Chapter Four
The author himself had tried to hide among the numerous shelves
but had been found by some fans and was now writing autographs in copies
of his book. The novel was selling like ice cream on a sunny day in a playground.
Finally he had shaken enough hands and was left alone. He rolled his eyes
and took cover in the section of shelves that the handwritten sign told being
the occult section. Since he was backing he didn't notice anybody standing
there, until he bumped into her.
"Sorry," he blurted and turned to look into Gray's face. She
smiled a bit sadly.
"Oh, that's alright, Gabe," She put some hair behind her ears
so that it wouldn't fall into her eyes as she cocked her head to the right
so that she was able to read the titles.
"We've got some really neat stuff at the horror-section," Gabriel
offered lamely.
"I was just looking around,"
She ran her hand over the backs of the books until her fingers
touched one and she snatched it back as if she'd burned herself.
Frowning, she took it from the shelf. The back was firmed with
gray tape and seemed as it had been read several times. Gray touched the
title letters and Gabriel couldn't really identify the look in her eyes.
It seemed like a blend of anger and sorrow. Gabriel looked over her shoulder
to get a peak on which book it was.
Gray turned abruptly, clutching the book to her breast
protectively.
"Are you really selling this?" she asked, her voice sounding
awkwardly thick.
"Well, yes," he replied. "I really read it twice, and, only
chapter three was of any real interest." He winked at her.
"Could I buy it?"
"Why sure. You can have it."
"Thanks, Gabe." Gray leaned forward and kissed his cheek, then
looked at the book again. She left, half running, with an evil smile playing
on her lips.
Gabriel looked after her with a frown, his hand absently touching
the place where she'd kissed him. He truly hoped that Grace hadn't seen that.
He left for the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. He sat down, out the
window on the autumn outside. The leaves that still stuck to the trees were
colored in bright reds and yellows and oranges. The sky was gray with clouds,
but something felt truly wrong here. On the opposite street he saw Wrath
coming back home from his walk. He was clad in that heavy leather trenchcoat
again, the collar upturned and his hands stuffed in his pockets. Even from
here, Gabriel saw the golden gleam of Wrath's earring and he could almost
feel that piercing but also warm and sad deep blue gaze of his travelling
over Garbles body, like the first time they had met.
Grays lover. He truly wondered how it was to have a person
so devoted to oneself, never to leave your side. And never to leave the others
side either, ever. Oh, he'd had lovers, but those were lovers of the body,
not of the spirit. Perhaps you needed to be able to fully comprehend the
feelings and thoughts of the other before you could marry.
Gabriel sighed and put down the mug he'd been holding. He realized
he hadn't drunk anything and it was still warm. He opened the fridge and
put some milk into it. Just like she wanted it. He grinned to himself and
went out into the shop again. In between two customers he put his hand on
Grace's shoulder, handing her the cup.
"Hey, take a break," he said and made a gesture at the kitchen.
"I'll take over for an hour."
She frowned at him, then a weak smile spread over her face
and she rose.
"Okay Knight. It's your store."
Wrath carefully entered the shop and shot an irritated
glare on all the sweating people destroying the peace of mind he'd been building
during his walk. Then his eyes stopped on Gabriel.
"That's odd." he murmured as he sidestepped out of the way
for a heavily loaded customer. It was very seldom that Gabriel himself sat
at the clerk, doing the "dirty work" as he called it.
As he passed his friend he nodded his greeting with a soft
smile and went up the stairs to the bedrooms at the upper levels. St: George's
rare books owned the whole building it seemed, with noisy neighbors at the
sides. What went on there, Wrath didn't even want to guess.
But that was really none of his problem. He was simply thankful
that both Gabriel and Grace let him and Grey live there for a while, until
they found a place of their own. But where they really looking that hard?
Wrath felt that he didn't want to leave, yet couldn't stay
here forever either. This damned restlessness! He and Gray seemed unable
to settle down somewhere, it was part of their dual minds to be on the run,
always travelling.
Her words had struck him hard yesterday. He felt so sad that
she didn't want all this, these eternal powers that they both shared. But
even so, he loved her, and it was mutual, he knew it. She told him so this
morning, and it was not empty words.
He opened the door silently, just enough for him to enter.
Coat forgotten, he put the keys on the table. His eyes fell on Gray. She
laid outstretched on the sofa, mouth open and breathing in the steady rhythm
of sleep. A book was still in her hand, which hand fallen to her side. Wrath
sometimes lived up to his name, but this was not one of those times. He gently
took the book from her and put a finger in it as a bookmark.
"Lycanthropes," he whispered as he read the title and shook
his head sadly. He laid the book next to the keys. Then he knelt down and
kissed her gently.
"Can you ever forgive me for what I've done?"
Ever?