A Bastard's Allure-Chapter 38: Vulnerable

"It’s okay," Elena said, her voice low. She caressed his cheeks with her hands while giving him that comforting look.

Instead, he appeared confused like one who had just walked out of the darkness after a long time. He blinked, his eyes resting on her neck now. He could feel her pulse, so strong he left as if the rhythm of her heartbeat was calling on to him. A calling even the greatest of beasts could not defy.

The image of the human whore flashed across his mind, uglier this time. Her corpse was lying on the same bed, her blood already turned cold. Her skin fell from her to create an image of what would be defined as a hag.

His eyes found her face. On the contrary, she was beautiful and alive. No sunken eyes but blue ones that brightened up his mornings. Her presence, he noticed, had significantly changed some of his aspects.

He placed his hands on hers before tearing them away from his. She looked pained and he could feel a pang of pain run across his mind.

"I can’t," he whispered back, letting her hands settle on the side of her dress. He shook his head, the very idea of sucking her to the last drop not settling well in his mind.

But Elena was adamant this time. She was tired of seeing him battle with himself everytime he kissed her. At this rate, the idea of having children of her own would be just a rumor. She was afraid yet she wanted every bit of it to happen. It was about time she acted less selfish.

Her hands moved and rested on his face again. She forced him to look at her. "I want this as much as you want it," she spoke. Even she was afraid of herself, of where this would lead to. Was she ready?

Gabriel held her hands again but she didn’t let him tear them away. Her grip was rather firm for a human! "It is you I fear for El. I don’t want you to end up in regrets, or worse, dead!" The last part came out barely a whisper. And she could hear the dread in his voice.

He was afraid of losing her! But would he bring himself to do that? She had seen the regret in his eyes the day he’d killed the whore in that pleasure house.

"The last time I tried, I ended up killing a whore." He tried putting reason into her. Did she even know how much he craved her? Her scent alone was enough to send him into a beastly state. And her blood... It was a anaesthesia that put him in a crazed state, one he’d surprisingly controlled. Even lust couldn’t be compared to the feeling. Literally, no words!

And now that she had given him the chance, it finally struck him... the fear of losing her. All his life, he’d never valued anyone. But this woman. There was something about her he couldn’t quite put his finger on. But one thing he knew, he could not afford to lose her. Never!

"I’m not a whore Gab. I’m your wife," she pressed on relentlessly. Her hands slithed until they caught with his. Their fingers entwined, their closeness setting Gabriel’s heart racing, something he’d never experienced before. His gums itched and at this rate, he couldn’t promise to keep the thirst to himself.

She squeezed his hands gently, the simple action pulling Gabriel’s straws of self restraint. She just knew how to strike the right chords!

And now, he found himself taking steps back, far away from this living temptation. Did she have the tiniest idea of what she was trying to unleash?

"Don’t fight it Gabriel," she said, her hands getting a better grip of his before he could leave unannounced. There was no escape today!

"You don’t understand!" Gabriel growled, his breath coming out in shallow pants. Gods! Where did she suddenly get such strength from. He tried freeing himself but her grip was iron. And her scent was invading him like wildfire!

"I’m trying to help you!"

"You’re putting yourself in danger by doing so!" He said before he yanked his hands off hers, hurting her wrists in the process.

Elena held her twisted wrists, the pain coursing through her every nerve. She slowly lifted her eyes to meet with his. They were filled with fear and guilt. Gabriel Sinclair had never looked so vulnerable!

"Hurting me. Is that what you’re afraid of?" She asked and took a step forward. Gabriel backed, his back crashing with the wall that led to the hallway.

"The Gabriel I know would never hurt me."

The Gabriel she knew was a monster in the disguise of a prince. She knew it yet she chose not to believe it! She was either naive or stupid. But the monstrous Gabriel was currently cornered by a woman!

"You don’t know that," he replied apprehensively. And she knew every fucking bit of it. He’d killed someone innocent! Yet, she refused to believe he’d hurt her.

"I do," she answered, her voice unwavering. "I want you to look me in the eye and deny it. Deny that you want me just as I want you! Deny it!"

Her voice was not loud but her words struck cords in Gabriel’s being. Her voice was working wonders on him, and he hated it.

"I want you El. Badly at that! But I’m afraid I might hurt you. I’m afraid I might not be able to control myself."

"We’re about to find out," she said, flashing the most evil smile Gabriel had seen. Her hand rested on the table behind her before she grabbed a knife.

"No!" Gabriel shook his head in denial. "You can’t do this please!" He held his hands out in defiance.

His words, however, seemed to reveal a side of her he never knew existed. The blade’s edge bared open the veins on her wrist, her blood instantly flowing to create a pool on the grass beneath. Her eyes found his, the message in them not one he looked forward to interpret.

Her scent invaded him in a great wave, so strong his eyes instantly turned bloody red. He cast his eyes down, holding his head in defiance.

"Gabriel?" She called his name, her voice now weak. Her blood was collecting quickly, the life seeming to exit in her eyes. His eyes found hers, now in a beastly state. "Don’t fight it," she whispered.

Gabriel stood there heaving heavily for a moment before he held her bleeding arm, the scent solidifying his resolve. He shook his head one last time before he sunk his fangs on her bleeding spot!