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 she 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 36
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.
Ashley shook her head. "That's awful! I'm so sorry that happened, Jane. Are you sure you're
all right?"
Jane nodded. "It could have been a lot worse. I'm just thankful that Sebastian was there."
"Yeah, me too. I don't know what I would do without you."
Jane smiled. It was nice to know people cared about her. "Now get that sad look off of your face, and let's start making coffee."
* * *
That evening when Jane arrived home, Sebastian was waiting for her. He was leaning against the hood of his car. The convertible top was down. "Want to go for a ride?" he asked.
Jane smiled and nodded. "Sure."
As Sebastian drove, Jane occasionally put her hands up in the air, loving the force of the air hitting the palms of her hands. She had never ridden in a convertible, or at least couldn't remember riding in one.
Sebastian took her to the same pull-off place where they had first kissed. Once outside the car, Sebastian motioned for her to come closer to the edge of the lookout point. The entire town of Bedford Valley was visible below. The sun was setting, and the town was beginning to light up.
"It's beautiful up here," she commented.
He smiled. "Yeah, it is." He scanned the scenery and pointed off to the right. "There is your bookstore."
Jane stared at the direction he was pointing. She could make out the store's sign. "It looks so small and insignificant from up here, but it's my entire life," she whispered.
From behind, Sebastian wrapped his arms around her. "I'm happy you let me be a part of your life," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers up her spine.
She rested her head back on his chest, and he held her there while the sun set behind the mountains. Jane smiled as she stared down at the town. Even though she couldn't remember her past, she had made a life here for herself. She had a future to look forward to, and her future included Sebastian.
"It's going to rain," he announced.
As if the sky had heard him, dark clouds began to form, and the sound of thunder cracked off into the distance. "We'd better go," he said.
They hurried to the car. Sebastian pushed a button for the top to close. He leaned over and kissed her sweetly on the lips, and then put the car in gear and pulled out of the gravel pull-off. On the way down the mountain, fat raindrops fell onto the windshield of the car.
It was a complete downpour by the time they reached Jane's house. The rain beat down onto the car, and the sound was deafening. She turned to Sebastian just in time to see his car door closing. She squinted her eyes to try to get a glimpse of him in the darkness, but he was gone.
Jane squealed as she climbed out of the car and ran towards her house in the pouring rain. By the time she reached the porch, she was completely soaked. Sebastian stood leaning against the door casually, dry as a bone. A wide smirk was on his face.
"That's not fair!" she exclaimed.
"Hey, it's not my fault that I move faster than you humans," he said with an eye roll.
She unlocked the front door and pushed him into the house, not bothering to close the door behind them. She flicked on the kitchen light and moved towards Sebastian. She leaned on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I'm going to have to change. I'm soaking wet," she said.
He pinned her against the wall with her hands above her head. "I like you wet," he murmured into her ear.
With one free hand, he pushed the damp hair that was clinging to her face behind her ear. He leaned down and kissed her. The kiss deepened, and his hand trailed down her cheek, her neck and down to cup her breast. He pinched her nipple through the wet material. She moaned against his mouth.
His fingers made their way down her stomach, and she shuddered from his touch. His tongue teased her lips until she opened them. His tongue swirled around hers, possessing her mouth.
Suddenly, the room was filled with a loud clicking noise. They both turned to see Matt standing in the kitchen doorway with a gun pointed towards Sebastian.
Sebastian pulled away from Jane quickly and stood between her and Matt.
"Matt, what are you doing?" Jane asked.
He slowly put the gun down. "I was driving by. Your lights were on and your door was wide open. I thought someone had broken in again," he said.
Jane walked to him. "I'm fine." She glanced at Sebastian. "You remember Sebastian, my neighbor."
Matt glanced at him and then stared at Jane, nodding once. His eyes narrowed as he asked, "Can I speak to you outside?"
Under the refuge of the porch roof from the rain, Matt roughly grabbed Jane by the forearm and drew her in close. "Do you know how bad you scared me? I thought you were being attacked again," he said, angrily.
She stared down at his hand on her arm. "I'm sorry." She glanced up to his hazel eyes. "Why are you here?" she asked, her angry tone matching his.
"I wanted to see if you wanted to go to dinner. But I see you have better plans," he snapped.
"You could have called," she snapped back.
He squeezed her arm tighter. "You said you weren't ready for a relationship," he whispered, his expression pained.
She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I didn't think I was."
"But you're ready for him?" he hissed.
Jane was at a loss for words, so she said the only thing she could say. "Matt, I'm sorry."
"You're supposed to be my fiancée. And here I find you making out with another guy!" he yelled.
The pain in her arm increased. "Please! You're hurting me," she cried.
He didn't release his grip, but instead tightened it. "You can't keep stringing me along, Jane. You know how I feel about you!"
"Matt, please!" she whimpered.
"Let go of her!" Sebastian's voice boomed from the doorway.
Matt slowly and reluctantly released his grip. He looked from Sebastian and then back to Jane. "I'll see you later." His tone made it sound like a threat. Then he ventured out in the rain and to his car.
Jane walked back in the house and rubbed her sore arm. She stared down at the bruises that were already starting to form. Sebastian gingerly touched her skin. "I should have given him some bruises," he said irately.
"No, you shouldn't have," she scolded. Matt's fate would have been much worse than a few bruises if Sebastian would have gotten a hold of him. After Matt's car pulled away from the curb, she closed the door and locked it. "I don't know what's gotten into him. He used to be the nicest, sweetest guy." She rubbed her arm gently. "He's just been so different lately."
"Maybe his true colors are finally showing," Sebastian offered.
Jane shrugged. "Maybe."
CHAPTER 37
OVER THE NEXT few days, Matt tried to stop by Jane's house, but she refused to see him. He called at least a dozen times a day, and she refused to take his calls. She was angry with him, and she didn't want to talk to him, let alone see him in person.
To make matters worse, Jane didn't see even one sign of Sebastian. However, she had caught a glimpse of Elizabeth in the pool a few times. She knew that Elizabeth had gotten her claws in him once again, and the idea of it infuriated her. She wasn't going to let Elizabeth ruin his life. After work, she marched straight over to Sebastian's house and knocked on his front door.
It took a few minutes, but the door eventually opened. Jane stared at the tall blonde standing there. She was gorgeous — actually beyond gorgeous. She looked like some kind of Greek goddess with her long blonde curly tresses. She was wearing a short, skin-tight black mini skirt and an equally tight black sequin shirt. Her black stilettos made her at least three inches taller than Jane. But it was Elizabeth's eyes that drew most of Jane's attention. Her eyes were an odd bluish-green. And those eyes, as they stared back, sent a shockwave through Jane. She had seen those eyes before.
Jane involuntarily stepped back. She could feel the tingling at the base of her skull starting to creep up and down her spine. Her body wanted to shut down, but she didn't know why she was having this response.
She quickly fled the porch, stumbling down the stairs and catching herself with the railing.
"
Jane!" Sebastian called from inside the house.
She didn't look back to find out where he was. Her legs shakily made their way through the lawn. She was so close to her house, but her vision was beginning to blur. She fell to her knees and proceeded to crawl through the grass. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she was coughing and choking like she was dying. She didn't know what was causing the reaction, but she knew she needed to get as far away from Elizabeth as she could. Her brain was pleading with her to get away, but she never reached her house.
* * *
"Jane!" Sebastian called. He had seen the look of terror in her eyes. He glared at Elizabeth as he ran out the door. Jane was crawling through the grass, and then eventually her thoughts went blank as she collapsed in the yard.
Sebastian scooped Jane up in his arms. As he began to carry her home, Elizabeth's voice halted him. "Bring her in here, Sebastian."
He wanted to protect Jane at all costs, but Elizabeth would get to her any possible way she could. If he disobeyed her, he knew the consequences. Grudgingly, he turned and walked back to his house.
In the living room, he gently laid Jane down on the couch. He kneeled down and clasped her hand in his. She seemed so fragile and vulnerable that it made his heart ache for her. He brought her hand up his lips. "I'm sorry," he murmured, kissing her delicate skin.
Elizabeth stood in the background watching the spectacle. "Kitchen. Now!" she demanded.
Reluctantly, Sebastian walked away from Jane and followed Elizabeth into the kitchen. "What did you do? What did you say to her?" Sebastian accused.
Elizabeth put her hands up defensively. "I said absolutely nothing. She just looked at me and started freaking out."
Sebastian paced the kitchen. What she was saying didn't make sense unless —. He turned to Elizabeth.
A wicked grin crept over her face. "She remembers me."
Sebastian shook his head. "That's impossible."
"Why? Because she doesn't remember you?" Elizabeth tapped her nails on the countertop. "I would say I was less than cordial to her in the past, but that would be the understatement of the year."
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