Breaking Free
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 02
Tanya and her sisters watched from a safe distance away as an obviously feral Jasper took Edward's head off with the ease and precision of a highly trained killer.
They were shocked further when he didn't kill the human girl that Edward had been fleeing with, instead embracing her carefully as he nuzzled her, a deep purr sounding from his chest all the while.
Only true mates did this for each other.
They all glanced at each other, eyes wide with their realization.
No wonder there were sounds of such violence coming from inside the house. If Carlisle and his coven members were stupid enough to try to keep Major Whitlock from his true mate….well, there was little to be said for such lack of wisdom.
They had been invited by Carlisle and Edward to meet the human girl that had finally captured Edward's interest romantically. Quite the irresistible invitation considering Tanya herself had spent the better part of the last ninety years trying to seduce said vampire without success.
Their entire coven had been excited to come and meet the girl, convinced that she must be something very special to have caught and kept the attention of the young mind reader.
Upon their arrival however, they had all silently retreated from the main house and into the relative safety of the forest when they heard the unmistakable sounds of vampires being torn apart.
To see the Major pursuing Edward and his human was yet another shock, but one they were completely unwilling to be involved in.
They had, like most in the vampire world, heard of the Major and knew you didn't get in his way unless death was your goal.
Tanya silently held back her coven mates as they watched the Major settle his human mate before retreating back into the house. It was only then that she felt safe enough to make any kind of noise. Even then, they kept it at the barest whisper.
"We should gather Edward's parts and get the hell out of here." She looked to her group and only Eleazar looked reluctant. "What is it El? I know you have something to say. Let's hear it."
He met Tanya's gaze. "I think we should at least try to save Carlisle and the rest of his coven."
Tanya's brows had risen with her dismay and Eleazar's wife, Carmen was staring at him in what could only be described as horror as the rest of their group shook their heads in disbelief at his naiveté.
Tanya furrowed her brow and waved a dismissive hand then. "You've obviously taken temporary leave of your senses El, perhaps due to shock, I'm not sure. The rest of us however have had no such lapses, especially your wife if the look on her face is any indication."
She pinned him with a hard gaze as she collected Edward's various pieces and parts.
"None of us will be entering that house El. It's suicide to do so and you know it. We can only hope that the Major decides to be merciful and does not burn them. Perhaps we shall see them again one day, but if not, we know with certainty that there was nothing we could do. You know this to be true El. Now, I believe that I have all of Edward here. Let's be on our way. We've done what we can and saved the one we could."
Carmen watched her husband struggle with himself for moments. She could tell that he wanted to protest leaving his good friends to their fate.
She laid her hand on his arm, looking into his eyes imploringly. "Please my love. You know she's right. We knew that Carlisle was risking much to do what he did with Jasper Whitlock. You tried to tell him and he wouldn't listen. It took sixty years, but you were finally proven right, sadly enough, and now we must accept what has come to pass."
Eleazar sighed, shoulders sagging in defeat as he nodded. "Yes, but I will miss them. I doubt that the Major will find any mercy for his captors in his blackened heart. It is a sad situation for all involved."
Tanya turned back to them. "Come, we risk too much by delaying our departure. If he comes for the body of Edward, and finds us here, I don't see a good outcome for us."
They were all startled by the sound of another vehicle turning onto the Cullen's driveway just then, Tanya's head whipping around in the direction of the Cullen residence.
"Come, let us be away! I'm not sure who that is, but it's sure to rouse the Major at some point and I don't want to be here when it does!
With that, she turned and she and her sisters began their run back to their home, Eleazar and Carmen following just behind, hearts heavy with sorrow for their lost friends.
~o0o~
The Major covered his peacefully sleeping mate, his thoughts on what he needed to do next.
He knew there were several vampire bodies that he must now take care of before they managed to reassemble themselves and so he rose and dressed, breathing deeply to sample the scents around him.
He needed to make certain that his little mate was safe and that all threats were eliminated.
With this goal in mind and no new scents detected, he went about collecting the various parts, taking them out the back door to pile in the yard for now.
There was much in this house that he needed to see to before burning it.
On his way back in for one last sweep for body parts, he froze when his gift picked up the emotions of two vampires coming from the front of the property.
Loosing a mighty growl, he took off to meet the threat head on and stopped when he saw the two familiar vampires kneeling beside their truck.
It was his Captain and his Captain's mate, Charlotte; both his vampire progeny.
He was pleased to see them, but remained wary. His mate was very vulnerable right now and he wouldn't risk her or their little one for anything or anyone.
Pete peeked up at his very feral maker. "Hello Major. We're here to help if you'll allow us."
"Go ahead and rise Captain, but don't make any moves toward the house."
Peter and Char stood and Peter grinned at his brother. "Welcome back Major. It's been a long time. I've missed ya."
The Major growled at the reminder of his captivity of all these years.
"It has been Captain, and those responsible will pay with their lives. Matter of fact, I was just seeing to that when I felt you two. I still have a body to collect in the forest. It's the last of 'em and it's the one that had the nerve to try to claim my mate as his own. She's in that house Captain, and you know better than anyone that I will kill any threat to her 'fore it even get's
close."
Pete nodded, holding up his hands.
"I know you will Major, but search me and my mate Char. We would never hurt you or your mate. You're my brother, my maker and I hold nothing but love for you in my heart. I'm here to help ya. You're my leader Major. What would you have us do?"
The Major eyed the two as he took stock of every emotion they had running through them from the profound love and respect to the minute undercurrents of worry and fear, nodding when he was satisfied with all that he felt from them.
"Very well Captain. You can help me, but before that, I will escort your mate to guard and watch over mine."
Pete smiled in relief, looking to Char as she kissed his cheek. "I'll see you in a bit sugar." So saying, she stepped forward. "Lead on Major. I can't wait to meet her."
He nodded and began walking into the house, Char now beside him. "She's sleepin' from the claimin' still and she will be for a while yet."
Char gasped and looked at him with a wide smile. "Oh Major! Does that mean what I think it means?"
He glanced to the side, taking in the joy and excitement now radiating from her with a proud smile. "It does."
She shook her head slowly. "Never thought I'd see the day that the badass Major would be a daddy. I can hardly wait to witness it."
He smiled widely then.
"Yeah well, don't go thinkin' that I'm gonna go all soft and shit. Had enough of puttin' up with that for the last sixty years and I ain't about to go back to it. Ever. The Major is here to stay Char, especially since I have a mate and a little one on the way. Ain't nobody and nothin' ever gonna walk on me again. I'll kill 'em first and ask questions later."
Char found her heart aching with the thought of all he had gone through over the past sixty years and she choked on the emotions as she thought about how helpless that she and Pete had felt when they finally walked away from Jasper, complying with what they had thought to be his wishes.
They both knew better now, but for a very long time they had mourned what they thought to be the end of their relationship.
The Major stopped walking as he felt the sadness and regret now rolling off of Charlotte and he pulled his childe into his arms, hugging her tightly.
"It ain't never gonna happen again Char, I promise ya. I regret that it happened at all, but it wasn't your fault. You and Pete tried everything to stop it and ya just couldn't and I understand that, so no more regrets. Think about it this way….I found my mate here Char. I had to be here to do that. Fate had this in mind for me Char and while I acknowledge that, it don't mean that I'm gonna let any of those fuckers off the hook. They're still gonna pay."
He backed up a pace, setting her away from him so he could see her now smirking face. "You throw on a match for me while you're at it Major? Rest easy while ya do it too, 'cause I'll be here, watchin' over your mate. I'll protect her with my life too. Ain't nothin' gettin' by me."
He grinned at her. "I know they won't Char. I couldn't hope for a better protector for her outside of myself, and I appreciate it."
He gestured to the study door they had just arrived at, both reassured by the slow steady heartbeat they could hear behind the door.
"This is it Char. I'll be back in a bit. I got some heads to reattach and some answers to extract. Should be fun."
"All right Major. I'm just gonna grab one of your books and settle in. I don't wanna wake her at this point. Her sleep right now is important to your little 'un."
He opened the door for her and took a quick peek at his peacefully sleeping mate.
She hadn't moved at all since he'd left her and he was reassured by that and the fact that there were no foreign scents around her at all.
Nodding to Char as she settled into a chair, he closed the door and made his way back down to Pete.
He and his Captain had work to do.
Tanya and her sisters watched from a safe distance away as an obviously feral Jasper took Edward's head off with the ease and precision of a highly trained killer.
They were shocked further when he didn't kill the human girl that Edward had been fleeing with, instead embracing her carefully as he nuzzled her, a deep purr sounding from his chest all the while.
Only true mates did this for each other.
They all glanced at each other, eyes wide with their realization.
No wonder there were sounds of such violence coming from inside the house. If Carlisle and his coven members were stupid enough to try to keep Major Whitlock from his true mate….well, there was little to be said for such lack of wisdom.
They had been invited by Carlisle and Edward to meet the human girl that had finally captured Edward's interest romantically. Quite the irresistible invitation considering Tanya herself had spent the better part of the last ninety years trying to seduce said vampire without success.
Their entire coven had been excited to come and meet the girl, convinced that she must be something very special to have caught and kept the attention of the young mind reader.
Upon their arrival however, they had all silently retreated from the main house and into the relative safety of the forest when they heard the unmistakable sounds of vampires being torn apart.
To see the Major pursuing Edward and his human was yet another shock, but one they were completely unwilling to be involved in.
They had, like most in the vampire world, heard of the Major and knew you didn't get in his way unless death was your goal.
Tanya silently held back her coven mates as they watched the Major settle his human mate before retreating back into the house. It was only then that she felt safe enough to make any kind of noise. Even then, they kept it at the barest whisper.
"We should gather Edward's parts and get the hell out of here." She looked to her group and only Eleazar looked reluctant. "What is it El? I know you have something to say. Let's hear it."
He met Tanya's gaze. "I think we should at least try to save Carlisle and the rest of his coven."
Tanya's brows had risen with her dismay and Eleazar's wife, Carmen was staring at him in what could only be described as horror as the rest of their group shook their heads in disbelief at his naiveté.
Tanya furrowed her brow and waved a dismissive hand then. "You've obviously taken temporary leave of your senses El, perhaps due to shock, I'm not sure. The rest of us however have had no such lapses, especially your wife if the look on her face is any indication."
She pinned him with a hard gaze as she collected Edward's various pieces and parts.
"None of us will be entering that house El. It's suicide to do so and you know it. We can only hope that the Major decides to be merciful and does not burn them. Perhaps we shall see them again one day, but if not, we know with certainty that there was nothing we could do. You know this to be true El. Now, I believe that I have all of Edward here. Let's be on our way. We've done what we can and saved the one we could."
Carmen watched her husband struggle with himself for moments. She could tell that he wanted to protest leaving his good friends to their fate.
She laid her hand on his arm, looking into his eyes imploringly. "Please my love. You know she's right. We knew that Carlisle was risking much to do what he did with Jasper Whitlock. You tried to tell him and he wouldn't listen. It took sixty years, but you were finally proven right, sadly enough, and now we must accept what has come to pass."
Eleazar sighed, shoulders sagging in defeat as he nodded. "Yes, but I will miss them. I doubt that the Major will find any mercy for his captors in his blackened heart. It is a sad situation for all involved."
Tanya turned back to them. "Come, we risk too much by delaying our departure. If he comes for the body of Edward, and finds us here, I don't see a good outcome for us."
They were all startled by the sound of another vehicle turning onto the Cullen's driveway just then, Tanya's head whipping around in the direction of the Cullen residence.
"Come, let us be away! I'm not sure who that is, but it's sure to rouse the Major at some point and I don't want to be here when it does!
With that, she turned and she and her sisters began their run back to their home, Eleazar and Carmen following just behind, hearts heavy with sorrow for their lost friends.
~o0o~
The Major covered his peacefully sleeping mate, his thoughts on what he needed to do next.
He knew there were several vampire bodies that he must now take care of before they managed to reassemble themselves and so he rose and dressed, breathing deeply to sample the scents around him.
He needed to make certain that his little mate was safe and that all threats were eliminated.
With this goal in mind and no new scents detected, he went about collecting the various parts, taking them out the back door to pile in the yard for now.
There was much in this house that he needed to see to before burning it.
On his way back in for one last sweep for body parts, he froze when his gift picked up the emotions of two vampires coming from the front of the property.
Loosing a mighty growl, he took off to meet the threat head on and stopped when he saw the two familiar vampires kneeling beside their truck.
It was his Captain and his Captain's mate, Charlotte; both his vampire progeny.
He was pleased to see them, but remained wary. His mate was very vulnerable right now and he wouldn't risk her or their little one for anything or anyone.
Pete peeked up at his very feral maker. "Hello Major. We're here to help if you'll allow us."
"Go ahead and rise Captain, but don't make any moves toward the house."
Peter and Char stood and Peter grinned at his brother. "Welcome back Major. It's been a long time. I've missed ya."
The Major growled at the reminder of his captivity of all these years.
"It has been Captain, and those responsible will pay with their lives. Matter of fact, I was just seeing to that when I felt you two. I still have a body to collect in the forest. It's the last of 'em and it's the one that had the nerve to try to claim my mate as his own. She's in that house Captain, and you know better than anyone that I will kill any threat to her 'fore it even get's
close."
Pete nodded, holding up his hands.
"I know you will Major, but search me and my mate Char. We would never hurt you or your mate. You're my brother, my maker and I hold nothing but love for you in my heart. I'm here to help ya. You're my leader Major. What would you have us do?"
The Major eyed the two as he took stock of every emotion they had running through them from the profound love and respect to the minute undercurrents of worry and fear, nodding when he was satisfied with all that he felt from them.
"Very well Captain. You can help me, but before that, I will escort your mate to guard and watch over mine."
Pete smiled in relief, looking to Char as she kissed his cheek. "I'll see you in a bit sugar." So saying, she stepped forward. "Lead on Major. I can't wait to meet her."
He nodded and began walking into the house, Char now beside him. "She's sleepin' from the claimin' still and she will be for a while yet."
Char gasped and looked at him with a wide smile. "Oh Major! Does that mean what I think it means?"
He glanced to the side, taking in the joy and excitement now radiating from her with a proud smile. "It does."
She shook her head slowly. "Never thought I'd see the day that the badass Major would be a daddy. I can hardly wait to witness it."
He smiled widely then.
"Yeah well, don't go thinkin' that I'm gonna go all soft and shit. Had enough of puttin' up with that for the last sixty years and I ain't about to go back to it. Ever. The Major is here to stay Char, especially since I have a mate and a little one on the way. Ain't nobody and nothin' ever gonna walk on me again. I'll kill 'em first and ask questions later."
Char found her heart aching with the thought of all he had gone through over the past sixty years and she choked on the emotions as she thought about how helpless that she and Pete had felt when they finally walked away from Jasper, complying with what they had thought to be his wishes.
They both knew better now, but for a very long time they had mourned what they thought to be the end of their relationship.
The Major stopped walking as he felt the sadness and regret now rolling off of Charlotte and he pulled his childe into his arms, hugging her tightly.
"It ain't never gonna happen again Char, I promise ya. I regret that it happened at all, but it wasn't your fault. You and Pete tried everything to stop it and ya just couldn't and I understand that, so no more regrets. Think about it this way….I found my mate here Char. I had to be here to do that. Fate had this in mind for me Char and while I acknowledge that, it don't mean that I'm gonna let any of those fuckers off the hook. They're still gonna pay."
He backed up a pace, setting her away from him so he could see her now smirking face. "You throw on a match for me while you're at it Major? Rest easy while ya do it too, 'cause I'll be here, watchin' over your mate. I'll protect her with my life too. Ain't nothin' gettin' by me."
He grinned at her. "I know they won't Char. I couldn't hope for a better protector for her outside of myself, and I appreciate it."
He gestured to the study door they had just arrived at, both reassured by the slow steady heartbeat they could hear behind the door.
"This is it Char. I'll be back in a bit. I got some heads to reattach and some answers to extract. Should be fun."
"All right Major. I'm just gonna grab one of your books and settle in. I don't wanna wake her at this point. Her sleep right now is important to your little 'un."
He opened the door for her and took a quick peek at his peacefully sleeping mate.
She hadn't moved at all since he'd left her and he was reassured by that and the fact that there were no foreign scents around her at all.
Nodding to Char as she settled into a chair, he closed the door and made his way back down to Pete.
He and his Captain had work to do.
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.