Stay Breathing (2)

Prologue

Hi all, first off this is the second book in my series so please read the first one before this one so that things don't get confusing.

WARNING: THIS BOOK HAS MENTIONS OF SELF HARM AND OTHER TRIGGERING CONTENT, I WILL PLACE WARNINGS SO THAT YOU MAY SKIP OVER THEM IF YOU NEED TO.

"Tell me why I shouldn't just hang up the phone."

"Mila-"

"You promised. You promised you'd be here and you aren't." I sighed, disheartened and, well, disappointed doesn't cover it. "Louise keeps asking when Uncle Jasper is coming, and what am I supposed to tell her? I'm sorry sweetheart but apparently we just aren't that important to Jasper anymore that he won't show up for your birthday. I can't tell a two year old that!" I clutched the phone tightly, almost cutting the skin on my palm from where I'd previously cracked the screen. "If it were my birthday, it's whatever. But not to Louise, Jasper."

"You know that's not true-"

"Then why are you avoiding me!" He kept quiet over the line, "This past month, you've been skittish, distant. I thought at first maybe you were giving me space to be with Louise, to heal after everything that happened. Now? Now I'm starting to think you don't want to be with me anymore. That I can't possibly compare to Claire. So if you don't want to be here then just say it. If you don't want to be with me just fucking tell me!" I paused, anger flowing through me. "You know what? Have fun with whatever is more important than us." I hung up the phone and threw it on the bed; it was better than throwing it at the wall again.

I know that I seem to be over reacting, what could have possibly happened that I'm screaming down the phone at the vampire I left you guys with saying I loved him? You haven't been here the past month, so what have you missed?

Everything.

At first, he'd be cutting dates short. No biggie, maybe he had other things to do- I know Victoria's still out there so he'd be tracking her. Then he started cancelling. Every other date, until it was every date. When I'd visit the family, he'd make an excuse to leave. Everyone was noticing. I asked Alice what was happening, and she told me what she could. That it wasn't her reasoning to tell, but that he was afraid of himself. That was it. Well what the hell does that mean! This silence, it was exhausting, and I was giving up. Chasing after a vampire, you can never catch up.

After 47 years, all that time waiting, had he given up? Had he decided I wasn't the one for him?

"Cam-Cam!" I felt the pitter-patter of small hands on my lower leg, there only being one culprit. My daughter. "I'm two!" I placed a smile on my face, half forced, and lifted the small child into my arms, settling her on my hip giggling; I loved her giggles. "Jaz Jaz?"

"I'm sorry baby, I don't think Jazzy can make it. But we can have all the fun, right chickpea?" Her eyes became glassy, trying not to let the tears fall.

"But... but its my bwithday." I sighed, this was not going to be easy.

"I know, Izzy, but guess what? Since it's the most special day in the whole wide world, shall we go find Grammy and bake some cookies? It'll be our little secret. And we can eat them all so mean old Jazzy doesn't get any!" I showed my pinky finger, and when her much smaller one wrapped around it I grinned and mock threw her into the air, catching her and running downstairs.

No stupid vampire was ruining my baby's special day.

No one.

Hiya! I know this is long over due, but I've just finished editing the first book and now am back to focusing on this one.

There are a lot more dark themes in this one, and I will try to put trigger points in because the last thing I want to do is cause any one of my lovely readers distress.

The prologue is short, I know, but hopefully the rest of the chapters will be much longer than this!

Once again, I love you all and I am so happy you chose to stay on this journey with me.

Author B