The Fugitive - Chapter 146

Esme clung onto Gabriel a while longer, knowing her body would comfort him quicker and bring him peace. Gabriel’s hands slid up her back under her shirt, and he lowered his head into the side of her neck, inhaling her scent and resting his head in the crook of her neck.

“Esme, what did you do when he called you a dog?” Gabriel asked quietly, with his face still hiding in her hair and neck.

Esme sighed, “Well, I have to admit I did not take it well. But unfortunately, I could only make a cut below his eye before he threw me off.. I’m sure you will punish him appropriately for me,” She murmured back as her fingers started to thread through his silky locks, massaging his scalp gently. She kissed his head, knowing well that Gabriel would make Paul suffer; she had no issues at all towards it.

“Gabriel, how are you dealing with the bond? I know how it feels… Do you have any questions?” She whispered and felt him shake his head. She sighed and paused her hands. “I know you said you don’t dream much.. but have you had any odd dreams since last night?”

Gabriel pulled back and rested his head into the back of the sofa, looking up at her. “A few. I cannot explain them, though, they are like lost memories, but it wouldn’t make sense if they were.” His eyes roamed her features before his hands slipped out of her shirt, and he clasped her face and pulled her down to kiss her lips. She melted into him and sighed.

“Don’t mind me, guys. I’ll just mop up the drinks and clear up the glass..” Marcus interrupted from the side as he grabbed a dustpan and brush along with a mop found behind the bar as he grumbled beneath his breath. “I better get paid for this..”

Esme giggled and pecked Gabriel’s lips and sat upright before she was going to lose herself to him again. “Why wouldn’t your dreams make sense?” She asked, returning to the subject at hand as she stared at him curiously.

Gabriel sighed and raked his hand through his hair, his other one snaking around her waist so she couldn’t move from his lap. “You were in them. But it was like we were in ancient Greece, though I did visit Greece at that time, and I didn’t see anything like that. It might be my mind playing tricks on me, mixing my memories in some sort of dreamland.”

Esme’s lips parted from his words, and her heart started to race. Gabriel’s brows furrowed, and he looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to say what had come to mind. “I also dreamed of being in ancient Greece. I haven’t been there, but I think I saw you. I’m not sure, though; your features were blurred out, and the sun was casting a shadow over your face. What happened in your dream?” She asked, and for some reason, she felt excited.

Were they dreaming together? Were Gabriel’s memories causing this dream?

Gabriel shook his head. “I don’t think we were dreaming together. I know we are mates, but..”

“Who says we weren’t, though? The only other vampire and werewolf mates we know of are dead. It could be different for us. I can already speak Latin!” Esme exclaimed, leaning forwards with her eyes beaming in excitement.

Gabriel chuckled and shook his head. “Okay, okay. But if we were dreaming together, we should be able to have control over our bodies, which includes speaking. This is why I thought it was a memory mixed in with some sort of dream state.”

Esme pouted and glanced at Marcus, who was being good and still cleaning up. She returned her gaze to her mate. “What was I doing in your dream?” She asked, curious to know what she would be like.

Gabriel caressed her cheek with a slight smirk on his lips. “You were making a grand entrance. It was quite amusing, but you either didn’t see me, or you ignored all the guests.”

Grand entrance? Guests? Esme frowned, then blinked as she suddenly visualised a grand hall, its black and gold marble pillars lining the walls. Her sandals clapped onto the dark blue marble floor, and to the right of her, before a black spiked throne was a long rectangular type pond, but the water was turquoise blue and glowing. But as quick as it came, it went.

“That was it,” Gabriel said in astonishment. His eyes had widened as he flicked his eyes between hers.

“Did you not just plant that in my head?” Esme asked as she rubbed her temples after feeling a sudden sharp pain going across her vision. “Ugh.” She was getting a headache.

“I didn’t.. And it wouldn’t cause you a headache either. Here rest properly, or should we go to bed?” Gabriel asked as he started to fuss over her.

Esme chuckled and hissed because her cheeks smiling somehow made her head hurt even more. She was still getting used to a mate that really cared about her. It was really nice. “I think Marcus would get a little lonely if we left him here with the vampires,” She joked and started to climb off him. But Gabriel had other ideas, and with a bit of manoeuvring that was too quick for even her eyes to see, she ended up lying down on the couch, her head in his lap.

Gabriel stroked her hair away from her face and stared down at her. “I know Marcus is your bestie, but I am not having a sleepover with him. If you need to rest, just do it here for now.” He caressed her cheek and held her gaze. “I don’t know what these dreams are, but it looks like we will have to wait them out. There is nothing we can do until then..” He trailed off as he searched her eyes and tilted his head to the side. “Is there something else that happened?”

Esme frowned and looked at her boots in concentration. “I don’t think-”

“Really?” Marcus interrupted, coming back into her line of sight as he crossed his arms and raised his brow at her.

“What?! My head hurts; just spit it out if I forgot something important!” She groaned, putting her arm over her eyes.

“This is something pretty huge for you to forget about, Nyx..” Marcus replied, and she waved her hand for him to continue. “When we took Brody back to the Hub-”

“Why did you take him there?” Gabriel interrupted with his question. He sounded unimpressed, making Esme move her arm back to look at her mate. He was looking at Marcus exactly how she thought.

“Because Nyx has made a new friend.. One that we know nothing about and one that I don’t trust. But she says he is reliable.. Oh, he’s reliable but asks for a ridiculous price. Instead of money, he has asked Nyx for a favour,” Marcus’ voice almost shouting by the end of his speech. Esme shook her head slightly. He must have been keeping that in more than she thought.

“He’s a damn warlock!” Marcus continued. “I don’t know anything about witches, but this fucker is powerful; it was almost like he stopped time-”

“Nearly stopped time,” Esme corrected, pointing her finger up. “He’s not that impressive yet. He can only slow it down..”

Esme trailed off as she realised Gabriel was not happy. Through the bond, she could feel his temper building up again, but she didn’t know why.

“How…” Gabriel began; his voice had dropped, making Esme shiver. “And when.. Did you meet this warlock?”

“Nyx?” Marcus prompted her to speak, though she could hear the slight hesitance in his voice. That was something else she was getting used to, Marcus actually showing a bit of fear from someone. But it was understandable, Gabriel wasn’t just anyone, and Marcus knew he could kill him easily.

“I met him the night before. Instead of paying him for information with money, I agreed to owe him a favour over the next fifteen years. And then today.. When I asked him to take Brody in.. He asked for another favour.. Although this one was more specific.. He can also see the future.. Or so he told me.. I kind of agreed to this deal..” Esme was rambling and stopped when Gabriel placed his hand over her mouth.

“What.. deal?” He asked. His voice sounded strained, so she opened her eyes to see the ruby in his eyes were flaring brightly.

Why was he getting so worked up?

“You haven’t even told him the best part yet, Es,” Isana added dryly, though she was a little worried by their mate’s reaction.

“I don’t know the specifics yet. I just know in a week’s time, I need to go somewhere, and I’ll know what to do once I am there,” Esme replied and cringed after hearing her words out loud.

It sounded so much better in her head..

“No, it didn’t,” Isana snapped.

“I didn’t hear you trying to discourage me,” Esme snapped back.

Isana quietened, making Esme feel victorious, though the feeling didn’t last long as she felt the waves of anger from Gabriel rolling over her.

“You agreed to a deal like that!?” Gabriel growled, holding her chin with his hands and tilting her head back so he could glare at her. “Don’t tell me his name is Einar!”

Esme’s stomach dropped, and from the look on her mate’s face, her own must have told him exactly what he didn’t want to hear. “Erm.. Yeah.. Einar.. The-”

“Shapeshifter – warlock who may have lived just as long as me.”