The Next Morning

His breath is warm against the bare skin of my shoulder, his arm heavy across my ribcage. He's sleeping, legs entwined with mine. I've been awake for several minutes now, but I can't bring myself to wake him. He's beautiful like this... peaceful. His dark lashes rest on high cheekbones. His features are clear, unreserved. He's not hiding anything, he's not planning anything. He's just him. Gabriel.

I can't keep myself from smiling.

I raise my free arm, let my fingers run through his dark hair as I shift to mold my body to his. We're both bare, so skin presses against skin as I kiss him. He sighs and rolls, arms wrapping around my waist to take me with him as he rolls completely onto his back.

"Good morning." His voice is husky, his hands wander across my back, fingetips exploring the peaks and valleys he finds and making me moan.

"Morning." I sigh, nuzzling his throat and letting my tongue dart out to touch skin. There's a strange taste there, must and copper. I let my eyes flutter open. "You didn't shower last night." Its an observation, and as I catch sight of the dried blood flaking across my sheets and the pink tinge above the line where his clothes must have been.

"Mmm. I was very tired. I washed my face though." I make a noncommittal noise in response and resume kissing him. His mouth is delightful. Once I've had my fill I pull away, resting my cheek against his and just breathing. He lets me.

"Who was he?" I ask, the bloody tinge on Gabriel's throat still evident.

"A walking corpse." I arch an eyebrow and move to roll off of him, but effortlessly powerful arms keep me in place as he chuckles.

"You're so impatient, Claire," he mutters, taking my mouth with his again before breaking the kiss and sighing. "He was one of the guards at Dani's orphanage." he says softly. My heart beat accelerates in my chest.

"Orphanage..." I think of the awful camps with their plumes of smoke. Had my baby been there? "I thought you said you took her from..." I can't finish the sentence. I just can't.

"I never said that." Gabriel's voice is gentle, patient. "I told you they were dead." A weight I hadn't known existed is lifted from my chest at the words.

"Then they were already gone when you found her." I look up at him, chin against his collarbone. He nods, almost imperceptibly.

I smile. I can't help it.

"Thank you." I say the words softly, sliding up his body so I can look down at him face to face. His eyes are closed again, a tiny smile turning the corners of his lips up.

"Thank you." I say again, one hadn't trailing down from his chest to wrap around more sensitive parts of him. His breath hitches.

"If I'd have known you'd be this appreciative I would have told you when I first brought her." I smile against his morning stubble and continue my ministrations, caressing and brushing my fingers softly against the places I know drive him crazy. His expression goes tense and focused very quickly.

"Hmm." My tone is speculative as I inch down his body, letting soft kisses fall against bronzed flesh as I go.

"What?" his voice is going hoarse again as my mouth gets closer and closer to my hand.

"I was just wondering how long you can last... if you concentrate." His eyes fly open and he stares down at me. My cheek is resting against his thigh and I'm smiling languorously, my hand still working busily.

"Why Mrs. Gray, I do believe you're toying with me." He doesn't seem at all angry about it. In fact, as my lips encase him, the look of pure ecstasy on his face convinces me that he's been wanting, craving this.

"Are you complaining?" I whisper against saturated flesh. He shakes his head, apparently speechless. Something inside of me cheers at the victory. I had never thought to see him like this, devoid of words and commands beneath me.

And as I continue, loving him with my mouth as he begins to quiver, as his legs tense and his hands in my hair tighten, something inside of me spirals out of control. I can't quite place it, this feeling. Gratefulness, pleasure, happiness, contentment, desire... All of it melted down into one intoxicating feeling.

Gabriel's gaze glitters down at me, something tender in his eyes that I've scarcely seen before. And he looks like he knows, knows what I'm feeling. But he lets me continue, staying quiet but for soft sighs and moans. He knows, and for once I thank God that he's just taking the knowledge and keeping it rather than using it.

I lose myself in the pleasure, pushing the thoughts away and pleasing him. Pleasing me.

If you're enjoying what you've read, please remember to comment. We love to hear from you. It makes our day. Also... this is the second to last installment of the first volume. You have been warned.

Mel and Chuck