Jas & Bell

 

Oh Alice, you wicked little thing. It was on Jasper Hale's breath as he walked away from her. "I'm tired of this." He breathed under his breath.

She was a control freak as far as he was concerned. And he hated to argue with her or she just might say he was freaking out. Then the injections would come, and he'd go numb. He shook his head. He just needed to be away from her. He was not her child. It was all beginning to wear him down. Didn't he know why he'd stuck around so long? She had a pretty face and he'd missed valentines and the like over the centuries. He thought she'd do the trick. But maybe he was just trying to trick her all along. It was enough to make him want to scream. Maybe go in a rage. But, she had to see, he had some control. He did. She just needed a little faith in him. Yes, faith.

But it was fate that brought them there by the tree in the fork in the road. There she was. Kind of angst and definitely feeling sorry for herself.

"You..you..." Jasper squinted hard, trying to think what to say before he sounded like a backwater idiot who might sound like a zombie. "You're on the cross-country team, right?"

"Cross country team?" She winced back. "I'm not very athletic."

"I see." He introduced himself then as Jas. She barely said she was Bella. But he smiled as if maybe it might compel  her, and it did. He bit the very edge of his bottom lip. He smiled more. "Walking is just as good."

"Yeah, its really beautiful here, when its not raining." She shrugged. They walked together then.

"Jas, are you on the cross country team?" Bella asked after awhile when the quiet was just too much and nature was not helping either of them.

"Yes." He said as if that would be the thing to say. He listened for Alice. Maybe she knew this was going to happen, or maybe he messed up what was going to happen. He slightly grinned. All those special powers she talked of ..of the others. What a load shit, he thought. Perhaps he was a bit self-centered now, but she'd vexed him. It was time to get on with his life, not some toy Alice left on the shelf half the time. He had needs, too.

"Why are you smiling?" She couldn't help but smile back as if she was impressed with what she saw in him.

"I want to be on the team." He admitted. "But, well, the family I'm staying with, think I'm not ready. I'm amazed I even get to school."

She shot a look at him as if maybe he should go to the police or something about the matter. He didn't want her to think he'd been kidnapped. But maybe. Slightly.

"They mean well." He was a bit sleepy about it. "I mean, well, you see, Alice found me that one time, when, she ran away. And then she was all, oh, I can't live without him, blah..blah..blah..." His grin was devilish then as if he might be up to no good, and he could slip into his old ways. "And they let me stay."

"But what happened?" Bella seemed concerned.

"God, what didn't happen?" He chuckled, giving way to his impish glare. "We had this spread in a Goth magazine, but they didn't think I was quite goth enough because of the blond hair. So they dyed it black, but it turned red. And we didn't get any money out of it, for her college fund. They say I'm not model material." He shook his head as if he could care less. After all, he was just an old cowboy at heart.

"Um, I dunno, Jas. I'd buy a magazine with your picture in it." She shrugged as if he should know. Jasper sighed. The more she used his name..he knew it was working.  The compulsion Oh, it was working like a charm.

"Really?" Jasper winced then. "Well, anyway, I don't even care about college." Honestly, there was one thing on his mind at the moment and it was right here. The desire to be with Bella.

She smelled like lilacs of summer. It was a sleepy, but tantalizing feeling. He'd never been quite this warm in a long time. It was rather intoxicating.

They walked down the dirt road, past the fields as the thickets were turning darker. He took her hand. Perhaps it would help. Something thoughtful like that. Yes, thoughtful. He had to be thoughtful. Perhaps his many charms would find her to turn this, his way. She was a cold one to warm up. But if he could conjure up a bit of old magic and nostalgia of what she might be missing in this world. So be it.

"Could I ask a favor?" He hesitated. It had been a long time since he'd used any southern charm. Maybe he was losing it. Maybe Alice had taken it away. "Could I come home with you?" He stared at her deeply then and willed it.

Just like a fast-forward moment. ..Bella invited him into her home. Jasper could hardly stand it. This was amazing. He didn't think that sort of power existed. And he had it all along, but Alice kept telling him to never use it. Never. Just like he'd never be her lover, either.

No, it was an intellectual game she was after, when it came to Alice. It was lingo-like, "I challenge you to a dual of the mind. Can you tell me the fifty states, backward?" Which left him feeling his brain had gone gooey, and it was impossible to know the answers. He never wanted to spell another word backward in his life.

No, this..this was much more delectable.

"Thank you." He whispered in Bella's ear. "You'll never know I'm here." So many places he could fade into. The dark pantry for starters. The wallpaper even. Oh, the attic. They could make plans in the attic. He'd found his room, already. Yes, he had it. He was not a newbie at this. He could control it beautifully. No blood yet.

As if this could make him high, already. Not really. He was not a fool. He just had to be a wolf of some sort waiting for Little Red Riding Hood. Speaking of that, there was that silly boy toy Jake to worry about.

"You hate him." His little whispers invaded her memories soon enough. She could be reading government or history, but he knew he had to be on her mind. "You know, you only want me." It was quite devilish. When he was alone, he was filled with a sweet pleasure to manipulate what he wanted. "Whatever you do...don't let Alice in."

As it was, it was like cat and mouse with Alice. Was it that he was purely evil? No, she never said it, but he could feel it in her restlessness when he was around her. He was her science experiment. So petty, he now thought as he had the pleasure of his own company and a watchfulness over Bella.

Yes, it was true, he purely needed a companion. And Bella was it because he did know her smile. He did know her wants and it was a delightful notion that he was in her home now.

"See, isn't it brilliant?" He spoke in a British accent. It was funny to him, too. He didn't know he had one. So long forgotten as he peered at Bella in her bed. His finger traced down her shoulder to where something magical might begin. Oh, just a little nibble here. And there. Possibly, like getting under her skin. They'd be one... in no time.

Sure, he'd had his fun in taverns, bars and other drinking establishments with barmaids, showgirls, and other rowdy bunches. But this was sublime. A slow kill, perhaps. Yet, he couldn't call it that. No. No, he couldn't. It would be a new beginning.

"I want you to eat something amazing. Like cheese cake with cherries. Oh, and don't forget the best rib-eye you can find, my love." He could taste it on his tongue, already. Sort of a farewell. Definitely something to savor. He did have to watch that girlish figure of his.

Well, he'd will it. It would be done. There was no stopping him now. His cold heart was growing stronger. It was a beautiful thing. Starve her with his love, and then feast upon it.

"Are you with me, Bella?" His smile grew more of mischief. All she needed was a black bow for her hair. Oh, it was coming. "Are you with me, Bella?" Really, there was no need to answer. She was his puppet now.