Witness: See Series (Volume 1)(50)
“The only reason I wanted to save you was so I’d know how to save Draven.”
He moved his head from side to side as pulled me against him. “No, love…I was your first attempt at stopping the source of the darkness. When I saw the price Draven paid for listening to you, I felt confident that I was the wise one…but now, seeing how it’s placed him in the perfect moment, the perfect opportunity to have immense power - I feel rather foolish.”
“So I’ve heard,” I said smugly.
His eyes grew curious as he let my hands go. “Who told you?”
I didn’t answer him; I just raised one eyebrow and waited for him to figure it out. “Silas,” he whispered.
“One of a few,” I said boldly.
Britain looked down the street, then back at me. “I would have thought that Draven would have been smarter about keeping you away from him; he must trust you.”
“Apparently, he’s distracted,” I said shortly as rage seethed through my veins. Draven was going to pay when I saw him.
Britain turned his head from side to side, and for the first time I saw sorrow in his expression. “I never intended for Bianca to go that far. She just has a lust for power, and an even bigger desire to end anyone who tells her she can’t have it.”
“The fact that you even had a thought to send her after Draven is enough to make me hate you – everything about you!”
“I didn’t send her to him; she’s had her eye on someone else for a while. She’s just going after him because she wants us to destroy ourselves.”
“I don’t believe you. She lives with you – she’s always with you. For all I know, you’re just as twisted and evil as she is.”
He reached for my shoulders, but I stepped back. He sighed, then looked into my eyes. “If Silas has really told you everything, you’d know that I don’t stay in this realm. My house, my money – it’s all for show. It’s material, and in the realm I live in, it has no meaning. I’m here because of you.”
“Then go back because there’s nothing here for you.”
He chuckled as if I were oblivious to what he was saying, which only made me mad. “Listen – I owe you. You saved me from Silas. I thought…I thought that because I was the first one you tried to help that you’d still want save me, but it seems that I’ve been forgotten. I can’t let that happen.”
“You do realize that I have no memory of what you’re talking about; that all I know is this life – and thanks to you, what I know is vague and patchy. I will not be with you – ever.”
“You’ve made that clear,” he said calmly.
“Then why are you still here?”
“Because you’ve ruined me,” he said in a sorrowful tone – almost pleading for me to listen to him. It was the first time I saw this side of him, and unfortunately, it made me feel sorry for him.
“Whatever. How?” I said, looking away, trying to fight a compassion that was building for him – not in the way that two people love each other, but in a way that friends would help each other.
He reached his fingertips to my chin and turned my eyes up to his. “Your power, your light – you gave it to me when you tried to change me. It’s sustained me until now. I can’t pull enough power from the shadows to keep me satisfied – alive – in that world. I have no choice. To survive, you’re going to have to give me more. Being this close to you is the only thing allowing me to have what you might call life.”
“If you try to take my light – or whatever you call it – Silas will end you. You have to find another way,” I said as the sorrow I felt for every soul that was lost erupted in me. I had to find a way to help him – to save them both from Silas.
“I don’t think you understand. For me and Draven, we have no choice. You either give us your power, or we will end. Silas knows that. He’s always known that, but he let you try anyway because of that ‘compassion’ thing you’re kind believes in. You didn’t help us or the dammed; all you did was end us. Now I’m pulling every part of the shadows to me just to hold an appearance in this world….soon it will be like that for Draven, too.”
My eyes grew wide. “Why is it always silent around you? Why has it been silent all day long?”
Headlights flashed on us, and I saw my car racing down the street. Behind it was Evan’s Hummer. Britain looked at me and smirked. “This many dark people in one town. There’s no way there can be a shadow or whisper behind it. We’re feeding off them – using their power to sustain ourselves. They follow us to that world...they can’t help it; they want to be there...they’re called there.”
I covered my mouth, trying to block the nausea as my car stopped short behind Britain’s. Evan’s Hummer pulled up in front of Britain’s car to block it from leaving. I couldn’t breathe; my shadows, my whispers - the ones I promised I would save - were being dwindled away...not by some dark force, but by people I knew – some that I trusted...loved.
Winston stepped out of Evan’s Hummer and crossed his arms, daring Britain to say or do something. Grayson climbed out of my car’s driver’s side and glared at Britain as he came to my side. Britain held his stare but didn’t bother to say a word as Grayson led me to the passenger side of my car. Numb, I sat down and stared forward…I didn’t know what to do.