Arielle Immortal Quickening (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 4)

by Lilian Roberts

  “I’m very curious to know what this is all about,” she murmured and clutched the amulet. “Do you think I should call Eva back?”

  “It’s half past ten, and you have to get up early tomorrow. Do you think you want to do this tonight?” he said softly, bending down and pressing his lips on hers.

  “I’m not sure about anything right now,” she said plaintively. She pursed her lips and gazed in his beautiful eyes. He had a heartfelt grin on his face that spread warmth across her body. He was definitely her safety blanket, her private sanctuary. She stayed in his arms and closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

  “Don’t worry, baby,” he whispered. “Tomorrow we will go and talk with Olivia, and I’m sure we will get some answers.” He bent down and stole another kiss.

  “You will do that for me?” she asked brightly.

  “If I could, I would change the earth’s orbit for you,” he said with a chuckle, making her smile. He picked her up and turned toward the bedroom.

  “We are going to bed,” he said unyieldingly, while the light curving of his lips upward made her heart skip a beat. His mouth covered hers and locked them in a sizzling kiss. His eyes held her gaze, and she found him incredibly and gloriously irresistible.

  “Do you want to go to bed with me?” he purred against her lips, and she could almost hear his silent chuckle. His arms gathered her so close she couldn’t breathe. She hesitated, and he narrowed his eyes with amusement. He knows well enough that I’m not going to resist him, so why does he even bother to ask?

  “Maybe,” she said with amusement, and his gaze burned into her eyes. He beamed mischievously, and she found herself trying to catch her breath. His speed was supersonic; before she had a chance to blink, she was in bed, flat on her back, totally naked, locked in his steel embrace. She would never understand how he could transport himself and anyone in his arms with mind-blowing speed. Her human eyes could never follow that type of movement. Every time he did that it took her breath away. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would burst right out of her chest.

  “Mmmm…” he murmured and crushed her lips beneath his. Her body tightened in expectation, and passion enveloped them. She gave all she could give to please him, and he took her with hunger and unrestrained eagerness. They clung to each other as their bodies fused and ecstasy burned every fiber, every vein, leaving them completely spent. Sebastian groaned in pleasure. They stayed in each other’s arms, savoring the aftermath of a scorching encounter. It was much later when he lifted himself up, resting on his elbow and holding her gaze for a long moment—so long that she thought he forgot what he was going to say. She giggled and pulled him down for a kiss.

  “Do you know how much I love you?” he whispered. She felt his body moving against hers, spreading heat across her skin, and her breath hitched.

  “I think I do,” she murmured and reached for his lips one more time. After another wild round of lovemaking, he lay back, slid his hand around her, and gathered her close. She splayed her arm over his magnificent chest and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. She felt her body relaxing into sleep, completely enveloped in his embrace.

  She woke to the sun seeping through a small opening of the curtain. Her beautiful dream was asleep with his arms still wrapped around her. She closed her eyes, and she found herself grinning as the events of last night replayed in her mind. She felt him stirring, and her eyes snapped open to find him watching her with that sexy grin that always made her fall apart.

  “Good morning, baby,” he whispered sluggishly.

  “Mmm…good morning to you, too,” she murmured.

  “Arielle, you need to get ready for class,” he said softly, looking down at her.

  “Oh…are you saying you are not going to class with me?” she asked, gazing at his perfect face. He was breathtakingly beautiful.

  “No, baby, there is a very important board meeting this morning, and I’m a bit in a hurry. As head of the company, I can’t miss it. Troy must be present as well,” he said firmly. “I should be back around noon, or early afternoon,” he continued tipping his head back.

  “Hmm…” She frowned a little disappointed.

  “What is it?” he asked, his eyes never leaving hers.

  “What if I see Allworth?” He paused for a short moment looking down at her, his expression reassuring, unruffled.

  “Well—you don’t have a class with him today. There should be absolutely no reason for any interaction between you and him,” he said, raising a brow.

  “Isn’t there?” She said. She knew he was right, but she didn’t like it.

  “Okay then—” She pushed back the covers and sat up on the bed, running her fingers through her hair, pushing it away from her face. She was startled to find herself lifted in his arms swiftly, and deposited into the shower under the warm water. She dragged in a huge gasp, feeling that she had been moved by a tornado. A seductive shiver traveled down her spine as she gazed into his beautiful eyes. “However, I do have enough time for a shower,” he said, flashing a grin. He turned the water on and gathered her tightly in his arms.

  “Kiss me, baby,” he murmured, and leaning in, he brushed his lips across her ear. Her breathing picked up, and she gave in to the man that changed her life.

  She dressed slowly while he shaved in front of the mirror, whistling an old song. He was still holding a satisfied grin on his face. She beamed and turned to walk toward the kitchen.

  “Your jeans are awfully tight,” he called out. She halted in the hallway, quite surprised. Turning to face him, she searched his eyes.

  “What?” She glanced down at her jeans in wonder. She had put on the same jeans several times before. Why was he so bothered by the way she looked in them today? Eyes wide, she stared back at him.

  “What?” she repeated.

  He seemed to ignore her question. His next statement was even more confusing.

  “You show a lot of skin with that little shirt on,” he pressed on, looking quite amused. She was extremely surprised by his remarks, but she quickly recovered, and she realized that he was joshing her. She raised her brows arrogantly, by now completely unruffled by his teasing.

  “Well, you’ll not have to look at me, since you are not going to class today,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.

  “But I only want you to look like this when I’m with you,” he said, moving his hand up and down, pointing at her body with a smile.

  “Sebastian Gaulle! Jealous, are you? You—an incredible immortal man—who could have any woman on this earth, and you are jealous of a simple human?” She started to laugh out loud. Turning, she walked to the kitchen. He was in front of her before she reached the counter. He pulled her into his arms tightly and brushed his lips against hers. The yearning for his touch was a constant temptation. Sebastian comprised every little thing that makes a man perfect.

  “Arielle, I’m a very jealous man,” he murmured while his lips moved against hers. “I want to be the only man in your life.” He looked down at her again for a long moment and pulled her tighter in his arms.

  “You are joking, right?” she questioned in disbelief.

  “I never joke when it comes to you; I want you for my eyes only,” he said, and kissing the tip of her nose, he released her.

  “Then you’ll have to lock me up in this house,” she stated.

  “Don’t tempt me!” he replied, and turning around, he walked back to finish dressing, still whistling an old tune.

  “We are going to see Olivia this afternoon,” he called out. “I’ll call her on my way to the office and set it up.”

  “All right, I’ll meet you here,” she replied. She opened the fridge and took out a water bottle. She picked up her books, threw her mobile in her purse, and walked out to the garage.

  “Later,” she called out, shutting the door behind her. She threw her books and purse on the passenger seat and started to slide into the driver seat. He appeared out of nowhere, arms pulling
her back against him, scaring the bloody crap out of her once again.

  “Later won’t do it for me, baby.” His lips brushed against her ear. He pulled her out of the car, and turning her around, he gathered her against his muscular body. She looked up, and before she had a chance to say a word, he crushed her lips beneath his. “I’ll miss you,” he murmured through the kiss, and she giggled with delight.

  “I love you,” she whispered. He released her and held the door open for her to get in. He stood by the car while she pressed the ignition and leaning inside the window. He brushed his lips against hers. She smiled as she heard his velvety voice. “Miss me.” Suddenly, he was out of sight just as fast as he had appeared. She shook her head in disbelief at his ability to move the way he did. She pushed on the gas and laughed with pleasure; it was going to be a long day without him.

  Chapter 20

  IN THE CAR, she turned the radio up and hummed along to the music. The traffic was heavy, and the streets of Brighton were busy with pedestrians. Some were rushing with the sole purpose of reaching their daily destinations, and others were busy texting or talking on their mobile phones. They seemed to be oblivious to the people around them. She was fascinated by their ignorance of the danger while attempting to cross the road without checking for the upcoming cars. She flinched at each loud horn that blared out when a car barely missing people crossing the street with their phone glued to their ears.

  Reaching the end of the main highway, she took a left onto the road that led to the university grounds. The traffic was light, and she relaxed, as she kept her eyes on the road. She still had a bit of a drive to reach the student parking lot.

  Her mind whirled around the details of her last encounter with Allworth. She tried to process his words and his concerns, and she frowned. Why is he so determined to find out the source of the amulet? She had to admit that he did know a lot about its origin and its powers. Eva also told her that Allworth was a good soul and to not be afraid of him, but she still didn’t feel comfortable facing him, especially without Sebastian.

  She didn’t even like going to school without Sebastian. She chuckled at the thought. He had spoiled her, and she was already missing him desperately. The mental image of Sebastian’s flawless face filled her mind, and the music slowly faded away into the background. She shivered as heat coursed through her body, and her mouth went dry. This was the exact same reaction she had every time they were close to each other, and now when she simply thought about him. How crazy is this?

  There was nothing in this world that could feel more perfect, more complete than sharing her life with Sebastian. He had become the focal point of her existence. She couldn’t comprehend the void that enveloped her each and every time they were apart.

  She gasped out loud, hitting the break hard as she barely missed colliding with the car in front of her. She immediately came to a complete stop, shaking her head in disbelief. Her heart was beating fast, and her hands were sweating. Jeez! What in the world is wrong with me? Every time she thought of Sebastian she seemed to lose time and space. She had to stop thinking about him. She sure didn’t want to mess up this beautiful car, and she didn’t want to hurt herself. She laughed at the ranking of priorities; car first, hurt second. Good God, what in the world is happening to me? she thought again.

  The car was last year’s birthday present from Sebastian, and she treasured it, but it was more important that she arrived to class in one piece. She still couldn’t believe how her life had changed since the first moment she set eyes on Sebastian. She fell deeply and passionately in love with him. She knew that the same thing happened to Gabby. How in the world two simple human girls in Brighton could get drawn into this amazing everlasting world of two stunning immortals? She shook her head to clear the haze, and slowly she pushed on the gas, heading toward campus.

  She pulled into the parking lot and parked right next to Ian’s car. She had one class with both Eva and Gabby. She walked around the car and, opening the passage door, picked up her books and purse. She threw her purse over her shoulder and closed the door.

  She was now looking forward to seeing Eva, and discussing in detail the e-mail she had sent her yesterday. She wanted to hear all about Allworth and the strange girl at the mall.

  “Arielle!” The voice was loud and eager. She turned and searched the grounds for the source, but she didn’t see anyone. “Over here! Over here!” She turned the opposite way, and her gaze focused on her friend Robert, who was running toward her from the west side of the parking lot.

  “How are you?” he asked, a little out of breath, when he reached her. He was grinning.

  “Oh…fine,” she replied, quite happy to see him. “What’s up?” She kept her eyes on his.

  “I tried to call you yesterday afternoon, but you didn’t answer your phone,” he said.

  “Hmm… I know—I missed a few calls from Eva as well,” she said and pressed her lips together. “Sebastian and I took a walk on the beach.”

  “Ah! That sounds nice.”

  “Sorry that I missed your call. Did you need something?”

  “No—not really, I just wanted to tell you that some girl was looking for you yesterday afternoon,” he said, indifferently.

  “Really? Did she say who she was?” she asked, feigning interest.

  “No. However, I did ask, but she didn’t give me her name. She said she would be back today. She said she wanted to talk with you alone.”

  “What did she look like?” Arielle asked, and started to walk toward the engineering building with Robert at her heels.

  “Arielle, I would love for you to introduce me to that girl! She was absolutely perfect. She was so beautiful that I could hardly gather my thoughts. She reminded me a lot of Loren,” he said, and she could hear a soft chuckle in his voice. Arielle stopped dead on her tracks. Her eyes twitched slightly, and the smile faded off of her face. Terror took over every muscle in her body as bile climbed up her throat slowly. Only one name entered her thoughts, and it was making her nauseous.

  “Annabel!” she muttered, terrified.

  “Arielle, are you all right?” She heard Robert’s concerned voice. “Is there something wrong?” She looked directly at Robert, and he was watching her carefully.

  “No, no, I’m fine,” she said, and waved her hand dismissively. She thoughtfully looked at her watch. “Thanks, Robert. I need to get to class,” she murmured, fear creeping up her spine.

  “Okay then. I’ll see you later in the lab,” he said with a wave.

  She walked toward class, drowning in her thoughts. She had almost forgotten all about Annabel. Oh…My…God… that bloody bitch is back! Anxiety washed over her, closing her throat and making it hard to breathe. She felt her knees go weak, and she leaned against the building wall to support herself. She closed her eyes tightly, concentrating on inhaling and exhaling. Calm was beyond her reach, though. She was trembling at the thought of Annabel showing up.

  Trying to collect her thoughts, she rested for several minutes before mentally giving herself a shake. Even if Annabel was stalking her, she just needed to stay close to her immortal friends. She would need their support if the she-devil decided to show up.

  She walked into class just a minute before the door closed. She stood still for a short moment and looked around the auditorium, which was already full. Her initial thought was to get out of there and go back home.

  “Arielle! Up here!” The voice broke her thoughts, and looking up, she saw Gabby and her other friends gesturing for her to come to them. She didn’t hesitate; she smiled wide and dashed up the steps until she reached the top row.

  She took a deep breath and exhaled quietly, letting her body relax at the sight of Eva, Ian, and Loren. Three incredible immortals that always made her feel completely safe, and they were now enveloping her with the same comforting sensation. She squeezed by Ian and Eva, who had taken the seats by the aisle, and slid in the empty seat between Gabby and Loren. Paul leaned over and gave her a
warm smile. She was unable to hide the relief that was emanating from deep inside. She was happy to be sitting among her amazing friends.

  Eva leaned across and whispered, “We need to talk.”

  “Yes, I can’t wait,” Arielle murmured back.

  “What’s going on?” Gabby asked. Arielle knew that Loren and Paul were tuned to the conversation. She set her books in front of her, and her purse dropped on the floor with an inaudible thud.

  “Well?” Gabby insisted.

  “Oh… Eva and Ian ran into Professor Allworth yesterday at the mall,” she murmured dully. “And I want to hear all the details about that meeting.”

  Arielle wished Allworth was the only concern she had right now. In reality, she was really more worried about Annabel, who wanted to kill her. She was sickened by the thought.

  Professor Dewhurst was sitting behind his desk—which harbored piles of chemistry books in various editions--as he waited for everyone to find a seat. He finally stood and walked slowly to a position directly behind the podium. Silence fell in the auditorium, and he proceeded by taking roll call. He then opened the chemistry book in front of him and started reading in a firm voice. He appeared extremely pleased to have them all there to listen to his lecture.

  Dewhurst was an older man with silver hair and a very kind face. His class was not the most energetic one, and most of the students would completely disengage halfway through the lecture. However, he was a no-nonsense professor that expected nothing but perfection during finals. She was always very attentive; however, today several things bothered her, and she was not able to focus. She was relieved to hear Professor Dewhurst’s voice.

  “That’s all for today. Have a good day.” He snapped his book closed and walked back to take a seat behind his large desk. Within seconds, everyone stood up and started toward the exit. When outside, she walked away from the crowd, followed by her friends. She didn’t want to talk about Annabel in front of Paul. He was still completely unaware of the true identity of his immortal friends. The six of them walked toward the cafeteria when they heard Paul’s voice.