Page 104 of A Vampire's Pain
I laughed a little, and Dominic slowly removed his hand.
“I know you’re hurting now,” he said. “But give it some time.”
“A week has passed. Over a week …”
“You think Lara was so easy to convince?” he asked. “She was scared, even after she had accepted me.”
“I know, but … but Lara had nothing to really run to. Valeri has her brother.”
“But you’re her mate.”
“I thought that meant something,” I said.
I slowly took a sip of my drink. I could barely taste it so drunk I was, so if I wanted to throw it right back, I could, but I had no place I wanted to go to right now. I just wanted to drown in my misery at the moment.
“It does.”
I shook my head.
“Not enough,” I whispered.
“Gabriel, it does mean something, and I know it will in the end.”
“You think she will come back?” I asked and looked at him.
He nodded.
“I really believe it, and so does Lara.”
“Well, I don’t,” I said.
Dominic looked sad and shook his head a little as he sighed.
“If you’re already giving up, then how can you expect her to fight?”
“I’m just done feeling like I lose all the time. My sister. My family … Valeri,” I said.
“Your family fucked up,” he said. “Your sister can’t be blamed, and neither can you for not saving her. Valeri … Valeri needs to make her own choice, and she needs to find the strength to do so.”
“Easier said than done.”
He nodded.
“Give her some more time, and don’t give up so fast.”
“I’m done, Dominic,” I said. “I’m just … done.”
I shook my head a little and closed my eyes.
“Then I don’t see how you can win. You give up too fast, Gabriel. Maybe it was time you fought too,” Dominic said, and I heard him get up and leave, yet I didn’t move.
I just sat there, feeling so defeated.
Chapter 42
-Valeri-
I was eating breakfast on my own. These past three weeks I had been eating on my own, barely even seeing my brother, and just drowning in my own self-hate and guilt. I had no idea how to fix anything. My brother wouldn’t even talk to me, and I was too ashamed to face Gabriel. I couldn’t really go running to him anyway if I couldn’t fix things with my brother. I didn’t want to lose any of them, and now it felt like I had lost both. It was simply not fair!
