Chameleon (Supernaturals) (29 page)

He pressed my palm to his cheek. “I know it’s not supercharged energy like Wonder Pure over here, but it seemed to help enough before you left.”

I was already convinced. That warm rush of energy had washed over me and it made me realize how drained I actually was. The cravings flared inside me, and I shook as I fought the urge to throw myself at Russ.

Somehow Russ knew exactly what I was feeling. What I was struggling against. I could tell. He stared me down, silently daring me to give in to the desire inside me. I couldn’t look away from him.

“Do what you must, Danielle,” Gabriel said dismally. His voice snapped me from my lustful trance.

“What?”

Russ grinned dangerously, drawing me nearer to him through sheer force of will. “He means kiss me.”

“
Kiss
you?”

“It’s okay. Hubby just gave you permission.”

I glanced at Gabriel who was wearing the most serious face I’d ever seen on him. “It will make you stronger,” he said. “There are two supernaturals here in this very train station and there will be others along the way. We cannot afford to be seen and you need the energy.”

I looked back and forth between Gabriel’s resigned face and Russ’s hungry one and felt panic on both accounts. “Thanks for the offer,” I said, tugging Russ’s hand. “But I can make it to the warehouse.”

I just barely held out. Russ was practically carrying me by the time we got inside the warehouse. After a quick look around he said, “Looks like we’re home alone at the moment.”

“Good.”

I immediately dropped the magic. Russ helped me to the ground, but before he could pull me into his lap, Gabriel had me cradled in his arms.

Gabriel’s energy, twenty times more powerful than Russ’s, was intoxicating. I gasped and buried my face in his neck. “Oh, wow! I forgot how much stronger you are than everyone else.”

Gabriel chuckled and rubbed his hands along my arms as if keeping me warm. “And yet your cravings overwhelm even me.”

This startled me. “Does it hurt to share your energy with me?”

Russ snorted at that.

“What?” I demanded while glaring at Russ.

“It does not hurt,” Gabriel explained hesitantly. “But I can feel how much energy you consume. I feel the strength of your craving—your need and desire.”

“In my case it’s a lot more desire than need,” Russ said.

My face drained of all color from the dread of remembering how much I’d wanted Gabriel this morning when he held me in bed.

“Do not be embarrassed, Danielle.”

“Yeah,” Russ agreed. “How much you want me is hardly a secret. I’ve always known that.”

I tried to scramble out of Gabriel’s grip but he held on tight and glared up at Russ. “If you continue to make this harder for her on purpose I will take her back to the consulate.”

Russ tensed for a fight. “I’d like to see you try it.”

He’d expected Gabriel to be intimidated and was surprised when Gabriel didn’t back down.

“She is resisting my energy now,” Gabriel hissed. “I am sure you are aware that when you fight the cravings they only get worse. She will be in more discomfort now, and will take much longer to regain her strength.”

Russ folded his arms over his chest. “I’m glad she’s resisting you. Every time you put your slimy hands on her she gets more and more brainwashed into thinking you two share a real connection.”

“You are putting her life in danger for your own pride.”

“You don’t need him Dani,” Russ said to me. “I used to be enough for you. You used to love me. The only thing Duncan
did
tell me when he called was that those were your last words when you thought you were never going to see me again. He said you made him swear to tell me how much you loved me.”

“Yes,” I agreed slowly. “I did. But—”

“So why do you keep running to this chump every chance you get?”

I looked away, trying to hide the tears that sprang to my eyes. Russ had asked the question lightly, but I hated myself anyway. He had an excellent poker face, but I knew how much my connection with Gabriel was hurting him, even if he would never admit to it. I wanted to say something that would make him feel better, but I couldn’t find the words. I doubted there were any.

“You know,” Gabriel said to Russ, breaking the silence that had fallen on us. “As a seer I am able to read not just a person’s aura, but a bit of their emotions as well. I can see how much you hurt her every time you open your mouth.”

Russ finally looked shaken. He shot me a worried look. “Is that true?”

Unable to meet Russ’s eyes I laid my hand on Gabriel’s arm, hoping my touch might calm some of his anger. “Gabriel, please. That’s enough.”

Gabriel frowned. “But he is breaking your heart over and over again. I cannot bear to see you suffer like this.”

“It’s not his fault,” I whispered. “His heart is breaking right now too.”

“Danielle.”

“Dani.”

I couldn’t take any more of this right then. I couldn’t deal with them both. “You guys, I need to be alone for a while.”

“Danielle.”

“Please!”

“As you wish.” Gabriel released me from his grip, laid me on the floor and rose to his feet. “I shall go see if I can find anything that might be helpful to us.”

I closed my eyes and listened to him leave. Russ stood there for a minute but said nothing, and I eventually felt it when he walked away from me as well. Even though it made me restless, I was relieved to have them both gone.

After about ten minutes I heard someone walk up to where I lay. I was surprised I hadn’t felt their energy until I was yanked up and off the floor by the man from my vision. I got out one really good scream and then the stranger with the glazed over eyes clasped his hand around my throat, making it impossible for me to speak.

Even if I hadn’t been so incredibly weak, I wouldn’t have been able to escape his grip. The man was supernaturally strong. He lifted me off my feet, dangled me in the air and I started to get lightheaded.

As the man stood there strangling the life out of me he blinked twice and said one word in a completely monotone voice. “Danielle.”

The stranger’s grip loosened a little and then Russ shouted as he appeared at the other end of the room. “Dani! Use your magic!”

“She has none!” Gabriel was also rushing toward me. “She is a seer right now!”

The man started at the voices and threw me away from him. I sailed back and the minute I was freed, the man went smashing into the wall behind us. Gabriel came straight to me but Russ walked slowly toward the man staring at him with fierce concentration. The closer he got the slower his movements became and then he stopped altogether about four feet in front of the man. His body started to shake and he broke out into a sweat.

“Dani, give me your magic!”

“What? How?”

Russ never looked away from the man, but he held out his hand to me. “I need your hand. Once you become a warlock I should be able to share your power.”

“I doubt she has enough energy right now,” Gabriel started to say.

“I’m going to lose him!” Russ shouted. “Whoever is holding him is too strong for me. Dani, now!”

I hurried over to Russ and when he clasped my hand I felt what little energy I had leave me. I sunk to the floor but I didn’t let go of his hand.

Russ gasped and his hand tightened around mine. “It’s definitely a warlock.” He grunted. “I can almost see—”

Russ was suddenly ripped free from my hand and blown backward a good ten feet. Judging from his cursing he was going to be just fine. I couldn’t say the same for the homeless guy though. He fell to the floor lifeless. His glazed over eyes stared at nothing. After a moment he blinked once, though I thought he’d been dead.

Gabriel picked me up off the ground. “Danielle, are you all right?”

“Just tired,” I muttered, already falling asleep.

When I woke up I was
under my quilt and tucked into Gabriel’s arms. I thought it had all been a dream until I realized we were sleeping on a bed of flattened cardboard boxes. I sat up with a gasp. “What happened?”

“You exhausted your energy, Danielle. Are you feeling better?”

“Much. How long have I been asleep?”

“All day. It is near dark.”

“Where’s Russ?”

“You were stirring. We figured you would wake soon so he went to went out to get us something to eat.”

“But he’s okay?”

“He looks as though he took a beating, but he has not complained. I am more concerned about you.”

Gabriel brushed the hair out of my eyes, then took my face in his hands. I shivered, and knew I was still in need of more energy. I got caught in his big, dark, glossy eyes and thought of the last time he’d held me like this. Desire swelled in me as I remembered the delicate kiss we’d shared just last night, and then I remembered what he’d said about being able to feel my desire.

“Danielle,” he whispered, sensing my sudden panic. “I—” His eyes drifted down to my lips and he lost his train of thought. His breathing quickened, causing my adrenaline to spike.

“I’m back!” Russ interrupted. His voice was strong even though his teeth were clenched.

We both jumped but it was only me who scrambled away. Gabriel hadn’t moved an inch and looked disappointed that I had.

Russ was standing in the doorway gripping a fast food bag in one hand with white knuckles and holding a drink carrier in the other. He was shaking enough that the cups were spilling soda out of the tops of the lids. I waited for his outburst but all he said to Gabriel was, “Hope you aren’t a vegetarian. All I could find was burgers.”

Russ set the food down and then walked off without saying another word. I turned to Gabriel and he already knew what I was going to say. “Yes. Go speak with him.”

I ran across the warehouse before he could get out the door. “Russ, wait!”

Russ didn’t stop walking until I followed him out onto the unprotected streets of Newark. When I was out in the open he whirled on me. “Go back inside before I have to save your life again.”

“Damn it, Russ, I’m sorry! I know this isn’t what you expected when you came to see me, but—”

“What I expected?” Russ let out a harsh laugh. “What I expected was for you and me to be with my dad by now and making up for lost time.”

“What do you mean?”

“Dani, you can be so dense sometimes.”

I’d meant to be calm, but my temper flared to match his. “Why don’t you spell it out for me then since I’m so stupid.”

A pair of headlights came around a corner a couple of blocks down the street and Russ pushed me back in the warehouse. He waited until the car was gone, then leaned his back against the wall and banged his head on it.

“Russ?”

He glared at me. “Swimming in the lake that day,” he said. “Sharing my magic with you, having no secrets between us anymore, and finally,
finally
crossing the friendship boundary, was the best moment of my entire life. For a few minutes I had everything I ever wanted.” Russ’s eyes flicked to Gabriel and his voice turned bitter. “Right now I wish I’d never had that moment. I wish I didn’t know what it was like to kiss you. When I saw the way you looked at him just now I wished I’d never even met you.”

“How can you say that when we were never together? All the years I’ve known you, you’ve never said anything. You never even hinted.”

“I assumed you knew.”

“Why would I?” I asked.

“Come on. I spent every minute I could with you. I never went out with anyone else.”

“Neither did I.”

“Yeah, and I thought that was because you were happy with me, too.”

“I was happy.” I pulled Russ’s hand into mine and forced myself to look him straight in the eyes. “I love you too, Russ. Always. No matter what.”

“You say that, but do you? Do you really?”

“Of course I do. Things are just a lot more complicated now.” I had to look away from him. “I’m so confused, Russ. What the Supreme High Councilor did to me, it’s like my feelings aren’t my own anymore. I hate that this is hurting you, but I don’t know what to do. Gabriel—he’s a part of my life now too, whether I like it or not. I’m sorry.”