41: All To Please A Vampire

Strangers pass by us and I feel the need to reign in my anger or is it disappointment with Gabriel. Their cheerful smiling faces enjoying the night, completely oblivious to the turmoil deep in the pit of my stomach. I can’t be the only one here that’s miserable, can I?

“Care for a drink?” Gabriel holds out a champagne flute leaving me dumbfounded as to when and where he retrieved it.

I take it, speechless. He holds his glass out at the slightest angle and I lightly click my glass to his. “I’ll drink to anything right now.” He goes to open his mouth to no doubt ruin the moment, so I stop him before he can. “That wasn’t an offer to suggest something.” I tip the glass back, a sharp giggle on my lips after my massive gulp. “I can only imagine what you would’ve had us toast to. Phillip? The night?”

Just then, a waiter walks by with a tray full of filled flutes. Is this where he got them?

I replace my empty one for a filled one and quickly down that one too. Why didn’t I think of this earlier? “Tell me, you weren’t going to say you and me.” An even more haughty laugh slips from my lips.

The loud music instantly quiets making all the rambling thoughts in my head to be overpoweringly loud, but a mysterious voice quickly fills the silence. “Ladies and gentleman, welcome and thank you for attending the Demizen Gala.”

I search every direction for the person responsible for the overly pleased voice. It takes a moment before I see him, slowly walking up front and center on the stage, a middle aged man dressed to the nines. A warlock. I can’t help but to wonder if he’s a sponsor or a spokesperson?

“The time you have been waiting for is upon us. The honoring of three prized covens. Each has had a positive influence on our community and demizens of all kinds. They have achieved startling procurements and discoveries. They are kind and smart and daring.”

Sure, the words join with the rest of the thoughts filling my head. If whoever nominated them only knew the true intentions of one of their precious covens, then again, maybe they do.

Without knowing it, Gabriel leads us up to the growing group of people who gather in front of a stage in the far back of the large room. More whispers fill the space in between the announcer speaking. Questions of who and compliments of intrigue.

“Our first honored coven is Fauna Glory. They have created a stunning and complex elixir of life that will bring forth many opportunities and with hopes of creating vaccines and cures for not just demizens, but humans as well.”

A small applause breaks out as five elderly women come to stand in a line along the front of the stage. Each wearing a cloak, each wearing deep peacock blue. Witches that have been around for centuries, which isn’t surprising considering their honorism is for a elixir of life. Sure it must let one live forever, but obviously not keeping your youth along the way.

They give a short speech about the wonders of life and the vitality of the soul. Then they leave the stage, no bow, no thank you, they just walk off.

The announcer comes back, “our second coven is Opal Rising,” as he announces them, Gretchen and her coven step out onto the stage. “This particular coven has aided the advancement and livelihood of all demizens. From their volunteer work and local shops offer safety and a sense of home that all witches, vampires, werewolves and demons alike seek.”

Another round of applause. I lightly tap my hands together joining in, for Gretchen. I see her look over the crowd, overjoyed to be acknowledged among her peers. A loud hoot of joy comes from somewhere within the room and I can’t help but to smile as I know that tone. Monty hollers for her friend, for her boss.

I had expected Gretchen to step forward and speak, but Brooklynn does and my blood turns cold. All the excitement I had for Gretchen quickly dissolves. I turn away to leave, because I’ve done my part, seen Gretchen on stage blindly benefiting. That doesn’t mean I have to listen to Phillip’s witch give praise. Apparently, she’s disappointed in having to show her participation in Opal Rising when she’s truly a member of Jaded Divine and demanded to be the center of attention.

Part done or not, Gabriel tightly clasps his hand on my arm keeping me in place. “Please.” One word, one simple word that would’ve kept me stuck in place until he let me go, but as I hear Brooklynn’s snobby voice in the background my nerves scream at me to run. But I don’t. I stand motionless as his hand reaches up to my face to brush a strand of hair away.

“I’d rather not.” When I glance up at the stage to see Brooklyn staring right at us, a squint to her evil eyes. Of course she would seek out Gabriel, so she can gloat on stage of her accomplishments, both publicly and secretly honored.

The announcer’s sharp voice breaks the fog I’m in and I flinch with freight for just a second. Gabriel takes that as an opportunity to keep his hands on me and more than anything I want to swat them away.

“Our final coven, Jaded Divine, honored for their belief and work to merge two separate worlds into one. Their vision for the future is commendable.”

What bullshit.

I eyeball the six women that come out on stage and a chill breaks out over my entire body as the crowd gives yet another round of applause that I don’t join in on. The women from the meadow, the women that kill Tessa and me without a care in the world, all to please a vampire.

I recognize the woman that steps forth to give thanks. She was one too eager to see me die. All of them were too eager to see me die. Her words are nothing more than a hum to the rapid emotions that rake through my entire being.

“I can’t.” I rip out of his grasp to flee from the crowd of people all goggling over the coven that will cause a lot of death.

Thankfully, he lets me walk away this time. I can feel him follow closely behind, keeping his distance, but not far enough because when my feet suddenly stop, he nearly crashes into me.

It takes a fraction of a second for my eyes to go from the floor to straight ahead and land on none other than Caleb. “Look it’s someone else that does things and claims that they aren’t how they appear to be.” I say in a mocking tone knowing very well that Gabriel can hear me.

Caleb approaches us and I remain frozen. Unsure if I’m ready for more excitement tonight.

“Caleb.” I say with an unwillingly light airiness. He has always been safe no matter how tense it can get between us.

“Hazel.” Caleb greets me, but stares at Gabriel. “I see you’re with your vampire.” Current tension level is severe.

“He’s more like a leech than I like to admit.” I joke, but neither one of them cracks a smile.

Just as if the Hell’s gates have been left open, as if the conversation could only get better, none other than Gloria comes blindly prancing up to us, “Baby, where did you-” her words abruptly cut off when she looks to Gabriel and I. “You.” she spits out.

“Don’t you look so much better than the last time we saw each other. You know, when your face was dripping and your hair was matted down with your own cocktail.”

“Can I have a word?” Caleb blurts out before grabbing my hand dragging me away. I should be grateful because the mutt looks as if she’s ready to pounce.

We don’t go far. Gabriel and Gloria are still in view, clearly fuming at our departure. They both glower at us from afar and I can’t help but to smile even though the situation I’m in isn’t much better.

I rush to speak first. “I didn’t do it.”

“Do what?”

“Umm, I was positive that she would go crying to Marcus, to everyone about how a witch doused her with her own drink. I’m sure she blamed me for it.” I feel some unreasonable need to justify myself.

“Yeah, we heard about it, but-”

I’m seconds away from a lecture on how Gloria getting her drink thrown in her face is worth more arguing over when Marcus shows up, quick to interject. “Caleb, I was wondering where you were. I saw Gloria alone and I immediately wondered where you went off to.” His eyes scan over me. “Should’ve known that it was to see the...lovely Hazel.” He stumbles on the word lovely. I’m sure he wanted to use a different descriptive.

“Marcus.” I’m spiteful of his sudden appearance. There’s just so many people to hate in one place that I have to ask myself why I’m even here.

“It’s not a night of pleasure, but a night of work.” Marcus says clearly pissed. His behavior doesn’t surprise me. Every time I come face to face with the wolf he’s always agitated.

Caleb’s face drops, trying to look emotionless, but fails to hide his own internal battle with the situation. He flashes me a forced smile before he departs leaving me along with Marcus. What the hell?

Marcus steps forward, a little too close, trying to intimidate me. “I will not let my best wolf waste his life on a witch. I think I’ve turned a blind eye to the two of you long enough. Leave him alone while you still have a choice.”

My spine straightens with defiance, “one of these days you’ll realize that I’m not scared of you and you’ll stop with the pathetic threats. Caleb is a big boy and he’s very capable of making his own life choices.” I don’t think about my words, I just say them. “Maybe, someday soon, he’ll realize that being a wolf isn’t so great.” I turn my back on him, stupidly over confident.

Was I really starting a fight with Marcus over Caleb? I’m not sure if Caleb and I are even friends anymore, what with him revenge fucking Gloria and me supposedly being involved with Gabriel.

It doesn’t take long for Gabriel to grab a hold of my elbow bringing my quick departure to a slower pace. And here I thought I could walk away from one terrible encounter and bypass another. I don’t start a conversation with him and neither does he and I can’t help but to wonder which is worse. Him pretending everything is fine or not saying a single word...about anything.

“I should get home. Gretchen didn’t say anything about having tomorrow off, so…”

He can see my resentment, my bitchy attitude coming to the surface, but he ignores it and flashes me a toothy grin in reply. “But we haven’t danced yet.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to dance with-”

His index finger pushes against my lips cutting my words short. “Shut up.”

I’m speechless, stunned at his snappy retort. He’s never been so blunt. He’s never sounded so much like myself that I’m not sure how to perceive it. Very few people have told me to shut up before. The small smile that tugs at the corner of my mouth as his finger slides from my lips is definitely not how I want to react to it, but it’s a struggle to fight it.

“I hate you.” I place my hand in his. The bickering between us feels like before, before feelings got involved.

He brings us nearly to the very middle of the sectioned dance floor, wasting no time to place his arms around my waist. Of course, it’s a dark brooding slow song. I let him hold me tight and I keep my lip bit to keep everything boiling up inside, kept inside.

We sway to the music, easily getting lost in the rhythm. The low, steady beat matches my heartbeat and all thoughts blend with the hushed lyrics. It’s the longest, but fastest song as the moment is timeless, but quickly over.

We don’t have time to even break apart as a hand is placed on Gabriel’s arm. Their long, slender fingers are ringed with several gems and the nails are painted black with sharp tip.

“May I cut in?” The voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

Gabriel and I speak at the same time. He says no, whereas I say yes.

“I should get home.” I mumble.

“I’ll take you.” Gabriel quickly replies.

A long deep sigh heaves from my lungs. I put on a pretty smile, “of course.”

“But, I was promised a dance. It’s a special night for us Gabriel. For me. For Phillip.” Brooklyn quickly hisses.

Gabriel leans incredibly close to Brooklynn, so close that I can’t see his lips move. Worse yet, I can’t hear his words over the music. But I can read the expression on Brooklynn’s face. At first it was overjoyed when Gabriel got close, but it quickly turned sour until becoming stagnant.
Confused on what was said between the two of them, I stand motionless. When Gabriel intertwines my arm with his, I don’t process thoughts, I just walk following his direction.

We get outside, get into the very familiar vehicle, and remain quiet on the drive back to my apartment. And the quiet is a blessing. There’s no harsh words, no feelings being expressed, no need to think.

But as we finally reach my apartment and he slowly walks me to my door that autopilot moment quickly passes. I step inside my apartment, door in hand. We stare at each other. Me inside, him lingering on the other side of the threshold.

“Good night, Gabriel.” The words are barely audible, but I know he hears them. I don’t wait for a reply before I slowly shut the door letting an awful come to a close.