“Stefan,” she breathed.
He brushed the hair gently off her neck, his eyes latched onto it as they flashed violently. A shiver of fear and desire tore through her as she struggled to breathe. “Do you know what we are Isabelle?” he demanded raggedly.
Her lips parted as she scanned his face anxiously. She knew what they were, and how she felt about him, but she hadn’t been sure if he knew yet. She sure as hell didn’t know how he felt about her, and she wasn’t about to tell him anything if he didn’t feel the same way. His eyes came back to hers, hard and turbulent. Her hand began to tremble on his cheek as her heart seemed to swell to the point of bursting.
“Do you?” she asked softly.
His mouth quirked in a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yes, I do.” Her breath froze in her lungs as tears sprang instantly to her eyes. “You may have denied it in the beginning, you may even be trying to deny it still, but you will accept it. Now.”
She would have laughed over his command, except the look in his eyes, and his words, had left her momentarily speechless. She swallowed heavily as her hand fell away from his face. “Do you realize what you’re saying?” she asked quietly.
“Yes, I do,” he grated. “Do you understand what I’m telling you? You need to come to terms with this.”
Isabelle laughed softly as emotions so fierce, and stunning, blazed forth. His eyes darkened and flashed dangerously. She realized that he didn’t understand that she wasn’t laughing at him, but because she was joyously happy. “I have,” she assured him quickly.
He studied her for a moment, his face intense. Slowly the animosity in his body began to ease, and a soft smile curved his sensual mouth. “Good.”
He kissed her softly, a butterfly caress that caused her heart to race, and her body to melt. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly back, savoring in the feel of his hard mouth against hers. When he licked lightly at her lips she parted them willingly to accept his eager, hot invasion.
Isabelle lost herself to the sensation of his mouth, and body, as he moved over her, tasting her, feeling her. Somewhere along the way, their clothes disappeared. She relished in the feel of his warm skin, and hard, taut muscles as he slid over her, caressing her. The course hair that covered his broad chest amazed her as she lightly ran her fingers through it, marveling in the differences between his body, and hers. She circled his nipples, nipping, and licking at them until they hardened beneath her ministrations.
Stefan slid his hands slowly over satiny skin, mesmerizing every curve, every hollow. He left a trail of kisses down her neck, over her ribcage, before seizing on one of her quivering, hard nipples. Isabelle gasped softly, arching further into him as he drew her into his mouth, nibbling lightly on it as if it were the sweetest berry in the world, which to him, it was. Her hands tightened upon his back as glorious, erotic gasps escaped her.
He slid steadily lower, dropping kisses over her flat stomach before dipping in to taste her tiny navel. She squirmed beneath him, her breath coming faster as her hips instinctively lifted to him, seeking his invasion, his possession. Stefan stood swiftly, Isabelle groaned at the loss of contact, but he seized hold of her hips and pulled her to the edge of the bed. She gasped in surprise as he knelt on the floor before her, using his hands to separate the thighs that she instinctively tried to close.
“Stefan!”
His smile was sly and sensual as he dropped soft kisses along her inner thigh, his tongue leaving a blazing trail that set her on fire, and melted any resistance she would have made. Hypnotized, she watched in breathless anticipation as his dark head bent between her legs. She gasped; her hands curled tightly into the quilt as he parted her soft folds and began to taste her. The wickedness of what he was doing, and the delicious sensations that it arose, drove her nearly mad. She arched wildly against him as he drove his tongue deeper.
Stefan was certain that he had never tasted anything as sweet as her. She was like molten lava, and honey, rolled into one. Her hands released the sheets to curl into his hair, pulling him tighter against her. A feeling of utter triumph came over him as she yielded everything to him. He began to urge her faster, plummeting deeply in and out as her gasps became more frantic, and she began to whither with unbridled abandon upon the bed. He reached up to knead her breasts as he used his thumb to gently stroke the quivering bud between her thighs that was begging for his attention.
She bucked against him, a savage cry escaping her as her hands tightened painfully in his hair. He ignored it as he savored in the taste of her. Ignored it as he absorbed the tremors that rocked and seized her.
He pulled away from her, smiling with smug satisfaction as he looked down at her. She was slicked with sweat, and breathless as her passion clouded eyes met his. She managed a tremulous smile as he lifted himself over, seizing hold of her luscious mouth as he drove himself into her. Isabelle cried out, her fingers digging into his back as another wave of ecstasy crashed over her.
***
Isabelle tossed her sweater into a box, humming happily under her breath as she danced across the room. She hadn’t known that it was possible to be this happy, this complete. She literally felt as if her heart was going to burst with joy. She knew that she was acting like a silly fool, one that was in love. A soft smile curved her mouth as she tossed another sweater into the box. The knowledge didn’t frighten her at all anymore.
She knew that she was in love with Stefan, that without him she would wither away and die, but she no longer cared about that consequence. She wanted him, and only him. She hadn’t told him that she loved him yet, simply because a part of her was still scared that he didn’t feel the same way. She kept trying to tell herself that he did love her; after all he knew they were meant to be together, but that didn’t necessarily mean that he loved her.
Well, maybe it did. She wasn’t entirely sure, but she thought that if people were destined to be soul mates, than love would have to be a factor, wouldn’t it? Her brow furrowed as she tossed another sweater into the box. Her mother and father loved each other dearly, but they had been in love before her mother had known what her father was, before either of them had ever known anything about soul mates. That hadn’t happened with her and Stefan, and she wasn’t sure if maybe that was the way that it was supposed to work. Maybe they were all supposed to fall in love first, and then find out about it later.
She slid onto her old bed, a sweater clutched tightly in her hand, as she stared at the woods through the window. If she was truly honest with herself, she would admit that a part of her had loved him from the start. She had just been too stubborn to admit it, or acknowledge it. She wished that she hadn’t fought against him so hard, against the way that she had felt. She should have run to him with open arms and embraced her future instead of hiding from it, but she had an eternity to make up for her mistake. An eternity to spend with him.
Isabelle hopped off the bed, determined to start making it up to him as soon as possible. She was smiling wickedly, and humming again, when she realized that she was no longer alone. She spun quickly, her hands tightened upon her sweater. Jess stood in the doorway, her eyes dark and hooded, hatred oozed from every pore of her body. Jess’s hair was dripping wet, and her bathing suit clung tightly to her long, lean body. Isabelle swallowed heavily as Jess’s hatred blazed against her. She had made sure that Jess wasn’t around when she came in, but obviously she had returned from her swim sometime after Isabelle had left Kyle’s side.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Isabelle managed to tell her through the lump that suddenly constricted her throat.
Jess snorted as she moved further into the room. “Take your time; it is your room after all.”
“Not anymore.” Isabelle tossed the sweater into the box and turned to grab the remaining sweaters from the drawer. Her hands were trembling as she gathered them up. The hate that poured from Jess encompassed the room, shaking her to the soul as it radiated throughout her. She had never been
hated so much. Had never known it was possible.
“Then again, what’s mine is yours, right Isabelle?”
Isabelle forced herself to take a deep breath and turn to face her. Jess had every right to hate her, and if it had been the other way around she would have felt the same way, but she had to try and say something, to do something, to ease it. “I am sorry Jess,” she whispered.
“Why is it that I don’t believe a word you say?”
Jess moved further into the room, her eyes narrowed with loathing. Isabelle sighed wearily, obviously Jess was determined to have it out with her, and there wasn’t much she could do to stop her. “You don’t have to believe me Jess, but it is the truth. I didn’t want for this to happen. It just did. I’m sorry that you got hurt in the process, but there is nothing that I can do about it now.”
Isabelle tossed the sweaters into the box and closed the lid. She wanted out of this room in the worst possible way. Hoisting the box into her arms she hurried around the bed. Jess instantly moved to intercept her. Isabelle sighed wearily as she met her malevolent gaze. “Jess...”
“You think you’re so special? You think you’re so great? You’re just a little slut, and he’ll use you, and toss you aside like the whore that you are!” she hissed.
Isabelle’s eyes narrowed as her guilt vanished and anger welled up to replace it. “I told you that I was sorry; there is nothing else that I can say. If you don’t accept it, then that’s fine. Now get out of my way!”
“I hate you!” Jess screeched.
Isabelle closed her eyes as a tremor seized her body. The malevolence that poured from Jess was enough to knock her blossoming anger away. “Jess...”
She never saw the slap coming, but the force of it staggered her backward as the sound of it resounded throughout the room. Isabelle gaped in surprise as the box fell from her suddenly limp hands and tears of pain instantly sprang to her eyes. Blood filled her mouth, and her cheek stung from the force of the blow. Her hand flew to her cheek, and split lip, as she gazed at Jess in shock. Jess was shaking with fury, her hands clenched in fists at her sides as she took a step forward.
A loud bellow filled the room as Stefan came forward, his eyes blazing with violence. Jess spun toward him, her mouth gaping in shock. He seized hold of her arms, lifting her easily off the ground as he pulled her forward. Jess cried out in surprise, her feet kicking wildly in the air. Isabelle leapt forward, grasping hold of his arm, certain that he was going to kill her. “Stefan no!”
The fury that radiated from every inch of him filled the room, it slammed through her, and shook her to the marrow of her bones. Jess whimpered as she squirmed wildly in his grasp. “You’re hurting me!”
“I’ll kill you if you ever lay a hand on her again! If you ever look at her again!” he roared vehemently. Jess went limp in his grasp, her eyes wide as tears of panic filled her eyes. “Do you hear me?” he snapped, shaking her forcefully.
Jess whimpered again. “Stefan, please don’t,” Isabelle begged, pulling uselessly on his arm. She had about as much effect on him as a flea would have.
“Do you hear me?” he bellowed.
Isabelle jumped in surprise, her heart leapt into her throat. “Yes!” Jess cried. “Yes!”
He stood for a moment longer, trembling with fury, before he finally released her. Jess stumbled back, her knees buckling she slumped to the floor before staggering quickly back up. Isabelle took a step toward her, meaning to help, but Stefan grabbed hold of her arm, his fingers digging painfully into her skin as he pulled her back. Jess cast them a wild, frantic look, before racing from the room.
“Are you okay?” he demanded.
Isabelle whirled toward him, tears filling her eyes as she ripped her arm free of his grasp. “No!” she yelled. “No, I’m not!”
His face softened as he took a step toward her, but she backed rapidly up, shaking her head as she held up her hands to ward him off. “Isabelle...”
“Stay away from me!”
Stefan’s anger blazed back to life as his jaw clenched forcefully. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around herself, trembling uncontrollably. Her beautiful cheek was reddened, and guaranteed to bruise; blood dotted her split lip, it trickled down her trembling chin. The smell of it, sweet and metallic, surged through him, causing something primitive and wild to surge forth. He fisted his hands as he desperately tried to bring it under control, to reign in his wild need to drink from her.
He had been dying to taste her, to have her taste him, to fill her in every way, but he had continued to hold back. He was no longer afraid of what it would mean, but he had seen the fear that filled her eyes whenever he looked at her neck. That fear had kept him at bay, but it was becoming increasingly harder every day, every time he touched her, not to take her.
Now, smelling her, seeing it on her, he was damn close to losing all control and forcing it upon her. He knew that it was the final step, the one thing that would bind them forever, and that they would have to do it, but he had thought that he had time for it. He knew now that he was wrong. The urge was becoming stronger as their bond grew stronger.
She absently wiped the blood from her mouth. Stefan’s eyes fastened on it, blazing with the sudden hunger that rocked him. Isabelle whimpered softly. He looked back at her as she stared at him warily, her eyes bright with tears, and fear. “No,” she said softly, her hand flying to her split lip.
A muscle jumped in his cheek as he fought against the demon inside him. “Let’s go.”
She shook her head fiercely. Stefan fought against his mounting frustration as he forced himself to take a deep, calming breath. “I need to be alone. I need to think!”
His eyes snapped with fury as they latched onto her. “There is nothing to think about!” he nearly roared.
She jumped in surprise; her eyes darted anxiously toward the doorway. He was terrifying her at the moment. She had seen the fierce hunger in his gaze when he saw her blood, had felt the need that had ripped through him. Isabelle clearly recalled the pain of the last time that someone had drunk from her. It was seared permanently into her nerve endings, into her brain, and she was never going to let it happen again.
His hunger, on top of what had just happened with Jess, was more than she could stand. She was still shaking from Jess’s brutal attack, and Stefan’s overwhelming fury. She needed to be alone, needed time to think. She was much too rattled for this right now.
“I just need a few minutes,” she mumbled, trying to stall for time, trying to get a hold on her shaking body.
“For what?” he hissed.
“She hates me!” she cried. He took a step closer to her. Isabelle’s eyes widened as she took another one back, her heel connecting with the wall. She had effectively trapped herself. He took another step toward her. “Because of you!”
Rage snapped and blazed through him. “There is nothing that I can do about that!”
“Just give me time to think!”
“Think about what?”
“To sort things out!”
He was before her, his arms pinned to the wall beside her head, before she even saw him move. His eyes blazed with a fire so fierce that an involuntary cry of fear ripped from her. “I cannot undo my past Isabelle,” he hissed.
“Don’t hurt me.”
Her whispered plea managed to rip through his fury as her hand fluttered over her mouth. The terror in her gaze and the trembling in her body seized hold of him. Self hatred, and disgust, rolled forth as he slumped toward her. “I’ll never hurt you Isabelle,” he promised. “I’m sorry about Jess, I truly am, but I can’t do anything to change it. She’ll be gone soon, and I swear that I won’t let her hurt you again.”
She bit down on her bottom lip to repress a sob, and instantly regretted the action as a flash of pain shook her. His eyes flashed onto the blood that flowed forth again. Terror, fierce and mind shattering, flared within her. “No!” she screamed, shoving against him.
For a
moment, Stefan was knocked off balance by the strength behind her sudden thrust. Regaining his balance, he seized hold of her arm before she could bolt from the room. She spun wildly, lashing out in panic. He grabbed hold of her hand before she could claw into his face. Isabelle sobbed and jerked at her arm, frantically trying to break the iron hold on her wrist. He took hold of her other arm, pinning it to her side as he held her firmly.
She tried to struggle free of him, tried desperately to escape, but his hold was like a steel vice upon her. She went limp, sobbing softly over the futility of her struggles. He was ten times stronger than her, fiercer, and more determined. There would be no getting free of him; he would do whatever he wanted to her.
“You said you wouldn’t hurt me!” she cried.
Stefan closed his eyes against the tumult of emotions rocking through him. Her terror was tangible as it beat against him in pulsating waves. It was the only thing keeping the demon in him at bay, the only thing keeping him somewhat in control. Her words about needing time to think things out, and her attempt to get away from him, had nearly shattered every ounce of restraint he had. It had brought the demon bursting instantly forth.
She was his, and he was growing tired of holding himself back from possessing her in every way. He was growing tired of the fight that she still waged against him, even if she didn’t realize that she was doing it. She was afraid of what would happen if he drank from her, but it was something that needed to be done, needed to be completed. Otherwise, he would snap, and force it on her, and she would never forgive him if he did. He would never forgive himself. But it was going to happen soon. Very soon, whether she was willing, or not.
“I don’t want to hurt you Isabelle.”
“I can see Stefan! I can see what you want!”
His eyes flew open, blazing into hers. “It’s what I need!” he hissed. Her eyes, shining with tears, widened. “You are mine Isabelle.”
“I...” she broke off, swallowing heavily as tears slid slowly down her cheeks. “I know that.”
Destined (Vampire Awakenings) Page 24