Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1) (11 page)

My primal instincts threatened to take over as my predatory gaze memorized every inch of her body.  I wanted to take her, possess every part of her.  Gripping the table, every part of me wanted to walk to her and sweep her away to keep her for myself, regardless if she was willing or not.  My jaw grew taut and I let out a ragged breath as the wood of the table cracked under the pressure of my hands.  No, I could not risk scaring her away after waiting centuries to find her.  I had to rely on my patience and wait, like a lion watching its prey.  The promise of what she would be to me would make my suffering tolerable.

And like any predator, I took my time observing her with her friends.  I gathered every morsel of information she unknowingly offered me.  It was apparent she seemed uncomfortable as she went through the motions of eating and making small talk with her companions.  It was only after a few glasses of wine that she began to relax, her occasional laughter drifting over the din of the restaurant.  The gentle sound of her voice was like a soothing balm to my restless soul.  Wound like a tightened spring, I had lost count of the times that I had to resist the yearning to go to her, regardless of the consequences.  The instinctual urge to have her to myself was all consuming.

A DJ began playing loud music in the bar, causing the humans to slowly fill the small dance floor.  My eyes were only focused on her as she waved off her friends' attempts to pull her on the dance floor with them.  She denied them with a laugh, pointing to the door that led to the patio.  I calculated the risks of approaching her now or taking the chance and waiting for her on the beach below the restaurant.

The beach seemed like the better bet.  We would be alone.

Tossing money on the table, I walked at an almost inhuman speed to the door and blurred down the stairs to the beach.  I moved a safe distance from the steps and prayed silently to Odin that I had made the correct choice.

Only a few moments had passed when I heard her soft footsteps on the stairs, stopping as she moved gracefully onto the sand.  She was still for a moment, a small smile gracing her lips.  She stood there in the moonlight, looking every inch the innocent, yet seductive goddess from my visions.  Seeing her so close made every logical thought fly from my head as I took her in.  My control deserted me until all I was left with was my most primitive desires.  I wanted to go to her, yes.  Desire and longing had taken over and my instincts urged me to fuck and feed.  Lust hammered my senses as she took a small step towards the ocean, her skirt swirling around her shapely thighs when she stopped suddenly and hugged her arms around herself.  The scent of her arousal hit me mere seconds later, inflaming my heightened senses even further.  My cock twitched uncomfortably when the object of all my desires released a loud, throaty laugh.   I could feel a growl starting deep in my chest, and I fought my impulse to push her into the sand and fuck her until I could not think anymore.

Drawing a deep breath, I knew my time to approach her was now.  Now I would speak to the woman that had haunted me for nearly 200 years, tormenting my dreams with unfulfilled pleasure.  Later…later I would have her.

Hesitantly, I began my approach, freezing in place when yet another peal of laughter erupted from her.  It was impossible for me to walk away from her now.  She was like a siren, calling me to her.  I resumed my advance, my feet silent and cautious on the compact sand.

I was only feet away from her when I finally spoke.  “May I ask what is so funny?”

She startled, her heart rate increasing as she spun to face me.  She was ethereally beautiful, her reddish-blond hair even darker and gleaming in the moonlight, framing her delicate face.  The eyes that had haunted me thousands of times in my mind were dark green and large, shadowed with a fringe of thick eyelashes.  Her cheeks were flushed pink over her prominent cheekbones and her full, pouty lips were parted in surprise.

A mixture of relief and euphoria flooded over me, threatening to bring me to my knees in front of her.  After countless centuries alone, I had found her.  My solitary goal now was to convince her to remain by my side.

“N-nothing,” she stuttered, her breathing uneven as she spoke.  “It's sort of an inside joke about my friends inside.”

“Ah.  A joke.”  I moved to stand close enough to her so that our arms touched, electricity sparking between us.  The animalistic urge to take her roared loudly inside of me, begging for reprieve.  It had been a long time since I had even considered a sexual relationship, instead focused on finding her.  I swallowed roughly and struggled to maintain my faltering self-control.

She had felt the surge as well.  I observed her fingers brushing absently against her arm and was only briefly taken aback when I heard her thoughts float through my mind, wondering if she was crazy or if she'd had too much to drink when she felt the energy pass between us.  She thought it would make more sense if she were crazy.

Hearing her mental voice in my mind made my prophecy complete.  I knew her voice would 'call to me', yet I had no comprehension as to what that meant until this moment.  She would not be pleased to know that I had access to her thoughts.  This development could be added to my list of unpleasant things that I would eventually have to explain to her.

Turning my head to look down at her, I was entertained as she continued her inner musings.  Her eyes were critically examining my face, her thoughts filled with confusion.  She was comparing me to a memory she was recalling.  Brief images floated through her mind…images that mirrored my own dreams.  She thought my face was handsome, noting the almost iridescent quality of my skin in the moonlight.  Her heart was still thumping wildly as she openly admired me, her thoughts varying from thinking she was out of her league with me, trying to place why I looked so familiar until her mind veered off and she wondered why she could not read me.

Read me?
It was imperative that I divert her attention for the moment.  She was surprisingly more perceptive than most humans.  It was much too early to be forced to play my hand and reveal what I was too soon.

“I should introduce myself.  I am Stefan Lifsten.  And you are?” I inclined my head, extending my hand to her in greeting.  Nervously she placed her tiny hand in mine and the silky warmth heated the coolness of my skin, another spark passing between us.  Her mind wandered off to consider that it might not be a good sign that her panties wanted to disappear into the night from something as simple as a touch.

She was absolutely intriguing.

“I'm Josephine Anderson.  Everyone calls me Josie but you can call me whatever you want...” Her soft voice faltered, having almost a musical quality to it.  She was irritated with herself for babbling, cursing herself for her ‘verbal diarrhea’ and wondering if she could do anything to make herself seem more of an idiot.

“Josephine, it is my pleasure to meet you.”  I lowered my mouth to her hand, brushing it lightly with my lips.  My eyes rolled back as I was bombarded with the allure of her blood pulsing through her veins, the soft warmth of her fragrant skin, and the sweet bouquet of her arousal flooding my nose.  It took every bit of restraint I possessed to pull my lips from her skin to observe her again.  She took a deep breath and glanced in the direction of the bar, her mind focused on trying to calm herself before she blurted out something else embarrassing.

Concentrating on keeping my composure, I wrestled with the longing to explain that nothing would separate me from her again.  I would kill for her; procure any object she desired, no matter the cost or the method required to obtain it.

For 200 years, my life had not been my own.  Every agonizingly lonely, monotonous moment I had spent without her suddenly seemed unimportant.  This beautiful, strange human woman held the fate of my existence in her hands.

I would die a thousand deaths for her.

Chapter Five-Revelations And Expectations

“Would you like go inside and dance with me, Josephine?” I asked.  I offered her one of my most charming smiles.  Usually when I made such a gesture like this, it was to impose my will on a human.  For the first time, the act was honest and heartfelt.

She was stunned into silence by my query.  Her lips opened and closed as she simply stared at me with confusion.  Her thoughts beckoned for me and I could not resist the urge to read her mind.  Foremost, she was amazed that I wanted to dance with her; concerned that her body would spontaneously combust.  Again, I found her way of thinking completely captivating.   Probing further, on a subconscious level she had recognized me as the man from her dreams.  She was both baffled and aroused.

Finally, she seemed to pull herself out of her thoughts.   Josephine nodded nervously and cringed.  “Sure.”

"Shall we go?" I questioned softly.  Stepping closer, I could feel the heat radiating from her skin.  I placed my hand on the small of her back, letting my fingers drift greedily over the curve of her ass and gently nudged her towards the steps that led back into the bar.  She carefully navigated the stairs, her hips swaying irresistibly as she ascended.  My eyes watched her, taking in every hypnotic movement of her body.  The music grew louder as we approached the patio and I stepped around her to open the door.  My eyes easily adjusted to the change, yet I observed her blinking several times as we reentered the darkened bar area.

She was even more gorgeous in the shadowy neon light of the bar.  Her skin seemed to shimmer, her copper hair lustrous and shining brightly.  Truthfully, I could have stared at her for hours, scrutinizing every detail about her.  She was graceful, her eyes darting around the room.  It wasn’t until she caught her bottom lip between her teeth that I realized she had become very nervous.

"Let me get you a drink before I take you up on the dance you promised me," I said and waggled my eyebrows.  Steering her towards the bar, I pulled out a stool for her, patting it and shooting her another grin.  "What would you like?"

She hesitated for a moment and her irises darkened to a deep mossy green.  A faint blush stained her cheeks and the smallest of smiles pulled at her lips.  "A glass of red wine sounds great."

As I stepped away and motioned for the bartender, I was drawn to her thoughts.  She was watching me intently, the weight of her eyes raking over me, burning in their intensity.   She was comparing me to the man she had deemed her “fantasy man”, comparing my attributes to him.  Slipping the bartender a sizeable stack of rupiahs for her wine, I fought my smug satisfaction that was creeping over me and slowly turned, sauntering back towards her.  I placed the glass of wine in front of her and sat down on the adjoining stool, stretching my legs until they brushed against hers.  She blushed again and grabbed her wine glass with shaky fingers, swallowing a large drink.

Josephine sat her glass down on the polished wood and glanced at me with narrowed eyes as she glanced down at the empty space in front of me on the bar.  "Thanks.  You're not drinking anything?"

I snickered and leaned closer to her.  My eyes swept over her face and I gave her a rueful smile. "No, I am fine for now."