Chapter 2: An Uninvited Guest

Jasper turned towards the steadily opening door and held his breath. Still despite the bile that had slowly begun to burn the back of his throat for the first in a long time his thoughts were clear in his mind. Perhaps it was because the unknown was finally about to become known to him. There would be no more nights lying awake and fearing what the future would hold for him or if he did in fact have a future. His entire life had been building to this one moment.

Jasper's hands were becoming moist despite the chill air around him and he attempted pointlessly to wipe them off on his already wet pants.

There was a loud echoing thud that carried through the empty house as the door opened against the wall. This was it.

The open door blocked his view of the doorway.

"Hello?" a voice called out to the house. See, it was the natural thing to do in that situation.

Jasper's heart suddenly sunk and he took an unsteady step backwards away from the door. The voice had not been the sweet, gentle sound he had hoped would grace his ears. The voice that had called out was male.

The voice had still been a delight to hear, Jasper found surprising despite his growing disappointment. It flowed deep and smooth as though made of fine velvet and it warmed him from the inside out.

But the voice had also sounded strong and suddenly Jasper felt the urge to see the face behind it.

The boy's shadow was cast long and thin inside the house by the light of the moon. When there was no response to his call the boy hunched over, panting heavily.

Jasper wondered as he listened to the heavy breathing from the door who it was that had arrived. The way he saw it there were two possibilities.

One; that he was simply lost and had stumbled upon the house by accident, a complete coincidence that it happened on such an important night.

Second; that Jasper was not the only one there to meet their other half. Did that mean that two girls were still to come and then what? Would the girls have to choose or was there to be only one partener meaning he would have to compete to be chosen over this new arrival?

That wouldn't be so bad, he thought optimistically, after all he was reasonably popular with the girls back at his school.

The boy stepped out from behind the door and Jasper's heart sunk into his stomach.

The boy looked slightly older than him and his soft but chiselled features made him a delight to the eye. Jasper wasn't sure why or what had happened but he was not wearing a shirt or shoes and his black pants had been badly torn. Seeing the other boy's clothes in a state worse than his own Jasper should have felt relived but it only made him all the more self-conscience.

It worked in the boy's favour.

Each perfect line of his body seemed hand crafted to the stunning standard of a god's. Must be soccer or Le-cross or something like that, Jasper though as he was lean and tall not wide.

The boy turned towards him his ice-blue eyes caught the light from the moon making them shine as crystal pearls.

Jasper's heart stopped. If it was a competition between the two there was no way he was going to win against what might as well have been a male model. The only solace he took was that the other boy was as dirt ridden as Jasper himself, his long black hair falling wet across his face.

Or did that only make him look hot and dangerous?

"Hi" the boy said uncertainly. Jasper swallowed at hearing that soft flowing voice again.

"Hello" He replied shakily. The boy took a few careful steps towards him, brushing his hair back from his eyes.

Jasper struggled to hold his ground. The boy held such an overpowering presence over him.

"Do you...Where am I exactly?" the boy asked looking around, somewhat embarrassed. So maybe he was lost and this was all just a coincidence.

Jasper frowned. "You don't know?" he asked raising an eyebrow. The boy slowly shook his head making his long black hair swing behind his back. Jasper was right, it was wet. But it wasn't raining.

"I just came here" he said shrugging. He didn't seem particularly concerned that he had no idea where he was.

"I think we're about 10Km from a town called Rune. I can't be sure though"

"Rune? Never heard of it"

"It's pretty out of the way" Jasper said wondering how far this boy had actually come. Jasper shook his head. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"Oh, course" the boy took another step forward and Jasper was now fully intimidated by his height.

"Jace Goodwin" he said without offering his hand. Then he too frowned. "I'll take it by that question you weren't the one that sent for me" he sighed looking a bit disappointed. "I am here to meet my soul mate, but if you are the only one here... What time is it?" Jace asked the now crushed Jasper.

"Just after midnight" he replied solemnly looking down at the floor.

It was too late, on one else was coming. That meant he wouldn't meet his other half tonight and that meant he would die on his sixteenth birthday, which was in two weeks!

"So, I'm too late? I missed it? But, is that even possible?" Jace echoed Jasper's thoughts perfectly.

"Forget it" Jasper said suddenly. "It is too late. Stay if you want, I'm leaving" he weaved his way around Jace and headed towards the door.

It felt wrong to leave, his every instinct telling him to stay but he couldn't. He just wanted to go home and enjoy the two weeks he had left to live, if that.

Jace watched him go, he had the same shocked and confused expression on his face that Jasper did only minus the depression.

Jasper was two steps away from walking out the door, the moon light turning his dark green eyes to silver.

He took a step.

The door slammed shut nearly taking him out with the force of it, only missing his nose by a hairs breadth.

"I do hope you're not leaving so soon. After all, the fun hasn't even started yet"