by Ava Walsh
A text message.
Not even a phone call. It had detailed the story between her mother and father and, as he read, his heart had sunk into his stomach. Even though he was still upset that she didn't understand his gestures towards her, he understood why she would think as she had. What sort of man was her father, to repeatedly betray his mate and break his daughter's heart? If that was all that Naya knew, how much worse must her fears about their relationship be? They weren't even mates, and he had out and out told her that vampires were rarely exclusive.
But why should he have to prove that he wasn't like her father? He could spend a lifetime trying to, but if she wasn't going to trust him then he would never convince her otherwise.
The door opened and he smelled the soft, lilac scent of Angel, but he didn't turn.
"Have you talked with Naya today?"
"We've texted," Gabriel muttered. "Not that it's your business."
"You have been grumpier than I've ever known you since she left. You just need to go to her and tell her exactly how you feel. You haven't been with another woman since the Blood Moon, and you know that hearing it from your own lips will do a lot towards getting her to forgive you."
"Trust should count for something." Gabriel's fists clenched. "If Naya can't trust me, then she can't… I can't…"
Angel moved closer, her footsteps so light and graceful that he hardly heard her. He turned towards her–and his jaw dropped. His eyes bugged out of his head as he took her in. Angel wore nothing but a pair of strappy high heels. Her head was high, her hands on her hips in that pose that never failed to get a reaction out of him.
Except that this time it was anger, not arousal. He thought she cared for Naya. How could she suggest this?
"If you and she are not going to mate, then perhaps you and I can have some fun?" Angel arched a delicate eyebrow. "After all, as you said yourself, sex is as vital to vampires as food is to humans."
Gabriel strode to the bed, snatching the comforter off it. He tossed it at Angel. "Get out of here this instant before I have you banished." He kept his voice low and calm, making sure she knew he was completely serious.
To his surprise, a triumphant grin crossed her face. "I knew it."
"Knew what?" Gabriel asked, taken aback.
"That you love her."
"That's what this was about? Proving that I loved her by rejecting you?"
Angel wrapped the blanket around herself. "Gabriel, I am going to give you a little advice. Go to her. Apologize for your behavior and let her apologize for hers. It doesn't matter who was right and who was wrong, even though she was clearly out of line."
"If it doesn't matter—"
"What matters is that she was hurt. She misunderstood the situation and lashed out, but you also dismissed her hurt. And you both have been miserable without one another ever since. So just go, tell her you're sorry and admit that you love her."
Gabriel frowned at his lover–no, former lover. He didn't desire her anymore. He didn't desire anybody but Naya. But how could he love a woman who didn't trust him? It was just setting himself up for heartbreak. "What makes you think that I love her?"
Angel groaned and rolled her eyes. "Please! Don't pretend I'm an idiot. Your majesty," she tacked on at the end, when he narrowed his eyes. "You have never been exclusive until you met her. Never. You have been sulking around the castle ever since she left. And every time you get a message on your phone—"
Just as she spoke, a ding sounded, indicating he had a text. Gabriel dived for his phone, snatching it up. It was from Naya.
"You do that." Angel cocked her head to one side. "You love her. You're just afraid. You always get what you want, and so what you want is never that important to you. Naya is important and you want her, but you're afraid that she won't want you back. You love her. You're afraid she doesn't love you."
"I'm not afraid."
"If you weren't, then you wouldn't care if she thought you were sleeping with me. You would be sleeping with me. Or you would be sleeping with other women, at least. I think I'm going to go exclusive…" Angel shook her head. "Go to her. Please. I love you both, and I hate that you're both so miserable."
She adjusted the blanket around her body and, with a final, small smile, she left the room. Gabriel let out a deep breath, considering her words. It was true. He knew it was, of course, but at the same time he didn't want to admit it. He was the one who was always strong and in control. But, with love, you had to give some control to somebody else. You had to give the most fragile part of yourself to another person, and if they weren't careful…
He closed his eyes. Naya was worth it. Her jealousy, her pain, it was parallel to his. Wasn't that why he snarled at the males approaching her? Because he wasn't sure if she was his, despite his claim?
He began typing a text but dismissed that idea, phoning Naya instead. After three rings he worried that she might not answer, but after the fourth one she did.
"Gabriel." Her voice was soft and shy.
"Naya. Can I come see you?"
There was a moment's hesitation. He could almost hear her heartbeat over the phone. "Yes."
Gabriel's spirits soared, and within an hour he was outside the door to the hotel penthouse, his hands trembling as he knocked. Belatedly he thought he ought to have brought flowers, chocolates, diamonds. Something other than just himself.
Naya looked radiant as she opened the door. Her stomach had the gentle swell of pregnancy, and Gabriel could hear their child's strong heartbeat. She wore a simple t-shirt and skirt, but she looked more beautiful than all the diamonds in the world. As she stepped back to admit him into the hotel suite, a nervous smile played on her lips.
"Is Ivanna here?" Gabriel asked.
"No. I thought it might be best for the two of us to speak alone."
Gabriel nodded, understanding. He twisted his hands, uncertain of how to start.
"I'm sorry." Naya folded her arms over her chest, looking at the floor. "I'm sorry for the accusations I made, I'm sorry for not trying to understand the vampire way and I'm sorry for insulting Angel."
"And I'm sorry for not considering your feelings more," Gabriel replied, a sense of relief washing over him as he said the words. He always hated apologizing, but this felt good. "I'm sorry for not coming sooner."
"I'm sorry for—"
Gabriel put a finger on her lips and shook her head. "We're both sorry. We can talk about everything we're sorry about later. Right now I want to talk about us."
Naya's heartbeat increased and she sucked her plump lower lip between her teeth. "Us."
"I have not been with another woman since the first night we were together. I have not wanted another woman since then. No, don't say anything. Let me finish." His thumb traced her lips, and the soft sigh he got in response distracted him momentarily. "I know you're afraid. You saw what happened with your mother and decided you would never put yourself in that pain. But please know you can trust me with your heart."
Naya's breathing quickened.
"I love you," he whispered. "I will always love you. I want you to be mine, but know that I am yours regardless. Forever."
She cupped his face with her warm hands. "I am yours. But not because you claimed me. I am giving myself to you, heart and soul."
"And I give myself to you," he replied in a murmur.
Their lips brushed, their gazes locked on one another. Utter rapture shot through Gabriel's body and he held her tighter, pulling her against him as he deepened the kiss.
Chapter Eight: Seven Months
The negligee Naya had bought the last time she had gone shopping was just a tad small. The bra cups dug into her breasts, and the sheer fabric parted on two sides over her large, pregnant belly. She turned to her side, looking in the full-length bathroom mirror as she cradled her stomach with one hand underneath and the other on top.
She had never had the confidence to wear negligees, not even before she was pregnant the first time, when she was at
her lowest weight. Even now she was a little nervous–but Gabriel always insisted the lights be kept on while they made love. Knowing that he loved every jiggle and roll of her body made her feel sexy, and she wanted to look sexy for him.
Not to mention that she was seven months pregnant, and pretty soon she was going to be too big every which way to make love, but somehow her desire for the king had increased so much that he was now the one putting an end to their romps in bed, rather than the other way around. Perhaps it was because of Gabriel drinking her blood more often these days.
There was a compound in vampire saliva that rewrote human DNA and turned them into vampires as well. That compound was sucked out when Gabriel drank her blood, but enough was left inside of her to strengthen her body.
"Naya?" His voice came to her from the bedroom.
"I'll be out in a moment." She hadn't told him why she wanted to see him so early in the day but, even if he had only fifteen minutes to spend with her, it would be better than nothing at all. She fluffed her dark, wavy hair and touched up the devil-red lipstick that she wore.
"Where are Angel and Ivanna?"
"Ivanna wanted to go to the zoo, and so Angel took her. I thought it would give us a chance to have a little alone time." Naya spritzed a little lavender oil into the air and walked through it.
There was a brief moment of silence, and Naya knew that Gabriel was inhaling the scent and processing her words. A low, deep chuckle came from the other room, but he continued as though he didn't know what she was up to. "You'll never guess what I overheard her talking about with her lover yesterday."
Naya exited the bathroom. Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed, his suit jacket flung over the back of a chair. He worked on the buttons of his shirt, fingers moving deftly as he drank in the sight of her. Naya's body swirled with heat as her gaze trailed down the muscles of his torso. He was so delicious that she almost wished that their positions were reversed, that he was the human and she was the vampire so that she could drink from him.
"What did you hear?" she murmured huskily, eyes greedily roaming from his smooth chest down his chiseled abs to the well-defined V that disappeared into his pants.
"They were agreeing to become exclusive."
Naya's brows rose as Gabriel tore off his shirt. "I didn't even know she was seeing anybody in particular."
"She's been quiet about it. I hope that it works out for her. I've always cared for Angel–not the way I love you, my dear," he added quickly, making Naya smile appreciatively, "but she's been a good friend to me over the years. I hope she's found somebody who can be to her as you are to me."
Naya nodded. She wanted the same thing, having become fast friends with Angel. It was the female's forgiving, nurturing nature. Angel was always there to take care of both Ivanna and Naya, always a cheerful presence, and had frankly forgiven Naya for her cruel words to her after she found the female with Gabriel that time.
Gabriel started on his pants, and Naya felt like her skin had turned to fire. She shook her head, grinning as she moved forward.
"That's my job."
With a groan Gabriel nodded, moving his hands to the bedclothes. Naya knelt between his legs, shifting his thighs apart so she could rest her forearms on them. Gabriel's breathing was quick, pulsing, and she could see how ready he was already. No matter–she had something specific in mind for this time, and in this instance she was getting exactly what she wanted.
Her heartbeat fluttered as she unzipped his pants and pulled them to his knees. Her core tightened. Gabriel trembled as he stared down at her, his eyes dark with desire, lower lip clenched between his teeth. One long fang jutted out, digging into his skin. Naya smiled at him before taking him into her mouth.
They had not done this before; she never needed to prepare him, and everything was always focused on her. She loved that for sure, but after all these months she wanted to give back what she had been given. Gabriel went rigid, fingers digging into the bedclothes. A low, throaty groan escaped from him as she began to move, and his head fell back.
Naya moaned herself, his obvious pleasure building heat in her core, making her tighter. Another moan, and she found herself slipping a hand between her legs. It wasn't long before Gabriel gripped her arms, picking her up as he stood. One arm wrapped around her waist as he steadied her, turning to lay her down on the bed. Naya giggled but shook her head.
"Not yet. I'm not done with you."
"Yes, you are. I only have half an hour, and I want to be inside of you."
He pressed a searing kiss to her mouth, taking her breath away, and Naya could find no arguments against it. She twined her arms around his head, pulling him closer. Their bodies moved as one, not needing any prompting to get into their new favorite position, now that it was uncomfortable for Naya to lay on her back for any length of time.
As he positioned himself behind her, Naya's breath was hard and fast, her heart pounding. She loved this intimacy, the feeling of utter trust she had with her lover. She would never have believed it before, that a man could really, truly love every inch of the skin she was in. Even Ivanna's father, who she knew had loved her, had often given her dirty looks when she reached for a second cupcake or mentioned wanting something deep-fried to eat.
Gabriel never did anything like that. He only marveled over her beauty, and Naya knew that every word he said was the absolute, complete truth. She stroked the arms that circled around her as they became one, whispering his name over and over. Gabriel kissed the back of her neck, and they followed one another into bliss.
***
Naya didn't think anything of it when Angel and Ivanna didn't return for lunch. They were at the zoo, something that could take all day, especially considering Ivanna's love for animals. She wasn't worried at all.
Not until Angel returned alone.
Naya was in Gabriel's study, discussing plans for the nursery while Gabriel pressed a hand to Naya's belly, feeling their baby kick with the happiest, proudest expression she had ever seen on him. He suddenly stiffened, head snapping towards the door. Naya followed his gaze and found Angel standing there. Her clothes were torn, her hair in a mess around her face. A long, dark wound slashed across her face; it looked like a hot knife had sliced through her skin. Similar marks were on her arms. Wet, red stains covered her clothes.
It took a moment for Naya to recognize it as blood.
"They took her," Angel gasped. She stepped forward and fell to her knees. "They attacked us and killed the guards. They took her. They took her."
A hollow sort of sound rang in Naya's ears. Her hands trembled and bile rose up her throat. Her baby was kicking against her ribs, but she could hardly feel it. As if she was a ghost, she drifted forwards, her heart in her throat.
"Ivanna," she choked out.
Angel's shoulders shook. "I tried to stop them. I wasn't strong enough. They had silver. They only left me alive so I could tell you who they were."
Gabriel's arms circled Naya's waist. He lifted her off her feet, cradling her. Naya impatiently smacked his arm but, even as she did so, she knew that she would fall the moment he set her back on the floor. Her eyes were dry, but only because she couldn't believe this was happening–wouldn't believe this was happening. They were just playing a trick on her. Ivanna would come bouncing in in a second.
"Who was it?" Gabriel asked.
"Take Back the Planet. They said that they won't let her go unless… unless Naya terminates her pregnancy."
The words tumbled about in Naya's brain. She couldn’t think. She couldn't breathe. Her daughter… her baby…
What was she supposed to do now?
Chapter Nine: Desperate Measures
Two days passed without any word from the kidnappers. Gabriel had his whole staff trying to find where they went. Alberto tracked down all the individuals who had been at the zoo that day, but so far no names were connected to any sort of anti-vampire literature or actions. The humans who had attacked Angel and killed the guards had
hidden their trail in garlic. It utterly blinded vampire noses.
Gabriel had never felt so helpless before. There were no leads to follow, no skulls to crack. The prisoner who had been found on his grounds all those months ago during the Blood Moon knew nothing. Even the normal Take Back the Planet blather on the internet had gone silent.
If they did end the child growing within Naya, would they get Ivanna back? Gabriel refused to consider that the kidnappers may have already killed her. It was too horrible to think of, to never see that little girl's smiling face again or hear one of her off-key songs. Ivanna had become the life of the palace. Everybody loved her.
As much as it broke him to think of ending Naya's pregnancy, if that was what it took to get Ivanna back then he would do it. He had frozen his sperm on the night of the full moon. They could artificially impregnate Naya again if she was willing. And, despite his son's strong heartbeat and the kicks he felt on his palm through his mother's skin, the fact was that he didn't know the baby. He loved his little son already, but he didn't know him.
He knew Ivanna, and the choice was clear, as much as it hurt.
He hadn't been able to talk to Naya about it. She hadn't left her room, lying in bed sobbing whenever he went to see her. Her pain hurt worse than anything, and he cursed his uselessness.
At least Angel was recovering, though her distress was almost as great as Naya's. She blamed herself, though Gabriel had tried to convince her it wasn't her fault. It was his. He should have given them more guards. He should have taken the threats more seriously.
"My king?"
Gabriel looked up from where he had been sitting at his desk, his head in his hands, immobilized by fear. Alberto stood in the doorway, his hand firmly latched around a woman's arm. From the strong beat in her chest and the smell of blood about her, the king knew she was human.
"What is it?" Gabriel had never heard his own voice so broken before.
