Blood Ties

The Edge of Recklessness (bonus)

The rain battered the old cabin with a force that made the wooden beams creak and groan. The storm outside was fierce, but inside, the tension between Gabriel and Eve burned hotter than any flame. Shadows danced across the room as the fire sputtered, throwing wild patterns on the walls. The silence between them was deafening, punctuated only by the occasional roll of thunder.

Eve stood near the fireplace, arms wrapped tightly around herself, trying to find warmth in a room that felt too cold. Gabriel sat at the table, fingers clenched into fists as he struggled to hold back the flood of emotions he had kept locked away for years.

Finally, he stood, the chair scraping against the floor as he crossed the room in long, determined strides. He stopped just a breath away from Eve, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him, but far enough that she could still pretend she wasn't affected.

"Why are you here, Gabriel?" Her voice was strained, barely audible over the roar of the storm.

"Because I can't stay away," he admitted, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. His eyes met hers, dark and turbulent, mirroring the storm outside. "I've tried. God knows I've tried, but it's impossible. You're impossible."

Eve's heart raced, her pulse drumming so loudly she was sure he could hear it. She wanted to push him away, to hold on to the anger and resentment that had kept her safe, but the truth was, she felt the same pull, the same maddening need that threatened to consume her.

"Do you know how much I hated you?" she whispered, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "For what you did to me, for how you made me feel powerless, weak..."

Gabriel reached out, his hand hovering just above her cheek, hesitant. "I know," he said, his voice breaking. "I know, and it's the one thing I can't forgive myself for."

Eve's breath hitched as his fingers finally touched her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. The heat between them was undeniable, a spark that had been waiting for ignition. Before she could second-guess herself, she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him down to her level until their faces were mere inches apart.

"Then show me," she said, the challenge clear in her eyes. "Show me that you mean it."

Gabriel didn't need more encouragement. His lips crashed into hers with a force that sent them stumbling back against the stone mantle. The kiss was wild, desperate, a clash of teeth and tongues as years of pent-up emotions came rushing out all at once. His hands found her waist, fingers digging in as if he were afraid she'd slip away, while hers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer.

The world outside ceased to exist. There was no storm, no killer lurking in the shadows, no past filled with pain and betrayal. There was only this—this moment of raw, unbridled need.

Gabriel broke the kiss, panting, his forehead pressed against hers as he tried to catch his breath. "Eve," he murmured, his voice hoarse, "tell me this isn't a mistake."

She cupped his face, forcing him to look at her, eyes blazing with a mix of anger and desire. "The only mistake was thinking I could ever hate you."

He didn't give her a chance to say anything more before his lips found hers again, softer this time but no less intense. Their movements grew more fevered, hands roaming freely over skin that tingled with every touch. His fingers slid beneath the hem of her shirt, tracing the curve of her waist, and she gasped into his mouth, a sound that sent a rush of heat through him.

"Gabriel," she whispered, his name a plea that made his heart pound. He lifted her easily, carrying her to the couch and laying her down gently, his body pressing against hers as he deepened the kiss. The room seemed to shrink around them, the crackle of the fire mingling with the sound of their breaths.

Eve's hands found their way under his shirt, nails scraping lightly against his back, making him shudder. The sensation was electric, a spark that ignited a deeper, more primal need. He broke away only long enough to pull his shirt over his head, revealing the hard lines of muscle beneath. Eve's eyes darkened, and she reached up to trace the scars that marked his skin, remnants of battles fought and lost.

"I'm not afraid of who you are," she said, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside her.

Gabriel's eyes softened, the vulnerability in them stark against his rough exterior. "You should be," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her collarbone, making her arch beneath him. "But I'm glad you're not."

Their bodies moved together in a rhythm as old as time, a dance of passion and forgiveness, anger and love. It was reckless and dangerous, but it was also the most real thing either of them had ever felt. And as they lost themselves in each other, the storm outside roared on, bearing witness to a confession that was long overdue.