Jane turned to him. "Matt, the guy is in jail right now. I really don't need protection." Then she added, "Besides, you're still on duty. I don't want you to take time off work for me."
He nodded slowly and fiddled with the broken doorknob on the kitchen door. "I'll call somebody to fix this in the morning. Lock your bedroom door and leave some lights on in the house. That will deter anyone else from coming around." He looked at her. "I'll try to drive by as much as I can tonight to check on the house. Call me on my cell if you need me. I can be here in a matter of minutes or sooner."
Jane smiled. "Thanks, Matt. I appreciate your help." She walked him outside and watched him leave.
She wrapped her arms around herself as the cold night air nipped at her skin. Her eyes darted over to Sebastian's house. The house looked dark and daunting just like its owner. Sebastian had kept so many things from her. Jane wanted answers, and she wanted them now.
She crossed the yard and climbed the steps to his porch. She raised her hand to knock, but the door opened before her knuckles even reached the wood. Sebastian stood in the doorway staring at her. His black button-up shirt hung open, revealing his smooth chest. The look on his face was pained as if he had just lost something or someone very close to him. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words escaped her.
"Jane." He said her name with such vehemence that she found herself quivering.
Tears filled her eyes and spilled down over her cheeks. "I-I just wanted to thank you," she managed to say.
Sebastian reached out and cupped her cheek in his palm. The pad of his thumb wiped away the tears. "I would do anything for you, Jane. I want you to know that."
A million thoughts ran through her head at once. They shared a connection that could not be explained. She believed that he would do anything for her, and she believed it full heartedly.
Slowly, she raised her hand to his face. Her fingertips grazed over his smooth, strong jaw and then his soft mouth. His lips parted as he inhaled sharply. He gently took her hand in his and kissed her fingertips.
Jane stepped forward and stared up at him. He was so different, but yet still the same. She was filled with a hundred emotions. She watched him with a mixture of wonder and fear as his hand skimmed down the length of her neck. His fingertips lingered over her jugular, and she knew he could feel that her heart was beating fast. She watched as his blue eyes grew luminous just like they had earlier.
Suddenly, he pulled back and turned away from her. "I'm sorry, Jane. I can't do this. You have to leave."
Jane was tired of waiting and being left out in the dark. She refused to let him go this time. She crossed the threshold of the house and closed the door behind her, leaning against the wood. "I'm not scared," she whispered.
He kept his back towards her as he said, "You should be."
"I know you have the same feelings for me that I have for you, and I know you won't hurt me." She walked around and faced him.
His eyes were screwed tight, and his breathing was ragged. He was struggling against his inner demons, and she briefly wondered if she had made a mistake coming over. But she decided to press forward. She took his face in her hands. Slowly, he opened his eyes. They were glowing with such an intense blue, she found herself mesmerized by them.
Her heart hammered even harder against her ribcage as she stepped back, pushed her hair and bared her neck to him. His eyes focused on her throat. "Will it hurt?" she asked, her voice wavering.
Abruptly, he grabbed her arms and shook her once, hard. "What are you doing?" he yelled.
She stared at him. His fangs were clearly visible behind his parted lips. "Sebastian," she whispered, the fear evident in her voice.
He released her and turned from her once more. "You need to leave, Jane. You shouldn't have come here."
"I know what you are, Sebastian," she whispered.
He glanced back at her. "Then you know you shouldn't be here."
Can you read my mind? she thought. So many times she had wondered if he had the ability of telepathy.
After a while, he replied, "Yes."
"I don't care what you are. I know who you are," she insisted.
In an instant, he had her pinned against the wall with his hands on either side of her head. "No," he growled. "You don't know me at all. You don't know what I'm capable of." Then he pushed away from the wall and walked away. "Leave, Jane, before you get hurt."
She grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her. "Show me what you are capable of," she demanded. With all of the courage she could gather, she whispered, "Bite me."
Slowly, he backed her up against the wall once more. "Say it again," he demanded, his voice raw.
"Bite me, Sebastian," she said, louder this time.
He closed his eyes as if savoring her words. And then very gently he gripped the nape of her neck and drew her throat to his mouth. Jane took in a shaky breath as his lips parted, and his tongue darted out of his mouth. He licked her neck, and she braced herself for what was going to happen next. His sharp fangs scraped against her delicate skin, and then they slowly sunk into her flesh.
Jane gasped loudly at the painful entry. Sebastian wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer to him. He stroked his left hand up and down her back, and she found herself gradually relaxing. The pain steadily subsided as he drank from her.
His lips pressed down on her flesh, and she could feel her blood leaving her veins and entering his mouth. It was an odd feeling that was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
After a few moments, she began to feel light-headed, and she pressed her hands against his chest. He instantly released her and stepped back. She looked up at him. His lips were covered in her blood, and his tongue darted out to lick every last drop. The color of his eyes slowly returned to their normal blue.
With a sharp fang, he bit into his finger and pressed his blood against the puncture wounds on her neck. "This will heal you," he explained.
She put her fingers on her neck, and the bite mark had magically closed. "Wow," she gasped.
He brushed the backs of his fingers along her cheek as seriousness clouded his features. "Did I hurt you?"
"No." He hadn't hurt her, and he had stopped when she asked him to. After a while she said, "I have so many questions for you."
"I know," he breathed. "When I told you things were complicated, I wasn't kidding." He stared into her eyes. "I just want you to know that I didn't lie about what happened with Elizabeth. I did not touch her."
Jane let out a long sigh. "I just thought you were one of those guys that when you get what you want, you leave."
"I…would…never…do…that…to…you," he said, stressing each word.
"I believe you," she whispered.
His lips stretched into a smile, and he pulled her into his arms. Jane rested her head against his chest. She was exhausted from everything that had happened. He gently picked her up in his arms. "Let's get you to bed."
Jane nodded wearily and fell asleep before they even made it to the top of the stairs.
CHAPTER 34
JANE SAT IN her dining room. She was reeling from the events that had occurred hours earlier. Matt sat across the table from her as they watched the locksmith replacing the broken doorknob in the kitchen.
"How are you feeling?" Matt asked.
Jane shrugged. "Okay I guess considering."
Matt stared down at his hands splayed in front of him on the table. "Jane, there's something I need to tell you."
She reluctantly asked, "What is it?" She didn't know if she could handle any more revelations in her life.
"The man that attacked you had a long scar down his face."
Jane gasped. Jack's killer had bore a similar scar. "Is it the same man who murdered Jack?" she asked, anxiously.
"We don't know yet. Our detectives are trying to figure that one out."
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 35
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 were 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.
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