Human Pets

Chapter Fourteen

I find it so hard to pick whom to greet first there are so many people I have missed, and I wish to see them all. I feel an excited smile spread across my face as I peer through the group that is now being looked over and tended to and find familiar faces. Charlie is hunched over in a wooden chair talking to one of the nurses mending him while Cindy has her back leaning against his chair having her arms mended up. Everyone looks bloody and tired especially Dereck.  

Dereck is over in a corner gazing at the floor blankly with dark bags under his eyes and dried blood all over his jumpsuit and face. I know how horrible he must feel. Seeing Victoria die in front of his eyes... I feel my stomach constrict from the memory and debate on approaching him. I would definitely find it difficult weaving through the various bloodied bodies on the ground. I give him a long sympathetic glance but he doesn't see it, he is off deep in his mind.  

I feel a large hand rest on my shoulder and warm breath blow along my neck pulling me from my concentration on Dereck and the many comrades. I slowly turn my head but I am stopped by the accent of the hand's owner.  

"Don't look yet. I need to clean up before you can see me." The voice explains, and confirming its owner to be Dominic. "We went through a lot of trouble Elsie, and I think you should know what happened, but that can wait. Meet me in your room?" I nod in agreement. I do want to know what happened. I want to know what took them so long. I wish I could have been there to help. 

I turn around finally and only see the door to my room propped open a few feet away. Storing away the questions I have I make my way to my room leaving the others behind for tonight for answers. I close the door behind me and quickly slip into something comfortable. I observe the steam rising from under the bathroom door and plop onto the bed. Not even a few seconds later Dominic exits from the bathroom along with a big cloud of steam and nothing but a silk green robe on.  

Dominic sighs loudly and sits on the edge of the bed before giving me a smile. I smile back as I sit up in the bed and slowly notice the long marks that stretch down his neck. I feel my eyes grow larger and I cover my mouth to hold back the gasp. Dominic's smile turns into a straight face and he looks into my eyes.  

"I should tell you what happened before you begin throwing questions at me." He states, leaning back and scooting further up on the bed. "After you and Pheno left, it got worse..."

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Dominic explained everything. They were ambushed by the reinforcements that Gregor brought with him. Gregor managed to get a swipe at everyone in the group and that's where he got his scratch. They actually lost a few comrades but they had to keep going, they relied on hiding in back yards, dumpsters and bushes. The reinforcements scanned everywhere every night making it harder for them to get here quicker. He explained how we were lucky to leave when we did or everyone probably would have been killed. Gregor was vicious and so angry he even killed off some of his reinforcements trying to get to everyone.  

The whole time he explained this I couldn't keep from gasping and holding back the horror on my face. They are very lucky though, to have made it all the way back here alive. Everything else can be mended in time, like mental and physical injuries.  

"I'm sorry it took us so long to get back Elsie, I honestly couldn't stop worrying about you." Dominic confesses. He glances over to me and my cheeks begin to burn. "I was worried whether you made it or not." Dominic leaned closer and cupped my face slowly, making my cheeks burn even hotter.  

I glance away from his hand and end up locking eyes with his. Everything around us seems to blur and all I see are his deep brown eyes boring into mine keeping me frozen. My mind on the other hand is going wild. Is he going to kiss me? Does he really like me that way? What am I going to do?! Many questions running ramped through my mind I feel like my head could blow up any second.