"You don't come to my motel and watch me sleep do you?"
Jasper glanced at his girlfriend as the question left her mouth, letting out a light chuckle. Making his way over to her as she sat in the beanbag chair she put in his room and lifting her up and then sitting her back onto his lap as he took her place. "No babe, I don't sneak into your motel and watch you sleep, why do you ask?"
Nixie scrunched her nose as she pulled out her phone, "because Bella texted me saying that Eddy admitted to watching her sleep at night, saying how romantic it is. What the hell is so romantic about Edward being a stalker?" She questioned him, genuinely curious. She thought Bella was nuts, if Jasper snuck into her room and watched her sleep she'd feel a little uncomfortable.
Jasper laughed at her obvious judgement towards the two before asking her "where is Bella anyway? You guys haven't hung out in a minute." He could see the worry lines form on her heads before she quietly stated "I've asked her to hangout a couple times but she shuts me down every time saying she's busy but I know she's just with Edward. In fact, they're together right now telling Charlie about their baseball 'date', I hope Charlie shows Eddy the shotgun I bought him."
"You bought Charlie a shotgun?" He quizzed his mate.
"Well, yeah. Charlie loves guns and I happen to know a bit about them due to my training when I was younger. I figured the least I could do for the man is get him something he'd actually enjoy." She retorted.
Jasper smiled at her as he admired her generosity towards Charlie. The only thing Jasper knew about Nixie's real family was that they were killed the night of her graduation, but she didn't go into specifics, just saying there was a horrible fire. Tilting her head to face him he questioned her "so are you coming to play baseball with my family and I later? We could use another umpire, hell, with your strength you could play if you wanted to."
Nixie's chest tightened at the mention of the baseball game and she didn't know why, but after countless times of feeling that when Bella was in danger she learned not to ignore it. "Of course" she reassured him with a hesitant smile on her face.
Something didn't feel right.
***
Nixie sat off to the side of the baseball field while the others got the bases and everything ready. The tightening in her chest was almost unbearable, but she refused to say anything to Jasper in case she were wrong. Bella and Edward had just showed up, putting the game into motion.
Jasper watched Nixie stare off into the woods, he knew something was wrong with her, she'd been uncharacteristically quiet since they left the house. When he tried asking what was wrong she claimed it was a slight headache and nothing to worry about. Of course he still worried.
Nixie snapped out of her frozen state before slowly making her way to where everyone was standing. Burrowing herself into Jasper's side, she clenched his shirt in her hands before he softly loosened her hold and clasped her hand in his, giving her a reassuring squeeze.
"Bella" Esme greeted, "we're glad you're here, we need an umpire and Nixie is sitting this one out."
"She thinks we cheat" Emmett playfully sneered at his mother.
"I know you cheat" she corrected. "Call them as you see them Bella."
A crack of thunder echoed around the field. "It's time" Alice announced before putting her game face on. Lifting her arm, Alice pulled the ball upwards before kicking up her leg and releasing the ball straight towards Rosalie.
If it hadn't been for Nixie's sight she's sure she would've missed the ball, how the hell was Bella supposed to make the calls if she could barely keep up with them?
Rosalie swung the bat hitting the ball head on as it released a thunder like boom.
"That's gotta be a home run" Bella stated as she watched the ball soar straight into the woods, she was in awe.
Esme laughed at her shocked look, "Edward is very fast."
In less that 5 seconds the baseball was hurdling back towards home plate and landing into Esme's awaiting glove. Rosalie slid into the base right as Esme lowered her mit, connecting it to Rosalie's leg. They both looked up to Bella to hear the official call.
"You're out" Bella stated timidly, knowing Rosalie wasn't her biggest fan to begin with and watching as the blonde sent her a murderous glare causing her to shy away.
"Out, yes!" Emmett cheered before seeing the look in his wife's face "babe, cmon, it's just a game!"
Carlisle made his way to the plate next, whispering "nice kitty" as he passed his tempered daughter. Swinging his bat a couple times, he was prepared for Alice's next pitch, the bat connected to the ball before he took off.
Edward and Emmett both lunged for the flying ball without noticing each other only to collide in the air, knocking them both into heaps on the ground. They sat up, surprised, before being overcome by laughter.
Nixie couldn't breathe. She was stuck on the side trying to discreetly turn away so no one would notice her dilemma. Her head was pounding and every time the ball connected with the bat it echoed inside her head. Bending over, she placed her hands on her knees as she struggled to inhale a breath.
Jasper made his way to the plate next, glancing towards Nixie and instantly losing his smile. "Babe!" He called out as he went to make his way over.
Nixie instantly stood up, holding her breath and giving him a small wave letting him know she was alright. She wasn't, but she didn't want him to know that.
Hesitantly, Jasper backed off before preparing himself to bat again. Right as Jasper's bat hit the ball, 2 things happened.
1) Nixie collapsed into the grass and started dry heaving as she held her throbbing head, no longer able to keep up her charade.
And 2) Alice went completely still at the pitchers mound before letting out a terrified "STOP!"
Jasper's eyes made their way to Nixie, instantly spotting her hunched over on the ground and he raced over to her, his family not far behind. "Nixie!" He yelled as he gripped her face, lifting it to meet his. "Nixie" he tried again "babe, what's wrong?"
Nixie couldn't hear the words coming out of Jasper's mouth, in fact the only thing she could hear was the incessant ringing in her ears. She gripped the sides of her head with alarming force and she gritted her teeth. "Nix...Nixie....NIXIE!" She sucked in a breath as her hearing returned, releasing her head, arms instead gripping onto Jasper's that were still cradling her face.
Jasper breathe a sigh of relief before pulling Nixie into a tight embrace. "What the hell was that?" He questioned. Before she could respond he heard Alice's quiet "I didn't see them."
The family quickly moved their worried gazes from Nixie to Alice as the pixie like vampire repeated herself "I didn't see them."
Edward instantly tensed as he read his sisters thoughts, before hastily gripping Bella and dragging her to the car.
"It's too late" Carlisle sullenly informed him, making Edward stop in his tracks as a look of pure pain and loathing covered his face.
"I'm so sorry" he apologized to Bella "I should've never brought you here."
"What?" Bella questioned as she noticed everyone else's faces, feeling a new form of terror build in her.
"Just keep your hair down and stay quiet" he whispered to her, trying to keep his cool.
"Like that'll help" Rosalie snapped, "I can smell her from across the field."
Nixie took a complete turn from her episode the moment before, gripping Jasper's hand as she stood, making her way to Bella. She made sure to stand in front of her protected as she watched the 3 nomads make their way across the field. This is what her body had been warning her about.
"I believe this belongs to you" the apparent leader spoke to the clan, his red eyes meeting the multiple pairs of gold as he held up the ball Jasper hit. As his eyes met Carlisle's he chucked the ball into his awaiting hand, instantly sensing their leaders claim.
"Thank you" Carlisle spoke as his family stood behind him, watching the other 2 nomads.
James' red eyes met Nixie's green and he smirked, instantly taking her for a normal human. Jasper saw the exchange and placed himself between the 2 with a new aura of dominance surrounding him. The minute James laid eyes on his mate, the Major came out to play.
"I am Laurent" the vampire with the dreads spoke again before gesturing to his companions. "And this is Victoria and James."
Carlisle eyed the redhead and her companion before composing himself, "I'm Carlisle and this is my family." He didn't go into specifics, he didn't trust them.
"Hello" Laurent greeted the rest of the clan, eyeballing Jasper who was hiding his mate behind him.
"We're afraid your hunting activities have left something of a mess for us" Carlisle spoke again, attempting to focus the attention back onto himself.
"Our apologies" Laurent spoke, not sounding the least bit apologetic. "We didn't realize the territory had been claimed."
Carlisle instantly caught the false apology, "yes, well, we maintain a permanent residence nearby." He spoke sharply.
Laurent let out a disbelieving laugh, glancing to James "really?"
With Jasper covering Nixie, and Nixie covering Bella, James focused his sights on Edward, who was being anything but discreet at trying to hide Bella. James tilted his head in a predator like fashion as Edward's nervous eyes met his.
"Well" Laurent spoke, breaking the staring contest, "we won't be a problem anymore, we were just passing through."
Speaking for the first time, the redhead known as Victoria smirked "the humans were tracking us, but we led them east, you should be safe" she whispered condescendingly.
Carlisle kept it short and sweet, "excellent."
Laurent nodded his head before addressing the whole group "so, could you use 3 more players?" He didn't miss the way the younger vampires all glanced towards Carlisle to see what he said. "Oh cmon" he baited "just one game."
Carlisle thought over his plan before agreeing "sure. Why not? Some of us were leaving anyway, you can take their place." That was his hint to Edward to get Bella the hell out of there. "We'll bat first" he stated as he chucked the ball back in Laurent's direction, only for it to meet Victoria's hand.
"I'm the one with the wicked curveball" she gloated.
"Well I think we can handle that" Jasper stated, unknowingly to them he wasn't talking about the game.
They all laughed before turning their separate ways, minus James who still had his eyes dead set on Edward and Bella. His eyes met Nixie's steel ones for a second before turning back to Bella, sensing the challenge. He finally turned away only to be hit with Bella's mouthwatering scent as the wind blew through her hair. Whipping around he snarled "you brought a snack."
The Cullen clan didn't think twice before racing back and covering Bella, all letting out their own hiss. "The girl is with us" Carlisle forcefully spat, "I think it best that you leave."
Laurent didn't need to be told twice, sensing their slim chances of winning. "I can see that the game is over, we'll go now." He looked to James as the man still stood in place "James" he grounded, warning him to back off. James stood, staring them all down and taking one last look at Nixie and Bella before taking off.
Nixie released the tight hold she had on Wanda, who had slithered down into her awaiting hand unnoticed. She looked to Edward, the one she trusted Bella with the most before speaking "get her out of here, now." She left no room for arguments, not that Edward would've anyway. He nodded his head before herding Bella back to the Jeep.
"Jas" Nixie addressed her mate. His head instantly snapping in her direction. "I need you to take me to the motel, I need to grab a few things." Jasper led her across the field to his car where he opened her door for her and waited for her to get in, closing he door once she was settled.
"So" he spoke, glancing in Nixie's direction. "What's so important that we gotta run back to the motel for?" He questioned, actually curious as to what was so important Nixie had to rush to the motel instead of to Bella.
She looked to Jasper, not a hint of joking in her voice "stuff that's going to keep us all alive."
He didn't question her further.
** This chapter sucks ass I'm sorry, I literally wrote it at like 4am🤣 Anywhooo, the first book is almost over and that feels crazy to me, I think I'm gonna add some cute bonus chapters at the end just for fun! Also, thanks for the comments💕 love you all!**