2012
The two vampires sat quietly, drinking, for a long time. Jackson knew Sarah would talk when she felt ready. For now, words were not necessary. They had played out this scene many times-way too many for his liking. He hated all this emotional nonsense, and had it been anyone but Sarah, he would have made a hasty retreat and stayed away until the waterworks passed.
Sarah was a hopeless romantic, constantly searching for her 'soul mate'. Jackson had lost count of the times she found 'The One', only to have her heart broken months or years later. He wished to God she would abandon her search. Seeing her so broken pained him. Unfortunately, she rarely fell for vampires.
Romantic relationships with humans were fraught with difficulties. The first was to maintain enough control to avoid crushing them in the heat of passion. Jackson brooded "It's like having sex with a butterfly." Next, the person must accept they are sleeping with a bloodsucker. Once past that, the last hurdle was the human wanting to be turned. Sarah usually made her beaus understand that vampirism isn't all it is cracked up to be, and she would not wish this life on anyone.
She did get permission to turn a human once, Peter Standish. Jackson would never forget that bastard. Sarah had fallen in love with him in 1912. Jackson had a bad feeling about him from the start. He suspected Standish knew Sarah's secret all along and only used her to turn him. Standish started begging her shortly after she confessed to being a vampire. Once she turned him and helped him through the painful first weeks, he abandoned her. Jackson hunted him down, beat him mercilessly, and then threatened to stake him if he ever went near Sarah again. He would never tell her, but be damned if that son-of-a-bitch would get away with hurting and using her that way.
Sarah's Soul Mate Du Jour was Connor Poe, and without having to be told, Jackson knew the human would be sitting or pacing below them in what could only be described as a holding cell. They had been in New England for a mere three months, but Sarah had fallen fast and hard for Connor. She had decided to break the news last night. Jackson felt she should wait a bit longer, but she was determined. He wanted to stay home in case the human got out of line, yet Sarah had insisted he leave for the night. "Being stuck here with one vampire is enough for him to handle." He left reticently after making her promise to call if she needed him.