-----------
The Afterdark and pushed Nell inside his warehouse home. He said, barely containing a bear-sized rage, "I want you to know that you have severely wasted my time. Consider also that you were shot and held prisoner. Consider, Nell, that I did not get to kill Seer."
She cowered in front of him, pale and sickly, and made no sound.
"Not too long ago I cautioned you about villains. Didn't I?" She nodded, and he continued with increasing volume. "And I feel like you didn't really listen to me when we had that talk because, Nell, you seemed to think that you'd get away with wasting my time. Did you forget who I am, Nell? Did you forget that I could kill you and no one would ever care?"
She winced with every syllable, and that gave The Afterdark more energy, more power.
"I saved your life, Nell Conrad. I've saved it three fucking times now--" he indicated with his fingers the number three "--and I have allowed you to live in my house. I should never have saved you from the cold."
He didn't mean that, but he wanted her to hurt. It was clear to him that his words stung because she would not face him, and she cried silent tears.
"Nell, do not rely on me ever again," he said seriously. "If I don't specifically offer to do something for you, I won't do it."
She nodded slightly, and he reached out and grabbed her face. "Whether or not I should have let you die, we've grown regrettably close. You stay until I get to kill Seer, and from there we'll see how I feel about letting you leave. Just remember, Nell: You owe me, and you don't get to negotiate."
She was stunned, but was obviously doing her best to look neutral. Most of all, Nell was struck by his words of letting her leave--he had spoken as though there was a possibility of him keeping her prisoner. But he'd warned her, hadn't he? Told her that villains were not people to be trusted under any circumstances. She'd fucked up.
He released her from his grip and found his hand wet with tears. He wiped it on his pants as if her tears were something disgusting.
"Now," he said, a bit more calmly, "Tell me everything that happened while they had you there. Give me the details."
The Afterdark and pushed Nell inside his warehouse home. He said, barely containing a bear-sized rage, "I want you to know that you have severely wasted my time. Consider also that you were shot and held prisoner. Consider, Nell, that I did not get to kill Seer."
She cowered in front of him, pale and sickly, and made no sound.
"Not too long ago I cautioned you about villains. Didn't I?" She nodded, and he continued with increasing volume. "And I feel like you didn't really listen to me when we had that talk because, Nell, you seemed to think that you'd get away with wasting my time. Did you forget who I am, Nell? Did you forget that I could kill you and no one would ever care?"
She winced with every syllable, and that gave The Afterdark more energy, more power.
"I saved your life, Nell Conrad. I've saved it three fucking times now--" he indicated with his fingers the number three "--and I have allowed you to live in my house. I should never have saved you from the cold."
He didn't mean that, but he wanted her to hurt. It was clear to him that his words stung because she would not face him, and she cried silent tears.
"Nell, do not rely on me ever again," he said seriously. "If I don't specifically offer to do something for you, I won't do it."
She nodded slightly, and he reached out and grabbed her face. "Whether or not I should have let you die, we've grown regrettably close. You stay until I get to kill Seer, and from there we'll see how I feel about letting you leave. Just remember, Nell: You owe me, and you don't get to negotiate."
She was stunned, but was obviously doing her best to look neutral. Most of all, Nell was struck by his words of letting her leave--he had spoken as though there was a possibility of him keeping her prisoner. But he'd warned her, hadn't he? Told her that villains were not people to be trusted under any circumstances. She'd fucked up.
He released her from his grip and found his hand wet with tears. He wiped it on his pants as if her tears were something disgusting.
"Now," he said, a bit more calmly, "Tell me everything that happened while they had you there. Give me the details."
