Illusion

by Alexandra Anthony

  “Kan inte få nog av dig. Din hud, din beröring. Jag vill äta upp dig levande, “ he muttered softly. The muscles in his neck and shoulders were tight as he claimed me, his hips hammering into me, his pubic bone rubbing against my clit, causing me to cry out with his every thrust.

  Moaning loudly, I felt my climax begin to build. “Don’t stop. I’m so close….”

  “Oh for fuck's sake. Do the two of you ever stop fucking? There are dents in the drywall in the hallway and it looks like your closet exploded in the apartment.”

  Stifling a scream, I looked over Stefan’s shoulder to see Lukas standing in the doorway of our bedroom. He looked bored as he examined his nails and then glanced in our direction. Stefan was still buried inside of me and I hastily tried to cover my nakedness with my hands.

  Stefan shifted so he covered my body with his. “Lukas. If we do not answer the door, there is a reason. Unless you suddenly feel the urge to watch, leave us.” He threw Lukas a scowl over his shoulder.

  “Uh, thanks but no thanks. Nigel was next door. He wants to speak to both of you. He said he’d come back later.” Lukas wrinkled his nose in distaste, lowering his head and looking at the floor in submission.

  “I do not care who was here to see either of us. Leave.”

  Lukas scurried from the room. Stefan released my legs and wrapped them around his waist, sighing in frustration. His voice was deep and gravelly when he finally spoke, and his eyes were still dark with need. “I still want you.”

  Tightening my legs around him, I pulled him to me. “I still want you.”

  Grinning lazily, his hips began to move, much slower than before. His forearms rested on each side of my head and his mouth closed over mine, pressing open mouthed kisses against my lips.

  “Att vara inuti dig är sublime. Du är mitt hjärta, min själ. Min enda kärlek.” His thoughts drifted into my mind. I couldn’t understand him, but it didn’t matter. Just the sound of his heavily accented voice caused desire to course through my body and I cried out in completion, tumbling over the edge of ecstasy. Stefan plunged faster inside of me until I felt him swell and pulse, bellowing as he came inside of me.

  His big body curved protectively, commandingly around me. Our eyes met, and when I gazed into his eyes, I could see the future so clearly. This beautiful man, this immortal vampire was my other half, the missing puzzle piece that finally completed me.

  Reading my thoughts, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine. “Ah, now you finally understand.”

  * * *

  I lounged on the couch, trying to concentrate on reading a book while nursing a cup of coffee. Stefan sat with my feet in his lap as he scanned his e-mails on his iPhone, occasionally sighing or tightening his lips in aggravation as he would read and then quickly type out a response. It was just another moment that made me realize how truly lucky I was. His golden hair gleamed in the sunlight, his pale skin almost appearing dewy. He was dressed only in tight, faded jeans and was shirtless and barefoot. He felt my eyes on him and he smiled, not looking up from his phone.

  “You’re beautiful, you know that?” I asked, wiggling my feet on his lap.

  “What is it you say to me?” He looked up and tapped a finger on his chin. “Ah, you are biased.”

  Snorting softly, I nudged him with my foot. He resumed tapping away on his phone for a few minutes until he suddenly stopped, glancing up from his phone and raising an eyebrow. “Nigel is here.”

  Seconds later a knock sounded on the door. Tossing my book on the ottoman, I jumped up to answer it. Nigel stood on the other side, looking embarrassed. If a vampire could blush, he would be. He averted his hazel eyes to look at something over my left shoulder to avoid my gaze.

  “Come in, Nigel.” I fully opened the door to let him enter. He nodded and entered, standing silently with his hands clasped. I pushed the door closed and leaned against it for a moment. Suddenly I was a bundle of nerves as I anticipated what information he had about my mother.

  I watched his obvious discomfort grow when he saw Stefan reclining on the sofa, his long legs stretched out in front of him, his ankles crossed casually.

  “Come sit with me, vackra.” He patted his lap with his large hands in an enticing invitation.

  I crossed the room to rejoin him on the couch, curling up in his lap and resting my head against his shoulder. Stefan’s finger ran up languidly up and down my spine, causing me to shiver and settle closer against him.

  “Nigel.” Stefan greeted him with a slight nod of his head.

  “Stefan. Josephine. I apologize for the earlier interruption. Your progeny assured me you were only sleeping.”

  Stefan waved his hand in dismissal. “Lukas is impetuous and makes it his mission to annoy me, and in extension Josephine. It is one of his gifts.” He motioned towards the chair across from him. “Please sit. You have information for Josephine about her birth mother, yes?”

  Nigel nodded and ran a hand through his tousled, shoulder length brown hair. “Before I go any further, I need your assurance that this information will not leave this room.”

  Stefan glanced down at me, giving me a knowing look. “He is risking everything coming to us with this information.”

  I gave him a swift nod. In other words, Nigel would meet the final death if Kian found out he spilled the beans.

  “Consider our lips sealed,” Stefan assured him.

  Nigel took a deep, unnecessary breath. His heavy Australian accent was hypnotizing to listen to. “I met your mother 40 years ago. She was barely 16 and was newly married to your father. I was captivated by her gentleness and beauty. I admired her from afar.”

  “What was her name?” I questioned, my voice coming out as a high-pitched squeak.

  His face went blank as he lost himself further in his memories. “Her name was Armes. She had long brown hair that hung in waves. Her eyes were the deepest blue I’d ever seen. She was very much in love with Kian then…”

  Stefan’s fingers twitched against my back as he interrupted Nigel. “Armes. Prophetess in Welsh. Did she have any abilities?”

  “Yes. She could see the future and read minds.”

  Gasping, I covered my mouth with my hand. No wonder Kian had watched me from afar for so many years. I had the same ability as my mother and would be a valuable asset to him. Stefan patted my leg and gestured for Nigel to continue.

  “Kian coveted her abilities. It only took 10 years for Armes to tire of him and his manipulations and games. He flaunted others in front of her,” Nigel swallowed, his Adams’s apple bobbing in his throat. “One day she came to me and I will admit that didn’t refuse her advances. I loved her and had been in love her for many years. We made plans to disappear and she confronted Kian. I never saw her again after that day.”

  You could have heard a pin drop in the room. I didn’t breathe until Nigel began talking again.

  “Kian informed all of the Council that Armes had left him and abandoned her family. You were just a baby, Josephine. He thought it best if you were raised by a human family. He claimed he wanted you to have a chance at a normal life.”

  “Where do you think my mother is, Nigel?” I whispered hoarsely.

  “I do not know. I continue to look for her. I hold on to the hope that she’s alive and content, even if that happiness comes from a man other than me.”

  “Do you truly think she left Kian on her own and disappeared?” Stefan questioned.

  “At first, I was in shock. I didn’t want to believe she’d leave without saying goodbye. Now I’m unsure, Stefan.” Nigel folded his hands in his lap. “She may have wanted to leave the world of vampires behind. I could understand why she would.”

  “Do you know anything else about her?” I was desperate for information. I wanted to know everything I could find out about her.

  “Nothing else that will be helpful at this junction. I wish I could tell you more.” Nigel stood up and made his way to the door. He turned and looked back at us, a wistful
look on his face.

  “I meant what I said the other day. Your mother was almost as beautiful as you.” He looked at the floor before looking at us both. “Cherish every moment you have with her, Stefan. Take nothing for granted.”

  Inclining his head, he slipped out the door, pulling it closed quietly behind him. I sat unmoving on Stefan’s lap, focusing on his fingers running up and down my back.

  “What do you think, Stefan?”

  He sighed heavily. “Are you sure you want to know what I am thinking?”

  “Of course. You know more about this vampire stuff than I do.”

  “I think your father is much more dangerous than I originally thought. We must be on our guard at all times. He will view you as a valuable tool in his arsenal.” Stefan’s face hardened as he spoke. “Do not meet him alone. Ever.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  Stefan wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against the coolness of his hard chest. “We go about our lives as normal. We are heading back to Indonesia in two days to prepare to come back here to live. I can better keep my eye on what he is planning if I am closer to the Council members.”

  I had unwittingly dragged him deeper into the ‘vampire bullshit’ he despised so much. How much more was it going to take until he said enough was enough and left?

  “I will never leave you, Josephine. These are minor details, remember?” I pulled back slightly and observed his face. I could see his mind moving quickly, making calculations and playing out scenarios in his mind. He was planning strategy, engaging in a complicated game of mental Chess. I wouldn’t want to be a pawn in a game that he played.

  He toyed with the necklace he had given me for a moment before meeting my eyes. A roguish smile softened his face. “You would never be a pawn. You would be my Queen.”

  “Sweet talker. Don’t try to seduce me with your sexy talk.” I slapped at his chest playfully.

  “I speak only the truth.” He kissed me softly before gently moving me off of his lap. “I need to talk to Lukas.”

  He stalked across the room and pulled open the door, the muscles in his back stretching as he moved.

  “Stefan?” I mentally called to him.

  He turned to face me with one hand on the door, his face filled with curiosity as he stared back at me.

  “Thank you. For keeping me safe. For loving me. For risking your life.”

  A grin broke over his devastingly handsome face. “Ah, I would do anything for you, vackra. I will be back in a bit.”

  He waggled his eyebrows and shut the door behind him. I fell back against the couch, covering my face with my hands as my mind tried to absorb all of the information I’d learned.

  Things just became extremely serious and potentially dangerous.

  Chapter 4 - There’s a Time to Run

  With our time ticking down in New York before we started our journey back to Bali, I found myself in a melancholy sort of mood. As much as I loved the green lushness of Indonesia, I’d seen another side of Stefan here in New York. He seemed more alive and relaxed since we’d been here. Maybe it was the anonymity of the city, the ability to fade into the obscurity of a crowd of people. As I pictured him swaggering through my thoughts, I inwardly laughed. Stefan always stood out; his inhuman beauty and grace always drew attention to him wherever we went. It was hard to ignore the longing stares and feel the lust that followed him, as normal and natural as breathing.

  Stefan had left early in the morning to attend to errands and business issues. With my mind still reeling from Nigel’s confession and his information from my mother, I’d wandered out to peruse the numerous art galleries within walking distance of our apartment.

  I was standing in front of a painting, admiring the abstract shapes and bright splashes of color. Shades of red and blue tangled together and it was fascinating. Lost in the patterns, I jumped as a voice pulled me out of my musings.

  “It is a beautiful painting.”

  I froze in place and my throat went dry. Kian. My father stood beside me and Stefan’s words rang out in my head like an alarm bell. Do not meet him alone. Ever.

  Keeping my eyes locked on the painting, I shoved my hands into the back pockets of my jeans. “Yes it is.”

  Walking to the next painting, I did my best to hide my growing discomfort. Kian strolled behind me and stopped at my side again. He brushed the arms of his expensive, Italian suit and adjusted his tie before slightly rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

  I was quickly losing my patience at the way he was following along behind me, like we were a happy little family and this was a fun little outing. “Is there something you want from me, Kian?

  “I’m just a father that is attempting to get to know his only daughter, my dear.”

  Right. Grimacing, I clenched my teeth together. “I think you gave up that right a long time ago.”

  “As I said before, I had no choice. I could not raise an infant in a house filled with vampires. I was abandoned and devastated when your mother left,” Kian said. He attempted to arrange his features into a look of sorrow, yet it was obvious there was no real emotion behind his expression. It made his words sound even more hollow to me.

  Internally rolling my eyes, I had to bite my tongue. This little story he spun sounded rehearsed and contrived. I think he enjoyed the romanticism of being the martyr in his warped version of the truth. Turning to face him, I crinkled my nose in disgust. “I know you mean well but I can’t do this with you. I can’t pretend to care about you when I don’t have it in me to do it. If you knew anything about me at all you’d understand.”

  He reached out to stroke my arm. “Give it time, Josephine. You will come to love me.”

  Laughing bitterly, I shook my head. “You just don’t get it, do you? There is no gray area with me. I either like you or I don’t. I may have to tolerate you because of who and what you are, but that’s all it will ever be. You’ll never be my father, Kian. The only father I knew died four years ago.”

  I watched as anger crept across his face, only to morph into a more tranquil expression. “You wound me with your words. You have not given me the opportunity to prove to you that I care.”

  “Kian, I don’t want you to prove anything to me. I want to be happy, to know that someone puts me ahead of an agenda. I need someone to love me, not for who I am and not for what I can do,” I said passionately, realizing I had just described how Stefan felt about me. Despite standing in the gallery with my father, a warm feeling of love settled over my chest, enveloping me like a blanket.

  Kian only clasped his hands behind his back. He seemed to notice my change in moods and he studied my face intently. “You are thinking about Stefan. He treats you this way?”

  Smiling softly, I reached to absently rub the necklace he had given me. “I don’t tell him enough, but yes. He loves me more that I can ever explain to you. And I love him more than I ever thought possible. If I had to, I’d kill to protect him.”

  I meant every word I said. If it came down to keeping Stefan safe or losing him, there wasn’t much I wouldn’t do.

  His vivid green eyes widened. “Those are strong words.”

  Shrugging, I tossed my reddish-blond waves over my shoulder. “I guess they are. But if you’ve ever truly loved someone, that’s how you feel.”

  Zipping my leather jacket, I crossed my arms under my chest. “Goodbye, Kian. I’m going to ask you nicely to not follow me again.”

  I turned on my heel and started to walk away from him when I felt his hand on my elbow, pulling me back to him. My eyes dropped to his hand before looking up to meet his unyielding stare.

  “Little girl, you have no idea how to function in the world you are now part of. There are rules, ways in which you behave. You will not disrespect me.”

  “Disrespect you? I don’t even like you. Whose fault is it that I know nothing about what I am? I found out less than a week ago I’m not even fully human,” I hissed. “Now take your fucking han
ds off of me.”

  His hand flinched away like I burned him, his mouth twisting into a sneer. He leaned so close that I could feel his cold breath on my face. “You are so much like your mother. Willful and determined. Those two traits will either save you or destroy you.”

  Thoughts of my mother drifted through my mind. She’d stood up to him, but at what cost? “Is that a threat, Kian? If I don’t bow down to you, what are you going to do? Threaten me?” I questioned. Turning my head slightly to the side, I appraised him with contempt. “You seem to be the type. Smooth on the outside, covering up the ugly inside. If you can’t control me, what happens next?”

  Kian glanced around the gallery uneasily, smoothing his hand over his neatly styled bright copper hair. “I think you have me all wrong, my dear. Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot.”

  It was almost comical to watch him back pedal, seeing his obvious regret that he had shown the side of him that he tried to keep hidden away. He was scrambling, trying to salvage what was left of our relationship and his crumbling façade.

  “Wrong answer. I think I have you figured out, Kian. You’re a megalomaniac that just revealed how truly disturbed you are. I’m finished with this conversation, Kian.” I backed away from him, my heels clicking on the concrete floor of the gallery. When I pushed through the gallery doors, I walked calmly to the end of the block before breaking into a sprint, running two city blocks in my high-heeled boots. When I saw our apartment building I almost cried in relief. The doorman opened the door for me and I rushed past him, hurrying for the elevator while pulling out my cell phone. Quickly dialing the number, I didn’t offer any greeting, just a breathless request.