Solstice (A Jasper Hale/ Twilight novel)

Chapter Twelve: Waking Up

"Ugh" I groan to myself. Why am I lying face down on the floor? I blink a few times, trying to get my eyes to focus again to take in my surroundings.

What the hell had just happened? And where is Jasper?

I peel my cheek off of the wood flooring, rolling my side. It feels like I've been kicked in the head. It's unnerving to be so weak, almost like I'm human again.

Pushing myself up onto my elbows, I look around my apartment to see Jasper collapsed on the floor not ten feet from me.

It takes an extraordinary amount of self control not to panic at the sight, but I manage it, taking several deep, unnecessary breaths until I feel in control enough to move forward.

"Please don't be dead, please." I mutter to myself, half crawling over to Jasper.

I place a hand around Jasper's wrist, about to check for a pulse before I remember that of course he won't have one. My mind really is running slow right now. This obviously has something to do with that vampire's gifts; he wouldn't have a reason to have killed Jasper, would he?

Then the memories come rushing back to me, the danger that the Cullens are in.

"Crap," I mutter. I don't even know how long until the Volturi are coming.

"Okay," I continue talking to myself, "no need to panic just yet. One thing at a time."

First things first, I need to warn the Cullens. Luck appears to be on my side at the moment, because my cell phone is still in the back pocket of my pants. It's doubly good, because there's no way I could drag myself all the way over to the apartment's landline with the state I'm in.

Why hasn't Alice seen this yet?

My fingers hesitate over the keypad. Maybe she had already seen this and the warning is pointless? But then she would have called, wouldn't she?

I decide to call anyways; the worst that could happen is they already know.

Alice picks the phone up before it even has the chance to ring. Hadn't I called Bella's phone?

"I was worried about you! Why did I go blind all of a sudden?" I can practically see the tiny pixie narrowing her eyes at me.

"Alice, give me the phone," I hear muffled in the background. So Alice must have seen me calling Bella then. Why didn't she see anything else?

"I was hoping you were going to be able to shed a bit of light on that for me. I'm not entirely sure what happened. Jasper's...unconscious I think. But listen, you're all in danger. A friend of mine risked more than her life to get that message to me, and we would be wise to listen to it."

Alice is silent.

"It's the Volturi." I hear her whisper.

I nod before realizing she won't be able to see that. "Yes."

"Come back as soon as you can." Alice says quickly, and then the phone is back in Bella's hands.

"Ember what is going on?"

Just then Jasper moves a bit. Thank God.

"It's a long story, none of it good. I'll tell you once we're in the car and headed back, hold on." I end the call and stick my phone back into my pocket, turning my attention to the half awake vampire.

"How are you feeling?" I ask gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Absolutely amazing," he responds slowly, his expression dazed.

I roll my eyes and help drag Jasper up to a seated position, one of my arms slung over his shoulders and the other wrapped around his torso.

"Were we drugged? Actually, is it even possible to drug a vampire?" Jasper asks, blinking over and over to try to clear his vision.

I shake my head. "I'm not entirely sure why we both passed out; do you remember the last thing you did before that happened?"

I don't remember passing out; how much of what had just happened was in my head?