Blood's Desire (Book 1 of Blood Ties Novels)

Testing Theories

The two hours waiting on Andy were excruciatingly long. I worked in Gabriel’s office, with the door shut. Gabriel barely spoke five words to me and left me alone for the most part, probably ‘helping’ me get my work finished without actually being there. However, anytime he would cross my mind or I felt any kind of anxiety about Andy’s arrival, he was there in a flash, always with ulterior motives like getting a book or looking something up on the computer, but before leaving he would always ask if I needed something or needed help. This is when I finally realized there was definitely something different about Gabriel. His office was completely blocked off from any part of the house. There was no way he could see my expressions, or hear if I made any disgruntled sounds.

The last time he popped in, I had just wished he could help me tell Andy about my situation. I felt lost and was so deep in thought I didn’t notice him enter the study.

“Can I help you with something, Andi?” he asked as he walked over to a bookcase to put away a book he had grabbed three visits prior.

I jumped as his voice shattered the silence. “How do you do that?” I inquisitively accused before I thought my words through. I could have kicked myself after it was out. I can’t believe I just said that out loud. I’m sure he’s going to want an explanation.

“Do what?” Of course.

“Nothing,” I shirked the question.

“No, you don’t just ask someone how he does something and then not tell him what he does.” He sat on the arm of the plush, brown, leather couch in the corner of the room waiting for my answer.

I wanted to stall until Andy arrived so I wouldn’t have to voice my insanity, but I also wanted to tell him what I was thinking. The overwhelming feeling of safety ran over me again as I stared into his eyes, battling with myself. Finally, something inside of me won over. I didn’t know if it was the safe feeling or the silly notion I had of him mysteriously knowing when I lied, but I told him the insane, unreasonable truth that had been brewing up in my head since the first day we met.

“It’s just that it seems like every time I need help or want help, you’re there offering. And then, sometimes, if I’m thinking about you, you show up.” As I kept going, the inevitable blush crept up my neck. His expression flickered quickly, but his glorious smile spread across his face as my words ran out and my blush was in full bloom.

“Really? How often do you think about me?” he teased, his eyes telling me more than his words. How male, completely bypass the part where I sound like a crazy person and go straight for the most embarrassing issue.

“That’s none of your business,” I squeaked and tried to cover my scarlet face by throwing my hands over it.

“That much, huh, and here I was just trying to be helpful, coming in when I thought you would like some help. I didn’t know you were psychically channeling me.” He continued to tease me until my blush disappeared.

When I was capable of talking without turning colors, I tried to glare at him. “I should have refused to tell you. My secrets are safer with me. At least I don’t tease myself about embarrassing coincidences.”

“More secrets?” His eyebrow lifted as an evil smirk spread across his face. “As much as we’ve talked the last days, I didn’t think you could have kept anymore secrets.” He let his weight shift and he slid from the couch arm onto one of the cushions. He patted the cushion next to him as he got comfortable. “Will you share one with me?” I looked at him skeptically, resolved to tell him no.

“You know you can trust me. I promise I won’t laugh.” He held up his right hand with his middle fingers together, “Scout’s honor.” He grinned.

As if all of my secrets are funny. I bet he’d stop laughing if I told him about my real undergraduate experience. It would stop his teasing. Hmm. Gabriel watched me cautiously as I stared at him thinking through telling him about my ultimate secret that no one outside of my family knew. His smile slowly disappeared, vanishing completely shortly after I thought of my painful sophomore year at the University of Arkansas. My sadness must have been on my face. I can trust him with this.

“I hated my undergraduate experience. I spent most of it in fear.” I watched his expression as I told my story. “I was kidnapped my sophomore year and held hostage for six days.” The horrified look set frozen like a person who had heard the story multiple times before, yet never truly gotten over the ending line. I took a deep breath and stood to move to the couch next to him. “I was told that I was held in some ratty apartment in a northern state…”

“Illinois,” he whispered, shaking my resolve and halting my movement.

“How did you know that?” I demanded, not even my family knew where I had spent those six terrible days. He visibly swallowed and refused to make eye contact. “Well?” I yelled.

His eyes, full of concern, snapped up to meet mine. “Please continue and I’ll explain later.” He watched as my eyes grew cold with stubbornness and he knew I wouldn’t continue. “Please.” He looked sincere, but I didn’t care. He was going to explain himself this time.

“No, I think I’ll take your explanation now.” I knew Robert and Seth had done a background check, but no one was ever that thorough. How does he know about this? I clinched my teeth together, setting my jaw in a rigid, stubborn line. I was going to refuse to speak again until he explained his unfathomable knowledge of my life. Gabriel could see in my clenched jaws that I had set my mind against talking again until he explained.

“You didn’t spend the entire time you were kidnapped captive. Someone saved you four days after you were thrown in the dark, cold room. That person took care of you, and then sent you to the police. You couldn’t identify him, but you knew he had saved your life.

“The men who kidnapped you hadn’t fed you or given you anything to drink. You were so sick; the person who saved you could have been a ghost for all you knew.” I couldn’t believe what he was saying. My entire body felt like jello. “Did you know both of the men that were associated with your kidnapping are behind bars now?”

“No.” I was shocked by all of the information he had gathered. When? Why? “How do you know all of this?” I whispered, trying to hold back my tears.

“I just do.” He no longer looked into my eyes, like a shamed child. When he finally did look up, he never looked directly at me.

My body began to shiver. From somewhere in my deeply buried memories of that week, images began to flash. My living nightmare resurfaced. The images I suffered with every night swam in my head. When I finally saw the ever blurry image of my savior, realization hit me. The shivers running through me became earth-shaking quakes turning everything fuzzy, and then it was black.