Chapter 221: Blood And Mirror
When Aliana offered no protest, he shifted his hands to her hips, his fingers digging into her skin to support her weight and slowly eased himself out of her, drawing a soft whimper from her lips at the sudden emptiness.
Her legs untangled from his waist, and her feet touched the cold ground.
However, Aliana had not anticipated her legs turning to jelly the instant her feet took her weight. Her knees buckled beneath her, and she would have fallen flat on her face had Gavriel’s sharp reflexes not caught her.
His strong arm caught her around the waist, pulling her back against his chest.
Weakly, she clutched at his forearm for balance and looked up only to find an insufferably smug smile curving his lips.
"Do not look so proud of yourself," she huffed, her breath fanning over his chest. "I still need the use of my legs tomorrow."
Hearing her converse with him naturally again, a devastating smile bloomed across his face.
"I can always carry you if you can’t," Gavriel murmured, dipping his head to take a gentle bite into the shell of her ear.
"Ah!" she gasped softly.
He pulled her closer by her waist, murmuring, "Are you trying to excite me again?"
"It’s your fault," Aliana replied, her face burning crimson as she felt the hard line of his desire pressing into her abdomen.
Before the moment could escalate, a sudden vibration hummed between them as the phone inside his coat pocket buzzed. When Gavriel ignored it, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on her, she glanced toward the sound. "Aren’t you going to check that?"
"No."
"What if it’s important?"
He studied her face for a quiet second longer before scooping her into his arms.
A startled gasp slipped past her lips as he carried her across the bathroom and set her down gently atop the marble counter.
Then, reaching into his coat, he pulled out his phone, his thumb sweeping across the screen to read the incoming message before tossing the device aside onto the polished stone.
Aliana watched him curiously, her hands resting against the cool surface on either side of her thighs. "Who is it?"
"Cillian," Gavriel replied as he began removing his clothes one by one until he was completely bare before her and tossed them on the counter.
He then stepped close, his warmth washing over her as he lifted her down from the counter and turned her to face the mirror. "Hold onto the counter."
Aliana obeyed, placing her palms flat against the marble while his long fingers went to work, slowly pulling down the heavy back zipper of her gown.
Just as Aliana lifted her eyes, she realised they were standing in front of the mirror once again and quickly lowered her gaze to avoid looking at her reflection.
But Gavriel, who had been watching her like a hawk from behind, noticed her reaction instantly.
His hands stilled after pulling the zipper down to her waist.
Reaching around, he cupped her chin and gently tilted her face up until her eyes met his.
She looked at him in surprise, her cheeks still burning. "What is it?"
He tilted his head ever so slightly as he asked, "Is there something else you’d like to tell me, Ana?"
His eyes bored into hers, and she gave him a confused look. "I-I don’t understand." Pressing her lips together, she added, "I told you everything."
"Really?" he rasped. "So I suppose there is no reason for you refusing to look into your own reflection, as if it were something forbidden?"
Her breath hitched.
A wave of realisation hit her that he had caught the small, involuntary gesture.
Swallowing hard, she licked her lips before lowering her gaze. She knew there was no point in hiding it when she had already told him everything else.
In a quiet voice, she finally admitted, "I... I have not been able to look at myself."
"Why?"
Aliana forced her head back up to meet his direct gaze. Seeing the raw, conflicting storm of emotions in her eyes, the sharp edges of his expression softened.
"I cannot help you if you won’t speak to me, baby," he murmured, his thumb stroking her chin with exquisite gentleness.
Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears, shimmering beneath the warm bathroom lights, but she refused to let them spill over.
She was done weeping.
Terrible things had happened ever since the accident, but out of all that pain, one beautiful truth had emerged... and he was standing right in front of her, holding her together.
It was a miracle that he was not screaming bloody murder and running for the hills after what she had confessed to him. The least she could do was be honest with him and refrain from weeping like a helpless woman.
Pushing down the lump in her throat, she whispered, "I see myself covered in blood every time I look into a mirror."
Gavriel’s brows knit together at her words, but Aliana continued. "That night... when I was kidnapped... I didn’t even realise my powers had acted up like that. I still do not recall all of it. But I saw Jacob lifting into the air as he screamed my name in terror. Then..."
She fluttered her lashes, feeling her eyes grow wet despite her efforts to hold back. Gavriel saw how difficult it was for her to recount it all, yet he did not stop her as she finally revealed the full truth he had been wondering about.
"...then there was this dark, shadowy power that enveloped him, and I only saw my hand lifting into the air before..." Her voice broke, and she squeezed her eyes shut against the gruesome image invading her mind.
Gavriel pulled her into his embrace, prompting her quietly, "Let it out, Ana."
Aliana nodded against his chest before lifting her head to look into his eyes. "I saw a burst of blood... it was everywhere... like a person being... torn apart."
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered, "Every time... ever since I remembered... all I see is blood on myself, Gav."
"I... I do not know how to stop it," she confessed helplessly.
Gavriel saw how deeply disturbing it was for her.
Everything began to click into place as he recalled her sudden shift at the dinner table. She had been fine until she turned to set her glass down, where she must have caught a glimpse of her reflection, triggering that deep-rooted trauma within her.
This was the exact reason he had never told her how he had found her covered in blood at that scene.
He knew this trauma would stay with her for a long time, and he realised it would be a problem to keep her stable every single time she saw her reflection.
Placing his hands on her shoulders, he pulled away slightly, to her surprise, and turned her back around to face the mirror.
She looked at him sideways in confusion as he stepped close behind her. Slowly, he slid her gown down her body until the fabric pooled at her feet, and commanded...