Graveyard Watchman (Book 2) The Demon Wars

Chapter 4

It doesn't take long before my feet suddenly touch the floor as Dominic opens his cloak, releasing me from the darkness. My face is against his chest and my arms are still wrapped around his waist. I don't want to let go but his hands pull me back and I instantly look up when he turns to walk away.

"Dominic," I whisper, but he doesn't stop so I try again, "Dominic, please wait." He pauses just before pulling on the latch to our bedroom door and doesn't move. "I--I'm so very sorry..." I get out but he reaches for the latch and opens the door before I can finish, "I must go to the Seraph Council. They will want answers." he says with his back to me.

"Wait, it was my fault! I'll go. I'll talk to them," I plead and he turns around, looking me dead on for the first time in what seems like an eternity, "No. What happened out there was my responsibility."

"What? I'm the one who forced you to deal with me. You didn't have a choice!" my voice becoming louder with each word, "Please! I can help!"

Dominic shakes his head, "that is not exactly what happened," he stops for a second, "I knew the moment you decided to find me," he runs his fingers through his thick, black hair,"but I didn't stop you. Not when I knew I could have."

Wait, what?

"You tried!" I say, hoping to convince him he's wrong, "Hell, you even tried to make me stay in the cave but I didn't..."

"It was too late by then," he interrupts me, "Do you not see? I knew there was a possibility you would try to leave."

"That still doesn't make any of this your fault! Let me talk to them. Let me explain..."

"No," he whispers, "this is something I must do on my own. The Fighters, all of them, deserve respect and honor. And I intend to give them that...no matter how wrong it was to allow you to come."

"Dominic, you didn't allow me to come! I forced you to bring me! How can you not see that?!" I say louder than intended, "you, I mean, the Council--they, they talk about pure intent, right?" he looks at me with caution behind his eyes, "so, if your intent was to fight with the other Warriors and Fighters to protect me and the Realm, what makes that a bad thing?"

"You do not understand!" he says, rubbing his jawline, "I could have stopped you. I could have even brought you back here!"

"Then why didn't you?" I whisper, taking his hand but he pulls it away, "because I wanted you with me." his words so low I almost didn't hear them, "I thought you could help. I thought the odds of us defeating so many Demons without your gift would be impossible."

Oh my God...

"So," I whisper, "Why didn't you let me help the Fighters?"

He looks down to me, his eyes full of regret, "It was too dangerous by then. You were bleeding and could have attracted other Demons. Besides, you could not have saved them. Most had been dead for too long."

"But, I brought you back."

"Yes, and I had marked you by then." he says, confusing me even more.

"What did that have to do with saving your life?

His hand goes back to the latch on the door, "I gave you part of me--part of my essence, and through our bond, you had the power to restore me. And you will always have it, no matter how badly I am hurt." he looks away and I swear he wipes something from his eyes, "But, I will never forgive myself for putting you and the others in so much danger."

Without warning, he darts down the dim hallway and I rush to the door, only getting a glimpse of the back of his cloak before the darkness completely swallows him up.