"They are not what they seem to be."

He wouldn't so much as glance at me.

Despite Alec's attempt to put some distance between us, the hallway inside the train's exit was limited. He stood facing the door, an arm propping him up against the wall. Alec tended to toe the line between an innocence of Eros and the charm of a strapping young man.

He had rolled up the sleeves on the crisp white button up that had been hidden under his sweater. The sweater that I now wore. It hung loosely off my shoulders and made for a short dress, pairing rather well with the tight jeans I'd been directed to wear.

With the meticulousness of a doll maker, I followed the dips and curves of his face. The lines on his skin were tight, the tension cascading down into his shoulders and released at his wrist. A small thump caused by his fingers tapping against the wall was as consuming as a clock's constant ticking. Which I quickly lost track of.

I was close enough to make out a small imperfection in his skin. The finest sliver of a scar was my first indication that something was off. It was faded and I might've been convinced it was a trick of my eyes. I had never noticed it before, but then, it couldn't be new. Perhaps I'd missed it in my previous...observations of him. Of which, I am rightfully embarrassed to admit, there were several instances of. Every time I glanced up at him or caught myself staring, there he stood, almost dutifully, by my side. However, it wasn't until this moment that I realised I had never really taken in this side — the physical right side of his face.

In fact, it was almost as if a great deal of import was placed on keeping me at his lefthand side. Perhaps I was imagining it or divining an exaggerated explanation for why I had missed a random scratch on Alec's jaw. Except, Jane also stood on his left. And with this, I found my mind falling down the rabbit hole of incoherent ramblings.

The habit, if it was that, reminded me of my father. Despite our ploys that put me in direct danger, he always made a point to stand between me and traffic. So simple. A silly memory that might have meant nothing. Yet, I could remember it so clearly. If we stepped onto a sidewalk and I found myself on the side closest to the street, my father would lightly take hold of my shoulder and change places with me. The behaviour offered what little protection he could from the monstrous vehicles racing down the road.

Because Alec hadn't grown up with cars or sidewalks, the exact example of this gendered courtesy hadn't been instilled in him as it had been for modern men. I might've made an argument to refer to it as the single modern act remnant of chivalry.

Finding myself consistently on Alec's left side must be a simple coincidence. Perhaps Alec was primarily accustomed to keeping the masters on his own right. After all, Jane was always on his left, so it made sense that he would naturally take up the position he found familiar.

I inhaled deeply, trying to shake the self-induced embarrassment of my eagerness to find a connection between two unconnected behaviours. It was a silly notion, especially seeing as when you turned in the opposite direction on a sidewalk, right became left. My theory was pointless. Except that for a brief moment, the rambling thought process had opened up a topic that hadn't yet crossed my mind.

What would my father would think of Alec? Vampire nature aside, he could simply dislike him for the reasons most dads disliked their daughter's...whatever Alec and I were. Or would he welcome the fact that I had someone in my life who treated me better than he had been capable of doing? For me, or for my mother.

I could ponder over the different opinions my father would have on Alec's attitudes, reactions, and general being. I could do so, that is, until I realized that I had absolutely no idea. The last time I saw my father, I was too young to know how he would react to such a topic. Or any topic. I hardly knew him. Which also meant that he hardly knew me. His only daughter, his little con artist...the little girl he'd left behind. His Sweet Saffiya. If only he could see me now.

"And what do they seem like, exactly?"

I was left to speculate as the train doors opened and we were hit with a gust of fresh air. At least, for me. A family of four passed in front of us and Alec muttered darkly, telling me to "stay close".

I did my best to keep up with his quick pace. Which was exceptionally more difficult when I wasn't physically linked to him. He moved with deliberate force and having spotted him long before we reached them, most people moved out of our way.

The day was only just breaking, and though the sky was beautiful, it could not compete with the pair of men that leaned against two pairs of Mercedes outside the train station. They had parked directly in front of the exterior doors and as if there were any doubt that they were here for us, one of them held a firm white sheet of paper. Written in black sharpie, was 'Romeo and Juliet'.

Despite the comparison to the popularised play, it brought a giggle to my lips. Of all the Shakespearean characters they could have compared us to, it was perhaps the most flattering. If looked at from the right perspective. However, I hid my appreciation of the ice breaker back with one glance at Alec. He spoke of our new travel companions as the enemy and I doubted he was likely to join them in a humorous act with such ease. Though after our encounter with Vladimir, I wondered if he might update his ranking of them.

We had come to a halt in front of our escorts. Of which there were only two. Both had the typical vampire features, pale skin, gaping beauty beyond compare, but were each quite distinguishable in their own ways.

The man with an unusually honey coloured, curly hair should not have caught my attention first, seeing as the size of the man next to him was anything but inconspicuous. However, for some reason I was drawn to inspect him with more immediacy. He almost fit the role of the silent brooding type, though with more purpose. He maintained an active stance with his hands folded behind his back. Controlled, actively calculating the situation around us until his eyes landed on me. I was offered a reserved nod, which disappeared the instant he picked up on the distance between me and Alec. The hint of a smile on his face turned upside down the longer he was able to examine the Volturi member.

The other man, the large one with dark curly hair, would have stood out in the crowd whether he had the vampire traits or not. He was built like a Samoan, albeit lacking the uniquely ethnic attributes. As casually as he stood, his muscled form was prominent under the thin t-shirt he wore. A contagious grin rested unabashed on his face as he caught sight of us. He evened out the somber, cautious nature that his brother had mastered, eradicating any intimidating factors they might have spawned on their appearances alone.

Their eyes matched, a colour I hadn't seen since Carlisle's visit. It almost pulled me in more than the crimson I was so familiar with. I glanced back at Alec, who had hidden the latter behind dark shades. I felt a flash of betrayal, no doubt influenced by my friends' shared opinions, at the deceiving amber of their irises. At least the blood red was honest.

I took a moment to observe our surroundings. Much like our departure in Italy, the crowd (made up of less than a handful of people this time) was enamoured with the beautiful creatures that stood among them. And yet, none of the vampires paid any mind.

"You get used to it."

I glowered up at the broad man. "Are you the mindreader?"

He let out a boom of a laugh, attracting even more attention. The man next to him shook his head in mild amusement but took the lead with a more serious tone.

"Alec." He acknowledged with reservation. Alec gave him a curt nod and the attention was turned to me. "You must be Saffiya."

I confirmed, feeling a bit stiff. I hadn't exactly interacted with other vampires outside the castle, and inside the castle hadn't gone so well the first time. "That I am."

He gestured to himself. "My name is Jasper, and this is Emmett."

I checked in with Alec and the other men exchanged glances, before collecting my attention. "You doing okay, kid?," Emmett prompted me. Alec's head snapped to him at the implied accusation, but I nodded, ignoring him.

"Long train ride."

Alec didn't let it go, his thirst getting the better of his impulses. "Exactly what are you implying?"

Jasper cut in, "Alice said you were attacked. We were not close enough, so we informed Volterra of the situation…" Alec maintained his proper, bored expression and with his sunglasses, it was hard to tell if he had any reaction at all. I tilted my head to the side, but Jasper answered my question before it could form. "Your sister answered." That would explain their discomfort.

Alec's chin lifted, his only physical response. While she'd be relieved we were relatively unharmed, I couldn't imagine a scenario in which Jane did not scold her little brother for nearly getting himself killed twice in a single week.

Emmett added, "you should probably call her."

"I'll call Jane." I offered and Alec finally let his eyes land on me, a flash of subtle gratefulness in the shadows under his sunglasses.

Emmett, the big one, held up the paper in his hands. "I made the sign," he declared with childlike pride. "Did you get it?"

I squinted at the paper as if missing the point, before forgetting that I needed to hold back my immaturity. "Oh! Cause I'm human and he's moody." Alec huffed, and though we had several steps between us, he made sure I could hear it.

Missing my tease of Alec, Emmett exclaimed to Jasper, "See! I knew she'd like it." Jasper, however, was still analyzing Alec.

I continued with Emmett. Again, without thinking through my words. "So long as we're talking prior to Act 3, I think it's quite clever." Alec stiffened in corner of my line of sight. Emmett's eyes widened, either due to my boldness in verbally pointing the negative side of the story out or just having remembered the ending of the play himself.

Then, he smiled. "Definitely."

"We should be going." Jasper interrupted the moment, his eyes trained on Alec. "You need to hunt."

Not one to take orders, Alec responded with a casual dismissal of Jasper's necessary suggestion. "After." And as if to try and prove that he could make it through the car ride in an enclosed space with my blood, he took the smallest of steps closer to me.

Jasper moved forward immediately, cutting Alec off. He took advantage of the distance we already had, placing himself halfway between us. I was stunned by either the bravery or the stupidity of the action. Alec kept a straight face, but the faintest shift in the corner of his mouth signalled that he acknowledged the act. No doubt refusing to tolerate the disrespect. After all, he was the Prince of the Volturi. The slow adoption of a more genuine, innocently blank face and a further dip in the kiss on his cheek, implied a summoning of his gift.

The four of us stood entirely frozen. Both Jasper and Emmett stood at the ready, waiting for Alec to attack them right there. Alec. Who was less than half Emmett's size and not nearly as distinctly built as Jasper. A product, it seemed, of his youth in comparison. Yet, the young man held more poise and self-assurance than the other two combined. He was gearing up to take them both down without moving so much as a muscle. Only, he seemed to be withholding his power.

Jasper made no attempt to back down. If anything, he stood with more confidence, ripe with a familiarity of the evolving situation. "Right now, you are the greatest threat to her." I turned my head to Emmett, who was watching the scene closely. The grin had abandoned his face, dedicated to the mission at hand. He was watching the boy just as intently. A heavily southern American accent slipped in, "you have my word that no harm will come to her in your absence." A hefty promise.

I whipped my head back to meet Alec's eyes. His passive facade wasn't enough to hide how clearly reluctant he was to leave me under the care of strangers. Especially those that he wasn't particularly fond of to begin with. But my small movement coincided with a burst of wind, sending my scent directly to him. He tensed and Jasper reacted faster than my brain could process. His hand wrapped around my wrist and somehow twisted me around behind him — fully separating Alec from me.

I wanted to warn him, tell this stranger that that was the last thing he should have done. Except he was already fully prepared to counter the consequences, his focus pinned on Alec like an eagle. As if he had known this would happen.

Alec had lowered himself, no longer relying on his gift. I'd never seen him win with this tactic, one he only seemed to use when he believed I was being threatened.

Jasper cautiously removed his hand from my wrist and tried again. His hands raised to relay a non-intent to cause harm. "This is why we're here. You have to trust us."

Alec bared his teeth. Until, little by little, his shoulders lowered and he returned to his full posture. I gaped at the adjustment as the other two vampires followed suit.

Out of place, Alec threw a snarky comment to Jasper. "A wonder they sent you." He paused, sifting through his options and taking his time. He examined Emmett from top to bottom before speaking to Jasper again. "You were the soldier?" He posed the question as if it would make a difference.

The blonde confirmed.

Would Alec actually leave me here? With these strangers? The thought didn't worry me as much as it should have, seeing as it was our only option. But if he refused to leave me alone with Prosper, I had a hard time believing that he trusted this man to have more luck keeping me safe from future threats. Though, the longer I observed Jasper, the more intimidating I realized he was. The initial beauty had distracted me from it, but what his brother made up for with bulk, he radiated in restraint. I think I underestimated what it meant, calling him a soldier.

"Alec?" My voice was small, and it immediately drew the attention of all three vampires'.

Alec stepped forward again and the Cullens barely had a chance to react before he grimaced, looking physically ill. He no longer moved at an exact human pace, his head whipping to Emmett and landing on Jasper. Behind the sunglasses, his face shifted deliberately for the first time since we'd approached his so-called enemies. It was an expression I'd never seen before, but translated into a rare vulnerability. Looking at Jasper as if he didn't think he'd yet expressed just how important it was to keep me alive. Jasper spoke before he could.

"You have my word."

Alec's eyes flickered to Emmett, who gave him a sympathetic look and nodded.

I spoke up unceremoniously. "Would anyone care to fill me in?"

Suddenly bright again, Emmett's deep voice returned. "Don't worry, kiddo. I'll take good care of him." With a single stride, Emmett opened the passenger door of the silver Mercedes for me. I held my ground.

Alec didn't look at me, but he spoke sternly, "get in the car." I knew that tone, one he never used lightly. Still, I pushed.

I bit my lip, looking between the three men. "What about you?"

He hummed a growl, somehow managing to bring about a gentle touch. Though it was clear that I was making things worse for him. "Saffiya."

I huffed, irritated with the perfectly valid reason as to why I shouldn't be arguing back at the moment. Of course, I should've been more composed, especially in front of people/vampires I'd only just met. Still, I made a show of getting into the car and crossing my arms over my chest. It was immature, but it got my point across. At the very least, it amused Emmett if not the other two.

Jasper didn't move until I was safely enclosed in the vehicle. With one last look at me, Alec and Emmett gracefully entered the other car and pulled out from behind us just as quickly. I could only manage to stare back, unable to hide the concern overwhelming me on the inside. Jasper appeared in the seat beside me, watching as I kept my eyes on their car until it disappeared amongst the traffic.

He really left me. Only, he had received a bodyguard as well…and I sucked in a breath of air with my obliviousness. Because I wasn't the real target. He was. My existence made him vulnerable to those that hunted him. I only put him in more danger. A small ache began to build inside me, but the feeling dulled just as quickly, resting uncomfortably in my chest.

The blond man beside me pressed a button and the car came to life with a simmering hum. I was staring at him, I realized, still unnerved by the events that had just transpired. Not to mention, being separated from the only company I'd had for the last several months. How did I know this stranger with a confusing enemy/friend status with the Volturi wouldn't kill me? Just because he could.

Before he pulled out, Jasper set his phone in the center console and answered my previous question. "We'll meet them at the house. I hope you don't mind the company."

No longer worried about any active threats, Jasper's low maintenance vibe was able to bring down my guard. While he wasn't as light-hearted as the other one, there was more patience with my adjustment. "Thank you," I told him. He winked at me and joined the traffic, weaving in-between the lanes of cars just as his brother had.

I spent the better part of an hour staring out the window. Jasper was good about the quiet. The quiet, however, was not good for my nerves. The early morning light peaked at the tip of the mountains surrounding us. Yet, I was more focused on the various concerns racing across my mind, a great deal of them centred on Alec. Emmett was big, but what if they were attacked by someone bigger? Would Emmett alone be enough? What if —

All at once, those nerves and the melancholy stress that blanketed my brain began to drift away. They were unnaturally replaced with a tranquil agent, forcing me to take a deep breath. The shift was subtle, but undeniable.

"Is that you?"

Jasper grimaced, confessing to his interference with an innate charm. "My apologies. But your emotions were a bit overwhelming."

I'd been told about only three abilities that the Cullen coven held within their ranks. Likely because the topic alone put Jane in a mood for days. However, this experience was not one of the abilities mentioned. "How did you do it?"

"It's my gift. I can read and influence the emotions of others." I dropped my head in thought, realizing I may have already observed his talent in action.

"Is that how you got Alec to back down on the platform?"

He nodded, appearing slightly guilty. "I feared he would lose control, or else I would not have attempted it."

"Yeah." I sighed, resting my elbow on the passenger door. "Losing control is kind of what we do best."

Jasper glanced at me before returning his eyes to the road. "Carlisle mentioned your," he paused. "Somewhat tumultuous situation."

I wasn't eager about going into detail, though a part of me wanted to. There was so much to say. But with the way Alec felt about the Cullens, I didn't want to disclose anything he might prefer to be kept within our own circle. Or more importantly, between us. "That's one way to put it."

"Emmett and his wife, Rosalie," I snapped my head to him, surprised at the offering. "They don't fight often, but when they do, it's best to get out of the way and let them hash it out. They make up pretty quickly too." He let out a breathy chuckle as if there was more to this. He switched gears though, smiling softly and easing the tension in the car. "My Alice knows how our disagreements will end before I even know we're having one." Alice must be the psychic.

The way he talked about his Alice and his family was sweetly domestic and it charmed me more than I would have thought. I hadn't really ever heard a person talk about someone they loved. The nuns didn't exactly talk about God in the same way. Perhaps Chelsea might have let a sentence or two slip about Afton. But I had been too little to remember my parent's relationship, and too nervous to ask my father anything as I got older.

So, I witnessed relationships as a business, typically through my father's scams involving widows and recent divorcées. However, love? It wasn't a foreign idea to me. It's just that, until this moment in the car with Jasper, I had never seen it in practice.

I felt myself willing to spill more on the topic, so instead, I changed the subject. "Would you mind if I used your phone?" He quirked an eyebrow. "Jane isn't known for her patience."

An accent answered my call.

I cleared my throat. "I'm calling for Jane."

"May I ask who's calling, please?" The receptionist. I struggled to remember her name.

"It's Saffiya." There was no response and I glanced up at Jasper as if he would have an explanation for the empty line.

"Human." Jane greeted, her voice smooth and drafty. "Has my brother so little tact that he tricks you into calling me?" Jasper frowned at the harshness of her tone, but relaxed when it didn't upset me.

"He's fine," I said first. She hadn't asked, but it was hardly a learned intuition with Jane that her brother's safety was priority. "He went hunting with…"

Jasper filled me in quietly, "Emmett."

"With Emmett."

"He left you?" Her voice rose an octave, but I wasn't sure whether the words surprised or upset her. "What's happened? The Cullens have provided inadequate information, unsurprisingly." I glanced at Jasper to make sure her comment had passed him, when I realized that of course he'd heard it. Instead, I hoped he hadn't taken offence. I was sure Jane had heard him speak, so she had to be well-aware that at least one of the coven members could hear our conversation.

In my attempt to answer her actual question, I hesitated but presented the story with a less alarming introduction. Or so I intended. "I met your old buddy, Vladimir. Emphasis on old."

Jane snarled into the phone. "He is no buddy of ours."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"And Stefan?" "Who?"

She sighed impatiently. "Was he alone?" "Funny you should ask…" Jane harrumphed at my sarcastic use of the term. I proceeded to give her the cliff notes, particularly the things I knew Alec would exclude. He didn't like to worry her. But certain details I shared because I knew I would want to know if Jane and I were in each other's place. Like the fact that Vladimir had been seconds from taking her brother's head off. Which felt a little insensitive to share with her over the phone. However, Jane gave me all the details from her missions. I figured I owed her the same candidness in return. Though I deliberately withheld everything else — in particular, the time Alec and I had spent alone.

When I'd finished, she decided she had nothing more to say about the topic. Opting, instead, to ask a question I dreaded. "Did you tell him yet?" I had done an excellent job of pushing Jane and I's recent re-discovery about my condition and her powers to the back of my mind so far. The reality check was rough. I bit my lip, and she might as well have been sitting next to me because she groaned in a youthful manner. "Saffiya, you must."

I glanced at Jasper, who was facing forward. I was appreciative of his attempt to maintain an illusion of privacy. Even if we both knew he wasn't missing much.

"I don't know how."

"You two are ridiculous—"

"I promise, I'll tell him the minute we get back to Volterra."

Instead of accepting my answer, she lowered her voice and mimicked her brother. "I'll tell her tomorrow, I want to talk to her, but she's throwing things at me, what if she hates me — I can't tell her—"

My jaw dropped. The receptionist must have left her to her call, as I'd only heard the sassy tone from Jane when it was aimed at her brother in private. I looked up at Jasper for a third time, growing more embarrassed as she went on. Raised eyebrows and the small curve of a smile indicated that he was amused, if a little taken aback by Jane's reaction. He'd likely never imagined the young woman to speak without the eloquence associated with her position. It encouraged me to snap back with, "I suppose you've told Aro, then?" The line went silent. I scoffed in triumph before she responded.

"I thought it best to wait until your return."

"Sounds like a plan." I'd still have to tell Alec before Aro, but at least Jane's agreement to extend the time until I had to do so made it feel justifiable to not share the information.

"Tell my brother the Masters require a debrief." She paused, maybe considering whether she'd let too much of her unguarded self slip to those privy to our call. "And that he should be ashamed for using his mate to avoid his own sister," she reiterated. I bit my lip at the 'm' word, the butterflies in my stomach making me feel ill. I pushed them down.

"But then you wouldn't have gotten to talk to me."

"Nice try."

A loud voice echoed in the background, "is that Fiya?"

"I'll tell him to call," I swore.

She parted with "be smart."

"Fiya! Jane — is that her?"

I heard Jane tell the person, "no," and the line went dead. I returned Jasper's phone to the center console.

"You and Alec's sister seem close." I nodded, letting a small smile slip onto my lips. He glanced over at me with a passive look on his face.

"She was nice to me when her brother and I could hardly be in the same room together. Despite my humanity."

Jasper listened, eventually nodding his head and contributing. "To be honest, we're all a little surprised Aro would let Alec keep you human for so long."

I shook my head. "Aro is the one that wants me to be human." A frown folded onto my face. "I don't actually know how Alec feels about it."

"Maybe you should find out." He suggested casually.

The instant the words left his mouth, his phone rang. Without even glancing at the ID, Jasper answered on the car's stereo. "Alice."

A familiar, high-pitched voice came through the previously empty speakers. She greeted him with a sweet sentiment before her words picked up speed and I could no longer decipher one word from the other. Jasper's responses were just as quick, but soon enough, there was a pause.

"We're not far." He informed her, speaking clearly to share the update with me as well.

I realized that the change in pace meant their conversation was coming to an end, so I whispered to Jasper. "May I speak to her?"

Jasper tilted his head at me and before I could introduce myself, she was already ahead of me with a vibrant cheer, "hello, Saffiya!"

I wasn't sure what I wanted to say, but formalities had dropped to the bottom of my list. "You called to warn me about Travis."

She was quiet for the first time since the call came through. "Yes, I did."

"Thank you."

After saying goodbye to Alice, our conversation lulled. Whether it was the smoothness of the road, his presence, or his gift, we fell into a general silence. His gift didn't stop me from worrying about Alec, but it did ease the weight of the anxieties associated.

As we drove into an increasingly less populated, more rugged area, I couldn't help but push him for answers I hadn't received.

"Where are we going exactly?"

"My family's house. I hope you're hungry, I'm sure Esme has found a new recipe to experiment with."

My mind flashed to the train, to the dining carriage…to Travis and Vladimir. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, a flood of calm supporting my attempt to pull together. Before Jasper could question me, I nodded.

Whether it was true or not, I sought to appease him. "Starving."

His sincerity still motivated my curiosity and so after another pause, I asked the question that had been nagging me for the last day or so. "Why are you doing this for us?" He raised his eyebrows before giving me a half confused, half curious sort of look. "I mean, don't you have…" I couldn't help it, "bad blood with the Volturi?" Jasper laughed softly at my choice of words before shrugging.

"Because you needed help."

I stared at him in disbelief. He made it seem so simple. I couldn't help but wonder if the Volturi would ever do the same for the Cullens as the family was doing for us. I tried not to dwell on the answer.

"We're here."

My head snapped back to the front of the car. My eyes bypassing the land outside, the house, the cars, and whatever else stood between the car and the porch.

The ache in my chest was abated.

Alec was leaning against a post, already examining me with a determined, dark expression. Likely ensuring that Jasper had kept his word. He waited for Jasper and I to approach and the closer we got, the more obvious it became that he was tightening every muscle in his body in an attempt to stay in place. It didn't take me long to figure out why he was holding back.

Jane's reminder was prominent in my head. It struck me again, alerting me to the fact that we were in Cullen territory now. We still had a reputation to uphold, no matter how fretful we were over the other. Only, stopping in front of him made me forget how to mimic her guarded stance and expressions.

Deciding on a suitable public display, Alec raised his hand to the side of my face, bright red eyes confirming their activities. Just the touch of his skin allowed me to breathe a little easier and I couldn't help but be engulfed by the emotional and physical instincts that bombarded me with our reunion. And I broke the reputation rule.

My arms wrapped around his waist, pressing my cheek into his chest and holding on as if he would leave again. On instinct, he returned the embrace. His muscles took their time to give in to the relief that washed over us both, but I could feel the shift the longer we held on. No longer having to be vigilant of some outside threat. We were finally safe, protected.

Reputation be damned, he placed a hand on the back of my head. The hold was tender, fragile, desperate to keep me safe from the dangers of the world. It was incredibly uncharacteristic of Alec to display this level of affection outside of closed doors — to reveal his weakness, if you will. The recent events must have left him just as unbalanced as I felt. As if cued by my thoughts, he tightened his arms around me.

I heard him whisper, "thank you." I assumed Jasper had acknowledged it, probably a bit surprised. He'd now been witness to both the twins displaying attitudes he may never have dreamed was possible from them. Obedient weapons that they were.

When we parted, I refused to fully let him go. I didn't want to leave Alec's embrace before I absolutely had to. My fingers fumbled with the bottom of his sleeve, which had slipped back down to his wrists. His shirt was crumpled, but void of any stains.

I would have expected it to be awkward, having displayed such an intimate moment right in front of the other vampire. But Jasper busied himself with the car, respecting the privacy of the moment. As his gaze returned to us there seemed to be some understanding of how much this meant to us. Jasper had his own mate, was this commonplace? The pull, the longing, the…well, everything. Did he know the intensity of it all?

Clearing his throat, Alec asked Jasper, "how was it?"

"All clear." Direct, the strictness of a military officer that I had originally expected from Prosper.

Alec nodded, satisfied. I poked him in the chest and he looked down at me, perplexed by the action. "He's a better driver than you."

Jasper seemed to hide a laugh behind a cough.

The boy scowled down at me. "You attempted to climb out of the window." Alec objected. "It is hardly a fair comparison."

Before we could get into it, Jasper spoke. Was his mate inside? Was he just as eager to see her as Alec and I had been to see each other?

The southern accent interrupted my dwelling thoughts. "Well, Saffiya. Ready to meet the others?"

I balked. "Others?"

"Just a few of us." Jasper smiled and I felt the sudden spike in my nerves ease.

"Wow. That's incredible," I turned back to Alec. "We need one of him in Volterra."

A booming laugh could be heard from inside the house as Jasper led us inside. With eyes no longer on us, Alec wrapped an arm around my waist and pressed his lips to the side of my head. He whispered in a language he knew I'd understand. "Tu m'as manqué."

He smirked as my heart picked up speed. Damn vampire.

~•~•~•~

A/N: I accidentally posted this on Wattpad earlier, so you guys get this chapter a day before I was going to post it!

This is kind of a chapter without a lot of Fiya/Alec. But no fear, there's a TON in the next chapters. Esp. with the Cullens. I'll get the hang of the Cullens (hopefully) soon, as well.

I have my midterms this coming week and next, so I am literally putting all of my documents for this story on a flash drive and taking them off my computer so I can't procrastinate studying. That being said, I will be using designated breaks to write. So! No knowing when I'll be able to post next, but I do have quite a bit done for future scenes.

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, the favourites, and the reads. I truly do appreciate all of you so much.

Hope you enjoy!

Ro