Chapter 8
Marcus POV
I could sense Isabella's discomfort for all the days Caius was away. It pained me to see her in any type of distress, and I had known it would only get worse.
Aro was up to no good about the Cullen boy and I hated to think he’d do anything to harm the newly formed relationship between our brother and Isabella. I wanted nothing more than for Caius to be truly happy, and I wasn't entirely sure Aro wanted the same thing.
I paused with my musings when I heard Isabella stop outside my door. I knew it was her by the lovely scent of freesia, lilac, and strawberries. I called out for her to come in. At once, I noticed how tired her delicate features looked. “Are you alright, Piccola?” I asked.
She looked at me with sad eyes and replied in a whisper. “How does someone cope with knowing your mate is not around?”
Sympathy tugged at my dead heart. I frowned and stood, and took a spot on the loveseat, motioning for Isabella to sit beside me. She obliged. “It isn’t easy," I admitted. "It never is. But we manage. What is it you are feeling?”
I watched as she wrapped an arm around her abdomen, while the other she held tightly across her chest. I could tell she made the gesture unconsciously. “Well...there's a pain in my chest, worse than anything I've ever felt. I feel like something is lost, or missing. “
“That is all part of the mating pull you feel. I can help distract you from it, if you wish," I offered.
“Please," she said, looking like a broken girl. "I’d do anything to make it go away even for a little while."
“Alright then; I think you should learn Italian, since you will be with us for quite some time." I quirked an eyebrow; and asked, "Or would you like to learn how to play piano? Or perhaps read for a while?”
She considered her options for a moment. “I think I’d like to learn piano and Italian," she decided, "then move on to something else.”
Caius POV
I paced back and forth in my cage, knowing it was the best place for me even though I did not like it in the least. I was sure my friendly neighborhood empath could feel my anger. When I would glance over at him, he would quirk a brow as I bared my teeth and growled.
“Caius, you know as well as I do this is how it has to be. You even said so yourself. There’s only a few hours left for you to be in this form then two days to calm your emotions. We can’t have you goin’ back to the castle and Isabella an angry train wreck, now can we darlin’?” Jasper asked with a smirk.
My response was a growl. I hated knowing he was right, but was glad that I would only be in this state for a few more hours. How this man put up with me and my change once a month I would never know; but, I would love to smack that smirk right off of his face.
When he mentioned Isabella’s name the ache in my dead heart grew, and crystal clear tears began to fall from my eyes. That had never happened before and I didn’t understand it. My growling ceased and I whimpered occasionally because of the pain of separation.
Jasper froze and looked me in the eyes, serious for once. “What is this…tears? Don’t worry; your secret is safe with me. The only way anyone will find out about this is if you say something. It’s simply not my place to say a word about it.”
My growling picked up and I started to lunge at the chained door. I knew it wouldn’t do any good because the chains and the bars are strong enough to contain me, regardless of my form. They are made from a mixture of titanium, steel, and vampire venom and ash; one of my own creations.
Then his phone rang. It was probably a Cullen, calling to find out where he disappeared to. Only the confused look upon his face said it was not who I suspected, then I heard Marcus’ voice.
Jasper POV
I could feel Caius’ anger radiate from him along with frustration and pain. I had my back to him when I mentioned it but turned and looked at him. What I saw was nothing short of amazing…tears. To say I was stunned was an understatement; but, I managed to reassure him by saying that whoever heard about it would hear it from him and not me.
He then lunged at the chained door. Did he forget that he created those chains and bars? No, I knew better. I was with him when he made them and was chained in a cell to see if I could break them… that didn’t happen. I was locked in the cell for a day or two until I was released.
I was pulled from my musing when my cell phone rang. When I looked at screen I was surprised to see Marcus was calling me. I was on good terms with Caius and Marcus, but Aro struck me as losing his perfect vampire mind.
He was probably calling to tell me that Carlisle was on his way to Volterra, to bring home his golden boy and the pixie. I could care less. I plan to stay in Volterra when this was over anyway.
“Marcus,” I answered, “what can I do for you?”
“First, I was wondering how my brother is?”
“He’s as well as can be expected.”
“Good. The next reason is Isabella.”
“Is she alright?”
Caius whirled to face me, his growls dying on a dime.
“She seems to be on the outside, but I know she’s not,” Marcus told me.
“Talk to me…what’s wrong?”
Caius apprehension grew, and he began shifting nervously. Then his anger spiked, but his yelp at me was more like a whine.
“Jasper, calm down, Caius doesn’t need to be agitated any more than he is at present.”
“I know, but what’s wrong? I don’t need to be an empath to hear the worry in your voice.”
“Physically she seems fine, other than experiencing the symptoms of the mating pull. Emotionally she is depressed and has a minimal attention span. I believe this is from Caius being away.”
“How can she feel that? She’s human. Marcus, you know she was attacked a year ago by one of our kind?”
“Yes, but what does that have to do with her and the mating pull?”
“Well, Bella was bitten by a skilled tracker. The venom had begun to circulate in her system, but Edward then sucked out the venom preventing it from spreading and stopping the change. I’m not sure but I think she may have had some lingering venom in her system. Could that be causing her to feel more of the effects of the pull?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I can say it may be possible. I will keep an eye on her and keep you posted.”
“You do that. I’ll make sure Caius is informed.”
“What about you?” he asked. “Are you feeling any part of it?”
My eyebrows drew together in confusion. “What do you mean?”
He thought for a moment before answering, “I have a theory, but I have to know; how did you feel when your coven left her behind? How do you feel now?”
“When we left her it felt as though someone ripped my heart out and I fell into a depression of sorts. Now, I ache. I know she is safe but I think I ache because Caius is away from her. Empath, remember?”
“I know what you are, Major, I haven’t forgotten. What I’m saying is there is a reason you felt that then and how are you feeling now. It’s not all linked to Caius.”
“That’s not possible is it? A human female having two vampire mates? Marcus… are you telling me she is my mate as well?”
“Anything is possible Jasper.” He stopped and pondered before continuing, “Just make sure you both come back in one piece. If one of you fails to return here she may die. That’s simply because she is human after all.”
“Alright I will relay the message, but, I can tell you this…he is not going to like it or be happy about it.”
“My brother may surprise you. Goodbye Jasper, see you in a few days.”
“Bye, Marcus.”
To say I was stunned was accurate. I know I didn’t need to relay any message…Caius heard the whole conversation. The anger began rolling off him once again and all I could do was keep pushing waves of calm out to him. This was going to be a long remaining three days…
I could sense Isabella's discomfort for all the days Caius was away. It pained me to see her in any type of distress, and I had known it would only get worse.
Aro was up to no good about the Cullen boy and I hated to think he’d do anything to harm the newly formed relationship between our brother and Isabella. I wanted nothing more than for Caius to be truly happy, and I wasn't entirely sure Aro wanted the same thing.
I paused with my musings when I heard Isabella stop outside my door. I knew it was her by the lovely scent of freesia, lilac, and strawberries. I called out for her to come in. At once, I noticed how tired her delicate features looked. “Are you alright, Piccola?” I asked.
She looked at me with sad eyes and replied in a whisper. “How does someone cope with knowing your mate is not around?”
Sympathy tugged at my dead heart. I frowned and stood, and took a spot on the loveseat, motioning for Isabella to sit beside me. She obliged. “It isn’t easy," I admitted. "It never is. But we manage. What is it you are feeling?”
I watched as she wrapped an arm around her abdomen, while the other she held tightly across her chest. I could tell she made the gesture unconsciously. “Well...there's a pain in my chest, worse than anything I've ever felt. I feel like something is lost, or missing. “
“That is all part of the mating pull you feel. I can help distract you from it, if you wish," I offered.
“Please," she said, looking like a broken girl. "I’d do anything to make it go away even for a little while."
“Alright then; I think you should learn Italian, since you will be with us for quite some time." I quirked an eyebrow; and asked, "Or would you like to learn how to play piano? Or perhaps read for a while?”
She considered her options for a moment. “I think I’d like to learn piano and Italian," she decided, "then move on to something else.”
Caius POV
I paced back and forth in my cage, knowing it was the best place for me even though I did not like it in the least. I was sure my friendly neighborhood empath could feel my anger. When I would glance over at him, he would quirk a brow as I bared my teeth and growled.
“Caius, you know as well as I do this is how it has to be. You even said so yourself. There’s only a few hours left for you to be in this form then two days to calm your emotions. We can’t have you goin’ back to the castle and Isabella an angry train wreck, now can we darlin’?” Jasper asked with a smirk.
My response was a growl. I hated knowing he was right, but was glad that I would only be in this state for a few more hours. How this man put up with me and my change once a month I would never know; but, I would love to smack that smirk right off of his face.
When he mentioned Isabella’s name the ache in my dead heart grew, and crystal clear tears began to fall from my eyes. That had never happened before and I didn’t understand it. My growling ceased and I whimpered occasionally because of the pain of separation.
Jasper froze and looked me in the eyes, serious for once. “What is this…tears? Don’t worry; your secret is safe with me. The only way anyone will find out about this is if you say something. It’s simply not my place to say a word about it.”
My growling picked up and I started to lunge at the chained door. I knew it wouldn’t do any good because the chains and the bars are strong enough to contain me, regardless of my form. They are made from a mixture of titanium, steel, and vampire venom and ash; one of my own creations.
Then his phone rang. It was probably a Cullen, calling to find out where he disappeared to. Only the confused look upon his face said it was not who I suspected, then I heard Marcus’ voice.
Jasper POV
I could feel Caius’ anger radiate from him along with frustration and pain. I had my back to him when I mentioned it but turned and looked at him. What I saw was nothing short of amazing…tears. To say I was stunned was an understatement; but, I managed to reassure him by saying that whoever heard about it would hear it from him and not me.
He then lunged at the chained door. Did he forget that he created those chains and bars? No, I knew better. I was with him when he made them and was chained in a cell to see if I could break them… that didn’t happen. I was locked in the cell for a day or two until I was released.
I was pulled from my musing when my cell phone rang. When I looked at screen I was surprised to see Marcus was calling me. I was on good terms with Caius and Marcus, but Aro struck me as losing his perfect vampire mind.
He was probably calling to tell me that Carlisle was on his way to Volterra, to bring home his golden boy and the pixie. I could care less. I plan to stay in Volterra when this was over anyway.
“Marcus,” I answered, “what can I do for you?”
“First, I was wondering how my brother is?”
“He’s as well as can be expected.”
“Good. The next reason is Isabella.”
“Is she alright?”
Caius whirled to face me, his growls dying on a dime.
“She seems to be on the outside, but I know she’s not,” Marcus told me.
“Talk to me…what’s wrong?”
Caius apprehension grew, and he began shifting nervously. Then his anger spiked, but his yelp at me was more like a whine.
“Jasper, calm down, Caius doesn’t need to be agitated any more than he is at present.”
“I know, but what’s wrong? I don’t need to be an empath to hear the worry in your voice.”
“Physically she seems fine, other than experiencing the symptoms of the mating pull. Emotionally she is depressed and has a minimal attention span. I believe this is from Caius being away.”
“How can she feel that? She’s human. Marcus, you know she was attacked a year ago by one of our kind?”
“Yes, but what does that have to do with her and the mating pull?”
“Well, Bella was bitten by a skilled tracker. The venom had begun to circulate in her system, but Edward then sucked out the venom preventing it from spreading and stopping the change. I’m not sure but I think she may have had some lingering venom in her system. Could that be causing her to feel more of the effects of the pull?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I can say it may be possible. I will keep an eye on her and keep you posted.”
“You do that. I’ll make sure Caius is informed.”
“What about you?” he asked. “Are you feeling any part of it?”
My eyebrows drew together in confusion. “What do you mean?”
He thought for a moment before answering, “I have a theory, but I have to know; how did you feel when your coven left her behind? How do you feel now?”
“When we left her it felt as though someone ripped my heart out and I fell into a depression of sorts. Now, I ache. I know she is safe but I think I ache because Caius is away from her. Empath, remember?”
“I know what you are, Major, I haven’t forgotten. What I’m saying is there is a reason you felt that then and how are you feeling now. It’s not all linked to Caius.”
“That’s not possible is it? A human female having two vampire mates? Marcus… are you telling me she is my mate as well?”
“Anything is possible Jasper.” He stopped and pondered before continuing, “Just make sure you both come back in one piece. If one of you fails to return here she may die. That’s simply because she is human after all.”
“Alright I will relay the message, but, I can tell you this…he is not going to like it or be happy about it.”
“My brother may surprise you. Goodbye Jasper, see you in a few days.”
“Bye, Marcus.”
To say I was stunned was accurate. I know I didn’t need to relay any message…Caius heard the whole conversation. The anger began rolling off him once again and all I could do was keep pushing waves of calm out to him. This was going to be a long remaining three days…