Chapter 44
Once their dinner was over, Johnny looked morose as Carina took his hand and led him back to the house. Dylan’s family left him and Gabriel alone.
“Do you think it will work?”
Dylan shrugged. “Fuck if I know. It has to. If Carina’s right, there’s nothing else we can hope for if we fail.”
A gentle hand rested on his shoulder. “You won’t.”
He looked up at Gabriel, his mouth curling upward. “You mean we won’t. You’re the one telling me I can’t do all this alone.”
Gabriel smiled back. “I know, but there’s only so much we can do. You’re the guardian of the gate. So much of this relies on your power.” He chuckled softly. “And the Vurdalans being as foolhardy as you are.”
Dylan scowled, and opened his mouth to speak, but Gabriel closed the distance between them, kissed him.
Dylan broke the kiss. His voice was husky as he whispered. “I’m worried…”
Gabriel silenced him with a kiss more passionate than the first. Gabriel smiled as he broke the kiss. Without a word, he took Dylan’s hand.
The night air was warm. The sounds of the wilderness surrounded them as they walked deeper into the woods in the moonlight.
With The moon was high overhead, they stepped into a clearing. Dylan stopped. “Gabe, I,” he sighed. “I want you to know how much you mean to me. If things don’t go…”
Gabriel squeezed his hand and interrupted. “Things will go fine. I have faith.”
“Carina’s not sure this will work.”
Gabriel smiled softly. “I mean, I have faith in you . Sure, Carina’s great and all, but I’ve not known her as long as I’ve known you. I’ve not seen her face losing a parent as a child. I’ve not seen her in the face of literally everyone in town ganging up on her because of a half-truth.” He sighed. “I’ve not seen her leave and make a successful life thousands of miles from home. I’ve not seen her come back home years later with that same soft smile and determination after having everything she loved being ripped away from her by someone she cared about.”
Dylan opened his mouth to speak, but Gabriel put a finger to his lips. “I have seen you do all of that. When I saw you that day in the convenience store, I knew whatever brought you home was just a bump in the road for you. And now you’re poised to become a king? Fuck, you are the most amazing person I have ever known, and I would have said that before I knew you had magic powers or were royalty.” He chuckled. “Does that make me a fairy-tale princess and you my prince charming?”
Dylan flashed a playful smirk. “You’re definitely not a princess, but you are pretty awesome. It’s not every day you meet a sexy guy who can open interdimensional portals any time he wants.”
Gabriel grinned. When he spoke, his voice was husky, almost a growl. “Sexy, huh? Well, you know I’ve been in love with you since we were kids. How would you like to make sure that no matter what happens, we don’t have any regrets? No more secrets between us. Nothing between us except the truth of how we feel. No past mistakes, no future worries. It’s only us, here and now in the moonlight. No one to judge us. No one to tell us we are wrong.”
Dylan looked up. The clearing gave them a perfect view of the moon and stars. It was beautiful. It was right.
Gabriel peeled his t-shirt off and tossed it aside.
Dylan bit his lip and caught himself looking away, but he could feel Gabriel’s eyes on him.
There was a moment of doubt. In a flurry of movement, Gabriel’s hands were on him. He felt his own clothes being discarded.
He could feel Gabriel trembling in his arms as he kissed him.
“Dylan. I love you.”
He gulped. His mind raced with all the times he had said those same three words to others. How he had heard those words repeated back, and how they betrayed him. He pulled back and looked into Gabriel’s eyes. Without thinking, he said, “I love you too, Gabe.”
It felt as if the world suddenly turned right, like a key slipping into place. He knew Gabriel would never hurt him, and that Gabriel meant those words.
As they made love under the moonlight, surrounded by the sounds of an ancient forest, he knew that no matter what happened, he would never love anyone the way he loved Gabriel.