"Alice? What do you see?" Jasper asked as he stared at her intently as she was having a vision. The heat of the the new vampire army was growing stronger everyday and they were lucky to have notice if they were going to change actions.

"Lisette..." Alice said and Jasper visibly flinched...well, visible to everyone except Bella. "You knew her in your human life..." Alice said in an even tone.

"H-human life?" Bella stuttered looking bewildered. "She's a vampire, now?" she said as she stared at Edward. He gave a quick nod as he stared at Jasper with a quizzical look in his face. He was reading Jasper's mind.

"She was turned by Maria..." Edward said and Jasper nodded as he thought about her and the day he met her.

FLASHBACK

It was hot June evening when Jasper saw Lisette. He had seen her the day he arrived along with several from his company in the Texas Cavalry, to his Captain's property to rest for a few days before journeying on. Captain Douglas had casually bragged that he had bought her from a New Orleans plantation and that Lisette was wild mix of San Domingo (Haiti) mulatto and African blood. Her rich brown skin, ironically glowed in the dim light of the candles and when he locked eyes with her, he was frozen. Her eyes possessed a frightened reproach of the men, of course, but he couldn't take his eyes off her. Everything about her was alluring and bewitching. Her supple lips looked soft and warm and he desperately wanted to press his own lips against them. Her hair was wrapped, but there were dark tightly wound curls peeking out from underneath the wrap. She looked to be a house slave since her skin looked barely kissed by the sun he had seen in most field slaves.

"Please," Captain Douglas said as he turned to his men. "feel welcome in my home and treat this as if it were your home while I am away for tonight."

"Thank you, Captain." Jasper said with a curt nod and Captain Douglas turned to Lisette.

"Lisette, show these gentleman to their rooms." he said and Lisette gave a slight nod before she led them to their rooms one by one. He could hear her murmuring something to the other men while casting her eyes away from the leering glances coming from them, and he knew he wasn't the only intrigued by her. Jasper was the last room down the hall, so it was just Lisette and him alone in a dim hallway. He took notice of her grace as she walked with an air that would mask her unease.

"You will be here, Michie." she said in a heavy French Creole accent with a strong African lilt. She had spoken a little louder with him than she had the previous men. She opened the door and he walked inside and stood in the doorway. He saw her waiting for a request, and he thought twice about a request for her to stay in his room with him for the night to protect her, but he didn't know why.

"That will be all, Lisette." he said and she gave a slight nod before turning to leave and shutting the door behind her. He stood in the room thinking about how seeing her was the worst thing that could happen to a group of confederate soldiers. Many of them have been away from their wives and children for months, some a year. Though, there were other female slaves in the house (many of whom he didn't notice until the next day), they weren't as intriguing or exotic as Lisette. If he had known what was to take place later that night, he would have wished her to be plain.

END OF FLASHBACK

"She's coming..." Alice said and everyone was guarded.

"When?" Carlise asked and everyone turned to him.

"Now. She's outside..." Alice said and all the vampires, including Jasper, were preparing for a confrontation. Jasper knew Lisette as the quiet and shy slave afraid to look most of the men in the eye except him. But knowing her as a vampire would be different. He saw her wild with blood hunger as a newborn. Edward must have read his mind because he pulled Bella behind him. With Carlise leading, they were outside and there she was in a black mini-dress, leather jacket, and her hair in an afro.

"Lisette." Carlise said and Jasper stepped forward to calm the tension. She turned to Jasper and he regarded her with caution. Her eyes were bright red and her brown skin had the color of dull raw sienna. She looked past Edward and stared at Bella as if she was a snack. Jasper stared at her and she visibly relaxed. "I'm Carlise..."

"I know who you are." Lisette said in a now fainter French Creole accent. "Word travels fast about the infamous Cullens. The ones with the golden eyes because they feed on animal blood. The ones with the human girl." she said as she stared at Bella. "I suggest you store your human somewhere safe while I'm here...I am still hungry and she smells delicious..." she said as she stared at Bella and Edward wrapped a protective arm around her and Lisette smirked at this action.

"Lisette." Carlise said to get her attention away from Bella. "I had no idea our lifestyle was so well-known." he said with a calm and relaxing tone. His mood wasn't the result of Jasper's mood manipulation because he was, naturally, a calm person.

"I came here to warn you all that whoever is behind the new army of vampires is not making it obvious that they are controlling the new vampires."

"Like Maria..." Jasper said and she nodded. "We know who she is. Her name is Victoria."

"Hm...another female vampire controlling an army of vampires. Intriguing."

"Please," Carlise began. "Come inside so we can talk. We need all the help we can get with this new army of vampires and since you were turned around the same time as Jasper..."

"I might be of some use to you." she said finishing his sentence and Carlise nodded "Alright...I will help." she said a she followed them inside and Edward whisked Bella further away from Lisette.

Jasper was trying to calm Alice the most because she was becoming increasingly territorial over him and protective of Bella. He knew she was confusing his human connection to Lisette with a new vampire connection, but he knew he was bound to Alice for life and he wouldn't want it any other way. Still, the human bond between Lisette and him wasn't dead.

"What brought you here to Forks?" Carlise asked and Lisette sighed.

"I have a bit of an ability. It's something like a strong intuition. I can't see the future like Alice nor can I read minds like Edward. But, I have something telling me to go to this place. Sometimes, I swear it's something close to how I used to feel as a human. But it is far from Jasper's gift of controlling the mood. Nice job of controlling the tension, Jasper." she said as she turned to him with a smile, but turned to Carlise as if she sensed Alice's hostility.

"I smell dog..." Rosalie said with a sneer as she turned to see Jacob standing in the doorway. Lisette grimaced at the wet dog smell coming from Jacob.

"You don't smell so good to me, either." Jacob said as he walked inside. "Is there any word on the new army of you lee...I mean vampires?" he asked and Bella glared at him as if she wanted to hit him. "Don't give me that look, Bella." he said before staring at Lisette. "Great...more of them."

"Don't you have a bone to fetch, dog?" Rosalie said and Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Just keep Bella away from anymore of your kind. Bella...I need to talk to you, alone." he said and she looked at Edward telling him it would be alright. Edward was reluctant, but he let her go.

"So, not only do you guys drink from animals, have a human whatever...you associate with dogs...excuse me werewolves."

"It's a recent thing..." Jasper said with a smirk.

"Nasty habit." Lisette said before turning to Edward. "You're reading my mind, aren't you?"

"I...uh...can't help it..." Edward said as he stared at Jasper with shock. Jasper could sense his unease and he didn't attempt to calm him. Jasper knew he would have to explain that night, but he couldn't do it now. It was the one thing that haunted his human life and there were some residual feels leftover in his new life. "Bella..." he said as he walked to her.

"Lisette, why don't we move this into Carlise's office?" Jasper said moving her further away from Bella. Alice was subtle about her distrust of Lisette, but she was obvious to Jasper. She followed them into Carlise's office. "Edward is very protective of Bella."

"I've noticed." Lisette said with a rueful smile. "He reminds me of someone..." she trailed off as she stared off into the space before she rested her eyes on Jasper. He knew the action was deliberate and he knew Alice wished she knew what she was talking about and he closed his eyes trying to remember the night he met her.

FLASHBACK

It was midnight and Jasper couldn't sleep. Captain Douglas had already departed leaving his home open to the soldiers in his company. Suddenly, he heard a series of screams coming from the slave quarters and hopped out of the bed and ran. He saw them standing outside the slave quarters drunk from whiskey and lust. Once he peaked over the shoulder of one of the men, he saw the horror of them lining up to rape the slave women and holding many of them restraint as they awaited their fate in fear. He was horrified by the barbaric actions to not only the women, but to the hospitality of the Captain. That's when he saw Lisette being restrained by a man over him in rank. She was begging and pleading with him to let her go even crying out a prayer in her Creole French tongue.

"Michie! Please...Please, don't..." she begged but it was no use as the man threw her to the ground and ripped her dressing gown exposing her breasts to the night air. "Please!" she begged again sobbing. He couldn't take it anymore, so he pushed past the men at the door and saw the horror up close. Once he stared at Lisette, her eyes grew wide with a plea residing within them.

"I want her..." he said as he pointed to Lisette causing the man on top of her to halt. He turned to see the younger man and grinned. Lisette looked at him with fear, and he knew she had hoped he would save her. He just said he wanted her to throw the other men off. He couldn't risk his new rank as a major if he went against those over him. Even if this rogue behavior isn't to his liking at all, he suspected the Captain would allow it if he was here or not.

"Do you, now, Jasper?" he said still holding his hands on her breasts and Jasper nodded. She was trembling as she tried to stifle her tears. Other slave women had been struck for crying. "I guess it is time that you savored. What with you're fast movement between the ranks. Have her..." the man said as he crawled off Lisette, snatched her from the floor, and pushed her to Jasper causing her to collide with him. He knew if he didn't react the way he was expected, he wouldn't be able to fool the other men. He sneered at her and pushed her onto the soiled bed. He felt disgusted that the bed was soiled with semen and virginal blood and the slaves were being raped on the same bed of filth.

"Don't move..." he said to her and she stiffened as he straddled her. After undoing his trousers, he pinned her down with the weight of his body. She sobbed violently until he covered her mouth and kissed her neck. He knew he couldn't go through with this, fully, but to fool the other men, he would have to violate her in some way. When his lips were in line with her ear, he whispered, "I won't hurt you. I promise." he said but she kept screaming into his hand. "When I move I want you to scream, okay?" he said and she looked confused for a second before a look of terror grew on her face as he pushed his hips backwards. When he brought his hips forward, she let out a blood-curdling scream as if he was penetrating her. It pained him to have to pretend to rape her. He had to pretend to like it as well, so he let out a series of loud groans and grunts while the other men cheered him on. He knew he didn't want her agony to last long, so he pretended to approach his orgasm. He sped up his motions as she screamed and he let out a strangled cry of pleasure for effect as he collapsed on top of her. He saw her tremble with a look on her face trying to figure out what had just happened.

"I believe I'm next..." said another man, and Jasper halted the man by holding up his hand.

"I want her...alone. I'm not finished with her..." he said and the first man was grinning with delight as Jasper dragged Lisette from the bed and to his room. He closed and locked the door behind him. "Forgive me..." he said as he went to his knees and grabbed her hand. She flinched away from him. "Please, forgive me..." he begged and she slowly relaxed and allowed him to kiss her hand.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Why was I so special?" Lisette finally asked not noticing Bella and Edward had entered the room. "I was a slave just as the other women. My skin was just as dark as theirs...darker than some...lighter than others, but still...dark skinned. Why was I so special?"

"It's not something I'm proud of...sparing you while watching the others getting raped. But I was young...and I cared for you, somehow. You just seemed different. It had a lot to do with your background. I was intrigued...we all were. I didn't know they were going to do that. I didn't know they were going to rape the other slaves. I thought you were in danger, but I never imagined they would actually do it. I was horrified when I saw them."

"But you didn't stop them. After I found out you were going to rape me, I thought you would stop them. You didn't. The other slaves hated me after you all left because I was spared."

"That was in my human life and it was a different time, then. I couldn't go against it...I wasn't even sure why I felt the way I did for you and not for other slaves because...back then...slavery seemed logical. You just seemed different."

"This is redundant. Let's just agree to put that night in the past. We have other things to consider. Like this new army." Lisette said as she turned to Edward, Bella, and Alice. Carlise, Esme, Rosalie, and Emmet all crowded into the office in hopes Lisette wouldn't got after Bella. "This Victoria, how powerful is she?"

"Not as powerful as Maria..." Jasper said and Lisette nodded. "When we met her, she was the mate of another vampire, James." he said cautiously as he saw Edward flinch and Bella's heart was beating faster at the mention of his name.

"I can recall the story." she said before turning towards Edward. "James was after Bella, he took her and you saved him and had to kill him." she said and Edward nodded.

"Now..." Jasper said to Lisette and she turned towards him. "Victoria is coming after Bella as revenge and she's using an army of newborn vampires. As you know, newborn vampires are ruled by blind thirst and will do whatever to get blood."

"It never goes away...that blind thirst..." she said as she glared at Jasper. Edward stared at her reading her mind and Bella was tugging at his sleeve wanting to know what he knew.

"Jasper..." Edward trailed off as he turned to Bella. "was there the night she was turned...by Maria..." Edward said and Bella looked shocked. She turned to see Lisette staring at her and Lisette nodded. She sighed as she stared at Jasper.

FLASHBACK

Jasper was a new vampire, but Maria had been right. He was a great use to her, and he was in charge of training and finding new vampires. One night he had followed Maria to a plantation and spotted Lisette. It had been almost a year and a half since the night he rescued her from being raped only to find out that she had been raped a month after he had left and had gotten pregnant. But, when he saw her he didn't know that Maria has picked up on his connection to her.

"Maria..." he said to her only to discover that she had left his side and had grabbed Lisette and bit into her neck. Jasper winced as he felt her pain and he wanted to stop Maria. The only thing that gave him comfort in her torture was that he would be the one to train her to be a model vampire. He would help her through her cravings. He would train her to be the strongest and the fastest.

When it was over, she lashed out at him, but he was stronger so he restrained her. Her eyes were a vibrant ruby red and she looked as if she could kill a man. She had blamed him for ending her life and turning her into a monster, the wasn't the one that did it to her.

"You ruined me!" she screeched at him. "You ruined me! You ruined me, Michie! I'm ruined."

"You'll forgive me. This will be like that night...you'll forgive me." he said in a soothing tone trying to calm her down. She kept fighting against him trying to break free, but he wouldn't let her go. Once he presented her with her first human kill, she feasted on who later found out to be one of the men that attempted to rape her.

Two years later, Jasper was ordered to kill Lisette because Maria felt she wasn't up to par with the other newborns, and she was already furious that she agreed to let Lisette survive past her first year because Jasper had begged her to spare Lisette. He dreaded the last night he saw Lisette because that was the night he was supposed to kill her. He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill Lisette.

"Lisette..." he said but she put her finger to his lips as they were alone in the forest.

"Maria wants me dead..." she said in a somber tone and Jasper was confused as to how she knew Maria wanted her dead.

"Yes. How did you know?" Jasper asked and Lisette stared into his eyes.

"I have a feeling...at least...I think it's a feeling. It's almost human. I can't explain it. I won't resist you...if you end me. I'll welcome it, I think."

"I can't kill you, Lisette. I don't think I could take it if I killed you." he said as he caressed her face and she sighed. "You are too special to me..."

"Maria will end you if you if you don't obey. Don't be crazy! End this!" she begged. "If you don't end this, I will end you. I know she will come after me if I do that."

"No! Don't go after her. Just go. I'll lead her away from you. Just go far away from here."

"Come with me. I see the way you are when you end the other vampires...you must leave her. She is controlling you and you are too blind to see it! I need you..."

"I've trained you. You can survive without me, but you must leave and never return or I will be faced with the obligation to kill you."

"I know..I know..." she trailed off hating the truth. "I will go north. I will see...my people be free..." she trailed off knowing she couldn't use that word so loosely now that she was part of the vampire race. "and possibly my son. Be careful, Jasper, and don't cross her." Lisette said as she embraced Jasper one last time before she ran.

END OF FLASHBACK

"After that...I was on the run for the next 40 years." Lisette said as she stared at the Cullens. "I went to Canada and saw my son...from afar, of course, but...I found out he had three children with his wife, a former slave, Sally. Then their children had children and so on." she said and she noticed Rosalie giving her a bitter and jealous smile. She could sense Rosalie may have wanted children at some point in her human life. " I'm not sure if I want to help you with this army of newborns, but I will try to find allies for you if I can. I just want to keep to myself and stay out of this. I think one vampire war is enough for me."

"Okay," Carlise said with a nod. "We can respect that choice. We appreciate any help you can find for us. Thank you, Lisette."

"Thank you, Carlise...Cullens." she said as she turned to the family. "Now, I think it is time for me to go. As much as I admire your lifestyle and your strength to endure it...it's getting harder to be around your human...er...Bella without wanting to rip into her skin. Sorry, Edward." she said as Edward rushed Bella away from Lisette and Rosalie and Emmet giggled at this.

"Go after her, Jasper..." Alice said and he looked confused by this. "I know you'll be right back." she said with a chipper smile as she pointed to her head and Jasper chuckled before he gave her a kiss. Lisette was almost out of sight when he caught up to her.

"Lisette." he called out to her and she turned around and speed up to him. "I...don't know what to say about...what happened in the past." he said but was silenced by Lisette's finger to his lips.

"There is nothing to say. The anger I've felt for so long has finally been released and I can move on. I still don't forgive you for letting Maria turn me into this knowing what she had done to you." Lisette said and Jasper gave her a knowing nod. "Let's just say our human connection is still strong. Thank you for sparing me. Good luck with this lifestyle. I'll just stick to feeding on the blood of many of the bad men out there who dare to hurt those descendants of slaves. Goodbye, Jasper."

"Goodbye." he said before he returned to Alice. He embraced her, tenderly, as he kissed her.