Pairings: Jasper/Krista. Edward/Alice. Neville/Luna. Ethan/Susan.
Warnings: AU Universe. OC characters. Some character bashing. Non-canon. Mature scenes. Violence.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and Twilight and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me
Chapter Seven: Dust and Shadows
Pulvis et umbra sumus
Ave atque vale
(For we are Dust and Shadows
Hail and farewell)
XXXXXX
The six hour long flight back to Sin City, Sicily is awkward. Extremely so.
Krista had opted for flight duty, and had slipped right into the pilot's seat before Ethan, Neville and Luna could say anything; and all that the remaining three Enforcers could do is just to settle into their seats and strapped themselves in, also ensuring that the three survivors from Maria's army were buckled in properly.
(It is a tight fit, as the plane that they were using is originally for an Enforcer pair to begin with—in other words, only meant for two people, but they have managed)
And throughout the entire flight back to Sin City, Jasper had done nothing but just stare at the back of Krista's head. Ethan is fairly sure that his partner had long sensed a pair of eyes boring holes into the back of her head, but the dhampir did nothing but just focused on her task at hand.
Peter and Charlotte—the only other two survivors of Maria's army meanwhile spent the time chatting with Neville and Luna, curious about the infamous hometown of Nightshades that every single Darkened would have heard of at least once.
Neville and Luna have also filled them in on what to do and what not to do whilst in there. While Jasper, Peter and Charlotte would most likely have a guard or two on them the entire time they're in Sin City, it doesn't hurt to fill them in on the rules.
Though privately, Neville is certain that a certain blond haired vampire will most likely be remaining in Sin City for the foreseeable future if what he'd sensed and seen from said vampire and his best friend is of any indication.
Ethan meanwhile had ignored the entire tension and awkward atmosphere surrounding their plane, and had opted to write his report, knowing that Xatis would ask for it first thing after they're done with their standard after mission checkup at Asclepius' Hoard.
If any of the Enforcers had even bothered to use their Legilimency on a certain blond vampire, they would most likely get a frightful headache from the backlash of the torrent of questions currently going through said vampire's head.
Jasper had been doing nothing but staring at Krista since he'd all but pounced on her at the battlefield, but was subdued by said girl—all the way to when the Enforcers had burned the bodies of the vampires and had ensured that the parts were scattered to the four winds and when they've boarded the plane back to Sin City.
How is Krista here? Why is she still alive? Why does she still look like how Jasper had last seen her—just before he'd gone off to join the Confederate army?
All these questions and more are currently hurtling through his head like a torrent.
Peter who was eyeing his best friend and brother gave a soft sigh, squeezing Charlotte's hand in his. "The Major looks like he's going to explode," he murmured to his mate who squeezed his hand back in comfort.
"I think both sides are going to have a lot to explain to each other." Neville murmured, brows furrowing as he looked towards Krista who is piloting the plane and then towards Jasper who had quite a stony expression on his face as he stared at the dhampir.
"Big understatement of the year." Luna murmured, leaning her head against Neville's shoulder.
Jasper opened his mouth, about to say something, "Kris—"
"We're landing in five." Krista's soft voice broke him off from whatever that he is about to say even as the dhampir worked at the flight controls, flaring the ward crystals in the pattern that any Nightshades agent who is sent out on missions with a plane knows by heart to bypass the countless wards and barriers that surrounds Sin City without setting off the alarms.
The people of the Shadow World—particularly those who dislikes or hates Nightshades definitely isn't kidding when they say that Sin City is likely one of the safest places in the world, if not the safest.
The damn place is like a fortress!
Nightshades and the Wiccans take their security and the safety of their people very seriously. The people will always come first. There is a reason after all why there is an entire department in Nightshades that are slated to the Barrier and Warding Corps—essentially the people who kept watch over the barriers and wards of Sin City, and will also be the first to know if there is a breach, or in the most unlikely scenario—an intruder. Apart from the Enforcers and occasionally Intelligence, the Barrier Corps is also the one department that works regularly with the Gate Guardians who are responsible for guarding the gates of Sin City.
Next to Krista, Ethan rolled up his report, having just finished writing it before he reached over and activated the communicator crystal.
"This is Flint, captain of the Barrier Corps," said a voice, making it sound like someone else is in the plane with them, causing Jasper, Peter and Charlotte to blink owlishly. It didn't sound at all like the bad interference of radios that Jasper is familiar with—having his fair share of experience with radios during his time with the Confederate army. "Who am I addressing?"
"Ethan." Ethan spoke. "We'll be going through the barriers in five, so take note. Also…" Ethan glanced over his shoulder at their 'guests' before turning his attention back towards the communicator crystal. "We have three visitors of sorts with us, so I'll appreciate it if you disable the alarms for us."
There was a moment of silence before Marcus Flint's voice sounded once more. "All right. I'll have someone waiting for you at the landing point."
Krista sighed as Ethan turned off the communicator crystal. "Brace for impact, guys," she warned before the dhampir disabled the invisibility cloaking for their plane. There was a sensation like slipping through water as Krista guided the plane through the barriers and wards surrounding Sin City, and was relieved that the alarms didn't go off when it detected three people not keyed into Sin City's wards. Clearly, Marcus had been quick to disable the alarms for them momentarily.
There was then a thud as the plane landed back onto the ground again, and Krista killed the engine.
"All right, we're here." Ethan said even as the doors of the plane let out a light hiss as it swung upwards, allowing Jasper, Peter and Charlotte their first view of Sin City—or to be more specific, the hangar where Nightshades kept their planes. "Welcome to Sin City."
XXXXXX
~Asclepius' Hoard; Sin City, Sicily~
"Let me take a look."
"I'll be fine. Vampire healing, remember?"
"Not with Nightshades' weapons, it won't. Our magic too. Don't be a stubborn idiot, Jasper. You don't have anything that I've never seen before."
If Jasper Whitlock could blush, he would have been beet red by now even as he sat on the treatment bed in one of the treatment rooms of Asclepius' Hoard, Nightshades' hospital where the group of them were ushered for their standard check-ups. And in the case of Jasper, Peter and Charlotte, treatments for their injuries suffered at the hands of the Enforcers.
Ethan was the first to finish his check-up, as he wasn't really injured much, and he had gone to hand in his report to Xatis Nightray.
Slowly, almost as if trying to delay the inevitable, Jasper removed the shirt that he is wearing only to reveal horribly burned blackened skin all down his right arm and on part of his shoulder. Clearly, at some point before he'd lunged himself at Krista, he must have been caught up in one of the Enforcers' fire attacks.
"Hold still. This is going to hurt quite a bit." Krista warned, as cursed fire like the spells that they've been flinging around hours earlier is quite possibly the one spell in their arsenal that is an instant kill for the mundane vampires.
Thus, the healing for it generally hurts like a bitch.
"I had worse." Jasper smiled grimly, recalling the awful three days of turning when he was first bitten by Maria. He let out a light hiss as Krista let green light surround her hands as she held it over the blackened skin. It felt as if someone had just placed Jasper's arm under a very hot fire. But before his eyes, he saw the skin healing, with the black flaks falling off, and his vampire healing then kicked in, as the skin re-stitch and repaired itself.
For several moments, both said nothing even as Krista worked on fixing the worse of the burns, concentrating on her healing magic. That is likely only the one branch of magic that she is never really all that good at. Sure, Krista knew enough about it to earn enough credits to graduate, as one has to pass the Healing classes before they could even graduate from the Academy, but Krista will likely never be as good as Luna or Fay or even Daphne when it comes to Healing.
"…Why didn't you say anything?" Jasper was the first to break the silence. And when Krista looked at him momentarily before going back to her task at hand, the blond vampire had a hurt expression on his face that made Krista feel as if someone had just stabbed her. "Why did you never say anything about this to me—to us?"
Krista said nothing for several moments before she finished healing the worse of the burns on Jasper's shoulder. "I couldn't," she said at last, opening the medical kit next to her and removing several bandages soaked in healing solution that will hasten the healing process, and got to work to bandaging Jasper's wounds. With how often that the Enforcers get into scrapes, they are all experts at bandaging by now. "Think of the era and the time that we're from, Jazz." Krista pointed out before Jasper could argue. "The witch hunts from that era are no joke. I'm not about to risk my life or even that of yours and your family if anyone had found out. They were already suspicious of my 'school'. And from my experience, secrets never stayed secrets, especially with the noble houses. That's why I never said anything. I merely let you form your own opinions."
Jasper opened his mouth to argue, before he shut it again glumly, knowing that Krista is right. He had felt as if something about Krista is different from the very beginning, but Krista had never said anything. And she is also right about the fact that secrets never stayed secrets in the noble families, what with the number of nosy servants and maids that they have.
"I would never have hated you." Jasper said at last. Surely Krista knew him well enough by then to know that?
"You are still human at that time, Jasper." Krista said tiredly, and Jasper was confused for a moment. Whatever did Krista mean?
A knock on the door of the treatment room caught their attention, and both turned just in time to see the door open and Blaise Zabini and Ethan Nightray stood at the doorway, looking quite solemn.
"Hey Kris. Xatis wants us in his office." Ethan said, jerking one thumb over his shoulder. "Blaise will take over the treatment."
"All right." Krista nodded before she nodded to Blaise as the succubus took over the job of bandaging the burns, with Krista and Ethan leaving the room.
"…She's never really stopped looking for you." Blaise murmured scant moments after both Krista and Ethan left, and Jasper looked at him curiously. The succubus had a small smile on his face. "Kris. She's never stopped looking for you ever since she heard that you went missing not too long after we finished our undercover assignment. Even after everyone around her told her to give up, and that judging by a normal human's lifespan, you are more than likely dead, she never gave up. She had always believed that you're still alive."
Jasper looked down at his hands for several moments before looking back up at Blaise. "Just…what is she then?" he asked. "Krista isn't human, is she?"
"No." Blaise shook his head. "She's half human and half vampire. A dhampir." Seeing the astonished look on Jasper's face, Blaise smirked. "There aren't many of her kind around now, as most dhampirs are hunted down to the point of extinction. Right now, Krista is the only dhampir in Nightshades."
"Why wouldn't she say anything though?" Jasper murmured. "I would never hate her."
"She isn't allowed to." Blaise answered. "Think of the era that you're from. The Witch Hunts are no pleasant business. And we were right in the middle of the Salem War at that time too. Besides, we have rules to follow. Krista couldn't have told you anything."
Jasper bit his lip but sighed, knowing that it's true. He knew enough about Nightshades to know that they have extremely strict rules about making a show of themselves, especially now when the mundane world is gradually starting to believe that the supernatural are just that—merely old wives' tales.
Given that the Purge had just ended less than five decades earlier, those that are still alive during that time period would still believe in the supernatural and things like witches and vampires and faeries. But now with the mundane world starting to scoff at the tales of the supernatural, the denizens of the Shadow World could come out into the mundane world once more, though they are extremely careful not to make a show of themselves unless they have a death wish.
"So she's Wiccan then?" Jasper asked, wanting to know more about Krista versus not wanting to know. He knew of Nightshades' reputation after all. Chances are that Krista had likely been killing even when he was still human.
"She is." Blaise nodded. "I heard from Peter a little about you when I was treating his injuries. He said that due to your, uh, 'gift', you somehow always feel hungry. But you don't feel like eating Krista, do you?"
Jasper counted himself fortunate that vampires can't blush. It is true that for some strange reason, Jasper didn't want to feed on Krista. It is just that he's hungry for her in another different way.
Jasper completely missed the huge grin on Blaise's face as he snipped off the ends of the bandages and taped the ends down. Hell, most likely, every Nightshades agent who had been in the presences of both Krista and Jasper had known it before five minutes had passed.
They would be a fool not to, since no doubt they would have at least experienced seeing a mated pair or two finalise their bond whilst they were still students. Mates generally give off a certain scent when they found their other half—their soul mate. The other half of their soul that the Lady Morrigan had seen fit to gift them—to spend their lives together.
It is why everyone had turned a blind eye when Neville had first started courting Luna, and no one had said anything when the pair have disappeared into a room for three days a mere week before their graduation.
Ethan most likely had already suspected for years that Jasper is Krista's mate, since she had adamantly believed that he is still alive for some odd reason. And Luna and Neville most likely already knew from the first instant when they have seen Jasper.
Blaise is almost curious to know what the impending relationship or courtship will be like. Jasper is after all still a man from the civil war era—the days when a man pursued a proper courtship after a woman whom he is interested in before asking for her hand if there isn't an arranged marriage set up for him.
Unfortunately however, Krista is in no way delicate or demure like the women from that era. She can be really fierce and headstrong if she wants to be, much like all the female agents that Blaise knew. The men of Nightshades have long learned by their second or third year in the Academy that underestimating a girl just because of their gender would do nothing but just earn them a one-way ticket straight to the infirmary.
If Jasper is the overprotective type (not that Blaise thinks he is), he is going to be in for a rude surprise.
"What will she think of me though?" Jasper whispered, staring at his hands, now realising that Krista most likely knew every single thing that Jasper has done since he'd become a vampire. Will she still be proud of him?
Blaise looked at Jasper critically. "Do you really think so little of Krista?" he questioned sharply, not liking how Jasper is insulting one of his best friends unknowingly. Jasper looked at Blaise, surprised. "Kris would never judge you. I had never known her to judge someone based on appearance. Besides, if she does, she'll be a hypocrite because of what we do for a living."
It actually made Jasper feel better.
"Furthermore, we're much more durable than the fragile humans. And dhampirs are immune to vampire venom. You won't harm her or kill her. Your vampire side will not allow it." Blaise said firmly, already seeing Jasper falling into self-doubt. No vampire had ever killed their own mate before. If Jasper just accepts that part of himself, he'll be a lot stronger and could even keep his bloodlust in check. Blaise knew that much from Demetri and Felix of the Volturi.
Honestly, if Krista ever accepts this 'courtship', she is going to have a lot of work to do to pull her man out of his funk and self-doubt that he is a monster. Blaise half wanted to kill Maria himself for putting those under her through Hell.
"Why are you telling me this?" Jasper asked Blaise, confused. He barely knew the succubus after all. Why is Blaise telling him all this like they're best friends?
Blaise resisted the urge to smack his head against the nearest wall or better yet, smack Jasper in the back of the head. "Do you seriously think we Nightshades agents are stupid?" Blaise barked at Jasper who looked bewildered. "Do you honestly think we can't recognise a mate bond when we see one?"
"M-Mate bond?"
"For the love of the Morrigan…!" Blaise groaned. Kris, you owe me one for this. "You're mates, you idiot! How much clearer do I have to be?!"
"Huh?" Jasper sounded as confused as he felt. "Then… Krista and Ethan…?"
"They're more like brother and sister than anything." Blaise said sourly, calming down now that he understood what Jasper is so confused about. Of course. Anyone who doesn't know Ethan and Krista will of course mistake the pair for mates. They are extremely close after all, having grown up together and all, with Ethan even being Krista's mentor when they were students. It is a wonder that Sue is never jealous of Krista, though it probably helps that Krista is one of her good friends. "Their relationship is entirely platonic. I think they're distant cousins or something. Besides, Ethan's in a relationship with Sue. She's from Intelligence."
"Oh." Jasper suddenly felt very silly and stupid over his petty jealousy. So that's why Ethan had looked so amused.
"So what are you going to do?" Blaise questioned. "If you tell me 'nothing', so help me…" He trailed off threateningly.
Honestly, all those in Krista's circle of friends would have to be blind and deaf not to see how sad Krista looks whenever she sees them finding their mate one after the other, and she is the only one who hasn't. Well, Blaise hasn't either, and he had sometimes gone out with Krista on 'dates' that their friends set up for them as a joke. As the two are pretty good friends, they didn't mind all that much, though Krista had once threatened to cut off Blaise's manhood if he sticks his 'thing' into her.
Once is enough, Krista had said sourly, referencing to her Coming-of-Age ceremony when she'd asked Blaise to 'help' her.
The fact that Jasper isn't Nightshades notwithstanding, Blaise knew enough from the profile that Intelligence had compiled on him that Jasper most likely would fit in well with those from Nightshades since he had the heart and soul of a soldier.
Seriously, those two are made for each other and they didn't even realise it!
Jasper has a sad smile. "Will she even want me though?" he asked at last.
"Don't make me smack you." Blaise said sourly. "Have you even been listening to a damn word that I'm saying? Krista will never judge you. So I'm asking you. What will you do?"
Silence.
"…I don't want to leave her side." Jasper admitted at last. "I just… I just want to stay by her side. That's all."
"That's good enough for me and the rest of our friends." Blaise said with a pleased smile. "You listen good, Whitlock. I've known Kris for a long time. We were friends and classmates in the Academy. I've seen her when she's at her worst—her absolute worst. I never want to see that again." Blaise recalled those disastrous few years when they've spent undercover in Salem territory. Krista was worried out of her mind about Jasper as well at that time. "If you hurt her, I will kill you myself. And that is assuming that Ethan doesn't reach you first. Is that clear?"
Is it just Jasper, or did the temperature of the room just go up?
"C-Crystal clear."
"Maria slipped away?" Xatis echoed incredulously as he faced Ethan and Krista in front of him. Both looked annoyed at allowing the infamous vampire to slip away, especially Ethan who had gone after the woman to begin with. "How did that happen?"
"She used half of her army as her cover." Ethan looked and sounded extremely annoyed and very pissed. "It took me nearly an hour to deal with them. And by the time that I was done, she is long gone. Damn that woman." He let out several curses in Italian.
Krista massaged her temples. "…I was wondering why there aren't many newborn vampires at our side," she muttered. "So that's why.
"…I'll set Intelligence on the lookout for her." Xatis said. They can't let Maria slip away after all. She is too dangerous. "I'll ask the Wild Hunt if they can help as well."
"That woman is crafty." Krista pointed out. "I will be surprised if they can find her. She is bound to go underground for this. She likely won't resurface for several years, if at all."
"We'll wait her out then." Xatis said firmly. "She won't be getting away from us. I can promise you that."
"If we get our hands on that woman, I get first dibs." Krista looked extremely murderous. Sure, it is in part thanks to Maria that Jasper and her have met again. But Maria had destroyed Jasper's life. And she knew enough about Maria's victims to know that Jasper most likely had some extreme self-doubt gnawing at him, if not a huge problem with bloodlust.
Ethan let out a whistle. "Whoa, you really don't like her, do you?" he joked.
"You wouldn't either if it's Sue." Krista said sourly, and Ethan raised his hands in surrender.
"Noted."
"On that note," Xatis coughed loudly to regain the attention of his two best agents, "What is this that I hear from Flint about you bringing three vampires back with you? Part of Maria's army?"
"Used to." Krista corrected. "And they never held much loyalty to her to begin with. I'll vouch for them if I have to."
Xatis raised an eyebrow. "That's a surprise, coming from you," he remarked. "Though I shouldn't be surprised if one of them is Jasper Whitlock." Krista betrayed nothing on her face, not showing her surprise that Xatis already knew. Most likely, either Marcus Flint or Ethan must have filled him in. "What are your plans, Krista?"
Krista bit on her lip, glancing at Ethan who nodded. "I'll vouch for him before the Wiccan Council if I have to," she said. "He's no danger to us. I can teach him to control his bloodlust."
"Or I can always make him the same offer that I offered to Bill and Charlie Weasley and their twin brothers all those years ago." Xatis interrupted, very amused at how animated that Krista is over Jasper. And here he thought that Krista would never lose her cool. Most likely, those two are… When Xatis glanced at his nephew, Ethan nodded, and the older vampire sighed inwardly. So that explains it. "Three years of monitored activity and another two years of probation. If he accepts, I can probably grant him citizenship here." Xatis told Krista. "I'm not heartless enough to separate soulmates, Krista."
"That won't be enough to make the Wiccan Council accept him, Xatis, and you know that." Krista sighed. They are extremely picky about whom they let into their walls after all, and for good reason. "Even they only accepted Bill and Charlie and the twins because of what they could do, and could contribute to Sin City and our forces. And even so, it took us several months of convincing."
"What of Jasper's ability?" Ethan interrupted, and both Xatis and Krista turned towards Ethan who looked rather thoughtful. "I'm certain that I put that in my report, Xatis." He told his uncle who looked bewildered. "Jasper has a unique ability. A vampire gift. He's an empath—he could manipulate and feel emotions. Peter even told me that it's probably why Jasper has so much trouble controlling his thirst and bloodlust—even more than the common vampire."
Xatis looked surprised. "An empath?" he echoed, and both Ethan and Krista nodded. "That's an extremely rare gift. I never know anyone who could do that, even amongst the Wiccans." He admitted. They have potions and runes that could do that, but they don't know a natural empath.
"Is that a good enough reason to convince the Wiccan Council to let him stay?" Ethan enquired. "He could be an asset. A valuable help to us. We have enough problems with broken minds and psychological problems, especially amongst our field agents. Jasper could be a doctor—someone who heals minds and emotions. Andy could help him. She could help him to control his gift."
"And he had always liked teaching." Krista interjected. "Jazz is Maria's second-in-command, and has a pretty fearsome reputation amongst the mundane vampires. He's good enough to match me in hand-to-hand combat. He could be a teacher in the Academy if he wants to. I'll let him choose. I'll even let him leave if he wants to."
Ethan honestly couldn't see Jasper leaving Krista, but he kept quiet about it.
Xatis frowned before he sighed and got to his feet, pulling on his coat slung over the back of his chair. Both Enforcers raised a brow at this action.
"Come with me, both of you." Xatis said briskly, picking up a folder lying on the surface of his desk. "We're going to see the Wiccan Council."
A/N: I honestly have no idea where I'm going halfway in this chapter. Originally, this chapter was supposed to be more of a reunion chapter, but I thought it best to have Jasper 'learn' more about Krista from her peers, as she doesn't seem like the type to talk about herself to me, especially in this 'verse. And Jasper also has to learn more about Nightshades, as his only experience with them is that of their enemy because of Maria.
So last chance to vote, people! Will Jasper stay or leave?
Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!
