After Sundown: Illumination Read online

  The gargoyles listened but said nothing.

  “Is anything getting through those thick, stupid, block heads of yours? Do you understand the plan?”

  Talon and Azkar nodded. “We understand,” they said in unison.

  “Do you have any questions?”

  Talon opened his mouth to say something but Azkar elbowed him in the ribs, effectively cutting off anything he might have said. Azkar had learned well that the warlock did not like questions.

  “No, Master,” Azkar replied.

  “Good. Now, go. Prepare for tomorrow,” Xander commanded.

  The gargoyles gave a slight bow and left the room.

  Xander smiled.

  It was so ironic. The creatures whose people would benefit the most from Rebecca living would kill her. Tomorrow. Tomorrow the prophecy would be prevented once and for all.

  And the wretched gargoyles would pay dearly for it.

  Rebecca was all smiles the next day as she went back to her room to shower before dinner. It had been a good day. Instead of worrying about what had happened with Jason the night before, she’d woken up refreshed and ready to continue her work in the garden.

  She had worked hard again and gotten a lot done. Her planting vision was slowly coming together. And tomorrow Dr. Everett would supply her with the rest of the materials and plants she needed. As she showered she realized how good it felt to accomplish something. Dressing and walking to the dining room, she felt content for the first time since she had woken up with amnesia.

  Dinner was interesting. There was no other word for it.

  Whereas she normally didn’t talk to anyone during meals, and everyone seemed fine with that, tonight she had a number of people approach her. The odd thing about that was Joey. He stood by her as people approached and everyone looked nervously up at him before speaking. She felt like he was guarding her from something but she wasn’t sure what. Everyone wanted to talk to her about her gardening project. Each person who came up to her during her meal wished her well with the garden and said they looked forward to seeing how it turned out.

  Each person except one, that is. A younger woman. Rebecca guessed her to be in her early twenties. She walked up to Rebecca’s table with a scowl and she didn’t even glance at Joey, like the others had, before she talked with her.

  “I think you’re ridiculous,” she said spitefully.

  Rebecca was taken aback. She looked at the girl’s face, scrunched up with bitterness and hate, and wondered what had happened to make her that way.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “Just what I said. You’re ridiculous for working on this garden. I heard you’re not going to be here long anyway so why put that much effort into it? It’s just going to become a mess again once you leave.”

  Rebecca thought about the girl’s words. “Do you really think so?”

  The girl nodded her head. “Of course. No one else is going to care for it after you’re gone so why invest so much time in it? It’s not like anyone else gives two figs if there’s alyssum growing back there or not.”

  Rebecca perked up. “You know what alyssum is?”

  The girl gave a careless shrug. “I’ve heard of it.”

  Rebecca fought back a smile. She had her replacement gardener. The girl just didn’t know it yet.

  “Well, thanks for your opinion. I’ll think about what you said.”

  The girl gave her a queer look, as if she thought Rebecca were a little strange. “You do that,” she said before walking away.

  Rebecca felt even better as she headed back to the atrium that night. Not only did she have the rest of her materials coming tomorrow, she also had her replacement once she was gone. Probably a reluctant one, but one nevertheless. The girl knew what alyssum was. Not many people did, unless they were somewhat familiar with gardens. She had left a message at the administration desk for Dr. Everett, mentioning the girl to him. She had found out her name and a little bit about her from Joey after dinner.

  “Her name is Tess and she has some anger issues,” Joey explained. “I’m really not at liberty to say much more. She’s here to learn how to deal with things.”

  Rebecca wasn’t sure what Tess’ anger issues were but she hoped the woman could put them aside while she worked in the garden. Maybe the project would help bring her some peace, as it so often did for Rebecca.

  Standing at the bay window, sipping on the chamomile tea she had brought with her, Rebecca stared out into the garden and let her mind wander. The image of Jason entered her head immediately. He had been on the edge of her thoughts all day. She felt a little nervous about seeing him after what had happened the night before but at the same time she looked forward to spending time with him. And now that the sun was down she wondered how soon that would be.

  Rebecca’s body warmed as she remembered her strong feelings from the night before. She wondered if she’d felt like this with every man she’d had a relationship with in the past. Something inside her told her no, told her that there was something special about what Jason and she shared. She and he clicked, that was the only word she could think of. When she was with him it felt so right she didn’t want to be anywhere else.

  Chapter Eight

  “You’re still looking out at that garden? Aren’t you sick of the view yet?” came the teasing male voice from behind her.

  As if conjured by her mind, the object of her thoughts suddenly appeared.

  Jason.

  Rebecca smiled, shaking her head. “Nope. This is a work in progress. I’m enjoying seeing it all come together, day after day. Changing, growing and becoming more beautiful. How could I be sick of that?”

  “I understand. When you put it that way, how could you be sick of it?”

  “So what do you think about what I’ve done so far?”

  Jason looked beyond her, peering outside into the lit garden and letting his eyes wander over the landscape. “You did this today, by yourself?”

  “Yes, I was highly motivated. I worked the whole day and would have kept going if I hadn’t needed to meet with Dr. Everett at four o’clock.”

  “What do you think of Dr. Everett?”

  “I like him. He’s seems very genuine, and I can tell he really cares about his clients.”

  “I feel the same.”

  “So, are you up for a game of chess? That is, after you stop staring all starry-eyed out at that garden.”

  “I think I can fit you into my busy schedule,” she said, pretending to hold up a book and thumb through the pages. “Let’s see, stare all starry-eyed out at the garden, sip chamomile tea, stare some more at the garden and, oh yes, here you go, play chess with Jason. Yes, I think I can fit you in.”

  “I feel so honored,” he said, chuckling.

  The low sound of his laugh, deep from his chest, sent tingles of awareness through Rebecca. She loved how he laughed. It was so sexy, and it made her think of things she shouldn’t think about. Things that made her blush. Things like his incredible body and how it felt pressed against hers. Things like what had happened between them the night before.

  “What are you thinking right now?” Jason asked.

  “What— Oh! Nothing much. Why?”

  Rebecca felt like a kid caught with her fingers in the cookie jar. Jason’s cookie jar to be specific. Her face heated up and she knew it was probably bright pink.

  “Do you always blush when you’re thinking about nothing, M’Tali?” he asked in a seductive, husky voice. He closed the distance between them and gently tilted her chin up with one finger so she was forced to meet his gaze.

  Rebecca didn’t want to look away. She wanted to lose herself in his silver eyes. She wanted to press closer to him, feel him wrap his arms around her and touch his lips to hers.

  “You’re incredibly beautiful. Do you know that? And your smile, it lights up the room. You’re light and laughter, Rebecca. I find that very, very appealing.”

  Rebecca swallowed, hard. “You do?”
r />   Jason nodded his head. “Definitely.”

  “Why?”

  The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. It was her nature. She was curious. She needed to have answers.

  He smiled. A sexy smile. A knowing smile. The kind of smile that sent a woman’s heart speeding out of control. And hers was no exception. Her gaze dropped, slipping over his face and fixing on his mouth, curved slightly upward at the corners. His lips were full and seductive yet she knew they could also be cruel and hard. He was a man, after all.

  Her own lips were suddenly dry. She parted them and then wet them with her tongue. First the top, then the bottom.

  He made a noise in his throat.

  Was that a growl?

  Surprised by the sound, her stare shot back up to meet his. He was looking at her lips. He was devouring her mouth with his intense silver gaze. The heat in that stare left her lips burning and tingling with something. Something strong and undeniable. Something she wasn’t sure how to handle.

  Desire.

  Rebecca pictured his lips touching hers, capturing hers with his hard lushness, Nipping at them and sucking on her until she couldn’t take another minute of it.

  She moaned.

  She didn’t mean to do it aloud but couldn’t help herself. The moan escaped before she could stop it.

  That was all the urging Jason needed.

  With another low growl, he grasped her shoulders and pulled her against him. But instead of devouring her lips as Rebecca imagined him doing, Jason gently pressed his mouth to hers. Instead of capturing and conquering her mouth he lightly sipped at it, using his tongue and teeth to tease and nip until she was gasping for breath. Her mouth felt swollen and achy and all she could think about was him deepening the kiss, parting her lips and exploring inside with his tongue. She wanted that. She wanted to feel him inside her.

  Jason wanted to be inside her.

  Now.

  His body was screaming for it, raging at him to take her. And not gently. No, his body was roaring for a different kind of release. The gargoyle in him knew it well. It was hard and fast. And it was rough.

  Too rough.

  At least that’s how it started out as he grabbed Rebecca and pulled her against him. But the second his lips met hers, the minute he felt her soften against him, the moment he held her in his arms, his touch gentled. Instead of plundering, he wanted to seduce. Instead of hard and fast, he wanted slow and gentle. Instead of taking, he wanted to give. He wanted to cherish and protect this female. That had never happened to him before. He had never felt the urge to gentle his touch with any of the other females he’d known. Sure, he’d always made sure the females with him were satisfied but this was different. This was about more than just satisfaction. Right now all he wanted was to hear Rebecca sigh and catch her breath with pleasure, not scratch and scream with lust. He needed to make her feel better than any man ever had.

  So he sipped and softly nipped at her full, lush lips until she opened her mouth with a sigh. He inhaled her sweet breath, taking her inside him, and exhaled back into her mouth so that she took him into her. He savored her intoxicating taste with his tongue, exploring the recesses of her moistness until she met his touch with her own. Their tongues engaged in an intimate dance that sent wave after wave of desire crashing into him.

  He couldn’t get enough of her. He deepened the kiss and slowly ran his hands down her arms to her waist. Resting his hands there, he enjoyed her curvaceous shape. As he spread his fingers, he noticed how his fingertips reached both the flare of her hips and the base of her rib cage. She was so soft and warm. So female.

  Rebecca made soft cooing sounds in her throat and pressed closer to him. Those noises drove him crazy. They told him how much she wanted him and liked his touch. He was ready to burst into flames.

  He wanted more.

  Jason slid his fingers under her shirt. She stiffened for a minute then relaxed into his touch. He slipped over her silky skin, wondering if he had ever felt a woman so soft. His hands reached the edge of her bra and he stopped. Instead of sliding under it he skimmed the edge with the tips of his fingers. He felt lacy ruffles and wondered exactly what kind of bra she was wearing.

  What was he doing? Wondering about a female’s bra?

  But not just any female’s. His client’s. The person he was supposed to be protecting from the bad guys. The bad guys being the ones who’d hurt her both physically and emotionally. And here he was taking advantage of the fact that she had amnesia and didn’t know who she was or what her life was about.

  Could he sink any lower or act any more unprofessionally?

  Dammit! What the hell was wrong with him?

  Jason started to jerk his hands out of her shirt but Rebecca stopped him. She pulled him closer to her chest, silently urging him to stay. He broke their kiss and searched her eyes. He saw the same need, the same desire he was feeling, reflected in her beautiful sky-blue gaze.

  “Please, Jason. Don’t stop. Not this time,” she pleaded. “Your touch, it warms me. It feels so good.”

  He hesitated as he lost himself in the light pools of her beautiful eyes. He could lose himself in the life and laughter those eyes offered. Lose himself there and never want to leave.

  He wanted her. So much his body was ready to explode. And Jason was used to getting what he wanted. Especially with women. That’s just the way it was.

  But not this time.

  His conscience got the better of him. He couldn’t take advantage of a female in this way, especially not his light and laughter, his Rebecca, his M’Tali. If they were going to be together she would have to come into this with eyes wide open, aware and fully present. That was the only way he would take her. His body didn’t agree. It was roaring in protest. And it hurt like hell. Had he ever wanted a woman like he wanted Rebecca? He didn’t think so.

  He had it bad.

  Shaking his head, Jason pulled away. She didn’t release him right away but instead searched his eyes. After a moment she exhaled a soft sigh then let him go. As he stepped back, widening the space between them, she did the same. Watching her, seeing her expression turn sad, he wanted to gather her back in his arms but knew that would only lead to something more. His reaction to her was just too strong.

  He’d have to use words to comfort her instead.

  “I want you, Rebecca,” he said in a voice rough with need. “Don’t doubt that. I’d like nothing better than to take you right here, right now, bury myself deep inside you until you come so hard you lose your breath.”

  Rebecca’s startled gaze collided with his. Her eyes were wide with shock and her mouth slack with passion. Jason knew she was envisioning his words, envisioning the two of them joining.

  “You know as well as I do just how it would be. And I wouldn’t be able to take you just once. I’d have to have you over and over again, M’Tali, because I’ve already tasted your sweet honey. It’s addictive. You’re like a perfectly ripe peach just waiting to be picked. I want your ripeness, I want your honey. I want to taste you and fuck you and then fuck you again.”

  Rebecca gasped. Her blue eyes darkened with desire. Her nostrils flared and her breathing became more labored. “Stop it.”

  Jason smiled. It was a knowing, arrogant smile. “Stop what?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You know exactly what I mean.”

  His light and laughter had claws. Good. She would need them with him. He did know what he was doing to her. But he couldn’t help it. He was in pain. The kind of excruciating pain that would only go away slowly, when his body was ready and not one minute before. The only way to make it better was a good, long fuck, and he knew he wasn’t going there with Rebecca. At least not yet.

  So as immature as it sounded, Jason didn’t want to be the only one hot and bothered. She needed to feel the burn just like he did. Then maybe he’d feel a little better. He doubted it, but that was what he was going with, for now.

  Rebecca’s eyes flared with anger. �
��I don’t think I want to play with you anymore.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. I don’t want to play with you anymore,” she said, walking around him. “You don’t play fair. And if you’re going to be like this, I certainly don’t want to play chess with you. How would I be able to concentrate on the game?”

  Jason turned around as Rebecca passed, not sure how to answer her.

  “Have a good night, Jason,” she said with one curt nod over her shoulder.

  And that was that.

  Jason watched, dumbfounded, as Rebecca walked away. He hadn’t expected her reaction. But why did that surprise him? It wasn’t like he could understand females. They never made sense. He didn’t know why he thought this one would be different.

  Because Rebecca is different and you know it.

  Jason ignored that thought.

  Unable to stop himself, he admired the graceful curve of her behind as he watched her walk down the hall to her room. She swayed when she walked, in a way that almost hypnotized him. He wanted to follow her to her room and do all the things that lovers did behind closed doors.

  He started to step her way but held himself in check.

  No. It was better this way. She needed time to think and he needed time to cool down. And by the way his body was raging right now that was going to take the rest of the night. He needed to get his mind on something besides Rebecca’s sweet ass.

  Like his job.

  He thought back to his conversation with Vlad earlier in the evening. What just happened between him and Rebecca made a lie out of the whole discussion he’d had with his boss before arriving at the facility tonight.

  “I heard your message on my voicemail. What did you need to see me about?” Jason had asked Vlad when he walked into his boss’s office at Sundown Security earlier that night.

  “Thanks for coming in, Jason. Please, have a seat,” Vlad had said, waving him toward a chair.

  “Thanks,” Jason had said, sitting down. “So what’s up?”

  “I’m a little concerned.”