by Mina Carter
She knew there was a connection somehow, but what was it? "How did he find me?"
Matt reached across the table and clasped her hands in his. "The important thing is that asshole is behind bars now. He can't hurt you anymore."
She nodded. If the man was indeed Jack's killer, she wondered silently how he had found her and what exactly he had planned to do to her. Perhaps he was going to kill her too. The thought made her skin crawl.
The locksmith walked over and placed on the table a key ring with three new, shiny keys. "Ms. Walker, those are your new keys for that door."
She stood and walked over to her purse. "Thank you so much. How much do I owe you?"
"It's already been paid for, ma'am, by Mr. Walker."
Jane looked at Matt. "You didn't have to do that, Matt. Thank you."
He flashed a smile. "No problem."
After the locksmith left, Jane sat back down at the table and stifled a yawn. She had only been able to sleep a few restless hours in Sebastian's bed. She had been exhausted, but her mind wanted to stay awake and keep replaying over the events of the past several hours.
Matt stood. "You look tired. Why don't you get some sleep, Jane? I'm going to go home and get some sleep before my next shift. I'll call you later."
"Okay. Sleep sounds really good right now." She hugged Matt. "Thank you for everything."
"You're welcome."
She watched him leave and locked the door behind him. And then she went through the entire house and made sure every window and door was locked. When she finished, she laid down on her bed. Her eyelids fought against her racing mind to close. Eventually her eyelids won the battle, and she fell asleep.
* * *
Sebastian parked his car down the street from the police station. He had left his house as soon as Jane had gone home. He had one goal in mind for going to the station --- he needed to see her attacker, and he wanted answers.
He walked down the sidewalk and entered the police station, keeping his head down. He would have to deal with the security cameras later. The receptionist at the front desk looked up as he entered. "Can I help you, sir?" she asked.
Sebastian stared into her eyes. "You're going to remember nothing of our conversation or that I was even here," he compelled. "I need to talk to the man who was brought here a few hours ago for breaking into a woman's house. Where is he?"
The woman's pupils dilated rapidly. "He's in a holding cell." Her dainty hand pointed down a long hallway.
Sebastian walked past the desk and down the hall. A female officer was on duty. "What are you doing back here?" she asked. "You're not allowed back here."
"Calm down," Sebastian said. Instantly, her demeanor changed. He turned away from the officer and walked down the row of rooms. Each door had a small viewing window, and he searched each room until he found what he was looking for. Jane's attacker was sleeping on a small bed in one of the rooms. Sebastian turned back to the woman. "Open this door."
The officer walked over and raised a key card to the electronic system on the wall. There was a loud beep, and then the lock on the door clicked open. He looked at the woman. "Don't let anyone come back here."
She nodded and walked back to the door.
Sebastian made his way into the room and grabbed the man by his shirt, hauling him up out of the bed. The man opened his mouth to scream, but Sebastian clamped his hand over his mouth. "Don't scream," he commanded. "I have some questions for you. And after I'm done asking them, you won't remember that I was even here. Got that?"
The man nodded once.
"Good." He uncovered the man's mouth. "Now, why did you attack the woman in her bedroom this morning?"
"I was paid to break in and rough her up a bit," he responded.
Sebastian was taken aback by his answer. "Paid. Who paid you?"
"I don't know. It was the same as before. They leave the money, and I get the job done. Half before and half after it's done."
"Same as before," Sebastian repeated. Rage filled his entire body, and he pushed the man against the wall, his forearm pressing against the man's throat. He had finally found the person who had taken Jane away from him. "You hurt her before, didn't you? Did you leave her in the woods to die?" he demanded.
"No," he choked. "Her husband. I was paid to kill her husband."
Sebastian released the man and stepped back in complete disbelief. If this guy had nothing to do with Jane's disappearance, then who did? Someone had put a hit out on Jack Walker and then sent the same man to attack Jane. Perhaps it was an enemy of Jack's, but what did that have to do with Jane and why after all this time? Sebastian realized he had more questions than he had answers.
The man was gasping for air after having his windpipe nearly crushed. Sebastian grabbed him once more and glared into his eyes. "You will never touch Jane Walker again no matter how much you are paid. You will never lay another hand on her or anyone in her life."
"Okay," he squeaked.
"Now go back to sleep," Sebastian said, pushing him onto the mattress.
Sebastian walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. The officer was standing guard just as he had instructed. He stared into her eyes. "I need you to go to the security room and erase the past fifteen minutes of the security cam footage. After you are done, you won't remember the past fifteen minutes either."
"Yes," she responded, leaving the room.
Sebastian walked out of the station quickly and returned to his car. The person who had kidnapped Jane was still out there, and the person who had hired the thug was still out there. He didn't know who wanted her dead, but there was one thing he did know --- he had even more reason to keep her safe.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
THE DOORBELL RANG. Jane blinked her tired eyes open. She slowly sat up in bed and looked at the clock. It was seven o'clock in the evening. She had slept for almost twelve hours. Groaning, she climbed out of bed and went down the stairs. She unlocked and pulled open the door. Sebastian was on the porch.
Self-consciously, she quickly ran her fingers through her hair. "I just got up. I'm sure I look dreadful."
An idle smile played across his lips. "You look beautiful." He walked inside and held up a paper bag. "I brought you dinner."
As if right on queue, her stomach growled.
He chuckled. "Well, your stomach seems pretty happy about it."
Jane grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess so." She stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "I fell asleep after Matt and the locksmith left. I didn’t intend on sleeping that long, but I guess I needed the rest."
He placed the bag on the kitchen counter and looked at her. "You definitely needed the rest." He pointed to the dining room. "Go sit down. I'll put this on a plate for you."
Jane walked into the other room and sat down at the table. After a few minutes, Sebastian set the plate of food in front of her. It was an Italian sub from the authentic Italian restaurant out of town and their famous fries. Her mouth watered. "They have the best food."
"Good. I was hoping you would like it."
She picked up one half of the sub and took a bite. She felt like she hadn't eaten for days, and the food tasted particularly delicious. Sebastian sat across from her with his hands clasped together. She remembered how she had invited him over for dinner and he had told her that he was on a liquid diet. If only she had known then what she knew now. "Do you miss it?" she asked, gesturing to the food.
He shrugged. "I don't get hungry for food, so I guess I don’t really miss it."
Jane munched on a few fries. She had a million questions she wanted to ask him, but she didn't know how to go about doing it.
"What do you want to know?" he asked.
She stared up at him. He had been reading her mind. "How do you do that?"
"I just concentrate, and the thoughts come to me. I know who they are coming from, and I can sense emotion along with the words." His face suddenly became very serious. "I heard you screaming my name in your thoughts when you w
ere being attacked.”
Jane remembered that she had called for him in her mind. "So you were awake?"
"It's rare for me to sleep."
"So every night when we say goodnight to each other ---."
"I just wanted to see you," he confessed. "And you do look great in your PJs," he added.
Jane laughed.
He grew serious once again. "Any other questions?" he prompted.
She had read some stories about vampires, but she didn't know if the so-called facts were just myths or whether they hold some actual truths. "How come you can be out in the sunlight?"
"That gets a little complicated. My bloodline is very old, and I am fairly old myself. Sunlight doesn't affect me like it would with new vampires."
"How old are you exactly?"
He hesitated. "Two hundred and eight. I was turned in the year 1805 at the human age of twenty-eight."
Jane stared at him, her mouth agape. She found it extremely difficult to comprehend what he was telling her. It was hard enough just to grasp the idea that vampires actually existed and that she was sitting across the table from one.
He continued, "Elizabeth is my maker. That means she turned me into a vampire, and that is why I had to be so secretive about her. She is somewhat like an ex-girlfriend, but it was over a century ago since the last time we were together."
Elizabeth was his maker. Jane realized at that moment that Sebastian had every reason to keep her at bay while an old, vengeful vampire was living in his house, and it also gave him reason to have lied to her. "I see," she whispered.
"I know it's a lot to take in, Jane," he said.
Jane nodded in agreement. As the information he had shared slowly began to set in, she realized that she was not afraid of him, but she knew deep down that she should be. Something was making her trust him. She just wished she knew what it was.
* * *
Sebastian waited for Jane to stop reeling from the things he had told her. Many humans went on with their lives without ever gaining the knowledge of what they have come to know as supernatural and fantasy. Vampires were portrayed in movies and books, but they were always portrayed as mythical, unobtainable creatures. He had a feeling, however, that Jane accepted him so quickly and earnestly because a part of her remembered him somehow.
She finished eating and sat back in her chair. His mind reached out to hers, and she was thinking of taking a shower. He didn't want to leave her alone, not yet, so he asked, "Can I join you?"
Jane gazed into his eyes. "I need to get used to that mind reading thing," she muttered. Then she breathed, "Yes."
In an instant, Sebastian was out of his seat and scooping Jane into his arms. She gasped as she looked up at him. "You didn't ask how fast I could move," he said.
Before she had time to think of a response or act, they were upstairs and standing in the bathroom. He set Jane down, and she grabbed the sink to stabilize herself. "Warn me before you do that again," she said.
"Sorry. I was trying to make a point."
"Point taken," she grumbled.
He smirked. "Now how about that shower?"
Sebastian took his time undressing Jane. He had come to know and love every inch of her body over the years that they were together, and he intended on brushing up on that knowledge. She was always so nervous around him, but he knew that once she got to know him again, that feeling would subside just like it had in the past.
Once they were both undressed, Sebastian ran the water until it was a comfortable temperature. Jane stepped in first, and he joined her. As Jane wet her hair, he grabbed a bottle of her strawberry shampoo that he so loved. He squeezed a small amount into his palm. Jane faced him, and he scrubbed the shampoo into her long hair. She closed her eyes, obviously enjoying it.
His breath caught as his fingers skimmed over the raised scar on the side of her head. Her long hair covered the scar, so he had not seen it, but now he could feel it. That explained the bandages on her head in the hospital. He swallowed hard, forcing his emotions down. She opened her eyes to look up at him. "Oh, Jane," he breathed. He took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. He would never let anyone hurt her again. He would keep her safe forever.
At that moment he wanted to confess everything. He wanted to tell her the truth, that he loved her, that he knew her before the accident. However, something told him she wasn't ready for that information. Instead, he continued the task of shampooing her hair. The day would eventually come where he would tell her everything, and he would just have to wait for the perfect opportunity.
After he was done, she rinsed her hair under the stream of water. Sebastian grabbed a bar of soap and took it into his large hands. He created a foamy lather with the soap and water, and Jane took it from him and performed the same action.
Sebastian gently ran his soapy hands over her shoulders and down her arms. Her skin was so soft and delicate just like he remembered.
Jane's hands moved down his stomach, and she gently grasped him in her hands, stroking the soap bubbles along his length. He rocked forward, moaning from her touch. His lips met hers as he cupped her breasts, rolling her nipples between his index fingers and thumbs. She whimpered against his mouth. His left hand moved down the length of her body, finding her most sensitive area. Jane shuddered as his fingers moved rapidly.
They continued to tease each other until he couldn't bear it any longer. He wanted to be inside of her. Roughly, he hoisted up her left leg and pulled her to him, entering her quickly. She gasped and her face scrunched. He gave her a few seconds to adjust to him. When her features relaxed, he moved in and out of her.
His mouth trailed kisses down to her neck, his lips pausing over her jugular vein. The rapid pulse drove him crazy. His tongue darted out, and he licked her neck. He felt Jane shudder. He could sense his body and stance instantly change into predator mode as he drew her closer. He had an overwhelming sense to subdue her and drink her blood. His eyes screwed shut as he tried to focus on something else. He wouldn't take her blood without her permission. Just as he was about to pull his mouth away from her, she whispered in his ear, "Bite me."
The words were music to his ears. He gripped the nape of her neck and drew her throat in close. He slowly punctured her wet flesh with his long fangs. Her blood was like the sweetest nectar he could ever imagine, and he savored the taste of her. As he sucked her blood, he drove himself into her deep, and she let out a low moan.
He was careful not to take too much blood. Reluctantly, he pulled back and watched as a few drops of blood ran down her neck and over her chest. He licked and sucked his way from her breasts and back up to her neck. Biting into his finger, he applied his blood to her wound and watched as it closed within seconds.
Then he continued his torturous rhythm and drove deep inside of her. Her lips parted as she released a shuddering breath. The warm water continued to cascade around them as she cried out one last time before succumbing to her climax. He watched her in awe, holding her as her body was wracked with pleasure. She shook under him, and she stared into his eyes as her face contorted with pleasure. "Sebastian," she whispered.
He pumped more vigorously into her, wanting her and wanting his release. She was still quivering from the aftershocks as he experienced his own bliss. He grabbed her, pinning her body against his, her hard nipples poking into his chest as he released himself into her. His lips found hers once more, and he deepened the kiss, relishing the taste of her.
He had missed her so much. The love he had for her knew no boundaries, and having her in his arms reaffirmed that. He stared into her eyes and breathlessly said, "I love you, Jane." He didn't care if she didn't love him back at that moment, but he had loved her for years, and he wanted to make his confession known. "I love you. Now and forever."
* * *
"I love you. Now and forever."
She stared up at him as the words came out of his mouth. The thought of those words plucked at a distant memory in her mind, and she knew that s
he had heard those words from him before…but when?
Before she could ask any questions, he kissed her deeper than he had ever kissed her before. As his mouth set out to devour her, her thoughts disappeared; and all words escaped her at that moment.
When he finally broke the kiss, Jane grasped his muscular arms. Her legs felt like jelly, and her heart was still racing. Every time they made love, it was like the first time, and it always left her wanting more.
They finished their shower. Jane shut the water off and stepped out to find Sebastian waiting for her with a big, fluffy towel. He went through the meticulous task of drying her off, and she loved every minute of it. His fingertips grazed her bare skin now and then, and she found herself shivering from his touch. He affected her so easily, and she wondered if she could ever get tired of him. One look into those blue eyes, and she knew the answer --- never.
Once they were both dry, Sebastian pulled on his ripped jeans and black shirt. Jane walked out of the bathroom and into the closet to find something to wear. She pulled on a pair of pajamas and ran her fingers through her wet hair as she walked out of the closet. Sebastian was lying on her bed, and she found herself smiling. He looked good in her bed.
He patted the space beside him, and she obligingly jumped into the bed. He put his arms around her and drew her close. She sighed, feeling like she could be in that moment with him forever.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
JANE OPENED THE bookstore Monday morning with a smile on her face. The weekend had been stressful, to say the least, but her smile was definitely because of everything that had happened the night before with Sebastian.
Ashley burst through the door an hour before her shift started. The look on her face told Jane everything she needed to know --- Ashley had heard about what had happened Sunday morning.
"Are you okay?" Ashley asked, her voice tremulous.
"I guess it is true that news travels fast in small towns," Jane muttered.
Ashley stared at her expectantly. Jane sighed. "I'm fine." She quickly recounted the events of when she was attacked, leaving out the part, of course, where she found out that Sebastian was a vampire. That was a secret she would keep locked away forever.