*Annabell’s POV

  Now I uood why they didn’t wao know. They were worried, what I’d do upon learning the truth about what happeo my kind. I uood, but they shouldn’t have kept it from me. Mom and Chris didn’t tell me anythiher. Well, I was still just a kid at the time, so that was uandable. I assumed that since our kind is so tempting to vampires, we were just unfortunate a pretty much extinct as their prey. Would they ever tell me though? Was what mom did only a result of Chris being killed or she’d try to keep me from Jasper as well? I frowned. It didn’t matter now.

  I guess Jasper aer anticipated what I’d want to do now. And they were right. I wao go to Volterra and kill Aro. At least to avehose he killed if there truly were no survivors to save. I could tell that Carlisle omitted a lot of details and since I couldn’t do anything about even that little what he did tell me, I didn’t ask. I did and didn’t want to know at the same time.

  I khat these two will not let me out of their sight for a while. But it was alright. I was going nowhere. For now. I o train a bunch before attempting to challenge a turies old vampire who has awo by his side and a whole army of experienced killers around them. There was also no question about whether I would face them alone. Jasper nor Peter would let me do that. Even if I mao slip away again to try, they would follow. I’ve learned my lesson and no way I’ll risk losiher.

  On the way home, Jasper stayed in the backseat with me, holding my hand. When we arrived and got out of the car I went and hugged Peter. Jasper stood quietly behind me. “I know, Peter. You already tell, right? So don’t worry anymore. But…” I poked him in the chest with my finger. “Stop keeping things from me. Or I’ll think of something o permaly mark your ass with, like a horse on the market.”

  He ughed, embrag me tightly. “Alright, alright. I don’t think Char would appreciate that. Are you sure you’re ok? Because there always seems to be something to worry about when it es to you, Annie.” He said then, more seriously.

  I turo face Jasper and found his hand again. “I will be.” I replied quietly. I o talk with my mate and I was gathering ce to do it. Remembering a little habit we used to have with Peter when I was a kid I smiled and turo him again. “Peter, do you remember ood luck charm? I… think I need one, please?”

  Peter chuckled. “Of course I do, baby girl.” He replied and pced a kiss on my forehead. “Whatever you food luck.” I felt Jasper tense wheer leao me but he didn’t do nor say anything. “See ya.” Still chug, Peter got ba the car a while Jasper pulled me in his arms, lightly rubbing his cheek against mine. He tinued down over my jaw until he buried his fato my hair resting on my shoulder and inhaling deeply.

  “Jay?” I tried softly, running my fihrough his hair, hoping he’d find it calming. Then I remembered why he was worried. Turning my head, I pced a kiss into his hair that tickled my faow and whispered. “I’m not going, my love. Don’t worry anymore.”

  *Jasper’s POV

  I knew she was still angry with us but that was currently the smallest of my s. I o feel her warmth. Pulling her in my arms I was breathing her pure sweet st in, while lightly rubbing my own on her skin. “Jay?” She asked, a little fused. I was enjoying the touch of her fingers as she pyed with my hair and didn’t want to have the versation that was very muavoidable now.

  We just stood like that for a moment, wheuro kiss my head. “I’m not going, my love. Don’t worry anymore.” Whispered Annabell and my head shot up in surprise. I studied her face, looking for anything that would tell me if she meant what I thought she did. Smiling, she reached up to pce her hand on my cheek. “I uand why you tried to keep Carlisle’s story from me but I won’t go to Italy just to get us all killed.” I wao say something but she moved her hand and pressed her fio my mouth. “I know you would follow me, just as Peter would too. I am aware that I have a long way to go before I’m anything but their snad you two would just try to protect me.” She tinued.

  “You are nobody’s snack.” I grunted against her finger and she gri me, resting her hand on my chest like she had the other one. “So what was that good luck charm for?” When I asked, Annabell’s smile wavered as she became nervous.

  “I’m a little surprised you didn’t attack Peter for it.” She obviously forced a ugh, trying to avoid answering my question.

  I holy surprised myself, when I mao not even groeter as he kissed her. “Trust me, I wao.” I admitted. “If I couldn’t feel the love between you two that is like between a parent and their child, I would.” Annabell grew suddenly tense and I felt as she shivered. “Let’s go inside.” I caressed her cheek.

  *

  I made sure she ate before anything and thetled in the leather armchair in her room. “What’s been on your mind, angel?”

  Annabell kept silently pying with a button on her shirt for a while. “I think I knoas in my room that night.” She finally said. Her voice quiet. “You are certain it wasn’t Edward nor that Alice, right?”

  “You mean the night we spent at our house? Yes. I’m sure that I’ve never met the person the st in your room beloo and I did meet both of them, prior to that night.” Recalling the st of a stranger and male heless, on her pillow, my jaw tightened.

  “I think it was the red eyed man I saw in Michae’s memories.” Her voice was quiet but it held certainty.

  “Why do you think so? Acc to eter told me, all of the vampires that attacked dy Michae were dealt with by Major.” fused, I thought out loud. “You said that he’s the ohat killed her. I ’t imagine Major leaving him alive. I wouldn’t.”

  “I didn’t uand it at the time but when I was lying in the hospital, I relived her st moments. He set a trap for her.” Annabell squeezed my hand in hers. I knew how dy Michae was lured out alone and I pressed Annabell closer to me in reassurance. “When she finally reached her limit, fighting them, that man bit her but I’m not sure he truly wao kill her... Anyway, his presence disappeared in the distanbsp;before Majot to her and ehe rest of them. He survived!” She excimed, absolutely sure about the fact.

  “So the Volturi really are behind attacks on all of her desdants.” I cluded but Annabell shook her head.

  “No. That ’t be right. The Volturi have an army of loyal vampires, don’t they? So why would they o use Cullens to get me? While I wasn’t even aware of my power…” She curled up on my p, clutg my hand as if to make sure I was really there. Sending her my love, I wondered about what she said, fused. “Today when I fought with Emmett, it was like I was there again. I was her. That man came after her pletely alone a few days before he brought the army. I had a feeling he didn’t want to kill but capture her.” She shivered and I carefully stood up with her in my arms.

  Resting down on her bed, not letting go of her, I pulled Annabell’s warm b over us and made sure she’s fortable. “What do you mean, Ann?” I inquired further, w why she was so sure.

  “I remember it clearly now. She was…” Arailed off for a moment and I saw her eyes glisten with tears. “She regnant when he came out of nowhere. Barely days from giving birth. He mocked her for her state and expected to win easily and if Major wasn’t near, he would. That Major left aurned just a few days ter wasn't a ce!”

  Her body slightly trembled with rage, sadness and fear as if it was her, fag off a horde of vampires while proteg her baby. “Shhh… I’m here angel, you’re safe.” I whispered, embrag her tightly. I couldn’t imagine what that Major went through when he lost his mate and I was dead set on never finding out.

  “That man… he was the only one who knew about the baby. And he was the only one looking around, searg for it when he came back with reinforts…” Annabell finished and I finally uood. It made sense. If it were truly the Volturi after Annabell, there would be more of them and they would already make a move.

  But if it’s only one man… I kept caressing Annabell’s hair, thinking about what she told me. It didn’t take long before her breathing deepened abeat slowed down signaling that she fell asleep.

  Well, not just one man. He arently w with Edward and Alice. But Edward seemed too i oing her blood to be helping with kidnapping. And Alice clearly wanted nothing more than to see Annabell dead. It didn’t make sense for the three to be w together. None of it made sense. Except for that there was someoill after her. And I have no idea who nor where he’s hiding.

  Pushing troubled thoughts aside, I focused on the fact that Annabell was safe in my arms for the moment as I heard a thunder in the distahere was aorm ing and I couldn't help but wonder if it was bringing more destru or it would just clear the air.

  *Few miles away from Annabell’s house

  “Dude, you’re lucky it’s gonna rain tonight.” Female voice surprised a predator on his way to his prey.

  Growling, he spun around to sm her petite form into a tree but she anticipated it and evaded his grip effitly. “How about you thank me for not letting you it a suicide?” She asked while nontly looking over her retly painted, bright red nails.

  “Really?” He asked, suspicious. “Why would I believe that you want to help me?”

  “Holy, I’d much rather see her dead…” She admitted, earning anrowl from him. “But I ’t see either of us getting what we want if we’re ea our own. So I thought that even if she doesn’t die right away, I don’t care as long as she’s out of the picture.”

  “If you pull something again, you die first.” He warned her.

  “Sure, but let’s talk somewhere else so the rain do its thing and wash our traces away.”