Arielle Immortal Seduction (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 2)

by Lilian Roberts

  The table was dazzling and the food smelled wonderful. There was a beautiful arrangement of pine and holly in the middle of the table. They ate hungrily since they’d had nothing since breakfast. They drank champagne to celebrate everyone being together.

  After dinner they exchanged gifts. Arielle’s father was very pleased with his book, thumbing through it with extreme interest. He opened the map and put on his glasses to study it closely. He almost looked like he was lost in another era. How ironic, Arielle thought to herself. Sebastian is the one who really has been lost in other eras. Finally he looked up from the book, his eyes moist, and said, “Thank you, pumpkin. Your gift is perfect.”

  “I’m so happy you like it, Daddy. I know you will enjoy reading it.”

  Arielle’s mother took the sweater out of its box and exclaimed with joy. “My favorite color.” She went into the other room and came back wearing it. It was perfect, and the color made her eyes look brighter than ever. She threw the scarf around her neck and smiled a brilliant smile full of delight.

  “Thank you dear, I love my gifts, and I love you.” She came close to Arielle and gave her a hug. “I love you too, Mum.” Arielle said. “I love you with all my heart.”

  Arielle’s gift from her parents was an Apple notebook and a digital movie camera. She was ecstatic. She needed the computer badly since the one she had was ready to die at any moment. She was happy about the camera because she had left hers back in St. Jean de Luz.

  “I couldn’t be happier,” she said, looking at her parents. “Thank you so much!”

  “Arielle, come and see what Sebastian gave Daddy and me for Christmas,” her mother said. “They arrived yesterday, and they’re absolutely gorgeous.” She took Arielle’s hand and walked to the front door. Outside Arielle saw two of the most exquisite planters she had ever seen set on either side at the entrance to the house. Arielle’s mouth dropped as she looked at Sebastian in wonder.

  “Oh, Mother, they are beautiful.”

  “Sixteenth century French,” her mother said. “Finished in unglazed terracotta. They are from St. Jean de Fos. Aren’t they gorgeous?” Then, she turned and hugged Sebastian.

  Arielle looked at him and saw a smile of deep satisfaction spread across his beautiful face. I couldn’t love him anymore than I love him right this moment, Arielle thought. He’s so amazing, and he never stops surprising me with how generous and how thoughtful he is. She was so happy to see her mother in such a state of delight it filled her heart with pleasure.

  When they walked back inside Arielle saw her father looking at Sebastian, letting him know how much they appreciated his gift. Then it was time for coffee and dessert. They chattered happily about the wonderful meal Arielle’s mother had prepared and everyone’s delight with their Christmas gifts.

  It was getting late, and Sebastian and Arielle were preparing to leave when Arielle noticed her father and Sebastian exchanging strange looks. She didn’t think too much about it until she saw them getting up and asking her to follow them. She looked at her mum in confusion, but she just looked away. Arielle saw a faint smile touch her lips.

  “What is it? What’s going on?”

  “Just follow me, darling, and you’ll see,” was her father’s reply. She followed her dad towards the door leading to the garage and watched him as he flung the door open and waved her ahead of him. By now her curiosity had reached an incredible height. He flipped the light switch on and Arielle’s mouth fell open. She was shocked speechless. Right there in front of her was a brand new, bright red Porsche Boxster with a huge red bow and a big sign on the windshield with the words “Merry Christmas, Arielle” written across it.

  “Daddy, what have you done?”

  “What do you think of Sebastian’s present?” her father asked, while her mother was beaming from ear to ear. She spun around, and Sebastian was standing right behind her with an amazing grin on his gorgeous face. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

  Finally, she was able to speak. “Sebastian, I can’t accept something like this, I just can’t,” she said finally. “It is incredibly beautiful, but it’s far too expensive. I just can’t accept it.”

  Her parents smiled and walked into the house leaving Sebastian and Arielle alone. He pulled her even closer and looked into her eyes. He released his immortal dazzle on her again.

  “Arielle,” he said. “I had this car specially ordered for you. I can’t give it back.” He was looking intently into her eyes. She was unable to reply since she couldn’t breathe. It seemed as if his voice was coming from inside a tube.

  “You do know that I have the power to compel you to accept it,” he said. “But I’d rather hear you say that you’ll accept it of your own free will. If you love me you’ll accept the things that I give you because it makes me happy to do so. Everything I have is now yours, Arielle.”

  Arielle looked away and finally found her voice again. “But it’s so expensive. I could never give you anything like this car. How do you think that makes me feel?”

  “It’s not a contest of who gives what to whom, Arielle. I love you and I want to make you happy. You’ve given me a feeling that I have lived without all my long life. That’s something you can’t put a price on.”

  He hadn’t loosened his grip on her, and he didn’t seem to want to let go. He passionately pressed his lips on hers and gazed into her eyes, trying to dazzle her again.

  “Please say yes,” he murmured.

  She stared into his amazing face and smiled inwardly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to capture his lips in a scorching kiss. Her lips parted, giving him access to the softness of her mouth. He lifted his head reluctantly, gasping for air.

  “Don’t do that here,” she heard him stammer. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, struggling for strength to keep herself upright. She finally opened her eyes to find him watching her carefully.

  He moved slowly and dropped a set of keys into her hand. She looked down and stared at the keys, dumbfounded. He pulled her toward the car and opened the driver’s door. “Get in, baby,” he said. “Let’s go for a drive.”

  She slipped in behind the wheel. It was a perfect fit. Sebastian got in on the passenger side and looked at her with an expectant smile. She was so excited she didn’t know what to do. She pushed the start button and the engine purred. She backed out of the garage slowly, but when she got on the street, she pressed down on the gas pedal. It was still raining, but Arielle didn’t seem to notice.

  The car was gorgeous, and she had sitting next to her the most beautiful man, who loved her unconditionally. Once again she had the feeling that this couldn’t be real, she must be living in a dream.

  “So, will you take the car?” he laughed, watching her as they drove away from her parents’ home.

  Unable to stop grinning, she looked back at him and nodded happily. “Thank you, Sebastian, I love it. But I still think it’s way too much.”

  They drove back to the house in a happy silence. When they walked back into the house, her parents were very discrete and didn’t ask any questions.

  “I guess I’ll keep it,” she said with a shy smile, and they seemed pleased. They loved Sebastian already. Maybe he’s put a spell on them too, she thought.

  She had never seen her father or mother react to anyone else the way they had with Sebastian. Not that she had brought a parade of guys trooping through the house, but they had never acted the same way with any of the boys she had known in school. Since he was the man she would be with for the rest of her life, this pleased Arielle immensely.

  Chapter 17

  IT WAS QUITE LATE WHEN THEY PULLED AWAY from the house, leaving Arielle’s new car in the garage. Sebastian reached over to take her hand as he always did. Just then, Arielle noticed a car parked down the street. As the headlights swept over their car for a quick second, Arielle thought that she saw two women sitting in the dark. They looked awfully familiar. Her heart skipped a beat, and a cold
chill ran down her spine, to think that she was being watched. It’s pretty silly to think that every person I see wants to harm me, she thought. She knew that Sebastian hadn’t noticed anything because he had been looking at her when they passed the car. But he noticed her apprehension.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “A car was parked across the street from my parents’ house, and I thought I saw a couple of people in it, as if they were watching us,” she said uncertainly.

  “Do you want me to go back?”

  She didn’t hear his question because she was trying hard to see the faces in her head.

  Sebastian turned around, but when they got there, the car was gone. Arielle’s uneasiness grew. She was sure now that they were being watched.

  “Are you sure?” Sebastian asked.

  “Yes, I’m sure. They were right there, but I’m not sure they were there for us. I’m just always worried, knowing that Annabel is out there plotting something.”

  Sebastian put his arm around her and pulled her close. “Don’t worry, my love, she can’t hurt you as long as you wear your necklace. We’ll find a more permanent solution in the near future. But nobody can keep us apart. Not Annabel. Not anyone.” He gave her a reassuring look that made her feel safe again.

  “I hate going to a hotel with you,” she heard him saying. “It diminishes my true feelings for you. You’re going to be my wife, so I’ll be getting us a home soon.” His voice was full of concern.

  Arielle couldn’t wait until they could have a place of their own. It was so hard for her to believe that this perfect man had been “dead” for more than five centuries. He was tender, loving, warm, and an unbelievable lover. She loved him with every beat of her heart, with her entire soul, and she had accepted him for who he was.

  It wasn’t long before they were in their room. He folded his arms around her as soon as the door closed behind them and pulled her close.

  “I have been waiting to be alone with you all day. I’m under your spell. I’m the happiest man alive,” he said, chuckling at the last remark. She joined in.

  “I think you are pretty remarkable yourself,” Arielle said. “I don’t think I can love you any more than I do right now.”

  He started to undress her, and she let him. His palms were hot, sending waves of pleasure across her skin, making her quiver. His lips covered hers in a scorching kiss, sending unrestrained exhilaration that spun her senses into oblivion. He moaned with hunger as he lifted her up in his arms and carried her to bed. His scent was mesmerizing.

  She poured every emotion into that kiss. His hands pulled her flush against him so she could feel his obvious need. She hung onto him, recognizing his deliberate intent, and she could think of nothing else except that she needed him. His fingers slowly skimmed over her soft skin, and she shuddered. Scorching sensation traveled down her spine. She surrendered as he rolled over, taking her with him and pinning her beneath him. She felt fire surge through her veins and an inexpressible heat that burned her skin as if she were literally on fire. Her hands traced the planes of his back and her nails dug into his skin, making him moan with excitement. Their lips remained locked in a passionate kiss as he stretched over her; there was no holding back. He groaned and she gave herself to him with complete exhilaration that made her sob in sheer bliss. She could hear him suck in a deep breath as she was whirling in a sea of desire. Joy blasted across every fiber of her body like a cosmic explosion and they both savored the moment, gasping for air. Her pleasure reached an incredible height and she tried to please him the same way he was pleasing her. How could someone make love all night long, and how could every time seem like the first time? That was something she kept asking herself when they were together. She just could not explain any of it.

  “Arielle,” she heard him groaning, “What are you doing to me?” he sighed, breathless. She smiled with exuberance as he fell on his back, exhausted. He gathered her in his arms and they fell asleep, utterly sated. Her last thought before closing her eyes was that this had been the best Christmas of her life.

  This was the night that her dreams should have been nothing short of wonderful, but they were wild and frightening. She saw a bright light far away and the shadows of three women, tall and threatening. As she got closer she tried to see their faces, but they were standing at the very edge of the light and the glow prevented her from recognizing them. She had a horrible feeling that it was Annabel and her friends, but she couldn’t make out their faces, so she was unsure. It looked as if they were holding something, and they were waving it wildly back and forth. She couldn’t clearly see what it was. As she walked by, they looked at her and cold air blew her way, making her shiver. She began to tremble in fright. She looked back and saw them moving towards her. She tried to run but her feet were glued to the ground. All she could do was watch the women approach. Panic consumed her.

  They were but a few feet away when their faces suddenly became clear, making her cry out in desperation. It was Annabel, Julia, and Paola, their eyes red like fire and filled with pure loathing. Their faces were distorted in anger and they were laughing wildly as they raised daggers over her body. Arielle was sobbing out loud. Her body convulsed from sheer terror.

  Her eyes snapped open and she stared, confused, into Sebastian’s alarmed gaze. She felt his hands gripping her shoulders, and she was being shaken awake.

  “Arielle! Arielle, wake up. Oh, baby, you are having a nightmare.”

  She was completely disoriented. When she came to, she fell into his arms sobbing. She was trembling and couldn’t stop crying. “It was horrible, it was horrible,” she kept repeating.

  “It was only a dream, my love, calm down. I’m here, and you are safe.”

  He held her tight, continuing to speak soothing words, and she stayed in his arms a long time until she finally fell asleep, the warmth of his body against hers.

  It was later in the day when she opened her eyes again. Sebastian was sitting next to her, watching her carefully. He smiled at her and moved closer to put his arms around her.

  “You scared me last night. How are you feeling today?”

  “I’m okay,” she whispered, but the memory of the nightmare came back and left her feeling unsettled.

  He stood up and pulled the curtains open. She looked out the huge windows. She could see the sun peeking slowly up in the clear blue sky, filling the room with a burst of golden light, warming her. She felt safe and reached out for him. He lay next to her and touched her lips with his in a soft and tender kiss. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer.

  “Sebastian, please hold me, I need you close to me. I feel so exhausted, so unbelievably worn out. I just don’t understand it.”

  “I’m here, and I don’t want to be anywhere else. However, I think if you get up and take a shower you might feel a little better.”

  She knew he was right and she did exactly that. The water made her feel better, but she was still tired beyond belief. She brushed her teeth, put her hair up in a ponytail, and wrapped a bath towel around herself. When she came out of the bathroom he was waiting for her with a cup of coffee. She smiled at him, a thankful look in her eyes.

  “Thank you for loving me,” she whispered and touched his lips. “You are the most important person in my life.”

  The coffee was delicious. Arielle walked over to the window. Sebastian stood next to her and they both gazed out at the beautiful view of the park.

  “Is there something you would like to do today?” he asked.

  “I just want to be with you.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Arielle. I’m going to be with you until you get tired of me, and I sure hope that never happens.” He paused, and then added, “I wanted to know if there is something in particular that you would like to do today. I’ve made arrangements with a realtor to look at homes tomorrow. I thought that would be a good thing to do for the next three or four days. I’m sure we will find something we both like.”

 
; “Oh, that sounds so great,” Arielle said. “I’ve always loved looking at homes—especially if it’s going to be for us. The lease on our flat is up at the end of the month,” she added. “Eva is going to move in with Ian, and Gabrielle with Troy.”

  “Well then, that works out extremely well. I was a little worried about that. I didn’t want to interfere with the decisions or arrangements you had made with your friends.”

  “I don’t make any decisions anymore if you are not included,” Arielle said simply. Sebastian grinned wide. He took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. Then picking up the newspaper, he made his way to the sofa and left her to finish her coffee.

  She was filled with excitement over searching for a house. The thought of being with Sebastian every day and every moment of her life was intoxicating. She couldn’t imagine anything better. Beaming with happiness, she walked over to the sofa where he was sitting, put her arms around his neck and kissed him gently. He set the paper down and wrapping his arms around her waist held her close.

  “Do you want to see a film later?” she asked.

  “All right,” he agreed. “Do you want to ring your friends and see if they want to go with us?”

  He’ll never know how happy I am to hear him say that, Arielle thought. She was worried that she might have been pushing her friends on him too much, but here he was now asking to spend time with them. I love him so much, she thought happily. She rang Eva, only to find out that they had been planning to ask them the same thing.

  “What film do you want to see?” Arielle asked, and then, as she listened to Eva’s answer she began laughing out loud, unable to stop.

  “What is wrong with you?” Eva asked.

  “Nothing, nothing at all,” Arielle answered, yet she was unable to stop giggling.

  They agreed to meet at six-thirty at the pub to get something to eat first. When she put down the phone, Sebastian was looking at her curiously.