Gabriel's Mate by Folsom, Tina (read this if .txt) 📕

What happened to patient – doctor confidentiality?”

She gave a little snort. “I’m not here to talk about Drake and his ethics.” She paused. “Or lack thereof.”

“Fair enough. What can I do for you?” As if he didn’t already know.

“The use of your gift. One time only.”

He nodded and hoped whatever she would do with the memories he revealed from her victim wouldn’t cause pain to anybody.

“Good, then we’re in agreement. Now, to your problem. Tell me what’s so important that you want to deal with the likes of my kind.”

She leaned forward on the sofa and looked at him expectantly.

Gabriel swallowed hard. This would be embarrassing.

Maya threw the bed covers off. The place was stifling hot. Her red silk nightgown clung to her damp skin. Tiny rivulets of sweat formed, starting on her throat and running down between her breasts.

p. She knew it was the fever, but she’d hoped as a vampire she wouldn’t be ill anymore. Hadn’t Gabriel told her that vampires didn’t get sick? Yet the fever was gripping her again, and this time is was worse than it had ever been. Her skin was hot to the touch, her insides were burning already, and it had only started an hour ago. She’d felt it creeping up on her during the conversation with Ricky and Gabriel and had hoped it would stop. But it hadn’t.

She had to do something about it, had to cool her body down so she wouldn’t burn up. With shaking legs she stumbled out of bed. Every step she took ached and contributed to the heat in her body as if adding fuel to the fire. Her head spun as she tried to focus on the bathroom door. A cold shower – she had to take a cold shower.

Another step and another brought her closer to the bathroom, but her instinct told her it wouldn’t work. Deep down she knew what her body needed and craved. She’d always known, but never wanted to admit it.

The fevers made her crave a man’s touch. Ever since the fevers had begun when she was thirteen, all she’d been able to think of was having a man touch her, kiss her, fuck her. She’d never given into it, and always made it through her pain. The doctors hadn’t been able to explain it and written it off to some exotic virus she might have picked up somewhere – like malaria. Yet, she’d never been anywhere and blood tests had come back negative.

Her own research into her condition had ended in a dead end. And the fevers continued several times a year. Sometimes mild, sometimes stronger. And they were always accompanied by cravings for sex.

This time it was worse. She knew now that there was only one man who could douse the fire in her body: Gabriel. Her body didn’t listen to her brain anymore and changed direction. Instead of continuing to the bathroom where cold water beckoned, her shaking legs carried her toward the door of the bedroom.

Her breathing sped up. She needed more and more oxygen to make her body work. It wasn’t enough. She wouldn’t make it, not this time.

Maya reached for the door handle, turned it and pulled. Black blotches appeared in front of her eyes and she lost her balance as the door swung toward her.

Gabriel undid his belt to show the witch what he needed help with when a loud thump from upstairs startled him. He rushed toward the door and looked into the hallway, where he saw Thomas running upstairs.

p. Panic gripped him. Without giving the witch a second thought, he ran after Thomas. He reached the door to the guest room seconds after Thomas. There, just inside the open door lay Maya sprawled on the floor, her skin glistening, her short red nightdress clinging to her.

Before Thomas could touch her, Gabriel was by her side and gathered her in his arms. “Maya, can you hear me?”

As he held her slim body next to his, he could feel the heat emanating from her.

“What’s wrong with her?” Thomas asked, his voice full of concern.

“She’s burning up.”

“You think it’s the fever?”

Gabriel wondered for a second how Thomas knew about those, then realized that he would have talked to Drake when reviewing the medical files. “It looks like it. I just don’t understand it. Any illness she might have had as a human should have been eradicated by the turning.”

Thomas nodded. “We better get the doc.”

“I can help,” the witch said from the door. Gabriel hadn’t noticed her follow them.

Instantly, Thomas shot up from his crouching position and leveled a hostile glare at the woman, ready to attack.

“Thomas. It’s okay. She’s here to help.”

“You let a witch into Samson’s house?”

Gabriel didn’t get a chance to reply. “Would you get out of my way, vampire,” she addressed Thomas, “so I can help that woman? Or would you rather we discussed the problems between our two species while she burns up?”

Without another word, Thomas stepped aside and let her inside the room.

“Carry her to the bed. I want to examine her,” the witch dictated.

Gabriel stood, pulling Maya closer into his arms. As she shifted, he suddenly felt her move her head into the crook of his neck. A moment later, her tongue licked him, making his skin tingle pleasantly. Then he felt her teeth. He barely made it to the bed before her fangs lodged in his neck and she began to suckle.

He sat on the edge of the bed, holding her in his arms while she fed.

Maybe she had collapsed because of the hunger, but Gabriel knew instinctively that it wasn’t the answer. Something else was seriously wrong with her.

“She drinks your blood?” the witch asked, her voice full of disbelief.

Gabriel looked at her as she watched them. “She refuses human blood.” His eyes searched Thomas. “Thomas, get Drake here.”

“It’s daytime,” the witch commented.

“Doesn’t matter,” Thomas answered. “I’ll send a blackout van with one of our