Gabrielle Zevin Books Novels & Stories

Gabriel's POV "So Elizabeth Bathory really was a vampire?" I asked, the journal open on my lap. My leg was crossed over the other, giving me a flat surface to work on while I face Vivianna. I took notes as I analyzed everything she had to say. It was like a dam of information had cracked wide open, spilling and overflowing the river beneath it. All of the pieces were falling together. The mystery of the portrait under the library. The missing people. How Vivianna enticed me.

"You have no idea what Vesper wants." "And you do?" Gabby scoffed, walking toward the drink cabinet, her movements loose and unsteady. "Yes. I know Vesper thinks she's in love with Zevran, but from my Investigation, I think it's just Stockholm syndrome." She grabbed a bottle of wine and fumbled with the cork. "Don't be ridiculous."

I rolled my eyes and leaned back against my chair. “Oh man, she gave you a typical book that women like to read” “Cheesy romance?” I shuddered. Gabriel laughed slightly, jutting the book in my direction. “Don't ever say that to a woman's face” “What? They don't like being told that?” “They treasure this type of…words on papers…” he started turning the book again like it was something interesting. “” It's full of vulgar…words and scenes” I shuddered slightly.

"How did you know th— I mean, what are you talking about? I’m not attracted to anyone. I—I'm not—" "Sugar, I do voodoo shit. I own a tent at a carnival with a table, a couple chairs, and a crystal ball. I make stuff up sometimes. But when my magic works..." She made an explosion sound with her hands. "I just know. These lips tell the future." I think I forgot how to think. "Gabby, please tell me you didn’t scare her," Stefano sighed as he came in with Theo riding piggyback. "I didn’t. I was just showing her what I’m good at." Gabriella winked at me before excusing herself to grab a bottle of wine from the cellar.

Unfortunately, when Winnie came out of the palace to head home, Gabriella spotted and a sense of reasoning hit her. She planned to meet with Winnie to ask her for a favor because Gabriella was already aware that Winnie had black magic powers and that she would be of great help to her in dealing with Alvina. Gabriella marked the guard she saw with Winnie. She chuckled and muttered,“ Alvina, you shall see the awful side of me in due time. Just wait and see what will happen next.”

I straightened my blazer, lifted my chin, and practically skipped past Gabriel toward my desk, heart racing for an entirely new reason now. ⸻ Back at my desk, I collapsed into my chair and let out the longest, most dramatic sigh known to mankind. Zayne Vale was trouble. Capital T, neon-sign, air-raid-siren trouble wrapped in a six-foot-four package of pure, unfiltered masculine heat. Funny, protective, confident, and that voice—God, that voice could melt steel, start wars, probably make hardened criminals confess to crimes they didn’t commit. It wasn’t the same wildfire that Gabriel set off in me, not even close. Gabriel was a raging inferno I couldn’t control, couldn’t escape, couldn’t stop

"Fair enough. Let's see... when I was younger, I used to sneak out of my father's meetings and go to the library. I loved reading about history and strategy. It felt like my little escape from the world of guns and deals." Gabriella's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I would never have guessed." Enzo nodded. "Yes, books were my sanctuary. They still are, in a way." Gabriella smiled, feeling a deeper connection with him. "Looks like we have more in common than we thought." Enzo smiled, "It seems so." Gabriella opened her mouth to speak but she was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. They both turned to see a servant coming towards them and a woman beside her, dressed like she

“Go with God, Gabriel.” Gabriel left in a hurry, dropping a kiss on her forehead and wishing her a good day with that sweet smile she was beginning to think of as home. When the door closed, silence draped the apartment like a veil. Celina sat at the table, grabbed her mug of hot chocolate and opened her laptop as she did every morning. It was her ritual—reply to comments, review yesterday’s work, post chapters, plan the next ones. While eating a slice of bread with jam, she opened a browser tab to check the news—something she’d been avoiding lately. But curiosity, or maybe some unconscious impulse, won out. And there it was, like a knife to the gut:

Gabriella chuckled and patted an invincible dust from my shoulder like she knew I was stressed. “Don’t let her get to you, we would do better,” she entered and I frowned. She was far worse than the other. Genevieve was straight forward and to the point. Almost like Tiana. And it made her feature and beauty sharper. Not to add that she was also dark skinned, brown eyes, like Jordan. Yes, we had them mixed. Gabriella was evasive, fair, blue eyes, beautiful and would pretend to be a good daughter only to do worse behind. With Genevieve, I know what to expect, with Gabriella, I rather she never patronizes me.

GABRIEL She tastes like rebellion and mint-flavored courage. It's insane. This woman is insane. I expected her to take a run for the hills after the insane move I just pulled. I couldn't help it. I felt attracted to her in a way I don't fully understand yet. My therapist words echo in my head; "Some people tend to use sexual dopamine to escape the hurt of their problems. Are you sure that's not what Zoey is for you?" It is. It always is and I knew already but wouldn't fess up to it.