Blind Crimson

Ch. 17

Back in Italy, Jasper was making his way to castle Volterra. He felt, lighter; and the strangest thing was that he had no cravings while being surrounded by humans. Sure, vampires crave blood, but Jasper's urges were always bad since switching to his animal diet. Now, being in Italy, he felt like a normal, in control vampire.

In the Castle Felix, Demitri and Laci were sitting in the Library with their queen, listening to her tell stories to Alec, Jane, Lisa, Oliver and Ashton.

"I do enjoy these stories." Demetri said. "We should tell the kings to fill the library with these books so we may read them to our Queen."

"You know Master Aro will be front and center reading it." Felix chuckled. "He enjoys them too much."

Laci was just smiling at them when a strange scent hit her nose.

"Do you smell that?" she whispered, the smell entrancing her for a moment; Sandalwood and honey.

"I do... You don't think its~"

"He's here." Demetri cut Felix off.

Alec, who turned at the commotion, and smirked. He nodded his head towards the door, signaling them they could leave. The trio left, and followed the scent to the thrown room, waiting patiently outside for the king's permission to enter.

"Ah, General Whitlock," Aro greeted gleefully, he had been waiting for the strategist to return. "such a pleasure to see you again. Though, I wish under better circumstances."

Jasper bowed in greeting. "I'm sorry any of this has happened, my kings~"

"You need not apologize, my boy. You are no part on their side. We have been waiting your return for... an exceptionally long time."

Jasper raised his eyebrow at 'we', but shrugged it off, thinking it meant the kings, having not smelt the alluring scents just beyond the closed door.

"You will be very useful with your strategic mind, Whitlock." Caius said gruffly. "With our combined minds, those who threaten us will not stand a chance."

He was not even being cynical about it, well maybe a bit, but Jasper knew he was talking about the threat to their mate.

"Yes, Master Caius."

"Now then, that isn't all why I asked you to come straight here, my boy." Aro chuckled, standing from his throne. "Have you ever felt... drawn to Volterra?"

"Yes?" Jasper asked, hesitantly.

"And every time you've tried, the seer stops you?"

"Yes." He said more firmly.

Aro grinned. "Fantastico... And have you ever smelt a certain scent? One that pulled you too it?"

"Once, a few years ago when we first dealt with the Bella problem. But I never got close enough to the scents to see who, or what, it was. Then a couple months ago, but it went away just as fast again."

"Then I think its time you found out, General. Come in." he called out.

Jasper turned around as the door opened, and if his heart were still beating it would have stopped. In came three of the guard, two he remembered as Felix and Demetri, but the other he didn't recognize, but she was mesmerizing.

"Jasper Whitlock," Demetri said, his usual cocky grin replaced with a rare, soft smile. "you've finally come home."

And if he could breathe, his breath would have been taken away.

(A/N: Bet you didn't see that one coming? -Kai)