Immortal Sin |✓|

10.3 Ends and Beginnings

I had used the time between hunting Dorian to perfect one painting and one painting only. I didn't dare travel with it, for fear of loss or damage, so I kept the painting in a vault at Prague, returning to it when I could. Now it leaned against the wall in the hotel room I shared with Dark Dorian. Neither of them left my sight.

This was it.

The time had finally come...

"How did you know what to paint? How did you know... what he looked like?" Hands in his pockets, Dark Dorian, studied his twin drowning in endless waves.

"Wasn't difficult," I replied, leaning against the wall, arms folded. "I see him. Every night. In my dreams... Work you magic, Double D."

"And if I refuse? You're small, I can take you."

"Sure. But one phone call and in twenty-four hours every hunter in England will know you're in the Czech Republic. Try me."

He grumbled and sucked his teeth at me, but gave in. Palms sweating, heart racing, I watched Dark Dorian approach the painting. He rubbed his hands, rotating his neck and shoulders, as if saving his other half wasn't as simple as reaching through the canvas and pulling him right out...

Dorian landed on his knees, head bowed, dripping head to toe, covered in seaweed and algae. Dark Dorian ripped apart his crusty, rusted chains like they were nothing, and stepped back with a flourish.

"Dorian, can you hear me?" Fingers shaking, I reached out and stroked his hair. "It's okay now, I found you--you're home."

He lifted his face. What I saw was more shocking than anything I had ever fought with Imogen or come across my days on the road.

His face was demonic - bulging red eyes and black, popping veins. His teeth were bared, lips pulled back in a horrible grimace dripping foam. Growling like an animal, Dorian swiped at me. I leaped back, hands raised in defense.

"Dorian, it's me! It's Amelia!"

He rose to his feet and staggered forward. Months in the sea had withered his limbs but not his resolve. Dorian lunged, cold, wet hands seizing my throat, squeezing until I could hardly breathe.

"Dorian," I wheezed. "It's me. Please. Stop."

He drove me backward, slamming me into the wall, lifting with both hands until my feet kicked the air. His grip tightened. Even as he choked the life from me, I couldn't bring myself to hurt him. Not after everything I had done to save him. I touched his face. Between the floaters dancing in my vision, I saw the clouds lift from his eyes. His grip loosened...

He finally dropped me and we both fell. I coughed, lungs on fire, clutching my throat with my hands. Dark Dorian stood over us, the hotel telephone he had struck the other Dorian with dangling from his hands.

"I don't understand," I rasped. "What's wrong with him?"

"What do you think?" He chucked the phone aside. "He spent months underwater, with only the sea grass for company, dying over and over again. It's enough to make anyone mad."

Sniffing back tears, I crawled forward on my hands and knees, sliding the hair from Dorian's pale face. It was no longer demonic, but how long would that last?

"Amelia." Dark Dorian laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You can't bring him back to the Village. Not like this."

"You think I don't know that?" I snapped. "Damnit!" Dark Dorian helped me to my feet; i dragged my fingers through my hair, helpless, defeated. "I swore I would save him."

"Amelia, you traveled to the bloody ends of the Earth to find me. I know you'll save him." He took me in his arms, his chin resting on my shoulder. Startled, I froze, then hugged him back. "What will you do?" he asked.