Illusion Read online

  The doors parted and we walked into a dark, wood paneled room that was a living and office space. On one side, two large couches faced each other in the living room. The walls were lined with impressive artwork, most of which were probably priceless, one-of-a-kind masterpieces. The other end of the room was centered around a large mahogany desk with two chairs at each corner. My father sat behind the desk, silently observing us and rising to his feet to greet us.

  “Stefan and Josephine. Thank you for joining me.” Kian inclined his head in greeting. He walked around the desk with outstretched hands as if to embrace me. Shrinking back, I huddled against Stefan’s side. My father dropped his hands and a wounded expression briefly darkened his face before a small, forced smile took its place.

  “Stefan, thank you for bringing my daughter to see me before you left. I would like to speak to her alone,” Kian said as he glanced between us both. By his tone it was obvious they’d discussed this and it was an order, not a request.

  “Vackra, I have no choice. I will be close by, I promise,” Stefan’s mental voice had a nervous edge to it.

  Straightening my back, I pulled away from Stefan’s side to face my father. I stared at him for a moment, my eyes flickering over him before I spoke. “I would prefer for him to stay with me, Kian.”

  He clasped his hands together in front of him before sitting down in one of the chairs that was in front of the massive desk. “I would like to speak to you alone. I understand your fear, Josephine. I am your father and I assure you no harm will come to you. Stefan, please leave us.”

  Stefan’s sparkling blue eyes turned into icy glaciers as he inclined his head to my father. He leaned and pressed a kiss to my forehead while his mental voice entered my thoughts. “I can hear you from the other floors. If you need me, call for me.”

  He left the room and I stood alone, facing the man that was my birth father. His vivid red hair stood out in stark contrast to the paleness of his alabaster skin. His attentive, green eyes seemed to take in my every movement.

  “Josephine, please sit,” Kian said, gesturing to the chair opposite him. Gingerly easing down on the edge of the seat, I swallowed nervously. I’d waited for this moment my entire life, yet I couldn’t find it in myself to be happy. Something about Kian made me uneasy. He seemed too smooth and polished.

  “You wanted to see me?” I asked as I tapped my fingers against the arms of the chair. Raising an eyebrow in contempt, I struggled to keep my voice level. “Now that you have and I know who you are, there’s really nothing else to say. I’d like to leave with Stefan unless I’m a prisoner here.”

  He crossed his legs and attempted to arrange his face into a gentle smile. I noticed that the sentiment never reached his eyes. “I can understand why you are angry with me. All I ask is to speak to you for a moment.”

  Sighing loudly, I stared down at the ornate rug for a moment before focusing back on my father. Part of me wanted to just refuse and get up and leave. Another part of me was interested as to what he had to say. My curiosity won out over my stubbornness and I scooted back in the chair in surrender. “Fine, Kian. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

  My father leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his thighs.

  “You are happy with Stefan. I can feel the love between the two of you. He had searched many years to find you, Josephine. His fated mate. It was interesting to watch him on his journey to find you,” Kian mused as he threaded his fingers together and a grin pulled at the corner of his lips. “He never gave up on finding you. Others would have grown tired of the constant searching, yet he never did. It speaks of his character.”

  Fuming, I felt my cheeks flush with anger as my mind absorbed his words. If possible, I was more livid than before. Not only did my father sit back and watch me struggle with my abilities, he let Stefan continue his search for me when he knew exactly where I was all along. I could add these things to my growing list of reasons to be suspicious of my father.

  “You knew all along that Stefan would be my mate?” I seethed. The word “mate” felt odd saying it aloud for the first time. “Why didn't you tell him where I was 10 years ago, Kian? He spent so many years looking for me. We wasted so much time. It was time that we could have been together.”

  He smiled softly, his green eyes gleaming. “Josephine, you were not ready to meet him. You would have barely been 18.” Kian sat back in his chair. “I understand your frustration. It must seem unfair that you spent so many unhappy years alone, my dear. I am sorry that you suffered.

  He was sorry that I suffered?! That's the only apology he was willing to offer after abandoning me as an infant to strangers? “I can't discuss all of that with you right now, Kian. It's too much to take in. I'm tired and I just want to find Stefan so we can leave. We can talk about this some other time.”

  “Josephine, you have 28 years worth of questions. When you are ready, we will talk.” He nodded in agreement and hesitated as if considering what to say next. “I am pleased he found you. You complete each other.”

  Shrugging, I gripped the arms of the chair. I was almost ready to stand when a thought occurred to me. Kian was older than Stefan and it made me curious to discover what he knew about him. “How long have you known Stefan?”

  “I had not had the pleasure of meeting him until today. However, I have known of Stefan for 875 years. He was Steafedn Hlífsteinn when he captured the Board's attention, a young vampire with powerful abilities and strength. Many years passed and his name changed with the times. Hence we have the Stefan Lifsten you know today.”

  “Steafedn Hlífsteinn,” I repeated softly. My tongue struggled over the syllables of his name. “I feel horrible that I've never asked him these things.”

  “Your love for him is new. Eventually you would have asked.”

  My father leaned over to softly stroke my cheek. I unconsciously flinched at his touch, pressing my back deeper into the chair to put more distance between us.

  “I do not mean to scare you, Josephine.”

  Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to smile. “Tell me more about Stefan.”

  “Stefan,” he said, tenting his fingers under his chin. “He was remarkable as a human, a protector of his family. He was fortunate and came from what would have been a wealthy family during his human life. He had an extraordinary way of predicting the plans of his enemies. Of course, we know why that is.” He raised an eyebrow, the red hair bright against the pallor of his face. “Even his premonitions could not save him during his final human encounter. He was fatally wounded in 1070. If Solveig had not changed him, he would have bled to death on a cold spring night of that year. Don’t you see, Josephine? My dear, he died that night to be reborn for you.”

  I let his words sink in for a moment. Had fate intervened almost 1,000 years ago, sparing the man that would be my soul mate? Listening to my father tell his story made me grasp the enormity of Stefan’s vision 200 years ago. I attempted to swallow back the lump that had taken up residence in my throat, unable to control the hot tears that spilled from my eyes.

  My father leaned forward again, only this time to offer me a crisp linen handkerchief.

  “Thank you.” I carefully took the tissue from him, dabbing at my eyes. “Why did his maker choose to turn him?”

  “Josephine,” he chided softly. “Vampires are not different from humans. We covet the exceptional and beautiful specimens, choosing to change those that will make excellent additions to our race. We too believe in survival of the fittest.”

  He rubbed a single finger across his chin. “Stefan is a rarity even by today’s standards. Imagine seeing him during a time when beauty and intelligence was scarce. Solveig was lucky to have such a child, almost blessed when you factor in his invaluable ability.”

  “His maker was lucky?” The thought slipped out before I could stop it. I vaguely recalled Stefan’s words, explaining that his maker had been killed by the Council. I waited to see if my father would own up to Solve
ig’s demise.

  His expression became devoid of any expression, as flat as a mirror. “It is not my story to tell, Josephine. As his mate, you will share everything. I am sure Stefan will tell you when the time is right.”

  Eyeing my father briefly, I wasn’t surprised that he had chosen to divert my question. I abruptly changed the subject. “Since I’m his mate, I’m going need to change to be with him. I can't let him go,” I whispered. The thought of losing him was suddenly excruciating.

  “You are half-vampire, Josephine. You are immortal with some human frailties. You can still die a human death, however you are more indestructible. You will no longer age and you can stay by his side while still appearing human. It is your choice now if you want to have him change you or remain as you are.”

  Stunned into silence, I could only stare at him. What do you say when you find out you’re immortal and would always look 28? My mind flooded with questions that my father couldn’t answer, leaving my head spinning. What did this mean for Stefan and me? Would he still want to change me? How am I going to explain this to Georgia and Anna? My stomach clenched as I thought of losing the only two friends I had, only to gain the love of what I’d just discovered to be my immortal life.

  My father picked up a cell phone and typed a message into the keypad. He placed the phone back on the table beside of him and smiled at me again. “You have many things to consider, Josephine. Do not worry yourself with the fine print. Look at all you have gained.” His eyes flickered to the doorway behind me, nodding. “Come in, Stefan. My daughter is ready to leave. I assume you have accommodations?”

  Stefan blurred to my side, kneeling at my feet. I couldn't refrain from running my fingers through his golden hair and caressing his stubbled cheek, finally rubbing my thumb across his lower lip. He smiled the first genuine smile since I awoke, his face glowing as if lit from within. “Yes.”

  “Good.” His eyes flickered from Stefan to focus on me. “We will talk soon. It was a pleasure to speak with you, my dear.”

  We were being dismissed. I stood and reached for Stefan’s hand, linking our fingers together. I had only taken a few steps when I turned to face my father again. He sat motionless, his eyes somberly watching us.

  “Before I go, I have one more question, Kian. My mother. Who is she? And where is she?” I asked, my words coming out in a rush. My eyes searched my father’s face, surprised when his expression reflected the shock of my unexpected question.

  “Your mother is gone. She left me 28 years ago,” Kian replied. His eyes drifted to his hands in his lap before meeting mine again. “She chose to leave us, Josephine. She chose to abandon her child and the husband she swore she loved above all others. I do not wish to speak of her.”

  I swallowed roughly, glancing up at Stefan. His face was unreadable, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he considered Kian’s words. His right eyebrow quirked, confirming my suspicions. He knew something wasn’t right with my father’s story.

  “I deserve to know her name, Kian. You owe me that much,” I retorted quietly.

  His hands squeezed the arms of the chair and his lips became a thin line. Anger lined his expressive face and his sparkling green eyes flashed with rage. “I will not speak her name. Do not ask me again. We will talk soon.”

  Stefan lightly squeezed my hand, giving me a non-verbal queue that it was time to leave. I stared at my father for another few seconds before letting Stefan tug me towards the elevator. Stepping inside, I met my father’s gaze as the doors closed. His face was an unyielding mask as the door separated us.

  “That was unwise, Josephine. I understand that you are new to this world and the protocol that goes along with it. Angering a Board member can have unpleasant ramifications.” Stefan’s mental voice brushed softly into my thoughts as the elevator began its descent.

  “You sound like you’re reciting a passage from a rule book, Stefan. I deserve to know who my mother is, Stefan. He owes me that much, don’t you think?”

  “What I think and what Kian thinks are very likely two different things, vackra. He makes the rules and it is my job to enforce them. He is not a human that can easily be manipulated and controlled, Josephine. He has ordered the deaths of many of my kind without a second thought or a moment of remorse.” Stefan turned slightly to face me. He ran the back of his fingers across my cheekbone and looked at me with regret. “You have questions that need answers. We will find them. Together.”

  The elevator doors opened into the garage area, effectively ending our non-verbal conversation. Walking side by side, we headed through the room to a large door. Stefan paused and pulled his sunglasses from his pocket and swiftly placed them on, covering his eyes. He opened the door and we were met by brisk air, sunshine and traffic. The air was filled with the smells of the city: car exhaust, asphalt and the aroma of different foods, spilling out from neighboring restaurants.

  My mind was flooded with visions and emotions of the people that passed by us on the street. Slamming my mental shields into place, I inhaled a shaky breath. Being in the presence of vampires had caused me to lower my guard since they were mysterious voids to me. It was another advantage of being in a relationship with a vampire. I didn’t have to buffer my mind from unwanted intrusions.

  “Stefan! Josephine!”

  We turned in unison to see Nigel approaching us. He wasn’t as tall as Stefan, but was more solidly built than him. Nigel’s long, tousled light brown hair was shining in the sunlight and his kind, hazel eyes were covered with sunglasses. He inclined his head as he stopped to stand in front of us.

  “I have your car waiting for you with your luggage inside. Is there anything else I can do to be of assistance?” Nigel questioned.

  “That should do, Nigel. Thank you,” Stefan answered, extending his hand to him. Nigel shook Stefan’s hand and his sunglass covered eyes focused on me.

  “Josephine, it was a pleasure meeting you. We will see each other again under better circumstances, I hope.”

  I glanced up at Stefan, and he nodded in response. Nigel led us to the silver Mercedes sedan and opened the door for me. I sank into the leather seat and Nigel leaned down slightly as he reached to shut the door for me. He paused for a moment before he quietly spoke. “I loved your mother. She was nearly as beautiful as you, Josephine.”

  “My mother? You know who my mother is?” My voice came out like a strangled shriek as I grabbed at Nigel’s arm.

  “Later.” Nigel gently pulled his arm away from my grasp and closed the door. My eyes were locked on his face as we pulled away from the carriage house.

  “Stefan? You have to go back. I have to talk to him!” I was frantic to go back to find out the information Nigel had about my mother.

  “Soon, Josephine. I promise that you will find out everything. You must be patient.” Stefan drove quietly through the heavy traffic. He dodged and changed lanes frequently, heading down West 28th Street towards Chelsea. Stefan turned and we drove into underground parking, pulling into an assigned parking space. He gracefully unfolded his large frame from the car, stopping long enough to pull our bag from the trunk. He made his way around to my door, opening it gallantly for me.

  “Where are we?” I asked as I pulled myself from the car, slamming the door behind me. Stefan pressed a button on the key fob and the car alarm chirped twice.

  Stefan was silent as he turned, heading towards the elevator. He punched a code into the keypad by the elevator and the doors separated quietly. He stepped inside, jerking his head backwards for me to join him. Sighing heavily, I followed and moved to stand beside him. He reached a long arm over to press ‘8’ on the panel and the doors closed and the elevator quietly began moving, a small ding chiming as it passed each floor. It rocked to a stop on the eighth floor, the doors opening to plush carpeting and beige walls.

  He exited the elevator to the right and I trailed behind him as he sauntered down the short hallway to 8B, pulling a key out of his pocket, unlocking the door and opening it
. He stood in the doorway, a smirk settling over his handsome face.

  “Are you going to come inside our home or would you like to meet our neighbor?”

  I jumped in surprise at his casual mention of referring to this apartment as ours. Faltering for a second, I finally was able to get my feet to cooperate and move. “Our neighbor? Whose apartment is this?”

  Stepping inside the spacious living room, I took in my surroundings. The entire living room and kitchen was a wall of windows, offering a fantastic view of the nearby Gallery district and the Highline. The furniture was modern and sleek, the apartment decorated in neutral shades of cream and beige, accented with bright splashes of red and turquoise. A giant fireplace with built in bookshelves lined one wall.

  “This is my apartment, which is now yours as well. It is something more for us to discuss later, yes? Stefan asked as he shut and locked the door behind him. He turned to face me with a smirk. ”Would you like the grand tour now?”

  Pursing my lips, I ran my fingers through my hair. “By all means. Lead the way.”

  Stefan walked through the living room and kitchen which led into a hallway. I should have been paying attention to the house, but I was more interested in staring at the muscles in his broad shoulders and his taut ass as I followed closely behind him.

  “Eye fucking me already, Josephine?” He tossed a leer over his shoulder. “This is the office.” He motioned to a room on my right. “Guest bathroom, laundry room. And finally, this is our bedroom.”

  He stalked into the spacious room, dropping our suitcase on the dresser. Plopping down on the king size bed, I braced my arms behind me and watched as Stefan crossed the room and flicked a switch on the wall. Chocolate brown motorized curtains closed across the wall of windows, darkening the bedroom. He blurred to my side and lounged on the bed beside me, propping his head on one of his large hands. I relaxed my arms and lay back on the bed, staring up at his handsome face. He stretched across to kiss me gently before reluctantly lifting himself from the bed.