Gabriel's Mate (28 page)

“Particularly Gabriel. What’s going on between those two?”

The snide tone in Ricky’s voice made her look up, but before she could reply, her cell phone rang. She looked at the number. “That’s him now.”

She punched the talk button and pressed the phone to her ear. “Gabriel?”

“I need you to come to Samson’s immediately.”

“But I’m at Paulette’s house with Ricky.” And he’d been the one who’d ordered her there not even an hour ago.

“This takes precedence. Ricky can continue the work at the house by himself. I need you here to protect Maya. I have to leave the house for an hour. And I don’t want Carl to be the one to protect her. He’s not trained for that.”

At least the order meant that Gabriel still trusted her and that their little talk earlier had cleared the air. “Sure, I’ll drive right over.”

She was about to disconnect, when Gabriel added, “And Yvette, do me a favor, and don’t fill Maya’s head with snippets of information about what vampire males may or may not want—I’m not like any other vampire, and I don’t want Maya to get the wrong impression.”

“I haven’t said anything to—”

“You told her vampire males only want to bond with human women so they can have children.”

“Oh,
that
,” she admitted grudgingly. She’d already forgotten about it. And besides, that was before—when she was jealous of Maya. It was different now.

“Yes,
that
. Please?”

Yvette was surprised at the soft tone of his voice. Something was different about him. He seemed less edgy than usual. “I promise. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“Thanks.” A click in the line told her he’d disconnected the call.

Yvette turned on her heels and almost bumped into Ricky.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Gabriel has ordered me to the house to protect Maya. So, you’re on your own here.”

“I thought
he
was protecting her.”

“He has to leave the house.”

“Isn’t Carl there?”

“You know as well as I do that he’s not a trained bodyguard. I bet the rogue could easily overpower him.”

“I bet he could even take you,” Ricky agreed. “Why don’t I go to the house and you finish up here?”

Yvette continued into the hallway without even casting a look back at him. “Because Gabriel ordered me, not you. See you later.”

His footsteps followed her. “Come on, don’t be such a pest.”

The little hairs on the back of her neck rose as suspicion crept up her spine. Ricky had never cared to swap assignments before. Gabriel had warned them days ago that Ricky was a little volatile at present, but this was downright annoying. “I said no. What part of no don’t you get?”

The attack hit her without warning. His claws dug into her back and flung her against the wall. As she crashed into it, she heard one of her ribs snap and felt the pain radiate through her body. She landed on her feet, her body leaving a dent in the drywall behind her.

Returning Ricky’s aggression, her body hardened at the same time as her fangs descended and her fingers turned into claws. Before she could fight back, he slashed his claws against her stomach, slicing through her tight t-shirt. The metallic scent of her own blood assaulted her instantly.

“Fucking bastard,” she cursed and kicked out with her right leg, knocking the wind out of him. He stumbled against a door behind him. “What the fuck is this about?” she yelled as she went after him.

But she hadn’t counted on him being armed.

When Ricky pulled a chain with a ball at each end out of his jacket pocket, she was unprepared. He swung it with precision and cunning, his wrist releasing it an instant later. The chain wrapped around her knees and made her lose her balance.

Yvette crashed against the wall once more, her hand already reaching for the chain and balls. She hissed in pain when she touched the metal. Silver.

How in hell had he swung it without burning himself? She cut him a quick glance and saw him grin, then wave his right hand at her. She zeroed in on it, and only now noticed the flesh colored glove he wore on that hand. He must have put in on when he’d followed her out of the bedroom.

When he bent over her, she swiped at him with her claws, but he jumped out of her way with preternatural ease, and landed on her chest, his knees pinning down her shoulders, disabling her from moving her arms. He was heavier than her and stronger. Yvette flashed her fangs at him.

But he only laughed. “Should have let me go to the house like I told you. But no, you’re a controlling bitch, who has to have the last word on everything. I’ll show you women who’s boss.”

The words sank deep into her. “Wo
men
” he’d said. Instantly she knew what this was about. “Maya.”

“Yes, Maya. I’ll get her now. She’s been mine all along. And neither you nor Gabriel can keep me away from her any longer.”

Yvette shivered. Ricky was the rogue. All along he’d hidden in their midst, and nobody had suspected him.

“How did you do it? How did you evade us for so long?”

He chuckled to himself, then he gave her a cold stare. “Zane had his doubts about me when he checked my alibi, but even he isn’t strong enough to get past my gift.”

Yvette cursed.

“Yes, finally my gift has turned out to be quite useful. You guys always used me to smooth things over when there was a problem. I let you. But finally, I figured I’d use it for myself.  Zane firmly believes I had nothing to do with Maya’s attack. Nobody suspects me, because the minute I sense their doubts, I invade their mind and control those doubts. Poof!” He made a theatrical hand movement.

He’d played them all, and now that he knew Maya was alone at the house with only Carl as protection, he’d get her. “Gabriel will get you,” she spat.

“By the time Gabriel gets back to the house, I’ll be long gone, and Maya will be with me. Nobody will ever see us again.”

“You traitor.”

“Call me what you want, I don’t care.” He stuck his hand into his jacket pocket.

Yvette froze. He’d stake her, she knew it. Her eyes widened. When he locked eyes with her, he laughed again, a cold emotionless laugh.

“A stake’s too good for you. You don’t deserve to die like a man. Women like you, who play with men’s feelings, who lead us around by our noses, make us think you love us, and then just drop us like a hot potato when you’ve had enough. Not anymore.” He slapped his hand across her face, whipping her head to the side. Pain seared through her neck and jaw, but she knew his speech wasn’t meant for her—it was meant for Maya. He was angry at her.

“No, you, fucking bitch, will fry in the sun.”

He pulled out another chain from his pocket and wrapped one end around her left wrist. The metal stung and her skin sizzled as if somebody had dropped acid onto it. The bastard was binding her with silver—a metal she couldn’t break.

Quickly, he removed his leg from one shoulder and brought her arms together, tying her up over her head. Then he jumped up, took her by her hands and dragged her along the floor into the living area.

“You’re gonna pay for this!” she promised.  

“I doubt that very much, especially given that you’ll be dust in a few hours.”

Ricky lifted her up onto her feet. When she was eyelevel with him, she spat into his face. All it earned her was another swipe with his claws. She barely felt the pain now.

Without much ado, he secured her bound hands onto a hook over the fireplace, effectively suspending her a few inches in the air. Then he secured her legs against the grid in front of the fireplace, immobilizing her.

With a few long strides, he went to the window and pulled back the curtains. Once the sun came up, it would shine straight onto her, and within minutes she would fry. It would be a painful death, not the quick relief a stake would bring.

Trying to stall him, she said, “What happened with Holly? Did you go after Maya because Holly dumped you?”

He snarled. “Nobody dumped me. I broke it off with the stupid tart when I met Maya. I wined and dined her, I promised her the world, anything she could possibly want. And what did Maya do? Throw it all back at me like I was some beggar. Now I’ll make her beg.”

The thought of what might happen to Maya frightened her. If Ricky took her, Gabriel would be devastated. “I’ll get you for this.”

He cast her another quick glance and shrugged. “If it makes you feel better to say that, go ahead, but the reality is, you won’t. Enjoy the sunrise. The weather report said there won’t be any fog tomorrow.”

His evil laugh echoed through the house as he strode out, slamming the door with such force that the lock broke and the door swung inside again, remaining ajar.

Twenty-seven

There was a buzzing sound and Gabriel pressed against the door. Inside the modern commercial building, he turned to his left, following the witch’s instructions. As he walked along the sterile corridor with its white walls and light green linoleum floor, his heart beat heavy in his chest. He wanted to claim Maya as his own, but he wanted to do it without this deformity. Despite the fact that she’d let him fuck her, he wasn’t convinced that she could truly look past this ugly thing. Fucking a guy who was a freak was one thing. Marrying—blood-bonding with such a freak—was another.

He pushed the door that said “Lab 87” open and stepped into the brightly lit room.

“I’m in the back,” Francine’s voice immediately greeted him. He followed the sound and walked past the work benches, the sinks and centrifuges and the large fridges and freezers that lined the path to a small office. In it, he found the witch sitting behind a messy desk.

She looked up when he entered and pointed to the chair opposite her. “Take a seat.”

Despite feeling antsy, he dropped into the chair and leaned back. “You have an answer for me?”

She
tsk
ed. “No ‘good evening, how are you’?”

He frowned. “Are we still playing games?”

“Cheer up; I’ve got good news for you.”

Gabriel straightened in his chair and leaned forward. “Don’t keep me on tenterhooks. I know it gives you pleasure to see me suffer, but for once just give it to me straight.”

“You should really grow a sense of humor, Gabriel. Life is not all dark and without fun.”

He merely lifted an eyebrow, indicating he was out of patience.

“Fine, fine. To the news then. You’re not a full-blooded vampire. I tested your blood and it came back with—”

“What do you mean, ‘not a full-blooded vampire’? Of course I’m a vampire.”

“On the surface, yes. But you have other genes in you too.”

“And what’s that got to do with my deformity?”

She smiled. “Everything.”

“And how would that be considered good news?”

“You’re a satyr, Gabriel, and that thing you’ve got is not a deformity. It’s a second penis.”

Gabriel jumped up from his chair. “
What?
”

“Just what I’m telling you.”

“You mean I’m some sort of beast—half man, half bull?” He tried to wrap his brain around the news.

“No. You’re talking about a minotaur. A satyr is a little different. A satyr is a mythical creature, fully man, but a highly sexual creature whose need for carnal pleasure has endowed him with a second appendage for double the pleasure so to speak,” the witch explained. There was a soft chuckle in her voice.

Gabriel shook his head. “If you’re right in what you’re saying, then how the fuck do you explain that deformed thing? It looks nothing like a penis. Double the pleasure, my ass!” He turned away from her and heard how her chair scraped against the floor as she pushed it back and rose.

“Gabriel, listen. There’s a reason it doesn’t look like a penis.” She paused. “Yet.”

At her last word he turned. “Yet?”

She nodded. “A satyr’s second penis doesn’t develop immediately.”

Gabriel gave a mirthless laugh. Wasn’t it shock enough that he was some kind of beast? “Francine. Do you have any idea how old I am? I’ll tell you. I was thirty-three when I was turned, and I’ve been a vampire for over a hundred and fifty years. Do you know how old that makes my so-called second penis? I’d say that thing is a late bloomer. Are you telling me I have to wait another hundred and fifty years for it to turn into what it’s supposed to be?”

So he was still a freak. Well, at least now he had a name for it: satyr. Now he was a half-vampire, half-satyr with a deformity. And she called that good news?

“No. I’d say your transformation is already starting. According to the legend, once a satyr meets his life mate, his genes go to work and change the growth. Haven’t you told me that you’ve already seen a change, as if it appears to be growing?”

He stared at her. “But it doesn’t look like a penis.”

“Because its final transformation only comes once you’ve had intercourse with your life mate for the first time. Within hours after that, it’ll turn into a fully functioning penis—hard-on and all.”

Gabriel took a step back. He’d had sex with Maya only a little over an hour ago. Could it be that something was already happening to him?

“What?” the witch asked.

“Maya and I, we—” Gabriel stopped himself. He couldn’t tell her. This was too personal to reveal. But it appeared he didn’t have to say another word.

“Ah, I see. Well, then it’s just a matter of time.”

“Excuse me for a second,” Gabriel told her and turned around. He unbuttoned his jeans and eased his zipper open, then pulled his boxers away from his body and stared at his groin. He couldn’t believe his own eyes. “Fuck!”

Francine shuffled behind him. “Can I see?”

He held out his arm to the side to prevent her from coming around him. “No!” His eyes glanced back at the place where his deformity had lived for the last nearly two centuries.

It was gone. In its stead was a beautifully formed and perfect cock, slightly shorter and slimmer than his other one, but nevertheless as perfect. He pulled back the skin and revealed the purple head, the tiny hole in its tip indicating that it would be a fully functioning organ.

He quickly arranged the boxer shorts and closed his zipper before he turned to the witch and smiled for the first time since he’d entered her office. “Just like you said.”