Chapter 27
Chapter 27
T he next night Helen woke me, telling me we were leaving. When I asked for more details, she told me I’d have to ask Julian. Of course. After I showered and got dressed, I left the bedroom and saw Julian standing in front of the windows with his hands clasped behind his back.
He turned when I walked into the room, his eyes moving over me. “Are you ready?”
I nodded. “Where are we going?”
“New York.”
I blinked, surprised. “Why? We just got here. I thought we were going to a wedding?”
“The wedding is in New York.”
I was confused. “Then why did we come to London?”
He put his hand in his pants pockets and stared at me.
“ What ?” I snapped angrily.
“I’m trying to decide how much to tell you.”
I huffed. “How about everything?”
He looked at me silently for several moments before speaking. “We came to London because I only recently purchased this property, so few know about it. I thought this would be the safest place for you.”
“Why were you concerned for my safety?” I asked slowly.
“There was a problem with another vampire. A rather violent vampire. I had to keep you safe until I took care of things.”
My mind was spinning. He had only wanted to keep me safe? “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It would only have upset you.”
I took a step towards him. “Disappearing without a word for three nights upset me. I didn’t know if you were hurt, or if you’d just gotten tired of me.”
He crossed the distance between us and lifted a hand to brush his fingers over my cheek. “I will never tire of you.”
And just like that my anger was gone. I melted against him, lifting my face for a kiss. He lowered his head and brushed his lips across mine. Someone behind me cleared their throat, and Julian slowly lifted his head.
“The jet is waiting,” Maria said.
Julian took my hand in his. “We’re ready.”
M aria rode with us in the limo to the airport, and Helen followed in another car with the three male vampires who’d accompanied us from Madrid.
We boarded Julain’s jet and took off, and Helen and Maria disappeared into the room at the back of the plane. The three guys sat in the main cabin with us so I never got a chance to speak privately with Julian. Or to kiss him again.
“Who’s getting married?” I asked, finally breaking the silence.
Julian gave me a small smile. “My younger sister, Adeline.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Your younger sister?”
He chuckled. “Well, my sister, in the sense that we were both changed by the same vampire. She was changed four hundred years after me.”
My eyebrows shot up. “So quite a bit younger.” I wondered if I’d ever get used to the fact that the people around me were hundreds of years old. How would I feel when I was that old? “Tell me about the wedding,” I said, to distract myself from that thought. “You said there would be a week-long celebration?”
He frowned. “Unfortunately, we’ve missed most of it. We’ll only be there for one night, for the wedding ceremony.”
I frowned. We’d missed his sister’s wedding festivities because he’d spent the last four nights dealing with the bad vampire. I wish I’d gotten the chance to ask him more about that. Although he probably would have refused to tell me, and then I’d have gotten pissed and we’d have ended up in another argument. I turned to look out the window, wondering if our relationship would always be that turbulent.
I don’t know what I expected. We only met a couple weeks ago. It was strange to remember that. Sometimes I felt so close to him, like I’d known him forever. Sometimes he acted like he cared about me, and other times he acted like he hated me. We’re all vampires like that? Moody and temperamental? Adam hadn’t been. He’d always been kind. He would never have locked me away or kept secrets from me.
Except he did . A traitorous voice in my head whispered. He kept the biggest secret of all.
W e landed at a private runway in New York and drove half an hour to the estate where the wedding was being held. It was a three-story mansion made of light-colored stone that gleamed in the moonlight. Every light in the house was on, and I could hear music before we even got out of the car.
Julian wanted to avoid the crowd, so we entered through the backdoor and took the servants’ stairs up to our room. The sounds drifting upstairs from the party sounded a lot more boisterous than the ball I’d attended, and I briefly wondered if a vampire orgy was taking place. When we got to our room Julian ushered me inside and closed the door behind us, cutting off the sounds from below.
“ Well ,” I said with a little laugh. “It sounds like a real party down there.”
He shrugged out of his suit jacket. “You have no idea. Vampire weddings can get very…” He laughed and shook his head. “Let's just say it’s probably a good thing we missed most of it.”
I smiled suggestively. “Well now I need all the details.”
He tossed his jacket onto a chair and walked towards me. “I’ve got a better idea.” He unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and my heart sped up.
“I want to talk first.” I held up a hand to stop him, even as my body began to respond to his suggestion.
“Talk?” He stopped in front of me and lowered his head to press a kiss to the side of my neck, before inhaling deeply. “I don’t want to talk.” He murmured, his lips moving against my skin as he spoke.
I shuddered with pleasure. I knew what he wanted, I wanted it too. But we had some things to hash out before I gave him access to my body again. I pressed my hands to his chest and half-heartedly tried to push him away. He grabbed my hips and pulled me tight against him. He kissed his way across my neck and my head fell back.
“I mean it,” I breathed, as my eyes fluttered closed. One of his hands slid up my body to cup my breast and my nipples hardened instantly. He growled in response, his thumb brushing over my nipple.
“Julian,” I gasped, fighting the urge to give in. “I need to know what I am to you.”
His hand stilled, and he raised his head from my neck to look at me.
“What is this between us?” I asked, afraid of what his answer would be.
He looked at me for the longest time before answering. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know how you feel?” I tried to hide my disappointment.
He frowned slightly. “I feel very protective of you. And very possessive.” His hand was still cupping my breast, and he squeezed it gently. “You belong to me, Sarah.”
I squeezed my thighs together, hating how much his words turned me on. “I don’t want to be your property.” I told him, even as I pressed my breast against his hand. “And how do you know you really want me? What if it's all just a reaction to drinking my blood?”
Julian rubbed his thumb across my nipple and leaned in to kiss my neck again. “I’ve fed from countless vampires,” he murmured against my skin, “and I’ve never wanted any of them the way that I want you.” He slid his free hand down my body and rubbed me between the legs. “I take care of my possessions, Sarah. Let me take care of you.”
My body jerked in response. “I don’t want to just be your possession,” I breathed, rocking my hips against his hand. He went to unfasten my pants, and I grabbed his wrists. “Julian.”
He silenced me with a kiss. My body grew weak, and he took the opportunity to unfasten my pants. He slid a hand inside, going right for my pussy. I was shamelessly wet already, and he slid two fingers inside of me. I moaned into his mouth. And he nipped at my lower lip.
“Julian,” I gasped, grabbing his biceps to steady myself.
“Yes,” he murmured, pushing his fingers deeper. “Say my name.”
I gave in to the pleasure, forgetting all about the conversation I wanted to have.