“Gabriel's voice can reach me anywhere. Even in a hurricane.”

“Gabriel?” I said.“Yeah?” His voice was breathless.“Kiss me.”

“They who reach down into the depths of life where, in the stillness, the voice of God is heard, have the stabilizing power which carries them poised and serene through the hurricane of difficulties.”

“You really want to go out to dinner?" Gabriel shot Rase a skeptical look out of the corner of his eye. "As opposed to what?" "Getting on your knees and begging me to beat you." There was no inflection in Gabriel's voice, no heat, and no emotion at all. He wasn't even looking at Rase. ... "I don't want one more than the other," he answered, fully aware that he was being challenged. "They're not interchangeable. I want them both." Rase took a breath to calm the pounding in his chest and continued, even though Gabriel wouldn't look at him. "I want to go out to dinner with you, anywhere you want, on a date. And then I want to go back to your place or my place and I want you to beat me until I bleed.”

“Beer?" Gabriel was so close that Rase could feel Gabriel's breath on his hair."This isn't a social call," Rase said, not even trying to keep his voice steady."Then why are your clothes still on?”

“Tristan, dressed in all black with a long dagger in his hand, exited the den as Gabriel reached the main floor . Gabriel stopped whistling and paused. “Please tell me you’re going to a ninja convention.”