Page 188 of Magic of the Damned

“The shades. What are your plans for them? Can’t they be…I don’t know, rehabbed or something? Anand can control them?—”

“Within limitations and only when he is in their presence. If they escape again…” He sighed. “You may not agree with my mother’s tactics most of the time, but sometimes being uncompromisingly pitiless is the answer.”

I was constantly hit with the reality that things were darker and more violent in this world, and it reminded me again of how much I wanted to escape it.

“Helena.”

His eyes followed mine to the door, where she stood, seemingly reluctant to enter the bedroom. Subdued humility was a poor fit for her. Her mouth opened and closed without a word spoken. Suspecting it was my presence, I started to move away to leave. She shook her head.

“Stay,” she encouraged. “Siding with the Dark Casters for power was an inappropriate thing to do,” she said softly.

What type of apology was that? My bad, betraying you just wasn’t proper.

Securing a towel around him, Dominic rolled from the bed and pulled out a pair of jogging pants and slipped them on. He moved to stand in front of her, a tick in his jaw. “That is not an apology, Helena.”

Her humility short lived, her chin tilted in rebellion. “I’m sorry that you displayed a weakness that made me feel an alliance with the Dark Caster would ensure true power,” she hissed through clenched teeth.

Before Dominic could respond, I snapped. “That isn’t one, either. How about I’m sorry I betrayed you when you were willing to sacrifice so much for my safety? Or, I’m a shitty sister and you deserve better? Maybe, I’m the worst, can you ever forgive me? Any of those are acceptable.”

I grinned at Dominic’s failing effort to suppress his laughter. After being with this family, I wanted to give my own family the biggest hug and bask in their special type of weird and unshakeable bond forged on unconditional love, grateful that it wasn’t tainted by betrayal, attempted murder, and extreme measures to obtain domination.

Ignoring any of my suggestions, she shelved the self-indulgent look for a moment, although uncertainty peeked through. “What will happen to Father?”

“He will be banished. Without magic, he can’t negotiate the various realms.”

“They’ll kill him.”

At Dominic’s cool indifference, she took his hand. “Will you not return his magic?”

“I can’t even if I wanted to. It was destroyed. I suspect he’ll spend the rest of his existence looking for a way to do so.”

Helena displayed a stoicism that I hadn’t managed. When he looked at me, I attempted to usher one. I couldn’t. Agreeing with Helena made it more difficult.

“I will not leave him unprotected, a courtesy I wouldn’t have received from him.” He directed the answer to Helena, but his eyes searched my face. He returned the small smile I gave him.

Helena gathered his hands in hers and bowed her head. “I’m sorry.” It was an unexpected earnest apology. My pessimism reared its head. I suspected the apology came from fear of ending up like her father rather than authentic redemption. Dominic never revealed his hand, which left him at an advantage. She had to assume that he had a way to deliver the same retaliation to her; after all, he’d discovered a means to restrict her magic.

“What will happen to me?”

Several moments ticked by, and worry creased Helena’s brow.

“I don’t know.” His response left no room for further discussion and they looked at each other, expressionless. Helena nodded and left the room.

“Can you live here with Helena?” he whispered.

I didn’t fear her, I just didn’t like her. “I could live here with her, if I wanted to live here.”

He turned to me and drew me close. “What are you saying?”

“I don’t want this to be my world,” I said. “We have to find another way for us to be together.”

The air grew thick with tension. His features were blanketed with an emotion I couldn’t place. His frustration and disappointment resonated within me, stirring a need to ease it.

Dominic’s thumb roved lightly over my lips, replaced by his lips. Soft, sensuous, and inviting. His kisses became deeper, coaxing me into a desperate need that he knew only he could sate. I pulled him closer. The heat from him enveloping us. Whatever doubt existed seemed to dissolve in that moment.

He pulled away and I found myself studying his carved features, stern eyes that softened when he looked at me, and disposition that managed to depict his duality: a being who controlled the darkest and worst of the magical kind who must act without any humanity, and a person who desperately clung to some fragments of that humanity in order not to be possessed by power and cruelty.

I was seconds from asking if he could walk away from it and live a normal existence, but the fear of his wrath stilled my tongue.

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