The Return of Jonas (Pearl Vampire Chronicles #4) by Dara Nelson Page B

time or I just imagined it sometimes, I can’t say.”
    “Interesting,” Matt said.
    Suddenly Maria cleared her throat.  I could see she was blushing, but I could also hear her heart racing, almost like she was… excited, even aroused.  Very interesting, I thought.  “Yes Maria?”  I said.
    “I have some other patients to attend to, is it all right if I go now?” she said, looking fr om me to Carlos and back again.
    “Of course,” I said, smiling.  “Thank you for your help.”
    She nodded and quickly ducked out the door. 
    “Well, gee Carlos, this has been fun,” Matt grinned, “but you need your rest now and I need my wife for a bit.  We’ll be back to check on you later this evening, okay?  And, yes, I know, Sarah.  I know to tell Carlos – be sure to contact one of us if you need anything, anything at all – there, happy now?”
    “I’m fine, and, yes, I could use a rest.  So please go, but think about what I said before.  I think it’s important,” Carlos said.
    I waved at him as Matt ushered me out the door.  As soon as we were in the hall, he cradled my face in his hands and began giving me one of those kisses.  My heart began racing, my breathing deepened, every nerve in my body began responding.  I didn’t care that we were in the hallway, I didn’t care who saw us, I didn’t care that this couldn’t go farther and I didn’t care that Jonas was still in my head, snickering.  I wasn’t going to be the one to spoil this moment for Matt.  Even though what Matt was doing was amazing, I was actively trying in my head to figure out a way to force Jonas out.  I had managed to push him away far enough that I could barely hear him, but that was all I could manage this time… it would have to be enough for now.
    Matt finally stopped, he knew when that line had been reached by both of us, and he placed his forehead on mine.  We closed our eyes and just stayed that way for a few minutes, completely oblivious of the people moving past us, until we could both move again without him walking with a big tent in his pants and my legs feeling like Jell-O.
    We turned and walked down the hall, and I stopped trying to force Jonas out.  I chuckled.
    “What’s so funny?” Matt said
    I pointed to my head . “Jonas. He’s singing ‘I’m Henry the Eighth, I am’ over and over.”
    Matt growled and I squeezed his hand to calm him.  “Take a walk with me?” he said.
    “Sure, where?”
    “I want you to show me the cave Malina was in,” he said.  I stopped dead in my tracks.
    “What?” he said, but I held up my hand to stop him.  We were next to Tanya’s desk and I motioned to her for a pen and paper, which she quickly gave me.  I wrote, ‘Jonas stopped singing for a second when you said that.  Do you think he might be hiding there?’
    Matt took the pad and paper from me and wrote, ‘He might be.  Do you still have the map showing where it is?’
    “I think so,” I said.  I handed the notepad and pen back to Tanya . “Thanks,” I said, then I grabbed Matt’s hand and we quickly made our way to our room.  I started searching through the dresser drawers.  “I don’t remember exactly where I put… oh, here it is,” I said, handing it to Matt.  “Wait,” I whispered. “What if he can see what I see when he’s in my head.”  Matt stopped what he was doing and just stared at me.  He looked dumbfounded.
    “What?” I said.
    He smiled.  A sad, hurt smile.  “You haven’t noticed, have you?” he said.
    “Noticed what?” I said.
    “That’s just you and Carlos, and anyone who happens to be linked with the two of you at the time.  I realized that after we figured out that it was him who linked with you when he was in that ship.  Most vampires can pass images back and forth, but we can’t see what the other is seeing in real time.  At first I thought it was a special ability that you had.  Something that was unique to you. I thought maybe you could see