She nodded and he took his hand away from her mouth. Arielle twisted in his arms and threw herself against him. Her arms wrapped around his neck tightly and her lips met his in a wild fevered kiss that sent pure fire between their bodies.
“Baby, we have to move fast,” Sebastian whispered against her lips.
“I love you!” she murmured through the kiss.
“I love you, too, now go,” he said firmly.
Arielle turned and fell in Eva’s arms and they walked quietly down the corridor with Sebastian on their heels.
“Eva,” Arielle whispered, but Eva squeezed her hand, and put her index finger against her lips signaling to keep quiet. At the top of the landing of the third floor they met Antonius and Nathan who were waiting for Sebastian. Both smiled wide when they saw Arielle and they exchange quick, silent hugs. Eva whisked Arielle quickly down the two sets of stairs and out the front door. Sebastian stop to talk with Antonius and Nathan in that inaudible immortal language and they readied to face Gaston and Oliver.
With Arielle safe out of the house they now could complete their plan. They checked all the rooms on the third floor but the whole left wing was completely empty. They focused their attention to the right wing. The first two rooms were empty. They opened the third door on the right and a loud snoring reached their ears. They approached the bed and looked down at the sleeping man, clueless of the danger lurking above his head. It wasn’t Gaston so Sebastian waved his hand and walked out the door, leaving Antonius and Nathan to deal with Oliver.
He walked down the corridor and checked a few more rooms but they were unoccupied. He stood in front of the last door on the left, sure that Gaston was in that room. He turned the handle quietly and open the door just enough to slip in and scanned the room intently. He heard Gaston’s low breathing as he entered the dark room. He approached the bed, light-footed on the floor. He looked down at Gaston and let his anger engulf him. He reached down, grabbed Gaston by his neck, and pulled him out of bed.
Gaston stood, watching Sebastian in utter shock. He’d never heard him approach the bed; so much for his immortal awareness.
“You know I’m here to kill you,” Sebastian growled.
“Then why didn’t you do it while I was asleep?” he asked, a hint of a smirk on his lips; but the truth was that reality had started to seep into his bones.
“Because I’m not a coward like you are,” Sebastian enunciated. “I want you to be looking at me when I kill you,” he furthered through clenched teeth.
“Where's Arielle?” Gaston screamed, eyes filled with loathing.
“She’s out of this house in a safe place. She's where she belongs—with me…” he emphasized.
Gaston moved quickly to throw himself against Sebastian, but Sebastian saw him coming before he even moved and just before impact, landed him a hard blow in the middle of his chest. Gaston flew back and landed against the wall. He sprang back up on his feet and stormed at Sebastian with all the wrath of a hurricane. Sebastian’s fist met him in mid-air, flipped him over his head sending him crashing against the dresser that splintered and threw shards of wood all over the room. Gaston’s body stopped moving when he hit the wall with a thundering noise. He moaned audibly, but shaking his head, pushed himself away from the wall and stood, staring at Sebastian eyes on fire.
He seemed to assess his chances in this encounter, and with a sudden move, reached into one of the dresser drawers now exposed from the crash, and came back up holding a gun in his hand. He didn’t hesitate. He fired and kept firing until he emptied the entire clip. Sebastian jumped to his left trying to avoid direct hits to his chest, but two of the bullets hit, spreading pain across his body. One went through his upper thigh and the other entered his left shoulder. Thankfully they didn’t involve parts of the body that would immobilize him. What they did was make Sebastian angrier. Grinding his teeth he moved fast, grabbed Gaston’s arm and broke it, sending the empty gun to the floor with a loud bang. He lifted his left arm and jammed an upright blow into Gaston’s face breaking his jaw. Gaston growled and threw himself on Sebastian sending them both rolling on the floor. Gaston got some good hits on Sebastian’s bloody shoulder and thigh trying to make him weaker but Sebastian was highly motivated by Arielle.
Gaston jumped up onto his feet, his back to the door, hoping to make a quick exit and leave Sebastian on the floor. He knew they would both heal soon so he backed off slowly and froze in place as his back came in contact with a hard unyielding body. Antonius raised his hands, placed them on either side of his head and gave a quick turn, ending Gaston’s miserable life. He then let his lifeless body drop on the floor. Nathan walked in right behind him.
Sebastian smiled and walked slowly toward them. “Thanks,” he said. “What happened with Oliver?”
“Oh, we went a few rounds. It wasn’t easy; he was a large thug but all and all it ended well,” he said glancing at Nathan. They laughed heartily.
“He shot you?” Antonius said surprisingly. “Was he sleeping with his gun on his pillow?”
“No, he got it from that drawer there,” he said pointing to the shattered dresser. Nathan patted him on the back and they walked out of the room to join the rest of the group. When they reach the top of the landing they heard a lot of noise coming from the servants’ quarters. They descended quickly and ran to assist their friends. They found that all of the servants on the second floor had been dispatched and they were all now on the first floor watching Giani go a few rounds with Edward. Oliver’s bodyguard, was a large man with enormous fists and inflexible face. His enormous chest looked like a steel wall and his gaze filled with rage was penetrating through Giani’s eyes.
He'd landed some good blows at Giani’s midriff and he now stood across from him, hands on his hips enticing him to attack. Giani looked totally unruffled as he quickly glanced at Antonius and Gerard meaningfully; they smiled in clear understanding. Giani closed his eyes and inhaled deeply several times, stretching his arms away from his body as a faint smile touched his lips. Edward’s brows rose inquisitively but he remained unmoved. Suddenly Gianni moved like a hurricane, flipping through the air like a boomerang, landing an uppercut and a hook to Edward’s neck and face. Giani’s body landed right behind him and as Edward spun around to face him, Giani took a swift turn and lashed a deadly thrust to Edward’s throat. Edward lost his balance and backed into Sebastian who placed his hands on either side of his head and twisted hard, taking Edward’s last breath away.
“And he makes 9 down!” Giani yelled excitedly, pointing at Edward’s lifeless body.
“What happened?” Loren asked.
“We finished Gaston and Oliver. Arielle's outside with Eva waiting for us,” Sebastian said anxiously.
“Well let’s go then,” said Ian smiling wide. The guys joked and patted each other on the back exchanging exciting moments of their fights with the immortals. Loren and Isabella talked about the large woman who’d bolted upright on her bed as soon as they entered her bedroom. She gave them a run for their money, but at the end she lost the fight. They walked through the foyer, out the front door, and scanned the area to locate Eva and Arielle.
Sebastian stepped down ahead of the group, unable to hold back his eagerness to take Arielle in his arms. His eyes pierced the darkness and spotted the women walking out from behind the hedges by the front gate. They both ran joyfully toward their friends.
The next few seconds were sheer pandemonium. Two shots resonated in the air, sucking the breath out of everyone’s lungs. Their heads instantly turned to watch in utter shock, both Arielle and Eva swayed then stumbled as their legs scuffed the ground just before they plummeted face down. Stony silence covered the night like a cold blanket of death. Their faces were painted with a look of a shocked disbelief.
“Arielle!” A despondent scream escaped Sebastian’s lips as icy cold fear slid deep into his bones. Strong footsteps running into the darkness away from the front gate broke the silence. Nathan whirled around and spr
ang in the direction the shots came from, sailing across the ground. It wasn’t long before he was right behind the culprit. The man turned and gazed at Nathan’s face that revealed an expression of blank calculation deadly to any human mind. His fear was so thick it clogged his mind. Nathan raised his hands, gave the guy’s neck a quick twist and the man fell lifeless on the ground without a sound.
Back in the front garden the group was kneeling by the girls. Eva was coming around in Ian’s arms but they all knew she would heal awfully fast. Arielle was moaning and shaking, tears rolled down her face as pain ripped through her body. Sebastian cursed through clenched teeth. Her shirt was covered in blood and Sebastian searched wildly to locate the injury. He finally realized she was bleeding from her shoulder. He ripped a long strip from his shirt and with Antonius’ help wrapped her arm tightly to stop the bleeding. They both checked closer to make sure the bullet wasn't lodged inside her body. Sebastian wrapped his arms about her, lifted her effortlessly and held her tightly to him. Her body tensed and she shuddered, shaking like a leaf. His senses elevated, his lips tightened, and his brain went on overdrive worrying about her state of health.
“The bullet just grazed her shoulder, Sebastian, she’s going to be all right,” Antonius said, patting Sebastian on the back. Sebastian took a few minutes to process his friend’s statement, the tension eased and his arms tightened around Arielle’s quivering body. He looked down and met her gaze. He could feel her trembling and bent to cover her lips with his tenderly.
“You’ll be all right, baby; it’s just a scratch,” he whispered. “I’ll take you home.”
Through her sobs she smiled, closed her eyes, and settled comfortably in his warm embrace. Sebastian tightened his hold on her and she buried her face in his chest, inhaling his immortal scent filling her soul with every inch of him.
Ignoring the pain, she wound one hand around his neck unwilling to let go. Sebastian looked down into her face and smiled, utterly content that she was safe and in his arms once again.
“I love you,” she whimpered.
“I love you,” he murmured back. Sebastian could clearly grasp the overwhelming emotion that was rooted deep down his very core. The love he held for Arielle was extraordinary. He couldn’t breathe without her; she was the center of his universe, the essence of his very existence. Their gaze locked once again and he was lost in the deep blue ocean of her eyes. His smile deepened and he pressed his lips on hers one more time. He wanted to get her home, to enjoy her return, to make love to her, as he’d never loved her before. He felt the small hand resting on his nape, pulling him gently down to meet her lips for another kiss. His lips moved against hers softly then harder, increasing the pressure and intensity until both couldn’t breathe.
“God, I missed you. I love you so very much!” he murmured.
“I love you more,” she whispered breathlessly into the kiss. He laughed, but he was sure she couldn’t possibly love him as much as he loved her. She absolutely wouldn’t be able to grasp the strength of his passion for her. She would never understand that just by breathing she was providing the oxygen for his existence. That she was creating each and every bright sunrise in his life just by being next to him.
“Let’s get her home,” he said eagerly, and quickly they moved like shadows in the night. Arielle felt the immortal speed in her very core. It was almost the same type of breathtaking swirling she’d felt when Eva took her back in time on her birthday. She couldn’t feel the pain in her shoulder and she couldn’t breathe but knew she was safe and in the arms of the man who provided her own private utopia.
***
They reached Brighton at the end of twilight. Sunrise was on the way. The upper arc of the sun peeked above the horizon with a spectrum of colors ranging from lavender to sapphire, from orange to red. The evening dew was still clinging to the ground and cool mist was in the air. There were smiles on the beautiful immortal faces as they exchanged looks revealing a quiet loyalty that radiated among them. Arielle was home safe and they could all glow in the gratification of the outcome.
Arielle opened her eyes, shaking the swirling sensation away, still enveloped in Sebastian’s steel embrace. She let out a low moan, suffering a thriving headache, and a sharp pain jabbing her left shoulder. Sebastian, sensing her emotion, looked down and their eyes locked.
“What is it, baby?” he asked anxiously. She hesitated for a brief instant as if she was considering whether she needed to tell him that she was in pain, but decided against it. His warm gaze touched her clear blue eyes and her lips curved in a dazzling smile. She got lost into that amazing emerald ocean of his eyes that reflected exaltation bold enough to make her forget all about the pain.
“Nothing,” she murmured. “Are we home?”
“Yes, baby, we’re a few minutes from home,” he said gently.
Eva stepped closer holding a blissful smile. “How are you feeling, Arielle?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” she said quietly. She glanced around and shaking her head asked in a soft voice. “Was I the only one hurt?”
“No,” Sebastian answered. “Eva was shot as well, but she’s already healed.”
“Oh,” Arielle whispered and humphed. “Way to go,” she murmured. “I guess being an immortal is a big plus in a case like this, huh!” She rolled her eyes and pouted.
Eva chuckled and patted Arielle’s cheek. “You’re home safe and that’s all that matters,” she said.
Arielle grinning and pushed softly away from Sebastian’s arms, flinching painfully. Looking up at him again she murmured.
“I’m okay now, you can put me down.”
“Are you sure?” he asked warily. She nodded and loosening his hold on her he let her down hesitantly. Arielle smiled wide as she scanned the beautiful immortal faces surrounding her. She approached them and gave each one a heartfelt hug, and a huge kiss.
“I love you all,” she said fondly. “Thank you for helping Sebastian.” Then she walked back and stood next to Sebastian slipping her hand into his. He smiled blissfully as he tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her closer. He took his turn thanking his friends and they all patted him in the back warmheartedly.
“I’ll call you all later,” Sebastian promised as they waved and departed.
As they all disbanded, Loren glanced back and said, “I’ll come over tomorrow to check on you.”
Arielle waved with a smile. “I’ll be there!” she replied.
Sebastian grinned, wrapped his arm around Arielle’s waist and pulled her to him. “Let’s go home baby,” he whispered looking down at her exhausted face. He knew she was worn out, and most likely in a lot of pain.
“Did you miss me?” she asked softly as they walked hand-in-hand.
Sebastian dragged a deep breath, tightening his hold on her. “Oh God! Arielle, I thought I was going to lose my mind,” he answered pulling her even closer. “I couldn’t breathe,” he whispered. “You don’t understand, but I can’t exist if you aren't here with me.”
His face looked distraught as he recalled the last three days. She stopped to face him and reaching up on tip-toes searched for his lips. Sebastian wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with eagerness that ripped through his body like fierce lightning.
Arielle sighed deeply, “I love you, Sebastian!” she murmured into the kiss.
He framed her face and pierced through her eyes. “I’ll never leave your side,” he whispered. “That’s a promise.” They were very close to the house. They slipped their arms around each other and walked home.
Sebastian helped her out of her clothes first, shed his own quickly and led her into the shower. He turned on the warm water and let it run over them, comforting their anxieties. Arielle grasped the soap but he took it gently away from her and murmured. “I’ll do that…” His silky soft voice sent waves rippling across her skin. He lathered his hands and with slow movements ran them over her curves.
Arielle quivered and leaned back against the steal w
all of his chest. Sebastian’s lungs locked at the feel of her warm skin. Desire flared like blistering fire but he maintained strict control of his wild cravings. His hands moved like velvet, methodically stroking her smooth skin. Ripples of excitement coursed across her muscles and she moaned blissfully. Sebastian groaned agonizingly as his hands wandered over the mounts of her breasts. He bit his lust back knowing he needed to get her out of the shower and take care of her injury. Her hair was his last challenge. He helped her wash and thoroughly rinse it.
“Thank you,” she murmured, turning to face him. Leaning in she pressed her lips against his.
“It was my pleasure,” he whispered into the kiss. He held her to that kiss for a long moment, refusing to let her go. Arielle pressed closer and the kiss deepened until they were breathless. Sebastian summoned his wits, broke away from the kiss and grabbed a towel. Arielle swayed in his arms, relaxed, still lost in the aftermath of the kiss. Holding the towel on each end, he spread his arms wide and wrapped her in it, pulling her into his embrace. He pat her body and hair dry, picked her up and set her on the end of the bed.
“I need to clean your shoulder, baby,” he said softly. He retrieved a tube of antiseptic and a fresh bandage from the medicine cabinet, cleaned the abrasion and then bandaged it carefully.
“Thank you,” she murmured again, looking into his eyes.
He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on top of her nose.
“It’s my pleasure,” he replied joyfully. “Just one more thing.”
“What?” she asked inquisitively.
He went back to the bathroom and came back holding her necklace. “Can you please do me the favor of keeping this around your neck before I lose my sanity,” he begged and snapped it safely around her neck.
Arielle smiled as she pulled him down for another kiss. “I do promise,” she murmured.
“Thank you,” he replied, pulled the bedcovers down, lifted her into his arms one more time, and sat her between the silk sheets.
Arielle Immortal Resolve (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 8) Page 24
