Across Enemy Lines

Chapter 18

            The door swung open and Dominic walked in, a tray of food in his hand. This time it was actual nutritional beneficial food. But I didn’t focus on that for long. As Dominic closed the door, I noticed a nice size bruise sprawled across one of his cheeks. How did he get that and why?

            It was strange. I was happy to see him. I didn’t realize how accustomed to seeing him I had become and the feeling was a scary one. I should be happy to see him. He was a hunter and that was all.

            Dominic walked over towards me and I didn’t move. He placed the tray on the bed beside me. He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t even look at me. All he does is place the food down and then move to leave. I wasn’t sure I wanted him gone just yet so I had to say something. Anything.

            “Thank you,” I say, my voice bouncing off the walls and filling the silence. He stopped where he stood. I didn’t know what he was going to do. Continue walking? Leave? Say something back? I waited, remaining on the bed. After a few seconds, he turned his head to look at me over his shoulder.

            “What for?” he asked, his voice holding no emotion. I had never heard it so void of life before and it was unsettling to hear it now.

            “For the medicine and the shower. I would have told you earlier but I haven’t seen you since. I’m sure it was a risk since Michael probably didn’t order to you to do it,” I said. I wasn’t trying to make him mad or call him a liar but that’s what I felt and I was going to thank him for going against his father to do that for me even though I still don’t know why.

            Dominic shook his head and faced me. The bruise on the side of his face was more prominent now since he was closer. “He did say it. I was just following his orders,” he said, denying everything. He was going to start leaving again so I stood up from the bed.

            “Then why do you have a bruise the size of his hand on the side of your face?” I asked. He froze and his hands turned to fists at his side. I could see I hit a cord. His back was tense as he turned around slowly to look at me once again. I wasn’t scared that he’d do anything. I stayed my ground.

            “I’ve had enough bruises by his hands to know the look of one. He hit you because you gave me medicine and took me to take a shower, didn’t he?” I asked even though I knew the answer. Dominic’s face gave it all away.

            “Yeah he did,” he finally said. We stood there looking at each other for a few minutes, measuring up the other. I walked closer to him, slow steps so he knew I wasn’t going to attack him or something like that. He didn’t move but his eyes followed my movements warily.