Blood Mates

Decision Made

Jasper looked up when Haven came in with another plate of food. But like breakfast and lunch he wouldn’t touch it. “Come on Jasper you have to eat.” She pleaded to him softly. Jasper smirked, “I might be a human but I’m not an idiot.”

Haven watched as he bitterly spotted the one-way mirror, “They don’t trust me not to spill the red beans and poisoning is not how I’m going out.” Haven was sad to hear how upset Jasper was, and how much he believed that they’d hurt him , “I’m sorry you’re going through this Jasper. But we’re not trying to kill you.”

 Biting everything on the plate, Haven showed him her empty mouth, “See? Eat. Please.” When she left him alone in the cage, Jasper did eat as she stood on the other side of the glass.

Jasper watched her as he ate the spaghetti thoughtfully. As he chewed, he realized it had been Alaia to cook for him. And while it touched his heart, his stomach hardened like a boulder and he lost his appetite.

Throwing the fork on the plate and pushing it away, Jasper sat back on his cot. Facing Haven, he looked her over sitting in a chair idly, “How old are you?” He asked her curiously. Haven smiled mischievously, “How old do you think I am?”

Jasper couldn’t help but to smile at the cute brunette’s silliness. “That’s a trick.” Haven shrugged but then taunted, “Guess.” Jasper hummed, “Eighteen.” Haven laughed, “Twenty-four.”

Jasper whistled, “Wow.” Haven grimaced as she quickly told him, “It’s not…it’s not because I’m a vampire either.” Jasper was surprised at her assumption of his thoughts.

Which she wasn’t wrong since he had assumed that, and watched as she almost whimsically admitted, “Even when I was human, I looked younger in the face. People didn’t believe me when I said I was twenty-one. I was carded constantly.”

Relaxing, Jasper told her, “Good genes I bet your momma was gorgeous. Got mistaken for your sister all the time.” Looking at her as she smiled sadly now, Haven whispered brokenly, “She did.”

Instead of prying into something that seemed personal he instead carefully asked, “How long you been a vampire?” Haven hummed in thought before replying, “Three years.”

Three years? Jasper couldn’t see how it was hard for her to remember that. But out of blatant curiosity asked, “Regret it?” Haven shook her head honestly, “I didn’t have a choice in turning. But no, even if I had, Loren is who I always wanted.”

Haven watched Jasper’s eyes as they seemed to drift in thought. And in seeing the way his hands shook, his heart pounded with uncertainty she knew where his mind had strayed.

Unsure if he wanted to hear it yet, Haven softly whispered, “I know your feelings for Alaia are everywhere right now, but she does-.” Letting out a shuddering sigh, Jasper stuttered, “No, I-.”

 Breathing out uneasy as he looked at the mirror again, he glanced away. “I can’t think about her, and all of that right now. Not right now with my brain already on overload.”

Haven didn’t say another word on it. As she looked over at the glass of the one-way mirror, she knew Alaia was watching. All of them were.

In the room right next to the cage, all of them sat or stood listening. Alaia sat in a chair, wearing Jasper’s hoodie feeling defeated. Eric closed his eyes in pain as he softly asked, “What would you like for me to do?”

Alaia stared ahead blankly as she whispered, “We leave. Let him go.” Eric stared at his daughter for a moment but couldn’t say a word to her. Standing like a zombie, Alaia walked away, her entire body protesting in pain as her soul ripped in half again.