Page 180 of Claim Me
"Fuck you, psycho!" I shoot back, my emotions throwing my thoughts into chaos and driving any chance of a constructive response right out the window.
"You’ve crossed over to the dark side, Gabriel."
I laugh like a madman, my emotions completely out of control, my stream of thoughts chaotic.
"You can’t say who’s truly dark until you make an effort to learn more about who you hate!"
"He brainwashed you, Gabs."
"Or maybe you’re the one who’s brainwashed? We can go back and forth like this forever, Marcel, and it won’t lead anywhere. What the fuck do you want, besides wasting my time?"
"To warn you, because I used to like you, Gabriel. You were a sweet guy. I want to tell you that everything has consequences, and you’ve disappointed me gravely."
"You fucking asshole! That ‘warning’ just makes me want to protect him even more. You’re the one who disappointed me. I was head over heels in love with you, and you sold me out, fabricated evidence against me…!"
Another burst of laughter.
"I’m a man on a mission, Gabriel. And soldiers exist to carry out orders. If they fall in battle, that’s part of their duty, and you were one of those soldiers. Better to lose a soldier than a general, right? I had to make a choice to continue my mission. Sometimes you have to accept losses along the way."
"Wow, that is a hell of a cold-hearted approach! And what mission is that exactly? Attacking someone whose goals and methods you don’t even understand?"
"I know enough to correctly identify the enemy. Be careful you don’t end up standing among them."
"Go to hell, Marcel!"
I hang up. I feel like smashing the phone against the wall, emotions tearing through me. I walk into the bathroom and splash cold water over my face. I lift my head and look at my reflection. I’m red as a beet, veins standing out at my temples, rage shaking me. I can’t believe I was so deeply invested in him for so long, and now he has the nerve to call me, to threaten me.
But then something makes me freeze. His words…
They’ve gained apowerfulally.
That’s the second time I’ve heard that from Marcel. What could that mean? Is someone backing them, supporting their ‘mission’? Someone powerful.
Is it a person or an organization? I almost regret not dragging the conversation out and getting more out of him.
I cup my hands again, fill them with water, and splash my face generously, then a harsh curse slips out of me.
In the next second, I hear soft footsteps in the hallway. I know who’s about to walk in before he does. I turn and look at him.
Blue’s sapphire eyes are wide, searching.
"Something happened. I can feel it through our Bond. You’re upset."
I take a deep breath, even though it almost hurts, and straighten up.
"I got an unpleasant call. Ghosts from the past," I say through clenched teeth.
A moment of silence.
Blue’s gaze shifts to our reflections in the mirror, such a striking contrast, his slight figure next to mine, so much larger and heavier, and yet I’m the one who feels insignificant.
"Marcel," Blue says calmly.
I don’t even need to nod.
"What did he want?"
I let out a loud snort.
