CHAPTER XLVII

Rachael stands under the shower; playing back earlier events in her mind.

Why did she get mad at Samuel?

She shakes the question out of thought but her restless mind moves to another incident.

She remembers Gabriel's words.

I want you, Rachael.

Why did he say that?

What did he mean?

I can't allow myself to put too much thought into this, she thinks to herself.

Her mind doesn't wander far from this morning.

She bites her lip when she remembers Samuel's shirtless body.

Her imagination is short-lived when she remembers Elena in the equation.

The only person here that shares a bloodline with her, but she has no joy to share with Elena.

The warm water running against her skin feels refreshing.

She closes her eyes and the thought of the twins holding her naked body underneath the shower gets her smiling.

It would be quite a feat to have the twins lusting and loving her.

Recently, she feels pulled to Gabriel and she wonders why.

Is it because he healed her or because he came to save her?

She is confused as she is but she knows she feels something for the twins.

A feeling an employee should not have for their boss but then again, she is only human.

Rachael takes her bath and begins to dress in casual attire before she hears a knock on the door.

She opens the door and sees an unpleasant face.

"What do you want, Elena?" Rachael sighs.

"Can I come in?" "No,".

Elena rolls her eyes.

"Look, I came to tell you I will be helping out with your training.

Every day," Elena says.

"There is no need. Gabriel can handle it," Rachael says.

"I know but Samuel insists," "Well, I insist you don't".

"Look, I have killed more than ten vampires; how many have you killed?

Your boyfriends are immortal and you aren't.

You need to learn from a human who knows how to handle a supernatural," Elena says.

Rachael is annoyed but she knows there is some sense in what Elena says.

"You don't have to like me but let's agree you have to be prepared so you won't be a liability," Elena says rudely.

Rachael frowns at her cousin but still agrees with her.

Rachael doesn't want to be a liability and she has to be prepared if she is serious about killing the seasoned Count.

"Okay, you will train me" Rachael says, "Morning and evening till next week," Elena says.

"Let's shake on it," Elena stretches her hand forward.

There is no need for this, Rachael thinks, but she shakes hands with her anyway.

Elena leaves and Rachael is glad to have their conversation come to an end.

She closes the door behind her and lets out a sigh of relief.

"She is right, you know".

Rachael shrieks in fear as she hears the voice in her room and she swiftly turns to see the intruder.

Her blond hair glitters under the sunlight coming from the open window.

"Elma. Why didn't you just use the door?" Rachael asks as she exhales.

"And miss your expression, hell no" Elma says.

"It is a good thing you agreed to train with her.

An immortal's knowledge will do little for you with your level of experience," Elma says.

"Yeah, I get it".

"So tell me, how is the love triangle going?" Elma asks.

Rachael is surprised by this question and folds her hands.

"What are you talking about?" she asks.

"You are joking, right?

Come on, stop playing with me" Elma says.

"I am serious, I don't know what you are talking about?

What love triangle?"

"You are one clueless bitch, babe" Elma says with a mischievous smile.

She pulls a chair from a table at one edge of the room and sits.

"I wonder who you dream of more, Gabriel or Samuel" Elma says and Rachael's expression changes.

An unexpected statement.

"What are you saying?" Rachael asks the vampire.

"I see the way they look at you. And I see you look at them too.

You know, you can have them both of you want.

I used to," Elma says.

"Okay, I don't think I should know that", Rachael says as she arranges her hair.

"Don't you and Samuel have something going on?" Rachael asks.

"No, we used to fuck but nothing serious ever came of it.

The twins hardly grow attached to vampires," Elma says.

"That's why I'm interested in you Rachael.

What makes you a catch?" she says.

Rachael sits on the bed, "Are you saying that Gabriel and Samuel have feelings for me?".

"You look surprised and clueless," Elma giggles.

"You are sweet Rachael but you are still just a human," she says.

Rachael remembers the condescending attitude the vampire possesses.

"I like you, Rachael. Be good to the boys," she winks at Rachael and stands to leave.

Rachael watches as the sassy vampire catwalks out of her room.

Gabriel walks downstairs majestically, drawing all eyes to himself until he reaches the dance floor.

He walks to a dark corner of the ground floor and opens a door.

He enters a room with dim red lights.

A dancer is performing on the pole and a customer watching and sipping from his glass.

Gabriel goes close to the customer; "Hey Sammy" he says.

The customer is not a customer at all but his partner.

"I want Rachael, Sammy. I have feelings for her," Gabriel says.

"That makes two of us, brother.

I wonder how this will affect us," Samuel says.

"It doesn't have to. One of us just has to let go," Gabriel suggests.

"And which one of us will that be, brother?".

The two immortals tied by blood and bond stare at each other as they ponder on an answer that seems impossible to settle for.

They have shared different things including women but not this time.

This time it is not lustful desires that push their craving for a woman.

They both feel a strong connection to Rachael.

Like a damned soul, they feel tormented by their present situation as neither can tell infatuation from genuine affection.

The brothers pay no attention to the beautiful dancer in front of them.

They hold each other's gaze as they both know the answer to the question.

None of them will back down.

Not for the other.

Not for love.