*Jemima*

I took my time walking through the forest on my way home. I could nearly always find peace in the forest. Well, when I didn't feel like I was being followed. I wandered absentmindedly off of the road, into the trees. The air was moist again, and the wet leaves stuck to my converses. Dew clung to the ferns around me and hung off the spider webs hanging within the foliage around me. I shuddered, remembering last night's dream. Pushing the thoughts of the nightmare out of my head, I moved slowly through the wood, taking in everything. The squirrels chattering above me, the birdsong echoing around me, the distant thudding of a passing herd of deer, the whisper of a hunting predator. I stepped over the roots, intertwined across the forest floor.

Crack.

I whipped around at the sound of the stick cracking. It was only then that I realized how far away from the road I was. A shiver passed up my spine, and a feeling of déjà vu shook my body. The fear made my breathing speed up. I turned my head, searching for the source of the noise. Crack. I gasped, turning around faster. Adrenaline coursed through veins. Fight or flight...

Mirroring my nightmare, I chose flight. My muscles kicked into action, pushing me away. I ran. I didn't know if I was moving towards the road, or away. I leapt over a fallen tree, a stitch starting to form in my side. This was real! I was in danger! A howl ripped through the forest, forcing my legs to move faster.

Faster, faster, faster.

It didn't occur to me until later that I'd never tripped in a forest, excluding my dream, and even whilst I was running for my life I managed to avoid falling. Suddenly, the forest seemed to erupt around me. The branches and pine needles rained down on me like a hailstorm. The birds screeched, and noise like tearing metal was soon followed by a heavy thud. But something happened between those two last sounds.

Something pulled me backwards. I fell to the ground, and I felt something lie over me, protecting me from the sharp fragments of wood that flew around me. The impact of the falling tree shook the ground. I covered my head in an instinctive attempt to protect myself.

Silence fell like a blanket. It took me a moment to pluck up the courage to lift my head. The ancient tree rolled slightly a couple of meters in front of me, settling slowly. With a gasp, I realized it had fallen in the exact place I'd been a moment ago. That made me remember my saviour. Slowly, I glanced upwards. Golden eyes stared back at me, wide with shock. I felt as if we stared at each other for hours, but it must have only been a few moments.

"Jasper?" I stuttered, my voice hoarse. Jasper Hale, my beautiful nightmare, had saved my life. "Wha...What are you-?"

Jasper suddenly went rigid, before leaping away from me with inhuman speed and grace. His wary eyes scanned the forest. I stood up slowly, brushing the twigs and pine needles from my clothes and hair. Jasper backed towards me slowly, his eyes fixed on the forest ahead. He seemed to be talking to himself.

"Jemima," he said, hardly louder than a whisper, "get onto my back."

I tore my gaze from the whatever was hidden in the woods in front of us, and looked at Jasper's back, "What!"

"Get on my back. Now."

I opened my mouth to argue, but a loud growl came from the spot we'd been staring at, keeping me quiet. Jasper didn't turn away from the hidden creature. Without any more hesitation, I moved over to him quickly, and put my arms around his neck.

"Climb on," he growled quietly. I raised my eyebrows, but another, louder growl from the forest made me leap onto his back. As soon as my feet left the floor, Jasper was running. I felt as if he was running with speed to rival a concord, but I knew I must be mistaken. My stomach churned and my hair whipped out of my face. Too soon, we were at my house. I tried to ease myself off of his back, but he grabbed my thighs keeping me on his back. He was tense, his eyes wary.

"Um, Jasper?" I said, looking around my street, "can you let me down, this looks kind of weird."

Slowly, carefully, Jasper released my legs and I slid off of his back. "Get into the house," He growled, pushing me towards my front door.

I backed away from him quickly, until he was out of sight, and then I ran. Wrenching open the front door, I took the stairs two-at-a-time up into the upstairs landing. I ran along the long hallway to my room, and slammed the door behind me. I put my back to the peeling white paint of my wooden door and, exhausted, I slid to the ground. The memories of what had just happened flew around my head like a swarm of angry bees. I pulled my knees up to my chest and held my head with my hand. A slight whooshing sound made me look up. Jasper was standing beside my bed, my bedroom window wide open behind him. He looked at me carefully,

"Are you alright?"

"No."

Jasper sighed quietly and approached me very slowly. Each step closer to me was controlled.

Finally, he crouched in front of me and slowly pushed a strand of dark hair behind my ear, "I'm sorry...I never wanted...you shouldn't have to go through this."

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with an urge to comfort him.

"What's going on Jasper? What just happened?"

Jasper face was inches from mine, his golden eyes fixed on mine. I wished my eyes were as beautiful as his. Jasper touched my face, his fingers were like icicles.

"Your freezing," I whispered worriedly, touching the ice-cold hand on my face.

Jasper grimaced, "I have to tell you something...something big, and dark. You're not going to like it."

I narrowed my eyes confusedly looking deep into his eyes. I could see his soul, a tormented soul.

"Jasper, what happened to you?" I whispered stroking the dark shadows beneath his eyes. Jasper seemed to be fighting an internal battle with himself, his face was drawn.

Finally, he spoke, "Jemima, I'm not...human. I'm a monster. And every second you spend with me, you're risking your life."

Somehow, these words didn't surprise me. I'd always known, deep down, that he was different.

Jasper continued, "I'm...I'm a vampire. A creature of the night. A killer." He finished, looking down shamefully.

I put my hand under his chin and lifted his beautiful face up. Silently, I leant forward and kissed him. His smooth, solid lips were hesitant at first, but eventually kissed mine back. Once again, every move he made was controlled. Slowly, I pulled away. He didn't try and stop me; he just gazed into my eyes.

"I don't care." I said simply. The reality of my words shook me to the core. Only a few hours ago, Jasper was the most terrifying thing I'd ever seen. Now, although I knew how dangerous he was, he didn't scare me anymore. Jasper smiled slightly, but it soon faded, "You should."

I furrowed my brow, "Jasper, you didn't answer me. What happened...in the forest?"

"Are you changing the subject?" He asked a playful ring to his melodious voice. That was a side of him I had never seen before.

I narrowed my eyes, "No. Answer me Jasper."

Jasper sighed slightly, "Fine. You were being chased by werewolves."

I blinked, "Huh?" I asked intelligently. Jasper rolled his golden eyes,

"There's something...attractive about you. I don't understand you at all."

I blinked again, "...Erm, thanks?"

Jasper looked sheepish, "There's something strange about you. You're not like anybody else I've ever met."

I blushed, but Jasper suddenly caught my face in his stone-like hands, "What happened to you?"

He used my own question against me, startling me for a moment. Jasper continued, staring intensely into my eyes, as if searching for something in them, "there's darkness behind your eyes, Jemima. Something happened in your past. Tell me."

I looked down, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jasper pulled my face up to his, looking deeply into my eyes, "Jemima."

I sighed, and all of my control, everything I'd hidden deep inside of me, came pouring out...