by Alice Addy
Sophie was intrigued. “Did they accuse you of being a witch?”
Tony shook his head. “No, precious. They knew me too well, but the townsfolk had their suspicions. By 1837, I knew I had to leave. My children were twenty and seventeen. They had grandparents and cousins to look out for them. Eli was in love with a pretty young girl from the neighboring town. Before I left, I gave him my blessing and bought him a farm. I gifted Hannah with a large dowry. She was so beautiful, it was hardly necessary, but I wanted to make it up to her. Eli understood why I had to leave, but Hannah was angry. In so many ways, she reminded me of her lovely mother, but her temper was all me.”
“Where did you go?” Sophie asked, while tears ran down her soft cheeks.
“That, my sweet angel, is another story, and better left to be told at a later time. Right now, I have the sexiest and the most beautiful woman in the entire world, naked in my bed, and I intend to ravish her!” he howled.
“Stop,” Sophie squealed, as she tried to squirm away. She pretended to flee from his embrace, but her real intent was to be caught and thoroughly pleasured.
Once again, she felt his hard, hot length, slip inside her, filling her completely. She tingled all over. Skin against skin, they moved to the oldest dance in the world. Their hearts beat with the primal rhythm, as ancient as mankind itself. Tony pleasured his woman deeply, while Sophie tightened her hold on his hard shaft, bringing them dangerously close to a mind-numbing crescendo.
Faster and harder he plunged, his cock rubbing against her nubbin until she was begging for release.
“God, Tony,” she screamed. “Now! For God’s sake, do it now!”
Tony, wet with perspiration, grabbed her bare bottom, and squeezed. He listened to the slapping of their flesh, he inhaled the fragrance that was uniquely hers, when suddenly, Sophie shuddered violently and cried out in ecstasy.
Tony threw his head back and howled again, as his release came in a tremendous explosion, burst after burst. It was only then he realized he hadn’t bothered with a condom.
CHAPTER NINE
“Well, it’s about time. I thought I’d have to call the police. Where have you been, young lady…or should I ask, with whom have you been?” Grant shouted from inside his office.
It always surprised Sophie when her boss knew what was going on in the outer room, without ever sticking his head around the corner to get a good look. It was as if he could see through walls. Her mind began to question his abilities. After all, she was involved with a man that was immortal. Maybe Grant wasn’t exactly like other men, either. She’d ask Tony tonight. They were going to meet for dinner and have earth-shattering sex—but not necessarily in that order.
“I’m here now, boss. What do you need?” Sophie hollered from her desk. She heard his laughter.
“Never mind, Sophie. It’s just nice to know you’re here, safe and sound.” Grant exited his office and walked up to her desk. Looking down at his assistant, he grinned. “Have a nice weekend? Anything you want to share?” He cocked his eyebrow in a most unsettling way.
“You know, don’t you? You and Tony are good friends.” Sophie thought it might be good to do some fishing. “He told me everything, you know. All about…it.”
Grant’s face grew serious. “It?”
“Yes, his real age, for instance.”
Grant stiffened. “Sophie, did he go into detail with you? Did he name others?”
She could see her boss was clearly nervous, but she couldn’t understand why. To put his mind at ease, she thought she’d say nothing more, and talk to Tony.
“Others? I don’t know anything about ‘others’. It’s okay if he’s a little older than me. Don’t you think?”
Grant let out his breath in relief. Tony hadn’t been so foolish as to discuss their unique connection with his current squeeze. “I just wanted to know if you were happy, Sophie.”
She beamed. “I’m ridiculously happy.”
“Good,” he said stiffly, and returned to his office, shutting the door.
“That was odd,” Sophie muttered, “even for Grant.”
Before Sophie knew it, it was lunchtime and Tony had promised to take her out. She reapplied her lip-gloss, touched her neck and wrists with the lightest of perfumes, and sat back waiting. She waited and waited. Grant had left and said he wouldn’t return for the rest of the day. The clock continued to tick away the minutes, until it was too late to go out for lunch.
Sophie frowned at the thoughts that were beginning to creep into her mind. Had Tony made love to her, only to move on to someone else? Did he find her lacking? Her inferiority complex raised its ugly head. All her life she had been fighting the battle of insecurity. She knew she wasn’t smart. Her family life had been average, and now she was alone. Her education had been adequate, but she felt some of the grades she had achieved were due more to her short skirts, than her test scores. Tony could no doubt do better than tying himself to her. Hell, he probably had done better, many times. Maybe she was too needy.
“Enough!” she said out loud. “You’re Sophie Drew and you’re pretty and you’re a good person. Tony would be a fool to toss you aside. Didn’t you please him last night?”
“You certainly did, and Tony’s no fool.” A deep male voice spoke to her from across the room.
“Tony!” she squealed. “I missed you,” she said, as she ran from her desk to his open arms.
Tony laughed. “I can see that. To whom were you talking when I walked in?”
Sophie’s face turned crimson. “How much did you hear?”
“Well,” his green eyes twinkled, “I heard you telling someone off pretty good. That man, Tony, you were talking about, would be a fool to toss you aside…especially after such mind-blowing sex.” He chuckled as he rubbed her firm little ass.
Sophie groaned. “You must think I’m the fool.”
“Oh, Sophie. I find you delightful, and I’m in this relationship for the long haul. And I do mean the long haul.”
Sophie brightened. “I think I might have said something I shouldn’t have.”
“What’s that, sweetheart?”
“Grant was acting peculiar, this morning.”
“Yeah,” Tony smiled. “I was afraid of that.”
“First, I told him you told me everything, and it disturbed him. I had to lie and say you convinced me you were a little older than me. He seemed to relax, a little. Is there some reason I shouldn’t know about the curse?”
Tony grew serious and reached for Sophie’s sweater. “I think you’re finished for the day, darling. On the way to my house, I’ll tell you a secret.”
“Oooh, another one?” She grinned with curiosity. “Life with you is never going to be boring, is it, Tony?”
“Ha! That is a fact, sweetness. That is a fact, for sure.”
Tony had driven his Porsche to Grant’s office, that morning. It was shiny and black and drew a lot of attention. It zipped through traffic like a warm knife through butter. Every once in a while, he glanced over at Sophie. The wind blowing through Sophie’s blonde ringlets warmed his cold heart. She was still as innocent and lovely as a child. He wanted to give her everything she ever wanted. He wanted to spoil her rotten.
As they pulled up in front of the massive brownstone, a man appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, and offered to park the car. Tony ran around and opened Sophie’s door.
“I could get used to this,” she giggled.
“Good. I intend to pamper you for many years to come.” Tony leaned over and kissed her moist lips, before taking her hand and guiding her up the steps. Without knocking, Ibsen was there, holding the door open.
“Good afternoon, sir…Miss Sophie.” The old man stood back, looking not at all surprised.
“Tell Cook we’ll have lunch on the terrace. Sophie and I have to talk.”
“Yes, sir,” Ibsen said, as he bowed slightly.
“Wow. I’m blown away. Do you think I’ll ever not be impressed by all this?” Sophie’
s eyes were huge and her mouth had been hanging open since they walked in.
Tony laughed. “You’ll be surprised at how quickly you take this for granted. The life of privilege is no hardship. But don’t let it change you, darling. Great wealth can be seductive, and therein lays the danger. All of this,” he said, waving his arms around the room, “is a blessing and must be used for the betterment of mankind. It’s imperative we work hard at making the world a better place, in which to live. Too many suffer needlessly. Too many feel hopeless.”
“Is that what you and Grant do? Make the world a better place?” Sophie asked, in awe of the man she loved.
“We make it safer. And that is what I must discuss with you. Remember, Sophie, everything I tell you must remain confidential. Just as there are good forces at work in the universe, there are an equal number of forces for evil. They know of our existence, but our identities have long remained hidden. That is most important, sweetheart.”
The truth finally dawned on Sophie. “So, that’s why Grant was alarmed. He thought you told me that he…Oh, my God. Grant is like you, isn’t he?” A light bulb had gone off in Sophie’s head.
Tony nodded. “There are many of us. You have undoubtedly heard of our more illustrious members, only you didn’t recognize them for what they truly are.”
Tony closed the French doors behind them, as they walked across the open terrace and toward the glass table. Iced tea, served in crystal goblets, awaited them, and a huge flower arrangement graced the center of the table. Sophie waited for Tony to pull out her chair.
He sat down across from her and lowered his voice to just above a whisper. “Grant will be nervous about your knowing our identities, but I’ll smooth it over with him. He is very important among us. Grant is known as the Hunter. Others, like myself, only assist him when he needs us. You see, being an immortal can drive a good person insane. The rogues are capable of doing all sorts of atrocities. Because of their gift—or curse, if you prefer—they are extremely hard for the local authorities to apprehend. We do that, when all else fails. It is an arduous process and extremely distasteful, but it’s necessary.
“You must never let this knowledge slip to anyone. Even our children must never know. It is one thing to witness a friend, or loved one, not aging normally, and altogether different to discover that the world is populated by immortals that sometimes go crazy and feed on the general public.”
“That’s awful,” she gasped. “Are you and Grant in danger? Was that the problem with the horrible man that grabbed me and the baby?” She paled.
Tony nodded. “Exactly.”
The terrace doors opened and Ibsen wheeled a glass cart over to the table. “Your lunch is served, sir. May I?” Ibsen bent low over the pretty woman sitting beside his boss. He held out a napkin, preparing to place it delicately across her lap.
Tony grinned at Sophie, knowing she was, once again, blown away by the formality of his life. He nodded, as his hand reached under the table and stroked her inner thigh.
“Oh,” she cooed, as her cheeks dimpled. “I’m famished.” But not for food, she thought.
* * *
“You told her? Good God, man. What were you thinking? Was she that fucking great in bed?” Grant kicked the side of his chair, sending it careening across the room.
Tony immediately stiffened. “Watch what you say, old friend. I love her, and I won’t stand to hear you or anyone else disparage her.”
Grant ran his hand through his hair. “Sorry, but you took a terrible risk with not only your life, but mine as well. Everything we do must be kept in the strictest confidence. How do you know she won’t speak to others?”
“Because she promised.”
“Because she promised,” Grant mimicked. “I don’t happen to have that kind of faith in anyone. Even you talked. She’s a mistake, Tony. I only pray this doesn’t come back to haunt us.
Grant turned his back to his friend and stared out the floor to ceiling window. He liked his office. From here, he could see most of the city below. He’d made a difficult decision.
Without turning around and looking at his old friend, he spoke firmly. “I think it is best if you marry the chit and leave New York. You’ll be out of the loop for a while. Who knows? This is Sophie we’re talking about,” he smirked. “She just might forget all about it, in a day or two. She’s not the sharpest crayon in the box.”
Grant didn’t see the big fist coming straight for his chin...but he felt the tug on his jacket. The force of the punch lifted him off the floor and he crashed against the heavy bookshelves. He managed to block the second punch, thrown from his friend’s strong left.
“What the fuck?” he yelled, as he prepared to strike back. “What was that for, you stupid son-of-a-bitch?”
Tony’s voice was husky with emotion. “I told you not to speak about Sophie in negative terms. You insinuated she was stupid and would soon forget. I’ve got news for you. She’s smart. She just doesn’t believe in herself. I’m going to help her tap into her strengths. Remarks, like the one you said, hurt. Her whole life, she’s been put down. I intend to marry her as soon as possible, for your information, and I’ll gladly pack her up and leave New York. Anything else, Mr. Paulsen?”
Grant rubbed his swollen jaw, knowing it would heal quickly. “Yeah, there’s something else.” Looking properly chastised, he spoke honestly. “I’m truly sorry, Tony. I love Sophie…and I love you, bro. A change of scenery will be best for all of us, but if you need me, you know how to reach me. I’ll be there for you.”
He held out his hand to Tony, but Tony pushed it aside. Instead, he grasped Grant by the shoulders and hugged him forcefully. He would miss his friend.
Tony wiped an errant tear from his eye and turned toward the door. Over his shoulder, he said, “She’s not a mistake, Grant. She’s my piece of mortality. She’ll keep me sane.” He opened the door and quietly closed it behind him.
Grant knew how important his last remark had been. He was aware that his friend suffered from a melancholy of the soul. Tony yearned to be mortal. He should never have been turned, and he would never be truly content living life the way he was.
“Live well, dear friend,” he uttered.
CHAPTER TEN
Sophie was having the time of her life. She’d never been out of New York, and Tony was taking her across the country for their honeymoon. She saw New Orleans and the area where Tony once lived. She was wild about Chicago, where they even took the gangster tour. Tony laughed, and said it was much like that, back in the twenties, only a whole lot worse. “You couldn’t get a decent drink in the whole damn town,” he lamented.
The couple went north into the Black Hills of South Dakota. There, they camped out in an area Tony referred to as Paha Sapa. As they stood on a ridge, looking down at the open prairie, Tony felt transported back in time.
“This mountain range and prairie grass is sacred to the Lakota people. They were here long before the white man left his European shores. The majesty of its dark peaks still takes my breath away. There is something in the very air we breathe, that sets this place apart. I feel the spirit of the people all around us.
“It wasn’t until Custer discovered gold that the white man had interest in this land. The white man’s greed for the yellow metal killed many of the Lakota. The government pushed them back, off their land, and they starved. I left a piece of my heart out there, on the prairie.”
That afternoon, Tony wanted Sophie to see the land from the back of a horse, and was pleased with the mounts he’d been able to rent for the week. He chose a sweet, little mare for Sophie, and decided on a large bay gelding for himself. Once they were saddled, he offered to help Sophie get seated.
He cupped his hands together, and nodded to Sophie.
Sophie nodded back, her vacant eyes as big as turquoise saucers.
Tony grinned. “Sophie. Sweetheart. Place your boot in my hand and I’ll help you swing up into the saddle. It’s very easy. You’ll be riding like
a brave before you know it.”
“A brave what?” she asked innocently.
“A warrior, Sophie. A man who has proven he is a man. He’s called a brave.” He shook his head slightly. “Haven’t you seen any old western movies?”
“Nope. Not if I could avoid it.”
She furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of Tony’s reasoning. “You said he proved he was a man. Well, Mr. Know-It-All, in case you haven’t noticed, I am not a man. Therefore, I cannot be a brave.” She crossed her arms over her ample bosom and grinned.
Tony didn’t know whether to kiss her for being so astute, or to spank her for being so impudent. Maybe he’d do both, a little later, he decided. Trying to appear to be in control of the situation, he put his hands together and said loudly, “Sophie. Put your damn boot in my hands, step up, and swing your leg over the horse while we still have some daylight.”
“Okay, you don’t have to yell,” she muttered. “Sheesh.” Just as Tony had asked, she put her right boot into his hands and swung her left leg as hard and as fast as she could, over the back of the horse…all before Tony had the time to correct her mistake. There she sat, high in the saddle…facing rump forward.
Tony started laughing, uproariously. “If that don’t beat all!” he exclaimed. “I’ve heard of city slickers getting ass-backwards in the saddle, but I never thought I’d actually live to see it. Wait right there, sweetie, while I go get my cell. I’ve got to send a picture of this to Grant.”
“Oh, don’t you dare, Tony,” she screamed. “Do something. What if this animal should decide to move? What will I do? Oh help me, Tony,” she cried. Great sheets of tears cascaded down her face. Her knuckles were white with the grip she had on the back of the saddle. She was clearly petrified.
Tony did feel a little sorry for her, but she deserved it. She’d acted like a spoiled child, earlier. He could have told her the horse was hobbled and wouldn’t be going anywhere soon. However, she was his wife, and a delightful little package for sure. He’d show her some mercy.