The Fugitive

Esme trudged the short walk it took for her to arrive at ONYX. She shook her head at a loss for words at Lenny's shamelessness, but at the same time, she knew he was looking out for her. The last apartment she stayed in had an intruder, and Lenny probably believed his security was tight enough and his reputation well known that nobody would try entering her apartment. But he was wrong; if her little phantom friend wanted to find her, he would. 

The she-wolf entered the building from the other side of the nightclub and bars, and in a daze, entered the elevator, closing her eyes and breathing deeply to sudden fast drumming of her heart. She was only in a lift; this was not a cage, Ethan was not here. Esme still felt disturbed by how much she had changed since leaving the Hellhounds. To have gone from a heartless assassin to a lovestruck fool and a cowering girl before her mate, she was now left with scars and nightmares. If her mother could see her now, she would turn her back on her for her weakness. 

"I don't think she would turn her back on you," Isana whispered as she too listened to Esme's calming breathing technique. 

"Ya think?" Esme chuckled aloud. "The woman who disowned us for finding our mate and not finishing the mission.. After everything, I did for her.."

Esme silenced her words when the vibration below her feet increased and stopped, and the electronic noise of the elevator decreased, and the sweet smell of Gabriel wafted to her nose along with another vampire's scent. She opened her eyes and slammed the door open, jumping out and inhaling deeply as though there was no oxygen in the lift at all. 

Esme released her breath and halted at the sight of Niko and Gabriel. She looked between them and felt the sudden horror creep into her bones from the sight of them conversing with one another. She eyed Gabriel warily, his expression was stony, and his eyes narrowed at her entrance. Was this why Gabriel sounded the way he did on the phone?

"Shit. This is how we die.. Esme.. It has been a pleasure.." Isana began dramatically, and Esme couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"We might stand a chance-"

"VAMPIRE KING!" Isana shouted in her head, making Esme flinch and rub at her temples with an infuriated sigh. 

"I meant.. We might have a chance at escaping. Not fighting him.." She gritted out. Then stopped speaking to her wolf when she realised Gabriel's attention was still on her, and his face turned into one of amusement. Could he hear their conversation right now?

Gabriel nodded his head once, then looked back at Niko, who bowed to him and glanced in Esme's direction, his features a mixture of emotions that Esme had no time to think about. Her most pressing issue was the demon who looked like an angel before her. 

A sexy.. She shook her head. "Do not get sidetracked! This is life and death right now, even if he is casually strolling towards us like that.." Isana's voice wavered with a sigh at the approaching deadly vampire that was far too captivating for Esme to handle.

Gabriel was like a predator stalking his prey; the look behind his eyes made her legs almost quiver but in need. Esme shook her head; this was not the time to be admiring this handsome devil that might very well be stalking his prey and ready to devour her whole. Did Niko tell Gabriel she was.. 

He stopped just before her, tilting his head to the side. Esme realised the vampire had been listening in on her thoughts; she narrowed her eyes at the intrusion. She could actually feel him in her mind; he felt like an icy caress trying to get her to open up. Instead, the she-wolf put all her effort into pushing him out, like Esme would with Isana when her wolf had been naughty. She watched Gabriel flinch and felt the cold mist of his power, trying to find a way in again, yet finding no crack or hole.

"Please stop," She whispered, looking down from his icy stare.

"It's in my nature, Es. I'm sorry. I will stop now," Gabriel replied quietly, then gestured for her to take a seat at the leather sofas in front of his bar. Esme pursed her lips and slid her bag down next to the couch before plopping down, not so elegantly. 

"If you want to know something about me, then ask, Gabriel. That is what normal people without such powers do," Esme replied dryly but bit her lip at the sharp gaze he shot her way as he went behind the bar across from her. 

"Hmmm, but would you tell me, Esme?" He countered, "You are full of secrets."

"Everyone has their secrets," She murmured and looked back down at her hands. She felt like Gabriel's piercing eyes could read her mind without his powers if he continued to stare into hers, even from the small distance of furniture between them. 

Gabriel tapped his finger, most likely in annoyance, but instead of pushing her further, he asked, "What do you want to drink?"

Esme blinked quickly in surprise and looked back at him like he spoke a different language. He never seemed to push her too far, or was he going to put wolfsbane in the drink? She smiled slyly at the idea; it wouldn't affect her in any way. "Water, please," She replied politely, almost too sweetly. 

But drinking alcohol around this man with his deadly good looks was not a good idea. She needed to stay sharp and quick-witted to deal with him. She was sure Gabriel wanted to interrogate her; she just didn't know how he would do it just yet. Yet, Esme knew that she would tell the King some truths about herself no matter what happened tonight.

First of all, she should find out what Niko had told Gabriel. 

Gabriel passed her the water she asked for and sat down next to her, almost too comfortably from the minimal distance between them. Thank the Goddess, she was wearing layers..

"Would that really do anything?" Isana snickered, then quietened. They weren't there for his physical touch or anything; they were there to have a civilised conversation..

Esme turned her body slightly to face him and refrained from resting her head further into his gentle touch. Gabriel was caressing her face and watching her as a fire burned and crackled in his eyes. Esme gulped in fear at what was going to happen next. They'd already crossed one line today, and she knew they were about to cross another. 

"Your heart has been beating very quickly since entering this floor. I should either be flattered, worried about your health which is highly unlikely or.. wonder why you are so anxious," Gabriel said quietly with a dark undertone she did not miss. His thumb lowered to her lips, grazing them seductively before he leaned forwards, leaving mere inches between them. "Are you guilty of something, Es?"

Esme flinched at his words, and she saw his gaze darken, his fingers now holding her chin in place, so she could not pull away. 

How could she ever lie to a mind-reading vampire? She couldn't keep these mental walls up forever. If it wasn't her mind he couldn't read, then it was her body language. She felt comfortable, even now, under his icy gaze that could make others cower in fear. 

He could read her so well, and the part that scared her the most was that she willingly allowed him to. Gabriel, the Vampire King, was not looking at her in such a way as to scare her into submission like he did to his subordinates; he was annoyed and wanted her to open up to him. 

Niko might have told him what she was, but Gabriel had yet to kill her. He could so easily kill her right now, but instead, he was sitting comfortably by her side. 

He was giving her a chance. 

"I am guilty.. in not repaying you with my truth," She replied breathlessly, and she watched as Gabriel's eyes glowed and his face softened from her words. He leaned closer, his hand moving to her hair and searched her eyes, almost for permission. It seemed whatever he was looking for reflected back at him as he gently claimed her lips and slipped his tongue in to meet hers. 

Esme sighed, her hands clutching at the vampire's shirt and feeling the slabs of taut muscle beneath his clothes. But before either of them were about to lose themselves in this heated embrace, Gabriel pulled away and frowned. Esme gulped. "What is it?"

"When did you have champagne? And why can I smell Lenny on you?" His voice had dropped again, and she could see the first flames of jealousy in those crystal blue eyes. 

"Ah.. we were celebrating my new apartment.. Lenny greeted me…" Her mind flashed to him kissing each of her cheeks, and she looked back at Gabriel, whose face fell and his jaw ticked in annoyance. He wiped hands on her cheeks as though he could still see where Lenny kissed her.

"That bastard.." He growled, then suddenly stood up with Esme in his arms. Her eyes widened, and she slapped his arms before holding onto him tightly when the vampire was about to let her fall. What was she doing? Even if she did fall out of his arms, she would land. Why was she acting like a child with no skills so suddenly?

"Wh-what are you doing?" She asked as her heart raced from him, carrying her through his penthouse. 

"We are going to wash up. I can't stand smelling that jerk on you. And then, when we are done, we are going to have a very long overdue chat," Gabriel growled.

"Wash up!?" She almost screamed and started flailing in his arms. 

"Yes, my little wolf.. Vincent, run the bath, and put some jasmine oils in it."