*Jasper’s POV

  “What the fuck are you doing here?!” I growled, tag Peter to the ground. Still uo think clearly and with the state my mate was currently in, I couldn’t see him as anything but a threat.

  He was smart enough to not put up a fight right now. Overing the surprise of my attack, he rexed and put his hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry for interrupting, Major. But something feels really off so I came to check if Annabell wasn’t in danger. It's a simir feeling I got when she was attacked by the school.”

  Peter’s words and infinite supply of fresh air helped to clear my mind a little. Looking around, searg the line of trees for danger, I felt a light tap on my leg. “Not that I don’t appreciate the love but would you miing off me?” Grihe idiot up at me.

  With an annoyed grunt I lifted my knee from his chest and stood up, extending my hand to him. Wheook it, I pulled him up. “ime use that head of yours.” I flicked his forehead. “That is if you don’t wao borrow it fame of soccer.” He saluted and still grinning took a step towards Annabell’s house. I put my arm around his o prevent him from going further. “Where do you-”

  “Guys?” Both our movements stopped at Annabell’s worried voice. “What’s going on?” She was standing in the window of her room, wearing my white shirt. It was a little big for her and the white trasted with the delicate pink, grag her cheeks and her disheveled hair, bck as the night that fell around her beautiful fad down her shoulders. If I didn’t long for her so much, the fact that the first thing she thought to cover herself with was my shirt would make me smile.

  I could hardly stand still. Fuck! I should have hunted. To calm myself down I needed either blood or to cim my mate. “I have to go hunt.” I sighed. And I had to go now. Annabell heard me and was clearly disappoihat I was leaving. “I’m sorry, angel. I’ll be as fast as possible and e back. Please, wait for me.”

  She gave me a somewhat sad smile but nodded. “Alright.” And disappeared baside her room.

  Sensing a trace of pity from Peter I scowled at him and he lifted his hands again. “Yeah, yeah. Not my business.”

  “You’re damn right about that.” I agreed. “I’ll be quick. You, nor anyone else, are to ehe house until I e back.” I tightened my hold on him in warning. “Do I make myself clear?”

  He uood that I was dead serious. “Yes, Major.”

  I still did not like the idea but Peter was about the only one I would trust right now. I knew him and he knew better than to betray me. I let go of him. “If anything happens before I make it back, call me immediately.”

  “Roger that.” He nodded and I was on my way. I didn’t take his warning lightly either. Please be safe, my love. I’ll be right back.

  *Peter’s POV

  My gut kept tellihat something was wrong. When I went to warn Jasper, he took me down before I even said a word. I knew better than to pick a fight with him whehis angry but I had no idea why he was so furious in the first pce. fused, as to what I did to piss him off this time, I noticed that he was shirtless.

  Before I could ask what happened here and if it had anything to do with my warning bells that kept ing, I caught a whiff of a pure sweet st. Wow… Oh, I get it. To not ent h when I realized that he was beiorial was almost impossible but I preferred my limbs attached to my body. I might have been able to guess why. However, I didn’t begin to uand how he was able to not cim her. Especially with this st on him.

  I remembered when I met Char. If not for those idiots arouhat I got a kind of an outlet beating the shit out of f to make a move on her, I’d have most likely jumped her right there.

  When I was sure that Jasper was out of hearing distance I couldn’t help myself anymore a hing. “What’s so funny, Pete?” Appeared Annabell in the window again with a curious expression. “Wait, I’ll go down to you.” She said before I calmed enough to answer her.

  “Wait, Annie!” When he es back, he will be calmer thanks to the blood but… “You should stay inside, babygirl. You don’t want to kill me, right?” I ughed.

  “Of course not. What are you talking about?” She frowned and I made myself fortable on the bench swing under her window.

  “Well, not really you. If he es bad finds your st anywhere near me, he will.” I expined.

  “Oh…ok.” Annabell stayed silent for a while, just resting on the window frame. “Peter?” She asked then quietly.

  “Yeah?”

  “Why did he leave so suddenly? It was because of me, right?”

  “You see, hon, our Major spent long years in Maria’s army getting rid of weaknesses. And I don’t mean only vampires that stopped serving their purpose or were simply a liability to the army. To do all those things he had to get rid of his own weaknesses as well. It all still took a great toll on him due to his unique ability and after he helped me and Char to escape, I came back to get him out of there too.

  Then for over a hundred years, there was nothing that could get to him. Once he spent time with Carlisle and started to feed on animals, he was free from experieng the feelings of his victims. Be it human or a vampire. He is by far the stro vampire and a person I know but there was nothing he could sider his weakness for so long. Now that he found you, his instincts are all over the pd he thinks himself weak when he feels like he ot trol them or protect you. He treasures you above all, Annie and I only assume he left for a quick hunt so he wouldn’t give in to them and hurt you.”

  “So… I’m his weakness?” Asked Annabell after a while.

  “Isn’t he yours as well?” She uood and blushed. “It’s really te. You should try to get some sleep, girl.”

  “I’ll wait for him.” Holy, these two were so much alike.

  “He won’t mind you sleeping while waiting for him.” I chuckled. “As long as he finds you in your room when he es back, everything will be fine.” I reassured her and got up to take a look around. The uling feeling was still there. Where are you and what are you pnning?

  I didn’t find anything unusual in the immediate viity of the house, yet the feeling never left me, stantly nagging at me. So I decided to circle the house and to make a little bigger circle each time, in hope that I’ll find something. And find I did. “The spiky head is around.” I told Jasper the moment he picked up his phohere’s a fresh trace of her st about two hundred yards to the east from the house.” I told him, returning to the house.

  “Ok. I’m already on my way back.” Said Jasper but I barely registered his words anymore.

  The moment I got back to Annabell’s house I realized something was amiss. “No way…She’s gone!” When I came under her window I caught another st. It was different from the fortueller’s and I smelled it only once before.

  “What do you mean she’s gone?” Came his voiot from my phone anymore, but from behihen he obviously smelled it too. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Yelled Jasper and jumped in Annabell’s room, only to e back again. “Where the fuck is she?! You were supposed to protect her for fuck’s sake!” I knew he was furious and he had all the right to be.

  I wao punch myself. “They must have p together. I wasn’t far and it took me barely two minutes when I found the pixie’s trail to learn that she ged her dire a away from the house again while I called you, ing back.” While I spoke, we were already following the other st. It seemed its owner left the same way he came. And they obviously made sure to take different dire from the other trail and the way Jasper would e back from his hunt too.

  “They are so dead!” Growled Jasper as we ran through the night. “Fuck!” He screamed, when we arrived at the beach where a boat arently moored not long ago. However, there was no one around anymore and the trail ehere. I’ve never seen such a pained expression on Jasper’s face as now but there was nothing I could do to help him.

  *Annabell’s POV

  Worried about what was happening and not wanting to put the dress ba, I slipped into Jasper's shirt that I found on the edge of the bed. It was a weak substitute for his embrace but it had to do for now. Fortunately, it was just Peter. But Jasper suddenly left to hunt. Talking with Peter calmed me down a little. Weakness, huh? It was true. If anything happeo either of us, it would hurt the other. Pulling on my shorts, I rested on my bed, led in his shirt. Jasper’s st helped me to rex and even though I decided to wait for him because I had something important to tell him, without knowing when, I dozed off.

  My sleep was dreamless but calm. At one point I thought something stu otherwise it was dark and quiet as I kept on sleeping. Then I felt like flying. Still half asleep I realized that someone was holding me. "Jas-" No… These are not Jasper's fortable arms ale hands!

  The hands holding me were too cold to be Jasper's. I felt panic to tighten my chest. “Oh, you woke up earlier than I anticipated, little one.” Said a voice I never heard in perso was all too familiar with, through Michae’s memories. No! I fought the fear that threateo freeze me but I found that my body didn’t really respond to what I wa to do anyway. “Heh, but I guess it still works. Be a good girl and sleep some more.” He told me as I felt a bit of sharp pain on my neck again and my sciousness faded once more.

  *

  I had no idea how much time had passed when I came to again, but everything was still now. I also wasn’t in the man’s arms anymore. Although, something did hold my wrists and I felt something stuside my arm. Is that a needle?! With a start I realized that I was not alo it was too te to try and pretend to be asleep. “It really has a much weaker effe you.”

  "Why are you doing this? Are you after my blood? Jasper will kill you if you touch me!” I tried to threaten him. Even though I didn’t have high hopes of Jasper finding me. Or that he’d find me alive if he did. This guy seemed to be perfectly prepared to kidnap me. He also picked the perfect time for it. Wait… what happeo Peter? Wasn’t he just outside my house? I thought, worried.

  "You're too precious to waste so easily as to get one meal, little one. You may not be the st one of your kind, but you... Oh my. You are special. You look and smell exactly like her.” Said the man in wonder. He must be talking about Michae! “I don't know this Jasper you speak of, but I'll make sure you quickly fet him." He tinued and the threat of what he said terrified me. The way he said it was certainly not o me though. I was quite used to men talking to me in such a manner until retly, when Jasper started appearing by my side.

  "What do you mean I'm not st?" I asked, hopeful to distract him from whatever sick ideas he had in his mind. I had a hunch that Carlisle left out a lot of his story and if distrag this guy help me learn more, so be it.

  To my disappoi, he ignored my question and to firm my worries, his cold fingers stroked my cheek. I shivered with disgust and fear when they didn't stop there, making their way down my o the nee of Jasper’s shirt and tio my cleavage. I kept calling for him in my mind, desperately wishing he'd appear. Jasper, please find me!

  Jasper was also a vampire and I used to expect his touch to feel cold and hard like this but that was he case. I longed for his touch more with each day near him and couldn't believe the time I wasted w about his bloodlust that was never even there. I loved him so mud now I probably won't feel his geouch or hear his loving voice ever again. He’ll never know my ao his question… Crossed my mind and I wao cry.

  "You'll learn to like it, sugar. I'll see to that." His voice was hard now, with evident irritation at my rea to his touch. He grabbed my , turned my head towards him and covered my lips with his revolting cold ones, forcefully kissing me.

  I tried to bite him, however, he sensed my iion and pulled away just in time. "You bastard!"

  "Ahh, you taste so sweet! Eveer than I always imagined." He excimed, dazed, Obviously ign me as I screamed at him.

  My helplessness was enraging me further. "I'll kill you!" I tried to loosen the rope he tied my hands with, to some metal pipe above my head, behind the bed I was half lying, half sitting on. It didn't budge and the man found amusement in my fruitless struggle. My body felt strangely numb and I couldn’t really gather my strength.

  "Don't strain your muscles, babe. You're not going anywhere, a-ny-time soon. I'll make you my little pet. " This son of a bitch... My body felt as cold as the metal I was tied to, envisioning the future this monster pnned for me. What if he never gets bored of toying with me...? Suddenly, his teeth buried in the skin of my neck felt like the better option. No… I ’t give up. Jasper!

  "It's a shame. Really. I had no idea your mother mao get pregnant before I killed that weakling of a vampire that was her mate." He gave out an evil chuckle. "As if I'd let him live after he told me where to find that delicious bruch, who was trying so hard to live like a human. Dead man tells no tales." I heard him kietallic sounding objeearby. A bucket, maybe. "I had a mind reader with me so that whiny bastard couldn't have lied to me. Still, she somehow mao escape me. And your bloodline’s ability to hide your children… How bothersome! If I knew about you, I’d get you when she died."

  He came clain, t over me and I felt his fingers squeeze around my throat as he tinued. His voice low and dark. "I found out that Jane had a guardian who khe God of war. I had him for a dead man. All the while he was still around and causing trouble... By the way, you have him to thank for your mother's death. Well, him and my little mind reader.” Mind reader who killed mom? That must have been Edward Cullen… So he had his hand in the deaths of both of them!

  “Edward was a very useful pawn of mine. Although, from what I uand, his desire for your blood led him astray a a taste of your power. Also my, turns out to be not a pletely useless pawn of a girl, who cimed to see the future. Ha! I was starting to thialent doesn't work the way she tried to make me believe but then I found out, she only tried to use me. Me?! Would you believe that?" Now he leaned so close I felt his breath brush my ear and his short hair tickled my cheek when he whispered. "Care to guess what for?” He asked as if to provoke me. “She inteo ruin my pn on capturing Jane from the beginning, making her run far away from Forks before the Culleurned. Meaning, she'd take you away with her..."

  My head was dizzy from whatever he gave me, bined with his ever present st reminding me of fresh blood. But I knew what he was getting at. "I wouldn't meet him..." My voice was weak as I was fighting the dizziness, trying to keep my senses w as they should. She wanted Jasper for herself… So Edward wasn’t the reason she wanted me dead.

  "Her pn failed as you know, along with my own. Mostly thanks to Edward’s insatiable bloodlust.” He scoffed. “And to my displeasure, your mate found you before I learhat you eveed." He paused. His fingers slid to my cleavage again, sending more cold shivers down my spine. "I don't uand why or how he didn't cim you the first ce he had. You're almost too much to handle even without the pull of a mating bond." He sounded amazed, taking a deep breath near my hair. “Mmm… just like her.”

  "H-how do you know that?" The pce where a g mark would usually be, was covered by the shirt. So he wouldn’t see it, even if it was already there.

  "His st is all over your body. But you still have the st of a virgin." His nose brushed skin on my ned he deeply inhaled when he said that. fused and disgusted with this strange man so close and with his hands on my body, I tried to pull away. However, I had o. His fingers slid ay thigh and another shiver of disgust ran through me.

  If I wasn't su idiot, Jasper would have already taken me... I thought with regret. Obviously, in theory I knew about physical love but before Jasper I couldn't imagiing a guy or ao touch me that way. Around Mike I roud of staying i but with Jasper... I was a little scared but wao be his in every ossible. Because of my own ignorance I probably won't be able to be with him anymore.

  "Do not worry little one, you won't be for long..." He said almost dreamily and another icy shiver tightened my throat. Jasper, please! I k was in vain but I couldn’t keep myself from calling for him, at least in my mind.

  Michae…? I tried. But I couldn’t sense her, just like I could not feel my power. “What did you do to me?!” I inquired.

  “What indeed?” He pyed with me. His firailed up my arm to what I guessed was a needle and lightly tapped on it. “Over the years I created a tle cocktail s to suppress your power. It was made for your mother so since your power is way greater than hers, it doesn’t seem to have as long an effect as it would have on her. But I am happy that I have found you.” His cold hand caressed my side from my breast over my hip down to my thigh where it stayed. I couldn’t pull away from his touch. If I moved from his hand, I’d be pressing myself to his body, so I stayed still, thinking about what he said.

  “How would you know if your drug works?” From what he said, it seemed he made it for my mom but never got to use it on her.

  “Thanks to Aro and his little b, I was aware that your kind is not easily affected by any basic drug so since I failed to save Michae, I did a bit of a researy own for when I’d found her daughter.” His words and ice cold touch, as his thumb started to stroke my thigh, made me shiver. “The first version was a failure. And to my regret, whe Lilith realized that she wouldn’t get away anyway, she vihe vampire girl who was trying to protect her, to bite her.” The memory apparently angered him and his hold on my leg tightened so much that even through my ched teeth, attempting to e to not show weakness, a whimper escaped me.

  At the mention of Michae’s daughter’s hought I sensed her somewhere deep i no matter how much I tried, I couldn't reach her. She saw she’d lose so she chose to die… Heaving the memory of Michae’s pregnancy with her, my heart ached for Lilith as if she was my own child. “I tore that bitto pieces, but it was too te. It firmed to me that your kind ot turn. I wished I had known it before I bit Michae. Aro wahe witches' powers for himself but he knew he wouldn’t be able to get her too. Especially with The God of War being her mate. So he decided to kill her.” His fingers ran ay cheekbone and I didn’t dare to move to not provoke him to dain.

  “I wao take her away before the attack. I found her alone and very pregnant. I almost had her, but because she was already cimed, her mate knew and soon came to aid her.” Now his fingers ran from my cheek dowween my breasts and to my ft stomach. “I seriously don’t know how your mate didn’t cim you yet but it makes things much easier for me.” He said quietly, leaning closer to me. Then I felt his lips on my ned froze.

  “When I finally found Emilia, I mao almost plete my drug. Sadly, I was too impatient and when I took her, I lost trol. All the warmth, mmm… I couldn’t help myself and her blood… Oh, so exquisite!” He mumbled against my ned I felt his fangs lightly brush over my skin.

  “No…” I don’t want to die! Was the life that awaited me really worth living though…? I pondered, wishing there was a way to get him off me.