There were two other vampires. Not near him but Jasper could smell it on the vampire. His coven? Whatever they were, they weren't within a hundred-mile radius of them so they were not a concern at the moment. What was concerning was that this man knew he was being pursued.

Were his skills getting rusty?

Jasper watched the man halt in his tracks and then turn to survey the forest with quick shrewd eyes. The other vampire was shorter than him by about three inches. He had sharp pointed features and a mop of dirty blond hair that was as straggly as his clothes were.

The blond shifted around so he was facing away from Jasper and presenting him with his back. Maybe he didn't know he was being pursued then? Or maybe he just didn't know from what direction.

Jasper could accept that. His skills were rusty but he wasn't too far gone.

The other vampire swung around again this time presenting Jasper with his profile. Jasper himself stood under a particularly thick tree and didn't move as he watched he decided on a few things.

Number one of those things being that he didn't like the vampire's smarmy face. It was a punching face if ever he saw one. Didn't like his straggly hair. Didn't like that he was barefoot. It was annoying. They were all expected to keep up the guise of being human– and this one thought he didn't have to abide by those rules with his dumb bare feet.

He especially didn't like the fact that the man was sniffing around his human– went right up to her door and everything. What would have happened if Jasper hadn't smelt the bastard from the library parking lot? Would the nomad have gone inside and taken a bite out of Bella?

Or was he only interested because he smelled all the other vampires that hung around Bella?

Either way, he didn't like it.

Jasper didn't entertain the thought of being polite. Carlisle would expect it of him but Esme would understand his reluctance. It was the southern thing to do, being polite. But he wasn't in the South and he sure as shit wasn't going to be polite to some rando sniffing around his Bella.

Number two of those things he decided was that he was going to play up the monster bit his kind always mistook him for when they saw him. The bites on his forearms were thick and crisscrossed each other so he rolled up his sleeves to the elbow. After a moment of thought he undid a few buttons on his collar as well. The bites on his neck almost outnumbered the ones on his forearms.

Scars on full display and blank-faced Jasper finally made his presence known. The vampire wheeled around at the sudden sound of his footsteps and gripped his chest in a very human gesture.

"Gah!" The vampire jumped at the sight of him. "Whew, no one's snuck up on me like that since I was human."

The vampire settled into a half crouch and then seemed to catch himself and stood straight again. His fists were white-knuckled at his sides and he was eyeing the area as if looking for an escape or for more vampires to come out of the woodwork.

"I'm James." He inclined his head but did not reach his hand out for a shake. "Just passing through."

"Jasper." He watched as the other vampire eyed his scars and something like recognition sparked in his red eyes.

"As in…" James tilted his head slightly as if trying to see Jasper from a different angle. "Jasper Whitlock?"

"What of it?" Alarm marched down his spine at the vampire's words. Yes, he was that Jasper. What the fuck did the Barefoot Contessa know of him?

"Nothing…" He smirked and Jasper resisted the urge to punch him. "I'm just a fan."

Jasper didn't like the man's face before but now he seriously hated him. Just what the fuck could he be a fan of?

"So, those are your humans?" His eyes shifted again and waves of curiosity came off the vampire.

"Yes." Jasper didn't like the interest.

"There were so many other vampires there that I couldn't tell who they belonged to." He was fishing for information. Jasper would give him nothing.

"Now you know."

"Now I know." James nodded his head and settled on his heels. "Well, it was nice meeting you Jasper."

Jasper only grunted in response.

"I'll continue passing through." The vampire gave him a mock salute and then ran off.