Chapter Seven
"Gabe? You awake?"
No answer. He knocked again. Still no answer.
Wrath exhaled. Good. Carefully he opened the door so that it
wouldn't creak as he entered. He couldn't suppress a small smile of pleasure
when he saw Gabriels hand clutching the talisman.
Putting the tray down, he stealthily approached the shattenjaegers
sleeping form with a sad expression.
"Sorry, Gabe," he whispered. "But it is not allowed for you
to know these things. Yet."
Then he gently put his fingertips on Gabriels eyelids. Reacting
instantly at the touch, Gabriel tried to remove the source of interrupt with
a sweeping move of his hand, but it fell limply down again, now resting on
Wrath's arm.
His gathering of power slightly disturbed by Gabriels sudden
movement, Wrath made a mistake. But he didn't realize it until much later.
Carefully, and very slowly, the powerful Were begun channeling
raw, golden light through his fingers into the ShadowHunters mind. Well there,
Wrath was allowed entrance. Looking around, he saw the shaking experience
of last night still fresh. Extending a long and clawed hand, he held the
memory, weighing it within his own mind. His own was much heavier, Gabriels
would be a very small burden if adding it... Yet Gabe had learned from this.
With sudden anger Wrath tore it out and absorbed it fully. The tendrils that
had cradled the memory crumpled quickly when their burden was removed and
he watched them turn to dust.
Fascinating this. He wanted to explore the mind of this special
being more intimately, yes, that was the word. Perhaps he could even find
the source of all this pain and stop it for good!
But, no. It would not do, it was something Gabriel had find
out by himself. Wanting to leave very badly now, Wrath sneaked out, removing
the channeling light again with care, not leaving a single trace of his
powers.
It was impressive he could still do this, without help of his
sire and master Shatter. As he was finally forced back into his own body,
this intruder in the most sacred of places, he shuddered at the thought of
his evil companion of ages.
But Shatter was dead now, wasn't he?
He found he was looking down at Gabriel. This innocent child.
Could he understand what Wrath had done? How he had tried to protect the
Ritters from the outmost evil for centuries?
Seven times he had managed to save a life. But for him, it
had always been in vain. After he had managed to help the hunter, Shatter
had always found out and punished him. The master had hated it, for he time
and time again had told Wrath how he loved him, and actually, Wrath had loved
him in return. But he had never been able to fathom why the master had to
be so stubbornly evil. He and Shatter had ran in their shapes, their alterations,
and the master had teached him how to get most power out of every situation.
Every encounter with another Were had ended with the Song and it had been
the highlights of Wrath's life, those songs.
And, very gently, Wrath stroked a lock of Gabriels brown hair
out of his eyes.
He had met Gray after one of these songs, she had heard him.
Although she had been human, Mortal, from the beginning, she had immediately
understood when he explained. And she followed him into Eyeana, the realm
of twilight, to be with him for eternity. A longing smile crept on his face.
He closed his eyes in memory, his fingers still playing with Gabriels hair,
he forgot his surroundings.
Shatter hadn't objected, simply welcomed Gray with happiness
and ill amusement. The three of them had run together for a century, joy
Wrath's constant companion and they had sung every night. His powers had
increased, Shatter taught him how to handle them since it was his responsibility,
and he in his turn had taught Gray how to handle her new abilities. But when
his master suddenly turned and began indoctrinate him with notions of the
shattenjaegers, the two youngsters began to understand his true nature...
Gabriel very suddenly opened his eyes. Wrath jolted back, snatching
his fingers away from the lock and looked away, blushing.
"Good morning," Gabe said with a yawn and stretched. "Ugh.
You're sitting on my feet, Wrath."
"Sorry," his friend apologized and jumped up. "I was just bringing
you some breakfast, you lazy pig. You were missing my pancakes," he added
with a sly smile and Gabriel lit up.
"Breakfast in bed? Thanks!"
Grace lifted the receiver, but put it down with
a slam, hesitating. She watched it a time before she could force herself
to touch it again. She pressed the wrong buttons three times before she got
the right number. Was something trying to stop her from calling?
Merle Smith seemed bent over some task. In the
background sat Emmett, reading a book with a frown.
"Bubble, bubble, toil and..." Mrs. Smith hesitated. "Wait,
that can't be right?"
"It says 'trouble' here, Merle" Emmett objected.
"Oh dear. I think I'll never get this right. You'd better order
pizza again."
"There now. Just keep thinking positively and this chickensoup
will be just fine."
The telephone rang and the demonologists both jumped.
"I'll get that!" Merle said cheerily as she threw herself over
the table to catch the phone. "Helooo?"
"Mrs. Smith? This is Grace."
"Hello dear! How are you? How is the shattenjaeger?"
"We're both fine," Grace replied with a secret smile. "I was
calling because I need some advice."
"Oh?"
"It's really very curious, I need to come over. Straight
away."
Grace's stern voice rang in Mrs. Smith's mind.
"You're welcome any time you wish dear, but..."
"Great, I'm there in fifteen minutes."
Gray shuddered. Why couldn't she keep her mouth
shut?! And why couldn't Grace stop acting like a reporter, poking her nose
into everything she saw? She shook her head. What would Wrath say when he
found out she let it slip..?