Page 10 of Elemental Hope
“I wasn’t doing nothing.”
“Anything. I wasn’t doinganything.”
“What are you, the grammar cop?”
“No. I’m the warlock who’s going to tan your hide if you don’t start explaining yourself. I came here for a sociable visit with friends. I didn’t expect to have to drag your sorry ass out of the woods, ruining my best pair of Ferragamos in the process.” Nathaniel scowled in the direction of his muddy boots.
“Where’s your boyfriend gone?” Damon hunched his shoulders.
“Felix is my driver. He’s waiting in the car, probably listening to dire country music and snacking on the knucklebones of boys who can’t control their mouths.”
“Not a boy. Your gorilla hurt me.”
“No, he didn’t. If he’d wanted to do that, we’d be looking for supplies of O Negative about now. You fell over your own feetthen landed face down in a nice soft layer of rotting vegetation. Now, stop avoiding the subject. What are you doing here?”
Evrain listened with interest. A connection already seemed to be developing between Nathaniel and Damon and their interplay was intriguing. He tried to examine Damon objectively. He was slight with dark hair that curled at the ends. His grey eyes were so shadowed they were almost black. There were traces of half-healed bruises on his face and from the stiff way he held himself, Evrain guessed there were more beneath his clothing. He was pretty, in a haunted, waifish kind of way. It was difficult to imagine what Symeon might have done to him.
“How old were you?” Evrain asked. “When…”
“When Symeon sank his claws into me?” Damon dug his teeth into his already-abused lower lip.
Evrain nodded.
“Sixteen. I was with him six years.” He shivered. “I’m not here to make excuses but I would like to make up for what I did if I can.”
“No one here will hurt you.” Evrain gestured for him to continue. “Tempting though it is.” He didn’t think Damon deserved to be let off too easily. Not yet.
Damon took a deep breath. “Have any of you heard of Imelda Krenick?”
“The self-proclaimed leader of the Octis Coven,” Gregory announced. “Nasty bunch.”
“Octis Coven?” Evrain had never heard of it, or them.
“Group of power-crazy bitches who give witchcraft a bad name. The worst kind of self-serving sorority, interested in nothing but furthering their own interests, whether that be wealth, power or influence. All three if they can manage it.”
“They sound like a charming bunch,” Evrain said.
“And Symeon is working with them.” Damon stared, unblinking, at Evrain.
“There can only be one reason for that.” Gregory frowned.
“Agreed,” Nathaniel narrowed his eyes.
“Perhaps one of you would like to enlighten the rest of us?” Evrain’s voice was tinged with sarcasm. That earned him hard looks from both Nathaniel and Gregory. He sighed. “I don’t need both of you treating me like a child. I get enough of that already.”
“It would be better if we waited for Dominic,” said Gregory. “Then we won’t have to go through the whole sordid tale twice. I’m sure Damon would prefer not to have to explain himself more than once.”
“How do we even know if he’s telling the truth?” Evrain glared in Damon’s direction. “He’s hardly proved himself trustworthy so far.”
“I’ll know if he lies,” Nathaniel stated with certainty. “If he does, he’ll regret it.”
Damon gulped. He edged his chair a few inches away from Nathaniel, who grinned. Evrain was reminded of a wolf he’d seen at a wildlife park back in Scotland—one who’d just been presented with a bloody carcass. He checked his watch, then his phone in case there were any more messages from Dominic, but there was nothing. His skin itched. He shoved his chair back because pacing had to be better than sitting. The window panes rattled in a sudden squall.
“Control your emotions, Evrain. Dominic will get here as quickly as he can.” Gregory tried to soothe him but Evrain didn’t want to be pacified. He wanted Dominic in his arms where he belonged.
“You’re very fortunate to have found your soulmate, Evrain,” Nathaniel said. “I haven’t been so lucky yet.”
“Oh, I’d assumed that Felix…”
