As he spoke, Arielle began to sob. Troy held her in his strong arms, letting her cry out all her fear and frustration. She had complete confidence in him; she knew he would tell her the unvarnished truth.
“I love him so much,” she sobbed. “I can’t stand the idea of sharing him with anyone.”
“You are not sharing him with anyone,” Troy said gently but firmly. “These are women who wished they had Sebastian. But he doesn’t want them anymore, and probably never really did. Please trust me,” Troy said. “Julia is bitter and angry, and she will say anything to hurt you and your relationship with Sebastian. So don’t let her do it. I called Sebastian and told him what happened, and he is beside himself. He was ready to pack and get on a plane right away, but I told him we’re fine and that I’m here for you. He wants you to call him as soon as you can though. He is very worried about you.”
“Thank you so much, Troy,” she said. “You don’t know how much it means to me to be able to count on you when Sebastian is not around.”
“Then stop sobbing and give me a smile,” he said gently. “I want to make sure that you are all right.”
“I’m fine,” she whispered. “Do you know this is the third time you have come through for me? I owe you my life again!” Troy smiled his amazing smile, so much like Sebastian’s that it put her heart at ease. She stopped sobbing and gazed deeply into his eyes. For a startling moment, Troy wondered if she could read his mind.
“What did you do with Julia and Paola?” she asked, wiping her eyes and looking at him curiously.
“They were sent by Annabel and now they are gone,” Troy said. “She will have to face Sebastian herself next time, and that will not be healthy for her at all. And now you’d better call Sebastian.” Leaning over, he gave her a peck on the cheek and walked out of her room chuckling.
Arielle sat on her bed and pressed Sebastian’s number on her speed dial. He answered on the first ring. His voice was very anxious.
“Hey, baby,” he said, and at the sound of his voice Arielle broke down again, sobbing. She was unable to say a word.
She heard him take a sharp breath. “Please don’t cry, Arielle,” he murmured, his voice full of concern. “How are you feeling, baby? Are you in pain?”
“I guess I’m doing all right,” she sniveled. “I had to have twelve stitches. And my head is hurting pretty bad. I wish you were here,” she whimpered.
“Troy told me all about it,” Sebastian said, his voice sounding unusually grim. “And I feel so bad. However, I do know that the necklace is working. Troy was shocked and impressed when he saw Julia fly across the room when she tried to touch you. I’m sure that if you hadn’t lost your footing you would have been all right.”
“Yes, you’re right, and Julia flying across the room was a show stopper,” Arielle giggled. “But I’m so angry at her, and so tired of Annabel and her schemes. I could kill her.”
“I didn’t think that Troy even noticed what happened to Julia.”
“Arielle, he is an immortal. Nothing escapes him. He knew exactly what happened. I had told him about the necklace. He is my eyes and ears when I’m not near you.”
“Oh, so you have spies to watch me?”
“That’s the only way I can have some peace of mind when it comes to your safety. He’s a godsend, protecting my sanity,” he chuckled.
Finally, Arielle was able to smile. “I feel so bad for Eva and Ian. It was their engagement party, and it was ruined.” She started to cry again softly, thinking about them.
“I’m sorry about that as well,” Sebastian said. “I like them so much. I’ll have to apologize to them for Annabel.”
“And poor Paul. She broke his arm because he was trying to protect me.”
“Yes, I know, Troy told me. I‘ll have to thank him next time I see him. It sounds like he loves you a lot.”
“Yes, he does,” Arielle said, “and I love him too, as a friend.”
“You must feel extremely rich having all those wonderful people around you. There’s nothing like having great friends who truly care for each other. However, I love you more than life. You remember that.”
“Julia called me your latest victim,” Arielle said. “She said she was here to reclaim you, and that she wasn’t leaving until she had completed her mission.” She let out a deep sigh and added, “She said you left every girl you dated after you’d had enough.” She paused for a short moment, and then added, “What about me? Will you leave me too when you have had enough?” she asked, sobbing again.
Sebastian hissed an inaudible curse through his teeth. He had to put a stop to the endless stream of women Annabel was sending to frighten Arielle.
Worst of all was that she was raising questions in Arielle’s mind about the sincerity of his feelings for her. He tried to restrain his anger and the rage he was feeling as he answered, “Julia is out of her mind. She was always a little eccentric, but I thought it was just a phase she was going through. I want nothing to do with her, believe me. I love you and you alone,” he said, emphasizing the last two words.
“Why do you think she decided to show up now?” Arielle asked.
“I saw her in New Zealand a few weeks ago,” Sebastian said. “I tried to avoid her, but she was very persistent. She wanted to ‘pick up where we had left off,’ and I turned her down. That was the first time I had seen her since the 1800s. She was extremely angry when we parted. She vowed to find me and persuade me to stay with her. I remember laughing about it and thinking she needed to get in line right behind Annabel with her crazy threats. But I never thought she would actually show up and create problems for you.”
“She told me that you were the best bed partner she ever had, and that you had a lot of girls.”
“Damn it, Arielle, we had an affair, nothing more. And that was three centuries ago,” he said, frustrated. Arielle fell silent and began crying again.
“Arielle, you really have to stop crying,” Sebastian said. “There have been a lot of women in my life, but we are talking about centuries ago, not years or months. Eternity is a very long time to be alone.”
“Troy said the same thing,” she said, “and I’m trying to accept it. The problem is I’m so jealous of you that I can’t stand the thought of any other women in your life.”
His voice became calm and sweet. “Listen to me, baby. I have no sentimental attachment to Annabel, Julia, or any other woman from my past. You are my whole world, the center of my universe, and you will be my love for eternity.”
“But how can that even be?” Arielle said. “Forever means one thing for mortals and quite another for you. How is this going to work? I’ll grow old as you stay young? And when I do, will you love me still? It is all quite upsetting to contemplate.”
“Arielle, first of all, let me say that I don’t think you understand the profundity of my love,” Sebastian said. “All I want you to do is trust in me. I don’t want you to worry about any of these things right now. I can’t breathe without you, I can’t imagine my life without you.” He paused, then added, “I’m sure Annabel had a lot to do with this visit. You will have to accept the fact that these things will happen every now and then. But we will face them together. I’m sorry you were hurt. I can’t stand the thought of you being in pain, and I take all the blame. Please forgive me, Arielle. I love you and I can’t describe the bliss and extraordinary sensation your very existence brings to my life.”
As he spoke, his words soothed her soul, and she knew that she should never doubt him.
“I can’t hang up unless you stop crying, you know that,” he said.
“I’m all right now,” she breathed through her tears.
“I want you to call me when you need me. I like to be needed by you. Tell me you are all right.”
“I feel much better now.”
“I will see you very soon,” he said, and with those words her mind raced ahead, thinking of the ultimate pleasure of him and his touch.
“Oh, before you hang
up, Sebastian, Troy told me that he will be talking to Gabrielle tonight about, you know… about who he is.”
“Let me know how it goes,” Sebastian said, a smile in his voice.
“I wish you were here. I miss you so much!”
“You keep that thought, and I’ll be there before you know it,” he said.
“We’ll have Christmas together. I’m very excited about that.”
“I can’t wait either. Miss me,” he said, and then he was gone.
After they hung up, Arielle lay in bed and closed her eyes, her thoughts turning to Gabrielle and Troy. She knew Troy was in great pain trying to make Gabrielle understand who he was. She had seen how difficult that was for Sebastian. She also knew how frightened and alone she had felt when she had first learned about Sebastian’s true nature. If she loves him half as much as I love Sebastian, she will make the right decision, she thought. Still, I should be there for her.
She walked out of the bedroom and saw that everyone was getting ready to leave. It had been a long, hard day, and everyone was tired. Ian stayed with Eva while Troy took Gabrielle to his house, volunteering to drop Paul off at his flat on the way home.
Arielle went back to bed, and as she drifted off to sleep, her last thought was about Sebastian’s amazing face. I miss him so much. Being with him is really all I want. His face is what I want to see before I go to bed every night and the first thing I want to see when I wake up every morning.
When she next opened her eyes, she realized that she had slept for a long time. She got out of bed and pulled the curtains back, letting the sunlight burst into her room. The sky was clear, but it looked like it had rained all night. She walked into the kitchen and put the teapot on, then jumped into the shower. Her head was still tender and she had to be careful not to get water on the stitches. When she heard her phone ring she turned the water off, reaching outside the shower door to answer.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hey, baby!”
A huge smile covered her face and she felt her body go limp with excitement.
“I miss you so much, I can feel it in my bones,” she said, giggling.
“What are you doing?” Sebastian asked.
“I’m actually standing in the shower, dripping wet,” she said. “I thought it might be Troy calling and I didn’t want to miss the call.”
“Mmmm, I wish I was there,” he said, desire in his voice.
“Me too,” she said, sighing softly.
“I guess you haven’t heard from Gabrielle or Troy?”
“No, but I’ve been thinking about them. I didn’t want to intrude because I know what is going on right now. I’m sure Troy will call me when he’s ready.”
“Arielle, I don’t like this long distance relationship. I’m hurting every moment I’m away from you. I couldn’t sleep last night after we hung up. The vision of you is like a burst of stars that keeps me mesmerized. I’m worthless without you.”
“I’m happy to hear that you miss me because I don’t like being away from you either.”
“Finish your shower and call me later.”
“I’ll call you after I talk with Troy,” she promised.
“Miss me!” And once again, he was gone.
She was dressed and finishing up her first cup of tea when her mobile rang again. This time it was Troy.
“Hey, Troy.”
“Can you come over?” Troy asked, voice subdued and filled with concern.
“Yes, I can. Is everything okay?”
“I’m not sure, but I think Gabrielle is very scared,” he said. “And she doesn’t want me to be anywhere near her,” he added.
“Don’t worry, Troy, that’s exactly how I felt. She will change. And I’m on the way.”
“Thanks, Arielle,” he said softly, and then he was gone. Arielle took a cup of tea with her as she got into the car and drove to Troy’s house. He was waiting for her at the door. “She’s in the bedroom,” he said. “And she’s pretty upset.”
Arielle walked into the room. Gabrielle was sitting on the bed looking gloomy, no expression on her face. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and she was shaking slightly. Arielle ran to her and put her arms around her friend, who held her tightly.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” Gabrielle said, beginning to sob uncontrollably.
“Gabrielle, it’s all right. I know you love Troy more than anything in this world. He is nice, warm, and loves you. He isn’t some wicked person that would ever hurt you. He’s just a guy that has lived for a long time, and he’s going to live forever. He’s not evil. He isn’t a ghost. He’s an immortal, and there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Gabby shook her head as if she was unable to understand what Arielle was saying. Arielle took her friend’s hands, looked her straight in the eyes, and then asked, “Do you love him, Gabby?”
“Yes, more than anything in this world.”
“Would you have fallen in love with him if you knew what he was?”
“I am sure I would have,” Gabrielle said. “I don’t think I can live without him.”
“So, then you need to let him know how you feel. He’s so worried about you. He loves you, and he’s afraid of losing you.”
“How do you know about Troy? Why did he tell you before he told me?”
“He didn’t tell me, Gabby. I knew what he was the first time I met him because…because I’m familiar with immortals.”
Gabrielle stared at her motionless, transfixed, as if waiting for her to continue, afraid of what she might say next.
“Sebastian is an immortal too,” Arielle said.
Gabrielle’s eyes were still full of tears but now her expression was one of shock.
“Sebastian?” she asked. “Your Sebastian? He is also an immortal?”
“Yes,” Arielle said. “Do you remember when you and Eva asked me where I had found him? And do you remember how he could dazzle you just by looking into your eyes?”
“Yes, I remember that,” Gabrielle said slowly, a faraway look in her eyes.
“Well, Troy has the same ability to dazzle anyone at any time. He just hasn’t chosen to release it on you as of yet,” Arielle said, smiling.
Gabrielle was quiet, her lips pursed in anxiety. But she had stopped crying. Finally, she looked at Arielle. “How did you feel when you found out about Sebastian?” she asked.
“Pretty much like you do right now,” Arielle said. “I completely freaked out at first. But as time passed, I realized my heart was telling me that no matter what we belong together.”
“I need time to absorb this,” Gabrielle said. “I spent the whole night with him, listening to words that didn’t make any sense to me at all. I wouldn’t let him touch me,” she added. “I was afraid to be near him.”
“Gabby, you have to let him know that you love him. He is crushed, thinking that you don’t want to touch him because he is some kind of a freak. Rejection is a terrible thing, and that is exactly what he feels right now.”
She kissed her friend on the cheek and whispered softly, “He needs to feel your arms around him, he needs to know that you love him. I saw his eyes when I walked in. He is dying. He thinks you aren’t going to accept him for who he is.”
She paused, searching for the right words. “This isn’t something he chose, you know,” she said. “This is a life that was given to him by someone else, and he just has to make the best of it.”
She looked at Gabrielle, trying to find the right words, the words that would make her understand. “How would you feel if you were unable to make friends just as you and I can? How would you like to see the people you love get old, get sick and die, while you remained young and beautiful forever? Do you think that would be a blessing or a curse? I think it’s a terrible curse,” she said. “But he has to live with it.”
“I’m starting to understand a little bit about the way he feels,” Gabrielle said. “I love him so much, and it hurts me to think that things might not work between us.�
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“Then you will have to do everything you can to make it work,” Arielle said firmly. “Troy is wonderful, and I love him as a friend. He has saved my life three times since the day I met him, so I also pretty much consider him a guardian angel. Please don’t hurt him. He loves you so much.”
“You’re right,” Gabrielle said. “I do love him, and he is wonderful.”
“You told me yourself he is a great lover—so, as you can see, he is very normal in every way apart from that one small little thing, that he will live forever. Is that so bad?” She couldn’t hold back her laughter, and now Gabby even joined in. Arielle was so glad to see her friend’s smiling face again, and to know that Troy could hear her laughter. Gabrielle’s eyes dried up and Arielle could see a faint smile peeking out.
“Do you want me to call him?” she asked. “I think he is aching for you.”
“Yes, I think I’m ready.”
Arielle found Troy sitting in the living room with his face resting in his hands, looking miserable.
“She wants to see you now,” Arielle said with a smile.
Troy’s eyes sparkled as he jumped up, and he gave Arielle a huge hug. “Thanks, Arielle,” he said softly, looking back as he practically flew to the bedroom.
As Arielle left Troy’s place she was filled with happiness, knowing that her friends were together, and that they loved each other. They had a lot of making up to do. Arielle knew the feeling. She too was aching for her beautiful dream, but he was so far away.
What a great day for them, she thought as she got into her car and headed home. She hit the button on her phone and her own magical dream answered.
“Hey, you sexy man,” she whispered in her most seductive voice. Joyful laughter coming from the other end was his response.
“Are you trying to seduce me, Miss Lizzy?” he asked with a soft chuckle.
“Yep. How am I doing?”
“You’ve got me all flustered,” he said, “and you are lucky I’m not there.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Arielle teased, as if she had no idea what he was insinuating.
“I think you know exactly what I’m saying,” he laughed again.
Arielle Immortal Seduction (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 2) Page 9