Alice's emotions changed rapidly. She had been carefree and blissful the entirety of the night, not requiring any use of my talents. That all changed in an instant. Her attention was directed toward the bar before she dropped into my arms.

I laid her to the floor, resting her head in my lap with my hands cradling her head gently.

"Alice?" I whispered to her. She only responded with a shiver.

She showed no signs of consciousness aside from her eyes staring into mine. They were scared. Her emotions were feverish, changing rapidly from fear, panic, alarm, dismay, to finally… anguish.

Just then she let out a scream I had hoped to never hear escape her lips both in her previous life, and this one.

"Maria, no!"

I felt the color drain from my eyes, leaving them their all too familiar onyx. I too froze, preparing for battle. I whipped my head around the room scanning in the way I had become all too acquainted with in battle. My eyes came to rest on an empty seat at the bar. I inhaled deeply, despite being surrounded by rushing hearts and fresh…blood.

I caught that scent I dreaded. The smell of ash, spice, sand, and mezcal assaulted my nostrils. It sent tremors through my body, each and every muscle tensing at once. I had been scooping Alice into my arms to get her to safety before going after her, but Alice had finally blinked. She was back and was humiliated.

"Jasper?" she whimpered before burying her face into my chest, gripping my lapel to the point of tearing.

"Shhhh," I calmed her. "I'll get you out of here, it's okay Darlin'." I looked deep into her eyes sending her waves of safeguard.

She nodded briefly before breaking into tears. I pulled her as close to my chest as I possibly could without causing her harm. There was a pounding in my ears that I could no longer ignore as I approached the circle of onlookers around us. There were men who refused to move from their "protective stances". I released low growl making eye contact with each of them to issue my threat.

They stumbled over each other, trying to clear a path as close to the walls as they could muster. I nodded towards them in mock appreciation, in attempts to maintain appearances.

What I could only assume was the director of the evening rushed up to us. I rapidly contoured my body to place Alice out of reach of this buffoon.

"Is everything alright here?" he placated with arrogance and a lifted eyebrow.

I nodded while swallowing hard. My throat burned more than I was able to withstand. Forming a sentence was near impossible…near.

"My wife…she…she's with child." I issued in attempts to assuage this fool.

"Oh," he chuckled with relief. "The misses was like that too! Terribly riddled with morning sickness." He rubbed the back of his neck.

I only nodded my head and moved towards the door.

Finally we were in the open air, met with concerned eyes of the young valets.

"Your ticket sir?" his voice broke with apprehension.

"Not necessary." I declared as I ripped the keys from the board, before sprinting towards the car.

I made note of every movement, sound, and change in atmosphere as I made my way to the car. There was no sign of company. I let loose a warning growl towards the darkness in case I had missed something in my inattentiveness.

Of all of the scenarios that had run through my head in the last decade...she had not been one of them.

Foolish really.