So many times before I left my house tonight, I considered sending a note expressing my regret to Clarence because some fake emergency needed my immediate attention. But I didn’t because Thomas’s words reverberated in my mind. The Dunns would view it as a personal slight after all the business they’ve given Ramses, and by extension, me. Reconciled to accept a night of sheer torture, I donned my best formal clothing and took my carriage to the grand ballroom at the Imperial Renaissance Hotel.
The events of the evening are clearer to me now than when I first experienced them, so I’m capturing my memories while they are still fresh. I say that as if I could ever truly forget, when in truth, I keep a detailed account of my thoughts and interactions for more than just my own sake. Should anything happen to me, I’d like to think my experiences will help others of my kind not to make the same mistakes I’ve made. Learn from the things I’ve learned. Even though I’ve been an immortal for decades now, I learned what forever truly means tonight.
The very second I walked into the ballroom, a force unlike anything I’d ever experienced hit me with the full strength of a hurricane. Feelings I’d never experienced swirled all around me, simultaneously confounding me and providing vivid clarity. A heavy weight settled in my chest around my dead heart. Had I not known better, I would’ve sworn it started beating again, thumping against my ribcage like a strong man swinging a sledgehammer. My lungs burned for oxygen, forcing me to inhale deeply, though I don’t need it to survive.
I didn’t ask anyone where to find the Dunns’ table. My feet carried me straight to the source of my sudden and intense obsession. The instant our eyes met, the connection between us was sealed. Our separate destinies were fused into a singular conclusion. Fate had brought us together against all odds in the vastness of time and chance. Though we hadn’t met, names hadn’t been exchanged, and our numerous questions hadn’t been asked, the impossible became possible.
The other half of me, my immortal love, sat directly in front of me. The depths of her soft brown eyes sparkled with interest. Her long blond hair lay across her bare shoulders in loose curls. The shimmer of her black silk formal gown paled in comparison to her radiance. I tried to speak, to introduce myself, to save myself from the awkward situation I’d created, but my voice was mute.
“Are you Slade Barnett, Ramses’s brother?”
The voice came from a man at the table, but it took considerable effort to untether my eyes from hers. She had them physically restrained by just being.
“Yes, I am. Ramses sends his apologies for missing such a delightful event, but pressing matters require his presence elsewhere. You have my full attention and commitment,” I replied.
The man stood and extended his hand. “Clarence Dunn. It’s very nice to finally meet you in person. You’ve worked with several close friends of mine, and they’ve done nothing but sing your high praises. I have no doubts whatsoever of your abilities to effectively manage my shipping contracts. But we’ll save that for next week. We’re here strictly to enjoy each other’s company. We’ve saved you a seat at our table. Dinner will be served soon.”
Had another man been seated beside the young lady who had me under her spell, I would’ve insisted he move at that point. But further confirming fate indeed had her hand on us, the empty chair was beside my as-yet-unnamed love. She watched me intently and held her breath as I approached, only releasing it when I took my place at her side.
“Slade, this is my wife, Frances,” he gestured to the lovely lady to his right. “And seated beside you is our daughter, Alea.”
He continued around the table, introducing me to other men and women in his elite circle. Though I heard every word and memorized every name, my focus never strayed from the striking beauty beside me. The chatter around the table started back up. Several of the ladies were involved in one conversation, while the men carried on a different one.
Alea and I remained in our own distinct world.
“I hope you don’t think this is too forward of me, but you are absolutely stunning. I’ve never seen a more beautiful lady in my life.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind of you to say.” Her cheeks became a rosy red, her pulse spiked, but she kept her eyes locked on mine despite her shy nature.
The music paused as the band prepared to change to a hauntingly beautiful slow song. On impulse, I stood and extended my hand to her. “Would you do me the honor of sharing this dance with me?”
When she put her soft hand in mine, time stood still.
“Alea?” Her mother’s questioning eyes alternated between Alea, me, and our entwined hands.
“Slade and I are going to dance to this song. We’ll return to the table well in time to enjoy the meal,” Alea replied as she stood.
Clarence leaned back in his chair, studied us for a moment, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. The pride that showed through his eyes was solely intended for Alea. Frances jerked her head to look at him, undoubtedly for him to object, but he gave us his nod of approval instead.
“Frances, my love, you know I’ve always had an uncanny ability to quickly determine a man’s intentions. I have an exceptionally good feeling about Slade.”
I smiled and nodded my appreciation to him. “Thank you, sir. That means a great deal to me.”
Before anything else could be said, I led Alea to the dance floor. With one hand on her waist and the other holding her hand close to our faces, I began to sway with her in time with the melodic music. She felt so good, so right, in my arms, it was almost overwhelming. Add to that the sweet scent of her skin plus the warmth of her touch, and it’s a miracle I didn’t whisk her away from the party in that moment.
“At the risk of sounding like a lunatic,” I started. “You feel it too. Don’t you?”
Her eyes flew open wide for a split second before understanding dawned and her expression softened. “I felt it before I ever saw your face. It was as if my soul suddenly felt a part of itself enter the room and began desperately calling out. When you first stepped into the doorway, I knew you were the one my soul needed to feel whole again. I knew you were the one my soul recognized as part of itself.”
“Exactly,” I whispered, astonished she so perfectly captured my feelings. “You are my immortal love, Alea. You don’t understand the full meaning of that right now. You probably also question how I can claim love when we barely know each other’s name. But you can believe me when I say this. You will understand it all. Very soon.”
“I believe you.”
With everything I needed to say and wanted to ask, none of it seemed as important as just holding her and enjoying every second of it. We moved with flawless and effortless precision around the floor without conversation for the rest of the song. We shared all of our thoughts and feelings through longing gazes and gentle touches. It was more than enough, especially since we were both trying to wrap our heads around what was happening.
When the song ended, we rejoined the group at the table, and I was pleased to see smiles on her parents’ faces as we took our seats.
“That was amazing!” Frances exclaimed before anyone could speak.
“What was?” Alea asked, her confusion etched in her features.
“The way you two danced—it was as if you’d practiced all your life. Yet, your technique was unlike anyone else,” Frances explained.
Alea and I exchanged glances, and she shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure what you mean, Mother. It was just a simple dance.”
The hotel staff saved us from Frances pressing the topic when they placed the first course of the meal in front of us. Polite conversation resumed, and our display was soon forgotten. When I finally found my voice, all the questions I couldn’t bring myself to ask while dancing created an easy dialogue with Alea. Several times throughout dinner, I noticed Clarence watching us with an openly amused look on his face. I would say I’m thankful it wasn’t a look of disdain, but it wouldn’t have stopped me either way. He never interjected hi
s opinion, never interrupted our chatting, but he still watched, as any good father would do. By the end of the dessert course, Alea and I had learned almost everything there was to know about the other.
Almost. There are a couple of important facts I still need to share with her when the time is right.
The end of the evening came much too soon. I wasn’t anywhere near ready to leave her, and she wasn’t ready to leave me. We stood outside the hotel entrance and waited for her parents to finish saying their goodbyes.
“Usually, these things feel like they take days to come to an end,” she said with a twinge of sadness. “This is the first one I can remember wishing would last longer. The time has passed by so quickly. It feels like we just arrived, and we’re already leaving.”
“So true.” I nodded. “I began the evening looking for an excuse not to come at all. Now I’m desperate to find any excuse never to leave.”
“Come by the house tomorrow, Slade. We’ll finalize the contract you sent via courier, and we’ll talk about next steps,” Clarence said as he escorted his wife out. “I trust your coachman is retrieving your carriage?”
“Yes, sir. He’s actually waiting for me on the opposite side of the drive.” I nodded my head toward where my carriage awaited, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave Alea to climb into it.
“Would you mind seeing Alea home first? My wife and I would sincerely appreciate your assistance.”
“It would be my pleasure, sir. She’s safe with me.”
He inhaled deeply and gave me a pointed look. “I wouldn’t trust you with my only daughter if I didn’t already know that, Slade.”
Clarence and Frances climbed into their carriage, and I signaled for my coachman to pull my carriage around. The smile Alea sported lit her entire face and made me smile in return. Once we were alone in the carriage behind the closed door, she turned toward me to speak, but my mouth had other activities in mind. An impulsive craving for her consumed me, and I couldn’t control it.
Our lips clashed in a frantic kiss. Need and desire drove us to reckless actions for a girl of her stature and family name. But if I’m honest, that was the last thing on my mind at the time. Her lips were so soft, and they were made solely for me. My hands cupped her face and tilted her head to the side to deepen the kiss. My tongue swiped across the part in her lips, causing her to gasp lightly, and giving me the access I needed to completely own her mouth.
My tongue slid across hers, like silk on silk, gliding with grace and natural beauty in a heated, sensual dance. Her initial shock was quickly replaced with yearning, and she gripped my shirt tightly in her delicate fingers, pulling me closer and closer to her. I slid my mouth and tongue along her jawline, leaving a swath of hot kisses in my wake, and moved down to her neck. The scent of her blood mixed with the scent of her skin was a highly addictive aphrodisiac. When I slid down the sensitive skin of her neck, licking, sucking, nipping, she moved her hands to my head and gripped my hair, releasing a needful whimper.
The carriage stilled, and I knew we’d reached the end of our journey for the evening.
“Until tomorrow, then?” I asked, my lips touching hers.
“You’ll be in my dreams tonight,” she promised.
I walked her to the front door of her house and made sure she was safely inside before returning to my coach.
Now that I’ve given her family enough time to fall asleep, I’m returning to her house.
Indeed, you will dream of me tonight, my love. Within seconds, I’ll be in your bedroom with you. I’ll make sure you have the most fantastic dreams.
Chapter 6
Alea, September 1790
The last several weeks have been a whirlwind of activities, one event leading to the next, and all spiraling out of control in the most delicious and welcome ways. At the epicenter of the storm that has taken me by surprise and surpassed any expectation I could possibly dream up is the man who holds my heart in his very hands—Slade Barnett.
When Slade first approached the table the night of the ball, I was completely tongue-tied and completely under his spell. He has the same thick brown hair as his brother, but a light smattering of a beard outlines his handsome face. His eyes are dark, mystifying, and penetrating. It was the way he carried himself that set him apart from every other handsome man in the room. He wore confidence and tenacity the way other men wore overcoats, and the others in the room seemed to sense it as he walked by them.
Over the last five weeks, we’ve spent every day together. At first, our interactions were strictly on a friendly level, just getting to know each other and enjoying the time we spent together. Even so, I knew there was more to my feelings for him than I’d admit to anyone else. When he brought me home after the ball, he kissed me in a way I’d never been kissed before. The touch of his lips on mine set my skin on fire. I’d never felt such longing before. It traveled through my body straight to the area between my legs. The lightning bolt of desire that hit me came out of nowhere and was the most intense feeling I’d ever experienced.
Until I fell asleep that night.
I dreamt of him all night. My dreams were so clear and vivid I would’ve put my hand on the Bible and sworn they were real. In my dream, I was asleep in my bed, and everything in my bedroom was in its exact correct place. A slight noise woke me, and he was standing at the foot of my bed when I opened my eyes.
“Slade?” I asked, my voice groggy from sleep.
“Yes, it’s just me, Alea. No need to be alarmed, my love.”
“If my dad hears you…if he finds you in here, he’ll kill you.” Immediately wide awake, I couldn’t hide the alarm in my voice or the fear in my eyes.
“He won’t hear us. He won’t know I’m here. Tell me now if you want me to go, and I will.”
His voice was smooth, reassuring, and even in my dream, I felt my mind falling under his trance. His beautiful eyes bored through me, seeing straight into my thoughts before he took control of them with gentle, persuasive nudges. If I’m honest with myself, he didn’t actually control me, he simply released any inhibitions I had.
“I don’t want you to go, Slade. I want you to stay.”
His smile covered his gorgeous face, but the predatory nature of it made my skin pebble in waves, matching the chills that ran up and down my spine. “I’m so glad to hear you say that, Alea. Let me show you how much.”
He put his hands on my bed and crawled up my body until he barely hovered over me. When I spoke, our lips brushed together, and it was all I could do to stop myself from being the instigator. “How did you get in here?”
“You invited me in. Remember?”
His lips covered mine, and his tongue dipped into my mouth. His taste was exquisite and addictive. The more I had, the more I wanted, the greedier I became, and the more aggressive I grew. When I felt his smile against my lips, there was no doubt he knew how much he affected me.
Before I knew it, my bedcovers were pulled back and I was only covered by my nightgown. His hands slid down the fabric that molded against my body. When his fingers reached the hem, he lifted it over my head without ever leaving my body. I was fully exposed to him, and it didn’t bother me in the least. I wasn’t shy, I wasn’t ashamed, I wasn’t embarrassed.
I was emboldened.
My hands roamed over his body, reveling in the dips and ridges of his muscular physique. The silky strands of his hair flowed freely between my fingers. It was the first time I’d touched a man in that manner, even if it was a dream, and I liked it. No, I loved it. The strength he projected, yet his touch was tender. The masculine way he took control, yet freely gave me the reins to make the decisions.
When his mouth covered my bare breast, my ability to think was stripped from my mind. The sensation of the warmth of his tongue wrapped around my nipple was amazing. He sucked it deep into his mouth; the mixture of pleasure and pain from him pulling it between his teeth elicited my moan of approval.
“Has anyone ever touched you like this,
Alea?”
“No. Never,” I answered breathily.
“Do you like it? Or do you want me to stop?”
“I don’t want you to stop.” And I didn’t. The physical pleasure was too much to tell him to stop what he was doing.
His mouth moved to my other breast and lavished attention on it while his hand squeezed and massaged its twin. Then his hand began moving, slow and torturous movements across my chest and down my stomach, until it rested between my thighs. Deviously close to where I wanted him to finish what he’d started. Wickedly near touching me where I’ve never even touched myself, but where I want to experience it for the first time with him.
“I want to teach you everything you don’t know. I want you to experience everything for the first time with me. Only with me, Alea. I’ll make you feel things you’ve never even dreamed of before. All I ask is that you put your full trust in me. You won’t be sorry.”
Then his fingers began to move through the curls that covered me.
“You’re so focused on being a proper little lady. You don’t have to pretend with me, my love. You want my fingers in your pussy, but you don’t want to say it. Your body craves my touch so much I’d say you’re already wet just from thinking about it. Tell me what you want me to do, Alea.”
Did I want him to do that? Did I want him to touch me there?
“My willpower is infinite, sweetheart. I can hold my hand right here for hours without giving you what you want. But if you make me wait that long, you’ll wish you hadn’t.”
His threat was both chilling and sexy, scaring me and arousing me at the same time. “I want you to touch me.”
“That’s not what I want to hear.”
I knew what he wanted me to say. Without ever verbalizing it, I knew what he expected to hear from me. Gentle nudges in my mind spurred me on, encouraged me, and reassured me. “I want you…to put your fingers in my pussy.”
“I’ve got a better idea.” He slid down my body with slow, calculated moves while his eyes remained riveted to mine.
Immortal Envy Page 6