Bound By Blood: The Pureblood Prince

Chapter Three

After our altercation, Gabriel did not return again that evening. He did not call me to dinner, which distressed Claire to no end. She brought her dinner with mine, and sat and ate with me. I obliged when she asked if she could, but I couldn't help but feel this was just some ploy to make sure I was eating. Nevertheless, she did not bother me with any small talk. She let me wallow silently.

        When we were done, Claire prepared me for bed and said goodnight. I was left sitting under the covers, fidgeting in the thin gown she had dressed me in. It was short, white silk and lace. I felt like I was being dressed for my honeymoon. It made my stomach turn. I had to sleep this time. I needed to regain my strength if I ever dreamed of escaping this place. So I shut off my lamp, and forced my eyes to close. It took forever, but I finally drifted off to sleep.

        My eyes flashed open, suddenly alert in the darkness. A loud crash had jolted me awake. And then, a thin band of light spilled in from an open door. The prince's door. I pushed myself up from bed, and switched on the light. He was on his knees, grasping at his waist. He seemed weak and unwell, hanging from the door handle for support. His hand slipped from the handle, and he fell back against the door. I looked down, and saw a long, wooden staff jammed into his abdomen. It was as if someone had broken a broom handle in half and impaled him with it. Blood soaked his clothes. He tilted his head back and groaned. I rushed from my bed, my mind spinning with what to do next. Apply pressure to the wound. Do not remove the obstruction.

        But just as I moved to do that, he wrapped his fingers around the wood and yanked it out. He let out a breathy, pained laugh. "You're in shock," I explained, rushing to cover the wound. He just lay there, smiling weakly. What was wrong with him? "We need to get you some help. Who did this to you?" I continued, panic seeping into my voice. I could feel a large hole in his skin.

"I'm okay, Cora. That's not what I came for." his voice slurred. I could smell alcohol on his breath.

"Have you... been drinking?"

"Twenty quarts of gin!" he sang, laughing again. "Look."

He looked down where his wound was, placing a hand over mine and removing it. Beneath was smooth skin. It was stained red with blood, but there was no wound. I stared, speechless, then looked up at him.

"How did you do that?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice quiet.

He laughed again, baring his white, dangerous teeth. "Vampires heal. Very, very quickly."

His tone was low, almost seductive. He leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear.

"Stay with me tonight. I do not wish to be alone."

My heart stopped. What did he mean? He was drunk, and I didn't know what to expect from him. Maybe, if I stalled him, he would forget about it and pass out. I placed my hands under his arms, helping him up. He was impossibly heavy, and had to do most of the work himself.

"You're covered in blood," I stated. "Let's get you changed."

I walked him to his room, and he laughed again. "Looooovely."

I walked to his bathroom. It must have been the size of my bedroom. There was a massive tub, and a walk-in shower. It was impossibly clean. It reminded me of a hotel room. An executive suite; the kind I could never afford. I walked over to the closet, switching on the light. Rows of suits hung on the rails, covered in protective plastic. Below it, rows of glossy black shoes. My eyes found a wide dresser in the corner, and I walked over to it. I dug around until I found a t-shirt and drawstring pants. I walked back to the bedroom. Gabriel was sprawled out on the bed, leaving patches of red stains on his white sheets. His eyes were half closed, and he was frowning. I walked over to him.

"Gabriel?" I whispered, beckoning him into conscioussness. His eyes fluttered open.

I held the clothes out to him. "Do you need help?" I asked, hoping he would say no.

He fiddled with the buttons at his cuffs, leaning forward, lifting his head. I reached up hesitantly, undoing his buttons. Blood stained my fingertips. I peeled the shirt off of him, dropping it to the floor. My eyes darted away from his body, my cheeks flushing in response. He lifted his arms, and I pulled the clean shirt over him. As soon as I was done, he fell back against the pillow with a huff. I picked up the pants, holding them up to him. He did not respond, only kicked back his shoes and shuffled back onto the bed.

"Do you want..." I muttered.

He closed his eyes, and sighed. "Go ahead."

I reached down, hesitantly unbuttoning his pants. He didn't seem phased, keeping his eyes closed. I pulled them off, feeling my cheeks burn again. Seeing him in his underwear made me feel incredibly awkward. I pulled the clean pants on him, struggling to shift them up. "Come on," I muttered through gritted teeth.

        I looked up, and saw he was smirking, eyes still closed. Seriously? Was he messing with me? Suddenly, he opened them again, pulling his pants up the rest of the way in a flash. Then, he reached out and grasped my shoulders, pulling me into him. I collapsed onto him, the sudden contact with his body making my heart flutter. He clasped both of my hands tightly in his, looking up at me sleepily.

"Please stay."

It sounded like he was pleading. My breathing hitched.

"You said you wouldn't make me do anything I didn't want to do."

"You're right. I want you to want to lie here with me. Please."

        The look in his eyes made me want to say yes. I sighed, rolling off of him and reaching over to shut off the light. When my eyes adjusted, I saw he was on his side, watching me. I pulled the covers out over him, and then tucked my legs under them. I laid back against the pillow, bringing an arm up the rest beside my head. I let out a deep breath, and then dropped my head to the side. Gabriel was still watching me. Even in the dark I could sense the burning intensity there. I pulled in my arm and shifted my body so I was facing him, staring right back.

"Thank you." he whispered.

"Isn't this my job?" I whispered back, giving him a smile.

        I scooted my body forward, carefully placing my forehead against his chin. He stayed very still for a moment, and then I felt hands around my waist, pulling me in. I suddenly became very aware of the small amount of clothing I was in. My skin felt very hot, my breath almost suffocating me. Gabriel shifted around, moving one hand to wrap it loosely around my neck, allowing some air in. Then his body relaxed, and his breathing slowed. Just like that, he was fast asleep.

        I listened to his breathing for a long time, hoping it would calm me down. I was wrapped in his scent. Blood and alcohol lingered in and out, but there was a third scent that was the strongest. It was very distinct and hard to put a finger on. Almost like a mixture of firewood and pine, and something else. Something I couldn't think of right then...