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Crap. Just when I didn’t need any more reasons for Gabe to coddle me. If I told him about the dreams, he’d just worry more.
“Nice...” Adam appeared next to him, leering at me as if I were standing naked in the middle of the yard. “Did you just leave a wet t-shirt contest, Lizzy?”
I hugged my arms around my chest and scowled. Despite the fact that Adam and I had become somewhat unlikely friends after my battle with the goddess, I still had to take him in small doses. He’d tried to kill me my very first day at the manor and he’d been giving me crap every day since. It was hard to remember this tall, gorgeous blond man with icy blue eyes was related to my partner. They couldn’t be any more different if they tried.
“What are you doing out here?” Gabe continued. He sheathed his thin sword and came closer. “It’s early.”
I hugged my torso again in an attempt to hide from Adam’s sweeping gaze. They must’ve just got back from a patrol run. What would he say if he knew I’d been sleepwalking and dreaming about a woman I didn’t know? It sounded crazy, even in my head. So I settled for something a little tamer.
“Couldn’t sleep. So, I was taking a stroll.”
“In that?” Adam raked his eyes over my body and the thin pajamas that left little to the imagination. I fought the urge to shiver with disgust.
Gabe stepped in front of me, hiding me from his brother’s view. “You can leave now.”
Adam shrugged with a roguish grin and trailed off toward the manor, no doubt in search of Ashley. His girlfriend also loved giving me a hard time. She’d find a way to lecture me about my skimpy morning walks.
“What are you really doing out here?” Gabe turned to me and pulled me into his warm arms. “You’re freezing.”
It’d been way too long since I’d felt his arms around me. I soaked in his warmth, sighing to myself.
“Just walking,” I told him. The lie felt heavy on my tongue. Gabe was more than just my boyfriend. He was my partner. I should’ve told him the truth. “I’m fine.”
He hugged me closer and rested his chin on my head. Under his long sleeved t-shirt his heart pounded away like a tympani drum. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to listen to the beat.
“I’ve missed you.” He hugged me tighter. “You’ve been driving me crazy. I can’t stand this fighting.”
I nodded silently into his chest.
“And training with Manuel.” He spit out the name like it tasted sour. “I don’t like it. I don’t like him. What right does he have to take me away from my own partner?”
A hint of jealousy clouded his voice. I could understand why. In all accounts, Manuel was a stud. I’d heard some of the other girls talk about him at dinner. They loved his Spanish accent and his compact, ripped muscles. Apparently, he was slightly older than Gabe at 205 years of age. He didn’t have a partner, either. The girls fawned over him wherever he went. They were all madly jealous of my training sessions with him, especially my lovesick cousin, Raquel.
“He’s not even teaching me anything.” I pushed off of Gabe’s chest just enough to look up at him. “All we do is sit and meditate. It’s like driving a screw driver slowly into my skull. I want to train.”
His green eyes clouded with sympathy. “I know you hate it, but even I have to admit, the guy’s a brilliant fighter. He’ll teach you things. You should’ve seen him out there, yesterday on patrol. We were surrounded by five ferals and he slaughtered most of them with a broad sword. I almost asked him to train me.”
This time it was my turn to feel jealous. “You got to fight five ferals at once? Why can’t I go back out there? I’m ready, Gabe. I swear.”
He shook his head. “Lizzy...”
“I’m serious.” I pushed out of his embrace, even though my heart wilted without his arms around me. “Haven’t I been punished enough? I want to go out there with you.”
“This isn’t a punishment. Why can’t you understand that?” He ran a hand roughly through his hair. “Gods, Lizzy, try to understand. You need to control yourself. If you keep going out there like a loose cannon, you’re going to get someone killed. You nearly got us both killed last time.”
That was it. That was the reason I snuck out late at night to fight demons. I wasn’t a worthy partner or Nephilim. Gabe knew that and Luke knew that. They were just trying to keep me under lock and key so I wouldn’t shame them. But, I’d show them. I’d become even stronger. Soon, they’d realize their mistake.
“Come on, don’t do that.” Gabe studied my surly expression. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ll get there.”
My arms closed around my stomach to keep the residual heat from his body locked in. Over his head, a storm cloud loomed on the horizon. It fought against the incoming rays of day, masking the optimism of daylight with the menacing darkness of rain. A sudden wind picked up, blowing across the lawn and whipping my pants around my legs.
“Lizzy.” He stepped in closer.
It was only one word, but just the sound of my name on his lips made my heart leap.
His fingertips trailed along my jawline. The calloused portion of his thumb rubbed against my lips, making me unconsciously part my mouth. My eyes were glued to his strong jaw as he moved in closer, his lips set in a slight frown that only made him more beautiful.
A light rain started to fall from above. Still, neither of us made any sudden movements to retreat for dryer terrain.
