The Hell Lord's Prize

11

Gabriel's POV:

I'm still folding my clothes when Alastor returns, and he literally lifts me away from my task.

"Hey!" I snap, squirming in his arms. "I'm busy!"

Alastor chuckles in my ear. "You can fold your clothes later. Now, you have practice tomorrow morning, so you need some food and then we shall go to bed. I already put your practice and game clothes in the dryer," he says, carrying me like a baby toward the bathroom and handing me a suit. "Put this on."

"I just want to fold my clothes and melt in self pity!" I whine, since I know that Alastor knows that I'm having issues coping with seeing my mom, but I put on the suit anyway.

"I won't have that," Alastor tells me, handing me the key card to our room and carrying me out of it and to the elevator once I'm dressed up. "Can I put you down now?"

I huff. "No, you wanted to drag me out of the room, so my transportation is your responsibility."

Alastor doesn't even seem fazed as he shrugs and carries me out of the elevator.

Only then do I see all of the seven sins in the lobby of the hotel, along with their soulmates. Even Paxton, who apparently lives in Italy with his vampire soulmate, is standing there with a young man and woman beside him.

"Okay, put me down," I mumble, embarrassed that this group was seeing me be carried like a baby.

Alastor laughs, and I know he's going to refuse me the choice to walk. "Aren't I in charge of your transportation?" he mocks, using my own words against me.

"Awwwwww," Tristan coos, skipping over to me. "My baby brother being cuddled by the king of Hell."

"Lord of Hell," I correct. "Don't fill his head with titles."

Alastor pinches my side, tickling me and making me shriek. "I am the king," he says, looking to his group. "Come along, we have reservations."

"There are no fancy restaurants in this town," I tell him, making Alastor grin.

"We aren't eating in this town, Gabriel," he says, finally setting me down. "I can create portals, so we are eating in Italy tonight. Paxton made us reservations. And then, they are all coming back here so we can watch your lacrosse game."

I feel tears well in my eyes. "All of this... for me?" I ask, my voice cracking.

Alastor nods, taking my hand in his own. He opens a portal and while everyone is walking through, he leans down and whispers in my ear.

"I told you that I'd give you the world," he murmurs, kissing behind my ear and making me shiver. "This is just the beginning, my daring."

With that, we step through the portal, hand in hand.

•••

I've never been to Italy, but it is absolutely beautiful, at least where Paxton and his soulmate, Renato live. Apparently the duo of young people with them are Renato and Paxton's adopted children, Seremi and Willow.

"Come on, this is the best restaurant in town," Renato says with his fancy accent.

It's very sophisticated, which makes sense since he's a vampire who lives in a huge mansion. And he's from Italy, so like, what's more sophisticated than that?

The restaurant is beautiful. It looks like it came straight out of an Italian movie, with vines climbing up the walls under tiny strung lights. When we walk inside, the wonderful scent of fresh bread and other foods fill the air.