The Descent
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 16
“Throw in a fresh one Jimmy,” I instructed as I walked off the pain of the numerous bites I’d received that day. The marks now dotted my arms, legs and various spots on my torso…but not my neck. Never my neck. I’d be damned if anyone ‘Besides Jasper,’ I thought with a delicious shiver, ever got their teeth near my neck again, and that’s what this training was all about—well that and just basically kicking ass.
I glanced up, a scowl in place as an anxious Jimmy stared at me from forty feet above at the edge of ‘the pit’.
‘The pit’ was really a masterfully designed, forty foot deep and eighty foot round fighting ring made with the finest concrete and rebar money could buy; the kinda shit missile silos are made from, or so Pete had told me. It had to be something like that to withstand the fighting that took place within it.
“You outta fresh ones or something?” I asked, getting a little pissed off at the delay.
Jimmy shook his head. “No, I just don’t look forward to the Major kicking my ass for letting you go this far and this long, that’s all. You should get outta there for a while. Go read a book or something.”
I growled. “Reading isn’t gonna help me kick ass when the time comes, now is it? Just throw in a fresh one and let me worry about Jasper.”
He slumped and disappeared and seconds later, a completely crazed, newborn vampire came hurtling over the side, landing face first before bounding up to his feet and charging straight at me with a feral snarl. A grin stretched my lips as I balanced on the balls of my feet. “Bring it, fucker,” I muttered right before I dodged and went about tearing him apart, tossing the pieces back up to Jimmy as I did so.
I didn’t bother taking the head off of this one though and it bit me when I picked it up to heave it top-side. “Damn it!” I hissed before dislodging its teeth and flinging it back up to Jimmy who smirked. “Had enough yet?”
I eyed him coldly and watched in satisfaction as he barely repressed a shiver. “Send down a fighter,” I demanded and he shook his head but left to do as asked, knowing better than to argue when I was like this.
I understood his reluctance though. A fighter was a newborn in the last stages of being trained, or right before their ‘graduation’ into being a full fledged Whitlock-trained Volturi recruit, if you will. In other words, they were pretty kick-ass as far as their skill-set goes and I wasn’t supposed to tangle with them, according to Jasper and Peter, without one of them being present.
I cringed when I thought about what Jasper would have to say about this. It wasn’t the first time I’d done it and probably wouldn’t be the last, but I still hated arguing with him and I knew this would probably result in one hell of an argument. Still, I needed the experience; was driven to gain all that I could and he wasn’t always available. Neither was Peter, for that matter, so they’d just have to stuff their tempers and get over it.
Now, where the hell was Jimmy with my next victim?
With a low growl of impatience, I leaned against the wall and thought of all that had happened before Caius and the others had returned to Italy.
True to his word, Jasper had kept his bitch of a mate away from me and it was a good thing too, otherwise I’m sure I would’ve removed a few more pieces of her.
I snickered, crossed my arms and leaned my head back against the wall, relishing the memory of the bald patch she now sported on the back of her head.
I would have preferred to turn her into a smoking fucking heap, but that was pretty impossible to do without hurting Jasper and I’d be damned if I’d ever be a cause of more pain in his life.
I had to snicker again when I heard his voice in my head wryly reminding me that I was a huge pain to him—a huge pain in his ass. Still, all humor aside, there was no way I’d hurt him in any serious way.
No, I would bide my time, train as much as possible and eventually find a way out of this situation. I had to…because the alternative was just too painful to consider, not only for me but for Jasper too.
Through research, I had some leads on making our freedom happen, but I was keeping them to myself for now. I didn’t want to raise any false hopes without checking them out first. Jasper meant too much to me to do that to him.
“Just what the fuck do ya think you’re doing, Isabella?”
Well, speak of the devil and he shows up with a rockin’ bod and blond wavy hair…
With a sigh, I shoved away from the wall and looked up into the pissed off countenance of one Major Whitlock as he glared at me from topside.
I smiled sheepishly. “Training?”
He tossed down the rope ladder. “Up here, now.”
I scowled. “But Jimmy’s…”
His face appeared over the side again, eyes black and features unreadable. “Jimmy’s nothin’, now climb up damn it. We need to talk.”
With a resigned sigh, I began climbing. I knew that tone, and if there was one being on the planet who could out stubborn me in the stubborn ass department, it was Jay so arguing was a useless endeavor.
When I got topside, there he was, feet planted shoulder width and arms crossed. “Hit the shower, Isabella. Then we’ll talk. My office, thirty minutes.”
“Fine,” I agreed with a mock salute as I turned and made my way into the mansion. I didn’t dare call the thing a house—it’d be akin to comparing a beheading to a flesh wound.
Just as I was trudging my way up the stairs, I heard a snicker from the upper level and rolled my eyes, preparing for the worst. “I sure as hell hope the other guy looks worse than you, baby-cakes, ‘cause you look like sun dried shit.”
A loud smack echoed through the cavernous space and I smirked.
“Ow! Jesus woman! Quit hittin’ me. Gonna cause some real damage one a’ these days,” he grumbled.
“That, or I’ll knock some sense into ya, so I’ll take my chances.” Char smiled at me as I reached the upper floor. “Hi sugar. Don’t pay no mind to this ass. You’re doin’ great.”
Peter pouted. “Never said she wasn’t. Just said she looked like…”
He ducked the hand aimed at the back of his head and held up his hands as Char glared. “Okay, okay…I get it, damn.”
“As much as I’d love to stick around, I’ve been summoned and only have half an hour to enjoy a shower.”
Char looked apologetic. “Jasper in a mood?”
I shrugged. “You know how he gets when I’m in the pit and you guys aren’t around.”
Pete laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s ‘cause he cares, sugar.” With that, he and Char headed down stairs and I made my way to Jasper’s rooms that I never managed to move out of since the first day here.
Stripping out of my clothes, I flipped on the shower and stepped in, hissing when the water hit all the new scars that weren’t quite healed.
If there was one thing I now knew about most newborn vamps, it was that they loved to bite and while I found it painful, in a way, I relished it; a left-over shadow, I knew, of my human days of cutting. Like the cutting had, the pain of the bites and the sight of the scars took my mind off the deeper pain inside—the pain of my past but also the pain of knowing I came second on my mate’s give a damn scale.
Grabbing a loofah, I lathered it up and began to scrub while my mind went places better left unvisited.
Caius…
He’d tried to seduce me a few more times while they’d been here and I’d managed to reject him each time. It’d been a close thing though as my instincts had screamed for me to submit while a large portion of my mind had tried to reason that I’d be happy and loved with him even if he was married to the dragon. It didn’t help matters any that he was always whispering sweet entreaties and reassurances in my ear that said those very things and god…
I had wanted him…
With a mental slap to clear my head, I went on to finish up my shower. It was never a good idea to keep Jasper waiting when he was like this.
We’d already had a few of these arguments before and neither of us seemed to ever win. Concessions were always made on both sides and life went on, but I had a feeling today would be different especially since I had so many new scars; something we both knew I should be able to avoid by now and I knew Jasper was astute enough to see through me.
Once dressed, I took one last look in the mirror and made my way to his office.
“Come in, Isabella.”
With a slow exhale, I dropped my hand to the knob, gave it a twist and walked in to see him sitting behind his desk typing something on the keyboard. “Have a seat,” he muttered, his eyes still fixed on the monitor as his fingers flew.
I slipped into the chair across from him and waited.
When he’d finished up, he slid the keyboard away and relaxed back in his chair, his eyes fixed on me. I quirked a brow. “You wanted to see me?”
“Just what the hell is it you’re tryin’ to accomplish out there?”
My brows shot up. “Training,” I answered simply and he scoffed.
“Bullshit.”
I scowled. “What would you call it then?”
He shot from his seat and grabbed my arm, pushing the long sleeve up before I could stop him. “Fuck,” he spat before letting go to lean back against the edge of his desk while staring a hole through me with black eyes.
I pushed my sleeve down and looked away.
“That give you some kinda satisfaction?”
“You tell me,” I sneered, wanting nothing more than to take back the words the second they left my mouth.
He nodded. “All right. I reckon I had that comin’.”
I stared into my lap. “No, you didn’t Jay. I’m sorry, and for what it’s worth, you’re right. It does give me…well, I don’t know that I’d call it satisfaction. Release…I’d call it release.” I glanced up at him. “But then, you knew that.”
He sighed heavily, reached over, got out a smoke and lit it. “Yeah, I did.” He blew out a plume of smoke and flicked ash in the tray beside him. “I just really hoped you’d learn from my mistakes and take a different path.”
I smirked. “I think we’re more alike than either of us care to admit.”
He snorted. “God help us both.” His eyes narrowed and he pointed the filter end of his smoke at me. “Still, don’t go thinkin’ I’m gonna let this shit go on. From now on, if I’m not with you, you’re not allowed in the pit, period.”
“Jay…!”
His brows shot up and I sagged. “Fine.”
He crushed out his cigarette in the ash tray and pulled me into his arms, his tone soft as he spoke. “You know, you can go to him whenever ya need to. I’ll even escort you there so you’re not alone.”
I shook my head and nestled into him. “No, I’m—I’ll be okay. It’s getting a little easier every day and as long as I have you, I think I can deal.”
His hand ran over my arm where some of the freshest bite marks marred my skin. “Really?” He lifted my chin and met my eyes. “Is it really, Bella, or are you gonna snap one day from tryin’ to hold it all together?”
I reached up and tucked some hair behind his ear before cupping his cheek. “Don’t let me go, Jay and I’ll be okay, I swear. I’m gonna find a solution to this—for both of us—and then we’ll be free, but until then,” I whispered, “don’t let me go.”
He tipped my head up and kissed me softly. “I worry about you.”
I smiled. “I know you do, but I’m not a fragile flower.”
He laughed, his forehead resting against mine and deep red eyes sparkling with humor. “I’m well aware, believe me. Doesn’t stop me from worryin' though.”
“That’s right,” I teased, “you are kinda like my daddy after all—at least in the vampire sense.”
His face scrunched. “Don’t ever bring that up again, especially considering what I was just thinkin’ of doing with you.”
I arched a brow. “And that would be…?”
My breath caught as in the next seconds he had me stripped and straddling him in a chair. “I’d rather show ya,” he said as he cupped the back of my head and pulled me into a kiss.
I groaned as I felt his fingers trace up the inside of my thigh, part my folds, and gather some of my slickness before expertly circling my clit as his tongue tasted and stroked against mine.
I moaned and sucked at his luscious lower lip, my hands now buried in his silky waves of hair as two of his fingers slipped into me, curling there to tease my G-spot while his thumb tortured my sensitive bundle of nerves.
“Jasper…” I breathed into our kiss as my orgasm rapidly built, my hips instinctively rocking into his hand. “So good…” I whispered as his fingers pressed and stroked inside me. I tensed and sighed into his mouth when my peak washed through me, my walls fluttering and gripping as he smiled into our kiss.
“Always so responsive…” he commented as I heard the distinct sound of a zipper.
Rising up, I tilted my head and deepened our kiss, loving being this close to him as I felt him enter me, his thick girth stretching me deliciously as I slid down his impressive length.
It was him that groaned into our kiss this time and I smiled against his lips while rolling my hips. I knew he loved it when I did that and the low, sexy growl he rewarded me with proved me right while spurring me on.
“Jesus, Bella,” he breathed while throwing his head back. “That’s it, darlin’, ride me…ride me hard…” His hands gripped my hips and he thrusted into me as I braced myself on his shoulders and rode him, the chair we were in creaking and groaning ominously as our pace picked up.
“God, Major,” I gasped as I slammed down on him. “You feel so good…so fucking good…”
His hands squeezed my hips and he grunted and growled as my walls tightened around him. “Fuck, baby…come on my cock…I know you’re close…come with me!”
With a scream, I threw my head back and shattered, relishing the prolonged and powerful orgasm as he stroked into me four more times before filling me with a shout.
My head fell onto his shoulder and we chuckled together as the arm of the chair creaked and sagged to the side. “Poor chair,” I said with a smirk as amusement danced through his eyes.
He shrugged. “It’s a chair, but now that you mention it, maybe we should get off of it before the thing dumps us both on our asses.”
I got up and dressed at a human pace while he fixed his own clothes and set the chair outside the door for the help to dispose of. “I have some business to tend to in town so I won’t be back until this evening,” he commented while grabbing a file from his desk. He circled the desk and kissed me lightly. “Remember…”
I placed a finger over his lips. “I know, no pit. I got it.”
He pulled me close and gripped my ass while kissing the breath out of me. “I’ll se ya later. Maybe we can go catch that new movie tonight?”
I traced the side of his face with my fingers, my eyes flitting from his lips to his eyes as I smiled. “Are you asking me on a date, Major?”
He grinned. “If you’ll have me, Miss Swan.”
“Only if you buy me popcorn and a soda.”
His brows inched up but he never lost the grin. “Whatever my girl wants, she gets.”
“Then I accept.”
He pecked my lips. “Be good,” he said and vanished out the door.
With an admittedly dreamy sigh, I pocketed my phone and left the room, intent on finding Peter and Char to see what they were up to. I didn’t have to go far as they were in the game room and I chuckled ‘cause it sounded like Char was kicking Pete’s ass at pool…again. “Damn it woman! I demand a refund.”
“Why?!” I heard Char demand through a laugh.
“I’ve been hustled!” Peter screeched.
“Peter Alan Whitlock… How many years we been together? You cannot be hustled by me because it’s no secret I kick your ass every time we play!”
“Whatever,” he grumbled.
I walked in and shared a smirk with Char as Pete placed the cues back in the rack before groaning as he saw me. “Why’s it always me gettin’ double teamed by you two? Jasper, that asshole…”
I snorted. “That’s what big brothers are for.”
“I’m older,” he groused and Char rolled her eyes as she flopped onto the couch and dragged him down next to her while flipping on the TV.
“Don’t start that again.”
“Well, it’s true.”
“Wanna watch somethin’ B?”
I sat in a chair, folding one leg under me. “Sure.”
Char scrolled through the menu of recordings. “Oooh! A new Supernatural episode!”
“Sweet,” I said as she clicked on it while Pete moaned and dropped his head on the back of the couch.
I smirked. “What’s wrong Pete?” I asked already knowing good and well what his problem was. I bit back a laugh when he answered in a falsetto.
“Oh Dean! He’s such a hunk!” His tone changed a bit and he continued, now struggling to hold off Char’s balled up fist. “But Sam’s so sensitive and caring—makes me all wet just thinkin’ about it!”
Char finally connected and he grunted while rubbing his arm as she tried to glare without laughing. “Hush you. How many times I sit through Nascar or the Nightly News for you, you red-necked old fart.”
He gaped, spreading his arms wide as he looked at me. “Does this,” he stood, turned and placed his hands on his tight, shapely ass while eyeing me over his shoulder, “look like the body of a red-necked old fart?!”
I tapped my chin with a finger. “Old fart? No. Red-neck? Well, you are wearing Wranglers and boots, Pete, sorry.”
He flopped onto the couch and threw an arm around Char. “See baby, I still got it.”
I smirked. “You’re like two days older than dirt though, so she’s technically got ya there too.”
He grabbed the remote and cranked the volume. “You can shut up now, Bella.”
I snorted a laugh just as my phone vibrated in my pocket. Digging it out, I stepped out of the room to take the call. “Bella Swan.”
“Miss Swan,” an old lady’s voice rasped and my brow furrowed.
“Yes, this is she.”
“This is Madame Barbos. I was told that you seek services I can provide.”
A thrill shot through me. “Yes,” I said while putting more distance between me and any possibly listening ears. “I am.”
“We have a very small window to work with from what I’ve been told, child. Be on the next flight to New Orleans and find me in the French Quarter.”
“That’s it? No address?”
She rasped a laugh. “Everyone knows Ol’ Madame Barbos, child. All ya gotta do is ask.”
She hung up then and I zipped up the stairs to pack some clothes and the money I had stashed. I jotted a vague note to Jay, and left it on the bed before soundlessly making my way to the garage where I chose a plain looking sedan.
Minutes later, I turned onto the main road, slid on some dark glasses and cranked the radio hoping beyond hope that I was heading toward a permanent solution to my—our—problems.
Only time would tell.
“Throw in a fresh one Jimmy,” I instructed as I walked off the pain of the numerous bites I’d received that day. The marks now dotted my arms, legs and various spots on my torso…but not my neck. Never my neck. I’d be damned if anyone ‘Besides Jasper,’ I thought with a delicious shiver, ever got their teeth near my neck again, and that’s what this training was all about—well that and just basically kicking ass.
I glanced up, a scowl in place as an anxious Jimmy stared at me from forty feet above at the edge of ‘the pit’.
‘The pit’ was really a masterfully designed, forty foot deep and eighty foot round fighting ring made with the finest concrete and rebar money could buy; the kinda shit missile silos are made from, or so Pete had told me. It had to be something like that to withstand the fighting that took place within it.
“You outta fresh ones or something?” I asked, getting a little pissed off at the delay.
Jimmy shook his head. “No, I just don’t look forward to the Major kicking my ass for letting you go this far and this long, that’s all. You should get outta there for a while. Go read a book or something.”
I growled. “Reading isn’t gonna help me kick ass when the time comes, now is it? Just throw in a fresh one and let me worry about Jasper.”
He slumped and disappeared and seconds later, a completely crazed, newborn vampire came hurtling over the side, landing face first before bounding up to his feet and charging straight at me with a feral snarl. A grin stretched my lips as I balanced on the balls of my feet. “Bring it, fucker,” I muttered right before I dodged and went about tearing him apart, tossing the pieces back up to Jimmy as I did so.
I didn’t bother taking the head off of this one though and it bit me when I picked it up to heave it top-side. “Damn it!” I hissed before dislodging its teeth and flinging it back up to Jimmy who smirked. “Had enough yet?”
I eyed him coldly and watched in satisfaction as he barely repressed a shiver. “Send down a fighter,” I demanded and he shook his head but left to do as asked, knowing better than to argue when I was like this.
I understood his reluctance though. A fighter was a newborn in the last stages of being trained, or right before their ‘graduation’ into being a full fledged Whitlock-trained Volturi recruit, if you will. In other words, they were pretty kick-ass as far as their skill-set goes and I wasn’t supposed to tangle with them, according to Jasper and Peter, without one of them being present.
I cringed when I thought about what Jasper would have to say about this. It wasn’t the first time I’d done it and probably wouldn’t be the last, but I still hated arguing with him and I knew this would probably result in one hell of an argument. Still, I needed the experience; was driven to gain all that I could and he wasn’t always available. Neither was Peter, for that matter, so they’d just have to stuff their tempers and get over it.
Now, where the hell was Jimmy with my next victim?
With a low growl of impatience, I leaned against the wall and thought of all that had happened before Caius and the others had returned to Italy.
True to his word, Jasper had kept his bitch of a mate away from me and it was a good thing too, otherwise I’m sure I would’ve removed a few more pieces of her.
I snickered, crossed my arms and leaned my head back against the wall, relishing the memory of the bald patch she now sported on the back of her head.
I would have preferred to turn her into a smoking fucking heap, but that was pretty impossible to do without hurting Jasper and I’d be damned if I’d ever be a cause of more pain in his life.
I had to snicker again when I heard his voice in my head wryly reminding me that I was a huge pain to him—a huge pain in his ass. Still, all humor aside, there was no way I’d hurt him in any serious way.
No, I would bide my time, train as much as possible and eventually find a way out of this situation. I had to…because the alternative was just too painful to consider, not only for me but for Jasper too.
Through research, I had some leads on making our freedom happen, but I was keeping them to myself for now. I didn’t want to raise any false hopes without checking them out first. Jasper meant too much to me to do that to him.
“Just what the fuck do ya think you’re doing, Isabella?”
Well, speak of the devil and he shows up with a rockin’ bod and blond wavy hair…
With a sigh, I shoved away from the wall and looked up into the pissed off countenance of one Major Whitlock as he glared at me from topside.
I smiled sheepishly. “Training?”
He tossed down the rope ladder. “Up here, now.”
I scowled. “But Jimmy’s…”
His face appeared over the side again, eyes black and features unreadable. “Jimmy’s nothin’, now climb up damn it. We need to talk.”
With a resigned sigh, I began climbing. I knew that tone, and if there was one being on the planet who could out stubborn me in the stubborn ass department, it was Jay so arguing was a useless endeavor.
When I got topside, there he was, feet planted shoulder width and arms crossed. “Hit the shower, Isabella. Then we’ll talk. My office, thirty minutes.”
“Fine,” I agreed with a mock salute as I turned and made my way into the mansion. I didn’t dare call the thing a house—it’d be akin to comparing a beheading to a flesh wound.
Just as I was trudging my way up the stairs, I heard a snicker from the upper level and rolled my eyes, preparing for the worst. “I sure as hell hope the other guy looks worse than you, baby-cakes, ‘cause you look like sun dried shit.”
A loud smack echoed through the cavernous space and I smirked.
“Ow! Jesus woman! Quit hittin’ me. Gonna cause some real damage one a’ these days,” he grumbled.
“That, or I’ll knock some sense into ya, so I’ll take my chances.” Char smiled at me as I reached the upper floor. “Hi sugar. Don’t pay no mind to this ass. You’re doin’ great.”
Peter pouted. “Never said she wasn’t. Just said she looked like…”
He ducked the hand aimed at the back of his head and held up his hands as Char glared. “Okay, okay…I get it, damn.”
“As much as I’d love to stick around, I’ve been summoned and only have half an hour to enjoy a shower.”
Char looked apologetic. “Jasper in a mood?”
I shrugged. “You know how he gets when I’m in the pit and you guys aren’t around.”
Pete laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s ‘cause he cares, sugar.” With that, he and Char headed down stairs and I made my way to Jasper’s rooms that I never managed to move out of since the first day here.
Stripping out of my clothes, I flipped on the shower and stepped in, hissing when the water hit all the new scars that weren’t quite healed.
If there was one thing I now knew about most newborn vamps, it was that they loved to bite and while I found it painful, in a way, I relished it; a left-over shadow, I knew, of my human days of cutting. Like the cutting had, the pain of the bites and the sight of the scars took my mind off the deeper pain inside—the pain of my past but also the pain of knowing I came second on my mate’s give a damn scale.
Grabbing a loofah, I lathered it up and began to scrub while my mind went places better left unvisited.
Caius…
He’d tried to seduce me a few more times while they’d been here and I’d managed to reject him each time. It’d been a close thing though as my instincts had screamed for me to submit while a large portion of my mind had tried to reason that I’d be happy and loved with him even if he was married to the dragon. It didn’t help matters any that he was always whispering sweet entreaties and reassurances in my ear that said those very things and god…
I had wanted him…
With a mental slap to clear my head, I went on to finish up my shower. It was never a good idea to keep Jasper waiting when he was like this.
We’d already had a few of these arguments before and neither of us seemed to ever win. Concessions were always made on both sides and life went on, but I had a feeling today would be different especially since I had so many new scars; something we both knew I should be able to avoid by now and I knew Jasper was astute enough to see through me.
Once dressed, I took one last look in the mirror and made my way to his office.
“Come in, Isabella.”
With a slow exhale, I dropped my hand to the knob, gave it a twist and walked in to see him sitting behind his desk typing something on the keyboard. “Have a seat,” he muttered, his eyes still fixed on the monitor as his fingers flew.
I slipped into the chair across from him and waited.
When he’d finished up, he slid the keyboard away and relaxed back in his chair, his eyes fixed on me. I quirked a brow. “You wanted to see me?”
“Just what the hell is it you’re tryin’ to accomplish out there?”
My brows shot up. “Training,” I answered simply and he scoffed.
“Bullshit.”
I scowled. “What would you call it then?”
He shot from his seat and grabbed my arm, pushing the long sleeve up before I could stop him. “Fuck,” he spat before letting go to lean back against the edge of his desk while staring a hole through me with black eyes.
I pushed my sleeve down and looked away.
“That give you some kinda satisfaction?”
“You tell me,” I sneered, wanting nothing more than to take back the words the second they left my mouth.
He nodded. “All right. I reckon I had that comin’.”
I stared into my lap. “No, you didn’t Jay. I’m sorry, and for what it’s worth, you’re right. It does give me…well, I don’t know that I’d call it satisfaction. Release…I’d call it release.” I glanced up at him. “But then, you knew that.”
He sighed heavily, reached over, got out a smoke and lit it. “Yeah, I did.” He blew out a plume of smoke and flicked ash in the tray beside him. “I just really hoped you’d learn from my mistakes and take a different path.”
I smirked. “I think we’re more alike than either of us care to admit.”
He snorted. “God help us both.” His eyes narrowed and he pointed the filter end of his smoke at me. “Still, don’t go thinkin’ I’m gonna let this shit go on. From now on, if I’m not with you, you’re not allowed in the pit, period.”
“Jay…!”
His brows shot up and I sagged. “Fine.”
He crushed out his cigarette in the ash tray and pulled me into his arms, his tone soft as he spoke. “You know, you can go to him whenever ya need to. I’ll even escort you there so you’re not alone.”
I shook my head and nestled into him. “No, I’m—I’ll be okay. It’s getting a little easier every day and as long as I have you, I think I can deal.”
His hand ran over my arm where some of the freshest bite marks marred my skin. “Really?” He lifted my chin and met my eyes. “Is it really, Bella, or are you gonna snap one day from tryin’ to hold it all together?”
I reached up and tucked some hair behind his ear before cupping his cheek. “Don’t let me go, Jay and I’ll be okay, I swear. I’m gonna find a solution to this—for both of us—and then we’ll be free, but until then,” I whispered, “don’t let me go.”
He tipped my head up and kissed me softly. “I worry about you.”
I smiled. “I know you do, but I’m not a fragile flower.”
He laughed, his forehead resting against mine and deep red eyes sparkling with humor. “I’m well aware, believe me. Doesn’t stop me from worryin' though.”
“That’s right,” I teased, “you are kinda like my daddy after all—at least in the vampire sense.”
His face scrunched. “Don’t ever bring that up again, especially considering what I was just thinkin’ of doing with you.”
I arched a brow. “And that would be…?”
My breath caught as in the next seconds he had me stripped and straddling him in a chair. “I’d rather show ya,” he said as he cupped the back of my head and pulled me into a kiss.
I groaned as I felt his fingers trace up the inside of my thigh, part my folds, and gather some of my slickness before expertly circling my clit as his tongue tasted and stroked against mine.
I moaned and sucked at his luscious lower lip, my hands now buried in his silky waves of hair as two of his fingers slipped into me, curling there to tease my G-spot while his thumb tortured my sensitive bundle of nerves.
“Jasper…” I breathed into our kiss as my orgasm rapidly built, my hips instinctively rocking into his hand. “So good…” I whispered as his fingers pressed and stroked inside me. I tensed and sighed into his mouth when my peak washed through me, my walls fluttering and gripping as he smiled into our kiss.
“Always so responsive…” he commented as I heard the distinct sound of a zipper.
Rising up, I tilted my head and deepened our kiss, loving being this close to him as I felt him enter me, his thick girth stretching me deliciously as I slid down his impressive length.
It was him that groaned into our kiss this time and I smiled against his lips while rolling my hips. I knew he loved it when I did that and the low, sexy growl he rewarded me with proved me right while spurring me on.
“Jesus, Bella,” he breathed while throwing his head back. “That’s it, darlin’, ride me…ride me hard…” His hands gripped my hips and he thrusted into me as I braced myself on his shoulders and rode him, the chair we were in creaking and groaning ominously as our pace picked up.
“God, Major,” I gasped as I slammed down on him. “You feel so good…so fucking good…”
His hands squeezed my hips and he grunted and growled as my walls tightened around him. “Fuck, baby…come on my cock…I know you’re close…come with me!”
With a scream, I threw my head back and shattered, relishing the prolonged and powerful orgasm as he stroked into me four more times before filling me with a shout.
My head fell onto his shoulder and we chuckled together as the arm of the chair creaked and sagged to the side. “Poor chair,” I said with a smirk as amusement danced through his eyes.
He shrugged. “It’s a chair, but now that you mention it, maybe we should get off of it before the thing dumps us both on our asses.”
I got up and dressed at a human pace while he fixed his own clothes and set the chair outside the door for the help to dispose of. “I have some business to tend to in town so I won’t be back until this evening,” he commented while grabbing a file from his desk. He circled the desk and kissed me lightly. “Remember…”
I placed a finger over his lips. “I know, no pit. I got it.”
He pulled me close and gripped my ass while kissing the breath out of me. “I’ll se ya later. Maybe we can go catch that new movie tonight?”
I traced the side of his face with my fingers, my eyes flitting from his lips to his eyes as I smiled. “Are you asking me on a date, Major?”
He grinned. “If you’ll have me, Miss Swan.”
“Only if you buy me popcorn and a soda.”
His brows inched up but he never lost the grin. “Whatever my girl wants, she gets.”
“Then I accept.”
He pecked my lips. “Be good,” he said and vanished out the door.
With an admittedly dreamy sigh, I pocketed my phone and left the room, intent on finding Peter and Char to see what they were up to. I didn’t have to go far as they were in the game room and I chuckled ‘cause it sounded like Char was kicking Pete’s ass at pool…again. “Damn it woman! I demand a refund.”
“Why?!” I heard Char demand through a laugh.
“I’ve been hustled!” Peter screeched.
“Peter Alan Whitlock… How many years we been together? You cannot be hustled by me because it’s no secret I kick your ass every time we play!”
“Whatever,” he grumbled.
I walked in and shared a smirk with Char as Pete placed the cues back in the rack before groaning as he saw me. “Why’s it always me gettin’ double teamed by you two? Jasper, that asshole…”
I snorted. “That’s what big brothers are for.”
“I’m older,” he groused and Char rolled her eyes as she flopped onto the couch and dragged him down next to her while flipping on the TV.
“Don’t start that again.”
“Well, it’s true.”
“Wanna watch somethin’ B?”
I sat in a chair, folding one leg under me. “Sure.”
Char scrolled through the menu of recordings. “Oooh! A new Supernatural episode!”
“Sweet,” I said as she clicked on it while Pete moaned and dropped his head on the back of the couch.
I smirked. “What’s wrong Pete?” I asked already knowing good and well what his problem was. I bit back a laugh when he answered in a falsetto.
“Oh Dean! He’s such a hunk!” His tone changed a bit and he continued, now struggling to hold off Char’s balled up fist. “But Sam’s so sensitive and caring—makes me all wet just thinkin’ about it!”
Char finally connected and he grunted while rubbing his arm as she tried to glare without laughing. “Hush you. How many times I sit through Nascar or the Nightly News for you, you red-necked old fart.”
He gaped, spreading his arms wide as he looked at me. “Does this,” he stood, turned and placed his hands on his tight, shapely ass while eyeing me over his shoulder, “look like the body of a red-necked old fart?!”
I tapped my chin with a finger. “Old fart? No. Red-neck? Well, you are wearing Wranglers and boots, Pete, sorry.”
He flopped onto the couch and threw an arm around Char. “See baby, I still got it.”
I smirked. “You’re like two days older than dirt though, so she’s technically got ya there too.”
He grabbed the remote and cranked the volume. “You can shut up now, Bella.”
I snorted a laugh just as my phone vibrated in my pocket. Digging it out, I stepped out of the room to take the call. “Bella Swan.”
“Miss Swan,” an old lady’s voice rasped and my brow furrowed.
“Yes, this is she.”
“This is Madame Barbos. I was told that you seek services I can provide.”
A thrill shot through me. “Yes,” I said while putting more distance between me and any possibly listening ears. “I am.”
“We have a very small window to work with from what I’ve been told, child. Be on the next flight to New Orleans and find me in the French Quarter.”
“That’s it? No address?”
She rasped a laugh. “Everyone knows Ol’ Madame Barbos, child. All ya gotta do is ask.”
She hung up then and I zipped up the stairs to pack some clothes and the money I had stashed. I jotted a vague note to Jay, and left it on the bed before soundlessly making my way to the garage where I chose a plain looking sedan.
Minutes later, I turned onto the main road, slid on some dark glasses and cranked the radio hoping beyond hope that I was heading toward a permanent solution to my—our—problems.
Only time would tell.
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.