AN: An idea popped into my head one day and I got to thinking about Valkyries-badass female warriors.
Then my thing for Jasper played into it. This is the product of that.
The plot eventually gets to the OG Twilight plot with my own twists. I didn't have time to go back over all the books and movies, so forgive any errors with the plot.
That being said, this is a mix of the books and movies.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns what she owns, we all know it.
Cast Down From The Heavens
"Inkeri?" Odin called for me in his usual jovial tone.
I turned to see him drinking wine, as always, with a big smile on his face. "Yes?" I tried to hide the hope in my voice.
"Walk with me." He beckoned for me to join him.
I quickly left my seat in the hall and went to his side. Odin left his wine on a small table and started our walk through the hall. My Valkyrie sisters were all talking quietly amongst themselves to kill time before going to battle.
"How I favor you, my little warrior." Odin sighed as we approached the doors of the hall.
Hope bloomed in my chest as we got closer and closer. "How I favor you, Odie," I chirped in my excitement, eliciting a booming laugh from Odin.
"You know what is happening." He turned to me with a sad smile. I had never seen that smile on his face.
"You have found my soldier." I tried to make it sound like a question but I was just too excited.
"Your soldier is much more than that," Odin said with a knowing look. "You are my greatest Valkyrie and he is the strongest, most feared soldier on earth. You will create a valuable Valkyrie together."
A grin split my face. "You really are casting me down?" It was about damn time. I was the only ancient out of five who hadn't found their soldier.
Odin nodded. "You are to tell Major Whitlock that you have been sent to save him from the hell he lives. You will marry, produce the child and send her to me, then stay on Earth with him." He gave me the instructions that he gave all my sisters that had been cast down.
"I will not fail you."
"I have not a doubt in my mind. Now take this." He held out a small satchel. "Wedding rings, currency, and your journal. Fair travels, my little angel."
I took the satchel and strapped it to my body as Odin pushed open the doors. I blinked in the light and followed him to the gates that kept the Valkyrie and souls that had been brought to Valhalla.
"This is not goodbye," he said as he pushed the gates with all his strength.
"This is not goodbye," I repeated.
Odin gestured for me to step forward and I stared down at the cloud-like portal and prayed that the fall didn't hurt. Odin's hand was warm on my back, for just a moment, before he pushed me forward. I twisted around in the air and stared up at him as he watched me fall. Odin was not my master, nor was he my mentor. Valhalla was his to oversee, but he wasn't my ruler. He was more of a gentle guide through my sisterhood.
The fall was incredibly fast. I felt the force pressing down on me as I fell farther and farther. I didn't know anything about Earth other than the history of war. One war had just ended, a civil war. Humans had a lot of wars. I fought in all of them and brought souls back to Valhalla. That's how it had been since the beginning of time.
"OOF!" I didn't realize how far I had fallen until I hit the ground and the air was knocked out of my lungs. I didn't feel any pain. None at all.
I stared up toward the sky as the dust settled around me. I had created a large crater in the earth when I landed. I had no idea where I was or where my soldier was, but I had my mission. Marry, create the child, live a long life with the man until he died and I took him to Valhalla.
"Ma'am?" a hesitant male's voice called out to me. "Can you hear me?" His voice had gotten closer.
I blinked up at the sky just as the male's face appeared in my line of sight. Red eyes stared down at me and blond hair peaked out from under his hat. I picked up the concern in his eyes and took in his perfect features. He was gorgeous.
"I'm alive," I mumbled with a big smile on my face.
He furrowed his brow as he watched me. "You don't feel any pain."
"I don't!" I chirped as I pushed myself to sit up.
"Whoa, take it slow," he said quickly as he reached for me. "Where'd you come from, if you don't mind my askin'?" I couldn't place his accent.
I let the male pull me up and help me stand. I felt great as I took in my surroundings.
"I was cast down from the heavens." I smiled as I turned to face the male.
"The heavens?" He raised an eyebrow and quickly moved away from me.
"Yes!" I nodded emphatically. "I was sent for someone—Major Whitlock. Do you know of him? I need to find him." I looked to the male for an answer.
The male took off the hat he was wearing and held it to his chest as he eyed me. It was like he was trying to peer into my soul.
"I'm Major Whitlock, ma'am," he said slowly.
That was easy.
My smile grew bigger and I took a step toward him. "Major Whitlock, my name is Inkeri and I'm here to help you."
Major Whitlock looked taken aback. "The Lord cast you down to earth to help me?" he asked with doubt lacing his voice.
"He did. I'm here to liberate you from the hell that is your life. Come with me." I held out my hand. When he didn't take my hand my smile dropped and I cocked my head at him. "You're supposed to come with me." I pouted and took a few steps forward so I was standing directly in his line of sight.
As I made eye contact his breath caught in his throat. He broke eye contact as he bowed his head to me.
"My apologies for questionin' you, Miss Inkeri. Where are we goin'?" He lifted his head and quickly agreed to come with me.
"Take my hand and I'll know." I held out my hand once again and he hesitantly took it.
His skin was cold and smooth. Like the hilt of my sword. There was some kind of electricity that came with Major Whitlock's touch. I looked at our hands, trying to figure out the feeling.
"You're an angel?" he asked.
"I am," I said quietly. "You're not human either." I looked up into his red eyes.
"I'm a …vampire," he said as if he were ashamed.
"I've never met a vampire." I didn't know they even existed. "I know where we're going now! We'll talk along the way." I was giddy for the start of my journey.
"Wait." Major Whitlock stopped me from moving. "We'll have to run. Fast. If we don't move fast they'll hurt you." I could run fast.
Major Whitlock seemed scared for me.
"There is very little that can hurt me. Now, we have to go north!" I pointed in the direction I was being pulled in.
Major Whitlock nodded and finally moved. He helped me out of the crater with very little effort.
"I'll have to carry you, Miss Inkeri," Major Whitlock said, silently asking for permission.
"I'm usually the one doing the carrying. It's heavy lifting up to the heavens." I giggled as I looked up to the starry sky. "Let's go!" I said, giving him permission to touch me.
He carefully picked me up and cradled me to his chest then he was running. Incredibly fast and gracefully, I knew I could easily match him but I didn't want to leave his arms. I didn't speak as he ran, I only pointed so he would change direction when it needed to be changed. The sun had started to rise as we hit a wooded area and I called him to a stop. I wiggled out of his hold and grabbed his hand to meander through the trees.
"Tell me about your kind." I was curious about these 'vampires'.
"I don't know how my kind came to be, but all the other vampires I know have been bitten. I was bitten twenty years ago. It's painful, like fire has been poured into your veins. We're very strong and fast. We drink the blood of humans and the only thing that can kill us are others of our kind. It ain't a charmed existence but there ain't anythin' I can do to change it."
"What's this feeling?" I wiggled my fingers against his hand. I was curious about the electric feeling I had when our skin met.
Major Whitlock stiffened and stopped walking. I turned to him and cocked my head. He knew the answer to my question.
"I had a friend, Peter, who described this feelin' when he touched this woman. He said it was like a shock, a tinglin', like lightnin'. When he had that feelin' he found that he couldn't stay away from the woman, Charlotte. It wasn't long after he had this feelin' that he ran away, with Charlotte, from the life you just saved me from. Peter found his mate in Charlotte and that's what my kind has in terms of love. I believe that is what this feelin' is. Peter ran away to protect Charlotte and I have this overwhelmin' urge to protect you. Miss Inkeri, I believe you are my mate."
Odin be damned. Odin had sent me to Major Whitlock for love. For true love. My heart soared at the thought of it. I found myself exchanging a bright smile with Major Whitlock.
"Tell me more!" I demanded.
He let me pull him along and he told me about himself. He had been a Major in the Confederate Army. His name was Jasper. He had been nineteen when he died. The most interesting thing he had told me was that he could feel the emotions that others felt and that he could manipulate them. It was a gift and a curse. The gift was that he could feel my joy and happiness. The curse was that he felt the pain of the people he had killed and had to kill. It was a sad life and I didn't like that.
I felt sorrow for him. I didn't want him to feel pain.
"I'm here to stop as much pain as possible." I smiled at him as we came to a clearing. "This is it!" I pointed to a small cottage by a spring.
It looked like a small piece of Valhalla. Just for Jasper and me on Earth. I dropped Jasper's hand and ran as fast as my legs would take me to get to the cottage. I pushed the door open and took in the interior. It was small, it was warm, it was home. It reminded me of my chambers in Valhalla.
"Come in!" I called to Jasper, who had been standing in the doorway.
I made my way to the bed and took the satchel off my body and started to dig through it for my journal. My life had written itself onto the pages as my existence went on.
"This is my life. Read while I sleep."
I handed the journal off and climbed into the bed. Jasper didn't sleep, but I did on earth. I pulled the bed curtains closed and settled into the blankets. I had no idea where I was or what my existence held after the child was made, but I felt like it was going to be good.
I closed my eyes and drifted off thinking about what Earth had in store for me.
