Arielle Immortal Awakening (21 page)

She nodded, and they walked to the car.

“Can I take you to dinner?” he asked.

“But you don’t really eat!” she said.

“Well, I’m sure
you
are hungry, and I will be happy to sit with you and watch you eat something,” he replied.

“No, thank you,” she said. “I’m not really hungry.”

He drove her to the flat. “I wish you could stay with me all night,” he said as he kissed her goodbye. He knew that she wanted to do the same thing, but she pushed herself away reluctantly, smiled, and waved as he drove away. She stood there, watching his car move away into the distance until she couldn’t see it anymore.

She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t gone with him to the hotel. She was sure there was nothing that she wanted more in this world than to spend the night with him, but she had made a vow to herself that she would remain abstinent until she was married. She was determined to keep that commitment as she pondered the potential consequences. She just wasn’t ready to take that step yet.

She sighed and went to bed, but it took her a long time to fall asleep that night. She was too excited and she had so much to think about. She was sad that he was leaving the next day, but happy that they had had two days together and that he had cleared up all the questions she had to her satisfaction.

She didn’t know how it was going to work out between them, him being an immortal and she being a human, but at this point she didn’t care. All she knew was that she loved this man beyond any doubt and that “forever” was the only word she could think of when she thought about how long she wanted to be with him. Finally she fell asleep, completely exhausted.

The next morning her phone woke her up, and Sebastian’s voice sent a warm sensation coursing through her body.

“Good morning! Do you still want to take me to the airport?” he asked.

“Yes, of course I do!” she said.

“I’ll have the hotel take my car to storage and wait for you to pick me up. Will that work for you?”

“I’ll be there within the hour. I’m getting up right now.”

“Great! We will have a little time here before I have to leave. Did you miss me last night?”

“Missing you is all that I seem to do lately,” she said, smiling.

“And that is all I want you to do every time we’re apart,” he chuckled. “Miss me!” she heard him whisper, and the phone went dead.

She got up and put on a plain white silk blouse and a pair of jeans. Her hair spread over her shoulders and her face was blazing with desire for him.

Getting to the hotel seemed to take a century, she was so eager. When he opened the door to his room, she gasped. He was so stunningly beautiful that she couldn’t utter a single word. He was standing there like Adonis, naked from the waist up, showing his amazing bare chest, his lips curved in that beautiful smile of his. Once again she had to ask herself if he was even real. He reached out, pulled her into the room, and closed the door behind them.

“What am I going to do with you?” he said, pressing his lips to hers and kissing her passionately. “Do you have any idea what you do to me every time you are near?”

She threw her arms around his neck and pulled herself close to that amazing body, smiling and letting him know that she was crazy about him. He could read her thoughts, so she knew there was no need for her to say a word.

“Sebastian, I don’t want you to go,” she said. She hesitated for a moment and then sighed. He bent down and pressed his lips on hers again, his arms tightened around her waist. “I don’t want to go either, but I have to.”

He took her hand and pulled her over to the bed. He leaned toward her and his lips traced each part of her face, neck, and shoulders. She was burning with desire, and when his lips found hers she stopped breathing. His kiss was filled with longing. She was trying to keep her mind straight, but she almost lost it when she felt him push her softly back onto the pillows and roll over her. His body pressed softly on hers and she flinched. He pulled away immediately.

“I am sorry, Arielle, I got carried away,” he murmured. “It’s hard not to lose control when I’m so close to you. Don’t worry, I know how to wait!”

They talked for a while longer, and then it was time for him to go.

The drive to the airport was quiet. He held her hand and squeezed it softly several times. She leaned in and pressed her lips on his cheek, and he assured her that he would be back very soon.

At the airport she wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips met passionately. She let go of him with a heavy heart, but he tightened his grip on her again and pulled her hard against him as his mouth landed on hers with unmistakable hunger. He didn’t want to let her go, and she was elated. His beautiful eyes were gazing into hers as if he was trying to imprint the image of her face in his mind. She didn’t need to do that - his beautiful face had been permanently imprinted in her mind since the very first time she saw him. He pulled her closer to him one more time and kissed the tip of her nose. They stayed in each other’s arms and he finally let go as he turned and walked towards the security gate.

“I’ll call you tomorrow. I love you, baby,” he murmured. “Miss me, Arielle!”

He asked her to miss him every time they parted.
He knows that I miss him even when he’s standing here, right next to me,
she thought.

He waved, and then he was gone. She pressed her face against the huge terminal window and watched the plane taxi down the runway. She watched it lift into the air and kept watching until it finally disappeared into the sky. She drove back to the flat, sad that he was gone, but happy about what they had accomplished and what was still to come.

Sebastian sat on the plane looking out the window, watching the city disappear as they climbed above the clouds. His thoughts were full of Arielle and her beautiful face. He knew how she felt about abstinence and remaining a virgin until she was married, and he didn’t want to do anything to make that difficult for her. He was going to marry her and he knew how to wait.

But he was trying to understand what had happened on the beach when he had put Olivia’s necklace on Arielle. He had definitely been taken aback. As soon as he had closed the clasp and the necklace had touched her skin, there was a complete silence coming from Arielle’s mind. She kept telling him that he knew what she was thinking, but the truth was that after that moment he couldn’t hear her thoughts anymore. He hadn’t said anything about it, but he didn’t like that at all. He wanted to know what she was thinking at all times.
Well, at least I know that the necklace is protecting her from everything, including my ability to read her mind, apparently,
he thought ruefully.

Her face had haunted him every day since the day he laid eyes on her on that beach, and her voice tore through his soul every time she spoke. Being able to read her thoughts had filled him with such pleasure, and the strange silence that had occurred once he put the necklace on her was puzzling and unsettling. He would have to find out why it was blocking her thoughts from him.

Chapter 17

I
t was 6:00 when Arielle arrived back at the flat, and both Gabrielle and Eva were there. They decided to go out and get something to eat, and didn’t get back until quite late. They knew they had classes the next morning, but they wanted to tell each other all about their romantic adventures, so they decided to open a bottle of wine. They sat on the floor, eager to hear about each other’s new guys.

“I fell in love with Sebastian from the very first moment I saw him standing on that beach, just a couple of feet away from me.” Arielle’s voice came out softly as the memory of his touch fuelled her passion and sheer bliss spread across her face. “He explained to me why he missed our party, and we’ve worked things out. I get the most extraordinary feeling just by standing next to him, just holding his hand,” she said, and closed her eyes. Pleasure surged through her body, and she quivered. She was startled to hear Eva’s voice saying, “Arielle, snap out of it!” She opened her eyes and smiled wide.

“Oh, I’m just thinking about him,” she said. “I hate being away from him,” she muttered, frowning. “But he did say that there is a possibility that he will move here next year. For now it’ll be a long distance relationship, and I must say I hate it. He did say that he would try to visit as much as possible. I just can’t believe this is really happening,” she added. “I just can’t believe it!”

She didn’t mention anything about Sebastian’s true nature to her friends. But how could she explain something like that? She exhaled, feeling his absence almost as a physical aching, longing for his arms.

She did tell them that there was a crazy woman who was infatuated with Sebastian, and that she was stalking him. This woman could become a problem for her down the road, and that was something she was a bit worried about. Eva’s body seemed to tighten and her gaze pierced through Arielle’s. Arielle knew just what she was thinking, and she tried to look unruffled, but in fact she too was a little shaken up just remembering Eva’s prophetic words.

When Eva spoke, her voice was soft but determined. “I promise you, Arielle, if she ever tries to harm you, we will stop her,” she said. As she spoke, the softness in her voice gave way to resolve, and even anger. Gabrielle looked startled and Arielle laughed, trying to make light of the situation. She knew that Eva was serious, but deep down inside she also knew that the problem of Annabel was not so easy to dismiss. “Anyway,” she said rapidly, wanting to change the subject, “tell us about Troy, Gabby.”

Gabrielle’s eyes lit up and she placed her hand over her heart.

“I’m totally in love,” she said. “Completely captivated by his mere existence! He is extremely clever and indescribably beautiful.” She stayed silent for a few moments while she took on a faraway look. A wide smile spread across her face and they knew that she was thinking of him, remembering some kind of sweet moment she hadn’t yet shared with them. They let her just enjoy the moment. Finally Arielle coughed loudly enough to bring her back to what she was saying.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I guess I got carried away for a moment,” she giggled.

Eva and Arielle laughed, knowing exactly how she felt.

“I’ll be spending a lot of time with him,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Gabby, we don’t care what you do as long as you’re happy,” Arielle said, trying to hold back her laughter. Gabrielle looked away again and the same dreamy smile appeared on her face while they listened to her barely audible voice.

“He is such a great kisser. I could spend the rest of my life doing nothing else but kissing him!”

At this they couldn’t help themselves - they laughed out loud again. Gabby looked startled.

“What?” she said.

“You were thinking out loud. Was that something you really wanted us to know?”

Gabrielle giggled happily. “Oh, I don’t mind,” she said, blushing just a little. “I want to introduce you to him tomorrow, after class.”

Now it was Eva’s turn, and they were all ready to hear her same old sob story, but this time they were in for a surprise. Eva had met a guy a few nights ago, the same night Arielle was out with Paul.

“Is he a student here?” Arielle asked.

“He is actually a new student this year,” she said. “He transferred here from Manchester University. His name is Ian, and he has swept me off my feet,” she said excitedly. “We have been together practically every night and he is just wonderful! He takes me to dinner, to the cinema, and we take long walks together. We can talk about everything and anything. He brings me flowers, and we watched the sunset together. I want to spend every waking moment with him. I want him to love me forever! He is very handsome, he is warm, graceful, and, by the way, he too is an excellent kisser,” she concluded, giggling with delight.

Listening to Eva and looking at her shining face, Arielle could see that she was absolutely crazy about Ian.
Now Ian can become her focal point and she won’t be spending her time thinking about spell books, or her special powers, or the cemetery, or summoning someone back from the dead,
she thought. She smiled, pleased and relieved, and moved closer to Eva to give her a hug.

“He has asked over and over again to meet you two, but you haven’t been around,” she said. “When can you meet him?”

“Anytime, Eva,” Gabrielle said, hugging her too. “He sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to meet him! What is he studying?”

“He is studying to be a doctor,” she said.

“Ohhhhhh! A doctor! So maybe it’s true that great things happen to those who wait?” Arielle chuckled.

“It seems to be true,” Eva murmured, laughing happily. “Anyway, I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

It was late, time to retire. So they finished their wine and headed for bed. Before Arielle climbed into bed she sat down at the computer and sent Sebastian a short e-mail.

“
I am getting ready to go to bed and I was thinking of you,”
she wrote.
“I do so wish you were here. I miss you terribly. I love you!”
She read the words over and then hit “send.”

She had brushed her teeth and was almost ready to get into bed when she heard the e-mail ping. Her heart skipped a beat; she smiled gleefully and ran back to the computer. Yes! It was a return message.

“I was sitting here thinking of you when I received your e-mail. Thank you for loving me and for making me happy. I love you more than life, and I need you to the point that it hurts. I want you to miss me when I’m not there. I want to be your first thought in the morning and your last thought before you go to bed. I want you to dream about me
and only me. You have bewitched me, Miss Elizabeth, and I’ll love you for eternity.”

The image of his beautiful face surged through her head and she longed for him. She could see the stunning curve of his lips and could almost taste his immortal sweetness. She closed her eyes as his absence filled her with emptiness. Her fingers moved once again on the keyboard.

“Good night, Darcy. I’m going to bed right now, and I pray that I dream of you because I’m so lonely that I want to cry…I need you here with me.”

His next e-mail was short but it filled her with an aching tenderness.

“
I love you, baby. Miss me!!”

She shut the computer down and closed her eyes, trying to see his beautiful face.

They had agreed to e-mail each other, but also to call. She knew she needed to hear his voice. He had also promised to come and visit a couple times before the semester was over. With that happy thought she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning she didn’t have a class until ten o’clock. She got up, made some coffee, and took a cup with her back to her bedroom. Eva had already gone to an early class and Gabrielle was in the shower. She sat in front of her computer and, switching the power on, she decided to send a short e-mail to Sebastian. She typed a few words in, and was getting ready to hit “send” when she saw a new e-mail pop up on her screen. It was from Sebastian!

“I woke up missing you and I wanted to tell you that I love you before you left for class. Please miss me!!! I’ll call you soon.”

Complete happiness took over her body, and her fingers moved quickly on the keyboard again.

“I just finished typing a note to you and was just getting ready to hit send when I got your e-mail. I’m so happy that you are thinking of me. I’m missing you terribly. I don’t think I can stand being away from you this long. I’m glad you still love me because your love is what sustains me right now. Okay, I’m heading to class.”

She hit “send” and ran to take a quick shower. She pulled on jeans and a T-shirt, and grabbed her books. She heard the computer ping again just as she started to walk out the door. She whirled, filled with excitement, and ran back to open her e-mail.

“I love you more than you could ever love me. Miss me!!”

How could a few words so change her whole outlook on the day? All she could do was smile as she walked to the door.

“I can’t wait to meet your guy,” she heard Gabrielle’s voice calling from the kitchen as she prepared to leave the flat.

“And I can’t wait to meet Troy! Did you say he is coming over today?”

“Yes, he should be here later this evening,” Gabrielle said as Arielle walked out the door with a spring in her step.

Paul was waiting outside their chemistry classroom with a concerned look on his face. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yes, I feel much better than I did last week. Thanks for being there for me,” she murmured, and they walked in together.

The day passed quickly, and soon they were all back at the flat, engaged in their studies, when a soft knock sent Eva running to the door. It was Ian, and Arielle liked him from first sight. He was a little taller than Eva, well built, and extremely good looking with brown hair and brown eyes. He pulled Eva into his arms and gave her a warm kiss. She looked so happy, and that made Arielle smile. Then Ian walked over to Arielle and gave her a warm hug as if they had known each other for a long time.

“You must be Arielle,” he said. “Eva has told me all about you and I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” He had a wonderfully friendly smile, and she immediately knew that he belonged to that special group of people in her head. She could see that he was genuine in everything he said. “I’m delighted to meet you too, Ian,” she said, hugging him back. Then Gabby came out of her room, and her meeting with Ian was equally warm and friendly. They chatted happily for a few minutes, and then Ian followed Eva into the kitchen to get a beer.

Gabrielle and Arielle just looked at each other and smiled joyfully. They were both thinking the same thing—that Ian and Eva made a beautiful couple. When they came back into the room, they were talking about Ian’s family. He was a great guy with some very interesting stories to tell, and a fascinating way of telling them, which they all enjoyed while sipping wine.

Around 8:00 Troy arrived, and Arielle nearly dropped. He was incredibly good looking, almost as attractive as Sebastian. He took Gabrielle in his arms and their lips locked in a soft kiss. Gabrielle introduced him to them, and he moved across the room to give Eva a warm hug and shake Ian’s hand.

While Troy’s smile was remarkable, as he turned in her direction and crossed the room toward her, Arielle was sorry to discover that he didn’t belong to that special group of people in her head. But as he approached her she sensed something very familiar about his seamless walk. She was still trying to process that thought when he leaned over to give her a hug. As he did, her body suddenly went rigid. The scent was unmistakable. She was stunned, since she had never smelled that particular scent until she met Sebastian. She looked at him expecting to be dazzled, but nothing unusual happened. She was very confused, but also very sure about the scent that went along with his amazing looks and his seamless walk.

She was still staring at him, her mind miles away when she heard his voice, soft as velvet.

“Are you all right, Arielle?”

He was watching her carefully with a puzzled look on his face.

“Yes…yes… I’m sorry. I was just thinking of something… something else. Forgive me. It’s so nice to meet you; I’ve heard so much about you from Gabrielle.” Arielle said, smiling a bit nervously as she saw him walking towards Gabrielle, gazing back at her with a curious look. But he remained quiet.

Oh my God,
she thought to herself,
can he be another immortal? And how or why did he show up here?
Now her mind was really going wild. She was sure that he was wondering what she was thinking, and she was wondering if he could read her mind like Sebastian could. But if he could, he gave no indication of it.