Gabriel's Hope (#1, Rhyn Eternal) (17 page)

“We do,” he agreed quietly.

With a trembling hand, Deidre reached out to him, taking one of his. The warm energy crept across her skin and into her blood. She swallowed hard and looked into his dark eyes again.

“Will you…” She wasn’t sure how to ask for what she wanted, the comfort only he seemed to be able to give her.

Gabriel responded. His hand slid up to her elbow, and he drew her into him, until his warmth and scent enveloped her. Deidre wrapped her arms around his neck while his went securely around her body. She tucked her head into the crook of his neck, breathing him in. Her body ceased shaking, and her confusion faded, replaced by the hum of the bond between them.

“I asked the portals to bring me somewhere safe,” she whispered.

“Maybe they weren’t paying attention.”

She lifted her head to look at him, unable to tell if he meant it as a joke and ready to bolt if not. His grip around her tightened at the tension in her body. Gabriel winked, the only indication she didn’t need to run.

“Is this a decision or a moment?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll make it easier. Do you want me to make love to you or hug you?”

Her face grew hot fast. Her blood was flying with desire. She wanted both, but she wasn’t ready for what she suspected one meant. Ducking her head, she buried her face in the nape of his neck again.

“A moment,” he said, amused. “You weren’t so shy the other night.”

“Oh, god,” she said in embarrassment. “You weren’t exactly forthcoming about who you are.”

“What happened to Death letting you see the stars and moon instead of how dark the night is?”

“I must’ve sounded like a fool to you.”

“No.” His voice was low. “You made me want to see the world the way you do.”

“That’s why you stayed with me,” she murmured.

“Yeah.”

“You must have commitment issues. One night is okay. A lifetime?” she joked. “You flipped out when you realized you were shackled to me and tried not to kill me the next time we met.”

“I’m not the one who swan-dived off a fucking building to get away from my
mate
.”

She almost smiled. “I was scared.”

“You weren’t afraid of me when you went to bed with me. I’m the same person now as I was two days ago.”

“A lot has changed. It’s not normal to wake up and deal with all this,” she said. “I feel like I’m missing something. Daniela knew me and there was a man on the beach when we landed. Said he’d waited a long time to tell me something.”

“What was it?”

“Checkmate.”

Gabriel laughed quietly.

“That means something to you, doesn’t it?” she asked, puzzled.

He didn’t answer.

“You won’t tell me?”

“When you make a decision,” he said.

It was her turn to be quiet. She closed her eyes, at ease in the arms of the man who scared her any other time.

“Even Wynn,” she murmured. “It’s like people know me somehow, even though I never met them.”

“Wynn. Unusual name.”

“He’s a good friend.”

“The kind of
good
friend I need to pay a special visit to?”

Deidre gasped. She hadn’t noticed Gabriel tense but did now. Looking at him once more, she shook her head. “You shouldn’t make those kinds of jokes.”

“It’s not a joke.”

She saw the gravity on his face. Alarmed, she recalled what it was about him that terrified her. Deidre moved away from his touch, upset she’d let the moonlight trick her into forgetting how dangerous he was. Gabriel rose without speaking. Deidre watched him retrieve his sword and replace it in its sheath.

“What’re you doing?” she asked.

“Gotta drop someone a visit.”

“Gabriel,” she said, taking his arm with both her hands. “He’s the reason I’m alive. He was my surgeon.” She searched his gaze. “You can’t hurt him!”

“Deidre.” He worked her grip loose gently. “Stop.”

“No!” She was panicking. “It’s my fault Logan is dead! You can’t take Wynn!”

Gabriel gripped her arms. “Deidre –“

“My decision is yes!” she cried. “I’ll stay with you, as long as you want, if you just …please, Gabriel, don’t hurt him.
Please.
”

Gabriel released her. His jaw was ticking. Insides shaky again, Deidre waited breathlessly, tears on her face. She couldn’t …
couldn’t
bear the thought of another friend dying because of her! Logan didn’t deserve to be killed by a demon; Wynn didn’t deserve to die because Gabriel didn’t want anyone else around her.

“I can’t let you do that,” he said at last, his gravelly voice tight. He turned and strode away, disappearing into the shadow world.

Deidre watched him go, horrified at what she’d done. She frantically tried to call a portal. The magic didn’t come this time. Pacing, she tried to calm herself, as she had been both times the portal did work for her. She forced herself to sit on the ground, to focus, to wish with all her heart to go back to Wynn.

It didn’t work.

She’d just killed Wynn.

She slumped and began crying for her friend.

“Deidre, come in for dinner.” Daniela’s dark form called from the road.

“I’m not hungry,” Deidre managed. “I’m just gonna sit here and wait for the ocean drown me.”

“Always drama with Immortal mates.” Daniela’s sigh was exasperated. “For my sake, come in.”

Deidre didn’t want to move. Daniela hefted her to her feet. Deidre went obediently with her towards the fortress, numb and nauseous. She’d rather fall asleep crying in her bed than on the beach.

I’m so sorry, Wynn.

Chapter Eight

“I was expecting you sooner.”

Gabe emerged into the garden next to a southern style mansion. He was getting tired of surprises and men he didn’t want to see popping up to meet him. Wynn lounged in his seat at the garden table, an empty wine glass before him.

“You haven’t aged, Gabe,” Wynn added.

“You look pretty good for being dead-dead,” Gabe replied.

Wynn motioned to the chair across from him. A full wine glass sat in front of the seat. Gabe knew Deidre had been there; her scent lingered. He should’ve taken some satisfaction at the full glass of wine. The knowing look on Wynn’s face, however, made him realize the long dead-dead Immortal had figured things out.

“She’s charming this time around, isn’t she?” Wynn asked.

Gabe sat. She’d truly thought he was going to kill Wynn. Whatever step towards him she seemed to take this day, she’d leapt back about twenty. He’d drooled over her offer, after wrapping himself around her warm body.

“She is,” he replied. “She raised you before she crossed over?”

“Yes. Didn’t say why. Didn’t say anything at all, except welcome back,” Wynn said. “I figured it out when I rediscovered her in the human world a few years ago. I assume she knew she’d need something from me, except she had no idea who I was when we met again.”

“You can thank Fate for that one. Pretty sure he’s the only one among us who was able to out-manipulate her.”

“I like this Deidre. Sweet, gentle, trusting.”

Gabe bristled, aware of the quiet lethality of the Immortal before him. Wynn hadn’t been much better than Darkyn in his pursuit for power. The disaster that remained of the Immortal society and its Council was evidence.

“You always were a good pair.”

“Your involvement with her?” Gabe asked.

“Friendship.”

“Men like you don’t have friends.”

Wynn shrugged. “We don’t put all our cards on the table at once, either.”

Gabe assessed him. The same gleam was in Wynn’s eye that he remembered. The Immortal was planning something and intended to use Deidre to get it. Otherwise, he would’ve killed her after stumbling upon her years ago.

“It’s to your benefit to stay away from her,” Gabe said.

“I’m not the one you have to worry about. Of the two of us, she trusts me.”

“She also thinks I came to kill you.”

“We wouldn’t be talking, if my name was on your list,” Wynn said. “Very honorable of you to give her a choice of being with you after how she treated you all those years.”

Gabe was silent, emotionless. He’d been baited by many Immortals in his time and understood Wynn wanted to push his buttons. Deidre trusted Wynn enough to tell him everything. She’d likely never speak to Gabe again after this night. It burned him, but he had to put her safety over whatever he felt. The high road was his curse.

“But, she’s not the same person,” Wynn said when the attempt to provoke him failed. “Fate is not the only one you can thank for that. She’s learned to appreciate life and those around her, following a diagnosis of a terminal illness.”

“Is she really sick?”

“She wasn’t when I met her.” Wynn’s smile was cold. “Vengeance upon someone who has no idea what she’s done isn’t nearly as satisfactory, but it soothes the burn a little. As sweet as she is, I almost wish I’d given her something a little less lethal. How is that for her having the last laugh?”

Furious at the idea, Gabe began to wonder how the reincarnated Deidre made it this far without being slaughtered by one of her many enemies. Even Rhyn had a reason to hate the deity. That the skin around Wynn’s eyes relaxed in genuine warmth made Gabe realize she’d survived partially because she really was different. Innocent.

“What did you do to her?” Gabe asked in a level voice.

Wynn studied him for a moment then shrugged. “It’s irreparable. A mix of advanced medicine and magic. I intended for it to kill her over the course of a lifetime. I didn’t expect her to be …so different. Instead of a slow, fifty year death, it’ll be three years. I connected the tumor – which was completely operable – with magic to her emotions. Happiness causes her pain, the tumor to grow and eventually, death. I thought it fitting, given the amount of misery she caused men like us.”

“It’s irreparable, even with magic?”

“Completely. Remember that, the next time you make love to her. Pleasure kills, Gabriel.”

Despite the bitter words, there was regret on Wynn’s face. Wynn never cared for anyone. He killed his wives in cold blood after they gave birth to his sons, until he tangled with the demoness that was Rhyn’s mother. She’d slaughtered him. Deidre affected even this cold bastard, which made Gabe a little less resentful of how she made him feel.

“I’d like to see how … Death handles her,” Wynn continued.

“The same way I handle everything,” Gabe replied.

“It’s not that easy, as I discovered. If you want her tumor to slow its growth, you’ll ensure she’s unhappy,” Wynn advised. “I gave her three months, but it’s probably generous, given her sunny nature.”

“You’re a real piece of work, preying on someone like her,” Gabriel said. He wanted to snap the Ancient’s neck. “I know how you operate, Wynn. Whatever the rest of your plan is with her, it won’t work.”

“I know how devoted to the precious Code and your honor you are, Gabriel. I’m counting on it.”

Then you don’t know me as well as you think you do.
The knowledge left him calmer than when he arrived. Wynn had missed the events of the past few thousand years, which meant the changes Gabe went through the past few months were mysteries to the Immortal.

“The Immortals haven’t discovered you,” Gabriel guessed.

“Not yet. I’ve been taking a breather from that life. I’ll show myself soon,” Wynn said, unconcerned. “What news do you have of my sons?”

“Dangerous question.”

Wynn leaned forward, interest on his face. “Do they hold the Council together?”

“Barely. Three of your sons are dead-dead,” Gabe said. “Andre, Kris and Sasha.”

“My Andre?” Wynn frowned, not expecting the news.

“Rhyn leads the Council.”

“The half-breed? I intended to have him killed, before his mother acted against me. Did he kill the others to take over the Council?”

“No. Sasha defected to the Dark One then killed Andre and was himself killed by a traitor. Past-Death took Kris,” Gabe summarized. “Rhyn is all that holds the Immortals together.”

Rare emotion went through the gaze of the Immortal before him. Gabe waited. Wynn was silent, pensive and troubled. For a moment, Gabe almost thought he cared for his sons.

“Yet she brought
me
back,” Wynn mused. “You know why, don’t you?”

“I’m not obligated to tell you.”

“Will you bargain? Your secret for mine? This is a game your predecessor played very well.”

“I have no need for your secrets,” Gabe replied.

“You will, when you realize what it is you don’t know yet.”

“I don’t play games, Wynn. I never have.”

“You know where to find me,” Wynn said, holding out his arms. He folded them behind his head. “Probably with your Deidre. Something tells me she’ll be back here soon.”

Summoning a portal, Gabriel stood and left.

He agreed silently with Wynn’s parting words but wasn’t certain what to do about it. If he admitted not to killing Wynn, she’d return immediately. If she believed Wynn dead, Gabe had time. Though he could track her easily, he wasn’t certain how to prevent her from using the portals. She was untraceable in the shadow world, until she emerged somewhere else. All it took was a few seconds for her to fall under Wynn’s influence. The Immortal knew as much as Gabe about the portals and how to evade those who followed.