Jasper
Her smell was intoxicating. Her blood called to me in a way I'd never experienced before.
And I'd certainly been alive long enough to have experienced the multitude of emotions humans could evoke in me.
At least I'd thought so.
But that was all before her.
Before Lily.
She was truly the most exquisite creature I'd seen in my long life.
Her hair was as dark as coal and fell in light waves to the center of her back, a few strands framing her lightly tanned skin and drawing one's attention to her bright green eyes. Her lips were full and red, matching the flush that so often covered her cheeks.
I had found her a month ago. She had been backpacking her way around America it seemed, catching buses to take her wherever she wanted to go. I had no idea if she had any family - though I knew she had a best friend that she called on the phone quite often.
I had told myself multiple times to let it go. To stop following her, but for some reason I couldn't. There was something in me that felt drawn to her - like magnets or the planets orbiting the sun.
I knew that I either needed to leave or I needed to introduce myself. All of this was starting to feel rather...stalker-like, and I was certainly no stalker.
So why have you been following her for a month? asked my traitorous mind.
I shoved the thoughts away and watched as Lily attempted to start a fire. She was camping in the woods, seemingly content to sleep in a tent instead of renting a hotel room.
Though did she even have money for a hotel room? She obviously wasn't working if she'd been traveling for at least a month that I knew of.
"Damn it." she cursed, kicking the pile of twigs she'd gathered as she chucked a lighter away from her.
I watched in amusement as she continued talking to herself.
"Great job, Lily. Spectacular really. Camp out in the woods with no lighter in fucking October."
I couldn't feel the cold, but of course she would feel the slightly cool fall breeze that blew through the trees.
"Fuck." she muttered, slumping down on the leaf-covered ground.
I suppose this is as good a time as any.
I walked out from where I had been, approaching her slowly but loud enough that she would hear me.
Her head immediately spun around to look at me, and bloody hell she was even more beautiful up close.
"Do you need help?"
Lily simply stared for a moment, her eyes flitting across my features before she slowly stood.
"No...um...no, thank you. I'm okay."
I arched an eyebrow, turning my attention from her to the strewn sticks and twigs to her right.
"It seems you could use a bit of help."
She cleared her throat, fidgeting, and it seemed obvious that she was wary of me. She was a woman, after all, and I was a man approaching her in the woods at sunset.
"Do you have a lighter?" she asked, glaring in the direction of where she'd thrown hers, "I realized a little too late that mine was empty."
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a lighter, tossing it to her in favor of walking any closer. I knew she was nervous, and spooking her was certainly not my plan.
"Thanks." she murmured, catching it before turning to the scattered pile of wood.
I helped her pile it back up, being careful to keep as much distance from her as I could. Her scent was unlike anything I'd ever smelled - slightly sweet but mostly earthy.
Captivating.
"I'm Lily." she said after she had managed to get the fire going.
"Jasper." I answered easily, "Lily is a beautiful name."
I could see the blush tinting her cheeks as she gave me a soft smile of thanks.
"So what are you doing out here?" I asked, taking the time she wasn't looking at me to trail my eyes over her.
She laughed, the sound tugging at the corner of my mouth as she said, "Honestly? I have no idea."
Well that wasn't what I expected.
"I've spent the past two months staying in shitty hotels and figured that even this had to be better. Plus it's free." The last part she added with a slight chuckle, shaking her head at herself.
"Two months? Doing what?"
"Are we playing 20 questions?" she suddenly asked, and I thought I may have overstepped considering she'd known me for roughly 15 minutes at this point, but she simply continued, the same soft smile on her face, "Because I think it's my turn to ask."
I smirked, nodding my head for her to ask away.
"What are you doing out here?"
"Taking a walk." I lied easily, "I don't live far from here."
She seemed to believe me, or if she didn't she didn't comment on it, "Well I'm lucky you were, otherwise I would've had one shitty night."
She pulled a cooler over to her, pulling out a beer before glancing at me, "Do you want one?"
I had no need for human food or drink, but it seemed like a bit of a peace offering, so I took it, popping the cap off with ease.
"Whoah there, Hercules." she laughed, using a bottle opener for her own beer, "Do you live in the gym?"
Fuck.
I hadn't had to hide much of my more...inhuman talents in quite some time. A younger version of myself would be screaming at me for forgetting myself.
Lily just made me feel comfortable.
"Was that your second question?" I asked with a smirk.
She laughed but shook her head, "No, I can answer that myself just by looking at you."
Was she flirting with me?
I smirked, tilting my head to the side slightly, waiting for her real question.
"Why do you seem so familiar?" she asked, her eyes holding mine.
Why indeed?
Lily
I had no idea why this stranger - Jasper - seemed so damn familiar. I was certain I'd never met him before, because a face like that was impossible to forget.
His hair was a light blonde that hung in his eyes - startlingly crimson-colored eyes. Although maybe that was just the fact that it was pretty dark already. I'd never seen anyone with eyes the color of rubies...
His jaw was strong, cheekbones sharp, and lips plump and so kissable. He was obviously strong, his toned muscles shifting in his arm and shoulder as he lifted the beer to his lips.
Was I drooling? It wouldn't have been surprising. He was flawless.
It was impossible not to feel very, very plain sitting next to him. I mean he was...wow.
"Why do you think that is?" he challenged, eyebrow raised and a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
I shrugged, looking away from him to stare into the fire, "Do you feel it too?"
I felt him shift and before I knew it he was pushing my hair behind my ear. The touch, brief as it was against my neck, sent sparks racing across my skin.
"I do." he murmured, sliding his fingers under my chin to turn my face too look at him, "You're a very beautiful woman, Lily."
I knew that my cheeks had to have been red at his compliment, but I forced myself to keep eye contact with him.
"Coming from an adonis, that's a pretty hefty compliment."
He smirked, tilting his head to the side a bit as he said, "An adonis? Now who's giving hefty compliments?"
The air between us seemed electrified, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was going to kiss me. Our faces were inches apart, and although I certainly wasn't the type of girl to kiss strangers, a part of me felt like he really wasn't a stranger at all.
"If you don't want me to kiss you, you should say so now." he murmured, his eyes focused on my lips.
I said nothing, already imagining his lips on mine. Somehow nothing had ever felt more right. I wanted him to kiss me. Desperately.
The slightest of smirks crossed his mouth before he slid his hand into my hair, lightly tugging me forward to press his lips against mine.
Electric.
That was the only way to explain the feeling. It was as if every nerve ending in my body was lit up and reaching out to him.
His lips were soft, and as his tongue slid against mine I felt like I might combust. I couldn't help my soft moan, and at the sound his hand in my hair tightened.
Without giving it much thought, I swung my leg over his, straddling him without breaking the kiss and tangling my hands into his hair to deepen it.
The growl that rumbled through his chest at the motion had my stomach clenching and wow had I ever wanted anyone this badly?
He pulled away from my lips to press heated kisses along my neck as both of his hands slid to my hips to pull me more firmly against him - him and the very noticeable bulge in his pants.
"You're exquisite." he murmured against my neck, continuing to place heated kisses to my neck and shoulder.
The slightly rough bite he pressed to my neck made my hips buck against his and a moan to escape my already parted lips. I couldn't stop myself from digging my fingers into his hair.
His chest was rumbling and fuck it all but it just made my nipples harder.
How could he - this stranger be making me feel so...so...
God, there weren't even words.
Jasper's hands on my waist tightened before he slid them to my ass.
"Is this okay?" he asked, voice deliciously rough.
"Yes," I said, gasping as he pulled me against himself in a hypnotizing rhythm, "God yes."
I couldn't keep my hands from wandering, traveling over his defined muscles until I couldn't stop myself from sliding them under his shirt. I could feel his muscles tense under my fingers and I couldn't help but ask him the same question he'd asked me a few moments ago.
"Is this okay?"
The smirk that graced his face was sinful, "It's more than okay, Lily."
When had my name ever sounded so good?
With a smirk of my own I pushed the shirt up, up, up -
And then it was tossed behind me as he pulled me back into a kiss and my fingers dug in to the newly exposed skin.
One thing struck me above everything else, though.
His skin was so cold.
Before I could focus on that thought it was gone - gone like the shirt I'd previously been wearing.
"I thought it was only fair." he murmured, sliding one hand into my hair to pull my lips back to his.
As his tongue dueled against mine his hands undid the clasp of my bra, effortlessly dropping it to the ground before his hands covered my breasts.
"Jasper," I moaned, arching my back so that my breasts were pressed more firmly in his palms.
He groaned, lightly biting my neck as he began toying with my nipples, "I love the way my name sounds falling from your beautiful lips."
"Please touch me, Jasper."
Jasper
