“Why?” she insisted, stubbornly.
He seemed to be losing his patience. He pursed his lips and finally he said. “This amulet can cause you harm if you are not the rightful owner.”
She let out a gasp of outrage. “I am the rightful owner. It’s a family heirloom that has been passed down for generations.”
“I don’t believe a word of that,” he said firmly.
“Well, you can believe what you will, but it is mine.” Getting to her feet, she turned and started to leave the room.
“Arielle!” his voice was tight.
She stopped and turned to look at him. Professor Allworth went quiet for a moment watching her carefully. “Please don’t leave. Whether you believe it or not, I’m trying to help you.”
“How so?” she asked boldly.
She was sure that Sebastian was able to hear their conversation, so she tried to remain calm.
“Can you at least tell me something about it, anything at all?” he said.
“Why?” she countered again, trying to keep her voice from quivering.
“I can’t understand why you are afraid of me,” he said quietly holding her gaze. “If this is a family heirloom and you know all about it, then you must know that I can’t hurt you.”
Her mouth dropped and anxiety swept over her just as she became aware that he knew much more than he was saying. He also seemed to be completely aware that Sebastian was right outside the door. The truth is that I don’t know anything about this amulet except that it keeps me safe from immortals trying to kill me.
“So you do know that I can’t hurt you right?”
“Yes, I know,” she replied faintly, trying to say as little as possible.
“Good. Unfortunately, Arielle, I don’t believe that this amulet belongs to your family.” His voice was serious but nonthreatening. “I know all about this amulet,” he said and pointed to her neckline.
Arielle took a step back. “What do you know?” she asked guardedly.
“I know the names of all the rightful owners. The Lloyd family is not one of them, but surely you already know that. Don’t you?” Professor Allworth said, eyebrows raised.
“Yes, I did,” she said quietly, pursing her lips. “But how do you know the powers of the amulet?”
Allworth raised his eyebrow again with a slightly amused smile. “I know more that you think I do,” he said. “But if I tell you what I know about it, will you tell me where you got it from?”
Arielle shifted from one foot to the other. After several quiet minutes, she answered. “Yes, I will.”
“Well,” he said, “The amulet is a scarab, and it means ‘he who is coming into being’. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the scarab beetle was associated with the Egyptian God Khepri. Khepri was the symbol of rebirth. It was Khepri that pushed the sun across the sky. Each day the sun disappeared, always to rise again, and be reborn the following day. The amulets were often buried with the dead, so they can be reborn in the afterlife.”
Speechless, she tried to process the information. After several long moments passed, he prompted, “Okay, shoot.”
Arielle blinked at his words. She tried to gather her thoughts, but it was so much to take in at once.
“Arielle, you must be aware,” he paused and took a deep breath, “that there are people who would go to extreme lengths to return the amulet to its rightful owner. Do you understand that? Do you understand that your life might be in danger, for that reason alone?”
There was a stunned silence, and she swallowed hard. “Yes, I’m aware,” she said thoughtfully. She couldn’t help noticing that he was waiting for something. But she wasn’t ready to say anything more.
“So you’re not going to tell me are you?” he said.
“No, I’m sorry sir, but I can’t.” She thanked him, and walked slowly toward the exit.
“Arielle,” he called out once again. She stopped, but she didn’t look back.
“I don’t know how it fell into your possession, but you must return it to the owner.” This time she did turned to look at him, and he was looking more seriously than ever before.
“Professor, I—” She started to say, and she immediately stopped. How can she tell him the truth without divulging Sebastian’s identity? She couldn’t do that.
“It’s mine,” she said boldly and walked out. Sebastian, Troy and Gabby were waiting outside patiently.
“What in bloody hell was all that about?” Gabby asked exchanging uncomfortable looks with Sebastian, Troy and Arielle. Before she could open her mouth to respond, she heard the door open behind them, and she caught sight of Professor Allworth coming out of the auditorium. He was clenching a book with his left hand and carrying a black briefcase with the other.
“Good day!” he said giving them a quick glance. He paused for a second and turning he rested his eyes on Arielle. “Arielle, I want you to think seriously about our conversation,” he said authoritatively.
“Yes—Yes—I will—” She muttered and bit her lip. Colt Allworth walked a few feet away before he spoke again.
“Indeed, you will,” he muttered and kept walking until he disappeared around the corner at the end of the building.
“Well!” She said looking up at Sebastian. “How extraordinary was that!” She was completely mesmerized by the professor’s knowledge about the amulet. She cleared her throat, and started to tell Gabby the details of her interaction with the professor. She knew that Troy and Sebastian were eavesdropping, and they heard clearly every word that was said in that auditorium.
Just as she started to speak Sebastian interjected softly, “Professor Allworth seemed to be familiar with the infinite depths of the amulet’s origin. Why is he so obsessed about the rightful owner?” he said densely. He put his arm around her and pulled her toward the parking lot with Troy and Gabby at their heels. She gazed up at him and he looked deeply impressed by the discussion between her and Allworth.
“Well!” She heard Gabby’s voice breaking the silence that had descended among the four of them. They all turned to look at her and she had a baffled impression painted across her face.
“What?” Arielle asked peering in her eyes. Gabby reached over and grabbed Arielle’s arm.
“You can’t tell him about the amulet’s true origin without opening a can of worms,” she said anxiously. Her eyes were darting between Sebastian and Troy.
“Don’t worry, Gabby, I’m not going to discuss immortality with Allworth,” she said giving her a reassuring smile.
“Okay,” she whispered. She threw her arms around Troy and pressed her lips to his with eagerness and warmth. Sebastian and Arielle chuckled softly at her reaction. They walked together until they arrived to their cars.
The sun was already dipping behind the horizon, painting the sky bright orange when they arrived at home; they decided to take a long walk on the beach. She picked up a jacket on her way out the back door and kept close to Sebastian’s body heat. A gentle gust of fresh air brushed her face making her smile. The view of the sky was absolutely beautiful, highlighted by the colors of a gorgeous sunset. They climbed down the long walkway until they reached the soft sand and dunked their toes in it, leaving their shoes at the bottom of the wooden steps.
Sebastian wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, leaning in to steal a kiss. They walked for a long time, content being with each other in total quiet. The silence was broken only by the sound of the waves lapping on the coastline. She was lost in her own thoughts when suddenly she heard Sebastian clearing his throat significantly. She looked up at him and reached to meet his enticing lips in a scorching kiss. He moaned with pleasure and pulled her tighter against his muscular body. He broke the kiss first, chuckling.
“Can we talk a little about Professor Allworth?” he asked with a smile.
She reached up and pulled him back into the kiss, and he gave in. She could feel the hot, piercing power of his emerald eyes, and she went numb. Sebastian broke the kiss. Pulling h
er down, they sat beside each other on the warm sand. She felt a floating sensation as she wiped every bad thought away, leaving nothing but Sebastian’s presence next to her. She bent her legs and wrapped her arms around her knees, laying her head down, completely relaxed.
The tenderness of the moment was broken apart by an instant alert of a vivid image. Professor Allworth’s face appeared, and she shivered. Frowning, she gasped out loud, and immediately, Sebastian pulled her in his arms and held her tightly, reminding her of his infinite love.
“What’s the matter, baby?”
“I had a sudden vision of Professor Allworth,” she murmured, quivering at the thought.
“Hmm…you do realize that we have to talk about this sooner or later,” he murmured.
“I would rather not, but I do understand we have to discuss this,” she said with clenched teeth.
“I’m sure he knows a lot more than what he said,” Sebastian murmured, face expressionless.
“Hmm—I wish we wouldn’t talk about this tonight. I just wanted to be with you,” she murmured. She was bothered by Colt Allworth’s interruption of their tender moment. He bent down and pressed his lips against hers. Her lips moved fervently beneath his, but he pulled back and she heard a faint chuckle.
“We are going to be together for centuries to come,” he added, and this time he laughed out loud. “Is that not going to be long enough for you?” he was watching her with a wide smile spread across his face. She shook her head in frustration, knowing that time with Sebastian was treasurable.
“Limitless time with you will not be adequate for me,” she said rebelliously.
“Thank you, baby,” he whispered. “I feel the same way.” Silence fell between them.
“But all this aside, we do need to discuss Colt Allworth,” he stated in a firm voice breaking the quiet moment.
“We need to investigate his sources. How does he know that your family isn’t the rightful owner of the amulet?” Sebastian looked perplexed. Anxiety started to climb, closing her throat, making it hard to breath. The seconds lengthened, and she sat there staring at his beautiful face, waiting for something more. She needed some kind of reaction, something that would lessen her unease. Sebastian tightened his hold on her and leaned in to hold them in a blistering kiss. Heat spread quickly through her body, making her skin tingle with excitement, thrusting away every distasteful thought and fear that was looming over her. His is my sanctuary, she thought to herself, and she felt deep adoration for this amazing person that loved her.
“Let’s go home,” he said softly. “We’ve got a bit of a walk back to the house,” he laughed, and they started walking back.
“Are you hungry?” he asked concerned.
“Yes, but I’ll make me a sandwich when we get home,” she replied.
“I think it’s absolutely incredible that you don’t need any food for your nourishment,” she said. She couldn’t even fathom the thought; suddenly she couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He laughed with her and leaning in he stole another kiss.
“Mmm…” he murmured squeezing her softly. “You taste delicious. I’m getting awfully hungry!” he said, and let out an insinuating chuckle. She leaned closer to his body. His fingers slid under her shirt, exploring eagerly, and she shivered with excitement. She couldn’t get enough of Sebastian. His sensuous lips curved to an exciting smile, and his perfect body was inviting. She was sure that bedtime would erase every worrisome thought, leaving time only for the rapture that only he could provide for her.
Chapter 19
BY THE TIME THEY REACHED the house, she was starving. She hadn’t had anything to eat since early that morning. The sandwich at the cafeteria had been awful. Sebastian walked to the fridge, poured a glass of salve, and took a seat at the kitchen table. He held a sweet smile on his face and proceeded to watch her prepare her dinner.
Slicing a couple of pieces of bread from the fresh loaf she had purchased yesterday, she toasted it and spread mayonnaise on both sides. She put three pieces of ham on one slice of the bread, a piece of cheese, two slices of tomato, and topped it with another slice of bread. She picked it up and sank her teeth into the thick sandwich with extreme enthusiasm. She chewed and swallowed, letting out small sounds of gratification. She heard Sebastian laughing, but she ignored him knowing he was being humorous.
Holding her sandwich tightly in her left hand, like a priceless piece of jewelry, she opened the fridge and poured a glass of milk with her right hand. She took a large gulp and walked back to the table, setting down the sandwich and the glass. She wiped her fingers on the paper towel and walked to the study, bringing back her laptop and setting it on the table.
She looked at Sebastian, and she saw an inquisitive look in his eyes. She took a seat next to him and proceeded to finish her sandwich, drain her milk, and turn the computer on.
Sebastian stilled and his amazing green eyes showed utter dismay at the quick disappearance of the sandwich.
“It must’ve been really good,” he said with a short laughter. She just smiled without replying. As soon as the power came on, the computer pinged to show that she had new emails. The screen prompted her to input her password, so she slid her hands over the keyboard and typed “Sebastian.”
“My name is your password?” he asked humorously.
“You’re my everything,” she replied, sending him a dazzling smile.
“Ahh! An e-mail from Eva,” she called out in clear pleasure. She opened the e-mail, and her eyes fell on the first paragraph. “Crap!” Immediately she jumped up and rushed to the kitchen counter, retrieving her mobile phone.
“What is it, baby?” Sebastian asked.
“Eva has been trying to contact me. She said it’s important that I call her.” She turned to look at him inquisitively. “Ugh! She’s not answering.” Her eyes wandered around the room, trying to think of what could be so important. “I just saw Eva at school today. What could have happened between then and now?” She pursed her lips.
“Well…did she leave a voice message on your mobile?” Sebastian’s voice broke the silence.
“No, no, no messages, just ten calls one after the other,” she whispered, running her hand over her hair, a little confused.
“What did she say in the e-mail?” Sebastian asked again.
“Oh—the e-mail! I forgot the e-mail!” she muttered and ran back to the computer. Her eyes moved down the page, leaving her astonished.
“I don’t believe it!” She looked up and met Sebastian’s eyes. She was completely dumbfounded. Sebastian used his immortal speed to move. She never saw him leave his seat, but he was standing right next to her, leaning over her shoulder. She felt his lips pressing softly against her cheek while his arms embraced her warmly. He reached out and pressed the up arrow on the computer to move the page to the top and proceeded in reading the e-mail from the beginning.
“Arielle,
Ian and I went to the mall right after class. We were looking for a couple of things for the house. I can almost hear your laughter! I know you are wondering why in bloody hell we even bother going shopping. Why don’t we just manifest what we need? Well… believe it or not, both Ian and I are trying to keep our lives a little bit normal, if you can call it that. At least we are making an effort.
It was on our way back to the car that we ran, and I mean literally ran, into Professor Allworth. We were looking back at a group of kids fighting in the parking lot, and when we turned around, we came face-to-face with Allworth and the young woman hanging off of his arm. Pretty snugly if you know what I mean…
Allworth said hello in a dignified voice. We excused ourselves awkwardly, but I was directly in front of the girl. It was hard to miss her exposed neckline. Our faces were only a few centimeters apart. Ian and I were completely astounded at the sight of her necklace. A beautiful antique chain held an amulet identical to the one you own. We lapsed into a stunned silence; how could that be possible? I think Ian and I stood there for what seemed to be for
ever, completely speechless, staring at this incredibly rare amulet.
The professor looked annoyed and a bit nervous, and I mean undeniably nervous. He immediately asked if he could help us with something. I got the feeling that he knew we were staring at the amulet, but he wasn’t aware that we knew anything about its history. I’m sure that his reaction had a lot to do with the fact that he saw us all sitting together at the pavilion.
His eyes traveled from us to the amulet. I’ve got a very strange, uncomfortable feeling about this, but I wasn’t going to say a thing. We couldn’t let him know that we were aware of how powerful and mystical the amulet was. It took us a moment to regain our thoughts, and I used the excuse that we thought her necklace was absolutely gorgeous.
He totally avoided looking at us. He looked at the girl, and she beamed excitedly. He ended up dismissing us.
Arielle, the shock of finding that this girl had the same amulet as you has worn off slightly now. The fact that there are deep secrets hidden behind this whole thing has started to sink in. I can feel it deep in my bones.
Maybe Sebastian can talk with his mother and find out if there are more of these amulets out there and who are the owners.
I am sure we’ll get to the bottom of this. Colt Allworth intrigues me. I now understand why he was so interested in your amulet and its true owner. I tried to call you but you didn’t pick up. Call me when you get back. I love you,
Eva…
When they finished reading, she felt the heat rise in her face, and she could have given easily to the wave of nausea that rose. Stillness fell again, but this time it was stillness so appalling, so bitter you could almost taste it. She turned around and met his gaze.
“What does that mean?”
He opened his mouth to say something, but he decided to remain silent for a few minutes.
“C’est impossible!” he finally muttered with a faraway look in his eyes. He pulled her up and held her tightly against his body.
Arielle Immortal Quickening (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 4) Page 18
