Second Chance (Enduring Kiss) (5 page)

"No you goof; I use the knife to sharpen a stake. I was allowed outside once a day. Rachel would be my guard of course and I slipped a stick in my pocket."

He chuckled lightly and I was glad some of the tens
ion was gone, at least for now.

"You mean to tell me, you
twiddled a stake out of a stick you picked up in the yard, with a baby knife that hides on a keychain?" He laughed again.

I popped him on the shoulder. "Yes. I thought it was genius.
A small stake is a good as a big one. Now shut up and let me finish."

He pressed his lips together and pretended to zip them shut
.

"I told Rachel my plan and we waited until the right guards were on duty. All of the guards were against what the Master was doing, but only a few were willing to act in some way. How Rachel found out who was willing to help, I do
n't know, but she was amazing."

I shook my head thinking of her. She could find information like nobody's business.

"Everything finally fell into place only about a week after Drake was killed. It was my turn to sleep in his room and we had the right guards. I waited until he was in his daytime sleep and, well you can guess what happened.”

I didn't really want to explain. Vampires
were not really dead like most thought. Their hearts beat even in their daytime sleep. They were just magical creatures like us werewolves. Only their magic was immortality, well only as immortal as one could get, obviously. There really was not anyone who could survive a piece of wood slammed through their heart.

I remembered watching him, making sure
he was dead. Blood trickled from his nose, mouth, and ears. He shriveled up a little, but not too gruesome like. Then the glow that all living creatures have, but no one seems to notice, that glow vanished after I staked him. I had never noticed the light of life until I saw it dim in person. Even with my hatred for him, it saddened me.

I realized how quiet Sean was so I looked up at him wondering what he was thinking. He stared straight ahead; his facial features were blank and controlled. I
could not handle it.

"What are you thinking?" I asked a little desperately.

He looked at me then, and lifted the corner of one side of his mouth in the smallest smile I'd ever seen on him.

"I'm thinking..
.wow, you did that? And that I'm surprised you killed him out of vengeance. That doesn't seem like you."

"That wasn't all it was. Logan had gotten out of control. He started bringing in guards over the smallest indiscretions and torturing them. He took on more wolves as feeders and he was killing them. He had gone crazy. Our Pack Master couldn't do anything because he was locked up and tortured too. Someone had to do something."

"Yeah," he said. "I'm just sorry you were the one to have to do that."

H
e ran his hands over my head, spreading his fingers through my hair as I leaned into his chest. I breathed in his woodsy scent feeling safe.

I
t didn't feel the same as it had with Drake though. With Drake, I felt at home, like there was nowhere else in the world I would rather go.  With Sean, it was the gentle landing after my home had blown apart.

"I can't ever go back,
" I said both to Sean and to myself.

"Are you wanted for his murder?"

"Not that I know of. Many stories were made up to keep me safe. They were supposed to say there was no one with him that morning and that I ran away the night before. I haven't heard anything in five years so I guess everything went as planned."

"So you haven't seen or heard from your family in five years?" He asked in astonishment.

"No, not that family anyway, but this pack is my family now. I miss Rachel though. She was my best friend when my life was at its lowest. I owe her a lot."

"What about your parents, or siblings?"

"I don't have any siblings and my parents died in a car wreck when I was a teenager. I guess I'm kind of glad they weren't around when Logan went insane." I couldn't bear to think of them in that situation.

"Can I kiss you?"

Sean's words were so off subject I laughed, which felt good after the heaviness of our conversation. In answer, I lifted my lips to his. The kiss was just as tender as before. He brushed his lips back and worth over mine so softly I almost thought I imagined them.

"Open for me Rebecca,
" he whispered.

I parted my lips and his tongues swept inside. I gently touch his tongue with mine and with
that, the dance began.

The same dance I remembered from before
, but with a different partner. It made all the difference though. As our tongues and mouths met and as he became playful, nipping my bottom lip I became more comfortable. Passion began to rise and flow through me and I pulled myself closer to him. He did the same and our kisses became more intense.

I raised my leg over his hip trying to get closer. This was the closest I had come to defeating five years of lonelin
ess and I was becoming hurried.

Sean ran his hand up my calf and thigh stopping only to rub my hip a moment before moving north. He reached my breast and I moaned at the sensation of his thumb rubbing across my nipple. Even though he was touching me over my clothes
, my nipple hardened into a tight peak.

Sean began sliding kisses down my neck and I lifted my head murmuring incoherent words of pleasure. I was beginning to wonder how far this would go when all of sudden Sean sto
pped.

"Shit,
" he said under his breath. I winced only a little this time. "Sorry," he whispered and kissed my forehead.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"My phone is ringing. It's the guard's ringtone, I have to get this."

On
ly then did I hear the beeping. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and brought it to his ear. I pulled away some, needing the space. Things had gone farther than I had planned. I was unsure if that was such a good idea.

As Sean spoke on the phone
, I thought about everything that had happened. Part of me wanted a relationship with Sean. That was what this time with him meant, but another part of me felt like it was wrong somehow. Our pull towards each other was undeniable and I did believe what Nathaniel said about second mates, but something was off. Something felt missing. Maybe that was how it would always feel, I thought.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. Something's come up on that Master in town. He's meeting with Master Christensen
and Pack Master Dane tonight. Can we get together later? I'm not sure how long I'll be, but if I'm done before it gets too late, can I stop by and see you?"

I could see the hope in his eyes and knew this meant a lot to him.  Having someone, even if it was only half of what it could have been, was better than having nothing at all. I couldn't deny e
ither of us this time together.

"Sure, anytime you want." 

He grinned, his golden eyes glowing. He gave me one last long kiss before leaving. When the door shut behind him, I wondered what I had just gotten myself into.

Chapter 4

I could not believe after all that time I had finally found her. I wasn't even looking for her this time and she plopped right onto my lap, and she had only been a few hours away. I didn't know whether to laugh or scream.

She was everything to me, my other half and I was beside myself with happiness at the prospect o
f having her by my side again, but she had left me. She left me to live a strange new life alone, after everything I did for her.

After everything I gave up and after what I agreed to become just to save her, how could I forgive her? I
did not know. What I did know was that I had to get her back. I needed to know why she betrayed me.

When I dreame
d of her, she was so beautiful, more beautiful than I remembered. Her blonde hair was longer, but just as soft. Her hazel eyes had always struck a chord with me. They had so much color and it seemed everyday they would look different.

I had tried many times in the
past to dream walk with her and it had never worked. It must have been because of the distance that was between us. I wanted to spend the dream lying beside her with her wrapped in my arms. Better yet, making love to her, but all I could think of was her leaving me.

What was even more confusing was her reaction. She seemed shocked by my questions. She even shook her head no. It didn't make sense and I was determined to get the truth.
Finally, I would know how my mate could do the unthinkable. Never had a mate left another on purpose. Mates were made for each other and there had never been an imperfect match. What happened to cause her to act in such a way? I asked myself again.

"Mast
er Evans, are you ready to go?"

I turned toward Stephen, my best friend and head guard. He was dressed in a black suit with a green tie that matched his eyes. His brown
hair was styled short and neat.

I was dressed similarly
, but my suit was dark gray and my tie was light blue. I hated wearing black. I always felt like I was going to a funeral when wearing the color.

"Stop calli
ng me that Stephen," I groaned.

He smiled. He loved to tease me abo
ut being a Master. I hated it, all of it.

My meeting with Master Christensen was tonight. I would be getting answers so
on and I was starting with him.

"Yes, I'm ready. Do you know if she'll be there?"

"I doubt it. Our wolves found that she rarely goes to Master Christensen's mansion. She goes to school and spends the rest of her time at the Pack's house. She lives there."

Disappointment washed over me. I had hoped to surprise her, although she might have been
expecting me after our dream. I would have to come up with another way to see her.

"Well, shall we go then?" I asked
and we headed out of the hotel room.

Walking out of the hotel, I kept vigilant. I knew my guards had already checked the area and were continuing to keep watch
, but old habits die-hard. Even after five years, I still wasn't used to having my own guards. I was so accustomed to guarding others that I continued to look out for everyone in my clan even as they were ready to take a bullet for me, so to speak.

The night was clear and warm, the moon was full and the air smelled fresh. I breathed in deep
ly, preparing myself for what was to come.

Stephen and I climbed in the limo. We had a driver and one guard up front and a few others following us in a separate car. I leaned my head back on the seat and looked out at the p
assing city lights of Savannah.

The meeting with Christensen was going to be stressful. I knew him and his people thought I was coming to take over
, but I did not intend to do so. I just wanted answers about Gretchen. She was the one and only vampire I had ever made and I wanted to know what happened to her.

I knew she had
an affair with Christensen, but I couldn't figure out why he refused to turn her himself. If he cared for her at all, he would have. I could not imagine having a lover dying of cancer and ignoring her pleas for more time. Finding out she died added to the mystery. I needed to know there was no foul play involved and maybe I could find out more about Rebecca.

Rebecca, I sighed.
I just couldn't keep her far from my thoughts. The woman stayed in my head and heart at all times. What was she doing right then? Did she ever think of me? I had to talk to her. I had to find out what was going on in her head.

Man, maybe I was going crazy, or everyone a
round me was. My whole world had felt shaken for the past five years. There had been nothing but heartache, confusion, and the whole thing with Gretchen had just added more stress to my already out of control life.

As we moved along through
nightlife traffic of downtown, heading toward the countryside, I thought back to that time five years ago. What could have made Rebecca leave? I remembered being held in a small cell for a couple of days before some of the pack was forced to beat and torture me. I never held it against them. I could tell they felt guilty and were reluctant, trying to hold back, but Master Logan stayed to watch many of the times.

He wou
ld come into the cell and say, ‘Drake, you will take this punishment in silence or I will take it out on your Rebecca.’ Of course, I would do whatever he asked to keep her safe.

Nothing was ever that bad. I could handle getting my ass kicked and a few stab wounds. The feedings were the worse though. I had heard it was pleasant to feed a vamp
, but Logan made sure to practically rip my throat out every time. He also made sure to wait until I healed to do it again.

I closed my eyes thinking about the last time I saw Logan. He came into the tiny dirty cell and announced that unless I gave consent to be turned into a vampire by him
, he would take Rebecca as his personal feeder. He made many nasty remarks that I cared not to think about again.