Gabriel spoke in a soft, pure voice, his tone hypnotic.
“You persist in taunting me. It has never worked, Gabriel. I doubt if I will be driven to accept your challenge. While you grow soft in that house surrounded by women, I am building a kingdom to rule.”
Gabriel sighed softly.
“You sound like a child, Lucian. You would be bored ruling a kingdom. Find a monastery and read some books.” “I have already done just that.”
Before Gabriel had a chance to “see” through Lucian’s eyes and give him an idea where his twin might be, he felt the withdrawal. Lucian was gone from Skyler’s mind that fast.
Skyler looked up at him, “He knew you gave me the book. He quoted from it and told me to look on page eighty-two. I looked up the quote and he’d repeated it word for word.” She sounded awed by the feat.
“Lucian is a genius, Skyler, and he has a photographic memory.”
She turned her wide eyes on him, old eyes. “You have one, too, don’t you?”
Gabriel nodded. “Yes, I do, honey. Lucian is my brother, my twin. He likes to play games, not always nice ones. I do not want you to be afraid, but he has power and sometimes misuses it.”
Skyler shook her head and handed Gabriel the book. “I’m not afraid of him, not at all. Why did Francesca tell me not to look at anybody?” She asked the question to see if Gabriel would tell her the truth.
His white teeth flashed and for the first time Skyler felt a small shiver run down her spine. She could see the predator in him clearly for a moment. “Lucian can do more than talk to you mind to mind. He is telepathic, but he also has other powers. He can use you if he is merged with you.”
She hadn’t expected this answer. Skyler stopped walking and stared up at him. “You really will answer my questions, won’t you? No matter how bad it is, you will tell me the truth.”
“What were you expecting, Skyler?”
She shrugged. “Most people lie to kids if the truth is difficult.” Skyler ducked her head so that her hair spilled around her face. “I shouldn’t have tested you like that. I suspected it was something like that.”
“Is it too far-fetched for you to believe?” Gabriel asked curiously.
“Isn’t it far-fetched that you and Francesca can talk to me in my mind? Isn’t it far-fetched that I can talk to animals?”
He raised one eyebrow. “Can you?”
She nodded without looking at him, half afraid he might not believe her.
“I knew you had a built in barometer for trouble, but I did not realize how gifted you really are. We will have to work on that particular talent. Do you like animals?”
“Better than people,” she admitted with a little grin. “Much better than people. I relate to animals. They have a code they live by. An honorable code.”
“Some people have codes, sweetheart. Some people actually have honor and integrity. You should know that; you are one of them.”
“Can you really help me speak to animals better?”
“I can help you develop what talent you have,” he answered. “And it is very possible Francesca and I might be able to teach you to shield yourself from unwanted emotions when you are with other people.”
“I’d like that.” Her small teeth tugged at her lower lip.
“You have a different accent. It’s nice. I like the way you twist your words.”
“How did you learn to speak both English and French?”
Skyler shrugged again. “Languages are easy for me to pick up. I don’t really know why, but I think my mother was the same way.”
“She must have been a remarkable woman. I wish that I had known her, Skyler.”
“Thank you,” Skyler murmured. Her voice was soft and sweet, reminiscent of Francesca’s. She did a peculiar little skip toward the stairs.
Gabriel moved through the house, silently listening to the sounds of the humans. It wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as he’d thought it would be sharing the same dwelling. He had touched Santino’s mind and found him to be a loyal, courageous man. He had never spent much time among humans, could call none his friend. But Santino was solid and had a good heart. There was no hidden agenda in the man. And his wife was sweet and good-natured. She was uncertain whether or not she believed the things Santino had told her about Aidan and his lifemate, but she was willing to live with Santino anywhere he chose and she was determined to make his home a happy one.
Gabriel found himself smiling as he moved through the large house. The noises were becoming familiar, almost comforting. The different scents that filled the air made the house all the more homey.
“You like them.” Francesca made it a statement as she slipped up behind Gabriel to circle his narrow waist with her arms. She rested her head against his broad back.
“Yes, I like them,” he conceded. “I do not know whether the woman will run screaming from the house if a vampire should actually attack us here.”
“I don’t know if I’d run screaming from the house,” Francesca laughed. “Skyler has gone to bed. She’s very tired. I sat with her for a few moments to be sure she was healing. But you know, my love, I’m incredibly hungry.” There was a soft suggestion in her voice.
He placed his larger hand over hers. “Again? Just how often am I going to have to feed you?”
Her hands moved over his body, shaping his muscles, exploring the most intriguing places. “It isn’t just for me,” she reminded him. “In any case, you know perfectly well that isn’t the hunger I’m talking about.”
He turned around to pull her into his arms, cradling her as if her weight was no more than a child’s. His black eyes burned over her face with such hunger and intensity it took her breath away. “And what kind of hunger would that be, Francesca? I love when you ask me for what you want.”
“Gabriel.” She breathed his name with a kind of wonder, drew a caressing hand along his stubborn jaw. Her Gabriel. Her legend. So incredibly sexy. “I am not asking, lifemate, I am demanding. My body hungers for yours. I’m burning inside and only you know how to satisfy me.”
They were moving quickly through the corridor to their bedchamber. “I can do no other than please you.”
“Hmmm, I think I wish to please
you.
I want you in my mouth, I want to see your face as you make love to me, I want to feel you hard and hot and so much a part of me I will never, never be able to get you out.”
His mouth found hers, rocking her world while clothes littered the corridor. Already his fingers were deep inside her wet, welcoming core, pushing deep, stroking the heat, while he kissed her until she didn’t know where he started and she left off. In the chamber she pushed at the wall of his chest, insisting on her own right to taste him, to tease him, her mind merged with his to share the experience, to allow him the heady satisfaction of knowing she wanted to drive him over the edge of control. Gabriel, who was always so controlled, was thrusting helplessly, a harsh cry torn from his throat as she tasted his essence. He pulled her into his arms and settled her onto his lap, filling her completely, his hands guiding her hips while he watched her slow, lazy ride, her hair covering her body so that her breasts could peek provocatively at him.
“You are the most beautiful, sexy woman on earth,” he whispered softly. He had absolutely no intention of sleeping or allowing Francesca to go to sleep for a long, long while.
Chapter Fifteen
The doorbell let out a soft, melodious peal, announcing a visitor. Santino glanced at his wife and wished he didn’t feel so apprehensive. Everything in Francesca and Gabriel’s house was harmonious, even the doorbell, yet he had an ominous premonition of disaster. Skyler paled visibly and shrank into a little ball in the armchair. Her eyes seemed enormous in her small face as she hugged her stuffed animal to her. Santino wanted to put his arms around her and hold her, but she was careful to avoid any physical contact with him.