Previously:

Throughout it all, I was ready for her to hate me. Learning was hard. Accepting difficult truths were harder.

But I knew she would understand. She had to.

A mate was a mate.

And a mate would always understand.

Jasper

"She looks cold," Elise said. She stood as far away as she could from the bed.

I had driven her back to the Nevada cabin, much to her surprise. She had kept quiet about Melissa the entire duration of the ride, but I wasn't sure how she would react to the girl that was currently burning on the bed before her. This was something I had wanted her to experience before she was subjected to Carlisle's venom, and I couldn't have thought of a better opportunity.

"She's actually warmer than you'd think," I took her hand and made a move to place it on the girl's forehead. She jerked away from me when I began leading her closer.

"It's okay," I reassured her. "She doesn't know that you're here."

"What's her name?"

"That's irrelevant," And I didn't know it. "It doesn't matter."

She scowled. "Of course it matters."

I shook my head. I thought we were passed this. "Emotions, Elise. Don't let them do this to you."

She blinked quickly, then moved closer on her own accord. I stood back and watched as she tentatively raised her hand and placed it on the girl's cheek. From where I was, I examined her expression. Uncertain, and maybe even scared. And I knew exactly what was going through her mind.

"You will have a name, Elise Adams. That is your difference." If she was actively comparing herself to the girl in front of her, that was a shame.

She turned to look back at me, then back at the girl. Contemplating.

"You will have a bed," I continued. "And a doctor who has gone through this procedure many times. A whole family will look after you throughout the process. I will be there. And finally, you will be done relying on medication. Immortality. Indestructability. Although, you'd do best if you read the fine print on that."

"Stop," she whispered. "We already have a deal. You don't have to sell it to me again."

Elise ran her hand over the girl's forehead, then circled her slowly. "Should she be screaming?"

"Sometimes, they will. Most often towards the end."

"How much pain is she in right now? Can you feel her emotions?" Elise's breathing got faster, and her heartbeat was more prominent. She was thinking way too deeply into this. I only wanted her to see how peaceful it could seem. That it wasn't agony. Not completely. There was nothing to fear.

I took both her hands in mine. "You will be fine. I promise you."

She smiled at me weakly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Why am I so scared, Jasper?"

I held her hands tighter. "Uncertainty. But you have no reason to be uncertain."

"Because I have you?"

She did have me. "Because you're strong."

Her eyes peeled away from mine and she scooted onto the bed to sit next to the girl. She grabbed her hand and stroked it slowly.

"In a way, you've experienced more pain that she's ever going to experience within the next three days. You've had venom in you for far longer as a human. She'll only have it for three days maximum."

She nodded absently. I had the feeling that she was only pretending to listen.

It was subtle, but I could see tiny twitches on the girl's face. I reached out a hand to pull Elise off of the bed, but the screams erupted unpredictably. Elise jumped back and I used my arm to help keep her balance as she moved further from her side. She used me for support as she watched the girl kicking and shrieking through the burn.

The girl's screams echoed throughout the hall for the next ten minutes. Elise sat in the kitchen, watching me. "Melissa 2.0?"

"This one gets to live."

"I'm sure you weren't the one to decide that. Why are you changing her?"

I wasn't the one changing her. The man that had bitten her knocked down the front door and greeted us. It was impeccable timing.

"Hello, madam," he grinned, then eyed me. He wore a look of surprise when his gaze landed on Elise. "Jasper."

Peter had left briefly when I told him I needed time alone with the girl. But, in reality, I wanted to introduce Elise to the change. If I brought Elise to Nevada, there wasn't a chance that Peter wasn't going to meet her. I had to get this out of the way now.

"This is Peter," I introduced. "An old friend."

The girl continued to sing her shivering tune from the master bedroom. Elise looked down the hallway, then back at Peter.

"Elise," she took his hand to shake it. "Nice to meet you, Jasper's friend. It's hard to believe he has any friends."

"It's hard to believe, indeed. Especially human friends."

His knowing stare searched my eyes. Elise rolled hers. "He doesn't have human friends. They don't last."

"But you certainly have."

"Not for long. And I'm not his friend."

Had we downgraded or upgraded from friend? It was always hard to tell.

Peter simply gave her a small smile. His boots thudded on the hardwood floors as he started down the hallway towards the master bedroom.

I pulled out my phone and typed out an empty text message and then held the phone up to show her.

Don't mention your shield.

He could meet her, I had decided, but knowledge of her shield would be too dangerous.

Elise nodded, then looked out from the window at the greenery that hugged the cabin. I took the seat next to her and followed her gaze. The screaming died down, and Peter lingered in the bedroom.

"How long have you known Jasper for?" Elise asked when Peter returned. He sat across from us and crossed his boots on the table.

"A few years, on and off. He's helped me with more things than you can imagine."

"Like changing that girl in there?"

"Yes," he said curiously. "How long have you made his kind acquaintance?"

"A few weeks. Why are you turning her?"

Oh, her drilling was tedious. "She's to be used in the upcoming arrangements," I interjected. "Her gift will be useful. She's a shield."

Elise's eyes widened slightly. Peter turned to her. "How much do you know about Maria?"

"All I know is that she belongs in a volcano."

Peter laughed. "What did you do to Jasper to get that out of him?"

She smiled mischievously and leaned in towards him. "If you get him really mad, he'll tell you anything."

"Really? Whenever I do that, I lose two fingers. You must be something special."

She examined her forefinger and thumb. "No, you've got it wrong. That's only because mine can't be reattached. Once I'm dead, everything's fair game."

I stopped them. "There will be no detachment of limbs or extensions of any kind. Peter, I'm expected at the compound tomorrow morning. Keep an eye on the girl. I will be back by tomorrow night. I know you wouldn't want to be alone when she wakes. Elise," I threw the keys at her. "Warm up the car. I'll meet you there."

Once she left, Peter uncrossed and crossed his boots, making that distinctive heavy sound. "I was wondering what had gotten you so riled up. A human? Full of surprises, Major Whitlock. Shame, isn't it? This relationship can't go far if she has a heartbeat."

"The relationship is not what you think it is."

"Right. You're the empath, after all. Who am I to tell you what you're feeling? Oh, and Charlotte sends her love."

"What's this compound you need to be at tomorrow?"

I produced a phone and threw it on the king-sized bed. Elise and I had stopped in Overton, Nevada, which was the furthest South I would go with her. Even so much as the thought of Maria and Elise being in the same state bothered me.

Our car ride had been quiet. I knew she had a lot of questions, and this was the first vampire she'd met outside of the Cullens in months. She hadn't been fazed by Peter's red eyes, which made my soon-to-be diet change that much easier. Throughout our journey further South, she was mute. She knew I had exposed her to a sliver of my life, so she sat there to process through it: tying information together only to break them apart to attach them to different details. Drawing conclusions on the bits and pieces of the puzzle. Peter, the girl, the compound. Maria. Any conclusions she reached, she didn't share them with me. She only questioned.

"My number is on there," I pointed at the device. "Call me if you're bleeding, dying, or at any risk of either of those. Otherwise, it's off privileges. I will be strictly unavailable."

"Bleeding or dying. Got it. So, where are you going again?"

"Arizona. The hotel has a small restaurant, though there may be more appetizing choices further into the town. The phone has GPS. Go wild."

Elise smiled. "Thanks for not locking me in here."

I wasn't Edward. "Would you stay in the room all night if I told you to?"

"No."

Good. "Exactly. I trust that you can survive in a world of humans for a few hours. You've done it with vampires for years."

She saluted. "I'll make you proud, captain."

"And I'll be back tomorrow night."

She looked down. "That's good. You know, her counter expires in around thirty hours."

I paused and smiled. "That is incredibly helpful information." Even Alice couldn't give me an exact time unless the body was surrounded by clocks.

When I made sure that everything was in order, I pointed again at the phone, then made my way towards the door.

"Wait," she stopped me.

I turned to face her.

"You're leaving now?"

"I need to get there by sunrise. Did you need anything?"

She indecisively looked around the room. She patted her pocket with the wallet and credit card she had, and then her eyes lingered on the phone. "I guess I don't. Have a safe trip."

I rushed up in front of her and landed a kiss on her temple. "Enjoy your meal. And sleep well."

I was gone before she could say anything more.

I thought about her hair. The flickers of light brown streaked towards the ends. The sun marking her, and her body responding. Any imperfections on her skin ceased to exist when the sun dripped its liquid light onto her. She belonged with it.

I took a step back as a fist flew straight to my face. I grabbed the fist and pulled my opponent over my head, slamming him onto the dirt below. Particles of debris shot up and clouded the area around us. I held his throat firmly in my grip and positioned myself so that the spectators could see.

"Once you have this upper advantage, never let go of their necks. From here, which I will not demonstrate, you can move to remove one arm at a time in order to disarm them, or you may choose to decapitate them entirely. The latter takes less time, so keep that in mind if you're in a timely situation."

I let the man stand up. I pointed at two recruits and they took our place in the dirt. The sparring had been going on for a few hours, and I intervened now and then to point out errors in judgement and suggest next steps.

The compound was just a gathering of cloth tents in a vast amount of space. If there was anything that was in abundance in the South, it was land. The tents were temporary, as structures would be built to better house recruits and the delegates that made their stay. A majority of the space was left empty for the purposes of training. For my purpose here.

Maria stepped out from one of the temporary tents and stood next to me. We watched the two recruits in the middle practice.

"You smell of human. Are you drinking from them again?" She implored.

"Occasionally," I said. The scent that tickled her nose was Elise's. I silently cursed myself for not choosing to shower before making my journey down.

"Not enough. Unless your eyes match mine, it will never be enough. You need your strength, especially in the upcoming months."

The bigger recruit toppled over his partner and held him by his neck. The crowd cheered, then another pair took their place.

"A group of thirty more will be invited in next week," she continued. "I need this particular batch to take some final territories. We're close, Major Whitlock." My dead heart leaped in sudden anxiety at her next words. "How's the shield?"

But she was referencing the girl who was already on her third day of transformation. "She is almost done. We will stabilize her for the next few days before bringing her here."

Her lips twitched with a hidden smirk. Mine twitched in irritation. She walked away, and for that I was glad. After internally damning her for decades, being around her compound of control felt hypocritical. But we were all hypocrites, and that somehow made it okay. We all said things that we didn't mean and did things we said we would never do. It was the nature of humanity I thought I would leave behind.

The major evidence of my hypocrisy was a couple hundred miles away. I wondered what she had been up to. What had she picked for her dinner last night? Had she gotten dessert? Chocolate wouldn't taste as good in a few months. What did she think about when I left her alone with her thoughts? Did she pick herself apart and revel in her own hypocrisies? Did she think about me?

I dodged a detached arm that came barreling towards me. The recruits turned towards me and waited for my reaction. I grabbed the limb and threw it back at the one that was on the ground. It was a female recruit, and her male opponent had effectively disarmed her.

Her frustration hit me quickly. She looked at me with a well, what did you expect? expression and put a hand over her shoulder. I crouched down to her level.

"He may be bigger than you, but that just means he lacks in areas that you gain in," I watched the venom drip down from her shoulder, aching to be reattached to its counterpart. I read the pain on her face. "Even if he has your arm, you will always be faster. Use that as your advantage, because he will always use his strength against you."

I motioned for them to continue and left a delegate member to watch over them. "In an hour or two, disband for them to hunt. Most will have lost a lot of venom. Have them heal. Resume at dusk."

My time today was done.

When I reached the Northern border of Arizona, I whipped out my phone and dialed the phone I'd given Elise. She picked up on the third ring.

"Jasper," I could hear the smile in her voice.

"I'm on my way back," I informed her.

"Great, will you be coming here or going to the cabin? You only have, give or take, four hours."

And I needed to be with Peter in four hours when the girl woke up as a destructive newborn. The frustration was clear in my voice. "The cabin, but I want to see you."

She cleared her throat. "Why? I'm not going anywhere. Handle the stuff with Peter. You know where I'm at. I'll probably be sleeping, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind."

I started running. "You're right. It's the only time we get any peace and quiet around here."

She chuckled. "I missed you. Handle it quickly."

"I will. Will you stay on the line?"

"Why?"

Branches and leaves brushed by as I slowed my pace. "I've just had a really long day."

"Tell me all about it."

"I'm training a lot of people."

"For this war?"

"Yes."

"Fighting for the confederacy and then vampire territories and all, I expected nothing less."

I switched the phone in my hands. "It's a taxing position to be in. But if I can train them well enough to get through this, the end will be promising."

"But," she said. "You don't like who you're working with. Maria's involved, isn't she? Why else would Peter mention her?"

"Yes," I said gravely. She was sharing the dots she had been connecting. "But, again, the goal is what I need to be focusing on. Not the pesky details."

"You sound like you're on Maria's side. I thought you were picking yours."

"It's not Maria. It's a group of delegates that include her that are leading this cause. And, I am picking my side. I pick the side that ensures my longevity. And by association, yours."

"Mine?"

"There's a war coming, and I can't let you die that quickly, Elise. We have such a brilliant rapport."

"Why do you care about protecting my livelihood?"

"Because I care. Is that not good enough of a reason?"

She fell silent for a while. "So, you're on this side. With Peter and Maria."

"For the moment, it appears so."

"What about your opponents? Have you evaluated what they could offer you?"

"Not yet."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be so quick to judge. Maybe your future is brighter if you're aligned with them, instead."

If the Volturi were to begin slaughtering the alliance, it would be a shame to waste the opportune moment to get out. There was a reason why training was a safe inlet into this cause. I didn't have to fight their battles; I just needed to be on the sidelines ensuring that their pawns moved in the right speed and in the right direction. My face didn't have to be associated with either side, which gave flexibility in the direst of situations. Escaping should always be made easy.

Elise's suggestions weren't ones I hadn't thought of already. But it showed her promise, and that alone gave me strength. "I appreciate your insight. I also appreciate your voice, your thoughts, and your feelings."

"My, my," she tsked. "Is this how you get girls into bed?"

I almost tripped on a protruding tree root. "No. There are much easier ways."

"Are there? Is sex even possible with a human and vampire? Bella and Edward—"

"Edward wouldn't touch Bella for the same concern you have."

"So, it isn't possible."

I was eternally grateful to have this conversation over the phone and not in person. "It is possible. But risky. Some break bones, some puncture lungs, and some, unfortunately, lose a lot of blood. But, most come out with a few long-term bruises, and they're fine."

"Hm."

I smirked into the phone. "Why? Are you interested?"

"I know I may seem to like pain because I choose you as my company but, with delicate matters such as this, I'm not accustomed to such masochism."

In other words, she was curious, yet unsure. Her questioning of the sheer possibility of sex between a vampire and a human indicated to me that the Jovu weren't as cruel as I had predicted. And the fact that she referred to sex as a delicate matter proved to me that she hadn't had much experience in the area. Maybe she had been caught in an adolescent relationship in the first few years of high school, which was in itself disappointing. Or maybe she was blind to all of this.

I wanted to find out all of it, and the venom in me was definitely not making it easier. In the animal world, mating was a physical act. Vampires didn't need to create any sort of offspring, but we did inherit the primal call it erupted in our hypothalamus. Unfortunately, our heart stopped beating but our brain was stronger than ever.

I increased my speed and distracted myself with the darkening sky. However primal and necessary the feelings were, they were barriers that clouded judgement. Elise was fragile, and the things I would very much like to do to her would overextend her physical capabilities. I already pushed her too far emotionally. Physically, I had no right. And this topic needed to be closed. Now.

"Sleep well, Elise. I will see you soon."

Being mated to a human was a bitch.

A/N: It's a bitch indeed. Jasper's clearly drawing his own lines here, which is refreshing to see.

Hope 2020 is holding up well for most of you, even though the world is quite literally on fire.