Her sad emerald eyes returned to my face and she lightly kissed me. Giving in to her plea and my burning desire, I moved so she lay beneath me and undressed her with gentle hands.
Alexis trembled, fear rising within her as I glided my hands along her delicate, naked skin.
I froze, my eyes searching her face. “We should wait.”
Her hands slid under my shirt. “Jade.”
“Alexis, you're terrified.”
“Please?” she begged.
“I can smell and taste your fear,” I said apprehensively.
“Make it go away. Touch me. Love me until it’s a distant memory.”
I gave in, allowing her to slowly slip my shirt over my head, release the front clasp of my bra, and discard it onto the plane’s floor. Her warm hands traced my new scars then enveloped my breasts. Leaning down, I kissed her delicately then traced her lips with my tongue.
They parted, allowing me access to her sweetness. She shuddered and moaned softly as I deepened the kiss and my hands wandered over her body. I left her lips, trailing down over the curve of her breasts, and lingered for long moments at their peaks. She moaned and her eyes closed softly. Leaving her breasts, I traced a path over her ribs, avoiding the large bruise, as I disappeared between her legs to be greeted by warm, succulent flesh wet with lust.
“Oh, God!” she cried.
Her back arched against me as her thin fingers entwined into my hair, pulling me in even deeper. Drawing back slightly, I slid my hand up her leg to soft silken curls.
“Jade,” she begged, rising to meet me.
“Shh...” I whispered, gently guiding her back to the bed.
She shuddered as I entered her, then I brought our lips together and her small nails dug into my back, urging me on as I made gentle, passionate love to her.
Slender, delicate fingers entered, then moved in rhythm with my movements. I closed my eyes and lost myself with the passions of out Union.
Alexis's head rested against me, warmth radiating off her beautiful body. I caressed her soft naked back, basking in her fire.
“Jade?” she asked.
“Yes?” I whispered.
“Thank you,” she said, snuggling even closer to me.
I melted into her, my body drowning in her wonderful fire. “Thank you,” I repeated.
“Jade?” Alexis said, yawning.
I smiled. “Yes?”
“You can have my soul.” She closed her eyes. “If I'm immortal they can't take me away,” she yawned.
My breath caught in my throat. “Sleep. I'll be here when you wake.”
Alexis stretched out, falling asleep within moments. I stared up at the roof of the plane, a large smile across my face. I'm not alone. No one will take you from me, not even the council. Her words were what I had so longed for, to know she wanted to spend eternity with me. She would accept this life willingly.
A forbidding chill moved through my body, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
I stood, my fists clenched behind my back and my jaw locked. Once again I was in my study, the council sitting comfortably around me, sipping fresh blood.
“You have gravely endangered your fellow Immortals and our way of life,” Lord Joffrey stated coldly.
My heart began to race. “I did what was necessary to protect Alexis.”
“A human—” Lord François scoffed.
“My lover,” I corrected.
“We're aware of your physical relationship with the human,” Lord François said. “This does not change the fact that you have endangered every single one of us with your callous actions.”
Lord William asked, “Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
“No. She was in danger and I did what I had to do to save her life. I do not regret my actions and I would do it again,” I said, crossing my arms.
Lady Elizabeth raised her blonde brows and said, “We were formulating a way of rescuing her from her father.”
“Thus, your actions were unnecessary, as we would have retrieved the girl in due time,” Lord Joffrey added, leaning forward in his chair.
“No, if I had not rescued her, she would be dead now and this would be her funeral,” I exclaimed.
“You could not have known for certain,” Lord William said, his blue-gray eyes peering at me.
“This conversation is moot. My actions are my own and you will punish me as you see fit. This has nothing to do with Alexis. She wants to become one of us,” I said.
“She is too young. The law is unquestionably clear about this matter. No matter your feelings for each other, she still has the volatile nature of a child,” Lady Marianna said.
Lord Kayne crossed his large arms. “You know it is forbidden.”
“I know, but the law also states she gets two years to decide if she wants this life. It is our custom! She’ll be eighteen in less than a year,” I pointed out.
“No!” Lord Kayne’s sharp reply reached every corner of the small room.
I glared coldly at him. “What do you mean, no?”
Prince Arron sighed. “It has been brought to our attention that you and the human female have become a highly visible item,” Lady Elizabeth stated. “You have risked our discovery on two separate occasions in the last month and a half. These antics are dangerous for our kind. Due to this, we have decided the human's memory will be erased and you will be forbidden to see her.”
“You can't!” I screamed.
I sat up in bed, jostling Alexis.
“Are we there?” she asked, blinking sleepily at me.
“No, love. I'm sorry. Lie back down. It's okay.” I pulled her into my arms.
I have to find a way out of this. I can’t let them take her from me. I won’t.
Twenty-Eight
shifting in her seat, Annora sighed. The sounds coming from the other end of the plane irritated her. Stupid, unreliable human. Dammit! Now I have to find another way to permanently rid myself of that human, one in which Elysian won’t suspect my involvement.
The solution to her problem came to her in a rush of inspiration. The council! Annora smiled. After Elysian’s recklessness it would only take a few suggestions to the council for them to separate them permanently. Leaving her blameless. And the human would be back in the gutter where she belonged.
James crossed the cabin and sat on Maxwell's lap. “You know, Max...”
“Hmm?” Max asked, wrapping his arms around James.
“I think we lost a client,” James said, then laughed.
“I think you're right,” Max agreed.
Annora rolled her eyes. “Give me a break!”
They ignored her. “I don't know, guys,” Desiree said, pouring herself a blood martini. “Jaden is unique, so anyone she's with probably has similar tastes. Perhaps Alexis mirrors Jaden more than you think.”
“That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard,” Annora said.
“I'm not sure it is,” Desiree replied.
Max smiled. “If that's the case, we could be gaining a new client.”
“It's been years since we had a foursome!” James said excitedly.
“Paris France, summer of fifteen eighty-six,” Max replied.
James nodded. “Mr. and Mrs. Lemaitre. He loved watching us take his wife.”
“And she loved the rack,” Max added.
“Do you remember all the people you two have sex with?” Desiree asked, taking her seat.
Max and James laughed. “Only the most exceptional clients,” Max said.
“Good or bad,” James added.
“Have you had many bad ones?” Desiree asked.
Max nodded. “Many.”
“Name one!” Desiree challenged.
James shuddered. “Jenny, nineteen fifteen!”
Max pulled James closer. “I'm sorry.”
“I know,” James said, kissing Max's lips.
“And?” Desiree prodded, crossing her legs.
“She loved fo
rcing violently painful sexual experiences onto her partners,” James said, his gaze faraway.
“I arranged the meetings. Normally we don’t see clients separately, but we made an exception this one time,” Max said, frowning. “I went to see an old friend of mine and James went to see Jenny. Shortly after arriving at my friend’s home, he told me about some rumors regarding her. I immediately went to James's aid. I almost didn't make it there in time.” Max clenched James tightly.
“What did she do?” Desiree asked, eyes wide.
James shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “She set me on fire.”
“What?” Desiree exclaimed.
“Maxwell had to cut her head off,” he said, watching Max closely. His fingers stroked James's hand absently, his mind replaying old memories.
Desiree shook her head. “Crazy!”
“That she was,” Max said softly, meeting James's worried eyes.
He brushed James's cheek with his hand. “I love you.”
“I love you,” James replied.
“Jade!” Alexis’s cry of pleasure filled the main cabin.
James giggled. “Do you think she'll turn Alexis?”
“It's no longer a matter of if, but when,” Desiree replied.
“Jaden cannot. The human is too young,” Annora pointed out.
“True, but it won't stop Jaden. She’ll wait the two years, if these last few days have been any indication of what to expect. By the end of two years, they'll be inseparable,” Desiree replied, smiling.
Annora was livid. Desiree was right. The separation must be done soon and deftly, before Elysian grows too attached. I want to bleed her, not break her.
“It must have been nice to see your husband, even if it was only for a few days,” Maxwell said.
Desiree smiled. “It was. We still have our problems, but we're working on them.”
“Are you two still in love?” James asked.
Desiree sighed. “I love him and I know he loves me. After a thousand years together, we need a century or so to do our own thing, be our own people. He loves being a council member and he's good at it. I love my club and running the cleaning services. We will always be a part of each other that will never change. But I do miss the long days of unrelenting sex.”
“We would be happy to provide you with services, should you require them,” Maxwell offered with a raised eyebrow.
“Anytime,” James added.
Desiree laughed. “William and I have problems, but he never turns down sex.”
“I know very few who would,” Maxwell stated.
“Speaking of sex...” James said, his lips inches from Max's ear.
Maxwell giggled. “I would love to.”
James stood and extended his hand; Maxwell took it. “See you when we land,” Max said as James pulled him towards the back of the plane.
Desiree shook her head as the two disappeared into the other bedroom. “Lovers!” Desiree turned her glass in her hands, “So?”
“What?” Annora snapped.
“Wow! You don't have to be so hostile,” Desiree said.
Annora scoffed and turned to look out the airplane window.
“Must be that knock-off Gucci dress riding up your backside,” she said. Annora ignored her.
Desiree watched her closely. She could not prove it, but she was nearly a hundred percent sure it was Annora who had revealed Alexis's location to her father. It was her lack of compassion that made her a target. Desiree knew if she was right, Annora only wanted ill for her friends. She decided to keep an eye on her and make sure nothing bad happened to Jaden or Alexis. If Annora planned to hurt either of them, she would have to go through her.
Twenty-Nine
a thick fog hung in the air and a light mist fell upon us as we exited the airplane in London. We descended the stairs and crossed to the two black sedans idling on the landing strip. Four immortal men in black tuxedos mingled next to the vehicles. Alexis took my right arm in her hands and walked so close she occasionally bumped into me. I found myself loving every one of her small touches.
Alexis, Desiree, and I rode in one car and James, Max and Annora shared the other. The ride to my estate was long and dark under the notorious English rain. I wished the weather had been nicer so Alexis could enjoy the beautiful landscape, but the rain came down in large heavy drops. It was so cloudy and fogged over, it almost appeared to be night despite it being ten in the morning. Alexis fell asleep in the sedan, her head resting on my shoulder.
Desiree smiled at me from the front seat. “You two look good together.”
“Thank you,” I replied, elated.
Despite the disturbing visions I'd had, I was happy to be back home and to have her here with me where I knew she was safe. On the winding cottage roads outside the city, I mulled over the new truths I had come to learn about myself:
I would give all of eternity just to spend one lifetime with this human.
She was the epitome of everything I wanted out of this life.
Our love was deeper, stronger and more passionate than anything I had ever dreamed possible.
I would do anything and everything in my power to keep her by my side, even if I had to break every Immortal law to do so.
“It's nice to see you so happy,” Desiree commented, crossing her legs.
“It's nice to know what happiness is,” I said, gently stroking Alexis's golden halo. “We all deserve happiness at some point in our lives. Even if it's fleeting.”
“You know they're going to take her from you?” she whispered.
“I've seen it.”
“Then you must know that Annora has had her hands in all of this. In fact, I bet she orchestrated that incident with Alexis's father just to get rid of the competition,” Desiree continued.
I smiled at Alexis and gently traced her face with my fingers. “I know,” I replied softly.
“What are you going to do?”
“Bide my time until I can weigh my options. I think I've discovered a way around the council's decision, or a way to change it.”
“And if there isn't a way out?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I must make their decision work for me and not against me.”
“You're planning on disobeying them, aren't you?”
“You of all people should know not to ask me such things,” I replied.
“Why, are you afraid of implicating me if things go south?” she said, crossing her arms.
“It doesn't matter because it won't come to that,” I said, looking down at my frail, sleeping human.
“Know that if it does, I cannot stand beside you. For William's sake. But I will not stand against you, either.”
“I understand. Thank you, Desiree. You have always been a good friend.”
The car stopped at the front gate to my estate. “Lady Hawk and company returning,” the driver said into the intercom.
The gate buzzed and swung open. “Good to be home?” Desiree asked.
“Yeah,” I said as the cars started down the long driveway.
I lifted Alexis's sleeping body into my arms and carried her into the mansion and up to my room. After gently tucking her into the king size bed, I steeled myself to face the council.
They sat in a semi-circle around my study, each nursing a glass of blood, scowling. I stepped into the center. Lady Marianna sat next to Prince Arron in a light blue pantsuit, her short silver hair tightly curled.
“You know why you're here?” she asked.
“I'm aware,” I replied.
I was too aware, in fact. I knew exactly what they would say and do and that there was only one way to buy the time I needed. I have to tell them about the visions. This truth squirmed around in the pit of my stomach as if I had eaten human food. I felt like vomiting, but I dared not show any weakness.
Prince Arron, who occupied my black leather office chair at the head of the circle, set his glass down on the desk and I wondered how he knew it was there.
“You h
ave gravely endangered your fellow Immortals and our way of life,” Lord Joffrey stated, his long brown hair in a ponytail.
“I did what was necessary to protect Alexis,” I replied, repeating the exact words from my vision.
“A human,” Lord François scoffed.
I squarely met the angry storm in his turquoise eyes. “My lover,” I corrected. It was as if I was experiencing an extreme case of déjà vu.
Lord Joffrey’s lips formed a thin line. “This does not change the fact that you have endangered every single Immortal with your actions.”
Lord William, unlike the others, sat relaxed in his seat. “Do you have anything at all to say in your defense?” he asked, running his hand over his neatly combed silver hair.
“No. She was in danger and I did what I had to do save her life. I do not regret my actions and I would do it again,” I replied.
“We were aware of the danger. We were formulating a way of rescuing the girl,” Lord William stated, hiding a grin.
Lord Joffrey leaned forward in his chair. “Your actions were unnecessary—”
I uncrossed my arms. Now I will see how much like Ivy’s visions mine are.
“No,” I interrupted, my voice stern. “If I had not rescued her, she would be dead now and this would be a funeral. Her father was going to rape her then slit her throat before you even reached a consensus.”
Lord William folded his arms across his chest and smirked almost imperceptibly. I guessed Desiree had told him. The others exchanged quick glances at each other.
“You could not have known for certain—” Lord Joffrey started.
“I saw it happen. It was as real as this is now,” I waved my hand about, indicating the room.
Lord François leaned forward. “Are you saying you had a vision of the future?”
“As you are all aware, I was injured when I came to our prince's aide at the attack on the summit. He saved my life by letting me drink his blood. After, I felt...” I paused, unsure of the words to use to describe my recent experience. “It was as if I was going through the change all over again. But, that's not possible, right?”
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