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"Agreed. Now tell me who this Aidan character is."
Chapter 2
Who’s Jealous Now?
"You can't be serious, Stefan. You're jealous of my book editor?" I pulled away and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "You were listening in on my phone call to Aidan?"
I wanted Stefan to at least pretend to appear a little guilty. Instead, a look of smug satisfaction spread over his handsome face. He was completely shameless.
"I heard the end of your conversation. He wants to meet with you?"
"Us," I corrected. "He wants to meet with us."
Stefan pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. "Ah, I think he would be happier if you met him alone. I cannot blame him. You are beautiful, Josephine. Any man would love to have your undivided attention for even a moment."
"You’re way too smooth you know. And completely biased," I whispered, smacking at his chest with my hand.
"Perhaps I am biased. I also see how other men look at you. I am also cautious. Set up a meeting. Perhaps having a drink would be best for Aidan to meet your ‘boyfriend’." Stefan accented his comment with air quotes.
"What am I supposed to call you? My vampire mate?" I asked pointedly. I impishly pushed him away, concentrating on the the computer screen long enough to press ‘send’ on the e-mail to Aidan.
"You can call me what you wish, vackra. I just wish to hear you call my name many times." His eyebrows waggled and smiled crookedly, sitting down on the chair facing the couch. His mood instantly sobered as he focused on Anna, his intense stare analyzing her lifeless state. I joined in his silent observation, looking for any difference. She looked slightly paler, her hair more vibrant, but those were the only real changes I could notice with my mostly human eyes.
"Sit with me?" Stefan asked quietly. His question piqued my interest since Stefan rarely asked. His requests usually sounded more like statements, not requests.
Moving from my perch on the stool, I crossed the room and fell into the expanse of his lap. He held me close, his chin resting on the top of my head. His thoughts were heavy, as was his mood. Stefan had been troubled since we’d returned to New York from Bali. He was much more experienced at shielding his thoughts from me, but his emotions were more difficult for him to disguise due to our newly formed bond.
Letting my fingernails run over his muscular arms, I nuzzled my nose against his neck. “Please talk to me, Stefan. Tell me what’s been bothering you for two days.”
He released yet another sigh. His voice sounded detached and soft when he finally began to talk. "Changing Anna had made me remember the day I awoke as a vampire. My human memories and attachments were muddled, yet I clearly remembered dying at Solveig's hands. The fear of feeling my life slip away was horrifying. It was the second time in my life I felt helpless."
"I can't imagine you ever being helpless," I murmured. It was true. He was so strong and vital, imagining him weak and defenseless was difficult for me to fathom. It didn’t help hearing the mere mention of his maker’s name. Solveig been dead for more than 700 years, yet she was like an invisible wedge between us. Stefan had loved her once. More than likely, there was a part of him that always would.
He barked out a soft laugh, his cynical smile making his face look harsh. "I was dying and was no match for Solveig. I was angry at her. I felt as if I was supposed to die a human death. My own miscalculations cost me my life. As a warrior, I had been defeated and I was willing to accept death. I fought and I lost. Dying was my punishment for my mistakes. When Solveig found me, she quickly recognized my ability and chose a different kind of death for me." Stefan paused, his deep voice becoming stronger. "Lukas lay dying when I offered this life to him. I was never able to offer Anna the choice, to give her the opportunity to decide if she wanted immortality. As a vampire, I made an oath to myself that I would never change a human without their consent. I vowed that I would never become like my maker. Yet here I sit with you, waiting for my unwilling child to rise. I am preparing for her anger, her confusion and pain once she realizes what she has lost because of our decisions. You must be ready for it as well, vackra. She may be angry and resentful. She will never have children. She will live a life in the shadows, pretending to fit in while watching the world pass by."
"I didn't think about how you would feel. I didn't want Anna to die like that. She would have wanted to live," I responded sheepishly. I had only thought of saving Anna in any way possible way during those hectic, frantic moments at my villa. Stefan could offer her an eternal life. I had no idea of his reservations or his own personal code as a vampire.
"How could you have known? I do not blame you, Josephine." Stefan had read my mind. He monitored me closely, especially when the subject matter was tense. Part of him was always going to be afraid I’d run again. "Let me continue with my story. When I awoke, I was overwhelmed. I could hear the wind rustling through the leaves, able to discern the different type of tree by the sound the leaf made in the wind. I could scent human blood miles away. I could see colors that my human eyes could not. My strength had increased to amazing proportions. I could uproot a tree with one hand."
My fingers kept tracing invisible patterns over his skin. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you. Even my small changes have been difficult to handle. Why are you telling all of this to me this now?”
His large hand cupped my chin and tilted my head upwards to stare into my eyes. His sea blue eyes were thoughtful, his Nordic face wise. "Seeing Anna like this has brought back many different memories. When I changed Lukas, I was alone and had been searching for you. I found you and have you at my side and I want you to know everything I can tell you about this life. I also tell you these things because you are changing as well. You need to understand what to expect with each change as it happens."
Turning on his lap to face him, my eyes searched his curiously. I brushed his blond hair back from his face as he stared off into space, thinking and searching for my future. He momentarily envisioned me as a true immortal at his side. The picture faded away as quickly as it came.
"You’re seeing me as a vampire? Changing from what I am now?” I burst out impatiently. The image had been fleeting but it was the first time he’d seen me as an immortal. I was both excited and nervous as I deduced the possibilities of his vision.
Stefan smoothed his fingers over my back, causing a shiver to run down my spine. "Do not read too much into it. Many things we already know. Your skin temperature has cooled. Your flesh heals quickly. Your vision has improved and your strength and speed has increased. I have noticed the cadence of your heart. Each day its rhythm slows. There are so many unknowns. Since you are already partially a vampire and our bond, you may make the transition on your own. I want you to be..."
Two sharp knocks sounded on the door before Lukas entered the apartment, interrupting our conversation.
"Is it time?" Lukas wondered as he buzzed to Anna's side, staring at her critically. He turned his head from side to side, his attractive face unreadable.
When Stefan didn't answer, Lukas turned to face him. Stefan and Lukas exchanged a long look, the kind where nothing needed to be said aloud. Their years together and sire/child relationship linked them, enabling them to exchange information with a single look.
Stefan spoke slowly, deliberately. "I am inclined to say yes."
Exhilaration raced through me. I threw my arms around Stefan's neck, hugging him tightly. His arms wrapped around me loosely.
