Previously:

Jesus, she needed to stop talking. She pulled her hair out of the grasp of my hands then placed my hand on her neck. "Tempting?"

I swallowed hard. "Very."

She leaned forward and pressed her lips on my left cheek, then lingered to speak into my ear. "I don't know why, but you care. And that means you'll at least take into consideration what I want. And that probably scares you."

She didn't even know half of it.

Jasper

About two weeks later, I started my trek to Louisiana. A car would've taken thirty hours. Running took me under twenty.

The run was something I didn't know I needed. It gave my senses the illusion of running away from my problems. While that was never an admirable thing to do, it brought with it temporary peace. The further I got from the Cullens, and consequently Elise, the contradictory feelings came rushing back. I felt free yet brutally caged. Physically, I might have been running across the border of Utah, but my mind always trailed back to Idaho. I did everything I could to distract myself. This trip was important. This trip would clear up a lot of the opens regarding the stirring South.

The meeting was held in a large, empty warehouse a few miles North of the outskirts of Lafayette. When Peter and I entered the building, we were immediately met with a group of vampires arranged around a large, broken table. The chairs were mismatched and the wallpaper that dressed the walls was torn to bits. The floors creaked with each movement, and the tall windows were partially boarded up. Some glass lay glittering on the carpeted areas.

It felt like a resistance meeting during the French Revolution.

The delegates consisted of ten members, excluding Peter. I spotted Maria immediately, and the conversation I'd had with Elise immediately popped back into my brain. The urge to throw her into a boiling, hot volcano was incredible. Most vampires didn't feel this way towards their makers, but mine belonged in a special circle of hell. When she met my eyes, an easy smirk formed on her blood red lips. It pleased her to see me, which made we want to turn around and walk back out to where I came from.

From the moment the delegates saw me, they began to question my affiliations. It was a female member who spoke up. "I wasn't aware that the Cullens were joining the alliance."

I was quick to correct them. "Consider my ties with the Cullens relinquished. I am not here representing Carlisle."

The delegates nodded in acknowledgement. A gentleman spoke up. "Peter and Maria both have argued strongly for your inclusion in this cause. You've had vast experience on the battlefield and your gift could be particularly useful," I could feel the room picking apart the scars on my skin. "In the aftermath, we can guarantee a high position for you in the ruling class if you choose to lay your loyalty with us."

Maria picked up quickly. "We had envisioned twelve delegates to carry the vampiric rule once the Volturi is overthrown. All of us would be part of the twelve. The methodologies used by the Volturi are archaic. This change is a necessity."

"What are your plans from here on out?" I asked carefully. There would be no aftermath if they didn't win.

A woman answered. "Maria will be taking in a lot of territories over the next few months, especially in Texas. That will draw a dense population of vampires into the alliance. Most of us are coven leaders of various districts in the South. With Maria's addition, our numbers will be looking very good."

They talked further of any updates regarding Maria's invasions in various territories. I listened quietly as they discussed the number game. The more territories they gained, the more manpower they could wield against the Volturi Guard.

When Peter asked about any developments regarding the issue of Demetri, the delegates took their time to craft an answer. But the answer was far from optimal.

"We will need to focus all of our efforts to target Demetri separately. This would be done months before we can take on anything else. Once he's eliminated, we will have a standing chance against the rest of the guard," a male delegate explained.

The strategy was there, but how many vampires could they afford to spare to carry out this singular attack? If they failed to kill Demetri the first time around, the alliance would be exposed to the Volturi. And if the Volturi expected them this early on, they would have no chance.

I kept my opinions to myself. Today was my day to scope out the organization, not participate. But besides the hiccup of Demetri, this wasn't a terrible idea. They had to make sure that their internal network of members preserved a keen sense of loyalty. One leak to Aro would destroy the whole cause.

When the meeting concluded, the delegates all welcomed me into their circle, though I had made no motion of accepting any position. The next meeting would be in another two weeks, and I was graciously invited back. They appointed Peter as my main point of contact for further questions and upcoming tasks. The meeting was adjourned.

Maria swayed over to greet us. "I'm looking forward to working with you again, Major Whitlock." Her tone made my skin itch in the most unsatisfying way. "It's good to have you back."

The delegates dispersed quickly, leaving Peter and I at the table. He turned over and eyed me carefully.

"I know," he started. "It's not the most preferable situation to be involved with Maria, but this can be incredible, Jasper."

I gave him the truth. "I do see potential, but it's risky."

He nodded. "The Demetri thing, I know. Aro's guard is meant to prevent uprisings just like this. It won't be easy."

"Even after Demetri, we have to face Alec on the battlefield."

"One thing at a time."

But they should never underestimate Aro. "In any case, there should be no movement until Demetri is figured out. What is the timeline?"

Peter thought for a moment. "8-9 months minimum. Maria has to take Texas fully, and we need to iron out this plan. The delegates will be setting up various compounds for training, and they'd like you to be committed to putting them into shape."

That was a good amount of time, and my duties were reasonable and expected. "I'll attend your meetings and provide consultation for battle. I don't want to consolidate myself with the alliance just yet."

Peter smiled knowingly. "That's what I would've expected you to say. But that's perfectly reasonable. As developments show, it might help ease your apprehension. Though, it might be good to give a hint early on that you're planning on fully committing to the cause. Uncertainty isn't welcome here."

Uncertainty was my main problem. "I understand. You do see how Demetri weakens this cause, don't you?"

"Aro picked his guard wisely."

"You'll be wasting a lot of resources on one person."

He shrugged. "There's no way around his gift. What else could we do?"

I threw him a bone. "You could find something or someone that can avert it."

He rubbed his chin. "A shield?" His eyes widened. "Isn't Eddie of yours dating that human shield?"

I was treading dangerous waters. "He was. And now she's dead."

He frowned instantly, rubbing his chin. "That's a shame. How useful that would have been…"

"If she were alive, how would the alliance approach the idea of pivoting to utilize a shield?"

Peter leaned back in this chair. "The delegates would jump on that instantly. If we could bypass Demetri without killing him, our timeline would be pulled forward. We would have more men to tackle the guard. Our risk management numbers would look incredible."

"Overall, a desirable entity."

He nodded quickly. "Absolutely. Of course, the shield would be no use to us as a human. They would have to be turned. Immediately. They also would need time to develop and control their shield. In other words, they would go through exhaustive, extensive training before they're ever incorporated into the plans."

The thought of Elise with flickering red eyes was appealing, but the idea of subjecting her to a compound for endless training left me restless. She would be another tool in the grand scheme of the alliance. I decided to put off thinking about it. I hadn't given her over to them. They weren't even aware of her existence.

"Well," I flicked some dust off of the table. "I suppose we better find a shield."

"I finished 1984!" Elise barged into my bedroom the morning after I returned from Louisiana. She threw the classic on my bed and faced me with a tired smile. She had just woken up.

I closed the journal in front of me and slid it to the edge of my desk. I gave her my utmost attention. "What did you think?"

"Creepy. Incredible. Thought-provoking. I've always been negatively biased against older books thanks to my English classes. I should really give them a chance."

I smiled. "I would hardly call that book old. Nonetheless, I'm glad you enjoyed it."

She threw herself on my bed. "You've been gone for days."

"Only two."

"I know," she pouted. "Basically forever."

I drew a deep sigh. "Be realistic and relish this time away from me. Have you been exploring the Cullen lifestyle?"

"You mean the one where we chase rabid squirrels and sauté hamsters?"

Her targets were too small. "Ever consider a bear or a mountain lion?"

She grinned. "Baby steps, Jasper."

Emmett strolled in and sat next to her. "Are we taking Elise hunting? Is this what I'm hearing?"

That would be a sight to see. "You can do anything with her as long as you keep her little heart beating."

I focused back on the journal on my desk. Emmett turned to her and spoke instructively. "Now, Elise. There is a certain etiquette to the hunt. If you're going to be one of us, you can't just bite off an animal's jugular and spray your pretty hair with blood. You have to disarm your target, then find the thinnest spot of fur to sink your teeth in. You do not, I repeat, do not want that fur taste. Plus, too much fur can get stuck on your lips."

Elise listened with undoubted intent.

"And the carcass," he continued. "You must diligently and appropriately dispose of it. Burial is an appropriate choice. But make sure it is drained completely so you don't risk dripping excess liquid on yourself. And never wear white."

I hoped Emmett was just pulling her strings. Hunting wasn't a fine-dining experience. It was dirty, bloody, and sticky. You would get twigs and leaves stuck in your hair from wrestling your prey, your clothes would be torn and useless, and their blood would dribble down your jaw and onto your feet.

Elise perked up. "Will you take me hunting, Emmett?"

He ruffled her hair. "Not while you're human. Hurry up and turn so we can do all of this fun stuff."

She pushed his hands away and offered him a tight smile. "You're really one of the best people I've known."

Emmett chuckled. "You too, kid. Don't let anyone break that fight in you. Not even that old man over there," he gestured to me.

I flipped through some books on my desk, but I could feel Elise's gaze on me. "Jasper? He's just a grouchy old man who's actually a teddy-bear in disguise."

"No, no," Emmett said. "You've got this all mixed up. He's the grouchy old man. I'm the teddy-bear."

"Will you both stop talking like I'm not here?" I asked quietly and flicked to a new page.

"I think we upset him," Emmett mock whispered.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Elise nodding. "That's really easy to do."

Were they naturally this annoying? "Get out."

Elise giggled. "Come on, Jasper. What are you even writing, anyway?"

I closed the journal and looked at her. "You're restless. Do you need to walk?"

She gave Emmett a look. "See how he ignores any question I ask?"

Emmett nodded dramatically. "I hear you, honey. And are you a dog that needs to be walked?"

Elise feigned seriousness. "He sees all humans as pets, Emmett. It's only natural he sees me that way."

Emmett tutted me from my own bed. I got up and stood before them, directly addressing Elise. "You're not a pet. Would you please take a walk with me?"

Emmett's eyebrows perked up and he looked at Elise with an expression of anticipation. "Dreamy."

She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "He even said please."

Elise skipped along the dirt path as we took an early morning hike. I didn't want to admit that I missed her presence, but being around her, especially alone, drew the issues with the alliance far, far away. The only thing that spiked any worry was how wobbly the log was beneath her as she strolled across it.

"Did you kill someone?" Was the first question she asked.

I wanted to laugh. "Is that what you assume I do every time I leave you?"

She jumped off of the log and we continued down the path. "Your track record isn't the brightest."

I shook my head. "I don't do this quite as often as you'd think. Before Melissa, my last planned victim was over five years ago."

"Why don't you do it more often?"

"When one or two people go missing every few years, that's easily buried. But if humans start dying left and right, the authorities aren't stupid. I don't need to start another serial killer case."

She examined the trees as we walked by. "If I ever feel the need to write a criminal thriller, can I interview you to get a good feel for my killer?"

"I'd be happy to help."

She smiled to herself. We walked in silence for a while. She hugged her jacket closer when the wind blew.

"I missed you, you know?" she said.

"Did you?"

"I've had some time to think about this."

I kept a steady, slower pace with her. She continued. "I don't want anything to scare you. Caring about me shouldn't be scary."

How considerate. "Why do you think I care about you?"

"I'm assuming that you've never been around someone who could block your gift to this extent. Maybe there's something refreshing in that idea that you want to preserve. And maybe this is incredibly vulnerable for you, and I understand that. I just," she bit her lip. "I don't want you to be scared of that."

"I appreciate the sentiment."

After a few minutes, she frowned. "That's all you're going to stay?"

"We've established that there's a part of me that cares about you. Now, we can move on."

She wasn't taken aback by my straightforwardness. She expected it. She grabbed my arm to stop me, and I did so on my own accord. Her hands reached up and ran through my hair, picking up a small twig that was intertwined within the curls. She held it up for me to see.

"I ran back early this morning," I explained. She let the twig fall to the ground.

"Where did you go?"

The million dollar question. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of brown against the faded sunlight on the leaves around us. They searched my golden ones carefully.

"To meet some friends."

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Partially."

Her lips thinned to a line. Her self-conflict was evident. With a quick mumble, she made it clear that she was tired and had us veer off the path onto a more densely populated area of grass. We sat underneath the sapphire sky.

"When you leave," she began. "I think of the worst things. I think about what would happen if you never came back."

I turned my arms over. "These scars are from vampires I've killed and battles I've won. It's hard to get rid of me, Elise. It's not your job to worry about that. It's mine."

Her touch was comforting as she traced them. "There's something about this that's so addicting. Touching you like this. Being alone with you. Damn these vampiric attractions," she whispered.

"That's okay," I murmured. "There's nothing wrong with what you're feeling." But there was everything wrong with the way I was.

I ran my hand from her cheek down to the throbbing vein on her neck. Her pulse became the ticking clock that dictated my days and my nights. It was madness. I drew her closer and bathed in her scent. This would define my sensory palate for the rest of my days.

She chuckled softly to herself. "I think I'm suffering from an interesting case of doublethink*."

Her George Orwell reference was intriguing. "How so?"

"I'm accepting you for being a killer, but it goes against everything else that I choose to accept."

"I think that's incorrect. You're accepting me not because I kill, but despite of it. That isn't doublethink; that's sacrifice. You still don't feel that my actions are justified, but you won't let that keep you away from me."

She looked up at the big bright sky and at the mesh clouds that hovered over the sun. "Good. I don't want anything to keep you away from me. Not even myself," she turned to me and spoke sternly. "Though this isn't a lifestyle I would adhere to."

The curls in her hair wrapped around my fingers naturally. I drew a few strands out, straightening them into a line, then watched as they bounced back into weaker curls.

"Six months," I breathed.

Her eyes were closed, but they slowly drew open. "Until?"

"Until your change," I felt her wanting to pull away, but I kept her still. "We've established my feelings regarding you. But you can't stay human. Not if we're like this," I ran my hand down her arm and watched the tiny hairs rise. "Not if you want this to continue."

Her eyebrows knitted together. She looked at me and acknowledged our proximity. She knew I was using our relationship as leverage. But she accepted it. "Nine months."

"Three," I countered.

"A year."

My lips twitched. "This is not how you negotiate."

"I agree. You're terrible at it."

She looked at me indecisively, which was a look I couldn't stand. I reiterated. "Six months. Do we have a deal?"

Her eyes focused on mine. "Are you dazzling me into this or something?"

"Why?"

"Because there's something in me that wants to say yes."

*doublethink: If you haven't read 1984, please do. You'll enjoy it. The reference is easily searchable on Google.

And they're starting to blossom into something new. How exciting. Trouble always likes to loom in these times. Unfortunate.

What do you think of the alliance?