Chapter 42

I leaned over the railing to the stairs, observing cautiously as the front door swung open and Gabriel strode in. He was coated with a light sheen of sweat (a detail which I attempted to ignore as the smell was surprisingly alluring), his hair slightly matted. His clothes stuck to his sweaty skin and I tried not to stare at the defined muscles beneath the thin layer of fabric. Although most of his agitation seemed to have ceased, Gabriel still looked tense. His unfathomable eyes found me almost immediately and he halted, staring up at me. The silence stretched out over a few seconds as I tried to find something to say. I realized that my anger from earlier had abated somewhat. I hadn't meant to set him off. Still though, his overreaction was a bit extreme. I would have to remember not to bring Will up again. For once, Gabriel broke the silence. "I spoke with Eli. He agrees with me that we need to test your fighting ability. You'll start tomorrow."