Page 91 of Dark Shadow of Guilt

After hesitating, he rested his hand on Dom’s bloodied injury, shooting an agonizing spark into it to prevent it from repairing itself. “What is done can be undone.”

“Never,” swore Dom. He left Sanctuary Keep determined never to allow anyone to get as close to him again.

After he had rid OneWorld of the fifth member of the Feard, Dom forgot how to smile and how to have fun. He distanced himself from his brother assassins or anyone who desired love or friendship. That way, if they suffered a malady, he could do his job. No bother.

Dom changed. No more reckless adventures. He thought through all sides of a situation before moving forward. A part of him longed to be wild again. But somehow, when he’d extincted Gareth, that Dom disappeared.

He blamed Michael for being the prosecutor and for being unavailable when Gar had escaped, leaving Dom to the dirty work of extincting his best friend. He even cast blame on the OC. Mostly, he lay the fault at his own feet for not seeing what had been brewing in plain sight.

Though he had not prevented Gareth’s demise, he had learned a lesson. A harsh one he’d never forget. But now, soaring through the air, he questioned the lesson. He had labeled Gar as a victim of his malady, an unwitting sufferer, an unwilling Flesh Eater who couldn’t fight the disease. But was that true? Or was his friend responsible for his own actions?

After all, Madeline, once a mere human, had made him promise to prevent her from hurting anyone. “Swear it,” she’d said. Her first instinct had been to protect others.

Dom was an ass. Instead of understanding what Maddy was going through, he had withdrawn into his past. She was not Gar. She was not a victim. She was a fighter.

But she couldn’t fight alone. She needed him. And what had he done? He’d left.

Madeline was more important than he’d admitted to himself. He would tell her about Gar and how she was different. He’d stay by her side, keep her safe, and prevent her from harming others. Nobody would assign her to Angor’s punishments. Nobody would extinct her. While he searched for a cure, he’d be her jailer, reformer, friend, confidant, and lover.

He did, however, begin to see Gar in a new light. Through the centuries, Dom had blamed himself for not recognizing his friend’s decline. Yet, never in his fellow assassin’s descent into madness had Gar asked for help.

Gareth had lacked Maddy’s strength of character.

Dom changed direction and streaked across the sky, heading for home and the female who needed him.

****

Maddy raced into thesalon from the bedroom when she heard the shush of wings. She stopped, leaning against the door jamb, cocking one foot over the other. When Dom threw out his arms, she resisted running into them. She was pissed.

Dom clasped his hands behind his back. “I’ve been an idiot.”

She angled her head to gaze into his eye.

“No comment?” he asked.

“None needed. I agree. You’ve been an idiot.” She crossed her arms under her breasts, her posture speaking volumes about her feelings.

“I never should have left you alone to deal with the problems.”

Maddy frowned. “No. You shouldn’t have, but you did.”

“I did. I had my reasons. They aren’t good enough ones, though.”

“I understand about Gareth, but I’m not him, Dom. You abandoned me when I needed you most. A lifetime of assholes have deserted me. I want someone who’ll have my back. It’s not too much to ask.”

“It’s not.”

“And yet, it happened. Again. You broke my heart and threw it away as though it were a piece of trash.”

He winced. “I never intended to do that. It was my problem, and I was a selfish asshole. What do I need to do to win you back?”

“What if I said you can’t?”

“I wouldn’t believe you, Maddy. Please let me put your heart back together. I know you’ve patched mine up.”

Was that really how Dom felt? Maddy studied him. He looked sincere. And when he spread his arms wide, she ran into them as if he hadn’t been an idiot. She jumped, locking her legs around his waist. “Promise never to leave me.”

“I promise. Never again.”

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