Page 53 of Damiano De Luca (The Five Syndicates)
I let myself check out as they talked.
Laura crossed her arms. “I-I…We were just having fun.”
Damian’s head brushed my cheek as he turned to look at the water bottles. “You drugged her? What if I’d drunk from a water bottle? Would you have drugged me?”
“One of us would have stopped you!”
“Are you insane? She’s a Vitali, Laura. Her family could have us all wiped from existence!” The gym had quieted, and Damian’s shouts rang across the gym as he addressed the entire student body. “Have you all gone fucking insane?! Why would any of you go through with this?!”
Silence.
“Someone better fucking answer me. Now!”
“Laura said it was your idea.”
I didn’t know who spoke up, but he sounded like a chipmunk. I’d never loved chipmunks, but I’d always loved animals. Why didn’t I love chipmunks?
My knees buckled again, and Damian all but carried me now. “Your punishment will be given tomorrow, Laura.” He raised his voice. “As for the rest of you, you’re all fucking idiots.”
I looked up at him. “I’m an idiot?”
He closed his eyes, sighed, and opened them again. “No. Now let’s get you home.” He bent down and carried me bridal style.
My head lolled back. “I feel like a princess.”
“You are a princess.”
“But I’m a Knight. I do the saving, not you.”
“Consider me a fellow knight. We’re in a battle together. I’m doing what any knight would do and helping a fellow knight.”
“Damian?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know what we’re talking about.”
His lips turned upward before abruptly shifting downward. “Rest, Knight. We’ll be home soon.”
The driver opened the door. Damian slid us into the car, and I closed my eyes as I sat on his lap, my head resting on his shoulder. When I opened them again, I was on my bed, and the room began to spin. Damian stood at the foot of the bed, an oversized shirt of his in one hand.
He followed me as I ran across the hall and heaved into the bathroom toilet. I took the shirt he offered, and he turned away as I changed out of my dress and into the shirt, which fell down to my thighs. It smelled like him. His scent eased the dizziness and caused tingles to spread across my flushed skin.
I blinked a few times until his face became clearer. “What’s happening?”
“Laura gave you GHB.” He helped me back to my room and onto my bed.
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’ll be drowsy, dizzy, nauseous, sweaty, and tired. But you’ll be okay.” He hesitated as he tucked me into bed and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “You probably won’t remember a thing.”
I remembered that we weren’t friends. “Why are you helping me?”
His jaw ticked, and he swung his gaze to the side for a moment. “Earlier, you said the only real people in this world are the ones in books. But you’re real, too, and when I’m around you, you make me real. You make me alive.” He took my hand. “It’s the only time I don’t feel like I’m just going through the motions.”
A lopsided smile grew on my face. “I think I like you.”
