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CHAPTER 26: The Shadow That Remains
Última actualización:
2025-12-15 21:43:44
Último capítulo
Sheltered and Ruined in His Darkness CHAPTER 29: Ashes and Accusations
Rain soaked Kai's coat as he stood by the warehouse ruins. "Damon, we should go."Damon stared at the charred walls, yellow police tape flapping in the wind. Three days since the blast, and silence hung heavy. No body—just ash from the fire that swallowed everything.Damon didn't move. Kai touched his shoulder. Damon jerked away, grabbing Kai's wrist hard enough to bruise. "Don't. I don't deserve comfort.""You didn't kill him. He set the bomb.""I chose you over him." Damon's eyes were dead inside. "That makes me a murderer.""It makes us survivors."A black sedan pulled up. Margaret stepped out, face grim under the downpour. "Sir, we have a problem."Damon released Kai and turned. "What now?""Forensics from Victoria's apartment. DNA matches your brother." She held up a tablet with the report.Kai's stomach dropped. "Impossible. He was in the blast.""Not just there." Margaret swiped to more screens. "Three other unsolved murders. Last two years. All linked to him."Damon snatched t
Sheltered and Ruined in His Darkness CHAPTER 28: After the Ashes
The nurse found Kai in the hallway, his hands still shaking. “Mr. Ashford is asking for you.”Damon sat on the edge of a hospital bed, shirtless. A white bandage wrapped around his back and chest. His eyes were empty.“How bad?” Kai asked, voice low.“They’ll heal,” Damon said. His words were flat, like a machine. “Second-degree burns.”Kai pulled a chair close. “Talk to me.”“About what?”“What you’re feeling.”Damon let out a sharp, ugly sound that was supposed to be a laugh. “I killed my brother.”“He pressed the button.”“Because I chose you.” Damon finally looked at him, his face haunted. “I drove him to it. I failed him twice. Once when he was taken, and again tonight. He was right about me. I’m selfish. Obsessive. And you need to leave before I destroy you, too.”The words cut deep. Kai stood up, anger burning through his fear. “Is that what this is? You’re running away?”“I’m protecting you.”“By pushing me out? That’s not protection. That’s guilt.” Kai stepped forward, forcin
Sheltered and Ruined in His Darkness CHAPTER 27: The Ghost Returns
“You’re his brother.”The words came out in a whisper. Shock first. Then fear.The man smiled. “Was his brother. Past tense.”He moved closer. Kai pressed himself deeper into the corner.“Damon said you were dead. That someone took you—”“Someone did.” The man’s eyes were cold. Empty. “But I came back. Changed.”Margaret moaned on the floor. She tried to get up. Her movements were weak.The man glanced at her. He made a small gesture.She slumped. Unconscious.“What did you do to her?” Kai’s voice shook.“She’s fine. Just sleeping.” He turned back to Kai. “We don’t have much time. Damon will figure out where we are soon.”“I’m not going anywhere with you.”“Yes, you are.” The man moved forward. He grabbed Kai’s arm.Kai pulled back—the grip was like steel.“Let go—”“Stop fighting. I’m not going to hurt you.”“Then what do you want?”The man’s face changed. For a moment, he looked almost human.“To show you the truth. About what my brother really is.”He pulled Kai toward the door.Ka
Sheltered and Ruined in His Darkness CHAPTER 26: The Shadow That Remains
He failed. I won’t.The words glowed on Damon’s phone screen.Kai stared at them. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking.“Who sent that?” he whispered.“I don’t know.” Damon’s voice was tight. “But we’re going to find out.”He sent the message to security and began typing commands.Kai sank onto the couch—his legs weak, his chest heavy.Aiden was in police custody. It should be over. He should be safe.But there was someone else. Still out there. Watching.“How many people want to hurt me?” The question came out broken.Damon stopped typing. He looked at him.“Not you. Me.” He sat beside Kai. “You’re a target because of me. Because I brought you into my life.”“So this is your fault?”“Yes.”The truth hurt more than any lie.“Then let me go,” Kai said. “If being with you makes me a target, I’ll leave. Find somewhere safe—”“No.” Damon’s hand closed around his wrist. “That won’t help. They know about you now. Leaving me won’t make you less of a target. It’ll just make you unprotected.”“So I
Sheltered and Ruined in His Darkness CHAPTER 25: The Warehouse
The old warehouse district was abandoned.Empty buildings. Broken windows. Streets so dark the lights had given up long ago.Damon’s car slowed to a stop. The engine died. Silence.“Last chance to stay in the car,” Damon said.Kai looked at him. “No.”“Kai—”“We do this together.” Kai’s voice was firm. “You don’t get to die protecting me alone.”Damon’s jaw tightened. But he stayed silent.They got out of the car. The cold hit them immediately—sharp. Biting.Margaret was parked in another vehicle with two guards. They watched.“Stay at the perimeter,” Damon ordered. “If I signal, you come in. Not before.”“Sir—”“That’s an order.”Margaret nodded reluctantly.Damon looked at Kai—his fingers came up and brushed his cheek.“Stay behind me. No matter what. Understand?”“Yes.”“Promise me.”“I promise.”Damon’s thumb stroked his cheek—then let go.They walked toward the largest warehouse. The door was slightly open. Dark inside.Kai’s heart raced. Every step felt wrong—like walking into a
Sheltered and Ruined in His Darkness CHAPTER 24: The Truth Between Them
Kai didn’t sleep.He sat on the bedroom floor. His back against the wall. His knees pulled up to his chest.His phone was beside him. Silent. No messages from Damon.Morning light filtered through the window. Pale. Cold. Quiet.The apartment was too quiet.Footsteps finally—soft. Uncertain.A gentle knock on the door.“Kai.” Damon’s voice was raw—from shouting, maybe from crying. “Can I come in?”Kai didn’t answer.The door opened anyway. Slowly.Damon stood in the doorway. His hair was a mess—as if he’d been running his hands through it for hours. His eyes were red. He was still in yesterday’s clothes.“I need to explain,” he said quietly.“You don’t owe me anything.” Kai’s voice was flat. Empty. “I’m just a replacement. Right?”Damon flinched. “It’s not—”“Don’t lie to me. Not anymore.” Kai looked up. He met Damon’s eyes. “Do I look like your brother? Yes or no.”Silence stretched.Then— “Yes.”The pain of hearing it was sharper than Kai expected.“At first,” Damon continued quickly
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