“Gabriel!” She came with a sharp gasp, her muscles seizing, then releasing, melting into nothingness once more as the orgasm rocketed through her entire body, wave after wave after wave.
Her legs were still quaking when Gabriel gripped her thighs again, hauled her close, and collapsed on top of her, spearing her with a single, perfect thrust that had her chasing another orgasm, her body clenching hard around him.
She raked her nails down his back and clutched his firm ass, driving him deeper inside, still begging him not to stop. Not now. Not ever.
Another growl rumbled through his chest, dark and possessive and so fucking sexy it made her heart stutter, and he claimed her mouth in a suffocating kiss and speared her one last time, his body shuddering against her as they fell headlong together into that euphoric, fiery abyss.
* * *
The fire had died down to embers, Jaci and Gabriel lying naked on their backs, an icy wind lashing the windows outside, but Jaci wasn’t cold.
After everything her vampire had just done to her, she was pretty sure she’d never be cold again.
She rolled onto her hip and snuggled closer, but this time when Gabriel wrapped her in his arms, something felt off.
Is he… trembling?
“Gabriel?”
“Hmm?” His eyes were closed, his breathing deep and untroubled, but Jaci couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asked.
No response.
She slid a hand across his chest. His skin felt cool. Clammy. “What’s going on?”
He grabbed her hand, pressed a kiss to her palm. Let out a deep sigh.
But he still didn’t answer her.
“Look at me,” she said urgently, and after an impossibly long moment, he finally obeyed, opening his eyes and capturing her gaze.
And there, darkening the eyes of the man she loved—thevampireshe loved—was a look of fear so intense, so desperate, it nearly swallowed her whole.
“What’s happening?” she whispered.
“It’s nothing to worry about.” He turned his head away from her and stared up at the ceiling. “I’m just a bit tired. Long day.”
“You don’t get tired. Not like this.” She cupped his face. “Talk to me.”
With a resigned sigh, he rolled onto his hip and faced her, his mouth drawn into a tight frown. He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, then closed his eyes, turning his arm over to reveal the underside.
He clenched his fist, the veins darkening beneath his skin.
Isabelle’s magical tattoos were no longer visible.
Jaci ran her finger from his wrist to his elbow. “But… they’re just… gone?”
Gabriel nodded and opened his eyes. “Isabelle’s doing her best, but now they’re fading almost as soon as she makes them.”
“But… why?”
“The curse has one job, Jacinda,” he said softly. “And it’s going to do that job by any means necessary. If it can’t poison our blood directly, it’ll interfere with the magic that helps us survive.”
“You need to feed.”
He nodded. “Tomorrow. Dorian’s got a delivery coming.”
