Chains of Nect: Obsidian's Obsession

Chapter 23

"This is unbelievable," Damian said. "It's a good thing I have the book now."

"You found it?" Finally, Bishop spoke.

"Yes, and once I send you back through the gate, I'm destroying it." He approached Bishop and grabbed his arm. "Until then, you're staying in my room."

Bishop shook Damian off. "Give me the book back."

He didn't know who to be more furious with -- Bishop, Obsidian, or himself for allowing both of them to play him. Probably the latter. He'd allowed his curiosity of Obsidian to cloud his judgment since she'd entered the House of Portals. "Neither of you are going to touch this book ever again. It should burn along with the rest."

His stomach lurched at his declaration. Did he really want that? So much had been lost. But clearly the Guardians had good reason to destroy all the portal books, and Bishop's actions only supported that decision.

"No." Obsidian reached toward him, then drew back, forehead crinkling. "You can't." Her words were barely audible.

Bishop grunted and leapt, knocking Damian off his feet.

It all happened so quickly, Damian failed to react before he realized the back of his head thudded against the floor. His glasses popped off his face and tumbled away. Head spinning and vision blurred, he felt the pressure of the other man on top of him, yanking at the bag's strap.

"Stupid, Guardian. Give it up." Bishop's hand wrapped around Damian's throat and squeezed.

Damian clutched his attacker's wrist with both hands, gasping, desperate for air. If he only would have let go when they'd stepped through the portal. But Bishop obviously had less qualms about killing someone than he did.

"Bishop, stop!" Obsidian's movements were a complete blur, but she hovered over both of them.

He heard a loud thunk, and the hand released his throat.

Bishop rolled off of him. "What the--?"

"Stop, or I'll do it again."

Damian coughed, shifted to his side, and groped along the floor until he found his glasses and set them back on his face. Crooked, but better than nothing.

Obsidian glared down at Bishop, a copy of the precepts raised above her head. Books seemed to be her preferred weapon.

"You're attacking me after what just happened between us?" Bishop offered that grin of his.
Oh, how Damian wanted to punch it off his face.

"A mistake." She rose the book higher. "And one kiss doesn't mean I'm going to let you kill my mentor."

Silence descended for a few moments, Obsidian glaring down at Bishop, Bishop considering her, and Damian's head throbbing from a second blow in less than twelve hours.

"Wait." Damian's mind cleared a bit, but his voice rasped out painfully. "Did anyone see us? Hear us?" He glanced around, but thankfully didn't see anyone else in the alcove or coming around the corner. "If we don't cut this out now, all of us will be in trouble. Another Guardian gets a hold of this book and not only will it be destroyed, but I assure you you'll never see Turss again."

Bishop pushed himself up, turning to Damian, jaw tight and lips pressed together. "Okay, okay. I promise not to attack again." He raised his hands and glanced at Obsidian. "Just put the book down."

Her eyes darted between the two of them, then she huffed and lowered the book, replacing it on the shelf. Finally, she offered a hand to Damian.

He stared at it for a moment, unsure of what to make of her. One moment she was kissing Bishop, and the next she clunked him over the head.