Disclaimer: Blaise, Thierry, Hannah, Jasper Rasmussen and his wife Madder, as well as the
Night World, are the brilliant creations of Lisa Jane Smith. I am only using
them to enhance my story-- I claim no rights.
The door of the Harman store opened. Blaise was standing at the counter, her back to the door, looking in a mirror as she brushed her long black hair. She turned, a cold smile ready on her face.
"Hello, may I help y--" She stopped dead when she saw who it was, then hurried around the counter and welcomed the customer. "Thierry!" Blaise exclaimed, giving hum a warm hug. He hugged her in return and tousled her hair. Blaise's eyes narrowed.
"Thierry, did you find...her?"
Thierry smiled. "Yes, I did." His white-blond hair fell neatly over his forehead. He was dressed in a dark suit, and his eyes were no longer sad. "I have a friend I want you to meet." Thierry said. "That's why I'm here." The guy beside Thierry chuckled and stepped forward.
"Thierry, you scum. At least tell her I'm human." He laughed.
Thierry grinned. "Blaise, this is Jesse Forrester. He's human, but one of Hannah's best friends, and when we told him about you he said he had to meet you." Thierry turned and started up the stairs. "I'm going to go talk to Tobias."
Blaise smiled-- she had changed in Thea's absence. The guy stepped forward again.
"Hi, Blaise." He gave her a friendly smile and extended a hand as she studied him for a second. "I'm Jesse." He was extremely good-looking; almost inordinately beautiful; tall and well-built. Self confidence radiated out of his dark blue eyes. His thick black hair shone in the sunlight streaming in.
Blaise took his hand in hers. "Hi." Except it didn't happen quite that way. As she extended her hand and his fingers touched hers, clasping her hand, a bolt of white lightning hit her, and something happened that was completely beyond her experience. Her mind exploded. A noiseless, heatless explosion that shattered her completely. She was floating in a white light and he was the only other person there. As she pitched forward, he caught her and she tumbled into his arms. He was the only steady thing to hold onto. As she fell forward and he pulled her to him, she caught the look in his eyes-- one of complete shock.
As he released her hand and put his arms around her, pulling her tightly to his chest, Blaise could think again. He was holding her, his eyes less than an inch away from her face, staring straight into her soul. What she saw in those eyes totally stunned her. Love. Unwithheld, fierce love.
She was almost in his lap, and he was sitting in the floor. Still staring into her eyes. "Blaise..." He whispered. That was a mistake. Their lips touched, and she leaned in closer. The touch turned into a kiss that lasted an eternity. When they parted, Blaise sat back, shaking her long black hair behind her. "It's all true..." She whispered.
"Yes, it's all true." Thierry said from the doorway. Blaise looked up, startled. Then, never one to faint, she slid into a heap on the floor as Thierry and Jesse looked on.
When Blaise awoke she was lying on her bed in her room above the shop, Hannah Snow at her side, holding her hand. Thierry spoke from the doorway.
"I locked the shop," He said. Blaise sat up and looked around. Jesse was sitting on a chair in a darkened corner, trembling, his head in his hands, noticing nothing. Blaise understood.
She stood, walked across the room, and knelt at his side, placing a hand on his knee. He looked up, his defenses down, his dark blue eyes so lonely and sad that it threatened to tear Blaise's heart in halves. "It can never happen, you won't let it.." He said softly. Blaise slid an arm around him and held him gently. Jesse buried his face in her hair.
"I've never felt this way before, about anyone," She said softly. Thierry and Hannah were gone. Blaise added two words. "We're soulmates." He looked down at her with those sad blue eyes.
"But it can never be! They'd kill both of us..." He sighed. Blaise shook her head. Then she looked up, startled.
"You're not human." She said. He dropped his head.
"No, I'm not." He replied. "I'm a vampire." She stared.
"Why did you and Thierry lie to me?" She said softly, brushing black hair away from his forehead. Jesse sighed.
"I don't know." He said. "My real name is Jesse Rasmussen." She froze, startled.
"James..." She said softly. Jesse nodded.
"James doesn't know about me. Our parents threw me into a foster home when I was born-- they didn't want anyone knowing about me because James' mother, Maddy, is not my mother. They thought I would disgrace the family." He smiled faintly. Blaise sighed.
"Oh, Jesse..." She trailed off. "I'm so sorry..." He held her tighter.
"It doesn't matter. But what does matter is what will be thought of me when people discover who I am. I'll probably be an outcast. We won't be able to be together."
Blaise looked up at him. Her neck was itching; she brushed away the hair that rested on her creamy skin, and a look came into his eyes. A hungry look. Then he repressed it. Blaise pressed a hand to the back of his neck and guided his mouth to her throat. He shook his head vehemently.
"I won't do it." He whispered. "No."
Blaise only pushed his lips closer to her skin. "I want to know what it feels like.." She whispered. He kissed her neck. She tilted her head back as vampire teeth, extended to an impossible delicacy and sharpness, pierced her flesh. She waited for the pain to start, but it never did. She felt only sleepy and languid. And suddenly, she could feel his mind. Only him. No one else existed. They were together in a way no one could ever imagine.
The only thing she sensed was Jesse's mouth nuzzling her neck-- and his mind. Their thoughts passed back and forth to each other like they were on a wafting breeze. Blaise did not need to speak aloud.
Is it always like this?
This has never happened to me before, Jesse said. I love you, Blaise.
Then he pulled back. "I can't take that much. It will make you weak." Blaise nodded and buried her face into his chest.
"Thank you." She whispered, then looked up in horror as the door flew open.
There stood Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen. Jesse sat up, holding Blaise's hand, asMadder spoke. "It never should have gotten this far. You are a danger to us, Jesse." She said. Jasper Rasmussen nodded slightly. "I'm afraid we can't let this go on."
Jesse stood. "Blaise is my soulmate." He said. "I am leaving here with her."
Jasper chuckled and took Jesse by the forearm. "I don't think so, son." He pulled with surprising strength, yanking Jesse away from Blaise. Madder slammed the girl with a telepathic wall that left Blaise senseless, standing there, frozen, and able to only look on in horror. Mr. Rasmussen pulled a black stake from inside his jacket. "We end this. And we end it now." He slashed downward with the stake. Jesse dodged him-- and landed at Thierry's feet.
"Madder, you and your husband will leave now. You will never try to hurt Jesse or Blaise again, and will recognize him as your son, or so help me Goddess, I'll have you exiled." Madder straightened and released the bond on Blaise. Blaise fell into Hannah's arms. Jasper slowly straightened up. The stake clattered to the floor. He and Madder, obviously in trances, walked from the room.
Jesse stood and took Blaise into his arms. "It's all right." He whispered as she buried her face in his chest. He gave Thierry a look of infinite gratefulness. "Everything is going to be all right." P>
