Page 81 of Dark Bonds

“Dorian,” Everett says, his tone uncharacteristically serious as horror and understanding wars within his eyes, “what have you done?”

I clench my fists and dig my nails into my palms, drawing blood that wells up and falls, staining the stone floor with the proof of my living curse. “These men,” I explain, my voice tight with the weight of my actions and the burden of my choices. “Francesca thought she killed them. She was pushingher abusers through the veil and into the shadow realm, but I couldn’t let her bear that burden, so I’ve been... collecting them, shouldering the weight of her vengeance.”

Everett’s eyes widen as he takes in the scope of what I’ve done, the gravity of the situation reflected in his usually carefree gaze. “You’ve been watching her for that long and intercepting her victims?” He places a hand on my shoulder, his touch warm against the chill of the chamber, a reminder of the humanity we both cling to so desperately. “Oh, nephew, the chains you forge for yourself... They are heavier than any curse could ever be.”

I nod, unable to meet his gaze, afraid of what I might see reflected there. Understanding? Disgust? Or worse, the same darkness that I feel growing within myself? “I couldn’t let Frankie become a killer. She’s been through enough, and I... damn it, I care too much. Every time I see her, it’s like my cold, dead heart tries to remember how to beat. I’d rather be the monster than let her light be tainted by darkness.” I swallow hard, the words I’ve never dared speak aloud finally tumbling from my lips, a confession and a plea for absolution.

He raises a simple brow. Uncle is always chatty, and his silence speaks volumes of shared pain and understanding.

I lick my lips, tasting the salt of unshed tears and the bitterness of regret. “The ocean calls to me, Uncle. Its depths promise an escape from this endless existence, yet I remain tethered to this cursed life by a thread of hope I dare not name.” I wave an arm, encompassing the chamber of horrors I created. “This... This gave me motivation to continue my existence… to protect her, even from herself.”

“And you’ve been carrying this weight alone,” Everett murmurs, squeezing my shoulder, his touch a lifeline in the sea of darkness I’ve been drowning in. “The burdens we choose are often heavier than those thrust upon us, but Dorian, my boy, this is a weight that would crush even the strongest of souls.”

I look up at him, my eyes a storm of conflicting emotions. Love, fear, guilt, and hope all war within me, threatening to tear me apart. “I didn’t know what else to do, but now that you’re here, I thought maybe you could help me figure out what to do with them and how to tell Francesca the truth.”

Everett’s expression softens, and I see a mix of pride and concern in his eyes, tinged with a sadness that speaks of shared suffering. “Well, I always said teaching would be more exciting here. Looks like I was right.” He squeezes my shoulder again, a gesture of solidarity that bridges the gap between us forged by centuries and secrets. “We’ll figure this out together, Dorian. That’s what family’s for, even when that family is cursed with eternal life and we become the very monsters we once fought against.”

As we stand there, surrounded by the consequences of my actions and the echoes of Francesca’s pain, I feel a weight lift from my shoulders. The oppressive atmosphere of the chamber seems to lighten just a bit. For the first time in a long while, I’m not facing this alone. The darkness that’s been threatening to consume me recedes a fraction in the face of understanding and shared burden.

Maybe we can make something good out of this mess. Hell, maybe I’ll even get that pack I’ve been dreaming of, with Frankie at the center of it all. It’s a long shot, but hey, I have forever to figure it out, right? A family forged in the crucible of immortality, bound by something stronger than blood—shared suffering and a chance to atone for the sins we’ve committed in the name of love and protection.

The thought brings a glimmer of warmth to my cold, immortal heart, a spark of hope in the endless night of our existence. It’s a dangerous feeling, hope. It’s burned me before and left me scarred and bitter, but like a moth to flame, I can’t help but be drawn to its allure.

As I stand there with Uncle Everett, surrounded by the physical manifestation of my sins, I realize that maybe, just maybe, forever doesn’t have to be a sentence. It could be a chance at redemption, love, and finding a place in this ever-changing world that has left us behind so many times.

“So what now?” I whisper, afraid that speaking too loudly might shatter this fragile moment of understanding between us.

Everett’s eyes roam over the shadowy cells, his expression a mixture of horror and determination. “Now, nephew,” he says, his voice carrying the weight of centuries, “we clean up this mess. We face the consequences of our actions, no matter how noble our intentions might have been.”

I nod, feeling a strange combination of relief and terror. “And Francesca? How do I tell her what I’ve done? How do I make her understand that I became a monster to keep her from becoming one herself?”

Uncle’s hand tightens on my shoulder, grounding me. “With honesty, Dorian, and with love. She’s stronger than you give her credit for. She’s survived horrors we can scarcely imagine. The truth, as painful as it may be, could be the key to her healing and yours.”

As his words sink in, I feel something shift within me. The weight I’ve been carrying for so long begins to lighten, and for the first time in centuries, I allow myself to consider a future that isn’t shrouded in shadows and secrets.

“It won’t be easy,” I say, more to myself than to Everett.

He chuckles, a hint of his usual humor returning, though it’s tinged with a darkness that matches our surroundings. “Nothing worth doing ever is, kid, especially not for us eternally damned types, but that’s what makes it interesting, isn’t it?”

I push away from the wall, straightening my shoulders. The burden is still there, but it feels more manageable now that it’s shared. “Where do we start?”

Everett’s eyes gleam with determination and mischief, a reminder of the man he was before eternity wore him down. “Well, first things first, we have a bunch of ne’er-do-wells to deal with. Can’t exactly keep them locked up here forever, can we? Then, we’ll have a heart-to-heart with a certain shadow wielding lady. And after that?” He grins, the expression both comforting and terrifying. “After that, we’ll figure out how to turn this curse of ours into something resembling a blessing, or at least something we can live with for the next few millennia.”

As we begin the monumental task before us, I feel a spark of something I haven’t experienced in centuries—hope. It’s small, fragile, and easily extinguished by the slightest breeze of doubt or fear, but it’s there, burning in the depths of my cursed heart.

For now, that’s enough to keep the darkness at bay and give me the strength to face Francesca, to bare my soul and show her the depths of my devotion, even if it means losing her forever.

As we ascend the stairs, leaving behind the chamber of my sins, I can’t help but wonder what the future holds. Will Francesca forgive me? Will I ever forgive myself? Can we truly find redemption, or are we doomed to repeat the cycle of pain and regret for all eternity?

As I glance at Uncle Everett, seeing the determined set of his jaw and the glint of hope in his eyes that matches my own, I realize that perhaps the answers to these questions don’t matter as much as I thought. What matters is that we’re facing them together, no longer alone in our eternal struggle.

Maybe that’s enough for now, at least.

There’s a whole world of crap waiting for us out there—stuff I can’t even begin to imagine, but you know what? For the first time in forever, I actually want to face it. Yeah, it’s going to hurt like hell, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

After all, what’s a little pain to those cursed with eternity?

Chapter 26

---