Page 73 of A Vampire's Pain
“You know it won’t be long before Damon is calling me if Valeri doesn’t call him first,” Dominic said.
I nodded.
“I’m aware,” I said. “She will do it.”
Dominic didn’t seem that convinced, and I wasn’t sure how long Valeri would drag this out, but I knew I wouldn’t push her. She could tell him or not, it wouldn’t change my feelings for her.
“You got such a stupid grin on your face,” Dominic chuckled, as he leaned over the table again.
“What? I don’t,” I said.
He smiled and nodded.
“Don’t tell me I looked like that when I brought Lara home with me,” he said.
“Oh, you certainly did,” I told him, just to mess with him.
Dominic shook his head and sighed.
“Great.”
I chuckled a little, as I sipped my drink. I watched as Dominic stood up and leaned against the table, even though it was still his turn.
“Gabriel—”
“Oh, I don’t like that tone in your voice,” I said.
“I just … I think you need to talk to Damon too.”
“Why?!”
“Because if anyone could understand how he feels, it is you,” he said.
I froze, looking away from Dominic. Why did he have to bring this up now?!
“That’s cruel,” I whispered.
“You know what it is like losing a sister.”
I sighed, not really wanting to talk about this. I had lost my sister long, long ago. She had been taken too, but she had been even more valuable because she was a hybrid … I was too late though. I couldn’t save her and when I found her … her body spoke of the horrible things she had been through, and I hated myself for not being able to save her. It had taught me something though. It taught me what my family truly valued because I was theonlyone who personally went out to look for her, and when I brought her back … it was like no one even acknowledged her being dead. She just turned into this topic we couldn’t talk about.
My family wasn’t bad, but they couldn’t let go of how aristocrats should act. That was why I turned on them because when I was looking for my sister, it was when I ran into Dominic. He recognized me right away, but it took me a little time to understand who he was. We got into a fight that night, and he was close to killing me, but I had told him I couldn’t die now. Not when I still needed to find my sister. It had changed something.
Dominic had backed off, and he had even helped to try to find her. It was then I realized what a true king was. Dominic might never have wanted to be king. He might have wanted revenge for his family, but the throne didn’t really appeal to him. He was born for it though. I knew that. I could see it in him, as we traveled together. None of us would ever be like him.
I couldn’t save my sister, but I had gained something too. I had gained a long-life friendship. A true brother pretty much. I didn’t regret my decision to support Dominic. I just regretted I hadn’t gone after my sister as soon as she was taken. I had let myself be held back by my family, telling me they would have people looking for her, and that would be enough.
It wasn’t enough …
“Gabriel, you must understand how Damon feels,” he said.
I shook my head, not because I didn’t agree, but because I knew there was no way I could give Valeri back. Not now that I had her.
“I can’t let her go,” I said.
“I’m not saying let her go. I’m saying talk to Damon.”
“He wouldn’t listen to me,” I said. “In his eyes, I’m the bad one. The bad hybrid.”
