Later that night, I didn’t know what I should say to Grayson, or if I should say anything. If I had been out with Shawn, would I feel the need to tell Grayson? The answer was no. Even I knew that there was a difference and Grayson would see it. I had no intention of lying to him.

When he came home, I was sitting at the dining room table checking off tasks that I had accomplished for Damien’s nearest impending gathering that was approaching in little less than a month. At this point it was really just confirming things and making sure everything would go off without a hitch.

I looked up when I heard the door close. Grayson removed his jacket and then started undoing his tie. His eyed me hungrily. He sped over to me pulling me to my feet before his mouth claimed mine. His tongue pushed past my lips dancing with mine. My body became instantly alive.

“Shower with me,” he didn’t ask. He commanded.

“Yes,” I moaned as he lifted me up allowing me to wrap my legs around him before he sped off to the bathroom.

He never brought up Sebastian or Chloe. In fact, we barely spoke that night or the following morning before he went to work. We just remained a tangled mess of two bodies trying their best to become one.

 

 

I stood looking out the window from The Angelo Tower. Bolts of lightning pierced the sky followed by crashes of thunder. It was already past time for me to leave. The sun had set and the sky was a blanket of darkness with the exception of the sudden streak of light that was gone as quickly as it appeared. The lights of the city created a nice glow below. I was standing there hoping that the storm would break long enough for me to leave without getting drenched in the process, but it didn’t look like it was going to be my lucky night. I took a deep breath when I felt the recognizable pull.

“Hey, you’re still here?” Sebastian asked walking up next to me.

“Yup,” I stated, still searching the skyline for some sign that there was a break coming.

“Scared of a little water?”

“Absolutely not. It doesn’t mean that I look for opportunities to get soaked either.”

He gave me a little chuckle. “You know that if you want to avoid the outside altogether, I can help?”

I remembered the last time Sebastian had “helped” me get to my apartment. The experience wasn’t one I would soon forget. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“Gaby, it’s no problem. I can pop you over there and be back before anyone even knows I’m gone.”

“Is that a standard angel power?”

“If you’re asking if any angel can do it, the answer is no, but it is common.” There was a long pause as I thought over what he claimed. “If you’re thinking about your father, he can’t. Sorry. Looks like you’re stuck with me,” he admitted a little sharply.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” I explained. He nodded making it obvious that he didn’t believe me. “Of course I’d love a lift. Thank you.”

“Really?” He seemed skeptical.

“Really.” I stepped into him wrapping my arms around him holding on for dear life. I closed my eyes just before we dissipated.

When we blinked ourselves into my apartment, I felt a bit unsteady from the trip. I looked down at the ground trying to find my bearings, my head resting on his chest. Sebastian held my arms trying to steady me.

“Look up,” he commanded trying to help.

I did as he asked. He was still a bit taller than me, especially today since I wasn’t wearing my heals. I looked up and my eyes met his. It was hard to ignore the tether that I felt between us, particularly at this close range. His green eyes searched my face until they settled on my lips. I felt my breathing increase, but I didn’t move. I swallowed hard past the lump in my throat, when I heard someone clear their throat.

“Hey, Grayson,” Sebastian spoke, still holding me. I had tried pulling away, but he wasn’t letting me go, which was probably good, because if I moved too fast the world might start to spin. “It’s raining outside and Gaby didn’t want to get wet. We dissipated in, which can be a little…unsettling if you’re not use to it.”

“Thanks for getting her home safe, but I got it from here.” Grayson took me from Sebastian and I went willingly wrapping my arms around him, not leaving any space between us. I saw a bleak look pass over Sebastian’s face. I mouthed Thank you to him trying to extend my gratitude for his efforts getting me home dry. He smiled before he disappeared from the apartment.

 

 

Over the next few weeks, I did my best to avoid Sebastian, which meant in turn that I avoided The Angelo Tower as much as I could. I would call and did a lot of speaking to Jade, but it was almost impossible to get anything done with all her banter.

I held off my trips until the weekend when Grayson could go with me. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust myself, but I knew how things might look from his perspective and I wanted to do my best to assure him that everything was fine.

On one such occasion, we were supposed to meet Damien, I thought in his office, but when we got there, he was nowhere to be found. I looked in my phone and saw that it was suppose to be below in the conference room. On the way back to the elevator, I realized I had left my folder on Damien’s desk.

“Don’t worry about it. Summon the elevator and I’ll go back to get it,” Grayson suggested. I smiled and gave him a quick kiss before watching him speed away. That was when I felt the tether.

“Gaby?” I looked up and saw Sebastian coming towards me from his room. I groaned internally. “I haven’t seen you lately. Are you still planning the parties for your father?”

“Yes,” I spoke while clicking away at the elevator button. I couldn’t help but feel flustered. This was exactly what I had been trying to avoid.

“I don’t think pushing the button is going to make the elevator come any faster.”

I stopped pressing it, knowing he was right, but had wanted something to busy myself with other than talking. I spun slowly to face him. My breathing was heavy in a nervous way. I looked up at him.

“Why are you fidgeting?”

“I’m not,” then I realized my fingers hadn’t stopped moving.

Sebastian had just opened his mouth to speak when Grayson appeared followed by the arrival of the elevator.

“Found it,” Grayson waved the folder, but his eyes fell to Sebastian. I nodded then moved to step on the elevator. Grayson came to stand beside me. I thought that was going to be the end of my interaction with Sebastian, but he surprised us all when he stepped on to the elevator.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“I have something I need to discuss with Damien.”

“Now?” I heard the distain in my voice after the words escaped.

“Yes, now. Is that a problem for you?” It felt like Sebastian was goading me. I didn’t answer. I focused my attention on the door. I tried to ignore both the men’s gazes on me.

Walking to conference room together was uncomfortable. I was sure I wasn’t the only one who was feeling it. I didn’t know why Sebastian was being this way. I was sure he could feel the tensions and he just kept stirring the pot.

When Damien saw us all enter he seemed a little perplexed. “Sebastian, I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I need to speak with you when you have a moment.”

“I’m a bit busy. Can it wait?”

“Of course.” Sebastian turned and took a seat. I guess he was planning on waiting. I looked to Damien, practically begging him to do something, but he shrugged his shoulders and went about the business. He must be use to his friend acting this way.

Grayson took a seat away from Sebastian. He pulled his laptop from its bag and started typing away. I caught a few looks that he would give me then Sebastian. I could almost see the wheels turning. I was curious if he was suspicious. Maybe he thought what Shawn had, that I was sleeping with Sebastian. Even I could see how someone could think that, even though it wasn’t true. I huffed for what was probably the tenth time.

“Grayson?” Damien broke away from our conversation. “Have you ever tried a blood concoction?”

“I can’t say that I have.”

“Well, then you must have one. Gabriella, would you mind terrible if I took your mate to try one of my coffee infused blood drinks. It will only take a moment.”

“That’s not necessary, Damien,” Grayson spoke.

“Of course it is and I won’t take no for an answer.” Damien’s gaze shifted to me and I didn’t argue. “You’ll be fine without me for a few minutes, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Splendid.” Damien escorted Grayson from the room all the while ignoring Sebastian.

“Subtlety isn’t his strong suit. He’s use to man handling to get his way.”

“What are you doing here, Sebastian? I’m trying to work.”

Sebastian stood and moved across the room. “You’ve been avoiding me. Why?”

I shrugged. “I just didn’t think being around you was appropriate.”

“Grayson’s jealous,” he stated.

“No.”

“Gaby, don’t try to cover it. I get it. He knows you fed from me and now he thinks something’s going on.” I opened my mouth but nothing escaped. After a long pause Sebastian grinned. “You haven’t told him. I gotta say you have a remarkably trusting relationship. You were almost raped and you kept it from him. You drank from me and you kept that too. What about this?” Sebastian set an envelope down on the table. It had my name scribbled across in. I opened it up and saw an all too familiar note.

“Are you snooping through my garbage?” I didn’t hide the accusation in my tone.

“Look at the address.” I flipped it over. “It came here.” I quickly stuffed it back into the envelope. “How many have you received?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I tried denying.

“Of course you do. Just your comment now shows this isn’t the first time you’ve seen one.”

“Is it you that’s sending them?”

Sebastian looked like I just slapped him. “That’s what you think? I care about you, Gaby. I’m just wondering why you’re keeping things from him.”

“I’m wondering that too.” I looked up to see Grayson and my father standing in the door. Damien looked down at the ground while Grayson’s eyes blazed at me. I clutched the envelope in my hand, deciding if I could hide it. I must have fidgeted drawing his attention to it because he moved across the room at a human pace and reached for it. I tried to cling to it.

“He has a right to know, Gaby.” It was Sebastian.

I saw Grayson’s face heat up and I released the envelope. He opened it and his expression changed. There written in the same form as the others were the words,

 

If death is what you seek, stay. If life, then leave him.

 

“What the fuck is this?” he demanded then glared at Sebastian. “Are you threatening us?”

Sebastian’s face turned into a sneer. “Did you miss the part where she accused me of the same thing?” Grayson turned and looked me then back at Sebastian. “All I’ve ever done is try and protect her, but then she’s kept that from you too.”

Grayson spun to face me with accusations in his eyes. “What is he talking about, Gaby?”

“Yes, Sebastian? What do you speak of? I thought we had an understanding,” Damien questioned his voice dripping with condescension.  

“Gaby?” Sebastian spoke and all eyes were on me. I could feel my heart pounding and what was worse was they could all hear it too. It was overwhelming. I couldn’t take it. I grabbed my belongings off the desk and started making my way to the door. “Gaby?” Sebastian grabbed my arm.

I yanked it from him, my anger helped mask anything else I might feel when he touched me. “How dare you? How dare all of you?”

“What have I done?” Damien asked defensively.

I ignored him and spoke to Sebastian. “You put me on the spot to tell something that you know I don’t want to speak about. You knew it and you did it anyways.”

“He’s your fiancé. If you really care about him the way you claim…”

“The way I claim? I love him.” It looked as if Sebastian winced. I wasn’t sure. It was barely noticeable and gone too fast. I shifted my gaze to Grayson. “I love you, and that’s why I didn’t want to burden you with any of this.”

“You don’t want to burden him? Is that why you didn’t tell him you fed from me?”

I felt my stomach fall and a cold chill passed over my body. “Gaby wouldn’t do that.” Grayson spoke. Guilt washed over me when I realized the impression he had of me was better than who I really was. When I didn’t argue the point, Grayson spoke to me. “Call him a liar, Gaby. You wouldn’t do that.”

“She can’t,” Sebastian spoke.

I could feel everyone’s eyes on me. I couldn’t let them hold on to the notion that what I had done was done for the wrong reasons. “I was hurt.”

“Hurt how?” This time it was Damien.

“I was attacked.”

“When?” Grayson wondered. “I would have noticed something like that happening.”

“It was when you were in Los Angeles.” Enlightenment passed over his eyes. It was just after he got home that I had my first panic attack. “I was surrounded and managed to take one out before a warlock cursed me.” I peeked a glance at Grayson. He looked a bit guilty over the word warlock. I wanted to tell him that he shouldn’t, that just because he was one, or rather he came from them, didn’t make him responsible for the choices of others. It was the same as holding all humans accountable for the choices of the few. “It drained me, paralyzed me.” I looked to Damien. “They said it was to hurt you.” Damien fury turned to anguish. I knew he was blaming himself too, but if I was going to tell this story I wasn’t going to leave anything out. “One of them, he um…” I didn’t know how to say it, probably because I didn’t want to. I wrapped my arms around my chest to comfort myself. “He tried to…hurt me, but he didn’t. Sebastian saved me. Later when I woke, I needed blood and he offered himself because I wanted to get back to you and didn’t want to wait for however long it would take to find blood.”

“That’s why, when I got home, you…” He left his words hanging in the air. I nodded. It was why I had a panic attack when he tried touching me. “Not that I’m not grateful, but how did you know where she was Sebastian?”

“It was most likely because of their blood tie,” Damien answered.

“Their what?” Grayson pried.

“Their blood tie,” Damien repeated. “Surely you understand that Gaby has angelic blood flowing through her veins.”

“I hadn’t really thought about it, but that raises more questions than it answers.”

“Allow me to explain. Gabriella is an anomaly, for angels are all men, but here she is, a woman with angelic blood. What that means is that her blood calls to any angel around, except for mine because I am her father.  It is why her and Sebastian have the connection they have. Why they feel connected. It is almost similar to your mating bond, but different in some ways.”

“I’m sorry, they’re what?”

“No, no, Grayson. Do not worry. It is the blood that ties them, nothing more. It is meant to urge Gabriella to procreate with an angel to bring forth more, but it would be the same with any angel around.”

“Damien, I don’t think you’re really helping the situation,” Sebastian spoke.

“You have feelings for him?” Grayson asked.

“No. I love you.”

“But you feel something for him.”

I wanted to say no to tell him that none of it was true or to even go back two hours and not come tonight. “I can sense him when he’s near or…” I didn’t want to say that my blood hummed when he touched me. Even I knew that that wouldn’t sound right out loud.

“Or what?”

“Grayson, there is nothing going on between us. There will never be because my world is eclipsed by you. You are all I see and all I will ever see. As Damien just said, it’s the blood that ties us. It’s nothing else. My blood is also tied to you and my heart.” I turned to Damien. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this right now.” I handed him some papers. “These are the changes you asked for and copies of the final menu.” I walked up to Grayson holding my hand out. “Please.” He took it. Without a word, he followed me out of the room.