Page 28 of Magic of the Damned

The suggestion brought on a smirk. Helena appeared aghast with disgust.

Killing and dismembering a guest in your home is perfectly fine, but playing guard for a day is where she feels scandalized?

“I work tomorrow from ten to three and I’m off the following day. If we find nothing tomorrow, then I’ll stay the next day,” I offered, hoping this would make him more amenable. I wanted him to know this was a priority for me.

He regarded me in silence as time ticked by, and my hope that things would be handled amicably dwindled.

“You’ll return after work tomorrow and stay the next day if needed,” he confirmed. There was weight in his words, as if what I said was binding. Perhaps it was. My word. Possibly to test if I would honor my word.

I nodded in agreement.

“At ease,” Dominic finally told the guards. Once they had relaxed their weapons, he dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

“Try not to die,” he said.

Who’s not choosing that option?

“Of course.”

“Let’s get you home,” he said, extending his hand for me to take.

The shimmering wall appeared to his left, and we slipped through it.

We entered my world in the alleyway behind Books and Brew, where I’d first encountered Zareb. I checked my phone. It was two in the morning and I had to be at work at ten. There were several messages. One from Jackson, which I deleted without reading, and two from Emoni, that I would answer once home. Expecting Dominic to leave once I waved goodbye and started for my apartment, I was surprised when he fell into step next to me. He seemed content with the silence as we walked, but I decided it was an opportunity to find out more about him.

“You can get home from anywhere?” I asked, turning down my street. It was still discomforting to discuss the Underworld so glibly. Calling it his home made it feel somewhat normal.

He nodded but didn’t elaborate. It was like pulling teeth to get any information from this guy.

“So why choose the alleyway next to Books and Brew and not closer to my home?”

“It’s dark, not a high traffic area. Less chance to be seen.”

“If you are seen?”

He shrugged. “Most people will convince themselves they didn’t see what they did. If I think it’s a problem, I’ll manipulate their memories so they forget it.”

Great, more horrific discoveries. There was truth to his comment. I had convinced myself that my eyes were just playing tricks on me, that it was the sun, a burst of sunlight, behind Zareb the hellhound, and not the shimmering diaphanous wall that I’d actually seen.

“I don’t like to do it. The manipulation works on other memories as well. It’s required infrequently. Humans want to believe they are the only ones who exist in this vast world. They’re very imperialistic and self-centered that way. Unaware that they are the inferior of the species.”

I scoffed. “I admire your modesty.”

“Do statements of fact require some modicum of modesty?”

I shrugged. “No, but it seems like the polite thing to do.”

“Politeness is overrated.”

“Yeah, to rude people,” I muttered under my breath.

He responded with a wry frown. “Our anonymity is not just for our benefit but that of humans as well. Knowledge of us would change the dynamics of the world. Something humans aren’t ready for. The ones who believe that supernaturals exist have a rather puerile appreciation for it. Not truly understanding the depth and nuances.”

“It’s violent and dark.”

I could feel his assessing eyes on me. “It can be.”

“It seems like that’s all there is to it,” I challenged, turning to face him once we were in front of my building. “This is my place.”

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