Page 65 of Pursued

My stomach tightened. What was the matter with him?

“Stop it. It was me as much as you.”

“Noo,” he insisted, the words slurred. “I’m…shorry. Should’ve kept…away.” His eyes closed.

“Gabriel!” I gripped his hand. “Stay with me. Please.”

His fingers closed on mine. “Love you, Mila.”

The words were weak. Too weak, like he had to get them out before it was too late.

I nuzzled the unhurt side of his face. “Maybe I love you, too. But if you leave me now, I’ll hate you forever. Understand?”

He didn’t say anything, but his lips curved.

“You don’t believe me, do you?” Tears stung my eyes. “Well, you’re right. I won’t hate you, but I’ll never forgive you.”

The only sound was the slap of the waves against the beach.

A sob escaped me. “Talk to me, damn it!”

I looked up at the beach house. Should I leave him to get help? But what if the person manning the searchlight was one of Andre’s vampires?

Gabriel groaned. His mouth worked like he was thirsty.

Suddenly, I knew what I had to do. He’d lost too much blood. To heal him, I had to feed him.

A few weeks ago, I might have hesitated. For three years, I’d been on the run from the Syndicate. A part of me was still wary of Gabriel’s vampire side.

But mostly I was just grateful I could do something to save him, because Gabriel Kral was my everything, dhampir or not, enforcer or not.

I brought my wrist to his mouth. “Drink,” I urged.

“Mm,” he murmured, but his lips remained lax against my wrist.

I glanced back at his abdomen. The blood still flowed sluggishly out, and the dark pool on the sand beneath him had increased.

How fast did a man bleed out, even if he was a dhampir?

My eyes went to the switchblade that Gabriel had stabbed Andre with. But it was dark with Andre’s blood—vampire blood. I had no idea what that would do to me.

Gabriel’s breath shuddered out…and didn’t come back in.

My heart seized. Snatching up the blade, I darted to the ocean and rinsed it in the salt water before hurrying back to Gabriel. Gritting my teeth, I set the blade against my wrist and slashed open a vein.

“Drink.” I brought my wrist to his mouth.

He lay still as death.

“Gabriel!” I gave him a shake. “Do you hear me? Wake up and feed, damn it.”

Another few seconds ticked while I waited with baited breath. At last, his mouth moved against my skin. He took a tentative lick and swallowed noisily, as if it hurt even to do that. He took a second lick, then started lapping at my blood.

“That’s it.” I closed my eyes, dizzy with relief. “Take all you need.”

He gripped my wrist, holding it to his mouth. His eyes were wide open now, shining in the dark like an animal’s. His fangs had lengthened, too. The sharp points touched my skin, but he didn’t sink them into my wrist, just sucked.

I glanced at his abdomen. The deep gashes were healing before my eyes.

---