Embers [Completed]

{Strengthening Bond}

Jordan's POV

I'm so, so cold. It's making me shiver badly, which hurts.

The rain is getting heavy, and where I collapsed doesn't have a lot of shelter.

I woke up a while ago, but haven't been able to move or make much sound due to how deeply cold I feel.

Much to my irritation and wonder, most of my thoughts have been about Jasper.

Man, Bella was right.

Here I am, basically freezing to death and I'm thinking about a boy.

The sounds of the forest are soothing. Small birds flit between the trees, trying to avoid the huge raindrops, although that's hard because it is running off the leaves.

A few critters scuttle past, sending me odd looks and curiously sniffing around me. None of them, presumably, feel the chill in their bones like I do.

My mind wanders and loses focus, until I stop shivering. I notice instantly, and start worrying.

I have no idea how long it has been. But it's getting dark, I can tell that much. How far did I run?

I'm getting quite tired. All that shivering has worn me out. Maybe if I just rest for a while I'll feel better.

My eyes slip closed, and everything darkens. But through the cold blackness, a voice floats to me.

It's low, and heavily accented. But the owner's concern bleeds through everything.

"Jordan!?"

I am hanging on to consciousness by the smallest of threads. But his voice gives me the strength I need.

"Jasper," I say, raspy and low, but I know he can hear me.

"Jordan? Jordan."

He's walking through the undergrowth, searching frantically. I know he sees me when a horrified noises comes from nearby.

"Jordan," he says softly.

His arms wrap around me instantly, pulling me close to his stone chest. I instinctively curl closer to him.

"Why are you so still?" He mutters, seemingly to himself. "You should be freezing..."

He presses a hand to my forehead for a moment and sighs. "You are freezing. You're nearly as cold as me. In fact, you're bloody well hyperthermic!"

I'm pulled in close and held securely as he starts walking through the trees. But there's no way he'll get there in time.

I remember the first time I felt his touch. He was cold, but with an underlying warmth.

Right now, that warmth feels like it's growing. Usually, it's a tiny wave only detectable with focus.

But it's pouring from him like a waterfall. I cling to him, savouring the smell, and feeling of feeling alive again.

"Jasper," I sigh. "You're so warm."

"Are you becoming delirious?" He asks.

"No. I'm serious. You're roasting." I curl in tight and my breathing eases up.

His presence calms me, as always. But this time, I know it's much more than that.

The warmth exuding from him is keeping me alive. It is as if it switched on when he felt how cold I was.

Now I'm aware enough to feel the air rushing past me, and wonder at how fast we're going.

"Jordan, stay with me, yeah? We're nearly at the school," Jasper says.

"I'm not going anywhere..." I say weakly.

But I'm too relaxed, and soon fall asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jasper's POV

Jordan goes limp in my arms. I try not to panic, for her sake. Her heartbeat is still strong, though.

I push myself to go faster. Even vampires have their limits, but I'm willing to push mine for her.

Being so close to Jordan is making my throat burn horrendously. I think there is some residue of blood on her hand from Johnny.

But it's her blood that calls to me most. It smells sweet and inviting, like none I've smelt before.

No. I can't think about this. Not when she's so close, and so vulnerable.

The forest is speeding past us. But Jordan's grip on my shirt doesn't wane, and her breathing appears to get stronger.

I catch the shouting of Charlie Swan near the parking lot and slow to a normal human pace, even though my instincts tell me to run her to Carlisle myself.

"Sheriff Swan!" I shout.

My siblings all turn to me. Bella is stand there too. Her stress is so strong I felt it within a hundred feet. Charlie isn't much better.

Relief fills everyone when their eyes find us, and Bella rushes to us.

"Oh my goodness, is she okay? Where did you find her?" She asks, grasping her hand.

"She was passed out in the forest, I stumbled upon her by chance," I answer.

Charlie skids down the hill to us. "Oh, Jordan. Thank goodness you found her, Jasper."

"She needs the hospital, right now. She's badly hyperthermic," I say seriously.

Her heartbeat is strong, and so is her breathing. But I can't forget how truly cold her hands had been when I touched them in the woods.

"Alright, I'll call her an ambulance," Charlie says.

"No. I will drive her to my house. Carlisle will be home by now, he can help her a lot quicker than anyone else," I say.

Charlie hesitates, but I push a wave of trust at him, and he complies.

I let Alice drive while I sit in the back with Jordan drawn close to my chest. Bella is in the back and Edward in the front.

She's still clutching my shirt tightly in her fist. The colour has returned to her skin, and she merely looks as if she's asleep.

"What did she say to you?" Edward asks.

I look up at him, knowing exactly what he means. "Just before she passed out, she said I was warm."

"How is that even possible?" Bella asks.

"It isn't," Edward says.

"Not necessarily," Alice says, and all our attention shifts to her. "There are occasions, Carlisle told me, when mates have such strong bonds their bodies will respond to however they need."

Bella is confused. So am I. Alice takes the silence as a request for a clearer explanation.

"Basically, if the mate is sad, the other will automatically comfort them with doing anything. Their presence calms each other no matter who they are. And if they're cold, the other will warm up to keep them alive," she says.

"So Jasper is only warm, to Jordan?" Bella asks.

"Yes, exactly," Alice says.

I don't speak; only hold the unconscious girl tighter in my arms. One word circles around my head until we pull up.

Mate.