Sweet Burden (21 page)

“Bradley…” Hitomi started as she took a step forward. Obi caught her with his arm and moved her back behind him.

“I’ve wanted to handle this,” Obi mumbled and turned back to Bradley. “You might just want to walk away…Bradley.”

Bradley gave a slight huff of laughter. “I was just thinking the same thing about you.” Hitomi watched as Bradley’s hand closed into a fist and he took a swing at Obi’s face. But Obi was too quick and easily avoided it. Bradley’s expression changed to surprise. Then with the blink of an eye, Bradley landed back on the dance floor. Hitomi had barely seen Obi even move. Her lips parted in awe. Everyone on the dance floor was now staring at them.

“Hitomi?” Obi turned back around to her and put his hands on either side of her neck. “We have to go.”

Hitomi shook her head out of her state of shock and looked at him. “Go? Go where?”

“Do you trust me?” he leaned down as his thumbs stroked her cheeks. She gave a slight nod. “Then come with me now.”

“But…”

“Please,” he interrupted pleadingly. Hitomi stared up at him and gave another nod. He let out a deep breath and grabbed her arm. “C’mon.” He tugged on her as they started moving through the people.

“Get back here!” Bradley yelled after them. But all Hitomi could focus on was Obi. He was really here. He wanted her with him.

As they cleared the people, their pace turned to a run for the doors. Obi slammed into one of the doors and pulled her out into the hallway. He moved his hand down to hers and started pulling her along with him.

“What is going on Obi? Why are we running?” Hitomi asked as he tightened the grip on her hand.

“Just stay with me. I will explain everything”, he glanced back at her. “Can you run faster?”

She gave a nod and stopped. She slipped off her shoes and they started down the hall at a faster pace. Her heart raced at the sudden panic in Obi’s eyes as she tried to keep up with him. He looked stricken with worry and fear.

“Please, keep running…” Obi said almost pleadingly.

“I’m trying”, she panted. They were almost to the hall entrance that led out to the courtyard. “Where are we…?” Hitomi started to ask when suddenly there was a voice behind them.

“Obsidian!”

Obi suddenly stopped, practically jerking her arm off. She looked up at him as he closed his eyes and lowered his head. His jaw clenched as he steadied his breathing. Slowly he started to turn around, bringing his head up and opening his eyes. Hitomi gasped at the glowing reddish orange orbs. He pulled her behind him and took a defensive position. Hitomi looked down the hallway from behind him and saw nothing.

“Domitori”, he sighed in irritation. “You really should have stayed out of all this.”

“Council’s orders- can’t go against them”, the voice snickered. “You
really
should have done your job.”

“I’m doing what needs to be done,” Obi replied.

“For who? For you? For that girl? I knew you wouldn’t be able to go through with it”, the voice chuckled. “You’re pitiable. All you had to do was take her soul…”

“Shut up!” Obi yelled.

Hitomi’s eyes widened and she stared up at Obi. “Take…my…soul?” she stuttered.

Obi turned to her, eyes turning from anger to fear. “I can explain…”

“Explain? You were here to kill me?” her chest clenched and she wasn’t sure she would be able to take another breath. She pulled her hand from his grip and took a step away. Her legs started to shake.

The voice let out a burst of laughter. “She has no idea what you are?”

“Shut up Domitori,” Obi growled and turned back to her. “Hitomi, I could never have done that to you”, Obi practically whispered.

“What are you?” her brow furrowed in confusion and she took another step back.

“I’m…” he started, but quickly turned around. Suddenly Obi was slamming into the lockers lining the hallway and sinking to the ground.

“Obi!” Hitomi screamed when abruptly she felt cold hands around her neck pressing her against the lockers on the opposite side.

“What is so special about you?” the voice said so close to her she could feel the breath. “You look pretty ordinary.”

“Leave me alone,” she managed to say.

“Wish I could, but you seem to be a pretty big deal in the afterworld.”

“Afterworld?” she coughed out.

Hitomi noticed flecks of red materializing. His eyes were beginning to appear as was the rest of his body. Within a minute she could see his true form. His eyes were just like how Obi’s were previously and the corner of his mouth was turned upward in a sly smirk. He removed one hand from her neck and stroked the side of her face. She turned away and closed her eyes.

“Darling Hitomi. Sweet and innocent. Is that why Obi likes you so? You’re so different from the trash we see every day; the humans that waste their lives selling their bodies, infesting themselves with drugs, spreading diseases.” He tilted his head a little as she looked back at him. “But not you.”

“Get your hands off of her”, Obi grumbled as he lifted himself from the floor.

“I will enjoy taking such a pure heart”, he slowly started moving his hand down from her neck towards her chest. Hitomi held her breath.

“NO!” Obi tackled him from the side taking him down to the ground. Hitomi slid down to the ground and stared at them. “Hitomi, get out of here! Now! Run and don’t stop!” Obi shouted.

“But…you…” was all she managed to get through her lips.

“I’ll find you. Now- GO!” he screamed.

She pulled herself up to her feet as the body struggled underneath Obi. She put her hand over her mouth and turned for the door running as fast as she could.

****

“You fool,” Domitori spat. “Risking everything for that girl. She will eventually die, and so will you.”

“Get up,” Obi got up keeping a hold of Domitori’s shirt collar. Domitori slowly got up from the ground and Obi slammed him back into the lockers. “I told you not to touch her”, he sneered. Domitori smiled widely as his eyes brightened, then swiftly pushed Obi back. Domitori stepped away from the lockers and happily glared at Obi.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” Domitori commented.

“Not any more than I am,” Obi raised an eyebrow. Domitori gave Obi a wink and swiftly disappeared in front of him. Before Obi could use his senses, Dom reappeared behind him holding a short blade to his neck. Obi’s body stiffened.

“You don’t carry a weapon, do you Obsidian?”

“I’ve never seen the purpose. My hands are good enough to rip your head off.”

Domitori tightened his grip. “Honestly, I’ve never liked you. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when the Savetto sent me after you. You’re no longer their golden boy. You made the rest of us look bad. They always went to you when they needed something important done.”

“That’s pathetic,” Obi rolled his eyes. “Maybe you should have done your job instead of playing around with the humans so much.”

“That’s a bold statement from someone with a dagger at his neck. And for someone who has become so utterly obsessed with a human on a list.”

Obi’s nostrils flared and with the quickness of lightning, Obi grabbed Dom’s arm from his neck and brought Domitori over his back. Slamming Domitori first on the ground, then he picked him up by his collar and threw him towards the doors. He crashed through the glass, but easily landed on his feet.

“What can you do to me with a blade?” Obi tilted his head from side to side letting out a loud crack.

Domitori lifted his head and glared at Obi. He brushed the shards from his shoulders and spun the knife around in his fingers. “Come out here and find out. Or maybe I should just go track down your girlfriend.”

Obi’s jaw clenched as he charged Dom, but he quickly vanished before Obi could reach him. Obi stopped at the doorway and carefully stepped outside feeling the air around him.

“Too slow Obsidian,” Domitori called down to him from the air above him.

Obsidian gave a huff and pulled off his suit jacket. He dropped it to the ground and then started unbuttoning his shirt. He peeled it from his sweat soaked skin as a large set of jet black wings appeared from his shoulder blades. Each wing stretched out the length of almost seven feet. He rustled his wings as he dropped the shirt and quickly he took off into the air after Domitori.

Domitori flew up above the school as Obi caught up with him. He grabbed at his leg with the intent of yanking him downward, but the leg disappeared from Obi’s reach. Obi tucked his wings in spinning around to find Domitori behind him. Domitori slashed at him with the blade, but with Obi’s wings around him they acted as a shield.

Obi swiftly spun around and twisted landing a kick to Domitori’s chest sending him hurling backwards. Domitori tucked his wings in as he flipped through the air and then with a slight jerk his wings opened righting himself. Domitori smiled and then teleported again ending up right in front of Obi. He stabbed at Obi, but Obi easily blocked it and landed a punch to his face. Domitori shook his head, but the blow hardly fazed him.

Trying for another kick, Obi spun around only to miss Domitori as he vanished. Domitori again reappeared behind Obi. Obi avoided another stab and flapped his wings flying higher into the sky. Obi closed his eyes as he sensed the air around him. The vibrations in the air were smooth and they wrapped around him.

Suddenly the vibrations were disturbed. Obi reached out in front of him grabbing Domitori as he teleported. Domitori opened his mouth in surprise as Obi clung to him. With his other arm, Obi slammed Dom’s face with his elbow. Stilling clinging to him, before Domitori became completely aware again, Obi used his strength and pushed him downward. They fell quickly to the school roof, the weight and force of them causing the cement to crack. Obi landed on top of him and rolled over onto his back as his wings tucked back into his shoulder blades.

Domitori let out a cough as Obi pulled himself up to his feet. He glared down at him as Dom started laughing. Domitori shifted his hand revealing the blade in his grasp, now dripping with blood. Obi’s eyes widened as he looked down at his abdomen. He put his hands over the wound as he dropped to his knees. Domitori easily rolled over onto his knees and stood up. He walked over to Obi and carefully wiped the blood off onto his pants. Obi started to feel a burning sensation running through his veins.

“That’s how my blade can hurt you,” Domitori snickered and put his boot on Obi’s shoulder pushing Obi down onto his side.

Obi squeezed his fists in pain and let out a yell. “How…did…” Obi grunted in agony clutching his stomach. He let out another scream as Domitori knelt down beside him. Obi felt as though electricity was running through his body and striking every nerve one at a time.