Ascend (The Vampire Destiny Series Book #4) (26 page)

“Put down your shield.  We go in…but do not leave my side.  Do you understand?” Stefan questioned.  His eyes searched mine, concern flashing across his face.

I nodded and he dropped a kiss to the end of my nose.  He pushed open the door to Lukas and Anna’s apartment, and I staggered back against Stefan when I saw Georgia sitting on the couch.  Her dark hair looked longer, her blue eyes looked foggy, so unlike the crystal clear eyes I remembered.

But that wasn’t what shocked me the most.  It was the man standing behind her.  My eyes took in the bright red hair and emerald eyes of my father.  He had a protective hand on Georgia’s shoulder.

“Josephine!  How wonderful to see you!  It appears congratulations are in order for you as well.  Lukas mentioned that you and Stefan are married.  And I see you have made the change.” 

My father’s false levity made my hand clench harder around Stefan’s, so tight I heard his light gasp and I felt his bones grind together from the force of my grasp.

“Kian.  What are you doing here?”  I choked out, my eyes darting between Georgia and my father.

“I wanted to see my children.  I presumed that there was no time like the present for them to meet their new stepmother.  We also have more exciting news…” Kian smiled widely, his white teeth gleaming.  “You and Nikolaus are going to have a sibling soon.  Georgia is with child.”

The End

Coming Soon from Alexandra Anthony:

The Vampire Destiny Series: Stefan’s Companion to Books 1 & 2 - Late Summer of 2013

Book 2 of The Dark Hart Chronicles - Winter 2013

Book 5 of The Vampire Destiny Series – Release Date Unknown

Translations for Chapter One

"Stefan, ze zal perfect zijn. Je maakt je teveel zorgen," his voice assured him, sighing loudly. Je moet niet om haar heen blijven hangen als een of ander lulletje rozenwater.”
  =
"She's going to be perfect, Stefan.  You worry too much, " his voice assured him, sighing loudly. "You need to stop hovering over her like a pussy whipped fool."

“Ze is mijn levensgezel en mijn leven. Het is mijn taak om me zorgen te maken over haar veiligheid," Stefan argued, the words booming through the room. "Ik voel haar pijn alsof het de mijne is. Wij hebben nooit deze onverdraagelijke pijn gevoeld tijdens onze transformatie. Wat als er iets mis is? Ik weiger het om haar te verliezen.”
= 
"She is my mate and she is my life.  It is my job to worry about her safety," Stefan argued, the words booming through the room. "I can feel her pain as if it is my own.  We never felt agony like this during our change.  What is there is something wrong?  I refuse to lose her."

“Oh Stefan, verdomme. Luister dan naar haar hart.  Ze is aan het veranderen en er is niets mis. "I heard Lukas' deep exaggerated exhale. “Het zijn dagen als deze dat ik me afvraag wie de meester is in deze relatie, en wie het kind."
  = 
"Oh for fuck's sake, Stefan.  Just listen to her heart.  She's changing and nothing is wrong."  I heard Lukas' deep exaggerated exhale.  "There are days like these I wonder who's the master and who is the child in our relationship."

"Dat is genoeg Lukas." Stefan commanded icily. "Jij maakte je ook zorgen om Anna tijdens haar verandering. Waarom maak je je niet evenveel zorgen om Josephine?"
  =
"Enough, Lukas."  Stefan commanded icily.  "You worried about Anna during her change.  Why are you not giving Josephine the same concern?"

“Jag förlorade utan dig här.”
=
“I am lost without you here.”

"Odin, far-wanderer, ge mig vishet, Mod och seger. Vän Thor, ge mig din styrka. Och båda vara med mig."
  =
“Odin, far-wanderer, grant me wisdom, courage, and victory. Friend Thor, grant me your strength. And both be with me.”

Translations for Chapter Two

Älskare
=
Lover

Min gudinna
=
My goddess

Det sätt du knulla mig är som inget annat. Min kärlek, mitt liv.  Knolla mig
! =
The way you fuck me is like nothing else I know. My love, my life. Fuck me!

Min gudinna.  Min vän.  Min älskare
. =
My goddess.  My friend.  My lover
.

En själ
=
One soul

Ett hjärta
=
One heart

Evinnerligen
=
Forever

Translations for Chapter Four

Vår
familj
=
Our family

Translations for Chapter Five

Knulla!
Du
är för
jävla
perfekt.
=
Fuck!  You are fucking perfect
.

Vilja muna orr elska. =
You will remember our love

Minn sal, minn if. Minn muna hjarta ykkarr.
=

Min mystiska gudinna. Du är verkligen fantastiskt ... du är mer
=
My
mysterious
goddess.
You are truly
amazing ...
you are more

Du spelar inte rättvist =
You do not play fair

Den andra halvan av sin själ =
The other half of his soul

Translations for Chapter Six

Vänligen älska med mig
=
Please make love to me

Translations for Chapter Seven

Min krigare
=
My warrior

Translations for Chapter Eight

Nådig Gud Balder.  Gracious Goddess Arianrhod.  Jag ber att ni visar oss vägen. Visa honom vem vi var och vad vi hade. Välsigna våra ögon så att vi kan se. Må det ske att ingen skada sker.  Så ska det bli."
=
Gracious
God
Balder.
Gracious
Goddess
Arianrhod
.
I pray
that you will show
us the way.
Show him
who we were
and
what we had.
Bless
our eyes
so we can
see.
May it
happen
that
no harm is done
.
So mote it be
.

Du har kommit tillbaka till mig? Eller har min önskan går i uppfyllelse? Har du tagit mig till din värld?
=
You have come back to me?  Or has my wish come true? Have you taken me to your realm?

Nine Years Earlier…

No matter how many times I do it, being jammed in an airplane was comparable to being stuffed in a sardine can.  Albeit an expensive sardine can layered with the strong smells of perfume and cologne, sweat, and last but most important...the alluring aroma of sweet blood.  It overpowered everything.

Closing my eyes, I held my breath and struggled to keep my mind focused on anything except the dueling odors engulfing me.  And if it wasn't the scent assaulting me, it was the sound of whispered conversations that were as clear as if they were next to me.  Add in the sound of wet heartbeats, the steady rush of blood flowing through veins…it was difficult to contain over 140 years of pure instinct.

"I’ve told you this before, Nick.  It makes it easier if you would read something.  You need to keep your mind focused on something other than the humans."

Malcolm's voice broke into my musings.  I opened my eyes and glanced down at his lap.  I grabbed his ‘distraction’ from his hand and glanced at the cover.  "Rolling Stone? This is keeping your mind focused?  I suppose small minds are easily occupied."

Snorting, he grabbed it back and opened the magazine back up.  "Would you rather read American Way?"

Enjoying the banter but keeping with the façade of hating it, I closed my eyes and rested my head against the leather seat.  "Did anyone ever tell you that you're a flaming asshole?"

Malcolm chuckled under his breath and adjusted the dark lensed glasses he insisted on wearing, partly out of necessity.  "You do every day without fail."

Breathing in a shallow breath of recycled air, I fought the burning in my throat.  I shifted in my seat, willing the plane to go faster.

"This...this is a shame."  Malcolm clicked his tongue against his teeth.

"Being stuck on this overcrowded airplane with an asshole?" I shot back sarcastically.  His tone had caught my attention.  Very rarely did Malcolm express any sort of sympathy for humans.

"Ha.  You missed your calling as a fucking comedian." Malcolm flicked a finger over the slick magazine pages.  "No.  It's this girl."

I let out a heavy exhale.  "You have my attention and I’ll bite.  What girl?"

"Humor me.  First look at this." Malcolm flipped back a few pages and turned the magazine towards me.  The advertisement was provocative and had the intentional grainy look of being shot in someone’s basement.  I’d seen many unmentionable things in my many years but this…this made me feel slimy for even looking at it.  It featured a much too young girl naked from the waist up, her breasts barely covered with her arms.  Clad only in skimpy panties, she was the focal point with a much older man posing as the photographer taking her photo.  Who in their right mind would let someone so young be exploited like this?

And yes, the girl was pretty.  In any other setting, she would be stunningly beautiful with her long blond hair, wide innocent sapphire blue eyes and high cheekbones.  But this…this was wrong.  Dirty.  She was much too young to be photographed like this.  I may be immortal, but I still have standards.  I pushed the magazine away in disgust.

Malcolm nodded in agreement.  "Now look at this." He flipped back to an article with the same girl.  Her lovely face looked haunted in the photo, her image caught by a random paparazzi photographer in Los Angeles.  "This girl is being made the poster child for every anti-child pornography group.  It's sad, really.  Humans.  They never...learn do they?"