Light Shadows (12 page)

Before I can even roll my eyes, Dorian is before me, grasping my hands and pulling me into his arms. He looks down at the little, faded blue anchor on my hand, and runs is thumb over it, willing it to stay. “You can’t fight them all, baby. I know you think you can, but I won’t let you bargain with your life. Losing you is not an option, little girl. Not when loving you is the only thing I have to live for.”

I look up into Dorian’s eyes and see eternity in those boundless, blue depths. I can’t resist him when he’s like this—so vulnerable and open to me. Its occurrence is such a novelty that I’m tempted to freeze time and everyone around us, just to stay with him like this forever.

“Ok,” I whisper hoarsely. I clear my throat and try again. “Ok. What do you suggest we do?”

“I have a house,” Niko chimes in from the couch behind us. “In Louisiana, just outside New Orleans.”

Reluctantly, I unravel myself from Dorian’s arms to give his younger brother my attention. “And you think we’ll be safe there?”

“Safer than anywhere else. Very few people know it even exists. And those who do…are dead.”

I don’t miss the momentary flash of pain on his face before he shrugs and turns away. I just chalk it up to the appeal of Nikolai Skotos—that raw emotion that makes him seem almost…human. From the start, we shared a common agony, and I understood his need to cope with over-indulgence and vulgarity. It mirrored my own escape tactics.

“And what am I supposed to do about my friends? My family? What am I supposed to tell Chris and Donna?”

“They’ll understand,” Dorian reassures.

“And whoever doesn’t, we’ll make them,” Niko adds with a wink.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE what I just agreed to.”

Dorian and I are heading North on Academy Blvd. toward Chris and Donna’s house. Morgan opted to ride with Niko and Alexander in the Range Rover, so Dorian was left to drive her ostentatious, candy-red Mustang. He looks out of place in the brightly colored car—too polished and refined. I never really noticed how gaudy Morgan’s ride was until it was graced with Dorian’s beauty.

“Agreed to what?” He peers over at me through the corner of his black shades and the edge of his mouth twitches.

“You know what. Letting you guys take me away from my home…my job..
.my life
. To agree to
run.
I’ve never run from a fight before, Dorian. I don’t see why I should start now.”

He shakes his head and purses his lips, as if he’s trying not to tell me something. As if he’s keeping
another
secret from me. I know I could make him tell me, but I don’t want to. I want him to want to be honest with me. I’m owed at least that much.

“There’s more, isn’t there? There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“Gabriella…”

“Spit it out, Dorian. If you want me to go along with your plan, I need full disclosure. You promised—no more secrets.”

He shakes his head, but I can see his defenses crumbling. He can’t lie to me. He wants to, but his curse won’t let him.

“There’s a bounty out—my brother, your father and myself. Stavros wants the three of us, and he’s willing to drain his resources in order to make that happen.”

“A bounty? So he sent people after you?” I can’t even hide the terror in my voice.

“Not
people,
Gabriella. Assassins. Warlocks who know how to kill a million different ways. Like your father. And like me.”

“Oh my God, Dorian. Why didn’t you tell me this before? We have to do something!”

“There’s nothing we can do, Gabriella! I just have to get you to safety.”

“Me? Why me? For fuck’s sake, why is everyone so damn worried about
me?”

Dorian’s hands tense around the steering wheel until I can see the white of his knuckles. Shit. There’s more. I should have known there would be more.

“There’s a stipulation,” he mutters through clenched teeth. “You, in exchange for the three of us. We live if you agree to go to him.”

I bite my bottom lip to keep it from trembling. “And…don’t you think we should consider that option?”

“Fuck no,” Dorian spits, causing me to flinch at the harshness of his tone. “That’s not a fucking option, Gabriella. And if you even think that could be a possibility, get it out of your head now, because it’s not happening.”

We ride the rest of the way to Briargate in silence, without even the sound of the radio to replace the friction in the small space. When Dorian turns on my street, he cuts the engine a few houses down. He doesn’t have to—he’s been able to penetrate the wards for several months now. Niko pulls up right behind him, yet they all wait on our signal to make a move.

“Did I ever tell you about the first time I saw you?” His voice is back to being controlled and as smooth as silk, but he doesn’t look at me.

“No.”

“It was Valentine’s Day. You were at a restaurant with your friends. That boy was there…Jared. I saw that you cared for him. And for some reason, that made me angry. I could have killed you that night—I had planned to—but once I saw you, and the affection you had for him, I decided to wait. To watch you. To learn you. To find out why someone like you could love someone like him. Someone so human and weak and ordinary.”

Finally, Dorian turns to me and removes his dark sunglasses, letting me see him—the real him. “I still wonder that today. How could someone like you possibly love someone like me? With all that you are, and all that I’ve put you through, how could you give yourself to me, time and time again? I’m not worthy of you, Gabriella; I know that. So remember that before you try to do anything stupid. I’m not worth it.”

Before I can respond, he’s out of the car and opening my door. The others join us moments later but keep their distance. No one questions the look of sheer dread on my face, and I deduce that they already know. They know it’s either them or me. We can’t hide forever, and even if we could, what kind of life would that be? How could I banish my friends and family to an eternity in the shadows?

I knock on the door and wait anxiously, preparing myself for the chaos that will undoubtedly come next. What will they think about my appearance? My decision? Hell, what will they think about Alexander?

I hear footsteps approach, and an odd, almost floral essence from the other side of the door. It isn’t perfume or those essential oils that Donna likes to wear. It’s her magic. It’s faint, yet I can feel it wafting over me, filling my lungs, tempting my tongue. Instinctually, I take a step forward, eager to taste more, but Dorian stops me with a hand on my chest, feeling my curiosity as if it were his own.

“You need to remember what you are now,” he whispers. “We’re drawn to magic. It’s in our nature to want to harness it. You have to control those urges. If not, you could mistakenly kill Donna.”

I nod and stand up as straight as possible, pressing my fists to my sides. Shame paints my cheeks. I could
kill
Donna? I could hurt the only mother I’ve ever known?

Donna opens the door with a bright, welcoming smile on her face, taunting the demon inside me. But as soon as she takes in the scene before her, her expression goes from shock to fear to utterly elated.

“Thank goodness!” she shrieks, taking me into her arms without a hint of reluctance. “Oh, my sweet girl. We were so worried about you. I’m so thankful to have you back!”

She pulls away to get a better look at me and gasps at the sight of my dual-colored eyes. Physical proof of my transformation. “I’m so proud of you,” she sobs. “Look at you. So strong and beautiful. I just wish your parents could have seen the wonderful young woman you’ve grown into.”

“Lucky for me, I have,” Alexander says, stepping into view and coming to stand beside me. “I just wish Natalia would have had the same pleasure.”

“Alex?” Donna covers her mouth in disbelief, tears welling in her big blue eyes. “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe it’s you! You’re alive!”

“I am,” he says with a tip of his head. “It’s good to see you again, Donna.”

“But how? When?”

“Mom,” I say, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t we go inside, and we can explain everything?”

“Yes, of course,” Donna nods, ushering us in. Her glance stops at Niko as he passes, and he extends his hand.

“So lovely to meet you, Mrs. Winters. I’m Nikolai Skotos. Thank you for having me in your home.” When Donna places her hand in his, he gently slides his other over her knuckles, drawing her closer to him. “I have to say, you’re far too young and beautiful to have a grown daughter.”

Dazzled by his charm and roguish good looks, Donna blushes and mutters something unintelligible before Niko brushes past her, leaving her to linger in his influence. I shoot him a knowing look and shake my head, prompting him to wink at me with a wicked grin. Of course, our playfulness doesn’t go unnoticed by Dorian, who tightens his grip around my waist before leading me to the family room. It’s completely ridiculous for him to harbor an inkling of jealousy, but I can’t help but feel a surge of happiness from it. For so long, I felt inadequate. Like a little girl in love with some unattainable god. And now, for once, Dorian is getting just a taste of what it was like to see him interact with that she-bitch, Aurora. He’ll never understand what it was like to lose him to her. He’ll never ever be able to fathom that magnitude of agony. But maybe this—this unfounded, imaginary thing he sees between Niko and me—will give him just a glimpse of the pure hell I was in for the past six months. I know it’s childish of me to want that, but I can’t help it.

We settle in on the loveseat while the others take the couch. Donna scurries off to the kitchen for refreshments just as Chris emerges from his study.

“Dad!” I exclaim before I can stop myself. Shit. I don’t dare to look over at Alexander. I can’t even imagine what he must feel at hearing that word used to describe someone else.

Chris doesn’t even seem to notice the motley crew sitting in his family room. He makes a beeline straight to me, pulling me into his arms for a bear hug as if I am five years old again. I can literally feel the tension draining from his body, allowing a rush of relief to wash over him. When he pulls away, there are tears in his eyes, but not from fear or confusion at my appearance. Of pure, undiluted joy.

“I always knew you were special, kiddo,” he rasps, his voice raw from an unshed sob. He cups my face, brushing away the moisture on my cheeks with his thumbs. “I always knew you’d make the right choice. You make me so proud, and so honored to call you my daughter. And no matter what happens, that’s what you’ll always be.”

When he takes a step back from me, I reflexively look over at Alexander, whose blank gaze is fixed on the floor. I feel bad, but I can’t deny the only father I’ve ever known. I can’t shun the man who loved and raised me just because Alexander has suddenly reappeared. I know he would’ve been there if he could, but he wasn’t. And Chris and Donna were left to fill that void when I was orphaned at infancy. They took on the impossible task of raising a child that was broken and foreign to them in every way, and they succeeded. They loved a little monster like it was their own flesh and blood.

Before Chris makes his way to his favorite recliner, he acknowledges Dorian beside me, giving him a stiff nod. “Dorian. Thank you. Thank you for protecting my daughter.”

I know it’s difficult for him—allowing himself to feel anything but disdain for Dorian. But he’s trying to see the good in him again. The good he saw over two decades ago when a ruthless assassin chose love and friendship over duty and tradition.

Chris steps forward and offers an outstretched palm, extending an olive branch. Dorian regards it for just a moment before standing to his feet and joining his hand with his.

“It was, and is, my greatest honor. And I plan to continue to love and protect her, for as long as she’ll have me.”

Chris nods once more, accepting Dorian’s proclamation as truth. Before he makes his way to his favorite, worn recliner, his eyes sweep over to the couch, widening with shock. Blood instantly drains from his face, leaving it pale and distorted in disbelief.

“Alex? Alex, is that you?” he stutters, swallowing several times. His gaze goes to me, to Dorian and then toward the kitchen where Donna is still preparing snacks.

Alexander lifts his head slowly, deliberately prolonging the inevitable. He knew what he was doing by coming here. He had to have expected that Chris had filled the space that was left behind by his supposed execution. So it doesn’t make sense that his unblinking, pale blue eyes are sparked with riotous fury as he stares back at my adopted father, a tight, almost mocking smile on his lips.

“Alex? Oh my God, it really is you. How did you…? Where have you been?”

Alexander doesn’t speak. He just keeps staring, those startling blue eyes growing paler and paler, as decades of pain and regret come boiling to the surface.

I can feel Dorian tensing beside me, his own instincts telling him that trouble is brewing. He shifts in a quick movement, pushing me back to shield my body with his own. He locks eyes with Niko for just a flash of a second, causing his brother to slide to the edge of his seat, on guard and prepared to subdue Alexander if need be. Or at least attempt to.