Bite of the Week: The Lure

*Quick note:  I was planning on posting a battle scene next, but my BFF (one of my Alpha readers) requested a scene with romantic tension, but not a love scene.  So Tori, here's a lil' tension (at least I hope it's what you meant :)) for you.

“Where were you?” she whispered, trying not to disturb the self-absorbed creatures by the cliff.  He gestured with his head, her eyes following, to the top of the craggy peak.

“Wait here,” he commanded coldly.  Wide-eyed, she grabbed his arm as he started to rise.

“Don't leave me!”

“I won't,” he said, not looking at her.  When her grip tightened, he turned back to her.  “I'm not going anywhere, Emma.  I'm coming right back. You can let go.”  She released him and watched him stride away to collect his sword and strap it back onto his shoulders.  He walked down the line of Kindred, placing his hand on each one's shoulder for just a moment.  They didn't appear to acknowledge him.

When Gabriel returned, he knelt next to her, removing her armor, and touched her right shoulder.  She jerked away in pain, her cry echoing off the cliff.  It had to be broken.  She couldn't move or lift it at all, as if it belonged to someone else.

Gabriel's hands framed her small face.  “I can help you with this.”  She nodded.  He pulled up his sleeve and offered her his forearm.

“What are you doing?”

“Take what you need.  I'll tell you when it's enough.”

“You want me to--no, I can't.”

“You can or you'll suffer the break until it heals at your pace.”

“Then, I suppose I'll suffer,” she said stubbornly.

“Have it your way.”  He lifted her swiftly and easily into his arms, heading back across the clearing.  She yelled out again.  “Keep quiet unless you want a horde of Kindred all over us tonight,” he said, his voice flinty.

“You stop hurting me then,” she said, pinching his arm with her working hand.  Gabriel looked down at the indignant expression she used to mask her agony.  He just grunted at her.  His eyes went back to scanning the brush for hazards as he amazingly made the thirty minute trip in fifteen.  Each bump, dip, and rise had Emma clenching her teeth.  Her face was damp with sweat and silent tears by the time he stopped to put her down on the grass next to the little shuttle, hitting the code for the door to open and cast light on them.

He stood next to her until she looked up.  Crouching by her again and catching her eyes, he brought his wrist to his lips and bit his fangs into it, slicing the skin open.  His blood flowing freely from the wound, he pushed it toward her lips.  Emma turned her head away, her stomach slightly nauseous at the sight.

“Emma, you have to hurry.  It's closing.”  Sure enough, the wound was beginning to seal.  He put his left hand at the back of her head and pressed his wrist to her lips.  She reluctantly parted them.  At first, she fought a wave of revulsion, but then a strange tickling flowed through her.  It felt vivid, vigorous, and her pain began to ease little by little.  She didn't even taste the blood except for that first moment.  As soon as the blood stopped flowing, the wound completely sealed once more, the strange feeling went away.

“What was that?” she asked quietly.

“I told you we can help each other.”

“Does it work with others?”

“No.”

“It still hurts a little, and I can barely move it.”

“It'll pass in a minute.”

“I came to find you, Gabriel.”

“Obviously,” he said flatly.

“You didn't tell me you were leaving,” she accused.

“You wanted me to go.”

“Did I?” she said, her eyebrow arched.  “And you know this because...”

“There's nothing you can do for me.  You've already said as much.  Why would I go back?  No amount of poking and prodding will change the way things are.  I am what I am, Emma, and I'm all wrong.”

“But--”

“I know you're trying to find a way to stop this,” he interrupted, “but your guilt is killing me.  Just let me go.”

“No, I won't,” she said.  “I can’t, Gabe.  I'm not ready to.  I need more time.”

“That's one thing I don't have the power to give you.”  She started to argue, but he held up his hand.  “Stop.  Just stop.  You don't know what you're doing to me right now,” he said, his voice rough.

“Gabe...”

He shook his head, and rose to his feet.  “You should go.”

Emma scowled.  She didn't come all this way, hijacking the Zenith and facing deadly Kindred, just to have him reject her.  He looked down at her and shook his head again.

“You don't like to be told 'no' do you?” he asked.  “Daniel spoils you too much.  Mule-headed.”

Emma stood up, knowing this was her last chance to get him to come back with her.  She stepped close to him, looking up into his face, and curved her arms around his waist, pulling him close against her.  Biting her lip, she watched his eyes darken, heard his breath quicken.

“Emma,” he said thickly, “what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” she whispered, sliding her arms up his chest to his shoulders.

“Don't,” he mumbled, half-hearted.  She pushed up on her toes to press her lips uncertainly against his throat.