After Sundown: Illumination Read online

  She slid her glance to Jason and a shiver of apprehension ran down her spine. It frightened her a little to realize she had spent the last couple of days with a man who was not what he seemed. But then it dawned on her that Jason might be thinking that exact same thing about her. Or had he known about her powers all along? Rebecca studied him quietly for a moment.

  He didn’t blink an eye.

  His stance was stiff, almost militaristic, and his gaze was cold and hard. This wasn’t the warm and caring man she had met back at the hospital. This was someone different. Someone she wasn’t sure she was going to like.

  She returned her gaze to her grandfather.

  “Yes, I’ve recalled both my memories and my powers, Grandpa.”

  “You shouldn’t have cast that sleep spell on the elf. He may never forgive you. Elves are not normally forgiving creatures. Although they’ll place their trust in people almost immediately, once that’s lost it’s hard to regain. You may have just lost an ally, Rebecca.”

  “Elf?” she asked aloud then played back the conversation she had heard outside her door when she first woke up. Duh! Of course the man was an elf.

  She had never met an elf before.

  “Are all elves, um, like him?” she asked tentatively.

  “What do you mean, Rebecca?”

  “I mean, I’m used to that whole elf-making-cookies thing. Those guys are short, plump and jolly. This guy, Daniel, was tall, lean, fairly serious and downright gorgeous.”

  Rebecca thought she heard Jason make a low rumbling noise. Her gaze shot to his but he wasn’t even looking at her. His stare remained straight ahead, unmoving, unflinching and serious as hell.

  Was that a growl? What was with this guy and primal noises? It couldn’t have been a growl. Could it? She didn’t have time to ponder it as her grandfather’s soft chuckle drew her attention.

  “You know as well as I do that you can’t trust everything you see on television.”

  “True,” she agreed with a nod.

  “Back to the matter at hand,” her grandfather said, serious once more. “What is going on, Rebecca? Why did you feel the need to incapacitate Daniel and then try to escape through the passageway?”

  Glancing longingly at the passageway, Rebecca pushed the book back in, causing the shelf to slide closed. Jason, she wasn’t too sure about, but her grandpa deserved an explanation.

  “Why don’t we all sit down and talk, okay?”

  Sliding over to one of her grandfather’s overstuffed wing back chairs, she sat down, sinking into its softness, while her grandfather sat in the other. Jason just leaned negligently back, half sitting on her grandfather’s desk, arms folded, face made of stone, silently waiting.

  His demeanor irritated her for some reason.

  “I’ll be glad to tell you about this, Grandpa, but before I answer any more questions I need to know who Jason really is and why he’s here now. Both Jason and Daniel mentioned something about a security agency but I don’t really understand what’s going on.”

  Her grandfather cleared his throat nervously. That was so unlike him. Nothing much could shake her grandpa up. The fact that Jason’s place in all of this did do that made her swing her gaze from her grandfather back to him to take a closer look.

  “Well?” she asked, raising an eyebrow arrogantly. If Jason wanted to have an attitude so would she.

  “Well what?” he asked, narrowing his eyes dangerously and giving her a much too male, much too smug smirk.

  Rebecca wanted to stomp her feet in frustration but she held back, barely.

  “Who and what are you really? And what exactly is Sundown Security? And how about what happened last night? You—”

  Jason held up his hand, palm outward, signaling her to stop.

  “No, Rebecca. I’ll answer all of your questions after you tell your grandfather and me why you were attempting to sneak out of here.”

  Rebecca turned defensive. She wasn’t a little girl to be questioned like this. Especially not by Jason. He had his own explaining to do.

  “I wasn’t sneaking,” was her knee-jerk reaction.

  Both men’s doubtful looks soon changed her mind. “Okay, okay, maybe I was. But I knew if I told either of you where I was going you would try to stop me.”

  “And where were you going, Rebecca?” her grandfather asked.

  “I was going to see Xander Davis,” she said.

  She heard that low rumbling sound again and glanced at Jason.

  Growling.

  The man was actually growling!

  “What?” she asked.

  Jason just shook his head, tilted his face down and began rubbing the back of his neck.

  “Why would you want to go see that dark wizard? He’s nothing but pure anger and hate, Rebecca. Almost the complete opposite of you,” her grandfather pointed out.

  Rebecca balked at the comparison. “I can get pretty angry too,” she retorted.

  Her grandfather smiled wearily. “You know exactly what I mean, sweet pea. Now why would you even think about endangering yourself by approaching him? He’s a deviant. A true warlock.”

  “Because it is time to settle things with him once and for all, Grandpa. In fact, it’s way past due. I should have handled it a long time ago. Maybe if I had…” Rebecca had to stop for a moment as tears welled in her eyes. She couldn’t help it. The memories of how Xander’s men had attacked her, how he had ordered it and sat by watching as they hurt her, shot through her mind painfully. “Maybe if I had taken care of things back then, when Xander started stalking me, instead of just letting it be and thinking he would just go away, things never would have escalated to what happened to me when I was attacked.”

  Jason drew in a sharp breath and got to his feet. He started toward her but stopped and hovered nearby as her grandfather stood up and went to her side, taking her hand in his.

  “Xander Davis was stalking you? What do you mean? How did you even meet him? Why didn’t I know anything about this, Becca?” he asked gently, using the childhood nickname she’d had when she was younger.

  “I didn’t want to worry the family. I thought I could take care of it on my own. If you or Grandma had gotten wind of this you would have done something ridiculous like hired a bodyguard or security per—” Rebecca stopped talking and slid a look at Jason.

  “I’m not implying you’re ridiculous, Jason. It’s just that under the circumstances I didn’t think such measures were necessary or appropriate.”

  Jason snorted doubtfully and met her stare with his own hard, unyielding one.

  “You thought wrong, sweet pea.”

  Rebecca bristled at his words. Especially at his mocking use of her grandfather’s endearment for her. Maybe she had been wrong. But she didn’t like hearing it. Not from this arrogant man who had so suddenly invaded her life and preoccupied much of her thoughts. Not when he seemed so cold, so unaffected by not only what had occurred to her but also just by her. Given that her heart sped up every time she saw him it wasn’t a good thing that she had absolutely no effect on him at the moment, other than impatience and disdain.

  Her pride pricked, she refused to back down.

  “I felt I could handle things because I’ve known Xander for a very long time.” Ignoring the shocked look on her grandfather’s face and the fire that flared in Jason’s silver eyes, she continued, “He and I met in college.”

  “What!” her grandfather released her hand and began pacing the room. “What are you talking about, Rebecca?”

  Her grandpa was clearly agitated. That worried her. He wasn’t a spring chicken and she didn’t want anything to happen to him. She loved him dearly.

  “I’d like to speak to your granddaughter alone for a few minutes, sir,” Jason said in a steely voice.

  That request stopped both her grandpa and her in her tracks.

  Their gazes swung away from each other and focused on Jason.

  “Why would you need to do that, Jason?” her grandfather asked
. Gone was the questioning, agitated grandpa of a moment ago. In his place was the protective grandfather Rebecca had known all her life.

  “I feel I can get to the bottom of this more quickly if I have the time to talk with your granddaughter one-on-one,” he explained. “This is where my security training and experience will be helpful.”

  Jason appeared calm but Rebecca wasn’t fooled. His stance was rigid, his jaws were still clenching and his eyes almost shot silver fire when he looked her way.

  “Don’t you mean you want to interrogate me, Jason?”

  Jason smiled.

  It wasn’t pleasant.

  It was little more than a baring of teeth. Like a predator staring knowingly at its prey.

  It sent tingles of apprehension down Rebecca’s spine.

  “If that’s what you want to call it,” Jason responded, his eyes shuttered and cold.

  Rebecca’s grandfather gave Jason a considering look then turned his gaze to Rebecca. She pleaded with him with her eyes but it was no use. After a minute he slowly nodded his head.

  “All right, I’ll give you and Rebecca some time alone. I’ll be downstairs in the main study making some calls. Let me know when you’ve finished discussing things with my granddaughter,” her grandfather said, swinging around to walk out of his study.

  Rebecca couldn’t believe her ears!

  “Grandpa, you’re just going to leave me?”

  She knew she sounded whiny but couldn’t help herself. The thought of facing Jason when he was like this did intimidate her. While her grandfather was around she felt somewhat in control. But without him there she didn’t know what would happen.

  Her grandfather stiffened at her words. He looked over his shoulder and smiled reassuringly.

  “You and I both know you’ll be fine, Rebecca. Jason has been assigned to protect and look after you. Please attempt to work with him so we can get to the bottom of this and keep you safe.”

  And that was that.

  The click of the door shutting behind her grandfather as he left the study was deafeningly loud and ominous in her mind.

  Rebecca jumped to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

  Chin held high, she waited for whatever may come. “What do you want from me, Jason?” she asked, glaring at him.

  Chapter Ten

  Jason wanted her.

  Despite the frustration.

  Despite the fear.

  Despite the anger.

  He still wanted her.

  But he definitely didn’t get it. How could Rebecca risk her neck by trying to leave without telling anyone? He didn’t understand what she was thinking. Didn’t she realize how dangerous the situation was? Like it or not she needed to be careful because she was being hunted. And not by humans with limited powers. She was being hunted by gargoyles and a dark wizard. Neither creature was known for giving up easily. And despite her own powers her life was at risk.

  Jason’s anger simmered just beneath the surface when he thought about what happened back at the hospital. When he’d seen Talon touching her he’d wanted to tear his head off with his bare hands. And after what he had learned last night and early this morning at Twice Charmed, he wanted to shake some sense into Rebecca, make her admit she was in trouble and needed his help.

  Yeah, he wanted to shake her.

  He wanted to yell at her.

  And kiss her.

  And make love to her.

  No! He needed to focus on the matter at hand. What he had learned at Twice Charmed reminded him of that.

  He would not let her affect him like this.

  Rebecca would not let him affect her like this.

  Meeting his gaze, she saw the challenge in his eyes loud and clear.

  “So you really are a little witch, huh?” he asked in a voice deceptively soft.

  She wasn’t fooled. She could see the anger, the predator, waiting just below the surface.

  “Ha ha. Enough with the lame jokes. Let’s get this over with. I’ll ask you again. What do you want from me?” She hiked one eyebrow up arrogantly, lifted her chin proudly and waited.

  Silence.

  He just stared silently back at her.

  He wanted to play that game, did he?

  Silence reigned and whoever talked first lost.

  She knew the rules.

  Well, he could sit there silently smirking until hell froze over. She wasn’t about to help him out. Why should she? He had lied to her from the beginning, not only about why he was at the hospital with her but also about who and what he was. Why should she cooperate with him now?

  “I never took you for a runner, M’tali,” Jason said, breaking the silence, and hitting the nail right on the head. “You struck me as more of a face your battles head-on kind of woman. I liked that about you. I admired it. I guess I was wrong.”

  Rebecca ignored Jason’s compliment as his words struck a chord inside her. A chord that she couldn’t ignore.

  “I’m no runner, Jason,” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

  “Then why did you try to sneak out of here before I got back?”

  “Don’t flatter yourself. I wasn’t leaving to get away from you, Jason. I was going to take care of something I think I can handle on my own.”

  Jason moved forward, closer and closer until she had to crane her neck back to keep meeting his stare. He towered over her, bringing his face so close to hers that she could see just how pure and unblemished the silver of his eyes really was. But it was more the intensity of his look that made her struggle not to step back. He stared at her as if he could see right through to her soul.

  She swallowed, hard, but held her ground.

  “You thought wrong, Rebecca. And you will never, ever do anything like that again.”

  Rebecca balked at Jason’s tone.

  His words were soft, yet strong. There was no give to them. No request for understanding. They were the words of a man who knew what he was about and expected his will to be obeyed.

  They were a command.

  He wasn’t asking, he was telling.

  Or trying to.

  She wasn’t about to let this man tell her what to do.

  Placing both hands on her hips, she glared up at him. “Who do you think you are? What makes you think you can just—”

  She never got to finish her sentence. Jason grabbed her shoulders and brought her even closer, so close she could feel the heat from his body through his clothes and smell his enticing scent. It was spicy and all male, leaving her dizzy just from inhaling it.

  She wanted him.

  That thought shook her. She wanted to step back, put some space between them so her head could clear, but he didn’t let her. His hold was firm and strong yet he wasn’t hurting her.

  But he wasn’t letting her go either.

  She stared helplessly up at him, unable to do more than keep her legs from turning into useless noodles.

  He gazed into her eyes, demanding everything, giving nothing in return.

  “Did you forget who’s in charge, Rebecca?”

  The words were spoken softly, Jason’s warm breath playing across her face, tickling her mouth, leaving it burning for something more. The words made her mind rebel but instinctively some primal part of her thrilled at the command in his voice.

  She tried to form coherent thought, tried to speak.

  “I, um, I don’t—”

  “You did forget, M’tali. Here, let me remind you.”

  And with those sexy, softly spoken words, Jason turned her world upside down.

  Lowering his head, he tasted her mouth. He meandered over it, lightly nipping and licking her lips, leaving her aching for more rather than satisfied. She strained up, trying to get closer, trying to deepen their contact.

  She couldn’t stop the soft moans that escaped.

  Jason growled deep and low, pulling her tight against his hard chest.

  Sliding one hand higher, he buried his fingers in h
er hair. Grasping a handful of strands, he tugged her head back and slanted his mouth hard over hers. The pressure forced her mouth open as she gasped.

  That was all the advantage he needed. Jason delved in and explored her mouth thoroughly, leaving her aching in all the places only he could satisfy. Her body hummed with need. When his other hand slid from her shoulder and wrapped lightly around the bare skin of her neck she lost the ability to breathe. Her knees almost gave way beneath her as his fingers slid lower again, this time skimming over her breasts and down her rib cage before reaching her waist and slipping under her shirt. His warm touch left a trail of fire in its wake. Arching her back as his fingers slid back up along her sensitive skin, under her bra, and covered her breast, she did the only thing she could.

  She closed her eyes and surrendered.

  In that moment, she was his. He could take her then and there. And by the rumble of satisfaction she heard deep in his chest, he knew it too.

  He was in charge.

  Jason growled with satisfaction.

  Rebecca was his.

  He had only meant to remind her of that. Remind her who was in charge, who was protecting whom. He had wanted to prove to her and himself just how strong their connection was.

  It had started out as a lesson but as she leaned seductively into his touch, as she gave herself to him without reserve, as she surrendered to her passion and him, Jason lost sight of that. All he could hear were those little needy noises she made in the back of her throat. All he could see was her beautiful face flushed with passion. All he could smell was her scent, female and intoxicating. And all he could feel was her soft skin and voluptuous curves beneath his wandering hands.

  It drove him crazy.

  It almost sent him over the edge.

  He pulled on the handful of her hair he still held in his fist. She gave in to his will, tearing her lips from his and tilting her head back. He held her there, studying her face intently as his other hand moved over her breast. He ran his thumb over her nipple, back and forth again and again until it hardened to a swollen, tight point. Her eyes fluttered closed and her mouth went slack with passion as she moaned in need.

  His body hardened to the point of pain, his cock stiffening and pressing painfully against his jeans. All he wanted to do was take her then and there, tear the clothes from his body and hers and press himself against her. He wanted to push deep inside her wet heat, so deep he touched the center of her, and then fuck her hard and fast, on and on until neither of them had enough energy to stand.