Ethan was in the kitchen when she made it upstairs. His eyes widened in surprise as they landed on her. He had always been her rock, her best friend, the one person that she had turned to in times of comfort and need, but she didn’t even speak to him, couldn’t speak to him. “Isabelle,” he said gently.
She shook her head, unable to deal with him at the moment. He took hold of her arm, settling her onto one of the stools before grabbing a bag of blood and opening it for her. She accepted it and drank it quickly before tossing it aside. “That’s the first time I’ve seen you feed since you were eight.”
Isabelle looked into his warm, worried green eyes, and burst into tears. Ethan stood in stunned silence before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against him. He rocked her gently as she clung to his shirt and buried her head in his solid chest. The comfort she had always found in him was nowhere now. She hurt too much to find any comfort anywhere. She cried herself out, but still clung to him, unable to move for fear that she’d fall off the stool.
“It will be all right,” he said, gently smoothing back her hair.
“No it won’t,” she whispered. “I want to go to bed.”
“You can’t spend the rest of your life asleep Issy.”
She started crying again, but she was so exhausted that only dry sobs wracked her. Ethan helped her climb to her feet, and led her into the living room. She curled up on the couch; drawing her knees to her chest she wrapped her arms around them as she tried to ease the agony in her body. He sat nervously beside her, uncertain of what to do, of how to help her as he lightly stroked her hair until she fell back asleep.
He looked up as David, his mother, and Mike came through the door. “I thought you said that he couldn’t hurt her!” he snapped.
They stood silently, staring down at Isabelle. “He’ll be back,” his mother said softly. “He has to come back.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Ethan demanded.
His mother’s eyes filled with tears as her gaze met his. “They say that one can’t live without the other,” David said softly. “They go insane and have to destroyed, or they kill themselves.”
Ethan swallowed heavily as his hand convulsed in Isabelle’s hair. He had never seen her look so bad. No matter how much sleep she got, there were still dark shadows under her eyes. She had become so pale that she was almost translucent, and he could clearly see the tiny blue veins in her temples, eyelids, and neck. Her hair was lackluster, its natural shine gone. Her face was pinched tight, even in her sleep, and she had lost a good five pounds.
“She’ll die,” he said softly.
“Maybe, maybe not. We don’t really know how it all works. They may not have known each other long enough, they may not have been able to form a strong enough bond for it to end that way,” Mike said hopefully.
“They formed a bond,” Sera said softly. “Ian said it was Stefan that knew she was in trouble the other night, and he would have killed Ethan if David hadn’t managed to get through to him. Their bond is strong already. Trust me, I know.”
“Why would he leave then?” Ethan demanded.
“I don’t know. Maybe he thought it would be for the best. But, if Isabelle is going through this much pain, than so is he.”
“And if he’s not? If you’re wrong about that, and he doesn’t come back?”
“I don’t know Ethan!” she cried, tears streaking down her cheeks. “I don’t know!”
***
Isabelle rested her chin on top of her drawn up knees. She wrapped her arms around them as she stared out at the pale moonlight spilling across the lake. It had taken every bit of strength, and energy she had to get out here, but her mother had insisted upon a walk, and she had been too tired to put up an argument. Her mother sat silently beside her, gazing out at the lake as she slowly rocked the swing back and forth.
“I miss him,” Isabelle mumbled.
“I know you do.”
“I never wanted this,” she whispered. “I never wanted to feel like this. I tried so hard to avoid it.” Her voice broke on a sob; she had to pause to take a deep breath before she could go on. “I stayed away from everyone, stayed away from humans, just so this wouldn’t happen.”
Her mother looked at her questioningly. “So what wouldn’t happen?” she asked gently.
“This! Look at me! I’m a mess!” she cried. “I hurt so bad, emotionally and physically, that I can hardly breathe, let alone survive! I never wanted to be like you and dad! I didn’t want it!” She was sobbing again, her body shaking as tears slid down her face. Her mother touched her arm gently as she continued to sob out her misery. “Before he came, I hadn’t cried since Ethan and Ian cut off my hair, and now I can’t stop! I feel like I’m dying!” she sobbed. “I never wanted to feel this vulnerable because of another person!”
“Isabelle, hiding away from the world wasn’t going to stop anything. What is meant to be is meant to be. You two were meant to be together, no matter what you did, you weren’t going to change that fact.”
“No, we’re not!” she yelled. “He wouldn’t have left then! He never should have come here! What is the matter with me?”
“Nothing,” her mom assured her, gently stroking her hair. “There is nothing wrong with you Isabelle.”
Isabelle hugged her legs tighter, fighting against the fierce tremors that wracked her pain stricken body. “Yes, there is. Abby and Vicky like every guy they meet. I’ve never felt anything, for anyone, until I met him!”
Her mom sighed softly, her hand curled gently around the back of Isabelle’s head. “Because a part of you knew that he was out there, that he would come for you. Vicky and Abby may not have that person.”
“Why couldn’t that have been me? They want soul mates. I don’t. I don’t even know if he is, or not! I don’t know anything anymore.” She started shaking with the force of her sobs, and misery. She leaned against her mother as she hugged her tightly. “I never wanted my life, my existence, to hang on someone else’s. I know that what you and dad have is special, but if he dies, than you die, and vice versa. I never wanted to be so vulnerable! Now... now...”
She broke off, unable to speak through her sobs. She buried her head in her mother’s shoulder as she continued to gently stroke her hair. “It’s a wonderful thing Isabelle,” she whispered. “It’s frightening, and it’s scary, but it is truly wonderful. What you have discovered is something magical, something that most people never find. Something that your sisters, your brothers, and the stooges may never find.”
Isabelle shuddered; agony tore through her as she felt Stefan’s loss deep in her bones. “It doesn’t matter, he’s gone, and it hurts so much,” she whispered.
Her mom sighed gently, her hand stilled on Isabelle’s hair. “You could try and find him.”
Isabelle shook her head. “He doesn’t want me. He doesn’t love me, otherwise he wouldn’t have left.”
“Do you love him?”
Isabelle closed her eyes as she thought over her mother’s question. “I don’t know. I didn’t even like him, but he made me feel things I’ve never felt before, made me feel complete, and whole, and safe, and so many other things,” she finished shyly.
Her mom chuckled softly. “I understand,” she assured her.
Isabelle knew that she did, but it didn’t help to ease the awful pain that twisted her entire being. “Do you think that he really is my soul mate?” she asked softly.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She sighed softly and gently pushed the swing back. “You didn’t see him when you were hurt Isabelle. He wanted to attack everyone that came near you, including your father. He did attack Ethan.” Isabelle shuddered at the thought of what could have happened to Ethan, if David hadn’t stopped Stefan. It would have killed her if Ethan had been seriously hurt. “He was losing control of himself. I think that’s why he went away. It’s a very frightening thing. I remember when your father went through it. He was confused, and angry,
and scared that he would hurt everyone, including me.”
“Daddy would never hurt you,” Isabelle whispered.
“He would have then. He wouldn’t have meant too, but he would have if I had insisted on staying human. It is confusing Isabelle, and it is frightening, but it is worth it. I promise you that much.”
“What do I do?” she whispered forlornly.
“I don’t know sweetie.”
Isabelle grew silent as she allowed herself to be somewhat comforted by her mother’s warm embrace, but it wasn’t enough. She needed him, she knew that now, but it was too late. She had fought him so hard, and he had left because of it. Now all she wanted was to have him back. She wouldn’t fight him now, if he would just come back. She wished that there was some way that she could bring him back, some way that she could reach him and tell him to come back. Tears slid silently down her cheeks as she closed her eyes.
The air was warm and still, not even a breeze stirred it, and yet, something did. Isabelle sat up quickly, her gaze darted toward the woods.
“Isabelle,” her mom said softly.
Her legs dropped to the ground as she stood slowly. She saw him then, standing at the edge of the forest, his eyes as dark as the night enveloping him. Her heart leapt into her throat as happiness burst through her. For the first time in days, her body wasn’t burning, wasn’t dying, and she was able to breathe without difficulty. He took a step forward; the moonlight spilled over the hard set of his jaw, and illuminated the fierce hunger in his gaze. A small cry escaped as her paralysis broke. She raced across the small distance separating them; she threw her arms around his neck as tears of joy spilled down her cheeks.
CHAPTER 15
Stefan enveloped her tightly; a low growl of pleasure escaped him as he pulled her against him. All of the tense anger, and burning fire that had been searing through him for the last three days, evaporated the moment that he touched her. Everything was finally right again, everything finally made sense again. Sera stood, nodded to him, and slipped silently away.
He wrapped his hand tightly into Isabelle’s hair, pulled her face out of his shoulder, and savagely seized hold of her mouth. She whimpered softly against the brutality of his kiss, but he couldn’t stop himself, couldn’t ease it. He needed her like a drowning man needed air. Needed her with a longing so fierce that it snapped the tenuous thread of control he had just barely managed to hold on to for the past three days.
Her mouth parted beneath his and he thrust his tongue inside to ferociously taste her, taking and demanding everything that she had. His control slowly began to come back to him as her sweetness washed over him, enveloped him. It caused the fierce wildness within him to diminish by degrees as she eased the torment that had been haunting his soul for centuries. She eased the darkness that had been clawing to break free, and had grown almost uncontrollable over the past three days.
Her hands wrapped tightly around his neck as she pressed herself firmly against him, returning his kiss with an urgency that matched his own. He released her hair and seized hold of her waist, lifting her easily up. She gasped in surprise as he settled her on his waist, her long legs instinctively wrapped tightly around him.
She gazed down at him, tears slid silently down her cheeks as her violet eyes smoldered with passion. She scanned his face, looking at him as if she were afraid to believe that he was actually here. Something inside of him changed, something different began to come forth, something that he had never experienced before, or had ever thought too. He cared for her more than any other person he had ever met, he had missed her, and he had come to realize that he actually liked her infuriating ways. He liked her laughter, her smile, her independence, her strength, her determination, and her courage. He even liked the little vindictive streak she exhibited with her brothers.
The past few days had been nothing but hell for him. He had been unable to do anything but think about her. He had barely been able to function. He had felt as if he was on fire, and his veins had burned with her absence. The demon within him had constantly been at the forefront, and his sanity had been a tenuous thread that had come close to snapping completely. He hadn’t slept in three days, had been unable to settle down long enough to let his body relax enough for sleep, and he hadn’t fed.
He had nearly killed a man in a bar because the man had accidentally bumped into him, causing him to turn violent. Fortunately, he had regained control of himself in time, but never had he lost it like that. Not even with Ethan.
He had picked up a woman, taken her back to her place, determined to try and ease the anger, and burning in his body. Disgust had filled him the moment that he had touched her, the moment that she had touched him. He had felt nothing for her, had experienced no sense of arousal. He had been so enraged, so shaken up, that he hadn’t even fed off her because he knew that he would kill her if he did.
After that, he had decided that he needed to come back here, needed to see her. He had to sort everything out, had to know if she hated him for what he had done to her brother, what he would have done to her father. Needed to know if she could forgive him for causing her to be hurt at the club. He had been determined to see her, to touch her, to ease his torment.
When she had run to him all of the misery of the past three days had vanished instantly. She had forgiven him, and he knew that she would no longer fight him, that she had been going through the same torture he had. He had felt her pain and anguish far down the road, had sensed her misery, and it had driven him faster, harder. He had become desperate to ease her suffering, desperate for her to never hurt again.
Seeing her, touching her, he knew that this was where he belonged. That she was the only thing that could ease the torment he had been experiencing. Ease the torment of his entire existence. He didn’t know why, and at the moment he didn’t care. He just needed her, now.
He seized hold of her mouth again, his hands tightened in her thick hair as he carried her swiftly out of the woods and across the field. She met his hunger with her own as she moaned softly, her hands curled into his back, her tears dried. He was so hard that it hurt, and he was throbbing painfully. She wiggled against his erection, moaning softly as she pressed herself more firmly against him. He groaned in pleasurable agony as she lifted herself up and slid gingerly down again.
He almost spilled himself then as a fierce tremor racked his body. If she didn’t stop, he was going to lay her down and take her in the middle of the field. He ripped her shirt up, his hand skimming over her flat stomach, and delicate ribcage before seizing upon her breast. She moaned and ground harder against him, biting into his lower lip. He grunted impatiently as he ripped her bra down, determined to feel her flesh against his. Her hardened nipple seared into the palm of his hand as he rubbed and kneaded her.
“Stefan!” she gasped, her head falling back.
The passion in her voice only served to urge him faster. He was in a near frenzy by the time he reached the storm doors. He bent, flung a door open, and slipped swiftly down the stairs. He paused only long enough to throw it closed before striding across the room to the bed. Laying her down, he fell on top of her, unable to part with her for even a moment. He seized hold of her lips again, driving his tongue into the sweet recesses of her mouth with deep, forceful thrusts that imitated what was to come as he savored the wonderful taste, and feel of her.
She tugged eagerly at his shirt, needing to feel his skin, needing to feel him. Her hands skimmed over his warm, hard flesh. A tremor of delight ripped through her as he pulled slightly back, allowing her to pull his shirt free, giving her access to what she desperately sought, desperately needed. Her breath froze in her lungs as she took in the broad magnificence of his hard chest. Black hair curled across it, encircling his small nipples, before narrowing down his hard stomach. Her mouth went dry as she lightly ran her hands across him, shuddering with desire, and anticipation.
He bent back to her, seizing hold of her mouth and ravishing her until she was breathless, and
shaking. She moaned softly as her hands wrapped around his back, digging into his flesh. His muscles bunched and flexed beneath her touch as she clung to him. She was frantic to get closer to him, to feel more of him, all of him. Her body was burning with want, aching and trembling as she pressed herself as tightly to him as she could.
Stefan couldn’t take anymore, couldn’t slow down, no matter how much he wanted too. He had been away from her for too long, had been denying himself for too long. She had denied him for too long. He had to have her, now. He ripped her shorts off, heedless of the cry of surprise that she issued. He met her gaze for a moment, but there was no fear in her eyes like he had expected, only a fierce need that seemed to match his own. He pulled her shirt quickly off. Unable to take the time to bother with her bra hooks, he tore it free, determined to expose her full breasts, and luscious body.
He took only a brief moment to savor the sight of her as she lay beneath him, panting slightly. Her delicious lips were swollen from his kisses. Her beautiful breasts, with their inviting strawberry buds, heaved as she trembled and quivered beneath him, arching her loins against his. A shudder tore through him as he bent his head and seized hold of her nipple, licking and nipping at the hardened bud. He relished in the feel of her as she bucked and moaned beneath him, her hands dug into his hair as she pulled him tighter against her.
Her frenzied motions, and soft cries, only served to fuel his passion even more, only served to push his lust further out of control. He fumbled with the button on his jeans; his hands shook so fiercely with anticipation that he couldn’t get them undone. Frustration seized hold of him as he tore them open, wrenching them off with a violent, jerking motion. He tore at her underwear, pulling it free as he settled himself between her long, inviting thighs.
Destined (Vampire Awakenings) Page 19