TEXT MESSAGE: "She wasn't home. Now she has 'guardians'. Take care of them."

  "What an idiot! Screw you, I'm taking her for myself. ...Easier said than dohough." A loud crack rang through the quiet forest as a tury and half old fist hit a trunk of an unfortunate, decades old tree.

  ***

  *Jasper's POV

  "Yum! That was delicious." Praised my cooking Annabell when she finished her eggs. Giving me such a bright smile I'd swear her eyes shined. "I'm gd." I was smiling too. It would be perfeot being for the threat of a strange vampire after my mate.

  "Ready for bed?" I asked whe away the dishes. With a thoughtful look she hesitantly answered with a question. "Are you staying?" She was little embarrassed but looked hopeful. I had to chuckle. "Do you wao?" I teased her. "No!" Snapped Annabell, her cheeks bright red, she turned away from me. I knew she was lying. "Alright." I said trying to sound carefree and took a step towards the exit when she caught me by the bay shirt. "Yes. I want you to stay, please. Is that what you wao hear?" She pined.

  "Yes my darling, it is." I told her softly, turning and pulling her closer. "You should be more ho with your feelings, angel." Caressing her cheek I kissed her forehead, to be safe. "You're the oo talk." She mumbled, disappointed. I wao ugh. And you aren't making it any easier on me, love.

  *

  Getting in the bed she turo me. "You know... my pillow is still outside." She said awkwardly. "Should I bring it?" I asked, not very happy with the idea. I'm pretty sure that the st still lingers on it. "No!" Annabell blurted out. "I mean... please, don't make me say it out loud." She pleaded. But I wasn't sure what she's asking of me. "I... got kind of used to... having you close." She finally admitted. Red as a tomato she tried to hide her face from me. That's what you want? I was smiling again. "So, you want me, to be your pillow?" I asked teasingly.

  With her lips tightly pressed she faced me. "Yes." She said then, clearly. "You wanted me to be ho." She sort of pined when I didn't move for a moment. Hardly taining my joy, I stepped to the bed. Sitting doulling her in my arms I leaned back against the wall. "Happy?" I asked. There was a mysterious smile pying on her lips. "Not quite. May I give you a goodnight kiss?" As per usual, ued but weled. "Always, my love." I approved, smiling.

  She lifted up a little and her hands found my face. I prepared myself for the possibility that she'll kiss me like in the m, so it wouldn't get out of hand like then. However, still smiling, she gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. Huh? Then it hit me. A paybabsp;I had to chuckle. I'm not letting you off with this. "Only one?" I teased her. "What about the other side?" It surprised her and her cheeks were turning pink again but she leaned closer to kiss my other cheek. This time I'll surprise you. I thought, quickly turning a bit so her kiss nded on my lips. Ah love... My whole body sighed when our lips touched. She always tasted sweet. I had to remind myself that it's supposed to be light goodnight kiss aly pulled away. "No fair!" She pined, snuggling into my chest. I just ughed, fixing her bo keep her warm.

  It was a while but Annabell seemed uo fall asleep. For some reason she was worried. "What's keeping you from sleep, Ann?" I asked softly. "It's nothing." She said smiling. Putting her arms around me, she felt perfectly calm now. "Thank you Jay." She whispered and fell asleep within minutes. Gently caressing her hair I couldn't believe hoy this woman makes me simply by being. "Rest, my angel. I'll keep you safe." I promised to the night.

  *

  "Why 't Chris ge us?" Later in the night started Annabell mumble in her sleep. Chris, ge us? Who us? Did she want him to turn her into a vampire? "Any vampire bite meah, I'll remember mom." Mumbled Annabell again. I guess she's dreaming of when they were still alive. I gently tightened my embra her. Silently telling her, she isn't alone. 'Bite meah.' What exactly does that mean? 'She isn't your ordinary human.' Man, even that Peter's story brought more questions than answers and now this? I'll o ask him if he knows something about it.

  *

  *Peter's POV

  'o talk. e. Quietly.' Read a message from Jasper.

  "'Vampire bite meah.' Do you know something about that? Ann was talking in her sleep. What does it mean? She said also something about Chris being uo ge her." He started his usual interrogation instead of greetings.

  "Yea... I didn't get to tell you that, earlier. There is a lot you o learn about your mate. I'm not sure if even Annie knows it all. It looks like she fot most of it, and I have a feeling, Jane had something to do with that after Chris died." I voiced my suspi, scratg my .

  "Well, I told you how Lady Michae died. In order to really uand, you o know more about the gifted. The ones with a gift like Lady Michae and her , just like our Annie, are immortal." He shot me a disbelieving look but did not interrupt me, so I tinued.

  "They have a human body and human needs but they stop aging not long past mid twehis ability makes the vampire venom lethal to them." Jasper opened his mouth to say something but I lifted my finger in sign that he should wait and quickly tinued expining. "That's also why their mates don't thirst for their blood, even before they realize the mating bond. Even though, their mates are the only ones, whose venom they are immune against. So, you don't o worry about g your mate, she'll be alright." If looks could kill... I had to bite my tongue when he growled at me in warning. I still couldn't help but grin, lifting my hands in surrender.

  "Easy major, I told you she's like a daughter to me. As the irony of life would have it though, uhe two of you, the two of us are unfortunately able to kill each other. I'm just telling you what I know from Chris." Jane, just what have you doo your daughter? I shook my head trying to not imagine what would Annabell gh, would she had used her light on me instead her mate. Jasper just kept on stroking hair of the girl iion, sleeping in his embrace, while frowning at me.

  "Therefore, Lady Michae didn't die of blood loss, but because her already immortal body couldn't ge when she was bitten by a vampire, other than her mate. That, because blood of the gifted is very tempting to some vampires and the fact that Volturi have beelessly hunting them, is the sole reason why our little dy doesn't have any blood retives anymore. Chris and her mother Jahe st ones."

  "What do you mean Chris was her blood retive?" He inquired, fused.

  "I'm surprised you didn't cat sooner. I told you Lady Michae gave birth to Major's daughter, right?" He nodded. "The gifted always find their mate among vampires, as they themselves are also immortal. And because of the powers of nature they possess, they are able to have children. Chris told me that it's always a girl and takes after her mother to ehe tinuing of Lady Michae's bloodline. Although Annie is a special case. She is the embodiment of Lady Michae herself. She looks like her and is also more powerful than any of her predecessors. Annie's real father was killed before she was born. Jane married a human scumback to keep her daughter safe. Pretending that Annabell is a human child. Wheched them, she took Chris' st name as he sometimes pyed the role of her close retive in public.

  But to answer your question, Major entrusted his daughter to Chris. Chris used to have a sister. He swore to Major to protect his daughter while his sister would raise her and they'd keep her hidden from the Volturi. When she grew up, they fell in love. Major's daughter was Chris' mate." I could see the wheels turning in his head as he was taking iory of the ruthless past involving the girl in his arms.

  "Unfortunately few decades ter Volturi found them and he lost his mate together with his sister wheried to protect her but he kept going on, because of the promise to the Major and his own daughter Emilia. He became a guardian of Lady Michae's desdants. Usually staying in the background, watg out for them, teag them to defend themselves and how to wield their powers. However, Volturi always found a way to destroy them.

  Chris oold me that at one point he was ready to give up fighting what seemed to be the fate of the bloodline he swore to proted go to Voltera like Major did turies before him. He k was suicidal but said, he was determio take as many with him as he'd mao. At that time, Annabell was born and he swain to protect her if it cost him his life. Unfortunately it did, not long after he told me everything. Chris died in attempt to get Volturi off the track leading to Jane and Annabell. He was successful but only for few years it seems." I sighed, wishing he'd let me help back then.

  "Jane was his great great great granddaughter a him teanabell but also wanted a bit of normal life for her, sidering her little handicap. Even though she had a proof of what Chris told her about Annabell and couldn't deny how special she is, she did not wao get involved much with our world. Then when Chris got killed she asked me to not tanie anymore in hope that the less she'll know, the better a normal life and safety she'll have. To be ho, I am afraid that Jane's death wasn't a d that the same person is after Annie." I expressed my .

  "Yea, me too." He just said, lost in thoughts, gently caressing the bck hair of his sleeping mate. I khis day would e and he'd find happiness. I was leaving with a smile on my lips. I knew, but still. Till' now I couldn't imagine our Major to be this gentle.