Chapter Twenty One

Jay

Maria beckoned for me to follow her as Nathan went off looking extremely annoyed which made me feel good. He wasn't The Major and Maria knew it, I could work with that. My hope was that Bella and her vampire friends would be able to trace me and maybe even rescue me but in the meantime I would find out as much as I could why I'd been kidnapped. And if they didn't find me? Well then my kin had made it through this hell and so could I, somehow. From the things Bella had said I knew it was possible to be a vampire and live among humans so I could do it too.

Once inside The Major's cabin once more she shut the door and motioned for me to sit down looking into my face and studying me.

"There's something about you Jasper, something unusual. I have heard that sometimes when a human knows what is happening to them they are able to control themselves to an extent as a newborn and I see its true but be very careful. Nathan is not your only enemy here, my newborn army will tear you to pieces at a word from me and even Nathan might be able to incite them if my back was turned. Tell me how much do you know of The Major?"

She seemed very keen to find out and was disappointed that I could tell her very little.

"I think you know all there is to know about him, after all you turned him and the two of you were lovers weren't you?"

She smiled and it showed her natural beauty usually hidden beneath a steely exterior. Deciding I may as well take advantage of her good mood I posed the question I needed answering most.

"Why am I here?"

She looked out the window and I thought I was going to hear only silence but then she turned back to me,

"What do you know Jasper?"

"Nothing, one minute I was busy teaching college kids and the next I'd been kidnapped by two vampires and brought here. All I know is that my ancestor Major Whitlock worked for you so I guess it must have something to do with that."

"Actually it doesn't, not directly anyway. Its true you are here because of your lineage. Speaking to you here and now I could be speaking to my Major you are so much alike."

"But I'm not him, I know almost nothing about him except he was a more courageous and stronger man than me."

"I think you do yourself an injustice. True The Major was an incredible fighter and a great tactician but you too have your strengths. Look at yourself, you're not a typical newborn."

I wasn't getting any answers to my questions and that annoyed me, was she just playing with me? I must have shown my annoyance on my face because suddenly I found myself flat on my back with her kneeling on my chest, her nails digging in to my chest through the vest and her face close to mine.

"Don't be mistaken into thinking I'm a soft touch Jasper. Yes its true I have an interest in you but remember I've been around a very long time and I never forget how to fight or how to win. Keep your temper in check around me or you might find out just how good I really am."

I was tempted to try bucking her off but I didn't want her to know just how strong or competent a fighter I really was so I lay still until she sprang back up and returned to her seat.

"I cannot answer your question even if I wanted to, the secret is not mine to dispose of where I choose Jasper. You are here to learn how to fight well, to become like my Major and who better to train you than me? The one person who knew him intimately."

"So this is someone else's plan, someone who wants me because I look like your Major? Why? What is he or she hoping to achieve?"

"It would be better if you didn't ask too many questions Jasper, they could get you killed."

"Oh I don't think so Maria, I'm valuable to someone, I don't think I'll be equally as valuable to them dead."

"I wouldn't stake too much on that assumption if I were you. Now I think it would be a good idea for you to meet your colleagues. Tomorrow you go on your first raid, it will be an experience I promise you."

"A raid? For what?"

"Oh you'll see but I hear Nathan returning so we can solve one of your problems immediately."

"Oh? Which one?"

"Your thirst."

I hadn't wanted to admit my throat was burning and I longed for something to quench it knowing the answer to that was blood. The thought of drinking blood no longer turned my stomach as it should in fact I felt my mouth watering at the very thought.

Nathan came in then dragging behind him a terrified looking lad of about seventeen who had quite obviously been ill treated and may even have known his fate. his lip was bleeding and the sight of the ruby liquid running down his chin had me swallowing convulsively. Nathan threw him to the ground where he cowered as if too scared to attempt to flee.

"There you are newborn, feast on that. Next time you catch your own."

Mesmerized by the scent and sight of the fresh blood I found myself kneeling before the cowed youth and stretched out a finger to wipe the blood from his chin bringing my finger to my mouth to taste the liquid. As I did so something snapped inside and I lost myself in a feeding frenzy. When I finally regained control of myself the youth lay a lifeless heap at my feet his body now devoid of blood while I could still taste his blood in my mouth and scent it on the air although I didn't seem to have wasted any by spilling it. I wasn't sure whether I should feel nauseated or shocked by what I'd done but in fact I felt little except relief my throat no longer burned. The young man meant nothing more to me than a cow or pig would to a human, he was a source of food nothing more and that horrified me when it sank in. Maria who had sent Nathan back out smiled at me,

"A conscience is a terrible thing is it not to a vampire?"

"You made me a murderer."

"No, becoming a vampire just changed your food source that's all Jasper. Do you feel bad about what you did?"

"Of course I do, how could I not?"

As I thought about it I remembered that The Major had been an empath which meant as he fed he would feel each victim's pain and horror not to mention death. How had he survived and not only that found a way out of it all before he went crazy?

"Thinking of my Major again? Do you wish you were him right now? I think not, after all you read his journal so you know how much he suffered. It never occurred to me you know. I never bothered with anyone but myself, what I wanted, but then you know that too, its also in the journal."

"Do you feel guilty now?"

"No Jasper, after all there is nothing I can do to alter history and guilt is very over rated. I have regrets yes, you see when you left that journal where I found and read it I understood something very profound. I was always looking for more and I didn't care who I had to hurt or kill to get it. Everyone was a tool to get me what I wanted and I never interested myself with anyone else's needs or pain and as a result I lost The Major. Perhaps coming face to face with the consequences has changed me."