Arielle Immortal Quickening (31 page)

“Our society has been built on firm ground that can sustain the wrath of evil. We are sworn to annihilate those who try to harm innocent people. We’re sworn to a life of obedience and insistence on secrecy. As a member of this society, I have the right to protect my family by using the amulet as a shield. You are part of my family now, and I’ve made you the rightful owner of the amulet.” A smile tagged Olivia’s lips as she continued.

“The amulets are sacred, and they keep the owners safe from any type of harm. Colt and his family belong to the society. We are all very devoted, and we have created very strong bonds between us through the centuries.” She paused for a short moment. “The book that came along with the amulet is an amazing book. It holds powers of which the human mind could not even conceive.” Olivia kissed Arielle’s cheek.

“I never had to give this to my children, because—as you are well aware—they have their own powers; therefore, they are in no need of the amulet protection.” She gave Sebastian a speaking glance. “Our functions and secret rituals were concealed from the non-members and thus solidified our society. There are monthly meetings, and the rules and codes are read and sworn by all the members. If you wish to attend with me, you’ll learn all about the contents of the little black book. You’ll understand the meaning of the society, and you’ll learn how you can benefit from those powers.”

Arielle nodded as Olivia continued. “All the members have a list revealing the family names that belong to the society. This is how Colt knew that your family was not on the list. I never knew that he took the job at the university or, more importantly, that he would be your professor,” she said. Arielle was so fascinated that she was sure she hadn’t blinked for the past twenty minutes. Olivia reached up and ran her finger across her cheek with tenderness. “Arielle, I don’t want you to worry. I’ll talk to Colt this evening. There should be no more problems between you and your professor.”

One thing confused Arielle. “Why does he have to wear an amulet if he is an immortal?”

“He is a member of the society, and everyone that attends the meetings has to wear the amulet.”

“Am I allowed—to—” Arielle began, then stopped, apparently lost for words.

“Allowed to do what, dear?” Olivia asked.

Arielle ran her hand over her hair and hauling in a deep breath she said, “Am I allowed to have the amulet on if I’m not a member of that society?” she asked incredulously.

“Yes, dear,” Olivia replied. “You are part of this family now and a human in need of protection.”

“I would love to come with you to one of those meetings,” she said, and she saw a stunned look on Sebastian’s face. Olivia was taken aback, but she recovered immediately.

“All right then, I’ll arrange for that. Attending the ceremonies will teach you a lot and help you use your little black book wisely,” she said. Her voice was serious. Arielle remained silent for a short time.

“That will be unbelievable! I would love to come with you,” Arielle finally exclaimed.

Olivia looked extremely pleased. Sebastian was excited to witness an awesome relationship developing before his eyes between his mother and the girl that captured his very soul.

Arielle felt a wonderful sensation of ease taking over her. Allworth was no longer a mystery. His intense interest regarding the amulet was clearly understood. She felt her spirit lift a few notches higher, and a smiled lifted the corners of her mouth.

“So…what do you think?” Olivia asked Arielle.

“About what?”

“About Colt.”

Arielle drew breath as she started to speak. “I… understand Allworth’s concerns about the amulet.”

“It’s a lot to absorb but—you know, it answered all my concerns about Allworth.”

Olivia smiled, pleased with the outcome.

“I think we should be going,” Sebastian said, glancing at his mother.

Just before Olivia had a chance to reply, Arielle’s phone rang. She pulled it out of her purse smiled as she glanced at the screen.

“Excuse me,” she said glancing between Sebastian and Olivia. “It’s my mum, and I need to take this.” She flipped the phone open. Placing it against her ear, she walked away and stood in front of the large window. The conversation was short and ended with Arielle telling her mum that she was going shopping with Gabby, Eva, and Loren tomorrow, but she would be stopping by the house the day after that. She slipped the phone into her pocket and returned to Sebastian.

“Thank you for everything,” she said, hugging Olivia affectionately. She noticed the pleased expression on Sebastian’s face as they parted.

“Thank you, Mother,” he said lovingly. “I’m sorry about the misunderstanding earlier.” Olivia made a dismissive gesture with her hand. Sebastian linked his fingers with Arielle’s and pulled her towards the door.

“It was lovely seeing you again, Arielle. Please come back soon,” Olivia called out.

“I promise, I will,” she called, glancing back. “I’m going to those meeting with you, remember?”

They had spent over two hours visiting Olivia, and they were ready to go home. The sun was disappearing below the horizon, and twilight was enveloping the earth. A gentle breeze brushed their faces as they stepped outside, causing Arielle to lift her face to the wind. She was feeling exuberant following the meeting with Olivia. She looked up at Sebastian, and he bent down and brushed his lips against hers softly. She knew she was being silly, but she couldn’t help the extraordinary feelings she was holding for this immortal man. She literally ached for him. She felt overwhelmed with pleasure.

In the car, she was extremely quiet.

“What’s on your mind?” Sebastian asked.

“I was just thinking about your mother’s horrible experience.”

“I know. It was hard for me to hear. I also understand why she would want to keep it a secret.”

“Oh, you do?”

“Of course I do.”

“How come you didn’t understand about me keeping Matt’s attack a secret?”

Sebastian inwardly cursed. “
You
are a different story. I have to know everything about you since the day we first met, and even before that,” he said firmly.

“Oh?”

“Do you have a problem with that?” he asked anxiously.

“No, not at all. I was just curious.” He pulled her close for a quick kiss.

The remaining ride home was quiet. He held her hand as he always did, making her feel safe, happy to be alive, and in love with a perfect man.

At home, Sebastian poured himself a glass of salve and sat at the kitchen counter. He picked up the newspaper and flipped though it while sipping slowly. Arielle walked into the bedroom and pulled her dresser drawer open. She took out the little black leather book and walked back, clenching it tightly in her hand. She set it on the top of the counter and ran her fingers over the leather cover several times.

Sebastian lifted his head and watched her carefully but kept quiet. She finally sat down and flicked through the pages slowly, stopping every so often to trace over the strange symbols and signs with her fingers. She stared bleakly at the pages, unable to decipher the meaning behind all the ancient symbols. They belonged to so many secret societies, written in various dialects such as Etruscan, Shinto, and Roman. She shook her head and let out a discouraging sigh.

“What are you doing?” Sebastian asked softly. The question pulled Arielle from her fascination. She lifted her head and met his eyes. She let out a soft chuckle and resisted the impulse to tell him not to worry about it.

“I wanted to see if I could translate some of these symbols on my own. Eva seems to know and understand all about these books; not me, however.”

“You sound angry, are you?”

She looked up at him and a smile spread across her face.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound aggravated,” she replied. “How surprised were you to find out about your mother and Colt Allworth?”

“I was more surprised than you were. I absolutely had no idea how she became an immortal; I knew nothing about the Veneti society or my mother’s involvement. I guess I can understand why she didn’t find it important enough to talk about any of it to Loren or myself. As immortals, we have absolutely no need of the amulet protection or the power book,” he said with a soft chuckle. “So what are you looking for in that book?”

“I’m not sure. Mostly, just curious.”

“Well then, why don’t you let my mother help you? She’ll teach you everything you want to know about the powers held in that little book.” He put down the paper, stood up, walked around the counter, and stopped directly behind her. Leaning down, he pressed his lips on the back of her neck. Her nerves leapt; she sucked a tight breath as she felt the heat spreading across her flesh. Lifting her chin, she stared up into his eyes. He held her gaze and his lips slowly curved to that amazing smile.

“Lets go to bed,” he whispered. Siding her hand into his she drew enough breath to keep herself from falling apart.

“Tomorrow will be another grueling day in Chemistry.”

“I’m sure you’ll endure,” he said, chuckling.

While getting ready for bed, an unwelcome twinge ran through her mind, and her heart sank as she latched onto one horrible name:
Annabel
. “I wonder when Annabel will decide to come for me again?” she asked Sebastian. A ghost of a frown flickered on his face. “Arielle you have to stop thinking about Annabel.”

She humphed. “Easy for you to say.” She couldn’t let her thoughts run wild, but the truth was clear. Annabel was coming for her. It was not if she would be coming, but when. She vividly recalled their last meeting at the university parking lot. Eva had been there to protect her. Venom dripped from Annabel’s bloody lips when she’d said.
I’m coming back for you and I’ll kill you, you miserable human.”
Arielle didn’t miss the deadly promise that flashed in Annabel’s eyes. Her mouth twisted at the thought and she bit back a groan. There would have to be a final confrontation, but when? This was a sheer nightmare and there was no end in sight.

In bed Sebastian drew her in his arms, and pressed his lips to her nape. She stared into the blackness, and inhaled his sweet immortal scent. Enveloped in the sanctuary of his embrace, all tension fell away, and relief slid through her. She sensed his smile, as sleep drifted in and pulled her down.

Four days passed without incident following the revelation about the Veneti society, Professor Allworth, and the origin of Arielle’s magic amulet. Sebastian and Troy went to the office every morning and returned home around 2:00 in the afternoon. Sebastian and Arielle fell into a routine. In the afternoons, Sebastian would spend time reading the paper or watching the telly while Arielle did her homework. Later, they would take long walks on the beach and talk about their plans for the future. When they arrived home, Sebastian would sit with her while she ate her dinner, and they would discuss news about school and their friends. Sometimes, she would chitchat nonstop, making Sebastian laugh out loud. It was later in the evenings that he would get on the phone with Troy and the conversations would turn quite serious.

They would use that strange immortal talk, making it impossible for her to understand their conversation. However, she would notice his facial expressions shifting as their discussions progressed. She wondered what was so upsetting for Sebastian, but she didn’t want to ask.

What she found amazing was that as soon as he would hang up, his whole demeanor would change. Arielle would again become the center of his attention. He would take her to bed and make her writhe in his arms, making her oblivious to any thoughts or concerns she might have had.

One afternoon they decided to go horseback riding. It was a cool clear day and they rode in complete silence. Arielle’s thoughts swirled around Sebastian while her eyes enjoyed the scenery.

She realized that she had never visited Sebastian’s office, but in her mind she had created an image of this enormous building centered in the middle of London. The truth was that she was completely intrigued about Sebastian’s business. She wondered what his secretary looked like, what kind of people worked for him, and what did he do when he was there? One of these days she was going to surprise him with an unexpected visit. She gave an imperceptible shake of her head and smiled inwardly as she thought how she surprised he would be when she entered his office unannounced.

When she looked over at Sebastian, he was watching her carefully.

“What are you thinking?” he asked curiously.

“About you, of course, do I ever think about anything else?” She snorted.

“I’m happy to hear that. But you look perplexed, so what are you really thinking about?” he asked again, a light smile touching his lips.

“Oh,” she paused. There was a short silence. “I was thinking about the telephone calls you have been making to Troy, for the past three nights,” she said, and gave him a direct look. Sebastian narrowed his eyes at her.

“What about the calls?” he asked, clearly surprised.

Arielle cleared her throat. “Sebastian, you look agitated during those discussions. I do hope that everything at work is going well,” she said, keeping her expression as calm as possible.

Sebastian moved his horse closer to hers, met her gaze, and held it. “Arielle, why do you feel that you can’t ask me about something that’s bothering you. Have I ever given you a reason to think that you can’t?” He smiled gently.