Chapter Eight
The manor was mostly silent when Gabriel finally headed upstairs, save for the rhythmic snoring of the wolf behind one of the bedroom doors. It sounded human. It sounded normal.
Gabriel pressed his hand to the door and closed his eyes, wiping the memory of Cole’s emaciated wolf form from his mind. Cole was a tough, take-no-prisoners bastard, and he’d come through the worst of it. He was going to be just fine.
“Welcome back, mate,” he whispered.
In the guest suite at the end of the hall, Gabriel finally found his witch, freshly showered and stretched out on the bed in a T-shirt.
Onlya T-shirt, the thin fabric clinging to her damp curves, the dark shadows of her nipples making his mouth water for the taste of her. His gaze trailed down to her thighs, strong and muscular, smooth, lickable.
Biteable.
Gabriel closed his eyes, fighting back a shiver at the rush of memories. Those thighs parting for him beneath the rose bushes, his fangs piercing the silky flesh, the warm smoke of her blood filling his mouth…
“Everything okay, Prince? You look a little…”
“Thirsty,” he whispered, opening his eyes and blinking away the memories.
Jacinda sat at the edge of the bed now, the T-shirt bunched up around her waist. She shifted her legs, and Gabriel caught a glimpse of bare flesh, no panties, nothing in the way of his impending kiss.
With a teasing smirk on her smart little mouth, she asked, “Should I get you some water?”
He watched her for a long moment, gaze roving the dips and curves of her body, the shape of her face, the curls of damp, moonlight-colored hair just starting to frizz.
Something grabbed him then. Reached right into his chest and squeezed. The force of it nearly buckled his knees.
“You nearly died tonight, Jacinda,” he said softly. Darkly. “More than once. All because you—”
“Nearlyisn’tactually, though. Right?” She hopped up from the bed and slid her hands over his shoulders, flashing the devastating smile that never failed to disarm him. “That’s the bright side.”
Gabriel trailed his hands down her back, sliding over the bare, soft curves of her arse, lifting her easily.
She wrapped her thighs around his hips, and he captured her mouth in a kiss, holding her close, needing to feel her heartbeat, needing to know she was truly okay. Alive. Safe.
His.
“The bright side, little moonflower,” he said when they finally broke for air, “is that we’ve got nowhere to be for a good eight or ten hours. Which gives me plenty of time to mete out your… punishment.”
He stole another kiss, then set her back on her feet. Slowly, he removed his clothing, letting her enjoy the show.
“You’re punishing me, huh?” she teased.
“Lose that shirt.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s in my way.”
“No, I mean…” She tugged the shirt over her head and tossed it onto the bed, her eyes sparkling. “Why am I being punished?”
“For flirting.”
“You can’t be serious.” Jacinda laughed. “With who? The panther guy?”
“No, Jacinda. Not the panther guy.” He stepped toward her again and palmed her breasts, her nipples warm and hard against his skin. “With death.”
She looped her arms around his neck and gave him that naughty little smirk, but this time, Gabriel wasn’t swayed. She reallyhadflirted with death tonight. He’d walked in on it, seen it unfold in an instant. That first vampire who’d taken her down… He had every intention of destroying her.
