#jaspertwilight fanfiction

[bonjour-rainycity]

The Long Way Around ~ Chapter 15

Link to previous part: https://bonjour-rainycity.tumblr.com/post/625017063484833792/the-long-way-around-chapter-14

Pairing: Jasper x Reader

Word count: 3041

Warnings: None

Jasper’s POV

“And you’re being safe?” Y/n’s voice, sounding small over the phone, floats from the speaker to my ear.

“I promise, Darlin, we’re taking every precaution possible. We won’t even meet officially with Aro and the others until later; Carlisle wanted to wait for a formal invitation to approach.” The reassurance, as well as the pet name, rolls off my tongue easily. I had used it the other day and felt her immediate affinity for it, and vowed to use it more often.

“Does he know what he’s going to say?”

I shake my head and lean back against the door. “He’s working on that right now with Esme. But Carlisle’s a natural diplomat, I have no doubts the right words will come to his mind.”

“That’s good…What’s the hotel like? I haven’t been to one in forever.” Then, she chuckles lowly. “I haven’t been anywhere outside this house and these woods in forever.”

I smile, feeling empathy for her struggle. “Give you just a few more months and I think we might be able to take a trip somewhere. Not somewhere too populated, but maybe camping?”

Her voice takes on a dreamy quality when she responds, and I can hear the smile in her words. “We could go to the mountains. Watch the sky, go swimming, eat bears.”

I chuckle at her addition. “Alright, it’s a date.” She hums in agreement and I take a minute to enjoy the melodic sound of her voice. I can’t wait to hear her in person again. I shake myself out of my thoughts before I can get too stuck on missing her. “But to answer your question, the hotel is really nice. Gold ceilings, open balconies, huge bathtubs…you would like it.” Ugh, I wish she was here with me. Again, I have to stop my thoughts. I have a job to do, and I need to be focused if I’m going to fulfill my promise of getting back to Y/n. I have respect for the Volturi, to a degree, but part of that respect involves acknowledging their capabilities. And, if they wanted to, they could destroy Carlisle, Esme, and me in a blink of an eye. Sure, I would put up a good fight, and, based on my experience, I would have a good chance of making it out alive. I could possibly even take Carlisle or Esme with me, thought I had no desire to ever make that choice. So, I must make every effort to avoid a fight. And that means helping Carlisle prepare for his discussion with Aro and, once we’re in the room, not letting my focus slip, even for a second. I’ll have to keep a close monitor of everyone’s moods, and adjust them in a way that will influence a favorable outcome.

“I’m sure I would.” Y/n’s voice pulls me from my assessment. Then, from her side of the phone, I hear Rosalie calling her name. There’s regret in Y/n’s voice when she speaks. “That’s Rose, I’ve gotta go. She and Emmett took the day off from classes and are helping me with the blood desensitization. I promised her we’d go outside at eight.” A quick check to my watch confirms the time, in her zone at least. Here in Italy it’s well into the afternoon.

“Good,” I say, wanting to focus on the positive. “The more you do it, the easier the burning and temptation will be to bear.” I would know. “I’ll be with Carlisle and Esme here in the hotel, at least until dark. It’s so sunny here.”

She can hear the distaste in my voice, and laughs. “Poor Jasper, he has to stay inside. That must suck.”

I laugh with her, and hear Rosalie calling her again. This time, impatience colors Rosalie’s voice. I sigh. “Well, I better let you go. Good luck with desensitization, and call me if you need anything.”

Her voice is soft, sad, when she responds. “You too. Gosh, Jasper, please be safe.”

I desperately hope my voice doesn’t betray my own sadness when I respond. “I will, I promise.”

She’s quiet for a moment, the only sounds coming from her shaky breathing, and I want nothing more than to get on the first flight home, or swim if I have to, and scoop her into my arms. But her voice is steady when she speaks, and that calms me slightly. “Bye babe.”

“Bye.”

She hangs up the phone.

I love you.

The words, on the edge of my lips already, beg to be said. But it’s not the right time. Those words need to be said in person, when she can hear, see, and feel how much I mean them. So I’ve got to focus on making sure I get home so I can prove to her how much I mean them.

I take a deep breath, then open the door, entering the hallway. We’d decided to get two rooms in the hotel. Mainly, it helps avoid suspicion. An obvious husband and wife plus some random, only slightly younger guy makes no sense, especially when we don’t want to attract unnecessary attention. But the second, unspoken reason, is so Carlisle and Esme can have a space to themselves. Again, I feel a pang, wishing Y/n was here with me. One day, I remind myself, and continue down the hall to Carlisle and Esme’s room. I make my footsteps extra loud, even by human standards, so they’ll be warned of my approach. But they welcome me in, having only been working on Carlisle’s talking points.

Esme scoots over so I can sit next to her at the foot of the bed, opening her arms for a hug. “How’s Y/n doing?”

I smile, enjoying Esme’s affection. “She’s good, just worried about us. Rose and Emmett called her away to work on desensitization.”

Carlisle nods. “Good, consistency with that is important.”

“It must be strange for her,” Esme muses, “without us there. Especially you, Jasper. What’s the longest you two have been away from each other?”

“Six hours.” The answer comes easily, because I’d already done the math. Right now, it’s been fourteen hours, and I’m antsy. It just makes me feel anxious being away from her, especially with all that could go wrong. A human could surprise them and she could lose control, another vampire could attack and she could be hurt or killed. And, of course I know no one in our family would ever hurt her intentionally, but say she wrestles with Emmett and he overestimates her strength? What if she loses a finger or gets another bite?

Carlisle’s hand on my shoulder breaks me from my thoughts. “It’ll get easier with time, son.”

I rub the back of my neck, sheepish. “Am I that obvious?”

“Yes,” Esme says with a soft smile. Her happiness surrounds me, and I uncharacteristically lay my head on her shoulder. Her joy increases, as does Carlisle’s fondness.

“Okay, you two,” I chuckle, ready for the focus to be off of me. “Let’s get to planning.”

“Right.” Carlisle straightens and walks back to the front of the room, all business.

{***}

In the middle of the night, when most humans are sound asleep, I feel a new presence, one harboring suspicion.

“Carlisle,” I caution, darting to the hotel door. He and Esme freeze, and we wait quietly.

We hear the footsteps, four sets of them, hitting the carpet, two heavy, two light. They walk slightly faster than the average human, supporting my theory that it’s vampires who come to meet us. Their scent hits me a second later, and I fight the urge to go on the defensive. Still, I position myself in front of the door, blocking the path to Carlisle and Esme.

The footsteps come to a stop, and a heavy knock hits the door. At Carlisle’s nod, I open it, and am met with four familiar vampires wearing robes in varying shades of Volturi black.

The smallest, the most terrifying, of the four speaks, a smile on her face that does not reach her bright red eyes. “Aro will see you now. You may come with us.”

{***}

The way into the castle is dark and smells old. At least one vampire with glowing red eyes guards every exit, and the message is clear: You don’t leave unless we allow you to. From my spot at the rear of our group, I keep a watchful eye. Carlisle goes first, keeping an arm around Esme’s waist. The only one who’s spoken to us so far, Jane, turns to us, and thankfully, she only means to speak again.

“Wait here.”

I feel Esme and Carlisle’s apprehension, and do what I can to calm them and give them courage. I also feel suspicion from Felix and Dmitri, who I see in the corner of my eye, and I ease that as well. Not taking any chances. From the corridor above, I hear a clumsier set of footsteps, and the scent hits me in the face. Human. I turn to Carlisle, having not expected to smell that sweet temptation here in this fortress of vampires.

“The Volturi keep a handful of humans in their employ,” Carlisle explains, seeing my questioning gaze. “Eventually, it is likely that they will become vampires.”

“Or a meal,” Alec, who stands to my right, smirks.

Ah.

The mahogany door creaks open, and Jane peeks her head out. “Come in.”

The air inside the room feels cold, even to a vampire. I’m guessing it’s due to the high, lofty ceilings and complete lack of natural light, as well as the ten vampires now occupying the space.

“Carlisle, my dear friend,” a pleasant, high pitched voice coos. I immediately recognize him from Carlisle’s paintings: it’s Aro. In chairs to his right and left sit Marcus and Caius. “It is truly a pleasure to see your smiling face once again.”

Aro stands, sweeping forward to stand in front of Carlisle. I’m tempted to tense, but Carlisle seems unaffected.

“I have missed you too, my friend. It has been too long.”

“Indeed.” Aro’s voice carries a measured amount of regret, but I feel none from him, only curiosity and suspicion.

“I’m sure you remember my wife, Esme, and this is my son, Jasper.”

“Ah, the lovely Esme! So wonderful to see you again. And Jasper, I am so pleased to make your acquaintance.” He’s not lying. I can feel his joy as well as his envy. “I must admit that I am intrigued by your gift. May I? I so wish to understand how it works.”

Knowing refusal would only get us into trouble, I take a few steps forward so I’m on Esme’s other side and hold out my hand. Swiftly, Aro grasps it in his, his hand papery. His eyes flicker as he takes in my thoughts. I concentrate, feeling his emotions as he invades my mind. Fear, suspicion, anger, annoyance, curiosity, and desire. As quickly as he took it, he releases my hand, taking a step back.

“I was aware of your involvement in the Southern wars for territory but I admit I did not understand the extent. It is miraculous that you survived.” Aro feels shocked, as well as calculating. No doubt he’s considering how to use my past to his advantage.

“Yes, I am very lucky. I don’t believe I would have lived had I not gotten out when I did.”

Carlisle comes to my aid. “The Southern wars were truly horrific. We are very glad Jasper left that behind and joined our family.”

Aro’s interest piques. “Yes, and it seems you have collected a new member of your coven! Tell me, how is she adjusting?”

I fight the urge to grit my teeth as we get closer and closer to a topic I had very much hoped to stay away from: Y/n.

“Well, thank you,” Carlisle’s voice is calm, but his words are careful. “We have taught her our laws and are educating her in our lifestyle. She is learning quickly.”

“Yes, I can see that.” Aro licks his lips, his eyes flickering to me. “Jasper, allow me to offer my congratulations. I wish you and Y/n both a long and happy life together.”

I barely register Carlisle and Esme’s bursts of happiness as I zero in on Aro, not liking where his mood, or this conversation, is going. “Thank you, I appreciate that.”

“And perhaps, when she is better controlled, I will get a chance to meet her. I must admit, her powers intrigue me.”

No!

Now I do grit my teeth as I fight to keep my precarious calm. Esme slips her hand into mine, and I use that as my anchor. Do not provoke anything. That will only make Aro more curious and bring further trouble for your family, for Y/n.

Aro diverts his attention momentarily to explain Y/n’s abilities to the room. I feel their interest and curiosity, and it makes my skin crawl. Carlisle smiles, trying to lighten the tension I’m causing. I force myself to reign it in and send waves of calm throughout the room. Focus.

“Yes, perhaps,” Carlisle allows, taking a noncommittal stance. “But my friend, there is a matter I had hoped to discuss with you.”

“Why yes, of course Carlisle, what is it?” He already knows, having seen the thoughts in my head, but still, I breathe a sigh of relief. For now, the attention is turned away from my love. As much as I miss her, I am so glad she’s not here. There’s no doubt in my mind that conversation would have turned out differently had she been standing at my side.

Carlisle continues. “My family and I were attacked a few days ago.”

Aro feigns shock. “My, my, Carlisle, tell me everything.”

Carlisle launches into an explanation of the past few months, starting with Esme’s encounter and ending with a telling of the battle. All throughout, Aro maintains a mask of perfect reactions: shock, outrage, sympathy, determination. But that’s exactly what it is: a mask. The whole time, I feel only his annoyance. He’s upset at having been found out. But of course, we can’t present our suspicions and he can’t acknowledge his involvement. Each party must tread carefully in order to keep the peace. I do what I can to push us in that direction.

“Carlisle, I regret the turmoil your family has been through. Tell me, how can I help you heal from this?” I nearly quirk a smile. To anyone who wasn’t me or Edward, Aro would be incredibly convincing.

“Many covens visit the Volturi. I came to request that, if you or a member of your coven becomes aware of an impending attack, you do your best to discourage such actions. Many people respect you, friend. Your words will carry weight.”

Such a diplomat my father figure is, I think fondly. I’m grateful he’s here.

Aro’s annoyance deepens, but his face shows nothing unpleasant. “Of course, I will do what I can.”

Carlisle offers a smile, and I can feel his satisfaction. “Thank you. I knew I could count on you.”

Aro claps his hands, his anticipation rising. “Now that we are done with business, perhaps we could move along to pleasure? We were just about to start dinner. Wouldn’t you join us?”

The request, innocent enough to human ears, has a terribly sinister connotation in the vampire world. The burn increases in my throat, and I swallow, trying to ignore the pain. Esme’s hand tightens in mine, and I wonder if she’s suffering as I am?

Carlisle’s sadness doesn’t seep into his voice, but it is still evident. “Thank you for the invitation, but my family and I are content with our diet.”

Aro’s eyes, glistening red with the pigment only gained from true, human blood, dart to me. “Yes, I’m sure you are.”

The chatter of a group of humans, as well as their scent, reaches me, and I force myself to stop breathing. Do not slip up.

“I’m afraid we must be going. It will be light soon, and I do believe it would be wise to avoid attracting attention.”

Aro chuckles, enjoying Carlisle’s banter. “Yes, I agree. Safe travels, my friend.”

As we turn to leave, Marcus catches our attention. “When your newborn is more adept at controlling herself, please extend our invitation. We would be interested in meeting her.”

Burning with thirst and fear at their mention of Y/n, I clench my free hand into a fist. Carlisle sends me a cautioning glance.

“I will pass on your offer.”

“Yes, do that,” a new voice, Caius’, joins the conversation. “It will be interesting to see how her powers compare to our Jane’s.”

Absolutely not. I whip around, taking a step in Caius’ direction. Immediately, Carlisle is on my other side and he and Esme have a firm grip on my shoulders.

Aro giggles, evidently enjoying my reaction. “Now, Caius, you know it is not wise to speak against someone’s mate, especially when it is so new. Jasper, I assure you, your young love will find no danger here. Go in peace.”

I don’t believe him, not for a second. If Aro decides Y/n is a threat or an asset, she’s in danger.

But Carlisle and Esme’s hands are tight on my shoulders and the scent of the humans is getting stronger. It’s time to go.

On our way out, we pass the group of humans, most of them college-aged, chattering excitedly. It seems to be a late-night ghost tour. Little do they know, their demise is imminent. I’m thrown into flashbacks of my own experience killing humans, and the remnants of fear I feel from them nearly chokes me. We’re almost out the door when the first few realize something is amiss, and then seconds later that breaks into panic. I’m torn between the desires to run back to the room and save them and to run back and massacre them. I cling tightly to my hard-earned self control and follow Carlisle and Esme as we are escorted from the castle.

One thought keeps me from breaking: Soon, I will be home.

A/n There we go! Sorry for the wait! I’m deciding between ending this story soon or dragging it out longer. I’ll make a decision soon but I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let me know if you would like to be added to the tag list. Don’t forget to donate to the Quileute tribe’s Move to Higher Ground Project! A quick Google will bring up the link. Remember, their tribe was appropriated, incorrectly portrayed, and commodified and they did not receive a cent. Let’s do what we can to lend a hand. 

xx, 

Bjr

Link to next part: https://bonjour-rainycity.tumblr.com/post/625767180394479616/the-long-way-around-chapter-16

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