Gabriel's Mate (37 page)

Before he lost himself in the euphoric feelings her blood and her wet and warm channel gave him, he reached out with his mind and connected with her.

Mine for eternity.

Mine always
, her mind answered back and warmed his heart.

Epilogue

Maya arranged the calendar on her new desk and looked around the room. Her own little practice. Sure, her office hours were unorthodox, but so were her patients. She was now officially the first vampire physician in San Francisco.

Gabriel had bought a beautiful Victorian house close to Samson’s, and the basement now housed her medical practice. He’d encouraged her to continue with her medical career even though it meant she had to start all over again and learn everything she could about a vampire’s physical form. Not that she minded. Gabriel was always willing to let her experiment on him. She felt herself smile at the thought.

“You look happy,” a voice came from the door.

Maya looked up.

“I knocked,” Yvette said and entered. “But you didn’t hear me.”

“Daydreaming, I guess.”

Yvette let appreciative glances travel around the room. “I wish you lots of success with your practice.”

“Thank you. I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you wanted to return to New York.”

She could see Yvette hesitate. “That’s why I want to talk to you. With Ricky dead and Gabriel having taken over the running of the San Francisco office, there’ve been some changes.”

Maya raised an eyebrow. Gabriel had not said much about the future of the company and what he and Samson planned on doing after Ricky’s death other than the fact that Gabriel would take Ricky’s place and relinquish his position in New York.

“Gabriel has asked if I wanted to stay in San Francisco. I think he feels he has to offer me something in exchange for saving you from Ricky, when clearly it was a team effort.”

Maya took two steps toward Yvette and put her hand on the woman’s arm. “You were there first. You took him down. I’m grateful for that. I never thought you’d risk your own life for me; I didn’t think you liked me much.”

Yvette smiled. “I liked Ricky even less.”

“Thank you.”

“To get back to Gabriel’s offer—I didn’t want to accept it unless you were okay with it.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It can’t have escaped you that I wanted Gabriel for myself.”

“I can’t blame you for that. He is an amazing man. But you’ve accepted that he’s mine. I have no quarrels with you. If Gabriel wants you to work with him in San Francisco, you shouldn’t let him wait for an answer much longer.”

Yvette put her hand over Maya’s and squeezed it. “I’m glad you feel that way. It makes it easier for me to ask you for something else.”

What else could there be? She and Yvette weren’t exactly friends, even though she hoped that over the years that would change. “Yes?”

“Drake told me you’re a good researcher.”

“I was,” Maya admitted, a twinge of regret charging through her body.

“You could be again. There’s something—” Yvette broke off.

“What is it?” Concern rose in Maya.

“I want a child. But as you know yourself, vampire females are infertile.” Maya heard the desperation in Yvette’s voice. If Yvette knew of Maya’s hopes for her own ability to conceive, Yvette would only feel more devastated. She couldn’t tell her, but she felt for her. She understood her desperation, her longing.

“Yvette.”

Yvette looked up.

“I’ll do all I can—it’ll give me a purpose. I can’t promise I’ll find a cure, but I’ll do my best.”

“Baby, are you coming up so we can —” Gabriel said from the door. “Oh, hi, Yvette.”

Maya looked at her man. He seemed more handsome as each day passed. “Gabriel, Yvette’s come to give you her answer.”

“Excellent; let’s talk.”

Yvette walked toward him, but then looked back. “Thank you, I mean it.”

Gabriel was almost out the door when Maya called after him. “Baby, what was it that you wanted?”

He turned and raked a hungry look over her body, making her shiver with pleasure. He could do that to her with just a look. Her voice was hoarse when she said, “Don’t answer that. I think I get the idea. I’ll be waiting for you.”

THE END

Excerpt of A Touch of Greek

What would the punishment be this time? A year in Hades for giving it to Zeus’ mistress du-jour? Seemed like a fair exchange, Triton thought. It could be worse. He could be bridled from any sexual activities for a decade – which would suck to say the least. Anything, just not that! He’d never survive it. Not sating his sexual urges for a week bordered on excruciating, a decade would be pure torture.

At least in Hades he could screw some desperate souls, and the year would pass by in delicious debauchery. He could deal with the heat and the stench, and surely, Father’s other brother, Hades, wouldn’t make the stay too uncomfortable for him. As long as he kept his hands off Hades’ wife. Now there was a beauty, if there ever was one.

Despite his thoughts, Triton kept his head down and his eyes averted, not willing to piss the king of gods off any further. He cringed convincingly as Zeus lifted his arm and sent another thunderbolt across the blue sky. A sound as loud as a thousand horses’ hooves cracked through the white clouds that hung over Olympus. For sure, his uncle gave an impressive show right there on the terrace of his home overlooking the mortal world of Greece.

Better to play the repentant servant to Zeus. There was no way he was getting out of this mess unscathed. Not even his father Poseidon could help him right now – not that Triton wanted to ask the old man for help. All he’d get would be a lecture.

Besides, in his current state Uncle Zeus wouldn’t listen to anyone, least of all his brother.

Whatever punishment Triton was due, however, would be worth it. By the gods, how Danae’s pale thighs had wrapped around him when he’d pumped into her. Her pink nipples had been erect little peaks topping voluptuous breasts that had bounced up and down, side to side with every thrust he’d delivered. Oh Gods, he’d delivered it to her – several times. She’d screamed her pleasure to the heavens and professed he was a better lover than Zeus, and by the gods, he’d lapped that compliment up the same way he’d gobbled up the cream that had oozed from her quivering pussy.

She’d milked him so many times, he’d collapsed in her arms, unable to move another limb. And that was exactly how Zeus had found him: in her bed, bare-assed, and with his dick still inside her. Talk about
in flagrante
. He wasn’t going to smooth-talk himself out of that one.

Triton took a deep breath and filled his lungs with the sweet scent of ambrosia that drifted his way from just inside the palace. He eyed the spectators who had gathered around them. It hadn’t taken long for them to assemble – one word to the right person and the news had spread like wildfire. Zeus liked an audience as much as the next god, especially when he was ready to hand out punishment.

“Did you hear me?” Zeus’ voice boomed through the warm air, hitting him like a tornado sweeping over the sea. Unlike any storm over the world’s oceans, this was one Triton couldn’t calm, not even with his powers as the god of seafarers and sailors.

Triton lifted his head to meet his uncle’s glare, but was careful not to show his defiance. “Of course, Zeus.”

“Then choose.”

Zeus looked nothing like the mortals depicted him in their books and paintings. He was no old man with a white beard. No, the god of all gods was a virile man looking no older than thirty-five in mortal years, with a chiseled face as beautiful as Michelangelo’s David and as hard as the granite the famous artist had used. Unfortunately, Triton mused. It made competition for some decent pussy on Olympus darn stiff. Only around women would Zeus turn on his charm and melt any female right into his perfect body – or under, which was the preferred position for any woman when around the god.

Again a blast of air came Triton’s way, threatening to uproot his balance.

Choose? What did Zeus want him to choose between?

He would have done well to listen this once, but his uncle’s tirades could go on for hours, and what was the point of taking any notice when he couldn’t change the outcome anyway? However, this time a sinking feeling spread in his stomach as if he was about to gamble away his life.

“Uh, I, …” he stammered.

An angry grunt was Zeus’ reply. “Option one or two. I’m leaving you a choice, but only because my brother has bartered for leniency toward you. Personally, I would crush you with my bare hands. Frankly, boy, I’ve had it with you. Would you like me to remind you of all the things you’ve done?”

Triton’s memory was working just fine. He sure needed no reminder, but he knew better than to anger Zeus while his punishment still hung in the balance.

“Ares’ house still stinks to this day after you dumped a barrel of fish into his atrium and let it rot there.”

Triton remembered all too well. Served the bastard right though – it had been payback for Ares destroying any chances he might have had with the goddess Phoebe by spreading vicious (and of course entirely untrue) rumors about Triton’s sexual prowess – or lack thereof. Any god worth his salt would have reacted the same way.

“Not to even speak of how you seduced the Nymph Metope the night before her wedding. Is nothing sacred to you?”

Well, the dainty creature
had
asked for it – she’d virtually begged him to take her.

Dear God, please show me how to make my husband happy,
she’d prayed
.
So Triton had taken it upon himself to show her a thing or two. Well, maybe three.

“Now choose before I change my mind!”

Triton glanced around the crowd, trying to find any familiar faces amongst it. Somebody had to help him out. He couldn’t very well ask Zeus to repeat the two choices. If he knew that Triton had been daydreaming while he’d let out his tirade, there’d be more-than-hell to pay and all choices would be taken away.

No, whatever he chose now would ultimately be better than what Zeus would hand down if angered even further.

Triton spotted Eros and Hermes, two of his best friends, in the crowd. Maybe they would help him make a decision without Zeus noticing.

As always, Eros’ tunic was slung low across his muscled chest, the material flowing elegantly down to his knees, covering his strong thighs. His bow and quiver hung over his shoulder. He never went anywhere without it. He stood over six feet tall, his dark brown hair cropped short. His friend Hermes, equally tall and strong and as usual wearing his winged sandals that could take him anywhere, stood next to him. He was a crafty fellow and could be relied upon to help him out of a dilemma.

With a barely perceivable move of his head, Triton motioned to his two friends. Both moved their hands in front of their bodies, displaying a number of digits.

From his fist, Eros let one finger emerge. Perfect, his friend had understood him. Triton’s gaze rolled to Hermes’ hand. Two fingers stretched out from his friend’s fist.

By the gods! Those two weren’t in agreement?

What now?

Should he go with Eros, the one who’d never tried to shoot him with one of his arrows even though he deserved it? Not that they worked on a god, but they stung like Hades for a week. Or should he trust Hermes, who’d always had his back when it counted but occasionally played some nasty pranks on him?

Which one of his friends had his best interest in mind? Eros or Hermes?

Another thunderbolt indicated Zeus’ impatience and told Triton his time was up.

“One. I’m taking option one.”

Triton caught Eros’ wicked smile and Hermes’ disappointed stare before Zeus thundered on, “Very well, then. So you think you’re up for the challenge?”

Triton swallowed the rising lump in his throat. “Challenge?”

Instinctively Triton pushed his shoulders back to get ready for battle. He took an extra deep breath of oxygen, re-energizing his body. If there was a challenge to be met, he was ready. How hard could it be?

“Frankly, I thought you would have chosen Hades instead.”

Oh, fuck. He could have had fun in the Underworld. No wonder Hermes had suggested that option. The two of them could have hung out, since Hermes knew the river Styx and the path to the Underworld. Every time Hermes escorted another soul into Hades, they could have visited and had fun. Damn, why hadn’t he listened to him?

Triton glanced at Eros and mouthed
what the fuck?
only to get a lopsided grin as a response.

What for Olympus’ sake had he chosen instead? A sense of foreboding struck him out of nowhere. With bated breath, he looked at Zeus, avoiding his eyes and instead staring at his mouth. There was a pause which felt like an eternity before Zeus finally continued.

“It is decreed then. Triton, you shall be cast out into the human world and only come back when you have found a mortal woman who loves you not for your beauty but your kindness and selflessness.”

Zeus’ laugh echoed against the palace, then rolled down the hills into Greece. In his shock, Triton barely heard what the mortals would perceive as thunder. He couldn’t be hearing right. The mortal world? And under those conditions? Had Zeus gone off his rocker?

“That should keep the bugger busy for the next century,” he heard a spectator whisper.

“Like any woman will ever see past his looks – not a chance in Hades,” another replied and laughed.

Didn’t he know it? Triton was graced with his mother’s beauty: blond hair, blue eyes, and a classical nose. Coupled with a perfect body, there wasn’t anything Triton could physically improve upon. There wasn’t a day that went by when he didn’t get a come hither look from a woman – goddess or mortal. Or scornful looks from gods or men who saw him as clear competition for the affections of their women. But it appeared that his good looks could become a hindrance in his quest to return home.

Triton tossed Eros a pissed off look. Why on earth had his friend – make that ex-friend – given him such bad advice? Eros’ smug smile said it all – he had a secret agenda. He’d wring the love god’s neck as soon as Zeus was gone, and then afterwards, he’d find out Eros’ motives.