Bound By Blood: The Pureblood Prince

Chapter Twenty-three

I felt the sharpness of his teeth as he dragged his lips gently against my skin. The sensation sent a shiver through me. I watched the candlelight dance off of the muscles in Gabriel's back. The sun had just begun to set, but it was always so dark down here.

--

Gabriel and Sara had been butting heads from dusk till dawn for three days. He wanted to leave, and she refused to go. He'd sent Sabine and Wallace to a hunting cabin up the mountains. The Deverre staff had lugged ten tons of furniture down to an emptied basement beneath the palace, and Gabriel and I were practically locked inside.

--

Gabriel pressed his chest firmly against me. I felt his hand graze between my legs, leaving me burning. I felt the wetness of his tongue against my neck, and let out a breathless moan. His canines pricked gently against my skin. He left a tender kiss on my lips, then made his way down. He placed a trail of kisses, making my back curl reflexively. I could feel goosebumps forming on my arms as he found my inner thigh. I let out an audible moan. Then, Gabriel froze. I opened my eyes, frustrated and disoriented.

"Why are you stopping?" I whispered.

"I can hear you," he said, his voice muffled against my skin.

"Hear me what?"

"Asking."

I sighed, the muscles in my legs uncoiling as dropped them limp against the bed. I sat up, pressing my head against the headboard. I knew what he meant by asking. It had nearly been a week since I asked him to turn me. He didn't give me a yes or a no, just an "I need to think about it."

"I'm sorry." I breathed.

Gabriel nestled himself beside me. His fingers dragged against my cheek as he brushed the hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. His warm palm pressed gently, urging me to look at him. His eyes were swirling with a deep, dark gold. They always did that when he was feeling healthy and alive. I'd fed him that morning after days of him insisting he wasn't hungry.

"I need time, Cora. I need space to think without you clouding my thoughts."

"I'm not doing it on purpose. It's weighing heavy on my mind. I don't know what you expect me to do." 

Gabriel let out a huff and closed his eyes. "Just... think quietly. Please. Do your best to control what you're putting in my head."

I took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll try."

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to contain all of the chattering inside. Our bond was filled with nervous energy lately. Not just from me, but from Gabriel too. He was just better at hiding it.

I opened my eyes, and found Gabriel staring at me. I chuckled.

"It's creepy when you do that."

Gabriel smiled coyly. He pulled me in and littered my face with kisses. I succumbed to a fit of laughter. It was moments like this that made me feel like a regular girl, with a regular boy. I felt a pang in my stomach at the thought. Bittersweet. I made sure to keep the feeling to myself.

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Everyone still in the palace- Sara, the king, Ulric, and all of the companions- had been sent below ground. The servants had been sent down too, or confined to their servants' quarters. The palace Mage had put a massive protection spell over the palace. The guards had been instructed to stay out of plain sight. There was an air of unease and tensity. Dinners were quiet. The slightest sounds would jolt me awake in the middle of the night.