Page 52 of A Vampire's Pain

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“What do you mean?”

“Dominic might have been against being king and all of that, but he has always made sure to help others. Gabriel only looks out for himself,” Damon told me.

I wanted to tell him that was not true because maybe that was what Damon saw, but I had seen something else, and it was good. Gabriel was good.

“You should have seen the way he treats women too,” Damon said.

“Because you’re such a saint,” I mumbled.

“What?”

“What?” I asked.

Damon looked at me confused.

“I just think it is wrong to judge if you aren’t so much better yourself,” I said.

Where did this sudden aggression suddenly come from? I was not sure, but I had an idea … There was definitely no doubt that Gabriel and I were mates, and I was slowly starting to become attached. I was starting to feel possessive.

“You think I am like Gabriel?” he asked. “You don’t know him.”

“I am just saying it is not like you are asking all those girls you are with to get bound to you!” I said. “You like sleeping around too.”

“Val!” he said.

“What?! You think I am deaf?” I asked.

He sighed and tiredly rubbed his eyes.

“Of course not,” he said, as he lowered his hands. “I just …”

“Didn’t expect me to call you out on it?” I asked.

He smiled a little.

“Yes,” he said.

“So, you both sleep around, so what?”

“He tricks them. I never promise anything.”

“You have a different way to get women,” I just said, even though it pained me to talk about Gabriel being with others.

“It is not just that,” Damon said. “Gabriel has been cruel in the past.”

“Towards women?”

Damon nodded.

“He likes the games. He knows he can get them in a different way, but he likes the power he gets from it,” Damon said.

I didn’t like to hear this … I didn’t want to think of Gabriel as cruel. He had treated me with nothing but kindness and honesty. This conversation was definitely not going the way I wanted it to.

“I just don’t like him,” Damon said.

“Do … Do you think you will ever change your mind?” I asked.

Damon thought over it for a few seconds but then shook his head.

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