10 | THE WHOLE TRUTH |

JASPER HALE HAD PREPARED himself for the worst reaction from the beautiful human that drove him crazy when he revealed his secret to her. He expected tears, shouting, even her running away in terror but Jasper did not expect for a burst of uncontrollable laughter to resound.

He opened his eyes. Rory was dying of laughter, covering her mouth and wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she cackled before attempting to calm herself by taking in a gulp of air, "but vampires? Come on, Jasper, this is just the perfect joke—seriously never expected this from you." She waited for him to join in on her laughter and reveal it was all a big joke and Ashton Kutcher was about to pop out from behind a tree with a camera crew.

When nothing like that sort occurred, Rory's laughter faded into awkward silence. She looked up at Jasper had a stricken expression. Oh, he was serious.

"Wait," she stood up to face him, "you aren't joking..." She noticed he took a cautionary step back then became a flawless statue again. A master work of art.

"No."

She looked at him closely, taking in his dark eyes, pale skin, ethereal beauty, and all his inhuman perfections as he watched her carefully like a predator watching it's prey.

"That...explains a lot actually," Rory said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "You're impossibly fast and strong enough to stop a van from crushing me across the lot. Your eyes change color from black to gold, I thought it was due to your mood but I guess I'm not entirely wrong if they happen to change due to your hunger level—I get hangry on the occasion also." Jasper arched a perfect eyebrow at that in begrudging amusement as Rory continued to ramble. "You're pale-white and ice-cold. I bet if Bella and I went to that Port Angeles bookstore, then we would've figured it out ourselves..."

"What's in Port Angeles?"

"Just like a book on legends that Bella bet would reveal what you and your family are according to the natives," Rory explained with a wave of her hand. "And prom dresses. We were going to shop for prom." Rory had no idea why she brought up the prom thing. She inwardly cringed. "Anyways..."

"You do know...vampires drink blood to survive," Jasper reminded her sardonically, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Are you going to eat me now?" She batted her eyelashes sarcastically because both knew he wouldn't.

He did glower at her though. "No, I am not going to eat you. My family and I abstain from drinking from humans. We are...vegetarians in an ironic sense. We hunt animals, not humans," he chuckled before the serious expression took place again. "But that doesn't mean I won't. Or haven't before."

Rory patted his stone-like muscular chest, "I think you can control yourself."

"You are taking this far too well," Jasper said darkly.

"I kind of expected something like this...vampires? Not exactly, but I've been suspicious for a while. You're not exactly normal," Rory admitted with raise of her shoulders. "And," she stepped closer to him daringly, "I'm sort of too infatuated with you to run away now." She looked down at the ground sheepishly.

She didn't expect for a cold finger to lightly lift her chin up, until her brown eyes met his dark golden one.

"I'm too dangerous for you." He looked regretful of their circumstances.

"I like danger," she said simply.

"I'm only going to hurt you," Jasper looked away angrily. "I'm a monster." He looked away from her, ashamed of himself. It broke Rory's heart.

Rory slowly reached up, to press her palm on his freezing sculpted cheek. She leaned in closer, forcing his obsidian eyes on hers. "It's a good thing I've never been afraid of the dark then."

He shook his head, but Rory succeeded in drawing a twitch of a smile from him.

"You're going to be the death of me," Jasper inhaled deeply, his eyes darkening as her scent overwhelmed his senses. But he didn't make any move to attack, his control over his thirst strengthened the more he got used to being so close to her. He looked pained, but somewhat proud of himself.

"Ooh, irony. I like that," Rory nodded appraisingly, not giving a damn that the blonde vampire had pressed his aquiline nose against her pulse point.

He frowned at her.

"Now, enough talking," Rory said, turning around and taking her seat again on the mossy ground. She lifted her sketchbook up into her lap as Orion circled around her crisscrossed figure before finally settling, her big brown eyes suspiciously trained on Jasper.

"You don't have anymore questions?" Jasper's brows furrowed together. "Bella is relentless with Edward." Jasper watched as the brunette carefully laid out a mini-watercolor set beside her and pulled out a damp round brush.

"I'm not Bella." The corner of her mouth lifted. "You can tell me about yourself when you feel comfortable sharing. I won't force you. No offense, but my sole focus hasn't been obsessed with figuring you out." She shook her head, thinking of her friend. Bella would absolutely freak if she knew Rory knew the mystery behind the Cullens.

"I thought you and Bella were friends," he was utterly confused. He stood perfectly still as Rory began to outline his likeness.

"Yeah, she's like my bestie. That doesn't mean I don't think she's crazy for being so obsessed with your brother," Rory explained while painting a few strokes. She narrowed her eyes at Jasper's profile and mixed her watercolors a bit more.

"To be fair, Edward is just as obsessed with her even though he tries to stay away," Jasper admitted, effortlessly remaining perfectly still. She seemed happy to be painting him and Jasper very much enjoyed keeping that elusive smile on her face.

"Does he want to kill her?" Rory asked both curiously and worriedly, ending her stance to not ask any more questions. She needed to make sure Bella wasn't in any danger.

"Well. It's more complicated than a simple yes or no answer. Edward's natural instinct towards Bella is different than his true feelings for her," Jasper explained. "Her blood is especially appetizing for him. It's worse for him with Bella than it is for me with you." He noticed Rory's concerned look and paused before adding, "Don't worry, darling, Bella won't be harmed."

"How do you know that?"

He looked a bit uncomfortable at this. "My family and I make sure he won't lose control. I make sure to keep his emotions stable and calm."

Rory nodded understandingly then stopped. She peered at the blond vampire curiously. "Keep his emotions stable?"

"I have had to manipulate his emotions a couple of times to keep him from losing control." Jasper sighed at her pointed look that conveyed he needed to explain himself more thoroughly. "Some vampires have special...abilities. I have pathokinesis, which is—"

"—you can control emotions, obviously."

His mouth lifted at her cognizant answer. "Yes. I can sense and change the emotions of the those around me."

Rory's jaw dropped. "Even mine?!" That meant he probably knew how she felt about him since the very beginning! Yikes. How embarrassing.

At this, his growing smile dropped. "No. You are the only exception. Which is why it is so dangerous for me to be with you like this. I pride myself on my control but I usually rely on my ability to keep me in check. I can't tell what you are feeling—you have to tell me what you are feeling, Rory. Whether you feel scared or intimidated or if you want me to go away. So I can keep you safe." His voice had lowered and softened. This immortal being of immense strength and solitude was rendered vulnerable in her presence.

"Right now?"

"Please." His soft plead was all it took for Rory to realize.

Jasper Hale was all she ever wanted.

Rory stood to her feet, her art supplies discarded beside Orion who watched the human and vampire cautiously.

Rory closed the distance between them.

"It's just that," Rory looked up into his black eyes that searched hers, "for someone who manipulates the emotions of everyone around you, you don't seem to truly experience any of them yourself." She placed a hand over where his heart should have been beating. "I intend to remedy that."

His honey-smooth voice didn't hesitate. "I can't stay away from you." Jasper's eyes fluttered close as his hand covered hers as light as a feather. Rory couldn't help but compare him to an avenging angel of statues and paintings.

"Then don't." She shrugged. He couldn't stop his grin from lifting upwards at her familiar movement.

He exhaled hard. "You should stay away from me."

She twisted her hand that rested over his chest and intertwined it with his ice-cold hand. "Too late, Jasper Hale. I'm here."

I'm yours.

➖

It was long past twilight when Rory finally got home. Jasper had insisted on walking her to the door even though Rory told him it was fine if he wanted to go back to his family once the trees thinned out enough for them to see her red house. But as the pair walked up the porch with Orion cautiously bounding along behind (she was still cautious of the pale creature who almost hurt her Human) Rory was sure Jasper was wrong. As much as Jasper claimed vampires were monsters, he was truly a gentleman through and through. It was heartwarming.

Rory spotted her mother's car in the driveway and raised her brow. It was quite early for Stella to be home from the hospital. She glanced at Jasper furtively. Rory considered him to be her man, who wasn't her man, but was her man so she wasn't sure if their unlabeled relationship constituted meeting each others parents. Rory humored the thought of meeting her vampire boyfriend's (who wasn't her boyfriend) family and seeing the elusive Cullen Mansion. She wondered if there was a moat and dungeon for the aesthetic.

Jasper didn't protest when Rory's hand tightened around his as she unlocked the front door with the other hand. "My mother's home." She looked up at him with wide unsure eyes. "Do you...would you want to meet her?" She felt horribly awkward.

"I'd be honored, ma'am." Jasper broke out into a beaming grin and Rory felt like she was looking at the sun, pausing in awe to stare at him.

"Careful, darling, you're drooling," he teased, brushing the underneath of her chin while she snapped up in embarrassment.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "You're so annoying," she muttered meaninglessly as she swung open the door, Orion already slipping through, eager to get to her dinner.

"Mija—oh."

Stella had already been making her way into the foyer to greet her daughter once she heard the locks turning from the living room, only to for the door to reveal Rory hand in hand with a strange, beautiful model.

"Hola, mama," Rory grinned but didn't make a move to kiss Stella's cheeks as usual, anxious to make sure Jasper didn't feel as nervous as she did.

The older woman raised her brow at the man by her daughter's side. He didn't look like any of the teenagers around Forks though he looked vaguely familiar.

Jasper smiled charmingly at the sight of the similar expression on Rory's mother's face. They were practically twins. Jasper gracefully extended his hand towards Stella Aden, knowing she wouldn't question his freak temperature due to the coldness outside.

Stella smiled warmly and shook his hand firmly, slightly jumping at the coldness but not taking it too seriously, which Jasper insured by altering her mood the tiniest bit. He didn't let his grasp linger to long as he smoothly retracted his palm and shoved it in the pocket of his useless jacket.

"Good evening , ma'am, my name is Jasper Hale," he turned the charm on as high as possible, "I'm Rory's..." He glanced down to the brunette at his side.

"—friend. And history project partner," Rory explained to her mother, avoiding Jasper's amused expression.

"Oh," Stella raised a brow, looking a little less than convinced but not about to prod more than necessary. "Nice to meet you, Jasper. And please, call me Stella."

Rory exhaled a silent breath of relief. She allowed him to call her Stella, which was good. Rory's ex-boyfriend had still been stuck on Mrs. Aden when they were together for over a year.

"It's a pleasure, Stella. Rory's told me so much about you, all good and true," Jasper chuckled harmoniously. "I'm looking forward to hearing from you of stories about Rory."

Stella regarded Jasper with an approving grin. "Are you going to stay for dinner, Jasper? I know how teenager boys eat, I'll order an extra pizza then—"

Jasper grinned charmingly while Rory turned red, morbidly thinking of the fact that Stella did not know what this teenage boy in particular truly ate. Well, drank. "No, mama. Jasper was just leaving. He just walked me to the door." Rory pressed a hand to the middle of Jaspers toned back.

"So soon?" Stella was a bit crestfallen. This was the first 'friend' she had met of Rory's besides Bella Swan. And her daughter's friend was entirely too handsome to not offer a dinner invitation. "Are you sure you can't stay?"

Jasper could tell Rory was uncomfortable. Hopefully it wasn't because she didn't want him in her home any longer. Rory glanced at Jasper with her eyes filled with concern. He had stiffened and she hoped it wasn't because her mother's nonchalant dinner invitation made him uncomfortable.

Jasper stepped further into the house, carefully tugging Rory along with him. "If it's alright with you and Rory, of course, I would love to stay for dinner, ma'am." Rory blinked up at him in confusion. She really thought he wouldn't have wanted to stay.

His thumb rubbed the back of her hand soothingly. He couldn't feel her emotions but he knew her well enough to tell she was very anxious.

A half hour later, a steaming pizza had been delivered and the Aden women had dug in. Jasper politely had a single piece of the cheese pizza on his plate as he sat beside Rory and across from her mother. He had nibbled on it politely to keep Stella far from suspicion despite Rory's adorably astonished stares.

Jasper looked around the interior of the foyer, taking note of the warm coloring of the walls and the pictures hanging on the wall leading up the stairs. Original paintings and artwork touched almost every aspect of the home—all clearly done by Rory by the tiny initials he zeroed in on each piece.

"It's amazing how you and Rory have only lived here a few weeks and managed to make your home so welcoming and warm. It's truly lovely," Jasper said. He hoped he didn't sound like he was trying too hard. Because he was. Because it was Rory's mother.

Stella smiled. "We try our best. I must admit I wish I had more to do with it," she looked almost sad as she glanced at her daughter, "But with all my hours at the hospital, I'm afraid I haven't done so much."

Jasper nodded in understanding. "Ah, I remember my father mentioned he worked with you a few weeks ago when you two moved here."

"Your father?" Stella's hazel eyes widened with realization. "You must be Dr. Cullen's son." She suddenly remembered why he was familiar. Rory recognized the look in her mother's eyes, akin to the look one would have whilst solving a puzzle.

"Jasper also has other adopted siblings," Rory added, trying to get her mother away from breaching the topic surrounded with suspicious circumstances that hinted at Jasper's impossible capabilities.

Her eyes flickered from Rory to Jasper with recognition. "You were the one who miraculously saved Rory from being crushed to death by that reckless van a few weeks ago..." Stella was in awe as she put the pieces together.

"Yes, I did." Jasper glanced at Rory as if to make sure she was unharmed. "It was nothing."

"Nothing?" Stella raised a brow. "My daughter's life is indebted to you, Jasper. That is not something I take lightly."

Rory sighed, "Mama—"

Feeling Stella's rising emotions, Jasper calmed the woman. "I only meant the act was nothing because there is nothing I wouldn't do to ensure Rory's safety," he emphasized his words with a nonchalant placement of his hand on Rory's on top of the oak dinner table.

Rory cast her gaze to Jasper with upturned lips. They shared a secretive smile that didn't go unnoticed. She took note of the flush on her daughter's cheek as Rory leaned in closer and the way the boy mirrored Rory's every move like they were in synch, like they were soulmates. Stella had witnessed how Rory was in constant contact of Jasper, whether her daughter held his hand, pressed to his side or met his enamored gaze with her own. Stella had witnessed how Jasper's eyes were constantly trained on Rory, his clear protectiveness, how he spoke to her with utmost respect and carefully regarded her with adoration. How very much clear it was the two were meant to be.

Stella liked this boy very well indeed.