Magic Shop - Paul Lahote FF

Twenty Five

"Again!"

I stand between Rosalie and Dr. Cullen as we watch Emmett and Jasper fight. The battle will be here soon, and the only one who actually knows how to fight a newborn vampire is Jasper. Which is why we've been spending our days in this large clearing in the woods. Today the wolves join us. I haven't been back to La Push since that night. Paul said they don't think any differently of me, but I still can't help but feel they do.

I'm shaken out of my thoughts - literally - by Emmett as he returns to his mate's side. Edward and Isabella join us. Why the human is here is beyond me.

The pack emerge from the trees and my eyes lock with those of the dark silver wolf. Paul grins and sends me a wink.

Edward moves to the front of the line we've formed, standing stoically next to Dr. Cullen. "They don't trust us enough to be in their human forms." Maybe it's because of your idiotic, annoying ass. I don't see how the wolves could really despise any of the clan besides the mind reader. He always acts like he's superior and has a stick up his ass. "Shut up, Caroline." The boy hisses quietly at me. When he glances back at me, I smirk and shake my head. Never.

"That's alright." Dr. Cullen breaks our glare off and sends us knowing looks. "They came. That's what matters. Jasper has experience with newborns. He will teach us how to defeat them."

Sam makes eye contact with Edward. "They want to know how newborns differ from us." I don't miss the glances I get from the other wolves, besides Paul.

I don't bother to pay attention to the answer. Dr. Cullen and Esme told me this not long after I woke up.

Jasper suddenly marches his way to Dr. Cullen's spit, who steps back to join the rest of us. "Carlisle is right." He stands confidently, arms crossed authoritatively. "A newborn army doesn't need thousands like a human army. There are two important things to remember. First, never let them get their arms around you. They will crush you instantly. Second, never go for the obvious kill. They'll be expecting that, and you will lose. Emmett?" The brawny boy happily joins his brother. "Don't hold back." Jasper teases.

Emmet smirks and charges at the blonde. He's fast, but he's no match against Jasper, who easily dodges his attacks. Before I know it, Jasper has Emmett pinned from behind.

Next up is Rosalie. She's not as fast as her mate, but she's just as skilled. Her flexibility allows her to perform more tricks and makes it easier for her to escape holds. But just like Emmett, Rosalie is soon pinned.

Jasper beckons me forward. In the week that I've been awake, he's taught me some combat moves. But I know I don't stand a chance against Jasper. His experience will always one up us all.

Unlike Emmett, I wait for Jasper to make the first move. This gives me a little more time to figure out my strategy. One thing I've learned while training is that Jasper's first move is always a left hook. I duck under his punch, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back. Jasper uses the momentum to spin out of my hold and shove me away from him.

Snarling, my eyes harden and I stare at the boy with a ferocious glare. All I want to do is scream, to let my ability fight for me. Noticing this, Jasper pauses and shakes his head. Which makes me slightly even angrier. But that's not the point of this practice. I need to learn to defend myself without my power.

Taking a deep breath, I'm the one to lunge first. When I go to duck under his arm again, he's expecting it. Jasper kicks out his leg and trips me. I land harshly on my back, coughing as I try to catch my breath. "Son of a bitch."

Jasper grabs my hand and helps me to my feet. "Better luck next time, Liner."

His next victim is Esme. The older woman is graceful in her moves, and surprisingly very intimidating. Her power is unexpected, which is what makes her such an awesome fighter. No one expects the quiet, soft spoken woman to be a total badass.

Dr. Cullen is next. Where he has speed and power, he lacks in agility. He puts up a good fight, but he thinks of his movements too much. He spends more time deciding what to do than actually fighting.

Alice goes after Dr. Cullen. And watching the husband and wife fight is incredible. With her ability, Alice can see what Jasper's next move is. But that doesn't necessarily give her an advantage. Jasper knows Alice like the back of his hand. He can predict her moves as well. They fight for a few minutes before Alice disappears into the trees. And while Jasper is busy searching for her, she jumps down and latches onto his back. Jasper is finally defeated.

Last to fight is Edward. Much like Alice, Edward has the upper hand for a while. He may be able to read minds, but he's not as strong or skilled as Jasper, who manages to distract the younger boy and win.

All the while, the wolves watch with curiosity. One wolf in particular gazes with a giant grin. Seth Clearwater. A part of me is upset he's here. He's young, too young to go against an army of newborns. But I can see the determination in his eyes. He wants this. He wants to learn how to become stronger, better so he can protect his tribe.

The practice ends not long after that. The pack disappears back into the trees, but not before I receive a goodbye nod from Paul.

"Those bites are like mine." I hear Isabella say. Turning my head, I see her and Jasper near Emmett's Jeep. She's looking at his arms.

Something I learned about Jasper after I changed, he's covered in vampire marks. They're very hard to detect. No human notices them unless they're really trying.

Jasper must be telling Isabella of his past. After hearing how he turned and what all he went through, it's easy to understand why he's so stiff and careful. He was trained to be a leader, to command his own army of newborns. He was lied to by someone he loved and who he thought loved him.

Luckily, Jasper met two vampires who actually cared for him. And together, the three escaped. It wasn't until years later that Jasper met Alice, and he was introduced to the vegetarian lifestyle.

"You know, she just wants to help." Alice appears next to me. I know she's talking about Isabella. "She doesn't mean for this stuff to happen to her."

A part of me knows she's right. "This fight, what happened to me and Julian, it's all because she got involved in your life." When I glance at her, Alice is staring sadly at the human. Deep down, she knows I'm right. "I don't mean to blame you. You all have been nothing but kind to me." Except for Edward. "But if your brother never fell in love with her, I would still be human. Julian would still be here. And for that, I will never forgive your brother."

Y'all I meant to post this days ago but I started watching Community and have done nothing but watch it.