His green eyes hardened as he stared into my eyes. He nodded and squeezed my shoulders softly before releasing me and letting me go. "You're making me feel guilty and it's not right. Anna needs me and I need to be there for her."
Some of the tension lifted from my shoulders. This had gone easier than I anticipated. I’d expected much more fight from my brother.
“Come and sit, Nikolaus.” Stefan’s voice broke through the silence of my thoughts. Nikolaus looked at me and I gestured for him to sit on the couch. Without a word, I took my place on Stefan’s lap, curling up against the hardness of his chest.
Stefan reached around me to pick up a cell phone. It was nothing fancy, a basic model with no bells or whistles. He handed it to me and I looked up him, confused. His voice floated through my mind. “Give this to your brother. It is a disposable phone. All of our numbers are loaded into the phonebook. It cannot be traced to anyone. It is only to be used to contact one of us.”
His fingers lingered over mine as he passed off the small phone. I nodded and stretched over to Nikolaus, repeating Stefan’s orders. “This phone is untraceable. Only use it to call me, Stefan, Anna or Lukas. All of our numbers are programmed in. We just don’t know who’s listening…this will keep us all safe.”
Nikolaus flipped the cell phone between both hands and shook his head in disbelief. “It’s come to this. Fuck.” I could barely make out his mumbled words. He was talking to himself more than he was to either of us. Stefan’s chin pressed down against the top of my head, his chest rising and falling as he inhaled deeply.
Nikolaus rose and managed a weak smile. He crouched down and took my hand in his. His thumb traced over the top of my hand affectionately. “I suppose this is goodbye then.”
Swallowing back the huge lump that had taken up residence in my throat, I held his hand tightly. “It’s not goodbye. It’s just a see you soon. We’ll be back before you know it, Nik. There are just a few things I need to take care of.”
Nikolaus stared off vacantly, his eyes unfocused. His mind was closed, his thoughts heavily safeguarded from my attempts to peek into it. He was still somewhere else when his words came out brokenly. “Stefan, take care of her. With the exception of Anna, she’s all I have left in this world. I just need your word.”
Stefan’s heavy hand came to rest on my brother’s shoulder. He waited until Nikolaus’ shell-shocked eyes met his own. “With my life. Without her, there is nothing. She will always come first. You have my word.”
Nikolaus stood and tugged on my hair. “Then I’ll see you soon.”
Rising from Stefan’s lap, I pulled my brother to me tightly. I hugged him closely, my lips at his ear. My voice was barely audible, coming out like in a raspy hiss. “Keep them safe. You know him better than anyone else. Do whatever it takes.” I felt his body twitch but it only made me grip him tighter. “Whatever. It. Takes. Ask questions later. Do you understand?”
“Yeah…I understand.” Nikolaus’ words faded out. I knew I’d overwhelmed him. Like me, he’d have to internalize everything before he could fully accept it and move on.
Releasing him, I watched him as he walked to the door. He looked back a final time, his striking face filled with resolve. He’d been given a task, one I knew he’d take seriously. With a final jut of his chin, he slipped out of the apartment, his steps burdened with a weight he hadn’t had when he’d entered.
Heaving a heavy sigh, my eyes closed. I was second-guessing everything I’d said, everything we were doing…everything I’d requested.
Comfort flooded our bond and Stefan’s fingers danced over my shoulders. His thumbs pressed against the tight muscles of my back, kneading the tension away.
“You can not be filled with regret. What was said needed to be discussed. You did what you needed to do,” Stefan advised. His magic fingers continued to glide over my spine, leaving a trail of goose bumps over my skin. “It will be fine, yes? We will be back from our trip soon. No more worries.”
My teeth bit at my lower lip. Leaning back against him, the solid wall of muscle was calming and I managed a soft nod. “At least I don’t have to worry about worry lines anymore.”
“Yes, there is that I suppose.” Stefan chuckled and his arms wrapped around me, one across my chest and the other went lower to rest around my stomach. That strange magnetic pull between us leapt to life at our closeness, reassuring me in way his words couldn’t.
I swayed against him for a moment, my hands covering his. “There’s no going back.”
His hold never faltered, nor did the comfort he sent through the bond. “No. There is not.”
Unwittingly, I’d drawn that invisible line in the sand; the line that you can’t come back from. There were no words I could say to change the outcome, nothing I could do to change course. I’d declared war on my father.
***
I’d spent the remainder of the afternoon packing suitcases. We’d planned on staying a week in my hometown, hoping that I’d find the journals and we could be on our way home. And in a perfect world with no complications, it might work. However, nothing ever came easy for me.
The weather was growing warmer and the nights shorter as spring slowly faded into summer. Temperature didn’t matter to me anymore. I could walk around in a winter jacket in 100-degree temperatures and not be the least bit uncomfortable. My life was now all about appearances and fitting in with the human world. I’d have to learn how to fade into the background. With Stefan at my side, I knew it would be impossible to do. His six-foot-four inch height and supernatural Nordic beauty turned heads wherever he went. It wasn’t everyday you saw a man that was more beautifully designed than Stefan, and you’d be hard pressed to forget him if you saw him.
Folding up a fourth pair of jeans, I heard light footfalls head down the hallway. I’d just looked up as Lukas stuck his head in the doorway.
“Knock, knock,” he sang out loudly. He joined me at the bed and surveyed my suitcase. His mouth turned into a frown. “Have I taught you nothing? You can lead a horse to water…”
He flitted off to the closet and returned with his arms filled with clothes. He began methodically folding blouses and shirts, artfully arranging them in the large suitcase. I went to reach for a hanger and he playfully smacked at my hands. “You’ll only wrinkle them.”
Releasing an unladylike snort, I sat on the edge of the bed and watched Lukas as his hands blurred through the motions of packing. He caught me staring and flashed me a smile. “It’s been awhile since we’ve talked.”
Losing myself in memories, I struggled through the murky recollections until I remembered a distraught Lukas sitting by my bedside. “It was the night of the explosion.”
He never slowed as he continued to pack. “You were right to trust he’d come back. I gave up. I gave into my fear.”
Lukas looked up and his face took on a faraway expression. “I didn’t realize how much he meant to me. I love him, Josie. Not in a romantical sort of way of course, but I’ve been with him for over a hundred years. He was my friend as a human and saved me from certain death.” He shifted uncomfortably and I saw him swipe at his eyes. “As I sat here that night, I realized that if I lost him, I’d lose you. Granted, you have your faults and have questionable taste in clothing…”
I swallowed back a laugh and watched him fondly. He tried so hard to keep up his bitchy façade. “Sweet talker. Lukas, if you’re not careful someone might overhear you and think you care about me.”
His head snapped up and our eyes met, icy blue to emerald green. He jerked his head once and he smiled, exposing his even white teeth. “Tell anyone and I’ll track you down and force you to wear H&M for the rest of eternity.”
“Oh, the torture.” I joked back, placing the back of my hand against my forehead in mock horror. “Lukas…”
He shot me a sharp look and shook his head vehemently. “No. Don’t you dare do what I think you’re going to do.”
Ignoring his plea, I stood and hugged him. It wa
sn’t the same sort of hug I gave my brother, but it served the purpose of what I needed to do. Again, I used the opportunity to speak without being overheard. “When we leave, you’re the eldest. You have to take care of Anna and Nikolaus. I already spoke with him. I told him to do whatever he needed to do. You know where everything is…the financials. If for some reason we don’t make it back…”
“I said not to do this.” He hissed back, the warning clear in his words. “Don’t talk like this. It’s like asking for bad luck.”
“Feel free to stock my closets with whatever atrocities you feel fit. We need to all be on the same page. One more thing, Lukas. You can’t tell anyone what we’re doing. No one.” I released him and took my perch on the end of the bed. His eyes were slits as he stared at me. It was easy to see the unanswered questions that were forming in his mind.
Lukas stepped away from the bed and crossed the room to find a small notepad on Stefan’s dresser. I watched as he scribbled away on the piece of paper. With a sigh, he handed the pad to me. I scanned the paper quickly. When you say no one, you mean Amir? Do you know something I don’t?
Grabbing the pen from his hand, I wrote back a simple answer. Yes, I mean Amir. And no, I don’t know anything. It’s simply a matter of keeping our destination a secret.
Lukas read the note and resumed packing until the suitcase was filled and he started in on Stefan’s luggage next. As he packed, I ripped up the note into shreds and headed into the bathroom, flushing them down the toilet. I watched them swirl like confetti until they disappeared, leaving clear water behind.
As I stepped back into the bedroom, Lukas was zipping up Stefan’s suitcase. He managed a smirk as he turned to face me. “You’re flying commercial. I’d suggest making sure you aren’t hungry before you leave.” He glanced at his watch dramatically. “Which is in precisely five hours. You need to talk to Anna too.”
He walked to the door and blew me a kiss. “See you soon, sweet cheeks. I’ll send Anna over.”
Lugging the packed suitcases to the front door turned out to be an effortless process. I’d have struggled with the task before, but this was as light as carrying my purse. I was placing the second piece of luggage down when the front door cracked open and Anna’s riotous brown curls peeked in the doorway. She was surprised to see me at the doorway and her eyes widened.
Putting my hands on my hips, I blew back an errant strand of hair as I stood up. “Hey. You’re the last one on my list to say goodbye to, you know. It took you long enough.”
She rolled her dark eyes and smirked. “I’ve been busy. I never thought I’d say I was tired of talking, but after my marathon phone festival today, I’m officially over it.”
“Thanks for taking care of everything. I didn’t mean for you to get stuck with the grunt work,” I sighed and shoved my hands in my back pockets. “I don’t know where to begin…”
“Nikolaus told me everything.” Anna waved me and shot me a knowing look. “I hope your business goes smoothly.”
Our eyes met and she nodded, looking around the living room. She knew to avoid certain subjects and was letting me know she understood. I admired Anna’s ability to adapt so quickly to a life style she didn’t even know existed outside of books and legends.
“Me too. I just want to get in and get out. There’s going to be too many memories in that house.” My voice sounded small as I thought back to my childhood home and memories of Garrett. They meant so much more now because I now knew the truth as to who he really was. I just wish I’d known when he was still alive…
“It’s always hard. If anyone can do it, you can,” Anna said. She plopped down on the couch and smiled. “I still can’t get over the change. You look like a new person, girlfriend.”
I’d have to be careful going home. Athens was a close nit community and everyone knew each other. Most never left, choosing to remain in the quaint town. When I’d left, I’d cut all ties to the few people I knew. News would spread fast that my old home was occupied, at least temporarily.
“No more yoga for me.” I joked weakly. Sitting down beside Anna, I suddenly felt insecure. “How did you do it?”
“Do what?” Anna was confused. Her nose wrinkled as she placed her hand on my leg.
“Keep it under control. I feel like my emotions are like a pendulum. One minute I’m high, the next I’m low.” I rubbed my forehead with the heel of my hand. “Now I’m getting on an airplane with humans. I’m scared shitless.”
Anna was quiet. When she spoke, her voice was comforting. “I was a mess. Stefan and Lukas kept me sane those first few weeks. Listen to him and don’t try to do it your way. You don’t always know best.”
I barked out a dry laugh. “Yeah, yeah. No running off. I think I’m past that, Anna.” Leaning back into the couch, I folded my hands in my lap. “Who’d have ever thought we’d end up like this? Immortals.”
“Mythical creatures.” She snorted. “At least I found Nik.”
Smiling broadly, I swatted at her arm. “Anna Wilson is in love. Stop the press.”
Anna burrowed back on the couch next to me. She rested her head on my shoulder. “It proves miracles happen. Georgia said I’d never…”
Her voice wandered off as she mentioned our friend’s name. We hadn’t been able to contact her for a few weeks. It was if she’d disappeared off the face of the earth.
Clearing my throat, I rested my head on Anna’s soft hair. “I hope she’s happy. Wherever she is.”
The mood in the room had become gloomy. Both of us were lost in our thoughts and memories. I vaguely remembered my last conversation with Georgia. It was stilted and strained. She sounded odd, as if she’d been drinking. I worried about her and the lack of communication had me worried. It nagged at me, making me wonder if there wasn’t something more that I could do for my friend.
“Alright. Enough of this. I’m not going to spend my last bit of time with you moping around over things we can’t change.” Anna turned to face me. “Just promise me you’ll be safe and you’ll get your ass back here soon.”
Anna’s spitfire personality broke through the melancholy. I couldn’t stop the smile that broke over my face. “I promise. I won’t linger any longer than necessary. You can always call.”
“True.” Anna agreed. She leaned over and gave me a hug and I was shocked to feel her arms quaking as she held me. “I want you back. I want this over…Josie, something’s not right.”
“It’ll be fine. And we’ll be back as soon as possible. I promise. You have Lukas. He knows what to do,” I murmured in her ear. I was tiring of the clandestine meetings and secretive conversations.
The door opened and Stefan entered the apartment. My eyes shot to him, watching the softness of his sea blue eyes as he watched us from the doorway. His chiseled face had lost its harshness as he met my gaze. “I hate to break up this happy moment but Josephine needs to feed before our flight.”
Anna released me and winked one of her sparkling brown eyes at me. “You two be safe and hurry back to us. Our family won’t be the same without you both.”
As she left, I realized for the first time in a long time, I had a family. A real family that cared for each other, tied together by blood and love.
Stefan joined me on the couch. He took my hand and pressed feather light kisses over each finger. “Yes. Vår familj. Our family.”
***
Anxious about the upcoming plane ride, I didn't read one page of the magazine I held in my hands. I aimlessly flipped through the well-worn pages as I waited for Stefan to work his magic to get our seats upgraded to first class. Lukas had made the executive decision for us to fly commercial this time. He’d given Stefan and me both the lame excuse that it would be better to be in large groups of people until we were safely out of New York City. We were hiding in plain sight. It would make my father or his henchmen less likely to attempt to do anything with human witnesses everywhere. I suppose he had a point.
I knew he was headed my way before I
saw him. It wasn’t only the bond that told me, it was the sudden hush of conversation around me grinding to a screeching halt that made me look up from the magazine I was paging through.
I shielded my thoughts as I dragged my tongue over my bottom lip. Immediately, Stefan's head snapped to zero in on me, his sharp eyes staring holes through me. Apparently, he had been listening to me quite intently. I grinned, arching an eyebrow at him and watching his leg muscles flex with each long stride. I could practically feel what those muscles were capable of doing when I was wrapped around them. The thought caused my breath to catch and I barely bit back my groan.
He was gorgeous. Black jeans and a charcoal gray, long sleeved shirt accented everything about him that made my mouth water. When he ran a hand through his blond hair and increased the speed of his sexy strut, this time I could hear the heartbeats throughout the crowd increase.
He slouched down in the chair beside me, his long legs stretched in front of him. He eyed me with sparkling blue eyes. He leaned over and captured my lips in a light, teasing kiss. I heard a few disappointed groans and heavy sighs.
"Our luggage is checked?" I asked innocently. I closed the magazine and tossed it aside, my hand brushing over his powerful thigh.
“Yes. How are you doing?” Stefan questioned. He grabbed my errant hand and twirled my engagement ring around on my finger. He’d been carefully monitoring my moods and knew I was fine. I think he just wanted to hear me speak the words for myself.
“Good. I just keep the curtain down and I’m fine. I’m not sure if Lukas’ idea was the smartest though. Everyone is looking at us,” I whispered, glancing around the crowded waiting area. People had given up on being discreet, now they simply stared.
“We look too perfect to them. They know we are something more, yet cannot figure out what else we could be.” Stefan continued to turn the ring on my finger. “You will not notice it after a century. You will expect it and worry when they do not stare.”
Ascend (The Vampire Destiny Series Book #4) Page 7