To Love and To Be Loved (A Jasper Hale/ Whitlock Love Story)

Living

"No," she shook her head and dropped my arm. "They left."

"Left?"

"Some went East. Some went West. All crossed the oceans and the seas."

"So they're on other continents?"

She nodded.

"Many covens still have their mutants. Many covens in specific areas."

"What continents are they in?"

"Zabia!" her mate called.

"Must go," she insisted, and before I could ask her to wait, she was off.

I shared a look with Jasper.

"Well, at least we know they're not in Africa," he tried, and I let out a chuckle, kissing his lips lightly, making him smirk.

"Always the optimist," I murmured, and he chuckled, pulling me to him by my waist.

"Something the woman I love taught me," he murmured, and I smiled lightly, letting my arms wrap around his neck as I pulled him closer, standing on my toes. And we kissed.

Going to India, we knew already what it was we wanted to try.

One of the first things we did when we got there was get ourselves appropriate clothing. Because how can you go through India and see all its beauty without joining in? I got myself a beautiful traditional sari or two, and he got himself a few kurtas.

And then, of course, with all of the amazing architecture, you couldn't forget to do plenty of yoga. It was so much fun to try such things with Jasper.

It seemed like we were constantly laughing and smiling and just being together. Even when I heard how much Ness was growing, and how quickly it was all happening, we didn't let our worry and disappointment reign. We'd be home soon, and for now, we were onto something regarding this whole 'hybrid' thing. We were searching for any hints of hybrids everywhere we went. But still, we found nothing in India.

So then it was off to Russia-the ballet capital, really. And we went to the Vaganova Academy, to look in on some of the classes.

"Are you parents hoping to send your children here in future?" the woman asked, and I shook my head.

"No," I admitted. "I have a fascination with the technique."

"Ah, and you have training?" she asked. "Are you a member of company? Royal Opera House, perhaps?"

"No," I denied. "I'm not a member of any company, though I wish I could say I was."

"You walk like dancer, and you have personality of dancer, you are bubbly, graceful!"

"Oh-thank you-"

"Your husband looks like perfect dance partner for you, you must be dancers!" she insisted. I was about to correct her, to tell her we weren't husband and wife, but I could see the pride in Jasper's eyes at that, and she just kept continuing.

It made me grin, to see him so happy at being identified as my husband.

We continued through China, and still... Nothing on the hybrids. So then we went to Japan, and-a week earlier than anticipated, we left. We got tickets to go back to Washington, so we could go home for a few days and see Renesme and the others.

We had a few things to tell them about me, as well.

About something that we were not too sure what to make of. Something that began in India and only became more and more prominent with each passing day.