32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvGV5XUBm3
It’s dark…
I had been running for what felt like hours, my heart pounding hard against my cage as I tried to catch my breath.
The moment I reached the end of the street, I slipped to the right, dashing forward until I found the place I was looking for.
The perfect place to hide.
I jumped into one of the gutters of the abandoned restaurant, Callio, and I managed to fit my small form through the slightly parted window.
The second I got through, I landed on the floor and instantly dashed over to a rundown counter, immediately ducking under it.
I then caught my breath.
My skin was freezing, ice slicing through my bloodstream. I could feel needles pricking into my heart… one by one… like I was a voodoo doll.
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see straight.
My vision cracked like glass, and I held onto myself as shivers racked my body.
I’m safe… I’m safe… I’m safe.
I rocked myself, repeating the words over and over again in my head.
Until I heard a pair of feet land on the floor of the store in the direction I came in, and my throat constricted.
My breaths huffed out faster, and I shook profusely when his footsteps echoed through the concrete floors.
My skin paled… I couldn’t see anything anymore. I was breathing so harshly that my head grew weary and foggy.
I’m safe… I’m safe… I’m safe…
His footsteps started in my direction.
Ice flooded through my veins, and I bit my fingernails into my arms, the tremors spreading through me like wildfire.
Until he stepped around the counter, stopping right where he was hiding as his heels clicked together.
I’m going to die… I’m going to die… I’m going to die…
He then knelt down, and I cried out, shrinking into the wall.
But the moment I saw his familiar red eyes and dark hair… as well as his black Metallica shirt, I just sank back into myself.
“D—D—D—Dante…?”
He just watched me carefully, his smile completely gone.
The moment he reached for me, I scrambled further back, kicking my legs out at him but they were too short to hit him.
He drew back then, lips parting. “Luca.”
I didn’t say anything like I wanted to. I didn’t tell him to “go away”, or to “screw off”. I didn’t even tell him I was afraid of him and everything around me right now.
I didn’t know who I could trust. I didn’t know what could kill me.
His expression immediately softened. “Luca, it’s okay.”
I felt my breaths strain, and the shaking rattled through me.
I felt like a bomb ready for explosion.
“You’re safe,” he whispered, getting on his knees as he watched me. “You’re safe now.”
I shook my head, scrambling further back.
“There’s no need to be afraid,” he promised me, smiling softly. “They can’t hurt you anymore.”
Why did he sound assuring? What was happening?! I didn’t understand anymore!
Dante just kept going. “Nothing can hurt you, Luca. So come out of there now. I’ll take you some place safe.”
I just watched him carefully.
He reached out.
I screamed and scrambled further under the counter, irises beating in fear.
Dante just lowered his lashes, breaths gentle as he kept his hand slightly out. “I’m not going to force you, okay? Take my hand when you’re ready.”
I stared down at it cautiously, watching how calm his stance was compared to mine.
“Nothing can hurt you,” Dante repeated, voice soft as if he was trying to lure a puppy out from hiding. “Nothing can hurt you anymore. I won’t let them.”
“He’s…” I breathed out, whispering as my voice shook, “he’s… he’s out t—th—there.”
Dante remained calm. “He can’t hurt you. I won’t let him touch a single thread of hair on your head.”
I gazed up then, still huddled in a little corner as I looked into his eyes.
The red was still there, but more like a tint. His black eyes showed through more now because he was calm… no.
He was worried. He was cautious. He was trying not to scare me.
He was trying to coax me out.
To do what? How could he protect me? How could he save me?
UGH! I COULDN’T THINK STRAIGHT!
I couldn’t breathe either… and my gut was telling me to take his hand, telling me to trust him.
Why did I want to trust him? Why was I mad at him? I couldn’t remember.
Dante remained in place. “Come out of there, Angel.”
I breathed shakily for too long… and despite my wishes… I felt myself start reaching out.
He didn’t move toward me or away from me, just kept his stance in hopes not to scare me.
After a moment, I set my hand on his.
He lightly caught my hand back, but this time… it didn’t scare me.
I started crawling to him, slowly.
“That’s it,” he said gently. “Don’t be scared.”
I struggled out from my hiding place as I breathed uneasily.
Until I was out.
Dante just pulled me up, making me cry out.
But he wrapped his arms around me.
I stiffened, the ice inside me melting.
No… I was melting.
I gazed down at him then, and then ended up buring my face in his neck, fisting his shirt in my hands as he held onto me tightly.
He could feel me shivering, because he started gently rubbing my back to calm me.
“There’s no need to be afraid,” he whispered. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
I buried his face in his neck.
He just pushed his hand under me, making my breaths still when he lifted me into his arms and held me with one hand.
He then stood with me in his arms, lightly pushing my face to his neck so I could hide my sight.
My shaking subsided, my bones melting with his grip.
I was warm, but… but I was cold.
As a sudden numbness settled into me, devouring every sense of energy I had, and I just lowered my lashes, staring at the collar of his shirt as he held onto me.
The door to the restaurant creaked open, and I remained numb as Dante held me.
But Dante just caught a fork from the counter in front of us.
The moment a dark figure started toward us, Dante just looked up.
He flipped the utensil out quickly, and it sliced through the air before plunging into the man’s eye.
He screamed in agony before it pierced through his skull.
And I gazed up, finding Dante’s eyes glowing a dark red as he started at the figure remorselessly.
The man crumpled to the ground, deceased.
Dante stared at him for too long, lashes lowered over his reddened eyes as his lips thinned to a straight line.
I wasn’t even remotely scared that he wasn’t smiling. I knew it wasn’t like him, but… but I couldn’t think straight. The numbness felt like it was impeding on my brain and crumbling it to pieces.
Dante just lightly pushed my head to his chest before snapping his fingers.
When I looked back down… the body was gone.
I kept my head rested on his chest, and he just carried me out from the room.
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4eepyvL4R
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGzu41ML0w
