Arielle Immortal Resolve (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 8) (34 page)

Naked desire swirled in his eyes. The fragrance of freesia rose from her hair and sang deep into his bone marrow. His mouth came down on hers, his tongue parted her lips and dove into the sweetness of her mouth. The kiss seared her skin and the blood surged scorching hot, burning every vein in its wake. He kissed and suckled every inch of her body leaving a burning sensation that made her shudder.

“I don’t think I can be away from you for a week,” he breathed against her lips. “Will you miss me?” he asked, passion coating his voice.

“I think maybe a little,” she giggled and sank deeper into his embrace, and his body enveloped her.

His hands moved slowly, cupping the swollen mounts of her breasts, kneading and teasing the nipples with his thumbs. Pleasure coursed through her and she moaned, drowning in passion. Sebastian’s lips left her mouth and moved lower, grazing her silky skin with his tongue until he found a pebbled nipple and set his hot mouth on it, suckling and lapping with feverish desire.

Arielle wiggled beneath him and Sebastian flinched as their hips collided and he bit back a growl.

“You have to stop moving like that, because I'm not going to last long.” He was breathless. His mouth returned to worship the other nipple and she nearly came off the bed. His hands shifted and slid around her pulling her even closer to his body. He lifted his head and stared into her eyes, lust emanating out of each pore of his body. He lowered his mouth to hers and the kiss became a wild, unleashed plunder.

Arielle’s hand moved between them dragging her fingers slowly over his stomach and down his happy trail intensifying his hardness. He let out a harsh hiss when her hand stopped over his arousal and her fingers closed tightly around it.

Sebastian lost control, consumed by strong desire that drove him to a sensuous meltdown. Her soft movements sent scorching flames across his skin and he became utterly incoherent. With a soft growl he moved fast, grabbed her hand, and pulled it away against her pleading protests.

“No, Arielle, no, I can’t…” he trailed off, gasping for air. He shut his eyes against breathless desire, and rolled over, covering her body with his. With his knee he nudged her legs apart. He was beyond reasonable thinking, passion slumming hard and deep into his brain. He drove into her with savage hunger and she shuddered.

“Oh, God,” she groaned and her eyes slammed shut.

He wanted to devour her, he could hardly hold back, she was his and she wanted only him. Their breaths mingled, their bodies flush against each other, their movements united in sensual dance. Sebastian struggled for control; with a slow dip of his head he took her mouth and plundered. His tongue moved inside the sweet like honey softness, with the same urgency that sent a rush of craving through Arielle, and she groaned into his mouth. His thrusts became stronger and a groan escaped her before she could hold it back. She arched beneath him, her fingers digging into the hard muscles of his back and his passion intensified. He rotated his hips and she rose to meet and match him until they were rocked into a powerful release. Sebastian covered her mouth in a passionate kiss, swallowing her scream of release. The powerful jolt shot them both to oblivion and slowly brought them back into blissful slumber.

For a long moment they didn’t move, or speak, just held onto each other in silence. They were addicted to each other. He finally rolled onto his back taking her with him, keeping her tightly nestled against his side. She rested her cheek on his chest, an arm spread over his abdomen. With a soft moan he closed his eyes, his skin still on fire, trying to still his fast breathing.

She moaned and moved closer. His finger moved under her chin and lifted her face to his. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip, and groaned. God! She tasted so sweet. He'd never known passion like this. His voice came out in a husky rasp.

“Try to think about me, while I’m away.”

She gasped and slanted her head up to look into his eyes. “Sebastian, all I can do is think about you.”

“Thank God for that.” He set his mouth on hers once again and sensation swept over him like a storm. “I don’t think I can make it,” he breathed against her mouth. He pressed his muscled hardness against her suggestively. “A week is way too long,” he said on a breathy moan.

“Sebastian…” His name murmured past her lips. “I’ll be right here, when you get back, my love.”

He gazed at her peaceful face, a soft smile on her lips. He grinned, realizing that she was fast asleep. He wrapped her in his arms. Closing his eyes, a chuckle escaped him and he surrendered to sleep.

***

The nightly nightmares that'd plagued Arielle’s sleep for over a half a month were more than just a worry for her. Her sensible and witty mind told her they were just that,
a
nightmare,
and she shouldn't become as consumed over them as she was. However each night when time came for bed she would find herself anxious and terrified. It was a nightmare that left her powerless to end the hold it had on her.

Tonight wasn't any different than any other night. Arielle drifted into the same nightmare, reliving the same dreadful dream that played on fast-forward like a horror film over and over again.

***

She stood in the middle of a graveyard covered in thick fog. Her eyes darted left and right, back and forth; she heard steady footsteps approaching, and her muscles locked. She tried to run but she couldn’t move. Why wasn’t she able to move? Her hand came up and cupped her mouth trying to stop a scream from leaving her lips. The blood pounded her temples and her body shook like a leaf in a windstorm. There was nobody around to witness her distress or to help her out of this place. The footsteps were closing in and she held her breath, eyes wide open filled with terror.

A scream of relief left her when she recognized the man who came through the fog. It was Sebastian. She stared at the most compelling face on this earth and ran to fall into his arms.

Sebastian put his hands up and stopped her inches away from him. Arielle froze in place. The blood drained from her face and tears stung her eyes. It wasn't so much the rejection as it was the hardness of his face. Her heart sank. He didn’t smile, he didn’t speak, he just reached out and took her hand. Disappointment and heartache welled up.

Sebastian led her rapidly across a narrow path toward the other side of cemetery. The path ended at the entrance of a small church.

She tried to jerk her hand away, but Sebastian’s hand was clamped tightly around her wrist. Silence descended between them registering the sullenness of their surroundings. He pulled her up the few stone steps and through the door with a quick motion. Arielle entered, and immediately she was enveloped in an icy cold air that lingered inside the church. Standing perfectly still, her eyes darted nervously from one dank corner of the building to the other. It was dusky inside the church; only a dim light streamed through the stained glass windows. Sebastian let go of her hand and without a second look at her he made his way toward the altar. Stunned, Arielle stared at his retreating back. She wanted to scream to call him back, but she couldn’t speak. His footsteps rang heavily on the stone floor, and each step pounded like a sharp knife into her heart. Her eyes moved away from Sebastian and zeroed-in on the shape of a woman facing the altar, draped in a beautiful wedding dress. Icy fingers crawled up her spine, as she could only fear the worst. The woman turned slowly and Arielle gasped aloud.

Annabel
’s gaze was focused on Sebastian, a wide smile spread across her face. Silently and ever so quietly Sebastian strode toward Annabel, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Annabel reached for him and soon she was enveloped in his embrace. His mouth covered hers, and Arielle screamed and shook violently. She shut her eyes, trying to avoid the sight that was fracturing her heart to shreds.

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of strong, revolting laughter. Annabel was watching her with a victorious smile, eyes shooting painful daggers at Arielle, each one penetrating her heart, tearing it to shards. “
He
’
s mine! You miserable human, he
’s mine! You. Will.
Never.
Have him.”

Arielle gasped at the venom in her voice, and soon the laughter would start again.

Sebastian stood next to Annabel, holding her close to his side, utterly indifferent to Arielle’s anxiety, as if he didn’t care how she felt, or how bad he was hurting her.

Arielle felt a stinging sensation at the back of her eyelids and soon tears poured down her face. She began to tremble uncontrollably, and her knees started to sag.

“I need to get out of here,” she muttered. She gathered every last morsel of strength left in her body, turned and started walking toward the exit in complete hysteria. Her pulse pounded so powerful that she could hear the hammering bounce off her eardrums painfully. She tried to reach the exit but the distance to the door was becoming longer and longer. Pretty soon she broke into a run, trying to cross the threshold into the open air but no matter how fast she ran she was still inside that church hearing Annabel’s horrible laughter piercing her ears. Her pulse beat faster and faster, breath heaving, sweat dripping; she felt she was going to pass out. A lump was rising to her throat, choking her windpipe…

***

Sebastian woke, startled to find Arielle on the other side of the bed, away from his embrace. He sat up and turned the light on. Arielle’s face was damp, her body covered in sweat. She was tossing and turning, clasping at the sheets and moaning as if she was being tortured. He could feel that she was having a horrid nightmare and reached for her. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a soft shake. “Arielle, please, baby wake up!”

She was shaking like a leaf, tears rolling down her face. “Sebastian, please don’t leave me, please come back,” she was whimpering.

Sebastian frowned. These nightmares were becoming unbearable. Wretchedness seeped through him. How could he go away for a whole week knowing she'd be going through this alone? He cupped her face with his hand and stoked her bottom lip with his thumb. “I’m right here baby, I’m not going anywhere.”

Her breathing hitched and she couldn’t stop her strangled cry. He moved quickly and shook her awake. “Arielle…Arielle… Wake up baby.”

Arielle woke in a panic. Pain lingered in her eyes. She was disoriented and completely unaware of Sebastian’s presence. She sat up on the bed shaking her head to clear the fog of the dream. “Sebastian,” she said softly sobbing.

“I’m right here, baby, I’m right here,” he said again and pulled her tighter into his embrace.

Her eyes settled on his face and felt the weight of the nightmare crushing down on her. “You’re here,” she whispered.

“Yes, I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Oh, this horrible dream,” she whimpered. She shrugged away from his embrace and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “You and Annabel,” she said in an abrupt voice that left him utterly shocked.

He threaded his fingers through his hair, stared into her incredible blue eyes and lost his train of thought. He reached out and pulled her back into his arms. She clung to him, laying her wet cheek against his warm chest.

“Me and Annabel, what? Tell me,” he insisted, his arms cradling her, his eyes searching hers to find the root of the dream.

She shook her head but said nothing.

“Arielle, every time you have these nightmares it tears me up inside. I hate to see you upset. Tell me about your dream,
please
!” he said, pain coating his voice.

Arielle regarded Sebastian hesitantly. Her emotions were in such turmoil. She straightened her shoulders with fortitude. It was time to finally tell him about the details of her dream.

“Every time I have this nightmare you leave me for Annabel.
She
is the bride waiting for you at the altar.
She
is the bride you run to,
not me
.” Her eyes filled with tears as the memories of the nightmare raced through her mind, crashing against each other, one worse that the other, and that evil laughter still ringing in her ears.

A sickening feeling enveloped Sebastian. How could she possibly believe he would leave her for Annabel? Jealousy and fear blinded Arielle’s otherwise level thinking.

“My God, Arielle! It's just a dream!” he said wrapping his arms more firmly around her. “I hate the woman and everything she stands for. I want to hurt her in such a horrible way, the thought terrifies me. How could you ever let such a thought invade your mind?”

Arielle nodded slowly. She slipped her arms around his neck and leaned even closer. Sebastian let out a sigh of relief. He had his girl back.

“I love you, baby, I love you so much it actually hurts,” he murmured against her ear. He held her gently soothing her as she sobbed against his chest.

“I’m having second thoughts about leaving you,” he said.

Arielle tipped her head back to look into his emerald eyes. “You can’t be serious,” she said in utter shock. “You must…you have to…you just can’t…” her voice trailed off. She was trying to finish the sentence but couldn’t find the right words.

With his thumbs he gently wiped her tears off her cheeks, and brushed back the rich spill of her hair from her face. “I will do anything to keep you safe. You have absolutely no idea how I feel about you.”

Arielle brought her hands to her cheeks and felt the moisture still lingering on her skin. She gave him a knowing smile, and nodded reluctantly. The nightmare was still in her thoughts, keeping her pulse throbbing. The reassurance she read in his eyes told her that even though the dream was repugnant and frightening, she had to let it go until she'd sorted out its meaning.

Sebastian lay back down and pulled her into his arms. He always enjoyed the feel of her soft body that fit his like a glove. The freesia fragrance was intoxicating and very sexy as he nuzzled her hair and moved his lips down her face until their lips met in a fiery kiss.