no choice.”
“No choice,” he sneered before getting in her space. “I swear to every god known to man, you’ll pay for this. Someday, you’ll pay for this, when I tear you apart with my bare fucking hands.”
“Jazzy, please, try to understand…” she pleaded and he snarled, his fists clenched at his sides.
“Understand?! What I understand is that you’ve just brought down hell on me, and I won’t ever forgive that!” he hissed quietly.
The doorbell rang and Esme stepped from Carlisle’s study and glided down the stairs to answer it, a smile on her face as she took in their visitor. “Oh, Maria! Have you come to visit Jasper?”
Maria smiled. “Yes, I have. I’m going to be traveling for a while, so I thought I’d come see him before I leave.” She gestured to her companion. “This is Rico. He’ll be joining me, if that’s okay?”
Esme stepped aside to let them in. “Of course. Let me just get Jasper.”
Alice walked into the foyer then, heading Esme off. “Mom, I’ll show them in so you can go back to working on the plans for the Forks house.”
She smiled brightly. “That would be lovely, dear.” She turned to their guests. “I was at a crucial point. You don’t mind, do you?”
Maria waved her off. “Not at all. Please, don’t let us interrupt your work.”
Esme turned to Alice. “I’ll be in Carlisle’s study if you need me.”
“We’ll be fine, Mom.”
They waited until they heard the study door close, then Alice led them into the living room where Jasper was standing, gazing out a window, his whole body tense. “Is there a place where I may speak to him…privately, Alice?” Maria began without preamble.
“Yes, I thought the basement would be appropriate.”
“Good. Lead on, as I’ve no time to waste. Major, follow me.”
She began following Alice, but when Jasper hesitated, she turned to him, her eyes narrowing. “Now, Major.”
“Yes, Mistress,” he rasped past his clenched jaw and the lump in his throat. He knew, based on the malevolence and determination coming off his Sire, this was going to be bad. Those feelings were only compounded by the anticipation he felt coming from her lackey, Rico, who was now leering at him as they walked.
With a growl, he threw a wave of fear at the lackey, watching in satisfaction as the leer was replaced by widened eyes and a quickened step.
After descending into the basement, he looked around at the sparse space. It was bare concrete with only a couple of work tables occupying the space, all of it lit by two quietly buzzing overhead fluorescent light fixtures.
After setting her large shoulder bag on one of the tables, Maria turned to Alice. “Thank you Miss Brandon, that will be all.”
Alice seemed to study the other female for a moment before nodding. “Nothing permanent, Maria, I mean it.”
Maria sneered. “I will do what I have to. This is my ass on the line too. Don’t forget that.”
“Fine,” Alice snapped before turning and zipping up the stairs. Jasper nearly flinched when the heavy door closed with a click. It might as well have been as loud as a gunshot with the dreaded finality it brought.
“Well, Major,” Maria drawled as she circled him, one red fingernail trailing over his lips and cheek, “I warned you, did I not? And now, here we are, all because you could not follow orders.”
Into the middle distance he stared, his body taught as the string of a drawn bow, his emotions under lockdown. He couldn’t afford to lose the scant amount of control he had, especially in her presence and that of her leering lackey. She slapped him for his efforts. “I’m speaking to you, Major. You will look at me when I speak to you.”
His eyes darted to meet hers. “Yes, Mistress,” he droned. She grinned.
“You know,” she continued while popping each button on his shirt, “I had to endure quite a bit of torture myself just two days ago, and all because of you,” she said, yanking the shirt from his body in shreds.
Hope bloomed in his chest and she smiled viciously. “Yes, Major, I feel your excitement at that, but you’ll be disappointed to know the little blonde bitch got nothing from me,” she snarled as her pointed nails swiped weeping furrows into his chest.
He hissed but remained unmoved, thanking god that he’d had the foresight to remove his pendant and tuck it away in his room just the day before.
She smiled. “You’re quite resilient yourself, aren’t you, my Major?”
He watched her without comment even as his trepidation rose.
“Yes,” she mused. “I seem to recall the only punishment that ever really affected you was of the…” she reached down and palmed his flaccid cock, “sexual kind.”
He shifted with a grunt, his fear and desperation spiking and she grinned. “Seems some things never change.” She backed away, her chin tilting arrogantly. “Strip, Major.”
He hung his head, hands clenched at his sides. “Mistress, please…”
She hissed a laugh. “A little early to beg, isn’t it Jasper?”
“No Mistress, please, I swear to follow orders…”
She grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head up, hissing in his face, “Too late for that! I warned you and you chose to rebel. Now, strip!”
He met her eyes, his own filled with desperation and fear as he fought the overwhelming compulsion to submit. “Please, Mistress…don’t do this…I…I swear, you’ll never have to correct me again…just please, not this…”
With a growl, she struck, sinking her teeth into the Sire mark on his neck, the pain of it bringing him to his knees as she pumped streams of venom into the bite. Ripping her fangs from the ragged, weeping bite, she snarled, “You will do as you’re told! Now strip!”
With unsteady hands, he reached down and unfastened his jeans before rising to his feet to remove them. He tossed them on the table and looked at her as she raised a brow. “All of it, Jasper.”
Her lackey chuckled and Jasper clenched his eyes shut while removing everything else until he stood there, completely bare before them. “Well,” she purred, her hand running over his body as she circled him again, “that wasn’t so hard, now was it?” He shuddered and she chuckled along with Rico, the lackey. “Speaking of something else that isn’t hard…” He grunted as she grabbed his soft cock, stroking it a few times before letting go with a frown. “Now, that just won’t do, will it, Rico? How am I supposed to do anything with that?” She tapped her chin and Jasper’s fear climbed as she smirked and looked at her companion. “You know, I do recall you having a certain preference, Jasper. Perhaps Rico would be more to your liking? What do you think, Rico?”
The male chuckled. “He is very pretty, Mistress. I would not mind sinking my cock into that.”
Jasper sank to his knees, his head rising to stare up at his Sire. “Please, Mistress, not this…”
She sneered. “You spent years with the Volturi. I’m sure you’re well used by now…”
“No Mistress! I’ve…only ever been touched by my mate!” He dropped his head. “Please Mistress, I’ll never defy you again…”
She leaned down and carded her fingers through his curls while whispering in his ear, “There’s only one problem with that, Jasper… I don’t believe you.” Tightening her grip on his hair, she yanked him up and shoved him face first over the table, pinning him there as he struggled. “Be still!” she snarled, ending his protests as he lost control over his gift, blanketing the room in absolute fear.
“Rico,” she beckoned, and Jasper bucked, earning a slap from his Sire. “You will be still and silent!”
“Please, Mistress…please…” he whispered. “Caius…oh god, how will I face you…?” he whimpered as he felt hands on him from behind. Slowly, they roved over his shoulders and back, seeming to take forever to descend to his hips. Then he felt one hand caress his ass and a low cry escaped his lips as a single digit trailed the crack of his ass.
“Use this,” Maria said, her tone clinical, cold as Jasper heard the snap of a bottle opening. “The seer said no permanent damage…”
“Yes Mistress,” the lackey answered and seconds later, Jasper died a little inside as a finger slid into him.
“Please, Mistress, if you ever cared for me at all, please stop, because I swear…” he choked out as that foreign finger glided in and out, “…I swear on all that I am, if this happens, I’ll walk into a pyre.”
“And what of your mate?” she sneered.
His heart felt shattered in his chest as he answered, his tone broken, resigned. “I’d be useless to him…worse than dead, if this happens.”
He grunted as another finger was added.
“You swear to obey my orders? No defiance?”
“Yes, Mistress,” he answered, his cheek pressed against the cold table top and his tone flat…utterly detached, matching the dead look that now reflected in his eyes.
Maria saw all of this and smiled.
Now satisfied with her efforts at breaking his will, she nodded to Rico who withdrew his fingers and wiped them on the remnants of Jasper’s shirt.
“My work is done here.” She patted Jasper’s cheek as he stood, staring into nothing. “Don’t make me come back.”
“No, Mistress,” he droned and she chuckled as she slung her bag over her shoulder, climbed the stairs and left.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Esme looked up with a smile as the study door opened to her mate who returned it with a kiss to her cheek before setting his bag beside his desk. “Hello, love, how was your day?”
“Productive,” she said with a gesture to the finished renovation plans spread across her drafting table.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips. “I missed you.”
“Hmm, and I always miss you.”
He grinned. “Good to hear, but then, you’re always good for my ego.”
She scoffed a laugh. “Doesn’t your ego get enough stroking from all the women at the hospital?”
He nipped her neck and murmured, “But none of them compare to you, my love.”
“Charmer,” she breathed, tipping her head back as he lightly sucked his mark on her neck. “Keep that up and we won’t leave this room for a while.”
He chuckled. “And that would be bad, why?”
She drew back and ran her fingers through his hair. “Well, Jasper’s Sire came to see him earlier and I haven’t spoken to him since. I only got a glimpse of him as I came back up here, but he seemed a bit…tense when Maria arrived. I wanted to make sure everything was all right after the visit.”
With a groan, he dropped his head onto her shoulder and she laughed. “Come on, Doc,” she coaxed, “I just wanna make sure he’s fine and then you and I,” she drawled, placing a kiss on his neck, “will have the rest of the night to pick up where we left off.”
He took her hand and turned toward the door. “Fine, but after this, no more interruptions.”
“Yes, dear,” she said with a smirk as they walked into the hall and down the stairs.
There, they found Alice in the living room, flipping through a magazine. “Sweetheart,” Esme began, “have you seen Jasper recently? I wanted to see how his visit went.”
Alice stifled her momentary panic and smiled. “No, I haven’t seen him. Maria wanted to speak to him privately, so I showed them to the basement since you were in Dad’s study.”
Esme exchanged a frown with Carlisle. “The basement? That’s hardly a place I would entertain guests, Alice. It’s horrid down there. What were you thinking?”
Alice’s eyes widened. “Well, she said private, Mom, and aside from Dad’s study, it’s the most soundproof room we have.”
“That may be true, Alice,” Carlisle said with a deep frown, “but it’s hardly fit for socializing. Please keep that in mind in the future. Surely they could have stayed right here in the living room while you excused yourself.”
“I’m sorry, Dad. You’re right.”
With a look at his mate, he sighed. “Well, what’s done is done, Alice. Where is he now? Your mother and I would like to speak with him.”
The younger vampire shrugged. “I haven’t seen him since.”
Carlisle’s brows inched up. “You mean he hasn’t come out of the basement?”
“I don’t think so, but you know how he is—always wanting alone time,” she said while making air quotes. “So, I didn’t really question it.”
“Did you see his Sire leave, at least?” Carlisle questioned and she nodded.
“Oh yes, she and her companion left about thirty minutes after they arrived,” she commented as she flipped a page in her magazine. “They didn’t stay very long at all.”
“Companion?” he questioned and Esme nodded.
“Yes, she showed up with a male companion. She said she planned on traveling for a bit and wanted to see Jasper before leaving.”
Carlisle’s frown deepened. “You did’t see anything happen concerning this visit, did you Alice?”
She looked up, her eyes a bit wide. “No, Dad, not at all. Why?”
“No reason, sweetheart,” he said while tugging Esme’s hand. “We’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay,” Alice said with a wave as they left the room.
“Carlisle, what is it?” Esme asked as they headed to the basement entrance.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I don’t have a good feeling about any of this,” he said as he eased open the basement door. The lights were still on, so they took the stairs down at a human pace.
“Jasper?” Esme called out when they’d reached the bottom. “Honey, are you in here?”
A low hiss came from a darkened corner and their brows creased at the sight of him. He was curled there, his head tucked against his jean-clad knees with his arms wrapped around them.
He peeked up then, his black eyes narrowing on them as he hissed again. “Jasper, son, are you all right?” Carlisle asked while taking a slow step forward.
Jasper’s reaction was immediate. He growled loudly and backed away as far as he could, his feet now under him as his gaze darted around the room, looking for an escape.
Carlisle raised both hands. “It’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you.”
He took another step and Jasper raised himself into a full crouch, his lip pulling back to expose his fangs.
Esme grabbed Carlisle’s arm. “Wait…let me.”
The look he shot her was incredulous, but she shook her head. “He won’t hurt me. I know it. He’s just,” she looked back at him, crouched there in the corner, “he’s upset over something, and I think I can get through to him.” She looked back at Carlisle. “At least let me try?”
Closing his eyes for a beat, he looked at her and nodded. “All right, but if he makes a move to attack, I’m stepping in and I’ll do what I have to to protect you.”
She nodded and stepped around him, going immediately to her hands and knees as she slowly approached Jasper. When she was about four feet away, she paused and held out a hand. “Jasper, come here, honey. I only want to help.” He canted his head to the side and she stretched a little farther. “I promise, honey. I won’t hurt you.”
With a sob, he launched himself at her, allowing her to wrap her arms around him and rock as he tucked his face into her shoulder. He made no other sounds, but his body trembled as she held him. “What happened, sweetheart? What happened to you?”
He shook his head and stayed silent as she carded her fingers through his hair. “All right. You don’t have to talk. It’s okay. We’ll just be here, okay?”
He nodded and she cast a glance at Carlisle who watched with growing concern before glancing around the room.
“Oh god in heaven,” he whispered as his gaze caught the lube coated remnant of shirt with the opened bottle of lube next to it. He looked back at the young vampire his wife comforted, the pieces all falling together in his mind and his fists clenched at the brutality of it all.
For thirty minutes, they hadn’t protected him and this had happened… “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his gaze locked on the young empath before flitting to meet his wife’s.
“I’m going to…” he gestured up the stairs and she nodded.
“I’ll find you later,” she said as Jasper’s hands tightened their hold on her shirt.
“Take your time, love. He needs you.”
With sorrow in her eyes, she nodded and cupped the back of Jasper’s head, still gently rocking. “I know,” was all she said. “I know…”
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.