Arielle Immortal Resolve (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 8)

by Lilian Roberts

  Sebastian’s lips curved as he looked down at her, his passion palpable. He got into bed, slid his arm under her back and pulled her to him. Arielle moaned softly and sank against his hard muscled body. Their lips met and quickly the rhythm changed to a more demanding, more ravishing, passionate kiss. Tongues intermingled, moans deepened and emotions flared rapidly like sparks of a scorching fire. They appeased their passion and eager desire lost in a haze of raw seduction as time stilled. Sebastian took her vigorously and she matched him every step of the way into that amazing dance of desire and passion until they shattered together, hearts and souls soaring to the peak of ecstasy. Their encounter was more than spectacular leaving them completely sated and in utter bliss. They'd never experienced fulfillment to this level in any of their prior encounters. Lying on their backs they exhaled simultaneously enjoying the aftermath. Arielle closed her eyes and chuckled. Sebastian turned to gaze at her beautiful face, his chest bursting with love. He rolled to his side, shifted Arielle so she settled against him with her wounded shoulder away from the bed. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on the side of her neck and she moaned.

  “I can’t understand how you can make each one of our encounters more mind-blowing than the one before,” she murmured.

  He chuckled blissfully. “It’s my own personal secret recipe,” he said and laughed aloud, making her laugh with him.

  She snuggled eagerly, laying her cheek against her pillow as he spooned her, chest to back, buttocks to groin, legs intermingled. Sebastian wrapped his arm about her and rested it against her chest feeling the rhythm of her heartbeat. He held her closer, terrified at the thought of losing her again. Nuzzling her hair with his chin, he pressed his lips against her temple. Arielle felt the warmth of his embrace and, smiling in sheer bliss, she drifted off to sleep.

  Sebastian thoughts surged powerfully through his mind. He smiled at the soft sound of her breathing that sent potent passions to his very core lifting him to a higher level of utopia. Looking down at her, his anxiety swelled for a moment as he recalled the night of her abduction, but then just as fast it poured out of him, leaving him with a warm sense of relief. Arielle had bewitched him body and soul and she was back in his arms sheltered from any harm. Three short weeks were left until she was to become his wife— his—to have and to love for eternity.

  He looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was way past midnight and he was still wide-awake, overwhelmed with thoughts of the last three days. He drew a deep breath and gathered Arielle’s warm body a little closer. He regretted exposing Arielle to a dangerous existence. His life seemed to be filled with people attempting to hurt him by hurting Arielle. The most important question still lingering in the air was how long would it take for Annabel to strike again.

  Arielle’s sudden sound of distress snapped Sebastian out of his deep thoughts. He felt her body shake uncontrollably, struggling to breathe. Sebastian relaxed his embrace as she sprang away from him and sat up on the bed arms suspended in midair.

  “Get away from me!” she yelled frantically. Her arms were moving outward as if she was trying to push someone away. “Don’t touch me!” she cried out, voice filled with anguish.

  Sebastian’s lungs locked in agony and he watched helplessly as Arielle was caught in a dreadful nightmare. He slowly sat up and moved approached her. He scanned her beautiful face that was now a display of sheer fright, lips twisted severely and eyes tightly shut.

  He remained quiet as she stood still for a moment and then a soft sob escaped her lips only to be followed by a stronger one and then tears surged down her face. Her breathing became rough filled with fright. Sebastian knew she was having a shattering nightmare about the last three days with Gaston and he felt piercing agony coursing through his body. He decided to slip his arms about her gently and pulled her to him. Arielle gulped down a whimper as her body quivered wrenchingly. Sebastian leaned in and closed his arms around her pressing a soft kiss on her temple. Arielle’s breath caught then she inhaled, pulled back and opened her eyes. Her pupils were dilated with astonishment as the dream broke and reality brought a palpable shock into her gut. Without a word she threw herself in Sebastian’s arms. He held her tight as sobs and moans shook her.

  “Sebastian!” she called out, as tears of relief ran down her face. Sebastian placed a soft kiss over each eyelid.

  “It was just a bad dream, baby!” he murmured. She took a sharp breath and let it out slowly. She nodded, laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes with relief. Sebastian pulled the covers over her and lingered over her making sure she was peaceful. His pulse beat worryingly as he lay slowly down and gathered her in his arms, pulling her tightly against him. He heard a sharp sniffle, and then silence; Arielle was deep in sleep once again. Sebastian blew out a sigh of relief and, closing his eyes, drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  Arielle woke in the early morning. A streak of light was slipping through the curtain. She blinked sluggishly as her gaze fell on the picture on her nightstand. The most astonishing green eyes were looking right back at her. A warm overwhelming emotion enveloped her when she realized she was still trapped in his warm embrace and she didn’t want to move. There was not a place in the world she would like to be right now but exactly where she was. She couldn’t image her life without Sebastian. The memories of the last three days slammed back into her head and she recoiled. Her heart thudded anxiously and she bit her lower lip on a gulp. Sebastian’s arm was resting on her chest and he felt the fast change in her heartbeat. He immediately lifted himself on one elbow and gazed down at her.

  “What is it, baby?”

  Arielle didn’t reply. She rolled on her back; lips curved to a soft smile, enjoying the amazing sanctuary he provided.

  “Good morning, Darcy,” she murmured. Her arms moved about his neck, fingers clenched as she tugged softly and pulled him down to her. Sebastian’s pulse picked up speed and he took her mouth eagerly as sensation soared along every muscle in his body down to his bones.

  “Good morning, Lizzy,” he murmured into the kiss. The kiss deepened and his arms closed around her tightly. She wiggled in his arms and he groaned in sheer excitement. His hands roamed over her satin flesh and she burned with desire. Her nerves rocketed with hunger and passion and she pulled away from the kiss gasping. Sebastian pierced through her eyes.

  “Arielle, I don’t think I can take much more of you being hurt,” he said anxiously. Their lips met again in an agonizing kiss. Breaking the kiss this time he groaned in sheer frustration.

  “I feel like I’m dying a little each time something happens to you,” he said.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It’s not my fault. All I want is to love you and that seems to bother a lot of crazy immortals from your past.” She chuckled.

  Her statement made him laugh and he pulled her closer. “You're an amazing girl, you know that, don’t you?” he said, and she shrugged. “You’re mine and I’ll keep you with me for eternity,” he said fiercely.

  She was sure she would be with him for the rest of her life. As for the eternity part, that was still in question, but she didn’t say anything.

  “Did you sleep well?” he asked.

  “I think I did, but for the nightmare. I slept better than I have in the last three days,” she replied and pulled him back. Her breath burned full of emotion as she set her lips against the hollow of his throat.

  Sebastian got lost again in the sensuality of the moment. “You’ll be the death of me,” he gasped, and she laughed blissfully.

  This statement was one of her two favorite ones. The other was miss me. There wasn’t a person on earth who could utter those two sentences better than Sebastian. There wasn’t another man on the planet who could turn her world upside down.

  “God! I love you so much,” she murmured, “it actually hurts when I think about it.”

  Sebastian smiled wide at her words; he felt the same about her. He shifted, tipping her head back, and set his lips at
her throat making her shuddered. Their breathing picked up and they groaned in blistering need. Arielle felt her lips go dry and she ran her tongue slowly over them. She closed her eyes and surrendered to his passion, to his built-up heat that slammed each and every muscle in her body with fierce force. Her need and fervor matched and surpassed his, leaving them exhausted, caught in the powerful magnificence of pleasure that washed over them. They were happy to be together again and ready to start working on their anxiously anticipated wedding day.

  Chapter 19

  TEN DAYS LEFT until the wedding day, and Arielle was so excited she could hardly breathe. Every time she looked at Sebastian she thought she was living a dream. She couldn’t believe this beautiful immortal man was soon to be her husband. There was a gleam of excitement in Sebastian’s emerald eyes that filled her heart with warmth and anticipation. She was now even closer to taking this exhilarating yet frightening step toward his undying world.

  The immortal group was back in town to celebrate Sebastian’s bachelor party. They'd partied hard prior to Ian and Troy’s weddings and were getting ready to party again, this time for Sebastian. They sure didn’t party the same way human beings would. These guys could be on one side of the globe one night, and leap to the other side the next. So their kind of partying was a complete mystery to their mortal friends.

  The invitations had been sent a few months prior, and everyone on the list, from family members to business associates and friends, had accepted. They were looking at a very large crowd and Arielle was thrilled. If it were possible, she would choose to share this astounding moment with every single person on earth.

  Sebastian didn’t want Arielle or her parents to worry about the wedding expenses. He'd tried long and hard to convince Arielle’s father to let him cover the wedding expenses, but her father wouldn’t hear of it. Sebastian would never tell Arielle that he'd used his immortal gift and compelled her father to finally accept. It would be an extraordinary wedding.

  ***

  It was the night before Sebastian was to leave with his friends for his weeklong bachelor outing. Arielle wasn't happy that it would be a week before she set eyes on his beautiful face again, but quite excited that the night was not yet over.

  It was bedtime and Sebastian was going to make sure that Arielle was loved the way she should be. It would be a week of torture before he'd have her in his bed again so he was going to make their encounter memorable.

  Naked desire swirled in his eyes. The fragrance of freesia rose from her hair and sang deep into his bone marrow. His mouth came down on hers, his tongue parted her lips and dove into the sweetness of her mouth. The kiss seared her skin and the blood surged scorching hot, burning every vein in its wake. He kissed and suckled every inch of her body leaving a burning sensation that made her shudder.

  “I don’t think I can be away from you for a week,” he breathed against her lips. “Will you miss me?” he asked, passion coating his voice.

  “I think maybe a little,” she giggled and sank deeper into his embrace, and his body enveloped her.

  His hands moved slowly, cupping the swollen mounts of her breasts, kneading and teasing the nipples with his thumbs. Pleasure coursed through her and she moaned, drowning in passion. Sebastian’s lips left her mouth and moved lower, grazing her silky skin with his tongue until he found a pebbled nipple and set his hot mouth on it, suckling and lapping with feverish desire.

  Arielle wiggled beneath him and Sebastian flinched as their hips collided and he bit back a growl.

  “You have to stop moving like that, because I'm not going to last long.” He was breathless. His mouth returned to worship the other nipple and she nearly came off the bed. His hands shifted and slid around her pulling her even closer to his body. He lifted his head and stared into her eyes, lust emanating out of each pore of his body. He lowered his mouth to hers and the kiss became a wild, unleashed plunder.

  Arielle’s hand moved between them dragging her fingers slowly over his stomach and down his happy trail intensifying his hardness. He let out a harsh hiss when her hand stopped over his arousal and her fingers closed tightly around it.

  Sebastian lost control, consumed by strong desire that drove him to a sensuous meltdown. Her soft movements sent scorching flames across his skin and he became utterly incoherent. With a soft growl he moved fast, grabbed her hand, and pulled it away against her pleading protests.

  “No, Arielle, no, I can’t…” he trailed off, gasping for air. He shut his eyes against breathless desire, and rolled over, covering her body with his. With his knee he nudged her legs apart. He was beyond reasonable thinking, passion slumming hard and deep into his brain. He drove into her with savage hunger and she shuddered.

  “Oh, God,” she groaned and her eyes slammed shut.

  He wanted to devour her, he could hardly hold back, she was his and she wanted only him. Their breaths mingled, their bodies flush against each other, their movements united in sensual dance. Sebastian struggled for control; with a slow dip of his head he took her mouth and plundered. His tongue moved inside the sweet like honey softness, with the same urgency that sent a rush of craving through Arielle, and she groaned into his mouth. His thrusts became stronger and a groan escaped her before she could hold it back. She arched beneath him, her fingers digging into the hard muscles of his back and his passion intensified. He rotated his hips and she rose to meet and match him until they were rocked into a powerful release. Sebastian covered her mouth in a passionate kiss, swallowing her scream of release. The powerful jolt shot them both to oblivion and slowly brought them back into blissful slumber.

  For a long moment they didn’t move, or speak, just held onto each other in silence. They were addicted to each other. He finally rolled onto his back taking her with him, keeping her tightly nestled against his side. She rested her cheek on his chest, an arm spread over his abdomen. With a soft moan he closed his eyes, his skin still on fire, trying to still his fast breathing.

  She moaned and moved closer. His finger moved under her chin and lifted her face to his. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip, and groaned. God! She tasted so sweet. He'd never known passion like this. His voice came out in a husky rasp.

  “Try to think about me, while I’m away.”

  She gasped and slanted her head up to look into his eyes. “Sebastian, all I can do is think about you.”

  “Thank God for that.” He set his mouth on hers once again and sensation swept over him like a storm. “I don’t think I can make it,” he breathed against her mouth. He pressed his muscled hardness against her suggestively. “A week is way too long,” he said on a breathy moan.

  “Sebastian…” His name murmured past her lips. “I’ll be right here, when you get back, my love.”

  He gazed at her peaceful face, a soft smile on her lips. He grinned, realizing that she was fast asleep. He wrapped her in his arms. Closing his eyes, a chuckle escaped him and he surrendered to sleep.

  ***

  The nightly nightmares that'd plagued Arielle’s sleep for over a half a month were more than just a worry for her. Her sensible and witty mind told her they were just that, a nightmare, and she shouldn't become as consumed over them as she was. However each night when time came for bed she would find herself anxious and terrified. It was a nightmare that left her powerless to end the hold it had on her.

  Tonight wasn't any different than any other night. Arielle drifted into the same nightmare, reliving the same dreadful dream that played on fast-forward like a horror film over and over again.

  ***

  She stood in the middle of a graveyard covered in thick fog. Her eyes darted left and right, back and forth; she heard steady footsteps approaching, and her muscles locked. She tried to run but she couldn’t move. Why wasn’t she able to move? Her hand came up and cupped her mouth trying to stop a scream from leaving her lips. The blood pounded her temples and her body shook like a leaf in a windstorm. There was nobody around to witness her distress or to help
her out of this place. The footsteps were closing in and she held her breath, eyes wide open filled with terror.

  A scream of relief left her when she recognized the man who came through the fog. It was Sebastian. She stared at the most compelling face on this earth and ran to fall into his arms.

  Sebastian put his hands up and stopped her inches away from him. Arielle froze in place. The blood drained from her face and tears stung her eyes. It wasn't so much the rejection as it was the hardness of his face. Her heart sank. He didn’t smile, he didn’t speak, he just reached out and took her hand. Disappointment and heartache welled up.

  Sebastian led her rapidly across a narrow path toward the other side of cemetery. The path ended at the entrance of a small church.

  She tried to jerk her hand away, but Sebastian’s hand was clamped tightly around her wrist. Silence descended between them registering the sullenness of their surroundings. He pulled her up the few stone steps and through the door with a quick motion. Arielle entered, and immediately she was enveloped in an icy cold air that lingered inside the church. Standing perfectly still, her eyes darted nervously from one dank corner of the building to the other. It was dusky inside the church; only a dim light streamed through the stained glass windows. Sebastian let go of her hand and without a second look at her he made his way toward the altar. Stunned, Arielle stared at his retreating back. She wanted to scream to call him back, but she couldn’t speak. His footsteps rang heavily on the stone floor, and each step pounded like a sharp knife into her heart. Her eyes moved away from Sebastian and zeroed-in on the shape of a woman facing the altar, draped in a beautiful wedding dress. Icy fingers crawled up her spine, as she could only fear the worst. The woman turned slowly and Arielle gasped aloud.

  Annabel’s gaze was focused on Sebastian, a wide smile spread across her face. Silently and ever so quietly Sebastian strode toward Annabel, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Annabel reached for him and soon she was enveloped in his embrace. His mouth covered hers, and Arielle screamed and shook violently. She shut her eyes, trying to avoid the sight that was fracturing her heart to shreds.