7. DECEIT

Once the girls had all 11 soldiers changed and back at the cabin, they were ready to begin their training. Maria set up matches between the boys so that they could practice the fighting skills she taught them. Two of the men got a little carried away as their anger got the best of them and were about to kill each other when Jasper tried to break up the fight. Suddenly, a wave of calm feeling flooded the area. It didn't take long for Maria to realize what was so compelling about Jasper. He had a talent, and that talent was being able to effect the emotions of those around him.

Maria gave her soldiers more training than any other newborn ever received. She also taught them how to be invisible to humans. If they were to succeed and avoid punishment from the Volturi, they would need to be able to go undetected from the mortals. She was most pleased with Jasper's progress. He was a better fighter than the others and he was quicker. Even though he had the ability to calm others around him, when he was in combat training against one of his comrades in arms his anger and emotions would overcome him and he would end up killing a few of them. Maria was pleased with his performance but was put out by the fact that she had to keep replacing the ones he destroyed.

Whichever soldier won their match would be rewarded. Lucy and Nettie would round up humans and lure them to the cabin. These humans would serve as rewards to the winners. Jasper was always a winner and therefore always got to feed, which made him stronger. The men who did not win were forced to watch their opponents indulge themselves while they starved. It gave them the proper motivation to try harder.

Several months went by with this type of training and Maria knew they would need to strike soon, before the newborn strength began to wane. Her first target was Houston. She unleashed her well trained soldiers on the reigning coven and even though they suffered many casualties, they were successful in their attack.

Maria promoted Jasper so that he was in charge of the others. She really was pleased with his performance. On the night of the victory, every surviving soldier was rewarded with their very own human to feed on. Maria watched Jasper with pleasure. When he had finished, he went to sit beside her as they watched the others continue to feed.

"You've made me very proud Jasper. How do you feel?" Maria asked.

Jasper thought for a moment before answering. "I am glad that we succeeded and I'm glad that I've pleased you, but I was wondering…" he was thoughtful again.

"Wondering what?" Maria prodded.

"Well I was wondering if you are able to feel the victim's emotions when you feed?" Jasper finished.

"Oh, well… No. I think that is part of your gift, feeling what others around you are feeling. Does it bother you?" Maria was concerned.

"I'm not sure. I just think that I would be able to enjoy it more if I wasn't feeling their fear or living their emotions as I kill them." Jasper seemed to be struggling with this element of vampirism.

Maria patted his hand and smiled at him. "You'll be alright." The two made eye contact and Maria felt a flush of emotions. "Listen Jasper, you really were amazing tonight. You are so much better than the others; you deserve a special reward."

Jasper didn't understand until Maria pulled him by the hand and led him back into the cabin and into her room. She let her dress fall off her shoulders revealing the black slip she wore underneath. Jasper suddenly became very aware of the emotions she was feeling and instantly realized exactly what type of reward he would be getting.

With Jasper's promotion, things seemed to be going better in Maria's coven. The casualties went down dramatically and their numbers swelled to hover around twenty. This was considerable for the cautious times that they lived in. Jasper was able to use his gift to help his comrade's work together in a way that newborn vampires had never cooperated before. Even Maria, Nettie, and Lucy were able to work together more easily.

Maria grew quite fond of Jasper and began to depend upon him and, in some ways, he worshipped the ground she walked on. His only desire was to please her and he was eager to prove himself. He ended up pulling together an army of twenty-three unbelievably strong new vampires, organized and skilled as no others before. Maria was ecstatic.

Their next target was Monterrey, the first place that Maria had woken up as a vampire, the place where her father's army had been wiped out by Aro. Almost a decade had gone by since those awful events and the city was now rebuilt with new inhabitants and a new coven claiming it as their own.

The existing Monterrey coven was lead by an older couple at the time and only had nine newborns in their army. They were taken down more easily than Maria could believe, losing only four in the process. It was an unheard-of margin of victory. And since they were so well trained, they were able to accomplish the feat without attracting notice. The city changed hands without any human being aware.

Maria instructed her newborns to build her a pueblo atop the hill that overlooked Monterrey. It was the very same hill where Maria had been brought while her father overtook the city below. The view gave Maria the advantage of always being able to see what was happening in her city.

Success made Maria greedy. It wasn't long before she began to eye other cities. That first year, she extended her control to cover most of Texas and northern Mexico. When word of her achievement spread throughout the south, her competitors decided it was time to dislodge her. The fighting was intense. Many began to worry that the Volturi would return. For the moment, Maria was still able to hold onto Monterrey.

Nettie and Lucy were furious at Maria for letting it go this far. They reminded her of the promise she made from the beginning to only take what was needed for them to survive. They had not signed up to risk their lives for Maria's greed.

"What have you done to us?" Lucy screamed. "We'll all be destroyed because of your lust for power!"

"You promised us, Maria!" Nettie joined in. "You promised that we wouldn't take more than we need and now we've got targets on our backs because of you!" The last word came out rough as it was forced through her gritted teeth.

Maria stood there, letting them take out their anger on her and Jasper stood by her side, trying to calm the emotions. He could feel their fear and malice. He knew that these feelings would soon lead to action. Once Nettie and Lucy were done expressing their anger, they walked away, leaving Maria alone with Jasper.

"Maria, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you can no longer trust Nettie and Lucy. I felt what they were feeling, and I'm positive that they will turn against you." Jasper's face was full of regret.

Maria ran her hands through her black hair and sucked in a deep breath, then slowly let it out. She locked her hands together behind her neck and stared at the ground. Her shoulders began to heave and she broke down crying heavy, tearless, sobs.

Jasper tried to comfort her and wrapped his arms around her. "You'll be alright; I'll take care of it. You don't have to worry about those other two."

"That's not why I'm crying." Maria whimpered. "Jasper, I think they're right. I think there is something really wrong with me. Jasper, why am I like this?" The pitch of her voice went higher as her emotions caught in her throat.

When Maria had joined with Lucy and Nettie, they had filled a void for her. They were her coven, her family, regardless of how well they had gotten along over the years. It hurt Maria to know that she had caused her own family to be divided.

"Shhh," He comforted her, "There's nothing wrong with you. We're going to be okay, I promise. But we need to deal with Nettie and Lucy before they take their plans too far."

Maria nodded as she buried her face into Jasper's chest. She knew that he was using his power to calm her but she didn't fight it. How could he not be my soul mate? She wondered. He was everything she needed and everything she wanted.

Jasper gathered what was left of their newborn army and instructed them that Nettie and Lucy were traitors and would need to be dealt with. They all waited outside the pueblo, anticipating the return of the two turncoats. It was late into the night when the sisters returned.

Lucy was the first to realize that something was not right when the newborns circled around them on the outside of their adobe home, leaving them no way to escape.

"Maria!" Lucy called out. "What's going on here?"

Maria walked out of the pueblo and her expression was sullen. She stood next to Jasper in the circle but avoided looking at her betrayers.

"Maria?" Nettie's eyes were sad as she struggled to understand.

Maria looked at Jasper and whispered, "Kill them."

Jasper nodded at one of the other newborns which gave him the cue to take Lucy. Then Jasper walked up to Nettie and wrapped his fingers around her throat. He felt her panic and horror surge into him.

When Jasper touched Nettie, something unexpected happened in an instant. Her mind was flooded by the vision of a young girl in a dark place. The girl was petite, pixie-like, and had short brown hair. She seemed sad and confused. A name came into her mind as well- Mary Brandon. Nettie understood what this vision was; it was Jasper's soul mate. Before she had a chance to tell him of her vision and of Maria's deceit, Jasper ripped out her throat with his teeth.