We left the hotel in the dead of night, stopping only long enough to collect our winnings ($342,650 total) from the cash-out window and to pay our bill with the skittish-looking night clerk. The valet brought around the Buick, and we took off into the night, safe until the sunrise.
This ride seemed to be different from all the others before it. Every other time, our journeys had been filled with mindless chatter, mostly to keep my eyes (and mind) off of him and on the road. Now with our bond intensified beyond anything before, we didn't need words to speak. A sideways glance, a shared smile, my hand seeking his…all those actions said the things we couldn't form words around. I need you. I am here. I want you. Or, in my case, I desperately, selflessly, unconditionally love you. I wondered if he knew, could perhaps deduce from my feelings. Part of me longed to tell him, and the rest wanted to keep it secret for just a little longer, deathly afraid of rejection.
We stopped near a snowy wood so that I could take the opportunity to hunt, finding a small family of deer. I took two promptly, greedily, with Jasper having one as well, to supplement the human blood that lingered in his body. The hunt was over quickly, what with both of us wanting to reach Boston before sun-up, and we began our trek to the car, leaving the drained carcasses on the snow-covered forest floor.
No longer thirsty, the smell of the blood from the denizens of the forest combined with the smell of my Jasper spurred me on, sending me into a sudden state of…I suppose the word would be euphoria. I felt entirely at peace; nothing could go wrong now, I was sure, not with Jasper by my side. I broke into a graceful sprint, hurrying through the forest. Jasper picked up the pace I set, following me through the trees until he finally caught up and grabbed me around the waist, pulling me down to the undergrowth.
It was like a strange, familiar dance as we tumbled to the ground, Jasper's hands gripping my upper arms as we rolled over each other again and again, finally stopping close to the edge of the forest. Rather than helping me up, Jasper pulled me close, his lips tickling my jaw and his breath heady with the scent of fresh blood.
"We need to go, Jazz," I insisted, giggling as he nuzzled his way into my neck, shaking his head.
"We're less than an hour away from the city," he replied against my skin, "and the sun won't be up for three."
I was more than content to stay here in the dirt of the forest, lying pressed against Jasper's stony body…but my stomach flip-flopped with nervousness as his hands skimmed down my back, toying with the edge of the cotton blouse I was wearing. I pulled away and rose to my feet, ashamed at myself for doing so even as I did it. Hadn't I just recently been the girl pining for such a man? Hadn't I wanted this? Why on earth was I frightened?
Maria.
That name resonated in my head, making me more scared than anything. If Jasper had been devoted to one person for that long yet was able to leave her so easily, who was to say he wouldn't leave me too? He hadn't even said anything remotely related to 'love' yet. I sighed and began walking through the snow, out of the forest.
Jasper wordlessly stood and followed me to the car, walking around to the driver's side to open my door in a gentlemanly fashion. I slipped in, starting the engine as he shut his own door, stopping my hand from changing the gears by placing his own over it.
"Please," he murmured, his voice as soft as his kisses, "I can't stand it when you're like this. Nervous and unsure…it's not you, Alice. Weren't you the one who knew, even before you saw me, that we were supposed to meet?"
I smiled, just a little, and glanced at him. There was a smudge of dirt just under his left eye, a souvenir from our tumble through the woods, and I blessed it for its imperfection.
"I'm not going to hurt you, you know," Jasper whispered as he tucked a stray lock of choppy hair behind my ear. "You only have to tell me what you want and I'll do it. Anything, Alice, anything is yours if you only say the word."
Your heart.
But I couldn't say it. I leaned forward instead, kissing the smudge on his face, and then turned to change gears, silently beginning the last leg of our journey.
We moved swiftly through the night, the Buick going much faster than the speed limit intended and going even faster when his hand slid over to rest on my knee and my foot pressed hard against the gas pedal. Jasper laughed lowly at my reaction, but kept his hand there nonetheless.
I slowed down as we passed over the Charles River, unsure of what street to take next.
"How do you know where they are, these contacts of yours?" I asked and glanced down at the map Jasper had thought to procure from the desk clerk in Atlantic City.
"I…I'm not sure. I haven't seen them in six months…all I know is they're in Boston." Jasper grinned boyishly, as if he had been waiting to tell me something he knew would get him in trouble. If I wasn't so much in love with him, I would surely have been mad. Instead, I just rolled my eyes before sliding into a vision.
The beauty that was the Buick Eight pulled down a street lined with tall brownstones. A glimpse of the street sign read "Newbury" in six-inch-high white lettering that gleamed in the last rays of starlight. The car stopped in front of number 17, and Alice and Jasper stepped onto the sidewalk, holding hands as they walked up to the front door.
"Alice!"
Jasper's hands were on the steering wheel as he clumsily steered the Buick back towards our lane. I snapped out of my reverie and gripped the wheel myself, straightening the car.
"I'm sorry, I just…did we hit anything?" I asked, nervous for the answer.
"No, you only swerved," he replied, and I began to breathe again. "But did you see something?"
"Number 17 Newbury Street," I droned, remembering the number almost subconsciously. Jasper smiled and reached for the map, pointing out our new destination to me. I flew down the empty streets of the city, turning from Massachusetts Avenue onto Newbury, keeping my eyes peeled for the building from my vision. The street was lined with beautiful homes and shops, mostly exquisite, expensive boutiques I knew I would frequent very soon.
"There."
Jasper pointed towards the brownstone with a gleaming gold '17' next to the door. I eased the Buick into a parallel parking space and turned off the engine.
"Are you ready?" I asked, looking over at Jasper, who sat clenching his hands, a habit I had noticed he only did when under stress.
"I think I'm more worried about you than me," he admitted, taking my hand in his. I furrowed my brow, confused. "Peter and Charlotte didn't understand when I left. They'll have an even harder time understanding why the both of us have chosen this life."
"You don't think you'll be tempted being near these…non-vegetarians?" I asked.
Jasper shook his head. "I made a promise to you, Alice. And I don't intend on breaking it any time soon."
I squeezed his hand reassuringly and opened the door, stepping out onto the sidewalk and facing number 17. Jasper came to stand by my side and placed his left hand in mine. I wondered at how easily our hands fit together; one large and strong, the other small and seemingly dainty, but both matching the other like perfect puzzle pieces. Tracing his comforting little circles, Jasper led me up the stairs and loudly rapped on the door with his free hand.
It took a moment for anyone to answer, and we both fidgeted nervously until the door was opened a crack. A female head crowned with curly red hair and eyes to match poked out. She was pale, gaunt, and hardly more than 15. The girl stared over the two of us, realized that we three were all of the same species, and opened the door a little wider.
"Yes?" she said expectantly.
"I'm looking for Peter? Or Charlotte?" Jasper asked. "Do they live here?"
"Ye-es…" The girl narrowed her red eyes. "Who are you?"
"If you could tell them Jasper is here, I'm sure-"
"Jasper!"
The door flew open to reveal a beautiful young woman with chocolate-colored hair and red eyes, smiling widely at the both of us – or moreso at Jasper in particular.
"Jasper, is it really you?" she asked happily, moving in front of the girl.
"I told you I'd come visit, Charlotte," Jasper said wryly, smiling just so at the corner of his mouth. The woman, Charlotte, leaned forward to give him a brief hug before stopping to look me over as well. The red-headed girl, still standing just behind Charlotte, did the same.
"Now, who is this?" Charlotte asked curiously, her tone sounding very much like the mothers in films where the son brings his girlfriend over.
Jasper let go of my hand but wrapped his arm around my waist instead. "This is Alice," he said simply, as if Charlotte could know all she needed to know from those three words. Funnily enough, Charlotte seemed to understand, giving Jasper a knowing smile as she ushered him into the house.
"It's nice to meet you, Alice," Charlotte said.
"And you," I replied, trying to ignore her piercing gaze as she tried to understand my amber eyes. "You have a lovely home."
My compliment seemed to jar her from her musings about my irises. "Thank you," she said graciously, then gestured to the red-headed girl still just over her shoulder. "Jasper, Alice, this is Bridget. Bridget, this is Jasper, an old friend of ours, and Alice."
Bridget nodded silently, her eyes also focused on mine with a curious stare. But, unlike Charlotte, she was rather blunt.
"What's wrong with your eyes?"
Charlotte stifled a snorted laugh. "I'm sorry, Alice, you must forgive her."
"It's nothing," I replied somewhat awkwardly.
"Newborn?" Jasper guessed aloud, and Charlotte nodded.
"She and two others are passing through," she explained. "Come, I'll introduce you to them."
We walked down a shadowy hallway, stopping at a half-open door where soft voices were whispering out towards us. Charlotte tapped lightly on the doorframe before walking in, the three of us – Jasper, myself, and Bridget – following her into the firelit room where three men sat conversing.
Two of the men sat on a couch wearing what looked to be the ragged, stained remains of military uniforms, seemingly from the Great War. They were both rather good-looking, one more so than the other. The handsomer one stood quickly, looking rather stoic, and the other, a taller man with an intricate handlebar moustache, followed suit.
Sitting across from them had been a robust young man with a thick brown beard. He too rose to his feet, and all eyes of the room left the two of us as he did, the men and women paying some sort of eyeballed homage to this strange coven's supposed leader. For a moment, the curious, stern look on his face that had been there when we came in remained, until it was broken by a wide smile.
"Jasper!" The man crossed the room in two long strides, grasping Jasper's hand in a firm shake. Jasper let go of me to clasp both of his hands around the man's, his face beaming.
"You seem to be doing well, Peter," Jasper said, nodding around to the richly-decorated room. "When I left you didn't have anything…how did this come about?"
Peter gave a thick, dark laugh, which Charlotte behind him joined in on. "This isn't my home, not at all. We're only staying here before we get on our feet."
Charlotte stepped forward to wrap her arm through Peter's. "We only came to Boston about a month ago, and the keys to this place were on the first human we met."
Her eyes glittered with a burgundy-blackish hue, and I grew intrigued and disgusted all at once. I knew the thrill of the hunt just as much as she did, but this seemed immoral. They stole from their victims? This palatial abode, which had looked so beautiful at first, now seemed cheap and showy, as if the people within were trying much too hard.
"Please, let me introduce you," Peter offered. "We already have three guests here, passing through on their way to New York City…I see you've already met Charlotte and Bridget. This is Andreas and Grayer."
Andreas, the handsome one, leaned forward to shake Jasper's hand, and Grayer did the same.
"Gentlemen, ladies, this is my dear friend Jasper," Peter introduced. "We knew each other from Maria's coven in Texas, the one I told you about."
Jasper bristled at the name, and I put my hand in his. He squeezed it gratefully.
"And…I'm sorry, I don't believe I caught your name," Peter said to me.
"Alice," I said, not sure whether to befriend this man. Jasper certainly seemed to like him, felt as if he had a debt towards him, but I didn't like this man causing him pain by mentioning that woman.
"Alice and I met in Philadelphia a little over two months ago," Jasper explained.
"Oh, of course," Peter responded knowingly, taking in the sight of our clasped hands.
"I suppose we could put them in the guest room, Peter?" asked Charlotte.
Peter nodded. "Of course, of course. The guest room next to ours will do fine. Jasper looks like he needs a good scrub, anyways."
Jasper laughed at the jibe, shaking his friend's hand again. "Thank you, the both of you."
"Come, this way." Charlotte nodded us out of the room, Bridget trotting at her heels like an obedient housedog. We followed them back through the hallway and up a heavily-carpeted staircase, past a few doors and stopping at the third one on the left.
"This is the best room," Bridget said matter-of-factly as Charlotte opened the door.
"Then it's really not necessary," Jasper replied. "We don't require much."
"Jasper, I insist," Charlotte said, turning to face him, her expression drawn and serious. "Do you think we would have gotten out of Texas if you hadn't helped us? He likes to think of it now as just a crazy time in his life, but I remember. And I remember what you did for us."
She reached up to pat his cheek. "We owe you so much, Major, this is the least we can do." She opened the door all the way before turning to head back down the hall with Bridget just behind.
We walked into the room, Jasper first. It was simply but sumptuously decorated, with a large bed and matching mirrored armoire and a door leading to the bathroom just to the side.
I smiled as the door shut behind us, turning to face Jasper as he sat on the edge of the bed. "They call you Major?"
Jasper smiled too, and I marveled at the way the corners of his eyes crinkled up when he did so. "Their pet name for me." His smiled faded away. "She used to call me that, too."
I crossed the room to place my hands on his knees, kissing his forehead. He wrapped his long arms around my waist to pull me closer, breathing against my neck in a way that made my knees tremble. I rested my cheek against the top of his head, tracing my fingers across the contours of his face as he lightly kissed my collarbone. Fearing I would soon collapse from the way his touch was making me feel, I pulled away, and Jasper grunted, just a little.
I laughed at his noise, running my thumb over the smudge that still remained on his cheekbone. "Peter was right, you do need a scrub."
Jasper rolled his eyes. "Peter's full of- excuse me."
He dipped his head in apology. His gentlemanly pause made me laugh again, and I kissed his forehead once more.
"Go on, I won't have you looking grimy when we go shopping," I ordered, stepping away.
Jasper sighed. "Fine…but I don't have anything to change into."
My eyes glimmered. "Well, then, we'll have to buy you some new things today, won't we?"
Jasper laughed and kissed me, his lips lingering on mine with gentle caresses, moving here and there before I drew back. He darted back for one more light kiss and went to the washroom, shutting the door behind him.
Alone in the room, I slipped off my shoes and stopped to listen to all the sounds around me. I could faintly hear Peter's voice volleying back and forth with Andreas and Grayer, Charlotte and Bridget occasionally interjecting. The city outside the heavily-curtained window was starting to wake, with doors opening, horns beeping, and people going about their morning activities. The closest sound was that of the shower beginning to run, and that sound seemed to spark a vision in my mind.
Water trickled down Jasper's white back, descending into rounded buttocks and smooth, sculpted thighs, finally pooling around his feet.
The vision was no more than a flash in my mind's eye, yet I was incredibly flustered. I had never before seen a man like that outside of science books and occasional scandalous pictures in gossip magazines. And for my first real glimpse of a man to be Jasper…my soul began yearning in the strangest way. It was as if I longed to see more, to know more…and I had read enough frivolous novels to know what sort of thing these feelings led to.
I left the room quickly, not trusting myself to stay in there, alone, with him. I shut the door loudly so Jasper would know I had left and headed down the stairs, neatly sidestepping Grayer as he headed up them.
"Excuse me, ma'am," he apologized in a clipped Queen's English accent, giving me a once-over. "Alice, isn't it?"
"Yes, and you're Grayer," I replied. He smiled, the tips of his handlebar moustache going upwards.
"Are you enjoying Boston?" he asked genially.
I shrugged. "I've hardly seen it, I'm afraid."
"Then you and the Major must go out tonight," he insisted. "The carriage rides in the garden are very nice, I highly recommend them."
"Thank you, you're very kind to think of us," I replied. "I take it you're a military man too?"
"Noticed the uniform, have you?" Grayer smiled. "Yes, I served in the first war…that's where Andreas found me."
I nodded silently, wishing I too knew the story of my origins.
"I was sent to gather you and your friend," he said, startling me out of my reverie. "Peter had some things he wanted to ask the both of you."
"I think he's in the shower, but I can tell him you were looking for him," I offered.
"That would be lovely, thank you." He bowed politely in an old-fashioned manner and left the stairs, heading back to the great room. I padded back up to our door, throwing it open and stopping dead in my tracks.
There Jasper stood in all his inhuman glory, water dripping down his naked form, his only adornment a towel casually slung around his neck. My eyes raked over his breathtaking body, taking in his handsome face, his muscular chest, and the thatch of golden hair between his legs, his most intimate part, before I came to my senses and quickly turned around, sputtering for air as I rushed out of the room.
Once in the hallway, I found I couldn't move. I stood, as frozen and cold as my skin, just in front of the door, embarrassed at what I had just done…and enticed by what I had seen.
My stillness was broken by a sudden burst of hearty laughter from inside the door.
"Alice…please…come back," Jasper managed to call out between guffaws. Taking minute, tentative steps, I eased open the door, peeking in quickly before entering. Jasper stood right where he had been before, at the foot of the bed, but the towel was now around his waist, hiding what I had seen before.
"I'm sorry," I apologized, averting my eyes. Even with the towel slung low around his hips, he was still sexy and beguiling.
"The look on your face," he said, chuckling. I looked up and had to grin at his humored expression. He hadn't looked this pleased in a long while. The situation seemed so silly when he dismissed it like this, as just a funny joke or some comical story you'd read about in a lad's magazine.
"It was an accident, I just-"
"I know, Alice, I know. Come here." Jasper reached towards me, drawing me into a one armed hug with his other hand still clutched around the towel. My hands were pressed against his cold, wet chest, my ear just above where his heart was, and I pretended, just for a moment, that I could hear a phantom beat.
"Peter wanted to talk to you downstairs," I murmured onto his sternum.
Jasper's hand ran over my head and down my back, coming to rest on my hip. "Peter can wait."
