6. Mistaken Identity
As the cab drove off Jasper couldn't help but let his gaze linger on it until it was out of sight.
They would never step foot in Philadelphia again. This would be the start of a journey, a journey which the two of them would embark on together. He couldn't help but feel slightly anxious about it. At the same time though he anticipated it. The search for their new family, their new home was about to begin. His gaze turned back to Alice, a soft smile touching his lips. He couldn't help but glance down at their entwined, gloved hands.
"Let's get into the trees," she said, pulling him away from the roadside and removing her sunglasses. "Are you thirsty?" she asked, unwinding her scarf from her neck and hair.
Jasper nodded, taking off his sunglasses and followed along next to her, letting her lead the way. He felt his throat tighten uncomfortably at the word. "Yes…" he answered in a strained voice. Alice had already put her foot down. Bear was out of the question because of the damage it would do to the clothes. "Since bear is off the menu I suppose its deer then?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. He would've never thought it was possible but he actually found himself longing for the deer. He assumed it must have been the hunger because otherwise he would have protested.
She took both their sunglasses and her scarf and put them in the travel bag slung over Jasper's shoulder. "Well, bear doesn't have to be off the menu if that's what you prefer. Just let me catch it and I'll show you how it's done," she said with a teasing smile. Winking at him, she took off into the trees at full speed. She looked behind her to make sure he was following before leaping into the air and scrambling up a tree.
"Show me how it's done huh, little darlin'?" Jasper scoffed, taking off his hat and tucking it into the bag as well. Barely burdened by the blue bag slung around his shoulder, Jasper laughed out loud and took off in a blur after Alice.
"Well, apparently someone needs too," she teased, knowing he would hear her despite the distance between him. She glanced around again to find that he was closing said distance surprisingly fast. She took a second to marvel at his agility and speed before focusing her attention back to the branches in front of her.
"I thought I did ok, before…" he said in defense of himself, suppressing a sour look at Alice's remark.
"Of course you did, love. I was only teasing you," she replied. "If you'll remember I was quite impressed. But for the sake of your new outfit, let me show you a different tactic."
"Oh, I remember," he said, laughing. "You were impressed that I didn't fail but utterly disappointed that you didn't get the amusement you were seeking," he pointed out, once again launching himself from his current branch and hurling himself further still in Alice's direction, a wide grin spreading across his face as he gained ground. "Of course, I'm only teasing," he said. "Love," he added.
He took a mental note of Alice's position, just ahead of him, her wind chime voice carrying out to him on the breeze, teasing. He launched himself from his current branch, bending his knees and pushing himself off with one powerful movement and hurled himself through the air, bent on closing the distance between he and Alice.
With each inch gained, his breathing remained regulated, even. He didn't require the oxygen to sustain speed as a human would. Nor would he grow tired. His course was laid out in front of him, determined. He gave little notice to the branches caressing his arms and legs, nor the gentle feel of the leaves. His gaze was focused ahead of him, at the little vampire cutting a path into the trees. Her scent trailing behind her smelled sweeter than anything else he had ever smelled.
She paused momentarily, inhaling the earthy scent of the air before taking off towards the north, leaping from tree to tree with expert grace.
Alice's redirection registered with Jasper's thoughts. His eyes quickly followed her as she moved off toward the north. Mimicking her quick turn, Jasper hurled himself in her direction. Suddenly, she'd launched herself into the trees and Jasper's gaze shot upward, taking in her blurred movement. He bent, digging his heels into the ground and launched himself lithely up into the trees after her. Following her lead, Jasper leapt gracefully from tree to tree. "Any reason why we're in the trees, Alice?" He asked, laughing, after finally catching up to her.
Her laughter floated back to him along with her voice. "Well, being a military man I'm sure you are familiar with the concept of a sneak attack."
A low chuckle escaped Jasper's lips, with that. "Of course. I've just never applied it to hunting animals. Until recently," he confirmed. "It's quite intriguing…" He chuckled, launching himself from yet another branch and, in effect, closing a little more distance between he and Alice.
She scented the air again and her mouth spread out in a wide smile revealing a toothy grin. She launched herself from tree to tree with increasing speed, picking up the pace in pursuit of her prey.
The new scent caught his nostrils, causing him to jerk his gaze in the direction of the smell. The new scent, swept into his nostrils and caused his throat to ache and contract uncomfortably, sending an urgency through his body that increased the speed at which he travelled. His gaze instantly went to his hunting partner who appeared to be doing the same.
"A mile or so more and then we slow down and stay downwind," she instructed, her voice barely a whisper in the forest. "We'll position ourselves directly above for the attack. It should be quite simple."
Jasper nodded sharply, taking in her instructions and committing them to memory. They would need all the surprise they could get to execute a successful hunt. "Got it," he confirmed, his gaze scanning the ground, quickly as he moved.
Alice's lithe form was just ahead of him, still ghosting through the trees. He upturned his gaze back up to her. The pure prowess of her body, twisting and darting across the branches was definitely something at which to marvel. The beauty and grace with which she moved was more than amazing. But he couldn't let himself become distracted. He needed all of his focus, even if it was focused on her.
Jasper was almost beside her now. She glanced over at him as he moved through the trees with her, her hungry eyes taking in every detail of the way his lean form tensed and sprang with each leap. It was a thing of beauty to watch him move. Strong, powerful, determined and unstoppable…
"I'm coming, darlin'," Jasper warned, now just behind her. He pushed himself off from the tree and launched himself into the air coming to land lithely on the branch next to her, balancing himself and turning to look at Alice. "Looks like I caught you," he teased, with a wink and chuckled.
Alice stopped and turned to face him, gripping the side of the tree. "Took you long enough," she said with a grin. "I don't remember it taking you nearly that long to catch me last time. Perhaps it was because the ultimate goal there was different than ambushing a bear." She giggled softly, reaching out a hand to brush a stray lock of hair from his face and tuck it behind his ear.
"Well, I suppose before it was because I was after you, ma'am," he said, chuckling lightly. "Catching you was a much more important priority," he added with a wink. Seeing the twinkle in her eye and the wide grin on her face, Jasper let slip a wide smile of his own. With all the joy she emanated, how could he not? Jasper moved his gaze to her pale flawless hand as she reached over and brushed back a lock of his hair.
She laughed at his words, enjoying the humor in his deep red eyes. Those eyes would soon be golden brown like hers, a reflection not only of his commitment to her but also to the life they were embracing together. She couldn't imagine that the change would be easy for him but just the fact that he was willing to try spoke volumes to her about his devotion.
"Are you ready?" she asked, tilting her head to the undergrowth below them.
Jasper withdrew his gaze with great effort off of Alice and aimed it toward the ground. "I'm ready," he said, quietly. His body tensed, muscles coiling, as if ready for the pounce. His gaze became focused, searching out the target on the ground. His mind switched from lover and pursuer to predator. His eyes became sparked with the anticipation of battle, his highly militaristic mindset, working overtime to form a plausible plan.
There was something attractive about him in this light. Something wild and powerful and untamed that made her almost forget why they were there, her urge to tackle him out of the tree and mold her body to his own growing stronger than any other desire she had ever felt. Stronger than thirst, stronger than anything...
Despite his concentration Jasper got the feeling he was being watched. He caught Alice's gaze out of the corner of his eye. The awe in her eyes reflected the mood that radiated around her, permeating through the thick layer of clothing on his body. She was his sun; warm, refreshing and a constant reminder that she saw only him. He knew choosing this life would mean sacrifice and an effort to deny his own instincts. He was also aware that being an empath meant that he would not only be dealing with his own thirst, but hers as well, which would make it more difficult to deny human blood. However, he was not worried about this because the strength and hope that Alice provided him with in each situation would overwhelm his desire to feed. He was confident that with her at his side, he could deny anything.
The look she was giving him now was a testament to the confidence, trust and love she placed in him. He knew he could never disappoint her. Her disappointment would be far worse than any human life he could take. The fear and terror he felt off of each victim would drain away when the life expired. Her disappointment in his inability to control himself, however, would never fade and would become a constant reminder that he had failed her. Her hope would be wasted; the one person in his life that would be held on a higher level than anyone else. His first priority.
She blinked her eyes a few times, trying to refocus her attention on the task at hand.
"Okay," she said in a whisper. "Follow me."
"Right behind you," he said, his voice hushed as well. The very words struck him. He would always be right behind her, no matter what.
With those words she stepped off her branch and dropped silently through the tree branches, landing on the bear's back so lightly that the animal didn't notice until she had her hands at his throat.
Jasper stood in a blur as Alice stepped off the branch, following her lead and landing in a crouch, feet touching the ground with a muted thud in front of the bear. Without forethought, Jasper drove himself forward and launched himself at the front of the bear, locking his arms around its neck as well.
Alice wrenched her arms, snapping the bear's neck with a loud crack. It dropped to the ground in a lifeless heap beneath her.
Jasper hung on brazenly, his eyes going to Alice as she contracted her arms. The deafening crack reverberated through Jasper's ears as the large animal sunk limply to the ground. Without hesitation, Jasper caved himself in over the prostrate form and sought out the jugular, kneading his teeth into the thick layer of fur, sinew and fat.
Beaming proudly she jumped off the carcass and moved to stand a few feet away, crossing her arms across her chest and looking at her kill with satisfaction.
Looking up through his eyelashes Jasper caught Alice's proud look and the excitement radiating around her only caused him to drive himself deeper into the kill.
"Dinner is served, dear," she said with a trilling laugh. "Much cleaner and more efficient than taking it on in hand to paw combat."
His only reply was a sharp growl rumbling up his throat and out of his preoccupied teeth, the growl a product of the heightened excitement and the adrenaline rush of the kill.
Jasper's growl rippled through her, causing her to shiver but not in fear. The animalistic sound of it only served to underscore her perception of him as her wild and untamed vampire, something dangerous and unbound that she was somehow able to temper with her touch. The feelings he brought about in her were unexpected and exciting and being here now with him, like this, made them flood through her anew.
"I'm not thirsty yet. I can normally last two weeks between though I may have something myself in the next few days since we're going to be travelling so much," she explained.
As he drained out the last drop he wrenched himself away from the carcass and stood in a blur, wiping the remnants of blood off of the corners of his mouth with his fingers and licking them hungrily, not wanting to miss a drop. He let his now clean fingers fall down to his sides and turned his gaze to Alice, working to calm the heightened sensations that flooded through his body.
"Next time, dinner is on me," he mused and slipped around the animal's downed carcass to her side. "I would imagine we would have to feed more," he said, thoughtfully. "What's your favorite thing to eat?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"I'd say deer actually," she said, expecting a flicker of distaste in Jasper's expression. "I like the chase." She grinned widely.
The heightened feelings running through his body sent Jasper's thoughts racing; Alice's raw, intense feelings, the thrill of the hunt. Much more quickly than any human brain, a number of images flashed through his mind. Alice, human blood, Alice, the last two kills they had successfully completed together, the humans in the movie theater.
His thoughts raged forth but mostly they revolved around Alice. He took in a couple of sharp, unneeded breaths and inhaled a wave of Alice's scent, stepping toward her, his gaze locked on her intently. His eyes were conflicted as his mind made the transition from predator back to lover. Of course, he could never harm Alice, even in a moment like this where the predator had completely taken over everything else. Even when his senses were so heightened and alive, where everything was sharper, defined, on alert, he could never harm Alice. Her scent and her voice were far too ingrained in his mind to perceive her as a threat. The conflicted wildness disappeared from his eyes and a smile spread across his face.
Alice froze as he stepped toward her, his eyes still glimmering with a predatory intensity. She was not afraid, quite the opposite really. Her fingers flexed at her sides, her hands aching to reach out to him. It was all she could do to keep her muscles locked in place and not throw herself into his arms.
"Deer?" he asked with a nod. "Then deer it is. You shall have many deer even if I have to chase them to ground," he teased, chuckling lightly.
"Only if I can chase them with you. It's my favorite part. Sometimes I chase them just for fun, for the thrill of running," she said. "You seem to be favoring bear. Is it the challenge or the scent?"
Jasper mulled over her question thoughtfully and smiled widely. "A little bit of both, I think," he said, glancing at his last meal briefly. "It smells better then the deer so it's a little more alluring. And it does taste better, too. But the challenge does make it more exciting," he said.
What does human blood taste like?
The question was there in her mind but she dared not ask it. She was sure that denying himself in that way had been excruciating the last 24 hours. He was already near starving when he had walked into the diner as it was. She looked down at the bear. He had drained two of them dry but still she could see the aching thirst in his blood red eyes. Her face creased with worry at the thought.
In the past day or two, Jasper had eaten a deer and two black bears. He was sure that his lack of feeding and the complete cut off of human blood had something to do with his feeding frenzy. He would be quite ignorant, not to mention arrogant, if he denied that the human blood, or lack thereof, was giving him withdrawals. It was definitely making it more difficult for him to stick with this diet.
He'd entertained the idea of cheating but his love for Alice had stopped that. He couldn't ignore however, the sheer magnitude of the shock his body was going through without it. It was much the same as a heroin addict quitting cold turkey.
Jasper's expression turned concerned as Alice's mood shifted. Her gaze reflected the concern radiating off of her. "Alice?" he asked. "What's wrong?" He wasn't sure what had caused the shift in her mood. Perhaps she was picking up on something he hadn't. Perhaps he had scared her in some way. He fought to keep his own emotions in check so as to not succumb to the overwhelming concern that flooded through him.
"Is this helping?" she asked, reaching out to take one of his hands in both of hers. She looked at it, turning it over and running her fingertips over the crisscrossed crescent shaped scars there. She wished that she could kiss them all away. "With the thirst, I mean."
"Yes," Jasper said, softly, watching as Alice took his hand and began to turn it over. Alice's very touch served as grounding for him, a reminder that he fought not only for himself but for her as well. "It also helps to be reminded that your strength will get me through it," he added.
"I'll always be here," she said, quietly. "I'll always help you." She raised his hand to nuzzle it against her face. "No matter what happens," she added as an afterthought.
A shiver ran through him, as Alice raised his hand and brushed it against the soft marble texture of her cheek. "I know," he said, in a muted tone. Alice's devotion was plain and evident in her words. He knew that he would always be able to depend on her, no matter what.
She turned her eyes up to him then, concern and love and worry all mingling together in her gaze. She was shocked to realize that as much as the thought of taking human life was distasteful to her, she would forgive him for it. Such a thought made her question her sanity but she supposed reason didn't apply when you loved someone as deeply and completely as she loved this man.
Jasper removed his gaze from their hands, moving it back to her expression. The love and concern she was exuding reflected in her eyes. Impulsively he felt the need to comfort her and gently reached a hand up and caressed her cheek, letting his finger tips trail down the marble smooth skin. He couldn't quite place the concern but he was sure it had something to do with his previous diet.
"Alice…" he began, a slight smile flickering across his lips. "Everything will be ok," he assured her, leaning in and pressing a quick soft kiss to her lips. The love he felt for this woman could never be defined in words.
She leaned into his kiss, her hands falling limply at her sides in helpless surrender. Despite the perfect balance that came inherent to her kind, she felt she could fall backwards, totally overcome as she was by the touch of his lips to hers. Every caress, every soft breath of his against her skin made her feel weak and powerless.
The wind blew into her face replacing the worry with a smile. "So do you want another bear?" she asked. "Or do you want to try your hand at mountain lion?"
The breeze shifted, washing through him, providing him another hit of her fresh scent. As the wind changed so did her mood. The soft smile that overtook her features chased away the worry she held only moments earlier. He felt his own emotions becoming more enlightened as well. He took in another breath of her scent, letting it wash clean the concern he'd been nearly overtaken with.
"Bear?" he mused, pursing his lips together in thought. When she mentioned mountain lion, an unexplained thrill shot through him and a wide grin pushed its way to his features. "Is mountain lion more challenging?" he asked, barely able to hide the glee in his voice.
She giggled. "Well, you can always find out," she replied with a smile. "And you know what? Don't worry about the clothes. Go wild. I can always get more. Which reminds me," she said as she fished inside one of her coat pockets and handed him a fat roll of hundred dollar bills. "Here. You should hold on to this. I don't want to keep all our funds in the same place just in case something happens."
A wry smile stretched at the corners of his lips as his imagination ran wild about taking down a mountain lion. He had to admit, there was more thrill in this than taking human life. "Really!?" he asked. "Yes! Thank you, Alice!" he exclaimed, sounding, like a kid in a candy store.
Jasper calmed down, long enough for Alice to hand him the money. He tucked it into his coat pocket and smiled. "For safe keeping," he assured her. He wouldn't spend a dime of it. She could be rest assured on that. "Come on, let's go!" he said, excitedly and grabbed her hand to take off into the trees.
She felt her emotions soar in response to his enthusiasm. While the idea of shredded cashmere and wool almost made her shudder, it was worth it to see the grin on his face at the chance of running around the forest getting in fights with bears and mountain lions. She laughed as they ran, enjoying the feeling of his hand in hers, the wind against her skin, and the smells of the forest around them.
Jasper's enthusiasm was tempered with Alice's. Of course, there were reservations in Alice's mood. She was concerned and he was sure it was because of the clothes. As he ran hand in hand with her, he couldn't help but feel a sense of feeling complete. Alice had been the missing piece in his life for so long and as if by some stroke of luck, there she was. He could never envision himself letting her go. As they ghosted effortlessly through the trees, Jasper picked up an unfamiliar scent and screeched to a halt, sniffing and training his gaze in the direction of where it was coming. The soft muted thud of paws accompanied the heartbeat. The scent was animalistic, yet there was a hint of ginger mingled in with it.
Alice reached up and straightened his collar with a nervous smile. This shirt and sweater were sure to be utterly ruined but she couldn't help but feel happy for him. There was an indescribable beauty in his palpable excitement, the desire to hunt and attack and consume that tensed his muscles and made his eyes almost fever bright.
A smile quirked at the corners of his lips as she reached up and straightened his collar, reminiscent of a wife bidding her husband off to work. The nervous smile that graced her lips as she did so only drove home the suspicions Jasper had been feeling about the clothes.
"Don't worry, I'll try not to damage them," he assured her with a soft smile. Her nervous mood was mixed with a thrill of happiness as if she were looking forward to it herself but couldn't bring herself to get pass the ruined clothes.
"Thank you," she replied, her smile growing wider and more carefree. "Go get him," she said, placing a kiss on his jaw. It was as high as she could reach given the foot and a half height difference between them.
A wicked grin stretched across his face. "Oh, I will," he promised, shifting his gaze to her as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his jaw. He inclined his head slightly for her to reach him and kissed her cheek quickly in return before dashing off into the trees, bent on locating the source of the scent. He could feel the heightened senses of a predator taking over him, the need to feed becoming his dominant thought. As the sounds neared him, Jasper launched himself gracefully into a nearby tree and ghosted silently along the branches until his target came into view. A large lion was slinking along the forest floor. Its gaze was pointed, obviously hunting. It had no idea, it was being hunted itself.
Alice followed along at a distance, staying downwind so as not to alert the lion to her presence. Her footfalls came so softly that even Jasper would have been hard pressed to detect them. Her gaze was focused on the trees above as she watched each of his movements with beaming pride. Again she couldn't understand how she had come to have such a creature by her side. Even for a vampire, his prowess at hunting was awe inspiring.
Jasper slipped into a crouch, balancing easily on the branch, his muscles tensed and ready to spring, poised and completely engulfed in his target. His gaze followed it until the tawny animal was under his branch. With one fluid movement, Jasper launched himself off the tree, barreling downward and landed with a muted thud behind the lion. The lion's surprised screech rang out, as he spun to face his attacker. He bared his teeth and spat out another screech, swiping at Jasper with both paws.
Remembering Alice's reservations about the torn clothing, Jasper launched himself backward to avoid the damage, planting his feet against the tree behind him and launching himself over the lion to land on the other side and spun on his heels to face his opponent. The lion spun with another surprised screech and executed a charge. A wicked smile curled at the corner's of Jasper's lips as he turned and raced away from the lion, keeping just ahead as the animal gained ground.
In another deceptive move, Jasper narrowed his gaze in on a large tree ahead of him and, with a determined look, made a beeline toward it, running right up the trunk as if it were ground and pushed himself off backward, executing a backward flip just as the lion came to a surprised halt at the base of the tree. He landed in a crouch behind him then charged forward before the animal had a chance to turn around and jumped onto the animal's back, wrapping his arms around his neck and wrenching it with a deafening crack.
As the animal sunk to the ground, Jasper caved himself in over it and sought out the jugular, kneading his teeth into the sinew of its neck. A primal roar came from his throat as the warmth of the blood flooded into his mouth. The sweet taste was so welcoming that he couldn't help but give himself over to his senses.
Alice had watched as Jasper successfully killed his first mountain lion, rather impressed that he had done so with such skill and also had managed to keep his clothes free of rips and tears. The back flip especially had been a work of pure genius. She had had to stifle a cheer at its execution. Silently she walked up behind him as he fed, waiting patiently for him to finish.
Desperate to get every last drop, Jasper clutched the animal close, tightening his grip around the animal's neck, much like a constrictor. He'd made a clean kill, saving Alice the horror of discovering rips and tears in his clothes. He'd kept his promise. He paid no heed to the soft, muted footsteps coming up behind him. His mind and focus were too engrossed in the predatory instincts currently controlling him.
Another scent mingled with that of the lion's blood. It was sweet and highly desirable. Predatory, he clenched his arms around his meal tighter, his muscles stiffening and freezing in place as his brain computed the threat. A low, threatening growl rippled up his throat and escaped his lips. He suddenly whipped around, curling his lips back and hissing through clenched teeth. His wild eyes focused directly on Alice, ready to protect his kill.
Alice's admiring smile disappeared, replaced by a look of pure fear. The vampire before her was now unrecognizable and terrifying and terror was exactly what washed through her, making her tremble. She stumbled backwards, her eyes wide in her pale face before she squeaked out a scream. Desperate to be away from the wild look in his eyes that seemed to impale her with their savage gleam, she spun around and ran. The sound of Jasper's primal growl echoed in her ears as she flew through the trees, cutting an erratic zigzag pattern through the underbrush.
The persistence of her scent cleared out the fog in his mind. This wasn't a threat. He recognized this scent. His expression became confused, as he tried to figure out who she was. He took another tentative sniff. The sweet orchid and citrus scent was so familiar, yet he couldn't place it. A flood of images rushed through his mind, many consisting of this very petite, short, dark haired vampire. He must know her.
"Alice?"
The sheer fear that swept through him was the emotion emanating off of the vampire who he'd perceived as a threat. Alice. As the fog cleared out of his mind his terrifying expression quickly turned to one of remorse, instantly feeling guilty. He stood, watching Alice's fleeing form. He'd frightened her so much that she'd run away.
"Alice..." he whispered, feebly. He'd let his instincts take over too much and she'd been too close. Was she harmed? Had he done something to her? Without a second thought Jasper took off in a sprint, ghosting after her through the trees. "Alice! Alice!!" he called, hoping she'd hear his calls on the wind and give him a chance to explain.
Panic fueled the speed at which she ran, the sight of Jasper's enraged face burned into her mind and ignited a survival instinct she didn't even know she possessed. She had never had need of it before but it was there now, heightening all her senses and allowing her to run faster than she'd ever thought herself capable. She listened intently as she streaked through the forest, terrified for the moment when she would hear the sounds of pursuit.
His mind raced as he gave chase after her. Her safety, her well being… What did she think of him now? Was she ok? Would she stop for him? Would she ever speak to him again? He couldn't shake the guilt that plagued him. She was his top priority and she'd seen the monster he truly was. She was moving faster then she'd ever moved before, driven by panic and fear. Her survival instincts were in high gear and as strong as his primal instincts had been when he'd been feeding.
A voice buzzed in her ears but she was beyond hearing it. There was no thought. There was no reason. The only sounds she focused on were those of the footfalls echoing behind her, growing ever closer. The only goal she could see before her was escape.
Her breathing came quickly, not from exertion but from fear. She sampled each gulp of air, tasting the scents on the wind. One in particular leapt out at her, more prominent with each breath. Danger was drawing near. Her muscles tensed to fight even though she had never fought anything in her entire life.
"Alice! Alice, wait!" he called after her, forcing himself further, faster. He threw all of his strength into his run, traveling at the speed of a bullet, intent on catching her. His breathing remained even as he drew in close to her. A human's muscles would be burning, aching and throbbing from exhaustion. His weren't burdened with such malfunctions. He didn't need the oxygen to fuel his speed. He threw the bag off his shoulder and launched himself forward, just feet behind her now, and hooked his fingers around her arm. "Alice! Wait, Alice!" he said, his voice almost pleading. "Please?"
Something had her arm and she shook it fiercely, shooting forward with pure determination. When she couldn't free it, a rush of panic and terror swept through her, causing a furious snarl to escape her throat. The sound was so unexpected that it surprised even her for a moment before she darted forward, dragging her pursuer with her and flailing her arms widely in an attempt to escape.
The fear that exuded from her was undeniable and the sheer terror in her eyes cut all the way down to his soul. The swell of guilt only deepened when he realized that she was beyond reason. "Alice, Alice…" he said, his voice soft as if talking to her would calm her. His grip tightened when she moved to bolt away from him, desperate for escape, the primal growl that escaped her throat easily recognized as a defense mechanism.
"Alice!" His voice became firmer as she shot forward, dragging him with her. Jasper realized the only way to get her back to her senses was to incapacitate her. He flung himself forward and drove himself into her, tackling her to the ground and working quickly to get control of her arms and legs in order to pin her. "Alice, Alice…calm down…" he said, his voice soothing, despite the desperation she was throwing into each effort to get away. "Please, Alice…" he pleaded, guilt layering in his voice.
One moment she was running for her life and in the next she was flying through the air, tumbling to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. She snarled, bucking wildly with her hips and thrashing around with all the strength she possessed. The buzzing in her ears grew louder. Someone was shouting at her, the voice then growing soft and soothing and standing in complete contrast to the iron bands that gripped her wrists, the weight that pinned her legs and held her trapped against the ground.
Her feral snarl ripped through his soul as Alice's feeble, wild bucks jostled him only slightly. "Alice, Alice..." he cooed, but he wasn't getting anywhere. Alice's fear had run away with her. She was in escape mode. To her, Jasper was no more than a predator. Her wild eyes, snarls and attempts at escape caused his memories to flash back to the newborns, Alice's defensive reactions quite reminiscent of the newborns he'd trained and killed so many years ago. His guilt deepened and a wave of sickness punched straight to his gut as he compared Alice to them.
"No!!!" she cried desperately, her voice so little in her panic that it barely strained out of her throat. "Please, no!!"
Her panic-stricken voice rang out, cutting through his thoughts. "A-Alice…" he said, stammering over her name as he worked to purge out the thoughts of the newborns. "Please, listen to me..." he pleaded.
Her eyes were unseeing and wild. Flashes of her surroundings flickered before her eyes. Leaves on the ground, branches and trees, the white sky peeking between them and a face. A face she couldn't recognize but felt she should. She made one last desperate attempt to get free before surrendering, her body going limp, her eyes clenched shut as she lay trembling beneath him, turning her face away as she waited for the killing blow.
"Alice, Alice…" he pleaded as the onslaught of complete panic exuding from her sunk into his flesh and down to his bones. He knew he couldn't let go of her hands. She was too far gone and it was a safety precaution to avoid injury to either of them. He buried his face into the hollow of her neck, choking out tearless sobs, completely overtaken by her panic and his own unrelenting guilt.
"Alice…" he murmured against her neck while the unrelenting memories of the newborns attempted to swamp his mind and blot out the visions of Alice. His mind raced, images flickering wildly between the newborns and Alice then to Alice's panic and feral snarls and then back to Alice as she was before. Had he ruined her? Was she beyond help? The very thought caused a knot to wrench in his stomach. He couldn't be without her in any fashion. He needed her.
Her trembling increased when something touched her neck, her hands working with futile instinct as they clenched and unclenched into fists in the dirt beneath her. A whimper escaped her lips, a shiver wracking her tiny frame. She felt so defenseless, so very small. And her attacker was so big and strong, making all hope of escape a wish too impossible to ever come true.
Slowly, a sound broke through the blinding terror clouding her mind…a noise so pitiful, so full of grief that, for a moment, she thought perhaps it came from her. A dawning awareness chased away the fog in her brain and she realized that it was the sound of crying. Someone was sobbing and it wasn't her. She opened her eyes, still shaking from head to toe, to find a mop of blonde curls pressed against the side of her face.
She blinked a few times, her eyes wide and staring. "Jasper?' she asked, her voice trembling just as violently as her body.
The unrelenting sobs became almost involuntary, choking out of him as if someone were tearing him apart on the inside. He couldn't stop them. The action had consumed his very being, the guilt that overwhelmed him cutting through his body like a knife. Each gut wrenching sob pained his throat and chest as he attempted to force out tears that weren't there and would never come.
He hadn't even noticed that Alice had stopped fighting. Nor did he notice that the panic in her mood was slowly fading. In that moment he hated himself. He hated his past, hated what he was. He'd failed Alice. He'd promised to keep her safe. She'd never have to fear him. He had broken that promise. It was her trembling voice that broke through the complete and overwhelming sense of self loathing and fear for her. It cut through him, causing him to blink and withdraw his face from her neck. His gaze went to hers, pained and conflicted, his voice coming in a soft murmur. "Alice?"
"Jasper," she said, her voice blank and small as though she were in shock. Her eyes stared, unblinking and full of confusion, at the blurred contours of his familiar face as another shiver shook her tiny body and set her teeth to rattling. "Jasper?"
"I'm so sorry, Alice…" he said, softly, fear causing his voice to shake. He had trouble leveling his gaze with hers, unable to look at her fully because of what he'd done. "I'm so sorry…" he said again, letting go of his iron grip and reaching a hand over to cradle her face. "I never meant to scare you. I'm sorry…" The sincerity was written in his words and his eyes. When he finally chanced looking fully into her wide, staring eyes he felt a wrench of guilt.
"Jasper?" she repeated through chattering teeth. His face was starting to come into sharper focus. She clenched her muscles to try to stop herself from shaking but the effort was wasted. A sob broke forth from her lips despite how desperately she tried to hold it in. She didn't want him to see her cry. "I-I'm s-s-sorry," she stammered. "I w-was just so s-scared…"
"It's okay, Alice… Shhh…" he cooed. Moments earlier he'd been the cause of this and now he was desperately attempting to comfort her. He applied a gentle, calming influence to her in an attempt to cease her trembling. "Shhh…" he cooed again, gently trailing his fingers down her face. "Don't apologize, you've done nothing wrong…" he argued. "It was me. I'm the monster... There was no excuse for that," he said, guilt still heavy in his tone. "I love you, Alice…" he said, softly.
"N-no…" she said, shaking her head, her voice breaking. "Don't s-say that. You're not… You're not a monster. I-I won't let you say that…"
"Alice. I…" he began, but she'd already cut him off by disagreeing. "I could never live with myself if I hurt you in anyway. What I did was inexcusable," he argued.
She took a deep breath of his scent. Chamomile and bergamot. Familiar. Safe. She concentrated on it, clinging to it in an effort to find something to save her from drowning in a resurgence of fear. Her senses were still on alert, her nerves raw. Images flashed through her mind. Jasper walking into the diner, Jasper kissing her, Jasper laughing, Jasper crouched and furious, his lips pulled back in a frightening roar… No. She pushed that one away and focused her mind on what she knew in her heart to be the truth. Jasper holding her umbrella for her in the rain, Jasper holding her in his arms…
"I love you more than my own existence…" he confessed, still quietly trailing his fingers down her cheek. "You are what keeps me grounded and I acted out unnecessarily. I thought I'd lost you. I thought I'd damaged you beyond repair…" he said, the worry in his voice reflecting in his gaze. "I'm so sorry…" he said, even though he'd apologized a million times. He just felt as if he couldn't say it enough.
She turned her face to lean into his hand, letting it cup her cheek as she clenched her eyes shut and surrendered to the calming haze that he created, letting it envelope her body and seep into her bones. Slowly the violent trembling ceased and she lay still except for the occasional shudder that rippled up her spine. She lifted her hands and gripped his arms as much to anchor herself in reality as to still his own shaking.
The warmth of her face sent a pleasant shiver through him. A quiet, content smile touched his lips as she began to calm. "Oh, Alice…" he mumbled, hardly able to control his own trembling. "I love you, Alice. I never meant to scare you…" he mumbled, closing his eyes and leaned down to press his lips against her forehead. "I was so worried," he murmured. Once his body became still, Jasper took in a breath of her scent and smiled softly.
"It's okay," she murmured, desperately clinging to him. "It's okay…"
Jasper looked down to Alice clinging to him, gripping him as if trying to bring herself closer to him or to steady his own trembling. "You're okay…and that's what matters…" he mumbled, sweetly.
She moved her hands from his arms to the back of his head, pulling it down and cradling it against her chest. She shifted her fingers through his hair, tangling them in the wild, windblown locks of blond curls. "I love you," she whispered. "I love you I love you I love you…"
Jasper willingly laid his head against her chest, taking in a breath of her scent. The familiar scent of orchid and citrus coursing through him left a path of warmth and relaxation in its wake. The minor separation between them had caused Jasper to realize just how permanent in his life she was. He needed her.
"I could never be without you…" he mumbled, closing his eyes in complete relaxation as she slid her fingers into his hair and tangled them in his curls. "I love you, Alice…" he murmured quietly. "So much... You are and will always be the number one priority in my life," he stated.
Another sob burst from her and she clutched him even closer to her chest. She bit her lip to hold back the barrage of them that threatened to overtake her, determined not to make him feel worse by giving herself over to the desire to weep or to allow her trembling to begin anew. She gasped for air, drinking him in, desperately seeking his scent, the calming fog of his influence that floated on the air.
"I'm alright," she said, a shudder making her hands fist in his hair before they relaxed again and resumed their gentleness. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere…"
The calming sensation he got just feeling her fingers running through his hair was probably the closest thing to the calming influence he himself produced. Alice's touch and voice would always be the grounding that he would depend on to keep him on track. He sighed quietly in contentment, as her fingers slipped through his hair before lifting his head off of her chest and peering down into her golden brown eyes. The slight color change in his own was still too insignificant to notice.
A smile touched his lips, as he took in her perfect, flawless features. "I would rope the moon for you, Alice…" he mumbled quietly and leaned down to press his lips softly to hers.
His words were her undoing. The pressure of his lips on hers only served to send her reeling, tumbling faster over the edge. Her hands were on either side of his face, her lips hungrily seeking his own in response. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, could do nothing but try to pull him in closer and closer but still there was too much space between them. She freed one of her legs and hooked it around the back of his thigh as she worked her lips against his, her thirst for him more unquenchable than any she had ever known.
A rush of pleasure shot through him as Alice met his lips hungrily, greedily pulling him closer to her. Involuntarily, he pulled himself closer, pressing his body against hers. The sheer intoxication of her scent sent his head swimming. He found he couldn't stop nor did he want to. He blurred one hand back when she hooked her leg around his thigh and curled his fingers around her calf to secure it in place. His breath quickened, eagerness becoming his dominant emotion. His lips moved against hers greedy for more.
Her breath caught in her throat when he cinched her leg up against his hip. She wiggled her other leg out from under him and wrapped it around his other thigh as well. One hand left his face to grip his shoulder, the other grasping his back, her nails biting through the wool coat to the cashmere of his sweater and the fabric of the shirt underneath. She had never felt so out of control, so given over to a desire so powerful as to almost make her forget her own name.
Jasper felt a shudder go through him when she dug her nails into his back and shoulder. Her soft, sweet lips were molded against his, begging to be occupied. He needed her. He needed her warmth and her closeness.
"Alice…" he gasped in a wild breath, breaking the kiss briefly. The flood of warmth that coursed through his body caused his need for closeness to grow stronger. He redirected his lips to her neck, molding them against the soft, smooth marble texture at what would have been the pulse point.
Her hands contracted, balling the fabric of his coat under her fists as he began to kiss her neck. In a fury of movement she tugged the wool up and over his shoulders, trying in vain to remove it. It was just another barrier between him and her and she wanted it gone.
Alice balling her hands into fists in the fabric of his coat only spurred Jasper on further. A new rush of urgency shot through him as she feverishly struggled with it. He blurred up onto his knees and in a few quick movements, shrugged the coat off and slung it to the side before returning to lie on top of her, his lips once again seeking hers.
"Jasper…" she begged against his lips though she had no idea what she was begging for. "Jasper…"
When she spoke his name, a new thrill ran through him. He felt an uncontrollable desire to keep going. He knew he wouldn't be able to stop.
She grabbed his face again, pulling him back down to her. Her lips moved along the scars at his jaw, followed the ones down his neck and sought the ones that disappeared below his collar. Her hands moved in a blur, quickly removing his sweater and undoing the buttons at his collar until she could peel the shirt away from his throat. She returned to kissing him there, making sure she didn't miss one scar, each touch of her lips to his ravaged skin a pledge of her acceptance of him and everything he was or had ever been.
Alice's hands caught his face and willingly he obliged in letting her pull him back down. His lips connected with hers briefly before he broke away again and sought out her throat, kissing the area just under her jaw line. Alice's lips were moving feverishly along his jaw, making their way down to his throat. With each kiss, a new shot of ecstasy flitted through him. Alice's lips on his neck were the closest thing to heaven he could ask for.
As she flitted through getting rid of the sweater and nimbly started on the buttons of his shirt, Jasper's own hands went to her khaki trench coat and in a flurry of movements, he'd worked off the buttons. Eager to get to the next layer, Jasper swiftly moved through the buttons on her shirt and slipped his hand down around the now exposed skin of her waist. The spurring thrill of her lips against his throat caused him to arch his back and come down, rolling his hips against hers.
Alice couldn't help but tremble as he undid the buttons of her shirt. When his hand made contact with the bare skin of her waist she gasped against his throat, bringing her hips up to meet his, her legs wrapping around his waist.
His lips feverishly sought out her throat as he removed his hand from around her waist, grabbing her face and pulling it toward his own, quickly finding her lips.
As he turned her face toward him and brought his mouth down upon hers she reached between them and worked the rest of his buttons loose, her hands going to his shoulders to slowly slip his shirt down as far as she was able. Her fingertips brushed his exposed skin exploring the perfectly sculpted muscles of his shoulders and back, the feel of them flexing under her hands causing her to sigh softly against his lips.
As Alice's nimble hands worked the last few buttons of his shirt Jasper felt a swell of nerves. For the first time, she would see the true extent of his scarring. His breath caught in his throat as she slipped his shirt down as far as she could get it. Freezing in place for a moment he worried whether she was ready to see them. Of course, at the moment she really didn't seem to care.
An electric current sparked his skin when Alice's hands came in contact with it. As her fingers scaled his shoulders and back he shivered with an unexplained pleasure. She was further altering him forever. Her soft, gentle sigh brought forth a sweet shot of orchid and citrus into his mouth. The taste rivaled human blood, if not better. His lips moved with a slight edge of urgency against hers as if he couldn't get enough.
She remembered how he had shown her his scars the night before, the self conscious way he had revealed them and then warily awaited her reaction. How he ever could have thought himself less than beautiful was beyond her comprehension. Despite the rough texture of his skin she found she couldn't touch him enough. Each scar her fingers encountered made her ache to banish any shame he felt for them. She broke away from his kiss, fixing her gaze on his own, her eyes shining with perfect love and perfect trust.
A wide smile spread across Jasper's face as she broke the kiss, staring up at him with wide, loving eyes. In a blur he moved up onto his knees and shrugged off his remaining article of clothing, completely exposed from the waist up. His well muscled alabaster arms were torn up with bite marks that also ravaged his neck, collar bone, shoulders and jaw line. Some even dotted his sides, the only clean area was the expanse of his abdomen and sculpted chest.
His scars were as extensive as he had said but in her eyes they were invisible except to remind her how lucky she was that he had survived everything and was here, with her now. She ran her little fingers down the smooth plane of his chest and abdomen, a shy smile teasing at the corners of her mouth when they brushed the fabric of his trousers and then fell away.
Jasper's breath hitched in his throat when Alice's fingers trailed down his body and brushed against his trousers. He'd not realized how nervous he was until this moment, his body trembling at the thought that he might actually make love to this woman. He'd never considered the concept and really had no idea how it all worked, but she seemed to be enjoying herself thus far so he reasoned he must be doing something right. Her eyes, they were so loving and completely trusting. She saw no scars, nor did she see any faults. She saw him and truly loved him for it.
She rose up onto her elbows, letting her coat and shirt slip from her shoulders and fall into a pool behind her. Slowly, she reclined back onto the ground, her eyes sparkling up at him with wicked invitation.
He froze for a moment, his gaze falling on the exposed skin of her waist and belly, before letting it trail upward until it came in contact with her eyes once more. In another quick movement, he lowered himself back down and found her lips with his own.
She clung to him desperately, her hands once again tangling in his hair and crushing her mouth to his. He was everywhere, all around her, wild and relentless. Her tiny frame almost disappeared entirely as she writhed beneath him, arching her back in sheer pleasure at the feel of his skin against hers.
Jasper's lips crushed against hers, hungrily going to work, desperate for more. He could feel Alice's little hands balling into fists in his hair. Suddenly everything seemed so in place, so right. They moved together in unison, rolling their hips together as if their minds were one. He felt completely at ease with Alice as she moved so unbound underneath him, working herself up against him in an arch when his skin made contact with hers.
"All I want is you…always," she whispered lightly against his lips as she clutched him tightly, her nails raking down his back. "Always, always…" Her voice became lost in their kiss, turning as incoherent as the thoughts that raced through her mind as she surrendered herself to him completely, mind, body and soul.
"I love you Alice…" he murmured against her lips when she clutched him tighter, causing his muscles to stiffen. He gasped in pleasure when she raked her nails down his back, arching it only to slowly come back down, rolling his hips against hers.
"I love you, too," she breathed. "I've always loved you…from the very first moment I opened my eyes…I always knew…I always knew it would be you…"
The confession spilled from her lips and she was helpless to stop it. Even if she could, she wouldn't have held the words back. She wanted him to know. She wanted him to know everything…
"Alice…" he whispered. Jasper's hand flashed quickly down to her waist band and skimmed across it until he found the top button.
There was no panic in her as his hands worked to remove the last of her clothing, just need and an insatiable desire to possess and be possessed. The sun shone down through the trees, casting fractured prisms of light off their skin and bathing them in a cascade of fractured rainbows. Alice tilted her head back as his lips once again found her throat, closed her eyes and smiled.