Bab 14: Gabriel: The Vampire King (2)
"Luther, bring Paul and Nathan in here. Esme, come here." Gabriel's voice was quiet yet commanding and sent a shiver down her spine. He beckoned her over with his finger.
Esme felt her palms becoming sweaty, and she casually wiped them on her jeans, wincing slightly at her injured hand. She walked around the bar and to the spot where that man had been kneeling. She met Gabriel's gaze and felt her feverish state drop slightly; she couldn't tell what he was thinking. "Would you like something to drink?" She calmly asked, her voice unwavering.
"No. How did you injure your hand?" He questioned, his gaze flicking to Esme's hand by her side and back to her face once more.
Esme flexed her hand and looked at it. Should she tell him?
"Lie. If you tell him what happened, he will take Paul's side. We are singled out as the only werewolf," Isana whispered.
"If I were you, I would tell the truth," Gabriel drawled as he held her gaze and lifted the tumbler to his lips; the ice clinked in the glass as he sipped on what looked and smelt like whiskey.
Esme sighed, she knew she could not outrun a vampire, let alone the damn King, but she wanted to see what sort of a man Gabriel was. He was a vampire, but as a King, there was a lot of responsibility. He told Niko that she would have no help from him, but what if she was not in the wrong?
She decided to use this as a test. If she were to be punished, then it was a sign that she should leave. Paul now had a grudge on her, and she knew from experience that this would not be the last time he'd try something.
"HOW did you injure your hand?" Gabriel asked again, his voice thundered in the room.
"I had a disagreement with Paul, and he crushed my fingers," Esme stated simply.
"What was this disagreement?" The vampire tapped his finger against the glass's edge as he bore his eyes into hers. She felt glued to the spot. But on his question, Esme thought back to what happened, and she frowned.
How ridiculous, she scoffed quietly.
"I must have ignored Paul calling after me.." She replied lamely.
It was then the door swung open, and in entered Luther, Paul and Nathan. "Esme, take a seat," Gabriel said, patting the spot by his side. Her eyes widened, and she parted her lips to politely decline. "Now." His voice deepened, and she swore the red flecks in his eyes glowed briefly.
Esme immediately followed his command and sat next to him, though she made sure to leave enough space between them that would seat another body. She sat down stiffly, her back straight, her face forwards and her hands in her lap. Gabriel chuckled under his breath, gaining her attention, she looked at him, but he stared at the two vampires now standing before him, their heads bowed.
"Your majesty," Nathan and Paul spoke simultaneously. Luther was now back at the bar, his glass of wine in one hand as he watched on like a spectator to a play.
"I was informed of an incident that happened in the staff room. EXPLAIN." His voice was hard, lacking any emotion.
Paul's head snapped up, and he glanced at Esme, his features souring momentarily before he met Gabriel's gaze and looked at his shoes again. "Esme attacked me out of nowhere and said because I wasn't a pureblood, it didn't matter if I died.. I only defended myself then Leo interrupted us-"
"The human?" Gabriel interrupted sharply.
"I-I compelled him, sire. He does not remember anything," Nathan stuttered, his head still bowed.
"Hmm," Gabriel pushed himself off from the couch and appeared just before Nathan. "Do you agree to what Paul just said?" He asked; his voice was somewhat menacing as though if he were to lie, then he would end him. Nathan lifted his head up and looked at Gabriel, his face paling.
"W-well.. He called out to her, and she ignored him. I'm not sure what happened next, but then Esme held him by the throat, and Paul grabbed her by the hand-"
"You know there is one thing I hate above everything else.. and that is when people lie to me.." Gabriel cut in and stepped in front of Paul. He looked down at him like he was nothing but a bug beneath his shoes, easy to squish.
"Your highness! I-"
Gabriel smacked Paul's face, who flew backwards and crashed into the stage, flopping onto his hands and knees. Esme jolted and stood up, staring wide-eyed. The only other person to react in the room was Nathan, who cringed but didn't even look around at his friend. The others watched on like there was nothing special to be seen.
The atmosphere grew tense and silent; the only noise heard was Gabriel's footsteps, who approached Paul nonchalantly, raking his hand through his hair and the other relaxed in his trouser pocket. Paul kept his head low and did not move or say a word. "I do not understand what makes people think they can lie to me. Luther, do you know?" He asked while staring down at the hunched-over body on the floor.
"No, Gabriel. I do not," Luther replied with amusement flashing behind his green eyes. Esme returned her gaze to Gabriel's back.
"Esme is my employee. I accepted her into working at ONYX. ANYONE who is against this, in turn, is against my judgement and against my rule-"
"Sire, I did not mean to disrespect you. I would never-"
"No matter. I see that I must have this in writing or make it evidently clear that my decisions are final. Esme.." Gabriel's deadly voice dropped, and he stepped the heel of his shoe on top of Paul's hand. He cried out in pain as the room filled up with the slow, crunching sound of his bones breaking beneath Gabriel's foot. "Is NOT to be touched."
"What a wuss," Isana smirked; she was satisfied by the sight. But Esme was not satisfied at all. Instead, the scenario, though entirely different, reminded Esme of a day that always haunted her. Her heart started to race as she pushed down the memory.
Gabriel chuckled and stepped away from the bouncer on the ground, he turned to watch Esme, but his gaze fell to her wrist, where she unconsciously reached for a rubber band. His brows furrowed as she pulled the band back and let it snap against her skin, looking away as though the sight in front of her was mortifying.
"Nathan take Paul out of my sight," He snapped while staring at Esme.
The she-wolf slowly sat down and counted to ten in her mind, reminding herself that she was with the Vampire King. For some reason, her racing heart and anxious mind slowly calmed down; that was right, she was safe, and even if Gabriel turned out to be someone who would hurt her, then she would just leave.
She had no attachments here, so it would be easy.
Esme snapped her head back when Gabriel suddenly appeared in front of her, holding a glass of whiskey. "Shall we have that conversation now?" He purred and gently shook the tumbler for her to take. Esme retrieved the glass and nearly jumped after feeling the dip in the sofa beside her. Gabriel sat down and clinked his glass to hers.
Esme pulled her glass back and looked down at her drink with a frown. "Um.. How did you know they were lying?" She asked, not daring to meet his eyes. They were already boring into her head; she could almost feel herself heating up from it. Or was it her body's high temperature already from the need to shift?
"It is simple. I heard everything," Gabriel replied before taking a sip from his drink and resting his arm on the back of the couch. "Now, what I would like to know is why you continue to live in my territory."
Esme met his eyes at that. "Is it illegal for a werewolf to live here, your majesty?" She snapped, then bit her tongue. The fire burning in her blood was not helping with her attitude. This was the King!
"Well, it was nice knowing you, Es," Isana said in a singsong voice.
Gabriel watched her intently; his eyes flickered between hers while his face remained as stoic as ever. Did he want to punish her for talking to him like that, or was he trying to read her? Only his eyes barely gave away what was going on in that handsome head of his.
"No, it is not against the law.. But it is a little odd a she-wolf would rather stay in a city of vampires and not on the outskirts where there is neutral territory like the other rogues," He replied calmly.
Esme lifted the glass and drank the whiskey, using the time to think up an excuse. But when she lowered her glass, her mind was still blank. "What can I say? I'd never lived in a city before, thought I'd try it out," She shrugged and looked at the stage, not meeting Gabriel's stare.
"Is that so.." Gabriel drawled; his voice was smooth like silk as he tapped his finger on the couch behind her. She glanced at how much space there was between them and felt increasingly nervous. Unlike earlier, where she respectfully put at least one seat between them, that was not the case here. "Esme, you are the first werewolf to voluntarily work for me.."
"Are you saying you have forced them to work for you in the past?" She asked, interrupting him and meeting his gaze.
Gabriel's lips twitched into a small smile. "You do not have a filter, do you?" He murmured quietly, then spoke louder, "Are you not afraid of me?"
"Is there a reason to be?" Her question was instantaneous as she tilted her head to the side. "Would you prefer me to be like Paul and Nathan? Shaking before you?"
"She has a death wish.." Esme heard Vinne speak for the first time at the side of the bar. But she did not glance his way; her eyes were locked with Gabriel's. His finger stopped tapping on the couch behind her head, and he leaned closer to her, his eyes observing her face as he did so. Esme did not move from his close proximity.
"Is this why you live among us?" He whispered, "Because you do not fear death?"
"I do not fear death because I have already lived through hell," She stared back into his eyes, her own void of any emotion.
She did not mean to speak so truthfully, but there was something calming about his piercing blue eyes that she couldn't help but speak what was on her mind. Gabriel's eyes flickered between hers as he seemed to gauge her reaction. His other hand touched her bruised one, his finger sliding over the discoloured skin causing goosebumps to flourish along her arms, though only she knew as her arms were covered,
"You need not be scared of me, Esme." His voice resonated in her mind making her eyes widen in surprise. It was as though he had mind-linked her. She blinked and looked at him in wonder. She believed only werewolves to have the power to speak to one another using their minds. "But I would like you to always be truthful with me."
Though it felt different to a mind-link.
"I will try," She replied honestly, earning a small chuckle in response from Gabriel.
"You may finish for the night. I can feel your 'fever' from here," He smirked and looked at her like he knew exactly why she was so hot.
Esme's eyes lit up instantly, and she smiled, "Really!?"
"Really," He confirmed.
"Thank you, your majesty!" Esme hopped up, barely missing knocking her head with his and popped the glass on the table. "Oh, I should tidy-"
"Just leave," Gabriel sighed and waved her off, with his other hand covering his eyes as he leaned his head back on the couch. Esme dashed towards the door, her heels clicking on the floor as she reached for the golden doorknob.
"Oh, and Esme," She stopped and looked at the vampire who still leaned his head on the couch, "You may just call me Gabriel."
The she-wolf nodded her head and stepped outside of the VIP room, closing the door quietly behind her. Gabriel continued to stare at the chandelier as he replayed their conversation in his mind.
"Your interrogation did not go very far.." Luther chuckled as he plopped down in the single armchair to the side of the couch and picked up the tumbler of whiskey Esme left on the coffee table. Gabriel glanced at him through his fingers. "Or did you find everything you needed in.." He tapped his finger to his temple.
Gabriel sighed again, "I cannot read her mind."
"…"
There was a long silence in the room, making Gabriel a little irritable. "What do you mean you can't read her mind? Isn't that a little dangerous to have a rogue she-wolf working here!?" Luther dropped the glass onto the table gently with a slight thud and stared at the King like he'd lost his mind.
Gabriel chuckled. "I can read glimpses of her mind. But it's like there is a curtain between us. It just means she is very private and on guard all the time. And, of course, it is not dangerous. She is only a rogue."
Plus, he could still read her body language, which was still very guarded, but her eyes were like the gate to her soul. If you stared long enough, you could see a rawness, fragility, yet bravery and strength behind those bottomless deep doe-like eyes.
But he noted in the short time he had watched her and spoke to her that she was hiding behind a mask and would not stare long enough for him to read the truth behind those eyes that could swallow him whole.
For the first time in a very long time, he wanted, no needed to know more about someone.
"Luther, bring Nikolaos here. I wish only for Esme to work for me in the VIP room." He heard how that scum Lenny kept asking for Esme, and it irked him.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Kelly_Starrz
Kelly_Starrz This is a little shout out to aoi_hoshi_cath88, who finds all my errors! Thank you!! And if you would like (and want this responsibility, haha), you can name a side character that will show up in the future. Let me know in the comments ;-)
XOXO
Hadiah
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