"Watch. It's almost time," Pete said quietly, tilting his head towards the far-right corner.

Jasper did as Peter asked, letting his senses expand as he searched the wide stretch of trees, bushes, and the walking trail to find her.

He could hear a heartbeat. The sound of it thrummed through his body as if it were his own. Its cadence was steady. The dulcet tone was the sweetest melody he'd ever heard. It called to him. Pulled him forward.

The only thing keeping him in place was Peter's steel grip on his arm. Though, instinctively, Jasper knew his progeny wasn't trying to keep him from harming the little beauty coming toward them. He could never hurt her. She was likely the only person he would never move against.

She was his.

His soulmate.

His heart.

He couldn't deny that the aroma of her scent was exquisite, and he wouldn't resist if she offered him a taste. The blood of a vampire's mate—should they have blood in their veins—was nothing like the blood of their prey. The scent alone would soothe his inner beast in times of turmoil and provide comfort. Should he ever taste her, her blood would satiate the raging hunger within him more than any other blood.

But he could never, would never, harm her.

His bite would bring her nothing but pleasure. It's said to be a passionate, intimate experience.

Her heartbeat grew louder.

And louder.

Tiny feet scuffled across the pavement, and both men froze at the approach.

"Teddy!" A delicate little voice called. "Teddy! Where'd you go?"

There was some rustling in the bushes and then, there she was, the most beautiful little girl Jasper had ever seen.

She couldn't have been older than four. She was tiny; a delicate, beautiful little creature.

In her tiny hand was a bright red leash; attached to the end was the biggest dog Jasper had ever seen. Its fur was jet black and its eyes were the color of whiskey, but these were not the eyes of a regular dog. They were oddly intelligent, vigilant, and locked on the two vampires.

At her side was a black cat. It looked completely normal compared to the dog. A regular house cat.

The little girl stood a few feet from them. She wore a thick hoodie, red jacket, and red overalls to stay warm in the cold. A pair of gloves hung from her pocket. Atop her head was a Christmas Santa hat with a fuzzy white bobble. A pair of worn, scuffed winter boots encased her tiny feet. Her long, dark hair was in a loose braid that draped over her shoulder. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes were the richest brown he'd ever seen, impossibly large for her round face and seemed to hold knowledge well beyond her four years.

He wondered if she knew about her magic; does she know she's a witch? Does she know he and Peter are vampires? Or was she still too young?

She tilted her head to one side, peering at the two men with dark eyes.

Beside her, the massive dog shifted. Somehow, it seemed to get impossibly larger. This was no ordinary dog. Jasper wasn't sure of its breed or how it was so big, but it was not a regular dog. Its already large body curled around the little girl protectively. Its dark eyes narrowed as its lip quivered, exposing teeth that, he swore, looked sharper than his.

As she stared at them, Jasper wished for Edward's gift. What was she thinking? Was she scared? Did she fear them?

He shook himself from those thoughts.

He may not have Edward's gift, but he has an entire arsenal of abilities at his disposal. One that far surpasses Edward's ability to read the surface thoughts of every mind within a two-mile radius.

Jasper Whitlock is an empath.

And yes, she was scared.

Feeling her fear about did him in. He dropped to his knees, so that they were almost the same height, and offered her a soft, friendly smile. "It's all right, little one. You're safe." He hoped he didn't sound dangerous or creepy. "Are you lost?"

She stepped closer toward him, a tentative smile on her rosy-cheeked face.

Her gaze was unnerving. The intensity with which she stared back at him almost made him think of Edward when he tried to read Jasper's mind, but, thanks to his empathic shield, couldn't, no matter how much he tried to force his way into Jasper's head.

To think, the great God of War, unnerved by a four-year-old little girl. He couldn't help but chuckle.

His laughter seemed to settle her worry. A bright smile lit her lovely face as she came closer to him. "I was looking for Teddy." Her little voice was like a crystal bell, ringing musically in the cold air.

Jasper smiled. "Oh. Who's Teddy?"

Her eyes went big and wide with excitement and she flashed him the most beautiful angelic smile he'd ever seen. "Teddy is a dragon!"

"A dragon named Teddy?"

She nodded. "Uh-huh. His name is Theodore, but I call him Teddy because he likes to snuggle with me, and his scales get all warm and cozy! We was playing hide and seek yesterday," she told him. "But he hides too well, and before I could find him, Mommy said I had to come in and now it's snowing and he'll catch a cold if he stays out here."

Jasper nodded.

"He must be invisible…" she mused, her little index finger tapping her chin.

He smiled. "Maybe he has to hide from all the humans to keep himself safe from exposure."

She nodded her head. "Uh-huh. And to sneak cakes."

He chuckled. "That's right, Darlin'."

"How do you know bout dragons?" She wondered and then gasped in excitement. "Do you know Teddy?"

"No, I've never met Teddy," he told her. "But I know where the dragons come from. When I was a boy, my brother used to tell me about a magical world named Dragonheart, where all the dragon families live."

Behind him, Peter rolled his eyes. He'd heard the stories, but he didn't believe them to be true. Dragonheart was a fairytale. There were many supernatural species in the world, but dragons—Peter was sure—were not real.

Her excitement and happiness flowed through Jasper like a gentle stream. Her emotions were warm and surrounded him in a bubble of serenity. He wasn't sure if it was her or their manifesting bond. Either way, he reveled in her emotions, absorbing all the pure innocence and excitement coming from his little mate.

"It's magic there?"

Jasper nodded. "It's a beautiful, magical place. Full of warmth and adventure and love."

With her strange animals shadowing her, she took a small step towards him. "Have you been there?" She whispered, her eyes bright and curious.

"No," he admitted. "Unfortunately, I never got to go there."

At her side, the giant dog grumbled low and deep in his chest as he gently nudged the little girl with his nose.

She looked over at him and frowned. Her eyes darted around at her surroundings, seeing nothing but trees and a dark path covered with a layer of white.

Blinking those—almost too big for her little face—eyes, she looked back up at Jasper.

"It's getting cold out, Darlin'. How about we get you home to your mommy and daddy? I'm sure they're worried about you by now."

He offered her his hand as a jolt of sadness washed over her as she shook her head. "Daddy's not here," she whispered, looking down at her little feet.

The cat meowed and leaned into her, rubbing its head against her leg as the giant dog laid his head on her shoulder.

"Where did he go, Darlin'?"

"To take care of Uncle Billy cuz Aunt Sarah had to go to heaven," she told him. A frown creased her brow. "I don't think she's coming back."

Oh, fuck me.

"No, baby," Jasper said softly. "I don't think she is, either. But she'll always be in your heart."

She nodded thoughtfully. "And in the pot on the mantel."

Peter turned away, trying to hold back his laughter. Jasper could feel the humor rolling off him in waves.

"That's right," Jasper grinned, ignoring his brother. "When did your Aunt Sarah go up to heaven?"

She stared at him and then looked at the dog. It gave a little snort and a bark.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it. "I think it was a Wednesday…"

Jasper wasn't sure if that was this past Wednesday or another one. Honestly, he wasn't sure if she knew. Perhaps she was too young to understand the concept of time. He wasn't sure when kids learned that kind of thing.

"Right after the bad lady went away."

Jasper looked over his shoulder at Peter and then back at his little mate. "The bad lady?" He inquired. "Who was the bad lady?"

The cat meowed, causing her to look down, frowning as she nodded.

She looked back at the brothers. The crease between her brows deepened. "Daddy said I shouldn't talk to strangers."

Jasper nodded. "That's right. You shouldn't," he agreed. "My name is Jasper Whitlock, and this is my brother, Peter."

"Hey there, poppet." Peter grinned.

She gasped. "You're brothers. That's totally cool! I always wanted a little brother!" Her excitement was infectious. "But Mommy said one is enough for her. That when you achieve perfection the first time, one is all you need."

The two men chuckled.

"What's your name, poppet?" Peter asked.

"Isabella Marie Swan. But I prefer Issy, please," she said sweetly.

Issy seemed like the perfect name for the little lady standing before them. It fit her. Musical in its pronunciation. Short, fun, and spunky, but still elegant. Jasper preferred it to the much more common Bella.

"Who're your friends, Poppet?" Peter asked, eyeing the strange dog.

Jasper understood his brother's hesitation. This was not just any dog. There was something … off about this animal ... something not entirely canine. Do regular dogs have teeth like that? And eyes so vigilant and penetrating they about near bore into your soul? Admittedly, he hasn't spent a lot of time around animals since he became a vampire, but he's pretty sure most dogs aren't this big. This beast would tower over a Great Dane. He had to be at least four feet tall, if not taller.

Issy looked over at the dog and smiled. "This is Atticus Xavier Swan," she told them proudly as the dog stood a little straighter and gave his tail a quick flick. "And this is Nova. She's Mommy's. She said I could take care of her while we're in New York."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you all," Jasper smiled as Atticus eyed him suspiciously. "Now that we're all friends, will you tell me who the bad lady is?"

Atticus gave a low growl, Nova hissed, and Issy shook her little head. Tears filled her dark eyes as her little body shook. "Please don't make me, Jazzy. I don't wanna go back to the dark place … it's scary there…"

"Shh. It's okay, little one. You don't have to tell us," he promised.

Her fear was utterly heartbreaking.

If he ever found out who this bad lady was, he would annihilate her for causing his beloved such distress.

"C'mon. How about we get you home?" Jasper suggested as he stood back up.

She looked up at him, pondering something. "Do you know the way?"

He smiled. "Uh. No. But I'm sure I can find it."

She took his offered hand and let him lead her back the way they'd come. They were only walking for a few minutes when she tugged on his arm and told him her legs hurt. Jasper lifted her into his arms and held her against his chest. Her head fell onto his shoulder as she cuddled into him, sighing happily.

Pete took hold of Atticus's leash and—to his surprise—the cat lept up into his arms and curled into the warmth of his jacket.

These were the strangest animals Jasper had ever seen. Vampires are predators. Animals sense that. Many of them can't stand being around them. Their presence puts animals on edge and triggers their instincts.

Some very special animals can learn to live beside vampires. Jasper's old friend Garrett has a mutt who accompanies him on his travels. Peter keeps horses.

Dogs, horses, and, oddly enough, sheep and cows, are more tolerant of a vampire's presence. But it still takes training and time for them to trust their vampire.

He's never seen an animal jump into a vampire's arms moments after meeting them. Especially not a cat. Cats loathe vampires. And yet, Isabella's cat was comfortable in Pete's arms. Atticus was on alert. But he wasn't running away, growling, or showing any signs of aggression toward them. It was the strangest thing.

"You're very pretty," Issy whispered, her little fingers tracing his jaw.

Jasper smiled and looked back at her. "You're prettier."

A soft blush covered her cheeks, and she giggled happily.

When it started snowing again, and Issy shivered with the cold, Jasper felt his body temperature rise, as if in answer to his mate's discomfort.

It was such an odd sensation. One he wasn't expecting. He knew mating with a human—even a supernatural human—had a unique effect on a vampire. But he didn't know the specifics. Nor did he realize the mating bond would be so powerful as to change his physiology.

"You're very warm," Issy said softly, wriggling against him.

"Is it too hot?" He worried.

She shook her head. "Nope. How'd you do it?"

"Magic," he told her with a grin.

Her dark eyes lit up with excitement. "You do magic?"

Jasper smiled.

"Does Petey do magic, too?" She asked, her voice full of curiosity and wonder as she looked over at Peter.

Peter slowed his stride, falling in line with Jasper. "I sure do, Poppet."

"What kind of magic?" She asked.

"Peter's clairvoyant."

The words were unfamiliar to her. Her dark brows drew together as her lips formed a thoughtful, entirely too adorable pout.

"I don't know what that is…"

Hmm.

How to explain?

"I just know stuff," Peter told her. "All kinds of stuff. Here, I'll show you. Think of a colour, any colour."

Her little fingers tapped her chin as she looked back at Peter. "Hmmmmm," she hummed, then grinned, once more giving an excited bounce as she leaned toward Peter. "Okay! I got it!" She smiled happily. "But you'll never guess…"

Peter grinned and played along, pretending to think about his answer, as if he was magically pulling the information out of her head. "Hmm. You're thinking … of the colour … jazzbery jam!"

What kind of color is Jazzberry Jam?

Her eyes widened to comical proportions as she twisted her little body to look back at Jasper. "It's my favourite one!" She squealed in her excitement, almost as if she heard his thoughts. "Not quite purple. Not quite pink. It's both! And I like jam sandwiches."

She turned back to Peter, gazing at him. "Do it again, Petey!"

"Hmm. Okay. Let's see," he looked back at her, smiling happily. "You're thinkin' of the colour … Cerulean Blue."

She lurched forward and bounced. "Uh-huh! Just like Jazzy's shirt! Did you see it? You don't even gotta talk! Petey just knows the colours!"

Jasper chuckled. "I saw, little one." Her excitement and happiness were infectious.

"Guess the colour, Jazzy!" She demanded in her little tinkling voice.

"I can't guess the color, Darlin'."

She briefly felt disappointed, which was immediately replaced with her perpetual excitement.

"Your magic is different!" She exclaimed. "What can you do, Jazzy? Can you fly? Or go invisible? That would be so cool! Then you could sneak all the cakes and Nan wouldn't ever know."

Jasper chuckled happily at her enthusiasm. "That would be cool."

She looked at him curiously, waiting for him to tell her about his magic.

"Your Jazzy can tell how you're feelin', Poppet," Peter provided. "And he can make you feel things, too."

She nodded slowly. Jasper could almost see the wheels in her head spinning as she processed this new information. "Can you show me?" She asked.

He wasn't sure if he should share his gift with her. When she was older, he'd tell her everything. But right now, she's just a little girl. Was it fair to burden her with this while she was so young?

"It's okay, Major," Peter said, too fast and soft for Isabella to hear him. "Tell her. She'll keep our secrets." He tapped his head. That was all Jasper needed.

"Do you feel sleepy right now?" Jasper asked.

"Hmmm…" She thought about this for a moment. "Nope."

Tentatively, Jasper released a small wave of exhaustion toward her. He wasn't sure if, like medication, her little body would require only a small dose of the emotion.

Within moments, she was rubbing her eyes and leaning into him. Her head lolled back onto his shoulder as she sighed happily. He reined in his influence just before sleep took her.

Despite his restraint, it still took her several minutes to recover. She stretched her little body and wriggled. Smiling sleepily, she looked back at him as she yawned.

"Wow. Jazzy, you're like a superhero! If a bad man wanted to do bad things, you could make them fall asleep! And then the policeman would come and take them away! That's so cool!"

"But remember, Poppet, we can't tell anyone about our magic," Pete said lightly.

She nodded her little head, very serious now. "I know. I promise. Mommy made me promise not to tell anyone about magic. Ever."

"Can you tell us about your magic, little one?"

"Mommy says I'm special cuz I'm like her and Daddy."

"Your Mommy and Daddy have magic, too?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded. "Mommy and Daddy are witches, but Daddy's also a vampire. That's why I'm special."

Jasper stared at the little girl in his arms in complete amazement.

A hybrid. Both witch and vampire. Born, not created…

Again, as if she heard his thoughts, she looked back at him, her eyes wide and bright. "Uh-huh. Mommy carried me in her tummy."

"This is … unexpected," Pete frowned, keeping his voice too low for little ears.

Jasper nodded in agreement. "I … I didn't know vampires could procreate…"

"Me either," Pete sighed, running a hand through his long, blonde hair. "This isn't good, Major. When it gets out that a vampire conceived a child naturally … it's going to change our world as we know it…"

Jasper looked over at Peter. "Do you know something?"

His mind was stuck on the part about her being half-vampire. He didn't know that was possible. She didn't look like a vampire, or smell like one. She had blood flowing through her veins. Her skin was warm and flushed. He could hear her heart beating!

I can see it. Her skin is a little too hard. She's inhumanly beautiful. The way she moves is just a little too graceful to be human…

Jasper noticed. He just figured he was biased. She's his mate. Of course, she's beautiful to him!

Peter shook his head. "We need to know who this bad lady is … my guess," he sighed, "we ain't gonna like her answer…"

A low growl rumbled through Jasper's chest.

"And after Christmas," Pete said, his voice hard as steel, "you need to bring me and Char into whatever you're up to with the Cullens. I can't have your back if I don't know what you're up to. And trust me, Major, you're gonna need someone at your back for what's coming."

Jasper sighed. "That bad, huh?"

"The Wars look tame compared to what The Fates are tellin' me."

Well, shit. Ain't that just fantastic?

There was one thing that worried him more than what Peter was saying … the power that emanated from his little mate was like a beacon. If it got stronger as she grew older, he feared she'd attract unwanted attention. He could already think of a handful of vampires and covens who'd go to war to get their hands on this little girl.

Again, as if she'd heard him, she nodded her head. "Uh-huh. Mommy says I'm special cuz my magic is different. But," sadness overwhelmed her suddenly, "Mr. Ateara says my magic is wrong … that it's bad cuz Daddy's a vampire and I'm an … an … abom … abom … abom …"

"Abomination?" Peter supplied.

"Uh-huh," she nodded.

A low, dangerous growl reverberated through Jasper's chest. As soon as she heard it, she snuggled deeper into his arms.

"I don't think I'm a bad girl…" She looked down at her little hands resting just above Jasper's heart. "But sometimes I can't control my magic so well. So Mommy made me a special bracelet to keep me safe."

She held out her arm and pushed up the sleeve of her red coat to show them the thin sterling silver bracelet with five tiny blue stones wrapped around her delicate wrist. Jasper wasn't sure what the gems were, but he was sure they held some magical significance.

"Mommy says when I go outside to play, I should wear my bracelet until I learn to control the magic. But when we're at home, it's safe to practice."

Jasper could see how she'd have trouble controlling her power at such a young age. Witches rarely develop their magic until adolescence. It's extraordinary and speaks to the power she will one day wield that her magic is already so strong. Though she said she wasn't a normal witch. He didn't know what that meant or how her vampire nature would influence her magic. Considering she's so comfortable speaking to strangers, it was nice to know her family was taking precautions.

Again, she looked back at him, nodding as if she'd heard everything he'd been thinking. "Mommy and Daddy will always keep me safe," she said seriously, her eyes on Jasper's forehead.

"Can you hear my thoughts, little one?"

AN: I'm sorry to end on a cliffhanger. Don't worry, there's lots more to come! Let me know what you think of this chapter. I love hearing from you. xoxo.