There was no need for him to elaborate. Carly was more than aware of what the darkness held.
* * *
Carly played with the strap on her messenger bag as Gabe drove her Jeep out of town, three pieces of coffee cake stowed in bags beside him. “How many calories do you eat a day?” she laughed.
Gabe shrugged as he took a sip of coffee. “A lot, probably, but it never feels like enough.”
“And how often do you usually… shift?”
He caught her eye. “Do you really want to talk about this right now?”
“Yes,” she confirmed, even though she was uncertain. Going home meant accepting her new life as a shapeshifter, and she figured the more information she had on the subject, the better.
“Okay,” Gabe agreed, focusing on the road. “I shift at least twice a day. You have to make it a habit, make it part of your daily life, if you want to maintain control. It’s like riding a bike, I guess. It’s something you’ll never forget how to do, but there are definite benefits to staying in practice. And especially with ruskahs on the hunt… I have to make sure I’m on top of my game.”
“Crystal and Esther mentioned that you… That you’re the most powerful of our kind. And that’s what you said, too, right?”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Gabe explained. “We’re all equal, no matter our bloodline. I wouldn’t be who I am without the support of my friends. None of us would.”
Carly took a sip of her latte. “Being full blood doesn’t set you apart?”
Gabe pulled out a piece of coffee cake, half of it disappearing in one bite. He looked over Carly for a moment as he took a drink of coffee. “If you want to get technical, then yes, I’m the most powerful in our community. Which is why I feel so obligated to watch out for you. I know I’m your best hope against those ruskahs, and I just can’t let them hurt you.”
Carly couldn’t handle his intensity. She’d been numb since her mother passed and didn’t know if it was possible to reciprocate what Gabe was perhaps feeling for her. Which meant it was best she didn’t think about it at all. “What about my dad? Can’t he protect me?”
“Against a ruskah? I don’t know, Carly. When shapeshifters have kids, we… We lose some of our power to pass on to them. I don’t doubt he’d do anything he can to protect you, but I do wonder if that’ll be enough…”
“But you won’t get hurt?” There was risk in letting Gabe watch out for her that Carly didn’t want to consider. What if he did have to go up against a ruskah? What if he lost?
“Hey,” Gabe said, resting his hand on her forearm. Did the sparks have something to do with the fact that they were shapeshifters? “Nothing’s going to happen to me. You don’t have anything to worry about.”
Carly snatched her arm back. She wasn’t frustrated that he’d heard her thoughts, although that was still pretty weird—she was frustrated that he was willing to risk his life for her. She didn’t deserve that from anyone.
“Let’s talk about something else,” Gabe recommended.
“No,” she protested. “I’m sorry, this is… This is a lot, but I’d rather have you answer my questions than… Well, it’s just easier to talk to you than my dad.”
That got a smile out of him. “Good to know.”
Carly took a moment to gather her thoughts before she decided on her next question. “You said we’re the only shapeshifters on the continent that you know of. What about the rest of the world?”
“Sharla’s father lives in Romania, but aside from him, I really don’t know.”
“What about the ruskahs? How many of them are there?”
“I’ve only seen two so far,” Gabe answered. “They’re known to travel in pairs, generally with a mate. A lot of lore about vampires actually overlaps ruskah lore. Like they only go out at night, and they live off blood. Except they have no interest in human blood.”
“Vampires aren’t real then?”
“They are, unfortunately, very real.”
“You’ve seen one before?” Carly gasped.
“I’ve encountered one hunting in this area, yes,” he answered, frowning. “But as soon as he realized what I was, and that I’d realized what he was, the guy took off and I never saw him again. That was five years ago now.”
“Was it hunting you?”
“No, Carly, vampires would never hunt our kind. Our blood isn’t human, so it would be of no real benefit to them. Ruskahs are our only true enemy. Vampires and werewolves will generally leave us alone.”
“Werewolves are real?”
“I’ve never met one, but allegedly.”
“What’s the difference between you and a werewolf?” Carly asked. “You turn into a wolf. Isn’t that pretty much the same thing?”
Gabe finished the cake and dug out another piece. “I was born into this, and a wolf is only my primary form. I can pretty much shift into any animal I choose. A werewolf, on the other hand, can either be born into its legacy or bitten into it. Its ability to shift is governed by the phases of the moon, whereas I can shift any time I choose.”
“How do you know so much about werewolves?”
“My family has passed down a few journals and records about shapeshifters and other supernatural beings—notes taken along the way. Unfortunately, I know much more about vampires and werewolves than I do about ruskahs. Fortunately, I think I know enough to keep you safe.” He popped half the coffee cake into his mouth, following it with a drink.
“When do you think I’ll change for the first time?” Carly asked. “Or shapeshift, I mean. Could I do it right now?”
“Honestly, Carly, I don’t know. I first shifted when I was nine months old. It will happen when it happens. That’s a crappy answer, but it’s the only one I’ve got.”
She took a drink of her latte. “I’m almost seventeen, Gabe. Maybe I’m never going to shift. Maybe even though it’s in my blood, it’s not meant to happen for me.”
“It’s going to happen, Carly.”
“How are you so certain? Do you think it’s fate or something?”
“No, I don’t believe in fate.”
“You don’t?” she questioned.
Gabe shrugged. “Fate doesn’t leave us accountable for our actions. Fate doesn’t imply free will. I’d rather be responsible for the decisions I make, whether or not I’m proud of them.” He finished off his cake, and added, “Why, do you believe in fate?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’ve never really thought about it before.”
“You might want to believe it’s fate that you came here and learned about all of this. But really, Carly, you should have been here all along. Your parents never should have taken you away from Sterling. It’s not necessarily that you were meant for this life, but rather, this is your life. You can’t be destined for something you’d end up being anyway.”
Carly let out a laugh. “Then what is destiny exactly?”
He took a gulp of coffee. “We’re your family, Carly. We’re the only ones who can protect you. Your mother would still be alive if she’d had us watching out for her.”
His words smacked right into Carly. “You think it was ruskahs who…?”
Gabe heaved out a sigh. “I read about your mother’s accident online. It was a hit and run, and she’d lost so much blood that—”
“The coroner was baffled as to why,” Carly cut him off, and realized, “Dad knew, and that’s why we left the city.”
Gabe reached out and rested his fingers on her shoulder. “What happened to your mother was horrible, Carly, but I give you my word that I’m not going to let it happen to you.”
“But what if you can’t stop them, Gabe? I mean, you can’t watch over me every single second.”
He pulled his hand away, his jaw tensing as he gripped onto the steering wheel.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” she pried. “Gabe?”
“Carly, I… I’ve been watching over you since you moved to Sterling. Don’t take it the wrong way. I mean, I’v
e given you your privacy. I just… I had to make sure you were safe.”
Carly wasn’t certain what to make of his admission, but she was sure of one thing—his innate need to protect her was scarier than anything she’d faced in the past twenty-four hours. “Gabe…”
“I’ve patrolled your yard every night since you moved to town just to make sure you were okay. And I’ve been so convinced that you were, but that tunnel we found in your basement, well, that threw me.”
Carly thought her heart might actually stop. She’d completely forgotten about the tunnel that led from her bedroom directly into the caves a half mile from her house. What if—?
“Nothing’s going to happen to you,” Gabe promised.
“But what if something does?” Carly proposed. “What if those things attack me, and you’re not there to stop them?”
Gabe reached for her hand, wrapping it up in his fingers. The warm sizzle between them was somehow comforting. “Carly, please understand—I won’t rest until those things are no longer a threat.”
She tugged her hand out of his, turning in her seat to stare out the window. Carly simply couldn’t process that much intensity between them. She really liked their friendship and didn’t want it to change. Her thoughts flashed to Ross and how they would never be friends again. She wouldn’t let that happen with Gabe, too.
“I, uh,” he muttered as he dug out his last piece of coffee cake. “Are you ready to go home?”
“Honestly, no,” she answered, watching angry waves of the Great Lake crash into rocky shore. Gabe was taking the longer scenic way back to Sterling, buying her some time, but she’d have to face her father eventually. “He fell apart after my mom died.”
“Your dad?”
Carly had never really talked about this with anyone before—had never given anyone the full story of what it had been like to lose her mother. But she sensed she could trust Gabe, and she wanted him to understand why she didn’t want to go home. “He pretty much had a nervous breakdown after my mother’s accident. He wasn’t even with it enough to plan the funeral—I had to do all of it. My dad told me we were moving here for a fresh start, and I believed him. I believed we’d have a better life away from the city and all my friends. I trusted him, and that’s why I went along with it. And now, after everything I’ve done for him, I find out he’s been lying to me since I was born… Let’s just say, I’m not in any hurry to see him again.”
“Carly, I’m… wow,” Gabe replied. “I don’t know what else to say.”
“But what choice do I have?” she asked. “He’s my dad, so I have to forgive him. Right?”
“I think you shouldn’t do anything you’re not comfortable with,” Gabe advised. “I also think your dad put a lot on you, and that wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair at all, Carly. But it makes me realize how remarkable you are, and I hope you see it, too. If you could step up like that, if you could take care of someone who was supposed to be taking care of you, then I know without a doubt that you can handle a couple of ruskahs.”
“You’re making it really difficult, you know,” Carly confessed, a slight smile at her lips as she turned to face him.
“I’m making what difficult?” Gabe asked, matching her grin.
“Not forgiving you for lying to me.”
“Does that mean you do forgive me?”
“Yes,” she told him, and meant it. “I forgive you, and I’m sorry I got so upset last night. What happened wasn’t your fault, and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, and shoved the remaining coffee cake in his mouth.
Carly couldn’t help her giggle.
“Are you laughing at the way I eat?” Gabe asked.
“I wouldn’t exactly call it eating,” she pointed out. “You totally wolfed that down. No pun intended.”
“What do you expect, Carly? I mean, look who you’re talking to.”
“You think you’re so funny, don’t you?” she mused.
“I think you think I’m funny, and that’s all that matters,” he replied.
“Maybe. So, are you going to patrol my house tonight when we get back?”
“That’s the plan.”
“For how long?” Carly wondered.
“All night,” he said.
“All night? Are you serious?”
“I don’t need a whole lot of sleep. What else am I going to do?”
“Listen to music,” Carly suggested. “Watch a movie. Read a book. Shall I keep going?”
“Trust me, Carly,” Gabe told her. “As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got my priorities straight.”
twelve
Carly balled her hands into fists as Gabe pulled up to her house, feeling the sting of her nails dig into her palms. She wasn’t ready to face her father, although she didn’t have much of a choice. She’d have to go in there and act like everything was okay, even though it wasn’t. “It looks like my dad’s home. At least, his car’s in the driveway.”
Gabe gazed over the manor for a moment before he met Carly’s eyes. “Do you want me to come in with you?”
“No. Yes. I mean, you shouldn’t, but I still want you to. Is that okay?”
“Yes, Carly, I’m totally here for you. I sense your dad’s worried sick, so we should probably head inside.”
She climbed out of the car, throwing her messenger bag over her shoulder as she stepped up to the front door. She was scared to open it, but didn’t have to when Gabe swooped in and did it for her.
“Carly?” Howard called out as he sprinted into the foyer. He didn’t give her a chance to reply as he smothered her with a hug. “Oh, thank goodness! I’ve been so worried about you, sweetheart.”
“I’m okay,” Carly confirmed as he finally let go of her. “I just needed some time to think through everything.”
“You were right to react the way you did. I never should have kept this from you. I never, ever should have lied to you. I thought it was the only way, Carly. I thought it was the only way to keep you safe.” Howard turned to Gabe and pulled him into his arms. “Thank you, Gabriel, for bringing my baby home.”
Gabe nodded as he pulled away, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to her. I mean, I won’t.”
“Even so, I’d feel better if you stuck around for a while,” Howard told him. “I’ve already spoken to your father, and Paul’s agreed to it.”
“Agreed to what?” Carly asked.
“To let Gabriel stay here. Just for a while, just while the sun is down, and just until I get into the practice of shifting again. I tried it today for the first time in fifteen years, but it took me several hours before I was able to shift back.”
“To shift back… from what?” Carly dared.
“From a deer,” Howard answered. “My primary form as a shapeshifter, the one I’m most familiar with, is a deer.”
“O-okay.” Being back home was going about as well as Carly had predicted, which wasn’t well at all. But the news that Gabe would be sticking around was at least enough to bring her some comfort.
“Are you two hungry?” Howard asked. “I could whip up some steak, maybe some cornbread stuffing and baked potatoes. What do you say?”
“My mouth is already watering,” Gabe answered.
Howard gave Carly another hug. “Why don’t you take Gabriel up to the far room on the second floor and get him settled in?”
“If that’s what you want,” Carly replied, and headed for the staircase.
Gabe followed her up to the second floor, down to the room at the end of the hall. “It’s kind of crazy that your dad’s going to let me stay at your house, huh?”
“I wouldn’t get too excited,” Carly warned. “He’s having you stay in this room because his is right across the hall. But I am glad you’re staying here. I mean, I’ll feel a lot better if you’re around.”
“You do like having me around,” he joked. “And here I was starting to wonder. This room�
�s nice.”
“Well, it’s yours now. You’ll need to get some stuff from your place, right?”
“I don’t think your dad actually expects me to live here,” Gabe said. “I think he’d prefer I’m here from sundown to sunup, and then sneak home in the morning and go to school from my house. I mean, what would people think if the principal was letting a teenage boy live in the same house as his daughter?”
“Good point.”
“You did a good thing down there, you know.”
Legacy: Bloodline Book 1 Page 12