Illusion:The Vampire Destiny Book #2(15)

"You will find out. It should be interesting. I will give you some privacy during the visit."
Stefan was being extremely cryptic. Seeing that he wasn't willing to play along, I finished my breakfast and slid away from the island, walking around to the sink and began rinsing the plates off and loading the dishwasher. I was wiping the counter down when I felt his hands reach around and cup the swell of my breasts and he bent slightly to inhale my hair. My breathing immediately hitched. It only took a touch from him to send my overworked libido into overdrive.
His hand slipped down the fabric of my t-shirt to slide inside of my jeans. His long fingers had no trouble slithering deep into my panties to gently stroke my clit as his lips dragged over my neck. Gripping the counter for support, a tiny moan fell from my lips and I widened my legs to give him better access. He complied and his fingers went inside of me, softly teasing me. His own breathing increased, sounding rougher. I was so close to orgasm and soft, mewing noises were the only sounds I could manage. I tensed around his fingers, crying out in protest when he withdrew his hand from my pants and playfully smacked my ass.
Stunned into silence for a moment and burning with unfulfilled longing, I spun to face him, open-mouthed and pissed off. "You have got to be kidding me. Stefan!"
He towered over me, his gorgeous face filled with mischief. A playful smile graced his lips as he leaned in to peck me on the mouth. "I have things to do, vackra. Lukas is next door if you need him. I assure you we will finish what we started. Later."
He disappeared down the hallway so quickly that I would have missed it if I'd blinked. Smacking my hand on the granite counter, I threw the sponge in the sink. Two could play at this game.
I walked down the hallway to our bedroom and stood in the doorway watching him dress. He only had a pale blue Oxford dress shirt on that was still unbuttoned. It exposed the sculpted planes of his chest and the muscles of his stomach. I could see the outline of his cock through his boxer briefs. I was drawn to him like a kid in a candy store and he was the most delicious treat available. It was if everything else in the room disappeared.
Gliding across the room to him, I glanced up at him longingly. My hands drifted across his waist, straight down his stomach. I couldn't help smiling when I felt his muscles twitch as my fingertips brushed over each of the pronounced ridges. I pushed his underwear down low enough that he sprang free, his cock falling into my waiting hands.
"Josephine … "
"Shhh," I murmured softly and I gripped him in my hand, stroking the thick velvet-hardness of his cock. I glanced up at him again, reeling as I watched his mouth slightly part and his eyes darken with lust.
I dragged my tongue down his chest until I had lowered to a crouched position with my hand still rubbing over his impressive length. He was growing harder with every twist of my wrist and when I took the head of his cock in my mouth, he let out a guttural growl so powerful that I could feel the pulsation in my mouth. Rolling my tongue around him, I groaned from the taste of him. His hands ran through my wavy hair until they loosely knotted there, urging me to continue. He started to swell inside my mouth and I knew he was close to his climax.
It was payback time. Letting him slip from my mouth with a pop, I stood and went on my tip toes to kiss the corner of his mouth and the cleft in his chin.
"Silly me! I forgot that you have things to do. We'll continue this later," I said, glancing over my shoulder, attempting to speak in the most casual voice I could muster.
"Josephine. Come back here," he moaned in a strangled voice.
"Sweetheart, when you play with fire, you get burned. Get dressed."
Adjusting my clothes, I walked into the living room. I plopped down on the sofa, picking up my book from the ottoman. I lost myself in reading and after a few minutes my concentration was interrupted when Stefan leaned down to capture my mouth in a kiss.
"Even though you are wicked, I love you." His mouth brushed against mine before running a long finger down my cheek and standing back up. I watched him swagger out of the apartment, my own personal walking fantasy wrapped up in faded jeans and a blue shirt.
Groaning and pulling a cushion over my face, I wanted to run after him and strip him naked, having my way with him from one end of the apartment to the other until neither of us could think or had the strength to move.
Knowing that was out of the question, I tucked the pillow behind my head and tried to immerse myself back in my book, half of my mind still focused on Stefan.
As I read, my eyes started getting heavy. I'd almost nodded off when a knock sounded at the door. Expecting it to be Lukas, I sighed heavily and took my time answering it. Yanking it open, my mouth was in high gear before he could get any of his sass out.
"Lukas, I'm not in the mood for your bitchiness today. If you can tone it down … " My voice tapered off when I realized it wasn't Lukas on the other side of the door. A tall man with light brown hair stood on the other side of the doorway. He was slim and lean, dressed in tight jeans, a white t-shirt and a black motorcycle jacket. It was his familiar green eyes that stopped me in my tracks. They appraised me with unconcealed curiosity as he leaned against the door frame.
"Knock knock, sister dear. Please don't make me tone down my bitchiness. Especially since it's time you heard the truth about daddy dearest." A wry smile spread broke across his thin face. It was covered with two days worth of stubble, his smile revealing straight white teeth. "Nigel told me you were in town. It's long overdue that we met, Josie."
Speechless, I gaped at him in confusion. I felt light-headed for a moment as his words slowly sank in.
"I'm Nikolaus Ahearne, your brother. I can see from your reaction that Kian neglected to tell you about me." He rubbed his stubbled chin and tried to smooth the wild disarray of his short wavy hair.
"N-no. He didn't tell me," I whispered, gripping the door tightly in my hand.
"Shocking," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "As nice as your hallway is, I'm curious if you're going to invite me in?"
"Sorry! Come in," I mumbled and stepped aside.
He strolled past me and tapped my cheek affectionately as he stepped into our living room. He looked around and removed his jacket, dropping it carelessly over the stool at the island. He crossed to the wall of windows, glancing down at the street below. He turned to face me and shoved his hands in his pockets, the muscles contracting in his heavily tattooed arms. Nikolaus looked no older than me, and with the exception of his dark hair, the resemblance between us was there. We shared the same prominent cheekbones and almond shaped green eyes.
"I don't know what Kian has told you about this life or who he is. I'd be willing to bet my immortality that it's his skewed bullshit version of the truth. He's an accomplished fucking liar." He didn't mince words. He simply jumped in without any preamble.
Simply nodding, I said nothing. I was hoping he'd continue talking and I didn't want to interrupt him.
"Before I tell you about our father, let me tell you about what we are. We're hybrids, Josie. Once we hit our thirties we become immortal, unchanging anomalies. Our mother was tired of being Kian's pawn and little science project. She disappeared 28 years ago, a few days after you were born. One day I woke up and you both were gone. I was only 10 and too young to ask questions. I just missed my mom and my baby sister." He sat down on the couch and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. "When I started asking questions, the lies began."
"What kind of lies?"
"Kian tried to convince me that she left us and took you with her. That he was the victim in my mother's selfishness. I was na?ve and believed it until I found out our mother was having an affair with Nigel. She was going to leave our father the day she disappeared. Convenient timing, right?"
My mind flashed back to the day Nigel told me that my mother was almost as beautiful as me. I remembered his anguish as he sat in this very room, so strong that I felt tears fill my eyes now. "Nigel loves her. He keeps searching for her," I said. My mind was racing as I considered his story. I knew Nikolaus was telling me the truth.
"Yeah, Nigel doesn't want to accept she's dead. Fuck Josie, I don't want to accept it." He ran his fingers through his short hair again, leaning back on the couch. I noticed that it was his hair was streaked with strands of chestnut and gold as the sun from the windows gleamed across his face. "I know you're trying to figure out my angle, right?"
A sheepish smile tugged at my lips and my eyes narrowed. He was right. "How do you know what I'm thinking?"
"You're a psychic and I'm a telepath. If I'm right, drop your shields and you'll see." He pressed his index finger against his temple and raised up his thumb, imitating a gun. "Our father doesn't know I can read his mind. It's quite humorous to know I can do something he doesn't know about and he can't block."
Lowering my shields, I startled when my mind connected with his. Nikolaus' brain was like opening up an encyclopedia of memories. He gave me access to every bit of information he knew about my father, many of the recollections making me shudder. The one that I focused on featured our father gripping a beautiful, brown haired woman by the shoulders, shaking her violently. His face was twisted in rage as he sank his fangs into her neck, biting her so savagely that he nearly ripped her throat out.