Something inside Sebastian quivered at her words. He tightened his arms around her, and his voice reached her ear, soft as velvet. “When are you going to start trusting me?” His breath brushed her face, and she inhaled his amazing immortal scent. His warmth coursed across her skin, and she felt his calm invading her own thoughts.
“How many times do I have to tell you that we are linked together for eternity? And how many times do I have to tell you that you are not going anywhere without me?” His lips were brushing her ear as his whisper was soothing her very soul. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her for a kiss.
“Look at me…I love you,” she heard his quiet voice. She looked up at him, and their eyes locked in a green and blue fusion. Their lips met and merged in a loving kiss. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear. He broke the kiss and intertwined their fingers to keep her close to his side. “Are you all right?” he asked, sending her a smoldering side look.
“Yes,” she murmured. Her body quivered under the intense of his sizzling gaze, and her breath caught in her throat.
He sensed her problem, and he grinned. Arielle embraced each and every moment in their life with passion with hunger. Oh, God, I love her so much! Sebastian thought, and a wide smile spread across his beautiful face.
Arielle sank back down next to Eva, still holding Sebastian’s hand, lost in thought.
“Am I going to retain my gift of seeing the future?” Eva’s voice brought her back to reality.
“Yes, there are many immortals that possess that gift, and many that can read minds with no exceptions at all. Sebastian has that gift.” Troy said, with a chuckle.
“You can read minds!” Ian snapped, staring at Sebastian in surprise.
Sebastian cleared his throat and glancing at Ian, he said calmly. “I can read every human mind without exceptions, but I can’t read immortal minds.”
Ian’s eyes went wide, and he let out a groan. “Holy cow…” he gasped. Taking a deep breath, he pressed his lips together and looked at Sebastian with eyes that had gone dark with shock. “You knew all along what we were thinking?”
Sebastian pinched the tip of his nose, feeling uncomfortable. He searched desperately for the right response, but the words lurched into his throat, and making a wretched face, he nodded awkwardly. “Yes, I’m sorry, Ian…I always nullify my friends’ thoughts. I use my gift for things that might put someone in danger or hurt my business. So please don’t feel uncomfortable.”
Ian tried to keep his façade of calm. “But you can’t read immortal thoughts, right?” he furthered.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Well, that’s good to know,” Ian said a bit relaxed.
Sebastian sat down next to Arielle, and leaning over, he gave her a quick peck on the lips.
Troy stood up from his chair, and crossing the room, he stood in front of Ian and Eva. “I hope you are not angry with me,” he said, apologetically. “But, if I had to do it again, I would do the exact same thing. I just couldn’t let you die.” Troy brushed a hand over his eyes, as if he recalled the painful moment. Enthused by his friends being alive couldn’t begin to comprise how he felt. He looked like a young boy that was waiting for consent about the decision he had made without their input.
Eva and Ian exchanged a tender look, and they both turned to look at Troy.
“Troy, we want to thank you for saving our lives,” Eva said.
“We are ready to move on with our new identity. It will be an unbelievable journey, but we’ll be together. We just can’t grasp the meaning of eternity as of yet, but this is our destiny, and we’ll take it.” Ian said. They both seemed to have a more serene look on their faces.
“Ian, did you ask Eva to talk to her mother?” Sebastian asked.
“No, not yet,” Ian replied. “I was a bit anxious about telling Eva the news.” He turned to Eva and pulled her closer for a kiss. “Can you call your mum, baby, and let her know that we’ll be leaving this afternoon?” he murmured.
Eva’s mouth dropped and looked around inquisitively. “Where are we going?”
“You are going to Italy. You’ll be staying at my house in Tuscany,” Sebastian said.
“We are going to Italy?” Eva exclaimed.
“That’s the plan, unless you would rather not.” Sebastian teased her.
“Oh my Gosh… that’s amazing! I can’t wait.” Her face was illuminated with joy. “I’ll call my mother right now,” she said.
Eva stood up slowly with Ian’s help, and grasping her crutches, she limped over to the bar to get her phone. Just before she pressed her mum’s number on the keypad, she turned and glanced between Troy and Sebastian. “So are you saying that Ian and I will not need these casts by late tonight?”
“Yes, you’ll be completely healed,” Sebastian replied. “If you need anything while you are away, just call and let us know. Geneva, my housekeeper, is an immortal, so you can feel relaxed around her. She will help you with your needs and your questions. Your tickets are in order, and I’ve arranged for someone to pick you up at the airport and drive you to the house.” Sebastian reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out two airline tickets that he handed to Ian.
“Have fun and enjoy yourselves. Come back when you feel that you’re ready.” Ian and Eva were smiling blissfully, eyes filled with exhilaration.
“Thank you, Sebastian…” Eva whispered, still not believing all that had transpired this morning. She turned and looked at Arielle, and she could see moisture in her eyes. Arielle let go of Sebastian’s hand. Standing up, she walked to Eva and gave her a huge hug.
“Eva, like I told Ian, human or immortal, you are still my best friend, and I love you. Nothing has changed, or will ever change between us. I think this is the amazing,” she said, gazing in Eva’s eyes. “You protected me as a human with your premonitions, and now you can protect me physically against Annabel.” They both laughed out loud, and the guys seemed to be more at ease knowing that Eva was less stressed about her new life.
“Do you want me to take you to the airport?” Arielle asked Eva.
“No, I’ll ask my mum to do that, and she’ll be more than happy to let us go away for a while. She wants us to get over the accident trauma and get back to our normal lives” She chuckled nervously, knowing that nothing about their lives was going to be close to normal. Eva pressed her mother’s number, and they talked for a short while while Ian discussed with Sebastian a few more details about the trip.
Soon they said their goodbyes, and the three of them climbed inside Troy’s car. She sat next to Troy as Sebastian took the back seat. She remained completely silent, keeping her gaze straight ahead. Her thoughts were full of questions about immortality and the world of wonder.
“Arielle, is something bothering you?” Troy asked. She turned to look at him, and he had a soft smile on his face. She was a bit stressed.
“How did you do this?” she asked Troy.
“How did I do what?” he asked quizzically.
“How did you make them immortal?”
Troy was silent for a short moment, and she could see that he was trying to find the best way to explain his actions the night of the accident. The look in the rear view mirror didn’t escape her. Troy exchanged a look with Sebastian in the back seat, as if he was asking for his approval. He licked his dry lips a couple of times.
“The crash was something unbelievable. It was so dark that I was sure Gabrielle, Ian, and Eva could not see a thing. When the car stopped moving, I checked on Gabrielle, and I knew she was badly hurt, but she was breathing. However, Eva and Ian were barely alive, and I knew they had but a few seconds before they stopped breathing. I called for an ambulance, and using my speed, I went home and picked up two jars of salve and got back just in time.” He took a couple of deep breaths and continued. “Their pulses surged to a safe level following the salve intake. The first ambulance arrived within a few minutes, and the paramedics provided Gabriell
e with immediate care and oxygen and took her away. By the time the second ambulance arrived, Eva and Ian were well out of grave danger, but the paramedics provided great care to both of them. They were placed on the gurneys and rolled into the ambulances. The ride to the hospital was fast, and hospital staff was waiting for them to provide immediate care. That is the whole story in a short view,” Troy said.
“What did they say about you being completely unscathed?” She asked again.
“They were shocked, to say the least,” he said, and chuckled softly. “They asked if I needed any medical help, and I politely declined. The police officers asked several questions about the accident, and I told them that Gabrielle had swerved to avoid something on the road and lost control of the car. They asked me if I was declining medical assistance due to my religion beliefs, and I had to say yes. They told me how surprised they were that I escaped serious injuries, and I acted just as surprised.” Troy stopped talking and stared out the windshield obviously upset.
“That is absolutely incredible,” Arielle murmured. “I’m completely amazed at the control you have over life and death.” She was truly mesmerized by that immortal ability. They were both silent, and neither one of them made any further comment. Her mind was whirling wildly.
The next time she would see Eva and Ian, they would both be part of the incredible immortal world. She laughed quietly at the irony. She was sure that they both looked at her, but they said absolutely nothing. She was so overwhelmed with thoughts and questions. She was sure they would never satisfy the curiosity that was creeping over her.
Sebastian took Arielle horseback riding for the rest of the afternoon, and out to dinner. Arielle was exhausted. They enjoyed a warm luxurious shower together and went to bed. Arielle picked up her journal once again, eager to write about Ian and Eva’s immortality. Sebastian picked up the sports magazine and decided to kill time until Arielle was ready to sleep.
June 20th,
Dear friend, just a quick note to let you know about the incredible shock that sent my world off its axis once again. I found out that that my best friends Ian and Eva are now immortals. That definitely explained my struggle in understanding how I wasn’t able to hear their thoughts any longer. But how wild is this? They both died the night of the accident, and Troy gave them immortality. It is hard to fathom, but it is an absolute fact. There are only three humans left in our group of eight. Gabby, Paul, and I. Everyone else is an immortal and that is just outlandish. What in the world is going on in Brighton?
Sebastian has arranged for Ian and Eva to leave Brighton for a month on a holiday to Italy. They will stay at the house in Tuscany, and Geneva will help them get through their transformation to immortality. They were both quite shocked and pretty scared, but with Sebastian and Troy’s support, they reluctantly accepted their destiny. I guess we all accepted the fact that it was better to have them alive as immortals than not at all. Knowing that by this evening Ian and Eva’s limbs would completely healed and their severe bruises will disappear, Sebastian and Troy decided to help them avoid the difficulties in trying to explain such an incredible outcome to the family and friends that would be visiting them at home, and especially Eva’s mother.
The trip will be used as an excuse. They will tell Eva’s mother that they need to get away from the terrible memories and heal. At least the time away will provide a chance for them to reflect at the changes in their lives and to accept their incredible new bodies with the new extraordinary abilities.
Arielle put away the journal, and turning around, she saw Sebastian laying back, a wide smile spread across his beautiful face.
“What?” she asked amused.
“Are you ready for bed, baby?” Arielle chuckled. She switched the light off and sank into bed, right into his embrace. Their lips locked into a passionate kiss, and she closed her eyes. Arielle splayed her hand over his chest and laid her head on the crook of his shoulder. His arm encircled her and pulled her closer, just as he did each and every night. Soon he heard her soft breathing, and he smiled serenely. He nuzzled her hair and inhaled the sweet smell of freesia. He felt peaceful, tranquil, and happy. He reached with his free hand and pulled the covers over her, affectionately. He drifted off to sleep, a soft smile on his face.
Chapter 11
THE NEXT TWO WEEKS became a wonderful routine. Her mornings started very early, filled with excitement and potent emotions of exhilaration. Sebastian was her wake up call. His strong arms hauled her to him and held her tightly against his warm, exciting, muscular body. He would crash her lip beneath his in a passionate kiss, broadening and prolonging each and every moment with her in bed. They shared intensity, and desire until she could sense his heat, and she would stop breathing.
And then she would open her eyes to the most beautiful face on this earth. She loved to watch his lips curve irrepressibly, and his emerald eyes shimmer. Looking into those gorgeous eyes, she wanted to cry out to the world how much she loved him. Time would suspend and emotions would seize every single nerve of their bodies, while sensation wreathed their minds and souls. Pure pleasure was his specialty, and she reveled in it. He drove her to the highest point of awareness, until she exploded into shards of passion.
Later she would lay back and watch him kick the covers back, jump out of bed, and walk to the shower. What a sight!
They had a firm agreement that neither one of them would leave the bed in the morning without waking the other up. Their eyes were to gaze at each other’s face first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and they did stay true to that commitment. She would go back to sleep, and by the time she would wake up again, he would be gone. A fragrant freesia was left on the pillow and a short note “miss me” in his very delicate sixteenth century script.
He had spent a very long time away from the office because of his deep desire to be with Arielle. Even though he had Nathan to run the everyday problems, he had to get back and run his business. Troy had joined Sebastian’s team at IIRL, and they liked to leave early in the morning for the office.
Arielle spent a lot of time with Gabrielle at the hospital. Troy would stop by every day around noon faithfully and would sit with her for a while. Their love was heartwarming, and his devotion to Gabrielle was unbending. Many of their friends stopped by to cheer her up with happy news and let her know how badly she was missed. Paul and Loren came to visit several times, and she was always happy to see them, and so was Arielle.
Gabrielle was getting better every day, and Arielle could see that Gabby was looking forward to her visits. They spend a lot of affectionate and quality time together. Arielle was the one that talked most of the time, and she could see that her jokes and her stories were uplifting. She saw enjoyment spread across Gabby’s face; she guessed the healing power of humor was actually true. Her mission everyday was to use the opportunity to take Gabby’s mind away from her trauma and raise her spirit. She was sure that she was succeeding in doing exactly that.
Arielle understood that an overwhelming life experience triggers a frightening sense of security loss that is devastating, even if the event is perceived as unpredictable and uncontrollable. She felt agony that was piercing through her very soul, and it erupted inside her as full-blown fright.
It had been a few weeks since Ian and Eva left for Italy. They kept in touch, and she was very happy to hear that they were adapting to their new identities quite well. Arielle took advantage of Sebastian’s busy schedule to also spend some quality time with her parents. Her mother prepared some of her favorite lunches, and she enjoyed leisurely walks with her father once again, in the garden. She remembered vividly the feeling of walking next to her father as a little girl, holding his hand. She was tickled to death to find that the feeling was just as warm and just as splendid now that she was grown up. She could see a little moisture at the corner of her father’s eyes, and she was sure it was from just pure pleasure.
It was during one of those visits to her parents that her phone rang an
d she saw Eva’s name on the screen. She eagerly answered.
“Eva!” she exclaimed. “How are you? I missed you so much!”
“Hi, Arielle, I missed you, too. This place is paradise. I don’t think I want to come home,” she said, and laughed out loud. Arielle was incredibly pleased to hear Eva’s care free laughter.
“Well, tell me about you and Ian! I can’t wait to hear the details,” Arielle said, eagerly.
“I honestly don’t know where to start, but first let me say that Geneva is amazing!”
“She is that and more,” Arielle agreed. “You sound so happy!”
“Arielle, I’m very happy but a bit nervous as well. Sebastian’s suggestion to come to Italy was perfect. Geneva was very helpful. I’m not sure how would have coped with all these changes.”
Arielle could hear the anxieties under the nonchalant tone in Eva’s voice as she continued. “Geneva became the perfect link between our human and immortal lives. She is very supportive, just as Sebastian said she would be. She provided answers to every little question that came up following the completion of our transformation,” she said, apparently extremely astounded by Geneva’s abilities and piquing Arielle’s curiosity about details. Eva was silent for a long moment. Arielle didn’t really mind the quietness; it gave her time to come up with her next question.
“Can you tell me anything about your transformation? Or is that a secret?” Arielle asked curiously.
“I’m not sure that I can give you any details, because the actual transformation wasn’t anything transparent to either one of us. But I can tell you that our senses were on high alert, not knowing what to expect. At first, there was nothing unusual, but shortly before midnight I had the most extraordinary feeling that something was happening to my body, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.” Her voice was breaking up, but she drew a deep breath and continued. “I know that sounds weird, but when I looked over at Ian, he wore the same surprised expression on his face.”
Arielle Immortal Quickening (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 4) Page 10
