Gabriel opened the passenger door for Maggie. He sent Justin a grin over the top of the Jag. "You guys take care," he said.
"Oh, a bit of advice. If you want Rose to sleep, keep her out of the master bedroom. Apparently there’s a strong sexual prod on that spiral. Happy marriage and all that.” Justin winked, slipped on his own shades and folded himself into the car.
Gabriel tapped the roof a couple of times and backed away, watched as the green Jag went down the long driveway. A sexual prod on the spiral in the master, huh? He stood in the drive and looked toward the house.
Rose appeared in the doorway, her red hair a riot across her shoulders. Her arms were crossed and suddenly Gabriel was able to see through the protection she'd gathered to the uncertain woman below. He wanted her. No spiral could force something that didn’t otherwise exist.
He reached her in a breath, gathered her body into his arms. Buried his face in her hair and breathed in her essence.
"I'm not good with words," he rumbled. "But the thought of you getting hurt...it scares me."
Her body softened against his. She opened her arms and hugged him tightly, pressed her face against his chest. "The whole thing scares me," she confessed, pressing back against his arms to look at his face. She raised one hand to gently trace his scars.
"Come on. Let's go upstairs and take a power nap," he suggested. He tucked her under one arm and snugged her against his side.
"I want to remember this. Every moment with you."
He steered her to the smaller bedroom he'd grown up in. "I want you to sleep, so we'll bunk down here. In you go." If they went to the master bedroom, he’d seduce her again. Or she’d seduce him, and she really needed sleep.
Rose climbed onto the twin bed and moved to one side. Gabriel lay down next to her, pulling her into his arms.
"Rest now. Just rest."
“You think breakfast wore me out?” She chuckled sleepily. “Silly man.”
"I think Satine wore you out. If you’re not sleepy, don’t sleep. I however could use a catnap."
He knew when she dropped into sleep and gathered her closer, resting her cheek against his heart.
How had this happened? How had she become the center of his world so quickly? He frowned, keeping his eyes off the spiral. It would be enough for him to see her through this safely. It would have to be enough.
Dread crawled along his shoulders. Whether he saved her or not, that night would see an ending. He set his jaw and closed his eyes, breathed in her sunny scent. He'd give himself fifteen minutes, then he'd go out and practice.
Fifteen more minutes to bask in her. That's all he needed.
Chapter Twenty
"No. Noooo, nooo, noooo!"
Rose screamed and bolted up straight in her bed, panting and sweating. Late afternoon sunshine streamed in through the window and her racing heart calmed somewhat. A bellow sounded out in the garden and then the back door slammed open before she heard Gabriel's footsteps on the stairs.
He burst into her room, frantic, his demonic tail slowly disappearing as he moved.
"Are you okay? You screamed. What's the matter?" He sat on the bed and reached for her, cradled her against him.
Rose burrowed into his wide chest for comfort just until her heart rate slowed to normal and her breathing settled. It was all she could allow herself. She struggled out of his arms then, moved to the window, and pushed it wide. Feeling the sun on her skin, she sighed.
"It was a dream. It was only a dream.” She turned to Gabriel. "I dreamed about tonight. About fighting with Satine, only—I couldn't go all fiery. There was something wrong with that part of me, and she won. She won the fight."
"What do you mean, she won the fight?"
"I mean, I bled out under a bunch of snacking vampires while you killed her and then another bunch of vampires started snacking on you." Impatient, she pushed the hair out of her eyes and moved to the door. "I need water. Are you coming, or not?" Rose headed down the stairs, satisfied when Gabriel followed her.
She filled a glass with water and leaned against the cool kitchen counter, Gabriel close behind her. "It's okay. I'm not going to fall apart again."
Gabriel watched her. "You worried about tonight?"
"You mean, getting within grappling distance of Satine and not being able to get hot? Hell yeah I'm worried."
Gabriel sat. "Tell me everything you remember."
“Fighting. Lots of noise, nasty burnt smells, stuff,” she said, purposely vague. “The part that really bugs me is I couldn't catch Satine on fire. She grabbed me, but I had nothing. No flame, no demon. Nada."
"What if you go in flaming? Or at least thinking flamey thoughts?"
She shot him a quick glance. "Do you think she hampered my ability to turn demon?"
Gabriel shrugged. "It makes sense. Fire kills her. Why wouldn't she have a defense against it?"
"So that means I can't kill her with my fire. Oh, that's great. Now we have no plan of attack," Rose stated, her face set.
"Hang on. That's not what I said. What about if you go in all hot to begin with, as the demon? You'd dry up any defense she had pretty quickly. After all, some vampires are extremely susceptible to fire. She probably is, too. It's just a matter of flaming before she touches you, so she can't dampen the fire."
Unwillingly, Rose thought about the possibilities. "Yeah. Okay, that might work."
Gabriel reached a hand out, pushed her hair aside. "I don't want you going in alone. That's just irresponsible. Promise me you won't."
She looked at him thoughtfully. "We'll have to see how it plays out. I mean, I'd much rather not go in alone. In my dream, after Satine had bitten me, other vampires came in, lots and lots of them, crawling out of the woodwork."
"And no one was in there to help you?" Gabriel shook his head. "That's so not going to happen."
"You did show up. The vampires, though, they overran you. You died. There in my vision, you died." Her throat closed up at the memory. "I think we should go in as a group. Maybe. If you think it's a good idea."
"Absolutely. We go in as a group."
"Good. That's good, I think." Restless, Rose stood and moved to the sink. She stared out the window and gnawed on her lower lip.
"Hey." Gabriel stood, too, and looked down at her.
"Yeah?" Rose tried, but she couldn't read his mood, his eyes guarded against her.
"After this is all over." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, touched her cheek gently. "I mean, when we've cleaned up this mess. I'll probably, you know.”
“Stop.” Rose's heart sank. "We’re not having this conversation. There’s no reason for you to run again. Your family needs you here. They certainly don’t need me. So when you’re thinking about the future, remember that this is your place. It’s not mine. Not really.” She turned away and refilled her water glass. She blinked furiously.
"You mean more to me, more than I thought possible. I just. I can't," he said. He turned away, punched the wall by the door and left a hole in the plaster. "I can't risk you," he growled. “It’s too much for me.”
She stopped him with an upheld hand. "Please. I understand, I do. Really. But we're done on this topic. You need to go away now, play with your demon side. I've got some work to do on my own." She looked at the clock on the oven and sighed again. "We don't have that much time, after all," she said.
Gabriel stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'll be just outside."
Rose turned to rinse her glass out in the sink. She couldn't watch him walk away, not today. Not when he'd soon be walking out of her life permanently.
Unexpectedly her vision blurred as she recognized the truth. He was it for her, the only man who would ever hold her heart, and he didn't want it. If he did, if he loved the way she loved, the danger wouldn't matter. They’d face it together, come what may.
Pain deeper than she'd ever lived through slashed her heart and she gasped for breath, gripping the edge of the sink until her fingertips turned w
hite.
"This is hard, Maria Therese. Letting him go. It's hard." She rested her forehead against her hands and just breathed, ignoring the knives in her lungs. She had a job to do. Maria Therese was counting on her. She couldn't let this very personal, much unexpected connection derail her now. Saving Gabriel was the goal. Her own happy ever after? Not so much.
Rose slowly straightened, looked out the window with unseeing eyes at the citrus trees glowing green in the sunlight. Before she died, her life had been pitiful. Funny how death changed her perspective. Now she knew a wider, scarier and more wonderful world. Now she loved and soon she would gain, or lose, more than she'd ever known existed.
Then the rest of her life would begin, or end as the case may be. Rose took a shuddering breath and forced her fingers to release the counter. If she lived, at some point she'd have to figure out how to live without him.
Maybe dying again wasn't that bad an idea, after all, if it meant Gabriel got his soul back, and if she could take Satine with her. Maybe that would go a long way toward her redemption.
Maybe.
* * *
"Gabriel." Kellan leaned against the alley wall across from what was left of Twisted, his cell to his ear. The afternoon slipped toward evening but the heat held sway.
"Yeah. What's up?"
"The insurance people were through here, cleanup crews have started. The Fire Marshall can't figure out how the fire started, or what could have caused such an internal collapse while leaving the external structure still standing." Kellan winked at the insurance gal who walked by with a clipboard and an unfriendly look in her eye.
"You think Satine is lurking down there somewhere?"
"It's hard to tell. The fire stink is so bad, it's hard to scent vampire."
"What about other demons? Have you seen any around?"
"Not a one. I think they cleared out during the fight in the parking lot."
"And no overwhelming evidence of more vampires."
"Truthfully? There could be a hundred down there." Kellan narrowed his eyes on the upper story. “From what I’ve overheard, they aren’t worried about vandals. The place is unstable; the explosions plus the illegal underground development has the whole thing ready to fall.”
"Great. We’ll be battling the building as well as vampires."
"Looks like. You okay with it? With your girl going point on this, I mean?"
"Hell no. Would you be? Never mind. We'll meet you there at midnight."
* * *
Gabriel stuffed his cell into his pocket and stared at the citrus grove, unseeing. So it appeared Rose's dream would come true. His hands clenched into fists and released again. He would do everything in his power to keep her safe. If his mother had really talked to her, had really put her mark on Rose as it seemed, then he could do no less than keep her safe. And then walk away.
He laughed at himself, short and bitter. Yeah. As if it would be that easy. With a thought he bounded away, leaped the treetops, shifting into his demonic form as he jumped. The strength that flooded him also filled him with despair, and he roared his unhappiness to the sky.
Dogs for miles around began to howl in sympathy.
* * *
Rose watched him from the upstairs bedroom window. He flowed from human to demon, one step to the other without a pause.
She could probably do that. The few times she'd played with fire it had come so naturally. But practicing in the house just didn't feel like a good idea. The last thing the Caine family needed was a house fire.
Rose put her palm up to the window, covering Gabriel's distant human form. Anything, any sacrifice, she vowed. She would do anything to keep him safe.
Anything.
Her cell phone rang, disturbing her train of thought. Maggie. Huh.
"Hello."
"Rose. We've just talked to Kellan, and I understand he just talked to Gabriel."
"Okay."
"We're meeting at the site at midnight. You'll need more rest, more fluids, and some protein for dinner, so have some leftover strata."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Yes, mom."
"Come on," Maggie chided. "I'm doing my best to keep you alive here."
"I know. I'm sorry. What else?"
"Well, I've got a sort of safety net I can toss around you, but I can't be positive it'll protect you from Vlad."
"The rock."
Maggie sighed. "Yeah. I don't have any strategy for dealing with him. There are too many unknown variables."
"Okay." Rose stared out the window where Gabriel continued to flash between human and demon.
"Are you okay with this? We can back off, you know. Do something else at a different time."
Rose shook her head. "No. I don't think we should put this off."
"If you say so," Maggie said doubtfully. "I'm still looking up ways for you to deal with the demon inside you. An exorcism won't work—too basic for what we're dealing with."
"I see." She sat on the edge of the bed before her legs gave out.
"It might come down to strength and trickery. I just don't know. I'm sorry."
The defeat in her friend's voice galvanized Rose. She injected a cheeriness into her voice that she didn't feel. "Don't worry. Everything will turn out fine. But I need you to promise me something."
"Sure."
"If, on the off-chance that I don't make it, you have to make sure Gabriel stays alive. Don't let anything happen to him, okay?" Urgency thrummed through her. “It’s important.”
"Sure." Maggie hesitated. "You sound demented, you know that?"
"Please." Rose closed her eyes and lay back on the bed as a tiny pain worked its way through her forehead.
"Okay then, you got it. Protection for Gabriel. I can rig a type of safety net for him, as well. I've been able to practice on Justin, and it seems to work okay." Maggie's voice chilled slightly at the end.
"Hmmm. I sense tension in the air. How's it going with Justin, anyway?" Rose rolled over to her side.
"You mean the irritating, arrogant, know-it-all ass that is Justin? Fine."
Rose's lips twitched. "Yeah. Okay, subject closed. Stay cool, right?"
"Right. We'll see you in a few hours now. Get some sleep," Maggie ordered.
"Don't forget to rest your brain," Rose said. "Bye." She turned her phone off and rolled to her back again to stare up at the ceiling. After the morning she'd had, and the night she was anticipating, the sleep would do her good.
She studied the spiral, content to let herself get drowsy. A character in the spiral caught at her. Before she could examine it, the pull of sleep caught her and she succumbed, her eyes closing at last.
* * *
Resting after bounding around the orchard for a couple of hours, Gabriel lay flat on the ground under an old grapefruit tree, the sun dappling his face, and looked deep at his reluctance to use his Fae powers. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want to use them. It was more that he wasn’t sure he could fully believe in them.
A low chuckle brought him to a sitting position. There, cross-legged in jeans and a faded green tee shirt sat his mother, Maria Therese. Her dark hair, so like his own, had been pulled back into a ponytail.
“Mom.” Shock strangled the word in his throat.
She smiled. “I’ve waited so long to hear you call me that.”
“What are you doing here?” He looked around, scrubbed his face. “Am I dreaming?”
“Nope. It’s really me. You are ready for what I can teach you.”
“Wait. I’m sorry,” he said, and reached for her hand. He didn’t think he’d ever held anything quite so precious. “I’m so sorry I killed you.” Finally able to say the words lifted a burden off his heart.
Surprise lit her face. “Gabriel. You didn’t kill me. None of us knew what would happen if I brought you to term, but I loved you. I wanted you, so much that I persuaded Gideon to let me try.” You were the only one to speak to me, mind to mind, while you were still in the womb. How could I not love you?<
br />
“Really?”
“Really. The Fae bloodline is strong within you. There is much for you to learn and not much time.”
Gabriel flushed. “Whenever Gideon gave us lessons, I didn’t listen. I made him so mad.”
“I know.” She patted the hand that held hers. “The most important thing you need is the healing abilities. Yours are just as strong as Justin’s. You tried as a newborn to save me, to heal me. I believe it was such a traumatic event for you that you blocked all memory of it, all knowledge.”
Her gray eyes, so like his own, softened at the memory. “I loved you so much, and then I had to leave you.”
“Mom. Please.” Gabriel blinked at the moisture in his eyes. “Tell me what I need to know.”
She released his hand and picked up a stick. “The Fae channel healing powers from every living and growing thing. Feel the earth beneath you, feel the life teeming there.” In the dirt between them, she drew a spiral. “When you need to, use that life-force to heal. Lay it gently over burns, for instance, or use it like thread to sew up gaping wounds. The force you pull from the earth is grounded within your own life force, though. If you use it too freely, you could die.”
“I’ve seen a bit of what Justin does. I know how it wears him out.”
“It’s there, Gabriel, inside you. You are just as much Fae as you are demon and human.” Humor lit her face. “It wouldn’t surprise me if all that ability isn’t just waiting to be tapped.”
“Healing. Okay, got it. What else?”
Maria Therese sighed. “Too much. Let’s see. You’ll always be able to find your mate by using the bonding threads. You can travel them if you don’t let yourself think too much, but only as a last resort, and only when all else fails. Food will help ground you, just as it does when you change in and out of demon-form.”
Gabriel watched her as she spoke, her hands moving gracefully in the air, punctuating her words. He tried to memorize how she looked with the sun dancing in her dark hair and her face so alive.
“You’re beautiful.”
Demon Soul Page 23