The Fugitive

"Yes, my little wolf. Vincent, run the bath, and put some jasmine oils in it," Gabriel ordered his butler, who Esme had been unaware of his presence. She shuddered at how long he had been there. She parted her lips and looked around for Vincent, but she only saw a blur of his form as he disappeared across the penthouse. 

He would make an excellent assassin. 

"Shall we?" Gabriel questioned though he didn't wait for her answer as he carried her across the floor. Her heart thudded against her chest in anticipation and nervousness. This was not how she was expecting the night to go. She still had to tell him a few things; maybe after all the mystique surrounding her was gone, Gabriel might find her boring. He was a vampire and probably went through lovers like the weekly food shopping. 

Plus, vampires and werewolves really didn't mix well. She was meant to be disgusted by him and his dietary needs, but how could she be when she changes into a giant wolf and sometimes hunts prey and eats the meat raw? Yes, as soon as she was just the regular rogue she-wolf in his eyes with a shitty backstory, he would lose interest.

Esme sighed in disappointment, but then she pushed past her negative thoughts and decided to just be in the moment with him. If he cast her aside after then, it didn't matter; she would make sure she didn't care and would simply disappear. Her heart pinched at the idea of leaving him, then she frowned; what was wrong with her? This, what they had between them, was just physical needs being met in a good friendship. 

"Are you okay?" Gabriel asked; he had been watching her and all the emotions flashing across her face. Esme flushed and nodded her head, refraining from staring into his captivating eyes for too long. She looked ahead and blinked in sudden realisation they were taking the stairs that hovered over the library on the second floor, or was it the third? And now, technically the fourth? 

"Where are we going?" She trailed off as he opened the door to another enormous room filled with dark décor and light furniture; the flooring marble and the parlour they stood in led through an archway revealing floor to ceiling windows and to the right an enormous bed facing the city views. 

"Welcome to my bedroom," He purred into her ear, and she bit her lip, her thoughts quiet for a moment as she assessed the grandeur of the rooms. He was already walking barefoot, but he shifted her in his arms and somehow removed her trainers and socks, throwing them on the floor dismissively. 

The 'parlour' was more like a museum filled with daggers and swords on the walls, ancient scrolls under secure glass panels, and others. But she couldn't quite look at everything as Gabriel turned them to the left towards some clear double doors that she already found her lips parting in awe at. 

Gabriel pushed open the doors, and Esme couldn't help but gasp at the view before her. The bathroom was grand as she expected, but this was followed by floor to ceiling window views of the city. Marbled steps in front of them led up to a bathtub big enough for about six people; to the right were two sets of sinks along a dark black and gold marble counter with a long mirror reflecting the views behind. To the far right was a large open shower with only one panel of glass and a few plants trailing down the side for a bit of colour in the otherwise luxuriously dark décor. 

The tub was full of bubbles already growing on the water's surface, the scent of jasmine floated in the air, and lit candles in golden candle holders had been placed around the edge along with petals dashed across the bubbles and water. 

Vincent did more than just run the bath! 

Gabriel set Esme down and turned to her, observing her face. "I want to have a bath with you." He held her hand, brought it to his lips with a soft kiss, and then bit gently. The tip of his fang made her gasp at the sudden sharp edge. He didn't pierce her skin, but she felt her heart racing and could almost burst at the sudden mixture of feelings swirling in her core now. "Tell me now if you want to be alone."

Esme gazed back into his crystal blue eyes, and she felt warmth flood across her chest. "I don't want to be alone," She whispered dreamily, then smirked, "Plus, I can't kick a king out of his bath."

Gabriel chuckled and dropped her hand. "We can't have such insolence now.. It would not be proper to do such a thing. Now, help me take my clothes off." He raised his hands to the side, looking at her expectantly with a wicked grin on his handsome features. 

"As you command, my liege." Esme giggled and didn't mind at all by undressing his majesty. She started undoing his gold cufflinks and paused as she put them down on the countertop; they had a family crest on them. 

"My liege.. It has been a while since I heard that one," Gabriel muttered as she turned back and started unbuttoning his shirt and drinking him all in as she did so. "Enjoying the view?"

"Immeasurably," She breathed, not at all embarrassed. She was already undressing the man and had already touched his.. manhood. 

Gabriel chuckled and turned around as she helped slide his shirt down and put it on the counter. "Did you actually have servants doing this for you?" She questioned, thinking back to what she had learned about some human histories.

Gabriel unbuckled his belt and chuckled again; the sound was like music to her ears each time. "For a while." She walked around him and halted his hands from doing anything more. He arched a brow at her before his eyes slowly became hooded, watching her unzip his trousers and drop them and his boxers to the floor, her eyes fixated on his as she looked up from kneeling on the floor before him. "But never like this.." He drawled.

Esme hummed in response as she lowered her gaze to his rock-solid length and bit her lip. But with a pout, she watched Gabriel as he turned from her and ascended the steps to his bath, turning the taps off. 

"Did you want me to help you out of all those clothes?" He purred and started to stalk his way back to her, but she shook her head far too quickly, making him pause and search her eyes again in question. "This is your last chance to run, little wolf."

With that said, he turned back to the bath, and she watched in admiration as his lower half started to hide beneath the bubbles, and he settled down in his seat. His arms were draped out by his sides, looking all the more king-like as he waited for her answer.

Her heart was beating in tune with the trepidation clawing up her throat. To her, this was a big deal. Maybe Gabriel knew that, and that was why he was giving her a chance to leave. But instead of taking that chance, she whispered,

"I won't run."

And wondered the depths of the meaning behind her words. It was time to 'face the music'. Either way, whether Ethan caught up to her or Gabriel would despise her.. But right now, she would take that leap of faith and put her trust in the gorgeous being before her.