Seraph

Pennsylvania 1948

Serafina sat in a dark corner of the smoke-filled club, enjoying the music. She had begun frequenting places like this while traveling with Jasper for the past year—at least once a month. However, Jasper didn't trust himself to enter most places like that since he didn't trust himself not to attack any of the people inside. He would wait in a place where he could enjoy the music while still keeping himself away from people. Then once Serafina had her fill of either music or atmosphere, he'd rejoin her after she left, usually after waiting a bit to see if any would attempt to harass her. It was one of the only ways he would feel comfortable feeding. Serafina had begun using herself as bait, and although she didn't like Jasper "rescuing" her, she still knew he felt better about feeding if he felt they deserved it. It was something she had taught him after noticing his guilt. She knew he still felt it but would at least feed this way.

Serafina remembered how their little partnership started. She still couldn't believe she was traveling with him. Once she learned about his ability and how he knew Maria was never his mate, she felt bad for him, a little guilty. It turned into a bit of a soft spot for him. She wished him well, but even then, she didn't intend to do anything about it. After she had given him a bit of a warning years before, she just left things alone as usual before going off on her own.

It wasn't until the past year, when she ran into him, Peter, and Peter's mate Charlotte, that she allowed him to travel with her for a bit. It's not that she wanted to. But she could see the strain on the couple's relationship from Jasper's presence. She didn't want his friendship to break apart when he was learning to exist without Maria's lies. So, she invited him to join her. He knew she was only being nice again. He would feel annoyance from Charlotte and Peter on occasion; he didn't want to do that to them. He left his friend to save their friendship. He was grateful Serafina was willing to put up with him.

Jasper knew he was a bit of a downer. Although he was free from Maria, that didn't make him happy. Without his work, he was able to think more and that wasn't a good thing. He thought about all the suffering he had caused in the past. Now he didn't have to destroy any more newborns. But he was still killing innocent people when he fed. The emotional toll his feeding took on him caused him to exude guilt and sadness from his pores.

Serafina noticed he'd go longer and longer without feeding. She left it alone, wanting to see how far he would go. He lasted three months. About as long as Serafina was willing to go without feeding. But he wasn't able to withstand it as well as she did. He only got moodier and more aggressive as his instincts began to take over. They were traveling pretty close to a town when he snapped and went straight for an older man just outside town who was leaving flowers in the cemetery. Jasper fed, and once his thirst was sated, it was as though he woke up. The guilt he felt was visible on his face and hunched frame. He could feel Serafina's gaze, so he tried to shrink away.

"We need to talk," she told him as she kept walking, "Come on."

He stood straight and stepped back as Serafina burned the body, removing the evidence. Then saw that she stopped not too far away, so he began to follow with his head hung low, knowing he shouldn't have done what he did. He allowed himself to lose control. He murdered another person. He knew she probably wanted them to part ways from then on. He wouldn't blame her.

"You feel their pain and fear when you feed. So, you tried to go as long as possible without feeding. How did that feel for you? Do you feel better now?" she asked while continuing her walk. Jasper was always a step behind.