Chapter Twelve
"Gabriel?" she murmured, unused to speaking.
"Hush, little one, you are safe with me."
She opened her eyes and looked into the most beautiful face
she'd ever seen. Black hair framing the slightly colored, almost androgynous
face, but otherwise it was pretty white. He was wearing a soft smile that
made her heart leap. And his eyes were golden, golden like a fire burning
inside. But behind themÉ something evil awaited.
"Where am I?" she trembled. "Who're you?"
You are with me, and I'm Shatter. I am Wrath's father."
"God!" she creamed as the memory of the black wolf marauding
her face and body returned to her. "No!"
Frustrated tears left her eyes and she felt herself being hugged
tight and it was a pleasure to be touched again. The man was quite slim,
but under his tight, black shirt she could feel muscles play.
Wrath's father... A demon! She tore herself loose in fright.
"Easy, little one. I would never hurt you. Again." He laughed,
sending a shiver down her spine.
"You mean... it was you?"
"Indeed."
She cried. She roared and she hulked. And then, just then,
she realized that she could see, even though her eyes were closed.
"What's this?" she whispered.
"You were made blind. But I blessed you with mindeyes. You
can see, as long as you're with me."
"Devil!"
"Noo," he drew out the word in a British manner, "Just
demon."
"What do you want from me, whatever you are," she said, heat
marking her words now.
She saw him lean forward and felt him whisper in her hear.
"I want you to be my mate. I've been so lonely, so long."
"No."
"Please?"
"No!"
"Very well then. I have no other choice than to rip you to
pieces."
Although his voice was calm, the threat was frightening.
"You wouldn't."
"True. I wouldn't."
Grace breathed out in relief.
"I'd beat you unconscious, but I won't. I don't have to. I
can make you love me."
"In your dreams, buster."
She felt his hands on her eyes and mouth.
"Love me."
It was indeed a powerful command and something in her said
'snap'.
"No!"
"Love me"
And she did.
Gray sighed. Shatter was better than ever to hide
his traces, but you couldn't hide another's with much success and Grace had
a rather thick and oriental scent that was easy to track. But... he'd grown
skilled, and she was still young.
How she wished for Wrath. She laid a hand on her stomach,
comforting herself and their little one. The life inside her was still just
a spark, but she could make out the small mind that was hell-bent on loving
her.
How Wrath had let her out on such a dangerous mission like
this she did not understand, but she didn't blame him since it was her own
idea and she who had been nagging at him until he'd growled his consent.
Very suddenly, the scent of Shatter and Grace ended. Not in
front of some spooky warehouse or anything, no, this was a fully lit and
fully inhabited hotel with lots of people inside.
Easy victims if something threatening should happen to him,
she though grimly and went in. It was breathtakingly luxurious, as are all
expensive hotels. She went up to the porter. He must have been only twenty
or so.
"Excuse me," she began, smiling flirtingly, "Do you know if
there's this tall, goldeneyed man with black hair who lives here?"
She saw the confusion in the porter's face as clearly as reading
a book and continued:
"He probably came in with a Chinese woman."
"Oh, yes, madam." The porter blurted, much relieved. "He lives
on the seventh floor in room 634. Are you his wife?"
"No," she said and left, thinking very hard. Of course he'd
chosen the seventh floor, just to spite her lover. It was almost unnoticeable,
but he'd notice, and that wouldn't be very good, no, not at all.
She looked up the side of the enormous building. Then she raised
her arm to call the powers of transformation upon her, climbed up the drainpipe
and placed herself on the windowsill to watch with the multiple eyes of the
cockroach.
"How're we supposed to find them?" Gabriel asked,
trying to keep up with the demon before him. "They could be anywhere."
"Not anywhere," came the reply. "I scent Gray clearly and she
follows Shatters tracks before they disappear."
Gabriel shuddered unwillingly and Wrath turned to him, this
time sadness marking his features. He took a careful hold on the ShadowHunters
shoulders when he spoke to his old friend.
"I know what you think, Gabe, and I'm sad for that being the
case. I'm going to give you something I stole from you almost a year ago."
"You stole something?"
"Yes," he whispered.
"What did you take, Wrath?"
"This."
He put both of his hands on the sides of Gabriels head and
concentrated. Gabe saw the rich golden light stream through the fingertips
but he groaned in pain when the memory violently was forced into his brain
again. He felt strong arms support him when he fell and remembered it all.
"I'm sorry, Gabe, but it wasn't the time for such things then,"
he heard beyond the painful void. Soft fingers touched his cheek, his lips,
his eyelids, forcing him back into the mundane world.
"No time for that now. Come back, Gabriel."
The voice wasn't urgent, but it was sharp as a knife cutting
through the mist and he clung to it so he wouldn't drift away.
"Come back. Think about Grace. She needs your help now."
"Grace." His lips moved by themselves. "I love her, Wrath.
Do you?"
"I like her enough to know that I care about her not dying."
"Do you love Gray?"
"More than life itself. And I will give my life for my
infant."
He spoke with such clear confidence that Gabriel managed to
open his eyes.
"Will give? You've got a child?"
The humor in it all made him smile.
"Not yet. Another two months." The smile was proud and he stroke
Gabriels cheek again. "Will you love Gracie truly?"
"I will."
Gabriel felt as if facing a priest at his own wedding.
"Then we've got to hurry. Shatter is to take her as his
bride."
"What?!"
"You heard me, he's going to make her a Were like me and
Gray."
But he was talking to empty space, Gabriel was already off
and running. A smile formed on Wrath's lips and he laughed softly.
"That's my Gabe."
Gray sobbed for the sake of Grace. Her poor friend
was being used, just like Wrath'd been for so many years ago, and herself
too.