Arielle Immortal Awakening (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 1)

by Lilian Roberts

  She turned around and looked back at him, looked into his beautiful green eyes, and once again she lost her train of thought. He was now releasing on her all the power he held in his gorgeous eyes.

  She gasped for breath, something she now understood to be a normal reaction from looking into his eyes. Then she felt herself falling. She never saw him move, but his strong arms wrapped around her, holding her steady in a muscular embrace, stopping her from hitting the floor.

  Her eyes were full of tears, and she finally realized that she was crying. She was actually crying because she couldn’t fathom all that she now knew about him. How could this ever work? He had eternal life and she didn’t. She would get old while he stayed young and beautiful forever. He had lived for almost five centuries on this earth. He’d had a long time to learn to live with whatever this was, or whoever he was, but she’d had only a few minutes to try to understand what had been literally impossible just months ago.

  She pulled away from him as soon as the dazzling wore off, and she saw the disappointment in his face. But there was a lot for her to take in. She was thinking that the best thing would be for her to go home. She was sure he knew what she was thinking, and that was even more difficult to accept. She didn’t seem to want to get away from him. She was waiting for him to make the next move, and then he did.

  He encircled her with his arms and pulled her tightly against his chest. He put his finger under her chin and tipped her face up. Her lips were pressed together from the stress and anguish over Sebastian’s revelations. He bent down and covered her mouth with his, his tongue parting her lips, thirsty for a loving response. His mouth was moist and hot, and she couldn’t help but give into the most amazing feeling, the hottest passion she had ever felt, which hit her body like an overwhelming wave of emotion that seized her very soul. Pulling back he slid his hand along her back and pulled her even closer. She stopped breathing as the heat of his gaze and the feel of his perfect body against hers made her tremble with anticipation.

  “Sebastian, you can read my mind, so I don’t need to tell you that I love you with all my body and soul,” she whispered breathlessly against his lips.

  How can I ever live without him? There is no human being that can ever make me feel the way he does, she thought. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they stayed there, just holding each other for a long time, and she knew this was where she wanted to be forever.

  “Arielle, I can’t bear the thought of losing you,” she heard his magical voice whisper in her ear. “I want you here in my arms, where you belong for all eternity. Am I forgiven for all the things you thought I might have done this last month?”

  She pressed her lips together, put her hands against his chest and pushed him away softly. He immediately moved.

  “Am I forgiven?” he asked again.

  “Yes, you are forgiven,” she said. “But it will take time for me to understand and accept everything you have just told me.”

  He lifted her face to his again. “I know this is a lot for you to absorb, Arielle,” he said. “But I know how to wait. I have been looking for you for more than five centuries, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep you right here in my arms.” A beautiful smile curved his perfect lips, and his gaze was soft. “If you really want to leave right now I’ll take you home,” he said, “but I hope you will stay here with me.”

  She leaned in and kissed him softly, showing him that she wasn’t going anywhere. She closed her eyes and tried to fill her lungs with some fresh air as she heard him whisper, “I don’t think I can be without you any longer. I’m not sure what is happening to me, but I have to see you to be able to breathe.”

  Now the feeling that she was living a dream grew even stronger. She was afraid to close her eyes, thinking that when she opened them all of this would be gone, including her beautiful dream, Sebastian.

  His next question took her by surprise. “So, how did you like the house in St. Jean de Luz?” he asked. She stared at him, instantly remembering her last visit. Her delight was palpable.

  “Oh! I think it was the most amazing place I have ever seen,” she said. “I would love to go back there someday. But not with Annabel there, of course.” She chuckled softly as she added the last thought.

  “Is this really something you would like to do?” he asked.

  “Yes. I would like to find out everything behind such a beautiful place. I want to know about all those people in the paintings. It must be amazing to be able to trace your family back for centuries. I can’t go any further back than my grandmother,” she laughed. “And I want to know about the ladies of that house. There must be legends attached to such a great house. Was Annabel the lady of the house at one point in time?”

  “No! She was never the lady of the Gaulle estate. She was out of my life centuries before I moved to St. Jean de Luz. I’m telling you, Arielle, she is the most dreadful nightmare. A nightmare that will not go away.”

  The thought of Annabel made her shiver.

  “I’d love to take you there,” he said. “But we need to talk more about Annabel. We can do it tonight or this weekend. I’ll be here through the weekend, and I want to be with you. Is this is something you’d like to do?”

  “Yes,” she said softly.

  “Arielle, I want to be close to you so I can see you every day.”

  Her heart was overwhelmed with happiness but she didn’t say anything.

  “Do you want me to be close to you?” he murmured.

  She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck. She gazed up into his emerald eyes and, setting her mouth to his, she tasted his passion in that intoxicating immortal scent. He succumbed to her burning desire and moaned blissfully.

  “I never want you to go away,” she said. “And I know you can read my mind, so you know it’s true.”

  He ran his finger along the side of her neck, up to her jaw and around her lips, leaving a hot, burning sensation trailing on her skin.

  “I am so glad to hear that,” he whispered.

  His eyes were warm and inviting, and she stopped breathing as he set his mouth on hers once again. His arms tightened around her waist, and the kiss deepened to a more passionate, more desperate, more scorching level. He led her to the sofa and she shivered in his arms. They stayed in each other’s arms for a long while without saying anything more about immortality, or about Annabel.

  It was close to midnight when she decided to leave. She would have loved to spend the night with him, but she didn’t think that was the right thing to do. He drove her home slowly, holding her hand. She knew he was happy, and she also knew that she would love him for eternity. The enormity of that word – especially now, given what she had learned about Sebastian – made her chuckle.

  Back at her parents’ house, Sebastian held the car door open for her and she stepped out. He pulled her up and into his arms, and took her mouth in a hungry kiss. His lips move against hers, and his tongue found hers in a devouring kiss. A low moan escaped her and Sebastian felt it deep in his bones.

  “I love you, Arielle,” he half-moaned. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “I love you, too,” she whispered. “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

  Then he walked her to her car and took her in his arms once more. She shuddered in his embrace and this time his kiss sparked fire in her body. Would she ever stop feeling this way each time she found herself in his arms? She was hoping the answer would be no, never!

  She drove back to her flat overwhelmed. She paused at the door for a short moment and, taking a deep breath, she walked inside. She looked around the living room and the kitchen area, and listened for any sounds coming from the bedrooms, but there was complete silence. She let out a breath of relief; Eva and Gabrielle were not home yet. She really didn’t feel much like talking, she just wanted to go into her room and close the door. She needed to sort out her thoughts in complete seclusion. She took a quick shower, and, taking her journal from the desk drawer, she
climbed into bed. She pushed the pillows against the headboard to support her back and settled down, eager to pour her thoughts onto the vacant pages.

  September 3

  I am sure that I have found the man that fits the image etched in my very soul. I have fallen profoundly and irrevocably in love with Sebastian, and nothing will deter me from being with him. His revelation was unquestionably frightening, but my need for him is truly beyond my control. I can’t lie: I’m terrified of his immortal world, and I’ve no idea how dangerous of a journey this will be. But I’m intensely curious to see it through. I’m ready to embark on this new path of my life, to hold his hand and walk next to him no matter what. I’ve discovered to my dismay that nothing matters to me but being in his arms. I’m somewhat relieved that I know the truth about his true identity, and now I’m filled with anticipation of the next step in our relationship. I’m sure that my love for him demands that I embrace every aspect of his life, even eternity. This was a significant day for me, and I can’t imagine what tomorrow might bring. It’s hard to believe that Sebastian died centuries ago. He is warm, loving and more alive than any other living human being I know. His timeless existence is what I have now embraced and I’m anxious to find out where we go from here. I love him deeply and I pray that our lives remain interwoven – for eternity.

  Arielle put the journal away, and sliding under the covers, she closed her eyes in sheer bliss. Eternity! she thought to herself and chuckled. What an amazing word! His face was permanently etched in her mind. She smiled wide, remembering the feel of his body against hers and tensing as heat rippled through her again. She hugged her pillow tight and, drawing in a deep breath, she let sleep claim her.

  Sebastian drove away with a heavy heart. He didn’t want to go to the hotel alone. He didn’t want to be away from her. He wanted to be able to touch her and hold her. He felt the world melting around him whenever she was close, as if everything inside of him was being shaken loose. He felt like nothing could ever keep them apart. The heat he felt every time their bodies touched was like nothing he had ever felt before. Every time he kissed her he wanted to devour her mouth and suck all the sweetness out of it. Her body seemed to fit perfectly against his, and the sugariness of her lips seemed to unravel new feelings in him and challenge the control he thought he had over himself.

  His feelings were making him dizzy, and the pleasure he felt was incredible. He wanted to be with her and protect her from anything that might make her sad. He wanted to make her happy, to make her want no other man but him, forever. He knew he couldn’t live without her anymore.

  He arrived at the hotel, and after taking a shower, he got into bed. He wished he had the ability to dream. He knew that if only he could dream, he would have spent the whole night dreaming of her. He could hardly wait for tomorrow to look into her beautiful blue eyes, those eyes that had mesmerized him from the very first moment.

  Tomorrow they had to talk about Annabel. He knew it would not be long before Annabel was following him again. How he hated her! The very thought of her made him furious.

  He stared into space, Arielle on his mind and in his heart, and shortly after that he fell into a deep sleep.

  The next morning, the sun rose slowly over the small hills and the leaves on the trees rustled gently in the light breeze. Sebastian opened his eyes and felt completely happy. He was going to be with her again. How could one person make him feel so incredibly amazing? She had bewitched him and he was happy to yield to that feeling.

  He took some salve out of his suitcase and made himself a full glass. He drank it slowly as he gazed out the balcony door facing the park and beyond to the wonderful blue ocean.

  He thought of her again. Her eyes were the exact color of the ocean he was looking at. She was graceful and her hair looked like soft silk under the sunlight. He would love to run down to the beach holding her hand, feeling the damp grass beneath his feet until they reached the warm sand.

  He sat back on the bed, picked up his mobile phone, and pressed her number.

  Her phone rang before she was even awake.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, Arielle! Did I wake you up?”

  “No,” she lied.

  “What were you doing?” he asked softly and eagerly.

  “I was lying here just thinking of you,” she said with a chuckle.

  “I was doing the same thing, so I thought I should call you.”

  “I’m so happy to hear your voice first thing in the morning.”

  “How would you like to spend the day with the man who loves you more than you could ever dream of?”

  “I would like that very much, but he hasn’t called yet. I’m waiting for his call,” she said and burst out laughing. He joined in, and they laughed together happily.

  “What time do you want me to pick you up?”

  “How about in a couple of hours? I need to take a shower, have some breakfast, and get ready. How about around eleven? Is that good?”

  “I am not sure I can wait that long, but I guess I will just have to make it until then,” he said.

  Before he hung up he whispered, “Miss me.”

  Chapter 16

  SHE WAS HALFWAY into the shower when the phone in the flat rang and she ran to pick it up. It was Gabrielle.

  “Hello,” she said.

  “Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I’m with Troy and I won’t be back until tomorrow night.”

  “Does Eva have plans for the whole weekend too?” Arielle asked, trying not to sound too concerned about the response. But she was really hoping the answer would be yes.

  “Yes, she is spending the weekend with her mum, and she has a date for tonight. I don’t know the details. I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough,” Gabrielle said, giggling.

  “A date? Eva? Are you sure?”

  “Well, like I said, I’ve no details. But that’s what she said.”

  “Now that I think about it, she called me and told me she needed to talk to me about something, but we never got around to it,” Arielle said. “Do you think she found a new guy?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m sure we’ll find out,” Gabby said.

  “All right, Gabby, I’ll see you later.” Arielle hung up the phone and smiled, thinking of Eva’s refrain every time she and Gabby talked about guys. She always had such a serious look on her face, and she always repeated the same words over and over again: “I don’t have a love life. There’s nobody here for me. I will die an old maid.”

  Arielle laughed out loud thinking about her friend as she tried to pick out a nice outfit for her date with Sebastian. She wanted to look really special. After all, this would be their first official date. She smiled to herself, feeling utterly pleased. She took a warm shower, and she was getting ready to dry her hair when she heard the doorbell and ran to open the door. There he stood, more beautiful than ever. His magnificent lips were curved up into that amazing smile that drove her right out of her mind. He was devastatingly handsome, and for a moment once again she was speechless.

  “Good morning! Am I too early?” he asked.

  Her eyes were full of excitement, and without hesitation she reached toward him and pulled him inside. “No, not at all, I’m almost rea...”

  But before she could finish her sentence she was in his arms. His body felt warm and all she wanted to do was stay right where they were and let him kiss her for hours. She could never get tired of his soft, exciting lips. She had dreamed about them, she had dreamed about every part of him. And now it was real. “Do you know how hard it is for me to be away from you?” he whispered, his lips still touching hers. She swallowed hard and kissed him back.

  “Your hair is dripping wet and you look so beautiful,” he said, reaching up and pushing her hair away from her face. “Are your roommates here?”

  “Not right now. They are both away for the weekend,” she said. She invited him to follow her and wait in her room while she was getting ready.

  “Are you
sure?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m very sure,” she said, tugging on his shirt, amused by his hesitation. He followed her to her room. She proceeded to blow-dry her hair and brush her teeth as he looked around the room.

  “It’s lovely,” he said as he moved to the window and gazed out.

  “Not a great view!” she said with a laugh. Her window looked into a courtyard surrounded by flats.

  “It’s not that bad. It’s a college atmosphere, you shouldn’t expect too much,” he said. “Have you moved all your stuff?”

  “I’ve moved most of my music, clothes, and books. I still have a lot at home, but I’m not sure if I’ll bring everything here. I do spend quite a lot of time at home as well. The flat is very close to the house, so if I need something I can always just go get it.”

  She finished brushing her hair, and as she came out of the bathroom she saw him bending over and picking up the book that was still lying open on the bed. He looked up at her, a wide grin on his face.

  “Pride and Prejudice? It would seem to me that you must know this book by heart by now.”

  “I do, but I still love it. I like to read it every now and then.”

  “So, have you found your Darcy?” he asked her, glancing at her with a sweet, shy smile.

  She walked over to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and looked straight into his eyes even though she knew the reaction that would create for her. Her heart stopped as she pressed her mouth on the curve of his lips. She wanted to breathe in his scent, taste him as deeply as she could. Heat was radiating off of him and her heart picked up speed. He leaned closer, brushing his lips against her ear, and she found herself struggling to breathe. She flinched as she felt her body nearly overriding her mind, and she pulled back. “You don’t have to ask me anymore,” she said. “I know you can read my mind, so you know that I have.”

  “Arielle, I need to hear it from your lips.”

  “I missed you,” she murmured.