Arielle Immortal Quickening (27 page)

Gabby and Arielle giggled noticeably. Ian held Eva to the kiss for a long moment more, and he finally lifted his head looking pleased with himself.

“Anyone else need a kiss?” he asked, and glanced between the three of them. They stared at him in complete silence. “Well? Ladies? Step up. I’m in a hurry,” he added, holding his arms wide open, trying to suppress laughter unsuccessfully. His lips were pressed together, his eyes were shimmering with amusement, and he finally burst out into a hearty laugh. Eva, Arielle and Gabby stared at him in delight, suddenly caught in his contagious laughter. He eventually turned and started to walk toward her car. “Wait, Ian,” Eva called out. “I need to talk to you for a second.” She ran to catch up with him.

Gabby turned to Arielle. “Let’s go shopping tomorrow afternoon,” she proposed.

“I’d love to do that,” Arielle replied. “I’ll call Loren to check if she can go with us. Do you mind?”

“Oh, no! I love Loren. She has an amazing taste in clothes.”

“Yes, I agree,” Arielle inserted. “She always looks so stunning, doesn’t she?” Gabby nodded. They turned as Eva approached, realizing after a quick look around that Ian was already gone.

“Well, I have to go. Troy should be home soon,” Gabby said. “I can’t keep my hands off of him.” Eva and Arielle laughed out loud, knowing exactly what she was insinuating.

“Call me later tonight, after you get back from seeing Olivia,” Gabby called out and waved.

“I will,” Arielle replied.

Eva and Arielle walked gradually toward the parking lot. Arielle chuckled out loud when she noticed that her car was already gone.

“I still can’t get used to the immortal speed,” she said, looking at Eva with, amusement.

“It’s quite exciting if you are the one with the ability,” Eva said, casually.

“Come off it, Eva, it’s more than exciting.”

“Okay then, it’s exhilarating.” Eva muttered lightly.

They had reached Eva’s car when the sound of familiar voice jolted both Eva and Arielle to stop. They spun around and came face to face with Annabel’s beautiful, cruel expression. Arielle gapped in horror, terror constricting her chest and making it difficult to breathe.

“Jesus!” She felt bile climbing quickly up her throat. Annabel’s gaze was fixed on Arielle, and she completely dismissed Eva. The dark light in her eyes boded ill for her intentions. Silence fell between them.

A satisfied smirk crossed Annabel’s lips and swiftly vanished.

“Well… what a tender moment! The three of us together again!” Annabel’s mocking voice was as icy cold as the look on her face. Arielle heard Eva’s furious mutter, but she couldn’t understand what she was saying, because every part of her body was completely numb.

She was unable to follow Eva’s speed, but her friend was now standing halfway between her and Annabel. Annabel’s eyes flicked quickly over Eva, but just as quickly, she dismissed her scornfully. Annabel had eyes only for Arielle, as she enjoyed tormenting her ex-fiancé’s new paramour. The ancient immortal took a step closer and realized that Eva was standing unmoving, creating a barrier between her and Arielle. Annabel lifted an eyebrow, and her gaze danced between Arielle and Eva.

She finally set her eyes on Eva and cocking her head to the side. “Do you really think that you can protect your friend?” she asked, her voice filled with contempt. Eva remained silent, watching her carefully. Annabel snorted disgustingly. “Isn’t that enchanting, one weak human protecting another? I’m so touched!” Annabel placed her hand over her heart, mockingly.

Eva smiled, enjoying the fact that Annabel was clueless to her immortality.

Annabel now watched Eva curiously. “I must say that you have more guts than your miserable friend,” she said and pointed at Arielle. “I can’t imagine what Sebastian sees in this feeble human.”

“That feeble human is a thousand times better woman than you’ll ever be,” Eva stated, rage surging through her eyes.

Annabel’s mouth dropped in astonishment. She was stunned to find herself being harassed by a weak human. Her resentment, repugnance, and revulsion were palpable. She gazed at Eva and saw rage flooding her eyes.

“Are you kidding me?” Annabel finally spit out, darting her gaze between Eva and Arielle. Her fury was pulsating through her muscles. “Do you want to play with me?” she asked. “It might hurt a little,” she added sarcastically.

Eva’s voice boomed, unwavering. “Annabel, you have no idea how eagerly I’ve been waiting for this moment!” Silence answered her words. She was sure that Annabel was shocked speechless by Eva’s outburst.

“You are kidding!” Annabel repeated, looking amused.

“Does it look like I’m kidding?” Eva growled through clenched teeth.

“Get out of my way, you insignificant human.” The arrogance in her expression would have been visible to anyone.

“Don’t even try it,” Eva said curtly. Annabel was taken aback again by Eva’s defiance. She arched an eyebrow while her eyes shot daggers at Eva.

Arielle saw a wide smile spreading across Eva’s face and immediately Annabel lapsed into thoughtful silence. She was obviously confused as to how a feeble human like Eva could dismiss her in such an overconfident way.

Eva was watching her carefully, waiting for her to strike first. Annabel was clueless about Eva’s transformation and her immortal powers.

Arielle took a quick look around, and she noticed that most of the cars were already gone, and the parking lot was almost empty. She felt a bit relieved. She prayed that for the next few minutes, nobody would show up. She had a strong feeling that this was going to be a bit messy. Two angry immortals weren’t a common occurrence on the Brighton campus.

Annabel’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

“I have had enough of your nonsense, get out of the way!” Annabel lifted her hand to thrust Eva aside.

“No, absolutely not,” Eva shrieked, and her hand stretched out and caught Annabel’s wrist with her own. She quickly twisted it behind Annabel’s back and shoved upward, dislocating the other immortal’s shoulder with an audible pop. Annabel staggered, shocked. She paused for a moment and gritted her teeth against the pain as she leaped forward. Eva’s used the heel of her palm and slammed it into Annabel’s face, throwing the whole weight of her body into the move. Arielle heard bones cracking and her mouth dropped. The sharp blow sent Annabel flying backward; she hit the ground with a loud sound.

She let out a cry of agony as she reached up with her good hand and touched her face. Blood splatter covered her hand, and she was too shocked to move. Her breath hissed through her clenched teeth and she shot Eva a seething look.

Eva knew it would not take long for Annabel to heal, so she darted forward ready to strike, but Annabel was already up on her feet. She whirled and threw herself sideways, out of Eva’s path. Her lips were drawn back in a ferocious growl. Eva sailed by her with her arms outstretched. Losing her balance, she plunged toward the ground with a loud thud. A blistering bolt of self-loathing shot through Eva, cursing out loud for missing her target. She scrambled to her feet quickly and caught Annabel across the face, as she was storming toward Eva. The large stone of Eva’s ring tore a deep gush across Annabel’s cheek, squirting blood in the air.

Annabel shrieked and lunged at Eva’s throat, raking her nails across her flesh. Eva’s hands clamped around Annabel’s wrists once again like steel vises and tightened until she heard her knuckles crack from the force. Annabel screamed and struggled hard to free her trapped hands, but Eva’s strength stopped her stone cold forcing her all the way to the ground. Her skin went white as Eva’s grip constricted around Annabel’s wrists. Her eyes went wide in horror when she heard the break that shattered nearly every part of her arms. Her breath was puffing out of her mouth in hard gasps.

A deep roar of a car engine somewhere close drew Eva’s attention for a short second, but it was long enough for Annabel to free herself and back away from Eva. The car raced by and disappeared at the other end of the parking lot.

Eva’s head swiveled back to Annabel who was studying Eva curiously. She just couldn’t grasp the change in Eva’s strength. She was not the same girl she confronted in St. Jean de Luz. She was definitely a force to reckon with. Suddenly she bolted. Lifting her leg, she landed a hard kick in Eva’s stomach. The force lifted Eva off the grass and threw her several meters away, knocking the air out of her for a quick moment. There was a blur of movement and Annabel was now standing over Eva, hands on her heaps a sarcastic smile on her face.

“This isn’t about you, you dismal human,” she hissed through clenched teeth.

“Oh, but it is,” Eva replied in an arctic voice.

Annabel’s blue eyes narrowed to slits. A slow smile painted her face, “Something is different about you.”

“Why don’t you try to find out?” Eva goaded her.

“I’m planning on beating it out of you,” Annabel said, “And I will enjoy every minute if it.”

Eva’s frown deepened. Annabel didn’t know that Eva was now an immortal, and that was definitely to Eva’s advantage. Eva pretended to struggle upright;
the bitch is going to pay!

“Having trouble getting up?” Annabel’s disgusting laughter boomed in the air.

The next few seconds took Annabel by complete surprise. Eva’s speed was startling; she simultaneously threw her foot forward making brutal contact with Annabel’s side, while the fingers of one hand tangled in Annabel’s hair, yanking her head toward her, and her other fisted hand crashed against Annabel’s jaw shattering it. Annabel grunted in pain and panic took over when Eva’s foot made another contact and than another contact and again a third one with Annabel’s side, until her body fell limp. Eva let her body plunge to the ground.

Eva stared at Annabel’s bloody mess for a moment and then turned and glanced at Arielle’s shocked face. She sent her a reassuring smile and started to say something when she noticed Arielle’s eyes widening with fear and she shot her an anxious glance. Out of the corner of her eye, Eva showed Annabel already on her feet standing right behind her. She knew she should have kept her eyes on Annabel but it was too late. Her head whipped around but before she could react, Annabel clamped her steel hands around Eva’s neck and her nails bit into her flesh like hot nails. Her eyes flashed with loathing and the promise of death. Her hands tightened and Eva started to lose consciousness. Eva went down on her knees and collapsed on the grass.

Arielle wasn’t thinking clearly because if she had, she wouldn’t have sprinted up and thrown her full weight against Annabel. Annabel was startled and let go of Eva. What in bloody hell was Arielle thinking? Her body collided with Annabel’s and it was as if she was hit by a fierce tornado, knocking the wind out of her. Arielle groaned upon impact, pain tearing through her as her back collided with the ground Tears blinded her, and she was sure that she tore up her knees and her elbows sliding across the concrete. She gritted her teeth trying to hold back a scream as she felt her skin burning. She sat up, and looked back through the haze. Her stupid decision was not so stupid. She had averted Annabel’s attention and had given time to Eva to get on her feet, grinding her teeth in sheer rage.

Eva leaped forward and landed a hard blow in the middle of Annabel’s face that sent her flying across the parking lot, landing face down on the concrete. She was screaming in agony, cursing and trying to understand what was happening to her. She stood up, coughing blood, wheezing and gasping as she tried to get some air in her lungs. Annabel’s eyes were full of revulsion as she paused for a short moment glaring between Eva and Arielle.

Annabel didn’t hesitate; she bolted again with frightening speed, knocking both Eva and Arielle to the ground. Eva was up on her feet, instantly blocking Annabel’s way to Arielle. Arielle struggled to get to her feet once again; this time, still dazed, she bit her lower lip so hard she tasted blood. Looking up, she blinked in horror as she noticed that Annabel was now holding a knife. Arielle screamed, and she could feel the blood rushing through her veins. Her nerves were already strained to the breaking point with fretfulness.

“Eva, watch out!” she screamed. “She has a knife!” She was horrified. Annabel was already lashing at Eva with her immortal speed. Arielle’s breath held in her throat, and her heart started to hammer her chest uncontrollably.

“I am going to tear your heart out,” Annabel screamed. Reaching out, Eva gripped Annabel’s armed hand twisting it upward forcefully, and her forearm jammed into Annabel’s throat. Pain exploded in her body.

Annabel’s wrist snapped with a sound that made her flesh crawl. She saw the knife on the ground. She wanted to run and pick it up, but she was frozen in place. Eva landed another hard blow on Annabel’s chest, sending her flying across the parking lot to landing on the hard concrete one more time. She screamed in agony as she tried to get up. Her right arm was hanging awkwardly, but it wouldn’t take long before she was healed again.

Eva bent down, her fingers closing around the hilt of the knife. Raising to her full height, she looked livid. Her eyes were wild, and she was focused on Annabel.

“You bloody bitch!” she hissed. “Lets finish this right now. I’m ready to remind you what it feels like to knock on death’s door.” She darted forward and caught Annabel across the face with the blade. Annabel shrieked as blood splattered, blinding her. Eva positioned herself on top of her and plunged the knife into Annabel’s chest. Blood seeped through her shirt, and she looked wild. Her breath was coming out in harsh gasps. She wheezed and squealed in pain, struck by how resilient Eva was. Eva lifted the knife one more time and slammed it into Annabel’s chest, ripping into her guts.

Her shriek this time was so guttural that it stunned Eva to an abrupt stop. That was long enough for Annabel to crawl out of the knife’s path in supersonic speed. She jumped up, pushed her hair out of her bloody face, and shoved Eva backward. Then, she turned around and vanished in the distance. Eva stood shocked and disgusted, holding the bloody knife in her hand, unable to believe that Annabel had gotten away once again. She felt pretty disappointed. She wanted to finish Annabel for good.