The wicked and the brave (Book 1- Valhireya Series- Completed)

Chapter 24

Gabriel

The first bottle of whiskey was the easiest to drink... the second bottle of whiskey made me lose my mind, apparently. It's been 2 weeks since Clara lost her powers... 2 weeks since she's been ignoring me and it's eating me inside. That, put together with the anger and pain I feel for having lost everything, makes me lose my mind.

I take out my bag and pull out some lithium. I just want to feel numb. By now, Clara is probably sleeping and I need to silence my brain just for a couple of hours. You would think that I could do that by sleeping, but that is just it: I can't sleep! Every time I close my eyes, I remember the life draining from Stafan's eyes. I killed a man! That type of action leaves a permanent mark in both my brain and my soul.

"This should do the trick."

I take a pinch and mix it with my glass of whiskey and then just lean back and relax.

Lithium has been the only way I found to make Clara sleep without having terrible night terrors. Right now, that's the only time she talks to me.

She enters the living room with half a bottle of wine in her left hand and a glass in her other hand. When did she get those? I didn't see her coming to the kitchen. She sits down on the sofa and raises her glass.

"Cheers!" She clings it against mine and smiles at me with her eyes half closed.

"I must be hallucinating!" I whisper in disbelief. Did the lithium hit that fast?

"Nope! I am here!" She says and I can see she is visibly intoxicated.

"You shouldn't be drinking!" I try to reach for her glass but she moves it away from me, frowning in disapproval.

"You shouldn't be drinking either!" She replies and looks at me while a smirk appears on her face.

"Give me that!" I signal to her glass but she just shakes her head into a No and smiles at me. That takes me offguard. I haven't seen her smile in so many months. I have missed it so much. I now realize how bad it hurts me not to see her smile.

"Always taking care of me... always so attentive to my needs. You should cater more to your needs, Gael!" She says and finishes her glass with one big gulp.

"Aham..." I dismiss her and return to my glass of whiskey.

"You should get laid! Damn.. I should get laid as well! I haven't had sex in months!" She just blurts it out and only in that moment do I realize she is wearing a seethrough and very short nightgown. I can actually see the contour of her breasts even in this dim light.

I slide down my entire glass of whiskey, trying to dismiss the twitch that I have in my pants. This is wrong! I shouldn't think about her like this! I've spent all these years keeping such feelings at bay. It's not the time, nor the place, for such things to happen!

"I just miss him!... could you bring him back?" She puts her head on my shoulder and pounds another glass of wine. She is barely conscious.

"Only his face..." I tell her and she raises her head to look at me.

"I wish you would!" She whispers and closes her eyes.

I focus on the last face that Luca has had and let the shifting begin. It only takes a couple of seconds to shift my face. When she opens her eyes, I am already transformed. She looks at me with wonder and disbelief.

"I must be dreaming..." she reaches out with her hand and touches my cheek and then my lips.

"You're not dreaming!" I tell her and lower my gaze. I shouldn't have done this. It will bring her no comfort, just more pain. However, my mind is foggy with alcohol and lithium so everything seems like a good idea for a couple of seconds.

"I missed you!" She tells me and I don't know whether she's talking to me or to Luca.

"I've missed you too!" I let the words fly of my mouth without any control.

Her lips part as she moves closer to me. She continues to caress my cheek and traces her fingers down to my neck. She stops at my chest and then looks me in the eyes.

She doesn't say anything. She just continues to look at me in awe as she leans in slowly and places her lips upon mine. I instinctively open my mouth, allowing myself to taste her. As soon as our lips meet for the first time, I swear I can feel like an electric current running down my spine. He kiss is addictive. She is everything I ever wanted. I lose all control that I thought I had and pull her body close to mine, cupping her round ass in the process and lifting her up.

She is now straddling me and kissing me and all I can think about is how many times I've dreamed of this moment ever since I met her all those years ago.

My hands roam her body, memorizing every inch and every curve of her skin. I am lost in her scent, in her soft moans, in the way her silky skin feels against my fingertips.

She starts moving her hips against my jeans covered erection and I nearly come apart from the sensation. This must be a dream! This cannot be happening! It's the lithium!

She quickly undoes my pants and pulls it out. By now, only her panties stand in my way as she continues to rub herself against me, making me lose my mind even more, if that was possible. The need to sink inside her and fuck her until she can't remember her name takes over me. I deepen our kiss, earning a moan from her. My hands work by themselves, squeezing her flesh and peeling the straps of her nightgown down her shoulders to free her breasts. I take one breast in my hand, gently pinching her nipple and I use my other hand to guide her up and down my erection.

My mind is intoxicated by her presence. I can't think about anything else except the moment she will finally let me be inside her. She takes me by surprise and pulls her panties aside, letting me slide slowly into her wet core, making all my dreams come true. Her lips never leave mine as she starts to rock her hips back and forth. So hot, so tight! I lift her up and place her with her back on the couch. I take advantage to look at her beautiful face as I enter her slowly. Her eyes are closed and her lips are parted as she gasps silently with each inch that goes inside her. She bites her lower lip when I finally sink in completely. I slowly move in and out of her while she squirms underneath me with each stroke I make.

Her moans are so enticing. She whispers uncoherent love declarations while I continue to slowly torture her. I want to savour this moment, her body, the way she feels wrapped around me.

I gradually pick up the pace but also deepen my thrusts. I feel her hot walls tightening and I know she is close to the edge. So am I. I lower myself above her and hide my face in the crook of her neck, kissing and nibbling at her skin. I squeeze her breast and play with her nipple between my fingers. She seems to love that, because she lets out a loud moan. I don't think I can last any longer!

My movements become sloppier as her moans turn into half cries. Soon, her walls close in on me as she comes forcefully. I let out a deep breath and release myself inside her pulsating core, my entire body shaking from the force of my orgasm.

However, when I go to the bathroom to wash myself and see my reflection in the mirror, reality hits me like a tidal wave. The blonde hair, the face...

"What have I done?"