Page 14 of Veiled Yearning

“Still—”

My heart wrenches again. Chiara looks so damn pretty, her hair all tousled and wild, lashes dark and damp, her plump lower lip trapped by small white teeth. And she’s gazing at me like she actually cares how I feel.

No. I’m not here for this. I’m here to get Chiara safely to Buffalo, so she can help the Sentinels.

Standing abruptly, I say, “If you’re feeling better, I should let you get back to sleep.”

She blinks. “Oh. Right. I’m sure you want to get some sleep, too.”

“Yeah.” My voice comes out gruffer than I mean it to. “Busy day tomorrow, and all.”

“Yeah,” Chiara echoes, and her shoulders sag. “Tomorrow.”

Dammit. Now I feel bad again. “If you need anything…”

“I’m okay, Gavril. Thanks for talking to me.”

Just as I’m about to walk out the door, Chiara says, “Gavril?”

I turn to face her. “Yes?”

“There’s another bedroom. It’s not big, but the bed should be more comfortable than the couch. And there are plenty of blankets and pillows. If you want to sleep in there. I should have offered sooner…”

But I was acting like an ass, and she was angry with me.

Now? I’m not sure I deserve the kindness she’s offering. And even though I’d actually prefer to stay in the living room so I can watch things more closely, there’s no way I’m turning down Chiara’s offer. So I smile at her, and it actually feels natural this time. “Thank you, Chiara.”

6

A Softer Side

CHIARA

After Gavril left my room last night, I couldn’t get back to sleep.

I kept thinking about what he shared with me. How awful it must be.

All those visions—no doubt many as horrible as the one he showed me—and Gavril has to carry those with him. Revisit them unwillingly in his dreams.

For hundreds of years.

Before this, I thought of Gavril as emotionless. Single-minded in his dedication to the Sentinels. I couldn’t imagine there being a softer side to him.

But now… I think I understand him a little better. Gavril does have emotions, but he locks them away, so the hurt doesn’t crush him. How else could he handle seeing visions of people being hurt, year after year?

I have a hard time dealing with the memories of what happened to me. If I had to see everything Gavril does? It would drive me crazy.

So, I’m conflicted. I’m still mad at him for the stunt he pulled yesterday. But the way he opened up as we talked by the fireplace, and then after my nightmare… it makes me soften toward him. And the way he cautiously approached my bed, sitting down at the end like there was a bomb on it, his gaze fixed on mine like he was waiting for me to tell him to go away?

It was endearing. That was a side of Gavril I’ve never seen before. Not confident and commanding, but hesitant and concerned. And I liked it.

I may change my mind on this trip; he may flip back to bossy and insensitive again. Once we get to Buffalo and he’s surrounded by his friends; once he’s back in the thick of Sentinel business, he may go back to the Gavril who made me so angry.

But Gavril isn’t what I’m really worried about. I know he won’t hurt me, and I believe him when he says he’ll protect me.

My worry is that it won’t be enough. I’m scared that the Custodians will get the jump on us again.

The thing about the Sentinels—at least from what I know of them—is that while they might do some things that are morally gray, they never do anything that’s fully evil. Nicolas and the Custodians? They’ll do anything to get what they want: torture, going after innocents, or killing anyone that gets in their way.

---