The Return of Jonas (Pearl Vampire Chronicles #4) (16 page)

‘Yes, that’s what it means, Jonas
.’

‘Good.  It’ll be so much more fun taking it instead of you giving it
.’

‘Why, Jonas?
Why me?’

He was silent for a few seconds
.
‘Why you? You mean you don’t know?’

‘No, I don’t know, Jonas.  Why me?’
I thought.

‘
Tell her Matt.’

‘
I have, Jonas, a thousand times,’
he thought.
‘Apparently she can’t see it from her point of view.’

I squeezed my eyes shut
.
‘Stop it guys.  I’m tired.  Jonas, will you please go away and let me sleep?’

‘Wow,’
Jonas thought,
‘she really doesn’t have any idea.  That is insane, incredible and makes her that much more irresistible.’

‘I know,’
Matt thought.
‘Now, would you please leave her alone?’

‘Maybe I’ll just come and take her right now, tonight.
I can’t wait much longer, Matt
. 
I’ve got to have her.’

‘You can’t have her, Jona
s.’ 
I couldn’t believe how calm he was right now.

‘
I can and I will,’
Jonas thought.

‘
You don’t understand what I’m saying, Jonas.  You could take her and, well, you know, do whatever.  But you can never have her, not in the way you’re wanting to have her, because she doesn’t want you.  She never will and I think you know that.’

‘
I can make her want me, eventually.’

‘
You go ahead and think that, Jonas.  But right now I’m done with this conversation. I’m not going to waste my time arguing with you.  I need to go eat,’
Matt thought.

We had all reached the waterfall by now.  Carlos and Maria sat on one bench, Matt and I took the other.  Everyone was completely silent, which was fine by me.  My nausea went away, Jonas had left without saying a word and that started to make me feel uncomfortable.  Suddenly I became very tense and started looking around. 

“What is it Sarah?” Matt said.

“Something’s not right.  He never leaves without saying something,” I said as my eyes darted around the courtyard
.  “I think he might be… I think he’s—” My eyes found him on the roof.  “He’s here,” I groaned.

“Oh shit,” Carlos said as he wrapped a protective arm around Maria.  Matt and I jumped up and went to stand in front of her too.  I held tight to Matt’s hand, there was no way I could let him take on Jonas by himself.

Again, there was silence.  Nobody said a word.  Not me, not Jonas, not Matt, not Carlos, nobody.  Once again, it was me who broke it.  “Now, Jonas?  Is it now? Is that why you’re here?” I said.

“What?
I can’t just come by and visit?  Maybe I just wanted to meet Carlos’ new squeeze.”

Carlos growled behind me, but I put my hand back to stop him, as Jonas went on

“Maybe I just wanted to see you again, Sarah.  Maybe I just wanted to taste you again.”

That got a growl from Matt.

“Maybe, maybe, maybe,” I said, “that’s all bullshit, Jonas.  Tell me why you’re really here.”

Jonas grinned then jumped down from the roof, landing about ten feet away from us.  Matt instinctively moved to step in front of me, but I yanked on his hand and pulled him back.

“I want a girl,” Jonas said.

“Excuse me?” I said.

“You heard me.  I heard about your little escort service you’ve got going here.  I want company for a few hours.”

“I can’t do that, Jonas.  You might hurt her.  I can’t put anyone in that kind of danger,” I said.

Jonas turned and took a few steps toward the door.  He was closer to it than we were.  “Fine,” he said, “I’ll just go in and take one.  But if we’re doing it this way, I’m not bringing her back.”

“Wait,” I said.  Jonas stopped and smile
d at me. “You won’t hurt her?”

“Sarah,” Matt said, but I looked at him and he stopped. 

I turned back to Jonas. “Will you promise me that you won’t hurt her or make her do anything she doesn’t want to do?”

“Sarah, you can’t be seriously considering this,” Carlos said.

“Really, Sarah, he’s right,” Matt said.

I whirled around and faced both of them, glaring.  “Shut up, both of you, please?  I don’t hear either one of you coming up with any ideas here, so just back off and let me talk, okay?” I said, then I turned back to face Jonas, completely missing the smirks that Matt and Carlos made to each other but were hidden from Jonas.

“Well, Jonas?” I said.

“Okay, Sarah, I’ll promise, on one condition
.”

“What’s that?” I said.

“You have to take me to them,” he said, then held up his hand when I opened my mouth to protest.  “I want to choose the girl that is most like you, in looks and scent.  I need you there to compare.”

I stared at him for a second then said, “Will you keep your hands off me?”

“Sarah, don’t,” Matt said.

I looked at him then back at Jonas.
“Will you keep your hands off me… and Matt comes with me too,” I said.

Jonas sighed
. “Fine,” he groaned.  “I’ll keep my hands off you, but he stays back a ways when I’m choosing, okay?  I don’t want his scent to mess up yours.”

I nodded, then turned to Carlos
. “Get Maria inside to your room and stay with her until he’s gone, okay?”

Carlos nodded, grimaced slightly as he stood
up then wrapped his arms around Maria as he led her inside.  As I gripped Matt’s hand and stepped forward I linked with Stacy. 
‘I need all of your available girls lined up for a customer.’

‘Sure, when?’

‘Now… we’ll be there in about two minutes.’

‘
We?’

‘
Don’t ask.  Can you have them ready
?’

‘Will do
.’

Jonas stepped forward to the door and held it open, leering at me.  A chill went down my spine as I felt the evil hunger emanating from him.  I squeezed Matt’s hand tighter.

“After you,” Jonas said.

Matt and I kept our eyes locked on Jonas as we stepped inside.  This was someone I never wanted to have my back to ever again.

“Mmm, mmm, mmmm,” Jonas growled.  “We better hurry or I won’t be able to keep my promise, Sarah.  Having you this close, it’s almost impossible to keep my hands off you.”

Matt tensed even more next to me.

“How’s the wrist?” Jonas said.

“Hurts, thanks,” I said sarcastically.

“It wouldn’t if you’d change your diet,” he said.

“No, Jonas,” I said.

He turned and looked at me. “Why do you fight it, Sarah?  What are you afraid of?” he said, then I suddenly felt like I was going to puke as his mind jumped into mine, searching for the answer to his question, the answer that I didn’t want him to have.  I stopped walking and bent over with my hands across my belly, groaning.

“Get out of my head, Jonas.  I’m not…
I’m not going… you don’t get to… get out… get out… damn it, get out.”

And he did, but obviously not before he got the answer he was looking for.  He just stared at me, with his mouth hanging open.  “No way…” he said.  “
You can… at will?  Whenever you want?  I’ve heard old stories about vampires like you, but I thought they were just rumors.  God, I’m so jealous… what I wouldn’t give to be able to do that too.”

“Jonas, I’d gladly give you this ability, if it would make you go away.
Gladly.  I don’t want it.”

“You don’t want it?” Jonas gasped, then he shook his head
.  “You are either incredibly stupid or absolutely amazing… I can’t decide which.”  Jonas shivered. “God, just the thought of being able to go out and take whoever I wanted, whenever I wanted, without outside help…” he groaned.

I started walking again
. “Can we please just get this over with?” I said.  We reached Stacy’s door, but I hesitated.  Without looking at Jonas, I said, “Please, please, don’t hurt her, Jonas.  I’m begging you, please don’t hurt her, for me, please?” I turned and locked my eyes with his.  For a split-second, I saw sympathy in them, and he wavered.  That’s what I was looking for.  If I could reach him on this, then maybe, just maybe, I could reason with him on everything else.  He nodded and I turned back and knocked on the door.  Stacy opened it and looked at us.  “Are you ready?” I said.  She nodded and stepped back to let us in.  She had eight beautiful vampires lined up: Megan, Abby, Alison, Susie, Trixie, Debbie, Laura and Heidi.  Jonas stopped and looked at me, then looked at Matt.  I squeezed Matt’s hand and said, “Wait here, honey, please?”

Matt glared at Jonas, but nodded his head.  His eyes were locked on Jonas and I could see that he was tense and ready to spring.  I smiled.
Sometimes it still felt good to have him as my protector. “Come, stand here, Sarah,” Jonas said, pointing to a spot just in front of the line of girls.  He came around to stand behind me and I froze.  I could hear the growl starting in Matt’s chest.  Jonas pinned his hands behind his back and looked at Matt. “See, no hands,” he said.  But his body was pressed so close to mine.  I could feel his breath on my neck as he breathed in my scent.  I could hear his heartbeat speed up… and I could feel his reaction in his pants, which he pressed against my hip.  I knew Matt was going to spring… and I also knew Jonas would probably kill him in an instant if he did.

“Jonas,” I whispered.

“Fine,” he whispered then he backed up and walked along the line of girls.  “Nope,” he dismissed Trixie.  “Not even close,” he said to Abby.  “Maybe, stay here,” he said to Laura.  “Nowhere near it,” he said to Debbie.  “No and no,” he said to Heidi and Susie.  “Maybe another time,” he said to Alison.  Then he stopped when he came to Megan.  She smiled at him as he walked around behind her.  He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his pants as he breathed her in.  “Very nice,” she said.  He spun her around and kissed her with his eyes locked on me.  When he stopped he said, “Not quite the same, but close enough.”

Matt and I escorted them to Megan’s room.

“Two hours Jonas,” I said, “we’ll be waiting out here in two hours to escort you out.”

“Gee, Sarah, two hours might not be long enough, I usually like to go all night,” he said and I saw Megan’s eyes go wide and she smiled.

“Jonas, I’ll be waiting out here, be done in two hours.”

“I’ll try, Sarah,” he said, grinning, as he reached behind Megan and opened her door.  He began kissing her as they walked into the room and it was only a few seconds before I heard her moaning.  I sat down on the bench in the hall and pulled Matt down next to me.  “Really, Sarah?  Do we really have to stay here…
and listen to that?” he said.

I nodded
. “Unfortunately, yes.  Just in case her moans turn to screams from pain, Matt.  But we can pretty much tune them out,” I said as I climbed onto his lap, facing him and began kissing him. His hands quickly moved around to my back and he pulled me closer.  Uh-oh, I thought.  This was definitely more than just a make-out session.  “Uh, honey,” I mumbled between kisses.  “Careful, we are in the hall, you know.” I groaned when I felt the bulge growing in his pants.  “Matt,” I groaned as I pushed away his hand as it tried to move up under my shirt.  “Don’t,” I mumbled as his hand again reached for my breast.  Something wasn’t right.  He wasn’t saying anything.  It was as if he couldn’t hear me.  As his hands moved to unbutton my pants, I grabbed them and yelled, “Matt, stop it!”

His eyes snapped open and he looked around, as if he had no idea where he was.  He looked at me, then down at his hands, which were still on the waistband of my pants.  “What?  What was I doing?” he said.

I grinned at him. “Trying to make love to me, right here, in the hallway.”

“But I…
but I don’t remember,” he groaned.

“I know,” I said, “it’s got to be him,” I gestured toward Megan’s door.  “He must be transferring what he’s feeling into your head.  Carlos said he can do that, remember?”

Matt’s mouth closed on mine again.  I was going to lose it… we were going to lose it if I… if I didn’t… I pushed myself off of him and backed up to the far wall.  He started to stand.  “Stop.” I said.  “He wants us to do this.  Why?  Does he want us to leave our post here?  Or is he just playing?  It doesn’t matter.  I’m staying here, we have to stop.”

Matt groaned, “But it hurts to stop, Sarah.”

“I know, believe me I know,” I said, my chest still heaving.  “Try to think about something else, something bad.  Think about how you felt when Malina had you, when she took you away from me.”

“Not working Sarah,” Matt said as he bent over, groaning.

We could hear Megan in her room and her cries of pleasure weren’t helping either. Finally, thankfully, the feelings vanished.  I could hear Jonas laughing in Megan’s room before he went back to what he was doing.  “You want more?” Jonas said to her.