After I was changed, Jasper introduced me to my new life. I had become an immortal soldier acting in the service of Maria Vasquez, the unquestioned conquerer of Monterrey, Mexico. For the first several weeks, I was under Jasper’s tutelage and became his shadow. He taught me how to hunt, how to fight. He showed me his scars and told stories of others, newborns who had refused to fight, and what had happened to them. I took to the new training well, lessons growing crowded as more newborns joined us. Jasper moved like a bolt of lightening, dangerous and clearly skilled, his scarred body earning instant respect if not obedience.
One day, about five weeks into my training, I remember Jasper ordering everyone to fall back, to run for the trees or the compound. The order had come out of nowhere, his voice a high-pitched warning that gave way to snarls. Why should we run? As the thought crossed my mind, the field around me emptied, sparring teams running side by side. A loud roar, a woosh of air as someone ran past me, and a cry of pain brought me from my stupor. Jasper crouched in front of me, an unbroken growl of warning sliding from between his clenched teeth. Before him knelt two of the newborns, both crouched as if to spring, both snarling. “Peter,” his voice was a whisper. “When I jump at them, you run.” “Yes, sir,” I responded dumbly.
As Jasper flew forward, I bolted for the nearest tree, scrambling up it. Only when I heard no pursuit, when I realized all the combat was below me, did I stop to watch. Jasper’s every move was graceful, deadly, flowing smoothly from attack to defense to attack. I heard him cry out as their fangs sank into him. Stupidly, I jumped back to the ground, landing behind the trio. The newborns moved immediately; I felt teeth in my neck and knew I had just earned my first scars. Jasper let out a snarl as he pulled them off me. The battle was fierce, but ended quickly. My neck was blazing, veins searing as the venom closed the wounds. “Come here.” As he issued the command, Jasper grabbed me, pulling my head closer as he knelt beside me. His breath was hot on my neck as his tongue ran smoothly over the fresh bites. Instantly, the pain lessened.
As soon as he knew I wouldn’t pull away, Jasper released me, continuing his ministrations with quiet focus. First one side, then the other, he moved between the two like a lion washing its cub. I believe I moaned in relief at one point. By the end, I felt a low rumble in my chest and Jasper smiled. “You’re purring.” He’d explained much earlier, when teaching me of the strange non-verbal communication they used, that a purr was the most difficult sound to make for most vampires. It was a sound of contentement, of being at peace. Like with all the other snarls and growls we could make, like every other aspect of this complex and wordless language, they could not be faked. One could only purr when one was truly at peace, happy, centered. We exchanged a smile.
Before anything else could be said, a new scent caught my attention. Familiar and unfamiliar, I could not truly put a name with this scent. Jasper knelt, head bowed, neck bared, a purr rumbling in his own chest. Rather than ask questions, I followed my commander’s lead, kneeling to his right. “Jasper.” The voice was feminine, strong and confident, with the slightest Spanish accent. “What has happened here?”
“Nothing we couldn’t handle, Maria. Two of the newborns thought to challenge me personally,” Jasper’s response was prompt. I stiffened. Maria. This was the leader, the commander. I kept my gaze locked to the ground.
“You required assistance?” They spoke as if I wasn’t there, though Maria’s tone was clearly questioning my presence. She spoke with doubt, as if concerned that Jasper had needed help in the battle.
“I did not expect it, ma’am. Peter came to my aid all on his own.” I heard the shift of her weight as she approached me, felt her hand rest on my hair. “Rise, soldier.” Her hand moved. Getting to my feet, I got my first real look at Maria Vasquez. Her dark hair hung to her shoulders, red eyes examining me quietly, her alabaster hand now resting on Jasper’s still bowed head, stroking his hair. He shivered under her touch, his purr growing louder. I felt Maria’s gaze flick over my newly acquired scars. She glanced at me less than five seconds. “Jasper, see to it Peter is placed in charge of the newborns. I do not want any more trouble like we had today. Is that understood?” “As you wish, Maria.” With that, she vanished as quickly as she had come.
I had been promoted.
