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“Yes.” Maria’s thick brows furrowed. “You look tired. Is everything okay? Is it Felix?”
“Yes, he is acting strange and not like himself.”
“How so?”
Gabby told Maria everything that had happened since she arrived, including last night. Her friend’s expression flitted between anger, amusement, sympathy, and confusion. A few times Maria opened her mouth to speak, but Gabby rushed on. She wasn’t sure she could finish her story if Maria interrupted. When she did, her friend leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers.
“Whoa. That’s a lot. You slept with him?”
“I know. It was a mistake.” Gabby hung her head.
“Hey, no shame in that. Before I met Ahmed, I thought I understood how much you missed Felix or what it took for you to leave him, but I really didn’t. I can’t keep my hands off Ahmed for a day, much less two centuries. So you lost control for one night? Big deal. It doesn’t mean you’re weak. Got it?”
Gabby sighed and nodded.
“What’s your plan now?” Maria asked.
“I do not know. What if he has changed? He would never have told me about Jiaren and included me in any conversations before.”
“If that’s true, will you give him another chance?”
“I might.” A frustrated growl erupted from her. “What if he is lying? What if it is a trick?”
“If it’s a trick, we’ll kill him. Nikolas and I will do it in a heartbeat for you.” The murderous glint in Maria’s gaze sent shivers down Gabby’s spine. “Just give us the word. I can ambush Felix. He’ll never know what hit him.”
Killing Felix didn’t have the same uplifting effect as it had before. A deep, dark void yawned open inside her—Felix shutting down for the day. The vacuum was similar yet nowhere near the unending emptiness from what Alistair had shown her.
“I’m not sure I can kill him.” Gabby buried her face in her hands. “I wish it was that easy.”
She looked up when Maria sighed. “I know, but he’s your mate, and you only get one. Eternity is a long time to be alone. It’s not the worst idea to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“I’ll think about it,” Gabby said, shoulders drooping. “Thank you.” If only Maria was nearby, then she could feel Gabby’s gratitude through their telepathic link.
“Anytime.” Her friend’s expression softened. “Go to bed. You look like you need the rest.”
She nodded. A wave of exhaustion slammed into her, making her head spin. “I will talk to you soon?”
“For sure. I’m only a phone call away.”
When Gabby pressed the power button, the semi-opaque light disappeared and the screen on the table turned black. Talking things out with Maria helped, but Gabby was nowhere near an answer. She struggled to her feet, trudged to the bedroom, and collapsed in bed, only to be cocooned in Felix’s lingering scent. Gabby swallowed hard as the unbearable yearning for Felix attempted to trump her common sense.
No, she wouldn’t go find him. She wasn’t ready.
Snuggling deep into the covers and inhaling his scent, she closed her eyes and let the sunrise pull her into the darkness.
Even in the deadened sleep of her kind, she dreamed of him.
Chapter Thirteen
621 years ago
Hewashere.
The lone candle on the bedside table had almost burned to the bottom. Gabby sat up in bed, her attention drawn to the open patio doors. White sheer curtains fluttered in the wind. Behind them, a dark shadow loomed, waiting.
Gabby practically leaped out of the bed. She had not seen him for two weeks, and every day had been a struggle to stay sane. He occupied her thoughts nonstop these days. During the day, it was impossible to live her normal life. More and more, she’d beg off from the social gatherings to be alone. She simply lacked the energy to take part in her daily life without him or care about anything else.
At night, her body yearned for him with a desperation she couldn’t fathom. She’d fall asleep dreaming of him, only to wake to bitter disappointment.
