[Boys of the Zodiac 03] Gemini; The Wicked Things by Pepper Espinoza by Pepper Espinoza

Author:Pepper Espinoza [Alchemy, Elemental]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Travis only pretended to sleep. Once the darkness descended and John excused himself, Travis closed his eyes and counted back from one thousand. Normally, that trick would knock him out before he reached eight hundred, but he made it all the way to zero and then started counting up again. Then he gave up counting, along with any hopes he had of getting any rest. John had left him in the cottage to check on Agnes, and though he knew he was perfectly safe from Maeveen, he couldn’t relax. His thoughts drifted to John, returning to the man’s story again and again.

John had delivered the details without rushing through the story, each word careful if not deliberate. The inflection of his voice didn’t change when he spoke of his brother’s confession, or his last sight of Jane, or the final words he spoke to Ann. But Travis could still feel the depth of John’s emotions while he spoke. The regret was evident, but so was the anger. It emanated from him in wave after wave, his rage echoing through time, as fresh as it’d been the day he lost his life. Travis was bitterly angry himself, and he wished he could change everything. William deserved to suffer for what he did, not only to Jane, but to his own brother. Yet John didn’t seem to bear his brother any ill-will. His anger was less defined than that, as though he couldn’t bring himself to hate the one man who deserved it the most.

I don’t believe anybody’s ever touched me like this. Travis was quite sure that John hadn’t been completely honest. They both knew that nobody had ever touched him with kindness or compassion. They hadn’t even allowed him that final comfort before they killed him. With nothing but pain and betrayal, anger and frustration, loss and death, how had John held on to his humanity? Travis wasn’t amazed that John knew the difference between right and wrong, but he was deeply moved by the fact that John still cared. He still cared enough to watch over the children that played in the hills, and he still cared enough to walk with lonely travelers. He cared so much he put himself in danger and to deny his very nature as a black dog.

At dawn, Travis gave up every pretense of sleeping. Despite the fact that he could shape the cottage into anything he wished, he didn’t bother, except to create a new toothbrush and a change of clothes. By the time John opened the door, Travis had the table laid out with tea and toast and jam, though he had no appetite and he knew John would only politely pretend to eat.

“How is she?” Travis asked.

“She’s well. Safe. Roger is still with her.” John sat across from him. “I know you’d rather be with her, but this is safer. For both of you.” “I know.”

“How did you sleep?”

“I…didn’t, really.”

John frowned. “I’m sorry. Did something disturb you?” “No. I mean, nothing new.

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