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

Before Maya could figure out why Thomas was so angry with him, Eddie addressed her. “I’m Eddie. I’m one of the guys who found you that night.”

Maya stretched out her hand and he took it. “Thank you. I’m very grateful.”

“You’re welcome.” Then he looked back at Thomas. “And I wouldn’t be here if Gabriel hadn’t sent me to find you. That man is livid.”

“Why’s Gabriel upset?” Maya asked before Thomas could reply.

Eddie grinned. “He got back to the house and found it empty. Now he’s sent every single v- ... bodyguard,” he corrected himself, “out to search for you.”

Maya’s hair on her neck stood. “What’s his problem? I’m just out with Thomas.”

“Apparently he didn’t authorize you to leave the house.”

“Authorize?” A cold shudder raked her body. Control. Somebody was trying to control her again. Again? Why did this feel so familiar? A strange sense of deja vu filled her. She’d never let anybody control her life. So why did it feel like this had happened before?

A flash of a memory came and went just as quickly. Too quickly to register what it was. Control – it was the only word her brain could form. Had there been somebody in her past who’d wanted to control her? Instinctively her hand went to her neck, to the spot where the rogue had bitten her, where he’d lodged his fangs into her and drained her. A blast of cold air washed over her, like the fog this city was famous for.

Suddenly everything felt wrong. She felt fear clamp down on her and realized that she’d never again feel safe. Now that she knew what was out there in this world, the cocoon of safety she’d thought herself in when she was human didn’t exist. It never had, it never would again.

“Maya,” Thomas’ voice jolted her.

“Yes?”

“I said we’d better get back,” Thomas replied. Then he looked at Eddie. “And you’re coming with us.”

“What if I want to hang out here for a while?” Maya could tell that Eddie was merely teasing, but she wasn’t sure Thomas picked up on that.

“Out. Now.” Thomas’ tone was harsh and unyielding. Eddie answered with a grin and a wink toward Maya.

But Maya didn’t feel like smiling. She couldn’t allow anybody to control her, least of all Gabriel. If she did, she would lose what little of herself was left. She’d already lost her sense of security, her humanity, and her livelihood. She had to hold onto the last thing she had left: control over her decisions. She could not allow anybody to make those for her.

Eighteen

Gabriel balled his hands into fists. How could Thomas show such poor judgment by taking Maya out of the house without sufficient backup to protect her? Had he already forgotten that the rogue was still out there, ready to attack her a second time? He couldn’t risk anything happening to her. He’d only just found her – the only woman he’d ever wanted for himself – and nobody had the right to take her away from him.

The fear in his gut churned to anger. Without Maya in his life, all light would vanish from it. After the hours he’d spend with her in bed where she had allowed him to touch and kiss her, he’d felt happier than he’d ever had in his entire life. He’d floated on Cloud Nine until he’d met up with Zane to get a detailed update on his investigations.

The results Zane had presented had been bleak. Of all possible vampire males who could be responsible for the attack on Maya, some of Scanguards’ own were on the list. A frown crossed Gabriel’s face when he recalled the names on the list: names of vampires whose whereabouts couldn’t be confirmed at the time of the attack. Men he’d known for a long time: three excellent guards from Scanguards, and even Ricky and Zane were still on the list.

Zane, straight forward as he was, had admitted to him that he too didn’t have an alibi, at least not one that could be verified – apparently he’d been at some dive fucking anything in sight. And true to his modus operandi he’d wiped everybody’s memory of him. Apparently Ricky had done the same at a different nightspot. Considering his recent breakup with Holly, that was to be expected and certainly not unusual.

Gabriel swallowed away his doubts. No, nobody that close to them could be responsible for this. If he couldn’t trust his own people, who could he trust? But still, could he simply dismiss the possibility because they were one of them? Zane had been in Maya’s room when she’d awoken, but he had made no attempts at approaching her since. Was it deliberate? Was he staying away from her so he wouldn’t attract any attention?

And Ricky – he’d shown up at the house, and his lusting look hadn’t escaped Gabriel when he’d shaken Maya’s hand. He couldn’t really blame the fellow either. Maya was beautiful. Who wouldn’t lust after her?

The noise of two motorcycles halting in front of the house interrupted his dark thoughts. Gabriel rushed to the door and swung it open to see Maya rise off the back of Thomas’ Ducati. Eddie was riding the second bike. Gabriel had known instinctively that if somebody could find Thomas, it would be Eddie. After all, he spent the most time with him.

Still seething with anger over Thomas’ irresponsible action, he suppressed his urge to run to Maya and take her into his arms. He had to deal with Thomas first and make it clear to him that any further actions that endangered Maya could not be tolerated and would be punished.

As the three marched toward him, Gabriel stepped aside to let them enter. He slammed the door as soon as they were inside the foyer.

“Did you have any idea what you were doing, Thomas?” Gabriel thundered. “Maya could have been attacked out there.”

“Gabriel, she was never in any