Embrace the Night

Page 152



sigh, he withdrew a sharp wooden stake and a hammer from the sack and went into Sara's bedroom.
Gabriel lay as before.

Unmoving.

Undead.

Fear rose up in Maurice as he gazed at the man on the bed. Not a man, he reminded himself, a monster, a fiend who lived off the blood of others, a demon who must be destroyed before he turned Sara Jayne into what he was.

It was the thought of Sara that gave Maurice the courage to lift the stake. He could hear Sara Jayne pounding on the door, screaming for him to stop, as he positioned the sharpened end of the hawthorn stake over Gabriel's heart.

Holding his breath, he raised the hammer, his gorge rising at the mere idea of what he was about to do. He was bringing the hammer down when Gabriel's hand closed around his forearm.

The hammer fell from a hand gone suddenly numb as Maurice stared down into the face of death. Gabriel's eyes blazed with an unholy fire; his lips were drawn back in a feral snarl, revealing sharp white fangs.

With his free hand, Gabriel tore the cross from the chain dangling down Maurice's chest. The silver burned his palm as he threw the crucifix across the room.

"Did you think to kill me so easily?" Gabriel asked as he tossed the stake after the crucifix.

Maurice couldn't speak. Cold sweat beaded his brow and trickled down his back as he stared at the monster lying on the bed.

Sara's voice, crying, pleading, filled the silence.

"What have you done to her?" Gabriel asked, his voice low and silky and dangerous.

Maurice opened his mouth, but no words came out, and he shook his head vigorously, his whole body trembling. He winced as Gabriel tightened his hold on his arm.

"Fool," Gabriel said. "Did you truly think a puny mortal like yourself could destroy me? I've survived for over three hundred and fifty years, little man."

"But…" The word squeaked past Maurice's lips.

"You thought to find me helpless," Gabriel mused. "You should not have put your faith in those silly stories about vampires. Only the very young ones are totally helpless during the hours of daylight." A wry grin twisted Gabriel's lips. "As you are helpless."

"Please…"

Gabriel arched one brow. "You don't wish to die?"