Jude Stephens (2 page)

I excused myself and headed up to our bedroom with
every intention of taking a cold shower and had just started
ripping off my clothes when Roberto burst in the room saying “Dio
Olivia…I can smell your arousal…let me help you Piccolina.”

And he did….he made me come so hard that day I
thought I was going to pass out from the intense sensations. Like I
said, Roberto didn’t mind, but sometimes I really disliked being a
slave to my senses.

When I reached the top of the slope, I saw a car
parked in the driveway and wondered who was visiting.

We didn’t get many visitors here. Roberto liked to
keep his home concealed. The only people allowed here were other
evolved ones and those who were on the inside with Roberto.

So, I was curious to see who the car belonged to.
Roberto wasn’t due home until the weekend which was two days away.
I went around to the back of the house as was my usual custom and
sitting on the patio was a tall stunning blond and my best friend
in the whole world.

“
Oh my God!” I exclaimed. “Why
didn’t you tell me you were coming home today? I’m so glad to see
you!”

Running to give her a big hug I skidded to a stop
when I saw her face. “Sweetie…what’s wrong?” I asked concerned.

Janel was upset, which made my stomach do

somersaults. She didn’t get upset
over little things. She was one of the most positive people I
know.

She took a deep breath and opened
her mouth and shut it again. Uh oh…if she’s at a loss for words
this was going to be bad.

Trying to start her talking I asked, “Did Andy break
your heart? Where is he? I will tae kwon do his ass if you want me
to.” I teased.

She was trying to smile at me but
failed miserably. I was getting scared. “Janel, just tell me what’s
wrong!”

“
Roberto’s married!” she
blurted.

Chapter 2

I stared at Janel. Not sure whether I should start
laughing at her unfunny attempt at a joke or if she was serious, I
just sat there with my mouth hanging open.

“
Olivia? Did you hear me? Roberto
is married. Well, I’m not sure if he’s married like a normal person
but he has a woman. Olivia? Do you hear what I’m saying?” She
repeated.

Snapping out of a fog, I said to Janel, “What are
you talking about? Roberto is not married and without doubt not
involved with another woman. I have spent almost every minute with
him for the last two months. I think I would know if there was
another woman.”

Looking at me with pity she said, “Oh Sweetie, I’m
so sorry. I found out while Andy and I were on Cat Island. As you
know, a lot of The Evolved hang out around there. One night we were
in the Boathouse, that’s a bar that is owned by an evolved.

The owner’s name is Deon, and it turns out he is a
Luscas. I had no idea what that was until Andy explained it to me.”
Janel went on in an excited voice, “A Luscas is a sea creature! Can
you believe that? Supposedly there are only a handful of them in
the whole world. I don’t know if they are all grouches, but let me
tell you about Deon. One night I wanted him to make me a
special--”

“
JANEL! Please…stop. Is there a
point to this story?” I was beginning to get a pounding
headache.

Looking contrite she said, “I’m
sorry…you know how I ramble when I’m nervous. Well, like I said we
were at the Boathouse and were having a lot of fun when in walked
this tall gorgeous blond.”

At her words my stomach sank to the floor.

She continued, “All of the people in the bar turned
to stare at her. Even I had to stop and stare. I don’t think I’ve
ever seen anyone quite so stunning. When I turned to ask Andy who
she was he had a scowl on his face and just said, ‘Trouble’.

Then she looked our way and made a beeline straight
for us. She gave me one of those looks…you know where someone looks
you up and down and then dismisses you as not being worthy of their
attention.”

I knew exactly the look Janel was talking about
because it happened to me often enough, especially when I was with
Janel. I’m just surprised it happened to her.

“
Can you please tell me what any
of this has to do with Roberto?” I pleaded with her.

“
Sorry. Well, I really didn’t like
the look of her, especially when she grabbed Andy’s hand and said,
‘Hello Andrew. It’s been a while. How is my darling
bonded?’

“
Andy looked like he wanted to
vomit, when he replied, ‘Fine. He’s been looking for you. Why
haven’t you contacted him?’

“
Well, I couldn’t help but ask who
her husband was. They both ignored me. Then she said to Andy, ‘Tell
him I will contact him when I’m good and ready and he should stop
stalking me!’

“
She turned to me then, and let me
tell you, she scared the crap out of me when she said, with her
damn fangs out, ‘And you can tell your little Sensay friend that I
want her to stay away from my bonded and my brother!’”

Janel said the last with tears in her eyes. I
couldn’t comprehend what she was telling me. Her bonded and her
brother? What the hell does that mean? Roberto told me his sister
was murdered by The Guardians years ago…suddenly a thought came to
me. Alex told me that he missed his sister… what was her name?

“
Annika,” I whispered.

Shocked, Janel said, “Roberto told you he was bonded
to Alex’s sister?”

The world started spinning out of control. I kept
hearing the words, bonded…Roberto...Annika…Alex’s sister, over and
over again. I heard a high pitched wailing in my ears, and it took
a few minutes for my mind to register that it was me howling in
grief.

I heard Andy come crashing through the door followed
by Antonio and Mark. I heard Andy admonish Janel, “I told you not
to say anything until we got Roberto here. Jesus Janel, she’s a
Sensay, and you know she’s not in control of her emotions and
senses yet!”

Crying, she said, “I’m sorry. I
had to tell her. What those guys did to her was sleazy. Even you
think that!”

Seeing her cry snapped me out of
my pain induced wailing and brought me snuffling back to
reality.

“
It’s okay. Stop crying Janel. I’m
sorry for my outburst. I don’t mean to upset anyone.”

Looking around at the group surrounding me, I
couldn’t stand the look of pity on their faces. “I think I’ll just
go to my room and lie down for a bit. I have a headache.”

I all but ran into the house and up the stairs, but
when I looked at the door to the room I shared with Roberto, I
couldn’t go in there. It was filled with too many painful memories
of the love and passion Roberto and I shared. I went instead to
where Janel usually stayed and curled up in a ball on the bed. The
pain inside me was a living thing. I could feel it twisting and
turning through my body. It was like a snake that was feeding on my
soul. I felt like I would go mad from it.

“
Olivia…please…stop. I can’t stand to see you this
way.”
Alex’s voice filled my
mind.

“
Go away Alex. I don’t want you
here now.” I begged him. Sometimes I really hated how mentally
connected we were.

“
Olivia,
listen to me. I want to be honest with you
.”

“
Honest? You don’t know what that
means, Alex.”

“
I want
to explain. I wanted to tell you from the beginning. Roberto said
we should try and get your cooperation first. We were both
desperate to find my sister. I still am. I’m worried about
her.

“
Something happened in Italy about a year ago and she
disappeared. Roberto swears he doesn’t know what happened. For a
while we thought she was kidnapped by The Guardians, but she was
spotted by some of The Evolved, first in Amsterdam, then in Sydney
and recently in the Bahamas. That’s where Roberto is now. He went
to see if he could find her there after Andy and Janel ran into
her. We thought you’d be able help locate her.
”

Alex’s voice trailed off. I couldn’t keep the anger
from boiling up inside of me.

“
Are you telling me that the two
of you have been using me from the very beginning?” I asked in
disbelief. When Alex’s voice wasn’t forthcoming in my head, I said,
“Answer me dammit!”

“
Well…in
the beginning, yes. That’s why Roberto accompanied you to The
Scandinavian the night we met. Roberto was supposed to keep Janel
occupied and let me concentrate on you. We agreed you were to be
mine. I still can’t believe he took you. He broke honor with my
family by taking you away from me and by betraying my sister. I
wanted so badly to tell you the truth but he wouldn’t allow
it.
”

“
Not allow it? What the hell,
Alex? How can he have so much power over you?”

“
Olivia,
you have to understand vampire politics. It goes against everything
we value to violate the rules, and Roberto has a lot of power
within the council. I’ve never heard of Roberto bending council
rules before. I’m not sure why he would risk everything the way he
has.
”

I wasn’t sure either. “Alex, can you do me a
favor?”

Alex’s voice sounded hopeful when
he said, “
Sure Babe, anything for
you.
”

I ignored him and said, “Picture Annika in your
mind. I want to see her.”

“
Baby, I
don’t think--
”

“
JUST DO IT!” I
commanded.

There was no reply so I made myself close my eyes
and concentrate on Alex. I was surprised to picture him sitting
naked by a lake, his hair obviously wet. He had been having a
moonlight swim. I reached out with my senses to see if anyone was
with him…like a female, but I got a sense that he was by himself.
He laid back and the moonlight washed over his muscular body. I
couldn’t help but look at his manhood, which was quite large, as it
lay nestled in a thatch of blond hair. Knowing I was connected to
him he ran a hand down his chest, across his flat abdomen and
lower.

“
Annika,” I reminded
him.

He sighed, and at once I got a vision of the most
beautiful woman I’d ever seen. No wonder Janel was a little put out
by their meeting. She was sitting on top of a magnificent black
horse. Her long blond hair was blowing in the breeze. Her eyes were
an unbelievable green. Her pink perfect lips were turned up in a
smile when she turned as another rider came into view.

It was Roberto and he was laughing. He scrambled off
his horse and went over to Annika and helped her down.

I noted she had long legs and was just a few inches
shorter than Roberto. She was everything that I wasn’t. Roberto
pulled her to him and put his arm around her. They broke apart and
turned to greet someone approaching them. Roberto looked back at
Annika and it was with the same look of love he had given me so
many times.

“
Why would you show me that? That
was beyond cruel Alex,” I whispered.

“
I wasn’t
trying to be cruel Olivia. That is just the last time I saw Annika.
We were all out riding at Roberto’s family estate Castillo Durata.
It was a nice evening
.”

Alex sounded sad but I was too numb to care at the
moment.

“
How could you do this to me Alex?
You said you loved me, but you used me.” Even though it hurt me to
do so I said, “Don’t connect with me again. I’m through with you
Alex. If you have any sense of decency you’ll leave me
alone.”

“
Olivia…please no…don’t ask me to do this. I love you, Baby. I
only did what I had to do.
”

I felt the red hot flame of anger licking at my
belly and I said, “Promise me you will not connect with me ever
again, Alex.”

Alex sighed “
If that’s truly what you wish Olivia, then I can do nothing
else but honor your wishes. But first I will have my say. Yeah, I
did have an ulterior motive the first day I met you, but that
doesn’t change the fact I fell in love with you. I will always love
you. If you’d let me I would take you away from all of the pain
you’ve endured and love you for the rest of our
days.
”

With that he was gone. I lay there for a long time
not thinking about anything. It was as if my mind shut down. I
wasn’t sure how long I laid there until I felt like I had to get up
and get some air. I still didn’t want to go back into Roberto’s
room so I borrowed some of Janel’s clothing. The jeans were a
little long so I rolled them up and grabbing a jacket went down the
stairs. I could hear voices in the kitchen and decided to go out
the front door. I didn’t want to encounter anyone. When I stepped
outside I wasn’t sure which way to go. I stood for a minute and
closed my eyes. I reached out with my mind searching for a sign. My
mind cleared and I had a clear picture where I should go, so I
started walking towards the lake.

Chapter 3

When I got to the lake I let instinct take over and
walked along the shore in a northern direction. Dusk was beginning
to descend and though my rational mind said I should probably head
back, my heart wanted to keep walking. Even though I recognized
that I was distraught, my sense of self preservation made sure that
while I was walking, I kept the lake in view.

My mind turned over everything that I heard in the
last few hours. Some things began to make more sense to me now. I
remembered how I tried really hard to get Roberto to bite me and
how reluctant he had been. It was probably due to the fact that he
saved that particular foreplay for Annika. With my vivid
imagination it was all too easy to picture the two of them in my
mind. Roberto with his dark hair, high Roman nose and strong jaw.
Oh God, how I loved to kiss his stubbled jaw.