She giggled and skootched up tighter against me. I let out a long, satisfied exhale. The knock on the door pulled our attention.
“We’re here, Mr. Mackay,” Sheila called from the other side.
“Do we have to go?” Emilia asked, puppy dog eyes pleading into mine. “Can’t we just stay here a bit longer?”
“Well, we either need to go now or I need to close up the plane and hunker down here until tonight. It will be daybreak soon.”
“Oh, shit. I forgot.”
“The plane is light-tight back here so if you want to keep sleeping, I don’t mind one bit.”
“No, no. I won’t make you sit in your jet all day while I snore.”
“I don’t mind at all.” I stroked her hair again.
With a deep moan she pushed off my chest and sat up, a yawn and a big stretch completing the movement. She looked adorable with her tousled hair and sleepy eyes. I loved how she looked waking up, and then a pain snapped through my stomach, remembering that I wouldn’t get to see her every morning. I slept all day and came awake at night. Perhaps I would have to convince her to switch to my schedule. Then I could kiss her forehead every evening when we awoke together.
“Come on. Let’s get going before you turn into a human bonfire,” she joked.
Together we stood and started toward the door. Before we reached it, I caught her by her wrist, yanking her back into my arms. Her mouth opened when she hit my chest, a breath escaping just before I claimed her lips as my own again. She leaned into my body, her arms encircling my neck while I pressed my lips against hers in a soft and sensual kiss. It was all I could do to pull away and not slam down the blinds and take her again on the couch.
Our lips drifted apart, and she looked up into my eyes. Her own, heavy with desire, seemed to reflect the intensity of the emotions she evoked in me. She smiled and reached down, pulling my hand into hers and leading me out of the plane and down the stairs. I felt physical pain when she released my hand as we got into the helicopter. The absence of her touch left a weight around my heart that smothered me, like being trapped beneath the water unable to come up for air. I reached over and took her hand and inhaled a deep breath when her fingers tangled with mine.
We landed at my estate and Mark waved at us from the ground, his face lit up in anticipation for how the evening unfolded. I knew he and Emilia would have a lot to talk about today while they floated around the pool sipping on Bloody Marys. A pang of jealousy shot through me, wishing I could spend the day with her floating by the pool as well. She and I would need to talk soon about how to figure out our schedules so I could see more of her than Mark. Not that I minded their relationship, in fact I was ecstatic how well they got on, but I wanted more of her time than Mark... or at least as much as she would give me.
The helicopter settled into the grass, and Emilia looked at me with a frown. “I’m not ready for it to end.”
“Neither am I.”
We had no time to continue the discussion because Mark pulled open the door. He yelled his greeting over the whirring of the blades thumping above us.
“I am dying to hear all about your trip, Birthday Girl!” he said, pulling her out of her seat then wrapping his arms around her. I climbed out of the helicopter and stepped toward her unsure of how to end the evening. I wanted to kiss her, to scoop her up into my arms and bring her back to my room, but I didn’t know what to say.
Mark jutted an accusatory finger at me. “Aiden! It’s almost light! And your shirt! What happened to your shirt? That is an Armani! You destroyed it!” He placed his hand on his chest and gaped in horror at the ruined shirt.
Emilia shot me a look while I tried to suppress my laughter. She knew Mark very well.
Tossing up his hands, he grumbled. “Ugh! We’ll talk about your treatment of exquisite clothing later. You need to get inside. Now.”
He sounded like my mother but the glint on the horizon told me I needed to move.
“Aiden! Now!” Mark pointed at the yellow light fighting its way against the darkness. I had pushed it too close today. Emilia gave me a worried nod, and I groaned when I realized they were right.
“Goodnight, Emilia,” I said. With the pilots still there I couldn’t use my speed to get inside, so I took off at a human paced run to get into the safety of my room. I heard the helicopter lifting off just when I got behind my bedroom doors. If they hadn’t been here, I would have grabbed Emilia and whisked her away with me before she could argue. Now the light would be up, and I was trapped inside this room, and her on the other side of the door. I growled my displeasure at the situation and tossed my clothing into a heap on the floor, climbing into bed. When I woke up, we would talk about our situation and I would figure out a way to spend more time with her, because even this one minute without her seemed too many.
MY EYES SNAPPED OPEN the moment the sun disappeared. I couldn’t see it, of course, but I could feel its absence. My heart pounded at the thought of seeing Emilia again and I shot out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans and a loose shirt. Racing to my door I pulled it open to see Mark standing in his usual spot holding my newspaper.
“Good evening, Aiden. I take it you slept well?” He waggled his brows at me. His glimmering eyes told me Emilia had filled him in on the details. Suddenly, I felt nervous wondering what she had said. Mark pushed me back inside my room and closed the door. I furrowed my brow at his emboldened behavior.
“Tell me you really like her,” Mark said, flopping down in the chair in the corner.
“I really like her.”
“Thank God.” He breathed. “If you just fucked her for the sake of fucking her, I would have to kill you myself. She’s too good to be treated like a blowup doll. She’s special, Aiden.”
His concern for her touched me. She had grown on him in a different way, but he felt protective of her as well. I sat down on the edge of my bed and looked him square in the eye. “I’m crazy about her, Mark. No... it’s more than that. I... I can’t even put it into words.”
A little smile pulled up on his lips. “Good. It seems like the feeling is mutual.”
My eyes lit up. “What did she say?” I realized I sounded like a teenager, but I didn’t care. If he knew something I needed to know. I would compel him to tell me if I needed to.
“Look at you, lover boy!” Mark laughed and slapped his thigh. “I never thought I’d see the day!”
“Mark,” I warned. “What did she say?”
“Well, I won’t break the bonds of girl talk, but I will tell you that she’s into this. A lot. And I’m warning you to be careful with her, Aiden. She’s been through a lot and if you’re not sure about this, then you need to back off before she gets really hurt.”
“I’m sure, Mark.” The words fell out of my mouth without thought. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. She’s the one.”
His hand flew to his heart, and he clutched his chest, big puppy dog eyes welling up with tears. “This is just so incredible. You love her.”
I didn’t argue, but I couldn’t say it out loud, even though I felt it in every inch of my body. It still felt like a betrayal to Isobel to fall in love with another, but there was no denying that my heart had finally healed and opened up to Emilia in a way I never imagined was possible again. I wanted to spend every minute with her for all of eternity. Then, it hit me.
“I’m going to ask her to turn,” I said, matter-of-factly.
“What?” Mark shot forward in his chair. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Yes,” I said, standing up and letting the decision resonate. “I’m not losing her the way I lost Isobel. I can’t go through that again. I’m not spending an eternity alone mourning her after she dies. I won’t. I’m going to ask her if she’ll turn.”
“Whoa, let’s talk this over. First, it’s a little soon to be proposing eternity. It’s more serious than marriage and you guys have had like, one fucking date. Two, there is no way you are turning her before me! I’ve been waiting years!
It’s not fair!”
“I’m not waiting, Mark. What if she gets hit by a bus tomorrow? Or gets sick? Or gets drunk with you and drowns in the pool?”
Mark shrugged and nodded. “Valid on the last one.”
“I’m at least going to offer it to her. If she doesn’t want it, I’ll wait a little longer and bring it up again.”
“This is a big step, Aiden. Huge. Are you sure she’s the one? I know you guys have some serious sex chemistry, but this is eternity, Aiden. It’s more than sex.”
“I can’t explain it, Mark. It’s like she’s a part of me I never knew I was missing. I can’t breathe without her nearby. It doesn’t make sense, I know, but this is how it was with Isobel. Instant, powerful, and all-consuming. It’s just how it is when you find your person. There’s no rational explanation for it. I need her.”
Mark clutched his chest again. “She’s your lobster.”
“What?” I snapped my brow together.
“Your lobster! It’s from a Friend’s episode but... ugh, never mind! She’s your lobster. Your true love.”
Love. There it was again. I felt it buzzing through me and compelling me to her side. My world began and ended with her, my need for her, my undoing and my salvation all whirled into one. The spark I’d felt explode inside when we had connected flooded me with feelings so intense, I’d felt I might combust. Now they begged for release, to run wild and free me from the prison of pain and agony I had lived in for hundreds of years. Love didn’t ask permission, and it didn’t always make sense. When it was true and real it was demanding and unyielding until you submitted to its will. I gave up my fight and sighed.
“I love her.”
“Oh, my God.” Mark bit his lip. “It’s amazing.”
“I never thought this would happen to me again. And it’s happening so fast.”
“I’ve never made it past lust, so I can’t say I have any ideas what you’re feeling. The closest I’ve come to true love was with those fabulous Prada loafers that came out last spring.” He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. With a shake of his head he snapped back to reality. “But I do know I can see the difference in you. It’s good, Aiden. Really good.”
As the truth of his words sank in, I breathed a sigh of contentment. I was different. Happy. I was happy and smiling for the first time in centuries. The betrayal I felt for falling in love with someone other than Isobel faded when I realized she would be even happier for me than Mark was. With her zest for life and love she would have been furious watching me brood my way through the centuries, barely alive. This was the life she would have wished for me, and I knew she would love Emilia as much as I did. I could almost feel her blessing while I closed my eyes and said goodbye to her for the last time. I would always cherish our memories, but it was time to move forward and let go of the life I once had. Isobel was my past, but Emilia was my future.
“Can you—” I started, but Mark cut me off.
“Set up a romantic candlelight dinner for just the two of you? Yes, and it’s already done. Emilia will be down soon.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Impressive, Mark.”
“Impressive enough to turn me, too?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“We’ll talk.”
“Yes!” He pulled a fist to his side and followed it up with a clap. “I’m gonna make the best vampire, Aiden! You will love having me around for eternity!”
My laugh deepened, and I shot him a staying glance. “We’ll talk.”
“Fine, fine.” He tossed up his hands. “We’ll talk. Now, get off to dinner and I’ll give you two lovebirds some alone time. And you two better not start excluding me all the time. If you won’t turn me into a vampire so I can go do sexy vampire things myself, I’m not going to sit in a corner while you two play house. I’m more than happy to be a third wheel, but tonight... tonight is just for the two of you. You have some things to figure out, so I’ll keep my distance.”
“Thank you, Mark.”
“Now, off you go. Her dinner just arrived and yours... well, you can drink her whenever you’re ready.”
Mark grabbed a book from the table. “By the way, the performance with her shitty ex last night has gone viral. Fucking brilliant.” Mark grinned and gave me a round of applause. “That was without a doubt the best use of your vamp powers yet. I’ve had it on repeat all day.”
“Your suggestion at the end really made the whole performance.” I smiled back.
“It did, didn’t it? We make a good team.” He closed his fist and held it in the air, presumably for one of those fist-bumps, but I just rolled my eyes.
“I’ll see you later, Mark.”
He dropped his hand and smiled. “Go get our girl.”
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I moved out into the hallway and tried to stop my feet from running, the pull to see her and tell her how I felt drove me forward. I didn’t have a plan other than I needed her to agree to become immortal and stay at my side forever. Not exactly a small feat when I let the weight of my request sink in. I slowed down my pace as I started to lose confidence, my mind drifting back to Mark’s words. We had only been on one official date.
Sure, I’d spent time with her around the estate and our feelings for each other had grown daily since she’d arrived, including that incredible kiss in the hot tub, but if I sat down at dinner and dropped a lifetime commitment on her head tonight, she could take off and write me off as a lunatic.
I needed to slow down... and not just my pace moving toward her. This didn’t need to happen tonight, and even as the thought of her mortality ripping her away terrified me, I realized I should ease her into the idea with a bit more decorum and finesse. Tonight would be about us, and instead of putting so much pressure on her, I would take my time and feel her out.
What happened between us wasn’t just sex, and I was certain she had felt the connection, too. This wasn’t a fling, or a whirlwind romance... it was a love that could last through the ages and sustain us through eternity. Perhaps it was a vampire thing that made it so instant and intense. It was what I had felt with Isobel, though with Emilia it was even more powerful. My brother, Lothaire, had a similar connection with his wife, Grizella. They had only known each other for two days before she’d agreed to turn and spend eternity at his side. That was over four hundred years ago and their love hadn’t diminished in the slightest. Now I just had to hope Emilia felt it, too.
The clicking of Emilia’s heels down the hallway pulled my attention from my spiraling thoughts, and I turned the corner and met her at the dining room entryway. She paused when she saw me, and that soft pink color rose to her cheeks and then settled down into her chest. I loved the way she looked when she flushed.
“Hello, Emilia,” I said, moving toward her. She wore the black Versace gown I had picked out for her last night. It looked even better hugging her enviable curves than I had imagined. She shifted in front of me, biting her lower lip before giving me a nervous smile. God, how I wanted to kiss those lips.
Take it slow, Aiden.
“Did you sleep well?” she asked as I stepped in front of her. She pressed her back into the door frame, and her lips parted when I stepped closer. Each step I took toward her sent her heart beating faster.
Take it slow, I reminded myself, but when her gaze drifted to my lips, I lost my resolve.
Maybe just one kiss.
I slid my fingers beneath her chin, drawing her toward me. Her eyes danced with desire before closing when I leaned down and touched my lips to hers. Those familiar sparks ignited my skin, and I inhaled the sweetness of her breath as it mingled with mine. It took everything I had in me to pull my lips away and not rip off her new gown and take her on the floor.
“How did you sleep?” she asked between soft kisses.
“I slept better than I have in centuries.” I smiled and pecked her lips once more. “Are you hungry?”
She leaned back and quirked a brow. “I’m always hungry. Haven’t you figured t
hat out yet?”
I chuckled at her never-ending sense of humor and gestured toward the dining room. “Please, have a seat. Mark has dinner for you on the table.”
Pressing my hand into the small of her back, I escorted her to the oversized table. Even though it could seat twenty, it barely filled the over-sized dining room. For someone who never hosted guests, I certainly had the space to hold lavish parties and get-togethers. But tonight the only get-together I cared about was the one with me and Emilia.
After she sat, I pushed in her chair and moved to the other side of the table. She closed her eyes and took a deep inhale of the steam rolling off her plate.
“It smells so good,” she said before picking up her fork.
“What is it?” I tipped my head, looking at the pile of noodles in a cream-colored sauce.
“Shrimp fettuccini alfredo,” she responded before taking a bite. She made that “mmmm” noise while she ate, and it caused my stomach to flutter. It was the same noise she had made when I’d stroked her to climax last night, answering my question about the noises she made eating being similar to the noises she made writhing beneath me. Hearing her make them again sent my pulse pounding and my heart racing.
“Good?” I asked, leaning forward and resting my chin on a fist. Her eyes bulged while she nodded, her mouth too full of food to answer. I chuckled at her enthusiasm for eating, and once again I wondered what her meal tasted like. I could smell it, but I had tasted nothing with those smells before, so I struggled to imagine what flavors it contained. Dry bread, mutton, potatoes and root vegetables had been most of my meals before blood became my new nourishment.
“What did you want to do tonight?” I asked while she finished chewing her food.
“I’m not really picky,” she answered. “I don’t suppose shopping sprees in New York and brainwashing my ex into destroying his life are something we’ll do every night, so you tell me what’s on the agenda.” She grinned before taking another bite.
“We can go for a ride. Or perhaps a swim. Or both?”
“That sounds perfect,” she answered.
Into The Light (Immortal Hearts Book 1) Page 17
