Tangle (BWWM)

Chapter 30- Unfinished Business

The sound of the shattered glass grabbed Gabrielle's attention away from the food she was eating. Oh no... Not too long after, the scent of blood permeated her senses. Oh no, no, no... Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on the bowl in front of her, but the scent was far too strong. Her stomach churned, body beginning to shake with violent need. She felt her fangs lengthening in her mouth, begging to be used. Begging for the sheer satisfaction of giving in to the bloodlust.

Oh, that smell... that delicious scent of a person's life force spilling out through a wound... the adrenaline flowing through her veins made it all the more delightful. All the more tempting... Gabrielle's tongue ran across her lips in anticipation to be fed, and before she knew it, she was rising up from the table.

A split second later, she felt a hand grab at her wrist, stopping her dead in her tracks. Whipping her head around, fangs bared and anger flaring with a classical vampire hiss, she landed her crimson eyes on none other than Vincent. His own expression was stony, as if he'd been fighting the bloodlust himself. "Sit down," she heard him command lowly.

Gabrielle released a deep growl. Who the hell did he think he was? There was no way she was letting this easy meal go to waste. "Fuck you," she lashed back in reply, pulling at his steady grip.

"I said SIT. DOWN," Vincent repeated, his features sterner, eyes glowing and fangs bared. He was responding not to Gabrielle herself, but the new demon lying within her. Right then and there, he needed to establish his vampiric dominance, let her dark side know that he was in charge, that he was the creator. This was one of the ways that helped newly born vampires control their insanity. Steady guidance was the key.

Gabrielle shrunk back at the forceful tone, but obeyed his command. He slid out of his side of their booth and pulled her to sit on the inside before sitting once more and blocking her in. Vincent wrapped his arms around Gabrielle's shoulders, pulling her close to him. He felt her go rigid as she fought everything that screamed at her to push him out of the way and devour that poor human woman foolish enough to injure herself in the presence of a starving vampire.

Rubbing her shoulders so she could relax, he leaned in and pressed a small kiss on her cheek. "Breathe, Gabrielle."

She shook her head. If she took a breath, she would inhale that tempting aroma. She couldn't run the risk...

"Breathe," he commanded once more. This time Gabrielle took a large breath, shaking her head as she released it. "Keep taking deep, calming breaths." Meanwhile, the server had finally stood up and walked away, nursing her injury, and a man who worked there came and swept the offensive glass. When the woman was safely away from Gabrielle's clutches, Vincent released her shoulders, heaving a relieved sigh. "When was the last time you fed?"

Pausing her breath, she shook her head. "Not since that morning."

Vincent cursed. He had to get Gabrielle some blood as soon as possible. Flagging down their server, he requested that their food be packed up as quickly as she could and that he pay the bill, using the excuse that his girlfriend had fallen ill and that she needed immediate care. The young lady, glanced over at Gabrielle and saw her shaking in Vincent's arms. That was incentive enough to get her moving. "Don't worry, Love. We'll get you fixed up." He whipped out his cellphone and dialed Qusay's number, and the other man answered on the second ring with a heavy sigh.

"Something tells me that this is not a social call."

"Qusay, please..."

"No, Vincent. The last time was a fluke. I was only doing you a favor so you could help out Gabrielle. You said that you would have everything under control by now, and I cannot keep risking my job like this."