Read Better Off Dead : A Lucy Hart, Deathdealer Novel (Book One) Page 2
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Across town, high above the city in a building still being built, Delia waited for him. Standing at the edge of the scaffolding she peered out into the night. Nothing separated her from the winds that whipped through her long blonde hair. She did not turn as he approached, yet he was certain she knew he was there.
Gabriel strode toward her, breathing heavily from the climb—the service elevator was disabled when the construction crew vacated for the night. He ignored the sinking feeling that threatened to plummet him to his death, and moved up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.
“Why always so high, Delia?” he said breathily. “Are you trying to kill me?”
He could tell she was smiling. “Testing you, maybe… or maybe I’m testing your love.”
He gave a little bark of laughter. “How much more must you test that? By now you should know how much I want you.” He turned her around and gazed into her cool blue eyes. Her arms were bare, her flesh cold to his touch. He hadn’t gotten used to that enough to ignore it. But someday he hoped he would.
She purposely closed her eyes. “Want and love are not the same thing.”
Gabriel’s hands moved up and caressed her face, and then gently pulled her to him. When their lips made contact a cool thrill sparked through his entire body. She gasped as she fell forward, against his broad chest. Even through the shirt he wore he could feel the chill of her touch. He kissed her long and true. There was no other woman on earth he desired, only her.
Delia pushed away from him and held a hand to her lips, the other outstretched to keep him at arm’s length. “As I said, want and love are different.”
Gabriel took hold of her wrist and pressed her hand against his chest, right where his heart pounded with strong, hard beats. “I love you... you know that!”
Her eyes glinted coldly as she appraised him with her gaze. “But we’re stuck.”
“Don’t start that again. I love you. I’ve proven that time and time again. I defy my own family to be with you.”
Delia hissed. “They know nothing of us being together. How is that defiance? It’s cowardice!”
Gabriel still had her hand held to his heart. “Does this heart beat the song of a coward?”
Her eyes bored cold and brutal into him. “But your heart can’t tell your family about me. Only you can tell them how much you love me.” She glared at him, not blinking. “That you choose me.”
Gabriel groaned and shook his head. “And what would happen if I did? What would happen if either of our families found out about us?” He gently took hold of her chin and drew her face up until her eyes met his. “If they had even a clue, there would be war, and you know it.”
“We could make them see!” Her eyes flashed haughtily. “Change their minds.”
“Our families? Changing their minds after all this time? The word impossible comes to mind.”
“You won’t even consider it?” She pushed away from him. “Even if it was the only way we could be together?”
“I think about us being together every day.” He pulled her to him again, buried his face in the cool, smooth flesh of her neck and inhaled her intoxicating scent. “And I want nothing more than to tell my parents about us.” He sighed, conflict storming inside him. “Being in love should be a happy thing, something to celebrate. Not something to hide at all costs.”
“If we were brave we would tell them, force them to accept us.”
“Because that worked so well for Romeo and Juliet.”
Delia’s laughter was bitter as it rattled in her chest. She pushed away from him again and rolled her eyes. “I would have to fall for a freaking bookworm.”
Gabriel held out his hands beseechingly.
“I am a warrior,” Delia said flatly. “In six centuries I have neither run from a battle, nor hidden who I was. I am vampire. The strongest warrior of my people, and they would listen to me.”
“But would your father?” he said.
Delia’s expression faltered as Gabriel continued.
“He’s King, not you. Would he listen to another word you said if you told him I was your man?”
For a brief moment Gabriel thought he had gotten through to her. But then her back straightened and the steely resolve returned to her features. “He would listen to me. I would make him listen.”
“He’d kill me,” Gabriel groused. “Then he would probably execute you. Mingling of the species is against vampire sovereign law. Not even he could change that edict.”
“Coward!” she spat, her expression menacing.
“If there was a way,” Gabriel said, “you know I would do anything to be with you.”
Delia’s eyes snapped open wide and then sparkled as a smile flashed across her face.
“What?” He asked cautiously.
Her gaze flitted away from him, darting here and there as she seemed to be chasing a tantalizing thought. She raised her hand; fingers outstretched, and then clasped them shut as if she’d seized a thought out of thin air. “I have an idea.”
Gabriel stared at her for a few beats. “And would you like to share this idea?”
Delia’s gaze darted back to him, brimming with excitement. “No… not yet.” She turned and strode away from him, looking back at him over her shoulder as she came to the edge of the scaffolding. “But soon…”
She stepped off the ledge and disappeared out of sight. Gabriel groaned and gritted his teeth and looked up in exasperation. He hated when she did that. He was certain she would land on her feet, unscathed, but he hated when she willfully tossed herself from such heights.