Irrational. [Jasper Hale]

0.3 ; Blood Bath

It would be a dismal night for Florence.

On her drive over to the Cullen's house for Bella's birthday party, the torrential rain was nonstop  and it created an odd blurring effect to Florence's eyesight, "Geez, I know I'm more than a century old, but I wasn't expecting night blindness so soon." 

Florence had a churning feeling in her stomach, she thought - no, she knew - that something horrifying was going to happen tonight. The nausea rose to her throat and made its home as her maternal gifts kicked in. It was foul in taste and hard to swallow, but she pushed herself to keep driving down the slick, black tar highway. 

Pulling into the Cullen's driveway, or forest clearing rather, and parking her humble car, Florence double checked that she had all the necessaries: her wallet, keys, and Bella's gift. 

After making sure that all items were accounted for, Florence stepped out of the car, and as soon as her left foot came in contact with the wet leaves littering the forest floor, she saw a wisp of blond hair trickle out of the modern glass home in less than a millisecond. 

"May I escort you ma'am?" Jasper playfully asked his mate as he extended his arm to the breath taking porcelain doll standing next to him.

"I'd be honored," Florence spoke, her old antebellum drawl kicking back in temporarily as she had deja vu to the first day she met Jasper. 

Rain drenched the two's nice clothing as they slowly made their way inside. They were in no rush to halt their solitude alone, so they made their way to the living room slowly and begrudgingly. 

Once Florence saw the living room, her figurative heart warmed. The rose filled crystal bowls looked elegant and celebratory among the hundreds of pink candles that were lit and scattered throughout the room.

Florence greeted Alice, the first family member she had seen, "You sure do know how to throw a party, Al."

"You make me blush, Flor," Alice said sweetly before pulling away and giving Florence a knowing look - they both had intensified negative outlooks.

"Actually," Emmett spoke up from his spot beside the stunning Rosalie, "It's anatomically impossible for those without blood flow to blush."

"Sorry, I was running a bit late," Florence apologized to the family, who nodded in understanding and contentedness that she had showed at all. 

Florence made her way to Bella, the only pulse in the room, and embraced her surprising everyone, including herself. She felt compelled to do so in the moment. Not only was it her eighteenth birthday - a staple year, but Florence's gifts had become quite protective of Bella in the past two minutes she had been in the human's presence, cluing Florence off that something foul will soon happen to the poor girl - her gifts never lied. 

"It's present time!" Alice exclaimed outgoing and determined.

The thin girl pulled the naturally pale human to the gift table, where Florence awkwardly sped to set her silver colored gift before the two reached it. Florence then returned to Jasper's side, who seemed to stay on the outskirts of the party scene for some reason. 

Florence had guessed that it had something to do with control, and she empathized for him. Had she not had her maternal gifts, she was sure that she would be in the same boat as Jasper. 

"This one's Emmett's," Alice informed Bella before handing over a poorly wrapped blue box.

Bella opened the light box and stared questioningly at it. The box read that it was a car stereo system, but the box was as light as the cardboard alone. Confused as to why Emmett would gift her cardboard she thanked Emmett, "Ummmm...thanks?"

Emmett, catching onto her confusion, clarified, "Already installed in your truck."

Alice smiles and continues with the festivities, handing Bella a red colored small package, "Open mine."

Bella began opening the small package, but cut her frail skin in the process.

The next few seconds played frame by frame in Florence's mind in slow motion. 

A single drop of crimson blood broke the surface on Bella's skin, the deep red contrasting with the stark white.

Jasper couldn't control himself any longer, he barred his teeth and growled - lunging for Bella. 

Edward tossed Bella behind him in a protective manner before lunging at Jasper to meet him halfway - the collision sounding like boulders clashing.

Edward won the power struggle and shoved Jasper back towards Florence, who held him in place as best as she could.

Time went back to normal speed as Florence focused Jasper's attention on her, "It's just a little blood Jasper, you won't hurt her. It's okay, let's just go take a stroll outside, ok?"

Jasper's eyes lost their lustful gaze as they filled with adoration for Florence. He quickly observed that Bella looked shaken by the situation, and he took Florence up on her outside stroll.

When the two stepped onto the front porch, over-looking the deep evergreen forest, with the stars overhead and rain blurring their appearance, no words were exchanged between the two. 

Just a mutual understanding that everything would be ok. 

But that was liable to change. 

word count - 858

(UNEDITED)

(POSTED ON 1/13/18)

song: Such Great Heights by Iron & Wine