Wicked After Dark: 20 Steamy Paranormal Tales of Dragons, Vampires, Werewolves, Shifters, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More

by Mina Carter

Matt continued, "She captured my brother's heart quickly, but she also captured the hearts of our entire family. Jane has a way of just making you love her the moment she looks at you." He smiled. "Now, sadly, Jack is no longer with us. But I know deep down he would want me to do what I'm about to do with all of you present."

  Jane sat in her chair frozen as Matt knelt on one knee in front of her. He pulled a small box out of his pants pocket and opened it. A large diamond ring glistened under the lights.

  "Jack would want me to protect you. He would want me to love you with all my heart and soul, and that is exactly what I intend to do."

  Jane closed her eyes a moment. The memory of Jack proposing sent her head spinning.

  "And that is why I asked everyone to be here tonight for our engagement party." He took Jane's left hand in his. "Jane, will you marry me?"

  "I-I ---," she stammered. Jane glanced around the table. Margaret was bursting with joy, tears streaming down her face. Everyone at the table had a smile on their face and tears in their eyes. Then she caught the glare of Sebastian. His blue eyes were bitterly ice cold. Her face fell, and she turned back to Matt.

  A million thoughts ran through her head. She knew marrying Matt would be easy for her. It would be as if she was replacing Jack and have all the same family and friends. But she had loved Jack, and she didn't feel the same way about Matt. She refused to say yes to something she wasn't totally a hundred percent sure of.

  She stood quickly and felt all the blood rush to her head. The room began to spin, and she stumbled back from her chair, bumping into an antique buffet table.

  Matt stood and reached for her. "Jane, are you all right?"

  She shook her head and stayed out of his reach. The tingling sensation hit her quickly. She searched the room for Sebastian, but he was no longer in his seat. Had he left her all alone?

  Then she felt his hand at her elbow. "You're all right," Sebastian whispered in her ear. "I'm here. I won't let you fall."

  Darkness consumed her, and she collapsed into his arms.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  JANE COULD HEAR voices. Matt said angrily, "I knew it was a bad idea. I'm so stupid!"

  "It was a sweet gesture," Margaret said. "We were all happy to be a part of it. You didn't know Jane would have an episode."

  "I should have known better. She can't take much excitement, and me proposing was just too overwhelming."

  Jane's eyes fluttered open. "She's waking up," Sebastian announced.

  Matt was at her side. "Jane. Are you okay?"

  She stared at him. Was she okay? No, she was not okay. He had invited her to a party under false pretenses and then embarrassed her in front of his entire family and Sebastian. Sebastian. Her eyes found him standing in the back of the room. He looked angry or hurt or maybe both and everything in between. Jane slowly sat up. "I'm sorry. I just…got overwhelmed."

  "That's to be expected, dear," Margaret said. "It's not every day someone proposes to you."

  Matt took her hands in his. "I'm so sorry, Jane. I hope you can forgive me."

  She nodded slowly.

  "Do you need a glass of water, dear?" Margaret asked.

  "No. I just think I really want to go home and lay down."

  "I'll drive you," Matt said.

  "No," Jane said quickly. The thought of being alone with him in the car scared her. She didn't know how to tell him her true feelings without hurting him. "You have guests here, Matt. I don't want to take you away from the party."

  "I'll take her home," Sebastian offered. There was a bitter tone to his voice.

  Matt nodded in agreement. "All right. But call me as soon as you get home, Jane."

  "I will."

  After saying her goodbyes to everyone at the party, she followed Sebastian out to the car. He was in the driver's seat and starting the engine before she even climbed into the passenger's seat. The look in his eyes told her everything --- he was angry.

  As soon as her seat belt clicked in place, he whipped the car in reverse and sped down the long driveway. He hesitated at the bottom of the road. Instead of turning left, he turned right and headed towards the mountains. "Where are we going?" Jane asked, worried.

  He didn't answer her. His hands were tight on the steering wheel, and his knuckles were turning white. The car zipped up the bottom of the mountain. The road was widely known throughout Bedford Valley as being hazardous and one that many people had lost their lives on.

  Jane's seat belt cut into her as Sebastian drove hellishly fast up the road. The car's headlights cut through the darkness as they ascended. Every hairpin turn and curve, she closed her eyes, fearful that they would crash at any second. He was driving like a madman. "Are you going to tell me what your problem is?" she asked.

  Again, he refused to answer her. His lips were in a tight line, and he just continued driving erratically.

  "Stop the car!" she demanded. When he refused to stop, she screamed, "Stop the car! Stop the goddamn car!"

  All of a sudden, the car veered into a pull-off spot at the crest of the mountain. The tires skidded in the gravel, and the car finally came to a stop in a cloud of dust. Jane unlocked her seat belt and jumped out of the vehicle. Sebastian climbed out slowly and stood a few feet away from her.

  Jane's anger boiled over, and she stalked over to him, pushing him against the chest. He didn't budge an inch. "Are you crazy?!" she yelled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He just stood there staring at her. She pushed him again and again, trying to get the anger out of her. Slowly her anger turned into tears, and she found herself sobbing.

  Suddenly, Sebastian grabbed her and held her in his arms. She fought him at first, but he wouldn't let her go. He just held her. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her hair. "I'm sorry."

  Jane looked up at him as he took her face into his hands. His lips crushed into hers, and all of her emotion went into that kiss. She could taste him mixed in with her salty tears. The kiss was so urgent, so demanding that it took her breath away.

  When he pulled back from her, it took her a few moments to recover. "Do you want to marry Matt?" he asked, his voice demanding and raw.

  She shook her head. "No," she answered honestly.

  She watched as the rage in him gradually faded away. He slowly released her. "Get in. I'll take you home," he said as he walked to the driver's side of the car.

  Jane stared after him. She couldn't believe he would kiss her like that and then not follow up with a reason or explanation. Calmly, she straightened her dress and climbed back into the vehicle.

  Sebastian drove the car back down the mountain, only this time he obeyed the speed limit. He parked in front of his house, and they both got out of the car. Jane watched him as she stepped up on the sidewalk. He looked like he had a million things on his mind and a million things that he wanted to say. So when he said, "Goodnight," and walked into his house, Jane was stunned.

  She stood on the sidewalk for a while thinking that maybe Sebastian would come back out to talk to her, but he never appeared from the house again. She finally headed home. The answering machine contained three messages, all from Matt. He wondered what was taking so long for her to get home. She rolled her eyes and called him quickly. "I'm sorry, Matt. I got distracted and totally forgot to call you." She wasn't really lying to him. She had definitely been distracted.

  He breathed a sigh of relief. "I was so worried! I thought you were in a car wreck or something."

  Almost, she thought. "Listen, Matt, I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'm just so tired."

  "Sure, Jane. Goodnight."

  She hung up the phone and ascended the stairs up to her bedroom. She stripped out of her dress and soaked in the tub for over an hour. The evening had been so vexing on her, and even though it was only nine o'clock by the time she emerged from the tub, she was completely exhausted.

  She slipped into a nightgown and proceeded to pull the curtains shut. When she got to the last window, she could see Sebastian staring at her from
his bedroom window. They both stood there. She had so much she wanted to say to him, but it would have to wait for another day. She gave him a small wave before drawing the curtains closed. A conversation about what had happened would have to wait until the next day. She collapsed onto the bed, loving the way the soft sheets felt against her skin. Then she closed her eyes, and it wasn't long before she gave away to a deep sleep.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  JANE THUMBED THROUGH pages in a binder and sighed. Business had been slow for a Friday, and she had sent Ashley home hours earlier.

  Someone entered the store, and she looked up to see Matt. He was in normal clothes, so she knew he wasn't on duty. "Hey, Jane," he said with a smile.

  "Hi, Matt."

  He looked around the empty store. "Can we talk?"

  She nodded, knowing the dreaded talk was going to come at some point. "I'll get us a cup of coffee."

  They walked over to the café side of the store, and Jane poured two cups of coffee. She busied herself with the cream and sugar while Matt drank his black. "I know yesterday was a shock to you," he said.

  That's an understatement, she thought. Jane stirred her coffee and waited for what he was going to say next.

  "I just thought you were ready to move on."

  She sipped her coffee while gathering her thoughts together. "Matt, I just didn't think you wanted that kind of commitment from me. It really seemed to come out of the blue to me."

  He wrapped his hands around his coffee mug. "Jane, I have loved you from the first time you kissed me in the kitchen. I have been waiting all this time for you."

  Jane raised a brow. She was surprised by his admission. "Matt, I had no idea."

  He nodded. "That's what I figured. I haven't exactly spelled it out in black and white." He hesitated. "But now that I have, what is it going to take for you to say yes?"

  Jane mulled over his question. If she ever was going to end up with Matt, there was definitely one thing she needed from him. "Time," she said.

  "Time," he said as if he was tasting the word. "How much time?"

  "I don't know, Matt. I just found out your true feelings for me."

  He took a swig of the coffee. "All right. I can give you time, Jane. And in time, I know you will feel the same way about me that I feel about you."

  Jane smiled weakly. She didn't know if she could ever love Matt the same way she had loved Jack. But one thing was for sure --- she needed to know where her relationship with Sebastian was going. He was the main reason keeping her from moving forward with Matt and moving forward with her life.

  * * *

  Jane's thoughts were clouded as she walked home. She was so concentrated on them, that she ignored Sebastian getting out of his car as she walked into the house. She had always made a point to give him a friendly nod or wave or start up a conversation, but her thoughts were muddled and not in the right place to strike up a conversation with him.

  She went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. The liquid cooled her warm throat. She glanced out the kitchen window that faced Sebastian's house, and she could see him coming across the yard. She set the water down and went to the door.

  "Are you all right?" Sebastian asked, as he stepped up on the porch.

  "Yeah. Sorry I didn't say hi or anything. I'm just having a really stressful day."

  He nodded slowly. "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

  Jane stared at him. She wanted to know where their relationship was going, so she blurted out, "Would you like to come over tonight and watch a movie?"

  Sebastian hesitated. Then he said, "Okay. That sounds nice."

  Jane smiled. "I'm sure we can find something to watch on the millions of channels I have. See you around seven?"

  "See you then."

  She walked back into the house and closed the door. She pressed her back against the wood and listened to her heart hammering in her chest. Sebastian made her feel like a young teen with a crush, and that was definitely a feeling she didn't feel towards Matt.

  * * *

  Sebastian sat on the couch beside Jane. She had picked a romantic comedy and was thoroughly enjoying it. Sebastian couldn't concentrate on the plot. He was preoccupied with having Jane in such close proximity.

  Nothing about her had changed. It was as if time had stopped when he lost her and had magically started once again. The smell of her strawberry shampoo wafted over to him. She had always loved the smell of strawberries.

  Her laugh was intoxicating, and he smiled as he stared down at her.

  She glanced up at him, perhaps sensing his gaze on her. "You don't like the movie, do you?" she asked, her voice dripping with disappointment.

  "It's great," he lied. He hadn't been following the plot at all, but he was enjoying just spending time with her.

  A frown appeared on her pretty face, and he regretted not watching the movie. He concentrated and dipped into her thoughts. She was thinking that he didn't like her, and she regretted inviting him over. Sebastian found himself frowning as well. "Jane," he started, but he didn't finish.

  Slowly, he drew her into his arms. He snaked his hand around the nape of her neck and leaned down to press his lips onto hers. He could hear her heart beat pick up its pace. His tongue parted her lips and explored her mouth. She tasted sweet, and her lips and mouth were soft like velvet. She was exactly as he remembered her, and he had an overwhelming need to possess her once again.

  His fingers trailed down her throat and hovered over her breasts. He wasn't sure if she wanted him. But then she pressed her breasts into his awaiting hand, and he accepted the invitation. Her thoughts were jumbled as his thumb circled her nipple through her clothes. A soft moan escaped her lips. Sebastian pulled back and watched her in awe. His wanting of her was too great to bear any longer.

  "Perhaps we should take this upstairs," he said, his voice husky with desire.

  Jane swallowed hard and nodded.

  * * *

  Jane led the way up the steps. A million thoughts ran through her head. She had just had a birth control shot a few weeks ago, so she didn't need to worry about protection. Even with that worry out of the way, she felt her entire body shaking as they entered the bedroom.

  She turned and stood before him, feeling nervous under his gaze. He stared at her for a few moments, his eyes piercing hers. "Jane," he said. His voice sent shivers down her spine. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her sweetly. His fingertips flittered up her sides as his lips traveled to her ear. He whispered, "You're trembling."

  His lips returned to hers, and his tongue forced its way into her mouth, claiming her completely. The world around them seemed to disappear as he kissed her. She clung onto his muscular arms to stay in reality. He held her close, and she felt herself gradually relaxing in his embrace.

  Breaking the kiss, his fingertips grasped the hem of her dress and slowly peeled it up over her body. He tossed the dress on the floor. Jane stood before him in a lacey black bra and panties. He licked his lower lip in anticipation as his eyes swept down her form.

  His fingers glided down the sides of her breasts, stomach and continued their descent. He touched her through the lacey material of her panties. Her lips parted as her breathing became labored. His fingers moved quickly and deftly, and she could feel herself getting hotter and wetter. Sebastian knew right where to touch her. Her knees soon became weak, and Sebastian held her up in his strong arms. He smiled as her breathing grew ragged. And then he released her.

  Jane stood on shaky legs, watching him as he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it by the dress. Her eyes greedily looked over every inch of his chiseled body. His shoulders were broad, and his abs rippled as he moved to unbutton and remove his pants. He stood in his Calvin Klein black boxer briefs, and as he removed them, freeing his manhood, Jane's eyes widened.

  He grinned and gently took her hand, wrapping her fingers around him. She tentatively stroked him back and forth. He moaned softly as his fingers moved in her h
air. He gripped the nape of her neck and tilted her face up to him. "Do you want me?" he asked.

  Jane swallowed hard. There was nothing she wanted more at that moment. "Yes," she managed to say.

  "Tell me you want me," he demanded, his teeth nipping at her ear.

  "I want you, Sebastian," she whispered.

  In one swift move, his strong arms picked her up and tossed her playfully onto the bed. Slowly, he crawled up to her. She stared into his mesmerizing blue eyes. She was under his spell.

  While he hovered over her, he removed her bra and panties. Jane instantly felt vulnerable under him, as she lay there naked. Sebastian sat back on his heels and said, "You're absolutely beautiful."

  Jane smiled. He made her feel so safe and loved. She didn't want to wait another second to feel him inside of her. She parted her thighs, and he positioned himself between them. He rubbed his tip up and down over her nub, and it drove her wild. He continued the motion until finally she begged, "Please!"

  A wicked smile swept across his lips. He entered her slowly as she cried out. A delicious warm feeling swept over her body as he gradually continued to push inch by inch while she adjusted to him. Once he was fully inside, he softly kissed her.

  When their lips parted, Jane looked up at his pained expression. He looked as if he wanted to say something to her, and she thought for a second he was going to say he loved her. But the pain in his eyes was quickly replaced by desire as he thrust in and out of her, stealing her breath. The feeling was exquisite, almost more than she could bear. His fingers grasped her hips, bringing her even closer to him, and their bodies moved as one.

  The tension in her slowly receded. He felt so good inside of her, and she didn't want the feeling to ever end. Her cries of passion were growing louder with every plunge, and she clasped her hand over her mouth, muting the sounds.

  Sebastian quickly pulled her hand away. "No," he growled. "I want to hear you."

  He pushed deep inside of her once more. She released a shuddering breath, her nails biting into his shoulders. She leaned up to him and kissed his mouth, his jaw and his neck. Her lips moved to his muscular chest, her teeth scraping across his collarbone.