Gabriel's Mate

As she found herself once again face down, she rolled quickly. Grunts behind her alerted her to a fight. She focused her eyes on the two figures. Yvette’s lithe body stood out against Ricky’s muscled one, but what she didn’t match in body mass, she made up for in agility. She dodged every one of his blows and twisted like a snake, her movements nearly faster than even Maya’s enhanced eyesight could follow.

“Gabriel!” she shouted, trying to alert him to her location.

Hasty footsteps came her way. First, she recognized Zane. She’d never been so relieved in her life to see the bald vampire run toward her. Behind him another figure emerged: Amaury, and finally Gabriel ran toward her from a path to her left.

As Zane and Amaury launched themselves into the fight with Ricky, Maya jumped up and threw herself into Gabriel’s arms.

“Oh, God, baby, I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.” His arms tightened around her.

“You’re here now.”

Turning her head, she saw Amaury and Zane restraining Ricky. In front of him stood Yvette, her feet planted wide, her arms by her side. In one hand she held a stake.

“I should do to you what you tried to have me suffer.” Yvette spat into his face, and Ricky tried to shake her spit off him, to no avail. Unimpeded, it ran down his chin.

Then Yvette turned her head toward her and Gabriel. “He tied me to the fireplace at that dead nurse’s house and had me wait for the sun.”

Maya felt a shudder go through her at the thought of Ricky’s cruelty.

“Do I have your permission?” Yvette lifted her hand that held the stake so Gabriel could see it.

“Make it quick,” Gabriel answered and turned away, taking Maya with him so she couldn’t see what was happening.

“You’ll be safe now,” he whispered and kissed her.

Thirty-five

The cemetery lay in the dark. Only torches illuminated the area around the grave that had been dug. The coffin that held no body was suspended over it, covered with white calla lilies.

Maya looked at the small assembly. The night before, Samson and Delilah had returned, and she had met them for the first time. She’d taken an instant liking to Delilah, the sweet wife of the most powerful vampire in San Francisco. She and Samson had extended their hospitality and asked her and Gabriel to stay until they had decided where to live. She couldn’t have imagined a warmer welcome.

Oliver, Samson’s daytime assistant, a human, stood next to them, his eyes on the ground. He’d lost a good friend in Carl.

Maya glanced at Amaury and the beautiful blonde woman by his side. They made a striking couple, and it seemed in Nina’s presence, Amaury was more relaxed and docile than when alone. Despite the fact that Nina was a tall woman, her blood-bonded mate dwarfed her, and she appeared fragile, even though Nina was anything but. The stories the other vampires had told her suggested that she was quite a handful to deal with—and that Amaury enjoyed every second of it.

Maya now also understood the connection between Nina and Eddie. She was surprised to find out that Eddie was her brother. The family resemblance was certainly evident, but she hadn’t expected one sibling to be a vampire and the other to be human. But when Thomas told her the story of Eddie’s turning, she understood.

Even Dr. Drake and the witch, Francine, were among the mourners. There had been a commotion at first when word had reached them that Francine wanted to attend Carl’s funeral, but after Gabriel had explained how instrumental she’d been in Maya’s own survival, the vampires had voted to allow a witch among their midst. It was a first, to be sure.

Zane and Yvette stood with a group of vampires Maya didn’t recognize. Colleagues from Scanguards, she assumed. When she caught Yvette’s eye, she was surprised to see her smile at her and Gabriel, who held Maya’s hand. Maya smiled back and felt her heart swell. These people were her family now. They had all accepted her and fought for her so she could live. Carl had given his life protecting her.

Maya turned her attention back to Samson, whose speech came to an end.

“My friend, wherever you are now, I’ll never forget the years we had together.”

Two vampires lowered the coffin into the hole. Nobody moved until it had disappeared completely, then Samson took the shovel and tossed the earth after it. But he didn’t stop at the customary shovel-full of earth. He continued.

Maya looked to her side, and Gabriel lowered his head to her. “He sired Carl. It is his duty to see he rests in peace. He dug the grave, he’ll fill it,” he whispered.

A single tear rolled down Maya’s cheek as she understood the meaning of Samson’s actions.