Page 67 of When Monsters Rise
Beehad retired for the evening, curled up besideTumiel.I’dsleep whenBastianandShemreturned from a final sweep of the grounds.Curlingup alone, even with blankets and pillows to hand, didn’t appeal.Butmy guys would be back soon.
Thereapers were doing first shift on patrol, andShemand the watchers had taken on doing a full sweep of the grounds to look for any potential threats, like herald’s claw nests and the likes.
Butthere was another reason keeping me up.Theniggly feeling thatIwas neglecting to consider something.ThatIwas forgetting something important.Thethought flirted with my mind, hovering on the fringes of my consciousness before giving me the finger and vanishing altogether.
Imassaged my temples, staunching my annoyance.It’dcome to me onceIstopped trying to latch on to it.
“Anymore of that left?”Gabrielsaid from the doorway.
Helooked weatherworn—his hair tousled and falling across his forehead in a way that made him seem young and carefree.Butthe ancient weariness in his emerald eyes put paid to that illusion.Thoseeyes had seen death and destruction, trauma and pain.Andfor a moment,Icould see it too.Feelit.
Mybreath caught as a crushing weight settled on my chest.
Gabrielblinked sharply, and the vise-like grip on my lungs eased as the strange connection that had established itself between us cut off.
“Isthat tea?” he asked.
Icleared my throat. “Yes.”
“CouldIhave some?”
“Ididn’t know celestials drank tea.”
“Wedon’t.Notusually, butI’llmake an exception today.”Hegrabbed a cup from the sideboard where several freshly rinsed ones sat, then poured himself an inch of tea.
Ibit back a smile because it was obvious that he didn’t want any.Hewas trying to form a connection with me.Hedidn’t need to.Wewere already bonded.
Hetook the chair next to mine and sat with his forearms resting on the table, hands cupping the mug. “It’sstrange being outside the city walls.”
“Howlong has it been since you left?”
“Twentyyears.”
“Butthat…that’s all the time you’ve been here on earth.”
“Yes.Therewas no need for me to leave.”
Inother words, he hadn’t been allowed to leave. “I’mglad you escaped.”
“Metoo.”Hesipped the tea and made anickface.
Ireached out and touched his arm. “Youdon’t have to drink it.”
“Justas well, it’s foul.”Heset the cup down. “Ispoke withShem.”
“Yes, he told me.”
Heturned his chair to face me, then took my hands in his.Hisfingers were warm, his firm grip sending a pleasant tingle through me. “Ourbond doesn’t need to mean anything.Youdon’toweit anything.”Hisgaze was soft with sincerity. “Emotionswere heightened in theGoldenCity.Betweenus…”
Hewas referring to the intense moments of attraction between us.Sayingthey didn’t matter.Good.Imean, that was good, and the hollow pit in my belly didn’t mean anything.Iwas probably just hungry.
And, he was waiting for me to reply. “Iknow.Iunderstand why you did it.I’mgrateful.I’mgrateful that you’re here with us.Inever should have trustedMichael.”
Hisfingers flexed around mine. “Itrusted him too, andIbelieve…Ibelieve he truly meant to help us.Butsomething changed.”
“Yeah, he got a better offer.Hewants power.”Ifilled him in on whatMichaelhad said to me in the tunnels back at the mall. “Hewants to be in charge.”
“He’sa fool, and it’s obvious he has no clue what theDominionare planning.”
