Blood Mates

Official

The next morning, Alaia and Jasper woke up wrapped up in the covers cuddled together. Alaia hummed content as she got out of bed and Jasper followed behind her.

Both brushed their teeth and washed their faces. Jasper went and dropped wood in the fire in their room and living room. Alaia started breakfast and by the time Stella and AJ came down, both eagerly grabbed pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

As they all sat down, Stella watched AJ and Jasper go outside to make sure the truck was still okay. The moment they were gone, Stella whispered, “Well?” Looking at Alaia, Stella watched her turn scarlet and whispered, “Oh my god!”

Alaia shook her head quickly, “No, we just…we kissed that’s it!” Stella giggled as she naughtily teased, “Must’ve been some kiss. You’re about as red as a fire truck!” Alaia still was when Jasper and AJ came in. Kissing the side of her head, Jasper whispered in her ear, “You okay?” Alaia nodded as she peered into his eyes shyly and said, “Yeah.”

Jasper nodded as Stella fought giggles in her orange juice. After cleaning up breakfast, they all got changed and started on a walk. Walking through the snow, the four of them enjoyed the morning air.

The trail was covered in a light snowfall, but the sky spoke of more to fall. Jasper and Alaia were walking with AJ and Stella one minute and then the two broke off suddenly and disappeared.

Leaving Jasper with Alaia who was dressed to make his heart explode. In black leather pants, black boots, and a red corset-like top, Alaia’s black leather jacket was old school and looked thick and heavy.

But Alaia, like Jasper, was not affected by cold, but instead thrived in it. Looking at him as their hands knocked together suddenly, Jasper glanced down at her as he grabbed her hand and linked his fingers with hers as she softly prodded, “So…you can tell me it’s none of my business but I’m curious about your relationship with Paige. And what it was like?”

Jasper winced but then truthfully admitted, “It wasn’t a relationship really. I mean I called her my girlfriend, but she never really felt like one.” They came up to a cluster of boulders by the lake and climbed to the highest one.

Overlooking the woods, the lake, and seeing the morning sun finally finish rising, Jasper told Alaia frankly, “I barely saw her the three months we dated. I couldn’t go over to her house, because I think her step-dad is this aggressively sober meathead who liked to let his fist do the talking. My dad didn’t really care for her all that much so she didn’t like to come over to mine, and school besides five minutes on either hall and then thirty at lunch.”

Jasper shrugged thinking of the half-ass relationship, “We texted and talked on the phone, but we had nothing in common. It started to feel like more work to like each other than it was worth and then she broke up with me out the blue. And it wasn’t even the breaking up part that hurt.”

Face turning a little red with anger, Jasper tensely admitted “ It was the fact she went to the biggest douche bag on campus, let him introduce her to drugs, and then had the gall to help him rob me and my dad.”

Alaia winced suppressing her rage at that herself. Looking at their hands she whispered, “But did you two do this?” She asked holding up their linked hands. Jasper smiled amused, “Hold hands? No, she thought it was so kindergarten. Her words.”

 Really not liking this girl now, Alaia rolled her eyes and mumbled, “Her words are irrelevant.” Jasper laughed a little and Alaia admitted, “I’ve never really had a boyfriend either.” Jasper looked at her in shock and Alaia admitted as much as she could without giving any details, “Dating felt off before and when I tried, I kept just…finding these awful boys who was more interested in s*x than getting to know me.”

Jasper flinched before seriously saying, “I’m not interested in just s*x with you.” The wind gently shifted the snow as he confessed, “I am attracted to you. But I also know, I really like you. So, if you’d like…I was thinking maybe we could make it official?”

Body buzzing at the words Alaia made sure she had this right, “Me and you? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Like seriously?” Jasper shrugged trembling with nerves as he whispered, “Why not?”

Grinning he threw caution to the wind and admitted, “I’ve been crushing hard as hell if it hasn’t been completely obvious.” Alaia giggled coyly, “Only if it hasn’t been obvious, I have been too.”

And then they were kissing. Their cold lips warming up instantly as their hands got frisky and the heat of their hormones warmed their bodies. Jasper was reaching under Alaia’s shirt as he kissed her neck when they heard, “Hey pervs get a room!”

Jumping apart, both looked at a family walking with their skiing gear. It was a mom, dad, a little boy, a little girl, and a pair of grandparents. The shouted comment having come from the stern-faced looking grandfather. With his wrinkled, leather-like face, he jerked his thumb at the kids, “Can’t you see young children are here!”

Jasper and Alaia both scrambled up and shouted apologies before taking off back down the trail. When they got far away from them, Alaia turned and looked up at Jasper, and when he met her gaze both burst out laughing.

“Oh, that was so bad.” She groaned embarrassed. Jasper nodded red in the face but smiling, “Something to definitely take to the grave.” Alaia grinned and held up a pinkie, “Agreed.” When he wrapped his pinkie around hers both locked eyes intimately.

And Jasper wouldn’t have acted on it, so Alaia did. Getting up on her tiptoes, Alaia kissed Jasper and he hummed as he kissed her back.

After a couple of moments, they both pulled back flustered and they decided to go back to the cabin. Alaia made hot chocolate and they sat in the living room on the rug in front of the fire. As they warmed up, Alaia hesitated but then asked, “And…your mom?”

Jasper gulped his hot chocolate, wincing as it scorched his throat before rasping out, “Um, she left my dad my sophomore year. She’d been cheating on him for seven months. The signs were there, we just weren’t looking for them until she was packing her bags. We caught them together in the house when she lied about being sick. We came home early to surprise her, and got the surprise of our lives.”

 Alaia jerked back appalled, “Oh my god, Jasper I’m so sorry.”

Rubbing his hands on the mug to warm them, Jasper admitted, “It’s not awful per se. When it first happened, I was pissed off about the entire situation, but now I realize my dad’s better off without her in his life. And I just started to feel that way myself when it felt like I was the ugly stepchild in her life.”

Alaia laid her head on his shoulder, “Whoever thought to leave you had to be crazy.” Jasper grinned, “Sweet of you to say, Ms. Knight.” Alaia grinned and looked up at him, “Cuz it’s the truth, Mr. Wynter.” Jasper pressed a soft kiss to her lips before sitting back and soaking in the heat from the fire.

With Alaia’s soft body against him, Jasper easily slipped into sleep. But Alaia was out of his arms the second his heartbeat slowed down and raced out of the house. She could smell Stella and AJ and they weren’t that far, but she could also smell someone else.

Running, Alaia caught a young man by himself and walked to him slowly as he unstrapped his boots to his snowboard. “Excuse me?” Turning around, the twenty-something-year-old man looked her over and smirked confidently, “Hey baby, what can I help you with?”

Alaia exhaled, “Oh nothing much.” And in two steps, she had him caged against a tree. “Wh-.” Alaia pushed the man’s head to the side roughly baring his neck and bit down mid protest. Stopping dead, eyes glazing over, the man’s body went limp as his mind spaced on what was happening to him.

His blood was warm, and Alaia had difficulty stopping. But she did and when she looked into his dazed eyes she saw his neck heal and told him, “You won’t remember any of this or me,” repeating the words back to her, in seconds he blinked and then looked around confused.

Shrugging he went back to what he was doing like nothing happened. Alaia panted feeling better with the blood in her system. Being so close to Jasper last night in bed had been not only exhilarating but appetite wetting. She’d been hungry for his blood and other things as his warmth seeped into her bones.

His smell wrapping around her like a blanket. It had been utter madness and torture but the best night of her life. She couldn’t wait until tonight, where she’d feel it again and rushed to be back at his side.