Arielle Immortal Resolve (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 8) (33 page)

Sebastian helped her out of her clothes first, shed his own quickly and led her into the shower. He turned on the warm water and let it run over them, comforting their anxieties. Arielle grasped the soap but he took it gently away from her and murmured. “I’ll do that…” His silky soft voice sent waves rippling across her skin. He lathered his hands and with slow movements ran them over her curves.

Arielle quivered and leaned back against the steal wall of his chest. Sebastian’s lungs locked at the feel of her warm skin. Desire flared like blistering fire but he maintained strict control of his wild cravings. His hands moved like velvet, methodically stroking her smooth skin. Ripples of excitement coursed across her muscles and she moaned blissfully. Sebastian groaned agonizingly as his hands wandered over the mounts of her breasts. He bit his lust back knowing he needed to get her out of the shower and take care of her injury. Her hair was his last challenge. He helped her wash and thoroughly rinse it.

“Thank you,” she murmured, turning to face him. Leaning in she pressed her lips against his.

“It was my pleasure,” he whispered into the kiss. He held her to that kiss for a long moment, refusing to let her go. Arielle pressed closer and the kiss deepened until they were breathless. Sebastian summoned his wits, broke away from the kiss and grabbed a towel. Arielle swayed in his arms, relaxed, still lost in the aftermath of the kiss. Holding the towel on each end, he spread his arms wide and wrapped her in it, pulling her into his embrace. He pat her body and hair dry, picked her up and set her on the end of the bed.

“I need to clean your shoulder, baby,” he said softly. He retrieved a tube of antiseptic and a fresh bandage from the medicine cabinet, cleaned the abrasion and then bandaged it carefully.

“Thank you,” she murmured again, looking into his eyes.

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on top of her nose.

“It’s my pleasure,” he replied joyfully. “Just one more thing.”

“What?” she asked inquisitively.

He went back to the bathroom and came back holding her necklace. “Can you please do me the favor of keeping this around your neck before I lose my sanity,” he begged and snapped it safely around her neck.

Arielle smiled as she pulled him down for another kiss. “I do promise,” she murmured.

“Thank you,” he replied, pulled the bedcovers down, lifted her into his arms one more time, and sat her between the silk sheets.

Sebastian’s lips curved as he looked down at her, his passion palpable. He got into bed, slid his arm under her back and pulled her to him. Arielle moaned softly and sank against his hard muscled body. Their lips met and quickly the rhythm changed to a more demanding, more ravishing, passionate kiss. Tongues intermingled, moans deepened and emotions flared rapidly like sparks of a scorching fire. They appeased their passion and eager desire lost in a haze of raw seduction as time stilled. Sebastian took her vigorously and she matched him every step of the way into that amazing dance of desire and passion until they shattered together, hearts and souls soaring to the peak of ecstasy. Their encounter was more than spectacular leaving them completely sated and in utter bliss. They'd never experienced fulfillment to this level in any of their prior encounters. Lying on their backs they exhaled simultaneously enjoying the aftermath. Arielle closed her eyes and chuckled. Sebastian turned to gaze at her beautiful face, his chest bursting with love. He rolled to his side, shifted Arielle so she settled against him with her wounded shoulder away from the bed. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on the side of her neck and she moaned.

“I can’t understand how you can make each one of our encounters more mind-blowing than the one before,” she murmured.

He chuckled blissfully. “It’s my own personal secret recipe,” he said and laughed aloud, making her laugh with him.

She snuggled eagerly, laying her cheek against her pillow as he spooned her, chest to back, buttocks to groin, legs intermingled. Sebastian wrapped his arm about her and rested it against her chest feeling the rhythm of her heartbeat. He held her closer, terrified at the thought of losing her again. Nuzzling her hair with his chin, he pressed his lips against her temple. Arielle felt the warmth of his embrace and, smiling in sheer bliss, she drifted off to sleep.

Sebastian thoughts surged powerfully through his mind. He smiled at the soft sound of her breathing that sent potent passions to his very core lifting him to a higher level of utopia. Looking down at her, his anxiety swelled for a moment as he recalled the night of her abduction, but then just as fast it poured out of him, leaving him with a warm sense of relief. Arielle had bewitched him body and soul and she was back in his arms sheltered from any harm. Three short weeks were left until she was to become his wife—
his
—to have and to love for eternity.

He looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was way past midnight and he was still wide-awake, overwhelmed with thoughts of the last three days. He drew a deep breath and gathered Arielle’s warm body a little closer. He regretted exposing Arielle to a dangerous existence. His life seemed to be filled with people attempting to hurt him by hurting Arielle. The most important question still lingering in the air was how long would it take for Annabel to strike again.

Arielle’s sudden sound of distress snapped Sebastian out of his deep thoughts. He felt her body shake uncontrollably, struggling to breathe. Sebastian relaxed his embrace as she sprang away from him and sat up on the bed arms suspended in midair.

“Get away from me!” she yelled frantically. Her arms were moving outward as if she was trying to push someone away. “Don’t touch me!” she cried out, voice filled with anguish.

Sebastian’s lungs locked in agony and he watched helplessly as Arielle was caught in a dreadful nightmare. He slowly sat up and moved approached her. He scanned her beautiful face that was now a display of sheer fright, lips twisted severely and eyes tightly shut.

He remained quiet as she stood still for a moment and then a soft sob escaped her lips only to be followed by a stronger one and then tears surged down her face. Her breathing became rough filled with fright. Sebastian knew she was having a shattering nightmare about the last three days with Gaston and he felt piercing agony coursing through his body. He decided to slip his arms about her gently and pulled her to him. Arielle gulped down a whimper as her body quivered wrenchingly. Sebastian leaned in and closed his arms around her pressing a soft kiss on her temple. Arielle’s breath caught then she inhaled, pulled back and opened her eyes. Her pupils were dilated with astonishment as the dream broke and reality brought a palpable shock into her gut. Without a word she threw herself in Sebastian’s arms. He held her tight as sobs and moans shook her.

“Sebastian!” she called out, as tears of relief ran down her face. Sebastian placed a soft kiss over each eyelid.

“It was just a bad dream, baby!” he murmured. She took a sharp breath and let it out slowly. She nodded, laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes with relief. Sebastian pulled the covers over her and lingered over her making sure she was peaceful. His pulse beat worryingly as he lay slowly down and gathered her in his arms, pulling her tightly against him. He heard a sharp sniffle, and then silence; Arielle was deep in sleep once again. Sebastian blew out a sigh of relief and, closing his eyes, drifted off to sleep.

***

Arielle woke in the early morning. A streak of light was slipping through the curtain. She blinked sluggishly as her gaze fell on the picture on her nightstand. The most astonishing green eyes were looking right back at her. A warm overwhelming emotion enveloped her when she realized she was still trapped in his warm embrace and she didn’t want to move. There was not a place in the world she would like to be right now but exactly where she was. She couldn’t image her life without Sebastian. The memories of the last three days slammed back into her head and she recoiled. Her heart thudded anxiously and she bit her lower lip on a gulp. Sebastian’s arm was resting on her chest and he felt the fast change in her heartbeat. He immediately lifted himself on one elbow and gazed down at her.

“What is it, baby?”

Arielle didn’t reply. She rolled on her back; lips curved to a soft smile, enjoying the amazing sanctuary he provided.

“Good morning, Darcy,” she murmured. Her arms moved about his neck, fingers clenched as she tugged softly and pulled him down to her. Sebastian’s pulse picked up speed and he took her mouth eagerly as sensation soared along every muscle in his body down to his bones.

“Good morning, Lizzy,” he murmured into the kiss. The kiss deepened and his arms closed around her tightly. She wiggled in his arms and he groaned in sheer excitement. His hands roamed over her satin flesh and she burned with desire. Her nerves rocketed with hunger and passion and she pulled away from the kiss gasping. Sebastian pierced through her eyes.

“Arielle, I don’t think I can take much more of you being hurt,” he said anxiously. Their lips met again in an agonizing kiss. Breaking the kiss this time he groaned in sheer frustration.

“I feel like I’m dying a little each time something happens to you,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It’s not my fault. All I want is to love you and that seems to bother a lot of crazy immortals from your past.” She chuckled.

Her statement made him laugh and he pulled her closer. “You're an amazing girl, you know that, don’t you?” he said, and she shrugged. “You’re mine and I’ll keep you with me for eternity,” he said fiercely.

She was sure she would be with him for the rest of her life. As for the eternity part, that was still in question, but she didn’t say anything.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“I think I did, but for the nightmare. I slept better than I have in the last three days,” she replied and pulled him back. Her breath burned full of emotion as she set her lips against the hollow of his throat.

Sebastian got lost again in the sensuality of the moment. “You’ll be the death of me,” he gasped, and she laughed blissfully.

This statement was one of her two favorite ones. The other was
miss me.
There wasn’t a person on earth who could utter those two sentences better than Sebastian. There wasn’t another man on the planet who could turn her world upside down.

“God! I love you so much,” she murmured, “it actually hurts when I think about it.”

Sebastian smiled wide at her words; he felt the same about her. He shifted, tipping her head back, and set his lips at her throat making her shuddered. Their breathing picked up and they groaned in blistering need. Arielle felt her lips go dry and she ran her tongue slowly over them. She closed her eyes and surrendered to his passion, to his built-up heat that slammed each and every muscle in her body with fierce force. Her need and fervor matched and surpassed his, leaving them exhausted, caught in the powerful magnificence of pleasure that washed over them. They were happy to be together again and ready to start working on their anxiously anticipated wedding day.

Chapter 19

TEN DAYS LEFT
until the wedding day, and Arielle was so excited she could hardly breathe. Every time she looked at Sebastian she thought she was living a dream. She couldn’t believe this beautiful immortal man was soon to be her husband. There was a gleam of excitement in Sebastian’s emerald eyes that filled her heart with warmth and anticipation. She was now even closer to taking this exhilarating yet frightening step toward his undying world.

The immortal group was back in town to celebrate Sebastian’s bachelor party. They'd partied hard prior to Ian and Troy’s weddings and were getting ready to party again, this time for Sebastian. They sure didn’t party the same way human beings would. These guys could be on one side of the globe one night, and leap to the other side the next. So their kind of partying was a complete mystery to their mortal friends.

The invitations had been sent a few months prior, and everyone on the list, from family members to business associates and friends, had accepted. They were looking at a very large crowd and Arielle was thrilled. If it were possible, she would choose to share this astounding moment with every single person on earth.

Sebastian didn’t want Arielle or her parents to worry about the wedding expenses. He'd tried long and hard to convince Arielle’s father to let him cover the wedding expenses, but her father wouldn’t hear of it. Sebastian would never tell Arielle that he'd used his immortal gift and compelled her father to finally accept. It would be an extraordinary wedding.

***

It was the night before Sebastian was to leave with his friends for his weeklong bachelor outing. Arielle wasn't happy that it would be a week before she set eyes on his beautiful face again, but quite excited that the night was not yet over.

It was bedtime and Sebastian was going to make sure that Arielle was loved the way she should be. It would be a week of torture before he'd have her in his bed again so he was going to make their encounter memorable.