Chapter 4: Parting Ways

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when Billy stumbled into their shared hotel room, his hair tousled and a satisfied grin on his face. His smile faltered, however, when he saw Jasper sitting on the edge of his bed, a look of grim determination etched onto his features. "Mornin', partner," Billy said cautiously. "You look like you've been chewing on a cactus. Everything alright?" Jasper took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation ahead. "Billy, I... I think I need to go back to Monterrey." Billy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Monterrey? That's quite a ways from here. What's in Monterrey?" "Something I left unfinished," Jasper said vaguely, remembering Queen's words. "Something I need to take care of." Billy nodded slowly, a look of understanding crossing his face. "Well, alright then. When do we leave?" Jasper shook his head, a sad smile tugging at his lips. "There's no 'we' this time, Billy. You can only go as far as Agua Dulce. Any further... it would mean your death." Billy's face hardened, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by a steely resolve. "Now you listen here, Jasper. We're partners, you and me. If you're riding into danger, I'm riding right alongside you." "I appreciate that, Billy, I really do," Jasper said, his voice heavy with emotion. "But where I'm going... it's not the kind of danger you can face with a six-shooter and a quick draw. Please, just trust me on this." For a long moment, Billy stood there, his jaw clenched as he wrestled with Jasper's words. Finally, he let out a long sigh. "Alright, partner. I don't like it, but I'll respect your wishes. Agua Dulce it is." They packed their meager belongings in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. As they saddled up their horses and rode out of San Antonio, Jasper couldn't shake the feeling that he was leaving behind more than just a town. He was leaving behind a taste of the life he could have had, if things had been different.

The Texas desert stretched out before them, a vast expanse of sun-baked earth and scrubby vegetation. They rode at a leisurely pace, neither of them in a hurry to reach their destination and face the inevitable goodbye.

It was mid-afternoon when Billy suddenly reined in his horse, his eyes narrowed as he scanned the horizon. "Jasper," he said quietly, "I think we've got company." Jasper followed Billy's gaze, his keen vampire senses picking up what Billy's human eyes couldn't quite make out. A group of riders, maybe five or six, were following their trail. "Looks like Mr. Kinney doesn't take kindly to losing at poker," Jasper muttered. Billy's hand instinctively went to his gun. "What do you reckon? Stand and fight?" Jasper shook his head. "Too many of them, and they've probably got the advantage of knowing this terrain better than us. I say we make a run for it." A slow grin spread across Billy's face. "Now you're talking my language. Let's show these boys what real riding looks like." With a whoop, Billy spurred his horse into a gallop, Jasper right beside him. The chestnut mare seemed to sense the urgency of the situation, her powerful legs eating up the ground as they raced across the desert.

Jasper could hear the shouts of Kinney's men behind them, growing fainter as they put more distance between themselves and their pursuers. Billy was leaning low over his horse's neck, a look of fierce concentration on his face as he scanned the landscape ahead. "There!" Billy called out, pointing to a dense grove of trees in the distance. "If we can make it there, we might be able to lose them!" They pushed their horses harder, the animals' breath coming in heavy pants as they neared the tree line. Just as they reached the shelter of the trees, Jasper heard the distant crack of a rifle. He instinctively ducked, though he knew the bullet was far from reaching them. They wove through the trees, the thick vegetation providing much-needed cover. After a few minutes of tense riding, they came upon a small lake, its surface glimmering in the late afternoon sun.

"We should stop here for the night," Billy said, patting his horse's neck affectionately. "The horses need rest, and we could use some water ourselves." Jasper nodded in agreement, though he knew he had no real need for water or rest. Still, it would be good to lay low for a while and make sure they'd lost their pursuers. As night fell, they set up a small camp near the lake. Billy got a fire going while Jasper kept watch, his vampire senses alert for any sign of danger. When it became clear that Kinney's men had lost their trail, they both relaxed a bit, settling in around the fire. There was a comfortable silence between them for a while, broken only by the crackling of the fire and the gentle lapping of the lake water. Finally, Billy spoke up. "You know, Jasper," he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious, "I reckon we've been through enough together that we can trust each other with a secret or two." Jasper tensed slightly but nodded. "I suppose we have at that." Billy poked at the fire with a stick, his eyes reflecting the dancing flames. "Truth is, I'm not just some carefree cowboy looking for his next adventure. I've got a bounty on my head. A pretty sizeable one, too." Jasper raised an eyebrow, though he wasn't entirely surprised. He'd suspected there was more to Billy than met the eye. "What'd you do to earn that kind of attention?" Billy chuckled, but there was a hint of bitterness in it. "Oh, you know, the usual. Got into a few scrapes, made some powerful enemies. Killed a man or two, though they had it coming." He looked up at Jasper, a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. "Does that change things between us?" Jasper shook his head. "We've all got our demons, Billy. Lord knows I've got more than my fair share." Billy nodded, seeming relieved. "What about you, then? What's really waiting for you back in Monterrey?" Jasper was quiet for a long moment, debating how much to reveal. Finally, he decided that if Billy could trust him with his secret, he owed him the same courtesy.

"I'm... not human, Billy," Jasper said softly. "I'm what you might call a vampire. I was changed a few years back by a woman named Maria. She's... not a good person. She creates vampires to use as soldiers in territory wars. I was her right-hand man for a while, but I couldn't take it anymore. That's why I ran." He paused, waiting for Billy's reaction. To his surprise, Billy just nodded thoughtfully. "I had a feeling there was something different about you," Billy said. "The way you move sometimes, how you never seem to eat or sleep... it all makes sense now." He grinned suddenly. "Plus, no normal fella could ride a bull like that without breaking every bone in his body." Jasper couldn't help but laugh, relief washing over him. "You're taking this awfully well." Billy shrugged. "World's a strange place, Jasper. I've seen things that most folks wouldn't believe. Besides, you've had plenty of chances to drain me dry if that was your intention." They talked long into the night, sharing stories of their pasts and the adventures (and misadventures) that had led them to this point. For the first time in years, Jasper felt truly understood.

As dawn broke, they began preparing to leave their makeshift camp. Jasper was packing up their gear when he spotted something moving near the lake. He nudged Billy, pointing to where four skunks were waddling towards the water. "Might want to steer clear of those fellas," Jasper said with a grin. "They've got quite the reputation." Billy burst out laughing. "Is that who got to you before your bath in Agua Dulce? No wonder you smelled like you'd been wrestling with a polecat!" Jasper chuckled, shaking his head. "Very funny. Just remember, curiosity killed the cat... or in this case, stunk up the Kid."

They mounted up and rode the final miles to Agua Dulce in companionable silence. As the town came into view, a somber mood settled over them both. This was it - the end of their journey together. They dismounted just outside of town, neither of them quite ready to say goodbye. Jasper turned to Billy, his expression serious. "Promise me you'll stay clear of Monterrey, Billy," he said. "It's not safe for you there." Billy nodded solemnly. "I promise. But you've got to promise me something too. Be careful, whatever this job is. Finish it and get the hell out. You deserve better than whatever's waiting for you there."

Jasper smiled sadly. "I'll do my best." Reaching into his pocket, Jasper pulled out the last two gold coins from the buried treasure they'd found. He pressed them into Billy's hand. "Here, take these. Ride safe, brother." Billy looked at the coins, then back at Jasper. Without a word, he drew his pistol and handed it to Jasper, grip first. "Keep your powder dry," he said gruffly. Jasper took the gun, touched by the gesture. He knew how much Billy's weapons meant to him. Finally, Jasper turned to the chestnut mare that had carried him so faithfully. He stroked her neck one last time before handing the reins to Billy. "Take care of her for me," he said softly. "Where I'm going... she wouldn't make it." Billy took the reins, his grip tight as if he was holding onto Jasper himself. "You sure about this, partner? It's not too late to change your mind." Jasper shook his head. "I have to do this, Billy. But who knows? Maybe our paths will cross again someday." "They'd better," Billy said with a forced grin. "Someone's got to keep you out of trouble."

With a final nod, Jasper turned and began walking towards Monterrey. He didn't look back, knowing that if he did, he might lose his resolve. But he could feel Billy's eyes on him, watching until he disappeared into the shimmering heat of the desert. As Jasper walked, his mind wandered back to the night with Queen, to her cryptic words about his unfinished business with Maria. He didn't know what awaited him in Monterrey, but he knew one thing for certain - he was not the same vampire who had fled Maria's camp all those months ago. His time with Billy, the taste of freedom and friendship he'd experienced, had changed him. Whatever trials lay ahead, Jasper knew he would face them with a strength he hadn't possessed before.

The Texas sun beat down on him as he walked, but Jasper didn't feel its heat. His cold, unchanging body carried him forward, step by step, towards a destiny he couldn't yet fathom. Billy's gun was a comforting weight at his hip, a reminder of the bond he'd forged and the life he was leaving behind. As Agua Dulce faded into the distance behind him, Jasper allowed himself a small smile. His adventure with Billy might be over, but he had a feeling that his story was far from finished. Whatever lay ahead in Monterrey, whatever task Queen believed he needed to complete, Jasper would face it head-on.