Page 56 of Elemental Hope
“That potion will wear off soon enough, Symeon.”
Dominic twitched as Evrain channeled, matching Symeon flame for flame. Gregory put a restraining hand on his shoulder. “Evrain, you’re better than that. It may seem like what you want to do right now in the heat of the moment, but how would you live with it? This isn’t the person you are and it’s not the person that Dominic would want you to be.”
“That’s right.” Dominic added his agreement.
Gregory squeezed Evrain’s shoulder. “Have faith, boy. Take the right path now or you will regret it for the rest of your life.”
“Very touching. Now leave before I get overexcited and shoot something just for the hell of it.” The red in Symeon’s eyes darkened.
Dominic took in the expressions of his friends. Gregory was somber, Coryn calm. Nathaniel looked like he wanted to create a tornado to swallow SymeonandImelda. The three men walked slowly away. Dominic listened to the car’s engine start up then the crunch of tires in gravel as it pulled away down the lane. Even though he knew it wasn’t the case, he had a sense of abandonment. It seemed that he and Evrain were on their own. He hoped Damon stayed hidden and didn’t try anything stupid. He didn’t have any power. He was just flesh and blood. He could be hurt.
Symeon gave Imelda a sharp shove, making her stagger then drop to one knee. “Get out of here. Threaten me again and I will come after every single one of the bitches in your fucking coven. Believe me, I won’t stop until you are all gone and your little girl’s club will be a distant memory. I have more allies than you know.”
Imelda had the sense to keep her mouth shut. She stood, brushed the dust from her pants then staggered away toward her car. Once she was gone, only one vehicle remained—the car Evrain and Dominic had arrived in. Dominic guessed Symeon must have some form of transport hidden close by. It wasn’t as if he’d flown in on a broomstick.
When Symeon moved the gun to point at his head, Dominic flinched. Once more he was proving to be Evrain’s weakness. If it weren’t for him, Evrain could call the elements and bury Symeon like the worm he was. Dominic bit his lip. He squeezed Evrain’shand, trying to convey his love, his regret and his shame for being such a liability.
“It seems that yet again I have the upper hand, Evrain. This time you won’t get away from me.” Symeon laughed. “By poisoning your blood, you’ve reduced your value and now all I have left is revenge—and it will be sweet.”
“You’re insane, Symeon. Why don’t you retire gracefully and use the little power you have left for good?”
“Preaching doesn’t suit you, Evrain. Leave it to Gregory—his moralizing is enough for all of us. You’re not like him. You’re different. Much more like me in fact.”
In Dominic’s hand, Evrain’s fingers felt ice-cold.
“I’m nothing like you,” Evrain spat.
Symeon shrugged. “We’ll see. Our experiences color the way we live our lives. Before I kill you, I’m going to make you watch while I violate your lover. I’m going to do things to him that you couldn’t even begin to imagine. And when you’re gone, I’ll keep doing it until he can’t even remember his own name, let alone yours.”
Dominic felt the slight vibration that always preceded Evrain’s channeling. Evrain was poised and ready to move the moment Symeon dropped his guard but the white haired warlock seemed full of purpose.
The gun didn’t waver for an instant.
Symeon moved behind Dominic. He pulled him to his feet by his hair. Evrain started to rise but Symeon gave him a vicious kick to the ribs, causing him to collapse back to the ground. Pulling Dominic a few feet away, Symeon then slid one arm around his waist to undo the button on his pants then slide down the zipper. He thrust his hand down the front of his pants, all the while pressing the gun into his neck. A single tear rolled down Dominic’s face as Symeon gripped his shaft, digging his nails into the tender flesh.
“Like some pain, don’t you?” Symeon hissed.
Evrain’s lips were compressed to a thin line, his green-gold eyes glowing as he was forced to watch the violation. Dominic thought it might be worth getting shot just to get Symeon’s hand off him. He felt frozen by indecision. If he struggled Symeon might turn the gun on Evrain. If he didn’t, Evrain might hate him.
Behind him, a twig snapped. Evrain had given no indication that anyone was approaching and Dominic marveled at his composure. Symeon kept a tight hold on him and the gun didn’t move as he turned to face the newcomer. Damon walked toward them, hands held out to show that they were empty.
“Damon.” Symeon’s voice reflected curiosity. “How the hell did you get here?” He removed his hand from Dominic’s pants. “Seen the light and decided to come back to me?”
Damon smiled. “I’ve been here a while. Watching. Listening.” He blinked.
“And you’ve recovered from your injuries? I searched for you in the parking garage, but you’d gone.”
“I didn’t think you cared.”
Symeon’s focus was entirely on Damon. Dominic didn’t dare move. He realized that Symeon had no idea Damon had helped him and Evrain escape the Octis building and that could give them the advantage they needed.
“Where the hell did you materialize from?” Symeon snarled. “Never mind. I’m glad you’ve made an appearance. I’m sure you will enjoy the show as much as I will. I may even give you a turn with this one.” He yanked Dominic’s hair.
Evrain began to channel. Dominic tried to draw attention away from him by struggling as much as possible. He kicked at Symeon’s shins with his heels, making contact at least once. He tried to elbow him in the ribs, then bite at his arm. Symeon cuffed him hard.
“Keep still. My trigger finger is itchy and I’d prefer you to be in one piece when I fuck you.”
The dust swirled around Dominic’s feet, moving almost like eddies in a stream. Using all his strength he pulled away from Symeon, throwing himself to the ground. Lightning cracked, striking the dirt just in front of Symeon’s highly polished boots. He was thrown into the air, landing heavily several feet away. The gun skimmed across the ground, bouncing several times. Dominic rolled onto his belly but stayed down. He didn’t want to get in Evrain’s way while he was still channeling. There was a rumble of thunder then a deluge began. The rain hammered down, pounding dust into mud in an instant. Dominic was soon soaked. In the darkness and through the torrential rain, he could barely see what was happening. Symeon was trying to get to his feet, but could get no purchase in the mud. Damon scrambled for the gun. Evrain held his arms aloft, focused on commanding all four elements.
