He had to ask, this time refusing to look away from Gabriel. Adrian remained more intent on Gabriel's answer than on what he'd just said.
"Yes, I can, to a degree. But first, I would not do them to you.” Gabriel instantly understood the fear and addressed it. “And second, you also have the ability, in a smaller way, to do them."
Gabriel's answer startled him completely. He understood the words, but his comprehension of them came up short. “What do you mean, I can do them?"
"Shadows thick enough to hold onto something can be cut with a knife. They are also flammable, and, once set on fire, will burn the one using them. Although, as a ghoul, you will never be able to shape solid shadows, you can learn to use them to hide yourself."
"How am I supposed to learn that?” For once, the edge of fear that had been a constant presence in Adrian faded slightly. It was like being given hope when you believed there wasn't any.
"It is my responsibility to teach these things to you, Adrian. I have neglected that aspect, but I didn't want to force you into it. Having my blood inside you does grant you certain abilities; you need to learn and practice them."
He watched Gabriel warily, knowing his options were once again limited. Either he accepted Gabriel's help, or stayed holed up in his apartment, not knowing how to fight against what had frightened him. Gabriel gazed neutrally back at Adrian, waiting for him to answer.
For a very long time Adrian just stared at him, weighing everything Gabriel had said. “All right, Gabriel."
It was either do or die. And the world had become a lot more dangerous place than Adrian had thought it was. Normal crazies he could handle; vampiric powers were not something Adrian knew how to combat.
"Then we will begin. The movement of shadows is one of the more basic ones I possess, so, by extension, you do, too. It takes concentration and effort to control them to shield yourself.” A small patch of darkness shifted from the top corner of the booth, before moving over Gabriel's shoulder toward his hand.
It took everything Adrian had to remain in his seat instead of screaming and running away, and it must have shown on his face.
"Adrian, there is nothing to fear, it will not harm you. You need to remove the charm so I can help you work with this."
Reluctantly, Adrian nodded as he muttered the word to deactivate the ward.
"Good, now hold out your hand."
Sighing, he lifted his hand, holding it out to Gabriel. Adrian knew he had to do this, and tried to push past everything that told him he would be better off at home.
The tiny, snakelike tendril slithered between Gabriel's fingers as he spoke. “Focus and concentrate on calling the shadow to you, Adrian. There is a rudimentary intelligence to it that will understand what you want. The power of my blood inside you creates your ability to work with it. Use that as well."
Adrian tried to focus his thoughts on the shadowy form. Frowning in deep concentration, he willed it to come to him. His hand remained steady, which surprised him. The shadow snake looked like it raised its head, stilling its dance between Gabriel's fingers.
"Once it has come to you, use your power to expand its shape to cover your hand. See it in your mind, and the ability in you will trigger the reaction."
Nodding, Adrian kept his mind on the slender shadow as it leaped from Gabriel's hand to the table. Lowering his hand to the table, he laid it palm up to let the snake, for lack of better words, slip onto his hand. Fear crept along his nerves, but the movement felt more like something seeking to know him than to tie him up. The simple visualization of the action in his thoughts made it expand and quickly engulf his hand.
"I should have realized your guide abilities would make things easier for you, Adrian."
He lost some of his fear as the darkness clung to his hand. Adrian could feel a warmth tingling over his skin. “It's not as bad as I thought."
"Nikolai showed you the source of this darkness, but you weren't prepared for it. To those of us who have the ability to use them, there is nothing to fear in Barathrum. You can use its power to protect yourself from being seen. It will hide you from the world, letting you watch everything around you unobserved. Only those who have mastered the ability will be able to see you. It can be its own source of safety and comfort if you relax enough to let it be."
A small gesture from him had the shadow unwrapping from Adrian's hand and moving back to him. It started to gain a larger shape, forming into a ball as it settled on the table near Gabriel's hand.
"Have you been there, Gabriel? I've never been so scared of anything in my entire life."
"My abilities are higher than yours, Adrian. I travel there quite often. It is a way for me to move far more quickly than I normally do. Slipping through Barathrum is a very handy form of transportation.” Just a pulse of anger echoed in Gabriel's words as he added, “You were scared because you didn't understand it; you should never have been taken there until you did."
"You go there willingly?” Adrian felt astonished by that, and by the fact that the small blob near Gabriel's hand had begun to undulate. It expanded again, growing arms, legs and a body. A head slowly defined itself as wings sprouted from its back. The whimsical form of a small dragon, about the size of a full-grown cat, sat on the table.
"I am used to it; you are not.” Smiling slowly at Adrian, Gabriel gestured to the dragon. “A companion for you. To help you get used to everything."
The sight of it made Adrian laugh. “A dragon?"
"Would you prefer something more ordinary?"
"No, a dragon is fine, Gabriel."
The tiny wings fluttered, and it leapt toward Adrian, landing on his shoulder. As it opened its mouth, its long tongue uncurled, flicking over Adrian's cheek. The dragon had solid form, and it startled him somewhat as he felt the weight of it settling on him.
"I am giving it substance, but it still will not harm you. As long as we feed it, it will remain with you if you want. It can help you practice as you need to."
It seemed rather bizarre to have a dragon perched on him, but interesting as well, now that Adrian understood the ability better than he had before.
"Adrian,” Gabriel's voice became very quiet, signaling what he had to say was very important to him. “What happened at Nikolai's made you extremely fearful; it broke the trust you were beginning to have in me. But Nikolai broke it, not me. Whatever happens, always come to me first. Please, never shut me out as you did this time."
"I will try, Gabriel.” That's all Adrian could promise.
Nodding, barely hiding the disappointment in his expression, Gabriel accepted what Adrian could give.
Gabriel released his hand. With a practiced flick, a sharpened nail slit into his wrist, spilling blood into the empty glass.
A soft breath caught the strong scent as Adrian stared at the crimson drops, wanting the taste of Gabriel's blood. He realized he didn't want it from the glass, but from Gabriel. With no thought, Adrian's hand moved toward Gabriel's, but then he yanked it back, trying to deal with the urgent need. Placing his hand back on the seat between them, Adrian's nails dug into the leather to keep his fingers there. Hunger crawled through him, a gnawing pain at his insides as Adrian looked away from the glass to Gabriel.
Gabriel said nothing as he pulled his arm back, quickly healing the slash. Adrian forced his hand to move, grabbing the glass tightly and lifted it to his lips, draining it. A tiny sound of protest betrayed him as he swallowed the flat taste. The sharper need of Adrian's body for Gabriel's blood slowly burned down, pacified, but the rest still clamored, wanting more than this. Sighing, Adrian set the glass down back on the table. How much longer could he fight against this? Hell had begun to freeze over, and him without a nuclear bomb to melt it.
He started to look back with great nostalgia on the days he had been just a guide. Now I'm a guide, ghoul, host and pack leader. Is there anything else left out there? Please tell me there isn't.
* * *
Visit www.torquerepress.com fo
r information on additional titles by this and other authors.
Blood Ties Page 19