Bound By Blood: The Pureblood Prince

Chapter Sixteen

I drove at speeds my mother's compact SUV had never seen, my wild eyes burning into the road ahead. I was awake now, I knew that, but I didn't entirely feel in control of myself. Something inside me had completely taken hold.

I passed the park and looked out to the area behind it, but couldn't make out anything in the darkness. I hopped out of the car, nearly forgetting to take the key out of the ignition. I sped through the park, feeling the wet coolness of dawn air on my skin. I saw the trees emerge from the darkness; they looked exactly like in my dream. I wove through the trees, past a clearing, like I had been here a thousand times before. My heart's pace quickened with my body, and I could hear myself breathing loudly. All at once I stopped, my body still. It was right there before me, I felt it there again- between two thin trees. The blue sliver of light from my dream. I could feel it there as I inched closer, holding up my hand as if it might brush my fingertips. I ran my hand along the edge of where it should be, like a blind person feeling their way through a room.

I stared intently, willing the seam to appear. Suddenly, my fingers hit an invisible gap in the air. I waved my hand back and forth, noticing the change in temperature. My chest was burning, churning from an unseen force. Pulling, twisting at my ribcage; urging me to it. A bright, white-blue flame filled my vision, burning my eyes. I blinked hard, struggling to refocus. My cheeks were flush and my ears were still cold, my hair a halo of mess around me. It took a long while for my mind to register the fact that I was standing in the library of the Deverre Palace, my mother's keys clutched tightly in my hand.

It was dark and quiet, the room dimly lit by the moonlight. After the spell of shock and confusion swept through me, my mind and body quickly reverted back to the need to find Gabriel. I could feel him again, that familiar burn. I dropped the keys and bound to the heavy door, heaving it open. It groaned shut behind me. My heart nearly leapt from my chest when I nearly collided with Gabriel in the hallway, his eyes glassy with confusion and anger.

"How did you get here, Cora?"

________________

He didn't give me much time to explain before he clamped his hand over my mouth, hoisting me up and carrying me to his room in a flash. My limbs fumbled against him as he dropped me on his bed. "No one needs to know that you are here." he whispered, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"I... I don't know what happened." I muttered, still trying to gather my thoughts. "I just wanted to find you."

"Of course you did." he mumbled, pacing around his room. I noticed he was barefoot, his shirt untucked and wrinkled. He stopped his pacing and turned his attention back to me.

"Cora, how did you know how to get back here?"

I swallowed hard. "I don't know, I just knew."

He placed his hands on my shoulders, sending a shiver down my spine. "What do you mean, you just knew?"

"I had a dream," I breathed. "I think I just wanted to see you so badly." my voice wavered, for some reason it hurt to say it out loud.

Gabriel seemed to notice this, and his eyes softened, brow furrowed. He pushed the hair from my face, leaving behind trails of electricity on my skin. He brought himself closer and kissed me, hard. I squeezed my eyes shut, melting into it. He kissed me so deliberately, as if he was sending a message.

You are important to me.

He pulled away quickly, as if I had just pinched him. A small gasp escaped from my lips, and he kept his hand rested against my flushed cheek. I watched the slightest flash in his eyes, that he had realized something.