Don't be aroused by my confession

Gabriel found himself parted from the slave who had been in the grocery store with him - for better or worse. All he could think of was exactly what was on his mind the last time there was an attack. A blind loyalty and tunnel vision. He had to find Tamsin. Now. Thoughts of others flashed through his mind. Acacia was safe in the basement - she had a whole kitchen to choose knives from before locking herself in, and there were plenty of weapons down there from his smithing - including the nearly done viking sword he’d been crafting in his free time for Quint. Quint. He could take care of himself, one of the toughest motherfuckers Gabe had ever met in the six centuries he’d been alive, He wasn’t worried about him on paper, but of course his heart stung at the idea anything could happen. Flashes of faces ran through his head. Kian. Audrey. Violet. Nate. Raph. He hadn’t heard back from anyone after texting them, but of course, if they were fighting for their lives or seeking out shelter, they wouldn’t be able to answer. Last time, Gabe had been home. He could put his breast plate on and wield his weapons. The thing about being a blacksmith was that he had to learn how to use them just as well as their future owners so he could be sure they performed optimally. 

He felt his phone buzz and as he ran, he opened the texts from Tamsin. He could blame what happened next on this distraction, but they’d been watching him. Waiting for the perfect moment. Was the whole attack on the city based around this? Or did they happen upon the perfect moment to hastily put their plan in motion? He couldn’t hear their orders over all the other screaming.

Gabriel gasped as something sharp penetrated his neck. The pressure built, spreading from the epicenter outwards quickly followed by a raging stinging sensation and then numbness. A heavy, tight embrace of something restrained him as his vision began to blur. Everything was off centered and wobbly. His mouth tasted bitter and metallic. Distorted faces made their way into his view as his body seemed to slum to the ground in slow motion. Spreading from the injection, his body felt like it had a million fire ants running through his veins, biting over and over before a buzzing nothingness. His tongue felt swollen and his eyelids heavy as anything in view just became colored shapes that he couldn’t make out. His breathing struggled. His body was being lifted up before he’d even fully passed out. There was no feeling left. His head dropped backwards as they hastily ran with him and tossed him into a car. Everything was just bright lights and shadows....until it all faded to darkness.

“Last time?” She asked. Nina had still been happily living with her humans when the last attack on the city had happened. She knew nothing about it, though she suspected whispers would fly again if this was the second attack. Taking a deep breath, the dragon let it out slowly – largely ignoring the commotion all around them. She wished she could transform and fly away, try and track down any of the humans from her family that had lived. “So what now? No doubt you could get your list for free. If you don’t mind fighting for it.”

“Wow….You’re old sir.” Laughing she listened and nodded. “I understand that. Not everyone would wish to live after all of that. But I think a lot of us are glad you were picked.” Smiling at the kiss Violet raised a brow as she played with the back of his neck. “I think a lot of others are displeased with my loyalty and submission to you. Many have tried and failed. And I’ve made enemies here from it. Powerful ones too. Which is….not the best thing in this city, but I was angry and lost. I wish I could apologize and work on changing it, but it’s a pretty lost cause.” Looking at his hand she lightly took hold of it and let her lips wrap around it closing her eyes as she drank. Honestly she felt fine, but she knew not to argue. Especially after what the man had just done from her. Pulling away after a bit she licked her lips clean of any little bits of blood. “Thank you. Though I would have accepted passing out and being carried back sir.” 

Nate leaned into the caress again with a slightly tired sound. He nodded anyway though, “Yeah. Thanks. My ribs were getting to me – I – I really hate feeling almost mortal.” He complained, allowing himself to be more vulnerable with Gabriel, as usual. The angel shrugged off the fact that Gabriel hadn’t been there – he’d had a lot to go through in his head, not that he was anywhere near through it in honesty but maybe it was for the best he’d had some space.

He thought about the offer seriously, half tempted to ask Gabriel to take him back to his own home. His old home – but he wasn’t really sure he could take it. Being in public was still difficult, since even if they weren’t all looking at him and whispering, he felt like they were. “The water sounds good.” He said after a few minutes of contemplation, knowing he at least felt safe there.

Her mind had always had a way of wandering back to him in the spare, quiet moments she had in those days. Their connection had always run deeper than either of them could properly explain, so she always had wondered if it had been some indication that he was going to return to her soon. Or maybe she had just been more attached to him than she had liked to admit, even then, especially with the decades between their last meeting to make her miss him. But she could remember the harsh edge in her voice when she couldn’t get the words out fast enough for her secretary to let him in, because he was the only person who could ever know to ask for her that way–and his sire wouldn’t ever want to come into the city–let alone with him. It was mere moments between knowing he was there and knowing he could really be hers. She grinned, grinding her hips into his. “I love you,” she murmured, still feeling like she was testing out the words on her lips, though they felt absolutely right coming out of her for him. 

Quint grunted, leaning around the other a little to grab at the bottle he had left on the table. “Fuckin clean ass start….gettin bored with em anyway.” He growled bitterly, taking a heavy swig of the liquor. Quint rolled his eye. “Aint really in a comfortin mood, Gabe.” He replied honestly. “Sides, he liked her too.”

Smiling up at her master, Acacia was relieved to hear that he wouldn’t look to her for such things, and that he didn’t seem disappointed about it. “Thank you sir, but I think you’re right.” Acacia let herself have a little sigh as she cuddled up to her master. Violet would surely be upset that they might not be able to have fun how they’d planned. At least she’ll likely be understanding about it, the familiar reasoned to herself. “Thank you for understanding, sir,” she murmured softly as she kissed along Gabriel’s neck.

As she listened to him describe it from his point of view, and describe slaves he knew who had conformed to this life, Eden struggled to place herself in either of the two categories he listed. She had a hard time understanding how one could be truly happy in this town, and in her own case she very much doubted that happiness was within reach again. But at the same time she had no intention of trying to fight anyone, nor was she really angry. While her smile remained, sadness came to tint it again. “I kind of envy them, finding happiness again and all. Its good to hear that its possible for some.” Luckily their conversation didn’t only center around one subject. The way he explained this siren of his made Eden curious. She had always believed nothing could really compare to sex with a vampire. “It sounds.. incredible. You should, I really wouldn’t mind that.” The girl grinned. Now there was a small silver lining. When his expression changed, she felt a little well, sorry for him. Because she imagined it might be hard to remember being something you weren’t anymore, or a life you’d had but which was no longer yours. The past was always painful to face. “Do you ever wish you could just forget?”