Chapter 240: Sweet Distractions
"No, the assassin confirmed that he received a profile of Jade. But I believe he received her profile simply because she is your friend. They wanted to hurt you...by hurting her."
Aliana’s brows rose at the revelation, but Gavriel continued in his calm voice. "Ana... these powers you possess are by no means simple. If exposed to the wrong people, they will want to exploit them or use you for their own gain. This is why you must understand the dangers should your abilities be exposed.
That creature that attacked you in Aria, I feel someone deliberately sent it after you. I don’t know the exact reason why, but call it a gut feeling, I believe those same people were behind this attack as well."
Aliana’s blood ran cold at his words. Her heart skipped a sharp beat at the realisation that someone was deliberately trying to harm her. Knowing they would target those she loved just to reach her made the truth far harder to bear.
Still reminding herself to remain composed, she asked, "That person who attacked Jade... was he also like that-"
"No." Gavriel cut in gently. "He was a human. I would never let one of those creatures get anywhere near you again. Never."
The unwavering seriousness in his expression left no room for doubt.
She believed him.
And yet... questions continued to swirl through her mind.
"So..." she began slowly, trying to make sense of it all. "You’re saying the assassin was sent to harm Jade... just to get to me?"
"Yes..." Gavriel replied. "Or perhaps they wanted to see you break. They may have hoped that the emotional shock would be enough for you to lose control of your powers."
"No!" The word escaped her almost instinctively. "I can’t let that happen."
The mere thought of losing control made a cold dread seize her heart. The horrifying image of Jacob bursting into pieces flashed through her mind, causing her face to pale.
Gavriel squeezed her hand gently before tugging her closer. "Come here."
Without thinking, she rose from her seat, and Gavriel gently guided her onto his lap.
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he held her close before looking straight into her eyes.
"Listen, baby, you are the strongest woman I have ever known. In this world, when people see someone strong, they instinctively try to tear them down because human greed knows no limits. In our case, the enemy may not be human, but the principle remains the same. Greed drives individuals to commit acts others would never dream of. If you let them get to you, you hand them the victory."
She remained still in his arms, listening as his eyes burned with unwavering sincerity.
"The most important thing for you to remember now is that you are my wife," he continued. "You do not have to face them alone. I promise to do everything in my power to shield the people you love, all while helping you control your abilities."
He raised a hand, gently cupping her cheek. "You are not in this by yourself. I am right here with you. It may take time to untangle everything, but can you trust me when I say I will make them pay?"
The sheer conviction in his voice washed over her, reassuring her in ways she had not expected.
Yet the realisation that their enemy might not be human sparked a fresh wave of fear, this time for Gavriel’s safety.
"I trust you, Gav," she murmured, worry casting a shadow over her features. "But if these enemies are not human, does that not put you in grave danger?"
"Are you worried about me?" he asked, a touch of amusement lacing his voice.
She scowled at him. "Of course I am! You are my husband. How can I not worry when we are dealing with something no ordinary human could even comprehend?"
The way she claimed him as her husband with such ease pleased him immensely, sending a slow smile spreading across his face.
"Did I not tell you that I am different? I need you to trust this husband of yours, Ana. Understand that there is nothing out there capable of harming me."
The confidence in his expression made her wonder all over again just how different he truly was.
She had realised long ago that Gavriel, like her, possessed powers of his own. It was the only explanation for why the spirits never came near her whenever he was around.
But now that she thought about it, he had never actually given her a straight answer whenever she had asked him about it.
"How?" she asked, genuine curiosity shining in her eyes as she searched his face for answers. "How are you different?"
In response, Gavriel simply reached behind her, scooping a bit of buttercream frosting from his cake before dabbing it onto her lower lip.
Before she could protest, he leaned in, capturing her mouth to lap away every trace of sweetness before deepening the kiss. He allowed her to taste the rich sugar on his tongue before slowly pulling back, savouring the flushed, incredulous expression on her face.
"Delicious," he murmured.
Before he could dive back in to kiss her senseless, she clapped a hand over his mouth, glaring at him accusingly. "Don’t try to distract me. I asked you a question."
Gavriel snaked his arms back around her waist, pulling her close enough for her to feel the hard length of him pressing against her as he replied in a low, velvety murmur, "Perhaps it was a bad idea to have you sitting this close to me."
Aliana flushed bright red under his utterly shameless behaviour.
"You... I didn’t know Gavriel Valentine would resort to such cheap tricks rather than answer a simple question," she said, shaking her head.
"Do you perhaps suffer from short-term memory? Because I believe I answered your question the first time you asked me." His hand reached down to caress her ass, guiding her closer while he leaned in to kiss the sensitive skin of her neck.
A tingling sensation fluttered in her chest, sending a wave of exasperation and desire swirling within her all at once.
Still, she forced herself to stay focused. "What? When did you ever answer anything?"
Her voice sounded far weaker than she intended as she felt his nose brush deliciously along the curve of her neck.
"Think, wife," he murmured huskily, planting a soft kiss just below her earlobe.
’Oh my god! He is truly going to be the death of me...’ she screamed internally as she scrambled to jog her memory.
She felt his fingers gliding up to untie the bow at the nape of her neck, and in that exact moment, the memory of the first time she had questioned him flashed in her mind.
The recollection brought a deep frown to her face, making her freeze. "Wait a minute."
Gavriel paused before she cupped his face and pulled him back so she could glare at him.
"I remember! You said something absurd back then, like you were the goblin...no, the devil or something!"
Gavriel eyed her adorable, flushed, angry face before a slow smirk touched his lips. "There you have it. It seems your memory is not so bad after all."
He began to bury his face into her bosom, only for her to pull him back again. "That is not an answer! You surely do not expect me to believe that, do you?"
A devious smirk curled across his lips. "That is on you, baby. I gave you my answer."
Aliana simply stared at him for a beat before offering a bold challenge. "Really? If you are truly the devil, then show me."
She met his gaze with unmistakable challenge in her eyes, and for the first time, Gavriel found himself tempted to reveal everything to her.