*Jasper’s POV

  I hoped to have the rest of today only for the two of us. It was Annabell’s birthday. Unfortunately it was also the day her mother was killed and I wao make sure Annabell wouldn't be alone, wishing I could keep her distracted from the sad things and help her enjoy the day. However, when we came back from the piree I saw a small yellow Toyota parked by the house. I stopped walking and frowned. "What is she doihis early again?" Damn, nobody actually told her that there’s no need for her to e again when she was here st week…I realized and wao facepalm myself.

  “Who?” Asked Annabell, surprised and fused at my abrupt stop and ent.

  I posed myself a little to not worry her. “Catelyn is at the house. You slept through her visit st week and I kind of fot to tell her that she doesn’t o e anymore.”

  “I see. Although, I think she’s this early today because she’s ing.” Expined Annabell. “Once a month she es earlier and does the chores I ’t. Well, I do most of them, but on a while they o be done by someone who actually see…” She bit her lip.

  “Hmmm… uood. But you are doing great too.” I reassuringly squeezed her hand and we tinued walking. At the door I pulled her to me. “I didn’t want to leave you alooday but sielyn is here, I’ll go and check if there’s everything ready for tonight.”

  Annabell blushed a little while I pyed with a strand of her silky hair. “Alright, I better call Rosalie. She promised to kidnap me for a bit before our date.”

  “Kidnap you?” I wondered. “What if I won’t let her?” Asking with a hint of threat, I reached down below her ass and pulled her up. Surprised as she lost ground under her feet, she gasped and locked her legs around my waist. “Mmmm…maybe I’ll kidnap you myself, right now.” I teased her and her blush deepened.

  “I-I just didn’t want to fall!” She quickly expined. Her heartbeat was fast ae her excuse, she did not attempt to move away.

  Like I’d let you fall. “Don’t worry, love. But you didn’t answer me.” I reminded her.

  Annabell gave me a mysterious smile and put her arms around my neck. “I told you I have a surprise too. Rose is helpih it. I hope you’ll like it…” We were so close that our noses nearly touched and I couldn’t resist. As if reading my mind, she met my lips halfway in a sweet kiss.

  Gently pulling away, I soon e. Because if we tinued, I was very tempted to just grab her then and there and disappear to some quiet pce. Pce where we’d be alohout any annoying people. But that would pletely ruin our pns for today and I wanted her birthday to be perfect. I set her slowly down on her feet. “I’ll be back soon.” I reassured her, kissing her forehead.

  “Alright.” Smiling, she ehe house and I went to fier.

  *

  It appeared that everything repared so I quickly left again ao pick up my gift for Annabell, to escape Peter’s jokes about how today was worth marking. After that I made my way back to Annabell. Walking out of the forest surrounding her house, I slowed down to human pace. Just a little precaution in case Catelyn was outside the house. She was not, but her car was still parked there so I was in no hurry to get in.

  Once I reached the door I stopped to listen. They seemed to be downstairs so I walked inside. I could see Catelyn i and rolled my eyes. As always, her attire was hardly appropriate ahan suitable for ing. Her light blouse with flowers was pletely see-through and her pink miniskirt just barely covered what it was supposed to. Slowly walking towards the kit, I expected Ao be somewhere around her but she wasn’t. Looking around, I found her lying on the cou the living room. Annabell apparently fell asleep while listening to something on her pho made me smile.

  “Just a little bit higher…” Catelyn’s mumbling pulled my attention back to the female bang on a chair i. Of course she was wearing stilettos with crazy high heels and she was reag as high as she could, ing the delier. There was nothing she could support herself on. It was a miracle she didn’t fall yet. I almost turned around and walked out again because so far she did not notice my arrival. However, just then she lost her bance. “No, no, whaa..!”

  Barely two seds, yet it lenty of time to sider various outes. If I let her fall, she might get hurt. If she gets hurt badly, she’ll need someoo drive her to the hospital. What if she starts bleeding? I hunted on Tuesday but what if she’d bleed a lot…? In any case, her fall was nearly certain to ruin my and Annabell’s day.

  “Oh!” I caught her and released her just as fast. Once she was standing on her feet again. I stepped away from her but she quickly recovered from the shod closed the distance, grabbing my shirt. “My hero.” She smiled at me. “I didn’t know you were here.” She was too close and I found the heat of her body unfortable.

  Taking aep back I tried to carefully free myself from her. Catelyn stepped closer once more. “e on, Jasper.” She said seductively, batting her eyeshes. “I don’t bite. Don’t be shy.” Funny you’d mention biting. I thought. Although I felt no humor. At the very least I was annoyed. I opened my mouth to remihat Annabell is right behind the er and that she is in her house, sedug her boyfriend. “Annabell is sleeping, we’re alone…” tinued Catelyn, lig her lips.

  Her audacity left me momentarily speechless, while she kept snuggling to me. Sound of movement in the living room caught my attention. I turowards it and half hoped to see Annabell ing to the kit. However it was quiet again. She probably just turned in her sleep… I thought, a little disappointed for not having an easy way to get this eous woman away from me.

  “Don’t worry, she won’t wake up.” Said Catelyn wheiced that my attention was not on her. My head snapped back to the woman. She only kept on smiling.

  “What?” Did she do something to Annabell? If she hurt our mate…! Not pletely scious of it, I grabbed her hands and while searg her faeaning behind her words I listened out for Annabell’s heartbeat. It was strong and regur as it should be.

  Catelyn’s smile widened. She obviously interpreted my rea in her own way. “Yes! I knew you’d e, so I put a sleeping pill in her drink. There’s o worry about being caught, sweetheart. We have the house currently all to ourselves.”

  I didn’t sleep for approximately two hundred years. But right now I had to blink a few times to make sure that I was not dreaming, while I wished that I was. “Yed Annabell? Why?” I inquired. How could she think that I’d choose her over Annabell? She must be crazy.

  “To celebrate and spend some quality time with you, of course!” She wi me. “She’s finally eighteen today so she is eligible to use her family wealth and I am getting a nice sum from it for taking good care of her.” Family wealth? That’s what she’s after?

  I could not believe my ears. “So you’re with her for money?” My disbelief kept my voice emotionless and so Catelyn did not realize what I’m really thinking as she tinued revealirue iions.

  “Why, yes! Just like you, darling. It’s obvious that such a fine young man like yourself ’t be seriously ied in a blind introvert like her. There’s no way she satisfy you. She likes you but she’s so inexperienced and likes anyone who shows her a little kindness. I, oher hand, know how to make a man feel good. Let me show you how thankful I am for your help when she fell dowairs.” Her strong perfume almost made me gag. “I was worried I’d have to care for a cripple. She may be blind but care of her doesn’t require much. If she couldn’t walk though, that’s a different story.”

  “I thought you were her friend. She thinks of you as family.” I didn’t have a good feeling about this woman from the first time I met her and with every meeting it grew stronger. Now every word that came out of her mouth irritated me to no end. Realizing that I’m still holding her hands, I slowly let go to not crush them instead. When I did, she attempted to take a hold of mine and I once again took a step back to avoid her touch. “Please don’t touch me.” However, Catelyn still didn’t uand.

  “I told you there’s o worry. I gave her enough to make her sleep for the rest of the day.” She giggled. Clearing my throat to cover a low growl that was building up in my chest, as the woman before me increasingly irritated me, I felt a rapidly growing anger. Hoewer this anger, quickly turning inte, wasn’t mine. Oh angel…

  “We have so much fun together. Oh!” Catelyn apparently remembered something and slightly lowered her voice when she tinued. “You know, Annabell has life insurand if anything happens to her after she is eighteen, I get the money. Maybe… Annabell doesn’t o wake up anymore. All it takes is one pillow…” She mused, snuggling to me again. “And lit the money.”

  A growl I couldn’t suppress anymore escaped me and she finally pulled away with a surprised expression. “If you dare to touch her…” At that moment Annabell appeared o me. I felt her rage, but her face was expressionless. When Catelyn saw her, she paled and backed away some more in fear and fusion.

  “Annabell!? How are you awake?” She was so surprised she basically fessed. Even though she had no idea that Annabell heard pretty much everything she said.

  Annabell’s voice was quiet and cold. “Get out.” She said, fag Catelyn. “Get out and never e near me or my man again. Alset that you’d get another penny from my family.”

  “But-” Catelyn had also no idea what Annabell was feeling. She looked quite calm from the outside. Although I was sure Annabell’s tone gave Catelyn chills.

  “Get out!” Annabell exploded. “Get the hell out of my house or I’ll call the police! You po kill me in my sleep? Well guess what? Get in the fug line!” Catelyn finally uood and made a haste leave. I waited until I heard the sound of the engine of her car fade away.

  Annabell didn’t move the whole time either. Only her hands were shaking. “Ann…?” I tried softly, reag for her hand. Suddenly she turo me and sobbing nearly jumped into my arms. Gently pressio me, hoping to give her a feeling of security, I was stroking her hair. “I’m so sorry, angel.” I whispered.