Broken (Book 1, The Watcher Chronicles, Paranormal Romance), page 23
I didn’t want to admit it to Chandler but this is the first time, besides the song I heard on the radio in my car, that I have actually listened to his music. I instantly know why he is so popular, especially with the female population. His love songs are sweet and sentimental, just like he seems to be. The faster, more upbeat songs are catchy and I find myself tapping my foot to their beats.
Near the end of the concert, Chandler turns to me and motions for me to come to him on stage.
I shake my head and take a step back only to find a pair of strong hands pushes me gently forward.
“Go on out,” I hear Deon say to me.
A man on Chandler’s road crew brings two stools out onto the stage. When I step out, I feel like I need sunglasses the spotlights are so bright.
“I’d like for you to all welcome my friend Jess to the stage,” Chandler says into the microphone.
I can’t see the crowd because of the glare of the lights, but am silently thankful I can’t see them. Otherwise, I feel sure I would probably faint from the sheer number of them.
Chandler points to the stool beside him, indicating I should take a seat. Someone brings out an acoustic guitar to him and before I know it, I am being serenaded by Chandler Cain in front of thousands of people. I silently pray I don’t end up as a viral video clip on You-tube but know such an occurrence is inevitable in the age we live in.
When the song ends, Chandler gives me his million dollar mega-watt smile, and I can’t help but smile back at him. Though, I do vow to kill him later for making me come out on stage but that’s just a small detail.
Chandler gets up and thanks the crowd for coming before wishing them all a good night. The curtains close and he grabs one of my hands to escort me off stage.
“I can’t believe you made me do that,” I tell him, shaking my head in disbelief.
“Oh come on, I couldn’t just let the most beautiful woman here stand on the side of the stage. They deserved to see you in that knock out dress.”
I just continue to shake my head but am silently flattered by the complement.
I do, however, wish I had prepared myself for what was waiting for me off stage: a scowling Mason.
“I came to check on you since you didn’t call,” he says. I hear the anger in his voice and don’t understand why it’s there. His eyes travel the length of me and he looks disgusted by what he sees.
“That’s my fault, man,” Chandler protectively positions his body between me and Mason. I have to assume he’s concerned for my safety from the murderous way Mason is glaring at me. “I wanted Jess to see my concert. I should have remembered what you said about calling. If you want to blame somebody, blame me.”
“No, she should have remembered me,” Mason says in a low voice, almost like he thinks I completely forgot he existed.
I touch Chandler on the shoulder which makes him turn to face me.
“Thank you for the concert and Deon and everything. I had a great time, but I should probably be getting home now.”
Chandler takes my hands into his and holds them to his chest. “When will I be able to see you again?”
“It’ll be soon. I promise. We have a lot of work to do.”
Chandler leans into me and kisses me on the cheek.
“Call if you need me,” he whispers into my ear. “I put my private number in your phone.”
I nod. “Ok, I will.”
Before Chandler can even let go of my hands, I feel Mason grab my arm roughly and instantly find myself standing inside his house in Colorado. We are in the same room I first phased to the night we met and he asked me to be a part of his team.
I yank my arm out of his grasp.
“That was rude,” I say. “You know I don’t like rudeness.”
“Is it that or is it that you just didn’t want to leave your new boyfriend so soon?” Mason asks scathingly.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I say like the idea is ridiculous, which it is. “I can’t expect you to understand our connection because I don’t fully understand it myself.”
“Just how ‘connected’ are you?” Mason questions hotly.
“What concern is it of yours?” I ask with my own temper flaring. “I think you’ve made it pretty clear from your silence the last few days where you and I stand with each other now. You have no right to question who I spend time with or how we spend that time together.”
I didn’t think it possible but Mason’s expression actually darkens.
“Just how close did you two get today?” He growls, demanding an answer.
“Why do you care?” I shout.
Mason looks away from me. “It’s just a question, Jess. Why can’t you answer it? Or would explaining the details be too embarrassing for you?”
“We’re friends,” I tell him, completely exasperated. “There’s nothing for me to be embarrassed about. We didn’t do anything but talk and get to know one another.”
“Is that all?” Mason asks, even through the hard edge of his voice I can hear his relief.
“Yes, that’s all,” I tell him, feeling my anger slowly ebb away as I suddenly realize why Mason has been acting so strange since my first meeting with Chandler. He’s jealous. “I don’t want anything more than friendship with him and I can safely say he feels the same way. We can’t help the way our archangels make us feel towards one another.”
Mason looks back at me. His eyes travel all over my face as if looking for any tell tale signs that I’m holding something back from him about my feelings for Chandler. Satisfied that I’m telling the truth, he says, “So do you have any idea how we’re supposed to activate his crown so we can find it for him?”
I sigh heavily. “No. Not a clue. From what Michael told me Chandler will have to display some of his power before it will reveal its location. How we get him to do that? I’m not sure. I don’t exactly want to throw him in a room with a demon just to see if he sinks or swims.”
This gains a reluctant chuckle from Mason. The first one I’ve seen in a long time. It makes me smile because I know the Mason I’ve come to know and care deeply about is still lurking behind the surly façade he’s been hiding behind all day.
“I agree,” he says with a lopsided grin, “we probably shouldn’t throw a demon at him to see how he reacts. But, we will have to figure out something.”
Joshua walks into the room dancing to some music only he can hear. When he sees us, he takes his ear buds out.
“Hey, Jess. Long time no see,” he says with a smile, truly happy to see me.
“Hey, Joshua. What are you listening to?”
“Mason told me you were at a Chandler Cain concert and it made me want to listen to some of his music. Hey,” Joshua says, quickly coming to stand closer to me. “Do you think you could score me a couple of tickets to his next concert in Denver? It’s on Valentine’s Day. I’d really like to take Caylin to it. Thought it might be a nice first date. What do you think? Do you think she would like that?”
“I’m sure she will. I can probably get you guys backstage passes if you want.”
Joshua’s eyes grow so large with excitement he grabs me by the shoulders and kisses me on the cheek.
“You’re the best!” he says excitedly. “And Jess, could you please come back to work here? Mason’s been unbearable since you’ve been gone.”
“Joshua…” Mason says, a warning for Joshua to be careful with what he says.
“Come back to work,” Joshua mouths to me silently. “Please,” he begs holding his hands in front of him as if in prayer.
Joshua turns around avoiding direct eye contact with Mason and quickly heads out of the room.
“So,” I say, “are you going to let me come back to work here or are you going to keep me in Tunica doing busy work?”
“Right now the most important thing you can do is help Chandler figure out what power he has and try to work together to find the next vessel. If what Michael said to you is correct, then you should be able to find the third person more easily with his help,” Mason says. “I’ll have Isaiah take you to Chandler each day until the two of you can work something out.”
“Why Isaiah?” I ask. “Why not you?”
Mason stares at me and I can’t read his expression, but the intensity of his gaze is almost stifling.
“Mason,” I say, taking a step towards him, but he takes a step back like it’s vital for him to keep a certain amount of distance between us. “Talk to me,” I implore because I know unless he opens up there’s no hope for us.
“I can’t,” he finally says, breaking off our eye contact and averting his gaze to the floor.
I suddenly feel like this might be my last chance to make Mason face his feelings for me. The longer I let him hide behind his ancient guilt the harder it will become for him to let me in. Desperation claws at the box my heart is in, tearing it asunder until all I have left is a raw need to let him know how I feel.
“I’m falling in love with you,” I tell him, proud and amazed with myself for finally saying it out loud and daring to take a chance with my heart.
Mason’s head jerks up at my words and he looks at me like he’s in shock, mouth slightly open and eyes wide.
“You don’t have to look that surprised,” I say, feeling awkward all of a sudden. “And before you even try to deny it, I know you feel something for me too. That’s the only reason you’ve been avoiding me.”
“I haven’t been avoiding you…directly.”
“Then what would you call having Malcolm take me home the night of the ball and not contacting me for almost seven days? Do you know how worried I was about you? Do you even care?”
“I care about you more than I have a right to,” he says so quietly I have to strain to hear him.
“Talk to me,” I tell him again, knowing this is the only way we’re going to have a chance. If he can’t talk to me about what he’s feeling and thinking, we’ll always have his silence keeping us apart.
“I don’t know if I can,” he finally admits.
I take heart in the fact he didn’t completely shut me out and tell me he would never be able to share his thoughts with me. I’m given hope.
The look of indecision on his face prompts me to walk to him before he has a chance to hide again. As I stand in front of him, I notice he’s staring at the tips of my Louis Vuitton black high heels.
“Nice shoes,” he comments, purposely trying to avoid lifting his eyes to look at me.
“Mason,” I say, “look at me, not my shoes.”
I watch as his eyes slowly travel up my body and seem to stop at my chest but he doesn’t seem to be focusing on my breast intentionally just avoiding direct eye contact with me.
“Uh, my eyes are a little bit higher than that,” I gently remind him.
Mason suddenly looks up. “That wasn’t on purpose,” he says, completely chagrined.
“Stop before you say anymore or you might unintentionally insult me,” I tease.
“No, I don’t mean it that way either. Your breasts are beautiful,” his face grimaces and he tilts his head back to look at the ceiling. “Anything I say will come out wrong in this situation, won’t it?”
I laugh. “Yes, it will.” I put my hands on either side of his head and gently make him look down at me. When our eyes meet, I say, “Talk to me. Please.”
“I haven’t led a charmed life like Chandler. My story is much darker, too dark for most people. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
“Yes.”
“Then I need to take you somewhere so you can fully understand.”
Chapter 21Mason reaches up and pulls my hands from his face to hold them both in his. Before I know it we’re standing in a deep cavernous space within a mountain. There is a solitary opening high over head at the apex of the mountain. There isn’t much in the cave except for a few broken and rotted wood items which seem to have been chairs, cots and a table at one time.
Faint light streams down from the mountain opening letting me know it’s daytime wherever we are. The hole appears to be the only way light and air can enter the cave.
“Jonathan and I used to live here,” Mason tells me, his voice far away as he remembers his days in this dank, cold space with his son. “I couldn’t let him harm anyone and this was the only place he couldn’t escape from at night when he was a child. It was good for me too because no human could reach us. When we needed food, I would phase out and get it. We stayed hidden here for a hundred years.” Mason pauses and I can see the weight of so much time on his shoulders as he remembers his self-imposed prison sentence. “By that time, I had my hunger for human blood under control and Jonathan was just entering puberty. I saw the toll this type of life was having on him and made a vow to myself to provide him with a better existence because he deserved it. I’m not sure you can understand the toll it takes on a parent to be the cause of so much pain to their child. Every night I watched him transform into the cursed creature he had to endure because of me. I felt I owed him that much for being the cause of his suffering.”
I grasp Mason’s hands even tighter, urging him to continue.
“When we left this place, we lived in a small village because I didn’t think either one of us was ready to deal with having a lot of people around. I’m not sure if it was fate or just another part of my punishment but the first village we picked to settle down in was already occupied by a Watcher and his child. The child was female and Jonathan instantly fell in love with her when they met. Our children bond for life just like real wolves do so there wasn’t any way for me to prevent them from being together. He had made his decision and wouldn’t back out of it no matter how much I begged him to.”
“Why?” I ask. “Why didn’t you want him to be with her?”
“Because she and her father preyed on humans. He drank their blood while she ate what was left over. They were both damned and I didn’t want that fate for Jonathan. I had kept him in this place,” Mason says, looking around at the cave, “for a reason, to protect his soul. Charlotte urged Jonathan to go on hunts with her and her father. I think the only reason he refused was because he knew it would rip my heart apart. One night, the Watcher came back home from a hunt but Charlotte wasn’t with him. When we asked what happened, he said she was dead, killed by a group of hunters who had set a trap for them. I thought I lost Jonathan that night. He told me he hated me. I could take the scorn of the other Watcher but not Jonathan’s hatred. It was too much for me to bear.
I have a lot more to repent for, Jess. More than just this one story. Why would you want to settle for someone like me? You deserve better than what I have to offer you.”
“I deserve to finally be happy and so do you.” I tell him. “Are you happy when you’re with me?”
Mason draws me in closer to him. “The happiest I’ve been in a very long time.”
“Then stop pushing me away,” I beg.
“You scare me,” he admits.
“Why do I scare you?”
“Because if I let you inside my heart, I’ll never want to let you go.”
“Is that so bad?” I ask, mirroring the question he asked me once.
“No, it’s not bad,” Mason says, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against mine. He’s so close his nose tickles mine and I smile contentedly.
He pulls away slightly to look down at me. Even in the dim light I can see his desire for me in his eyes and instantly know his intention.
I step back from him letting his hands go.
He looks at me in confusion.
“Not here,” I say, shaking my head slightly. “I don’t want my first kiss to be here in a place you hate,” I tell him, looking around at the cave, Mason’s own personal prison.
Mason looks at me even more confused. “You’re first kiss? Is that what it would be for you? Are you telling me you’ve never kissed a man?”
“Not willingly,” I say, not having to go into any further detail.
Mason holds a hand out to me.
“No, you’re first kiss shouldn’t be here,” he agrees. “Plus it’s late. I should get you back home.”
I walk back up to Mason and take his hand. Before I know it we’re standing in my bedroom.
“I’ll leave you now to get some rest for tomorrow,” he says, bending to kiss the back of the hand he still holds.
“Will you take me to see Chandler tomorrow?” I ask.
Mason smiles. “Yes, I’ll take you. I won’t try to hide from you anymore. I don’t think you would let now me even if I tried.”
“Damn straight,” I say.
Mason laughs. “Good night, Jess.”
“Good night, Mason.”
Mason phases and I sit down on my bed. After I kick off my shoes, I lay down promising myself I will get back up and take a shower. I just need to close my eyes for a few seconds to gather the strength to do it.
The next thing I know I’m being woken by my phone buzzing. Bleary eyed, I look over on the other side of my bed and see it laying there. I raise myself up on an elbow and find everything I left at Chandler’s penthouse lying on the other side of the bed from me. I reach for my phone and look at the text message. It’s from Mason.
Thought you might need your stuff back. I don’t think a Watcher Agent is supposed to leave their plasma pistol in a rock star’s apartment.
Why didn’t you wake me up when you dropped my stuff off?
You looked too beautiful to disturb…
Flattery will get you anything…
Anything?
I stare at the text not quite sure I’m ready to commit to the word. I wasn’t sure how far ‘anything’ would mean in Mason’s world. So I chicken out and ignore it.
What time will you be picking me up to take me to Chandler?
Is an hour long enough?
Ok I will be ready
I wait to see if he replies and pushes me on the ‘anything’ but he doesn’t. I feel a bit disappointed and figure his old fashioned gentleman gene has kicked in preventing him from continuing the sub-sexual banter. So, as a woman of the modern age I text back:
