She glanced at her driver's license once more. "Laurel Parker," she said aloud. That was her real name, but it sounded so foreign to her. She glanced up at Sebastian. "You can call me by my real name if it's easier for you."
Shaking his head, he said, "It's not about what's easier for me. You can stick with Jane Walker until your memory comes back."
She frowned. She had lost all hope of her memory returning. "I really don't see that happening," she said, sadly.
Sebastian put his finger under her chin and tipped her head up so that her gaze met his. "You never know what the future holds."
She nodded. "You're right." According to her birth date, she was twenty-eight years old. "We're the same age," she remarked. "Well, technically speaking," she added.
He grinned.
She stared at the container beside her. There were more things to go through, but she didn't want to learn about her past through a one-dimensional piece of paper. She turned to Sebastian. "Will you tell me about the first time we met?"
A smile swept across his face. "I had been living in Pittsburgh for a few weeks. One day, while I was walking in the park, a young man thrust a flyer into my hands and told me to check out a play that the local college was performing that night. Now, I am a strong believer in fate, and I became even more of a believer after that night." He sat down on the coffee table in front of her. "I went to the theater and sat in the back row. The play was an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. You were Juliet," he remarked.
Jane was surprised. "Really?"
He nodded. "You were just so stunning. Every single one of the four hundred souls in that theater was captivated by your every word…as was I. And when you spoke, it was like a siren calling for me. I realized at that moment why fate had brought me there. I was supposed to meet you." He paused and smiled. "After the play, I just knew I had to talk to you. I found you backstage in the dressing room. You had already changed out of your costume and were taking off your makeup. I remember the first time our eyes met. You smiled this perfect smile, and you asked me how I liked the play. I confessed that I thought you were great, but I couldn't remember a single thing the other actors had even said or done on stage. And then you laughed. Your laugh was just so pure and infectious. You always knew how to light up a room with that laugh."
Jane smiled. She was completely enthralled with his story.
He continued. "You said you needed coffee to stay awake for a conversation, and so I asked you to join me at this little café around the corner. We talked into the wee hours of the morning, and I fell in love with you on that first night."
She looked up at him. "I wish I could remember that," she whispered.
"I wish you could too," he said, his voice full of sadness. "We dated. Well, if you can call it dating between a mortal and a vampire. But there came a time that I just didn't think it was going to work between us. I promised myself that I would stay away from you and allow you to live a normal human life, but I broke that promise so many times. And then you fell in love with me even after you learned of my secret."
"How did I find out?" she asked.
"I think you always had an inkling that I was different somehow. But one night when you were cooking in your apartment, you burned your hand. You were in so much pain, and I couldn't bear to see you like that. I used my blood to heal you. And that's when you learned of my secret." He closed his eyes, obviously remembering the moment. "You told me you didn't care what I was, that you loved me, and that was all that mattered."
Jane smiled. She felt like she was reliving her old life through his words, and the feeling was indescribable. She looked at him. "You could go anywhere you wanted and have anyone you wanted. You never felt like you were wasting your time on me?"
The expression on his face was suddenly very serious. "I wasn't wasting anything then, and I'm not now. My life didn't make sense before I met you. I was lost until I found you, Jane. You made me realize that there are things out there that make life worth living, and I want to live it with you."
His words warmed her to the core. He was completely and utterly in love with her. And she realized in that moment she felt exactly the same way.
CHAPTER 40
IT WAS EARLY Sunday morning when Jane crept downstairs. She couldn't sleep, and she knew it was because of all the information that had been crammed in her mind the night before. Her brain just didn't want to shut down for sleep.
She quietly lifted the lid off the container and began to look through her things once again. There was just so much that she would need days to go through everything. She planned on taking the container home so she didn't have to make Sebastian sit through the tedious task of meticulously combing over every item.
As she reached down to pick up another picture, a small box in the corner of the container caught her eye. She retrieved it and studied it. It was covered in black velvet. Carefully, she lifted the lid. A stunning diamond ring was inside. She gasped at the sight of it. The center stone was round, and it was surrounded by several smaller diamonds. The band itself was white gold and diamond encrusted the whole way around. It looked antique, and it sparkled even in the dim light from the lamp beside her.
"Jane," Sebastian said from the doorway.
She stood quickly and snapped the box shut. She felt as if she had just been caught doing something she shouldn't have. "I couldn't sleep. I was going through my things again." She held the small box up. "Is this — did you — were we —?" She stopped. The right words completely escaped her.
He walked over to her. "I never got the chance to ask you," he said, sullenly. "Right before you disappeared I had this big engagement party planned. I had the perfect place picked out to ask you." He closed his eyes. "And then you disappeared out of my life."
He carefully took the box from her hand, opened it and knelt on one knee before her. "Jane, I don't want to spend any more time waiting for the perfect moment when I have you with me right now. I would do anything to protect you. I love you with every ounce of my very being. I was willing to go to the ends of the earth to find you again. And now that I have, I will never let you go. I have waited centuries for this moment, and I want you to understand that I will love you forever, until the end of time. You are the best thing that has happened in my life in over two hundred years." He pulled the ring from the box and took her left hand in his. "Will you marry me, Jane?"
She stared into his eyes. The moment felt completely perfect. She loved Sebastian. She was in love with him, and he had made her fall in love with him all over again. "Yes, I will marry you."
He placed the ring on her finger and kissed the top of her hand before standing. He took her in his arms and whispered into her ear, "I love you. Now and forever."
"I love you, Sebastian," she whispered back.
* * *
Sebastian walked onto the porch and stared out over the beach. Jane was relaxing on a beach towel, soaking in the sun. Her skin had tanned into a light olive over the weekend. He watched as she lifted her left hand to stare at the diamond ring on her finger. She was smiling, and it made him smile. She was happy. He was happy. They both were in seventh heaven, and he hoped the feeling didn’t end any time soon.
He made his way down the steps and onto the beach. He crawled onto the blanket beside her and kissed her lips softly. He hated the thought that they would be leaving soon. He wanted to keep her here to himself for a while longer. "I can't believe how fast the weekend flew," he said, staring into her eyes.
"I know," she said with a frown.
He hated to see anything but a smile on her face. He quickly said, "We can come back as often as you'd like." Her frown instantly turned into a grin. His fingertips grazed her soft cheek. Every time he touched her, it was as if he was making sure she was really there with him. There had been so many times when he thought he would never see her again, never speak to her again.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
He realized his emotion must have been showing
in his expression. "I just can't believe I have you back."
She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. "Believe it," she whispered.
* * *
During the drive home, Jane stared down at the diamond ring on her finger glistening in the sunlight that cascaded through the windshield. It still felt like a dream to her — a dream she never wanted to wake from.
Sebastian reached over and intertwined his fingers with hers. He brought her hand up and kissed it gently. "What do you think Ashley is going to do when you tell her that you're engaged?"
Jane smiled. "Probably freak out."
Sebastian chuckled. "Yeah. I could see her doing that."
Jane closed her eyes and rested her head back in the seat. Her head was pounding, and she knew it was probably from her lack of sleep over the weekend.
"Are you okay?" Sebastian asked.
She sighed. "I have a terrible headache."
"We're almost home," he said. "We'll get you something then."
As they drove into the little town of Bedford Valley, Jane felt mixed emotions. Even though she dreaded to return home, she was anxious to get back and get everything situated with the store. Besides, Sebastian had already promised another trip back to the beach in a couple of weeks, so she had that to look forward to. She made a mental note to call Susie, as she would be needing more help at the store on the weekends.
Sebastian parked the car in front of Jane's house. They climbed out of the car and Sebastian carried her weekender bag inside. "Try to find something for your headache," he said as he carried her bag to the dining room.
Jane rooted through the cupboards in the kitchen. Nothing was going to be suitable for the migraine she had. "I'll have to walk into town and get something," she said.
"Just stay here and relax. I'll drive into town. I'll be back in five minutes." He gave her a quick kiss before disappearing out the door.
* * *
Sebastian drove into town and parked his car on the street in front of the pharmacy directly across from Jane's Bookstore. As he stepped out of the vehicle, a man called his name. He turned to see the deputy sheriff standing a few feet away with a gun trained on his chest. Sebastian instinctively put his hands up.
"Turn around and step back to my voice," the deputy ordered.
Sebastian did what he was told. When he backed up to the deputy, he asked, "What is this about?"
"You're under arrest."
"Under arrest," Sebastian said incredulously. "Arrest for what?" He reared around and stared into the man's eyes. "Put the gun away," he commanded.
The deputy quickly put his gun back into its holster.
"Who told you to arrest me?" Sebastian asked.
"Officer Matt Walker."
"On what charge?"
"Breaking and entering in a string of burglaries. Walker said he has evidence."
I bet he does, Sebastian thought. Matt was trying to set him up. That fact was clear. Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "I want you to forget you even saw me here. Get in your car and leave."
The deputy nodded and walked away.
"Sebastian!" a voice called.
He looked across the street at the bookstore to see Ashley frantically motioning for him from the sidewalk. As he walked to the store, Ashley opened the door and pulled him inside, locking the door behind them. Sebastian stared at her. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked like she hadn't slept in days. "What was going on with the deputy?" she asked.
"Misunderstanding," he said simply. He watched Ashley chew on her fingernails, which were already wore down to the nubs. Her thoughts were a chaotic mess. "What are you doing here on a Sunday? Is something wrong with the store?" he asked, concerned.
She shook her head. "Where's Jane?"
"She's at home." He cocked a brow. "Are you all right, Ashley?"
She shook her head once more. "It's Matt," she whispered. "He came in the store yesterday looking for Jane. He was saying that she wasn't home, and he couldn't find her. When I told her she was away for the weekend, he demanded to know where she went and who she was with." She hesitated. "With the way he was acting, I didn't want to tell him anything, so I told him I didn't know." Tears welled up in her eyes. "He threw a pair of handcuffs on me and took me down to the station. He stuck me in a small room and interrogated me until three o'clock this morning. I finally had to tell him that she was with you for the weekend. But I wasn't sure of the address or anything. He just kept asking me over and over and over." She let out a trembling breath. "I thought he was going to hurt me." She put her hands over her face and started to sob. " I came here after he let me go. I was afraid to go home."
Sebastian listened to her carefully. And then something clicked in his mind. He had left Jane alone at her house, and Matt was obviously on a mission for revenge. He quickly reached behind the counter and dialed Jane's phone number. After several rings, the answering machine picked up. Sebastian slammed the phone down. A sick feeling crept over him, and his eyes widened. His intuition was never wrong. Something was happening to Jane, and he wasn't there to protect her. "Ashley, call 911. Tell them something is wrong at Jane's house, and we need police there right away."
* * *
Jane opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. As she was lifting it to her mouth to take a drink, she glanced at the answering machine. The red light was blinking, and the number said forty new messages. Alarmed and afraid something had happened with the store or with Ashley, Jane pressed the play button. Matt's voice came over the speaker. Jane, this is Matt. I'm just calling to see what you're doing tonight. Give me a call when you get this.
The machine skipped to the next message. Jane, it's me again. You didn't call me, and I just wanted to make sure everything was all right. Call me.
Jane put down the water and skipped to the twentieth message, and Matt's voice had drastically changed from his normal tone to almost sinister. Jane. I talked to Ashley. I know you're with him.
His voice made her skin crawl. She hit the stop button and refused to listen to any more of the messages. In the sudden silence, the floor boards behind her creaked.
Jane turned to see Matt standing in her kitchen. She jumped and screamed. "Jesus, Matt!" she cried. "You scared me!"
She stared at him and noticed his clothes were in disarray. He looked like he had not shaved in days, and his bloodshot eyes were glaring at her. "Matt, did something happen?" she asked.
A smile slowly tugged at the corner of his lips. "Did something happen?" he asked, mocking her. "Yes, something happened!" he yelled. "The love of my life went for a romantic getaway with her new boyfriend." He stared down at the floor. "You were supposed to be mine. You were going to be mine," he muttered.
"Matt," she said, reaching for him. His eyes widened as he caught sight of her engagement ring. He roughly grabbed her hand and closely studied the ring. "What…is…this?" he asked, angrily.
Jane quickly pulled her hand away from him and slowly stepped back to put some space between them. "Matt, I never meant to lead you along."
"Lead me along?" A guttural laugh escaped his lips. "You played me like a puppet, Jane, and I fell right into your trap. I should have seen right through you." He ran both of his hands through his hair, firmly pulling at the ends. "I have tried so hard to replace him, but you just have to be so damn stubborn." His hands released his hair. "I didn't want it to come to this, but it has to." He glared at Jane. "If I can't have you, no one will."
His words sent a chill through her very core. "M-Matt, you look tired," she faltered. "I think you need some rest."
He shook his head. "You know, Jane, I wanted you from the first moment that you kissed me in the kitchen that day. And I knew I couldn't have you if he was in the way."
Jane's world came to a crashing halt. "You had something to do with Jack's murder, didn't you?" she asked, the words coming out of her mouth in a hushed whisper. She didn't want to believe it.
Matt
threw his hands up in the air, exasperated. "Yes!" he confessed. "And then I sent the same man to rough you up a bit, so that I could come and be your hero." He let out a slow sigh. "But Sebastian got in the way. He was there first. He ruined everything."
She wrapped her arms around her stomach as her entire body trembled. Matt wasn't the kind and gentle man she had believed him to be. She had been searching for Jack's killer when he was right under her nose the entire time. She looked up at him. He was no longer the person she had once known. He was a monster. "How could you do that to your own brother?" she asked, astonished.
"I had to do it. You would have never loved me if he was still in the picture." He paced the floor. "Jack was always better at everything. He went to med school. I flunked out of med school. He became a surgeon just like our father. I didn't. Our mother went on and on about him to her friends. Jack was always smarter than me, better than me, and he knew it. He gloated about it."
"Jack loved you."
"But he also loved you, and that wasn't something I was willing to accept. I thought with him out of the way, you would easily be mine. I mean, I look just like him for fuck's sake!" he yelled. "But no. You needed time. I gave you time. And in that time, you fell in love with your neighbor, the man with no past." He stopped and turned to her. "No past," he huffed. "Perhaps you two are perfect for each other."
The phone rang, and Jane's eyes darted to it. She wondered if Sebastian was on the other end.
"Don’t even think about it!" he snapped. "I can't believe after everything I've done for you that you couldn't love me. But you spend two months with a complete stranger, and you're engaged to him." He paused, and a smile slowly swept across his face. "But he's being taken care of as we speak."
Her breathing quickened. "What did you do?"
"It doesn't matter now," he said solemnly. "You're never going to see him again." Matt grabbed a knife out of the butcher block. It was long and wide, a knife that Jane had used in the kitchen many times before. She stared at the blade and then to Matt. His eyes looked wild as he stared back at her. "You and Jack were destined to have the same fate I'm afraid."
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