Creatures of the Night | Jasper Hale ✓

Unwanted Visitors 3.20

Despite Emmett's words I still felt guilty. 

When the three of us returned to the house, I split off from Jasper and Emmett making my way to one of the bathrooms. 

I spend well over 30 minutes in the shower, I'm vaguely aware of the temperature of the water lowering which finally prompts me to turn the water off. I stand still in the steamed room; my mind racing. 

A knock at the door startles me. I quickly put on fresh clothes, and crack the door open. 

"What?" I'm surprised when I am not confronted with Jasper or Emmett, Edward is stood on the opposite side of the door. "Oh, uh, hi." 

"Bella is going to be leaving for Florida tomorrow, if you'd like to come see her before she leaves."

I blink wondering if I'm hearing things.

Edward chuckles, "No, you're not hearing things." 

"Stop that, it's not fair," I frown. "Do you mean... going to see Bella? Like at the old house?" 

He nods, "Charlie is going to be out late tonight, and I'll be there just in case." 

"Fine, let's go," I couldn't stand trying to hide away in a house full of vampires anyway. The fear of projecting again, unintentionally, was gnawing at me. 

~ ~ ~

"Hey, Bella," I wave anxiously, leaning against her second story window. Edward had let me come in first to surprise her. 

"Mary," The pitch of Bella's voice raises in surprise, her face flush. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" 

"It's fine, I heard from Edward that you're leaving to see mom tomorrow." At the mention of his name, Edward joins us in Bella's small room.

I am aware of the dull burning in the back of my throat, but given my recent hunt earlier today, I am able to think rationally, however, I can still feel Edward's anxious glances to check on my self control. 

"Yeah, this will probably be the last time I can go down to visit Renee before..."

"Nonsense, you can just load on a ton of foundation, tell Mom, you got really into body glitter," I joke. 

Bella laughs at that.

"Is she happy with her new husband? I don't think her and I exchanged more than ten sentences since she met him." 

Bella shrugs, "Happy enough to follow him across the continental US. But you know how she can be, she's so busy which what's directly in front of her that I have barely even heard from her."

"How did she handle my... disappearance?" 

Bella frowned, "She came up for the funeral with Phil. I'm not sure if it really hit her when she was up here; both her and Charlie were in denial in June." 

I nod. My mom and I had never been particularly close, and when I had moved back in with Charlie when I was 10 our relationship was already on the rocks. It became nearly non-existent after I left her and Bella. 

"Did you two set a date yet? Does mom know?! Wait, no, does dad know!?!"

Bella blushes an even deep shade of red, "Nothing official yet, just sometime after graduation-"

"A summer wedding." 

"I still have to officially ask her," Edward smiles. 

I roll my eyes and laugh, "Gross. Wait... am I going to the wedding?" 

Edward's smile faded, "We'll come up with something, it's a risk that you get recognized by, if not your parents, someone in town. We need to see if Alice sees any danger in that."

"Fair enough, good luck telling dad."

~ ~ ~

I left Bella and Edward just as Charlie was pulling down the street. I stayed concealed in the woods as I watched him get out of the police cruiser and approach the house. I felt a pang of sorrow for the pain I put him through. Shaking off the weight of knowing that I could never see him again; I turned my back and headed deeper into the woods. 

I didn't want to go back to the house just yet. I still felt guilt for my lack of control of my ability. 

In the midst of my spiraling I felt cold. 

"You again?" This was the first time I saw the same person twice; it was the hunter vampire, James. 

"What an interesting gift you possess," He mused. "I wonder..." 

"Why are you here?"

Rather than answering my question he approached me, I took several large strides back. 

"What do you want?" 

"You are quite the spectacle, if you are able to project your power on the living I'm curious if you can-"

"Stay over there!" I raise my voice. "Don't you dare touch me!"

James got closer, and just as he was within arms reach my focus was broken. 

"MARIANNE!"

I sighed with relief to see James gone. 

"Marianne!" A second voice echoed, and in the distance I saw Alice and Jasper. 

I am still startled by James, I remain unmoved from my position until the pair is right in front of me. 

"What were you doing out here?" Jasper asks. 

"I just needed to be alone, what brings you two to this part of the woods?" I say trying to make light of what just happened. 

Alice gave me a stern look, "Why don't you tell me? I saw you disappear from my visions... I see you leave Bella's, head in the opposite direction of the house, and then nothing." 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." 

"What happened?" Jasper questions. 

"I saw James, again..." 

"And?"

"He didn't explicitly say he was keeping an eye on me, but he knew about the incident with Emmett. He tried to approach me, but just before he could get near me you two showed up." 

"I don't think that's a good idea," Alice frowns.

"Obviously. I think if I see him again I need to block him out, my future disappearing can't be good at all." 

"Let's head back to the house," Jasper eyes are scanning the tree line. "We don't want to run into Victoria even if we outnumber her."