I nodded. I’d keep her far away. When Gabby woke, I’d convince her we needed to go somewhere else. Not home. At least not yet. But when the Urbat stopped looking for her, we’d go back. I knew how much finishing school meant to her. Until it was safe, maybe I would be able to convince her living in the woods wasn’t so bad.
Isabelle left me and joined the others in the kitchen. Her voice carried when she started asking questions.
“How long are we staying here?”
“It’s not safe to move until Gabby’s awake,” Bethi said. “But, for all we know, the Urbat could be closing in around us now.”
Smoothing a hand over Gabby’s hair, I hoped she would wake before that happened.
“We should be fine,” Winifred said.
“If you need her awake, wake her up,” Isabelle said. “A good slap will do the trick. However, she’ll still be loopy.”
Jerking my head up, I glared at the stairs.
No one slaps, Gabby, I sent to Sam.
“Clay can hear you and doesn’t appreciate your advice,” Sam said. “Neither do I.”
“I’ll be outside,” Isabelle said after a few moments of silence.
The tension that had gathered at her words didn’t leave with her presence because I knew the group was concerned about the location of the Urbat. It was only a matter of time before the idea of how to wake Gabby was mentioned again.
Each time someone walked passed the stairs my worry escalated. Sam was on my side, I reminded myself. He loved Gabby too, though they didn’t see eye to eye lately. Yet, I could feel the high emotions of everyone downstairs. Their worry was climbing. They needed Gabby awake. So did I, but when she was ready.
When I heard Isabelle come back in, I pulled back my lips.
“Who the hell is worrying so much?” she said.
I took a deep breath and pushed my worry down.
“Gabby still hasn’t woken up. We’re trying to decide if we should move on without the guidance or continue to wait.”
“I’ve seen people sleep twelve hours after that kind of hit,” she said.
I glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was almost ten hours now.
“My dad slept, what? Eighteen?” Ethan said.
Sheeeet.
I dropped a kiss on Gabby’s forehead and pulled her closer to my chest. The group wouldn’t want to wait eighteen hours. I could already feel the tension in the air after that comment.
“Okay, just hold tight for a minute,” Isabelle said.
I listened to her approach the stairs. As much as I wanted to stand up and fight her, I knew it wouldn’t end well for me. Or Gabby. I wasn’t about to leave her side, and fighting with Isabelle while close to Gabby would mean that whatever Isabelle did to me would also affect Gabby. Isabelle had said she was addictive. I didn’t want Gabby craving what Isabelle could do.
I angrily watched Isabelle clear the stairs.
“What do you think’s safer?” she said. “Sitting here and waiting, or finding out if the bad guys are getting closer? I already told you what they mean to do to us.”
“You’re not touching Gabby,” I said.
She smiled. I didn’t like it.
“You’re right. I won’t need to because you’ll do it.”
What? I glanced down at Gabby unable to imagine slapping her.
“You’ll be gentler,” Isabelle reasoned.
She was right. I would be gentle. Because I wouldn’t do it.
“Here’s the thing. When she wakes up, she’ll still be high and loopy. She won’t act like herself. But don’t let her go back to sleep. The effect will wear off faster once she’s awake and moving around.”
Not happening.
“You have ten seconds before I start pulling from you. I can’t aim, so it’ll just hurt her more.”
I looked up at her. She knew she had me.
“Ten.”
Glancing down at Gabby, I fought against my anger and revulsion.
“Nine.”
With a gentle touch, I stroked her cheek. Hopefully, she would forgive me.
“Eight...seven.”
Inwardly cringing, I tapped Gabby’s cheek.
“Pathetic. And six.”
I growled. From downstairs, I heard Grey tell Carlos to settle down. If Isabelle didn’t knock me flat, Carlos would try to. Didn’t they understand I was trying to protect Gabby?
Son, I don’t want to see her hurt any more than you. That’s why you need to wake her.
“Five. Better hurry.”
I closed my eyes, knowing Sam was right. There were so many threats here. I needed her awake so she could help us get away from all of it.
“Four.”
Forgive me, I thought before I slapped her.
Her eyes flew open, but I could tell right away she wasn’t herself.
“Gabby,” Isabelle said loudly. “Check your sonar.”
Gabby turned her head and tried to focus on Isabelle.
“Check your sonar,” Isabelle repeated.
“Is Clay safe?” Gabby asked softly.
I sent a wave of love over our connection as I gently stroked the red mark on her cheek.
“You’re sitting on him. He’ll be safer if you can tell us if there are any bad guys around.”
Gabby blinked again and looked at me. She reached up and ran her fingers through my beard.
“So handsome,” she murmured, a tiny thread of desire drifting over our link.
“Focus, Gabby,” Isabelle shouted. “Check your sonar.”
Gabby sighed, and her hand dropped tiredly to her lap.
“They’re netting again. None are close.” Her eyelids fluttered.
“Keep her awake, Clay,” Isabelle said, heading toward the stairs.
As soon as they reached the lower hallway, I tapped Gabby’s cheek again. Her eyes opened, and she smiled at me.
“I was worried,” I said.
She reached up and brushed my hair back from my face.
“You are so handsome.”
The small, secret smile that curved her lips sent a ball of need right to my gut.
“I can feel that, Clay,” she said, lifting her head and offering her lips.
Normally there’d be nothing I’d want more than to kiss her; it was only my worry for her safety and the sounds of conversation downstairs that stopped me from happily giving her what she wanted.
“Gabby, you’re not safe here.”
“I’m safe with you. Always with you,” she whispered, nestling closer to me.
Her hand brushed over the width of my chest, distracting me enough that I almost went for her lips.
“No. I mean, yes. You’re safe me. But you’re not safe with this group,” I said softly, knowing full well anyone paying attention in the kitchen might hear me.
“Clay, I want your lips on mine. Now. I need to feel you.”
Hell. Her hand roamed over my chest once more, and I knew I was lost. When her head cleared, we’d talk more.
I claimed her lips, meaning to kiss her sweetly. Her tongue didn’t agree with sweet intentions. She kissed dirty, and I lost all thought. The slide of her tongue against mine did that to me every time. With my last shred of will power, I fisted the sheets with my claw tipped fingers. She had no idea what she did to me; how much I adored her.
Her small hands threaded through my hair and held tight as she directed the kiss, pressing her mouth firmly against mine a moment before she pulled away.
“Not good enough, Clay,” she whispered against my lips. “Don’t you want to touch me?”
Want to touch her? No, I needed to touch her. I burned for it. But I hadn’t thought she would welcome it. Not yet anyway. I’d been wrong, though. That or I’d died and gone to heaven.
When she moved, shifting position so she no longer lay cradled in my lap but straddled it, I gripped her waist. She was my lifeline. I claimed her mouth once more, possessing her lips and tongue. She stayed on her knees for a moment, making a soft sound before slowly settling on my lap.
I groaned. She moved her hands from my hair to my shoulders. Holding me, she tilted her hips against mine. The explosive pleasure that should have robbed me of thought instead set off warning alarms. She moved against me again, and I tore my mouth from hers to look at her.