All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.
This story follows right after When I'm Gone: Third Installment to GONE Saga, so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.
The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12th and will progress from there.
AN: I apologize for how long its' taken to update. End of year is super crazy busy due to two jobs and family. Not to mention other stories being written. Enjoy as you read and please, don't hold anything against me. I am just the writer.
Please leave a review! They encourage me to continue!
Chapter Ninety-Three (17 yrs old)
She was soft and sweet; skin against his calloused fingers, curves under his hard body, mouth pressed up against his, but the softest, sweetest part of her was the love shining from her ocean hued eyes.
"Say it again."
She smiled against his lips, delicate fingers brushing his hair from his face, "I love you."
"Say it again."
"I love you."
He let himself sink into her love, deeper and deeper, until he kept sinking, her warmth and softness disappearing as everything went black, the cold against his hot skin sharp and painful as hard smooth curves of living stone pressed against his body.
Opening his eyes, he watched as the blue-green eyes disappeared along with her love. Staring back at him were wide eyes of gold-brown, the tiny little amber and red flecks in them growing as her lips moved against his, "You're mine…I'm never letting you go."
He stepped away from her, the space widening until the darkness gaped between them. Throat tight and skin tingling with electricity, he watched the inky blackness slowly lighten until he recognized where he was, the dark mountains looming over them.
The pearly light touched her red-gold hair, setting it on fire, her skin sparkling as she smiled at him, her delicate features achingly familiar yet painfully strange, "I won't let anyone take you away from me. You'll always be mine."
He could feel the heat sparking and arcing up and down his body, his skin tightening painfully as he prepared to shift when out of the darkness appeared his angel, dressed in white with her long honey blond waves flowing down her back, blue-green eyes bright as she smiled at him.
I love you. Say it again. I love you.
His body was stiff as he tried to move towards her, his chest tight as the distance between them widened.
Say it again.
"You're mine."
He couldn't scream, couldn't yell for her to run as small hands grabbed her from behind, the silence ripped apart by the soft sound of razor sharp teeth sinking into flesh. His body trembled violently as her white dress soaked up the blood flowing from her throat, the love and joy in her eyes fading as she slowly fell to the forest ground.
Bright red eyes stared at him, mocking his rage as he fought with the inability to phase, long black hair fluttering around small shoulders as she tilted her head to the side.
"There's nothing you can do. I won't stop...you'll never stop me."
He shut his eyes as the cold darkness wrapped itself around him again, his burning body shaking, his heart beating frantically within the cage of his ribs. Breathing fast, he felt her arms around him, his arms around her.
I love you.
Opening his eyes, he was once again standing in the meadow, the space between them widening with every step he took towards her. The breeze lifted her long blond hair, the light catching the glint in her blue-green eyes as she smiled at him.
I love you. Say it again. I love you.
You're mine.
She fell to the ground, blood slowly spreading over her white dress as her eyes closed. He looked away from her, his body freezing as he stared into the gold-brown eyes staring at him, the lush mouth he had once kissed stained bloody red, her red-gold hair falling like burning embers down her back and over her shoulders.
He watched as the white dress she wore slowly turned a red so dark it was black, the warm eyes he had once loved turning to scarlet as her soft smile became a sharp knife cutting deep into him, her words blood on his hands.
"I'm never letting you go."
Closing his eyes, he tried to find her, tried to look for her bright eyes, to see, once again, those precious three words in them as his own throat tightened and swelled around the three words he'd never said, but all he saw was silence, and even though he knew nothing would come of it, he couldn't stop himself from begging once more.
Say it again.
"NO!"
Gabe jerked up into a sitting position, breathing hard as he looked around the dark room, heart beating frantically as he tried to get his bearings.
The sudden brightness of the room's light had him slamming his eyes shut, his entire body shaking and covered in sweat, the soft scent of his mother's skin reaching his nose before he felt her arms around his broad shoulders, her fingers brushing his sweaty hair away from his face.
"You're okay, baby. I'm here –nothing is going to hurt you. It's going to be okay."
He shook his head, hands fisted against his thighs as he hunched over his knees, his muscles cramping painfully as he fought the growing rage inside him, "No…no…I…"
He couldn't speak past the knot in his throat, his eyes burning as he fought back the scalding tears. Mama's soft words as she held him tight, slowly rocking him back and forth finally broke him. Wrapping his arms around her, he let himself cry into her shoulder, words husky as he finally let go of the guilt he had been holding on to since he'd lost his angel.
"She told me she loved me…I didn't tell her I loved her…I should have told her I loved her."
"She knew, baby," mama kissed his temple tucking his head under her chin, her heart beating soft and steady under his ear, "You showed her you loved her…that is so much more important than saying it."
"I've never said it," Gabe swallowed as he paced his breathing to his mama's heartbeat, his body slowly relaxing as he let her comforting embrace calm the burning rage inside him, "Outside of you, Emmie and Ty, I've never told a girl I loved her…I've never said the words out loud."
Pulling back, she gently cupped his face, brown-green eyes soft as she smiled at him, "There will come a time when you will learn to trust with your whole heart and soul. When that time comes, so will the words. I promise."
Lying back on his bed, he let her tuck him in, his need for his mama's comfort keeping him from reminding her he was too old for that.
"Try to get some more sleep, baby," she brushed his hair away from his forehead with a soft touch, "It's going to be a hard day, I know, but I promise you, I'll be right by your side every step of the way."
He closed his eyes as she kissed his forehead. As soon as she turned off the light, he opened his eyes to stare up at the ceiling, not seeing the glow in the dark stars positioned into constellations as he thought about what was taking place in just a few hours.
His mama was right –it was going to be hard but he had to do it. He owed his angel so much and today's events were the first step to paying his debt.
Forks Cemetery
October 15th
Gray clouds hung low on the horizon, the moisture in the air cool as they made their way towards the prepared plot.
Soon after Gabe had been cleared, Leah had petitioned the FBI for permission to bury Megan, believing it to be necessary for her son's wellbeing. As more evidence surfaced against Ted Hausler, and since she had no other family, the FBI had granted her request, and now here they all stood, a quiet and steady source of support for Gabe, as the priest from St. Anne Catholic Church read Psalm 23 with a sonorous voice that added to the somberness of the moment.
Closing his eyes, Gabe breathed in the scent of freshly dug dirt and wet grass, the breeze kissing his face as he clutched a folded piece of paper in his hand, his other one holding tight to mama's hand. His little sister stood between them, her skinny arm around his waist. Zak stood at his other side, their shoulders touching, while his father stood behind Ty, one hand on his shoulder, his other arm around mama's waist. Xavier stood before him, leaning against his legs, while Emmie stood in front of Zak, Ricky perched on her hip. Andrey stood at Zak's other side, his twin beside him, left leg in a cast as he used crutches to keep himself balanced on one foot.
The priest finished, closing the black Bible in his hands as he looked to his left where Gabe and his family stood. School friends, neighbors and teachers stood on the other side of the oak casket, the watered sunlight highlighting the embossed words on the bronze plaque fixed to the top lid.
Megan Anne Hausler
Angel on Earth
Loved Freely
Freely Loved
Those same words, along with her date of birth, would be carved into the angel headstone his mama had helped him pick out for her grave, which would be put in place once the dirt around the grave had settled.
Letting go of mama's hand, he moved between Ty and Avy, briefly touching the plaque before slipping the folded piece of paper between the plaque and lid, making sure it stayed wedged in place before he stepped back.
He had written two words on that piece of paper…two words he never planned on forgetting...
I promise.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The rising sun crept in through the bedroom window, slanting across plush gray carpet as it slowly made its way towards the large bed in the middle of an otherwise empty room. Dust motes dance in the golden light as it draped itself over the lone figure under the white silk sheet, alabaster shoulders kissed by the sun's ray, infusing them with a pale rose color. Slowly, with the warm touch of a lover, the sun's rays touched the delicate lines of her face, highlighting the scattered gold freckles over her nose and the gold tips of her dark red eyelashes.
The warmth intensified, slowly bringing her up from the deep dark sea of sleep, her nose wrinkling as she slowly fluttered her eyelids open, the sun's rays causing her gold-brown eyes to shine iridescently, amber and burgundy flecks in the dark gold irises.
Pushing herself into a sitting position, she leaned back against the padded headboard, drawing her knees up as she tucked the sheet under her arms, the silk against her bare skin warmed by the sun's rays as it continued to flood into the room, slowly crowding out the dark corners. Staring at the blank wall across the bed, she let out a soft sigh as images flitted through her mind, all of them patched like a quilt of nights made up of eroticism and physical pleasure she hadn't experienced before.
It was odd being physically intimate yet emotional distant. Other than the chemistry between them, there was no other kind of connection –emotional, mental, or spiritual. Nahuel was a mystery to her with his lack of a ribbon. Not only that, but she found out quick the very first night they had been together, she had no ability to manipulate his emotions or any kind of emotional connection. It had been a knee-jerk reaction, her attempt to connect emotionally in an attempt to take control of the situation as he controlled her physical reactions to him. She hadn't been able to connect with him and he'd called her out on it, letting her know there was no strings for her to pull.
None at all.
Looking over at the pillow beside the empty spot next to her, she found the piece of white parchment paper he left behind, telling herself this would be the last time she let him get to her, but there was still a twinge of pain and shame as she read his impersonal note:
Lock the door behind you when you leave
Crumbling the note, she tossed it aside before getting out of bed, keeping the sheet wrapped around her naked body as she left the bedroom, finding her clothes scattered down the hall and into the living room. Dropping the sheet in the middle of the living room, she pulled on her panties, slipping into the dark green backless bandage dress, she slid the straps onto her shoulders, pushing back her tangled hair as she picked up her black high heel strappy sandals.
She was definitely done with Nahuel –he'd gotten several nights of no-strings sex from her and she'd gotten an understanding of what Thalia had talked about regarding the solo number she would be dancing for a theater full of people for the opening night next weekend.
As an added bonus, she now knew another part of herself…
Her vampire nature was tightly entwined with her sexuality…she wasn't sure yet how to handle that.
October 19th
Marc smiled as he walked around the corner into the small kitchen of Thalia's two bedroom apartment. Folding the cuffs of his blue button down shirt over his forearms, he tilted his head to study the sight before him, his eyes roaming over her beautiful heart shaped bottom and long shapely legs. She was wearing four inch platform cork soled sandals, a white floaty dress with tiny yellow flowers was belted at her small waist, the hem flirting with the bottom curve of her ass.
Moving behind her, he leaned down to press a kiss on the back of her neck, grinning when she turned to face him, her brown-green eyes sparkling as she draped her arms over his shoulders, "About time you woke up."
Placing his hands on her hips, he touched his nose to hers, breathing her in before letting his smile grow, "You wore me out last night, bebê."
Laughing as he moved into her, she ran her fingers through his dark hair, "I didn't hear you complain."
"You never will," Marc kissed her full lips, nipping the bottom one before dragging his tongue over it, the small drop of blood spreading like honey over his tongue, "I want you."
"You didn't get enough last night?" Thalia teased as she let him hoist her up onto the kitchen counter, spreading her legs to make space for him as he slid his hands up her smooth thighs, a groan escaping her as he pushed aside the tiny scrap of silk of her G-string panties, his fingers finding her already slick with need, "Marc…oh deus, eu quero você." *Oh, god, I want you.
Sliding his mouth down her arched throat, he pushed his fingers into her tight heat, his thumb rubbing the little bundle of nerves above her opening. Dragging his tongue over her collarbone, he cupped her breast with his free hand, playing with her nipple until it grew stiff and tight.
"Estou com fome, minha doce e pequena borboleta," he whispered into her ear, grinning when she placed her hands behind her, leaning back and further spreading her legs. Pushing her dress further up her thighs, they both watched as he slid his fingers in and out of her tight pussy, the proof of her need all over the soft pink flesh, inner thighs, and his fingers. Grabbing her knee, he pulled her to the edge of the counter before dropping to his knees, his mouth joining his fingers in the quest to drive her crazy. *I'm hungry, my sweet little butterfly.
Before long, Thalia was screaming out his name as her soul shattered into a thousand pieces, her mind swimming in pleasure that spiked again as he joined their bodies, his mouth dropping to her arch throat, the feel of his razor sharp teeth sinking into her skin tossing her into another soul ripping orgasm.
After what seemed like forever, she blinked her eyes open, looking up into his warm chocolate brown eyes, smiling as he pressed a kiss on her swollen lips, "Can we start every morning like that?"
Chuckling, he pulled out of her, feeling a twinge of regret at having to leave his home in his heart, "Definitely."
Feeling like a melted puddle of wax, she let him take on her weight as he slid her off the counter, their combined essence coating her thighs, "Need to get cleaned up before we head out."
Lifting her up into his arms, he turned and headed towards her bedroom, "I'll take care of clean-up."
"I don't think you'll do a very good job of it," Thalia teased, arms wrapped around his neck, fingers buried into his thick dark hair.
"What time do you have to be at the theater?"
"Noon."
"That gives me plenty of time to clean you up at least three more times."
Thalia laughed at the look of eagerness on his face, her body humming with renewed need and her heart blooming open with love for him, the joy at having found him flooding her soul.
