His hands seized hold of her arms. She jumped in surprise; her gaze flew wildly to his as he glared down at her. “You will not do that again,” he commanded.
Isabelle’s eyes widened at the commanding, hostile tone of his voice, and her ire immediately surged to the forefront. “I told you that I wouldn’t hurt her!” she yelled, unable to stop the jealousy tearing through her.
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he brought her to within an inch of his face. “And I told you that I don’t care about her. If you had lost control and hurt Jess, you never would have forgiven yourself, would you?”
Isabelle swallowed the tight lump in her throat. “No,” she whispered.
He put her back down, unable to touch her anymore without wanting to take it all, to taste it all. “Now,” he grated through his teeth. “We are going to get a few things straight between us. Jess means nothing to me, if you want her gone, then I’ll toss her out right now...”
“No!” she cried guilt and self loathing flowing through her.
Stefan’s eyes narrowed, but he forced himself not to argue with her. He was going to set the rules right now, and she was going to start obeying them. “Fine, she can stay if you want, but I think it will be a little awkward, because I plan on having you.”
Isabelle gaped at him; fury surged through her veins as she took a quick step back to make sure that she was out of his reach. Not like it would do her much good, he moved faster than anything she had ever seen. He could easily grab her again if he wanted to. “You arrogant bastard! How dare you!? If you even remotely think that just because you say you’re going to have me, you will, than you are dead wrong!” she spat, rage causing her entire body to tremble.
“No Isabelle, I am very right. You can fight it all you want, but it is the simple truth. You want me, I want you, and I will have you.”
She sputtered in disbelief, unable to believe the full extent of his arrogance. “Get out!” she nearly screamed. “Get out now!”
He grabbed hold of her arms, dragging her against him as she struggled wildly within his grasp. He held her for a moment, waiting for her to settle down. Her eyes flashed red with rage as she ceased her useless struggles and stood trembling within his grasp. She looked so amazingly beautiful, and tempting, that it took all the restraint he had not to kiss her again. But he knew that if he did, he would not be satisfied with just one kiss, and he wanted Jess effectively out of his life before he took Isabelle. He knew that she would feel guilty afterward if Jess wasn’t gone, and he didn’t want that.
He realized with a start, that for the first time in his existence, he was actually putting someone else’s feelings ahead of his own. He didn’t know how she had managed to get to him so much, nor did he particularly care. Right now, he just wanted to get his point across.
“You’re going to stop fighting me Isabelle, and yourself. It will be good between us, you’ll see.”
She gaped at him in astonishment as fear, and desire, seized hold of her. She should have been infuriated at his highhanded attitude, but suddenly all of her anger vanished and she couldn’t seem to regain it. She knew that it would be good between them, but she was so very afraid of just how good it would be. Of what it would mean. She didn’t want to think about it now, couldn’t think about it now. All she wanted was to be free of him for just a few moments.
“Go out through the storm doors,” she said softly.
“Are you going to stop fighting me?”
All of her frustration and anguish reached a boiling point. “Yes!” she cried in exasperation. “Now please go! If you don’t stop her, Ethan will have a nervous breakdown, he hates robots.”
Satisfaction gleamed in his black eyes as he smiled smugly. He dropped a quick kiss on her nose and set her on her feet. Isabelle instantly jumped back to put more distance between them. She had promised to stop fighting with him, she hadn’t promised to stay anywhere near him though. She kept her own smug satisfaction hidden from him as she met his gaze with an angry glare.
“Did you ever torture him with one of those?” he asked lightly.
“Go!” she yelled.
He grinned at her as he strolled by, tugging on a piece of her hair. She jumped further back, her eyes wild with anger as she glared at him. He turned away from her, smiling happily as he ascended the stairs and opened the door. “Oh, Isabelle!” he called back.
“What?” she snapped.
“Change your shirt before you come up.”
He laughed softly as her curses followed him out the door.
Somehow, even though she’d had to change her shirt (his mouth had left a wet mark right over her nipple), she still beat him up the stairs and into the kitchen. She shoved her way through Ethan and Aiden to the counter, and froze. Jess was walking back and forth in the kitchen, pouring batter into frying pans, and flipping them over. Isabelle’s eyes widened at the sight of the stack of pancakes filling the plates, overflowing the counters, and slipping onto the floor. In the short time that they had been gone, Jess had managed to make at least fifty or so pancakes.
“Wow,” she breathed as Jess flipped another pancake onto an already overflowing plate.
“What the hell happened?” Ethan demanded.
Isabelle snapped her mouth shut as she turned to look at him. He was the only one that wasn’t highly amused; everyone else was wearing grins as they watched the endless pancake assembly line. “I uh... well... I, oh I’ll explain later,” she finished lamely.
The front door banged open and Stefan came striding in. Although she still felt flustered from their encounter, and more than a little embarrassed, and angry, he looked cool, poised, and anything but effected by it. Isabelle scowled as she turned her gaze forcefully away from his, with a haughty tilt to her nose and chin. His arm brushed against her back as he passed her, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin as a bolt of desire pierced through her.
“What did you do to her?” Jack asked with a bright smile.
“I told her to make breakfast.”
Jack started to laugh. “For an army?”
Stefan cast him a grin as he moved around the counter toward where Jess was pouring more batter into a pan. “She probably thinks you’re growing boys.”
“She’d have us be exploding boys,” Ian replied.
Everyone but Isabelle, and Ethan, found this to be extremely hilarious. Stefan grabbed hold of Jess’s arms and turned her toward him. Jealousy suddenly exploded through her, causing bright lights of anger to burst before her eyes. She turned quickly away so she couldn’t see anymore. Heading out the door, she hurried toward her parent’s house.
CHAPTER 9
Isabelle somehow managed to avoid him for the next two days. She spent all of her time at her parent’s house, helping her mother plan Aiden’s going away party. She was irritable, snippy, tired, and achy from sleeping on the couch. Her mother questioned her bad mood, and why she was crashing on the couch, but Isabelle simply told her that she was too tired to go home at night. She knew her mother didn’t believe her for a second, but she let it slide and didn’t push Isabelle.
There were a few times that Isabelle almost poured her heart out about all of her frustrations about the infuriating man. But, she bit her tongue, and somehow managed not too. She was too frightened that her mother would confirm her worst fear, and that was the last thing that she wanted to have happen. So, she stayed silent, and miserable.
It didn’t help that she found herself constantly thinking about him throughout the day. Found her mind wandering to him, and what he was doing, and with whom. Although, she knew what he was doing, and who he was doing it with. The thought always caused a surge of jealously, and anger to spurt through her, which made her dislike him even more.
He had done this to her. If he had just stayed away she wouldn’t be unhappy, she wouldn’t be sleeping on a couch, and she sure as hell wouldn’t be having the awful dreams that she had every night. Well, the dreams weren’t awful, they were actuall
y kind of pleasant, but they caused her to wake up feeling edgy, and out of sorts, unfulfilled, and even madder at him, and the world for upsetting her life this way.
She simply didn’t know what to do anymore. She longed for the day that he left, and at the same time the idea of him leaving caused her to feel even more miserable, and irritable. It opened a pit of loss in her chest. A loss that she was sure would go away just as soon as he got out of her home, and out of her life. It was simple attraction; that was all. She would have felt it with other men, if she had only spent more time around them. Hell, there were probably even a few humans that she would feel attracted too if she gave them a chance.
She hadn’t liked anyone in high school because they had all been immature idiots. If she actually went out, and spent time with men, she was certain that she would find a few that she liked. Her brothers, and the stooges, were attracted to human women all the time, and it never meant anything. Vicky and Abby had an endless parade of admirers that they were always going out with. What she was feeling for Stefan meant nothing; she could find someone else she felt the same way about. At least that’s what she told herself during the day, over and over again, but at night, her mind, and her body, betrayed her. She hated both of them for it.
“Isabelle, will you bring out the lemonade?”
She glanced up as her mother came strolling into the kitchen, blinking in surprise as she was torn from her morose thoughts. She glanced down at the spoon in her hand, and the big jug of lemonade she had been stirring for... ah hell, she didn’t know how long she had been stirring it for. She tossed the spoon angrily aside. It was his fault that she couldn’t concentrate either.
“Yeah,” she muttered.
Her mother glanced up at her, her violet blue eyes dark as she studied her. “Are you ready to tell me what’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong.”
Her mother raised a delicate eyebrow but refrained from saying anything more. Her eyes took on the distant look they got whenever she was communicating with her father. Isabelle almost sighed in disgust. What she used to find wonderful, and reassuring, now made her feel even edgier and out of sorts.
“Well, come on,” her mom said, grabbing a plate of hamburger patties.
Isabelle grabbed the lemonade and followed her mother into the bright sunlight. She blinked rapidly against its rays, waiting until her eyes adjusted before moving down the stairs, and out to the large back yard. A volleyball net had been set up, horse shoes were already clanking loudly, and the smell of human food hung heavy in the air. Aiden had invited some of his friends from school, who had brought their girlfriends. There were now eleven humans in their midst’s, including Kathleen, Jess, and Delia. There were more here now than there ever had had been before, but Stefan had assured her mother that he could handle them all.
That only aggravated Isabelle even more. Her mother and father truly liked him, Aiden was ecstatic because of it, and everyone else was happy that they weren’t going to have to go out to feed. They had made him into the hero of the day. Isabelle scowled as she slid the pitcher of lemonade onto one of the long tables that had been set out. Potato chips, Doritos, cheesy puffs, hamburgers, buns, hot dogs, chicken, soda’s, alcohol bottles, plates, and cups covered them. Isabelle’s stomach turned at the sight of all the food. Human food.
She turned quickly away from the table. She honestly didn’t know what the matter with her was. Human food had never bothered her before, now it suddenly made her nauseous. She decided that was his fault too. If she wasn’t feeling so awful, and grouchy, and if she could just get one decent night of sleep, than it wouldn’t be bothering her at all.
Her eyes quickly scanned the people gathered around. Kathleen, Delia, Jess, Abby, and Vicky were sitting in lawn chairs, sunglasses on as they absorbed the sun, and watched the people around them. Aiden and his friends were tossing shoes, laughing happily. Ethan, Ian, Stefan, her father, and the stooges were standing by the keg, filling their cups. Her gaze lingered on Stefan, her pulse instantly picked up at the sight of him.
He was wearing a tight black T-shirt that showed off his amazing biceps and forearms, and clung to the muscles of his broad, hard chest. His jeans were snug, emphasizing the narrowness of his waist, while clinging to his hard, muscular thighs. To her utter horror, and dismay, she felt the familiar tense anticipation she had been experiencing in her dreams, seize hold of her.
“He is good looking,” her mother said softly.
Isabelle groaned inwardly, she had been staring at him, and of course her mother would notice. She turned her gaze away from him as she scowled. “He’s an ass,” she replied angrily.
“He seems very nice to me. Just look at what he’s done for Aiden today.”
“You don’t know him very well. He is an arrogant, insensitive ass!”
Her mother’s eyes twinkled merrily as she looked at the group by the keg. “Maybe, but so are your brothers, your father, and the stooges.”
“No one is as bad as him,” she grated, her nerves close to snapping.
“So, you like him then?”
Isabelle grit her jaw as her frustration simmered to a boiling point. “I can’t stand him!” she hissed.
Her mother smiled softly as she patted her arm lightly. Isabelle stood seething, feeling like a child. She hated it. She turned away from her mother, scowling angrily, as she moved swiftly over to the empty chair near Vicky and Abby. She didn’t want to be near Jess, but she didn’t know where else to go. She couldn’t hide in the house all day. It would only draw more questions that she couldn’t answer, and more suspicion. Plus, she didn’t want to let him know how much he had gotten to her. However, she was sure that he already knew, and that he was reveling in the fact, secretly laughing at her.
The thought brought a fresh surge of anger forward as she propped her feet up and laid back. “Hey Issy,” Abby greeted.
“Hmm,” she mumbled by way of greeting.
“Aiden’s friends are really cute,” Vicky gushed. “I especially like the redhead; do you think I should go talk to him?”
Isabelle looked at the redhead playing horse shoes. His girlfriend, a small, petite brunette was hanging on his arm. “I don’t think his girlfriend would like that.”
“Oh, who cares about her?”
Isabelle ground her teeth as she closed her eyes. Why couldn’t she be more like her sisters? They liked every boy that crossed their paths. They flirted outrageously with them, kissed them, and threw themselves at them. Isabelle had never even been kissed before the ass had walked into her life, nor had she ever wanted to be. Damn she hated him.
“We haven’t seen much of you lately.”
Isabelle chose to ignore the hostility in Jess’s tone. In fact, she chose to ignore her completely. “Isabelle’s been helping mom,” Abby answered for her.
Isabelle didn’t speak at all for a long time. The day passed slowly in a torrent of games that Isabelle steadfastly avoided. It wasn’t until late afternoon, when her mother and father reappeared, that her father announced the one thing that she had been dreading all day. “Time for football.”
Abby and Vicky groaned; Jess paused in the middle of applying her suntan lotion, while Delia frowned thoughtfully. Her mom was smiling happily as she slid into the chair next to Kathleen. “You two are unbelievable,” Kathleen said to her. “It’s like you’re still in college.”
“Yep,” her mom said brightly.
“Isabelle, come on!” Ethan yelled.
Isabelle closed her eyes, she didn’t want to play, she didn’t want to go anywhere near that game, and Stefan. “Come on Isabelle.”
She opened her eyes to look up at Aiden. He was grinning down at her, his hand stretched out. “I don’t want to.”
He blinked at her in surprise; shock momentarily crossed his face before he grinned brightly at her again. “You have to play, it’s my last game.”
Isabelle frowned at him as she shook her head. “You’ll be back.”
&n
bsp; “But it won’t be the same, come on Isabelle, you love playing, and I want you too.”
She couldn’t refuse the pleading look in his eyes, and the fake pout on his face. She sighed wearily and slipped her hand into his. He hauled her to her feet. She followed him slowly out to where everyone had gathered in the middle of the backyard. Mike and David were always the team captains, and the assigned teams they usually played with had already taken their positions. Jack, Ethan, and Julian stood by Mike, and she walked over to join them. David, her father, Ian, Aiden, and Doug stood opposite them, smiling smugly as David picked Stefan for his side. Mike immediately picked Kyle, who was being allowed to play for the first time. The remaining four humans were divided between them.
She walked to her side of the field, feeling stiff, and wooden. Their football games could get rough and rowdy, her brother’s had no problem with slamming her into the ground, and neither did the stooges. That’s why she loved to play, but now...
Isabelle was chewing nervously on her bottom lip as she glanced quickly over at Stefan. Would he tackle her? Would he touch her? She found herself shuddering with dread, and anticipation, at the thought. She listened half heartedly while Mike outlined their first play. The ball was coming to her, which she wasn’t at all surprised by. Mike was hoping that Aiden’s friends wouldn’t want to tackle her.
They lined up, and her eyes instantly darted to Stefan. He was standing next to her father, and across from Ethan. She sighed in relief as she realized that he wouldn’t be anywhere near her. She turned her attention back to Aiden, who walked over to stand before her, grinning happily. Isabelle forced herself to smile back.
“My friends refuse to tackle you,” he said happily.
“Your friends wouldn’t be able to catch me,” she retorted.
“Hey!” one of them protested.
Isabelle glanced quickly at his friend before turning her attention back to Aiden. His eyes darkened with worry as he stared at her. All of their special abilities were called off for their games because the stooges, and her father, were stronger than her brothers, and her. Even without them though, Isabelle was the fastest. She didn’t have the physical strength of the others, but if she broke away, none of them could catch her. Her team loved her for it, while David’s team hated it. They usually flipped a coin to decide who would have to cover her. Aiden had obviously lost, and he didn’t look happy about it.
Destined (Vampire Awakenings) Page 12
