Ok, thanks to: Aurora Yuy, Kere, Lady Jilly Bean, Jossie, Rachyda, Coley, Kenta Divina, Herbie, Lexi, Keita, Eccie87, Snow*flake, Lauziek, Angel Of The Storms, Larzdinn, Clarylissa, Violyn, dragon angel, Fallen_Angel and Artic Princess for reviewing- some of you more than once. Sorry I haven't got time to go through each review like I did last chapter but I have tried to answer any questions:
Aurora Yuy- probably there will be roughly 22 chapters.
Larzdinn- 'Cause I love X-Men! And no, that last bit wasn't supposed to mean anything…: )
Snow*flake- what does 'foues' mean? I got the rest : )
Fallen_Angel- actually, I came up with the romance and added the idea. Only the idea got a bit carried away and now there's hardly any real romance scenes : )
And special thanks to all that: said I wrote like TP, thanked me for thanking them, asked after my dad/my holiday, said this was the best k/d fic they'd read, wished me a happy birthday! THANK YOU!!!!!
Oh, and I decided I'd better do a disclaimer since I don't think I've done one since, like chapter 2! So, here we go: I own only two things. TP owns everything else. The two things I own are: (1) the plot and (2) DOM!!!!!
Chapter 16- Blood On My Fingers And Tears On My Cheeks
~ 'Yes. It's me,' he said hoarsely, resting his head back.~
'No…' Kel shook her head, disbelieving, before sinking to her knees next to him. 'Oh, Dom!' She reached up and ran a finger down the side of his face. 'I'm so sorry.'
'What are you sorry for?' he whispered.
Kel cupped his cheek in her hand, meeting his eyes. 'For being a prig before. I'm sorry for everything I said, everything I did. I'm sorry for everything I didn't do.'
Dom smiled at her, satisfied with her answer. 'It's a bit late now though, isn't it?' he said with a grim smile, waving his hands around a bit in the metal cuffs. 'But,' he added more softly. 'I accept your apology.'
'Oh Gods, Dom,' whispered Kel. She lent in and kissed him deeply. She could feel his longing for her, matching her longing for him and her desperation for everything to be fine; for him to forgive her foolishness. Pulling back, she looked into his eyes. Searching them she found fear and pain, but not fear of her nor pain caused by her.
'What do you mean?'
Dom just gave her a quizzical look: too much talking hurt his throat. Kel sighed. 'What do you mean- "I won't tell you anything" ? You said it when I came in.'
Dom groaned slightly, turning his gaze away. 'They want information. I won't tell them anything.' He met her eyes sharply. 'Make sure they know that, back at home. Make sure they understand I didn't give anything away.'
Kel's mouth was paper dry. 'Dom, have they…hurt you?'
His usual blue eyes were grey and haunted. He needed no words. Suddenly, something dawned on him. 'Kel, how come you're here?'
'I- I am-' She hesitated. 'Dom, please try to understand this: I would tell you but- but I can't. In case they're listening. Although if they are, I'm dead already. And I haven't got the time to explain.' She sighed and rubbed her face. 'Look, in short- I'm doing some work for Sir Myles, just like you suggested.'
He smiled slightly.
'I hope they aren't listening,' Kel whispered. 'With magic or something.'
Dom shook his head. 'Unlikely- they fear a lot of magic.'
'I noticed,' Kel murmured to herself. 'If they were listening then I'd have no chance of getting us both out.'
He sighed, shifting his position on the floor, pushing his back up against the wall. 'You have no chance anyway.'
'What? Don't be so negative Dom.'
'Kel, I mean it. Look,' he sighed. 'You've seen the guards. I have no idea how you got in, but Gods hear me, I hope you get out again. If we came up against any trouble I would be of no help- I'd probably be more of a hindrance.' She frowned. 'Feel my back,' he whispered.
Tentatively, Kel slipped her arm around him. She was immediately aware of how close she was to him, pressed gently against his sweaty, dirty chest. A fierce longing was suddenly set alight deep within her (even if he did stink!). But as soon as her hand connected with his wounds, all else was pushed far from her mind.
Kel gasped, closing her eyes to better build a mental picture. Her soft fingers moved gently over each inch of his back. Some wounds were open, some closed but all felt equally painful.
Pulling away, Kel found blood on her fingers and tears on her cheeks. She looked at the blood, her vision becoming increasingly blurry.
'Kel…' Although weak, Dom's voice was still full of emotion. 'Don't cry on my part. Get yourself away from here. Just do one thing for me? Tell Lord Raoul I never gave any information away. Please? I want him to know I served him well to the end.'
'He already knows, Dom.' Kel sighed. 'The guard will be here any minute.' She kissed him, softer than before. A kiss of hope, yet also a kiss of knowing… of knowing this could be their last kiss… ever.
'I'm going to go back and get help. Then we'll get you out of here.'
'Kel, there's no time,' he whispered.
'Nonsense- of course there'll be-'
'Kel, there's no time!' he hissed. She looked at him, waiting for elaboration. Finally, he sighed. 'They are to kill me next new moon. Unless I die down here beforehand.'
'I will not let you die, Dom. There will be time. I promise. Just don't give up on me yet.'
'I already have,' he whispered, watching the floor.
She crouched to say something else but the door opened and the guard stood solidly in the doorway.
'Time's up. Time's over.'
Kel sighed and stood up, giving Dom one last look. He didn't look up. Kel walked to the door; the guard turned and moved out of the way. As she passed through the doorway, Kel paused and whispered, 'Just don't give up on me.' Then she followed the guard out. The man locked the door and Kel followed him as he began to walk the passageways. She was lost in thought- she had to find a way to buy Dom time, try and find a way to let him get a bit of strength back.
'Did you find out what you needed?'
'Oh yes,' Kel hissed. 'The Master'll be very pleased. But- I must ask on our Lord's behalf- is the prisoner given food?'
The man chuckled. 'Aye. A chunk of mouldy bread. But the way he's chained up, he couldn't eat it if he wanted to.'
Kel tutted, shaking her head from side to side. 'Not good, not good.'
'What? What's wrong?'
'The Master'll be terribly displeased. For what good is a prisoner- a torture victim- if he has no fight in him? That guy has a strong spirit- aye, I'll grant him that but he's weak. His body'll break long before his spirit. And then he'll be dead. Not good, not good.'
'Well… what would you recommend?'
'Me? Well, acting only on the Master's lessons you understand, I would give him a little bit of time unlocked from those chains, but still in his cell mind- with some passable food. Get him to walk around a bit. And go a bit easier on the torture for a while. At least until his body's back up to a state to fight again.' She looked the man in the eye. 'The torture'll be far more fun then.'
He nodded. 'I'll pass it on. But for now- here we are, the gates are just there.' Kel blinked as they came out into the bright sunlight and he pointed to the gates across the courtyard. 'That seemed quicker. Much quicker.'
He chuckled. 'It was. I took you the short way back. I hope the Master is pleased with what you have seen.'
'Aye, so do I,' she said slowly. 'I'll pass on your helpfulness.' The man bowed and so did the other two guards at the gate as they came up to them. She bowed back, then walked on down the hill, all the while her heart sinking.
So, she had got through. And got out again. But the prisoner was Dom. And he was to be killed. On the next new moon. And she had memorized the way in but it was about three times as long as the other way. She had no idea on the short way.
Kel sighed. Was there anyway she could get to Corus, talk to Myles, rally up some troops and come back all in under a month? It seemed near impossible. Unless…
Suddenly, having remembered something Baron George had told her, Kel smiled and hurried her steps to the dock.
~*~
A/N: grins cheekily Do you like my new name?