The past few days have served well as a definition for insanity. Things seem to be falling apart across the vampire world. A member of the Volturi allegedly went to La Push, where the Quileute Indians reside. This land is prohibited to any of our kind because the Quileute shape-shifters are our enemies. Although the Cullens have a treaty in place with the pack, I’ve found it much better to avoid the area. Chelsea, the vampire who travelled from Volterra, Italy to La Push, Washington for reasons known only to her, ended up setting herself aflame when the pack attempted to chase her out. As I heard it, Jasper and his brothers, Edward and Emmett Cullen, finished the job of tearing her apart. After this unexpected and unusual turn of events, Jasper warned Charlotte and I both away from Forks until we heard from him. What could I do but agree?
Things got worse. A day or two following Chelsea’s death, Jasper and Emmett were wrestling, burning energy from the recent psuedo-execution they’d taken part in. Acting on instinct, Emmett bit Jas and words were exchanged, words I’d never dare say aloud, particularly to Jasper’s face. The insults grew, each word sharper than the last, until Jasper finally took off. I finally heard about all this today.
Jasper called me, saying he wanted to talk, and we arranged to meet. He was sitting behind the wheel of a Jaguar, the silver car all but gleaming. I had to stop staring when he pulled me into the vehicle and we spun out of the parking space, the spedometer needle climbing as the car screamed down the coast. I waited, watching my brother’s hands tight on the wheel. We’d been driving in silence for ten minutes when I pointed out that he’d asked me here to talk. When he brushed it off, I knew something was wrong. When he inexplicably wrapped the Jaguar around a tree, I crawled out, torn by indecision. Either I waited for him to crawl out and made sure he was alright or I started tearing him apart for whatever had entered his head to prompt that stunt. My indecision won out in the end, giving Jasper time to pull himself free of the vehicle.
What had he done? What on Earth might have prompted him to send us parasailing in a Jaguar? His flippant response that the tree was easier than finding a body of water brought me up short. For once, I wished I had his power, wished I could know what he was feeling. He started talking then, both of us standing beside the remains of the once beautiful sports car, ignoring it completely. After his fight with Emmett, Rosalie and her mate had begun to argue. Emmett had asked for divorce papers, which Jasper delivered despite his qualms. Emotions in the house were running high and it was all too much.
I gave him the only advice I could, suggesting he leave. If he could get away from everyone else’s feelings, he would be free to work through his own hurt and then, with personal feelings set aside, he would be free to return home and help the others of his coven work through their issues. Now, he has taken my advice – with some assistance from my wife. Life might actually be getting back to normal around here…or so one can always hope.
Adieu, my readers.
- Peter Devereaux
