Page 24 of Elemental Hope
“Yes, Sir.”
“No arguments?” Nathaniel was somewhat surprised that Damon didn’t balk at being guarded.
“I know Symeon too well, Sir. I’m a useful possession. He won’t want to lose me.” He nibbled on his lower lip before resuming his meal.
A few minutes later all the plates were empty. Damon made coffee after stacking the dishes by the sink. Nathaniel sipped his, enjoying the slight bitterness on his tongue.
“Take a seat, Damon. I’d like you to tell us about how you first met Evrain and Dominic. If I’m to support them, I need to know as much as possible about what happened. Gregory told me about the fight between Evrain and Symeon but I don’t know much about how that point was reached.”
“I’m not very proud of what I did, Sir. My part in what happened wasn’t nice.” Damon stared at the well-scrubbed table.
“It’s history. You were under the influence of evil. You weren’t to blame, Damon, and I’m sure Evrain realizes that.”
“He wants to fry me. Or turn me into a slug.”
Felix snorted. “Sorry.”
Nathaniel glared at him. “Not helping, Felix. While Evrain could certainly achieve the first option, he couldn’t manage the second, so no need to have nightmares about waking up with a craving for lettuce. He knows I’ve given you my protection so there will be no frying anyone either.”
“Okay, well, it all started when Evrain came into his power. Symeon was furious because Evrain is many times more powerful than he is. He went to visit him. Tried to get him to agree to an alliance.”
“But Evrain is honest,” Nathaniel interjected. “He was brought up, at least in part, by Gregory and Agatha. They would have made sure his path was straight.”
“Yes,” Damon agreed. “Evrain would have nothing to do with him. Symeon became obsessed. He wanted to crush Evrain and he realized that the easiest way to get to him was through Dominic. He set up a work appointment for Dominic then when he was driving home, I ran him off the road.” Damon chewed on a nail until Nathaniel pulled his hand away from his mouth.
“It’s okay. Carry on.”
“Symeon kept Dominic prisoner at a property he owned. Dominic tried to escape and Symeon hurt him. He changed him. Made him even better looking than he already was. He wanted Evrain to see what he could do. He wanted him to feel helpless.” Damon shuddered and half sobbed. “He got Evrain to agree to meet him. They fought and…you know the rest.”
“Thank you, Damon. That can’t have been easy.”
“I wasn’t kind to Dominic while he was a prisoner. I was jealous. Symeon gave him more attention than me, then used me to channel while he changed him.” Tears rolled down his cheeks. “I’m as bad as Symeon.”
Nathaniel had no doubt that Damon’s remorse was genuine. He could sense the guilt and regret. “You could never be as bad as that snake, Damon. Evrain and Dominic won’t hold a grudge. You can make amends by never getting anywhere near Symeon ever again. Without you to channel through, his power is reduced. He’s reliant on the Octis Coven’s potions—not a very secure place to be. Once they get what they need from him, the Coven will drop Symeon faster than Felix can consume a Snickers bar.”
“And that’s fast,” Felix contributed.
“He couldn’t channel through me now anyway,” Damon muttered. “I don’t love him. I don’t feel anything for him. I’m just numb.” He peeked from beneath thick, black lashes.
“Nobody here is going to tell you how you should be feeling. I’ll avoid too many platitudes because I can’t know what’s goingthrough your head, but time will help. You can talk to me anytime.”
“Or me,” Felix said. “For what it’s worth, but only if you feed me.” Felix’s grin was disarming.
“You’re already a step ahead of me. I’ve never had that offer.” Nathaniel glared at Felix.
“You talk my ears off every time we’re in the car. I should be paid as your personal therapist, not just your driver,” Felix complained.
Damon’s moved his head from side to side as if watching a tennis match. “You two are…certifiable.”
“Welcome to the family.” Nathaniel and Felix clinked their coffee mugs together in a toast.
Chapter eight
Dominic stepped from the shower, wrapped a towel around his hips then wiped a broad swath of condensation from the mirror. He still found it hard to accept the reflection as his. He blinked, holding back a sigh. For weeks after his rescue from Symeon he had reached automatically for a razor every morning, but his face, and the rest of his body, had remained stubbornly hair free. Only his copper mane, eyebrows and lashes remained. He actually missed shaving and that was something he’d never thought would happen. He had tried to cut his hair a few times, hacking at the shoulder length waves, but within an hour it had grown back.
Evrain rarely mentioned it, but Dominic knew that he liked the changes Symeon had wrought even though he hated that Symeon had had his hands anywhere near Dominic. The visual results appealed to him but he was conflicted about it. Dominic wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He toweled his hair roughly and glared at his reflection. “I look like a fucking girl!” Symeon’smagic had smoothed the angular planes of Dominic’s face, given him a perfect complexion and thickened his lashes. His eyes were a more startling color, his hair like silk.
“It’s just a face. It doesn’t matter.” Dominic didn’t want Symeon in his head. If he allowed that, Symeon had won. He needed to accept the changes and forget how they had happened. Self-pity wasn’t helpful.
