couldn’t handle any more, that his brain and emotions were going into overload, the grief evaporated away.
One final image flashed in Sebastian’s mind. Jane. Then that image, too, vanished.
The air grew lighter—only the subtle scent of Rhys’s desire for her drifting through the room.
Sebastian blinked. What the hell was that? The flashes had been similar to what happened to him when Rhys had been attacked. He was again feeling what Rhys was feeling.
He looked at his brother. Rhys’s gaze no longer had that faraway look. He actually even smiled again, although there was a determined edge to the set of his mouth.
“I cannot explain it,” he said, and for a moment, Sebastian thought that Rhys knew what had just occurred. “I realize I just met Jane, but I simply cannot let her go. I must have her.”
Then suddenly, between Rhys’s words and the images Sebastian had seen and the loss surrounding those visions, he understood what must be happening in Rhys’s muddled head.
Rhys wanted Jane, but as a vampire, Rhys would never allow himself to grow attached to a mortal. He’d already lost too much in his vampire state. Been hurt too much.
But if he could go back—before the losses, before the vampirism—maybe then he could have Jane.
Sebastian knew his brother’s connection to the little mortal had been very strong. That had been the main reason he’d brought her back here, and even put her in Rhys’s bed. So Rhys would sense her near, and he could rest easier and heal. But Sebastian had no idea the extent Rhys wanted her.
Not until now.
He wanted her enough to forget what he’d been for almost two hundred years. Rhys was forcing himself to forget he was a vampire, simply going back in his head to before Lilah , to before they crossed over.
That had to be why he didn’t seem fazed by this apartment or the modern conveniences. To question how those things could exist in the nineteenth century would ruin this fantasy world he had created.
But Sebastian decided to put his theory to the test.
He pointed at the lamp on the end table. “What is that?”
Rhys glanced at the light, then gave his brother a wry look. “It’s a lamp,” he said slowly, as if Sebastian was the one who’d lost his wits.
“And that?” He pointed to the state-of-the-art stereo system on one of the many shelves.
“A CD player.”
“And that?” He gestured toward the wall.
“The thermostat. Listen, is there any point to this little game of twenty questions?”
“I’m just pointing out all the fine things you have to offer Jane,” Sebastian told him. “Not many men in London at this particular period of time could offer his bride so much.”
Rhys stared at him for a moment, then shook his head, clearly thinking Sebastian was mad.
Sebastian wasn’t mad; he was brilliant. Rhys
was
suppressing only the bits of his past that he couldn’t accept. The loss of all the things he loved. Elizabeth . Christian. His life.
But even as he was pleased with his own deductive reasoning, he was also stunned by the extent of his brother’s pain. He knew Rhys had never been able to accept himself as a vampire—but Sebastian had never truly realized the agony and guilt he felt. But it did make sense. Rhys had always been the head of the family. And he’d lost the most when he lost Elizabeth and Christian.
Sebastian watched his brother for a moment, trying to decide what would be the best thing for him. Finally he decided. He couldn’t give him back their sister or their brother, but he could help him with Jane. He could give him a chance to love this little mortal who had managed to touch his brother’s heart. A heart that had been frozen for… Forever.
Chapter 6
Jane sat at the dining room table, sipping tea and trying to decide what to do. She considered leaving several times, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t leave without knowing that Rhys would be okay. Plus, she wanted to find out what had happened
One final image flashed in Sebastian’s mind. Jane. Then that image, too, vanished.
The air grew lighter—only the subtle scent of Rhys’s desire for her drifting through the room.
Sebastian blinked. What the hell was that? The flashes had been similar to what happened to him when Rhys had been attacked. He was again feeling what Rhys was feeling.
He looked at his brother. Rhys’s gaze no longer had that faraway look. He actually even smiled again, although there was a determined edge to the set of his mouth.
“I cannot explain it,” he said, and for a moment, Sebastian thought that Rhys knew what had just occurred. “I realize I just met Jane, but I simply cannot let her go. I must have her.”
Then suddenly, between Rhys’s words and the images Sebastian had seen and the loss surrounding those visions, he understood what must be happening in Rhys’s muddled head.
Rhys wanted Jane, but as a vampire, Rhys would never allow himself to grow attached to a mortal. He’d already lost too much in his vampire state. Been hurt too much.
But if he could go back—before the losses, before the vampirism—maybe then he could have Jane.
Sebastian knew his brother’s connection to the little mortal had been very strong. That had been the main reason he’d brought her back here, and even put her in Rhys’s bed. So Rhys would sense her near, and he could rest easier and heal. But Sebastian had no idea the extent Rhys wanted her.
Not until now.
He wanted her enough to forget what he’d been for almost two hundred years. Rhys was forcing himself to forget he was a vampire, simply going back in his head to before Lilah , to before they crossed over.
That had to be why he didn’t seem fazed by this apartment or the modern conveniences. To question how those things could exist in the nineteenth century would ruin this fantasy world he had created.
But Sebastian decided to put his theory to the test.
He pointed at the lamp on the end table. “What is that?”
Rhys glanced at the light, then gave his brother a wry look. “It’s a lamp,” he said slowly, as if Sebastian was the one who’d lost his wits.
“And that?” He pointed to the state-of-the-art stereo system on one of the many shelves.
“A CD player.”
“And that?” He gestured toward the wall.
“The thermostat. Listen, is there any point to this little game of twenty questions?”
“I’m just pointing out all the fine things you have to offer Jane,” Sebastian told him. “Not many men in London at this particular period of time could offer his bride so much.”
Rhys stared at him for a moment, then shook his head, clearly thinking Sebastian was mad.
Sebastian wasn’t mad; he was brilliant. Rhys
was
suppressing only the bits of his past that he couldn’t accept. The loss of all the things he loved. Elizabeth . Christian. His life.
But even as he was pleased with his own deductive reasoning, he was also stunned by the extent of his brother’s pain. He knew Rhys had never been able to accept himself as a vampire—but Sebastian had never truly realized the agony and guilt he felt. But it did make sense. Rhys had always been the head of the family. And he’d lost the most when he lost Elizabeth and Christian.
Sebastian watched his brother for a moment, trying to decide what would be the best thing for him. Finally he decided. He couldn’t give him back their sister or their brother, but he could help him with Jane. He could give him a chance to love this little mortal who had managed to touch his brother’s heart. A heart that had been frozen for… Forever.
Chapter 6
Jane sat at the dining room table, sipping tea and trying to decide what to do. She considered leaving several times, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t leave without knowing that Rhys would be okay. Plus, she wanted to find out what had happened
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