After Twilight

by Amanda Ashley

  It had come easily to him, and he had written scores of novels, many of which he had sold. And when writing lost its charm, he had turned into a vagabond, traveling from one end of the world to the other, but nowhere had he found a sense of home, of belonging, and so he had come back to America, a land where the bizarre was taken for granted, a place where a man who lived like a recluse was not considered odd at all.

  But now Leanne was here, in his arms, and for the first time in three hundred years he felt a sense of belonging.

  “Leanne,” he murmured. “Can you save me, I wonder.”

  She drew back, a frown furrowing her brow. “Save you?”

  Only then did he realize he’d spoken aloud.

  “Save you from what?”

  “Nothing.” He gazed into her eyes, knowing the hunger was glowing in his own. “We’d better go back.”

  She didn’t argue, only continued to stare up at him, her expression filled with concern and another emotion he could not quite fathom. Was it fear?

  And then, to his surprise, she gently stroked his cheek. “Don’t be afraid, Jason,” she said quietly. “You’re not alone anymore.”

  Before he could absorb the meaning of her words, a dog came charging through the trees, saliva dripping from its massive jaws.

  Instantly, Jason thrust Leanne behind him, putting himself between her and the animal’s slathering jaws. A sharp command kept Lucifer from bolting down the hill.

  Summoning his dark power, Jason fixed his gaze on the dog. As though it had slammed into a brick wall, the beast came to an abrupt halt. Whining softly, it eyed Jason for a moment, then turned and ran, its tail between its legs.

  Leanne blew out the breath she’d been holding. Never had she seen anything like that in her life.

  “We’d best go,” Jason said, and before she had time to argue, before she had time to ask questions, he lifted her onto the back of the horse, then swung up effortlessly behind her and kicked the stallion into a canter.

  When they reached the house, he lifted Leanne from the back of the horse, then put the stallion into the corral and latched the gate.

  “Jason, that dog…”

  “It’s getting late.” He drew her into his arms and kissed her. “Will you be all right getting home?”

  “Fine,” she murmured, all thought of the dog forgotten in the afterglow of his kiss.

  “Will I see you tomorrow?”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Jason nodded. He yearned to read her mind, to discover what she thought of him, but for the first time in his life, he could not bring himself to steal his way into another’s thoughts.

  “Goodnight, Jason. Sleep well.”

  He kissed her once more, briefly, sweetly, and then, reluctantly, he let her go. Already, he could feel dawn coming, feel the heavy lassitude stealing over his body, draining his strength, dragging him down, down, into darkness.

  His steps were heavy as he made his way to the basement. Hollywood might insist that their vampires sleep in silk-lined coffins, but then Hollywood perpetuated a lot of myths that had no basis in fact. He had no need to rest in a coffin; indeed, he found the idea macabre. Instead, he preferred to pass the daylight hours resting in a corner of the cellar, his head and shoulders covered by a patchwork quilt similar to the one he had once shared with Jolene.

  Chapter Five

  He saw her almost every night after that. She arrived at his house shortly after eleven and stayed until the early hours of the morning.

  It was a routine that fit his with remarkable precision. He never had to worry about offering her food because of the lateness of the hour. An occasional cup of coffee, a glass of wine, were all she ever asked for.

  Often, they went riding in the moonlight, sharing the quiet intimacy of the night.

  Sometimes, as now, they sat on the sofa, watching television. Tonight they were watching Love at First Bite starring George Hamilton as the infamous Count Dracula in an affectionate spoof of vampire movies.

  “He’s a very romantic night creature,” Leanne remarked. “ ‘With you, never a quickie, always a longie…’ “ She grinned impishly as she quoted a line from the movie.

  Jason arched one brow as he watched George Hamilton hurrying down a New York street moments before the coming dawn, his black cape swirling behind him like the devil’s breath. Romantic, indeed?

  He caressed Leanne’s cheek with the tip of his finger. “And would you let the count bite your neck if you had the chance?”

  Leanne poked him playfully in the ribs. “Oh, I think I’d let Mr. Hamilton bite anything he liked.”

  “Have you ever thought of what it would be like to be a vampire?”

  “Sure, who hasn’t?” Leanne smiled at him, her deep green eyes dancing with laughter. “I mean, except for the blood part, the thought of living forever is very appealing, although I’m not sure I’d want to turn into a bat.”

  The blood. His gaze moved to the pulse in her neck. He could hear the blood moving through her veins, smell the heat of it, the warmth. The thought of drinking from her sickened him even as it excited him.

  “And do you believe in vampires?” he asked, his voice low and seductive.

  Leanne’s, gaze met his, all humor gone from her expression. “Yes, I do.” She lifted one brow. “You look surprised.”

  “I am. Most people don’t believe in monsters.”

  “There are all kinds of monsters.”

  “Indeed.” He glanced at the television, his stomach muscles tightening as George Hamilton enveloped Susan Saint James in the folds of his voluminous black cape to give her the final bite that would change her into a vampire.

  He felt Leanne’s hand on his thigh, felt his mouth water at the thought of giving her the vampire’s kiss.

  “Is something wrong, Jason?”

  He shook his head, and then, unable to keep from touching her, he drew her into his arms and kissed her.

  His touch went through her like lightning, igniting every nerve ending, every sense of awareness. His tongue plundered her mouth, stealing her breath away, until she thought she would faint. He whispered her name, his voice urgent, almost rough, as though he were in pain.

  She felt his hands slide under her sweater to settle on her bare back, felt the tremors that coursed through him as his fingertips caressed her quivering flesh. His kiss deepened, taking her to places she’d never been. His intensity frightened her even as it excited her. He seemed to know exactly what she liked, what she wanted… what she needed.

  She gasped with pleasure as she felt his teeth nip at the lobe of her ear, then nibble the side of her neck. Desire shot through her, and with it an image of darkness that went beyond black.

  “Jason!” Alarmed, she drew back.

  The light in his eyes burned brighter than any candle, hotter than any sun. His breathing was erratic, his lips slightly parted. She watched him draw several deep breaths, felt the effort it cost him to release her.

  “I’m sorry,” he rasped. “Forgive me.”

  “It’s all right. I’m as much to blame as you are.”

  “No.” He couldn’t keep his hands from shaking, couldn’t keep his gaze from returning time and again to the pulse beating so rapidly in her throat.

  Rising, he extended his hand. “Come, I’ll walk you to your car.”

  She didn’t want to go home, she wanted to stay, to spend what was left of the night in his arms, but leaving was definitely the smart thing to do.

  Another moment, and she would have lost all control.

  Another second, and she would have given him whatever he wanted.

  Hand in hand, they walked down the stairs to the driveway.

  Jason opened the car door for her, kissing her cheek before she slid behind the wheel.

  She closed the door, then rolled down the window and leaned out for one last kiss.

  He covered her mouth with his, drinking deeply of her innocence. “Don’t come tomorrow night,” he said,
and before she could ask why, he turned away, taking the stairs two at a time.

  From the window in the living room he watched her drive away, wondering if she had any idea of the danger she’d been in.

  • • •

  He sat in his favorite chair in front of the fireplace in the den, his hands clenched into tight fists as he listened to the sound track from The Phantom of the Opera. The haunting words of the Phantom’s plaintiff cry as he pleaded for Christine’s love filled the room, echoing in Jason’s heart.

  The Phantom’s music of the night might be a ballad of love and longing, Jason thought, but his own song was a requiem of blood and death, of darkness as deep and wide as eternity, as bottomless as the bowels of hell.

  The Phantom of the Opera had lived in the darkness of life, Jason mused bitterly, but he was trapped in the everlasting darkness of his soul.

  He shuddered to think how close he had come to wrapping Leanne in his embrace, to quenching his unholy thirst by stealing the essence of life from a creature who was pure and innocent.

  He could not see her again. He loved her too much to put her life in danger, to risk turning her into the kind of monster he had become.

  There was no hope for him, but he would not defile Leanne. She was a beautiful woman, made to walk in the sun, to find love in the arms of a mortal man and bear his children.

  A hoarse cry rose in his throat, a cry that became an anguished scream of denial as he imagined her in the arms of another man, a man who could take her walking on the beach, who could make love to her in the light of day, a man who didn’t live in the shadows.

  A man who didn’t thirst for that which made him a thief of the worst kind, stealing life itself.

  • • •

  For the next week he tormented himself by going to the theater, watching her perform on stage, hearing the sweet magic of her voice.

  He listened to the Phantom’s anguish with renewed pain. Just once, he thought, just once he’d like to see Christine turn her back on Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny, and give the Phantom of the Opera the love he craved, the love only she could give.

  When the show was over, he hovered in the deep shadows to make sure Leanne made it safely to her car. It was the worst kind of torture, seeing her from a distance, hungering for her touch, yearning to hear the sound of his name on her lips.

  Each night he saw her gaze sweep the crowds waiting at the stage door, the hope in her eyes fading when she didn’t see him.

  And now he stood in the shadows again, a tall figure dressed all in black. Couples passed him by, never knowing he was there. Frustrated beyond reason, hating what he was because it kept him from the woman he loved, it took every ounce of his self-control to keep from destroying the innocent creatures who passed him by. He was torn with the need to lash out, to hurt others as he was hurting.

  He watched a young couple pass by, and he wanted to sink his fangs into the man’s throat, to turn the man into a monster so that the woman at his side would look at him with loathing instead of desire.

  He fought down the growing lust for blood as he saw Leanne coming down the sidewalk. She was late tonight, and he wondered what, or who, had detained her at the theater. Jealousy rose in his throat, as bitter as bile, at the thought of her with another man—a mortal man.

  His hands curled into tight fists as he watched her cross the street. More than anything, he wanted to go to her, to take her in his arms and hold her, for just a moment.

  His eyes narrowed as he saw three dark shadows disengage themselves from a doorway and follow her into the parking lot.

  He lost sight of her as she turned the corner, and then he heard her scream.

  In an instant he was across the street, his hands closing around the throat of the thug nearest to him. The man’s choked cry alerted his companions, and they whirled around to face him. One held a knife; the other a pistol.

  Jason heard Leanne scream his name as the gunman fired three times in quick succession. Oblivious to the impact of the bullets, Jason lunged forward, a hand locking around the neck of each would-be assailant. Slowly, so slowly, his fingers tightened around their throats. He would have killed them, and gladly, if Leanne had not been there. The sound of her sobs penetrated the red mist that hovered in front of his eyes. With a muttered curse he let them go, and they fell in a tangled heap at his feet.

  “Jason!” Leanne ran toward him, her eyes wide with fright.

  “I’m all right.” His gaze moved over her in a quick assessing glance. “Did they hurt you?”

  “No.” She stared at the bullet holes in his coat. Unable to believe her eyes, she touched each one with her fingertips, then looked up at him, her face as pale as the moon.

  Hating himself because he had to deceive her, he fixed her with his hypnotic gaze, willing her to forget that the man had fired his gun, to remember only that he had come to her rescue. He left her spellbound while he went to his car, removed his coat, and replaced it with a sweater he’d left in the backseat.

  Returning to her side, Jason snapped his fingers, releasing her from the power of his mind.

  “Come,” he said, taking the keys from her hand. “I’ll drive you home.”

  Leanne blinked up at him, then glanced at the three men sprawled on the ground. “What about them?”

  “Leave them.”

  “Aren’t you going to arrest them?”

  “No, I’m going to get you home.”

  “But…”

  “Very well. Let’s go back to the theater. We can call from there.”

  Twenty minutes later a black-and-white pulled into the parking lot. After the three suspects were handcuffed and tucked into the backseat of the patrol car, Leanne gave the officers her name and address and then told them what had happened. Jason corroborated her story.

  The police officer who took Jason’s statement frowned as he examined the gun. “This weapon’s been fired,” he remarked, opening the chamber. “Three times.”

  “I don’t remember any gunshots,” Leanne said, looking from the police officer to Jason. “Do you?”

  Jason shook his head. “No.”

  The cop scribbled something in his notebook, thanked Leanne for her time, advised her to be more careful in the future, and bid them good night.

  “Now can I take you home?” Jason asked.

  “I’ve never been so scared,” Leanne whispered, and as the knowledge of what could have happened hit her, she began to tremble violently.

  “It’s over,” Jason said, wrapping her in his arms. “Don’t think about it.”

  “I can’t help it. I know this kind of thing happens all the time, but I never thought it would happen to me.”

  Keeping one arm around her shoulders, he unlocked the car door and helped her inside, then went around to the driver’s side.

  Once he’d pulled out of the parking lot, he drew her up against him, holding her close while he drove.

  “Where are we going?” Leanne asked as they turned onto the freeway.

  “My place.”

  She didn’t argue, merely rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

  When she opened them again, they were pulling into Jason’s driveway.

  She was still trembling when she got out of the car. “Nerves, I guess,” she murmured, then gasped as Jason swung her into his arms and carried her up the stairs and into the house.

  Inside, he placed her on the sofa, poured her a glass of wine, then went into the bathroom to fill the tub with hot water.

  “You’ll feel better after a bath,” he said, taking the glass from her hand.

  With a nod she went into the bathroom and shut the door. A good hot soak was just what she needed. Undressing, she sank into the tub, willing herself to relax, to forget the terror that had engulfed her. Reaching for the soap, she washed vigorously, knowing she’d never wash away the fear or the vile memory of being touched by an unwanted hand. Thank God for Jason, she mused, and never thought to question what h
e’d been doing there.

  Jason stood in the living room, his keen hearing easily picking up the sounds Leanne made as she undressed and then stepped into the tub. It was so easy to picture her lying there, the water surrounding her, caressing her, as he so longed to do…

  With an oath he threw the wine glass into the fireplace, feeling a sense of satisfaction as he watched the glass shatter, falling onto the stone hearth like crystal raindrops. If only he could destroy his need with such ease.

  He prowled the room, his fists shoved into the pockets of his jeans, his desire clawing at him with each step. So easy, he thought, so easy to take her, to make her his, to bind her to him forever, body and soul.

  The sound of the bathroom door opening echoed in his mind like thunder.

  Leanne gasped as he whirled around to face her. The heat in his eyes seemed to engulf her so that she felt suddenly hot all over, as though she were standing in front of a blazing fire.

  “Feeling better?” he asked.

  “Yes, thank you.” She smiled at him, wondering if she had imagined that heated look.

  “Would you care for more wine?”

  “No. I…”

  “What is it?”

  “I’m awfully tired. Would you mind if I went to bed?”

  “Of course not, but you can’t sleep in those clothes.”

  A faint flush brightened her cheeks. “I don’t have anything else.”

  “I’ll get you something.”

  He went into the bedroom, his gaze lingering on the bed. He’d lived in this house for twenty years, he mused, and no one had ever used the bed. It pleased him to think of Leanne lying there, her hair spread on the pillow, her scent permeating the sheets.

  Going to the dresser, he drew out a long nightgown. He’d bought it because the color was the same vibrant green as her eyes; because, for one irrational moment, he had wanted to pretend he was an ordinary man buying a gift for the special lady in his life. He had bought it and put it away. Now, he held it in his hands, the silkiness of the material reminding him of Leanne’s satin-smooth skin.

  “Is that for me?” She had followed him into the bedroom.