“She asked me to feed from her, Antoine. Eve was there, too—lovely girl. They both said it was a matter of life or death.” Gabe straightened his back, his chin coming up. “I would never have touched her had they not demanded it. I swear, I took only what was needed, and no more.”
Antoine watched him, thoughts churning. He believed Gabe had been treacherous, until first Cally then Belle robbed him of that notion. He thought Gabe capable of forcing himself on Cally, until she made it clear that she’d begged for the resistance to fight Minh. He had a legitimate claim on Antoine’s territory, courtesy of Leonard granting it to him, and he hadn’t even mentioned it. Instead, the first thing Gabe had offered was an apology, his guilt clearly weighing on him.
Antoine wanted to blame him, to hold on to his anger and resentment and use Gabe as its target. But the truth was that if Gabe hadn’t fed on Cally, it would have been Belle.
Or she would be dead.
Maybe she didn’t need him to feed at all. Maybe she would’ve survived if he hadn’t.
Eight days, Gabe said. That meant Sunday…two weeksafter his entombment.
Around the limit of even his resistance to the thirst, and Antoine was under no illusions vampires who fed more regularly than he would not have lasted even that.
Given the vampiric-witch bond, the timing could easily be similar. If anything, she’d left it too long. If Gabe hadn’t fed, it could’ve been that very night that her power consumed her.
Gabe watched him, eyes growing more haunted, as if waiting for him to erupt in rage.
What did he see pass across my face?
Yet he stood there, making no move to ready himself for a fight. As if accepting of any judgement Antoine chose to deliver.
And it was that, more than anything, which once more kindled the trust.
“Yes, she told me,” Antoine said at last, the words difficult but necessary, half-catching in his throat. “I have to thank you for that, too.”
Gabe’s head tipped back, half an inch of disbelief. “Thankme?”
“Cally did not exaggerate. Had you not, she may well now be dead. So yes, as you may have saved her life, I believe gratitude is warranted.”Those words were a lot easier to say.And they were true. They would never know if it were necessary or not, but Gabe did what was asked—even against his will—and Cally was alive. That was what mattered.
But it wasn’t the end of it. Antoine straightened his shoulders. “And now, it seems I owe you an apology.”
“Oh? Whatever for?”
For doubting you.But that one he would simply keep his secret. “For the risk you were forced to take. I gather you have fed twice on Cally now.”
“Yes.” His demeanor stiffened again. “The other time was—”
Antoine held up a hand, forestalling him. “I know those circumstances too, and I’m grateful you conveyed the resistance. But I was referring to the bond that might form between vampire and witch, as it has between Cally and me. You risked your… freedom, I suppose one might say, and you did so to help her. To help me. I am sorry that this was necessary.”
Gabe turned away, flicking off his towel and picking up a T-shirt in its stead. “Cally mentioned a bond, and used the word ‘addiction,’” he said as he pulled it on. “What did she mean?”
I’ve already said too much. Can I trust him?
But it was too late for doubts. He’d been wrong; Gabewasa friend.
Time to see exactly how far that goes.
“When a vampire feeds from a witch, a symbiotic bond is formed. They become mutually dependent. Do you remember how I said Minh’s spawns tasted like shit?”
“Yes. I found it puzzling at the time.”
“That’s the effect. I could still take power from spawns—from Minh. But I cannot sate the hunger with normal chattel.”
“No wonder that chattel on the ship…” Gabe murmured, half to himself.
“What chattel?”
“Oh, I brought one along. Cally told me not to, and I’m afraid I ignored her.” He grimaced. “I thought it would help, at least some, but it didn’t work at all. Now I understand what she was trying to tell me.” He cocked his head to one side. “Are there benefits to this bond? Other than her being able to track you?”
