“Symeon mentioned you worked with the winds,” Damon stated. “I don’t know much more than that.”
“I have the strongest connection with the air element. My business is in renewable energy—wind farms mainly, though not exclusively. My abilities mean I am able to ensure their maximum efficiency. A large percentage of the organization’s profits is plowed back into research.”
“But you don’t have anyone to channel through? No boyfriend?”
“No. I have learned to channel through many people at once. It’s not as effective and it’s hard work, but it does the job.”
“Maybe one day you could channel through me?” Damon suggested.
“Perhaps, but in the meantime you can support me on my trips to manage the winds. Felix has been plaguing me to find an assistant for a while.”
“I want to be useful. I’ll help in any way I can.”
Damon seemed pleased. Nathaniel wrote a few lines on his pad, summarizing what they’d discussed so far.
“What happens if I break any of your rules, Sir?”
“They’re our rules, Damon, not just mine. Break them and you’ll be punished.”
“By you?”
“By me. In a way I will explain to you at the time. Any punishment will fit the crime.” He grinned. Damon rolled his eyes.
“Doms. Always ready to hand out a spanking.”
“I think you’d enjoy that too much for it to be considered a punishment.”
“I’m not saying a word.”
“Probably best. Now is there anything you want to add to the sheet?”
Damon took the pad and pen. He hesitated before writing a line or two then handed it back to Nathaniel.
“Nathaniel will protect Damon from Symeon Malus and all other supernatural threats,” Nathaniel read. “I’ll certainly do my best.” He laid his hand on Damon’s knee. “I promise.” Damon didn’t move his leg.
* * * *
That evening, Nathaniel, Felix and Damon settled around the kitchen table to share a meal that Damon had prepared. The room was filled with savory aromas and Nathaniel found his mouth watering. Damon, still barefoot but now wearing a T-shirt with his jeans, had a smudge of flour on his nose. He placed a bowl of salad on the table, which was already set for three.
“This actually smells great,” Felix announced, sounding surprised. “It’s a big improvement on anything you’ve ever produced, Nate, and I haven’t even tasted it yet.”
Nathaniel shrugged. Felix was right. Neither of them could cook worth a damn. They kept half the restaurants in the area in business with their takeout orders. “I’m amazed Damon even found enough ingredients to cook with.”
“The contents of your fridge are pathetic,” Damon said, cheerfully. “Good thing I’m a miracle worker. I will need to go to the market, though, if you want me to carry on with catering duty.” He placed a steaming dish on the table. “I made shepherd’s pie. There was ground beef in the freezer and some frozen vegetables and I found some potatoes that were just about salvageable. It would be much better with more fresh stuff.” He distributed three warm plates then handed Nathaniel a serving spoon. Nathaniel gave it back.
“You should do the honors.”
Damon’s cheeks pinked but he set to ladling generous portions onto each plate.
“Oh my God, this is good,” Felix managed between mouthfuls. “Chain him to something in here, Nate. He should never be allowed to leave the kitchen.”
Damon giggled. The sound made Nathaniel smile. Damon’s young—he should be enjoying himself. He hasn’t had much to smile about for the last few years, that’s certain.
“But if I can’t go out for groceries, you won’t get to eat more home-cooked food, Felix.”
“I’ll take you myself. I’ll even push the cart.” Felix shoved another forkful of food into his mouth with an orgasmic moan.
“You can go shopping, Damon,” Nathaniel said. “But I don’t want you going out alone until we know what Symeon is up to.”
“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 going through 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’s magic 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.
The things Gregory had said on his last visit were frightening. Dominic felt so powerless in this strange world of warlocks and witchcraft. On the surface at least, Evrain seemed to embrace it with ease. Dominic detested the thought that his boyfriend could be in danger just because of what he was. He was also afraid that if Evrain were attacked, there would be little he could do to help him.
He cleaned his teeth, hung up his damp towel then ambled naked into the bedroom to find some clean work clothes. It was a shame Evrain had already left. He had a habit of waiting for Dominic to dress after a shower then stripping him slowly. He’d nuzzle Dominic’s cock then reward him with a slow, torturous blow job, keeping him hovering on the edge of release as long as possible.
Dominic had no problem being on the on the other side of that particular equation. He chuckled at the thought and rummaged through the small selection of garments in his wardrobe. He wasn’t seeing customers so he went for comfort, choosing a pair of worn jeans with rips across one thigh and a soft navy T-shirt, the design so faded it was indiscernible. It was warm enough to go without socks but he didn’t want to get blisters from his heavy work boots, so found a pair that weren’t too thick then pulled them on.
Finally, he raked a comb through his hair more roughly than he needed to. It still got tangled but there was nothing he could do to alter the style. Sighing, he walked to the window to pull the curtains open. It was a bit murky outside.
Wow, weather sure changes fast around here. He’d been hoping for a dry, sunny day in the garden but now it looked like rain might set in. He froze, grasping the edge of the fabric, straining to see through the thick mist. Just visible behind the gate at the end of the narrow garden path were the dark outlines of two figures. He stared, trying to make out who was there but there wasn’t enough visibility to ascertain any details. He had a terrible feeling that the shapes were of the two women who had been stalking him a few weeks back.
“Shit!” He yanked the thick drapes closed then ran for the stairs, a cold fist closed around his heart. His phone was lying on the kitchen table. He grabbed it then speed dialed Evrain but the phone went straight to voicemail.
“Surely he didn’t forget to connect his phone in the car?” Even as he muttered the words Dominic knew that it was unlikely. Evrain preferred to be connected at all times. He had a hands free kit and always used it. “Perhaps he’s on another call.” Dominic made sure the front door was bolted, then tried the phone again. There was still no reply. In the chair next to the fire, Shadow stirred. Dominic crouched down beside her. “What’s going on, puss? I have a bad feeling about this, how about you?” The cat gave her paw an idle lick. “I’ll feed you then give Evrain another try.” Dominic needed to do something to keep himself calm. He found a can of tuna at the back of a cupboard and an old china dish to put it in. As soon as he started using the can opener Shadow evacuated her seat, stalked across the room then proceeded to wind around his ankles in a way that would probably void his medical insurance. “All right! It’s coming.” A head butt to his calf prompted him to move faster. He placed the dish on the floor then added another filled with water. “There you go.” Shadow ignored him, head buried in the food amid enthusiastic slurping noises.
Pushing back the urge to keep calling Evrain, Dominic trotted back up the stairs to take a peek through the bedroom curtains. He couldn’t see the garden gate from anywhere else in the house. The rain was teeming down now, obscuring his view, but he could still make out the two figures standing there, unmoving. He sat on the edge of the bed staring at his phone. He hadn’t left Evrain a message but the missed calls would be showing up. Evrain always got in touch when he saw the notifications. He was paranoid about Dominic’s safety.
“Shame he’s so careless about his own,” Dominic muttered. His fear was making him angry. He dialed once more just to get the same recording. This time he left a brief message. “Evrain, please call me as soon as you get this…and answer your damned phone!” The hard knot in his stomach would not go away. He went back downstairs then, for a moment, gazed unseeing around the room. Shadow was still immersed in her food bowl. The rain was battering the windows. A cold draft from somewhere caressed his neck. It reminded him of Evrain using the air to tease him.
“Damn it all to hell.” Dominic dialed Gregory’s number. His heart was pounding and he made a conscious effort to stay calm as the call connected.
“Hello?”
Dominic felt calmer as he heard Coryn’s voice. “Coryn, thank God you’re there. It’s Dominic…”
“Dominic? Hold on, lad, slow down, I’ll put you on speaker so Gregory can hear too.”
There was a moment’s crackling, then Gregory came on the line. “Okay, Dominic, we’re both here. Tell us what’s happened.”
Dominic wished he could sound half as calm as Gregory. “That’s just it, I don’t know. I’m at home. Those two women are back—just outside the gate. Evrain went to work less than hour ago but I haven’t been able to get hold of him. His phone just goes to voicemail. I have a really bad feeling and I don’t know what to do…” He trailed off miserably.
“Think, is there anything else you saw or heard?” Gregory’s voice came back, sharp with worry.
Dominic took a few deep breaths. “Evrain had to go into the office today so we got up quite early. We were having breakfast when there was a scratching at the door. Evrain answered it because the wards hadn’t been disturbed and there was a cat sitting there. She’s made herself at home—Evrain didn’t seem at all bothered by her.”
“Wait—describe the animal.”
“Fat, black and hairy,” Dominic said. “Seems way too intelligent for a cat, but I’m guessing the supernatural is involved somehow. Evrain barely blinked, just accepted that we have a new houseguest.”
“Okay. Continue.”
“Evrain went off to work. I went upstairs to take a shower. I’d dressed and was opening the bedroom curtains when I spotted the two women. They haven’t attempted to cross the wards. They’re just standing there. They give me the creeps.”
“Give me a minute while I call Nathaniel. He’s closer than we are and may have felt something. Stay by the phone.” Gregory hung up and Dominic paced up and down waiting for him to call back. He had a horrible feeling that every minute lost was a minute that Evrain might not have. When the phone rang again he pounced on it and pressed the receiver to his ear.
“Nathaniel did f
eel something. He described it as a bit of a jolt. I suspect that Evrain might have been blocked and he agrees that it’s a possibility.”
“No! That’s bad, isn’t it? What do I do? I should go out to look for him…”
“No, absolutely not. Stay put. Coryn and I are on the way. I’m going to ask Nathaniel if he can help too but it will take us all a while to reach you.” Gregory paused. “I mean it, Dominic. You stay in the house until we get there. Putting yourself in danger is not going to help Evrain.”
“Okay, if I have to.” Dominic understood where Evrain got his authoritative nature from—Gregory sounded remarkably similar. “But I can’t sit here doing nothing. What can I do to help?”
“This is going to sound strange, but I suggest you listen to that cat.”
Before Dominic could even think of a response, Gregory hung up. He realized his mouth was open so he shut it, grinding his teeth in frustration. He stared suspiciously at Shadow, but the fur ball was lapping at her water dish, no doubt washing down the immense quantity of tuna she’d just hoovered up.
Dominic wasn’t used to feeling so helpless. Although he took a submissive role in his relationship with Evrain he was still an independent person and the feeling of uselessness hurt him deeply. After some unproductive pacing he climbed back up the stairs. He took yet another peek through a crack in the curtains. He could still make out the vague shapes of the two strange women hovering just beyond the garden gate. What the hell do they want? He flicked the curtains closed again and sat on the edge of the bed, determined that their presence would not stop him from thinking clearly—Evrain’s life might depend on it. Sitting around was getting him nowhere. I’m going to ask them what they want. They can’t get to me through the wards. Gregory wouldn’t be impressed but he wasn’t the one with a missing boyfriend.
Elemental Hope Page 8
