"Ryden, we need to talk." I went back to my room, and sat on the edge of my bed. Ryden flew from my shoulder so I could see her.
"I have so much to tell you, but no time to do it," I began, feeling frantic.
"I'm listening."
I grabbed the gem dangling at my neck. "See this?"
She nodded.
"I've been collecting magic. Abernathy said I need seven elements. So far I've retrieved five: a piece of Abernathy's soul, the eternal sight of the elf, the strength of the troll, the healing horn of a unicorn, and the giving heart of a fairy."
She nodded again, her gauzy wings and daffodil hair moving as one.
"I still need two more magics. The essence of a vampire, and the blood of a Hunter." I clenched my hands together, trying not to believe what Zenny said about Gabriel. "I'm not sure how to collect those, but I'm working on it. The thing is..." I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. It was becoming clear I would need to kill my sister to win. And, if that's what it took, I would. "If something happens to me-"
"Nothing will," Ryden interrupted, wringing her hands.
"I know, but if it does, I need you to promise me something."
"What?" She flew around with nervous worry. "I need some watermelon juice to calm my nerves. You shouldn't talk like this."
I held out my hand, hoping she would land. Thankfully, she did. But started pacing around my palm and up and down my fingers. It tickled. And I smiled.
"Just promise me you'll take this back to Abernathy. Can you do that?"
She stopped and put her hands on her hips. "You're asking me to willfully enter the cave of that dragon?"
"If necessary."
She took in a long, shuddering breath. "Fine, I'll do it. But nothing, and I mean nothing better happen to you. Understand?"
I laughed. "I understand, my friend."
... "You've got to get up. Spring is almost here. I don't understand how you're still sleeping after eighteen months. I brought you some of your bloodlust tea even though I know it's a waste. I'd offer you my blood if I thought that would assist you in waking. Anything to help.
"Even a kiss...
"I should've known kissing you wouldn't do any good. I love you, Snow, but we both recognize our love is more along the lines of brother and sister than that of lovers. Oh well. I tried."
Chapter 7
Gabriel knocked on my door, and walked in. He glanced at Ryden as he placed a light kiss on my lips. "I need to talk to you-alone."
"I was just leaving," Ryden sniffed, rolling her eyes.
After she was gone, I asked, "What is it? Everything okay with you? You seem... out of sorts." I studied his face, searching for a telltale sign that what Snow White and Zenny said was true.
Gabriel grinned, and my insides turned to mush. "Of course. I just wanted some alone time with you. Ryden is always around lately. Plus, I have a surprise." He knelt in front of me, grabbing my hands, lifting his face. I planted a kiss on his glorious lips. Gabriel wrapped his fingers in my hair, deepening the kiss, entwining his tongue with mine. My body responded with a deep hum. No way could he be plotting against me. He said he loved me.
After several long minutes, he pulled back, standing. "That wasn't your surprise. Come on." His eyes twinkled and I couldn't resist.
I followed him past the sitting room filled with uninteresting human vampires and down several sets of stairs to the cellar.
Snow White seemed skittish. She kept 'oh'ing and 'ah'ing until I was ready to scream.
The happy giddiness I'd felt from his kisses, and the way he looked at me wore off, and a nervous anger replaced them. When we reached the cellar, I said, "Is this necessary? What kind of surprise is down here?"
"Trust me," he smiled.
Did I trust him? He'd never given me a reason not to. Always the perfect gentlemen. Kind. Sweet. Caring. He would never harm me. But the feeling, the one that told me to slaughter the deceiving bastard, kept getting stronger.
The cellar held endless barrels of wine mixed with blood. The sweet aromas, along with the smell of old wood, and dry earth did little to settle my nerves.
Maybe he's got a new wine to show me? I thought, hoping that was it.
He didn't stop when the wine barrels ended, but continued down a damp corridor. Blue pixilette light lit the walls, giving Gabriel an odd hue. When we reached another door leading to another set of stairs going deeper into the earth, I stopped.
"Seriously, Gabriel. What do you have to show me that would require us to go way down here? You know I'm not a fan of being this deep in the earth."
"Not too much further," he said.
There's still time to kill him, I thought, knowing I would if I had to. He was strong, but he was only human vampire, while I was an Original. I followed him, working to make my breathing and my steps sounds confident, relaxed. But the odd feeling in my stomach grew.
We walked past the dried meats, kept to entertain our non-vampire guests and arrived at another set of downward spiraling steps.
"I'm not going any further until you tell me what is going on," I finally said, flexing my wings, preparing for whatever he might try to do.
He stepped back to me, and kissed me intensely. I hadn't expected that. My passions overtook all other emotions, and I clung to him, longing for all of him. He released my lips, and gave me a sensuous look.
"You know we don't have to go so far to hide our affections. My..." My head became foggy. I felt tired."
"Close your eyes, my Queen. It's for the best."
I did as he said, because my lids were too heavy to do otherwise, but not before I noticed a wisp of malevolent evil cross his features.
... "Oh, man. I can't believe Professor Pops and the guys talked me into this. They're confident one of us is your true love. Remember those times we used to sleep out on the tramp? I've been thinking about that a lot lately. Even then, I thought you were beautiful. And I do love you, but I'm not in love with you. In fact I'm in love with a girl by the name of Jaycee. Okay, she isn't just a girl. She's part chayot, and I only met her through Gabe, but man, she takes my breath away. She's strong, willful, kind of a total pain in the ass, but she's also kind, giving. She's awesome-"
"Stop whining like a baby, and kiss her, Daniel. I'm next."