Chapter Two: Pursuit
Sixty-seven hours have passed since Elise was bitten, and none of them pleasant. The bite itself was agonizing, Jasper's teeth easily ripping through her skin, tearing the flesh from her shoulder, cutting through her blood vessels. That and nearly bleeding out was nothing compared to the pain she had to endure once the venom was allowed to spread throughout her system. There was a brief pause, inflicting her desire to feed, smelling the remnants of her own blood, and the blood of two others lingering on Jasper's jacket, her instinct blinded her, causing her to bite into Jasper's shoulder, somehow accessing a portion of her strength at such an early stage of development.
After Jasper managed to calm her down, the two formally introduced themselves and Elise was given a warning. He still heard her heart, beating faintly, and told her that the pain would only increase once the beating ceased.
And he was right. She was still close to him, his arm still around her shoulder, the opposite hand held against her throat, his frigid skin helped cool down the heat. At least that's what she told him, but really, a few hours after her heart stopped, his scent became irresistible to her. Only becoming stronger with each passing hour. Though, he wasn't fooled, with the spark of excitement that flowed through her, along with the fact that she was continuing to breath, when she no longer needed to, he knew of her interest.
With Jasper calming her, she hadn't screamed much in the last several hours. Instead, he worked on, enforcing her positive emotions, she was happy, and calm. He also enhanced her excitement, relief, and gratitude. Elise was in pain, but, two days passed and she hadn't endured listening to anymore arguments between her parents. If it hadn't been for the fact she felt as if she was being burned alive, everything would be rather peaceful.
The silence was eating at Elise. How long had it been since Jasper spoke a word? He still hadn't answered her question, about his power, if he could feel her pain. He didn't seem too comfortable around her, his face looked like he was in pain himself. But, the hours they spent in the basement together, as time passed, the better she felt, the better he seemed to feel.
Currently, she concentrated on his scent, breathing it in. Sandalwood, amber, and a hint of peppercorn. Aside from the blood, he also carried the scent of rotting wood and dirt. She was attracted to him for whatever reason.
Abruptly, his hand moved from her chest, gripping her jaw, forcing her to look at him, examining her eyes, fully crimson now. To her, he looked so different, yet, the same. She could see more detail in his features. He had the same red gaze, albeit a few shades darker, but similar nonetheless. Jasper also had several scars, in the shape of bite marks around his neck and collar, even one on the left side of his jaw.
"Your transformation seems to be complete." Those were the first words he'd said to her in hours.
Hearing his voice again increased her interest in him. A desire to remain close, to take things even further. The only thing stopping her was his bond with Maria.
Jasper cocked his head, raising a brow. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm still curious about you. Your powers." She confessed, his hand dropping, pulling his arm free, standing. "Well, stop worrying. I'm not telling you."
Elise stood up, following him across the room, to the stairs. "That isn't fair, Jasper. You know mine."
"You'll get used to it. Your new life will be full of disappointment."
He was acting strange. Callous. Only seconds ago he was comforting her, now, he seemed angry? Was it because she mentioned his gift? Maybe, she'd let that fall under the radar for a while. It could be hard for him to talk about. Jasper probably had some traumatic memories or something, he did say he was a major.
A sigh left his lips, he turned to address her. "I'm going to take you hunting, I'll teach you everything you need to know, just follow me." It felt as if that was meant to be an apology of sorts.
Elise followed him up the stairs, where light peeked through cracks in the ceiling. It was just starting to turn dusk, sun setting in the west. He seemed to hesitate, standing in the kitchen, near the back door, arms crossed, as if waiting for something. It was dark enough for them to head out, without fear of being seen. There was something else. Anger lingered in the air, it didn't belong to either of them.
He hated this.
Always being alone. He'd grown so used to it, and now, this newborn sent a plethora of signals, vividly depicting her emotions. Now he'd have to train her, show her the ropes of being a vampire, before turning her over to Maria, hoping that she'd find her useful, so that he could hold onto the whirl of positive emotions she brought with her. He was angry at Maria, forcing him to turn her. He wanted to be angry at Elise for seemingly accepting her new life so easily.
"Elise." He called out, his tone, strict, showing his anger. This inflicted fear. In the basement, she felt so safe in his arms, now, she didn't trust him. He changed too drastically.
Again, Jasper felt this distrust. "I'm not going to hurt you." He reassured her, hurting from the sudden negativity radiating from her.
Indifference. He was the man who killed her, why was she even trying to get on his good side? Why had she trusted him enough to stay so closely with him, in the first place? Whatever his power was, he used it to manipulate her.
She wanted to touch his hand again to see if he'd somehow manipulated her into seeing the bond between them. Noticing her move closer, Jasper glanced back, his movement nearly freezing her in place, she'd been caught. He half-smiled, offering his hand, piecing together what she was thinking.
It was only natural for her to believe that he was somehow manipulating her ability, he'd thought the same about Maria his entire first month as a newborn. Until realizing that feeling other emotions was his gift.
Once she took his hand, he pulled her to him, walking outside, distracting her from her ability. "Before I take you into town, you do need to know our rules and the difference between folklore and actuality. Firstly, one of our main traits passed down through legends, is that we burn up when exposed to sunlight. That simply isn't true. Instead, when exposed to direct sunlight, the light gleams off our skin. This is so we appear as gods to humanity. Over one thousand years ago, our kind ruled over humanity, using this tactic. However, we are no longer allowed to reveal ourselves to the humans. Their intelligence is developing more and more with each passing year, and the Volturi are afraid that is humans knew of our presence, they would learn how to destroy us."
The sun was mostly hidden by the western horizon, but, due the overcast sky, the rays did not reflect off their skin as they stepped off the porch, into the tall unkempt grass. "That being said, if you are ever mid-hunt and someone notices you, they must be killed before word can spread, because the Volturi will find you. Being part of a newborn army, you are already susceptible to death. It only takes one slip up for them to sweep through the south and kill us all."
"So, the Volturi are like nobility or something?"
"They make the rules, and their command is absolute. To cross them, is to die. None stood against them and lived to tell the tale."
Elise finally glanced down, examining their hands, the ribbon still tightly wrapped around. There was now a small tear in it, formed by their doubts in each other. "Any new visions?" Jasper commented, curious. She shook her head. "No, I'm just trying to figure out what binds us together. I've never instantaneously formed a bond with someone."
Slipping his hand away, Jasper spoke up, feeling need to actually speak his mind for a change. "You're not quite like any newborn I've ever been around. Usually, they're too concerned about their thirst to figure anything else out. Your only concern seems to be me. Not that I mind the attention." He gave her a flirtatious, wry, smile. "It's easier than chasing you down, trying to keep you from killing an entire town."
The burn in her throat hadn't went away, the fire mainly subsided. Aside from the blood on Jasper's coat and her own blood staining the gown she wore, there was nothing around. Out of sight, out of mind, in a way. The dryness still plagued her, she'd do anything to purge the pain. However, as of now, it was not deemed important. Jasper overruled. She needed to listen to his instructions, and, Elise just wanted to be next to him. The feeling he gave her was most comparable to having butterflies in her stomach.
"I just wish I could explain how I felt…" Being lovestruck wasn't an easy thing to explain, especially not to a guy who was barely anything more than a stranger. No matter how many hours he'd held her. She knew next to nothing about him. Yet, here she was, nearly head over heels for him.
Jasper let go of her hand, placing his on her shoulder, in a comforting gesture. "You don't have to. I'm pretty talented when it comes to reading someone." She hadn't fully decided if she was confident in him or not , fluctuating between acceptance and trust. "From what I can tell, you seem to have a positive mindset. There's some strife and sorrow, but, you aren't grief stricken, nor are you trying to kill me, that alone speaks volumes about you." He quieted himself, not wanting to give Elise too much of a hint about his powers. Maria didn't like the newborns knowing. Quickly, Jasper had to change the subject.
"Anyway, I'm sure you realize this, but, our bite has the capability to change a human to an immortal, so long as you leave them alive. Currently, you will not be practicing this skill. It is reserved for Maria, and whoever she grants permission. If for some reason you do change a human, they must be at least thirteen in age. Children are not to be turned. The Volturi has means to trace the child back to you, and you back to me. I will destroy the child and you myself if you ever make that mistake. That being said, if you ever see an immortal child, you must seek out the Volturi and report the child. Do not destroy the child, they are going to want more proof than just your word."
"Hey, speaking of, how old are you?" She interrupted, much to Jasper's irritation. "You are listening to me, right? Not just hearing the parts you want?"
"Yeah, of course, don't change people and especially don't change turn children, don't cause a seen if I see one and report them to the Volturi. I just wanted to know how old you are, I mean, you said you were a major? You don't really look any older then I am."
"Physically, I'm only 19. Actually, I'm 35. I've been a vampire for 16 years. What about yourself?"
"Well, physically, I'm 17 and actually, I'm still 17." She replied, her comment causing, Jasper to chuckle. She was amusing.
Gesturing her to follow, he started heading towards the wilted fields, closer to Carthage. The sun nearly faded away completely, darkness sweeping in, spelling the doom of the unfortunate souls who would cross the two vampire's path, this evening.
"Another thing you need to know is that we are not the only supernatural beings in this world. Werewolves are unfortunately also real, and forbidden to associate with. If you come across one, you either run, or you kill it. There are also shapeshifters, people who can take the form of animals. But, they're stronger than their normal counterpart. Some of their groups like to lure hungry vampires in, to kill them. Watch out for them. One or two of them are no problem, easily killable, especially in your state, if there's a larger group, they will use their numbers to the advantage. Since I'm personally training you, you shouldn't have much of a problem escaping or eliminating your opponent. Unless, you halt the altercation to ask their age." He nudged her playfully.
Why was he so willing to be open with her? It was like he was finally able to act like himself, and not have to keep up a facade for the sake of an army. He didn't even have to beg for her attention, she gave it to him willingly, asking for nothing in return. Elise's feelings fluttered around as she tried to figure him out, figure herself out, and no ill will came from her. It was serene.
"One last thing, when hunting, it is imperative that you hunt only humans who won't be missed. Thugs, prostitutes, the scum of life, basically. Their blood isn't as good, normally tainted by drugs or disease, but, will sustain you all the same. That's part of the reason I couldn't stop drinking from you. It's been quite some time since I've tasted clean blood. Not only clean, but, there was a sweetness to it. I hadn't noticed it at first, when Maria pointed it out, but, you were very desirable. I have no doubt that she would have slaughtered you."
An uneasiness built in Elise, it was strange, uncomfortable to talk about her blood like that, she didn't mind Jasper calling her desirable, but, wanted it to be under different circumstances. Sensing the awkward air between the two, Jasper dropped the subject, only to feel a new impulsive urge of hers, aimed towards him. "Oh wow…" He breathed, speaking just under his breath. In her frozen state, her hormones were making it clear what she wanted, and from the intensity her desires came in, it was clear that she wasn't just settling, believing Jasper to be the only option. She'd chosen him, and was the origin of their bond. Whether her choosing him was subconscious or not, if she hadn't made such advances, he would've treated her like any other newborn.
Maria was such a different story. Most of her emotions were negative, and many of her sexual needs were selfish, though Jasper had grown used to ignoring that and fooled himself into believing that she genuinely wanted him.
Jasper and Elise looked over to each other locking eyes, only for them both to pull away, sharing the embarrassment. A genuine smile formed across Jasper's face, he'd have to make it a habit of hanging around her, it was nice to feel good, feel that someone wanted to be around him, rather than nothing but anger and bloodlust. Maybe the next four days wouldn't be so bad.
"Is there anything else you need to tell me, Jasper?" Elise managed to squeak out after a moment, as they came to a halt, just at the edge of the field. "Uh, yeah. Just a few differences between fact and fiction." He was having a bit of difficulty concentrating, still thinking about the desire he pulled from her.
He explained that vampires didn't have a need for sleep, and as stated before, couldn't be harmed by sunlight, nor holy water, running water, stakes crosses, garlic of any human weapon invented thus far. Humanity didn't even pose enough of a threat that fire would be of any use, seeing as the vampire could easily destroy the human before they had the chance. They did have reflections and would appear in photographs. They wouldn't drown since they had no need to do so, but, still possessed the ability if it was needed to blend in. Other supernatural beings would rip a vampire apart, paralyzing them, before setting them aflame. Limbs could easily be reattached, so long as a vampire was not decapitated. Losing your head is what paralyzed also had no effect, and no, permission to enter a building wasn't a real thing. Most vampiric weaknesses were legends circulated by the Volturi, in order to keep the truth shrouded.
Jasper also explained about her newfound abilities. Her increased senses, those legends were true, but, not every vampire was equal. His greatest feats were his power and speed, another could have completely different attributes. Looking at Elise, her dominant trait would be durability. Able to take several hits during combat, without slowing her down. He'd go into more detail once seeing what she was currently capable of.
Elise subconsciously glanced back down to their hands. He taken her hand again, and when she went to pull away, his grip tightened, whether he realized it or not. "You really know a lot." She looked back up to him, seeing that he'd been watching her in return. "That's what happens when you don't have much to do for a decade and a half. Aside from feeding and fighting."
"Um, by the way…. How often do you have to feed?" It was obvious that Elise wasn't his only victim that evening. She smelled two other scents on his jacket, biting him because of it.
"Once or twice every two weeks is what a vampire should live on. But, your first year will be a lot like mine, you'll only be feeding once a month, possibly more if Maria takes a liking to your ability. The other newborns will try and kill you if you are favored. The will also try to take your meals if you're sent out hunting together. There's always competition, don't trust anyone."
She looked down at their hands again. "Even you?" Elise was somehow adorable with how naive she acted.
Rolling his eyes, he let out a quiet exhalation of amusement. "Especially me, doll. Though, it isn't like you'll have much of a choice." She squeezed his hand. "I... Want to trust you."
Guilt plagued him. He'd killed a countless number of newborns, all who he forced to believe that they trusted him, and here comes another newborn doomed to the same fate, willingly trusting him. "Don't…" His tone hushed, not even sure if she could hear him.
Jasper wanted to tell her to run, to find a way to live her own life. But, there were too many creatures that hunted and killed their kind, she wouldn't make it alone. At least with Maria, he could influence her to believe that Elise's gift was useful, keep her alive a little longer.
"How touching." A female voice rang out. Anger seething through her words. It was the same rage he felt earlier.
Both vampires turned their attention to the newcomer, a tall, brunette woman, wearing a tattered dress. Jasper,Instinctively, pulled Elise behind him. He wasn't sure if she had any combat experience, and he didn't know how adept at combat their opponent was. They weren't exactly within the southern war territory, this area was a bit more docile. All the same, with the appearance of the newborn three days ago, there could've been a new army forming, more covens to compete with.
The stranger laughed, watching him protectively move in front of Elise. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to harm your sweet, little mistress. She's only just been reborn. I plan on waiting. I want to make you both suffer."
He let out a low animalistic growl, leaning into a crouch. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, woman." Elise wasn't quite sure how to react, but, if Jasper was wary of this woman, it was only natural that she should be too, she followed his lead, ready to fight if necessary.
"Helena." She corrected, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "And, yes, I do. You're from Maria's army, correct? Her personal pet? Does she know you picked out a pet of your own?" A smirk formed across her face. "I wonder, what would she do if she found out? From what I've heard, you tend to avoid standing too close to the newborns, you like to keep your distance. I was quite surprised, seeing the two of you holding hands, I thought maybe you were just putting on a big brother act, lulling her into a false sense of security. Now, it seems like you want to play the role of her mate. She must make you feel go-"
"Shut your mouth!"
"Oh, did I touch a nerve?" The woman was smug, not seeming to be concerned with the fact that Jasper was ready to attack her. "Protect that newborn of yours, Jasper." Helena warned, before lunging for the two, completely contradicting her earlier statement.
Jasper was hoping to allow Elise to hunt, before engaging in any kind of battle, to keep her mind free from distraction. With this woman, Helena, now in the way, that wasn't going to happen, and her training was going to be a little more hands on.
They needed to end this before any harm could come to the town.
She didn't want to get close to Jasper, knowing his reputation. He reached out to grab her, just to have her duck under his arm, before knocking him forward, barely giving Elise enough time to react, grabbing Helena's arm and redirecting her blow, catching her off balance enough so Jasper could turn, catching her opposite arm, preparing to sever the appendage from the joint. Helena panicked, pulling against him, striking his throat. His fist connected with her left arm rather than her right, cracking the skin around her elbow, nearly breaking through, until her entire being shattered, leaving both vampires confused.
Jasper had implied that vampires were nearly indestructible, if it wasn't for the look of surprise on his face, Elise would've thought that he killed her.
"I see I'm going to need more strength to get through you." Her voice called from the field, Jasper's eyes locating her position immediately. She couldn't have been that old. Probably a newborn that ran off during conflict, in order to prevent being destroyed. "Train your newborn well, Jasper. I wouldn't want Maria to kill her before I get the chance."
Jasper went to lunge forward, to end her, but, Elise grabbed his hand, before he had the chance to move away from her. "Elise!" He yelled back to her, yanking his arm free. "It's a trap, she wants you away from me!" There was a distressed shriek from further back in the field, opposite of where Jasper would have attacked. The version of her that he saw, shattering like before. The wilted crops rustled, signifying that this time, she was actually withdrawing. Jasper was quiet, upset that his emotions had gotten the better of him, because of the rage Helena felt, he felt the same anger, and planned on acting on it. After a moment of collecting himself, he started walking forward, towards town. Elise following closely.
Finally, they'd made it into the city, Jasper instructed Elise to wait for him, while he went further into the city to feed, before taking her out, to avoid the possibility of conflict forming between the two. If Jasper was fed, he'd be able to control himself easier, rather than snapping at her, and trying to kill her for her meal. It was his job to make sure her feeding frenzy was kept in control.
While waiting, she strolled up and down the main street through town, the shopping district. No one was around. Aside from the few shopkeepers who lived in, their stores, and those at the bar down the street. It was easy to duck into an alley, or between two buildings whenever someone looked her way. She was far faster.
Those in the bar were appetizing, her venom, salivating her mouth, able to feel their heat from across town. Elise quickly turned around, ready to head back, not to be tempted, when she noticed a piece of paper, nailed to the outside of the confectionery, a shop that her mother visited often, being close friends with Ms. Belkmore, though, she insisted that the kids call her Ms. Margaret. Elise had fond memories of this place.
Walking closer, she ripped the paper from the nail, her mother's perfume lingering around the note. It was handwritten, reading that she was looking for her runaway daughter, with a short description added at the bottom.
She needed to let her parents know that she wasn't coming back home. Not only to give closure to herself and her family, but, Jasper had alerted her that vampires were only supposed to feed on those who wouldn't be missed. There was no way anyone could accuse him, no one knew who he was, still, just in case, she'd lead them the wrong direction.
Her hand touched the knob, quietly turning, the door left unlocked, as it often was. The people in this town relied far too much on trust. She left the door open, walking inside, the smell of the candies and chocolate becoming stronger and more apparent. Strange that she no longer had a desire for it.
Making her way across the hardwood floor, she was surprised to see that she could walk lightly enough not to make a sound. Once around the counter, she headed through the doorway to the main house, her mother's perfume thickening the air. She was here, staying in the guest bedroom. They must've had another fight.
Elise was quick to locate a desk, in front of a set of windows, facing the river. Remembering that her mother would often watch her and Margaret's children play out back. A bittersweet feeling formed in the pit of her stomach, as her sorrow finally broke through to the surface. There was a blank sheet of paper lying on the desk, along with a pen and ink. At least she didn't have to search for them. Taking a deep breath, she began to write.
"Mom,
I know you're worried. I'm sorry that I left without a word, and I'm sorry that I'm not returning. It's time for me to start my own life, and I never told you, but, I met and fell in love with someone. He was just passing through, and originally, I was just going to let him go, until I realized that I loved him. We share a bond that cannot be explained.
He's great, and there's no need to worry, though I know you still will, no matter what I write. We're heading East, back to his home. Maybe, in the future, I'll return. You can meet your grandchildren, if we have any, and him. I'm sure he'd love to meet you.
Tell father and Simeon that I love and miss them.
Your daughter,
Elise."
Once completed, she picked up the paper, walking towards the guest bedroom, door left cracked open, but, her mother was asleep, Elise could hear her light snoring. She halted in the doorway, realizing that like every other human, her mother had blood, and despite all the sentimental feelings she'd just felt, Elise now wanted to rip her open.
A hand grabbed Elise by her waist. "Don't breathe." A familiar male voice whispered, too softly for a human's ears. It could only be one person, Jasper had come looking for her. She closed her eyes, attempting to swallow the ache. Her nerves calmed, allowing her to push the bloodlust out of her mind. This was her mother, no way could she have harmed her.
Without letting another second pass, she stepped inside, placing both her written letter and the letter her mother had written on the table next to her bed, before turning and rushing out of the room, pushing passed Jasper, who merely watched in awe at her self control and couldn't help but feeling sorry for her, sensing the guilt and sorrow she released, when saying goodbye. A human would have easily been in tears.
He was curious as to what exactly she wrote, and stepped inside the room herself, reading the note. Elise was lying. Which was good for her new life, but, bad for her inner turmoil. He'd taken her perfectly normal life from her, the least he could do was to honor her wish and help give her mother some inner peace.
Returning to the previous room, letter in hand, he retrieved the pen, writing his own note on the bottom of the page. "I promise to take care of your daughter. I know she's as precious to you, as she is to me." Like Elise, he too signed just his first name. She did deserve to know.
After being so close to more humans, he retreated as well, searching for his newborn again. All he needed to do was lock on to her emotions, rapidly changing, she was even more confused, having her closure, but, opening a new wound. Her letter was about him. The love she somehow felt for him. And maybe, he actually saw her as precious, as he'd written.
Elise was waiting in a back alley, ironically just behind the bank, when he approached, she could no longer control herself, looping her arms around his waist. Feeling her anguish, Jasper returned the embrace, fingers weaving through her hair, keeping her close. She needed time to grieve, and she needed comfort. It was never easy to leave family.
The two held each other, Elise was squeezing him a bit too tightly, but, he didn't sense any malicious intent resonating from her, and knew it wasn't her intention to harm him. It was quite the opposite, actually, she finally decided that their bond was strong enough to trust him. She pulled back, moving her hands to his sides, gazing up to him, she gave him a sweet smile. Her sorrow wasn't gone, Jasper's presence was enough to help her, and he hadn't tried to influence her. What he received from her was genuine affection.
Moving his hand to her chin, Jasper leaned in, his lips, parting, nearly meeting hers. Elise was going to let him, despite knowing of the bond he shared with Maria. It went against her beliefs, the reason she turned her childhood friend down. Because there was someone else.
"Whooooa, looks like you're out passed your bedtimes." A man slurred, beginning to head down the alley towards them. He was clearly drunk, slurring his words and wobbling. Two other equally as drunk men followed, cackling. They were too intoxicated to realize the dark stains running down both the back, and front of Elise's gown was her blood. The two separated further, but, Jasper kept her hands in his, whispering softly. "Drunken men are the easiest prey."
"Man, she sure is a cutie."
"Quite a looker."
The other two remarked.
"Hey, boy, why don't you just leave the girl in our hands, we'll take goooood care of her, and you won't get hurt in the process." The first man called out again, nearly falling over himself. Jasper nudged her in front of him, letting go of her hand. "Sounds like a great time. Mind if I watch?" He spoke, hand on the small of her back. "Rip them apart." His voice quieting again. Elise glanced back, swallowing hard, wanting to resist her need, not sure if she'd be able to handle it, but, the burn pushed back. These men were going to die.
Her weight shifted, leaning on her dominant leg.
"Finally, a willing participant." The drunkard muttered again, this time successfully falling over himself, scraping his arm. Both vampires took in a deep breath, smelling the freshly spilled blood, and before another thought could cross their minds, they were both in full sprint, charging the three men.
The first was just starting to make it back to his feet, when Elise's knee connected to his chin with a sickening crack, he fell backwards, only to have Elise crawl over top of him, sinking her teeth into his neck, ripping through his flesh, rupturing his blood vessels, sucking his life away. Jasper took care of the other two, grabbing one of their arms, throwing him into the other, knocking both out. Though he'd just fed, his throat still responded, the ache resurfacing, he too bit into one of the men, draining their blood.
They were drained within minutes, and both vampires wanted the last victim, Jasper turned, and Elise looked up, the third man lay between them, starting to regain his consciousness. A growl echoed from each of them, warning the other to stay away. Elise was first to act, quicker than Jasper, springing up and towards the man, close to biting him, only to be interrupted by her partner, grabbing her by her throat, and knocking her to the ground. She kicked him in the stomach, giving her enough room to escape his grip, attempting to reverse the hold, only to be tossed against the building, and placed in another grasp. Jasper pinned one of her arms down, his other hand squeezing her jaw, causing her skin to crack. Elise's hand was gripped tightly around his arm, seconds from breaking it, when the third man came to his senses, gasping in terror.
"W-what are you?"
His voice drew Jasper back to his senses. He didn't want the man's blood, there was no point in being gluttonous. Elise needed it, she'd barely gotten a taste and needed to quench her thirst. Realizing this, he backed off, throwing her towards him, seeing nothing but food in her sights, she latched on, biting and sapping away his vital fluids too.
There was a strange elegance in how Elise fed. She made sure not to waste any blood, for being a newborn, she was far less vicious than Jasper was. He ripped into his victims, causing more damage than what was necessary, fully giving into his instincts. She didn't have any more control, but, treated her meals like they were sacred, every drop counted.
That was concerning, considering the fact that Jasper was her opponent, and her back was now turned to him, leaving her open and vulnerable. She hadn't even looked over her shoulder.
He took a step forward, wondering what her reaction would be if he simply got too close. She twitched, hearing his footsteps, dropping the body to the ground, standing and turning to face him, a fierce look in her eyes. She had the piercing glare of a vampire down, at least.
But, her eyes quickly softened, slowly coming to her senses, recalling that moments ago, her bloodlust forced her to attack, Jasper, and he returned the attack. He was skilled, easily able to toss a newborn around. Elise had seen some of that skill with Helena, dodging and slipping around her attacks.
Blood ran down his chin, and neck, soaking his shirt. Elise immediately picked up on the scent, taking a step towards him, licking her lips. She was in the right mind, now that she'd fed, but, with one worry purged, the other surfaced, even stronger than before. Desire. Her eternal youth yearned for him, hormones, both frozen and heightened, desperately seeking relief from everything pent up inside. He could provide that. Jasper's pheromones had complete control over her, silently affecting the intensity of her arousement. They weren't perfect together, but, a match nonetheless.
"Elise?" He called out, narrowing his eyes. She'd been silently staring at him for the last few minutes, taking the slowest walk imaginable. And just like that, she was directly in front of him, one hand on his waist, pulling him toward her, the other hand, open palmed on his chest. She took in a sharp breath, as he cocked a brow, looking down at her, attempting to figure her motives out. He still didn't feel as if he was in any danger. She gave him a smile, "I didn't trust you." Elise seemed amused, he'd warned her not to, and in the heat of the moment, she saw him as her enemy.
It was time to revise that. Stretching up, standing on her tip toes, she licked the blood off his neck. He responded well, tilting his head back, giving her a better opening. Her arm grabbed his shoulder for leverage, lapping up as much blood as she could, earning a groan from him. Her attention turned to his jaw, continuing to lick up to his chin, until his hand moved up, caressing her cheek, and bringing her lips to his own, tongues meeting, dancing around each other.
Heels clacked against the pavement, a figure had leaped down from the roof. "Now there's an alternative to bathing I could get behind." The vampire's released each other, noticing the new arrival. A tall, slender woman, with light blonde hair and a delicately soft voice. It wasn't Helena, nor was it Maria, the voice didn't match the one she'd heard during her transformation. "I was wondering who was daring enough to march into this town." There was a big smile across the woman's face, examining Elise, eyes flickering between her and Jasper.
"Lucy.. What you saw, it-"
"Relax, Jas. I'm not about to go tattle to Maria. Besides, she looks good on you." The girl replied, cheerily. "How new is she?"
"This is her third day."
"Oh, that fresh and you already have a crush on her? Interesting."
Jasper sighed. "Why are you here? You're supposed to be guarding our territory in Stillwater. Or did you just feel like taking a midnight stroll?"
"Sent by Maria actually. She's very angry. Nettie's group lost the San Angelo territory. Only she and two newborns survived. Well, actually, it's only her now." Lucy sounded rather bitter, implying that Maria had killed the newborns which survived. "Maria wants to give up all control of her northern territories, in order to have all three of us grouped closer together to reclaim what was lost."
She narrowed her eyes, "She'd probably be even more upset if she found out that she was fighting a war, while you were here making out with your new girlfriend."
The air between Jasper and Lucy was tense, both glaring at each other. Jasper able to sense her ill will towards him, but, he decided to stay calm, as if he didn't know a thing. He'd be mentioning that to Maria later.
Lucy's whole demeanor changed, her smile returning. "I'm just kidding, Jasper, don't look so serious." She relaxed, but, Jasper hadn't, just in case she also had the idea of trying to eliminate Elise and himself. "Anyway, Maria also wants the two of you to take up watch at Stillwater, during your training, before meeting back up with her outside of Goliad."
"Understood."
"And, you should probably change clothes, I don't think you can pass off being human when you're walking around with a girl wearing a nightgown, covered in blood. Maybe take an actual bath, instead of licking the blood off each other."
He was growing irritated, tempted on killing her name, and claiming she never made it to them. Elise wouldn't say a word if he intimidated her, would she? "Be quiet." He demanded, seemingly disgusted that she was still talking. "If I could still get headaches, you'd be the main cause."
"Well, you're going to love this. Maria wants me to stick with you, until you reach Stillwater."
She was smug, hands on her hips, showing her sass. Jasper was severely annoyed, arm crossed, glaring at her, and Elise, she didn't know what to think. Jasper acted completely different towards Lucy. And once Lucy showed up, he started gravitating away, not wanting to show Lucy exactly how affectionate, he'd been, hoping to pass it off as a heat of the moment situation.
But, as much as he hated to admit it, Lucy was right, they needed to bath, and needed a change of clothes. Maybe he'd send Lucy out to gather them, give her something to do, and it would keep her away.
To be continued….