Damian's Immortal

"Good night," she said.

"Good night."

Dear god, let him survive the night! Torn, she closed the door on him once again. She promised herself to find a way to check on him in the morning without her father finding out. As she crept up the stairs of the wine cellar to the kitchen, she couldn't help feeling troubled at leaving the man in the basement. She started down the hall.

"Daughter, where are you coming from?"

Yully stopped in place.

"I thought you were gone, Father," she said.

"I came back for my coat."

She turned. His eyes glowed eerily in the dark kitchen. His overcoat was slung over one arm, and he wore a wool suit over a dark turtleneck. His gaze went to the wine cellar door, which she'd left cracked.

"You didn't answer my question," he said, stepping towards her.

Yully recognized the fire in the back of his gaze and retreated. She couldn't think of a lie fast enough. He set his coat down on the counter, and her hands began to tremble.

"I'm sorry, Papa, I was just curious. I heard something in the basement and wanted to see what it was."

"You heard something all the way up in your room."

"Yes, Papa."

"And now you're lying to me about it. What did you find in the basement?"

"Nothing, Papa," she said in a hushed tone.

"You didn't find a man chained to the wall?"

She gasped, surprised he'd admit to what he'd done.

"I spend my life protecting you. I ask only for your loyalty, daughter. That man wanted to kill you. You heard him say it in the alley," he said.

"Father, couldn't you just call the police?" Her question was met with a blow she didn't see coming. She braced herself.

"You're a freak of nature. They'd haul you away from me, put you up in some sort of Bedlam," he snapped. "Then where would you be?"

"I'm sorry, Papa. I won't do it again." She prayed he accepted her apology. He was quiet for a long moment.

"I'll make certain of that in the morning." His voice had calmed, and he started past her. She released the breath she held, the danger averted. "Did he say anything to you?"

She thought of how she'd felt safe with Jule during their brief encounter. "No, Papa."

Her father turned at her hesitation, his gaze blazing. Yully saw the next blow coming, then the next and the next. She'd long since learned to take his beatings without screaming, but she sobbed nonetheless as the blows fell.