Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1) (45 page)

I reached for the handheld attachment and turned it on, wetting her hair.  I rubbed shampoo through her long strands, the tips of my fingers massaging her scalp.  I rinsed it and she leaned back against me, letting out a contented sigh as she observed me rubbing soap onto a washcloth.

“We leave for Bali tomorrow.  How are you feeling about that?” I asked as I rubbed her shoulders gently with the cloth.  I ran it over her breasts, and dipped below the water to linger against her stomach and between her legs as I awaited her answer.

“I dread the 20 hour flight and we won’t have the advantage of flying on a private plane this time around,” she said, spinning around in the water to face me.  She repeated the process on me, washing and rinsing my hair and washing every inch of my body.

“Commercial airlines,” I sneered.  “I could not get my private plane routed back in time for our flight to Bali.  Lukas loaned it to business associates without my consent.”

I was already planning Lukas’s punishment.  It would be something that he would despise, something that he would feel was beneath him.  “He is responsible for cleaning our apartment and running my errands until he joins us in Bali.”

“You are evil.”  She laughed and splashed me with water.  I joined her and pressed her against the side of the bathtub, nipping at her lips.  We lingered in the tub until the water turned cold and her fingers were wrinkled.  Only then did she reluctantly bundle into a fluffy towel and grab a wide-toothed comb from the vanity.  She headed into the bedroom, sitting cross-legged on the bed.

I joined her on the bed and plucked the comb from her fingers, sitting behind her to slowly comb through her long hair.  My fingers were fast and gentle as I separated her hair into three sections, methodically beginning to weave them into a long braid that hung down her back.  I secured it with a rubber band and she twisted to face me as I surveyed my work, a proud smile on my face.

“How did you learn to braid hair?” she asked, rubbing her fingers over the tight plaits.

“One does not live to be almost a thousand years old without knowing how to braid.  During my human life we made our own ropes from bast and hemp which were braided together,” I offered in explanation and shrugged. Placing the comb on the bedside table, I reclined on the bed, running my fingers through my own thick, damp hair.

“Do you miss your human life?”  Josephine questioned, moving to lie on her stomach beside me.  She rested her chin on my stomach, watching me intently.  I stared down at her for a moment before I delved into my fuzzy memories of my human life.

“I do not miss being human and it is difficult for me to recollect much of my memories,” I said quietly and rubbed my finger across my lip, lost in thought.  “I remember my father being a handsome, imposing man.  He was a Jarl in our village, a nobleman.  My mother was a beautiful woman with long blond hair and blue eyes.  I had three brothers: Ragnarr, Sigarr and Snerrir, and a sister named Heiðr.  I can recall being happy, even with my ability.”

“Go on,” she whispered.  She was barely breathing, mesmerized by my story.  It was then I realized how little she knew of me.

Smiling faintly, I continued.  “I was 33 when our village came under attack.  My father was killed and as I was the eldest, it was left for me to lead our village.  We were victorious; however I was not so lucky that day.  I was wounded in battle, left by my comrades to bleed to death on a funeral pyre on a cold spring night of that year.  I can recall the pain of my wound and staring at the stars, praying to Freya or Hel to end my suffering, though I should have been fighting for my life.  Solveig intervened and made me what I am today.”

“Solveig was your maker, right?”

“Yes.  She was kind as far as sires go.  She was nearly 800 years old when she turned me and as the years passed, she lost her sanity.  She began creating vampires and left them to obliterate entire villages and towns.  The Council intervened and she met her final death when I was a little over 300 years old.”

Shoving aside my guilt, it was amazing at how easily I glossed over my part of my maker’s demise.  If not for me, Solveig might still be alive.  But I would not have my mate...

She sucked in a shallow breath and refused to meet my gaze.  “Did you love her?”

“Josephine, my love.  Look at me,” I murmured.  Two fearful eyes met mine.  I stretched to stroke the side of her face.  “Yes, I loved her at one time.  She was my sire and for a time we were lovers.  Do not do this to yourself.  I love you and only you.  What I felt for her cannot even compare to the depth of my love for you.  Once I had my vision of you, no one else mattered.  I understood 200 years ago that you would be the one I would be with until the end of my life.  Do you understand?”

Nodding, she let me embrace her.  I was reminded of a poem from long ago and I began singing to her in Swedish, attempting to comfort her.  “I liten Reck ...  för att nå henne riskerade jag mitt liv ofta ...Fast jag dräpas inom armar min älskade, Sova i Sif-of-siden-klänningar "omfattar: För den blonda kvinnan känner jag älskar ändlösa.”

Her eyes misted and she beamed beautifully.  “What did you sing to me?”

My lips curled into a smile against her temple.  “When I was human, men did not write or recite love poems.  It was forbidden to do so.  I am sure it is safe to do now.”  I tipped her chin to look into my eyes as I translated.  “I little reck...to reach her risked I have my life oft...Though I be slain within the arms of my beloved, sleeping in the Sif-of-silken-gowns' embraces: for the fair-haired woman feel I love unending.”

“That’s beautiful,” she whispered, her fingers tracing lines across my chest.

“It sounds better in Swedish.”  I softly stroked her hair and peppered kisses against her face.  I continued to hum, the deep sound rumbling in my chest and lulling her to sleep.

“Kian was right about one thing the first day I met him,” she mumbled drowsily.

She had my attention.  “And what was that, vackra?”

“He said you died that night to be reborn for me.  It took over 900 years for us to find each other, yet here we are together in an apartment in New York City.”

I tucked the covers around us.  “He is correct.  Against all of the odds, we found one another.  It was fate.”

Burrowing closer to me, her eyes were heavy and her voice grew tired as she recited a poem to me.  “He loves my heart, for once it was his own. I cherish his, because in me it bides.  My true love hath my heart and I have his.”

***

Twenty plus hours in the air and one layover later, we finally landed at Denpasar International Airport in Bali.  We made our way through the airport, heading over to baggage claim to collect our suitcases.

“Wait here and I will get our things,” I said, motioning to a bank of chairs.  I swept across the room.  I was used to the attention my presence caused.  I simply stood and watched the luggage circle.  Little did Josephine know, I could feel her eyes staring the most, possessively claiming my body from across the room.  Each day she became more vampiric.  How long did we have until I was forced to change her?  I equally dreaded and welcomed the thought.

Finally retrieving our bag, I casually tossed the long strap over my shoulder, grinning widely as I swaggered towards her.

“I always seem to catch you staring.  Are you eye fucking me, Josephine?” I mused and leaned to nip at her lips with my blunt teeth.  “I love it.

I reached for her hand and we walked together, dodging people as they darted through the airport.  It was not until I heard an excited, loud shriek that I realized how we were getting home.

“Josie!”  Georgia squealed.  She ran towards her, almost tackling Josephine in her haste to hug her.  She twirled her around and held her tightly.  She released her from her freakishly-strong grip and gave me a slow onceover flippantly, her nose crinkling as if she had smelled something spoiled.

The feeling was mutual.

“Georgia.”  I inclined my head and managed a forced smile.  I would at least make an attempt to be civil until she forced me otherwise.

Georgia chose to ignore me, instead focusing her attention back on Josephine.  A smile broke over her face, her blue eyes glowing, bouncing around with energy that could rival Lukas.  “Anna was supposed to pick you up but she ended up getting stuck with a client.  So she called me and here I am, at your service!”

“Lucky me.  Remind me to pay Anna next time to take the day off of work if we need a ride from the airport.”
I was feeling overly sarcastic today and if I had my way, this would be our final trip to Bali.

She nudged me in the side with her elbow, and we continued walking.  “Thanks, Georgia.  It saved us from getting a taxi.”

She waved her off, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder.  She flashed her a bright smile for a moment.  Her smile slowly faded and she pulled on her arm, stopping us in the middle of the airport.  Her hand dropped and she stared at Josephine critically, as if she was trying to figure out the differences in her appearance.  Her dark blue eyes flew over her hair and face, her eyes narrowing as she took in the minute differences.

“There’s something different about you, Josie.  Don’t get me wrong, you look great.  You just look… different.”  She tapped her finger on her upper lip and her eyes moved to sweep over me. I could see what she was doing.  I had seen it before.  She was going to compare the more prominent changes and similarities in her appearance to me: the cooler, firmer skin that almost seemed to glow, the glossy hair, and the sparkling eyes.  She was going to become very curious as to why we appeared so similar.  Georgia may be a pain in the ass, but she was an observant pain in the ass.

“She has noticed you are different.  You need to divert her thoughts.”
My thoughts had a warning edge to it.

We exchanged a look and she nervously laughed, pulling Georgia along.  “It must be something in the water and all the good food in New York.”  Josephine stretched out a fake yawn.  “I’ll be so glad to get home.  I’m exhausted.”

I chuckled under my breath as we walked along
.  “Do not give up your day job, vackra.”

“I’m trying to let her know I’m tired before she dreams up going out or hanging out all night.  So you better hope she buys my acting skills.”
  She raised an eyebrow sharply and shot me a look out of the corner of her eye as we headed out into the early evening light.  The muggy, humid temperatures of Bali were a shock after the much cooler weather of New York.  Even as a vampire, I noticed the difference.