“I think I’m fine,” she said, trying to smile.
“Hang in there, Arielle. They said you’re going to be fine and we are so glad to hear that. Gabrielle will be here shortly; she just stopped in to see Eva. You girls certainly gave us a scare.” He stood next to her bed, pressing her hand and smiling reassuringly.
He turned to Sebastian. They talked quietly for a few seconds. Arielle could see Troy’s face changing as he shook his head, and he too pinched the tip of his nose. Arielle recognized the immortal sign of extreme stress. Finally, he gave her a soft smile and with a short wave he walked out of the room. Sebastian still looked upset and worried, but he didn’t say anything. He tried to wipe the frustration off his face, but he wasn’t very successful. He just kept pacing back and forth across the room.
“Eva used a spell and called for you to find us,” Arielle said, trying to get his attention. “I was hoping she would connect with you in time.”
He turned to look at her. He had stopped pacing and his gaze was filled with apprehension.
“What is it?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”
He walked back to her bedside and sat at the end of the bed. “We were riding when I got this incredible feeling that you needed my help. It was a feeling like I had never had before. Something guided me back to the house, down to the room where you were.”
“That’s extraordinary,” Arielle said. She shook her head, and added, “I missed you, Sebastian, and I thought I would never see you again.”
His lips pressed into a hard line and she caught a glimpse of fury that flashed across his eyes, but it was gone just as fast as it came. He closed his eyes and stood still for a long moment. When he opened them again, his lips curved into the beautiful smile that he knew she loved so much.
“Kiss me,” she said. Her voice caressed the core of his soul. He leaned over her, cupped her chin in one hand, and his mouth came down on hers with passion. She felt a mixture of desire, passion, fury, and frustration in that kiss. Pulling slightly back, he searched her face. “I love you, Arielle. I’m sorry,” he whispered.
She waved off his apology. “You have nothing to be sorry about. It’s my fault that I didn’t listen to you. This was a sobering experience for me.”
Sebastian was clearly upset as he tried hard to stay focused. He pinched the tip of his nose again and closed his eyes for a few seconds.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Nothing, really, I was just thinking about what you said.”
“We should have been more careful about where we went. Next time I will know better,” she said.
He shot out of his chair as if he was on fire. “Next time!” he exclaimed, eyes wide open, jaw set in a hard line.
“Yes, next time I’ll be more careful,” she replied a bit defiantly.
Sebastian sank down onto the chair and put his head in his hands. “There isn’t going to be a next time,” he said blankly, without looking at her.
“But…” she started to protest, utterly startled. Sebastian moved faster than lighting, swooped down and took her mouth in a long kiss, preventing her from further protesting against his decision. Arielle struggled to breathe, and she finally gave up.
When Sebastian came up for air, he gazed into her eyes and said firmly, “Let’s wait till we all get home and we’ll talk about this a bit more. We’re leaving in a couple of days for home and everything should go back to normal.”
She promised herself that she would stay quiet, but his statement struck a chord. “What do you mean, go back to normal? If this is our home shouldn’t this be as normal as anywhere else?”
Sebastian nodded in agreement. “You’re right about that. But as you found out yourself, there have to be some changes before it’s safe again.”
“What are you trying to say?” Arielle asked.
“Please calm down,” he said softly. “We’ll talk about it when we’re back home. I’ll feel much better about that.” He rose to his feet and walking to the window he looked out.
In the silence that followed, Arielle thought about those last moments in the small room and shuddered. She stayed quiet, but she was not happy at all. Sebastian seemed lost in his own thoughts. She needed him to hold her, not to argue with her. She wanted to hear his voice assuring her that she was safe, and that he loved her. None of this was happening, and she was getting more anxious by the minute. What is he thinking about? Why didn’t he feel that their house was a “normal” place for them to be? Vague, dark, upsetting thoughts flooded her mind.
The nurse chose that moment to make her rounds and walked in smiling, until she got closer to Arielle. “What’s wrong, dear, are you in pain?”
Arielle shook her head, hoping the nurse wouldn’t say anything more. But she did.
“Why are you crying? Do you need something?”
“No, thank you,” Arielle whispered.
“You need to take this,” she said, giving her a small glass of water and a little cup holding a sleeping pill. She swallowed the pill as the nurse fluffed her pillows, straightened the covers over her, and smiled sweetly. “All right, dear, if you need me, just ring the bell. The doctor said you’re going home tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” Arielle said again, quietly.
The nurse was barely out of the room before Sebastian darted to her side and stood over her, looking into her eyes anxiously. “Why are you crying, Arielle?”
“I’m crying because you are ignoring me. Have I done something to upset you?”
His arms pushed under her body, encircling her. He brought his face close to hers. He pulled her closer and kissed her tenderly. Heat emanated from his touch. “Arielle, I’m worried. I’m worried to death that I’ve put you in so much danger, and I’m not sure what to do about it. I’m trying to think of ways I can protect you, and I don’t seem to be able to do that. My being with you is what keeps you in danger, but I couldn’t fathom being away from you, not even for a moment. I love you more than life,” he said, his voice filled with sadness.
“Well, if you’re worried about me, then you had better stay where you are and keep loving me. Because there’s nothing else that I’ll accept as a solution, unless you want to see me destroyed.” Her mouth was hungry for him after their time apart, and their kiss turned scorching and intense. He moaned softly as his mouth devoured hers, and his grip became tighter.
“Isn’t this better?” he asked with a soft sigh.
“Yes it is,” she whispered, completely out of breath.
“That whole bizarre experience was the scariest thing I’ve been through in my life,” she said. She kissed him again, and then fell into a blissful sleep.
The next morning, Arielle and Eva were released from the hospital with a clean bill of health, and they were on their way home, grateful for the early release. They had one more day of warmth and sunshine to enjoy. “Then it’s back to Brighton, to that dreary, wet, unfriendly weather,” Arielle said, chuckling at the thought.
It was a Friday morning. The six of them were in high spirits and Gabrielle was trying to entertain everyone as she usually did with her funny stories. God knew she had plenty of those. They were all laughing happily and carrying on. Sebastian seemed happy too, and didn’t show the stress that he had revealed in the hospital when he heard about Annabel’s latest attempt to harm Arielle.
Arielle looked at Eva, who smiled back at her, nodding her head to let Arielle know everything was okay.
Troy was happily listening to Gabrielle tell stories about her exciting summer holidays in Italy and the fascinating rider that had captured her dreams. He was beaming, excitement lighting his face, knowing that he was Gabrielle’s dream rider. Her dream come true! Sebastian held Arielle’s hand, as he always did. She looked at his beautiful face and he looked back at her with his amazing smile, a glint in his eyes. I love him so much, she thought blissfully.
Arielle stared out the window and remembered how she had thought she might not ever see him again. She
shivered. He gave her hand a quick squeeze, making her look at him. He didn’t seem to miss a thing when it came to her feelings. She smiled, letting him know that all was fine again.
Chapter 10
THE HOUSE WAS AS MAGNIFICENT as ever. There was no sign that anything unusual had taken place during the last three days. Arielle’s body trembled as they stepped into the foyer, but Sebastian was there to make sure she knew it was safe. Arielle and Eva exchanged a look of concern, but Ian was there too, holding Eva safely by his side, giving her the feeling of security she needed.
Alone in their room, Sebastian watched Arielle’s face closely. She was breathtaking, she was his, and she was safe. He pulled her close and sought her lips with his. The kiss was soft and tender at first, but in a millisecond it changed. He angled his head to get better access to her mouth and the kiss deepened to something beyond desire.
Fire shot through her veins and it felt like a million butterflies were flickering inside her stomach, while her mind reeled with anticipation.
“What are you thinking, baby?” he murmured, his voice sexy, suggestive.
“Nothing,” she answered truthfully, attempting to gather her wits. She leaned into him and he could feel her panting breath against his face. He inhaled sharply, and she heard his low chuckle. Frowning, she cleared her throat, and her voice came out all quivery. “What’s so funny?”
“You… just you—my beautiful girl,” he replied and drew her to him, crushing her lips beneath his. She held her breath and stifled a groan.
Slowly, he pulled back from the kiss and smiled. “What is it that you want to argue about now?” he asked, his voice husky.
“I want to go back to that room with you,” she said. “I want to get over the fear that is consuming my thoughts.”
Pulling back from the kiss, he turned and walked towards the bathroom, taking his shirt off. “Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes. I also want to show you a room that was around the corner on that same landing. It looks like someone is living there.”
He stopped mid step and spun around, a startled look on his face. His body was rigid. A silent oath escaped his lips.
“What is it?” she asked, but he seemed lost in thought again. “Sebastian, what’s wrong?”
“There should be no one occupying any part of that wing in this house. It has been empty for centuries now.”
“Well, I don’t think you’re right, but let’s go and see.”
“Are you sure you want to do this right now?” he asked. He looked at her with concern.
“Yes,” she said firmly. He put his shirt back on and, bursting with curiosity, he put his arm around her waist, holding her close against his side. They walked down the hall together, taking the same route she and Eva had taken a few days earlier.
She could feel the dampness in her bones and smell the thickness in the air. She began trembling as they took the turn onto the familiar landing. Sebastian tightened his hold on her as she stopped for a few minutes, gathering strength and courage. He watched her carefully and waited patiently. Finally, they began to go down the steps together, slowly. Arielle’s legs were shaking as Sebastian held her steady.
When they got to the bottom of the steps, he opened the door and turned the light on. Arielle smiled at how easy it was for him to find the switch, remembering how much difficulty she and Eva had had.
She saw that they were in a storage room, full of antiques, nothing more. Anyone stuck in there for a long time would have been sure to run out of air and die. The thought made her quiver again, and her breathing became uneven. “Are you ready to leave?” he asked gently.
“Yes,” she said. She walked up the stairs again, glad that her ordeal was over. At the top of the landing she turned to the left, and taking Sebastian’s hand, she showed him the door that had amazed her the other day. The door was locked and she was surprised to find that the key wasn’t on the top of the doorframe where she had left it. That’s so strange, she thought.
“What’s so strange?”
She pressed her lips together when she realized she had said the words out loud. “We put the key back on the top of the doorframe when we left,” she said, pointing to the top of the door, “but it’s not there now.”
“That is strange,” he agreed as he took a key from his pocket and put it in the lock.
“You have the key to this room?”
“I have a master key that opens every door in this house.” He walked in ahead of her and turned the light on. The room did look lived in. Sebastian looked both worried and surprised. Arielle walked over to the armoire and pulled the doors wide open.
“What do you think about this?” she said and waved her hand at the vast amount of dresses hanging inside. His head jerked back, shocked, and his mind went numb. He approached the armoire slowly with his jaw set in a hard line.
“What the devil?”
Arielle thought his question an excellent one. But “what in bloody hell?” would have been an even better question. It was clear that something strange was going on in the room. Arielle looked back at the clothes. Reaching into the closet, she shuffled through them.
“Some of these look like they have never been worn.”
“I was sure this wing of the house was closed,” Sebastian said.
“Sebastian, it’s perfectly clear what’s going on. There is ample ventilation. And there’s not a speck of dust anywhere. It doesn’t feel damp, or smell musty in here. Call me crazy, but I would say someone is living in here.”
“I don’t know what to think,” he said. He was quiet for a while, as if totally absorbed in his thoughts.
I’d give anything to be able to read his mind, Arielle thought. He was clearly distressed.
The lack of any sound in the room became like a vacant canvas on which their silent thoughts and unspoken suspicions could be painted.
Finally, Sebastian flipped his phone open and pushed a button. “Troy, can you please come and meet me at the place we found Eva and Arielle the other day? I need your help.”
“Why do you need Troy?” Arielle asked when he had hung up. He didn’t answer, but reached over and pulled a large valise out from behind the armoire. Across the top of the trunk the words, “Giovanna Degorali 1584 Florence,” were engraved.
Sebastian examined the valise for a long time. Finally he said, “This valise came from Italy. It’s very expensive. It has to have belonged to someone of very great wealth. I think Troy might be familiar with the name. He comes from an influential Italian family. We need to find out who we are dealing with and why she is here.”
Arielle was taken aback. Her body shivered with fright, and her lips trembled. What is Annabel up to now? she thought. This whole thing seemed to have her signature all over it. Now she was the one who was lost in her thoughts, panic taking over once again.
“I am going to have to take that necklace off when you are with me,” Sebastian said. “I can’t stand the fact that I don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“I was thinking that Annabel has something to do with whomever is living here.”
“I have to agree with you there. But we still need to know who it is.”
In an instant, Arielle went from panicky and bewildered to frantically alert. It seemed like it took forever, but Arielle knew it was only a short time before Troy came walking in, looking at them questioningly.
“What’s up?”
“Come and take a look at this valise, Troy. Do you recognize the name? It’s from Florence, and the name is clearly Italian. From the clothes in this armoire I would say she is a lady of extreme importance.”
Troy picked up the valise and looked at the name on the top. Arielle saw his body quiver. As he looked at them, his eyes were full of concern. “Where did you find this?”
“Right there in the corner,” Sebastian said, pointing next to the armoire. “Eva and Arielle found the room the other day before the incident. Arielle wanted me to see it. She thought som
eone might be living here, and I have come to the same conclusion.”
“What in the world would someone like her be doing here?” Troy asked. His voice was very serious.
“What do you know about her?” Sebastian asked. “We need to know who we are dealing with.”
Troy sat down on the edge of the bed and started talking in a low voice. His eyes were focused on something far away. He took a deep breath and told them the story.
“Vittorio Degorali, Giovanna’s father, had arranged for her to marry Carlo Valeri in 1564. Vitorio Degorali was a very powerful and devout Catholic, a leader of the church, which at the time was more powerful than the government. Carlo was involved in the political arena and his sole mission was to abolish immortals from the face of this earth.” Troy paused for a moment and then continued. “I remember the stories about her falling in love with an immortal, Sergio Conture. Carlo would make her father lock her away to keep her from going out. She watched her father and her husband with horror as they hunted down immortals, kept them locked in prisons without any salve, making them weak, and then beheaded them in public places. Giovanna told her father that he could never stop her from loving Sergio, and in an outrage, her father took her life.
“Sergio found Giovanna as she was taking her last breath and made her an immortal. She in return, out of absolute hatred, killed her father, her husband, and several other members of their circle. Sergio fell out of love with her and left her a few years later, moving to another continent. She started to socialize with other influential immortal women who were living alone. All they wanted to do was travel and hold orgies with various men. They made friends with artists—painters, sculptors, poets, and philosophers, some human, some immortals. They were all involved in one way or another with the reform movement in Italy to get rid of the leaders and the laws against immortals. These women were in charge of the most important, most intellectual circles. They had a strong influence and a direct effect on all the publications that were issued by the artists in their group. They were not the kind of people that anyone would like to have as a friend. They were hateful and evil. There have been many rumors about Giovanna and the vast number of lovers she took. The rumor had it that once she tired of them, they were tortured and they disappeared from the face of the earth.”
Arielle Immortal Passion (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 3) Page 11
