Gabriel’s POV
I woke up and looked at my watch. It was 7:30 am. Why was I awake this early? I was sure I would be sleeping this morning. It was 1:15 am when I went to sleep.
I had weird dreams all night. Aria was screaming and I couldn’t find her. I was running through the woods and frantically searching for her. Each time I thought I got closer her screams got more distant.
I guess that constant nightmare wore me out and that was why I was awake this early.
I stretched and got up. I went to the bathroom and did my morning business.
After showering and putting on my clothes, I went downstairs to make myself a cup of coffee.
When I entered the kitchen, I was surprised to see Aria already sitting there.
“Hey, Aria,” I said.
“Good morning, Gabriel,” she said and smiled.
“Why are you awake?” I asked and walked to the coffee maker.
She had already made coffee so I just grabbed a mug and poured myself some coffee.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said quietly.
I walked to the table and sat opposite her. “At all?”
She nodded and sighed. “I tried to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face.”
“I am sorry,” I said and took her hand in mine.
She flinched slightly, but she didn’t pull back.
“It’s okay,” she smiled. “It will get better.”
“I am here for you, you know that,” I said.
“I know. Thank you, Gabriel,” she said and looked up at me. “We are strangers and you opened up your home to me. I don’t think I will ever be able to repay you.”
Oh, how I wished I could tell her that we were not strangers. That this was her home as well. That she would never have to repay me because she was my sister. My family.
I will have to tell her soon. I just didn’t know how to tell her. Especially now after what she found out yesterday.
I squeezed her hand and smiled. “We are not strangers. We are friends. And you don’t have to repay me. Ever.”
She chuckled. “I like that we are friends. But I’m not really sure about not repaying you somehow. I can’t stay in debt, not even to a friend.”
I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell her. But now was not the time. So, I just smiled and nodded.
“Okay, friend. We’ll think of something,” I said and winked at her.
She chuckled and took a sip of her coffee.
“Morning, guys,” Annie said and walked into the kitchen.
“Morning Ann,” I said. “There is coffee.”
“Thank you,” she said and walked over to the coffee maker.
She walked over to us and sat beside Aria.
“I heard you walking around in your room,” Annie said. “You didn’t sleep?”
Aria shook her head. “No, I couldn’t.”
Annie sighed. “I am sorry, A.”
“It’s okay. It will get better,” Aria said and smiled.
“I know it would be hard for you right now but sleeping next to your mate cures everything. It would help you sleep. You wouldn’t have nightmares,” Annie said and smiled.
I frowned. I didn’t like the idea of them sleeping together.
“It is okay, Annie,” Aria said and smiled slightly. “I don’t need that. I will be fine. I don’t want to bother Nick. I am sure he prefers sleeping in his own bed.”
“Oh, he wouldn’t mind at all,” I said with a frown on my face.
Aria looked at me with a confused expression on her face and Annie laughed.
“Gabriel is right,” Annie said. “Mates want to be together, A. There is nothing in this world he wants more than to be with you all the time. Sleep in the same bed as you, and wake up next to you. He would be more than willing if you asked him. Trust me.”
Aria shook her head and smiled. “It is okay, really. I don’t need it. I will be fine.”
“Whatever you say, A,” Annie said and sipped her coffee.
I heard the front door open and a few moments later Nick walked into the kitchen. His eyes went to Aria first.
“You didn’t sleep,” he said.
“Do I really look that bad?” Aria said and chuckled.
“No,” Nick shook his head and sat beside her. “But I know when my mate is not well. I can tell when something is wrong, Aria.”
“It is okay,” she said and smiled at him. “I will be fine.”
Nick looked between me and Annie. I shrugged and Annie sighed.
“I told her that sleeping with you would help,” Annie said.
Nick turned to Aria. “She is right. I will not force you but sleeping next to me would help you. I want you to tell me if you need me, okay?”
Aria nodded and smiled. “I will. Thank you, Nick.”
He kissed her hand and got up to grab himself a cup of coffee.
“So, what is our plan for today?” Annie asked, looking at me and Nick.
“I have to work at the club tonight,” I said. “You can come with me.”
“Maybe we could do that,” Annie said. “What do you say, A? Maybe it would be a good distraction.”
“Okay,” Aria nodded. “Maybe it would be good to leave the house for a while.”
“That’s my girl,” Annie said and winked at Aria.
She chucked and looked up at me. “Can I ask you something, Gabe?”
“Sure,” I said and smiled at her.
“Would it be okay if I go to your library?” she asked. “I want to see if I could find something about this prophecy. Or Victor. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling those two are connected somehow.”
I gulped and forced a smile. “Sure. Tell us if you find anything, okay?”
She smiled and nodded.
I exchanged nervous looks with Nick and Annie. But I knew she would not find anything about the prophecy. Only about Victor.
“I will go with you and help you, A,” Annie said and stood up.
“That would be great, thanks,” Aria said and smiled.
“Nick and I will be in the study if you need us,” I said and walked out of the kitchen.
I heard Nick following me.
I stepped inside and closed the door behind us.
I turned to Nick with a serious expression on my face.
“We have to tell her,” I said.
Aria’s POV
I could already feel the consequences of not sleeping the entire night.
My eyelids were heavy, and my mind was a blur.
I was reading a book inside Gabe’s library, but the words were just mixing together. My tired mind wasn’t able to make sense of the things I was reading.
Annie was beside me, flipping through some books. She didn’t have any luck finding anything so far.
So she said. I still didn’t really believe them. They were hiding something. I knew it.
But after what had happened, I couldn’t go to the City library alone. Not that I would want to. I was afraid. And, even though it was hard for me to admit, I felt safer around Nick and Gabriel.
So the only way to look for some information was to look here. And to do that I had to tell them why I wanted to come in here.
And I did feel safer knowing that Nick and Gabriel were just downstairs.
This mate bond stuff was really powerful. I wanted to be around Nick all the time. When he touched me, I felt complete. I felt safe. I felt tingles all over my body and I didn’t want that feeling to end.
I felt similar around Gabriel. Safe and complete, but in a totally different way. It was very confusing.
On the other hand, I was terrified. I didn’t want anybody to touch me. When they did, I felt the need to run and never stop running.
I knew they would never hurt me. But my body didn’t listen to me. And I was getting tired of these confusing reactions.
“Did you find anything?” Annie asked me.
I shook my head. “No. You?”
“Nothing. Just boring political and legal stuff,” she said.
I heard my phone ring and I grabbed it.
It was a text message from Ian. He had managed to speak to somebody who worked with Claudia. He didn’t get any relevant information yet, though.
But he worked fast. I thought it would take him longer to do that.
I messaged him back to tell him I won’t be able to meet with him and we would have to exchange information over the phone.
“Who are you texting?” Annie asked and looked up at me.
Should I tell her?
“Is it Jack?” she asked with a frown on her face.
“Goddess, Annie, no,” I said quickly.
“Then who?”
“Ian,” I said quietly.
“Ian?” she asked, confused. “Who is that?”
“The receptionist guy from the hotel I stayed in when I first came here,” I explained.
She looked at me wide-eyed. “Oh, my Goddess, Aria! Why are you talking to him?”
“Annie. Shh. Keep it down,” I told her quietly. “It is not what you think.”
“What is it like then?” she asked and crossed her arms over her chest.
What is she? A mate bond keeper?
“He is helping me,” I said.
“To do what?” she frowned.
“To find as much as I can about Claudia Richardson and the prophecy,” I explained.
“He knows about us?” she asked, surprised.
I nodded. “Yes. And he wanted to help me.”
“He would do a lot more for you, trust me,” she said, frowning.
“Come on, Annie,” I said. “He is a friend. Nothing more.”
“You better hope that Nick doesn’t find out about him,” she said. “He will freak out.”
“He won’t,” I said. “And, besides, there is nothing to find out about.”
“Did he find something about Claudia?” she asked me.
I shook my head. “Nothing yet. He will let me know if he does.”
She nodded and went back to reading her book.
I closed the book I was reading and walked over to the shelves. I looked around to find a book that could help me.
After a few minutes of searching, I saw a small black book shoved between the two larger ones. It almost looked hidden. I took it out and read the title.
It was only one word. Magic.
It looked interesting so I took it and sat back down on the couch.
The first few chapters were not that interesting. History of magic and spells. The next few chapters talked about potions and herbs. But the last chapter caught my attention.
It simply said: “Prophecies”.
I flipped over to the last chapter and started reading. It was about prophecies that already happened. It was about who made those prophecies and what they meant to the supernatural world. Nothing useful to me. I needed to know about the prophecy that didn’t happen already.
Just as I was about to close the book, I saw an interesting sentence. There is another prophecy that is yet to happen. It will change both the supernatural and human world.
I continued reading and this book said that there was a prophecy that said in the future twins will be born. Twins that are so powerful that at the age of 22, they will rule the supernaturals. They will be fair and just, and they will bring true peace between supernaturals and humans. But there will be a man. A cruel one who will try to take away the twins’ powers, rule over the supernaturals and wipe the humans from the face of the Earth.
I was so focused on reading about this that I didn’t hear Annie calling me.
“Aria?”
I looked up at her. “Sorry. I got lost. Did you find something?”
“I did,” she said. “Victor was a powerful warlock and politician who wanted to rule over the supernaturals and eradicate human beings. Other powerful supernaturals found out about his plans and removed him from his position.”
I stared at her in shock. Was Victor the man from the prophecy? But who were the twins? And how did I fit in this prophecy? I was not powerful, and I didn’t have a sibling.
“Aria?” Annie called me again. “Are you okay? Did you find something?”
“No,” I said, trying to sound calm. “I was just shocked how cruel some beings are.”
We were interrupted by a knock on the door. Nick walked in and I immediately felt tingles all over my body.
“Hey, girls,” he said and smiled. “Are you hungry?”
Annie nodded and I shook my head. Nick looked at me with a frown on his face.
“You should eat, Aria,” he said.
“Fine,” I sighed and got up. “I will try.”
Nick gave me a warm smile and took my hand into his. Annie left the library and walked downstairs.
“I just have to put this book back. I will meet you downstairs,” I said and smiled.
“Okay, love,” he said and walked out.
Every time he called me love, a part of me melted. I adored it when he said that. I hope he will never stop.
I walked to the shelves and placed the book back where I found it.
I turned around and walked out of the library.
I had to learn more about this prophecy. Was it about Victor? And who were those powerful twins? How did I fit in? Did I even find the right one?
