Chapter One: Major Jasper Whitlock

Maria was running through the woods as fast as she could, avoiding the confederate soldiers who were busy rushing to evacuate all the women and children. This relocation really made her mad; her hunting grounds were getting smaller and smaller as the war spread throughout the south. They were trying to move the humans to safer locations, and those so called safe locations were in rival land. What was she supposed to do now?

She felt two other figures join her, flanking her on both sides, running just as fast. She sniffed the air and was happy to recognize that it was Nettie and Lucy. She didn't say anything, just sped up. She needed to think alone, and they were not helping at all.

"Maria, please slow down. We need to talk strategy". Nettie knew those were the magic words, and she came to a halt, laughing as they kept running past her. She sat down and waited for them to come back.

"Okay, so what idea do you have that I don't?" She asked. She couldn't imagine what they could possibly be thinking. They had exhausted every idea, and she was about ready to give up and relinquish the little land she had. Her army was weak, and they were at the bottom of the totem pole. The newborns were too wild, too unruly.

"Have we ever considered the fact that the newborns are so wild because that is what they were as humans? Think about it, Maria. We have been changing drunks, and people off the street, people who are shunned because they have no regard for the rules."

"Where are you going with this?" She asked.

"Change a soldier. People will not notice, I don't think, because it is a war. Pass it off as a MIA and we are good. Plus, they are trained and obedient." She sat back on the grass, a smug smile on her face. She knew she had me. I stood up, and looked around us.

"Well, there are plenty of them around. Take your pick Nettie." They stood up and joined me, making a circle. We could see all sides, hear everything.

"How about him? He is brave, obviously, if he is riding up to us." She pointed to a tall, handsome man on a horse, in a confederate uniform. He had the horse walking slowly, cautiously towards us, and he was staring at us with confusion. That must mean they thought they evacuated all the women.

"You guys need help?" He asked, and I practically melted. His voice was so lovely; no vampire could compare. His eyes, I could stare into them for days and not get tired. Of course, that would change. It would have to. His long blonde hair fell into his eyes. He was beautiful, even for a human. I had to have him.

"What's your name, soldier?" He dismounted and stood in front of me, taking his hat off his head and brushing the hair out of his eyes. I waved Nettie and Lucy off, and I heard them take off running full speed behind me. Way to scare him.

"Major Jasper Whitlock, ma'am" And he smiled at me and I swear if I could still blush I would have been bright red in the cheeks.

"Well, I really hope you survive this Jasper." And then, I bit him.

Watching him fall to the ground, blood leaking out of his neck, it was driving me absolutely crazy! That smell, that taste. It was the sweetest taste I had ever experienced. Was this Jasper, was he the "singer" I had heard about so many times during my short existence? I wanted to drink from him, suck him dry.

His face was contorting in pain, the venom quickly spreading through his body. He reached up and grabbed the front of my shirt, and I could tell it took all he had not to scream. He looked like he had something to say, and it killed me to watch him go through all this pain. I picked him up in my arms and ran to an old abandoned house I had come across a few weeks ago, setting him on the couch and sitting with his feet in my lap. I lit a candle and grabbed some paper, drawing as he burned.

A few times he was able to scream, able to ask me to just kill him. I always put my hand in his, rubbing soothing circles on the palm of it. I looked at him with great pity in my eyes. I cried without tears when he let out an ear splitting scream as the pain got worse, the fire hotter and the blades multiplied. I kissed him full on the lips, pulling back and whispering comforting words to him. "I know, it hurts.", "I am sorry, Major", "It will end soon", and the one that shocked us both the most "I love you".