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Written for The Love of Jasper Redux contest.
PHILADELPHIA PA, 1948
JASPER POV
I left Peter and Charlotte, after our last hunt together. Their choice of meals these days was much different than when we were with Maria, even though they were choosing victims from the scourge of society - murderers, rapist and the like - the emotions of my kills still bothered me deep in my core. I just didn't want to exist like this anymore. I'm wondering why didn't I stay and let that evil bitch destroy me?
I'd begun to wander around the country for a few years, feeding only when absolutely necessary. Today, I was in Philadelphia, when it started to rain cats and dogs. Since I wasn't carrying an umbrella, or wearing anything that would mark me as anything other than human, I decided to duck into a diner and wait out the storm. I would pretend to nurse a cup of coffee, until the rain stopped, then decide on my next move.
There was an empty booth in the back of the bustling restaurant where I wouldn't be noticed, but I could still see the comings and goings of the patrons. And then... I smelled her. Before the sound of her shoes hitting the linoleum fully reached my ears her essence assaulted my senses. I looked up to find the waitress standing before me with a smart-aleck smirk. She looked like a little pixie in stature with her chopped spiky, inky black hair and had the strangest topaz gold eyes I'd ever seen, but there was no mistaking that she was a vampire.
"Well, it took you long enough cowboy. Been waiting for you for quite some time." She told me.
"I apologize, but I'm sure I don't know what you mean ma'am," I told her. She winked and gave a grin that told me that she knew more than I.
"No, I guess you don't. But - I'm going to change your destiny in just a few moments. How 'bout you let me bring you a cup of coffee, while we wait for my friend to get here." She said with a wink, before turning and going back behind the counter. In no time at all, she was back with a steaming hot cup of coffee. Just then, the diner's door chime sounded, and the most beautiful man I'd ever laid eyes on walked through the door. He politely shook out his umbrella before fully entering, then placed it in the umbrella stand near the door. Somehow, he instinctively turned to look toward the booth where the waitress stood. This man was built like a Greek God. He easily stood about 6'2", and had the most beautiful sun-kissed blonde hair. One might imagine a man such as this would have steel blue eyes that could bore straight into your soul; but, his eyes were the same topaz as the waitress. He wore a custom-fitted lab coat, that showed exactly how slim but muscular he was.
I grabbed ahold of the waitress's arm as the man smiled at us, a smile more radiant than the sun, and began walking towards us. "Is that your friend?" I wondered aloud.
"Yes, I'll introduce you, if that's okay then leave you two to talk.
I was nervous about being left alone with the handsome stranger. What if he thought I was absolutely hideous, as many of our kind did?
"My name is Alice by the way. And don't worry, he's not at all like that." She finished speaking just as this beautiful man reached our booth.
"Alice, Thanks for calling me. I have to be back to the hospital in about 30 minutes, but had to come meet him." He said to her before he offered his hand in a genial greeting.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen, but you may call me Carlisle," I stood and took his hand. Somehow, in that instant, I'd felt as if my brain was stuck on stupid. As I touched his hand, a spark of electricity warmed me as it traveled through my veins to my now cold, dead heart. "Mine!" My mind screamed at me, and I had to silence the growl that threatened to erupt from my chest, as the Major threatened to take this man and claim him right here in this diner.
At that very moment, if I didn't know better, I'd swear our hearts shared one single solitary beat. I let out an audible gasp, as did Carlisle, causing him to suddenly snatch his hand away, his eyes wide with shock. He then turned to Alice.
"Alice, you knew about this! Is this why you were so adamant for me to meet him?" He asked accusingly, holding her tightly at her shoulders, almost shaking her as he spoke.
I must have been projecting my disappointment because he finally let her go and looked at me.
"It's okay Carlisle, I understand," I told him. Of course, this gorgeous man wouldn't want a hideous monster such as myself. I brushed past him, his scent engulfing my olfactory senses. He smelled of green melon, cashmere, and fresh air. The heavenly scent nearly rendering me numb, but still, I prepared to take my leave when he grabbed my arm.
"Please, don't go. I'm sorry… it's not you. I just don't like to be kept in the dark is all." His hand then slid down my arm until he was holding my hand. He looked down at our hands then looked around to see if anyone noticed before he began to speak at a volume and speed inaudible to humans.
"This is certainly a surprise I didn't expect to encounter when I left for work this morning. But please, will you come to my house later to meet my family?" I looked at him guardedly.
"I don't know about meeting others just yet. Is there somewhere private we can go, to talk and get to know each other first? I asked.
Doctor Cullen pressed his lips together in a line as if thinking of a solution.
"Why don't you come to the hospital," he offered. "We can sit in the cafeteria once my shift is over." He looked down at his watch before continuing. "Which will be in about another three hours. Alice can give you the address and directions if you're unsure where it's located. But I'm afraid I must leave now. Please say you will come?" His eyes pleaded. I felt a burst of anticipation and desire from him.
"Yes, I will get what I need from Alice. See you at 3:30, then?" I asked him as I checked my own watch.
"Yes, yes. Thank you, see you then." He glanced back at me as if he didn't want to leave. Alice…" he gave her a stern look and a quirk of an eyebrow. "…I will see you at home." Alice nodded and dutifully bowed her head. He then smiled at me and quickly took his leave.
I sat back in the booth and quirked an eyebrow at Alice. Just what had this waifish pixie of a girl gotten me into?
"Will that be trouble for you later?" I asked her
"No, of course not silly." She giggled, which sounded like a bell-like chime. "I know Carlisle, if I'd told him he would finally meet his true mate by coming here, he would never have come. He had to see and feel it for himself.
"If he wouldn't have come, why are you forcing me on him then?" I asked her suspiciously.
"Because it's not you, just as he said, he doesn't believe in true mates or destiny. He believes destiny is what you make it. He's a man of science, so if there is no evidence, then he won't believe it. I had to show him. Have him feel it." She explained to me.
"Please, just stay here, I will bring you another cup of coffee, and a piece of pie to nurse. The lunch rush is just starting, after that my shift is over, we will have another hour before you need to meet Carlisle, and I will tell you all you need to know.
I continued to watch Alice, as she waited on her customers swiftly, taking note of how human-esque she appeared. But there was no mistake, she was a vampire. She was flawless in her movement. I started thinking about everything I'd been told so far. Questions that escaped me once I laid eyes on Carlisle Cullen. I've heard of the good doctor, but passed him off as just a myth, just as many take me for. Surely there could not be a vampire, that has never tasted human blood, only feeding on the blood of animals. One who was a genius surgeon in the human world. Why the gold eyes? Blood is blood is it not? And what did the pixie mean? I'd kept her waiting, I've never met her before today. Even in my monstrous days, when I was in all-out Major, God of war mode, I surely would have remembered a vampire with golden eyes. I pondered all of these thoughts as she continued her work, throwing me a smile every now and then.
Once all her tables were clear of diners and her area cleaned, the customers now only trickling in. She removed her apron, as she went into the back. Once she came back out, she was dressed in expensive, flashy designer clothing. She sat down with me with an ice cream soda. She removed her gloves and pretended to sip from her soda.
"So you have questions, yes?" She asked me. I gave her a 'what do you think' look.
"Well, I guess I should start with me." She told me how she woke up in an insane asylum. The only thing she remembered was how a caretaker in the facility bit and changed her to keep her safe from a sadistic vampire who like to play sick games with his prey. She woke up alone, and her sire killed by the sadistic vampire. She knew nothing of what or who she was at the time. She found a slip of paper in her pocket, with her name on it. But the first vision she had upon waking was of me. She initially thought she and I were meant to be mates, but later, her visions changed. How I was meant to be in a coven of golden-eyed vampires, become one of them, and one of them was to be my mate.
She told me how her intention was to meet me first, and she and I go find this coven, but when she ran into the coven on accident, again, her vision changed. She discovered some of her visions were based on decisions others make, and some based on actions that had been set forth. Her finding the coven showed I was to be with the head of this coven or 'family', as they preferred to be known. So instead of taking me to this coven, she decided to bring the coven to meet me.
"But why the golden eyes?" I asked her. "If they drink blood, be it animal, wouldn't they still have red eyes as mine?
"That you would have to ask Carlisle. I would say it has to do with the protein in the animal blood versus human blood, but I can't be sure." She told me. "I know we consider ourselves 'vegetarians'. The animal blood sustains us, but not the same way as human blood. I can also tell you that from my visions, you will struggle with the adjustment, but with Carlisle's patience and love, you will persevere. That is why you were meant for each other," She added
"And Carlisle knows nothing of your visions of the two of us?" I asked her.
"Not exactly, no. I told him you wanted to change your way of life is all. That you sought to change your diet. That for whatever reason, you could no longer exist feeding on humans. I searched every other scenario and that was the only thing to get him to come and meet you." She explained
"You don't know who I am, do you?" I asked her cautiously.
"I only know your name is Jasper. Is there more I should know?" I just hung my head.
"Alice, you've made a mistake. If Carlisle were to know who I really am, the things in my existence I've done, he won't have me. A monster such as myself was not meant for that kind of love or happiness." I told her. The venom stung my eyes, as tears that would never fall."
"You're wrong Jasper. I've seen it," she said as her eyes went unfocused. When she focused on me again, she was bouncing in her seat with joy. "Carlisle hasn't changed his decision. He very much wants to meet you in the cafeteria at the hospital. I've seen your destiny again. You and Carlisle will be in love and happy." She told me. "It's time for you to go now, I will see you at home later." She said with a smile and slid a slip of paper over to me with the address of Penn Med. "Hurry along big brother, you don't want to be late." She walked with me outside the diner, as she climbed into a fancy black automobile, after giving me a hug. I felt the familial love radiating from her. I stiffened at first, but relented and gave her a hug in return, before waving to her as she drove away from the diner, and I made my way towards the hospital.
