To confirm her statement, Vicky and Abby squealed as they jumped back out of the lake. Doug and Mike instantly came after them, grabbing them, and tossing them back in. Their loud, shrill screams pierced the air as they came back to the surface. “Come on Issy!” Willow cried as she raced by them with Julian, Kyle, and Cassidy on her heels.
Isabelle laughed as she shook her head. “Don’t want to go?” he asked.
“Nope,” she replied happily, moving closer to him.
Stefan grinned down at her as he grabbed her waist and lifted her up. She smiled up at him as she wrapped her hands around his neck and leisurely kicked her feet. “I’d take your shoes off,” he whispered.
“What?” She frowned up at him, obviously not realizing his intent until he started walking toward the lake. “Stefan no!”
Her hands tightened around his neck as she struggled to get free. He held tightly to her as she became as squiggly as an eel. “Isabelle, yes.”
She glared up at him as her shoes hit the ground. “If you toss me into that lake I’ll...”
“You’ll what?”
There really wasn’t anything that she could say to that, and judging by the smug grin on his face, he damn well knew it. Stefan kicked his shoes off before wading into the cold water. “Stefan...”
He was smiling as he released her. Isabelle cried out in shock as the chilly water enclosed her whole body, turning it numb almost instantly. She came back up, spitting and sputtering as she wiped strands of straggly hair off her face. She glowered up at him as he stood over her, a bright grin on his handsome face, and his hands planted firmly on his hips.
“Aren’t you coming in?” she demanded.
“It’s a little too cold for me.”
The fierce shove knocked him off balance. Isabelle grabbed hold of his arms at the same time, tugging him sharply into the water. He came back up, sputtering in shock from the cold, and the fact that he had been shoved into it. Her laughter rang loudly in his ears as he turned to look at Ethan and David. They proudly slapped each other’s hands, as they grinned smugly down at him. “Everyone goes in!” David announced.
Stefan snorted as he shook his wet hair off his forehead. He launched to his feet after them. They met him head on as they all toppled into the water. Isabelle laughed happily as she watched them splash and tumble with each other. He was part of her family now, a part of her, and it was quite obvious that they fully accepted him. Ian, Jack, Doug, Willow, Kyle, Cassidy, and Mike joined in the foray as Vicky and Abby swam over to join her.
“We really didn’t need another brother,” Vicky said happily.
Isabelle laughed as she turned to face them. The moonlight shimmered over their sleek, golden heads, and lit their bright green eyes. “Trust me, I know.”
Vicky smiled at her before she turned onto her back and kicked leisurely at the water. Isabelle turned herself over to float beside her. The water wasn’t so cold now that she had grown used to it. In fact, it was rather pleasant. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift, taking comfort in the light slapping of the water against her skin. Shouts echoed through the night, she smiled happily as Willow screamed and a loud splash filled the air.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Stefan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him and holding her tight. She didn’t bother to open her eyes as she rested her head in the curve of his shoulder. His skin was cool to the touch, but his inner heat served to warm her. “Nowhere,” she mumbled happily.
“That’s right.”
She laughed as she pulled back to look at him. His eyes were intense as he met her gaze, his dark hair slicked back to reveal every hard angle of his face. She stroked his cheek gently, brushing against the soft bristles that lined his solid jaw. The shiver that racked her had nothing to do with the cold, and everything to do with him. “I love you Stefan,” she whispered as she dropped a soft kiss on the hard line of his full mouth.
His arms tightened around her as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing herself more firmly against him. He glanced over his shoulder at the crowd gathered in the water, splashing and playing loudly. The humans had joined in the foray, and even Liam and Sera had appeared. “Let’s go somewhere a little quieter.”
“What?” she asked in surprise.
He grinned as he turned over, leisurely kicking through the water with her wrapped securely in his arms. He swam swiftly to the dock, and pulled her behind it. “Stefan,” she whispered.
He didn’t give her time to protest as he seized hold of her mouth, pushing her back against the dock as he lifted her shirt up to skim across her smooth, silken skin. Isabelle gasped and wiggled closer to him. He lifted her legs from his waist; he quickly unbuttoned and slid her shorts down. “Stefan, we can’t!” she gasped, releasing his neck and grasping for her shorts.
He pulled them swiftly off and held them away from her before tossing them onto the dock. He seized hold of her waist, halting her as she turned to try and retrieve her shorts. Turning her back around, he pulled her tightly against him. She squiggled against him, only serving to heat his loins more. He quickly unbuttoned his jeans, slipping them down as he lifted her to his waist. “Stefan!” she gasped, half in protest, half in desire.
He grinned as he slipped his hand between her thighs, delving his finger deep into her tight, wet sheath. “I think you’re more than ready for me,” he whispered.
Her eyes widened as she shook her head fiercely, but her hips began to move with his finger. He smiled victoriously as he continued to stroke her. “We can’t!” she gasped.
“We can.” He slipped his hand away from her. She moaned her protest as she instinctively sought to get closer to him. He seized hold of her waist and lifted her onto him. “If you really want to stop though,” he whispered huskily as he nibbled on her bottom lip.
She lifted herself up in answer and slid slowly onto him, gasping in pleasure as heat seared through her entire body. Her hands curled into his back as she clung to him. He planted his hands on the dock behind her, using it to keep him up as she slowly rode them both to completion.
Spent and completely sated, Isabelle dropped her head to his shoulder, nuzzling closer to him as she struggled to get her breathing back under control. The chill of the water slowly began to penetrate her warm haze. She shivered as she clung tighter to him. “Come on, let’s get you warm,” he whispered softly, gently nuzzling her ear as he reached behind her to grab her shorts.
He slid them quickly back on as she shivered and shook against him. He rubbed her arms and body, trying to put some heat back into her as he kicked through the water. A fire was going now, its flames bright against the dark night as it illuminated the people gathered around it. Reaching the shore, standing with her still wrapped tightly around him, he found towels and their shoes waiting for them. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it tightly around her, enthusiastically rubbing it against her skin.
“They’re all going to know,” she whispered, her voice thick with embarrassment.
He chuckled softly as he dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head. “Trust me, they already know.”
She pulled back to look at him, her face a dark shade of red. “I know that,” she whispered. “But, I uh... oh forget it.”
He kissed the tip of her nose as he gently eased her to the ground and wrapped the towel tightly around her trembling shoulders. “I understand love.”
She offered a tremulous smile as she clung tighter to the towel. He grabbed the other towel, wrapping it around her as he grabbed their shoes. “You need this.”
She handed the other towel out to him but he wrapped it back around her as he pulled her against his side. “Not as much as you. That fire looks inviting.”
She shivered as she buried herself against him and followed him toward the large, leaping flames. Laughter floated through the night, beckoning them almost as much as the giant flames did. Isabelle felt her embarrassment rise as they moved steadily
closer. “You guys must be popsicles!” Vicky cried, rushing over to hand Stefan a blanket.
He pulled the towels away from Isabelle and pulled her against his chest. Wrapping the blanket around them both, he used his hands to rub some heat back into her. She shivered as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest; the heat in her face was hot against his cool skin. Stifling a laugh over her foolishness, he lifted her gently up and sat on the ground, cradling her in his lap as he continued to rub her arms and back.
They sat for a long time, absorbing the heat of the fire as drinks and stories were passed around. Ian left with his friends to go to a club, Liam and Sera slipped silently away, and the younger children went off to bed. Stefan was content to stay by the flames, holding Isabelle tightly within his arms, warming them both. He had never thought to experience such peaceful bliss in his life, and he was reluctant to leave it.
David, Doug, Mike, Jack, and Ethan sat silently by, watching the flames as they slowly died down. Isabelle yawned softly, her fingers curled into his still damp shirt as she buried her head tighter against him. He smiled softly as he adjusted her slightly in his lap. “Tired?” he asked softly.
She looked up at him, nodding as she stifled another yawn. He brushed the damp hair off of her face as he lifted her easily up. “Good night guys.”
“Hold on, I’ll go back with you,” Ethan said.
Jack and David climbed to their feet behind him, tucking their blankets under their arms before heading over to them. Mike and Doug stood and walked over to the buckets of water sitting on the other side of the fire. Stefan waited for the three of them before turning and heading into the shadows of the house. He was halfway across the field, when he felt it. Freezing instantly, his hands tightened protectively upon Isabelle. She lifted her head to stare at him questioningly as Ethan, David, and Jack stopped walking.
“Stefan?” Isabelle inquired.
He shook his head slowly; his gaze quickly scanned the open field and woods. His nostrils flared as his eyes narrowed, and a fierce, defensive urge surged through him. He shifted Isabelle in his arms, slowly lowering her to the ground as the disturbance in the air grew closer. She released him slowly, her eyes wide and questioning as she searched his gaze. His eyes snapped to the left as a shimmer in the air caught his attention, a shimmer he knew that the others wouldn’t be able to see.
He took a step forward, shoving Isabelle behind him as he turned to face it. “Hello Stefan.”
Isabelle tried to peer around Stefan’s shoulder to see the man that had spoken, but he shoved her roughly back again. “Brian!” David cried in surprise.
Isabelle poked her head around Stefan’s side, determined to see him. He was tall and muscular, nearly as big as Stefan, and nearly as gorgeous. His hair was the lightest platinum blond that she had ever seen, so light that it was nearly white. His eyes were a piercing ice blue as they drifted down to look at her. There was a coldness in his eyes that was unnerving as his mouth curved into a small smile. She knew instantly that he was one of them, but there was something off about him, something not quite right. It reminded her of the men from the club, only it wasn’t as strong as it had been with them. Still, she knew that he was completely dangerous.
“What are you doing here?” Stefan growled, pushing Isabelle back again.
She didn’t protest his high handed manner; she didn’t want to look at him anymore. His oddness frightened her. “I just came to see an old friend.”
“We stopped being friends awhile ago Brian.”
“Stefan, in our life span, two years is not a long time. Who’s the girl?”
Stefan stiffened, a low growl issued from him. Isabelle couldn’t stop herself from looking at the stranger again. Brian’s gaze darted back to her, a sly smile curling his full, hard mouth. Stefan shoved her roughly back, his hand curled painfully into her upper arm as he held her forcefully behind him. She couldn’t suppress a whimper of pain. His grip instantly lessened, but he did not relinquish her.
“What do you want?” he snapped.
Brian’s eyes came back to him, cold and brutal. They were no longer the eyes of the man that had been his friend for well over a century, but those of the man that he had become. “I need a place to stay.”
Stefan’s eyes narrowed sharply as he shook his head in firm denial. “You are not staying here.”
Brian’s eyes narrowed as they snapped with fury. “I helped you out when you needed it.”
“Yes you did, but you’re not staying here.”
Brian folded his arms over his chest as he rocked back on his heels. “Can we talk privately?” he inquired coldly.
It had been awhile since they had parted ways, and Stefan truly hadn’t expected to ever see Brian again. He didn’t know what had brought him here now, nor did he think that it could be good. However he did owe Brian his life, and he owed it to him to listen to what he had to say, and what had brought him here.
“David, take Isabelle back to the house.”
“What?” she demanded, grabbing Stefan’s shirt. He pulled her from behind his back, holding onto her arm as he waited for David to come forward. “Stefan...”
“Go with them Isabelle.”
“But...”
“Go!” he commanded more sharply than he had intended.
Isabelle’s eyes spit violet fury at him as she allowed David to take hold of her arm. She turned toward Brian, her eyes narrowed hatefully as David tugged her forward. “I can walk on my own!” she snapped, jerking her arm free.
‘Please be careful,’ she whispered into his head. His gaze flicked toward her, but he made no other indication that he had hear her.
She turned away from him as Ethan and Jack moved to stand behind her, their gazes locked warily on Brian. Stefan waited until they were safely in the house before he turned his attention back to his old friend. A small smile of amusement curved his mouth as he met Stefan’s glower. “Who’s the girl?”
“That’s none of your concern,” Stefan grated, fury spurting through him. Brian’s eyebrows rose but he simply nodded as he rocked back on his heels again. “What do you want?”
“I told you, I need a place to say,” he replied, his arms dropping back to his sides.
“And I told you that you can’t stay here.”
Brian tilted his head as he quickly scanned the field and houses. “There is a lot of our kind here.”
Stefan shrugged negligently, not wanting Brian to know anymore about this place than he had to. “What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?”
Brian’s gaze slowly came back to him, his eyes dark and distant. “Do they know about you?”
Stefan stiffened as his eyes narrowed angrily. “Of course.”
“All about you?” he drawled.
Stefan’s eyes blazed with fury as he took an angry step forward. “You’re not staying here!” he snapped.
“I take that as a no, which means that the girl doesn’t know either.”
Stefan took another step toward him, his rage reaching a boiling point. Brian’s negligent demeanor instantly vanished as he stiffened. “You’ll stay away from her, or I’ll kill you!” Stefan hissed.
Amusement flashed over Brian’s features as he studied Stefan questioningly. “I’m merely suggesting that maybe she would like to know a little bit more about you. It would probably be in her best interest, don’t you think? Maybe they would all like to know a little more about you. They might not be as willing to let you stay then. I have nowhere else to go, and I need help. You will give it to me Stefan, or I will have a long chat with this family.”
“I’ll kill you,” he growled.
“You could try, but I’ve still been killing Stefan, have you? She is a pretty girl.”
Red filled his vision as he seized Brian by the throat. Brian instantly struck out, his claws ripping across Stefan’s chest and spilling blood. Stefan’s hold on his throat tightened as he slammed a fist into Brian’s stomach,
causing his breath to whoosh loudly out of him. Brian lunged forward, hissing and spitting as his fist connected with the side of Stefan’s head. The blow left him momentarily startled, but he recovered in time to block Brian’s next swing.
Brian blurred suddenly, disappearing from Stefan’s hold. He swung around as Brian reappeared behind him. He crouched low as a fierce growl escaped him. “I’m not here to fight you Stefan!” Brian hissed.
“You’re not welcome here!”
“You either help me, or when the others arrive, you’ll be on your own.”
Stefan stood slowly, trepidation clutching his chest as Brian’s words sank in. “The others?”
Brian nodded briskly as he rubbed his abused throat, warily eyeing Stefan. “I’m in trouble, and they’re tracking me. They’ll follow me here, and when they do, they aren’t going to leave peacefully.”
“What the hell have you done?” he bellowed.
Brian shrugged negligently. It took every ounce of control Stefan had not to lunge at him again. Not to kill him where he stood. “I pissed off a few people.”
“Who?” he growled.
“Some of our kind, some older ones of our kind. The ones here are young Stefan, they’ll be no match for them, and you know it.”
Running his hand tiredly through his hair Stefan closed his eyes against the fear that was squeezing his chest. If they came here, if Brian had led them here... Shit, they would kill everyone. His mind instantly sought out Isabelle. Her fear beat at him, but he didn’t open his mind to her, wouldn’t let her in to see, or hear, what was going on.
“So you want my help?” he demanded.
“You’re one of the strongest ones I know Stefan. I didn’t know where else to go.”
Stefan snorted tiredly. It had taken him a long time, and a lot of death, to become one of the strongest. He had always suspected that he would pay for it in the long run, now he knew that he had been right. His gaze darted to the house as a crushing feeling of impending doom descended upon him. He had wanted to keep Isabelle sheltered from his past, from the darkness that lurked within his soul, to never let her know that it was there, that it existed. Now he knew that it wasn’t going to be possible.
Destined (Vampire Awakenings) Page 27