Claudia turned around, grabbing the leash and using it to pull Gabriel close to her. This close, he could clearly see how quickly her body healed the damage caused by the still sputtering sprinklers. "You want me to shut you up, too?"

He was hers, at least for now. A tiny piece of her wanted to show him that, show him how much power she could have, but instead, she kissed his cheek, then patted it. "Does it bother you to think about what you've lost, Gabriel? To know you were helpless to find me? I learned so many things from your brother, more than you ever would share."