Chapter Nine
“Sebastian, don’t leave me.” She lifted her head from the bench. The sun was high in the sky and Marta stood near the edge of the ocean, looking out. Michelle stood quickly and ran to her, her head spinning. “Why didn’t you wake me! Did he come?”
The small woman turned a grin to her. “To be crude, I could ask you the same question.”
Michelle’s face heated as she thought about Sebastian’s touch, his hands on her breasts, the feel of his hardness inside her. “Marta.” The dam burst and Michelle buried her head in her hands, her shoulders heaving as she sobbed.
Marta wrapped her arms around her and held her close. For as small as she was, the hug seemed to encompass all of her. It made her feel safe, and combated the fear that had taken hold of her belly at the idea of never being able to free Sebastian.
“I kissed him, in true love. Why is he not here?”
“You kissed an image of him.”
“No. It was real, I felt him.” Even as Marta shook her head Michelle nodded. “It was real!”
“Yes, you were together, but it was his soul, not his physical form. As Princess Charming, you have to kiss him in his lair, where he sleeps.”
Michelle looked around, her eyes studying each tree, wondering if it concealed a path that led to Sebastian’s home. “Let’s go now. Right now.”
“We cannot. The cave cannot be opened during the day, only at night.” Marta stroked her arm. “I have been talking with my sisters, and they are coming tonight. They are strong, and we will combine our power to help you achieve your goal. It will work.”
Fear gripped Michelle’s heart even as hope tried to push through. “What if it doesn’t?”
“It will. Think positively, Michelle.” The older woman smiled at her. “I saw him, you know.”
Michelle shivered and hugged herself close. “What?”
“This morning, I came to the cove to cast the spell for your dream and I saw him standing over you, stroking your hair as you slept. The look of love on his face was potent. He grows stronger the more time you spend with him. That will help in the morning.”
Michelle wanted to believe that all it would take was one kiss. But there was a skeptical part of her that fought to push the idea aside. She loved Sebastian; she knew that now. It was obviously a love that was fated, one that she wrote about day after day but had failed to see when placed right in front of her. Didn’t it always work that way?
But she saw it now. If it was taken away from her, she wasn’t sure she would be able to live on her own.
The two of them silently walked back to the house together.
When they neared the entrance, Marta put her hand on Michelle’s arm. “I’m not sure what will happen tonight. The spell could happen easily, or it could be hard. Tarsa was very strong, and the fact that none of my ancestors have been able to break the curse says a lot. You need to rest, be prepared for anything.”
Michelle agreed, then went up to her third floor room. She found Charles lounging on the edge of the bed, a bored look on his face. “Sorry, I’ve been a little busy.”
He nodded and didn’t chastise her.
“You want to play?” He perked up and she laughed. “We’re getting close to the end, and I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep today. Maybe we just need to do a marathon session and finish the book. What do you say?”
“Well, to paraphrase what you asked the other day, I’m hard and ready.”
“You’re always hard, Charles. That’s one of your better qualities.”
After taking a quick shower and changing into loose clothing, Michelle sat down at the computer. Her fingers went to work immediately. Charles prodded at her mind even as memories of having Sebastian inside her tugged at her heart.
It may have been a dream but the loving was real. Her body was sore, pleasantly so, and she hoped that backed up what Marta had said, that Sebastian grew stronger each time they were together. Buoyed by her new feelings, her fingers flew over the keyboard. Charles and Hannah enjoyed two rousing bouts of sex and several more tender scenes, ending the book with the announcement that Hannah was expecting their first child.
When she looked over at Charles, he had tears of joy streaking down his face. “Thank you, sweet Michelle. I wish all the happiness in the world for you and your Sebastian.” He disappeared and Michelle hugged herself even as her own tears fell.
“I hope you’re right, Charles. There is nothing I want more right now.” She glanced at the clock to see it was just after eight. She tried unsuccessfully to connect to the Internet. Since she still hadn’t heard from Kate and Mark, she knew she couldn’t get onto his system. There were too many pages to fax, and Sandra wouldn’t appreciate the huge mound of paper that would likely result.
That meant Michelle would have to take a trip to the library again tomorrow, hook into their WiFi and send Sandra the file. She knew she should read it over once more, but her eyes were tired, and she needed to rest before sunrise.
She tossed and turned at first, but soon found herself relaxing. Sebastian greeted her as sleep overtook her. He pulled her to her feet and kissed her gently, then expertly undid her buttons and hooks, leaving her naked before him.
Michelle grasped his hardened cock in her hand, pumping it as he kissed her. “If I’d known you would be here, I would have slept all day,” she said as the kiss broke.
“So beautiful,” he murmured as he leaned over and captured a nipple, sucking it in hard.
She arched into him, his cock still firmly encased in her hand. She stroked him tenderly, savoring the feel of his hardness, reveling in the deep groans that escaped his lips as she squeezed him, sliding up and over the head and back down.
“Take me, Sebastian. Please, take me hard and fast.”
He pushed her back onto the bed, grabbing her legs and flipping her onto her stomach. Then he grasped her hips and pulled her into a kneeling position. He was behind her in seconds, claiming her in a primitive fashion that made her shiver with delight.
He pumped into her hard and fast, his cock stroking in and out, making her body quiver in bliss. Michelle clawed at the sheets as he rode her, the sensations centering in her womb before bursting out and spreading to each part of her body. She screamed over and over, bucking into him, relishing the fullness he provided, never ever wanting to let him go.
“More! More!” Her wanton words made her shiver.
He laughed and licked her neck, and she knew he felt exactly the same way she did. It was a love written in the stars.
The slapping of flesh competed with their groans and filled the room. When he stopped and said, “Michelle, my love,” she felt him pulse inside her, felt the warmth of his seed filling her.
They tumbled onto their sides and he held her close in his arms. His grip was tight, and as sleep wrapped itself around her, she felt him slip away. It didn’t make her sad, though. If anything, the dream proved to her that the event taking place later would work, and she and Sebastian would be together, forever.
* * * *
The two women standing with Marta in the cove were not what Michelle expected. Marta was so small, barely over five feet. These women were tall, close to six foot. Their skin was a dark chocolate color, much darker than Marta’s. Michelle wondered if Marta had meant they were sisters by blood, or by the fact they were all powerful. Then she decided it didn’t matter. Lots of people were close that weren’t family, just look at her and Kate.
She’d thought about calling her friend this afternoon, then decided to wait until it was all over. Somehow she didn’t think Kate knew about Sebastian. Her friend would have told her about him before she left.
“This is Sierra, and Meloa.” Marta’s voice was soft. “They will help guide Sebastian’s spirit back into his body.”
“I’m nervous,” Michelle said. “So is he, I could feel it tonight while we were making love.”
“What?” Sierra took a step toward her. “You made love with him tonight?”
<
br /> “Yes, he came to me in my dream.” Michelle winked. “Thanks to Marta.”
“Not tonight,” Marta said. “The spell was only for sunrise yesterday.”
“Then you are strong, sister,’ Sierra said. “That means we may succeed where our ancestors have failed. Especially since we have Sebastian’s true love here.”
Warmth seeped into Michelle with her words. It was true, she knew, but hearing it from another person made her feel wonderful. Still, her nerves were on edge with what was about to happen.
“What do I have to do?”
“Just kiss him,” Marta said. “We’ll do the rest.”
“Let’s do it, then.”
They took off toward the ocean, veering off into the trees, following the coastline. Michelle sought to gauge the distance, trying not to pat herself on the back about being right about his home being near the cove where he appeared each morning. In front of her, the three ladies talked softly, their heads together.
She wondered what sort of ceremony they had planned, and if she would get a glimpse into the voodoo religion, or if she would be too busy kissing Sebastian to notice what they were doing.
Marta veered inland after a few minutes, then stopped in front of a bush. She waved her hand and the bush disappeared. Michelle stared at it in wonder as the ladies hurried inside, and she followed them.
The entrance was narrow and just tall enough for her to walk upright. In front of her, she saw the two taller ladies bending over. When they stood and moved aside, soft light flooded the shaft. She moved into a round room and her breath caught.
Sebastian lay in the center of the room on top of an altar. Sitting next to him was a wooden carving, which featured a likeness of his face, and a lock of long, blond hair. His chest didn’t seem to be moving and she hurried forward, only to have Marta grab her arm.
“Not yet. We have to time it just right.”
Michelle took a fortifying breath. “What do I do?”
“Sebastian’s soul leaves the bochio an hour before sunrise, and comes back just afterward. We want to catch it as it’s coming back.”
“But he’ll look for me there. He’ll think I’ve deserted him.” She started for the door but Marta stopped her again.
“No, he knows you’re here. The two of you are linked. We will start our part at the right moment, and when we tell you, you will kiss him.”
A small nod was all she could manage for a response. Her heart pounded in her chest, the feeling almost painful. What if this didn’t work? What if Tarsa’s spell was too strong, even after all these years?
Michelle couldn’t stand the idea of Sebastian being trapped inside this cave for eternity. She crossed to him slowly, putting her hand on his arm. His skin was warm, and when she looked at his chest, she could see the faint rise and fall, indicating that his heart was indeed, beating.
His eyes were closed, a peaceful expression on his face. His hair hung down over the altar, hitting the ground. She picked a piece of it up and twirled it in her fingers. “Soon, my love. We have to believe it will work.” She gasped softly and focused her gaze on his face. She could swear his eyes fluttered when she talked.
Could he hear her? Was he really somewhere deep inside there, languishing, worrying as much as she was that their bid to free him would be unsuccessful?
“It will work,” she whispered into his ear. “I love you.” This time it was unmistakable. His eyelids fluttered, as if he was in REM sleep. Could he see her here, beside him? Or was he reliving the wonderful times they’d joined together in their dreams?
The room grew warmer, and Michelle realized for the first time the ladies behind her were chanting softly. She turned to see them in a circle, their hands joined together, head bowed. When Marta’s soft, “Now, Michelle,” sounded in her head, Michelle didn’t hesitate.
She lowered her lips to Sebastian’s, stopping just before they joined. “Wake for me, my prince.”
And then she kissed him, moving her lips gently around his, nibbling on his lower lip, never breaking contact. His chest rose and fell more quickly as the chanting increased and she pushed down more, sliding her tongue into his warm, moist mouth. His hand moved, coming up to cup her neck, pulling her closer to him.
“Michelle.” And then suddenly, his hand dropped back to the stone, falling as if it were lifeless.
“No!” She turned to Marta. “Do something!”
“Kiss him again,” Sierra yelled as they tightened the circle.
Michelle climbed onto the altar, straddling Sebastian’s body and claiming his lips again. She kissed him deeper, and yet his hand still didn’t move. After a few moments, she reared back, lifting her face to the ceiling of the face much as Sebastian had lifted his to the sun during her dream.
“Damn you, Tarsa! Let him go. I love him!”
The ground shook and Michelle grasped the edges of the altar to keep from tumbling to the ground. She gasped as the form of a tiny black woman materialized in front of her. The three women who had been chanting stopped and the cave grew eerily silent.
Michelle knew who this was. The voodoo priestess eyed her, then looked down to where Sebastian lay.
“Please,” she whispered. “I love him and he loves me. Surely you’ve seen that.”
The woman frowned, and then the edges of her mouth drew up into a smile. She turned her gaze to the bochio. It vibrated, and then burst into pieces, splinters of wood scattering through the air and down to the floor of the cave.
Below her Sebastian gasped, his body arching up into hers. His eyes flew open and he clasped her hips tightly. For several long seconds, he labored for breath, and then looked into her eyes, his chest still heaving.
“Michelle?”
“Yes.” She held her breath, afraid that in waking life he would not be as pleased with her as he had been in his dreams.
When he clasped her face in his hands and claimed her lips tears filled her eyes. He kissed her deeply, holding her close to him as he seemed to steal her breath. When he came up for air, he pulled her forehead down to his own and whispered, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She tried to stand, but he held her close, moving them both until he was in a sitting position. He stroked her back, then glanced over at the group of three, who were looking over his shoulder to where Tarsa stood.
He glanced back at the voodoo priestess and Michelle was afraid he would be angry, scream at her or push Michelle off and attack the woman. Instead he inclined his head and said, “Thank you.”
Tarsa bowed deeply, then she disappeared.
“You’re free to go now,” Marta said. “Go into the sunlight.”
Michelle stood and offered Sebastian her hand. He took it carefully, moving slowly as he swung his legs over the table. Michelle glanced back at Marta in question.
The guardian smiled at her. “He will be fine. The magic has kept his body fit, and his guardians have cared for him. Don’t expect too much the first night. I could be wrong, but…”
“She can be on top,” Sebastian said.
She turned to see his wicked grin and her knees almost buckled. Her clit tightened at the memory of his mouth and fingers bringing her exquisite pleasure, something he obviously remembered, too. “Just like in our dream.”
He stood and pulled Michelle into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as his lips came down on hers.
“Sebastian, come into the sun with me.”
“Only if you promise never to leave me,” he replied, kissing her again, moving to drop little kisses on each side of her mouth. “Because I promise to love you forever, my Princess Charming.”
“Then you have a deal.” She took his hand and led him to the entrance.
The three ladies had already gone outside and were waiting for them, standing just outside the cave. Sebastian hugged each of them, kissing their foreheads and professing his eternal gratitude.
“Thank Michelle,” Marta said. “She’s the real cat
alyst in all this. If it weren’t for her love, it never would have worked.”
Sebastian turned to her with a grin on his face. “Oh I shall thank her, a thousand times over, in a thousand different ways.”
Michelle blushed and put her head against his bare chest. “I warn you, Sebastian, I’m a romance writer. Any of your thousand ways could be featured in one of my books. And I think books have changed quite a bit in the last one hundred and eighty six years.”
“I’m not worried.” He looked at the sun, then down at her. “Something tells me I have the best teacher for all things. Can we start my lessons now?”
“Most definitely.” She turned toward where Marta had been, only to find the ladies gone. “Are you tired?”
“No, but I want to go to bed. Let us go to the house so I can love you as more than a dream.”
She started to run, but he pulled her back into his arms for one more kiss. “Walk slowly sweet Michelle, let us savor ever step, every flower, every grain of sand. We have the rest of our lives to love each other, and I intend to enjoy every second I spend with you, and inside you.”
They wrapped their arms around each other’s waists and headed into the rising sun, the warmth of its rays adding to the glow that already lit their faces.
Author’s Note
The idea for Waking Sebastian came to me long before I’d published my first book. I was attending the Romantic Times Convention in Daytona Beach, taking classes from Judi McCoy about writing and publishing. One night after a party, I went to the beach, which was steps away from the hotel.
Since I’ve always lived in a land-locked area, the idea I could take off my shoes and wade into the ocean at midnight fascinated me and that’s exactly what I did, letting the sand wrap around my toes and the water lick my calves. That evening I had the most fascinating dream about a man named Sebastian who came out of the ocean to greet me.
He and I got along swimmingly, so to speak, and the next evening, after classes and gatherings, I went back to the beach, this time armed with my laptop, and I put down the beginnings of the story you’ve just read.
Waking Sebastian Page 7
