Cross the Line: A Gabriella Cross Paranormal Romance Book 2 by M.J. Lovestone Page B

nullified her, and images of Derek crying and speaking words of regret and love while he raped her.
    Gabby cried out, not recognizing her own strangled, haunted voice.
    She lay there, curled up in a ball, sobbing. At some point in her vampire-blood-induced delirium, she slipped into fitful sleep, but she could not escape her tortured thoughts even in slumber, for dark dreams of blood and tears haunted her all through the night.

Chapter 9
     
     
    Gabby woke up with her face pressed to the cold floor. Her phone had been ringing and was still vibrating in her pocket. She thought to let it go to voicemail, but then remembered Quip. Hurriedly she fished it out of her pocket and answered.
    “Hello?”
    “Gabby?”
    “Juliette, how is Quip doing?”
    “Quip is doing fine, got out of surgery a few hours ago. I left you a voicemail.”
    Gabby breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks for letting me know.”
    “That’s not why I called. I need you to come to Steele Tower as quickly as possible.”
    “Seriously? I’m not feeling too hot right now,” said Gabby, pulling her aching body up off the floor.
    “Yeah, seriously. It’s an emergency. You’ll be filled in when you get here.”
    “I’ll need some time to get ready.”
    “Hurry up,” said Juliette, hanging up before Gabby could argue.
    Gabby fed her cat Mitzy and took a quick shower. She wondered all the while what kind of job they had for her this time.
    Outside, Bob waited in an armored car, along with an escort of two SUVs. Bob was as quiet as he had been the night before, to which Gabby was thankful. She spent a long silent ride to Steele Tower, thinking about everything that had happened the previous night. She chalked up her erratic behavior to the vampire blood, and vowed to herself never to take it again.
    No matter what
     
     
    The car pulled into the garage and Gabby was led to the elevator. After another long silent ride, the doors opened to Michael’s penthouse floor.
    Juliette stood waiting right in front of the door like a soldier. “What took you so long?”
    “I’m here now, what’s the big emergency?”
    Juliette shook her head and beckoned Gabby with a long finger. “Come.”
    Gabby was led to Michael’s bedroom, and to her surprise, she found a disheveled and thrashing Valentine on the bed, still in her dress from the night before.
    “What is she doing here?” Gabby blurted.
    “You know her?”
    “No…I meant, what happened to her.”
    Juliette studied her for a moment, but just then Michael came through another door.
    “Good, you’re here. Come, we haven’t much time.”
    “What’s wrong with her?”
    “Seems she was jumped by a group of vampires outside my club last night. She was able to charm them and get away, but not before being bitten and forced to drink their blood.”
    “Why hasn’t she already turned?” Gabby asked. She dared not get any closer to Valentine. The woman looked demented. She gnashed the air and cried out in pain one moment, but then moaned with ecstasy the next.
    “She has a magic all her own, and so far it is holding the vamp blood at bay. Listen Gabby, this is unlike anything that you’ve ever done. You have to nullify the vamp blood, but not her innate powers. Do you think you can do that?”
    “Jesus, I don’t even know if it’s possible.”
    “You have to try.”
    Michael gestured for her to go to Valentine’s side and stepped back.
    Gabby reluctantly did so, sitting on the edge of the bed.
    Valentine’s eyes focused suddenly, and she looked to Gabby with love in her gaze. “There you are, my love,” she said softly, seductively.
    “Uh, you two should wait out in the other room. I need to focus,” said Gabby.
    Juliette looked to her brother for affirmation. The look on his face said “I don’t know…” but he finally gave a pensive nod. His eyes lingered on Gabby for a moment before he finally turned and left her to her work.
    Gabby turned back to Valentine, who had returned to her