The steady beeping of hospital monitors echoed in the quiet room, a stark reminder that Damion was still alive. The sterile scent of antiseptic clung to the air, mixing with the faint hint of smoke lingering on his clothes. The explosion had rattled his bones, but the fire in his chest burned hotter.He sat upright in the hospital bed, his shirtless torso wrapped in fresh bandages, bruises littering his skin like war wounds. A deep gash ran along his brow, stitched carefully by the attending doctor, but Damion barely noticed the pain.Pain didn’t matter.Not when Carmela was gone.Across the room, Leonard lay on another hospital bed, his arm immobilized in a sling. His face was battered, but he was alive. He had taken the brunt of the explosion’s force—Damion could still see the burns on his exposed skin, the way his breathing was a little more labored than usual.Yet, neither of them had said much since they arrived at the hospital.What was there to say?Carmela had been taken.Dami
The cold night air hit Damion’s face like a slap as he stepped out of the hospital’s private exit. The ache in his ribs and the throbbing in his head were constant reminders that he should still be in bed, recovering from the explosion. But there was no time for that.Carmela was out there.And he was going to bring her home.Leonard followed closely behind, his arm still secured in a sling, his limp more noticeable than he probably wanted to admit. The man had taken just as much damage from the blast as Damion had, but there was no convincing him to stay behind.“This is reckless,” Leonard muttered as he pulled open the door to the waiting black SUV. “You’re barely patched up, and we don’t even have a solid lead yet.”Damion ignored the concern as he slid into the back seat. “We’ll have a lead soon.”Leonard climbed in beside him, sighing as he pulled out a tablet. The driver—one of Damion’s trusted men—closed the door and pulled away from the hospital, blending seamlessly into the q
The heavy clang of the warehouse doors echoed through the vast, empty space, sealing Damion and Leonard inside. The stale scent of oil, rust, and damp concrete filled the air, mingling with the quiet hum of distant waves crashing against the docks.Damion’s grip tightened on his gun, his every muscle tensing.They had walked straight into a trap.Leonard cursed under his breath, his injured arm cradled close to his chest. “This was too easy,” he muttered. “We should’ve seen it coming.”Damion’s jaw clenched. He had seen it coming.But he hadn’t had a choice.Carmela was here.Somewhere.And now, so was Adrian.A slow, deliberate clap echoed from the shadows. The sound of polished shoes clicking against the concrete followed, and then a familiar voice sliced through the darkness.“Brother,” Adrian drawled, stepping into the dim light.He looked every bit the refined devil he always had—dressed in a sleek black suit, his tie slightly loosened as if this was just another business meeting
Pain shot through Damion’s ribs like a searing knife, but he refused to show weakness. Lying on the cold concrete floor of the warehouse, he forced himself to breathe past the ache. The metallic taste of blood coated his tongue, but his focus wasn’t on himself.It was on her.Carmela.She was still bound, still struggling against the restraints that dug into her wrists, her muffled cries piercing through the thick tension in the room.Adrian stood above him, adjusting the cuffs of his pristine suit, looking completely unbothered by the violence surrounding him. His men loomed nearby, their presence a silent threat.“You know, brother,” Adrian sighed, crouching down beside him. “I almost admire your resilience. You should’ve stayed down the first time, but here you are—bleeding, gasping for air, still thinking you can win.”Damion spat blood onto the floor, his eyes burning with raw hatred. “I don’t think I can win.” His voice was hoarse but firm. “I know I will.”Adrian chuckled, shak
For a moment, everything was still. The gunshot echoed through the warehouse, deafening in the silence that followed.Carmela exhaled, thinking it was over. Damion had won. He was standing tall, his body unwavering, his gun still in his grip. Relief washed over her like a wave, a small, unbidden smile forming on her lips.Then—her world shattered.Her breath hitched when she saw it—the single drop of blood trailing from the corner of Damion’s mouth.His fingers twitched. His shoulders sagged slightly. His chest rose and fell, slower, heavier.Something was wrong.The relief on Carmela’s face melted into horror as her eyes dropped lower.A dark stain spread across his white dress shirt, blooming from his lower back. Blood. So much blood. It dripped down, pooling onto the cold concrete beneath him.Damion took a staggering step forward.His gun slipped from his fingers, clattering against the ground.Then—his knees buckled.Carmela’s body moved before her mind could process it. “No—NO!”
The hospital doors slammed open as a team of paramedics rushed inside, pushing Damion’s unconscious body on a stretcher. The bright, sterile lights reflected off the blood soaking his shirt, staining the once-pristine white sheets beneath him. Carmela ran beside them, her legs barely keeping up, her entire body trembling as she clutched his limp hand.“Please—please, help him,” she sobbed, her voice hoarse, desperate.A nurse tried to pull her back, but she refused to let go.“Ma’am, we need space to work—”“No!” Carmela shrieked, gripping Damion’s hand tighter. “I’m not leaving him!”Leonard arrived moments later, blood on his own clothes, though none of it was his. His usually composed expression was tight with fear, his phone pressed to his ear as he barked orders. “I want every entrance secured. No one gets in or out without my say-so. If Adrian or Elena show their faces, I want them restrained on sight.”The doctors barely acknowledged the chaos around them as they wheeled Damion
Carmela sat in the cold hospital chair, her fingers curled into the fabric of her dress, her body trembling as she waited. The metallic scent of blood clung to her skin, mixing with the sterile hospital air, but she barely noticed. Her ears were ringing, her heart hammering so hard it hurt.Leonard paced nearby, his hands shoved into his pockets, his face unreadable, though the tension in his shoulders was impossible to miss. He had made calls, given orders, arranged security, but none of it mattered now. They were just waiting.Waiting for the doctor to come out of the operating room.Waiting for news.The double doors at the end of the hallway swung open, and a doctor stepped out. His expression was unreadable, his scrubs stained with blood.Carmela surged to her feet instantly. “Is he—?” Her voice cracked before she could finish the sentence.The doctor’s hesitation was like a knife to the chest.Leonard stepped forward, his body tense. “Tell us.”The doctor exhaled heavily, pullin
Carmela sat motionless in the cold, sterile hospital waiting room, her fingers twisting the fabric of her bloodstained dress. The world around her had lost its color, reduced to dull shades of white and gray, as if reality itself had dimmed with Damion’s absence. The sounds of nurses moving in the distance, the beeping of machines, the faint murmur of conversations—it all felt distant.Like she wasn’t really there.Like none of this was real.The only thing grounding her was the ache in her chest, a deep, unbearable pain that made every breath feel like a punishment.Damion was gone.Dead.The words echoed in her mind, over and over, refusing to settle, refusing to make sense.Then, a rush of footsteps broke through the fog.Before she could react, arms wrapped around her. The familiar scent of vanilla and jasmine filled her nose as Lily clutched her tightly, her body trembling.“Carmela!” Lily’s voice cracked as she pulled back just enough to look at her face. “Oh my God—I came as fa
The hospital halls were suffocating with tension. The air smelled of antiseptic and blood, the remnants of the battle they had just fought within these very walls. Nurses and doctors rushed past, their hurried whispers filling the corridor. The sterile white lights flickered slightly, casting a dim glow over the linoleum floor. Carmela stood frozen just outside the emergency room doors, her heart hammering in her chest. She hadn’t moved since they wheeled Lucas away, her fingers clenched so tightly together that her nails dug into her palms. The moment had come. The doors swung open with force, and a team of doctors and nurses emerged, their uniforms stained with traces of blood. Lucas was being wheeled out on a stretcher, his skin pale, his breathing shallow. A thick bandage covered his torso, evidence of the emergency surgery he had just undergone. “Get him to recovery now!” one of the doctors barked as they rushed him down the hallway. Carmela’s feet moved before she could th
The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, the cold breeze whispering through the trees as Adrian—Damion’s soul trapped within his brother’s body—moved through the dense forest with calculated steps. His men flanked him on either side, their expressions grim, their senses on high alert. The moon, hanging full and heavy above them, cast eerie silver streaks through the towering branches.They had been searching for hours.Every step forward felt like he was walking deeper into the unknown, further into the tangled fate that bound him and Adrian together. The weight of the curse pressed down on him, a reminder that time was slipping away. If they failed, if they couldn’t return the key to its rightful place before it was too late—both he and Adrian would cease to exist.A final death. A complete erasure.He clenched his jaw, forcing the thought from his mind. He refused to accept that as his fate.“This place feels cursed,” one of his men, Rowan, muttered as he swept
The flashing red and blue lights of the police cars flooded the hospital corridor as Elena screamed, her voice raw with rage and desperation. Two officers held her arms tightly as she thrashed against them, her face twisted in fury.“You traitor!” she spat at Lucas, her eyes burning with betrayal as they dragged her away. “You promised to protect me! You said we were in this together!”Lucas stood still, his breathing heavy, his body leaning slightly to the side as blood soaked his shirt. He coughed, his lips parting as if to respond, but no words came.“Take her away,” Carmela ordered, her voice cold, emotionless. The officers nodded, shoving Elena forward as she continued to struggle.“I won’t forget this, Lucas!” Elena’s shriek echoed down the hallway as they forced her out of sight.Lucas exhaled heavily, the pain in his side intensifying as his knees buckled.Then, everything erupted into chaos.“He’s losing too much blood!” one of the nurses cried out as she rushed forward.“Get
The air in the hospital was thick with tension. The rhythmic beeping of the machines in Damion’s room was the only sound before the sudden, heavy footsteps of approaching officers shattered the silence.Elena stood over the unconscious Damion, her fingers tightening around the syringe she was about to inject into his IV. Her expression was cold, eyes locked onto his unmoving face.“You’re not waking up again, Damion,” she whispered.Just as she was about to press the needle into his arm—Bang!The door burst open. A flood of officers stormed inside, their weapons drawn.“FREEZE!” one of them commanded, their voices a chorus of authority.Elena’s head snapped up, her face flashing from shock to rage.Then, stepping into the room, standing tall and unwavering, was Carmela. Behind her, more officers poured in, blocking any chance of escape.Elena’s hand trembled. How? How had Carmela gotten here so quickly?Then, Carmela’s sharp voice rang out.“Arrest her.”Elena’s eyes widened.“What?!
Elena’s eyes met his in the mirror, and for a long, charged moment, the two remained silent, each lost in their own inner turmoil. “So what do we do now?” she finally asked, her voice trembling with desperation and uncertainty. “Where do I find him?”Lucas’s response was measured, almost weary. “The hospital. Damion’s body is still in the ICU—if not fully alive, at least it’s there, and we might be able to coax some stability back into him. I have a contact who says there’s a weak but steady signal coming from the west wing.”Elena’s lips pressed into a thin line. “And if I go there… if I end him?”Lucas’s eyes darkened. “If you do that, Elena, you’ll not only lose him forever—you’ll be condemning our entire future. The curse is not something you can simply end with a bullet. It’s a twisted force that binds us all. If you take that step, there will be no coming back.”Her voice broke as she whispered, “I have to try, Lucas. I have to finish what I started.”Lucas shook his head, anger
Previously The conversation had ended in a heavy, charged silence as the storm had raged overhead, and Lucas had promised her that they would do everything possible to find Damion. But deep down, he had also cursed the day she decided that ending his life was the solution. He had known the risks, the unthinkable consequences—but he had also known that her ambition might drive her to acts of unimaginable cruelty.“Remember, Elena,” Lucas had whispered as they parted ways that night, “if you succeed in taking him out, you’re not just ending a life—you’re condemning their family to a fate worse than death. And if you fail… then the curse will claim you both.”“They’re all myths and legends and…”Elena had looked at him, her eyes dark with determination, and then had nodded, saying, “I know, Lucas. But sometimes, the only way to end a curse is to break it, even if it means sacrificing everything.”⸻Back to the PresentInside the car, the memory of that night still burned in Lucas’s eyes
The rain was coming down in a steady, relentless drizzle, blurring the neon lights of the city into streaks of color as dusk settled over the urban sprawl. In the darkness near a hospital parking lot, Elena Carter sprinted along the slick pavement, her breath ragged and heart pounding in her ears. Her eyes, wide with desperation and cold resolve, scanned the dimly lit street as she heard the distant wail of sirens drawing near. She didn’t dare slow down—not now. Every second mattered.Just as she rounded a corner, a black car screeched to a halt in front of her. The headlights illuminated her path, and without hesitation, Elena dove for the open door. The car’s door slammed shut behind her, and as the vehicle pulled away from the curb, she slumped into the back seat, trying to catch her breath.Inside the car, the familiar low rumble of the engine provided a brief, shaky comfort. Lucas, the driver and a man whose loyalty was as troubled as his secrets, glanced in the rearview mirror
Carmela’s lip trembled as she shook her head, tears falling freely. “Then why have you chose to hide away and leave me, Damion? Why do you let me see you as that man? I need you to be Damion—the man I loved, the man who was supposed to be my future. If you don’t come back to me, I’ll be left with nothing but the memory of a lie.”A deep pain flashed in his eyes, and for a moment, the two stood locked in a desperate, wordless embrace. The promise of reunion, of healing, hung between them like a fragile thread. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. “I wish I could stay, but if I go and never return… then you must take care of Carmela for me. Promise me that you’ll protect yourself, that you’ll keep YOU safe, even if I’m not there.”Catherine, who had listened silently, stepped forward, her voice barely audible yet firm. “He speaks the truth, though his fate remains uncertain. The key is the only hope for our salvation—and for Damion to reclaim what was lost.”At that mo
Catherine’s eyes softened, and she pressed her hands together. “Then know this, my child: your actions will have consequences far beyond what you can imagine. If you do not succeed, if you fail to break this curse, then both you and Damion will be erased from existence. Our family’s legacy, all that we have built, will vanish like mist in the morning sun. I beg you—think of Carmela. Think of the love she has for you, and the hope she carries that one day you will come back whole.”For a long moment, silence reigned between them as the weight of her words sank deep into his heart. Adrian’s eyes shone with a mixture of determination and sorrow as he finally spoke, his voice low and resolute. “I promise you, Grandmother. I will retrieve the key, no matter the cost. And if, by some cruel twist of fate, I do not return… then please, take care of Carmela. Let her know that I fought until the end, that I loved her with all I had, and that my sacrifice was not in vain.”Catherine’s gaze soft