A few months later : Alice POV
I am standing in front of a tiny wooden cottage that Jasper built far from any kind of civilisation.
I am gently dancing, humming to myself.
Jasper is leaning against a tree trunk, pretending to be reading "The art of war".
I see him sneaking glances at me when he thinks I am not looking.
I like the way he stays a gentleman while begin a man.
It is a bit awkward for him to live with me, as a "married" couple. Nothing has happened since our meeting. And he built a separate bedroom for me, even though we don't sleep. And he still has to tell me about his past.
But, i don't care. I know him better and today, I'm gonna surprise him!!
"Jasper, I'm going hunting. I'll be back before twilight, okay?"
He nods, wishing me good hunt.
I skip into the forest, happy with myself. He will never suspect the true reason of my disappearance. I start running the fastest I can. The next city is a hundred miles away. I need to go fast if I want to be back quickly.
The forest turns to a green blur as I accelerate my steps.
The sounds of the city are becoming louder.
Great!
I squeeze my fingers around the left over of money I took with me.
I slow down to enter the city, diriging my feet to the music store.
There, I can see the most perfect guitar for Jazz.
The clerk puts it in a black case and hand it to me.
I attach it in my back and go back to my Jazz.
When I come back, he is still there, reading another book. This one is a historical one, about the Civil War.
I try to be as silent as I could but of course, he feels my presence and turns towards me, smirking.
God, he is gorgeous with that carefree expression!
I feel his eyes travelling to the case sticking from my back.
"What's this?"
"A present for you, Jasper."
I take the case from my back and hand it to him.
His eyes lit up.
"What is the occasion, Miss Alice? »
I produce a little mirror from my pocket.
"Look, Jasper, your eyes are totally gold now!"
He looks surprised, and reaches for the mirror, the case still in his other hand.
"Hey, that's right"
His eyes are smoldering in front of his accomplishment and I can feel his pride slipping into me.
He gives me back the mirror and goes back to sat in front of the tree. He opens the case and takes the guitar on his lap.
«Have a sit, Miss Alice"
I do as he says, waiting for him to play
"You saw I could play the guitar?"
I giggle at the fake annoyed expression he is flashing me.
He put his fingers on the cords and starts playing.
He sings softly with a deep, warm voice that makes me shudder.
It is a song about a young soldier preparing for war...
I feel sad and strangely nostalgic. Guess his power is slipping from his grasp.
I like when he sends me his very own emotions instead of what he wants me to feel.
His voice is wrapping around me and I can't stop the tiny purr escaping from my lips.
A tiny smile appears in the corner of his lips.
The song ends and he looks at me.
"You like it? »
"Yes. How do you know it, Jasper?"
"It is one of the few memories I kept from my human years. »
He lets his fingers stray lightly on the guitar as his eyes lose themselves in a far away memory.
"I don't remember much from my human life. Some images of my mother, preparing a cake, my father coming home after work. Which one, I don't remember.
I; dressed for church... Later, running through the fields next to our house.
A true youn' Texan Boy, Ma'am"
He mimes a "Cow boy" salute, his hand on an imaginary cow boy hat.
I smile, drowning in his memories... Trying to figure out his face when he was a little boy.
He sighs deeply...
«Then, the civil war began. I was eager to fight, so eager for defending the South, for glory and... Well, I was a foolish boy, not knowing that sometimes, war is nothing more than that.
Kill or be killed."
I shudder suddenly, catching the regrets in the slight crack of his voice. But, this regret seems to be linked to much more that the Civil war.
He stops talking, quieting the strings.
I am dying to take him against me, to stroke his hair. I want to soothe him so much, my fingers are aching.
But, I have to let him finish. He needs to say everything.
I can't forget he's a warrior.
"Guess that makes me quite old compared to ya Miss Alice?"
I nod, smiling.
"I was talented to commend men, and I ended being the youngest Major of the war. My superiors were proud.
I was so convinced that what I was doing was for... well the greater good..."
He tenses a little, straightening himself.
I catch a glimpse of the young successful Major.
Would I have loved him at that point?
«That is where I learnt this song. I used to play for the boys during the evenings, while they were reminiscing about home and girls waiting for them."
"Were there a soon to be Madam Whitlock" I ask, shyly.
He turns his head towards me, shaking it
"No, a real goo'soldier couldn't be distracted from da' fight by da' thought to stay'live to go home. T'was my personal belief at da point. I wasn't afraid t'die. In some ways, I was expectin' it. Guess t'existence always keeps surprises for us..."
"What happened?" I whisper, afraid of the answer.
«One night, I was in charge of the women and kids. After I'd put them out 'f harm way, I went back to da' camp.
I saw three women, walkin' toward me.
I stopped my horse, askin' them if I could help or guide them.
One of them was gigglin'. At first, I didn't notice anythin' wrong. Well, I was used to women gigglin' in front of me. I was quite a catch in this time."
He wriggles his eyebrows, smiling predatoryly at me.
"Still is" I mumble to myself.
If he hears, he doesn't say anything.
"They started to talk in hushed tones and one of them took a step towards me.
Her name was Maria. She was a vampire. Well, the three of them were. She smiled eagerly at me, advancing slowly and told me that I would be of use for them, if I survived.
And then, I felt a sharp pain in my neck, and hell' flames started to consume me. That was the end of my life as a human being and the start of my vampire one."
Oh... There are still a lot of questions... The scars, that Maria... His talent...
"And, why did she transform you?' My voice is so low I 'm surprised he catches it.
«She was building an army for the vampire wars of the South. Questions of territories. My talent allowed me to be of great use.
But, there is no need for ya to know about that. T'was another war. As I said, war is nothin' more than war.
I spent a century with her; becomin' her right arm. I quitted about five years before our meeting"
«'Cause you couldn't bear that climate anymore. I mean, with your gift, it must have been awful, in a violent climate as that?"
He turns towards me, thunderstruck
"My, oh my, you're smart Miss Alice. Took me nearly a century to understand why I always was so depressed..."
I smile sheepishly.
"But now Major, you'll never have to do that again!'
He looks so unconvinced that I'm a bit miffed.
'Hey, I'm the fortune teller, so if I say so, it is true!'
"Don't be angry, I believe ya Miss Alice. At least, I wanna believe ya."
"Good! » Tentatively, I lean on his shoulder. He stiffens clearly feeling awkward
I continue until I 'm settled comfortably against him.
I sense that the discussion is closed for today. I already learned a great deal. He is starting to trust me. No need to rush things.
"Do you know others songs?"
"Sure, your wish is my commend Miss Alice."
And blows the wind, and sets the moon, this night, we're all alone.