Ascend (The Vampire Destiny Series Book #4) (25 page)

“There’s nothing here for me anymore.  I figured I’d be better off with my sister,” he admitted.  His hand reached up to stroke his scruffy goatee.  “You’re the first real family I’ve had in a long time.”

We were so similar.  We may have different mothers, but we were both new to discovering what it meant to have a family.  It was a foreign concept to us; hard to swallow when you’ve been deprived of it for so long.

I sat in the chair next to him.  “Fletcher, I didn’t go through what you did.  But I’ve seen first hand what Kian is capable of.  I’ve read his sick journals.  What we have back in New York is the closest thing to a family I’ve had since Garrett and Meredith.  And even then, I never felt like I fit in.  But now…now I have someplace I belong.  And for the record, I’m glad you’re coming with us.”

He nodded and fiddled with his glasses.  Lukas and Stefan began carrying luggage to our rental car, stacking the luggage inside.  Fletcher hoisted his duffle bag over his shoulder and sauntered towards them.  I couldn’t hide my smile when I watched Stefan’s quiet acceptance of my brother.  Lukas simply eyed him in silence, undoubtedly trying to figure out how best to annoy him.

Getting to my feet, I pulled the front door closed and locked the deadbolt.  My fingers brushed over the brass doorknocker.  I was saying goodbye again, only this time, I wasn’t alone.

Bounding down the steps, I joined them at the edge of the car.  Grabbing the keys from Stefan’s fingers, I headed towards the driver seat.  I ignored his protests and simply got in, adjusting the seat and fixing the mirrors.  Stefan sulked as he folded his tall frame into the passenger seat.

“Don’t worry, we’re not going far.  I decided to take advantage of the credit cards in my wallet and chartered a private plane out of the University Airport.”  I glanced at Lukas in the rearview mirror.  “We won’t be flying commercial anymore, sweet cheeks.”

Cranking the engine, I sped down the gravel driveway, leaving a cloud of fine dust in the air behind me.  As I watched the farmhouse grow smaller in the mirror, I could have sworn I saw Garrett on the porch, waving goodbye.

***

Our arrival in New York brought back the apprehension of Kian lurking around every corner.  I could sense he would be making an unwelcome appearance in our lives.  It was a feeling deep in my gut, heavy and nagging at me for attention.

We’d hailed a cab and headed for the Flatiron District in Manhattan.  This would be our new home; yet another property that Stefan owned.  He felt the other address in Chelsea was too well known and was a risk for us.

The taxi slid to a stop in front of a 12 story, limestone building on E 22
^nd
Street.  My eyes widened as I looked up at the building.  This building made the other pale in comparison.

I felt Stefan’s warm breath on my neck.  “Come, my beautiful wife.  It is time to see your new home.”

Stefan greeted the doorman with an incline of his head and we headed towards the elevator.  He extended a long finger and pressed the up arrow on the panel.

“You don’t do anything half way, do you?” I questioned.  I looked up into his handsome face and saw a glimpse of the jovial Stefan peeking through the gloom that had surrounded us all for the last day.  He was still carrying guilt, yet I could see his charming arrogance fighting to break free.

“I never do anything half way.  You should know that, vackra.” Stefan waggled his eyebrows suggestively as the elevator door opened.  We’d squeezed into the cab and Stefan pressed the number 12 button. 

“There are two apartments on this floor.  Anna, Lukas and Nikolaus are on one side.  Fletcher, you are welcome to stay with us if you feel more comfortable.  We have four bedrooms so there is plenty of room with us.” Stefan explained as the elevator ascended.  “Take a look at both places and then you can decide…”

“Back up the train, Mr. Romance.  Did you call Josie your wife?”  Lukas interjected.  I could hear his toe tapping and the irritable edge to his voice.

Stefan turned slightly and fixed a stony stare in his direction.  “Yes, I did.  She is my wife.  We were married during our visit to Josephine’s hometown.  There will be no further discussion about this matter.”

Fletcher stifled a laugh as the doors slid open.  We spilled out into the carpeted hallway, each of us lugging our suitcases behind us.  Stefan directed me to the right as Lukas veered to the left, muttering angrily under his breath about being left out of everything and stuck with the grunt work.

“I think I’ll be sticking with you,” Fletcher mumbled.  He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck as he glanced up and down the hallway of the expensive apartment building.  “How much does one of these cost, anyway?”

Stefan unlocked the door and looked back at my half-brother with amusement.  “An apartment smaller than this sold for over $3 million dollars last year.  My investment company purchased this building in the early 1900’s.  It was an industrial building and was converted to apartments in 1910.”

I started to step in but Stefan blocked my path.  “It is tradition for the groom to carry their wife over the threshold.”

With that, he swept me up into his arms, bridal style.  Giggling, I smacked at his chest.  “You already did this in Ohio.”

“We should not risk any bad luck.”  Stefan carried me into the apartment and took me from room to room.  Much more spacious than the apartment in Chelsea, it was decorated in a similar style with its crisp, modern lines and light, polished wood.  Sleek leather furniture adorned the living room and modern appliances sparkled in the kitchen.  Like the apartment in Chelsea, this apartment also had wide, open windows with a great view of Madison Square Park.  The tour was complete as we passed a formal dining room with a blond wooden table with sleek upholstered chairs.  Two of the four bedrooms and bathrooms were on one side of the apartment, separated by the living room and kitchen.  Fletcher had chosen a room on the other side of the apartment, quietly closing the door behind him.  It appeared my overwhelmed brother needed some time alone to decompress.  I couldn’t blame him.

“You can put me down now,” I chided softly.  Actually, I was enjoying being in the comfort of his arms.  After the events of the last few days, it was nice to see him act so much like the Stefan I fell in love with.

“If I put you down in bed, can we stay there?” Stefan’s voice was as smooth as silk and enticing.  His blue eyes were blazing and dark, heavy lidded as they stared into mine.

Wetness flooded between my legs at his words…and darts of desire shot through my veins. “As much as I’d like to, I think we need to get settled in.” 

Disappointed with my answer, he feigned rejection as he set me on my feet.  “There will always be time to settle in.”

He always had to give it another shot because he knew my resolve crumbled easily.  “I promise.  I’m all yours later.  Besides, I want to explore.”

He followed me along as I searched room to room, peeking my head in the room next door he’d claimed as office space.  It had the same dark, heavy furniture on one side of the room and the other was a more modern, airy desk space.  “I thought it would be nice for you to have your space in the office as well.  I can change it if you do not like it.”

I looked up into his handsome face and couldn’t stop the cheek-splitting grin on my face.  “I love it.  Thank you.”

Turning to face him, I cupped his face in my hands.  My thumbs traced along his high cheekbones and down the curve of his jaw.  His kissable lips were soft and moist, his sparkling eyes filled with happiness.

“I have made you happy.  Your joy and your happiness is all that matters to me.” Stefan gripped me by my shoulders and lowered his head to capture my lips with his.  Stefan’s blue eyes flashed with a burning intensity as they swept over my face.  His poor mind was a frenzy of long forgotten memories, his emotions so out of control he was shuddering as he held me. “I remember…I remember everything.  I can recall the feel of my heart as it raced when I made love to you the first time.  For nearly 700 years, I was robbed of my memories, a single recollection of what we shared.  And I spent 200 years searching for you, incomplete until I found you.”

“Stefan, I didn’t remember either.”  My voice came out in rush.  “I didn’t remember until my mother came to me…”

“I wanted nothing more than to die on that pyre.  I knew that if I were to perish, we would somehow be together.  Solveig found me and deprived me of those years with you.”  His fangs had dropped in his anger, digging into his lower lip.  His exquisite control was slipping in his growing fury.  His voice grew softer, became unsure as he spoke again.  “You know everything?”

“Not everything.  I remember our past together,” I murmured.  I pulled my arms from his firm grasp and stretched up to clasp his face in my hands.  “You’ll just need to fill in the blanks for me.”

“You want to know it all?” Stefan questioned cautiously.  Every muscle in his body had tightened, his body coiled tightly…like a snake ready to strike.

My eyebrow rose slightly and I nodded, nibbling on my bottom lip.  “Yes.  I want to know it all.  But not tonight.  You’ve been through enough the last two days.  We have an eternity, right?”

Some of the tension left his body and he grinned, his white teeth gleaming.  “That we do.  An eternity to remember.”

Standing on tiptoe, I pressed my lips against his impossibly perfect mouth.  "You remember me,
Steafedn.  That is enough for me now."

I felt his soft, firm lips turn up into a smile against mine. "Yes, Iosiphina.  I remember you."

His hands twisted into my hair as his mouth devoured mine possessively. His tongue playfully tangled with mine as our kiss deepened.  And once again, I gave into the passion of our kiss.

And as I lost myself in him, the air shimmered around us.  It was no longer the same man holding me in his arms.  He had the same angelic face, but his heavy heartbeat thudded against my breasts.  His hair was much longer, sweeping past his shoulders.  My fingers tangled in the golden strands as my arms wrapped around his broad shoulders, pulling him closer.  But his kiss...his kiss was still the same.

He lowered me to the ground softly, his firm grasp never faltering.  When his lips pulled away, my eyes met the familiar sparkle of his sea blue eyes.  His face was soft, his face sun kissed from his time in the sun.

"Iosiphina," he murmured, his fingers trailing over the bodice of my dress.

My hungry lips covered his before he could utter another word.  We fell back to the grass with his heavy body covering me.  His human hands gripped my hips possessively and I responded to his fervent touch.

" Steafedn," I moaned softly, opening my eyes.

The moment my eyes opened, I was ripped from the memory and the strong hands holding me now meant so much more.  He'd survived centuries, perfectly preserved for me...

Stefan said nothing.  He could feel every emotion coursing through me as if it were his own.

I buried my face in his chest, fisting my hands in his shirt. "We were there together in that memory just now, weren't we?"

I felt him nod in assent.  "Yes, vackra.  Even then, it was only you."

He was simply holding me when Anna appeared in the doorway.  She cleared her throat nervously.

“Anna.  Come back later.”  Stefan ordered sharply.  His arms tightened around me, holding me closer to his strong, muscled body.

“Uh, this can’t wait.  I’m sorry, but you have to come.  Now.”  Anna didn’t wait for us to follow; she simply spun on her heel and scurried from the apartment.

“This can’t be good,” I muttered.  Stefan took my hand and we headed down the hall and out of the apartment.  As we approached, I heard Nikolaus’ slow, sluggish heartbeat and two human heartbeats.  One was as fast as the wings of a hummingbird, while the other was the normal, human sound of a heart beating.

“How is your thirst?” Stefan asked quickly.  He gripped my hand tightly as we approached the door.

“F..Fine.  I can put down my shield, just in case.”  I assured him.  Adrenaline spiked through by body.  I had to remain in control.