Page 58 of Infernal

“I’m done with her.” Turning my back to him, I leaned over the balcony again and stared out at the storm clouds as they leisurely rolled themselves in front of the sunset. And it wasn’t just her I was done with. I was done with all of them. They could keep their lies and half-truths and unwillingness to help me save Trace and shove it up their asses. I didn’t need them anyway. I was going to find a way to do this on my own.

“I’m sure you don’t mean that,” said Dominic as he came to stand beside me. “She’s your sister, love."

“And? When has she ever acted like it? When has she ever been there for me?” I didn’t give him a chance to answer. “Never. That’s when.” Angry tears began sliding down my cheeks, and this time, I let them. It was becoming a full-time job trying to suppress my emotions, and I just didn’t have the energy to keep doing it.

“Angel.” I could feel his eyes on me, but I couldn’t bear to face him.

“Whatever. I’m fine,” I said, though it was clear to both of us that I wasn’t. “I don’t need her anyway. I don’t need anyone. You can’t miss what you never had, right? I mean, thatiswhat they say, isn’t it?”

“I really wouldn’t know.”

I met his eyes for a moment, and suddenly, my heart hurt for him. Here I was complaining about my family problems, yet again, while he just stood there listening—without any family to speak of. Not only did his mother pass away during childbirth, but his father blamed him for her death, and then later disowned him when he Turned. All he had was Gabriel, and they couldn’t be more at odds if they were trying to do it on purpose.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be going on about all this to you. You already have your own problems to deal with.”

“I only have one problem to speak of, and it’s really more of a waiting game than a problem,” he said calmly, watching the sun creep its way down the horizon.

“Is that right?” I quirked a brow at him. “And what non-problem would that be?”

“Do you really want to know the answer to that?” he asked, side-eyeing me. Something about his daring tone made me think he was referring to me—to this thing between us.

“Hm…probably not,” I decided.

He chuckled to himself, though he didn’t say anything else on the matter, probably because he knew better than to poke me when I was already teetering around the edge of losing it. Instead, he just remained next to me, not saying anything, and somehow that was enough.

“I wish it could always be like this,” I said, taking in the view and the momentary stint of peace I had. “So calm and beautiful.”

“Yes, but you wouldn’t appreciate it if it was,” he answered softly, without meeting my eyes.

“Why not?”

“Because, love, you have to know the storms to be able to appreciate the calm.” His eyes never veered from the horizon, as though he couldn’t bring himself to look away, and suddenly, something occurred to me.

“When was the last time you watched the sunset?” I asked, turning myself to face him.

Up until that moment, I hadn’t even considered how special this may have been for him. Revenants, like in most vampire lore, could not withstand the sun, but after the walls of Sanguinarium were torn to shreds, it somehow gave Revenants the ability to walk with the sun.

“It’s been a very long time,” he admitted without taking his eyes away from the picturesque sky before us.

“I can’t remember the last time I watched it either.” Though I had no excuses or magical barriers preventing me from seeing it. I just never took the time, and I wasn’t sure which one of our stories was sadder.

A long stretch of silence passed between us, though there was nothing awkward or uncomfortable about it. In fact, it was the exact opposite. For the first time in a long time, I felt calm and present in the moment I was in.

Of course, the silence didn’t last for long, as we had important matters to discuss.

“So, are you going to tell me about this sire of yours?” I finally asked, having dug up enough courage to bring it up again. “What did you say her name was again?”

“I didn’t.”

“Funny,” I deadpanned.

“Her name is Priscilla.”

“And…?” I motioned for him to continue.

He paused briefly, still gazing out at the sun as it slowly slipped away from the world. “There isn’t much to say, love. She was a Caster before she Turned, and if need be, she’s powerful enough to bind the sisters.”

“A Dark Caster?”

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