Chapter Five

It seemed to Tanya as if she talked forever. She couldn't remember the last time she had talked that much about herself. She briefly wondered if she ever had told her life's story to anyone. She finished her tale with how she had ended up in Maine in the first place. Sitting back in her chair she challenged Jesse's gaze with her own, as if daring him to comment negatively about any of it.

Jesse, for his part, had been enraptured with her tale. A mother who couldn't resist the allure of an immortal child, but knew it was wrong and protected her other children. Feeling as if she had to play the mother role after Sasha's death. Living off of animal blood. Irina's death, and the reasoning behind it. Tanya's jealousy over Kate and her new husband. It all fascinated him, though he couldn't exactly say why. At least not yet.

Tanya watched as he absorbed her tale and smiled when he seemed to accept it. She settled back into her seat. "It's your turn," she grinned. "Tell me the story that is Jesse."

He looked nervous all of a sudden. Would she accept the story? What would she think? There was only one way to find out. Taking a deep, unneeded breath, he launched into his story. "I don't remember my human life. I remember the intense burning of the transformation, though I couldn't tell you why they chose me. And when I say 'they' I mean the Volturi. Aro. I guess they had watched me as a human. Aro told me that I was in Australia, that I was a criminal sent there. I had escaped, and had a knack for hiding undetected."

Tanya sucked in a breath. Golden eyes met ruby as he continued. "They changed me. Aro thought that if I could hide like that as a human, imagine the things I could do as an immortal." His tone was faintly mocking. "I was good at what I did. I was a spy you see. I could spy on those the Volturi thought were breaking the law, to find out if it was true, before they brought out the calvary without being sensed. Of course, sometimes it didn't matter, if there was something the Volturi wanted, they acquired it, no holds barred.

"Sometimes, Eleazar and I worked together. Reconnaissance missions, looking for new recruits for the guard. I had the ability to hide us, and Eleazar could tell if they had a gift Aro might want."

Jesse paused. He looked away from her, not willing just yet to see her reaction to his next words. "I thought serving in the guard was something to be proud of, something special. I didn't realize that a lot of what I felt was Chelsea. I also was, in some part, grateful to them for saving me. For taking me in. I think that's why I stayed as long as I did. I watched Eleazar leave, and they let him. I was shocked, I didn't think Aro would let a gift such as his go. But it gave me hope that I might find the courage to leave as well."

Tanya ached to reach out and touch him, to let him know that she understood. She held back though, letting him finish his tale. "I continued to watch and wait. I saw as Aro conducted his raids to acquire his new pets and living pieces for his collection. While Aro's game is a subtle one, more about the show, Caius, as you know, has a deep seated sadistic streak and he butts heads with Aro over this. Caius would be perfectly happy going in and bulldozing a coven just to do it, and damn the perception and their standing in the vampire world. So I watched as Aro and Caius played their games, not only with the rest of the vampire world, but with each other as well.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore. Eleazar had left about two decades before, and I finally decided I was done. I told Aro, Caius and Marcus I was leaving. I am still surprised they let me go. I wandered Europe for awhile, but nothing there held appeal. I had hoped that maybe I would come across something that would jar my human memory and I would find out who I was, where I came from. Nothing did."

Jesse looked at her. "I caught a ship that was coming here. Before leaving the guard I had managed to... 'procure' some funding. I knew nothing about investing, so I lived as frugally as I could, unsure when I would be able to get more money. When I had made it to the New World, I wandered, hiding out during the sunny days, feeding in dark alleys at night."

Tanya wrinkled her nose, but smoothed her features into submission. However, Jesse had caught her look and sighed. "I know you don't feed on humans, but I do Tanya. I don't like killing them, but it's something that comes with the territory. I'm sure you can understand."

She didn't say anything, and Jesse continued. "I ran into other vampires. Sometimes one other, sometimes a pair. I fell in with a few covens for awhile over the years. I learned a bit about making money, and investing it. I saved up enough that I could eventually buy that little place you saw. Besides that, the only big indulgence was my car." He smiled as he thought of the Viper. "I'm still used to living sparsely. I spend my time sketching and painting. And then you came into my life..."

Tanya watched him. "And what happened then? It turned your life upside down?" she asked wryly.

Jesse laughed. "Yes, you have, though not in a bad way. But you are always there, even when you are three thousand miles away. I went to the beach one night. I was restless, and needed the peace. I thought I would draw the scene, the waves rolling in. However, when the drawing was done, you were also in it. You faced away from me, your hair blowing slightly in the sea breeze, watching the ocean roll up over your feet and legs. But I knew it was you. It was that night that you called me from your sister's wedding..."

Tanya looked taken aback. "You... went to the beach... that night?"

Jesse frowned. "Yes. Why?"

"It's just so strange. I also went to the beach that night. I did those exact things you described. I sat, letting the water wash over my feet, trying to wash away you," she replied.

Whatever reaction she had been expecting, it wasn't Jesse's triumphant laugh. "Don't you see?" he asked when she looked surprised by his reaction. "It's like fate is telling us something!"

Tanya shook her head. "I don't believe in fate Jesse. I haven't survived a thousand years by living by what fate throws at me."

He reached for her hand and gently drew it from where it was clasped with her other one in her lap. He raised it to his lips, kissing the back gently. A shock akin to electricity shot through Tanya's arm, and Jesse felt it too. He raised his eyes to hers. "I believe in fate. I believe in it enough for both of us, if you'll give me the chance," he whispered.