Chapter 20
Nicholas
Nicholas sat up with care, not wanting to disturb the puppies sleeping on the couch with him. He looked around Gabriel’s living room, disoriented, trying to remember how he’d ended up there. The last thing he recalled was being in his apartment, falling asleep as Gabriel…
The scent of tobacco smoke hit him, and he whipped his head toward the glass wall. Gabriel leaned against it, a tumbler filled with brown liquor in one hand, and his hand-rolled in the other.
“How are you feeling?” He sounded tired. Sad even. Nicholas wondered if he’d been standing guard over him all… night?
“What time is it?” He cleared his scratchy throat.
“Eight o’clock.”
Nicholas frowned, staring at the night sky. “Shouldn’t the sun be up by now?”
Gabriel remained quiet, but that was answer enough. Nicholas had lost a whole day to sleep and…
“We had sex.”
“Yes.”
“Lots of sex.”
He felt around his neck, then flicked his gaze to Gabriel’s neck and mouth. There were no bite marks on either of them. Nicholas huffed a mirthless laugh. “I’m losing my mind.”
Beside him, Zeke and Kai blinked awake, stretching and yawning. Maxim woke as he always did, at attention.
Nicholas lavished them with affection before helping them down. They scurried away, and with nothing left to distract him, he turned his attention back to Gabriel.
“How long have I been here?”
“Since sunrise.”
Nicholas bit his bottom lip, glancing at the flames dancing in the fireplace.
“You were cold.”
Nicholas hid his blue-tinged fingertips under the wool blanket covering his lap, watching as Gabriel smoked his cigarette down to the ember, something he didn’t normally do.
“Why are you all the way over there?”
“I thought some distance might help you.”
“Right, because I’m out of control and might tear your clothes off to get to what’s underneath them.”
Gabriel set his drink down, then crossed the room to kneel before him. Nicholas would never get used to seeing him in such a subservient position.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“Doesn’t mean it isn’t the truth.” He exhaled. “Were there gigantic butterflies in my room?”
“You remember.”
“Yeah. I remember a lot.” He avoided Gabriel’s gaze. “I remember it being amazing, wanting more, and how you felt inside of me.”
“How did I feel, Nicholas?”
The question made him feel shy, and under normal circumstances, he never would’ve answered. But he’d never seen or heard Gabriel sound so desperate, had never seen him so vulnerable before.
“Like home.” He took a shuddering breath when Gabriel kissed the corners of his eyes.
“I am your home, and you are mine. You’re my moon, my stars, the keeper of my heart. Always remember that.”
Nicholas regarded him again. “Then why do you sound so miserable about it?”
Gabriel rubbed his jaw. “We need to talk. There’s something—”
“Not yet.” He clasped his hands together, steadying them.
“Nicholas—”
“Not. Yet.” He didn’t know what Gabriel had to say, but he knew it wouldn’t be good.
Knew that it would change everything.
“I, um, walked along the waterfront yesterday.”
Gabriel studied him as if deciding whether to give in to his obvious attempt at distraction. “Is that why you didn’t make it to the animal shelter?”
“Yeah. I wasn’t feeling too great. I thought maybe the ocean breeze might help. It does whenever I’m here.”
“Why didn’t you call me? Or answer my calls?”
“I thought I had it under control, and I did for a moment. So then I went to the cemetery. The big one, near Caldwell. I had a lot on my mind, and I just wanted some time alone to think.”
Gabriel angled his head, expression thoughtful. “Why the cemetery?”
“Because the dead don’t ask questions,” he replied with the ghost of a grin.
“I see.”
“Anyway, while I was thinking, I realized we’ve never been on a date.”
“A date?”
“Yeah, you know. Dinner and a movie—or just dinner. I’d like to go on a date with you. Nothing crazy, maybe a quick meal somewhere close by.”
Gabriel hesitated. “Maybe we can plan—”
“Tonight,” Nicholas cut in. “Now.”
Gabriel shook his head. “You aren’t well, and we don’t have time.”
“I’m fine, and let’s make time. Please.”
He just wanted things to be normal for a little while longer. He wanted to make new memories, a new experience with Gabriel that he could look back on.
“Maybe we can take a swim too. You know, under the stars.”
Gabriel pulled Nicholas’s icy fingers from under the blanket, and his sadness seemed to deepen.
“I’m fine,” Nicolas reiterated. “It’s probably just an iron deficiency. I’m sure it’s tied into everything else that’s been going on with me. That’s something else I was thinking about at the cemetery. I’m going to find new doctors. Someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.”
He thought the news would brighten Gabriel’s mood, but he didn’t seem too enthusiastic. Didn’t seem hopeful.
“I should’ve done more for you, Nicholas. I should’ve shown you the world. Instead, I kept you locked up here, feasting on your time and affection.”
“I didn’t mind. I wanted to be here with you.”
Gabriel traced his strained smile, then dropped his hand as if sensing the trigger release on Nicholas’s arousal. Nicholas breathed through his mouth, cutting himself off from Gabriel’s scent.
“So, dinner?”
Gabriel’s lips flattened into a hard line. “I’m afraid there isn’t much I can deny you. I know somewhere close. I’ll have Marcus get us a table. We’ll eat quickly, then we must talk.”
“Okay.”
“If at any time you aren’t feeling well—”
“I’ll tell you.”
“Or if you need me—”
“I’ll drag you into the men’s room.”
Gabriel didn’t appear to appreciate his making light of things.
“I’ll be fine.” He glanced down at his casual clothes. “Can I go dressed like this? I mean, I’m assuming I’m clean underneath.” He lifted a brow.
“Thoroughly.” Gabriel licked his lips, grinning despite himself. “And yes, you’re fine as you are.”
“You lied to me.” Nicholas gave their server room to spread a napkin over his lap. “This place is fancy. Everyone’s wearing a dress or suit—including you.”
“Who cares what everyone else is doing? I’d never ask you to be anyone other than who you are.”
Nicholas gave him a wry look. “That’s sweet, but who did you have to bribe to get me past those doors in jeans and a hoodie?”
“Marcus may have called in a favor.”
Nicholas chuckled quietly, the action leaving him out of breath. Gabriel tensed, and Nicholas searched for something to say to distract them both.
“Did you call in a favor to get us the best seat in the house, too?”
Their table overlooked the ocean.
“Perhaps.”
Nicholas smiled, plucking up his menu. “So, what’s good?”
“Everything, but I’d recommend the truffle risotto.”
They placed their order and handed off the menus. Nicholas waited until the server was out of earshot before speaking.
“I’m sorry about last night.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was in and out of a vision, but I want you to know I was there. Not for every second, but I was right there with you.”
“I know.” He reached for Nicholas’s cheek, but seemed to think better of it. “Sorry, I wouldn’t want you to—”
“I get it. We probably shouldn’t be talking about this at all—at least not here, but I wanted you to know.”
Their drinks were delivered. Expensive scotch for Gabriel, and soda water for Nicholas. They moved on to lighter topics of conversation until Gabriel circled back to Nicholas’s vision.
“Do you remember your vision?”
Nicholas hadn’t gotten to write it down, but he remembered it.
“It’s one I’ve had before. Muharib and the beautiful man were making love while… drinking from one another.” He watched closely for Gabriel’s reaction.
“Drinking?”
“Yes.” He glanced around before whispering. “Each other’s blood.”
Gabriel was unreadable. He gave no indication that he was curious, disgusted, or even familiar with what Nicholas said.
“Anything else?”
“No. Just more of the same.” He unconsciously sought his crucifix, straightening it. “How was it for you?”
“Excruciatingly pleasurable.” Gabriel’s stare heated, sending sparks of electricity through Nicholas’s cold veins.
“Best you’ve ever had?” It was supposed to sound airy, as if he couldn’t care less either way. Instead, he sounded needy, insecure.
“It’s the only experience I care to remember, Nicholas.” He squeezed his hand. “You are one of a kind. I compare you to no other. Not anymore.”
He sounded sincere, and Nicholas wanted to believe him.
Nicholas felt Gabriel’s touch low in his core, but pleasure quickly turned into pain when his grip tightened. Nicholas winced, his gaze following Gabriel’s to a table at the back of the restaurant.
A man with pale eyes as cold as ice watched them with a treacherous expression. His gray beard made him appear wolfish.
“Do you know him?”
“We need to leave,” Gabriel said. “Now.”
“But we haven’t even eaten yet.” Just then, their server arrived with their entrees. They’d skipped the appetizers.
Gabriel observed the chilling man through the reflection in the window they sat by, his gaze calculating.
“Who is he?”
Nicolas wasn’t as discreet as Gabriel, meeting the bloodthirsty gaze of the other two men at the table. It wasn’t Gabriel they watched, it was him. He felt like a bleeding limb in shark-infested waters.
“Enjoy,” their server exclaimed before sauntering off.
“Gabriel?”
“I shouldn’t have brought you here,” he whispered, his lips forming a grim line.
“Why not? Who are they?”
A cold sweat broke out over his palms when the gray wolf stood. He was as tall as Gabriel, broad-shouldered and finely dressed, too.
“Say nothing.” Gabriel’s lips barely moved, but Nicholas heard his warning loud and clear.
“What’s going on?”
The wolf stalked over to their table, leaving his pack behind. Gabriel allowed Nicholas a quick peek behind his stony facade before his expression went blank again.
Fear.
Nicholas somehow knew Gabriel wasn’t afraid for himself, which left him fearing for Nicholas, but why?
The wolf took up an unoccupied seat at their table, an air of violence surrounding him.