I Like You

He played with the ends of my dark hair, twirling a strand in his finger. "It changes color in the light. Sometimes it's black, other times there seem to be blond highlights. It's magical." He released my hair and lifted my chin. "Like you, Snowflake."

"I'm not." My cheeks burned at the compliment.

The bloodlust grew by a couple of degrees.

Would Gabe offer his blood to me the way Dorian had?

At the thought, my heart began to match Gabe's beat for beat.

"Snow," he said with hesitation.

Curious, I searched his face.

"I've liked you for a long time," he said.

"I know. I like you, too." I returned eagerly.

The final embers of sunlight gleamed through the thick trees, causing rays of light to streak onto a portion of Gabe's face.

Half of his face was shadowed, and the other half seemed to glow.

"No, I mean, like-like you," he said.

Comprehension dawned, and I nearly smacked myself in the forehead with the palm of my hand.

"I wasn't sure. I thought you thought of me as just a sister