*Jasper’s POV

     Since the night when the seer came too close and almost got caught, the days passed quite uneventfully. I found myself enjoying the calmness though. Each day Annabell seemed to ease up to my assistance with her everyday tasks on her way to recovery and she truly let me care for her now. I couldn’t have been happier because I saw her strength coming back. I was also rewarded with her slowly growing confidence while being naked around me as I was allowed to admire her gorgeous body in its entirety a few times.

     Days were calm. However, every night there was a point where she’d get anxious and several times she even started to thrash about, screaming for me until she clutched my hand or the worst nights I had to hold her tightly in my arms and calm her down. She never woke up from whatever was torturing her in her sleep and I waited for the morning hoping she’d confide in me. But she acted as if nothing happened and I didn’t question her, wondering if she remembered it.

    The days passed and I realized too late that Wednesday came about and Annabell was supposed to go for a check up at the hospital the next morning. I should go hunt before that, but Annabell was already sound asleep by my side. I couldn't decide whether to leave her for a while, possibly to deal with whatever she fights in her sleep every night by herself until I make it back, or to risk going to the hospital already quite hungry.

     As I kept absentmindedly playing with silky tresses of her ebony hair, Peter’s head suddenly appeared in the door. “Hey, isn’t Annie going to the hospital tomorrow?” He asked.

    “Yeah.” I knew he wanted to and would go with us.

    “Damn it man! Don’t tell me you didn’t hunt.” He scowled at me, seeing my eyes were not as light as they should be. Considering that I’ll go into a building where blood flows pretty much nonstop. The last time I was there, I had hunted the night before that and I was also too preoccupied to care for the fire in my throat. “Go. I’ll stay with Annie until you come back.” It was almost an order and I wanted to give him a piece of my mind. Under different circumstances I would rip him a new one, but he was right and I reluctantly moved away from my beautiful sleeping mate after placing a light kiss on her soft lips.

    I made of the hunt what I could, as fast as I could, to quickly come back. For I knew she would need me. And I was correct. Before I could even see her house, I sensed her distress. It was as if she was calling to me through the night and getting closer I could feel her panic as well as Peter’s worry. “Annie, calm down. It’s just a dream, wake up.” Coaxed Peter. But it had no effect.

    “No! You’re not my mate! Don’t you touch me!” Screamed Annabell, fighting with Peter while he was trying to hold her still without hurting her. He shot me a helpless but slightly relieved look when I jumped in through the window.

    “I’m here, my love.” I hugged her tightly when Peter stepped aside. “I’m here.” I kept reassuring her while doing my best to calm her down. When she did, Peter quietly left with a nod and I knew he’ll be back in the morning with his Impala to drive us to the hospital.

    “Jasper…?” Whispered Annabell suddenly. Tonight she woke up and I saw the tears running down her cheeks as they sparkled in the moonlight.  “Ah, Jasper!” She buried her face in the shirt on my chest, holding onto me as tightly as she could.

    “Yes, angel, I’m here. You’re alright. It was just a bad dream, my love.” I spoke quietly, gently stroking her hair.

    After a while she pulled back a bit to face me. “Will you leave me for another?” Asked Annabell. Her face looked emotionless now as she waited for an answer but I felt so much pain, sadness and fear from her.

    Staring at her in shock for a moment as I had no idea where did that come from, she pressed her lips into a thin line and new tears formed in her mesmerizing emerald eyes. “Never, my love. You are my other half, Annabell. I can’t even begin to imagine being with someone else.” I spoke softly, wiping her tears away. “What made you ask such a question?” I inquired, unable to hide my confusion.

     Slowly relaxing into my embrace she explained. “I keep having the same dream every night. We’re together in a sunny place with horses but you disappear and I hear a woman laughing. Then I’m alone in the darkness and while searching for you, an unfamiliar vampire catches me, telling me to be his. Every time I manage to escape him and you appear again…” She trailed off and I knew there was more. Carefully tightening my arms around her to tell her that I’m not going anywhere, I waited for her to continue. “Today was different. I couldn’t shake him off and you never came back.” Finished Annabell quietly. Her voice broke at the end and she had her head hung low.

     I finally understood. “So that’s what was bothering you every night… I’m sorry, my love. I forgot to go hunt in time and had to leave you tonight for a little bit while Peter kept guard.” I apologized, rubbing circles on her arm soothingly. “It was only a bad dream, Annabell. I’m here now. You are safe.”

     She completely settled down, at last. Annabell lifted her head leaning into me and I met her velvety lips in a tender kiss. Our tongues seemingly gravitated towards each other, deepening the kiss, turning it passionate.The sensual dance of our tongues set off the sparks of our desire, growing it into a hot burning flame.

     Annabell was seated sideways on my lap. I slid one of my hands over her back, hip and under her voluptuous bottom, caressing all of her delicious curves along the way and I brought her wonderfully feminine form even closer to my hard and yearning body. Now I knew exactly how marvelous the body in my arms was and it took all of my willpower to not rip Annabell’s clothes off, to relish her naked beauty and to feel her skin on mine again.

     Annabell reached up to tangle her fingers in my hair at the back of my head and pressed herself to me, causing a low, hungry growl to vibrate through my chest.

     I found that my other hand had quite free access to one of her soft breasts. Cupping its lovely weight in my hand, Annabel purred and slightly arched her back under my touch, granting me even better access. The thin layer of fabric as her t-shirt stretched over the plump treasure was like a second skin and couldn’t hide its taut crown. When I caressed the tempting top of it with my thumb, she moaned into my mouth and arched her back a little more. That caused her to pull from the kiss and bare her throat to me.

    Fighting the urge to give in to my hunger for her at that sight, with a groan I buried my head into the crook of her neck. Her unintended invitation to sink my teeth into her creamy skin and mark her as mine, almost destroyed my hard built self control and break all my promises to her. Wrapping my arms around her lightly trembling body, we stayed like that for a while. I was taking deep breaths of her sweet scent to clear my mind and she was doing the same to calm her rapidly beating heart.