empathy

SEVEN

"I really don't think I can do this," Anastasia gulps, looking at the man walking down the street. 

They've been watching an alley that is apparently known to be a place of robberies and other crimes and they didn't have to wait long for this man to appear within, his eyes focused on the woman currently walking in his direction. 

"It's alright. You need to relax and don't breathe. Not yet," Jasper means gently. 

Watching the man grab the woman, a knife held towards her throat, their eyes narrow and Jasper lets his hands slip from her shoulders. 

"Focus on him. He's the bad guy. You don't need to kill him but no one would blame you if you did. You feed off human blood, it only makes sense to want to try it straight from the vein," he whispers, watching her disappear and speed towards them, quickly pulling the man off the woman and telling her to run.

Anastasia's tense, her eyes glancing to where he is in panic as she makes the mistake of breathing in. 

Blood.

Her fingers move slightly until she is able to feel his pulse beneath them, the sound of his heartbeat mirroring the slight vibrations.

Licking her teeth in a weak attempt to get rid of the hunger her eyes drift from Jasper to the frightened man in front of her.

Jasper quickly speeds behind her, pulling her off the man for a second but ensuring he can't escape. 

"I need you to be sure about this, darlin'. Once you taste from the vein, it's not easy to stop," he tells her, the eye contact almost scary. It's intense.

Her eyes fall onto the man again, the temptation too great to resist. 

"Jas," she breathes out, her eyes unable to look away from the man. "I..." "It's okay," he smiles at her, stepping out of the way. 

Speeding back behind the man, Anastasia doesn't waste a second to pierce her teeth into his skin, her eyes closing automatically as the blood hits her tongue. Never has she ever tasted something this divine.

Jasper's eyes are focused on her. Something about the way she is feeding off the man is oddly fascinating to him and especially the major. It makes them feel closer than they were before, as though she is judging them less now that she is killing herself - not that she has judged them before.

Anastasia groans to herself when every last drop of blood has left the man's body and she drops him in disappointment. She wants more, so much more.

Jasper takes the lighter he had stored in his pocket earlier and throws it at the body, watching as the man's clothes start catching fire.

"Ana," he walks towards his mate, who is staring at the flames, her mind still hovering on the taste of fresh and warm blood on her tongue. Gently taking her head in his fingers, he forces her to look at him, waiting a second until he is sure to have her full attention. 

His thumb swipes over her bottom lip, getting some of the blood that dripped down her chin and he stares at it for a moment, contemplating on tasting it himself.

"Open up," he means eventually, watching Anastasia's lips part slightly. Just enough to suck the blood off his tongue.

"We should head back," he clears his throat, dropping his hand from her cheek. "Wouldn't wanna get caught next to a burning body."

Biting her lip, she looks at the dead man and nods, taking Jasper's hand and following after him.

"Jas," she speaks up after a minute and he stops running immediately, although confused. 

Somewhere along the lines of her training and getting to know her powers, they have managed to cloud his gift as though protecting him from it. He can still use it, of course, but he has noticed it is much easier with her. And he has also noticed he has to push through a weak force in order to do it. 

Not a force shielding her, a force shielding him.

"Are you alright?" he asks her worriedly. "Yeah, I... I think so." "Then what's wrong?"

Looking at him, once again biting her lip, she quickly averts her eyes again. Damnit, she doesn't like this. She doesn't like feeling shy and... insecure. 

"Darlin'?" "Don't do that," she breathes, finally able to look up at him again. "Don't do what?" he frowns in confusion. "Call me darling in that stupid accent." 

Looking at her, he smirks a little, highly amused by how she is acting.

"And why not, darling'?" 

Fuck this. Wrapping her arms around his neck and standing on her tippy toes, she presses her lips against his. 

Jasper is obviously surprised by this but reacts immediately, his hands grabbing her waist as he speeds them towards the nearest tree. 

Their lips don't move in sync for once, Anastasia too busy letting go of whatever emotions overcame her, too busy to completely lose herself while Jasper is fighting himself not to overwhelm her. Scared to drive her away once he allows himself to let go. 

But it doesn't really matter because all she can focus on is his hands on her waist and the way his body, flushed against hers, seems to awaken feelings she has never felt before 

And all he can focus on is trying not to lose control, her fingers playing with his hair and her body moving subconsciously against his. 

It's both heaven and hell but neither would have it any other way. 

--- -- -

Soooo, 

would you prefer me to write a chapter that's basically just smut ( although, I'm not really good at writing it)

Or would you rather I just go on with the story?