Vampire Next Door

by Angela Snyder

  Sebastian remembered how Elizabeth had been absolutely awful to Jane. Jane had always stood her ground, though, always taking what Elizabeth was saying or doing and dishing it right back to her. Why would Jane remember her of all people?

  Elizabeth glanced into the living room at Jane. "I don't know why you would want to be with a frail mortal anyway when you could be with another vampire."

  "Another vampire meaning you?"

  She cocked her head to the side. "Would that be so awful? You spent more than a century by my side. You loved me then." Her voice was hauntingly filled with sorrow.

  He closed his eyes. "I did love you, Elizabeth," he said, stressing the past tense.

  A sad look swept across her face. And then the sadness was quickly replaced with anger. "And then she came along," Elizabeth said pointing to the living room. "She took you away from me."

  He shook his head. "I chose to leave, Elizabeth. She showed me another side of a life that I could have without all the killing and running and living out of a suitcase."

  "Oh, Sebastian. You know how hard it is to be with a mortal. Look how it turned out the first time you were with her."

  "I want to be with her. I don't care what you think!" he snapped.

  Elizabeth stared at him. "I could always compel you, you know. Take your memories of her away from you." She hesitated. "Make you forget her entirely."

  Sebastian's hands curled into fists at his side. "You wouldn't dare," he spat.

  She pushed him against the wall. With her mouth next to his ear, she said, "I will give you one option. If you leave her now, I won't hurt her again."

  Sebastian furrowed his brow. "Again?"

  Elizabeth stood back, pressing her long, manicured nails against his chest to keep him in place. "You never wondered if someone close to you had hurt your precious human? You never thought that perhaps little old me would have a reason to want to rip her pretty little head off?"

  "You," he breathed. "You took her from me and left her for dead!" his voice boomed.

  "She came between us, Sebastian. It was the only way for us to be together."

  "But after she was gone, I didn't go back to you, Elizabeth!"

  She shook her head sadly. "No. No, you didn't." She closed her eyes for a moment. "It didn't work out according to my plan. You just couldn't let her go." She pulled him close and said, "She begged for her life when I was beating her. And then just as I was about to snap her neck, a pack of hunters was coming through the woods. I had to leave her there, but I knew she wouldn't survive. And the thought of her laying there suffering was better than the easy death I wanted to give her." She hesitated. "But somehow, some way she lived." Her tongue darted out of her mouth, and she licked and then bit his earlobe. "I thought you should know her last thought was of you. She loved you." She smiled. "Too bad she can't remember that now."

  Sebastian's anger boiled over, and with all of his might, he shoved Elizabeth away from him. She crashed into one of the chairs, and it broke into pieces under her from the force. A low growl escaped her lips as she stood and glared at him. "I'm going to do something I should have done a long time ago." In a split second, she had him pinned in the corner of the room against the kitchen cabinets. "I'm going to compel you to forget her."

  "No!" Sebastian cried. He screwed his eyes shut. "Don't do this to me!" he pleaded.

  Elizabeth's hand squeezed around his neck. "Open your eyes, Sebastian. Don't make me resort to tearing off your eyelids!" she threatened. Her grip around his neck tightened, until his eyes popped open. "Keep them open!" she demanded.

  He tried to resist her, but he couldn't. A maker's power over a vampire they created was an inexplicable and controlling force. "Elizabeth, please don’t!" he choked.

  "I have to, Sebastian. It's the only way we can be together." She took a deep breath. "I want you to forget —." She stopped mid sentence and released a painful hiss of air.

  Sebastian watched her crumple to the floor beneath him. He stared at the piece of wood jutting out of Elizabeth's spine. Then his eyes locked onto Jane. Jane stood there, panting. She had shoved a broken chair leg into Elizabeth's back.

  "Is she dead?" Jane asked.

  Sebastian shook his head. It took more advanced techniques to kill a vampire, but a stake to the spine would certainly incapacitate her until she could heal. He watched his maker writhing on the floor. Her hand went out to him, but he stepped out of her reach. He reached for Jane, but she stepped away from him. Her thoughts were guarded, but he managed to pick out bits and pieces. "How much did you hear?" he asked.

  "All of it," she whispered. After a while, she asked, "Why didn't you come for me?"

  There was a pained expression on his face. "That question has haunted me every day for over two years." He led her into the living room, and they both sat on the couch. "I didn't know who had tried to hurt you. There are a lot of people — immortal and mortal — that Elizabeth has managed to piss off over the years. I had to be sure you weren't in danger." He swallowed hard. "And then when I saw you with Jack, you looked so happy. You had no memory of me, of our past. You had a clean slate. I wanted you to be happy. That's all I ever wanted for you. I never interfered, because I didn't want to ruin the life you had made with Jack."

  Jane stared down at her hands. "Why come back at all?"

  "I saw how empty you were, Jane, after Jack died. You were just going through all the daily functions of life, but you weren't living. I knew you needed me, and so I compelled the Johnsons to make amends with their daughter and leave to be closer to her. I moved into the house next door, and I knew that I needed to make you fall in love with me again."

  Jane looked up at him. "I loved you once?" she asked.

  He nodded. "We were very much in love." He moved off the couch and kneeled down in front of her, taking her hands in his. "I know it's a lot to take in, and I will answer any questions that you have. But I want you to know that I loved you more than anything, and I still do."

  A noise sounded from behind him, and Sebastian stood quickly. Elizabeth staggered into the living room. "I'm sorry to interrupt your lovely reunion, but I have a piece of wood the size of Kansas stuck in my back!" she yelled, infuriated.

  Jane stood, and Sebastian positioned himself between the two of them. He knew Jane's fight-or-flight response was kicking in. "It's okay, Jane. I won't let her hurt you," he promised. Then he turned to Elizabeth. "I will help you if you make a blood oath with me." A blood oath was a special union between vampires, and Sebastian knew it was the only way to keep Jane safe. Elizabeth was one of the original vampires, and blood oaths were a sacred tradition that he knew she would not break.

  "No," Elizabeth faltered.

  Sebastian narrowed his eyes at his maker. "You. Owe. Me," he said, pronouncing each word vehemently.

  Elizabeth's gaze went to the floor as she released a deep breath. "All right," she said, her voice just above a whisper.

  Sebastian approached her. He held out his wrist. After a short pause, she did the same with her wrist. At the same time, their fangs tore into each other's flesh. The blood exchange was brief, but meaningful. He pulled away from her. "Swear to me," he insisted.

  "I swear to you, Sebastian, that I will not harm your precious human," she spat, the words like acid on her tongue. "Now, be a dear and remove this piece of wood from my back," she said, sarcastically.

  Satisfied with the oath, Sebastian went through the painstaking task of removing every last splinter of wood from her. Elizabeth's anger and pain slowly ebbed away as he finished. He watched as the giant hole in her back gradually mended itself back together.

  Elizabeth stood and glanced at her backside in a mirror hanging on the wall. "Damn," she muttered, starting at the gaping hole in her clothing. "I really liked this shirt." She turned her gaze to Jane, who looked like she was ready to spring out the door. "Sit down," Elizabeth commanded.

  Sebastian watched as Jane sat down quickly. She had a confused look on her face.
"I forgot to tell you about that," he whispered. "Vampires can compel humans."

  "And makers can compel their children," Elizabeth added.

  Sebastian could see that Jane was visibly shaken, and he sat beside her on the couch and pulled her into his arms. "I promise she won't hurt you," he whispered in her ear.

  Elizabeth stared at Jane and released a long sigh. "I'm sorry I tried to kill you," she said through gritted teeth.

  He felt Jane tense under his touch at hearing Elizabeth's words. He ran his hand up and down her back to try to calm her.

  "I guess now we're even!" Jane snapped.

  Sebastian looked at his maker. "Did you hire the hitman who killed Jane's husband?" he asked.

  "Of course not," she scoffed. "I didn't even know Jane was alive until a few weeks ago let alone that she was married," she added.

  Even though Elizabeth didn't have a great track record of being honest in the past, Sebastian believed her. That meant that the hitman's employer was still out there.

  "I'm going to take a shower," Elizabeth announced. "I'm covered in my own blood…for once."

  Sebastian watched her retreat up the steps. Then he turned to Jane. "Let's get you home."

  * * *

  In the safe confines of her house, Jane felt herself instantly relax. "So she can't hurt me no matter what?" Jane asked. She wanted to be sure.

  Sebastian nodded. "I know Elizabeth, and she will not break a blood oath." He leaned against the door. "Besides, she saw what happened after she took you away from me. She knows nothing is going to change even if she would try it again."

  Jane walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Sebastian stayed at a safe distance and lingered in the framework that divided the living room and the dining room.

  A million questions ran through Jane's head. Sebastian knew everything about her past. He held the key. He knew the answers.

  "Ask me anything," he said.

  The first question was the one thing she had wanted to know ever since she had awakened in the hospital. "What's my real name?"

  "Laurel Parker." Her name rolled off his tongue as if he had said it a thousand times.

  "Laurel," she repeated. The name didn't ring a bell. "I still want to be called Jane…for now," she said.

  He nodded. "I've grown accustomed to calling you Jane, so I don't mind."

  Her eyes searched his for more answers. "Do I have any family?"

  Sebastian frowned, and Jane braced herself for the worst. " You told me early on in our relationship that your parents had perished in a car accident when you were young. I believe you were eight at the time."

  Jane stared down at the floor. It was very upsetting to know that her parents were dead. "No brothers or sisters?"

  He shook his head. "Your aunt raised you after your parents were gone, but she passed away during your freshman year of college."

  Jane exhaled a shaky breath. "No wonder nobody came to look for me." She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. The day had been utterly exhausting. "I don't think I can handle any more information right now," she said.

  He nodded and turned to leave.

  "Wait," she whispered. When he turned back to her, she said, "Please stay with me tonight. I don't want to be alone."

  He held his hand out, and she stood and placed her hand in his. He led the way to her bedroom.

  As they lay in darkness, Jane nestled her head against his chest. A lot of things were slowly clicking into place. The connection she had felt with Sebastian had not been imaginary. He had known her before. He had loved her before, and she had loved him. "Thank you for telling me about my past," she said.

  He kissed the top of her head. "You're welcome. Goodnight, Jane."

  "Goodnight," she said.

  CHAPTER 38

  JANE SLOWLY OPENED her eyes. Sebastian wasn't in the bed beside her. The previous day's events flashed in her mind, and she frantically looked around the room. "Relax," he said. "I'm here."

  She sat up in bed and saw that he was packing her weekender bag. "What are you doing?" she asked.

  "I'm stealing you away for the weekend."

  Jane cringed. It was Friday, and she had the store to worry about.

  "Call Ashley and get her to cover for you until Monday," he said, reading her mind.

  She frowned. "Is there ever a time when you're not in my head?" she asked.

  He stopped packing and looked up at her. "I'm sorry," he said, seriously.

  She cracked a grin and said, "I was half joking."

  "Well, then I'm half sorry," he retorted.

  Smiling, she climbed out of bed and stared at the bag he was packing. He did a good job of picking out the right things. "I'm going to call Ashley to see if she's up to working this weekend by herself." She picked up the phone from the nightstand and dialed Ashley's number. It took some convincing, but Ashley finally agreed.

  "All right. Sure. How can I deny you a weekend getaway all alone with a hot guy?"

  Jane snickered. "Thanks so much, Ash. If you want to call Susie and see if she would work with you, you can." Susie had worked at the store occasionally when they were swamped during festivals or special events.

  "Yeah. I'll call her. Have fun on your weekend with Sebastian," she said.

  "I'm sure I will. I'll see you on Monday." Jane ended the call and stared at Sebastian. "I guess you are allowed to steal me away," she said.

  Sebastian smirked and stalked over to her. "I was going to steal you away with or without your permission." He leaned down and kissed her.

  "Can I ask where we are going?"

  "To my beach house in Maryland."

  "Have I ever been there?" she asked.

  He nodded. "Many times. You loved it there."

  She smiled. "Well, I hope you don't mind giving me a tour again."

  "I don't mind at all." He wrapped his arms around her and drew her in close. "We'll start with the bedroom." He trailed kisses down her cheek and neck, and she squealed.

  He pulled back and laughed, and she stared up at him with a big grin. She couldn't wait for a weekend to get to know Sebastian better and learn more about her past.

  * * *

  The drive was over four hours, and they arrived in record time thanks to Sebastian's wicked driving. When the car stopped in front of the house, Jane got out and admired the property. The house was two stories with a wraparound white porch on the first level and a balcony on the second. The steps from the porch led right to the sand of the private beach. Dozens of large windows on the face of the house overlooked the ocean.

  Jane looked out over the water. It was the first time that she had seen the vast ocean — or at least the first that she could remember. Sebastian walked over and put his arm around her. "You always loved to watch the waves," he whispered.

  She smiled. Every single thing he told her about her past brought her closer to finding out who she was.

  Sebastian carried their bags inside, and Jane followed him. The house was immaculate and decorated in nautical décor. "The extra bedrooms are upstairs, and the master bedroom is down here."

  He led her down the hall to an enormous room with a king size bed. He set their bags down and took her hand. They left the bedroom and he took her through the open floor plan of the house. There was a kitchen, living room with a fireplace, dining area and full bath with a large Jacuzzi tub.

  He opened the cupboard doors and fridge. "I had the kitchen fully stocked, so whenever you are hungry, please eat."

  Jane would have to get used to being the only one who would be eating food. She wondered what he would be eating. When she looked at him, she knew instantly he had read her mind. He pointed to a small cooler that he had brought in with him.

  She watched with curiosity as he opened the cooler and placed a dozen or so blood bags into the vegetable bins at the bottom of the fridge. The bins were beige and so the bags weren't visible once he closed the bins. When he shut the fridge, she could tell he was
uncomfortable. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It's okay. I don't mind."

  Sebastian smiled a small smile.

  "Can I ask you a question?"

  He nodded.

  "Knowing what you know now, would you have chosen to become a vampire?"

  He paused for a long time. "That's a really hard question for me to answer," he whispered. "Sometimes I regret it. But if I wouldn't have become what I am, I would have never met you. So, no, I wouldn't change a thing."

  His words melted her heart. She pulled him down to her and kissed his sweet lips. "Can we go in the ocean now?" she asked.

  He grinned. "Yeah."

  * * *

  Jane slipped into a two-piece black tankini and walked out of the bedroom. Sebastian stood just inside of the opened double doors on the porch that overlooked the ocean. Jane's eyes ventured over his physique. He was wearing navy blue swim trunks, and the muscles of his back made butterflies take flight inside her stomach. He looked like a perfectly sculpted statute. She imagined her fingers clawing their way down his back as he made love to her. The thought made her teeth sink their way into her lower lip.

  He turned to her with a wide grin on his face. Jane groaned in embarrassment. He had been reading her dirty thoughts. "I'm going to have to remember that you can do that," she muttered.

  He smiled. "I like knowing what you really think of me," he whispered. A salty-smelling breeze washed over them. "Race you to the water," he said.

  Before Jane could blink, Sebastian was in the ocean. She sighed and ran at her normal human speed. She stopped at the edge of the sand. The water lapped at her toes. Sebastian stood a few feet out, the water up to his chest. He opened his arms, and she couldn't resist the invitation. She slowly walked through the water out to him. "You never were one to just jump in," he said, smiling down at her.

  The water was cold, but it felt good with the hot sun beating down on them through the sparse clouds. "Do you want to go farther out?" he asked.

  "I don't know," she said, unsure.

  She watched him as he dove into the water. Her eyes tried to follow him, but he was too fast. His head popped up a few yards away. "Amazing," she whispered.