Embrace the Night

Page 126



attractive. Suddenly she yearned to be in his arms once more, to hear his voice whispering her name, to taste his kisses. Man or monster, she loved him, would always love him.

Gabriel met her gaze, though it was difficult for him to look at her now. Only a short time ago, she had seen him at his worst, seen him as he really was. Few people had ever seen him when the hunger was fast upon him and lived to tell the tale.

He wished he could hold her.
He wished she would go away.

"Was there something you wanted, Sara?"
"I… Maurice is here. We're going out to dinner."

The faintest glimmer of amusement flickered in Gabriel's dark eyes. "Yes," he murmured dryly, "I was thinking of going out for… dinner… myself."
He watched the color drain from her face as she absorbed his meaning. "How can you make jokes about… about what you do?" "Believe me, Sara, there's nothing funny about it." "Have you… ?"

"Have I what?"

"Have you killed a great many people?"

He shrugged, trying not to be offended by the revulsion in her voice, by the morbid curiosity in her eyes. "Not many," he replied coldly. "Are you in fear for your life now?"

"No! I just thought… I mean…"

"It isn't necessary for me to kill to survive. I no longer require a great deal of blood, nor do I need it each day."

His gaze held hers. He wanted suddenly to hurt her, to shock her, or perhaps he merely needed to remind himself of the vast gulf between them.

"If I'm desperate, the blood of animals will suffice. In extreme cases, I've been known to dine on the blood of rats."

"Why are you telling me this? Do you think it will make me love you less? Are you still trying to drive me away?"

He couldn't look at her any longer, couldn't abide the overwhelming pity, the faint glimmer of revulsion, that lingered in her eyes.