Page 27 of Blood Ties
My hand clutched my throat holding back the sob that was threatening to break free. I nodded rapidly unable to speak. Grayson grinned brilliantly at me. Pulling the ring from the box, he slid it into place on my left ring finger. He jolted up wrapping me in his embrace, spinning me around in circles while I laughed at his elation. Tangling my fingers in his hair I brought my mouth to his, kissing my fiancé for the first time.
I pressed my tongue against his lips coaxing them open. When my tongue touched his, he groaned. Gripping my thighs he wrapped my legs around his waist.
“Wait,” he pulled back. “I know where this is going and as much as I want to make love to my fiancée, there’s a little more I want to say,” he spoke gripping me a little tighter. I looked into his eyes. There was a peacefulness to them, but a resolve as well. No overwhelming emotions, just a calm that settles on you without your realization. “I want you to know that I am okay without our regularhumanlife. I know you are hunting down your father because of the effect we believe your blood has on me, but if for some reason he can’t help us or if you change your mind about finding him, know that I would give up my human existence for you. Sleep through the day, go out at night and I would never resent you for it. That’s what this is for.” He toyed with my new ring. “I want you to know that no matter what happens I will always want you and love you.” He pulled my hand to his mouth, brushing his lips over the back of my knuckles.
I smiled softly at him, but it didn’t reach my eyes. It was small; just enough to show that I understood what he said, but I hoped it didn’t come to that. I wanted Grayson to have his life, the same one he had always had, and to have the future he envisioned for himself, but that was not the only issue. Grayson wasn’t able to drink human blood and without it… I couldn’t even think of what that meant. I would hate myself enough for both of us if my coming into his life stripped away what he had been building for himself, but I doubted I could live with myself if I lost him.
“I love you, Grayson.”
“I love you more, Gaby.” He lips fell against mine and everything else was momentarily forgotten as I made love to my future husband.
Lying together in bed with Grayson, with his body pressed against mine cocooning me in warmth and safety, should have felt blissful. Now that he was asleep and no longer distracting me, my mind couldn’t help but wander to where it always did lately. My father and Grayson’s blood intolerance. I needed to do something, but with Shawn and Grayson teaming up to keep me otherwise occupied; it left me no time to deal with the issues at hand. Grayson tried convincing me that with my mother busy making calls and trying to track down information there was no reason for me to be redoing everything she had already done. I didn’t care anymore. I looked down at my new ring. He thought I would be reassured by it, but it only made me more desperate. I wanted this settled and to have the answers to my questions. Most of all I needed Grayson safe. This life we shared together, I wanted it forever.
Then again there was still Ava. She was out there somewhere plotting her misguided revenge. The nest had been trying to keep tabs on her until she just up and disappeared. Last they knew she was across the country in California. She would make her move eventually; I just needed to be ready. If it wasn’t for Grayson’s blood issues Ava wouldn’t even be a blimp on my radar, but for now, he was vulnerable.
Unwrapping Grayson from around me, being careful not to disturb him, I slipped from the bed. Needing something to cover myself and not caring what it was I reached into my drawers opening and closing them each carefully. I grabbed a bra and panties along with a white t-shirt and jeans. Slipping everything on, I tiptoed from the room. I was more careful than I had been in the past. I used to sneak out on Grayson all the time back when I was living at the nest. My mother had wanted me home every night even though I was a grown woman. That was also when Grayson was still human. Now with his vampire hearing, the slightest thing could rouse him.
Once out of the room, I blurred to the door sliding into the pair of shoes I had worn that morning then quietly exited the apartment.
Jumping into a cab, it wasn’t long before I arrived at the nest. It was still early, by vampire standards, giving me a chance to catch my mother. I didn’t know how her schedule might have changed now that she was the leader.
When I entered the dining area, I was met with the same uncomfortableness that had befallen on me during my last visit. My mother sat at the head of a table and her eyes, along with everyone else’s, were instantly drawn to me. Holding her hand up to me, I halted my steps watching as she drew one last drink from her glass before coming to me.
“What an unexpected surprise, Gabriella,” she announced drawing me into her embrace.
“I need to speak with you,” I muttered.
She sighed, “I figured you would soon. Come.”
She led me down the hall to where I knew Anton’s office was. I suppose it was her office now. I had only been in there a handful of times over my twenty three years living at the nest, but it looked different now, yet still much the same. I was stunned when the door shut and all the outside noise disappeared. The room was vampire sound proofed.
“There is still no news, Gabriella. A simple phone call could have answered that question for you,” she spoke sliding in behind her desk.
I ran my fingers through my dark locks before clenching it between them, feeling the pull against my scalp. “This is so frustrating!” I exclaimed. “Do you know that Grayson has it arranged so I can’t do anything?”
She shrugged. “He doesn’t want you to worry darling. That is understandable.”
“But I want to help. Ineedto help.”
My mother looked at me with sympathy gliding across her youthful features. “There is nothing you can do that we have not done already.”
I shook my head trying to ease my irritation. “I can go look for him. Perhaps I could find him.”
“Where would you start? Seattle is his last known location and that was twenty three years ago. They haven’t heard from him. We’ve already put out calls to the surrounding nests. There is not much else that can be done. Your father is a master mind at hiding. He always has been with the amount of enemies he’s ensnared. If he doesn’t want to be found then he won’t be. It is as simple as that.”
“I don’t care. I can start there and work my way around. Maybe he’s just in hiding.” I knew I was being irrational, but I was frustrated and sick of doing nothing.
“And what of Grayson? Hmm… Are you going to take him with you? Force him to leave the life you are struggling so hard for him to keep or are you going to leave him alone without your blood, without protection against those who seek vengeance on you?”
Ava.If I left Grayson, even leaving him bags of my blood, Ava could see this as her perfect opportunity to strike and make me feel the pain she felt. I couldn’t risk it. Grayson’s strength had diminished since he first transitioned. He was growing weaker by the day. Seeing the defeat in my eyes, my mother wrapped her arms around me. She cradled my head to her shoulder just as she had when I was a child. I breathed in her scent. She smelt clean, like fresh soap.
“Go home, Gabriella. Enjoy the holiday with your mate. I’ve spoken with him and he is aware of what may happen and is content with it. You should be too.” She held my hands in hers. Feeling the ring on my finger, she looked down at it, fingering it before giving me a gentle, knowing smile.
I heaved a heavy breath trying to let go of the powerlessness I felt, which didn’t ease, but I did as my mother suggested. I returned home to Grayson, to our Christmas filled apartment, and climbed into bed, letting the love I felt for him wash over me as I drifted off to a restless sleep.
CHAPTER NINE
The holidays passed and a calm began to settle around the city. I tried to heed my mother’s advice, but part of me just couldn’t let it go. But I kept thinking, what if he couldn’t survive without my blood? I just didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t live without him. I watched as Grayson started to grow weaker even though his feedings increased. He did his best to hide it and I did my best to pretend everything was normal, if only for his sake.
