13

"So..." Up until this point, Elizabeth hadn't had the opportunity to collect her thoughts. She relied solely and exclusively on her instincts and her gut feelings. And she had the feeling that she should not let Dominic leave. "Therefore... I believe that the three of us need to remain together. I believe that we have a far greater chance of locating it and dealing with it together than we have alone. And who knows? Maybe we can put an end to it."


before it hurts or-or kills-anyone else." before it hurts or-or kills-anyone else."
Elizabeth fixed her gaze on him. If he was referring to her love life, then of course it wasn't her decision. She was wearing the ring that Katherine had given her; she and Katherine belonged together. Elizabeth gazed at him.

But then she recalled something else, just a flash: looking up at Dominic's face in the woods and feeling such excitement, such affinity with him. As if he understood the flame that burned inside of her as nobody else ever could. As if he understood the flame that burned inside of her as nobody else ever could. As if he understood the flame that burned inside of her as nobody else ever could. As if he understood the
Together, they had the power to do whatever they set their minds to—conquer the world or destroy it—and did so with the arrogance that they were superior to everyone who had ever lived.

She told herself that she had lost her mind and was acting irrationally, but that fleeting thought of the recollection kept coming back to her.

And then she recalled another thing: how Dominic had behaved later on the same night, how he had kept her safe and had been nice with her. She recalled this because it was the next thing that came to her mind.

Katherine noticed that he was looking at her, and his expression had shifted from one of belligerence to one of bitter anger and fear. A part of her wanted to reassure him completely, to throw her arms around him and tell him that she was his and always would be and that nothing else mattered. Not the town, not Dominic, not anything else. Katherine noticed that he was looking at her, and his expression had shifted from one of belligerence to one of bitter anger and fear.

But she wasn't going through with it because a different part of her was insisting that the town was significant, and because yet another part of her was simply very, extremely perplexed. So confused...

She felt a shaking begin deep inside her, and then she discovered that she was unable to make it stop. She assumed that she was experiencing emotional overload, and she buried her head in her hands.


"She has already decided what she will do. You were the one who saw it firsthand when you 'interrupted' us. Elizabeth, I believe you've made your decision by now, right? " Katherine uttered it not in a superior tone nor as a demand, but rather with a defiant air of desperation.

Elizabeth glanced up and said to Katherine, "Katherine, I adore you. Do you not realize that if I have a choice right now, it is imperative that I choose the one that allows all of us to remain together? Only for the moment. Do you understand? After seeing that Katherine's expression was unchanged, she turned to Dominic and said, "Do you? "

"I suppose so," he said, giving her a grin that was both secretive and possessive, and then he added, "I told Katherine right from the start that it was selfish of him not to share you." It's good for brothers to help one other out, you know."

"No, it's not what I had in mind." "Isn't that the case?

" Dominic grinned brightly once again.
"No," Katherine said, "I don't understand, and I don't see how you can expect me to work with him. I'm sorry, but I just don't see how it's possible." Elizabeth, he is a bad person. He murders for the thrill of it, and he has no guilt whatsoever. He has said on several occasions that he is uninterested in Fell's Church. He's a horrible person-"

"Right now he's being more cooperative than you are," Elizabeth remarked as she grabbed for Katherine's hand, trying for any way to get through to him. "Katherine, I need you," she murmured to her. "Right now he's being more cooperative than you are." And both of us depend on him. Why don't you make an effort to accept that? She continued, "Katherine, do you really want to remain mortal enemies with your brother for the rest of your life? When he didn't respond, she asked: "

Do you honestly believe that he wants anything but that?

"

Elizabeth looked at the planes, curves, and shadows created by their linked hands. She did not respond for a minute, and when she did, it was in a very hushed voice.

"He prevented me from executing my plan to murder you," she continued.

She felt Katherine's protective rage flare up, and then she felt it slowly go away. Something like defeat crept through him, and he bent his head.

He responded by saying, "That's true," and then said, "And anyhow, who am I to label him evil? What has he accomplished that I haven't already done? "

Elizabeth thought to herself, loathing this self-hatred of his, that we need to speak, but this neither the time nor the place for it.

"So you are of the same mind?"

"Katherine," she questioned with some trepidation, "tell me what you're thinking."

"Right this minute, I'm considering the fact that you always get what you want. Because you consistently do that, Elizabeth, don't you agree? "

When Elizabeth glanced into his eyes, she saw that his pupils had dilated to the point that just a ring of his green iris could be seen around the edge. Although there was no longer any fury in his eyes, there was still a great deal of exhaustion and bitterness.


She pushed the unexpected wave of self-doubt out of her head and thought, "But I'm not just doing it for myself." I'll prove it to you, Katherine; you'll see. For once, I'm not doing anything for the convenience of myself.

She thought, "But I'm not just doing it for myself," pushing the notion out of her head as she continued.
a sudden burst of self-doubt I'm going to prove it to you, Katherine; you'll see. For once, I'm not doing anything for the convenience of myself.

"Yes. I... agree."

"And I agree," Dominic added, offering his own hand with exaggerated formality. He seized Elizabeth's hand before she could say anything. "In fact, we all seem to be in a frenzy of pure agreement," Dominic remarked.

Elizabeth had the idea, "Don't," but as she stood there in the chilly dusk of the choir loft, she had the impression that it was real, that the three of them were linked, in harmony with one another, and powerful.

Then Katherine pulled his hand away, and in the silence that followed, Elizabeth was able to hear the sounds outside as well as in the church below. There was still crying and the occasional shout, but the overall sense of urgency had subsided. When Elizabeth looked out the window, she saw that the church was still on fire.
Dr. Feinberg was travelling from island to island, evidently providing medical advise. The casualties seemed to be survivors of a storm or earthquake. People were seen making their way carefully through the wet parking lot amongst the little groups that were gathered around injured individuals.

Elizabeth said, "No one is what they appear," to which John responded, "What?

"
"That's what Denis stated during the memorial ceremony," the speaker said. She experienced another episode of her hysterical behavior. She made an effort to organize her thoughts and said, "I believe there are folks in town who we need to be on the lookout for. I think it could be crucial." She told them quickly what she had overheard earlier that day at Alaric's home. She said, "He's not what he looks, but I don't know precisely what he is. Like Alaric Saltzman." I believe that we need to keep an eye on him. You two are going to have to do it since it is very clear that I am unable to make a public appearance. But you can't let him think that you know—" Elizabeth began, but Dominic quickly put out a hand, prompting her to cut her short.

A voice could be heard shouting Katherine's name from the bottom of the stairs. "Katherine? Where exactly are you located? " Then, turning to another person, she said, "I thought I saw him walk up here."

It seemed to be Mr. Carson. "Go," Elizabeth screamed to Katherine in a tone that was scarcely inaudible, "You have to act as normal as possible so that you may remain here in Fell's Church." It won't be a problem for me."

"But where do you plan to go?

"

To the merit of. I'll explain later. Go on."

Katherine paused and then went down the steps while shouting out, "I'm coming." Then he drew back and remarked in a cold tone, "I'm not leaving you with him."

Elizabeth was so frustrated that she flung her hands up in the air. "Then both of you leave." You just made a commitment to work together; are you going to pull out now that you've given your word? ", she continued speaking to Dominic, who seemed obstinate himself at the time.


Another of his characteristic little shrugs, he said, "All right. Just one question: are you feeling hungry right now? "
Another of his characteristic little shrugs, he said, "All right. Just one question: are you feeling hungry right now? That's excellent news. On the other hand, you will be in the future. Remember it," he pressed Katherine as they walked.
down the stairs, earning himself a scorching stare from Elizabeth, but as they both vanished, Elizabeth heard Katherine's voice in her head.

Wait here for me; I'll be back later to get you.

She hoped she could reply with her own ideas, and she also observed something else.