All Chapters of DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

DAMIANI stand rigid, leaning heavily against the toilet sink. My fingers grip the cool porcelain like it is my last lifeline. I don't dare to raise my eyes to the mirror because I am scared of the truth it would reveal: An unworthy accomplice. A man who deserves death in her stead.“Memories of you overwhelm me.” I croak through the emotions that gather thick in my chest. “Reliving your laughter, our careless whispers, and plans for the future…”Now forever silenced. My fingers tighten impossibly against the sink. Regret and remorse find their way along the lines of my hardened features. It crinkles the scar on my face. Slowly, I release the sink and raise my hands to my view. These same hands pulled the trigger which ended her life.Self loathing bubbles fast within me. I'd taken lives before. Without hesitation even and not once did I feel a sliver of sympathy for my actions. The people I killed were deserving of it. This… this was different in so many ways. She was my rede

LILIANA“I just managed to escape from a kidnapper.” I blurt out finally. His jaws go slack as a look of shock crosses his aged features. He leans on the table towards me. “A kidnapper?” He echoes.His question sounds almost skeptical. “I’m telling the truth!” I interject in a gripping desperation. “I was heading back home from the grocery store when these men suddenly accosted me and before I knew it, I blacked out. My car, my phone, everything is gone!”His eyebrows furrow down and his fingers lock in front of him in thought. “I believe you, duska. I'm just surprised. There has not been a report of such in this neighborhood for about ten years.”Silence falls between us as he looks to have burrowed into his head while I clench my fingers in my thighs, hoping that he believed me and would find a way out for me.After a full minute had passed, he asks, “Do you have any idea where you were taken to?”“I was drugged. I don't remember much except that I woke up in the basement of this l

LILIANA The kitchen door opens and a lady walks in with a drenched raincoat around her shoulders. Her light auburn hair looks to be claw-clipped behind but the tendrils cling to her forehead like a wet rag. She looks to be about my age if not younger. “You said you would only take… Why, you sneaky man! You came in here for a cup of sbiten without telling me?” She slaps his arm lightly. The man turns a warm smile as he dodges her playful hits. “No, bebe. I had an impromptu visitor.” He motions to me with a gentle wave of his hand. She follows his gesture with her eyes till she stops at where I stand. My fingers clench in a fist by my sides at the awkwardness that takes over. Her eyes trace the bulky coat on my small frame and she looks back to the man with her hazel eyes narrowed down in skepticism. He shakes his head. “Ne delay etogo. YA nashel yeye na obochine, kogda vernulsya za bortovym zhurnalom.” His eyes meet mine for a fleeting moment before his voice drops lower. “Ona

DAMIANShe is right there in the darkness when I close my eyes, crying, waiting on me in that silk nightdress. What was a head full of curls is now matted with grease and decline.Like the previous, I dash into our bedroom and skid to a halt when she turns away from the window. The stream of moonlight casts a deathly glow on her pale skin marred by self-inflicted bruises.She takes measured steps towards me, muttering her discomfort about having to wait for hours to see me.I apologize as I always do. The meeting with the Seemya usually takes a lot of time so there's not much I can do about it. She goes again on another bout of blame on why I always meet her at the wrong time. She has said this many times in the past whenever I’m a few minutes behind time. What makes it different this time is her hand held up to half my apologies. She doesn't want to hear it.“Come, Stellëza.” I croon to her with arms spread out and waiting. Her face contorts in disgust as she drinks in the positi

DAMIAN Like I predicted, with the tension brewing in the room, the meeting is bound to end in chaos. There's a round table with each family representative seated a good distance away from the other person. Anything could go wrong at any fucking time and anyone by my side would take the hit. Right now, I'm seated in silence watching Genovese of the Morani family and Sergei of the Romanov family snap at each other's heads. There is the Bonanno family counselor, Karmen, who is fighting tooth and nail to ensure that they don't get themselves killed before she leaves. It's amusing to watch especially since Genovese gets off on gaslighting and being a shitty pretender. “Say that to my face one more time, I dare you!” Genovese booms out with veins sprouting from the middle of his head. His bulky stomach swinging every which way and heaving with every breath. “You're nothing but a wimp hiding behind sneaky attacks and the government officers who suck your limp cock.” That i