Southern comfort

Author note: Thanks guys for the reviews! Y'all all rock my socks, that aside. Random facts, I'm so/so in the grammar department, so I apologize in advance one last time and it's kinda late at night when I write and post. I'm also from Texas, so yeehaw to one of the reviewers. As long as you guys and gals keep reading, I'll keep trying to post sooner.

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It had been quite awhile since he had left with Peter and Charlotte. They were the closet things to real friends that he had at this point. He had never had a big social life, but nor had he ever been so isolate then when he became a vampire.

The times he spent with his friends where near and dear to him, not that he’d admit it. He could sense they felt the same way, whether it was because of his own influence or just them. He wasn’t sure of.

One new place after the next had been his life up till now. Jasper was becoming weary of it. He could sense what his prey felt before he took their lives for his own meal. Denying the hunger tended to turn him into a beast. Quenching his thirst kept a massacre from happening, but left a lump of guilt burning in his stomach. The last meal he had before leaving Peter and Charlotte had been an elderly woman, her heart didn’t race, the pulse on her neck didn’t throb in fear. She looked a peace with what was going to happen. That response made him feel like a monster.

It finally dawned on Jasper that he needed another change. He needed to see the world on his own, he was always with someone. With a lethargic goodbye to his friends, he set off on his own.

Years seemed to past like days, if it weren’t for the pocket watch he kept. Jasper wasn’t sure he’d have any sense of time. Instead of enjoying one day of hard work and relaxing before the sweet bliss of slumber took him, he was left aimlessly exploring. So much time with no one to spend it with took a lot out of a person. It definitely left you with a lot of time to think.

He briefly wondered if he’d ever find someone like Peter have…Another part of him wanted to be alone to his own devices, then again, another part of him wanted that one person to save him.

Eventually, he did find someone. It was a cold night by human standard; Jasper almost glared at the city lights of Philadelphia. He hid amongst the shadows absorbing in the human life around him. The conflicting emotions of humans made him long for his old life in the army.

He remembered stories his ma use to tell him about monsters that crept around in the dark. It was a scare tactic to keep him from sneaking out at night. It worked for a bit he reckoned when he was just a young boy, when he became a reckless arrogant wannabe cowboy he assumed he knew everything, no such things hid in the dark…Now he was sure his Mama had been right. He was cursed to live in the dark or risk exposure.

On his second day in Philly, he spotted an old diner. He could feel the emotions of only one man and woman. The woman seemed awfully excited while the man felt leery of her. Jasper on the other hand felt hungry. As much sorrow he’d feel taking their lives, he felt somewhat ease knowing their deaths would save a whole bunch others from a crazed monster.


Before he could get into the diner, a young woman came out. To say she was beautiful was an understatement. Her hair was cut shorter than a southern woman would ever want, but she reminded him of a pixie, like from his ma’s stories.

“Jasper,” She danced around with a light in her golden eyes. Her smile sent a wave of happiness in him. It was making delirious, he hadn’t felt this emotion from Maria. “Howdy Ma’am,” He greeted, his southern drawl coming out with ease. Jasper hadn’t even question how she knew him or why she wasn’t frighten by the crescent scars covering his body.

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.” Alice beamed. “I’m Alice.” She practically jumped into his arms causing Jasper to tense; a wave of ease filled his system allowing him to relax. “Follow me.” She whispered in his ear.

Jasper didn’t even hesitate.