Arielle Immortal Seduction (15 page)

“The soap or your life,” he purred, brushing his lips teasingly against her ear.

A smile spread across her face, but she still didn’t turn around. Pulling her hand away from the soap, she remained perfectly still. He picked up the soap and lathered his hands thoroughly. She felt his hands soft and lathery, sliding up and down her back, caressing her skin. Shivers rippled through her, when his hands moved to her lower back and curved around to rest on her flat stomach. She had stopped breathing and was waiting for his next move. He drew in a deep breath and pulled her softly against him. She felt her warm skin flush against his hard-muscled body and trembled with anticipation. His lips brushed the back of her neck. She moved into him, and his control shattered into a million shards. Her heart started to pulsate as his hands started to move slowly upward and stopped when he reached her breasts. He gasped with longing and cupped them eagerly, pressing softly, methodically. She moaned as his breathing picked up. Her breath stopped as his hands started to slide back down, slowly passing over her abdomen and resting much lower. She gasped out loud and she heard a soft chuckle, as his hands moved around to the outside of her hips and down her thighs, covering every curve of her body with thick lather. He pulled her even closer and he groaned, filled with an amazing sensation. Her knees buckled when he moved to the inside of her thighs and she would have been on the shower floor if his hands hadn’t held her steadily against his body.

He chuckled softly, his lips brushing her ear. “How am I doing?” he whispered, breathing heavily. She just couldn’t take it any longer. She gathered her strength and spun around to face him without leaving his embrace. She met his gaze and lost in his eyes. She threw her arms around his neck and reached up, searching for his lips. His mouth landed on hers and they locked themselves in a passionate kiss. She was startled when she heard his husky groan and her feet left the floor. He lifted her up and onto him, groaning deeply as she nearly sobbed. An incredible force of passion pressed their bodies together like a tidal wave, and they melted together, as into a swirl of scorching lava.

He was willing to please her for as long as she wanted, until all their desire for that night was spent, all the passion had washed over their bodies, and they had both imploded in utter rapture. Afterward, their lips remained locked in an obsessive kiss.

Arielle couldn’t help looking at him in amazement; he was more than any woman could ever ask for. She closed her eyes and smiled, contemplating an eternity of this bliss.

Finally, they got dressed and prepared themselves to meet her friends. Giggling, she whistled at him when she saw how handsome he was, dressed for an evening out. He laughed out loud in delight. She took his hand happily as they walked out of the room and down to the lobby.

When the film was over they went dancing. Sebastian was sociable with the guys, and they all seemed to enjoy being together. Arielle knew he had more in common with Troy, but he enjoyed being with Ian just as much. That night, she was surprised to see Sebastian and Troy enjoying a drink together. She looked at Sebastian quizzically, but he just winked at her and didn’t say anything.

The lights were low and the band was incredible. Arielle and Sebastian danced, holding each other tight. He smiled when she reached up and tasted the sweetness of his lips.

“I love when you do that,” he murmured. She moved her lips down the edge of his mouth, the side of his jaw and pressed at the hollow of his throat, making him groan. She knew that spot was very sensitive for him, and she tried to take advantage of it every time she could. He kept his eyes closed and his lips brushed the side of her face.

“I’m completely intoxicated by your touch,” he murmured. She couldn’t help smiling. She wanted to please him the same way he pleased her. He held her hand on the way back to the hotel and all Arielle could think of was how lucky she was that he loved her. It was late when they got into bed and she closed her eyes, completely exhausted.

“Hey,” he whispered, as she began to fall asleep.

“What?” she asked in a sleepy voice.

“I just wanted to hear your voice before you fell asleep.”

“What is it?”

“When I touch you, I like to shout from ecstasy.” His voice was soft, sweet, and breathless.

“Is that so bad? You make me feel pretty much the same way,” she said, moving closer to him. He encircled her with his arms, pulling her even closer.

He sighed. She could feel a longing in him for something, maybe a footprint of his fate as an immortal. She stayed in his arms, and her mind was still struggling to accept the fact that he had died and now he was here again, full of life, love, and excitement. His body was warm and tender, more alive than any human she had ever known. She turned to face him. He was lost in his thoughts.

“Sebastian, what is it?”

“Oh, I just wish I could be a normal human being and grow old with you,” he said. “I need to be with you. I want to be able to breathe, to live a normal life. I wish I could go to sleep and dream!” He paused, with a faraway look in his eyes. “I remember growing up so long ago,” he continued. “I was a happy child, and I had a great life, with a wonderful family and great friends.” He paused again for a long moment, and then continued, “I can’t remember exactly how my life was ripped away from me. But afterward, everything I had and everyone I knew was completely gone, as if they were pages that had been torn away from the book of my life and destroyed.”

He stopped. He looked so sad. Arielle had never seen him look like this, or heard him talk like that. She tried to think of something to make him happy again. She put her hands on his face and held it close to hers. She kissed his lips, softly. “I love you, Sebastian, you are the most important person in my life,” she whispered.

He shook his head and his lips curved up as he whispered, “Don’t ever leave me, Arielle.”

“What would ever make you say that?”

“It’s not a mere request, Arielle, it’s a warning. You are mine for eternity, and don’t you ever forget that. I’ve warned you.” The look on his face was seductive as he added, “You are mine.”

“Do you mean to tell me that none of those gorgeous girls that you have been with throughout the centuries has ever satisfied you?”

“Jealous, are you?”

“Not at all. I’m just interested.”

“Why don’t you tell me how many guys I’ll have to deal with during the next year?” he countered. “Paul, Andrew, Tristan, and all the others who I haven’t met yet?”

“They are my friends and they are harmless,” she said. “No one I hang out with can hurt you. But your girlfriends are powerful and scary. They would like to tear me apart to get to you. How do I fight that?”

“I can’t help the women coming after me,” he said. “I’ve made it clear to everyone that I’m not available anymore. You’re all I want, and all I need for eternity.”

“There you go again, with that word, eternity,” she said. “But, Sebastian, I can’t be with you for eternity. I’m only human, and I’ll die someday. For us to be together for eternity is only a dream. It’s not something that can ever happen.”

“Oh, but it will,” he said mysteriously.

“I don’t understand. Don’t you want to let me know how you are going to achieve this dream?”

“Let me worry about that. I don’t want you to worry about anything.” His hands slipped behind her back, palms burning, and he pulled her close. Their lips met in a loving kiss, full of longing and delight. He encircled her in his arms and they drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 13

T
he morning of Christmas Eve was quiet and wonderful. When Arielle awoke, Sebastian’s gorgeous face was only a couple of inches away from hers. She smiled and sighed in complete and utter happiness, gently touched his soft lips, and watched as he opened his eyes.

“Good morning, my love,” she whispered.

“I love you,” was his reply, his lips already curved into the smile she loved so well. She got up and went to the shower, letting the warm water roll over her body. It felt so great.

Life was good, and the most incredible man on earth was waiting for her in the next room. He loved her, and he was going to be her husband. She just couldn’t believe it. Could it really be true?

She wrapped herself in a large towel as she stepped out of the shower. She stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself. She was in high spirits, overjoyed even, and Sebastian had everything to do with that. She wanted to make him happy. She wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. He walked into the bathroom, put his arms around her, and held her for a little while.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” he asked. “I love taking showers with you.”

“I wanted to make sure we get to enjoy the day outside,” she said, smiling. “And I know what happens when we get into bed or in the shower together.”

“Are you already tired of me?” he asked, his voice plaintive.

Arielle dropped the towel and turned to face him, shocked by his remark. He watched her carefully, a playful smile on his face. “What?” he asked, in mock innocence.

“I’m stunned that you would even bother to ask such a question of me. I’m not tired of you, and I’ll never be tired of you.”

He wrapped his arms around her and his mouth moved eagerly against hers.

“I was only joking, baby. What do you want to do today?”

“I want to take a walk and enjoy the Christmas spirit, and the sunshine, with you, and you alone.”

“All right then, that is what we are going to do.” He walked into the shower and started to whistle an old tune. Arielle recognized the melody but couldn’t recall the name of the song. I didn’t know he liked rock and roll, she thought. I thought he was more the classical music type
.
She wasn’t sure why they had never discussed music with each other. She knew some of his favorite artists, but they hadn’t ever really made music a topic of discussion. That will be something for us to talk about when we take our walk, she thought. She chose a warm blue dress that made her feel happy. Then, she put her hair up in a ponytail and sat on the bed, waiting for him.

When he walked out of the bathroom, he took her breath away. His hair was dripping water onto his beautiful face and a little towel was wrapped around his waist. He looked like the perfect representation of a beautiful Greek god, created by a famous sculptor. Only
this
god was smiling at her, showing a set of perfect white teeth and desire in his emerald eyes. She smiled back, unable to take her eyes away from him. Any other day, she knew she would end up in bed with him but not today. It was almost Christmas. He put on a pair of jeans and a beautiful blue shirt, and they were on their way.

Outside, the sidewalk was sparkling in the sunshine. Cars were everywhere and people were walking, holding shopping bags in their hands, laughing, and talking excitedly. She could hear church bells somewhere far away. It made life seem unpretentious and sensible. She was happy to be walking next to her perfect dream of a man, holding his hand as they crossed the street and walked towards the park. They passed several stores with their festively decorated windows, tons of people rushing in and out.

It was an exceptionally beautiful day. Brighton was bathed in sunny conditions for this time of the year. It was a bit cool, but for the most part the day was made to order for Sebastian and Arielle. Not a single cloud in the sky.

“What a perfect day,” Arielle exclaimed, and smiled at Sebastian. “Come, let’s go to the park.” She took his hand and pulled him toward the park entrance. Underneath the trees everything seemed so peaceful and green. There was a large lake that extended for a few miles into the middle of the park. When they reached a small open area close to the water, Arielle took her shoes off. She closed her eyes and smiled, letting her feet feel the cool grass. When she opened them again, she saw that Sebastian was watching her with curiosity.

“Sebastian, go ahead and take your shoes off. Feel the grass, it’s a bit cool but it’s wonderful. Trust me.” He hesitated at first, but eventually he took his shoes off and stood on the grass barefoot, taking small steps in place.

“Close your eyes and just enjoy the feeling,” she urged.

He did as she suggested. She saw a smile steal across his face.

“So, what do you think?” she asked.

“I’m amazed that I never thought of doing this in all the time I have been on this earth. I never thought that something so simple could make me feel so wonderful. Arielle, you’re such a gift to me.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. And he was happy to respond.

They sat on the grass together, enjoying their surroundings. A light breeze softly caressed their faces, and the birds chirped happily as they flew from tree to tree, an incredible fragrance from the beautiful flowers filling their nostrils. The lake was picturesque. It looked like a soft blue piece of fabric elusively rippling in the breeze. Ducks and their babies splashed and dove, looking for fish. Children played with their little toy boats on the water. Arielle sighed with pleasure at the sight of the awesome colors and the variety of the foliage. She squeezed Sebastian’s hand.

“What is it?” he whispered.

“The beauty of nature, you, and, oh, just everything around us, look. It’s so beautiful.”

Sebastian smiled and held her tight. “I can’t see anything more beautiful than you.”.

She kissed him warmly and ran her finger down his back. A deep moan of pleasure escaped him. She took his hand and brought it up to her lips, when she noticed the ring again. It was so beautiful and mysterious looking. It looked like a ring that might belong to a knight.

“What is the meaning of this ring?”

Sebastian was quiet for a minute. Then he answered, slowly, “It’s not a family crest,” he said. “But it’s a lifeline for me. It protects me from being burned by the sun. Do you remember when you asked me what can kill an immortal?”

She stopped and swallowed hard, as she looked at him in horror. “Yes,” she gulped.

“The sun can kill an immortal,” he said. “It’s poison to me. This ring shields me with its power so that I can walk outside and enjoy a sunny day. I can never be without it.”

His face was sad again, and Arielle had no idea what he was thinking. She was sure that if he wanted her to know he would say something, so she didn’t press for any more details.

She touched the ring and couldn’t help feeling fascinated that something so small could save a person’s life. It must be magical, like the necklace, she thought. She smiled and ran her finger over it, back and forth, thankful that it was keeping her love safe from harm. She looked at him with warmth and understanding.

“On a lighter note…” she said with a giggle. “I made a bet with myself that I could go for more than five minutes without looking at your gorgeous face. And I lost the bet miserably. I could only make it for ten seconds.” She laughed out loud and he laughed with her. Then, he reached over and pulled her close for a kiss.

She stood up and walked down to the water’s edge to watch the little children guiding their small sailboats, imagining that they were captains of real ships. She could read their minds, and chuckled at their sweet, innocent thoughts. They were thinking of the perils their boats would be facing— the stormy skies and high waves that would try to sink them—and how they would prevail.

Sebastian was now standing next to her, and he noticed the thoughtful look in her eyes.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked, watching her intently.

“Oh, I was just watching the children, thinking about the changes that we go through as we move from young children to adolescence, and then to adulthood.”

“What do you mean?” he asked. She turned toward him, and their eyes met. She leaned in and pressed her lips softly on his, and he moaned again, softly.

“I was watching the children, and thinking about my own life and the changes that I have gone through in the twenty-one years that I have been on this earth.”

“I’d love to hear your thoughts.”

“Well, children are fascinating. I used to read a lot, and I would get completely lost in the stories I was reading. I used to create my own mystical worlds and invisible friends. I was enthralled by the stories, but at the same time pretty scared of the unknown. Then as I grew into adolescence, I felt more mature. I thought about the future, and what was to come. I thought about boys, and challenges, and new responsibilities. I became more creative and flexible about overcoming the fear that every time I turned around I was facing another trial.” She chuckled. “I think that stage of my life was one of the most intriguing, and one of the most complicated. I wanted to start making plans for the future, but I always found myself searching for something,” she said, biting her lip and pausing.

“What were you looking for?”

“Sebastian, I don’t want you to laugh, but I have realized that what I was looking for, and what was missing from my life, was— well,
you
—just you.” Sebastian pulled her to him and their lips met softly. When she pulled back from the kiss, she looked at him and smiled.

“What about you?” she asked. “You had a normal mortal life up to age twenty-two. How did you feel about the changes you went through?”

Sebastian looked thoughtful and a bit sad as his mind recalled his mortal years. “I have to agree with you,” he said. “I went through the same changes you did. I think that my transition from childhood to adolescence was pretty much the same as for any other person. I was happy, and ready to take on responsibility and experience my independence. However, the transition from adolescence to adulthood was very dramatic for me. That was the time that I needed my parents’ advice about how to handle the opportunities that were coming my way. But that never happened, and those needs were drowned by the emotions surrounding their loss.” He had stopped talking now, and was looking at his feet despondently.

Arielle watched him for a short moment and then reached out and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sorry, Sebastian, I didn’t mean for you to recall sad thoughts,” she said quietly.

He looked up and smiled, pressing his lips on her forehead. They stood there for a few moments, watching the colorful little sailboats float on the calm blue waters, creating a beautiful picture before them. Then, holding hands, they walked across the grass barefoot, carrying their shoes for a couple of miles, talking about everything and nothing, and laughing out loud. Sebastian seemed happy, and Arielle didn’t want the day to end. They purchased an ice cream cone and to her surprise, this time they shared it.

“Arielle, I can enjoy human food any time I wish,” he said. “I just prefer the salve, because it keeps me energetic and strong.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s really no problem at all.”

He would never know how happy Arielle was to hear this news. She knew that sooner or later her parents would invite him to dinner, and it would have been awfully strange if he never wanted to eat anything. She laughed happily, but he had no clue why she was laughing. He couldn’t read her thoughts as long as she had her necklace on, and she thought that was just fine.

He pulled her towards him and faced her. “What’s so funny?” he frowned. “You’ll have to tell me what you are thinking. I have to know what’s on your mind.”

“All I ever do is think about you, so you don’t have to worry about my thoughts,” she smiled, as she reached up, searching for his lips. He bent down and locked them in a passionate kiss.

After they had been walking for a couple of hours, they decided to start back toward the hotel. Arielle felt warm and sheltered just being with him, walking with their arms around each other.

“Thank you for one of the most beautiful and relaxing mornings I have ever had,” Sebastian said. Arielle squeezed his hand lovingly, and they walked the rest of the way in a state of profound contentment and delight.