Gabriel (9 page)

“
First the Kematians, then happily ever after, right?”

“
Yes.”

Calla gripped her head and
drew her knees to her chest and scooted away from him. She raised her head.
“Gabriel, what is wrong with me?”

“
Tell me how you feel now.”

“
My mind is filled with chaos. I have thoughts that I never
imagined having. I know things that I don’t understand, and I hurt you. I
didn’t mean to. I was scared, and I didn’t want you to leave me, and I’m
sorry.” She wrapped her arms around herself.

Gabriel tried to comfort her,
but she pushed him away. “Don’t touch me! I don’t want to hurt you again.”

Calla stood, grabbing the
wall for support.
 
As her hand made
contact, it went through the drywall. “Oh my God, look at me. I’m some kind of
freak.”

“
Calla, it is going to be all right.” Gabriel grabbed the chair
from beside the bed and slid it over to her. “Sit down. You are not alone, and
we will figure this out.”

Calla’s legs trembled, and
she finally sank. Every movement was slower than normal. Calla looked out the
window.

“
I can hear my neighbors. For crying out loud, I can hear what my
neighbors are saying while they are in their house. You’re right. I’m not a
freak—I’m a fucking monster.” Gabriel took a few steps towards her. “Stay over
there. Don’t come any closer. Evidently you are just as breakable as the next
human, angel boy.”

“
I have already healed, Calla. I am fine, and you are no monster.”

“
I saw those things. They tried to eat me.”

“
I should have told you everything when you asked. You do not know
how much I regret that decision. I am so sorry that you were injured.” Gabriel
grabbed another chair and set it in front of her. “I would like to remedy my
mistake and try to explain. Are you up for that, or would you prefer to wait?”

Calla rested her arms on her
legs. “Will it help me figure out what’s happening to me?”

“
I do not know.”

“
I need to ask you something first. When our souls met the chaos
eased up some, but my mind is still kinda going crazy. Is this going to get
better, or will I always feel like I’m about to lose it at any second?”

“
I do not know. You are the first human to have survived such an
attack.”

“
What if I hurt someone? What if I turn into those
Kema-tia-thingies? Who will keep me from harming someone else?”

He lowered his gaze and
stayed silent.

“
What is it? Tell me! I have a right to know whatever it is that
you’re not saying.”

Gabriel twisted his hands.
How was he supposed to tell her she wouldn’t get the chance to harm anyone? How
could he tell her she was walking a fine line between life and death? What was
he supposed to say? “If you kill someone I will have to kill you, but seeing as
you’re my Soul Mate I can’t do it, so my brother Michael will kill you?”

He raised his head. “You will
not harm anyone else because I will not allow that to happen. I accept full
responsibility for saving you, and I will keep you safe.”

Calla glared at him. “What
aren’t you telling me? And don’t give me any made up shit either. Angels aren’t
supposed to lie.”

“
I did not lie to you. I cannot lie to you.”

“
Yeah, yeah. Get on with what aren’t you telling me.”

“
If you kill another human, you will be put to death.”

Calla gasped. “You’d kill
me?”

“
No, I cannot. My brother Michael will. Know this, Calla. If you
die I will not be far behind.”

“
Is that supposed to comfort me? If it is, then you need to work on
it. ‘I’m not going to let you die, Calla’ would have been better.”

“
It would have been, but it would not have been the truth.”

“
When is my mind going to settle down?” She glanced at Gabriel. “Never
mind. You don’t know. Okay, tell me about the monsters, and I want to know
everything. If I have to die because of them then I want to understand what
we’re up against.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
“What
we
are up against?”

“
Ah, yeah. I’m a walking freak show. I’m sure I can help you take
these things out.”

“
You are not going to be facing the Kematians. Not now, not ever.”

Calla turned her head.

“
Calla, look at me. I need you to understand this, understand
me
. You cannot ever go after them again.
Are we clear?”

Calla glared at him. “I
thought you understood that I will not take orders from you. Not about this,
not about anything. The last time you left me your kiss-off note I’m pretty
sure I listened to you then as well as I’m going to listen to you now.”

Gabriel was shocked. She
almost died the last time she ignored him, and now she was challenging his
authority? How was he going to keep her safe if she refused to listen? He
raised his head and caught a glimpse of the rope.
I wonder how she would feel about being tied up again. I’ll need
something stronger this time.

Calla’s eyes glistened with
unshed tears. There would be no more tying her up. Gabriel was sure that would
destroy the trust he hoped to gain.

Chapter Six

Gabriel’s mind raced. The thought
of Calla being in danger again made his blood boil—a feeling usually reserved
for battle. Then again, she was not your average woman. This was his soul mate,
and the need to protect her blurred logic and reasoning.

It was time for a new
approach. Calla was not going to be told what to do; that much was clear to
him. The need to keep her safe clouded his judgment. If this woman was to
become a mate, there was only one choice left: to try to make her understand.
If he told her about the Kematians, perhaps she would empathize with him.

“
Calla, please look at me.”

Calla stared out the window
instead. Tears rolled off her chin, dropping to her leg.

“
Please, look at me. I am going to try to explain. This is going to
take some time.”

Calla faced him. “I’m scared.
I’m angry and frustrated. My head is killing me, and I still feel like I’m
going to puke.”

“
I saw a commercial on the television. Crackers made the people
feel better. Would you like some?”

A half-smile flitted across
her face. “At this point, I’m willing to try anything. There are some saltines
in the cupboard next to the stove. Would you mind bringing me back a glass of
water, too? I have some Tylenol in the bathroom.”

Gabriel turned towards the
bathroom, but Calla’s words stopped him.

“
Gabriel, I’ll get the medicine. I have to go anyway.”

“
Do you want me to help you?”

 
“
I think I
can manage.”

Gabriel noticed the change in
her pulse and the flush of her face. “I’ll be right back. Call for me if you
require my assistance.”

“
Ah, okay. Thanks.”

When Gabriel returned, Calla
was sitting up in the bed, her back resting against a mound of pillows. He set
the tray on the nightstand, the bucket next to the bed. He hoped she wouldn’t
need it. He prayed she would be able to eat the food humans consumed.

The aroma of chicken broth
filled the air. Calla glanced at the tray. “What is that?”

“
I made some broth, crackers, and water.”

“
That broth smells gross.”

“
Will you try some?”

“
No. The smell is making my stomach lurch. I can’t imagine what
would happen if I actually ate it.”

“
All right, try some crackers.”

He held the plate with the
saltines out to her. With trembling hands she grabbed a single square and
brought it to her mouth. She took a small bite and spit it out. “Ugh! That was
nasty! Did they go bad?”

“
No, they have not,” Gabriel said with a grimace.

“
Please don’t tell me something else is wrong with me.”

“
I fear you may require blood as sustenance.”

 
“
Uh uh. I’m
no vampire, and I don’t drink blood.” Calla’s face paled, and she paused before
continuing. “No, I’m not going to run around and rip out people’s throats.”
Calla rubbed her tongue across her teeth and opened her mouth. “See? No fangs
or piranha teeth. I’m not like them. I could never be like them. They smell,
and their tongues are, ah, snake-like. No, I’m not one of them.” She shuddered.

“
I am not implying you are a vampire. Kematians require blood to
survive. You may require that to survive as well.”

She rocked back and forth.

“
Calla, I did not mean to imply you are now a Kematian, but you did
acquire some of their traits. You snapped my wrist with a small tug. It is a
possibility you acquired their need of blood to sustain yourself.”

“
I’m not drinking blood. I would rather die first. You see what
they do to people. You saw how it affected me through my memories. How do you
think I could live with myself if I had to live like a leech in order to
survive? I’ll answer that for you. I couldn’t.”

“
We will figure this out.” Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed and
wrapped his arms around her. “I am not letting you die when I just found you.
If you choose to end your life, know you also choose to end mine as well.”

Calla pulled away from him.
“Gabriel, our existence is not interdependent. I feel like a monster. Is that
what you want for a soul-mate? A freak? I was afraid to grab the plate for fear
I would shatter it. I don’t have control of anything right now. So don’t mix
our fates.”

Gabriel was quiet for a
moment, stood, and turned away.

“
It is too late. Our paths are already entwined.”

He stalked to the window, and
the blue sky and shining sun gave him some hope. He needed to figure out a way
to change her mind about their future. Maybe if he helped her find a way
through the present, they would have a chance.

 
“
If you’re up
to it, I would like to tell you about the Kematians. Are you ready?”

“
As ready as I’m ever going to be.”

Gabriel ambled over to the
bed and sat down. He ran a hand through his silky dark hair and sighed. He knew
Calla wasn't like the Kematians, and although Calla was adamant she wasn't as well,
Gabriel knew this was the human form of denial, one of the first stages of
grief. He feared how she would react to the possibility of her transformation
as a half-breed. If she truly understood what may unfold as a result of this,
she might well lose her mind. Gabriel weighed his options, and what he knew
about Calla's mental processes and emotions. And in his heart, he knew she
could handle the truth.

“
There was a time when chaos reigned across the earth. Humans
worshipped many gods and goddesses, and the Almighty Creator was forgotten.”

“
It doesn’t sound all that different from now.” She pulled her
knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

Gabriel arched a brow. “Would
you like me to continue?”

“
Sorry. Yes, please continue.”

“
It was a very different time and not at all like the time you live
in now.”

“
So how was it different? I mean there are wars here all over the
world. I would consider that to be a world filled with chaos. Today, people
still practice different religions. In fact some of our wars are over
religion.”

“
Calla, are you sure you want to hear this?” Gabriel’s brow
creased.

“
Yeah, but can I get the abbreviated version?”

Gabriel shook his head,
exasperated. “Okay, the abbreviated version then. There was a king who
represented himself as a god to the people of the east. His name was Baal. He
craved more power, and with power came sacrifice. The sacrifices were his
people. Women, children, old or young—he did not care because he did not value
human life. He made a deal with the one your time refers to as Satan.”

“
What do you mean people of our time? Hasn’t he always been Satan?”
Calla released her legs and leaned toward Gabriel.

“
You wanted the short version. I could go back to the beginning…”