Chapter 285: A Promise To Return
[Music recommendation: Alcest - Sur l’océan couleur de fer]
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As more time passed, everything gradually became mundane and meaningless to Gavriel... until one day, a woman caught his attention.
She was unlike any woman he had ever encountered.
She made him do things he would never dream of doing for anyone else, stirring something inside him that he thought was dead inside him... his heart.
His affection, attachment, and obsession flowed toward her so naturally, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
He did not know why he had proposed marriage to her, but deep down, he felt it was the only right choice... to bind her to him, ensuring she would never belong to anyone else.
And even now, as he lay beside her... a luxury he had never granted to any other woman, she still stirred powerful emotions within him.
Fierce emotions.
An overwhelming need to protect her. Possessiveness and an insatiable desire to hold her close only to lose himself in her warmth over and over again.
It was a miracle he remained so tame around her when every part of his cursed existence yearned for her in every possible way.
His icy blue eyes drifted to her soft lips, and he leaned in, pressing a slow, gentle kiss against them.
As he pulled away, she stirred ever so slightly before unconsciously licking her lips in her sleep.
His gaze darkened at the innocent gesture, and he let out a quiet sigh before carefully untangling himself from her embrace and slipping out of bed.
Picking up his pack of cigarettes, he stepped out onto the cool marble balcony. The sharp flicker of his lighter briefly illuminated his dark features before he took a slow, deep drag and exhaled a plume of silver smoke into the night air.
His icy blue eyes lifted towards the moon hanging high above. It wouldn’t be long now before the full moon arrived. His jaw tightened as he stared at it, as if silently preparing himself for yet another night of pain, bloodlust, and memories he wished had remained buried.
A gentle night breeze swept across the vast grounds of the estate, whispering through the petals of roses planted below.
He stood there in silence, his gaze lingering on them with unreadable emotions until he suddenly felt a pair of delicate arms wrap themselves around his waist.
His hand paused midway to his lips as he felt her rest her forehead against his bare back. The warmth of her embrace stood in stark contrast to the cold night surrounding him.
"Can’t sleep?" Gavriel asked quietly.
"You weren’t there," Aliana replied softly as she tightened her arms around him.
She had been like this ever since they returned from that dreadful island.
Barely two days had passed since the tragedy, and Gavriel could feel her constant need to keep him in her sight, as though she feared he would vanish forever the moment he stepped away from her.
He knew the ordeal had shaken her deeply, and he couldn’t blame her. She had lost her friend before her very eyes, and after witnessing the island explode while he was nowhere to be seen, she had believed she had lost him as well.
Ever since then, she had clung to him like a second skin.
Not that he minded.
If anything, he loved how much she needed him... how all of her attention and affection seemed to be fixed on him alone.
However, what she didn’t realise was just how difficult she was making it for him to keep his desires in check. As much as he longed to lose himself with her once again, he couldn’t forget the blood that had trickled from her nose after she had unleashed her powers inside the chamber.
The memory had shaken him.
Even though Aliana insisted she felt perfectly fine after a single night’s rest, Gavriel wasn’t willing to take any chances. Her recovery mattered far more than satisfying his own desires.
But how was he supposed to keep himself in check when she was like this around him?
She hadn’t questioned him about any of the strange things she might have noticed about him back on the island. Still, he had caught her looking at him more than once, as though countless questions lingered on the tip of her tongue, only for her to quietly swallow them back.
But Gavriel knew those questions would eventually come. And when they did, he wanted to tell her the truth about who he really was.
With that thought, he stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray resting on the balcony railing before finally turning to face her. Tilting his head slightly, he watched the way she looked at him with those innocent light-grey eyes.
Clicking his tongue lightly, he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close. "It is still very early, Ana, and you need to rest." His hands gently caressed her back, while her palms rested against the warm skin of his chest, her gaze fixing on his as if drawing him in.
"Well, so do you," she replied, blinking up at him.
His lips twitched at her attempt to coax him back into bed.
Without another word, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her back inside the darkened room, gently setting her down on the mattress.
After tucking her in, he made a move to pull away, only for her fingers to snap around his wrist.
"Where are you going now?"
Seeing the anxiety flickering in her eyes, he leaned down and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Didn’t you just say I needed to rest as well?"
When she gave him a small nod, Gavriel could not resist leaning over to press a soft kiss to her lips. He then climbed onto the bed beside her, pulling her close until Aliana settled comfortably against his chest.
She remained quiet, but Gavriel knew she was still awake. "What’s on your mind?" he asked gently.
"Just... thinking about tomorrow." She did not elaborate, but he understood instantly.
"Do you... not want to go?" he asked carefully.
Aliana shook her head against his chest. "No, I have to go. He deserves that respect." She was talking about Cedric’s funeral, which would be held the following day.
Gavriel remained silent.
"Gavriel?"
"Hm?"
She slowly lifted her head and met his gaze in the darkness.
"Can you promise me something?" she asked, looking at him expectantly.
"Tell me," he replied, curiosity flickering across his face.
After swallowing nervously, she finally spoke. "Can you promise me you’ll never disappear on me?"
Gavriel’s brows lifted slightly before his expression softened. "And where would I go without my little rose?"
He raised a hand to gently caress her cheek, but she caught it and held it tightly.
"Please... just promise me." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "And if you ever do decide to go... you have to take me with you."
Gavriel’s brows slowly drew together. "Where is this coming from, Ana? Is this about what happened on the island?"
She slowly shook her head.
"No..." Her gaze dropped to the blanket before she whispered, "I don’t know. I just... have this feeling I can’t explain."
Looking back up at him with anxious eyes, she tightened her hold on his hand. "I just need you to promise me you’ll never disappear on me... and that wherever you go, you’ll take me with you."
Somehow, Gavriel wasn’t sure if she was talking about travelling to another city or country. But he knew there would be times when he would have to leave... times when he would need to be away from her during the nights of the full moon.
The last time, he had somehow managed to keep himself under control while she was around, but he couldn’t afford to take that chance again.
So he replied, "I promise to take you wherever I travel to, but Ana... there will be times when it may not be possible for you to come along. You have your own obligations, remember?"
Aliana slowly shook her head.
"No... that’s not what I meant. I’m not talking about being attached to you twenty-four hours a day." She struggled to find the right words before letting go of his hand and resting her palm against his cheek. "Just... don’t leave in a way that... you don’t come back to me."
That was the best way she could articulate the unsettling instinct stirring inside her.
Gavriel remained silent for a moment. Something told him it wasn’t as simple as it seemed, yet whatever was troubling her, he hated seeing her so unsettled.
Gently covering the hand resting against his cheek with his own, he said quietly, "I promise... I’ll always come back to you, Ana."
When she held her breath, he added, "You have my word."
Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Aliana finally released the tension gripping her heart and buried her face against his neck. "Thank you."
Gavriel simply pressed a gentle kiss to her hair as he held her close before murmuring, "Sleep now, my little rose."