Blood, Fire and Vampire Slayers: Jasper Hale love story Book #2

12: Vampire Blood

"We're on the road... Jasper asked me to let you know."

Astrid read Klaus's message and her heart sank. Jasper couldn't tell her himself? She had noticed Klaus prompting him to speak that afternoon and surmised that he was the one who said that she needed to be told about their trip. Jasper would have probably gone without a word to her. It hurt that he could do that.

Ping! Another message from Klaus. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Astrid typed. "Are you guys getting along?"

"We haven't tried to kill each other yet," said Klaus, adding a laughing emoji. "Try not to stay up all night worrying about us, okay."

"I will do my best," said Astrid. They said goodnight and Klaus smiled at his screen before he went offline.

"Is she alright?" Jasper asked him.

"I think she's worried, but hopefully she'll manage to get some sleep tonight."

"God," Jasper muttered, "I wish she wouldn't stress herself out so much."

"I don't think she enjoys being sleep deprived," said Klaus. "She doesn't try to stress herself out. And you did put some of this anxiety in her head."

"What? I wanted to leave without saying anything to her," Jasper argued.

"Which would have been bad, because when she did find out she would feel as if she is constantly being deceived and lied to."

"So was I supposed to tell her or not?" Jasper asked, frustrated.

"You were supposed to tell her without making her feel responsible for your choices. When you told Astrid where we are going you said 'this is about you,' and you said that this was all for her. Even when Astrid plainly said that she did not want you to put yourself at risk, you forced the responsibility on her. Now, you are upset because she feels guilty, and anxious, and she can't sleep." Jake shifted uncomfortably in the back seat. "You need to recognise that you are putting blame on her for your own decisions, and then punishing her for her negative reactions," said Klaus.

Jasper wanted to say something to nullify Klaus's point, but he remembered saying what he said to Astrid, and he remembered her reaction. She was uncomfortable and frightened for them and he did nothing to reassure her. The car was silent for a long time after that.

*****

It had been too long since Jane contacted Aro. The cellphone she'd nicked was dead. She and Himmler had taken shelter under a bridge with trucks roaring overhead. He was lying with his arm thrown over his eyes.

"Aro can help us get the Unicorn out of here and into Europe with almost no detection," said Jane.

"I have my own ideas," said Himmler, without looking at her. Jane had been trying to persuade him to speak directly with the Volturi's leader.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I am thinking it would be a good thing if you stopped talking. It's hard enough sleeping with the traffic and the smell of human piss down here."

"I can help you come up with a plan," said Jane.

"No," said Himmler. He sat up to look at her. "You want to know what I think, because you sense that I might slip away from you."

"Would it be so wrong of me to want you to stay?" Jane asked. She crawled over and slid her thigh across his lap to straddle him. Himmler remained still even when she kissed him passionately. He grabbed her throat with both hands and pushed her back. Jane's head hit the concrete and he held her there.