Spectrum (Stone Society Book 14)

by Faith Gibson

  “And what will you do while you aren’t visiting me an hour a day?”

  “The first thing I’ll do is find somewhere to live. Isabelle has already offered to help with that. If it weren’t for Esmeralda, I would stay with her and Dante.”

  “Esmeralda?” Gabriel prayed Rebekah didn’t have a child. She said her relationship with her husband had been platonic.

  “My cat. She wasn’t crazy about being around the others since they are Gargoyle. Tessa is going to ask Tamian to fix it so she’s okay with those shifters who come around, but until then, I don’t want to keep her crated. I will need to travel back to Oregon and pack up some things, then get the house ready to sell.”

  “Don’t be so hasty. What if you realize after a few months or years you don’t want to be here? Rebekah, don’t go making all these changes without really thinking about it.”

  “Do you not want me?”

  “Of course I do. I want you more than I want to breathe.”

  “Then don’t push me away again. Please.” Rebekah’s eyes filled with tears.

  “What kind of life will that be for you? Coming to a prison every day? Waiting around years for me to maybe be released?”

  “I’m not living now!” Rebekah fisted her hands as she yelled at him.

  Gods, she was breaking his heart. Not the one in his chest. That one continued to beat steadily day after day. For the last thirty years, Gabriel believed he could no longer feel anything, but his mate was proving him wrong. And it hurt. Gods, did it hurt. He moved quickly, not giving her time to retreat. He picked his mate up and kissed her again. This time, he poured his own love into her mouth. Their tongues tangled, entwining as though they were making love. Memories flooded Gabriel’s brain from their time together all those years ago.

  When they broke apart to catch their breath, Rebekah threaded her fingers through his now-white hair. “Gabriel, please. Please don’t ask me to leave you again.”

  Gabriel should turn her away for her own good, but he couldn’t. Not with her begging. He had to trust she knew her own mind and heart, and if she wanted him, as limited as their time together would be, he would give it to her. “I have conditions.”

  “Anything.”

  “You become my true mate. I can’t promise you a future without doing so. I can’t know you are out there waiting on me while you continue to age. Not that I would love you any less, but I need to know there will be a day when I get out of here and we can be together the way we should have been all this time.”

  “Yes. Absolutely yes,” Rebekah agreed without hesitation.

  “Second, before we complete the bond, you spend some time here in New Atlanta getting to know the area and my family again. Visit me as often as you like so you can get to know who I am now. I’m not the same male I was when we were younger. I’m not the same male I was a year ago either, but I’m trying. Being in here” — Gabriel waved his arm around the room — “doesn’t offer much chance at redemption. I read and exercise. I get to go outside for an hour each day. Isabelle visits when she can, but other than that, I don’t have conversation.”

  Gabriel squeezed the back of his neck and sighed. “I’m still messed up in here.” He tapped the side of his head. “I’ve been messed up for a long time, and I don’t know that I will ever get better.”

  “I became a psychologist because of you,” Rebekah said, surprising Gabriel. “I wanted to learn all I could about how the mind works so that I could help you if we ever reunited.”

  “You want to dig inside my head?” Gabriel took a step back. What if she didn’t want a relationship with him, but instead, wanted to pick his brain for science?

  “No, Gabe. I want to help you. If I can. There’s no guarantee of that since I only studied cases which had been documented. I never came across anything like what happened to you. So maybe I can’t help, but I can listen. I can be here for you, offering an ear or a kind word, both of which you seem to have little of.”

  “And what if you don’t like what you find? What if the damage is irreparable? I won’t claim you until you’ve spent enough time to know what you’re getting into.”

  “You gave me your conditions, now I’ll give you mine.”

  “And those would be?” Gabriel fisted his hands, then crossed his arms over his chest. He would call on his beast to help steady his breathing, but it was the shifter that was demanding he throw Rebekah onto the bed and claim her. Their mate was right there for the taking.

  “Just one. Give me a chance. A chance to show you I’m willing to go all in with you. Willing to do whatever it takes to make this work. I already knew you were different. I knew that the last time we were together. I’m willing to put in the time if you’re willing to show me the real you. I don’t expect this to be easy, but the fates brought us back together. Our relationship won’t be conventional, and it will wear on both of us.” Rebekah closed the distance and gripped his forearms, tilting her face up to his. “But it will be worth it in the long run.”

  Rebekah moved one hand behind his head and urged Gabriel to kiss her. He wanted to. Gods, he wanted so much with this female. He pressed their lips together but kept it chaste this time. He was adamant about his conditions. But if he expected her to agree to his, he had to give in to hers. If Rebekah decided she was willing to wait, he would be willing to complete the bond.

  “Are we in agreement?” she asked.

  “Yes. I figure we have about an hour before they make you leave, so how about we begin getting to know one another? Tell me about this Japanese Garden.”

  Leaving Gabriel alone in his cell every day, even though it was more like a dorm room, was the hardest thing Rebekah had ever done in her life. The hours passed by too quickly, but she was thankful for them. As agreed, she and Gabriel spent their time talking. And kissing, though not as much as she wanted. Rebekah could feel the strain in Gabriel as he kept his distance. With it being winter, the weather was cold, but she knew how much Gabriel cherished his time outside, so when the temperature wasn’t too low, she shared his time outdoors with him.

  During the months after they were reunited, Rebekah spent time with Isabelle and Connor. The child was amazing. Not only was he brilliant in mind, he was also a talented artist. Rebekah did her best not to analyze the boy, but she had never met someone so young who was smarter than most of the adults surrounding him. Rebekah also met with Caroline for coffee once a week. It was strange being around Gabriel’s mother knowing the woman was over two-hundred yet looked so much younger than Rebekah. Caroline confided in Rebekah about all her children and how guilty she felt at giving them up for adoption. Rebekah, using her psychology experience, helped the female with her guilt.

  Gabriel was worried about Rebekah missing her house in Oregon after she talked about her life with Jacob and how she enjoyed the serenity of her home, but she assured him she was enjoying getting to know his family and the area. When she first arrived in New Atlanta, she stayed with Isabelle after Tamian performed his magic on Esmeralda, but during the third week, she asked Izzy and Dante for help in finding her a home of her own. She also asked for help in selling her place in New Portland, and they called on a Clan member named Sixx who lived on the West Coast. Sixx and his mate, Desirae, oversaw packing up Rebekah’s home and having her things shipped to the new house she purchased not far from Isabelle.

  Once she had her new place set up and all the boxes unpacked, Rebekah took lots of photos to show Gabriel. Isabelle had given her the drawing Connor made of his vision, and Rebekah had it framed. She hung it in the living room where everyone who visited could enjoy it. Rebekah had more company in the first week in her new home than she had in her entire life in Oregon. It seemed that Gabriel’s family and Clan accepted Rebekah into their lives as a given. It was then she realized how lonely she truly had been.

  “Thank you, Aldredge,” Rebekah said to the assistant warden after he unlocked Gabriel’s cell. In those first few days of visiting the Pen, Rebekah was se
lf-conscious, but the guards who accompanied her to Gabriel’s room were kind. If they thought she was crazy for wanting to be mated to a killer, they didn’t let on. She got to know them little pieces at a time during the walk from the back door through the hallways. Gabriel wasn’t kept in one of the cell blocks with the other inmates, and for that, she was thankful. She also spent time with the guards when they watched over her and Isabelle as they met with the Reborn. When Isabelle asked Rebekah to assist with their project of reforming the Unholy, Rebekah jumped at the chance. She felt good having a purpose. Gabriel had been vocal in his disapproval, but Dante had been the one to assure Gabriel Rebekah would be safe in her meetings.

  After the door was closed behind them, Gabriel kissed Rebekah good morning. “I brought your favorite.” Rebekah had begun taking breakfast to Gabriel so they could start their day together. Today’s offering was something she picked up at the diner where Marley worked. Dane’s mate was adorable.

  “You’re my favorite,” Gabriel quipped, taking the bag from her.

  Rebekah laughed at his cheesiness. Gabriel had opened up to Rebekah after much hesitancy on his part and stubbornness on hers. She assured him every time he refused to talk about his past that she wasn’t going to judge him or think less of him for all the bad he had done. It took weeks, but he finally shared small parts of what he could remember during his time as Vincent Alexander. Rebekah knew they were going to be okay the day Gabriel broke down in tears and begged forgiveness for his transgressions. His remorse wouldn’t get him out of his jail sentence, but it went a long way in healing his pain.

  They shared breakfast, and when they finished, Gabriel stood and took Rebekah’s hands.

  “Ready to go outside?” The weather was warmer, and the sunshine helped Gabriel’s moods.

  “Not today. I need to ask you something.”

  “What is it?” Rebekah squeezed his hands.

  “You promised to take time and get to know me. I promised to keep an open mind. I was wondering how you feel now about being my mate.”

  “That wasn’t a question, but if you’re asking have I changed my mind, the answer is no. I want you now more than ever.”

  “But this life… Having to visit me here… You deserve so much more.” Gabriel’s eyes glistened, and Rebekah wished she could turn back time to make sure what happened to Gabriel never did.

  “So do you. You didn’t deserve to be captured and tortured or left for dead. What happened to you was a tragedy of the worst kind. And yes, you committed your own horrible acts, but now you’re paying for those. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve good in your life to make up for what they took from you. I love you, Gabriel. I have always loved you. That never stopped. I spent over half my life without you. Without your love, and I’ll be damned if I go through that again. Even if you don’t complete the bond, I will still be right here, every single day, because you are my life. I want to be your mate for many years to come. Whether that’s here visiting you or on the outside one day.”

  “Gods, I love you. I just had to be sure.” Gabriel released her hands and walked over to the door where he closed the covering over the window. When he turned back around, gone was the hesitation. In its place was determination, and hummingbirds took flight in her stomach. After three months – no, after thirty-one years – she was going to be with her lover once again.

  Chapter Four

  Gabriel hated the fact that they were in a modified cell in a prison instead of Rebekah’s nice home with its lavish bedroom. His mate didn’t deserve to be made love to somewhere so dire, but it was their only option. He walked over to the door and closed the covering on the small window. Gabriel had spoken to Izzy during her visits about Rebekah. He confided in her his deepest fears, and she reassured him often that Rebekah was happy. She was making a difference in the lives of the Reborn, and she was getting to know their family.

  Dante had also visited with him. The first time was when Gabriel yelled the Pen down until he got a meeting with the male. Gabriel was beyond pissed when Rebekah mentioned working with the Reborn. Dante calmly explained the working environment and how neither Rebekah nor Isabelle were left unguarded for one second while in the prison. Dante praised Rebekah’s work. He also talked about her time outside the Pen and how she was already deeply entrenched with Gabriel’s family as well as some of the other mates. Dante assured him Rebekah was happy in New Atlanta, and he would be a fool not to mate with her. She wasn’t going anywhere regardless of whether or not Gabriel completed the bond.

  When Gabriel made up his mind to take the plunge, he asked Isabelle to come up with a way to cover the small window on his door. Even though most of the guards were shifters and would be able to hear them through the walls, they would at least have that small bit of privacy.

  He had taken his time getting to know this version of Rebekah. Gone was the young woman he’d fallen in love with, and in her place was the older version who was stronger than anyone he knew. Knowing she wanted him no matter what he had done in his past made him love her more.

  Gabriel had requested an early shower that morning, and during his walk with Aldredge had admitted he wanted today to be the day. Isabelle had spoken with the assistant warden, and they had built a frame around the window with a metal door that could be closed while Rebekah visited. When they installed the covering inside the room, Aldredge explained it was so Gabriel could close it himself whenever he and Rebekah wanted privacy.

  Gabriel didn’t rush the few steps between them. He crossed the room slowly, giving Rebekah time to change her mind. When he stood within arms’ reach, Rebekah tugged at the hem of his T-shirt, sliding the garment up. Gabriel reached behind his neck and pulled the plain, white tee off. Rebekah ran her slender hands over his chest. Whatever Flanagan’s minions had done to Gabriel in the past turned all his hair white. His mate didn’t seem to mind. She threaded her fingers through the coarse strands as she scraped the skin below with her nails. Rebekah leaned closer and placed soft kisses over both rounded pectorals. When her hands drifted lower to the cotton pants he wore, he took a deep breath.

  Rebekah’s hands trembled. She had admitted to not having sex with anyone since they were together all those years ago, but her hesitation was unwarranted. He placed his hands over hers, moving them back to his chest.

  “Do you remember our last time together?” Gabriel asked as he began unbuttoning her blouse.

  “Like it was yesterday.”

  “Then you have no need to be nervous. Nothing has changed.”

  “Everything has changed.” Rebekah closed her eyes when he pushed her shirt apart, putting her bra on display. “I’m not the young girl you last made love to.”

  “No, you aren’t. You are the mature woman I love more than anything. Our bodies might look different, but our hearts are still the same. Our souls are still connected.” Gabriel ran a fingertip across the top of Rebekah’s bra. When she shivered, he did it again. “I’m not a good male, but I’m trying to be. In these past few months, I have felt more like my old self. Before you came here, I had a hard time remembering who I was before this happened.” Gabriel gestured to his body. “But you’ve helped. So, no, we don’t look the same on the outside, but I have a feeling once we are together intimately, what’s on the outside won’t matter.”

  Rebekah hadn’t meant to make Gabriel feel bad about himself. He was still as handsome to her as he had been when they first met, even if his hair was white and his skin was pale. So maybe he felt the same about her more mature body. “You’re right, and I’m sorry.”

  “No need for that. I want you now as much as I did then. Probably more, because now, I know you’re my mate. I know what you’re willing to sacrifice.”

  “I’m not sacrificing anything.” Rebekah reached behind her and unclasped her bra and let it fall to the floor. A low rumble emanated from Gabriel’s throat as his eyes filled with desire. “Touch me. Please.” Gabriel did. He cradled both breasts in his hands, send
ing fire racing from her belly to her core. “Gabe, I need you.”

  Gabriel pushed his pants down his legs, stepping out of them. She admired his body while she finished stripping, and within seconds, she found herself on her back with Gabriel stretched out above her. His erection teased her entrance, and she raised her hips. Gabriel didn’t make her wait. He entered her body, and it was as if no time had passed. He was gentle with her. They had talked about this moment. He admitted to being afraid of hurting her. He hadn’t been with anyone since the last time they were intimate, and Gabriel was afraid the beast would take over.

  In that moment, she didn’t want gentle. Didn’t want him to hold back. This was more than lovemaking. He was claiming her, him and his shifter both. Rebekah ran her fingers through his hair, gripping the strands. “Don’t hold back, Gabe. I want you to let go and claim me.”

  “Bek—”

  “No, Gabe. You’re not going to hurt me. I was made just for you. Please.”

  Gabriel took her mouth in a fierce, passionate kiss as his lower body moved faster. Gabriel amped the intensity, his powerful hips surging forward, his erection filling her, lighting her up from the inside.

  “Yes, oh…” Rebekah slipped her arms under his, hands clutching the bunching muscles of his back.

  “Bek, I’m… close… Oh, gods, I’m gonna…” Gabriel’s fangs dropped, and Rebekah braced for the bite. The initial sting was quickly replaced with euphoria as he erupted inside her. He drank from her neck as he pumped his seed deep inside her core. Rebekah’s own orgasm pulsed as she gasped to breathe through it. Isabelle had told her it would be otherworldly, and god, it was. It was as though their souls combined. Two became one. When Gabriel released his fangs, he licked her neck once, and her thighs trembled as another orgasm tore through her. Her muscles clamped down on Gabriel’s still hard cock.