Jasper: This is not good

Chloe: I gotta say Vamp-bro. Shit looks hella bad.

Jasper: I've been in worse.

Chloe: Ehhh but have you really though? Have you really?

Jasper: I have. Don't sweat it, I'll be fine. I know a certain half-breed in Canada. Hopefully I can reach him…Only one way to really find out.

Chloe: You're right. Let's start the show!

The Crimson Eyed Drifter: Distance between Hearts
Chapter Twenty-Three

London, Ontario (Canada) – Abandoned Theater
Jasper Hale Whitlock

With a crash, my body went through the brick wall behind me with Derek in my arms. The minute I heard him shout, I ran back into the room, grabbed him and leapt through the wall back first.

I could smell the dozens of newborn vampire scents around me as I immediately dashed through the alleyway and out to the street where I leapt high into the air to avoid the rushing cars in the street.

"Holy shit!" Derek yelled as I landed on the ground and continued to run. I spared a look back to see ten newborns running after me, their ravenous eyes gleaming violence.

"This would be so awesome if I wasn't in peril!" Derek shouted as I leapt into the air and onto a roof.

"Speaking to the choir Derek," I replied as I ran and leapt from roof to roof. These damn things were relentless! I'm so used to Jessamine being controlled that dealing with these mindless, blood needing vampires was a different story.

But how is Victoria controlling them?

When around humans, they would feed on them at sight and yet they are on my ass like white on rice.

"Damn it, they are on the sides!" Derek shouted. I snapped my head to left then right and noticed a pair on newborns on each side with a feral look on their faces.

I looked down at Derek and asked "Do you trust me?"

"I don't even know what the fuck is going on!" Derek replied. "All I know is that I'm in the middle of some shit and you're saving my ass. You tell me!"

"I'll take that as a yes," I responded before I tossed him high into the air, which made him scream in panic. I skidded to a stop when I saw the four newborns ignoring him and coming towards me.

I smirked and leapt towards the closest one, a ginger haired male, and slammed my elbow into his face, cracking his jaw before I grabbed said jaw and tore his head off and slammed it into the face of the second newborn, a ginger haired female that looked just like the male.

Twins?

The newborn slammed into the ground and it was then I released the head and grabbed the female's leg and twisted my body and swung for the fences, hitting the other two newborns before releasing her, sending her flying towards the other newborns, sending them to the ground.

I held out my arms and Derek fell back into them with a horrified expression. "Dude! Don't you fucking dare do that again!" he yelled as I continued to run.

"Well it was either that or they dog pile me, kill you and rip me to shreds," I retorted as I focused on the roof.

There was a pretty large jump coming up and I needed to foc-

"Doctor Jones, Jones,
Calling Doctor Jones
Doctor Jones, Doctor Jones,
Get up now (Wake up now)!"

Alice? Why the hell is she calling now?!

"Derek, reach into my leather pocket like now and put it on speaker," I said as I leapt over a ceiling window and landed before continuing my run.

"Doctor Jones, Jones,
Calling Doctor Jones
Doctor Jones, Doctor Jones,
Wake up now (Wake up now)!"

Derek nodded and pulled out the phone and put it on speaker, where I quickly asked "Alice, talk to me!" I said.

"Jasper. You be a good little hero and let me talk to the youth in your arms," Alice said with a pout in her voice. "Anyways, hi there Derek. Names Alice. Long story short, Vampires. Got me so far?"

"Yeah. I started to put the pieces together," Derek replied.

"Good. I know you're freaking out but trust me, you will make it out of this alive. Jasper is damn good at what he does but I wanted to talk to you because something is going to happen and-"

I skidded to a stop when two newborns crashed through the roof beneath me, their teeth bared and ready.

I growled and stepped to the left to avoid the tackle from the first newborn then leapt up and kneed the second newborn in the face, which sent it on her back. I then leapt up and Ganon-Stomped the newborn in the face, which sent both her and me through the roof and down into the middle of a jewelry store.

I quickly got off of the vampire and kicked her in the face hard, which sent her body skidding through a diamond display. "God damn it Jasper!" Derek exclaimed.

"It is going to be okay," Alice said. "Jasper. Your movements are linking up to my vision. If you turn left and keep going straight, you'll be at his domain. He will take it from there."

Ah shit…I totally forgot that he is in Canada.

"No way," I said sternly. "There is no way I'm going to go to him for help."

"I know you have your history with him-" Alice began.

"He's tried to kill me," I interrupted with a sneer. "Him and his army of protectors. What makes you think he won't try again? What makes you think he will help me?"

"He won't be able to…Canada is on the verge of being turned into a vampire's paradise and he's the only line of defense left… Derek needs healing and even you aren't able to defeat them all…Trust me when I say, he will need your help as much as you will need his…" Alice said softly.

I sighed.

She was right.

"Alright…I'll go to him," I said.

"I know you don't like it but he's going to be a huge help to us when the time comes. So no fighting him. In the meantime, I'm going to go. Derek, I can't wait to meet you and your mate in a few months. Ta-Ta!" And with that, she hung up.

"Mate?" Derek asked.

"Don't worry about. We need to move," I told him before ran to back door of the store and turned left and moments after I did, several newborns leapt down from the roof and two from the store I just left and gave chase.

The alleyway was so narrow that I was growing nervous that my maneuvering was going to be hindered by this and from their footsteps, I could hear them getting closer but without warning, the footsteps behind me stopped which was followed by a huge burst of anger.

"It's been awhile, Whitlock," A deep voice said from behind me.

I skidded to a stop and turned my head only to be met by a large figure wearing a black leather coat and said "Been some time."

The figure turned his head and I could see his dark complexion, bald head and his glasses but behind them, I could see his eyes glaring daggers at me. "Did you bite him?" He asked.

"I saved him. Bite free," I responded.

"Okay, who the fuck is this?" Derek asked.

"He's human alright," The man said as he turned his head towards the newborns and snapped his fingers. It was then I noticed the scent within the alleyway and slowly, several vampires stepped out of the shadows beside and behind me

The newborns looked fearful as they took a step back but then I noticed something.

There was a flash of green in their eyes and that fearful looked turned into a feral expression before they charged forward, which prompted the skilled vampires and their leader to charge as well.

It was over in seconds.

"Holy fuck," Derek said with wide eyes.

"Good work team," The dark-skinned vampire said as he turned back to me, it was then I noticed that beneath the leather coat he was wearing was a bulletproof flak jacket and baggy black pants.

He walked towards me and narrowed his eyebrows and said "I never thought I'd see your ass again outside of my hunt."

"I didn't want to see you either but as you can tell, I needed the help," I responded.

He stared at my eyes for a moment and I could sense doubt from him before he shook his head and looked to Derek and asked "Are you injured boy?"

"Ribs are in pain. Tons of whiplash," Derek replied.

The man nodded and snapped his fingers.

A rather gorgeous vampire with a pale complexion and long white hair stepped out from the shadows and said "I will see to it that he is healed as fast as possible."

"Thank you Felicia," the man said.

I held out Derek to her, and she gathered him into her arms and it was then I took stock at how exhausted Derek looked before he slumped in her arms, unconscious.

"Keep him safe," I told her.

"Always," she replied as she walked away into the shadows, her scent vanishing.

It was then the two us standing there, ignoring the groans and snarls of the dismembered vampires behind us.

There was a lot of bad blood between him and I.

The last time I met with this asshole, he had gotten the best of me in combat and I would have died had Peter not rescued me in time.

"What are you to the human?" He asked.

"His friend. I saved his step-sister from some people that held a nasty purpose for her," I responded.

He instantly nodded, understanding my meaning before he said "Good. I assume you fed on them?"

"Of course. What do you take me for?" I asked.

"A vampire," He answered.

"You can loathe us all you want Eric but we both share the same venom that runs through our veins. Your love of humanity will never change that," I responded with a hard stare.

He smirked at this and said "You're lucky you helped that kid. Otherwise, I would settle our debt here and now Whitlock." As much as I wanted to throw down with him, I held back. There was more going on and if Alice is right, I will need his help.

But it didn't stop me from responding "When the time comes, we'll settle it but for now…There are other things to worry about and that is one claiming the lives of those you protect from your own."

Eric stared at me long and hard before he asked "What do you know of this Victoria so far?"

"She's highly vindictive," I replied. "She was James' mate before I killed him. She is raising this army to wipe my family off the map."

"She is also an elusive bitch. Anytime we get a read on her, she and her newborns vanish off our radar. She's leaving failed turned ones all over the place and its causing a storm over Canada. It's also known that she could be in league with Deacon Frost." Eric followed up.

A chill ran up my back at that name.

"You can't be serious," I said to him.

"From the information the young one that came to us mentioned, she overheard her talking to him," Eric replied.

"That can't be possible…How could she have found him of all vampires?" I asked. "Does she not understand who he is?"

"I think she does, which is why she is in league with him," Eric replied.

This is so much bigger than I thought.

"If she has ties to him, then she could have ties with Maria as well," I told him. "We have to do something about her before it's too late."

"We've been trying but we've been in his crosshairs for sometime now," Eric explained. "He's dwindled my own army of protectors to a handful. It's not as simple anymore…"

"Then let us help. We both have a common enemy and if Victoria gets into an alliance with both Deacon Frost and Maria…We can kiss the US and Canada goodbye."

Eric stared at me for a moment before he nodded and turned his body and motioned to the shadows and said "Follow me."

I nodded and together, we both walked into the shadows, which closed behind me.

But not before I sent a text to Peter to watch out for Derek's family.

Because I know how vindictive Victoria is.

Jasper: That is not good.

Chloe: Holy shit…That's really bad…We need another chapter pronto!

Jasper: Damn right. Until then…Next time.