Hey! Sorry it's taken a while for me to update, but I was trying to work out the logistics of this whole thing with my co-author and my beta. Whew, it's been a lot of work. I won't bore you with details, though.

To make up for updating so slowly, I have written three new chapters (including this one). My beta is currently working on the other two, bless her. I kind of loaded her with all this work and just piled three new chapters up for her to do. I will have the next chapter up very soon. It's a shorter one, but it will be quickly followed by chapter 6, and that chapter does not- in my opinion -disappoint! Be excited, be very excited.

(By the way, this is the same chapter as the previous, but in a different POV. But read it, because it reveals what happens!)

Jasper POV


I ran with Lucy, Nettie, and Maria at my side. I was way too eager for just hunting... actually I wasn't so eager; it was Nettie. The excitement rolling off of Nettie in waves was almost sickening. If she knew how her victims felt like I did, she wouldn't be quite as ecstatic. I loathed my gift sometimes. It was often a burden when living the way I do. It's hard to think of humans as food and not intelligent beings when I could feel the curiosity when they saw me, so beautiful, so interesting. But they were wary as well. They knew subconsciously that I was dangerous, something to be feared, but their overwhelming curiosity often got the better of them as they stared on. Then, as I closed in on them for the kill, I felt their fright. It was almost unbearable feeling that range of emotion every time I was the least bit thirsty.

Nettie, Lucy, and Maria were never hesitant when they preyed upon innocent, weakling humans. They never felt the least bit guilty at taking the lives of innocent people. I would never tell them how it sickened me every time I had to stare into the frightened eyes of my prey and feel them die. They would think I was weak if I told them how I truly felt.

"Nettie, Lucy, you take the south side of the territory, Jasper and I will take the north." Maria said, stopping suddenly. I felt Lucy's boredom, Nettie's maximized eagerness, and Maria's affections for me as she looked at me. Maria had had feelings for me for over a hundred years now, but I'd never reciprocated. She knew I never would. That disappointed her, but she accepted it.

I couldn't stand another moment of Nettie's excitement, so I took Maria's calm feeling and spread it towards the whole group.

Nettie snarled at me recognizing my power's effects. "Jazzy! I love hunting, don't be such a downer!"

I breathed deeply, trying to calm myself. Nettie's anger fused with excitement was really getting to me. "Don't call me that," I said quickly, hating the nickname. "Also, I can't stand your enthusiasm...it's getting to me."

"What's the problem with that? A little excitement never killed anyone..." Nettie squealed like a school girl. She was shaking in place and jumping up and down so quickly that she was a vibrating blur.

"There's always a first..." I muttered spitefully. Nettie annoyed me to no end. I sent out another wave of calm, which settled her down enough that she stopped jumping and settled on shaking. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. I sighed and looked towards Lucy pleadingly. Lucy was the only person who could calm her down. My powers weren't even enough for that.

"Let's go Nettie, I'm thirsty." Lucy stated in a bored tone, grabbing Nettie by the arm. Nettie squealed again in happiness and ran towards the southern border of the territory.

Out of the covens that ran the greater Houston area, we had the largest expanse of territory, thanks to our large army of Newborns that we were constantly replenishing and my superior war tactics. I was Maria's pride. She often said how the day she created me was the best decision she'd ever made. If not for me, she and the other two girls probably wouldn't be half as successful as they were. The newborns never questioned my authority either, which came in handy. My gift for manipulating emotions was also useful when the newborns got out of line, which was often.

"Come on, Jasper." Maria said, starting to run in the opposite direction. I followed loyally, listening carefully and sniffing the air for a human scent. Finally, I heard a slowly beating heart and smelled the human blood.

I was surprised that Maria ignored the scent, pushing further on towards the edge of the border. I wasn't about to let a meal pass by. I located the source of the scent; a homeless man sleeping on the ground in an alley.

I quickly drained him, not allowing enough time for him to wake up. If he wasn't conscious, then I didn't have to feel his emotions.

"Why waste your time on that trash? There's bound to be something more appetizing around..." Maria said. She had stopped about fifty feet ahead, waiting for me. I crossed the distance easily in a few seconds and we were off again. I was hit with the scent of five humans. "That's more like it." Maria said greedily while speeding off ahead to feed. I quickened my pace, catching up with her easily.

As I got closer to the potential victims, I felt their emotions clearly. I saw four men standing at the entrance of an alleyway. Their feelings hit me like a brick wall as I sprinted towards them, and all I could feel for a few moments was pure, unrequited lust. The feeling was so great that it maximized my blood-lust ten fold.

Before I knew what was happening, I pummeled ahead of Maria tackling the four men. As I made contact with them, they flew a good fifty feet ahead. As soon as they made contact with the ground, they were dead. Humans are so fragile... I thought deviously to myself.

I drained half of the men of blood before Maria even caught up. She was drinking from one of them and I was draining the last of the four when I heard the high-pitched voice that I loathed; Nettie.

"Jesus, Jasper, were you thirsty? You took three of them!" She said mockingly. I actually hadn't been all that thirsty. It was their lust that made me so ruthless. I hadn't even realized that I'd only left one for Maria.

"What can I say? Their lust didn't help one bit..." I said truthfully, though I doubted that Nettie would understand what it was like. I felt a little guilty for leaving so little for Maria, but she didn't feel angry at me, just satisfied from her meal. I still smelled human blood, but I shook it off. It was probably just an intensified memory from just eating.

Then I heard it; the slightest breath. It hadn't come from any of us. I looked quickly over to my left at the same time as Nettie and Lucy. A girl, probably about seventeen or eighteen, stood there frozen in place under our stares. I could feel her fear and awe.

I quickly approached her, ready to take her too, not caring if Nettie or Maria wanted her. I closed the distance between us in less than a second. I reached out towards her waist, trying to bring her closer to me. As my hands brushed her hips ever so slightly I looked up into her warm brown eyes. I took a step back in shock.

The very moment that I touched her, her fear had disappeared and was replaced by another feeling. It flowed from her very being, and as I felt it I instantly felt warm and happy and right. I recognized the feeling, but it had never been this strong before. It was... love? I was insanely confused. I hadn't said a word to this little human girl, but the moment our eyes met, a feeling overwhelmed me. I wasn't even sure if it was her that it was coming from. The feeling didn't come from one specific person; it was more like our feeling.

I leaned towards her slowly, not quite sure of what I was going to do. She didn't move from the position she was in. I didn't feel any fear coming from her at all, which was strange. She was so close to me, closer than I'd ever been to any human that had lived. I felt the venom pooling in my mouth, and my instincts were telling me to finish her. I didn't want to kill her though... I didn't want to see her face go pale and lifeless, and I didn't want to see her warm, chocolate eyes ever close.

"It's almost as if... I don't want to kill you..." I thought aloud. At first I wasn't even sure I had said it out loud, but I felt her emotions respond. Suddenly she was excited, but I still felt that loving feeling linger behind it. I had no idea how she could possibly be excited about the prospect of me killing her. She was definitely not the average human.

"Then don't." She said quietly, and I swooned at the innocent sound of her voice. It was a high pitched sound, but it wasn't like Nettie's sharp, high-pitched shrill. Her voice was beautiful, like the tinkling of bell chimes. She said the words with conviction, but I internally laughed. If only it were that easy... I thought, pondering her words.

It amazed me how she was not afraid of me, as most humans naturally were. I voiced my thought to her, wanting to tell her everything about me for some odd reason. "Hmm..." I said, still thinking about her in amazement. "You're not even afraid. How strange."

But strange wasn't the right word for her; it was too negative a concept. She was more like pleasantly surprising, but even that wasn't enough to describe her. I felt her surprise at my statement.

"How would you know that?" She said confidently, but almost sounded playful, like she was teasing me. I laughed without humor at her words.

I thought about how I was going to answer her question... I couldn't just say Oh yeah, I'm an empath. I can feel and manipulate your every emotion. She would think I was crazy if I said that. I settled with simply saying, "Let's just say I have a 'gift' for that sort of thing." I waited for her reaction.

"You're not the only one..." She said mysteriously. I raised my eyebrow curiously at her statement. How could she even be even more interesting? But here she was, so interesting and so shrouded in mystery.

I suddenly felt a surge of envy wash over me. Then I remembered Maria's presence. Though she seemed calm to the eye, she was surging with jealousy towards the girl standing in front of me.

"Finish her, Jasper, so we can go." I cringed internally. I didn't want to kill this girl, though the venom in my mouth was telling me differently. For saying so, I wanted to attack Maria. I didn't know why I was so defensive of this human girl...

I tried to defend the girl. "I don't know Maria... I think she might have potential. You think we should-"

"Jasper! Finish her, or I will!" Nettie said desperately. I snarled towards her, trying to sound territorial and not defensive. Then I regretted doing it, in fear that it would frighten the girl. I was relieved when it didn't phase her in the least.

"Quiet, Nettie! You won't touch her, she's mine!" I yelled. As the words left my mouth I relished the feeling of saying the last two words: She's mine. It sounded ridiculously great coming from me.

"Jasper, you know we only take men, she won't do us any good." Maria said, her voice not betraying the jealousy she was feeling. Despite the truth of her words, I knew that that wasn't the real reason she wouldn't change this girl. I doubted she wanted this girl to be anywhere near me. I tried to think of any excuse to keep her with me and remembered the girl's previous statement. You're not the only one...

"I think she would. She says she has a gift like mine..." I silently hoped that her words were true. Maria was curious, but her jealousy still reigned in her emotions. As she approached us, I remembered that my hands were still on the girl's hips. Though I didn't want to let go whatsoever, I wasn't going to push Maria in hope that she would be fair and let her stay with us. I took a few steps back to give them both some space.

"Is this true?" Maria asked, her feelings incredulous. "Well, what could possibly be your power?" Her words were meant to be malicious, and it made me even more defensive of the girl.

She felt suddenly annoyed and I saw her tiny fists clench together. I wanted to laugh at how ridiculously cute she looked. "I can see the future, what's your power?" She said confidently. I was surprised that a human could have such an amazing power, and I hoped Maria would consider her.

"Jasper can just manipulate and sense emotions; an empath. But my power? Well, you see, I'm your worst nightmare..." She trailed off ominously, but the girl just scoffed in disbelief. I silently glared at Maria for telling the girl my power. Maria quickly ran behind the girl, showing off her speed in an attempt to scare her. "Don't believe me?" Maria whispered in her ear, too close for my liking. I grinned triumphantly inside as I didn't feel her annoyed emotions change to fear at all.

Inside Maria was disappointed, but she didn't stop in her efforts. "I'm what you've had in your nightmares every time you see one of those pathetically incorrect scary movies of yours; I'm the predator to your prey..." I didn't like her choice of words at all. Though I didn't feel fear coming from her at all, I saw her shake with a silent chill. I took an unconscious step forward, wanting to comfort her in some way, but Maria stopped me by getting in my way. Maria was very angry that the girl wasn't afraid.

"You still haven't told me exactly what you are yet," she said lightly, tapping her foot impatiently against the ground. It was so cute that I almost wanted to laugh.

Maria laughed maniacally, clearly consumed by her anger towards this girl. "Let's just say that no matter what we decide to do, your blood is going to be flowing down one of our throats very, very soon." I felt a growl rise in my throat, but I pushed it away. She didn't have to put it so vilely, even if it was true. I realized with disappointment that her words were true; either Maria was going to change her, or use her as a meal. I wouldn't let the latter happen if I could help it.

I saw her eyes widen and her mouth drop in surprise- not fear- but Maria took that as fear. She grinned triumphantly.

"You know- if you value your insignificant life whatsoever, then you might want to conjure up some proof of your little 'gift'," Now I felt a little fear coming from her, ever so slightly. It made me want to comfort her in some way, but I couldn't. Suddenly, I saw her tense and her eyes become cloudy. I really hoped that she was seeing the future, for her sake. Maria and I watched her for about a minute as she remained still. When she finally came to, I was looking at her hopefully and expectantly.

She smirked, but I knew that she was slightly more afraid.

"If you value my significant life- or my awesome power, whichever it may be - then you might want to turn around." I turned around quickly, at the same time as Maria. Nettie was behind us about five feet, shaking in excitement and blood lust.

"H-how can you just stand there like that! She's right there!" Nettie threw herself towards the girl, over Maria and I. Nettie tackled her to the ground, and I silently thanked any God that was available that she didn't bleed. I wouldn't have been able to stand it if she did. I watched in horror as she lowered her head to the girl's neck, as I felt a sort of regret pass from the girl.

Without thinking about what I was doing, I tackled Nettie. Our bodies crashed with a thunderous boom. We flew for about twenty feet, before I pinned her to the wall behind us. She was fighting me wildly, her eyes flying towards the girl's body. She had a little blood on her teeth as she growled in defeat.

"Need some help?" I heard someone ask in a bored tone. Lucy had appeared by my side.

I looked at her gratefully and muttered, "Yes. Take Nettie away from here." I said it quietly. Lucy silently took Nettie from my grasp and restrained her as she walked her away.

"I'll meet you guys back at camp." Lucy said towards Maria. Maria nodded, looking towards the girl who was lying on the ground dismally. I think she'd been knocked unconscious by the fall.

I walked forward quickly kneeling to the ground beside the girl. Maria sighed, shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You should've just let Nettie finish it."

I hated the way she called the girl an "it".

"Oh well, it's too late now." I silently cheered at that fact, thankful that we wouldn't have to kill her. "There's too much venom to finish her now, so we might as well just wait out her change." I looked over the girl's still body hopefully, glad that I was going to get to see her again.

"Carry her back to camp. We don't want her here when the screams start." But just as Maria said that, the girl's body shook and a scream erupted from her mouth. I quickly picked her up effortlessly, though I was in pain, too. I could feel the pain radiating from her, since no other feeling was present in her body. It hurt me greatly, but I persistently ran her in the direction of our headquarters.


Please review! I want to get up to... let's say 15? Yes. If we can get to 15, I promise I'll give that fifteenth reviewer a preview of the future chapters (May be subject to change, since everything after chapter 6 is in rough format. But still, it's a preview!)

-TG