"Did you ever love her?"
Dorian shakes his head. "No. I lusted for her, and maybe there was a time when I thought I did love her. I did care for her deeply. But she always took things too far. I was rebellious but I wasn't stupid. And there are some lines that you just don't cross." Dorian unfolds my arms and takes my hands in his. He kisses each knuckle gently and I instantly begin to soften.
"Last night, seeing you with her, like that … Was that how it was? Between you two?" I mentally scold myself for asking, but I want to know, no matter how much it hurts me.
"You don't want to know that, Gabriella." He places more kisses on my hands, trying to distract me from going into this forbidden territory.
"Yes, I do. I just need to know. Did she manipulate you to act like that or was that real desire for her? Because it looked to me like you wanted her. I know for a fact you did."
Dorian swallows then sighs, letting go of my hands. He leans back in his seat and looks up at the sky as if he's searching for the answer in the clouds. "If you must know, that was just a fraction of the intensity that Aurora and I once shared. Breathing her in was arousing for me because I was taking in her desire. I didn't want to feel that way, but I couldn't help it."
He looks back at me, searching my face for any sign of understanding. "But being with you- loving you- is unlike anything I have ever experienced. It's so much more than sex, Gabriella. It's as if I've been numb these past 250 years. And now, with you, I feel everything."
I try to muster an encouraging smile though I am a bit disturbed at the fact that Aurora's desires now live inside Dorian. But he's here, alive and breathing, and though the idea sickens me that they share such a salacious past, I owe her for that. However, the only person Dorian will breathe is me from now on.
"Come on, my parents are expecting us," I say opening the car door. "Ready for this?"
Dorian is already out of the car, giving me one of his famous sexy smirks. How the hell does he do that? "If it means getting you all to myself, than I'm ready for anything."
We step into my parents' home, and I announce our arrival. Donna comes rushing to the door, alarmed and flustered.
"Oh thank goodness! Did you hear about Tammy?" she shrieks, embracing me fiercely. Then she takes in the sight of Dorian and her mouth drops. "Dorian? How did you get in here?"
"Hello, Donna. I told you, I do not wish to hurt her. I love her. If I didn't than I couldn't penetrate the wards."
"And how long have you been able to get past them?" she asks tentatively.
Dorian looks down at me and smiles. "For a while now."
"Where's Dad?" I ask, struggling to pull my eyes from Dorian's beauty.
"He went to the hospital to sit with the boys. Did you go see them?"
"We were just there. Mom, something strange is going on." I gesture for us to take a seat in the living room. "Jared said her eyes were wide open but she can't move or talk or anything."
Donna nods slowly then looks at Dorian. "She's been petrified."
"Yes," Dorian replies.
"Any indication of who could have done it?"
Dorian shakes his head gravely. "I'm going back tonight. I have someone watching Jared and his family. They will be safe. In the meantime, I have placed wards around Gabriella's apartment. She will be safe as well."
"I should hope so," Donna mutters. She looks up at both of us with glossy eyes. "She's part of your world now, Dorian. Please take care of her. We tried the best we could. She deserved a shot at having a normal life."
Dorian takes my hand in his and nods. "I know. And I will; I'll protect her with everything I have. You and Chris did well. Alex and Natalia would be proud," he says with a reassuring smile.
The mention of my parents causes a tear to roll down Donna's cheek. A sob escapes her lips and she tries to plaster on a smile. I can feel my own throat tighten with emotion. "I know you love her. I just hope it survives."
"It will, Donna."
Dorian looks at my adopted mother intently, as if he's trying to communicate something to her. For what seems like several seconds, they stare at each other, sharing an unspoken secret. My eyes dart between them; surely they know I'm sitting right here, confusion etched in my face.
"Um, hello," I finally say with a hint of agitation. "We came to get some of my things. We should hurry so we can get back to the hospital."
I stand and retreat to my childhood bedroom, Dorian right on my heels. "What was that about?" I ask as soon as we're alone. I don't like being left in the dark.
Dorian shakes his head, trying to dispel my suspicions. "She's just worried about you. She wants to make sure I'll be there for you no matter what happens."
I look at him questioningly. "Well … will you?"
Dorian looks to me as if the answer is obvious. "Of course." He walks over to pick up the small framed photo Jared gave me for my last birthday on my nightstand. "Maybe I should be asking you that question," he remarks, his gaze locked on the picture.
"A little too late to be asking, being that I am linked to you for life," I retort with a hand on my hip.
Dorian tosses the photo into a box, and looks at me quizzically. "Do you want to undo the link?"
Oh crap. "I don't know. I didn't think it was something that could be undone. And I honestly have no plans to be without you." I walk over to him and place my hands on his chest. "Do you want to undo it? Can you?"
Dorian shakes his head then leans down to plant a tender kiss on my lips. "No, I don't. And no, I can't. But I know someone who can."
"You do?" I ask a bit too eagerly. Dorian raises an eyebrow in surprise and maybe a little disappointment. "Not that I want to. I'm just curious. Someone can break the link?"
Dorian nods and runs his hands down my back. He gazes down at me lovingly yet there's a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Yes," he nods solemnly. "My father."
I try to retain Dorian's lightheartedness by smiling brightly. "Too bad we won't be needing his services."
My melancholy lover gives me a sexy half-smile. "Go spend some time with Donna. She will miss you. I'll take care of these boxes and meet you outside."
"But won't you need some help?"
Dorian rolls his eyes before shooing me out my childhood bedroom. Donna will be glad to know that it will stay intact for the most part now that Dorian has completely furnished my new room at the apartment. Somehow I think he knew she'd need to have a reminder of her once normal adopted child. I find her in the kitchen, furiously preparing sandwiches and snacks for, I'm assuming, Jared and James.
"Anything I can do to help?" I ask.
"So now you want to help?" she laughs lightly. "I should've taught you how to cook. I'm afraid you'll starve once you leave. But your father was more concerned about you knowing how to defend yourself. Rightfully so."
I take a seat at the breakfast table and grab one of the freshly baked cookies cooling on a wire rack. I haven't eaten much all day and with all the activity, I'm famished.
"So you knew something like this might happen? You knew someone might come for me?"
"It was certainly a possibility, dear," she sighs. "Plus you already had the hunter gene in you. It was only natural you'd be more physical than domestic."
I finish chewing the remains of my cookie, nodding slowly. "Was my mother, Natalia, was she like me? Not so domestic?"
Donna smiles as she recalls the memory. "She was more like you than me, yet she was nurturing. She was warm. She was a lover and a fighter."
"Will I be a hunter? Like a Dark Hunter?" That is, if I choose to ascend as a Light Enchanter.
"I don't know, honey. I wish I did. The Light and the Dark are very secretive about their way of life. Unless you are one, they are simply myth. Many myths that we, mortals, read about in history books."
Now I'm intrigued. "Like what?"
"Mythology. Legends of gods and goddesses that had the power to control the elements, the actions and emotions of mortals. Things of that nature."
"So all that stuff was true?" Holy shit! Could Dorian really be a Greek god? I certainly wouldn't be surprised.
"No, not necessarily. Supposedly they were more like bedtime stories than anything else. You should ask Dorian. I'm sure he's pretty well versed in his kind's history."
"Yeah, probably." I smile warmly at my mother, realizing that it is time to go. I'm not ready to say goodbye though I know I'm simply fifteen minutes away. "You know, I really appreciate all that you and Dad did for me. And you'll always be my parents in my heart."
Donna's eyes cloud with a fresh wave of tears. "I know, honey. And you'll always be our baby girl. No matter what happens from here. We know you'll make us proud. Just promise me you'll be careful."
"I will, Mom. And I'll be fine."
We embrace and after reassuring Donna that I'll come over for dinner as often as possible, I head outside to find Dorian leaning up against his Mercedes. Of course the boxes were probably loaded with a snap of his fingers. I'll never get used to how ridiculously alluring and fascinating he is.
"All packed up? You don't look like you even broke a sweat," I jibe.
"Maybe because I didn't," he smirks seductively.