“You didn’t have to change it.”
“It’s no problem.” He came to the sofa and slumped into the seat next to her, giving her a tired smile.
“Is it just me, or are we a lot farther out than Antoine was?”
“Very much so. Cally said deep, so… we dropped him off the continental shelf.” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head as though he were imagining Roberto’s long trip to the bottom. “That’s about eight thousand feet. Antoine was at nine hundred.”
Eve couldn’t help but shudder. “Wait.Callysaid deep?”
“Well, I think she was pissed that Roberto tried to claim her.”
“Hmm.” Eve took a sip of her wine. “Eight thousand feet sounds reasonable.”
Gabe watched her, that look in his green eyes again.
“Do you need to feed?” she asked.
“Need? No, I suppose not.” He ran a hand through his still-wet hair, his shirt stretched taut over his biceps. “I just can’t get over how amazing you taste.”
“‘Like Cally,’” she quoted dryly.
“I said that once! You’re not going to let me forget, are you?”
“I had just woken up.”
“After I saved your life.”
Eve conceded with a nod. “True. I suppose I can forgive you then.”
“Besides, you taste way better than Cally.”
“Uh-huh.” She gave him a look. “Not convincing.”
He exhaled, irritated at himself. “I’m usually a lot smoother than this, but around you, I seem to keep tripping over my own tongue.” He laughed mirthlessly. “You make me feel like an infatuated teen.”
“That was quite smooth.”
“Would you mind, then?” he said earnestly. “I just can’t help myself. It’s like I’m drawn to you, every moment. I count theseconds until I can taste you again. It’s like an addiction, and trust me when I tell you it’sneverbeen like this before.”
“You’re getting smoother.” She unbuttoned the cuff of her sleeve and rolled it back, while he watched her every move.
Gabe sank to one knee on the carpet before her, taking her forearm in his hands with a gentle reverence, gazing at her with wonder. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
It wasn’t pleasure, though. Or at least, not the rapture Cally had described with Antoine. Gabe’s fangs pierced her skin, and with it came peace, a sense of feeling perfectly safe, like nothing could go wrong, and no harm would ever come to her. He talked like her blood was addictive, but the feeling itself was the addiction—being wanted, being protected. For the first time in her life, she truly felt both. She sank into her seat and sighed in contentment.
The sliding door opened and Belle sauntered in, wearing a curve-hugging ivory satin dress that, on her, didn’t scream innocence, unless it was the weaponized kind.
Gabe licked over the wound in her wrist, and drew back.
“Was I interrupting?” Belle said in a tone that made it clear she knew she was, and sat on the sofa opposite, crossing one bare leg over the other. The corners of her lips curled as she watched them.
“I thought you would be in your room,” Gabe said a little stiffly, rising from his knees and walking to the bar.
“Tooboring.” Belle regarded Eve much like a cat might regard a mouse. “I came to see my new favorite.”
It was unnerving, but Eve didn’t think she’d truly hurt her. Not with Gabe here, and Cally newly in the Curia. “Why do you call me that?”
