Maria had never been a mother figure to the army but she sure liked to call herself it. She liked to call herself 'mother' when a vampire is on the floor, one arm pulled and an eye hanging from their socket, and told them to try not to disappoint mother dearest. Her sneer would make Astrid's stomach roll as she gazed down at the defeated and would say they weren't fit for mother's plans. Astrid turned her head when Maria yanked their head off so easily.
The term mother had been used sparsely over the last few months but the endearment had reappeared days before Maria's plan to move. Not once had she returned to her bedroom between sparing or hunting. She stayed around the bonfires at night, now, and would stand and listen to the small talk. Astrid decided that her presence wasn't all that welcomed and stuck to her tree, laying on the branch with a hand picking at the yellow leaves. The fifty five vampires circled in the yard below her, the orange hue sharpening their angular faces. Jasper sat on a stump by Maria's feet, her loyal lapdog, with his red eyes surveying the soldiers.
"Many of you do not know of the vile Benito and it is fitting that you should know who we are killing," Maria began, a long finger twirling a black curl as she drifted in her thoughts. "Benito came upon my coven many years ago, a foreigner to our territory, and greedy. He wanted all the humans for himself. There was no speaking to this man, you see. He decided upon himself that he was God," Maria was shaking with anger. "And he took my mate from me. My precious Salazar was ripped my from my arms and burned in front of me."
Her bottom lip trembled, her lashes dark around her red eyes, "Benito's time has come. I will be the one to tear his filthy head off and I will be the one to set his entire army on fire. You, my children, will help me! We will control all of Texas!"
Maria's army screamed back. Jasper bowed his head. Astrid let the leaves fall, watching as gravity worked. This world was so wild, had she only known that vampires existed when she had been human. This monstrous life was not what she had expected for herself. Blood, God forsaken blood, was her food now and here she was, waiting to fight another vampire army. She had to laugh at it. How insane.
"This is your first battle and it is one we will conquer," Maria held her fist up like a dictator and it fitted her. "Before a battle we have to prepare ourselves. We need to feast! Feast and fuck!"
The vampires were on their feet. Some were beating their chests, eyes burning, and gleaming teeth shining in the fire. They were in a frenzy at the mention of a approved slaughter.
"The town is ours for the night!" Maria screamed, holding her hands out, and the uncontrolled beasts were set loose. The fire cackled in it's lonesome, only a hunched Jasper and heaving Maria to give it comfort. Astrid dared not move.
Maria looked down on him, "Come now, this is your favorite, pet."
"I have the wrong company," Jasper replied bluntly. His face was set, eyes narrowed at nothing, with his fists clenched. "There's no point in hiding it anymore, Maria. You did threaten me with her, after all."
Maria scoffed, annoyed, "It was a days ago are you honestly still mad? My monster," The old hag fell to her knees and grabbed at his cheeks, turning him to look at her. She petted him like a prized dog, a beautiful accessory that can win so many things for her. "My beautiful monster, she is only a toy, don't you see? You don't love her. You don't even like her. She is a little girl who likes a big cock," Maria's hands slithered lower and Astrid felt a growl push out of her lips. "You're lost in new pussy. I understand, boys will be boys."
Jasper's lip twitched, "You think that I will come back to you?"
"You never left me," Maria pushed a stray hair behind his ear, her nails scratching down his chin. Her other hand drifted to his pant button. "You're mine."
Jasper cocked his head and chuckled, standing so that her hands fell. He walked a few paces away before turning to look at her, a small smile playing at his lips, "You're insane, Maria."
Maria snarled and stood but Jasper was already gone. The matriarch screeched at the moon and stomped the ground so hard that an indent appeared. Astrid grinned, pleased at the show, and leaped from her branch. She crouched on the forest floor and lifted her nose, inhaling as the wind shifted. Jasper's scent was heading towards town, no doubt thinking she had went ahead of him.
She stayed behind him the entire run, watching from above. He was showing more emotion, his eyebrows furrowed and snarling every once in a while when a nasty thought crossed his mind. His emotions were loose in the woods, his anger smacking her when she got too close. After a few minutes they had reached the town. Screams of helpless humans echoed in the full moon, dragged from their beds to be torn apart for a drink.
Jasper surveyed the empty street, stepping out of the trees to stand under a street light. His hair was flat, greasy from not being washed, and his shirt was torn. He looked like they were back in the woods from years ago.
Astrid darted out of the trees and jumped onto his broad back. The man staggered and reached around, dragging her so that he could hold her in front. His hands cradled her ass and he smirked, licking his lips when they made eye contact.
"What are you doing, doll?" Jasper purred, his thumbs rubbing enticing circles.
Astrid blinked innocently, "Oh nothing much. I was hoping to find a big cock too fuck."
He laughed, one that had his head falling backwards and his body shaking. Astrid giggled and released her legs, sliding down his chest so she could stand. She pulled his face back when he quieted down, pressing their lips together in a brash kiss.
"Of course you heard that," Jasper trailed his lips down her throat, biting on her jugular. His venom stung tantalizingly. "I thought you'd be waiting for me with food on the table."
"I can arrange that."
"Feed me, little girl." Jasper demanded, smacking her ass.
Astrid snapped her teeth and pushed him back. He quirked an eyebrow, playful, and Astrid turned and raced down the street. She went into a house that wasn't full of woeful screams, breaking the doorknob. The door smacked into the dark hallway, allowing her to skip up the stairs. She had gotten lucky, the house only had a woman and her husband. They screamed loud when Astrid yanked them out of their slumber by their ankles, ignoring the cracks of their ribs as she drugged them down the stairs.
Jasper stood in the doorway, leaning on it, as he watched her take them deeper into the house. They screamed and floundered, begging for him to help, but Jasper smiled and walked slowly behind their sliding heads, his red eyes illuminating the dark. Astrid found the dining table and put the humans on it, easily holding them down with a hand on each other their chest.
Astrid looked at Jasper, bent over the table with the food, and smiled at him over her shoulder, "Dinner is served, honey."
"Oh doll, you shouldn't have." Jasper placed a hand over his unbeating heart as he came around the table. He grabbed the woman and Astrid lifted her hand. She crawled onto the table and saddled the husband, inhaling as she bent over him. He was so scared his heart was racing and sweat was oozing from his hairline but God, did he smell delicious.
She sunk her teeth into his meaty neck and heard Jasper do the same. The humans whimpered, batted at their backs, but in seconds they laid lifelessly beneath them.
Jasper grabbed the ends of her hair and Astrid lifted her head, blood coating her chin. He shoved the human off the table and held a hand out for Astrid, "Come here."
She grabbed his hand and slid across the table towards him, spreading her legs to take him in. He ran his nose up her neck, brushing her hair off her shoulders, and trailing his hands down her arms.
"What?" Astrid whispered, a sense of fear that wasn't her's spreading.
Jasper gave her a bloody kiss, "This will be our last night together."
"I know. Don't be sad."
"It'll be our last night as Maria's soldiers, as the Major. I hope it works out."
"It will. Don't forget that you are the goddamn Major, the man who makes everyone shake in their boots. You rip and shred and survive, no matter what happens."
"You better get out of there, Astrid."
"Yes, Major." She purred, licking his chin to get the rest of the sticky blood.
He sighed, "There's no point in talking about it. Let's go."
The street had more people running out of their houses. Astrid stayed on the steps of their house, reminiscing about her first 'feast' before a fight. Maria didn't plan on staying in the area after battle's so she allowed her vampires to go insane on the town. They could rip and shred without worry for there were no laws tonight. Just Maria.
A woman was running up towards Astrid, crying and in her bed gown, "Help me! They're ki- Oh my God." She stopped at the gate of the house, covering her mouth in horror.
Was it the blood that gave it away? Astrid grabbed the woman by the neck and tore into the throat, feeling the blood drip on her like rain. She dropped the bag when it was empty and Jasper darted past her, catching a man running out of his house with a shotgun. He stopped and shot his gun, the bullet hitting Jasper in the chest. He looked down at the tear in his shirt and plucked the bullet out of his dented chest, snarling and dropping the bullet. Jasper was angry and tore his arms off before digging into his neck, his own sense of retribution dealt.
Astrid pushed Jasper against the house, holding his hands at his sides as she attacked his mouth. The blood of their prey mixed and made a delightful concoction that made her never want to let him go.
"You look best covered in blood." She purred, feeling bold in the light of moon.
Jasper bit at her neck and pulled her back, tugging at her hair as they swayed into each other. They were in the yard of the house, she could hear the rest moving and talking and killing, but all that mattered was that Jasper's hands were tugging her corset off. She ripped his shirt off - it was dirty anyway - and pulled him close, her nipples peppering against his chest. The bullet hole was healed from the blood and she trailed her lips over it, an apology for the harm he had been in.
"You're mine, only mine," Jasper muttered into her hair as she pulled his pants down. "We'll kill all these fuckers, I swear to God."
Astrid couldn't keep her lips busy enough, "I want to watch you tear Maria apart," Jasper slammed her to the ground, spreading her legs and grabbing his cock. He teasingly slid it over her wet folders, his eyes on her lips as she spoke. "I want you to rip her hands off for touching you," He pushed in and Astrid arched her back, content. "I want her mouth burned. God, Jasper, I want her tortured before she dies."
"Anything you want, I'll do it. I'll give you the best damn show." Their tangled bodies were hidden by Astrid's gift and the hedges, vampires darting back and forth as they looked for any survivors. There was a fire somewhere, because of course there had to be one, and there was cheering as a party began.
But they stayed in the hedge covered garden, lips touching as much as one another as they could. Jasper's hands holding her cheeks, his scars rough under her wandering fingertips, and a cozy sense of companionship in the air. Astrid held onto his shoulders, remembering the way his curls looked and how his nose always brushed against hers, and she didn't want this to end.
She was on her knees, her arms behind her as Jasper pulled her back onto him. Her hair bounced with her movements, her eyes on the stars and imagining Jasper's face as he entered her. All she could think of was Jasper.
But thunder broke her revere. They froze, waiting, and heard another crash in the air. Then shouting. Scents that weren't familiar flew in the air and Jasper released her, grabbing his clothes. Astrid tied her corset as she followed him out of the hedge, looking up and down the street. Who would attack them? Benito wouldn't do things so informally, he was as true to a fight as Maria was. Where was it coming from?
Vampires came out of their houses, knowing the sound of one being torn apart. Jasper waited for another crack to sound off but it never came. A man to the right of them, all the way at the end of the street, screamed in pain and fell to his knees. He held his head and shook, his words uncomprehnsible from the screams.
"Markus!" A female darted to his side, grabbing him to try to soothe him.
A cloaked figure appeared and tore her head off. Vampires roared and lunged for him, the ten in the street, and they fell onto him like a pile of dogs. The pile shifted and Astrid stepped one foot closer, trying to see. Jasper grabbed her arm and pulled her back, leading her the opposite way.
She heard more cracks and screams as they headed down another street. Jasper's face was dark, knowing that the Volturi had found them first. It had been stupid to think that their feast wouldn't attract their attention. She thought they had been further away, closer to Benito, but it seemed that they hadn't forgotten the area.
Fifteen vampires including Maria were on the other street, listening to the screams. Maria snarled when she saw Jasper and Astrid approach but said nothing, her focus back on the street.
"Did you see?" She asked Jasper.
"It's the Volturi, Maria."
Maria's lips curled and she took a threatening step towards Astrid, "You. You led them here."
"I told you about them, why would I lead them here?" Astrid hissed.
"It doesn't matter! They're here!" Jasper roared, interrupting.
There was a tut from above head. Atop the building was three cloaked figures, and they weren't the ones that Astrid knew. She stepped back, scared. They had made someone drop to their knees with pain. She couldn't let her guard down. Jasper sneered, condescending at the cloaks.
"Is that all you got?"