Jasper woke with a sharp inhale, as though he had surfaced from deep water too quickly.
The room was dark, the hearth long reduced to embers, but his body burned as if fire ran through his veins. His heart thundered violently, each beat echoing in his skull. For a moment, he didn't move afraid that if he did, whatever clawed at him from the inside would finally tear free.
His eyes were black.
He felt it before he saw it before the nausea twisted his stomach and the familiar, dreadful hunger surged through him. His fingers dug into the mattress, knuckles whitening as he fought to remain still.
Not her. Not now. A quiet sound broke the stillness.Nicole could feel the stress and sickness coming off of Jasper body. It was intense it was something she couldn't ignore.
"Jasper…?"
Nicole stirred beside him, her voice thick with sleep but threaded with concern. She turned toward him, immediately sensing that something was wrong. She always did
