Arielle Immortal Resolve (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 8)

by Lilian Roberts

  “I hate you, Annabel, I’ve never been yours and I’d rather die, so let’s end this right here, right now.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked smugly as she walked back toward the chair.

  “I’m going to kill you, Annabel; I want you out of my life for good.” He hoped his expression painted a clear picture of determination.

  “Sebastian…let me bring up a few things that you might’ve overlooked.” She was still smiling. “You came here alone with no weapons, and I know that you already saw the men in the next room, who are awaiting my signal to take you down. I know that you’re strong, but one against four? How are you planning on killing me?” She seemed to be enjoying herself.

  “I don’t need weapons, Annabel, you know that, I’m a lot stronger that you and a better fighter, too.” Sebastian shot toward her, catching Annabel off guard. He grabbed her by the throat and threw her across the room. She crashed against the far wall face first and buckled to the ground where she remained unmoving for several seconds. She finally regained her strength and stood slowly, a startled look on her bloody face. She shook her head, leaning against the wall for a moment. Sebastian was now fully alert; he knew she wouldn’t give up that easy. He was still pondering her next move when she launched into the air and threw herself against him with so much force that they crashed to the hard floor with a loud thud and skidded across the room until the wall stopped them.

  Annabel jumped to her feet and tried to run, but Sebastian was much faster. He reached up and grabbed the back of her jacket with one hand, making a hard fist with the other. Annabel span around to free her arms from her jacket and Sebastian’s fist landed right between her eyes, sending her flying across the room to crash on the ground in a daze.

  Sebastian crossed the room in a slow stride and looked down on Annabel’s bloody face with satisfaction. He bent down, picked her up by the throat, and steadied her upright in front of him long enough to land another punch to her face that sent her crashing into the far wall with a loud bang. The sound of crushing bones was loud when Annabel’s body came in contact with the wall, giving Sebastian pleasure. She let out a growl and crumpled to the floor.

  Sebastian turned his attention to the door and stilled, listening carefully, his body tensed, but he didn’t hear any footsteps and the door remained closed. Annabel stirred and moaned across the room; Sebastian turned to look at her. She was trying to shake off the confusion and clear her dazed head. She coughed and spat the blood that was dripping from her mouth onto the floor. She moaned again as she raised her hands slowly and touched her bloody face. She cursed with clenched teeth and, bringing her hands down, stared at the blood. She stood slowly, leaning against the wall and steadied herself. Sebastian knew she was going to heal extremely fast so he had to take advantage of her confusion and keep her in a state of haze.

  He closed the distance between them watching her with fury in his heart and punched her one more time in the pit of her stomach. Blood gushed out of her nose and mouth and she crumpled to the ground with a snarl. She tried to grip his arm but he jerked free.

  “I hate you, Annabel, more than you'll ever know.” Sebastian’s voice was full of venom. Annabel lifted her eyes to his.

  “There's a thin line between love and hate, Sebastian, and that’s exactly where you stand with me, right on that line.” Her voice was barely audible, her face bruised, reflecting shock and repulsion and she closed her eyes, grinding her teeth.

  “I want you out of my life,” he whispered, voice full of revolt.

  Annabel opened her eyes and stared at him in defiance, her voice scarcely audible. “I still love you,” she sighed, grimacing.

  Sebastian shoved her down one more time and walked over to sit on the chair, watching her intently and waiting to hear from Troy. He turned his head away from Annabel and closed his eyes, hoping to have this over with in a short time.

  He was lost in his thoughts gazing at his feet when he was startled by a noise. He tried to keep the shock off his face when he saw Annabel leap toward the door and he reacted instantly. He practically ejected himself from the chair and dashed after her, catching her wrist and yanking her back. She swayed wildly back and forth and as her body turned toward Sebastian he lifted his free hand and slugged her between the eyes over and over again, dropping her to the floor, as she let out a blood-curdling scream. She was now a bloody mess and moaned in sheer agony.

  “I want you to be looking at me when I kill you,” he growled.

  The next few minutes were a complete frenzy that drove a cold chill up Sebastian’s spine. He felt the barrel of a gun pressing painfully into his back and several strong arms pulling him off of Annabel, throwing him face down on the ground. Sebastian broke from the restraint, spun around and hit the man with the gun hard, sending him flying against the opposite wall. The gun flew out of the man’s hand, slid across the floor and landed in the corner on the opposite side of the room.

  Sebastian took a quick scan and realized that he was in a lot of trouble. He was facing two more of Annabel’s friends, or hired thugs, who were large, hard-muscled immortals. Soon Annabel and the third guy would be healed and back on their feet. He watched the anticipation cross their faces and knew they were ready to tear him apart. He pressed his lips together and hurled himself toward them, and in that millisecond he saw a balled fist coming fast toward him. He dodged the blow and taking careful aim, landed a rapid kick to the guy’s midsection, sending him cursing to the ground.

  Three down, one to go. From the corner of his eye he caught the flash of a blade swinging very close to his body. He spun and struck upward, throwing another vicious blow to the last guy, but not before the blade sliced through his shirt and into his chest. Sebastian gritted his teeth as his muscles clenched painfully and that was the last thing he remembered before a heavy object whacked him hard on the back of the head and he crumpled unconscious to the floor.

  ***

  Annabel was still a bloody mess, but completely aware of her surroundings. Her face flaunted a strange mixture of emotions, victory and defeat simultaneously. Two of the three men dragged Sebastian’s unconscious body across the floor and propped him upright against the wall. They stretched his arms and legs apart and secured his wrists and ankles with wide metal hooks that’d been drilled deep into the concrete wall. Sebastian was extremely strong but there would be absolutely no way to bust free unless he took the whole wall down. The hooks had been drilled twenty feet deep into the concrete. This was their world and they had complete knowledge of their extraordinary gifts.

  “Paolo, get off the floor.” Annabel’s voice rang harsh in the quiet of the room.

  Paolo flinched, shook his head and gave her a dry smile. He gathered himself and stumbled to his feet. He shook his head again and stiffened when his eyes fell on Sebastian’s unconscious body. He sprinted to his gun on the other side of the room and headed toward Sebastian, seeking revenge. Annabel was remarkably fast despite her wounds; she hurled herself forward, grabbed Paolo’s arm and pulled it back just before he thrashed Sebastian’s head. Paolo spun in sheer astonishment to face Annabel with eyebrows raised. A cold warning flashed at him from her eyes.

  “What?” he asked, trying to hold back his rage.

  “Don’t you dare touch him!” she screamed. “He’s mine and I’ll deal with him my way.” Annabel glared at him to be sure he understood and he immediately backed off. She then turned and looked at Sebastian’s bloody, limp body for a moment. Venom filled her eyes and averting her gaze to her goons she growled, “Get out!”

  They instantly turned and walked out, shutting the door behind them. Annabel approached Sebastian’s unconscious body with a wild look in her eyes and ran her fingers across his lips.

  “Don’t go anywhere pretty boy, I’ll be right back.” She turned and walked out, closing the door behind her.

  ***

  Sebastian opened his eyes sluggishly and his gaze swept the room carefully. He shut his eyes again, think
ing that he was hallucinating, overwhelmed with mixed emotions his mind couldn’t separate out individually. His thoughts were muddled and exhaustion grasped him like a vise. He tried hard to remember and his immortal intuition told him that he was in some kind of trouble, but nothing tangible. His mouth was dry, his face tight and an unease crept over him. Shearing pain spread across his skin like waves of fire, burning every single muscle and ripping every fiber in his body. He trusted his insight to search through unknown paths in his mind and find the conscious awareness in his head that would clear his thoughts.

  He opened his eyes again and suddenly the smell of dust, mildew, and blood drifted up his nostrils, setting his nerves on edge. He remembered immediately where he was and tried to move, astonished when he realized he was shackled to the wall. He tried to pull away to no avail. He looked over and noticed the thick metal staples that were driven into the concrete and cursed aloud in rage. Sebastian licked his dry lips and stared for what seemed to be eternity at the dry blood covering the front of his shirt. He tried to remember how he got hurt but was unable to recall.

  The room was empty and his mind swirled wildly wondering, Where’s Annabel? And where’s Troy? He shook his head in anger and ran his tongue over his dried lips once again.

  He was startled when his mobile vibrated in his pocket, but he had no way of answering. He cursed aloud, pulling hard at the shackles trying to get loose. He closed his eyes, despondent. His mind filled with dread. If he could cry he'd be crying right now, because he’d failed her again. If anything, he’d succeeded in loosing Arielle forever. He let out a deep sigh and slumped back against the wall.

  He was startled to hear the door flung open. Annabel stepped in then let it slam shut behind her. He hoped his expression was a blank. He could see disaster racing toward him, but he wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction to gloat.

  “Darling…I’m happy to see that you’re still here,” she chuckled. Her disgusting laughter drove a dagger in his heart.

  “Did you miss me?” she asked with clear gratification, as she closed the distance between them. Their faces were now only millimeters apart. Sebastian could see that she’d healed and had changed her bloody clothes.

  “You…are…now…completely…mine,” she said, pleasure accentuating each word.

  “I’ll never be yours, Annabel, my heart belongs to someone else,” he replied with clenched teeth.

  “I don’t care about your heart, Sebastian,” she said. She laughed again as she moved even closer, a seductive look in her eyes. She cupped his face in her hands, making him gaze in her eyes.

  “I’ve always loved you, Sebastian,” she whispered. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his with pure hunger. Sebastian felt nausea settling in the pit of his stomach. He closed his eyes and remained completely still. Her touch didn’t sear him; it just engulfed him with unbelievable fury. It didn’t stimulate him; it triggered a suffocating feeling that was choking him, making it difficult to breathe.

  “I hate you, Annabel,” he snarled in a ragged voice. “You're the most ghastly woman I’ve ever met.”

  Where's Troy? He should be here by now.

  “I am going to have you one way, or another, Sebastian, so try to enjoy yourself.” She laughed again, reveling in her dominance over him. “You’ve been my life’s long desire and I finally have you where I want you.”

  Her voice was making him sick; he closed his eyes, trying to endure. She leaned against him, pressing him against the wall, laughing with amusement. Sebastian tried to pull away but the shackles wouldn’t budge. She lifted her hand and brushed her fingers over his lips and down his cheek, moaning with desire.

  “What does this miserable, breakable human have, that I don’t,” she asked. Her eyes searched his face for an answer and, leaning in, her lips brushed his ear.

  Sebastian recoiled, and lifting his head glared at her with repugnance. “Arielle is everything you’re not. She’s perfect,” he said, his words choked with passion.

  Rage flashed in Annabel’s eyes. Jealousy shot across her face. “You’re never going to see her again!” she shrieked. Her jaw stiffened, her eyes filled with anger. She pulled out a knife, grabbed his jacket and shredded it, laughing wildly. Next she gripped his shirt and tore it wide open, sending the buttons tumbling in every direction. She ran her hands over the planes of his chest, moaning, her eyes slit in passion.

  The contact sent a repulsive jolt through his body. He sucked in a deep breath and looked in her eyes with pure loathing. “Listen Annabel and listen to me very carefully,” Sebastian hissed, clenching his teeth.

  “You can do whatever you want with me, because I don’t care. My heart and my love will always belong to Arielle. She’s my life, the girl who gave meaning to my miserable existence. You, on the other hand, will always be the most despicable nightmare I’ve ever come across during my 600 years on this earth. I despise you with every single fiber in my body and in case you didn’t hear me before, your touch…makes my skin…crawl,” he emphasized his last words.

  Her next move left Sebastian speechless, but he quickly regained his composure. She pulled out a dagger, her eyes wild. She lifted the blade and held it close to his face. If she was trying to evoke terror, she failed miserably. Sebastian was calm. He wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of his fear.

  She ripped his shirt completely away from his body and threw it to the floor. Her eyes roved over his muscular body. “Mmmm…” she snarled, “let’s see if I can make your skin crawl with this touch.”

  In a lightning move, she slashed his bare chest with the blade. Sebastian moaned in agony as blood oozed out of the deep gash. Annabel laughed manically and raised the blade one more time, coming down harder this time, slicing his chest even deeper. Sebastian let out a low growl of anguish, as he felt his body crumpling, unable to stand. His arms strained in their bonds on the metal hooks that kept him from crashing to the floor. She moved with unbelievable speed and gashed deeper wounds in his upper arms. Annabel seemed to get a sick thrill from watching Sebastian suffering in a bloody mess.

  She leaned close to his ear and whispered voice full of mockery, “Don’t worry, Sebastian. I’m not going to let you die. I’m going to make you feel pain. I want you to suffer like I’ve suffered from your cruel rejections over the centuries.” She ran her tongue over his earlobe and groaned in sick enjoyment.

  “Despite everything you’ve said, I still love you,” she moaned. “I’m going to finally have you and I don’t care who you love, or who has your heart. I have you now.” She moved her lips over his mouth and kissed him with passion. “I know you’re going to heal fast,” she said, utterly possessed, running her hands over his lacerations, holding the tip of the knife against his breastbone, as he was unable to defend himself.

  “I’m going to drain some of this delicious blood from your gorgeous body until you surrender to me.” She pressed the knife deep one more time and Sebastian’s beautiful face twisted as he growled in pain. Annabel took a step back and threw her head back, letting out wild laughter with a face illuminated by thrilling satisfaction.

  “How could you be so stupid? Here you are with no one to help you and no way to fight back.” She broke out again into a hardy laugh, as she moved closer and ran her hand over his bare skin. Sebastian was barely breathing as blood gushed out of the deep cuts. His jeans were soaked and he could now see a small puddle shaping around his feet. His face was a clear mask of agony and even though he was getting weaker by the moment, deep in his gut he could still feel utter revulsion for this woman.

  Weakness gripped him like a vise and he succumbed to his destiny as his heart sank and his last hope for rescue disappeared. His weak mind told him that something must’ve happened to Troy; otherwise he’d have been here by now. His breath weak and ragged, he tried to speak but the words faded on his lips. He looked straight in her eyes, summoned every bit of strength he had left, and spat on her face.

  A
nnabel recoiled and screamed, as she raised her hand and wiped her face, consumed by fury and unmitigated rage. The door flew open and Annabel’s thugs came running in. She spun around, her eyes glaring wildly. “Get out!” she screamed at them, pointing at the door. When the door closed behind them she glared back at Sebastian with clenched teeth.

  “Are you willing to die for her?” she screeched.

  “She's worth dying for,” he whispered with a faint smile. He knew that he was on the brink of collapse when he felt Annabel’s warm breath against his ear and her words drove the dagger deeper into his heart.

  “Do you remember Gaston, my love? He was your best friend. He’s here with one desire and one desire only; to conquer Arielle’s heart with or without her consent.”

  Sebastian winced just before he was consumed by darkness and fell unconscious.

  ***

  Annabel’s frown deepened, hatred for Arielle clenched her chest with unbelievable pressure. She swallowed hard the lump forming in her throat and bit her lip in frustration. Arielle had taken the only man Annabel had ever truly wanted. Sebastian had been her sole quest for 600 years now. All she ever wanted was for him to love and desire her like no other. She closed her eyes, distressed at knowing that it was a futile attempt, but she wanted him all to herself and was determine to keep him prisoner until she decided otherwise.

  She retreated to the chair and sat intently watching this stunning man. Even in his unconscious state he made Annabel’s blood boil and stirred up every craving she’d ever possessed. Annabel knew how the immortal body worked. Sebastian would be able to satisfy her sexually even in his unconscious state. She darted out of the chair and shed her clothes, dropping them to the floor. With the dagger, she quickly shredded Sebastian’s pants away from his body. She was determined to satisfy every single desire even though Sebastian was unconscious and unable to fight back.