Chapter Six

Mac waited in the lobby with Richie and the others, and when Jon finally showed up they hurried out to the van that would take them to the airport. She had trouble meeting Richie’s gaze as they waited and even more trouble meeting Jon’s when he arrived. Richie had asked her if she was feeling better, and she had assured him that she was.

Jon noticed that Mac seemed more shy than usual. She was quiet and withdrawn, not even laughing with the guys like she had done before. When she got in the van and sat next to him, she sat stiffly, trying not to touch any part of him. He sincerely hoped that she didn’t regret last night. Because there was no way that he could, knowing what he knew now. He was willing to admit that he had taken advantage of her insecurities and seduced her, but that wasn’t such a tough pill to take knowing he had found his life-mate in the end. Hell, he knew he wasn’t in love with her yet, but all the way to the airport he examined what he did feel. Possessiveness. More than he thought possible. More than he had ever felt toward Cecilia, maybe because as much as he had loved her, he had known after the first time they made love that she wasn’t his life-mate. He should have realized that relationship was doomed from the beginning. Hell, whether she knew it or not yet, she belonged to him. Jealousy. He had even been jealous of Richie, for heaven’s sake. Protectiveness. He knew he could never let anyone harm her, at least not without facing the wrath of a fully enraged vampire. Lust. Yeah, he felt that one in abundance. And, he did care about her, but after only two full days of knowing her, he just wasn’t sure yet that his feelings could be called love.

Looking over at her, he eased one hand into her lap to take one of hers. Lacing their fingers together, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "We’ll talk on the plane. No regrets, okay?" he gave her that smile that had won over women around the world. She didn’t answer, but she gripped his hand tighter.

He didn’t ask Benny to watch out for her on the way through the airport. He held on to her hand for the whole trek, dragging her along when needed, and pushing her behind him to try and shield her when their path became crowded. Richie must have realized what he was doing because his friend stayed close behind her, helping to shield her from behind so that she didn’t get jostled too much in the crush.

Once they had run the gauntlet of airport security and screaming fans and were finally out on the tarmac, he told Mac he’d meet her on the plane and waited to talk to Richie. While everyone else was boarding the plane, he pulled Richie to the side.

"Thanks, Rich."

"What’re you thanking me for?"

"You know, asshole," Jon answered with a grin.

"Oooooh, you mean the help protecting your girlfriend," Richie laughed.

"She’s more than ‘my girlfriend’," Jon said, pulling his shirt to the side. His button-up shirt was unbuttoned to the middle of his chest, so it didn’t take much to show Richie the mark.

"I knew it," Richie crowed.

Jon frowned. "Okay, you were right. For once. Don’t rub it in."

"Wait," Richie said, holding up one hand palm out at Jon, "that means you tapped the little reporter last night."

Growling low in his throat, Jon responded, "I’d appreciate it if you didn’t refer to my life-mate that way."

"Right. Sorry," Richie had the grace to look contrite. "That’s sorta the same as wife, respect is in order. Gotcha."

"Thanks," Jon acknowledged Richie’s apology with a curt nod. He turned to walk toward the plane.

But, Richie’s next words stopped him. "But Jon, isn’t that a little bit of a problem? Since...well...I mean...in the eyes of the world...uh...you already have a wife."

"Damn," he muttered, but continued on toward the plane.

Richie fell into step beside him. "So, what’re you going to do?"

"I don’t know yet, but I’ll think of something."

"I’m sure you will, Bro, I’m sure you will," Richie assured him, "and I’ll help, if I can."

On the plane, Jon sat in the seat next to Mac. Obie came out of the cock pit and told everyone to buckle up, the pilot was ready for take-off. Jon, once again, took one of Mac’s small hands in one of his own. He leaned over to whisper, "The guys will all take a nap shortly, they’re hung over. We’ll be able to have some privacy then."

While he waited on ‘The Sleeping Beauties’ to fall out, he held on tight to her hand and contemplated just exactly how much he could tell her. He wasn’t ready to tell her yet what he was, but he needed to tell her something. Also, Jon knew it wouldn’t be as simple as explaining the mark and that she was his life-mate. That wouldn’t exactly make her cry out her undying love and jump into his arms. Nope. He knew he was going to have to work a little harder than that. A little old fashioned wooing was in order here. Not to mention, he was sure he was going to have to get past all of her insecurities and deal with the baggage left over from whoever had hurt her in the past.

There were a few things he had left out in his explanation of life-mates to Richie. He hadn’t wanted to worry his friend, but he needed her, had been looking for her for all of his 444 years. It wasn’t necessarily a matter of life and death. More, a matter of sanity. Few vampires lived past the age of 450 years old without a life-mate. A life-mate provided a necessary balance that kept them from going insane, from turning rogue and killing without mercy. When that happened, another vamp, usually a friend would hunt them down and stop their killing spree. Kristoff had agreed to act as his hunter, and he had done the same for his friend. He had never been as happy in his life as when Kristoff had found Maria. It had relieved him of that potential burden, but on the day of his wedding, Kristoff had assured him that he would still honor their agreement if the need ever arose. Kristoff had told him he would not give up hope that Jon would find his own life-mate, though, and relieve his burden as well. Kristoff had told him to just keep the faith; she was out there somewhere. Well, he had found her, and there was no way in heaven or hell he was going to let her go now.

David fell asleep almost immediately, with Obie right behind, and Jon soon heard Tico’s snores. Benny and the gang were in the back of the plane playing cards. All that was left was Richie, and he was reading some guitar magazine. Jon closed his eyes and concentrated. First the slight resistance and then he was in Richie’s head. Pretend sleep, Bro. I need to talk to her and I’m sure she would prefer privacy or at least the appearance of it.

He waited while Richie made a big show of stretching and yawning then leaning his seat back a little. Then almost laughed out loud when a few minutes later he heard Richie let out a loud snore. Don’t over do it, asshole. Richie’s mental smile was his only answer.

"Mac," he said softly.

"Let’s cut through the crap," she hissed.

"What?" he asked.

"I’ll make ya a deal. Don’t hand me the bullshit about how much last night meant to you, and I guarantee not to turn on the tears and promise to be better next time and beg you not to dump me," she whispered harshly.

He heard a snort of laughter that turned into a half-hearted snore from Richie’s direction. "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked her, barely above a whisper.

"Don’t treat me like some groupie, Jon," she told him, then turned to look out the window.

"That’s not what I was going to do," he responded angrily. "Damn, will you quit jumping to conclusions about me? Now there’s a deal I’d be willing to make."

"What deal?"

"You quit jumping to conclusions about me and I won’t ‘hand you any bullshit’."

"It’s hard not to jump to conclusions about a man that’s been a first class jackass since the moment I met him then obviously thinks a few adequate kisses and an orgasm or two and I’ll turn into putty in his hands."

Another snort/snore came from Richie’s direction, obviously his friend was enjoying this. "Hey, it was a few more than two orgasms! I counted three just in that one time alone," he was losing patience with her. How could this woman help keep him sane in the years to come? "And what do you mean, adequate kisses?"

She still hadn’t taken her eyes off the window. "Look Jon, I’m not going to play this morning after game with you," she began.

"Just shut up and listen to me," he interrupted her.

"Excuse me," she gasped, finally turning to look at him again.

"You heard me," he grinned, "now listen. I’m not going to treat you like some groupie. I wouldn’t dream of it. I want to see where this can go."

"Straight to hell," she answered him and turned back to the window, adding, "in a hand basket."

"That may be the case," he chuckled, "but I, at least, wanna try." When she didn’t say anything else, he grasped her chin in one hand and turned her head to look at him again. "Please," he smiled, "give me the chance to undo the hurt and pain he caused."

She was angry that he had hit too close to the mark and tried to laugh it off. "He who?"

"I don’t know. But you do," he said softly, his thumb softly stroking her cheek. "Tell me who he is. Tell me who hurt you, the one that lied to you."

"Lied to me?"

"The one that told you that you weren’t beautiful. The one that convinced you that you weren’t a sexy, alluring, woman."

A single tear rolled down her cheek. "Jon, I...can’t."

He leaned forward and lightly kissed her lips. "Maybe you will, someday," he smiled, then kissed the tip of her nose. "Just give us a chance, that’s all I’m asking."

"A chance at what?"

"I don’t know. Let’s find out together."

"You talk a real sweet line, Bon Jovi."

"What can I say? I try, Dallas."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Dinner....tonight," he paused, thoughtfully, "maybe in the hotel restaurant."

"Oh, come on," she finally rewarded him with a smile. "You can do better than that, Rock Star."

"Okay," he grinned devilishly, "how ‘bout room service by candlelight in my hotel room and a few more adequate kisses and maybe a couple of orgasms for desert?"

She laughed softly. "Now, that sounds romantic."

"I’ll take that as a yes," he laughed, "and maybe you’d agree to let me nibble on your neck?" He heard another snort/snore from Richie.

"Maybe," she added mysteriously.

Their discussion of romance was interrupted when Benny sat down in the seat across the aisle from them and started trying to hit Jon up for a loan to get back into the poker game.