Immortal Skye (Vampire Mates)

by K. L. Bone

  Lucas appeared as though he wanted to say more, but Rónán pushed himself from where he had leaned against the far wall, and walked past Julia in silence.

  Julia watched him go.

  “I’m sorry,” Lucas interjected after his footsteps vanished. “He doesn’t know what to say.”

  “He deserves to be angry,” Julia defended. “And I deserve every ounce of rage he sees fit to bestow.”

  “My lady, he’s not—”

  “Take me to my father, Lucas. I can do nothing until I see him.”

  Lucas nodded, entwining his arm with Julia’s as a second guard opened the door to her father’s chambers, ushering them inside.

  Entering a vast room, Julia found her father seated before a fire against the far wall. Standing, the vampire lord remained still, allowing his long-lost daughter to approach. She did, heels echoing across the granite floor before kneeling down, Lucas following the movement. Keeping her eyes downcast, Julia waited for permission to rise or speak as her father observed her subservient position.

  “I bid you welcome, Lady Julia, to Eilean Skye.”

  “Thank you, my lord.”

  “Father,” he corrected. “Rise, child, and allow me to better view you. Lucas, you as well.”

  They complied, Julia rising to meet her father’s black eyes for the first time in centuries. Her heart pounded in uncertainty as she stood under the elder’s scrutiny.

  “Has it been so long?”

  “It has, Father.” She bowed her head. “Forgive this wayward daughter, for staying away.”

  Lord Skye’s lips curled as he reached for her. “You are a daughter of the Isle, and the Skye bloodline, Julia. Never lower your gaze, even to me.”

  “Forgive me, my lord.”

  “Father,” he said again.

  Swallowing hard, she nodded.

  Skye reached a hand around her back, guiding her toward a chair. Seating her upon it, he motioned to Lucas, who, with a quick bow to both, left the room, shutting the door quietly behind himself.

  “So, Daughter, are you aware of why you have been summoned?”

  “I assume my presence here is related to Caleb’s sentence being carried out.”

  “Sentence being carried out?” he repeated. “You sound like a mortal.”

  “I am merely using the correct terminology. Caleb’s death was condoned by proper vote, and edict of the pure-blood families and clans.”

  “You speak of the council’s verdict, Julia. Have you forgotten who you are, and what family both yourself and Caleb rose from?”

  “I remember well, Father. And again, received the pure-blood council’s approval to carry out a befitting punishment for Caleb’s numerous crimes. Believe me when I state that killing Caleb was neither easy, nor a task I relished. However, the act was deemed a necessity. His egregious behavior, and malicious acts, crossed far too many lines. Even you must be aware of this.”

  Her father scoffed. “He controlled those he turned, Julia. As is his right as their maker. There is no crime in such an act. It is a responsibility!”

  “He turned innocents against their will. He ravaged and tortured them! Forced them to bend to his will with complete disregard to their well-being. Such acts are the very definition of evil, Father. And certainly not the representation neither the families of Black, nor of Skye, should strive to uphold, or represent, to the rest of the pure-blood families.”

  “And what image is that, Daughter? One of a powerful family, with the strength required to control those to whom they choose to grant immortality? Why would such not be an image our families would wish to portray?”

  “Caleb turned many against their will, in as brutal a fashion as he could fathom. He tortured and molested them. Beat and raped them, men and women both. For no reason other than a sense of perverse pleasure. He had become a monster, Father. And monsters must be put down, even those of our ancient line, lest they disgrace their lineage, as Caleb’s actions have done, to both houses.”

  Julia shook her head. “What am I really doing here, Father? Caleb is dead. A fact which nothing can change.”

  The lord glanced at his daughter uneasily, his gaze flicking across hers in consideration. “You fail to recognize the repercussions of your actions, Julia. I grasp that you and Caleb had your,” he searched for the term before settling upon, “differences. However, what mattered to the families was the alliance which your marriage, however fractured, created. An alliance which has maintained stability between the British Isles and France for millennia. This act—a member of the Skye bloodline murdering one of the Black—let alone it being committed by my own daughter, has broken that delicate balance.

  “The council may have approved of Caleb’s demise, Julia. However, I never dreamed the sentence would be carried out by your own hand. Your actions have understandably enraged the Black family, as such would have provoked our own, had the situation been reversed. Your ill-thought actions have incited a possible war between the pure-blood lines!”

  Julia stared at her father in confusion. “The council is the absolute authority on these matters. They decreed Caleb was far too dangerous, and out of control, to be allowed to live. He brought about his own demise, Father. There can be no punishment for an action approved by the council.”

  “Do you honestly believe Marcus Black cares what the council decided? You slew his brother!”

  “I say again, his brother was a monster!” Julia’s tone turned venomous. “The man you forced upon me.”

  “Hardly forced, Julia. You knew, from the day you were born, you were destined to wed into the Black family. Being astonished by the requirement was an act.”

  “You let him rape me! In front of you!”

  “Consummate a legal ceremony,” he corrected, “as is required by sacred custom.”

  “He—”

  “You spoke the vows, Julia. Walked down the aisle of your own accord. No one dragged you. I refuse to entertain this tiresome argument again.”

  “Again?” she asked, anger flaring. “When have you ever entertained anything I’ve said in regards to Caleb?”

  “Silence, Julia!” Her father’s anger rose to match her own, the tone sharp. “That is quite enough. You shall return to your room.”

  “I am not a child to be chastised. I have come here of my own will, and shall leave of it as well.”

  “You shall do nothing of the sort. The Black family is out for vengeance, and since you committed the murder yourself, there is no option for us to even pretend to appear impartial. Were you any other but my flesh and blood, I would hand you over myself to their wrath. As it stands that you are, in fact, my child, I will endeavor to find a path toward appeasement. Pray I am successful.”

  “I did not ask for your protection, Father. I was perfectly happy among the London Clan.”

  “You honestly think lesser vampires can protect you from the Blacks, Julia? Do you recall nothing of what I taught you?”

  “They aren’t lesser!” she defended. “Simply because they were once human does not make them less capable.”

  “They are spared food,” her father said curtly, “who should be eternally grateful to have been pardoned from a death sentence. Now, I suggest you leave this chamber, and allow my anger to cool, lest I forget whose blood runs through your veins.”

  Wanting to argue further, but ultimately deciding they could both use time to calm, Julia relented, bowing her head in the vampire lord’s direction before promptly leaving the room.

  Chapter XII

  Present Day

  Isle of Skye, Scotland

  Seething, Julia stood on the balcony of the same room she had occupied as a child. Though the interior had changed drastically over the centuries, this external patio of gray stone remained intimately familiar, worn grooves pressing into her skin as her hands touched the once flat surface. Staring across the black waters of a moonless night, she allowed the cool breeze to chaotically blow the blonde hair she had not bothered to pul
l behind her.

  Breathing in the salty air, Julia allowed the crash of the waves to drown unwanted thoughts.

  Heavy, slow footsteps interrupted her hard-fought peace. Moving both hands to the balcony’s rail, Julia clutched the cold stone. The footsteps grew louder in proximity before they paused; the man had stopped behind her, but not close enough to touch. Fractionally, she released her hold on the stone and eased back, until her shoulders touched his chest. The man neither moved, nor reached for her, simply allowing Julia to settle against his rigid form.

  “Rónán.”

  “My lady.” The answer came as a low rumble across her back.

  She drew a breath, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip. “I deserve your anger, Rónán. All you have to give.”

  “No,” he whispered. “You don’t.”

  “Caleb, he—”

  “It must have been difficult, my lady, to kill one to whom your emotions were so intricately tied, no matter by what method such attachment came into being.”

  “He was a monster,” she answered. “An absolute monster.”

  “Yes, but they forced you to love him.”

  A burning tear spilled from the corner of her eye to slide down a flushed cheek.

  “Killing him could not have been easy.”

  She drew a breath. “I wish it had been.” Another labored inhale and exhale. “They distorted my memories, forced my mind to believe a lie. But my soul knew the truth. I—”

  “Shh,” he shushed her, grasping her hand in his own, fingers interlacing.

  Silence filled the space between them as Julia settled more firmly against Rónán’s chest. He did not move to embrace her, but simply allowed Julia to lean against him, listening to the crash of the ocean’s waves. They remained that way as true darkness dwindled, night giving up her hold to greet impending dawn, watching together as the sky transformed from a consistent black sheet to a patchwork quilt of orange, purples, and streaks of pink.

  “Will you describe it?” she asked the man, who had once been her protector and love. “Please.”

  Rónán eyed the lightening sky before speaking. “The sunrise, Julia, is a breathtaking sight. From a land blanketed in darkness, the sky shall awake. At first, lifting only to a blue so deep a difference can hardly be noticed. Then, such blue transforms to gray, a dull color, yet within its bland sheet, lies the first vestige of true light.

  “When the sun’s rays penetrate the gray sheet, light shimmers through the sky, separating the bands of color to reveal those hidden within. First, deep purples and faint hints of a lighter blue. As the sun awakens from slumber, and its radiance pours over the horizon, yellow beams transforming to purples and pinks. They combine with orange, and an occasional splash of red. Finally, the bright orb climbs over the distant hills, fully emerging to cast the land in its brilliance, chasing back the plethora of colors before rising, at last, to fill the cerulean sky.”

  His voice trailed, Julia’s eyes remaining closed as she allowed his descriptions to paint a vivid picture of the transformation for which her heart eternally longed. “Thank you,” she whispered, turning at last to wrap her arms around his neck. Threading fingers through Rónán’s hair, she pressed her cheek to his shoulder.

  Rónán returned the embrace, drawing her close.

  Julia’s voice was laced with tears, and bitter regret. “I should have come for you.”

  “No,” he soothed. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to.”

  “I committed atrocious acts against you,” she protested. “You, the one I cherished above all others. The one man I trusted, who saved my life. The man I loved.”

  Rónán moved a hand from her back to touch her cheek, gathering her tears on his fingertips as he shook his head. “No, Julia. What happened was not your fault.” He paused, gently touching the star-shaped pendant. “And I have been thankful, every day, you were able to escape the confines of this isle, and what was done to you. I knew you would find the strength to do so, my lady. I always knew.”

  More tears fell as he continued to gather them, shaking his head before he pulled her closer. “Put your arms around me.”

  She complied, allowing Rónán to carry her from the balcony, away from the sun’s harmful rays. Once safely behind heavy curtains, Rónán walked to a chair beside the bed.

  Seating her, Rónán took a knee and raised his blue eyes to hers. “Listen to me, Julia, and pray, hear me completely. A selkie is eternally bound to obey the one who holds the key to their release. What happened was not your fault. Not the day at the beach. Not the night of the wedding. Nor the harrowing betrayals committed against your tender heart, by those who should have been most entrusted to protect it.” His lips pressed together in a firm, thin line. “You begged me for help, and I was unable to do so.”

  “I told you I loved you,” Julia stated. “The next night, I had you imprisoned for daring to do so.”

  “That wasn’t your choice.”

  “You were condemned by my actions! Then Caleb and my father hurt you…” A violent tremor ran down her spine. “And worse, he… forced you to watch us together. To watch him holding me, me adoring him. Rónán, I—”

  “They poisoned you. Poured vile concoctions down your throat while you screamed. Then cast their enchantments to make said spells never-ending. I watched you fight, Julia. How could I ever blame you for what happened? None of it was your fault.”

  At his determined expression, Julia slid from the chair, falling to her knees beside him. She searched his gaze, though for what, she was uncertain. “They tore you from my very memories, Rónán. Replaced every wonderful experience by supplanting Caleb into them. They removed you from my mind. The violation of that, the utter…” She shook her head. “I couldn’t remember who you were, Rónán. Gods, I am so sorry. But my heart knew something was wrong. Caleb he…”

  “He what?”

  “The sunrise,” her answer surprised him. “He couldn’t describe the sunrise.” She extended a hand to touch the side of his face in a soft caress. “My heart knew, Rónán. And late at night, I dreamed of someone else. Someone I now realize was you. A soothing voice, a tender touch, and a heart that beat in tempo with my own. Your beautiful sunrise in the immortal Skye saved me. You always save me, Rónán. I wish I could have done the same for you.”

  “Oh Julia.” He shook his head. “You couldn’t have saved me. None tried harder than you, m’eudail.”

  “I—”

  “Julia,” he silenced her, leaning close enough for his warm breath to touch her eternally frigid skin. “You saved yourself, my love. Learning you did is what kept my heart beating.”

  When his name escaped her lips, Rónán leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers in a deep, claiming kiss. Two thousand years vanished as their kiss deepened, lips molding together in a dance that was both foreign, and intimately familiar. Gathering her into his arms, Rónán rose, carrying her across the room to deposit her onto the bed.

  Once there, Rónán pulled back, trying to clear his head, but Julia reached for him, her vampiric strength easily keeping him in place.

  “Julia,” he reached for quickly fading reason, “wait.”

  “We’ve waited for centuries, Rónán. Are you going to force me to wait longer?” She pulled him down to the bed, prompting Rónán to place both hands on either side of the mattress. Julia’s hands moved to his button-up shirt. Grasping the collar, she did not undo the black buttons, but instead ripped open the material, small metal disks flying in both directions as she exposed his chest in a single motion before yanking the cloth down his shoulders.

  Lifting her head, Julia claimed his lips for another searing kiss, tongues intertwining before she moved her soft lips to his throat, to kiss and nip her way along his chest. Reaching his collarbone, he gasped, body jerking involuntarily against her touch. She moved her hand lower, fingers tracing over his stomach to the expanse of his hips, still confined in a pair of tight jeans. Reaching for his belt, she unclasped t
he buckle without removing her lips from his skin, and he rewarded her with a low groan.

  Reaching toward Julia’s chest, Rónán pushed her down into the blankets, pausing Julia’s progress. Rising to his knees, he pulled the belt from its loops, tossing it to the ground before removing what remained of his torn shirt. Pants uncomfortably tight, he pulled down the zipper, offering limited relief as the material loosened, before turning back to the woman lying under him.

  Rónán kissed her, enjoying the strawberry taste of her lipgloss before moving to her neck, sucking against the side briefly, then sliding his lips down to the top of her chest.

  “Take it off,” she hissed as he reached the collar of her confining black gown. When he did not react quickly enough, Julia reached for the hem, rising enough to remove the dress completely.

  Lying back on the bed, Julia remained still as Rónán’s eyes devoured her, body exposed save for her matching black lace undergarments. Reaching down, he traced the trim of her bra, before sliding his hands along her sides, her pale skin immune to the ravages of time.

  “Julia.” He struggled for control, but the woman under him raised her arms, one hand sliding across his back to pull him down for another kiss, the hungry caress banishing all thought and reason, leaving desperate desire in its wake.

  Rónán unclasped the center of Julia’s bra, cups separating to reveal the creamy flesh of her pear-shaped breasts. He kissed his way across them, pausing at each darkened nipple to swirl his tongue, drawing a moan from his lover. Her cry caused his cock to flex eagerly, and he groaned, moving one hand to maneuver the opened jeans fully down his hips while his mouth continued to move across her breasts.

  Pulling back enough to fully shed the remainder of his clothes, Rónán grasped Julia’s leg, pressing his lips to her ankle before working his way up to her inner thighs. Pressing his mouth to the last scrap of lace, he nipped gently at her inner lips before pulling the material aside to slide his tongue against her core. She gasped above him, her hands coming down to dig into his hair as his tongue sought her clit, which drew a low moan from his lover as he stimulated her sensitive nerves.