I watched
Asher and Julianna embrace, he held her to him like a lifeline.
I
felt a tear well in my eye, not just because Julianna had returned to
us
now, but because I was now not allowed to join them. With a final
glance
at the embracing couple, I quitted the room, heading up to my
bedchamber.
I shut the door quietly behind me, leaning against the heavy oak door.
The
room seemed suddenly stuffy. I went out on the balcony. The cool
summer
breeze was somewhat calming, comforting. I leaned on the balcony
rail,
collecting my thoughts. The house was situated on a somewhat steep
cliff,
the balcony protruded out over a ravine, cutting vertically down
several
hundred feet. But I did not need fear falling. We who can fly no
longer
have that fear of heights.
I laid out on the balcony rail, perfectly balanced, looking up at the
stars.
It was relaxing, a relief I needed right now. How many times had I
wished
for Julianna to not be dead? And now that my wish was granted, I
could
not have her with Asher. I loved Anita, with all my heart, and even
though
I knew I loved Julianna as well, I would not leave Anita.
Naturally,
that would be somewhat impossible with the marks anyway. But I
would
stay with ma petite. I loved her, and I did not put so much effort
into
winning her over, to just cast her aside.
But Mon Dieu! It would stretch my control to the absolute limits! How
many
times, in just this night, had I looked at Asher and wanted to throw
him
to the floor, and have my way with him? To caress his body with lips
and
fingertips, to take the man that had once been mine to touch without
reservation.
And now that Julianna was back, it would not help the
matter.
To see them together, and to be with them, would take me back.
Back to our time, a time of silk and brocade. A time of gallantry,
boisterous
fetes without a care in the night, chivalry and duels, and
gilded
gold buildings. But I now loved another. Just as much as Julianna
and
Asher, and most probably more. And as much as it will hurt me to
restrain
my desire for my old lovers, Anita was the one who had taken my
heart
for hers alone. She had taken my heart, my body, and, my soul, for
I
personally believe I still have one.
Then my thoughts turned to the circumstances upon Julianna had been
brought
here. Asher had rescued her from her burning home, Marceau and
Benett
in pursuit. This could not be good. Their master was an old rival
of
ours, and I did not look forward to facing him again. It should not be
too
taxing, but it was always unpleasant.
Anita’s POV
I watched
Asher and Julia Anne, or should I say, Julianna, embrace,
holding
each other. Out of the corner of my eye I caught the motion of
Jean-Claude
leaving the room, leaving me alone with them in the living
room.
I might as well have not been there, which I could understand.
After
being separated for centuries, what Asher thought was to be
forever,
I could understand why they ignored everything else in the room.
I
left the room as well, though not as quickly or as urgently as
Jean-Claude
had. Which turned my thoughts to him.
Why exactly had he left the room so quickly? Had it been to control an
urge
to join them on the floor? A sick feeling started in my stomach,
traveling
to be an ache in my heart. Was I going to loose Jean-Claude
over
this? Julianna had been his first love, centuries before me. How
could
I compete with that? I mentally sighed. And she was…beautiful, to
say
the least. I didn’t think I could compete with that either. I could
kill
things, and raise them from the dead, that was my specialty. Wow,
Anita,
you’re a real one of a kind, I thought to myself. I could feel a
low
self esteem trip coming on.
I reached out to Jean-Claude through the marks, trying to find him. He
was
up on the balcony, off of our room. There were hella lotta balconies
in
this place.
I
slipped through the French doors, stepping out onto the balcony to find
Jean-Claude
laid out on the railing, staring up at the stars.
“Jean-Claude?”
Jean-Claude’s POV
“Jean-Claude?” asked ma petite, as she joined me on the balcony.
I turned to look at her. “Oui, ma petite?”
She walked over to me, looking down at me. It was first. “Are you
alright?”
“I am a bit distraught,” I answered truthfully.
“It must be a shock to see her again, after all these years.”
I smiled meekly. “To say the least.”
I noticed ma petite was hunched in on herself, her arms crossed. I had
an
idea why. “You are afraid I will leave you for her,” I stated.
I noticed the surprise written on Anita’s face. Surprise that I had read
her
thoughts, surprise that I knew her so well. “The thought had crossed
my
mind,” she said meekly, looking to the ground. She must have truly
been
worried, for ma petite does nothing meekly.
I sat up on the stone railing, swinging my legs around. Reaching out, I
pulled
ma petite to me to rest in a cradle between my legs, wrapping my
arms
around her petite form. I kissed her forehead. “Perish the thought,
Anita.
I have not fought so hard to win you, to give you up so
frivolously.”
She sighed, snuggling into my chest. “But I don’t think Julianna would
count
as frivolous.”
I gripped ma petite’s shoulders, pushing her back just enough so I could
look
into her eyes. “I love you, Anita, and I am NOT leaving you. Not
even
for Julianna.” Anita nodded, perhaps half believing me. I sighed,
softly.
“I can tell you do not believe me. How can I prove it to you, ma
petite?”
She sighed as well. “I don’t know, Jean-Claude. There isn’t any way to
prove
it but for the test of time.”
I slid down from the railing, so my feet were once again on the ground,
our
bodies pressed together. “Then time will tell, Anita. I swear it.”
She suddenly wrapped her arms around my torso, holding me tightly. “I
just…I
just don’t want to lose you, Jean-Claude. And if anyone could
possibly
take you from me, it would be her. She was the love of your
life,
Jean-Claude.”
“Now that is where you are wrong, ma petite. You are the love of my
life.
Where Asher and I once shared Julianna, you are completely my own.”
I
kissed Anita gently, running my fingers up and down her arms in teasing
lines.
She stood on tiptoe, pressing against my mouth. I broke away to
whisper,
“Would you like me to prove to you my intentions are true?”
She smiled. “That depends. What do you have in mind?”
I did something she never allows me to do. I swept her up off of her
feet,
tearing a surprised yip from her lips. I carried her into the
bedroom,
setting her down on the soft feather mattress. “I had something
in
mind of this nature,” I said. Running my lips down her neck and
collarbone,
I traced a line up her thigh with my fingertips. The two
combined
sensations tore a gasp from her lips.