DESTINED, jasper hale [book 01] ✓

x. the end of the war

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𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃

❀ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳

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𝐤𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞

     THE DAY KAYA RECEIVES the letter that Jaida has passed away is the day her whole world crashes and burns around her, and all she can do is watch. Kaya and Jasper have stayed in contact with their vampire grandmother over the years after their meeting, and they told Kaya's story — their story — to their children to make sure they knew the vampire Jasper and vampire Kaya would always be welcome under their roof. It is late 1937, almost 1938, when Kaya receives the letter, and it's only the beginning of the destruction of her world.

     Jasper instantly knows what's wrong when he feels nothing coming from Kaya; no sadness, no grief, just numbness. "Kaya, I'm so sorry."

     Kaya merely shakes her head. "Jaida lived a happy life, and I got to see her one last time before she died. I got to see my grandchildren — our grandchildren, Jasper."

     "I'm not..."

     "Do you know what his full name is?"

     "No."

     "Jasper Whitlock Masters the First. His son is Jasper Whitlock Masters the Second, and that name will continue throughout history because our story will live on, and I will make sure they know that it is the truth — that we do exist."

     At the mention of his name being given to her grandchildren, the honey blond completely shatters in front of Kaya. He falls to his knees and she cradles his head in her lap, running her fingers through his curly hair and humming an old lullaby she used to sing to Jaida. A second voice harmonises with Kaya's in the hymn, and she looks over to see Maria sit beside them, her hand resting on Jasper's shoulder. At her appearance, Kaya can't help but share Jasper's ability to get a feel of Maria's emotions.

     Fear and distrust.

     Earlier this year, Jasper allowed Peter and a newborn named Charlotte to escape; to flee this wretched coven and find solace somewhere up north. That is why Maria is feeling these emotions, and it's also why Kaya knows that she is going to attempt to turn her newborns against him. By the look in Jasper's eyes, and the fear and awareness floating around him, Kaya knows that his mind has already made those links, and, despite his reluctance to do anything to the woman who made him, he already knows that he is going to be able to get to them first and turn them against her.

     By the beginning of next year, this coven is going to be ripped apart by a central figure, and Kaya will be forced to watch as he leaves to go be with Peter and Charlotte in the north. It is then that the people with red eyes and powdery skin and black cloaks will come for Kaya because news of her ability will have spread further than America — all the way to Europe and Australasia. Her ability is singular, and she has discovered that she can take physical attributes from anything, not just abilities from vampires.

     That has allowed Kaya to know how a child will be born from her own body despite its frozen state.

     Hours later, after Jasper has been calmed and fed, they sit outside the mansion they are currently living in. Jasper has been debating on cutting his hair short once again now that the time for men with long hair has passed earlier, and Kaya surprises him by pulling out a pair of barber scissors, brandishing them like a deadly weapon whilst giving him an evil grin. All the honey blond does is smile and turn his back to her, allowing me to have complete control on how short his hair is going to be.

     Pausing for a second, Kaya envisions the hairstyle that would best suit him and instantly begin severing his hair from his head. She speeds around him at vampire speed, stopping every few seconds to lightly stab his hand if it wanders around her body. He's been extremely touchy since he broke down earlier, and it's not that Kaya minds exactly, but she is currently cutting his hair, and she really doesn't want to ruin it.

     She cuts the final strand and grins before running into the mansion to grab a mirror. Skidding to a stop in front of him, Kaya holds the reflective surface up and allows him to finally see himself. He has never seen himself in a mirror because he doesn't want to see the monster that he has become reflected back at him, but this is an instance where he deserves to see that he is beautiful and is not the monster he has been forced to become in order to survive being in this coven.

     Jasper's ruby red eyes widen in disbelief, and his hand slowly reaches up to brush through his short hair. "This is beautiful, darlin'. Thank you."

     Kaya gives him a devilish grin. "What are best friends for, Jazz?"

     At those words, his face falls. "Friends? Is that what we are?"

     "What else could we possibly be?" Kaya lowers the mirror and places it on the ground, the scissors on top of it. "We're not together. We're just each other's stress relievers, and that's not a relationship. It's fornication, and it's an unhealthy habit to get into."

     "Miss Kaya Salvatore, I am head over heels for you, darlin', and that's not going to change."

     "Major Jasper Whitlock, I feel the same about you."

     "What's wrong?"

     "I've seen the future, Jazz. Nothing comes of this. I am sorry." Without waiting for a reply, Kaya picks up the mirror and the scissors and runs into the mansion. She misses the look of misery on Jasper's face, but she can still feel his emotions battering against her body. "I am so very sorry, my love."

     The mansion they are living in is not paid for — nor will it ever be paid for. Having a vampire with the ability to compel is extraordinary, and has allowed Kaya to steal his ability for the rest of time. That is something else — if she takes all of an individual's ability or attribute and not return it, she is able to retain that ability or attribute without losing her own siphoning ability.