Gabriel shifted towards her. Deidre sprang back.
"Okay," she said, uncomfortable with the idea she had no control whatsoever over the man before her. He didn't answer to her anymore, as he had for thousands of years.
Did she expect him to?
Confused, she turned her back to him and pulled her shirt up to expose the marking. Gabriel placed a large hand on her back. She gasped, the heat and energy of his touch making her shiver. Fully splayed, it would almost cover the width of her petite frame. The thought of letting him run those hands wherever he wanted thrilled the human in her and terrified the former goddess.
She pushed her shirt down and moved away to break contact, facing him again when half the bed was between them.
"Just when things seem to be going well," he said and stood. Fire flashed in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked uncertainly.
He crossed his arms, dark gaze hard, towering in the bedroom that suddenly felt too small for her.
"What's wrong," he repeated. "Do you have any idea what he could've done to you?"
She was quiet.
"Why the fuck couldn't you come to me first?"
She flushed and looked away. She'd seen him upset but never angry. Neither she nor human-Deidre thought to involve Gabriel in their plans. They were more alike than Deidre realized; they both sought out Darkyn for quiet deals they hoped would result in ending up with Gabriel. Only one of them made it out of Hell, though.
"My mate trusts the Dark One over me to help her. It's a shitty way to start things off." Furious, he started towards the door.
Deidre swallowed hard, wanting to chase after him but unsettled by his anger and the changes in him. She waited her whole life for this moment, and all she was able to do was watch him leave her. The human emotions were crippling the cold logic that brought her to this point. She couldn't lose him now, because of human weakness!
"Gabriel, wait!" she called.
He stopped at the door but didn't turn.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"To do my job. Right now, I need to kill some demons."
"I thought … I thought this would make you happy."
"You know what would make me happy, Deidre?"
"What?"
"Being able to trust my own mate. Neither Deidre ever understood that."
She stared after him. She had to say something to keep him from leaving her, but she was too stunned. He waited. She screamed at herself silently, afraid he meant to walk out the door forever.
"Did that go the way you expected?" he asked quietly.