After Time [Twilight Fan Fiction]

34. Explanation

34. Explanation

Canada

January 2011

Peter

I lead both of my mates back into the house. Calling Garrett, Rosalie, and Emmett into the room, I sit between both of my mates. Even though I don't have Jasper's gift, his emotions are plain as day on his face. He's fighting an internal war with The Major. The Major has protected Jasper from the pains and trauma of the war for decades, centuries possibly. Now that Maria isn't dead as we suspected, The Major wants to continue protecting Jasper. I had to be bearer of bad news but The Major can't always protect Jasper, it's up to me and Robyn to protect him.

"What's going on?" Rosalie questions noticing the look on Jasper's face. She obviously hasn't seen him like this. Makes me wonder exactly how much they Cullens even knew about Jasper. Not much apparently.

"While I got vision about something else entirely, I know the vampire downstairs isn't from the Volturi," I confess. "First of all, we all know the Volturi won't send amateurs to watch us. They'd never be seen. The Volturi know about the God of War, Jasper's other alter who killed Alice."

Rosalie has to shiver at the memory. She knows she could easily be at the hands of Jasper's demon at any time. Only myself and Robyn are completely safe from that part of Jasper.

"What makes you think it's Maria?" Robyn asks quietly. She's worried about Jasper, who is silent as stone. Even the hand holding mine hasn't moved since he sat down.

"I haven't said anything," I sigh, realizing it's better to admit my thoughts now that to continue holding them. "I thought we got off easy with the vampire in Lubbock. I was keeping an eye on the things very quietly, so quietly I shouldn't have detected anything. Then things started to change when we needed to get out of Texas. I was having a bad feeling the moment we got back to the house, but I pushed it away. I assumed it was about your gift, Robyn, but even after we turned you, I was worried. It's one of the reasons I sent Garrett ahead of us. When we found Rosalie and Emmett here with him, I thought maybe they were behind it."

I shake my head. "I was wrong. I didn't recognize the vampire downstairs at first, but it while we were hunting that I remembered him. He's a very old vampire, one of the most loyal to only his mistress." My eyes rest on Jasper and I know my next words will end his struggle. The Major will fully take over once more throwing up a wall to bury Jasper again. "Victor Orta, a vampire loyal only to mistress Maria. My best guess is she killed her sisters in the fire that burned the compound."

I watch as Jasper's eyes shift and his shoulders square. Tightening my fingers around Jasper's hand, I whisper to him. "I'm so very sorry, this is my fault. I should have paid more attention." I cup his cheek, staring into his eyes hoping he feels my guilt. I turn back to the group and sigh. "Maria has been sending scouts even further north than ever before. She wants to extend her reach. Though she became even more curious when she learned about what happened in Washington. Apparently the vampire that attacked Robyn all those months ago was part of her army. She didn't like someone telling her vampire what to do. I only recently learned, thanks to my feelings and visions now, that she's been following us for months." When I hold my head down it's out of guilt. While hunting with Jasper earlier, I had that feeling we were being watched once I finally came out of the haze of blood lust.

Only it wasn't until I got a vision while Jasper was hunting that confirmed my worst fears. All this time I was wondering how the Volturi would know where we are. Not to mention how any kind of vampire war could still be going on in the south. Of course that bitch Maria had survived, she prided herself on being stronger than everyone and smarter.