Last Shot (Jacob Black) [3] COMPLETE

29. Lay Your Weary Head to Rest

~Jazmine~

I turn on the showerhead and step into the shower. I let the water flow over my skin as tears streak my face. I held myself together for the short while I was at the Cullen's. When I came home, I broke. Everyone is dying, and it's all because of me. I can't keep my numbers up when I need them. Now three enemies and I need numbers more now than ever. I need second in command and third in command to keep everything going. I'm still the only one with knowledge of Devonté besides Lydia, because she can sense death. I know why he didn't wait, he still had a week, he wanted to make sure that I was with him. He wanted me to be there when he died. Now here I am, crying in the shower.

"Jazmine, I set a few bottles of vodka and a box of cookies on your bed. We can wait until tomorrow to break the news to everyone." Lydia says.

"No, we'll do it now." I turn off the water and grab my towel from the hanger on the other side of the curtain. I wrap myself up before stepping out. "Get everyone in the living room."

"Are you sure that you want to do this now?" She asks concerningly.

"Yes. Let's just get this done and over with and out of my way." I reply.

"Okay." She gives me a sympathetic smile before walking away. I get dressed and pull my hair up into a messy bun. I take a deep breath and look in the mirror. I nod to myself before walking downstairs. I stand in the living room as the others fall silent.

"I bet most of you are wondering why we're here right now. Some of you may have noticed the signal arrow that was fired earlier today, and you all know that it can mean three things: there's been an attack, someone was bitten, or someone has died. Surely you all notice that one person is missing. Devonté was bitten, and he had until the full moon, but he chose until I arrived. I didn't have the strength to fire another signal arrow, or I would have. Devonté was a brother to me and serves as proof of how precious time is. As for now, we can grieve for tonight, but we will continue training first thing tomorrow. He wouldn't want us to linger on him. So, you may continue what you were doing before. Everyone needs to be up and ready by 7 o'clock sharp." I state. Danielle and Matthew gape at me.

"He's dead and you don't seem to be the slightest but bothered!" Danielle exclaims.

"We approach situations like this clinically and unemotionally." I say calmly.

"If he was really like a brother to you then you'd be out there looking for the son of a bitch that did this!" She yells.

"He told me not to retaliate, so I won't. I am simply doing as was requested." I force myself to remain calm.

"It's not retaliation!!! It's doing your fucking job!!!" She screams.

"Danielle that's enough!" Matthew booms.

"My job is not to go out and do reckless thing such as appealing to vendetta. My job is to protect those who cannot themselves. I suggest you rethink what it is to be one of us if you believe that we simply kill anything that catches our eye or kills something. Sometimes going killing one leads to them killing more." I state clenching my jaw forcing myself to stay calm.

"We'll see about that." She says with tears in her eyes. She walks away, aggressively bumping into my shoulder as she passes me. Matthew wraps his arms around me and I force the tears back.

"If you need someone to talk to, I'm always here Jazmine." He whispers.

"I know." I suck in a shaky breath. "I know."

•  •  •

I add the last of my vodka to my cup of coffee and throw the bottle away.

"Do you want some coffee with that vodka?" Sean scoffs playfully.

"Nah, I prefer mine like this." I reply. Danielle walks in and glares at me.

"It's not even six and you're already drunk, that's pathetic." She snaps.

"Oh, bite my ass." I sneer taking a drink of my coffee/vodka.

"Go to hell." She retorts.

"I've been there, found it quite lovely, thank you." I fake a smile. She huffs and leaves the room. "Yeah you'd better walk off bitch." I growl.

"She's just jealous because he chose you instead of her." Sean states.

"We were closer to each other than they were. She's mad because I was more of a sister than she was." I say. "Devonté and I had more to bond over than they did."

"Not all family is blood, and not blood is family." He sighs.

"He didn't want me to watch, but he wanted me there." I take a big drink of my coffee. "His last words were, Jazmine close your eyes." I shake my head. "He wasn't about to cry until he said it. He held onto my hand as tight as he could the whole time." I take another drink. "Now every time I close my eyes, I can feel his grip turn into nothing and hear his heart stop." A single tear rolls down my cheek. "The last thing he ever said was-was-" I wipe away my tears. "Jazmine close your eyes."

Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are gone.

Lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more.