Ascend (The Vampire Destiny Series Book #4) (11 page)

Grabbing the pen from his hand, I wrote back a simple answer. 
Yes, I mean Amir.  And no, I don’t know anything.  It’s simply a matter of keeping our destination a secret.

Lukas read the note and resumed packing until the suitcase was filled and he started in on Stefan’s luggage next.  As he packed, I ripped up the note into shreds and headed into the bathroom, flushing them down the toilet.  I watched them swirl like confetti until they disappeared, leaving clear water behind.

As I stepped back into the bedroom, Lukas was zipping up Stefan’s suitcase.  He managed a smirk as he turned to face me.  “You’re flying commercial.  I’d suggest making sure you aren’t hungry before you leave.”  He glanced at his watch dramatically.  “Which is in precisely five hours.  You need to talk to Anna too.”

He walked to the door and blew me a kiss.  “See you soon, sweet cheeks.  I’ll send Anna over.”

Lugging the packed suitcases to the front door turned out to be an effortless process.  I’d have struggled with the task before, but this was as light as carrying my purse.  I was placing the second piece of luggage down when the front door cracked open and Anna’s riotous brown curls peeked in the doorway.  She was surprised to see me at the doorway and her eyes widened.

Putting my hands on my hips, I blew back an errant strand of hair as I stood up. “Hey.  You’re the last one on my list to say goodbye to, you know.  It took you long enough.”

She rolled her dark eyes and smirked.  “I’ve been busy.  I never thought I’d say I was tired of talking, but after my marathon phone festival today, I’m officially over it.”

“Thanks for taking care of everything.  I didn’t mean for you to get stuck with the grunt work,” I sighed and shoved my hands in my back pockets.  “I don’t know where to begin…”

“Nikolaus told me everything.”  Anna waved me and shot me a knowing look.  “I hope your business goes smoothly.”

 Our eyes met and she nodded, looking around the living room.  She knew to avoid certain subjects and was letting me know she understood.  I admired Anna’s ability to adapt so quickly to a life style she didn’t even know existed outside of books and legends.

“Me too.  I just want to get in and get out.  There’s going to be too many memories in that house.”  My voice sounded small as I thought back to my childhood home and memories of Garrett.  They meant so much more now because I now knew the truth as to who he really was.  I just wish I’d known when he was still alive…

“It’s always hard.  If anyone can do it, you can,” Anna said.  She plopped down on the couch and smiled.  “I still can’t get over the change.  You look like a new person, girlfriend.”

I’d have to be careful going home.  Athens was a close nit community and everyone knew each other.  Most never left, choosing to remain in the quaint town.  When I’d left, I’d cut all ties to the few people I knew.  News would spread fast that my old home was occupied, at least temporarily.

“No more yoga for me.”  I joked weakly.  Sitting down beside Anna, I suddenly felt insecure.  “How did you do it?”

“Do what?” Anna was confused.  Her nose wrinkled as she placed her hand on my leg.

“Keep it under control.  I feel like my emotions are like a pendulum.  One minute I’m high, the next I’m low.”  I rubbed my forehead with the heel of my hand.  “Now I’m getting on an airplane with humans.  I’m scared shitless.”

Anna was quiet.  When she spoke, her voice was comforting.  “I was a mess.  Stefan and Lukas kept me sane those first few weeks.  Listen to him and don’t try to do it your way.  You don’t always know best.”

I barked out a dry laugh.  “Yeah, yeah.  No running off.  I think I’m past that, Anna.”   Leaning back into the couch, I folded my hands in my lap.  “Who’d have ever thought we’d end up like this?  Immortals.”

“Mythical creatures.”  She snorted.  “At least I found Nik.”

Smiling broadly, I swatted at her arm.  “Anna Wilson is in love.  Stop the press.”

Anna burrowed back on the couch next to me.  She rested her head on my shoulder.  “It proves miracles happen.  Georgia said I’d never…”

Her voice wandered off as she mentioned our friend’s name.  We hadn’t been able to contact her for a few weeks.  It was if she’d disappeared off the face of the earth.

Clearing my throat, I rested my head on Anna’s soft hair.  “I hope she’s happy.  Wherever she is.”

The mood in the room had become gloomy.  Both of us were lost in our thoughts and memories.  I vaguely remembered my last conversation with Georgia.  It was stilted and strained.  She sounded odd, as if she’d been drinking.  I worried about her and the lack of communication had me worried.  It nagged at me, making me wonder if there wasn’t something more that I could do for my friend.

“Alright.  Enough of this.  I’m not going to spend my last bit of time with you moping around over things we can’t change.”  Anna turned to face me.  “Just promise me you’ll be safe and you’ll get your ass back here soon.”

Anna’s spitfire personality broke through the melancholy.  I couldn’t stop the smile that broke over my face.  “I promise.  I won’t linger any longer than necessary.  You can always call.” 

“True.”  Anna agreed.  She leaned over and gave me a hug and I was shocked to feel her arms quaking as she held me.  “I want you back.  I want this over…Josie, something’s not right.”

“It’ll be fine.  And we’ll be back as soon as possible.  I promise.  You have Lukas.  He knows what to do,”  I murmured in her ear.  I was tiring of the clandestine meetings and secretive conversations.

The door opened and Stefan entered the apartment.  My eyes shot to him, watching the softness of his sea blue eyes as he watched us from the doorway.  His chiseled face had lost its harshness as he met my gaze. “I hate to break up this happy moment but Josephine needs to feed before our flight.”

Anna released me and winked one of her sparkling brown eyes at me.  “You two be safe and hurry back to us.  Our family won’t be the same without you both.”

As she left, I realized for the first time in a long time, I had a family.  A real family that cared for each other, tied together by blood and love.

Stefan joined me on the couch.  He took my hand and pressed feather light kisses over each finger.  “Yes. 
Vår
familj
.  Our family.”

***

Anxious about the upcoming plane ride, I didn't read one page of the magazine I held in my hands.  I aimlessly flipped through the well-worn pages as I waited for Stefan to work his magic to get our seats upgraded to first class.  Lukas had made the executive decision for us to fly commercial this time.  He’d given Stefan and me both the lame excuse that it would be better to be in large groups of people until we were safely out of New York City.  We were hiding in plain sight.  It would make my father or his henchmen less likely to attempt to do anything with human witnesses everywhere.  I suppose he had a point.

I knew he was headed my way before I saw him.  It wasn’t only the bond that told me, it was the sudden hush of conversation around me grinding to a screeching halt that made me look up from the magazine I was paging through.

I shielded my thoughts as I dragged my tongue over my bottom lip.  Immediately, Stefan's head snapped to zero in on me, his sharp eyes staring holes through me. Apparently, he had been listening to me quite intently.  I grinned, arching an eyebrow at him and watching his leg muscles flex with each long stride. I could practically feel what those muscles were capable of doing when I was wrapped around them. The thought caused my breath to catch and I barely bit back my groan.

He was gorgeous.  Black jeans and a charcoal gray, long sleeved shirt accented everything about him that made my mouth water. When he ran a hand through his blond hair and increased the speed of his sexy strut, this time I could hear the heartbeats throughout the crowd increase.

He slouched down in the chair beside me, his long legs stretched in front of him.  He eyed me with sparkling blue eyes.  He leaned over and captured my lips in a light, teasing kiss.  I heard a few disappointed groans and heavy sighs.

"Our luggage is checked?" I asked innocently.  I closed the magazine and tossed it aside, my hand brushing over his powerful thigh.

“Yes.  How are you doing?”  Stefan questioned.  He grabbed my errant hand and twirled my engagement ring around on my finger.  He’d been carefully monitoring my moods and knew I was fine.  I think he just wanted to hear me speak the words for myself.

“Good.  I just keep the curtain down and I’m fine.  I’m not sure if Lukas’ idea was the smartest though.  Everyone is looking at us,” I whispered, glancing around the crowded waiting area.  People had given up on being discreet, now they simply stared.

“We look too perfect to them.  They know we are something more, yet cannot figure out what else we could be.”  Stefan continued to turn the ring on my finger.  “You will not notice it after a century.  You will expect it and worry when they do not stare.”

Watching as he stroked the diamond and ruby ring with his long finger, I leaned against his muscular arm.  “When I was changing, I was afraid I’d lost you.  There were so many things I wanted to do.  I wanted to marry you.”

His face remained impassive, but I felt the change in his mood.  Surprise and happiness surged through him at my words.  I could also feel a bit of his possessive nature purr with satisfaction at being able to claim me in every way possible.

“I still do, you know.  I still want to be your wife even though…even though things are different,” I mumbled against his bicep.  It was impossible for me to blush, but it didn’t stop me from feeling embarrassed at my admission.

“It is yours.  We will plan for it, yes?”  Stefan kissed my forehead softly.  He intertwined our fingers and his thumb rubbed over my hand softly.

Overhead, I heard our flight being called.  Stefan stood and pulled me to my feet.  Drawing in a nervous breath, my teeth tugged at my lip.  I didn’t want to let him down.

“You could never let me down, vackra.  You can do this,” Stefan encouraged, a crooked smile alighting his face.  “Come.  Let us start our adventure.  We have days of uninterrupted time together.  We may never want to leave.”

As I followed along behind him, my mind was deluged with all of the things we could do without someone walking in or waiting for us.  We’d be completely alone, free to our own devices.  Suddenly I didn’t dread the short airplane ride nearly as much as I had before.

He leaned down, his warm breath tickling my ear.  “And you call me shameless.”

***

The airplane ride had been monotonous and I found that there were only a few times I found myself to be uncomfortable.  Stefan had sensed my control falter and had pushed strength my way, giving me a much boost when I needed it most.

We’d rented a car at the airport in Columbus and had driven the hour and a half into Athens.  I watched the scenery pass by in a blur as Stefan drove down the interstate, my eyes taking in the familiar landmarks of my youth.  Everything was green and lush, the rolling hills a welcome change from the concrete and asphalt that surrounded us everyday.  As we got closer to Athens, I found myself nervously clenching my hands.  I hadn’t been back since the death of Garrett and Meredith.  It was sensory overload and all of my emotions had rushed to the surface, raw and painful.

Once we’d turned onto the country road that would lead me to my uncle’s home, my breath came out in ragged pants.  As we came to the crest of a small hill, I pointed at the house with a shaky hand and Stefan steered the car up the long driveway.  He pulled to a stop beside of an old, but well maintained farmhouse.  Painted a gleaming white, I’d seen to it that everything was updated and kept in order on the off chance I’d want to come home.

And here I was after so many years away.  Home.

As if in a trance, I shoved open the door and stumbled out of the car.  I headed up the remainder of the driveway, inhaling deep breaths of clean, sweet air as gravel crunched under my feet.  I turned in small circles, taking everything in.