“You’re not leaving so soon. You just got here. Aggie, wait a second.”
Ascher was too close, so she stepped two paces back. “No.” She sighed. “We have nothing else to say!”
“I hate that this is so hard on you. Why can’t things just go back to the way they were before that stupid kiss?”
“Because I can’t go back Ascher! I love Shauna. She’s my sister, but I love you too! One love doesn’t cancel the other, and it isn’t good for me. I know you’re in love with her. I have to hear your mind every time you make love. I have to hear hers, too!” There, she’d exposed herself to him, ripped her heart open for him to pour salt into the wound. Aggie sobbed. It seemed to be the only thing left for her to do.
Ascher's reaction was not what she expected. He put his arm out to comfort her.
Aggie really wanted to forgive him and move on. Things would be easier, less complicated. His arms tightened around her, making sparks flood her body, causing her to cry louder.
“I’m so sorry, Ags. I miss our friendship so much. I know I’ve asked you to extend yourself far beyond your breaking point. Shauna is lucky to have you. You’re my best friend. I love you—we both do. You know that.”
She inhaled him. He still smelled like that incredible cologne that he used to appear normal. She breathed him again, letting his scent intoxicate her.
With an abrupt motion, she pulled away from him, glancing into his eyes. There was sorrow burning in the pale circles. She'd wanted her feelings to be gone, but they remained, torturing her every time she looked at him. She still desired him just as much as before. He loved Shauna and she was a witch, so why couldn’t he love her? Without conscious thought, she brought her lips inches from his, attempting to kiss him.
His eyes widened with shock. “No, Ags.” He grabbed both her hands. “I’m in love with her. If you know my mind, then you have to know that.”
She felt like such a fool. Casey was right; when it came to him, her instincts were off. “I can’t be that close to you. I can’t deal with any of this!” In a panic, she ran from the mansion.
He ran after her, shouting, “Aggie, wait!”
She drove home, sobbing and praying for strength to get over a man she couldn’t have. When the last tear fell, she made up her mind to distance herself from the situation until she could handle it. To protect her feelings, she blocked him from her mind.
* * * *
Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean
Shauna’s eyes opened, shock pouring from them. “Ash, what happened?”
“It’s okay. You’re okay.”
She squinted and saw that nothing about her surroundings was familiar. She was lying on a strange bed. The bedding was blue instead of black, the bed wooden instead of iron. She looked up and there was no canopy above her. “Ascher, where are we?”
“We’re on the plane—headed for Romania.”
“Romania?”
“I couldn’t leave you alone, not after the stunt you pulled on the lawn.” He cuddled her, giving her a mocking stare. “I think it’s time we talk anger management.”
“Not funny.”
“What’s going on with you? These episodes are getting worse.”
“I don’t know. I lose control, and I can’t help it.”
“That’s not good for you.” His voice changed, becoming more nervous. “Ags came to the house. She felt you raging and wanted to be sure you were okay.”
“She felt me? That means that I’m like her.”
“I know you are. She left you that necklace and said it was a healing crystal. We need to talk, Shauna. It’s really serious.”
Ascher's voice was not right. Every time he sounded this way, he said something that either hurt or stunned her. She waited, wondering which it would be this time.
He took a deep breath. “I’ve debated whether to tell you this. I didn’t want you to worry. We can have no more secrets between us. We’ve seen what secrets can do.” He took another deep breath. “Something happened last night with Aggie.”
“Is she okay?”
“I don’t think so. She’s blocked her mind again. She said that she hears our minds all of the time.” His face flushed as he spoke, “Even when we make love.”
“Oh no. Poor Aggie.”
“He reached behind his pillow and handed her a large brown envelope. “I have something for you.”
“What is this?”
“Remember that day that we met Ags in the park?”
She nodded.
“Ags seemed to think that you were a witch, and I didn’t believe it at first because you told me how religious your parents were. I had a guy do some digging for me. Ags was sure that there was no way you could come from religious parents and possess the gift. Everything he found is in the envelope.”
Shauna glowered at the package. “There’s a lot of stuff in there. What’s in it?”
Ascher shrugged. “I haven’t looked in it. It’s for you to open.”
“But you know, don’t you? You know what it says.” She gave him a suspicious stare then weighted the envelope in her hand. “I’m scared to open it.”
“I can understand that. Whenever you’re ready.” He took a quick glance at his watch. “We have a little time to fill. Would you like to see the plane?”
“I can’t believe you’re taking me with you.”
“Quinn is freaking out. He thinks it’s too dangerous for you and Father, of course, doesn’t approve. This is the only decision I could live with. It was hard enough trying to leave you behind. After you raged, I knew I couldn’t.”
She snuggled against him. “I’m glad you didn’t.”
Ascher pushed her back. “Do not delude yourself, Shauna. You are in so much danger right now. This isn’t going to be pleasant and lives could be lost, mine included.”
“I know.” She tilted her head down as tears welled in her eyes. “I’m sorry about my rage earlier. If this is the end of your existence, I want to be with you. Maybe the Goddess will show mercy and allow me to go with you.”
“Don’t say that. This time next week, we’ll be back in the States laughing at the whole sordid mess.” He scooped her into his arms. “Everyone is worried about you. Let’s put their minds at ease.” Ascher helped her up and led her to the main room in the plane.
Shauna glanced around. It was a large room with a huge sectional sofa. Quinn and Tristan glanced up, giving them knowing smirks.
“That was some wicked levitation, Shauna,” Quinn teased. “Pretty good for a human.”
“Leave her alone, Quinn. You’re such an animal!” Olivia huffed.
Quinn looked surprised. “What did I say? It was awesome.”
Ascher rolled his eyes at Quinn then turned back to Shauna. “This is the game room.”
The room was dark, but open. The Rousseaus loved dark color schemes and this space was no exception. The area sported contemporary, black glass tables and dark leather sofas. Thick, black carpet completed the somber look. Quinn and Tristan played a video game on a large flat screen hanging from the black and gray, paisley textured wall.
“If you’d like to sit for a while, I have something to discuss with my brothers.”
Olivia grabbed her arm, pulling her over to a corner where the women were gathered. The slightest inkling of a growl slipped from Kara’s lips as Shauna sat.
“What do you think they’re talking about over there?” Shauna asked with speculation heavy in her voice.
Olivia gave her a nervous look before pasting a faux smile over it. “It’s probably nothing. You know the Rousseau boys, secretive about everything.”
Shauna stared into Olivia’s eyes. She wasn’t a good liar. “Something is going on, Olivia. I can feel it, and I see it in your eyes. Please tell me what’s happening.”
“Okay.” She pulled Shauna closer. “I don’t think Ascher would want me to tell you this, but if it gives you some hope, I’ll risk him being mad. Gabriel’s found your sister. Asche
r channeled it while you were sleeping. She’s weak, but she’s okay. Ash sent him a subliminal telling him to sit tight and that we were on route to them.”
“What—Really?”
“They’re most likely discussing what to do next.”
Shauna glanced back over at the guys. They looked happy. “Why is Gabe doing all of this?”
“I don’t know. I suppose the same reason he’s gone to the enemy. He’s lost his damned mind,” Olivia replied.
The group disbanded, each coming to the side of his mate.
“There’s been a slight change in plans,” Quinn announced.
“We’re delaying the Romania trip.” Ascher’s face pained before he spoke again. “Gabe’s found Katy.”
“This just gets better by the minute,” Kara mumbled and Tristan gave her a gentle shove.
Ascher turned to Shauna. “We’re making a stop in France to refuel. We’ll spend two days there. We could see Paris.”
She’d always been mesmerized by pictures of Paris. When she was younger, her aunt Meggie travelled to Europe for business. Her gift to Shauna—a picture of the Eiffel Tower—was one of Shauna’s prized possessions. Shauna had always fantasized about what it would be like to see Paris in person and couldn’t believe she was getting the chance to go.
Ascher turned to Aaris and Olivia. “Will you two be joining us?”
They glanced at one other. “Sure, why not.”
This made Shauna happy, because she really liked Olivia. Besides, it was nice to have another woman on her side. Despite her attempts at a truce, Kara didn’t seem to care for her very much.
“If that’s all, we’re going to finish our tour.” Ascher pulled Shauna along with him. They walked down a narrow hallway full of old photographs.
Shauna stopped to stare at one in particular. It was of an infant who looked to be about six months. “Cute baby.”
“You think?”
“Yeah, who is it?”
“It’s me. It was taken when I was very young.”
“I have a question. How does it work for a half-bloodling? I understand that a vampire’s body freezes in the state that he or she was in when they changed. What happened with you?”
“My growth was minimal in the beginning. The red and black cells fought and were less inclined to exist harmoniously. The vampire black cells were dominant at first, causing my growth to stagger. In that picture, I was two years old, although I appear to be much younger. When I was ten, I looked to be only five.”
As he spoke, Shauna peered closer at the old picture.
“Human males usually have a growth spurt around the age of twelve or thirteen. That was around the time I had mine. The human red cells became dominant, causing my body to grow and change. By the time I was twenty-one, the black cells took over, becoming seventy-five percent of my total blood volume. This is why I stopped aging and will look twenty-one for the rest of my existence.”
They continued down the hall towards another room. It was the kitchen and Lucy was there, hovering over two bubbling pots on the stove. “Bonjour,” Lucy greeted. “Dinner will be ready in a little while.”
Shauna sniffed the air and realized that she was hungry. “What’s for dinner?” Her stomach growled as if it was waiting for the answer to that question, as well.
Lucy smiled. “A spinach salad and stuffed mushrooms.”
Shauna grinned as her stomach growled again. “I’m going to gain so much weight eating such delicious cooking.”
Ascher leaned over to her and whispered, “You’re hungry? Do you need to eat more?”
She gave him a sly smile. “If someone would stop taking me to bed and feed me more, I wouldn’t be so hungry.”
He smirked. “I’ll just have to feed you more because there is no way I’ll stop bedding you.” He grasped her hand, taking her around another bend to two more rooms and a small bathroom wedged in between.
“I’m not exactly sure why we have these. They don’t sleep or have need for a bathroom.”
Shauna shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe for people like me?”
They made a sharp right, ending back at the first bedroom.
“This is pretty plush for an airplane, almost like a home that flies. When do you ever use it?”
“Business mostly.”
“This is as much business as any other, I’d assume.”
Ascher nodded in agreement. “If you’d like to take a bath or get cleaned up, don’t let me stop you. I promise I won’t bother you this time.”
Shauna gave him a wicked grin. “Maybe I want you to bother me.”
“Not tonight, you’ll weaken me. You’re like my own little succubus. What am I going to do with you?”
“Never imagined anyone ever calling me that, but I like it.”
Ascher's eyes widened. “You’re insatiable!”
“Only when it comes to you,” she replied.
“Not tonight.”
Thoroughly convinced that she would be getting clean alone, she went into the bathroom and took a long, hot bath. As promised, Ascher did not join her.
* * * *
Shauna and Ascher lay side by side, facing one another. The sun was setting in the clouds, casting an eerie red glow through the small window. Besides a spot of turbulence, the plane ride had been smooth and uneventful.
She felt at ease—full from a delicious meal, securely snuggling in his arms and gazing into the eyes she found so fascinating. He stared right back at her, his face contemplative and those eyes combing hers as if searching for the deepest depths of her soul.
“You’re in a weird mood tonight,” he noted. “You’ve been blocking since you woke up. Do you want to talk about it?”
How did he do that when he couldn’t see the confines of her mind? She wasn’t sure if it was some supernatural seventh sense, or the product of his love for her. Whatever it was, he still detected her distress and knew when something bothered her.
“I’m scared of flying, because I’ve never flown anywhere.”
“You’ve never flown anywhere, ever?”
“Nope.”
He smirked then wrapped her tighter in his arms. “I’ll protect you.”
She scowled at him.
A look of arrogance shrouded his face. “I assure you that if this plane goes down you’ll make it out alive. Vampire speed and agility, remember?”
“Sometimes I forget. It’s easy to do that. Well, looks like you’re downright invincible.”
“Except for the things I’ve told you about, pretty much.”
She was relieved. Immortality meant that his death was something she didn’t need to worry about. The ways he could die were few compared to the many ways a human might lose their life. Still, they held a heavy weight to her. She loathed each immortal failing as if it were her mortal enemy.
“If you could have children, how many would you want?” Shauna asked, desperately attempting to rid her mind of thoughts of death.
“Two or three maybe. I’ve never given it much thought.” His next words came completely out of nowhere. “I don’t know if I can live without you. Those weeks we were apart, I was a mess. Quinn was ready to deliver me to your doorstep. I moped around the house, barely attended class and called you, more often than I probably should’ve. Most times, I hoped you wouldn’t answer, just so I could hear your voice on your machine.”
“That’s pretty pathetic, bordering on stalking. I should’ve kept those messages for evidence.”
“You don’t believe me, do you? I can’t believe you question my love for you.”
“Of course, I believe that you love me. I’ll never doubt that again. It’s just hard for me to believe that you feel as deeply for me as you say. You could have any woman you want, so I’m still not sure why you want me.”
Shauna’s childhood, full of verbal abuse, chipped away at her self-esteem, leaving her with a less-than-positive opinion of herself and the belief that she wasn’t worthy of any man’s love. If she e
ver had kids, she’d love them unconditionally and build them up, not tear them down.
“Sweetheart, you’re so amazing. There’s no one else in the world like you, Shauna. You’ve awakened me in so many ways. Before you, I felt nothing. My beating heart was so cold and my life felt meaningless.
“Then, you came, bringing a life force I’d never experienced, the wonders of the world blazing in your eyes. It was the first time I felt my heart and I tried to deny what I was feeling, but Quinn never let up on me. He saw the effect you were having on me. When you allowed me into your heart, it was the first time I felt that kind of love. The feelings and emotions overwhelmed me. I love my family and I know they love me, but it’s different. I never knew that kind of love existed until I felt yours.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything.” He smoothed the tears from her face. “When we make love, it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt—like the world stops and nothing else exists in it, but us. I want to spend the rest of my existence loving you, protecting you, making you happy. I don’t know exactly what that means just yet, but I know that I’ll love you for eternity. I don’t have a choice. My free will disappeared the first time I looked into your eyes. They pulled me in and they continue to sink me deeper every day.”
Shauna sighed, as his lips kissed hers, sparking that inevitable burn in her body. She stopped him. “I thought we weren’t going to make love tonight. You said I would weaken you.”
“I know I said that, and I probably shouldn’t. I need to learn restraint with you, but I can’t help how much I want you.” He kissed her again. “I can’t be this close and not burn for you.”
She gazed into his eyes. “I’m yours for the taking. Besides, you’re a vampire. What happened to all of that eternal strength and invincibility? You shouldn’t be worried about me weakening you.”
“I’m strong in all of the ways vital to a vampire, Father and Gabriel saw to that. Still, loving you makes me weak. Your touch, the way you make me feel has altered me forever. My human sensibilities are overtaking my immortal senses. You’ve made me more human than I’ve ever been in my life. That’s what I meant by you weakening me. Making love to you diverts my attention from everything, but you.”
The Progeny (The Progeny Series) Page 23