Dark Promises (Dark 25)

"Gabrielle." He said her name in a low voice. Softly.

She turned back to him, her gaze a little wary. Finally. He was getting somewhere. He wanted her to see him. Just him.

He bent his head and took her mouth. There was no thought. His body just reacted, just needed, and he dragged her to him, his tongue stabbing deep, his mouth hot and urgent. She didn't hesitate. She opened for him. Went wild for him. Her mouth as ravenous as his.

It took restraint and discipline not to keep kissing her. His body was already hot and hard and aching. He knew he could have her. She would give herself to him without hesitation, just as she'd kissed him. Holding nothing back. Her body was his. She'd given him that, committed herself that far. He thought that would be enough for a while, but he found he wanted more. It was that little rebellion. The "dig up a grave" that got under his skin.

He lifted his head, his gaze searching hers. "Tell me what else you need tonight. Look around. Clothes? Anything at all to make you feel more comfortable."

"I actually did ask my sister how to do the clothes thing," Gabrielle admitted. "I like nice clothes. Although in the evenings when I was by myself, before I was Carpathian, I would sit in my comfy sweats and sip a glass of merlot. It was nice to wind down after dealing with hot viruses."

"What else did you ask your sister to teach you?" He took her hand and tugged her across the room to the chairs in front of the crackling fire.

"The first thing I wanted to learn was shapeshifting. I loved the idea of flying. It seemed like it would be pure freedom."

He had never thought of it that way. Not once. Shifting and flying was something he took for granted. The ability had never been a gift to him, but seeing it through her eyes, shapeshifting and soaring through the sky took on an entirely new meaning.

"When did you learn?"

She bit her lip and ducked her head so that clouds of gleaming black hair fell around her face, hiding her expression from him. She waved her hand and instantly she was wearing soft drawstring pants that clung to her hips and shaped her legs. Her top was short, barely covering her midriff, exposing a small strip of intriguing skin.

"Gabrielle," he prompted. "We made a pact to talk to each other. You do not like me in your mind. I have tried to be cognizant of your privacy, even when I did touch your mind."

"Would you change these chairs to the picture I have in my mind?"

It was the first time she'd invited him to share her mind. It was simply the image of a chair, but she invited him. That, along with her clothes that showed more skin than he'd ever seen a woman expose, sent a rush of hot blood coursing through his veins.

"Is that outfit considered decent in the modern world? I am not complaining, but do women wear such clothes?"

She looked at him from under her long lashes. Her face was soft, her eyes gentle, turning his heart over. "Yes. Some women wear a lot less. I like these clothes when I'm just relaxing. This outfit would be considered casual."

"These are not clothes of seduction?"

She shook her head slowly, and the expression creeping into her eyes and onto her face sent another wave of heat through him.

"Later I'll show you clothes designed to seduce a man."

His cock reacted in spite of his resolve to keep his body under control. He wanted to give her a chance to settle with him. Intense sex every time they got together was great, but it wasn't getting him her heart--and he wanted her heart.

He sent her a slow smile. "I will look forward to that. Show me this chair you desire."

He poured into her mind slowly. Easily. She had dropped her shields. He took care not to look around, not to pry. He wanted her to get used to giving him full access to all of her. Everything was his, and he wanted it. He wasn't going to accept limitations in their relationship. The chair she wanted looked very comfortable. Deep. Wide. Overstuffed. He switched out both chairs immediately, aware she hadn't answered his question about when she'd learned to shapeshift. She had avoided it. He didn't make the mistake of looking in her memories.

"Is this right?" he asked, putting his hand on the back of the chair nearest the fire.

She flashed a pleased smile and sank down. "It's perfect."

He took the one beside hers. He had to admit, it was a very comfortable chair, almost decadent.

"Do you like it?"

Her voice was shy. Hesitant. He reached over and took her hand, bringing it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles before letting her go. Immediately both her hands went to her lap, her fingers twisting together.

"Very much. When did your sister teach you about shapeshifting?" He kept his voice gentle, knowing he usually sounded as if he were making demands or giving orders.

She moistened her lips and looked up at him, still nervous, still not relaxing the way she did when he held her.

He tipped her face up to his. "Settle, Gabrielle. You are safe with me."

She started to reply, bit it back and took a deep breath.

"You have to be able to talk to me. We are just talking, getting to know each other. I respect the fact that you prefer me to wait to share your mind. If that would be easier for you . . ."

She shook her head. "Not yet. I'm not there yet."

"I see that, kislany. We are just talking."

She nodded. "I know. I do know that. It's just that . . ." She raised her eyes to his. "You said you were going to punish me. Well. Maybe not in those words, but you were angry with me and said if I didn't do what you said . . ." She trailed off again.

"And you're nervous about that?"

She nodded. Bit her lip. Twisted her fingers in her lap. He laid his hand gently over hers, stilling her fingers.

"O jela sielamak, even if I do punish you for putting yourself in danger, I would never hurt you."

"How was I in danger?"

He heard the little bite in her voice. He should have known. She couldn't light on fire for him the way she did if she didn't have passion in her. If she didn't have a backbone. He had misread her. She wasn't nearly as submissive as he thought. She had wanted to please him. She had wanted to make up for her earlier betrayal that, now, knowing the facts, wasn't as much of a betrayal as he'd first thought.

He liked that she wanted to please him. He liked that a great deal. "That woman traveled with assassins. I was not there to protect you. Already, these people turned your life upside down. You told me you were attacked by them and had to be converted by the prince. Not by your lifemate, but by another. Because I was not there to watch over you."

She blinked at him, and he knew he had revealed something important to her and she got it. His anger was directed more at himself than at her. He detested that he had left her in order to help feed the ancients and make certain they were safely contained in the ground again before returning to her. He had been delayed by the battle with the master vampire's lesser vampires and during that time, someone had penetrated his resting place when he considered her safe. He hadn't even set up safeguards to protect her. That was on him. That would always be on him.

"Aleksei."

Just his name. His heart turned over at her tone. He knew she had forgiven him everything just by the tone she used saying his name. Like music.

"It is my privilege and my duty to protect you from all harm," he said.

"I'll take more care," she promised. "You couldn't know she was going to be there. She heard me crying and just came in," she admitted. "I didn't even hear her."

That didn't make him feel any better. "Why were you crying?"

She swallowed. He knew answering him honestly was going to be difficult for her, but she was determined to give him truth. His respect and admiration for her rose a little more. She'd promised him truth, and no matter what, she was giving him that.

"I felt like a slut. I like having sex with you." Her eyes avoided his. She gazed unseeing into the fire while she made her confession. "A lot, Aleksei. I like it a lot. I wanted more. When I'm with you, I'm only thinking of you, an

d that felt like a betrayal of Gary." Her gaze jumped to his face and then she corrected herself. "Of him."

Clearly she was afraid of saying his name aloud to him. He'd done that. He'd made it so she couldn't discuss her feelings with him. That was why she'd turned to a stranger. Again. Totally on his shoulders.

"Then when you left and I thought that, it felt like a betrayal of you."

"Gabrielle, you have not betrayed me. I was wrong to make you think that. I did not know you had been human. You were not guided as you should have been. These mistakes are mine, not yours. I had not felt emotion in hundreds of years. I was so far gone I had to lock myself away to protect my own kind. Even now, there are darkness and demons inside of me."