Ban Together Chapter 29

“Victoria is dead.” Alice said with a small frown. She looked towards her mate. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

She had thought Victoria would refrain from asking the Volturi for help. She had put her faith in Victoria’s blind obsession with getting what she wanted, to getting revenge for her mate to think the redhead would do anything else.

“Neither had I.” Jasper consoled his mate, pushing happiness and bliss towards his normally happy mate. “Will that change anything?” Jasper asked, thinking of Edward making his way towards the castle.

Jasper knew Edward wasn’t completely aware of their plans, nearly as much of a pawn as Bella and Victoria were. That didn’t mean he hadn’t heard some of their plans though. He was a mind reader and no matter how cautious they had all been with their thoughts, there was always a chance something could have leaked through. He was a liability and with Victoria already at the castle, and likely already dead, Edward may hear her think something that would trigger the easily triggered vampire and make the situation worse.

“Perhaps we should tell Carlisle and Esme?” Alice thought out loud just before her eyes glassed over. Jasper didn’t bother responding, knowing his mate only said it out loud so he would know her train of thought before forcing a vision of the question. “Yes, I think letting them know will work in our favor.” Alice said with a wicked grin.

While Carlisle liked to claim he had no soft spot for anyone but his mate Esme, the entire coven knew he had a soft spot for his first turned. Alice was confident Carlisle would go after Edward and while Edward may live since his only real crime was a false mate claim that was perpetrated by Jasper, Carlisle wouldn’t be so lucky. If everything played out as Alice hoped, she and Jasper could escape with getting off of the Volturi’s radar entirely. Alice and Jasper enjoyed their time with Carlisle and his experiments, they had no desire to get caught with their own experiments.

“Shall we call or go over?” Jasper asked, knowing if they met face to face, he would be able to use his gift to help influence what the two other vampires believed. It would make getting them to go after Edward that much easier. But they would suspect Jasper of doing so and may opt not to go to Edward’s aid simply because of his presence. If he stayed away, it would put his mate in danger as Jasper didn’t trust either Carlisle or Esme.

It took Alice longer than Jasper was comfortable with to figure out an answer that was to their advantage. Either it was because there was no easy answer and Alice would be playing her favorite manipulation game or she was deciding what the lesser of two evils would be for them to choose between. Jasper stood absolutely still next to Alice, providing her silent support as she figured out their next move.

“No, I’ll go alone.” Alice in a calculating tone. “But as soon as they are in Italy, we should make ourselves scarce. We don’t want to be anywhere near them when they are caught. They will reveal everything they’ve done but put blame on us.”

“Would the queen’s gifts not be able to discern the truth regardless of what they say?” Jasper asked with a frown.

“Yes, but if her emotions are too wound up from Isabella being in danger, there is a slight chance she’ll over look a few things in her anger and put the entire blame on Carlisle.” Alice explained and even though she sounded very confident, she wasn’t so sure the queen would over look their parts in everything. But it was only a small chance, something she didn’t want to worry her mate over. She would make sure they stay far away from any actual danger. The Volturi could hunt them down for as long as they wished, she would make sure they were never caught.

Jasper laid a soothing hand on his mate’s shoulder, feeling her emotions in turmoil made him want to do everything he could to calm her. “I confident with your sight, we will be able to not only stay safe but to also continue your work. We will be fine.” Jasper, his accent thicker than normal as he knew Alice was fond of it. As soon as they could, Jasper would have them both go visit his old friends from the war. It would give them a chance to relax and a safe place to lay low.

Alice quickly snapped the neck of the animal she had been holding still. She had been holding the thrashing animal in her arms so she could bask in the fear wafting through its’ pores. The fear from humans was always much better than from animals but Alice and Jasper needed to hunt from animals to change their eye color again before they stood out too much in the city. Alice couldn’t wait for the time when she and Jasper wouldn’t have to feed off of animals, when they wouldn’t be tied to Carlisle anymore and could do whatever they pleased. Alice no longer had any interest in being tied to Carlisle, the man was a loose end that did nothing but force Alice to reign in what she enjoys. She was tired of having to even pretend to do what Carlisle wanted, she was done pretending to be under his thumb.

“I’ll go and do what I need to in order to get Carlisle and Esme to follow after Edward.” Alice said after she drained the animal of its’ blood, “Why don’t you set up plans for us to lay low someplace while everything cools off with the Volturi and Cullen coven. We can set up a new area for the Whitlock Coven to rest for a little bit.”

Alice hugged Jasper close to her, leaning in close to him intent on kissing him senseless after Jasper said what she had foreseen him saying.

“I will find a beautiful place for us, a place for both of us to carry on your experiments without fear of being caught and having to live with the judgmental stares of others. We can truly be free to do what we desire.”

The two embraced each other in a long over due kiss, both completely nonplussed about the animal Jasper was still holding onto that was still trying to free itself. Their life may have encountered a hiccup but soon, they would each have their happily ever after, doing whatever it was they wanted to do. Aligning themselves with Carlisle was a mistake, one that was soon to be rectified.