Fate (The Edge of Forever) (27 page)

He studied me for a moment, his expression still dripping with irritation. Finally, he sighed deeply. “You are right, Gabriella. Of course you should be allowed to come and go as you please. But,” he paused, his eyes darkening showing the evil that lurked just beneath the surface, “my vow to you still stands. If anyone claims you they will die.” His voice held an ominous threat in it.

“God! You are a piece of work!” I spat. The day’s aggravations had built up and were ready to explode like a stick of dynamite and that stick was now aimed at Anton.
How dare he act like a jealous boyfriend?
“You think that if you continue to threaten me that it’s going to get you in my panties? I don’t know how that worked with the other girls, but it only makes me squeeze my legs together tighter.”

Lightning fast, Anton grabbed me pulling me against his chest. I could see the fury building in him. I prayed that he had finally gotten it through his head that I didn’t want him. I knew that kiss had sent signals but I’d hoped that the rant had turned the tides back to where I wanted them. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but then seemed to change his mind. It was like I could see a thought pass over his face, but I had no idea what it was. After a moment of silence, with the tension building between us, Anton uttered one word. “Come.” He gripped my arm, pulling me along not giving me a chance to argue.

He ignored the questions I spouted as he continued to drag me through the city. Suddenly, using vampire speed he pulled me down an ally. There was a couple locked in a deep embrace. I could hear the sound of their lips pressing together, soft moans escaping their mouths.

Anton sped over in front of them. Still having a hold of my arm, he jerked me along. The couple startled at our hasty appearance.

“Do not be afraid.” Anton commanded and suddenly the couple was no longer afraid. He turned to me. “Feed.” 

Part of me wanted to tell him to fuck off. He knew I didn’t like to feed from humans. I had told him. But it seemed I kept finding myself in what I’m sure Anton thought were lies. I didn’t want him, yet I kissed him. I didn’t feed from humans, yet when he smelled Grayson on me I confessed that I had fed from one that night. Not wanting to anger him anymore than I had to and have him call me out on my ever-changing mind, I nodded. I had fed from Grayson so I knew I wouldn’t need much. I started approaching the girl.

“No, not from her.” I looked at him quizzically. Feeding was intimate. That was why it was best to feed from your same sex. It took away a bit of that intimacy. “From him,” he pointed at the male.

“No,” I said with resolve.

“Why not?” I could hear in his voice that Anton was trying to keep his voice in check.

“You know why.” The sexual tension that built when you fed from the opposite sex could be overpowering and I didn’t know if I was strong enough to resist it.

“You will feed from him. This is not a request,” he demanded.

“You can’t make me do it, Anton.” I shook my head. I didn’t know why he was pressing this. There was nothing to gain from feeding from the opposite sex except, in some cases, another notch in the bedpost, which I didn’t want.

He nodded, smugly. “You are correct that I cannot force you.” I was relived at his agreement. “But if you do not feed from him, I will and I will drain him dry for your defiance. His blood will be on your hands.”

I looked at the human man. He seemed to be studying me, almost willing me to save him. He may not be afraid due to Anton’s compulsion but he was still hearing everything that was being said and understood it. I wasn’t sure if Anton would do what he said, but I wasn’t willing to risk the man’s life to call Anton’s bluff. It was just a little blood. I approached the man, his green eyes gliding with me as I moved.

I looked into his eye, willing him to believe what I was about to say. I still hadn’t quite mastered the skill, but I did get it sometimes. “I’m going to bite you now. Don’t scream.”

“Will it hurt?” The man asked.

“Not as long as you relax. Okay? So relax,” I pushed as much willpower as I could muster into those last two words. He nodded, which suggested the compulsion had worked.

I stood on my tiptoes but he was too tall for me to reach his neck. When I reached for his wrist Anton gave a resounding “no.” I glared at him over my shoulder. I had the man sit down on the wet ground so I would have better access to his neck. I sat back on my knees trying to figure the best way to do this. With women it was easier. They were close to my height or shorter so that I just had to lean into them. Grayson was the only male I had ever fed from and he was almost always buried inside of me when I did. Then I realized how I had to do it. I straddled the man’s lap, giving me perfect access to his artery. I buried my hands in his hair using it as leverage and I couldn’t help but notice how silky his blond strands felt. Tilting his head to the side, I released my fangs, sinking them into his neck almost instantaneously.

I groaned when the blood touched my tongue. It was euphoric. It crashed on all my senses overwhelming them like a drug. The ally vanished around me and I was no longer with an unknown human. I was with the man I loved. Lust surged through my system, spreading like wildfire. Between my thighs moistened, readying, begging for a release. 

Hands caressed my back but I thought nothing of it, too absorbed in the warmth coursing through me. Lips pressed against my neck, but they didn’t feel right. They weren’t warm like normal. Slowly, with each kiss down the column of my neck, I was lulled back to reality. The moment I became aware, my body heated becoming instantly pissed. I was against the side of the ally wall. My hands were pinned above my head. Anton stood in front of me, his head dipped placing kisses on my neck. His arousal was pushed against my stomach. I shivered with disgust. I tried to pull away but he wasn’t budging on his hold. Without thinking, I kneed Anton in the groin watching him crumple to his knees.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I shouted. My fury took over. I raised my hand back connecting with his jaw. Anton’s knees buckled, forcing him down against the ground where he laid in the fetal position and his hands cupping his family jewels. “Do not ever touch me again.”

I walked over to the humans, hoping to erase their memories of us then I sped away. I didn’t know if it worked. I figured if it didn’t, it would be Anton’s problem. Not only was this his mess, but he was the leader of the nest. So even if it had been another vampire’s mess it would still make it Anton’s mess by default.

I couldn’t go home and risk seeing Anton. I felt disgusted knowing he had touched me like that. I knew if I went to Grayson I could possibly be bringing danger to him if Anton followed. Plus the guilt I felt for allowing what happened to happen was overwhelming and I couldn’t face him. So I went to the only place I could. Banging on the door I waited for an answer.

“Baby girl, what...” Shawn stopped when he saw my expression. “Come in.”

We sat on his couch. Shawn loaned me one of his T-shirts and a pair of basketball shorts to change into. I couldn’t stay in my clothes one more second. The smell of Anton clung to every fiber of the fabric. We sat in silence for several minutes; Shawn was busy texting away on his phone. I was sure I had interrupted some plans he made. When it became clear to Shawn that I wasn’t going to talk about it, he started.

“Did he hurt you?” Shawn asked through clenched teeth. I was curled into myself. I wasn’t cold but I couldn’t stop shivering.

“He made me feed from a male.”

Shawn’s eyes widen. He knew what an aphrodisiac it was for a vampire to feed on the opposite sex. “He made you?”

“He threatened to drain the guy if I didn’t.” I shook my head, trying to erase the memory. “He knew what it would do to me. He wanted it to happen, I just didn’t see it. I was so worried for the guy to really put it all together. I mean, I knew what his blood would do, but I didn’t think that Anton would…” I let the words hang in the air, unable to finish them as guilt washed over me.

“Gaby, it’s not your fault. You did nothing wrong.”

“I’m not so sure about that. I antagonized him,” I explained.

“Whether you antagonized him or not, he had no right to touch you.” He waited for his words to sink in. Once I nodded, he continued. “You hungry? Want a drink?”

I smiled but it didn’t reach my eyes. “Alcohol would be great.”

“Sure thing, baby girl.” He got up, giving a quick peck on my forehead, and headed into the kitchen.

The alcohol helped. Thirty minutes later and two drinks, there was a knock at the door. I jolted thinking Anton had found me.

“It’s okay, Gaby,” Shawn whispered in a calming voice. He went and answered the door.

“How is she?” I couldn’t see who was at the door, but there was no need, I could recognize that voice anywhere.

“She’s a little shaky. But I gave her a few drinks and she seems a little better.”

“Can I see her?” Grayson asked.

Shawn turned to me, looking for my permission. I nodded.

“Alright.”

The moment I saw Grayson’s face, the disgust I felt towards myself for allowing Anton to kiss and touch me washed over me. Tears streamed down my face, letting the shame take over. Through my tears I saw Grayson’s face melt from anger to concern and sympathy.

“No, baby,” Grayson had me in his arms cradling me to his chest.

“I’m so sorry, Grayson. I’m so sorry,” I sobbed.

“Shh...” He hushed smoothing my hair with his hand.

“I understand if you hate me. I hate me.”

“Shut up, Gaby. I don’t hate you. I’m in love with you. I’m pissed at the fact that I can’t do anything to protect you from him.” He shook his head. “That I’m not strong enough.”

“Please don’t think that.”
 

He pulled back slightly; his smoky gray eyes were a storm of emotion as they looked into my blue ones. “How can I not? I want to defend you. Protect you. I can’t without getting killed. Even knowing that still doesn’t stop me from wanting to pound this guy’s face in. I have more money than I know what to do with but it’s not like they have a number for supernatural bodyguards.”

“I’m so sorry, Grayson.” I didn’t know quite what I was apologizing for. For Anton? For Grayson not being able to protect me? Or the fact that he was willing to risk his life for me. He could do everything humanly possible, but it would never be enough. My problems weren’t human. He felt like he was failing me. And I felt like I was failing him.

“Stop apologizing, Gaby.” Grayson pulled me tighter against his chest. I wish I could tell him I didn’t need protection. In fact, I had handled Anton well. I doubt he would make that mistake again. I wasn’t sure how I had managed to take him down. He should have been fast enough to stop me.

Shawn walked back into the room. I hadn’t even realized he had left. I guess he meant to give Grayson and me a private moment. Not all that private seeing as how Shawn could hear us from any room in the place. “Whatcha gonna do, Gabs?” Shawn asked.

I shrugged. “What else can I do? We still haven’t found a loop hole, which means next Thursday, I’m going to have to go out with him again.”

“No! Absolutely not!” Grayson’s voice was raised. I don’t think I had ever heard that level of anger from him. “I’ve been a good sport about this, Gaby. My girlfriend being forced to date another guy, but he could have raped you tonight. Do you understand that?”

“What choice do I have, Grayson? If I don’t go out with him, he’s threatened to lock me up like a prisoner. He’s the leader of the nest. He has the power to do it.”

“Okay guys. Let’s all just calm down.” Shawn raised his hands like he was trying to lower the volume and tension with them. “We’re going through the old laws now. We’ll find something.”

Chapter 14

Time Apart

The next week, I didn’t return home. Shawn had swung by the nest, packing up bags of clothes and blood. I couldn’t bring myself to go. He also managed to snag the rest of the books on the old vampire laws since I wouldn’t be at the nest to go through them. My mother called me Sunday when I hadn’t been there for the delivery from the blood bank. I explained the edited version of what had happened. She had told me to wait a few days before returning home and agreed that I needed time to cool down. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one. Anton had been an utterly hostile vampire. His fuse had been growing shorter and shorter. He threw one of the newbies through a wall after his blood wasn’t the correct temperature. I guess getting kneed in your family jewels takes some time to get over.

Shawn had offered for me to stay with him, but Grayson wouldn’t hear of it. With his home being a human dwelling, I would be perfectly safe there because no vampires could enter.

He didn’t try to make love to me. He would just hold and cuddle with me, barely letting me out of his grasp. I think he felt I was safest in his arms. It’s funny because I felt exactly the same way.

Wednesday night, my mother called again.

“Gabriella, I talked to Anton.” I was silent waiting for the rest of her comment. “He says you’re to be here tomorrow no later than eight o’clock,” she sighed. “I’m sorry darling. I tried to talk him out of it, but I’ve never been good at talking men in or out of things,” she spoke wistfully.