Free Gabriel by Tina Pollick

the change in
her pulse and the flush of her face. “I’ll be right back. Call for me if you
require my assistance.”
    “ Ah, okay. Thanks.”
    When Gabriel returned, Calla
was sitting up in the bed, her back resting against a mound of pillows. He set
the tray on the nightstand, the bucket next to the bed. He hoped she wouldn’t
need it. He prayed she would be able to eat the food humans consumed.
    The aroma of chicken broth
filled the air. Calla glanced at the tray. “What is that?”
    “ I made some broth, crackers, and water.”
    “ That broth smells gross.”
    “ Will you try some?”
    “ No. The smell is making my stomach lurch. I can’t imagine what
would happen if I actually ate it.”
    “ All right, try some crackers.”
    He held the plate with the
saltines out to her. With trembling hands she grabbed a single square and
brought it to her mouth. She took a small bite and spit it out. “Ugh! That was
nasty! Did they go bad?”
    “ No, they have not,” Gabriel said with a grimace.
    “ Please don’t tell me something else is wrong with me.”
    “ I fear you may require blood as sustenance.”
      “ Uh uh. I’m
no vampire, and I don’t drink blood.” Calla’s face paled, and she paused before
continuing. “No, I’m not going to run around and rip out people’s throats.”
Calla rubbed her tongue across her teeth and opened her mouth. “See? No fangs
or piranha teeth. I’m not like them. I could never be like them. They smell,
and their tongues are, ah, snake-like. No, I’m not one of them.” She shuddered.
    “ I am not implying you are a vampire. Kematians require blood to
survive. You may require that to survive as well.”
    She rocked back and forth.
    “ Calla, I did not mean to imply you are now a Kematian, but you did
acquire some of their traits. You snapped my wrist with a small tug. It is a
possibility you acquired their need of blood to sustain yourself.”
    “ I’m not drinking blood. I would rather die first. You see what
they do to people. You saw how it affected me through my memories. How do you
think I could live with myself if I had to live like a leech in order to
survive? I’ll answer that for you. I couldn’t.”
    “ We will figure this out.” Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed and
wrapped his arms around her. “I am not letting you die when I just found you.
If you choose to end your life, know you also choose to end mine as well.”
    Calla pulled away from him.
“Gabriel, our existence is not interdependent. I feel like a monster. Is that
what you want for a soul-mate? A freak? I was afraid to grab the plate for fear
I would shatter it. I don’t have control of anything right now. So don’t mix
our fates.”
    Gabriel was quiet for a
moment, stood, and turned away.
    “ It is too late. Our paths are already entwined.”
    He stalked to the window, and
the blue sky and shining sun gave him some hope. He needed to figure out a way
to change her mind about their future. Maybe if he helped her find a way
through the present, they would have a chance.
      “ If you’re up
to it, I would like to tell you about the Kematians. Are you ready?”
    “ As ready as I’m ever going to be.”
    Gabriel ambled over to the
bed and sat down. He ran a hand through his silky dark hair and sighed. He knew
Calla wasn't like the Kematians, and although Calla was adamant she wasn't as well,
Gabriel knew this was the human form of denial, one of the first stages of
grief. He feared how she would react to the possibility of her transformation
as a half-breed. If she truly understood what may unfold as a result of this,
she might well lose her mind. Gabriel weighed his options, and what he knew
about Calla's mental processes and emotions. And in his heart, he knew she
could handle the truth.
    “ There was a time when chaos reigned across the earth. Humans
worshipped many gods and goddesses, and the Almighty Creator was forgotten.”
    “ It doesn’t sound all that different from