30: No Harm, No Foul

The songs keep coming and Gabriel’s hands tightly hold me. It isn’t a hold to keep me place, but a hold that demands more attention. I blush under his stare as I’m enjoying this more than I should. This is work, this is betrayal and forced employment. So do I like it?

I’m jolted with fearful surprise as a male vampire places his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. His eyes leering at me. A hungry, sneer. “Care to share, mate? I’ll let you enjoy mine as I enjoy yours. Like old times.”

They knew each other. My eyes scan the girl that he’s willing to ‘share’. She’s small, smaller than me. Pale and bruised, fresh and new bite marks riddle her body. Her outfit barely hides anything. The deep V neck of her dress shows too much cleavage from her fake boobs and the hem can’t possibly cover her ass cheeks.

“Sorry, Randall, this one’s special.” Gabriel says. “She’s on Phillip’s payroll. Not a toy.” I catch Gabriel’s eyes land on the Randall’s blood slave as he says the word ‘toy’.

Randall, steps forward ready to challenge or just take by force. Apparently, he isn’t one of Phillip’s vampires. Maybe he’s with the vampires that Phillip is trying to make an alliance with.

Gabriel yanks me behind his back and I nearly stumble from the force. “I wouldn’t.” He says in an even tone.

“We’ll see.” Randall snaps as he turns just slightly, but then in a blink of an eye he spins around just barely side stepping Gabriel. His hand soars over Gabriel’s shoulder and slam slams into the side of my head.

The room goes black as I desperately try to stay on my feet. My spell enchanting my hearing slips and the noise of the club deafens me. It takes a second or two to get my composure, enough concentration to put the spell back in place.

Once the noise ebbs away, I stare dumbfoundedly at what’s happening. My heart is racing and I’m not sure if it’s for Gabriel’s safety or my own. I sneak a quick peek at Randall’s slave. If I had an inkling of fear that she would take a hint from Randall, I would have been very wrong. She cowers just off to the side, waiting to see you comes out on top.

The two of them fight like two animals whose life depends on it. Fists and legs all contorting and swinging. The other occupants in the club, just step aside and watch or walk away going about other business. I hold my hand to face trying to dissipate the pain that radiates through my skull.

And then it stops. Gabriel and Randall are ripped apart. Phillip stands between them, his eyes glaring at Randall and the vampires that he had been doing business with.
The one that called me funny steps up, “Randall didn’t mean any harm. He had no idea the girl meant so much to you.”
“He was very well aware.” Gabriel says as he dabs his split lip with his tongue.

“No harm no foul. I apologize for my kin’s behavior,” he turns to Randall, “and, Randall does too. Right?”

“Sorry.” His apology falls flat as he doesn’t meet anyone’s eyes and just mutters out the one word. He quickly turns away leaving the conversation, no longer willing to take the punishment that should be following.

He grabs his slave by her hair as he passes her and drags her along, disappearing into the club somewhere.

“I think it's best to take Hazel home.” Gabriel says to Phillip, either stating a fact or asking permission to do so.

“That would be best.” Phillip says not meeting my eyes. I’m sure he doesn’t care that I got back handed, he’s probably just mad that he wasn’t the one that got to do it.
I let Gabriel lead me through the club as the room is slightly spinning and my heels are suddenly too high. The stickiness that engulfed the club quickly evaporates when we step out into the night. A soft cool breeze brushes against me.

The driver waits for us where we left him. Gabriel helps me climb in the back and I instantly feel like some child that’s too clumsy for their own good.
“How’s your head?”

“It hurts, but I’m sure I’ll live.”

“He’s always been an ass, I should’ve known he would pull something like this.” As he goes into a story from a past encounter with Randall my eyelids get heavy against my will. I struggle against sleep, but I’m strong enough and I end slumping over onto Gabriel’s shoulder. The coolness that emits off of him soothes my face.

***

I wake up groggy, but fully aware of the night before. The meeting, the showing off, the fight...the punch to my face. I barely manage to get out of bed to scramble to a mirror. Bad idea. I’m horrified by the nasty bruise that rings my eye. “Great.” I mutter.

After showering, changing out of the clothes from the night before, and heading into the kitchen to make some breakfast...or lunch, I find a note from Gabriel. Apparently, he’ll be here to check on me later and to bring me back to Phillip’s manor to enter the dream realm.

Apparently, he’s eager for me to find Tessa. And maybe I should be too. I need to get away from vampires, the faster the better. But thinking about never seeing Gabriel again makes me sick to my stomach. Damn it.

With a small amount of food eaten, I lounge around watching TV in anticipation. When there’s finally a knock on the door, my heart skips, but comes to a crashing halt. “Caleb? What are you...” Oh shit. This isn’t good.

“What the hell happened to your face?”

“I got into a fight,” I say all too quickly and I can see he doesn’t buy it. “With Jezmin. Yeah, Monty and I were talking about forgiving you and she has issues with men,” under my breath, I say, “considering she was murdered by one.” I continue in a more louder, convincing voice, “apparently, she was pissed that I’m such a pushover and she threw a book at my face.”

He’s about to call out how I’m an awful liar, but I stop him. “Do you want to sit or just sit there and gawk at me. Gretchen’s whipping up some of her famous salve to patch me up. Can’t have her employees looking like hoodlums.” I need to shut up. Now.

He takes my offer to come inside. My admittance keeps the repellant from blocking him out and the less he knows the better. I already got caught in one minor problem, I don’t need to explain another. He walks straight into the living room, but he doesn’t sit. Instead, he turns to look me dead in the eyes. “What have you been up to, Hazel?”
“Nothing.” The word comes out squeaky and too fast. “Nothing,” I repeat more confidently. “As in none of your business, nothing.” That line never worked, but I’m left with no other option.

“None of my business. We might not be on the best terms right now, but you come home with a black eye and it’s none of my business?” He stares at me while I remain silent. “That’s it? You’re just gonna leave it at that?”

“Yup.”

He runs his hand through his hair and huffs in annoyance. “I said I’m sorry, but that’s no excuse in refusing my clearly deserved concern.”
“I am perfectly capable-”

“I heard that before.” He shouts over me.

I’m just about to apologize when a knock raps on the door. It takes a great deal of strength to keep my head from falling toward the floor. Perfect timing.
“Expecting company?” Caleb says in an arrogant tone.

“You can say that.” I go to the door and open it to reveal Gabriel. He eyeballs the threshold acknowledging it unlike last time he slammed face first into it. “Come on in, apparently it's a party.” My voice drips with sarcasm.

It takes a second for Gabriel to realise what I’m talking about. It’s in slow motion, almost like those movies you watch where two nemesis come face to face. Or those cheating shows where the men finally meet. The two of them stare at each other, silent, but tense.

“And that bruise is suddenly explaining itself?” Caleb says as his arm lifts in the air to point at Gabriel.

“You didn’t tell me he-” Gabriel starts talking, but I swat at him, stopping his words.

“Gabriel had nothing to do with my bruise. Like I told you, it was Jezmin. Now, Gabriel and I have things to do.”

I don’t go into detail or explain, I leave it open ended, because I know it will tear him up inside thinking about it. Just like it tore me up to hear about him and Gloria through Gloria. I’ve never been one to be petty or spiteful, but I can see the disgust in Caleb’s eyes. The words that are on the tip of his tongue, one the verge of being said. He thinks I’m some vampire groupie.

He storms forward, slamming his shoulder into Gabriel. They’re nearly the same height, Caleb only an inch or two taller than Gabriel, but Gabriel doesn’t budge. His feet remain rooted in place and the impact of Caleb’s slam causes Caleb himself to stagger a bit.

He looks at me for a split second, “have fun.” It isn’t hateful or meant to be hurtful. His words are...sad.

The door slams in his wake and I flinch at the sheer sound of wood cracking against wood.

“What the hell was that about? Don’t tell me you intended for him to help us, because I’m very capable of anchoring you. Not to mention that Phillip would never let him inside the manor.”

I ignore his question. “Can we just get this done with?”

“Shall we.” He strides over the door and opens it.

I exit my apartment, then the complex itself. No Caleb. Part of me thought that he would be lurking somewhere, but he’s gone. Maybe gone for good. The thought painfully clenches my heart. Even after everything, it’s always been Caleb and I.

I hop in the backseat of the car that waits out front, not even surprised by it being here anymore. Unlike last night, Gabriel drives.

It seems as if the ride there is shorter than the first time. I can’t imagine that it’s because I’m about to do something I don’t want to. The last time I was walking into a vampire house completely unaware of the blueprints that led up to that very night.

Gabriel immediately slides out of the car and rushes around to open my door. “Ready, Love?” He flashes me a smile testing the waters.
“Shut up.” I say trying to keep a straight face.

He catches the little twitch of my lips and his own smile gets bigger at classic comeback. It wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t reject it even after last night.

I was expecting Phillip to be there in the middle of the hall the second I stepped inside, but he wasn’t. “Where’s Phillip?”

“Thinking. Last night didn’t go very well. He needs to reassess who he should trust.”

Maybe I need to reassess who I should trust too. I feel all too comfortable being here. A nervous itch attacks my bare flesh just thinking about it.

“Should we get started right away? Or would you rather have a bite to eat.”

“No. I don’t think I’d be able to keep it down.”

“Maybe afterwards.” Gabriel replies as he continues to lead me through the halls.

We step into an enormous library. The walls lined with darkly stained wood bookshelves. “No one uses this room much. I figured you would be more comfortable in here...unless you would prefer to lay down...in a bed maybe?”

“No.” I snap. “We can sit at a table or on the floor.” I leave his side and approach the far end of the room where a set of couches are. I go to pull the coffee table out of the way, but it’s heavier than it looks. Gabriel lightly pushes me out of the way and easily moves it aside.

Once the spot is cleared, I go to sit on the floor, legs crossed. “Any day now.” I prompt him to join me on the floor, which he does. It’s only once he’s sitting across from me that I continue. “We’ll do it like I do at work.” I reach out and take his hands in mine. “Just...don’t let go.”

“Never.”

I take an unnecessarily deep breath. It burns my lungs as it stretches them to full capacity. It isn’t easy closing my eyes on Gabriel. I never thought I would rather look into his golden eyes instead of entering the dream realm.

I used to love it there, the dream realm. The ability to see the unsaid, the possible wishes and desires of people. Dreams are what make them who they are, but nightmares are what breaks them. Most people don’t care about dreams if they’re pleasant, but when horrific ones occur they demand an explanation.

Over the years, my talents have seemed like a burden. Forced to watch nightmare after nightmare after nightmare. And after Tessa’s nightmare, I had been done.
Her’s isn’t just a simple nightmare, her’s is cursed.