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January 2024 Music Prompts: Day 6
Honey (Are You Coming?) â« MĂ„neskin
Honey (Are You Coming?) â« MĂ„neskin x Riccardo Scamarcio
I'm gonna show you how this Italian amor/It's gonna love you harder than ever before/You will like it.
Riccardo, a charismatic Italian with a twinkle in his eye, was mesmerised by an enchanting woman - you. Your laughter echoed through the cobbled streets and attracted him like a moth to a flame. One evening, in the warm glow of the streetlights, he decided to take a chance and express the feelings that had blossomed inside him.
"I will show you how this Italian amor," he declared in a voice that sounded like a serenade under the stars, "will love you even more than ever before. You will like it."
With a playful smile, you tilted your head, mesmerised by the bold declaration. The moon cast its soft light on the two of you, turning the night into a canvas for romance.
Riccardo stretched out his arm and invited you to a dance that transcended the boundaries of time. The accordion sounds of a street musician provided the soundtrack to your improvised waltz, and as you both twirled under the starry sky, Riccardo spoke of love in a language that needed no translation.
His eyes, deep pools of sincerity, met yours. "My Bella, love in Italy is like a good wine. It matures with grace, gaining richness and depth. I want to show you the depths of this Italian love, I want to love you more than ever before."
Caught up in the magic of the moment, they laughed and let themselves be carried away by the rhythm of the dance. With every step, Riccardo wove a tapestry of promises in the language of his heart.
As the two of you strolled through the enchanting streets, he led you to a quaint gelato shop. With a playful twinkle in his eye, he insisted on choosing the flavours for you both, each scoop a metaphor for the layers of feelings he wanted to share with you.
You savored the gelato in the moonlit piazza, the sweetness of the treat mirrored in the sweetness of the shared moments. Riccardo spoke of love stories that had weathered the test of time, of passion that burned like the Tuscan sun, and of commitment as steadfast as the ancient ruins that graced their homeland.
"Amore mio, love is not just a feeling; it's a celebration. A celebration of shared laughter, stolen glances, and the beauty found in every imperfection. I want to celebrate every moment with you."
The night wore on, and as you found themselves on a quiet bridge overlooking a gentle canal, Riccardo's expression turned tender. He reached into his pocket and presented you with a small, ornate box.
"Amore mio," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion, "Open it, bella."
You, with your heart fluttering, opened the box to find a delicate necklace - a golden pendant shaped like a heart, intertwined with an infinity symbol. Riccardo gently fastened it around your neck, a symbol of a love that transcended time and space.
"Forever," he murmured, his lips brushing against your ear. "I want to love you forever, amore."
You looked into his eyes, your own filled with a mixture of surprise and joy. In that moment, beneath the Italian moonlight, you two exchanged a silent vow - a promise to love harder than ever before.
#january 2024 music prompts#music prompts#fanfiction#fanfic#fic#imagine#drabble#riccardo scamarcio fanfiction#riccardo scamarcio fanfic#riccardo scamarcio fic#riccardo scamarcio imagine#riccardo scamarcio drabble#riccardo scamarcio x reader#riccardo scamarcio x you#prompt fics
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FINAL HAVEN: One last safe place
un fanfiction de Alejandra Frausto
SINOPSIS
Santino D'Antonio esperaba muchas cosas en su vida, incluidos el poder y la grandeza. No contaba con que su padre le arrebatarĂa esa vida, que merecĂa por derecho propio, y se la darĂa a su hermana mayor, Gianna.
Descontento con la decisiĂłn del anterior lĂder de la familia Camorra, Santino cobra su marcador de sangre mĂĄs valioso con la Ășnica persona en quien confĂa para no fallar en matar a su hermana: John Wick.
Para desgracia de Santino, el implacable asesino escapĂł de los secuaces que habĂa enviado para matarlo, con la esperanza de no dejar "cabos sueltos" al momento de ascender como el nuevo lĂder de los Camorra y miembro de la Alta Mesa.
En consecuencia, y con el fin de que Wick no cobrara venganza sobre Ă©l, Santino abriĂł un contrato entre los criminales mĂĄs despiadados del mundo, ofreciendo 7 millones de dĂłlares por la cabeza de John.
ParecĂa sencillo, pero no por nada el nombre de Boogeyman precedĂa a John.
Asesino que intentaba detenerlo en su cacerĂa, asesino que no vivĂa para contarlo; y en ese momento, el hombre del saco estaba cazando a Santino D'Antonio.
Hasta que lo encontrĂł.
Santino huyó y se escondió. Era un juego de niños para Wick. Solo era cuestión de tiempo, cuestión de minutos para que lo alcanzara y matara.
Entonces apareciĂł ella.
Un ångel a los ojos de Santino; un daño colateral a los ojos de John.
Hola, la verdad le quiero hacer justicia al personaje de Santino D'Antonio de la saga de pelĂculas de John Wick.
Ciertamente es un gran personaje con una historia fuerte, que bien desarrollada tiene mucho potencial, y ni hablar del pedazo de actor que le da vida (Riccardo Scamarcio) es un hombre muy atractivo, no me lo van a negar.
Por lo que espero que le den mucho amor y cariño a la historia, tengo las ideas en mi cabeza pero a diferencia de mi otro fic quiero hacer este acapella, por lo que si ven errores o me desvĂo de la trama dĂganmelo con confianza, por favor, para poder corregirlo a tiempo.
GRACIAS POR LEER
#santino dâantonio#fanfiction#john wick#riccardo scamarcio#santino d'antonio x oc#santino d'antonio x reader#john wick fanfic#santino d'antonio/oc#camorra#italia#crime#keanu reeves#romance
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the pit | d.w.t.d. 02
summary:Â you wonder if heâs as alone as you are.
WARNINGS:Â swearing, giovanni dâantonio deserves a warning all by himself, mentions of child death, prostitution, and pregnancy pairing:Â hector x fem!reader word count:Â 10.7kÂ
a/n:Â thank you so much for the support on ch1!! i welcome all your questions and iâm so glad you guys like it! hector is an oc that belongs to @the-darklingsââ and as always, hope you enjoy!
00 | 01 | ...ïżœïżœ| 03 | 04 | 05Â
In an odd way, you wish Hector was here. Youâd been getting used to his company.
âSo, you are the woman I have heard so much of.â
Instead, heâs gone and here you are, sitting before Santino and Giovanni DâAntonio. You keep your gaze on Giovanniâs as he pours himself a slow cup of brandy, and your lungs struggle for air in the thick tension hanging in the room. Santinoâs eyes roam your face and you feel your back beginning to ache again from jumping out of a moving car just yesterday as you set your jaw, determined not to move under the manâs scrutiny.
The glass flagon is set down on the wood with a subtle clack.
âI must confess when my son informed me of an irreplaceable asset, I was intrigued. No one is irreplaceable in Camorraââ He sips languidly, smiling as if heâs said something funny as he approaches you. The grey, pin-striped suit barely creases as he lifts your chin up with his free handâ âunless theyâve proven themselves. And you have not proven yourself.â
Your eyes do not roam as he analyzes your face. He angles your head in every direction and his gaze is burning in a way that makes you want to squirm in your seat. When heâs done, he lets you go with a sharp push, your head snapping to the side. Fighting the urge to grimace, you resolutely turn your head back to him.
âDid you retrieve the USB?â
âYes, messer.â Leaning down beside your feet, you rip open your bag and grab the jacket you had been wearing. Unfolding it, you catch Hectorâs blood, dried and dark, in the navy blue fabric, but you ignore it in favour of digging your hand through the pocket. Your uncharged phone brushes against your fingers, and you entertain the thought for a moment that maybe Jardani has called you, before you tell yourself itâs stupid. Instead, you wrap fingers around burnt metal and bring it to Giovanni. âIt was damaged in the blast.â
âYes, I heard. It was messy.â
âI know,â you murmur as he takes it, inspecting the damage. âI wasnât aware it would be an extraction.â Turning around, he heads walks to his desk and this time, you sneak a glare at Santino. His eyes are narrowed, dragging over your face before he looks to his father and you want to shout at the man for lying to you, but you donât. No, to do so in front of his father would be suicide. âI did what I could in the circumstances provided.â
âNo blueprints?â
âNo.â
âHm.â There is a pause where he drinks and flips the USB over in his fingers, and you stare at his back, an uneasiness worming its way up your throat. âSantino.â
âYes, Father?â
âLeave.â
You couldâve heard a pin drop in the silence that follows. Santino blinks, mouth slightly open as if he wants to protest, and his gaze finds yours again. Fear grapples at your stomach and you avert your eyes as Giovanni turns to his son, expectant. Your blood freezes in your arms as you look into your lap, and you feel like youâre caving in on yourself as the shift of Santinoâs shoes against the hardwood echoes through the room. Heâs hesitating.
Idiot, just go. Just go.
âIs something the matter, son?â
âNo, Father.â
Then the wood creaks, the door opens, closes, and you are left alone with the most powerful man youâve ever met. Glass clatters against his desk, ripping your attention upward and you find him not even looking in your direction, finger tracing the curve of his glass.
âYour work is satisfactory, given the conditions, but this was not something I would have trusted to a new associate.â At this, Giovanni takes the USB and snaps it in half in his fist, and your lips part at the ruins of your work. You try to ignore the protest building up in your throat, eyes following the halves of the USB tossed onto the table carelessly. âHow did you meet my son, girl?â
Your words catch in your throat and all that comes out is nothing. Pressing your lips together, you blink and try to find your voice before you can be punished for it as Giovanni turns around. His gaze is nothing but a pit, a warning of the one youâre about to be tossed into, and he smiles. Smiles.
Terror paralyzes you.
âIn Sicily, a week ago,â you finally manage to utter. Your voice comes out steady, though, and strong. Good. You wonât show weakness before him. âI was searching for a contact. I met your son, instead.â
âDid you have sex with him?â he continues, grabbing the large glass flagon of brandy once again to pour himself another drink. He turns his head just enough in an offer, as if youâre merely talking about the weather, but you shake your head despite your dry throat. You donât think you can stomach anything in the moment.
âYes.â
âAnd did you use protection?â
You blink. Did Giovanni DâAntonio really just ask ifâ Â
Better yet, how do you explain to him that, no, you hadnât used a condom but youâd been on the pill? Opening your mouth, you stop the strangled sound from coming out of your mouth as Giovanni merely scoffs, shaking his head and setting down the glass flagon heavily.
âMy sonâs dalliances are none of my concern, but should you wish to find a place here, it will not be as his mistress. If I do intend to let you stay, you will be taken to the medical ward in due time. And if you have any intention of chaining my son to a child, I will not allow it. I am not interested in having bastards for grandchildren.â Shame burns through your skin and you duck your head, swallowing the tight knot in your throat. Your hands roll into fists in your lap as you just keep yourself quiet. âLook at me, girl.â
You do, and find yourself in the chasm of his gaze.
âYou do not have the look of a killer,â he observes. âI can see why Santino fell so recklessly for your charms. Youâre the type he attracts and is attracted to.â He takes a pull of brandy, his other hand in his pocket as he surveys you once again with a sweep of his gaze. You donât know if you should be insulted at his insinuation, but you donât have the gall to ask as he continues, âPersephone. Why do they call you this?â
Swallowing, you barely manage, âI donât know.â
âDo not lie to me.â
The even tone from which he speaks makes your blood congeal and you swear your heart stops for just a moment. Your eyes meet his and you push down your fear. If you could crush the manâs windpipe and live to see another day, you would. The dread Giovanni brings you is rotting your innards, pulling you inside out as another second passes in silence, and you try to rein in your ability to speak, but you canât. You donât know where your tongue has gone.
âI ask you again. Why should I let you live?â
Clenching your jaw, you feel like your teeth are going to crack as you sit up straighter. Hectorâs voice in your ear is warning you to be careful, and you take a deep breath to let go of it. Let go of the fear, of the apprehension cramping in your chest. If he kills you, he kills you. Better to die free than chained to Tarasovâs throne. You and Jardani had been the crows on his shoulder, ready to gouge out eyes and carve out heartsâno longer.
âDo you know him?â you ask, the image of Jardani flashing through your mind. Your chin tilting up when he raises an eyebrow, you smileâa thrilling confidence fills your body. Every nerve is singing as you pull your shoulders back. âJohn Wick.â You take the moment to relish his silence, to relish the intrigue in those pits, before continuing, âHe is the man who took me from nothing, raised me, trained me until Tarasov was sure the second coming of Baba Yaga was upon the Russian Mob. That is why you shouldnât kill me. Because of him.â
âHm.â Giovanni exhales sharply through his nose, a smile coming upon his lips again as he drains his brandy and sets the glass down. âThe Boogeymanâs protegĂ©.â
You nod, but his smile merely grows, and that confidence drains away like snow melting in the sun.
âThen, why do you lack his eyes?â Approaching you again, he makes you crane your head to look up at him, and you lean back as he looms over you. He grabs your jaw once again, fingers rough against your skin. Youâre sure your heart is in your throat, and he can feel the rapid pulse of it against your bone. âWhy do you not carry that cold fire I have heard so many tales of?â He squeezes your jaw, hard enough to bruise, his other fingers digging into the side of your neck, and you understand.
He doesnât believe for a second that youâre telling the truth.
âBecause thatâs not who I am,â you reply, monotonous. âIâm not cold. I still feel. There is no ice in me except for my enemies. For Tarasov. I do not look like a killerââ You feel the fire in your throat when his grip does not loosen. You had just admitted a weakness to his face, but he said not to lie. And you wonâtâ âbut I assure you, sir, that it is to the benefit of me and my employers. I understand you have more than enough men and women to replace each other, but there will only ever be one Baba Yaga.â
âAnd only one of you?â he inquires dispassionately, letting go of your jaw. Cold air rushes to your skin, soothing the heat left behind. You take a measured breath, careful not to crack.
âHe will come for you. If you kill me, he will know and he will tear Camorra to the ground,â you whisper, letting your words hang in the silence.
Giovanni appears to take them in, take the threat to his empire in stride and does not even consider it, hands in his pockets as he looks down upon you. His features are stone, lips set in an unforgiving frown.
âHector informed me of what you did for him in New York.â His fingers ghost over your cheek, eyes narrowed. âYou saved his life. That is the only reason why I will give you this chance to prove your loyalty to Camorra. As for John Wick,â he murmurs, slapping your cheek lightly. You can feel the metal of his rings, cold against your skin and you swallow quietly, âlet him try. One man cannot stand against the might of my family.â
Youâd be surprised by what he can do, asshole, you warn silently, bitterly. You donât move from your seat when his hand falls away from your face and he turns around. Walking behind his desk, he pulls the chair out and glances at you again, and you pray, pray that you can leave the stifling air of this officeâ âLeave.â
Thank fuck.
Standing, your legs feel like pliant clay and you almost collapse as you give yourself a moment to collect yourself and pick up your bag. Giovanniâs gaze follows you as you walk to the door and you canât open it fast enough, whisking yourself away into the cold air of the hallway.
As soon as the door clicks shut behind you, you stumble towards the wall and suck in a huge breath, your head spinning. Your heels clack against the tile and your hand grabs the cold marble, fingers sinking into nothing. Clutching your backpack to your chest, you close your eyes and take a deep breath, already feeling the pain in your chest easing at the colder air.
âBella.â Santinoâs smooth voice seeps into your ears and you jerk back when his hand brushes against your shoulder. Green eyes flash at you, but you merely swallow down the bile that had threatened to spill from your lips and straighten, hand still on the column as if youâll tip over at any moment.
âDonât touch me,â you warn slowly, your breath still rattling in your chest. âI just need a moment.â Santino draws back, nodding, and your eyes train on his shoes, gleaming in the light.
âWhat did my father want? What did he say?â The questions are flurries against your mind still playing catch up and you clear your throat, trying not to scowl. Iâm fine, thanks for asking, you want to retort, but you canât. Giovanniâs voice is haunting you. Bastard grandchildren.
You would never bring a child into a world where you did not love their father. No. Not into a world without love. The mere thought of it makes you want to shed your skin.
âIâm staying,â you whisper instead. âI⊠I need to go to the medical wing in a few weeks. He wants me tested for pregnancy. In case I have your bastard,â you murmur, and Santinoâs eyes widen, his relieved expression melting away. âIââ You shudder, turning to walk away. The cold sweat gathering in your palms makes you feel disgusting from the inside out. âI need to go. Find a place to stay.â Pulling your shoulders back, you brush hair out of your face and simply let the wind soothe away the heat.
Santino doesnât follow you.
At first, youâre glad that spawn of the Devil himself doesnât, and then you realize you truly have no idea where youâre going. The mansion is huge, long hallways of black and white tiles leading into more hallways of similar dĂ©cor, and you blink, getting lost and admiring the marble busts upon podiums and the golden chandeliers hanging in rooms with open doors.
Is this really what it is to be rich?
Stopping before one of the marble sculptures, your eyes trace over the subtle ripple of fabric etched and polished by some sculptor years before, lost in its beauty. To be immortalized, loved enough by an artist to be sculpted with a loving hand, you could never imagine it.
Jardani, perhaps, will have statues erected when they tell tales of the Boogeyman. You, on the other handâŠ
âHey.â
Twisting around, you blink and think it might be Hector for a moment before you register the body before you. Big, broad shoulders, trimmed beard, but kinder eyes than you wouldâve expected meet your gaze, and the man smiles. Breath caught in your throat, you swallow down the embarrassment at having gotten caught.
âHi.â Smiling yourself, you pull back from the bust as the man tilts his head, sticking out a hand. He's a hulking figure, but his presence does not intimidate you so you take it. His palm is hot, fingers engulfing your hand as he shakes it heartily, and although occupational wariness bites at your gut, you keep it under a tight leash.
âIâm Dario.â
Oh.
Oh.
Youâve heard tales of this man, none of them flattering, and at his massive height, you understand it, then. You had imagined the Strength of Camorraâs Elite to be something akin to a giant, large and hulking and made of stone with an impassive expression constantly etched into his face. Or perhaps a long-haired barbarian, with scarred hands and a wild beard.
What you see before you is a man of giant proportions, but his smile is easy and bright, and although his hair is long and his hands are scarred, his beard is trimmed well as he peers down at you.
âOh, Iâm Persephone. I, uh, I just got here,â you say, remembering your courtesies. You lift your bag as if to prove your point and Dario smiles, warmer than the sun. It would be refreshing if you werenât in a home full of killers and liars, but you still let it sink into you regardless.
âPersephone,â he repeats, letting go of your hand. âItâs great to meet you.â
âYou, too.â You lower your head, eyes briefly flickering over his face. His eyes gleam with amusement, as if he finds you endearing, but you can sense the power emanating from his very being. Those hands have probably broken more bones than there are in the human body, those muscles have the memory of a lifetime of training. What more can you expect from the Strength of Camorraâs Elite?
Certainly not a personality that doesnât bite you whenever you try to speak.
âThanks for saving Hectorâs ass back in New York,â Dario says. âIt wouldâve been boring without hearing him insult some poor soul unlucky enough to cross his path at the wrong time.â
âWhat a charmer,â you mutter under your breath and he stifles a chuckle as you add, âAnd you donât need to thank me. He just needed help.â
âYeah, good luck hearing him say that,â Dario jokes, and you grin, your shoulders falling as you allow yourself to relax in the manâs presence. âIâm thankful enough for the both of us, as I always have to be. Known the boy since he was a kid and heâs always struggled with his manners.â
âAnd was he always a pain in your ass?â you ask, quirking an eyebrow. Dario chuckles, shaking his head.
âYes, although it seems heâs only gotten worse with age.â Crossing his arms over his chest, Dario looks to the bust youâd been inspecting and tilts his head. You follow his gaze, and your eyes trace the delicate curve of the sculptureâs nose. âI saw him heading for the medical wing, but I didnât approach the wild animal.â Blinking, you twist to look at him, and frown. âI donât think Iâve ever seen him so foul-tempered.â
âIâm guessing thatâs saying something,â you suppose, although your mind is already racing to think what would have placed him in a bad mood in the short time span between him leaving you and your meeting with Giovanni.
âWouldnât know a thing about that, would you?â
No. If you recall correctly, Hector had helped you unpack your bag from the van and told you to wait in the foyer while he went to find Giovanni. His parting words were almost a promise that heâd come back, but you knew better than to hold him to that. It was only proven when Santino came to fetch you instead.
Shaking your head, you sigh. âNo. I havenât seen him since Iâve arrived.â
âRight. Your meeting with Giovanni,â Dario assumes and you nod. âHow did that go?â
You shrug. âIt went well enough.â No point in spilling your guts to a man you just met as you add, âI have to get going if I want to find a place by sundown, though.â
âAre you going to be staying at the Continental?â
âI donât know. I donât know if I can,â you reply uneasily. âIâm going to try, anyhow.â
âCan you not afford it?â Dario asks, nearly interrogates. His voice is worn with concern, stabbing you in the gut and you shake your head, averting your gaze. You feel like youâre being scolded by a father whoâs disappointed in you, and you hate it. Your pockets are as empty as the pit Tarasov dug out of you, and when you look up at the man beside you again, you press your lips into a tight smile.
âNo. And Iâm not about to accept charity either, Dario,â you add hastily when you see him open his mouth to protest. Whatever words he had evaporates like smoke as you glance down the long hallway. âI should probably go. Try my luck before I have to settle.â Turning back to Dario, you shrug. âIâll see you around.â
You pick up your bag and walk away. Dario doesnât call after you, but you think you can feel his stare weigh heavy on your back.
Youâre broke and you realize that this is your first test.
Itâs time to build yourself back up again, and if that means relying on the past, then so be it.
.
Youâre not unused to sleeping in the streets. There were missions from Tarasov when you were nothing but a homeless face, scrapping intel together from what you overhear. If you canât book a room in the Continental, it wouldnât be so terrible.
Thatâs what you tell yourself, at least.
Wearing your backpack on your front, you keep your eyes out for any threats as you walk through Rome. You donât know where youâre going well enough to be confident, but with a map youâd stolen from a tourist information centre, youâre more sure in your steps.
The dusk is barely brushing the sky, the smell of food warm in the air as you take a turn down an alleyway, folding the map. If youâre right, the Continental should be just a few minutes away. Â Youâve slipped on the hoodie and sweats you wore on the plane, feet comfortable in sneakers as you tug the hood harder over your head. Your hair pulled away from your face, you reach a fence that separates you from a main road and across that, a place to stay.
You havenât seen Julius since you were a child, when you were just a girl and not quite a threat yet. You wonder if heâll even recognize you, pull strings if he could.
You take a deep breath, switch your bag to your back, and dig your toe into the chain link fence.
Youâll have to try.
Pushing yourself up and over, you land and immediately make your way across the road. There are cars pulled in at the roundabout, patrons exiting their fancy cars and you duck your head, desperate to avoid their gaze as you tread up the steps, red carpet soft against underneath your feet.
Entering the Roman Continental, you feel the air conditioner puff against your face and sigh, letting your shoulders slump. An invisible pressure lifted as soon as you crossed the line but now that youâre not in open air, you feel as if you no longer have a sniperâs sights set on you. You walk the halls until you reach the double doors, and they open up before you as you enter the lobby.
Men and women lingering, sitting and chatting whilst they have their tea, all pause, conversation stilted at this foreigner intruding on their safe haven, and you tilt your head just enough to catch their eyes.
Yes, theyâre all watching you like a hawk as you approach the concierge. The lobby is grander than the one in New York, and youâre far more exposed as the woman behind it dips her head in greeting. Glancing over your shoulder, you spot a blond man sip his tea, dark eyes trained on your hands.
Watch the hands, not the mouth, Jardaniâs voice warns you. Itâs age-old advice that clearly you werenât the only one privy to.
âWelcome to the Continental of Rome. How might I be of assistance?â the concierge inquires in Italian.
âI was wondering if Julius is in,â you reply in the same. The woman nods again, eyes searching deliberately over your face before picking up the phone and spinning the rotary dial. Your eyes search her face, lips twisted into a frown. The last time you were here, you donât quite remember this woman. Last time, itâd been a man named Antonio, with light hair and a lively smile.
He liked to watch Casablanca, if you recall. You wonder what heâs doing now.
âHow shall I announce you, Miss?â
Julius doesnât know you as Persephone, and your true name balls up in your throat. The woman waits expectantly, but you shake your head.
âPersephone, but he knows me as passerota,â you say, the word coming out quiet in your mouth. âItâs his passerota.â The womanâs lips pinch tighter together into what you think couldâve been a smile before she lowers her head and speaks quietly into the receiver.
Then, a click and she lowers the phone.
âHe is waiting for you on the roof.â Digging out a card from underneath the counter, the concierge slides it across the marble countertop. âAnd this is for you. One of our finest rooms, just below Sirâs should you need anything.â Confusion bubbling in your throat, you tilt your head at the gold card.
âI donât have the money for thatââ
âSomeone has already booked it in your name for a monthâs stay.â Taking the card, you feel a nagging feeling tug at your stomach as you pocket it. âThe elevator is to your left. Enjoy your stay.â Nodding, your eyes flicker across your surroundings. Chatter had just started again although youâre more than aware of a few gazes that flit across your figure as you head for the lifts, hands grabbing onto the straps of your pack.
No one will break the rules, you tell yourself in an effort to calm your fraying nerves. Not even if they consider me a threat.
It is these thoughts that keep you from going to grab a gun and risking bullet holes punched into your skin.
And there still begs the question of who in godâs name paid for a month in one of the most expensive rooms?
Your thoughts go immediately to Jardani as the elevator slides into motion, and you smile. Of course he would. Even when he canât help you, he would. Itâs always been this way where heâll bend the rules, cross faint lines, just to keep you off the streets and safe.
You make a note to send him a text once you charge your phone, but first, Julius.
As the elevator doors open, you canât help the smile that pushes its way onto your face at the mere memories alone haunting this rooftop.
A lone figure sits by the edge, in the midst of his dinner. The balustrades golden orange in the fading sunlight, you step onto the rooftop. The stone floor slaps against your sneakers and you can feel the fading sunlight kiss your face as the elevator doors close behind you.
âWhen I was told Persephone of small Russian fame had landed in my city, I did not recognize the name. I expected a woman of cruel intent, harsh in her nature,â Julius calls, and even his voice rings the same. You let out a relieved exhale, your shoulders dropping and when he turns to you, you cannot make out his features in the shadows. âAnd then Gia tells me that my passerota has flown back to Rome, and I see it is just the opposite.â
âJuliusââ Your voice cracks from pure exhaustion and he gestures to the chair across from him. Your stomach growls and you walk to the chair, trying to contain your excitement as you pull it out. Swinging off your backpack and laying it by your feet, you sink down into the chair and finally catch a glimpse of his face. An ease rests in his gaze, a familiar warmth engulfing his features, and your smile splits your face in two.
Youâve missed him.
âHungry?â He gestures to his plate and your eyes fall to the tantalizing steak before him. You nod. Youâre starving. âGood. I had the chefs prepare your favourite. Although, perhaps it has changed over the years, hm?â
âThat depends on what you thought it was in the first place.â He smiles at that, his hands on the table as he chews, and you reach forward to hold the one grasping his fork. Itâs as if the fatigue has been chased from your limbs just by the sight of him, and your smile softens. He sets down his fork, and twists his wrist to hold your hand. âItâs so good to see you again.â
âAnd you as well, my dear. You were little more than knee-high since I last saw you, and nowââ He squeezes your palm briefly before returning to his dinner, and you sigh, withdrawing your hand and leaning on your elbows. He quirks an eyebrow at you, eyes raking over your dishevelled appearance, before his eyes find yours againâ âI see a woman grown.â
âI guess John didnât mess up too badly,â you tease. Julius tilts his head to the red wine sitting on the white tablecloth and you nod. A spare glass sits pristine, crystal in the sunset, and he pours the dark liquor, letting the red gleam as it splashes within.
âI would say he did quite well,â he agrees. âNow, why are you here?â
âI have work to do.â The elevator dings again and you crane your head to see a man pushing a tray out onto the roof. Cloches cover many of the dishes, and you shake your head to yourself, grinning at Julius. âHow much did you order?â
âEnough to cover all of my bases concerning you, passerota. Thank you,â he adds to the server who merely bows his head and retreats back to the liftâa safe distance away to talk privately but close enough should the manager need something. âTake your pick. What you donât eat will be at your disposal later in the night,â he invites and you chuckle, reaching to unveil a broiled salmon atop sweet potato mash, asparagus garnishing the edges. Bringing it to the table, you pick up a knife and fork and dig in, your stomach already crooning with the idea of food.
âHow do you remember? I was here for all of, what, two weeks?â
âAnd you ate more than any little girl Iâve ever met,â Julius quips. âWhatever the cooks could concoct, you would sample and give your seal of approval. Hm, you decided on the menu for two weeks, remember?â The salmon melts in your mouth and you sigh in relief at the warmth it sends through your limbs.
âYes. I remember Antonio was quite happy with me placing chocolate lava cake as the number one dessert for fourteen days straight,â you reply. The stretch of the smile is so welcomed you canât help but chuckle. âHe was getting old. I assume he retired?â
âMmh. While he still could. But, business. You are not here to murder the Pope, are you?â
âNo,â you chuckle. âIâve switched employers, actually.â Dragging the fork between your lips, you smile at the sweetness of the potatoes. It feels like itâs been forever since youâve been full, and the hollowing feeling Giovanni had printed into you slowly begins to disappear. âIâve left the Russian Mob for Camorra.â
Silence.
Your smile drops when Julius simply slices into his steak, his eyes on yours as he brings the piece to his mouth. Then, his eyes leave yours, gazing out into the streets and you frown.
âWhat do you have to say?â you murmur, glancing down into your own plate. Your fork twists in the pink meat as Julius exhales sharply, not quite giving you an answer and then you realize. âYou donât approve.â
âI donât enjoy the idea of knowing that there are men better suited to protecting you,â he says simply, and you shake your head to yourself. Protecting me, you repeat in your head. Ridiculous.
Jardani couldnât protect you from Tarasov. And if he canât protect you, then no one can.
âJulius, Iâm not a child anymore.â
âYou are a woman,â he agrees, tone even, âbut still young. Still growing. And Camorra, they will snuff out your light, my dear. I assure you that whatever salvation you believe they can give you, you will not find it. Camorra is a pit, and you are one of many desperate to climb out of it.â Juliusâ gaze turns hawklike as he sets down his utensils and reaches for his wine glass. âIf you donât weave your own rope, youâll wither away in the shadows and no one will care. It is the Camorra way.â
You want to say you know. Youâve always known that the only thing you can rely on is your own strength, but itâs different here, now. You donât have anyone on your side. Not really. Thereâs no one you can rely on. There is no Jardani, no Winston, no one who can possibly shelter you. Not even Julius can withstand the might of Camorra should it rain down on the Continental, and the thought of this beautiful building nothing more than scorched rubble sends a chill up your spine.
You have no illusions of what Camorra is, and still youâd rather choose it over the Russians any day.
Clenching your jaw, bitterness swims in your mouth as you look at Julius, let him really look at you for the first time, and he blinks at the intensity behind your gaze. You keep your voice soft, dangerously so, as you ask, âDo you know what Tarasov did to me? After we left Rome and went to America.â You stab at an asparagus, the utensil clattering against the plate and your blood sings at the thought of plunging a knife into Tarasovâs throat. When Julius doesnât answer, you jerk your gaze up and grit again, âDo you know what he did?â
And Julius concedes with a bow of his head. âNo.â
âIf you did know, you would know that whatever light you think you see in me cannot be extinguished after the hell Iâve survived in New York. I wouldnât be here chatting with you over steaks and salmon if that light has gone out And if you knew that Tarasov would sell me around like diamonds at an auction, and you still let him take me away from hereâŠâ Your voice darkens, although your next words do not need to be said. You would be dead.
You close your eyes for a moment, letting out a quivering breath, the memories of those dark rooms crowding into your head but you simply shake them away, build up the walls that wonât be enough to keep it out.
âI didnât know.â Three simple words that bring you such assurance yet so much pain. Tarasov hid his tracks well. Cowardly secrecy always was his forte. He always hid behind Jardani, behind you, to do his dirty work
No longer.
âGood.â The finality of your tone strikes you cruelly in the chest and you know youâve been cold but you donât care. No one understands unless theyâve faced similar torment. They can try, but they never will. âI have no illusions on what DâAntonio can give me, but Camorra could never compare to the hell Tarasov put me through. I have clawed my way out of a pit once. I have no intention of rotting in the dark again.â
âI understand. Camorra has the power to keep you safe, but Iâm merely asking you to be careful. Their sort is known to be a bit different. Old blood, and all of that.â Theyâll root out weakness in their ranks, sieve it like sand, and I do not want to bury your body, he does not say but you hear it anyway. Julius is only looking out for you, you know that. Even as a child, youâre sure heâs the one of the only people who have ever cared about you. Those two weeks you spent here shadowing him had been the happiest moments of your life. Moments you clung on to when you closed your eyes on satin spreadsheets you could never afford and let them do whatever they wanted to you.
Youâre not there anymore, a voice a lot like Jardaniâs murmurs in your ear. Youâve left that life behind. Youâre stronger than them, now. Stronger than him.
The dinner passes in a quiet youâre more than happy to rest in. Your eyes stay on your plate, and the only time someone speaks is when Julius points out that the sun has finally set, but you donât acknowledge it. Youâre barely swallowing food that feels bland in your mouth.
If you donât play your cards right, youâll fall back to where you started, and Jardani canât pull you out of this one. He is an ocean away and, Giovanni was right, he cannot withstand the full power of a criminal empire.
The pit seems to cave in above you.
When you stand to go, you thank Julius for dinner, and he proposes to do it again some time.
You mean it when you say yes.
.
The room is huge.
Itâs the first thing you notice when you enter. Itâs bigger than any hotel room youâve ever seen, even at the New York Continental when you shared a twin room with Jardani, and you canât help but gape at how warm it is inside. The walls are a creamy white, the floor a dark wood, and the lights are a dim gold. Itâs as if youâve stepped into the Pantheon.
You toe off your shoes and close the door behind you, lips parting as you marvel at the huge canopy bed, its wispy white curtains tied to the posts, and it alone takes up most of the room. The pillows and comforter are bright white, arranged at the head of the bed, and you walk over, pushing your hand into the mattress. It seems to sink endlessly into the bed and you cannot imagine sleeping on something so soft, but youâre sure the staff will be more than willing to fix it if you donât like it.
Might as well give it a shot, you muse to yourself, dragging your hand along the sheets. You sigh at the smooth cold brushing against your palms as you walk around the bed, your feet gliding across the heated floor.
A white cushioned bench is pressed against the foot of it, and a warm brown armchair sits opposite that with an accompanying ottoman footrest. You set your bag down on the armchair, relieving the ache in your shoulders before you turn, walking past the desk and to the balcony. Sliding the glass door open and stepping outside, you inhale deeply at the cooler night air as you lean on stone balustrade, glancing up at the moon.
The smell of wind sinks into your bones and you let out a relieved sigh. The view Jardani had booked for you is wonderful.
The night sky is dark, violet staining the canvas as you watch the life of Rome ignite in orange fires along the streets. You can still make people out, walking along, some even biking in the evening along the stone roads. Theyâre all living peacefullyâno one is hurrying under the cover of an umbrella, and the streets arenât vacant like they would be in New York if it were raining.
This is⊠different. The colours are warmer, and you canât help the slight tug of your lips into a smile as you turn away and close the balcony door behind you. Youâll have time to admire your new city tomorrow. Now, you ought to shower, wash the day away before you can finally get some sleep.
The bathroom is nothing short of luxurious, the towels soft against your skin as you dry yourself. Youâve scrubbed every inch of yourself clean of any residual blood, any ick your meeting with Giovanni has left you with, and you pull on the robe, tying it tight around your waist as you comb through your hair. Stuffing your feet into slippers, you exit the bathroom and continue to explore your room.
The standard welcome note sits on the surface of the desk , along with a few chocolates, and you open the drawers. Nothing more than the standard notepad, Bible, and a list of numbers and services to call. You tuck the chocolate between the phone list and Bible.
Youâll save them for a rainy day.
Turning your gaze to the shelves, your eyes flicker over the glass art, little momentos. All of this, from the art to the huge size of the room, itâs overwhelming. Youâve never lived in so much extravagance.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Whipping around, you retreat from where youâd been reaching to pick up one of the glass pieces, and head for the door, wondering who on earth would visit you. Your feet stuffed in the slippers muffle the sound of your steps as you approach the door and peek through the eyehole. A man you donât recognize stands there, waiting, and you adjust your robe tighter around yourself before you unlock the door and open it.
âMiss Persephone.â The man wears a tailored suit, his eyes steadily remaining on your face, and you frown. On his arms are a row of bags, designer, garment, and otherwise that you could never afford, and your eyes widen. âA gift to welcome you into our illustrious family.â Stepping aside, you let the man in and blink, unknowing what to say. Your mind wanders onto who couldâve done this as the man places the bags on the bench, slowly unpacking all the contents.
âWhat is this?â you ask quietly, closing the door and approaching the man. He looks up briefly before continuing, unpacking boxes. âIs this Santinoâs doing?â
âIn Camorra, we uphold a certain standard concerning a dress code.â At this, the man picks up a garment bag and unzips it to unveil a dark maroon pantsuit, clean and pressed. Your eyebrows rising, you cross your arms over your chest. âThey are all tailored and fitted to you by the measurements of the New York Continental, and therefore, stay extremely accurate. Should you need adjustments, please do not hesitate to inform the Seamstress.â
âOf course.â Approaching the bed, you pick up one of the boxes to unveil a pair of stilettos. âBut, I couldâve bought this with my own money.â
âFrom what we have heard, you have no assets to your name and messer DâAntonio expects appearances to be held up no matter your status. Therefore his son has commissioned for these outfits to be made at the earliest available time,â the man replies swiftly and you grimace. Paper tissue crumples as you watch him pull out a few hoodies, sweaters, and jogging pants that you donât think fit under Santinoâs radar and you frown. That, and no one knew what size pants and shirts you liked to wear besides Jardani.
âSo, Santino purchased all of this?â you clarify, but the man just ignores you, folding up all the bags and holding them in his arms. He straightens up, nodding to you, and you open your mouth to protest at your apparent closet now splayed across your whole bed. âThis doesnât seem like his style.â
âI only have delivered what signor DâAntonio arranged for me to pick up,â he replies. âTomorrow, you will report to this address at 6AM sharp and ask to see the Headmistress,â the man continues, pulling out a letter from his breast pocket and you take it, eyebrows knitting together. âThere, you will give her this letter and begin your service to the Camorra Family.â
You take the letter and nod, eyes flickering to the address scrawled onto the envelope, and then to the man who offers a hint of a pleasant smile as he dips his head towards you.
âGood evening, maâam. Welcome to Rome.â
And then heâs gone, the door shut behind him while youâre left alone.
What are you supposed to do with all of this?
The urge to put it away answers that. You put the envelope down on your nightstand and call the concierge to give you a wake-up call at around 5:15AM tomorrow morning before turning around and glancing at the organized chaos on your bed.
Picking up the first box of shoes, you carefully pull them out and set them on one of the empty shelves, admiring the gloss of leather before turning back, and your eyebrows scrunch together at the clear distinction on your bed: garment bags, jewelry boxes, and designer shoes; sweatpants, hoodies, Nike shoes.
You frown and push the thought out of your mind. Perhaps Santino did buy it all. Perhaps you had underestimated his idea of fashion.
Your closet is still half-empty once itâs all said and done, and you sit on the bench, staring at the dress and pantsuits hanging by themselves. They all seem to sway in some imaginary breeze, and you frown, a nibbling at your gut making you squirm.
Youâve never had this. Never had this much money to go around and spend so carelessly, and now⊠just the thought of it unsettles you. With Tarasov, he oversaw every spending, made calculations in your allowance depending on how much you spent or did not spend in the past month. Itâs made you frugal with what you had, and youâve never even thought of owning more than one designer item, and now, youâre sure more than half your closet are names youâd recognize anywhere.
How did one deal with so much money?
A thought for another time as a yawn tugs at your throat and you tear your gaze away from your closet. Glancing at your bed to make sure you havenât missed anything before you go to bed, you spot a dark box, the only thing left on an otherwise empty bed. Itâs small, unadorned, and sleek in your hand as you reach to grab it. Crossing a leg over the other, you frown thoughtfully.
You thought you had put away all the earrings and bracelets Santino had bought youâmeaningless gifts, but youâre grateful for them nonethelessâbut apparently not.
Pulling off the cover, you tilt your head once you catch a glimpse of the contents, and your fingers sink into the soft silk. You tug carefully, and it unfolds, brushing coolly against your wrist as you inhale sharply at the shade. Grey silk. The same shade as Jardaniâs last gift to you, but it canât be. Getting blood out of silk is a pain in the ass with how delicate it is, yet somehowâŠ
Your heart hammering in your chest, you close your eyes and hold it to your chest. If you try hard enough, you can hear his voice telling you to get to bed, and you smile, pressing your lips into the fabric. The thought of Jardani lifts weights off your chest and you want nothing more than to scold you for staying up late, but this would have to be enough. The faint whiff of cologne and tobacco smoke clings to your sinuses, and you sigh, flipping it over in your hands to read the stitching.
Savior.
Itâs like water is thrown over you, shockingly cold, and you read the stitching over and over again.
Only one man has called you that.
Hector.
Of course.
Smiling incredulously to yourself, you shake your head and try not to laugh as you bring it to your nose again, eyes peering into the box.
A rough, hand-written note on cardstock lays beneath the handkerchief and you pick it up, setting the silk handkerchief aside.
The cologne is stronger in the card, as if heâd sprayed it before he set in in the box, and your cheeks ache from how wide your smile is. On one side is a number you donât recognize, and then you flip it over to reveal a short message.
Capitalize on the pool and gym. Order room service. That room comes with perks and it wasnât cheap. Get back on your feet and prove that youâre not as weak as you put on.
Sorry about the jacket and the handkerchief. Navyâs a good colour on you, so I tried to stick to the theme.
See you around.
H
You read it over once, twice, and then the smile disappears.
Jardani had no hand in any of this.
Hector. Itâs all Hector. The sweats, the room, it had all been Hectorâs doing.
No fucking way.
But then you read the card again and you know thereâs no other way to interpret his words.
You donât know how to feel about the manâs kindness. You never expected this from him, and as you glance around your room, you wonder if heâs at home himself, resting and healing from that aching wound. You wonder if heâs as alone as you are.
Tossing the card aside, you look down into the final item left in the box. Set in velvet is a glass case, and within it is a single bullet. You lift it up carefully, your eyes inspecting the number on the barrel as you turn it in your hands, and you know immediately what it is. The bulletâs been wiped of any blood, and the glass is smooth to your touch as you set it down on your lap.
Cracking open the glass case, you pick up the bullet. About the length of your index finger, it gleams in the low light of your room and you twist it in your fingers.
âCome on, donât be like that.â
âLike what? Like I care about you?â
âYeah, like you fucking care about me.â
You set the bullet back into its case and stand, gathering his silk handkerchief and card as well. A honey-warm feeling oozes through your body as you place the card down on one of the shelves, setting the glass case on top of it before stepping back and admiring the gift.
âWhat if, if anything, this life has made me soft?â
Turning away, you climb into bed, handkerchief still tight in your fist.
âThen, youâre a fool.â
As you lie on your back, sinking into the mattress and with Hectorâs gift firmly in your hands, you feel your heart stutter in your throat, and close your eyes.
Tomorrow, your new life truly begins.
You dream of gunshots and blood rivers, and in the midst of it all, tattooed fingers dragging you into the dark.
.
Jab. Duck. Punch. Kick.
Your blood is singing as you take down a man with a quick sweep of your foot.
âBetter.â
Straightening, your head jerks to the entrance of the training room to see Hector looming by the door and you, panting, brush hair out of your face just as your opponent tries to lunge at you. Stepping aside, your eyes dart to your sparring partner as you duck underneath his arm, and he rolls onto his ass, grinning from ear to ear.
âLetâs call it quits, Step, before you embarrass yourself even more,â you tease, and your partner rolls his eyes, flopping onto your back. âGet up. Iâve got to deal with him,â you add, and the boy smiles crookedly, extending a hand towards you which you take to tug him up.
He jumps to his feet, head cocking as his gaze flickers to Hector, but you merely shake your head as if to say not worth asking and let go of his hand. Above, you can hear the Headmistress shouting at one of the children, and you mentally take note to check up on whomever is being punished this time around for one small slip-up. Step glances upward as well, and you give him a grimace-like smile.
Iâll deal with it later.
âWant anything to eat? Iâm heading out after I shower,â Step says but you merely shake your head, playing with the wrappings around your wrist. He grabs his towel and water bottle, and you watch him bypass Hector, not missing the dirty glances they exchange as the older man walks in, and you turn to face him fully, beginning to unwind the wraps around your fists.
âHey.â You smile, stretching and flexing your fingers as you undo your right fist. Shaking it, you let blood rush to your fingers before undoing your left wrap as he merely cocks an eyebrow. âWhatâre you doing here? Thought you hated it here.â
âThere are prettier things to look at than the slums,â he agrees, vaguely disgusted, and you scoff, shaking out your left hand. Two months has seemed so much longer when all you do is train and complete mundane tasks at the issue of the Headmistress and Hectorâs more than a sight for sore eyes. Youâre too happy to see him, but you donât mind as he jerks his head in the direction of the exit. âYouâre getting chummy.â
âAnd I havenât seen you in three weeks. Things change,â you retort, grabbing your bottle and hugging it to your chest. His eyes track down your arms and body, skin coated in sweat, and the raw hunger of his gaze still makes you shiver. Nothingâs truly changed, has it? âWhat, are you jealous?â
âBeing friends with that chickenshit is not on my priority list, sweetheart,â he mocks, but you shake your head, insulted. âThat bastard always manages to fuck up my day somehow whenever I see him. Heâs like a bad luck charm.â
âStepâs not going to put shit in your pillow if you donât give him a reason to, and you always do, so thatâs your problem,â you respond coolly. Squirting some water into your mouth, you swish it around in your mouth as you approach the man. His maroon pin-striped suit is pristine and he tugs at one of his cuff links. Itâs a suit that clearly needs breaking in, and you note the lapel pin gleaming in the light. Heâs dressed for work and you frown warily. âDid the doctor clear you for work? He told me he gave you four months.â
âAnd youâre discussing my health with the doctor, now? Iâve been on administrative dutyâ he intones flatly, eyebrow rising and you aim the nozzle of your squirt bottle towards him, raising your own eyebrows. Youâre not afraid to tease him about spraying him, and he merely cocks an eyebrow himself, unimpressed. âDonât you dare.â
You turn the nozzle back towards you, shrugging and pushing another stream of water into your mouth. Swallowing, you turn back to the bench to grab your stuff, the cheeky smile digging into your cheeks.
âI bet thatâs been thrilling.â Grabbing your towel, you sling it around your neck and wipe at your face. âWhat are you here for?â
âYou have a meeting with Giovanni in forty-five minutes.â He crosses his arms over his chest, pale eyes clearly surveying your status while you glance at yourself in the foggy mirror in the training room. Step had gotten you good in the stomach with a kick, and you poke your stomach, testing how much it hurts before deciding to simply treat it when you get back to the Continental if itâs still a bother then. âI have better things to do besides being a little messenger boy so if you could speed it up, thatâd be grand.â
âIt almost sounds like you miss me,â you rib and Hector rolls his eyes as you wipe the sweat away from your face and neck, still regaining your breath. âThanks for telling me.â The thought of Giovanni makes a cold snake slither into your gut and you suppress a shudder as you head for the exit. The smell of sweat lingers in the air and you close your eyes for a moment, steeling yourself. âAre you going to wait?â
Hectorâs quiet for a moment, and you look over your shoulder to see him standing there, pale eyes following you.
He doesnât answer, except he does, and it makes you smile.
âHurry up.â
.
âThis is absolutely ridiculous.â
âHector, silence.â
Thereâs the sound of muffled shouting before a door slams, and you look down the hall to see Hector tugging at the lapels of his suit in an effort to look unbothered. His hair falls into his face and his lips are still twisted into a displeased snarl as he storms up to you. You push off the column, meeting his eyes unflinchingly and a certain lust dominates his face as he rakes his hair back violently.
âGet inside.â His voice is edged with a coldness to it that doesnât shake you as you frown, eyes searching his.
âAre you okay?â
âFuck off.â He takes your place against the column, crossing his arms and you regard him for a moment before heading for the office. Youâll either learn whatâs got him riled up or youâll ask him later when heâs cooled down.
Rapping your knuckles against the door, you hear Giovanniâs faint âcome inâ before you push it open. He is sitting behind his desk, a fitted grey-suit barely creasing as he writes. The ruby ring on his finger glimmers in the light of the candle keeping the sealing wax melted. An unfinished glass of wine sits in the corner of the leather place mat, and you stand there for a moment until he acknowledges you.
âSit.â
The chaise you sink into is warm, the leather soft underneath you and you keep your gaze steadily on the man, waiting until he looks up at you.
And when he does, your heart freezes in your chest.
âYouâre still alive,â he begins, almost surprised and if you didnât know how closely he was monitoring you, you would believe it. You donât speak, and his gaze drops back to his letter. âHave you had the chance to read the results of the blood test?â he asks, sliding a paper towards you, and you catch your name printed at the top of the sheet before leaning back. You have the original copy stashed in the drawer of your desk back at the Continental.
âYes, sir.â
âGood. And are you pleased with the results?â
NOT PREGNANT.
âYes, messer,â you say quietly. âIf I was pregnant, I assure you I wouldâve gotten rid of it at my earliest convenience.â
âGood. Then, youâre fit for a deal that will take place in Singapore in three days. Do make sure it does not go through.â
âOf course.â You move to rise but his head lifts, stalling you. You sink back onto the chair, eyebrows knitting together. Those dark eyes are bottomless, and you do not look away, do not blink. You donât think you could if you tried. âIs there something else?â
âHector will be accompanying you.â
You sit there, blinking as you try to digest the mere idea of Hector coming with you on your first mission outside of Italy, but Giovanni merely continues, âAs he will be for the remainder of this year.â
Two months with a partner.
Youâve never had a partner for missions. Not even Jardani was your partner at any point on a contract.
âMay I ask why?â
âThe Headmistress is pleased with your progress.â Progress. The insult veiled as the drug deals and gun fights all way below your skill level, but money is still money no matter how much you deserve. âThe children have made substantial improvement since your arrival.â
âI was doing my job.â Your voice comes out aloof, but your mind goes straight to the boys and girls training, running jobs tirelessly just for a chance to survive another day. That couldâve been you, in some other lifetime. You know that. You remember that every time youâve had to help bury a body too small to be dead. âThe children are talented,â you add quietly. âThey learn quickly.â
âYou have yet to disappoint.â Your eyes flicker from his face to the paper as he dips his pen into ink. âAnd do you like this gutter work, girl?â he inquires, the scratch of his pen tip against the paper filling what your words do not. Setting down his pen, Giovanni picks up his paper, eyes scanning his own words. âI expected Baba Yagaâs protegĂ© to find this work meant for nobodies to be⊠unfulfilling, uncomfortable.â
It is, you want to spit. It is, and the children are the only thing keeping me sane in that hellhole. They provide more of a challenge than some of your cronies do on a good day. There was no challenge in the tasks youâd been given besides trying to get the kids to behave. Now, they know they can sneak candy and other treats out of you, and you always use whatever you could spare from the money you received when you were tasked with raiding warehouses with some low-level Camorra thugs to keep the children as happy as you could.
Happy children led to compliant children, but it seems that secret has yet to strike the Headmistress. You donât say that, of course.
Instead, you reply stiffly, âI think if it is where you think I am needed, then it is what Iâll do.â
Giovanni smiles. It is flat, cruel, and the jaw in your muscle ticks as he folds the paper.
âYour compliance would be admirable, if it were honest.â He slides the letter into the letter smoothly, closing the envelope and taking the spoon of melted wax from the stand and pouring the dark red onto the envelope. âYour frustration is warranted, but your patience⊠I only hope your patience wears off on Hector in your time together.â The stamp schlecks as it leaves the cooling wax, and he extends the letter to you. You take it, eyes dropping to the Camorra seal.
âYes, messer,â you murmur, fingers running over the warm seal, before you look up at Giovanni again, and the glint in his eyes frightens you to your very core.
âGive the letter to the Headmistress and tie up any loose ends. From now on, you report to me.â
.
The children donât want you to go, and when the Headmistress is not looking, you let them cling onto you as if youâre their saving grace.
Youâre sure some of these children wonât last more than a few months as you usher them into bed, and promise to return in the morning with treats, but you donât linger on that thought. The idea of dead children in the streets, a sight youâve seen more often than shouldâve been allowed, should not be so dull on the senses anymore, but it is, and you wonder if some part of you died, seeing the innocence of these children stolen just as yours had been.
On your last day, you bring danishes and pastries from the Continental in a basket as a farewell.
The oldest boy there tells you heâll take care of them like how you did.
You pat his head, and wipe the blood away from the new cut on his lip, before assuring him that you believe heâll do great.
.
You think about the children as youâre driven to the airport, and you think that no oneâs born a monster. Those children had light, barely, but still they had it, and you wonder if the man across from you has hidden it away to survive or if Giovanni had crushed it beneath his iron fist.
âI know youâre not happy about it,â you begin quietly. He hasnât spoken to you since theyâve entered the vehicle, but you donât know what else to say. âIf it were my decision, I wouldâve never dreamed of it.â
âWell, it wasnât your decision so letâs not waste breath on false niceties,â he intones frigidly, looking out the window. Your eyes on Hector, you trace the bitter pinch of his mouth, the tension in his jaw, before looking into your lap.
âHector, I donât want us to be like thisââ
âSweetheart, I tolerate you enough to ignore your pointless chatter,â he says, head snapping towards you. His pale gaze pins you down and whatever words you were about to say die in your throat. âThat doesnât make us friends.â Your gaze holds his for a moment before he turns to look out the window again, and you bite your tongue.
The silence is near enough to choke you.
.
The job goes off without a hitch. Three clean shots, three dead.
Hector ignores you when you ask if he wants to catch some dinner before you head back to the Continental, and you wonder if you're the one heâs angry at to begin with.
#fic: dance with the devil#john wick#john wick fic#john wick fanfiction#santino d'antonio#santino d'antonio fic#santino d'antonio fanfiction#riccardo scamarcio#riccardo scarmacio fic#riccardo scamarcio fanfiction#john wick oc#oc x reader#oc writing#nsdksndknsd this is so longsomeone help me#my writing
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âđđđ đđđđđ đđđđ đđđ đđđ đđđđ;
âPART XVIII. | THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
pairing: john wick x f!reader x santino dâantonio
word count: 36.2k+ (honk, honk, honk x 2)
summary: âYouâre just a little tragedy, arenât you?â
warnings: swearing, strong violence, blood, likely some emotional damage to readers inbound
notes: I waited for this chapter for a very, very long time and been laying the foundation for 250k. Lets begin.Â
children of ares series: 01 | âŠ. | 16 | 17 | . . | 19 |
Sometimes he genuinely wonders how many poor decisions led him here.
To this exact moment in time. To this exact set of circumstances.
âI wish to see him.â
Winston tilts his head at the cool demand, not letting any outwards reaction slip.
The Adjudicator stares him down like the request should have been fulfilled yesterday. Heâs not, admittedly, used to people making such demands. Especially not so brazenly. And inside his own hotel no less.
He gazes at them for a beat before nodding his head stagily.
âForgive me and my old age,â he begins calmly. âBut who exactly do you wish to see? The chef perhaps?â
He knows perfectly well who the Adjudicator wants to see. Judging by the slight, annoyed pinch of their mouth so do they. Charon stands a step behind the High Tableâs associate and his expression is as professionally cool as always. In truth, however, they are both wary at best.
âYou know of whom I speak,â the Adjudicator snips, their voice that calm, almost robotic cold. âSantino DâAntonio was shot at this hotel, was he not? Mr Wick fired the shot but the bullet failed to kill him. To our knowledge, he is still in your care. Or is that incorrect?â
Keep him safe.
Such a simple request. A request to keep a man he barely tolerates on a good day shielded from other sharks. For once, Winston wishes you cared about yourself as much as you do about others. Â
You, Santino, Johnâyouâre all I have. I canât lose anyone else. I canât.
Sometimesâoftenâthe memory of those words worries him. Truly. Wild, relentless drive and desperation rarely mix well together. The former you have plenty of and the latter has been mounting too rapidly for his liking.
Silencing his thoughts, Winston tilts his head in an accommodating manner. Conjuring an innocent expression, he nods his head for what feels like the hundredth time in the last hour alone.
âAh, yes, Mr DâAntonio. Tragic, truly, but the Vipress saved his life,â he explains smoothly, watching the individual before him with the same shrewdness the Adjudicator is watching him. âRather heroically, too. Quite surprising that the Table did not see her actions as such.â
The Adjudicatorâs eyes narrow. From their spot on the office chair, the Tableâs representative regards him with disinterested, yet vexed expression. Clearly, his approach of talking circles and giving half-answers about your and Johnathanâs whereabouts has not left a good impression.
Thatâs exactly the point though.
âThe woman known to us as the Vipress had plenty of chances to stop Mr Wick,â the Adjudicator answers; an expected explanation, a pitiless one, too. âShe failed. Even though she is one of the few individuals realistically capable of such a feat. Therefore, under our assessment, there is nothing here to celebrate.â
Winston turns, lowering his whiskey glass back onto the table. He leans back towards it, completely relaxed, his palms resting against the edges of the smooth wood.
âLoyalty,â he muses lightly, letting the word hang in the air for a bit. âSuch rarity nowadays, would you not agree? It is rather difficult to stay neutral when you have an emotional investment in both parties caught in the conflict.â
The Adjudicator stands at that, their willowy frame stretching to their full height. Little sympathy can be found in their stony expression. âOnly loyalty to the High Table should matter. The Vipress has shown to have very little of it. Now, Mr DâAntonio?â
He didnât expect this to be easy. But he doesnât let so much as a whisper of his exasperation show. Winston considers, calculating what harm could be done versus the gap of time it might buy him, hesitating for only a beat before dipping his head in agreement.
âOf course, follow me,â he says pleasantly, gesturing with his arm. âHe came out of surgery several days ago.â
Over the Adjudicatorâs shoulder, a faint glint of surprise shows on Charonâs face before the man blinks it away swiftly. The concierge knows better than to question outright. Old and tested loyalty lives between them. The manager always does things for a reason, and the concierge follows graciously every time because he knows as much.
The Adjudicator stalks after him silently, Charon a few steps behind them. The elevator ride down is silent and tense. No need for empty exchanges between them and neither party bothers pretending otherwise.
Only a day left on the clock. Then heâs expected to step back and leave his hotelâhis legacyâbehind to some stranger the Table deems worthy. The thought alone almost makes him scoff again.
The High Table can take the Continental from his cold, dead hands.
And he imagines there are at least one or two individuals who may have something to say about that.
You have contributed to the chaos, little hatchling, but what now? You canât win this game by sacrificing your Queen.
The elevator halts with a rumble. Worn metal creaks. Winston reaches out, pulling back the metal partition. The white hallways of the medical wing are silent and undisturbed by the bustle of the front foyer. Heaviness hangs in the air as he strolls down the long stretch of white, his shoes clicking against the spotless flooring. Charon and the Adjudicator are only several steps behind him but heâs in no hurry.
They round the corner and three heads turn in their direction.
The fourth doesnât move.
Here we go.
Camorraâs Elite Four sit like guard dogs of the most vicious variety at the end of the lengthy hallway. Behind them stands a door. Behind that door, Winston knows, Santino DâAntonio now lays, clinging to his life and healing. Hopefully. He couldnât care less about the Italian living or dying, but for your sake, he needs the arrogant man to pull through. Â
The closer they come, the tenser the air becomes.
The tallest and broadest of the guards is leaning against the wall but pushes away from it upon their approach, uncrossing his arms as he stops in their path. The first line of defence. Â
Anotherâthe sharpshooter, if Winston recalls correctlyârises a second behind that, lowering a gleaming pistol he was fiddling with. Eyes narrowed, distrustful.
The youngestâthe smiling nightmare, as youâve called him onceâdoesnât shift from his spot on the floor, a laptop in his lap. A pop of chewing gum fills the silence when he glances up lazily at the commotion over his round sunglasses.
And finally closest to the doorânearest to the Camorra boss, always the most vicious and final deterrentâstands the Devil of Camorra. He doesnât look at them. He almost appears thoughtful, playing with a lighter in his hand as he leans against the wall.
Click, click, click.
âCan we help you?â the tallest asks politely, his Italian accent faint but still noticeable.
The sharpshooter stands by his side, frowning faintly.
A polite, unspoken warning hangs in the air. The womanâDâAntonioâs bodyguard that youâve called a good friend on many occasionsâappears to be missing. Though Winston doubts sheâs far behind. Heâs seen her by the Italian side for almost as many years as heâs seen you.
The Adjudicator speaks before he can. âI wish to see the Camorra family head, and the new member of the High Table, Santino DâAntonio.â
âRespectfully, who are you supposed to be?â the sharpshooter demands, his dark eyes narrowing marginally.
Loyal. To a degree at least. Winston had been hopeful they would be. Heâs not surprised to see them standing guard, either. Heâs betting on them continuing doing so.
âAn Adjudicator,â the youngest quips from his spot on the floor, his fingers clicking across the keyboard. Another pop of gum follows. âSent to adjudicate this hotel, I bet. Bang, bangânot a good look for the sturdy, old table. Seccante.â
The Adjudicatorâs head slants; a calculating motion. âThe Chameleon of Camorra,â they state flatly, unimpressed. âFormer association with an organisation known as Slifer before Giovanni DâAntonio recruited you to Camorraâs ranks, correct?â
The young man in question drops his head back with a gleaming smile. The tattoos across his neck ripple with the gesture, and a gleam of white appears even brighter in the artificial light. Â
âOh yeah,â he drawls, amused. âPapi Giovanni welcomed me with open arms.â
There is clearly more to this tale. The implication is blatant even if the words are presented as a joke but Winston can still read it.
âYou canât see him.â
All eyes slide towards the Camorra Devil. His voice is gravelly, uncompromising, and he still doesnât bother looking at them. Part arrogance, Winston imagines, and part genuine disinterest with them and the situation. Â
âI have the rightââ
âWe have orders not to let anyone see Santino until heâs fit enough to take back command.â
At long last, the Devil turns towards them. The look in his icy eyes is a clear, if barely polite, warning. The man called Hector always had a reputation for being Giovanniâs most violent lapdog. Serving Camorra for years without a single falter. That level of loyalty is admittedly rare, especially when Winston knows others have tried to recruit the Devil in the past.
Hector, unlike you, has never been bound by a debt that kept him chained to Camorra. He stays because he wants to. If there are any other reasons for that loyalty, theyâre unknown to the manager.
Though Winston has never interacted with the leader of the Eliteâs, heâs heard plenty about him, and can understand why his name is spoken with trepidation. Despite it being subtle, the air around the man is still hostile. Brimming with a promise of violence.
âWhose orders?â the Adjudicator interrogates. âThe council of Camorraââ
Whatever card they were hoping to play gets crushed in seconds.
âOur current acting boss. The Vipress,â the Devil announces, sounding annoyed, and pockets his lighter before pushing away from the wall. Another pop of gum ripples from the youngest Elite. Hector prowls closer, deliberately slow, and walks past the other two members of the guard. The Devil halts in front of the Adjudicator, appearing utterly bored. âYou might be familiar with her. Stubborn, demanding, likes knives a little too much, starts shit wherever she goes. Santino named her his heir. No one is allowed to see him on her orders.â
Winston has to bite back a small smile. Perfect.
The Adjudicator stands completely still, their stare hard while they process the new information.
The manager hangs back, not saying a word, watching the silent face-off with vague amusement. He has to admit that at least the Devil doesnât lack nerve. The other three donât appear nearly as intimidated as they should be, either.
Adjudicators are feared for a reason. They have a vast reserve of power bestowed upon them by the highest tiers of the Table. Adjudicators stand even above Continental managers. Something Winston has been rather unpleasantly reminded of with Johnathanâs latest actions.
âThe will of the Table stands above the individual order of someone who has been made Excommunicado.â
Mild but icy. Clearly, the not-so-subtle defiance from the Devil of Camorra hasnât gone down well, either. Behind the tall man, the other two shift in their spots, tense. An exaggerated sigh sounds from behind them, and the chameleon rises to his feet as well. Cracking his neck, he strolls towards his associates, leaning his shoulder against the sharpshooter. The other man doesnât so much as blink, clearly used to such antics.
âWe answer to the will of the Camorra boss only,â Hector informs coolly, his tone just barely passing for polite. âWe have since the beginning of Camorra family inception.â
We donât answer to you, goes unsaid but the double meaning is clear. Winston straightens, a touch surprised. He wasnât aware that such a divide existed between the highest tier of Camorra members and a top level High Table representative. He wonders if itâs more so the threat to their bossâthe last DâAntonio left to carry the bloodline that founded Camorra centuries agoâor simple dislike that is driving such blatant disobedience.
The manager sincerely doubts that this refusal to comply is born out of genuine loyalty towards you or respect for your command. Especially from the Devil who holds no loyalties other than one towards Camorra.
The Adjudicatorâs head dips, their short black hair appearing even darker in the bright light.
âThere are rules. You are not above them,â they speak briskly, softly. âNo one is above them. You are all bound to the will of the Table and exist under it.â
Another obnoxiously loud pop of the gum and the youngest of the Eliteâs grins. âActually weâre part of the Table,â he notes nonchalantly, but there is something icy about the slight edge to his grin. Distantly, Winston recalls you telling him that from all the Elites, itâs the chameleon you wonât want as your enemy the most. âTake one leg out and the whole table wobbles.â
The silence that follows those words is stifling. No one speaks or moves.
âNo rules have been broken,â Hector eventually bites out, blunt but controlled. âWeâre just guarding our boss. Shouldnât you be commending our loyalty, huh?â
An unexpected bait but not one the Adjudicator rises to. Their expression remains steely, their eyes dragging over the Camorra Four before they finally turn away.
âVery well,â they intone flatly, their eyes narrowing marginally, and their tone dismissive. âNext time I will return with a direct order to stand down.â
âYou do that,â the Devil shoots back without missing a beat.
The Adjudicator pauses, their eyes flickering back towards the man, digging into him for a moment before their attention drops away. Winston remains composed when the Adjudicatorâs stare moves to him next, cold as ice, an unspoken burn of anger present in their eyes. Clearly, theyâre not very used to not being heeded.
âI will be in my room.â
The Adjudicator doesnât stick around to see if anyone has anything to say about that. They turn to go without sparing anyone another word, their steps brisk and sharp, betraying the displeasure absent from their frosty expression.
Itâs quiet while they all stand, listening to the sound of retreating footsteps and, eventually, the whirl of the elevator going up.
Itâs only then that the Elites relax, their guarded demeanours easing a bit.
âSo mean spirited,â the chameleon mutters under his breath, unimpressed, and turns to go back to his laptop. âExhausting.â
âGentlemen.â
Winston nods his head at the Devil specifically, but Hector only grunts under his breath with a roll of his eyes. Briefly, he glances at Charon, his eyes narrowing before he turns away and stalks back to his previous spot.
Conversation over.
Fine by him.
The other twoâthe sharpshooter and the strengthâreturn his nod, polite but stiff.
Winston tips his head in their direction one last time, and turns on his heels to go. No one stops him, and Charon trails after the manager a few seconds later.
Itâs only when they both step into the elevator, the door closing softly behind them, that Charon finally speaks, âNicely done, sir.â
Winston sighs, his shoulders dropping.
âItâs only a temporary deterrent, Iâm afraid,â he admits and knows heâs right. If the Adjudicator does get that order the Four will not be enough. âThe hatchling?â
The concierge straightens, his hands folded behind his back.
âThe last sighting was reported as the Moroccan Continental, sir.â
There is a tickle of relief followed by a sting of concern. âGood. Then she as good as made it.â
Heâs still not quite sure how he feels about the idea, however.
âIf I may, sir,â Charon begins as if sensing the managerâs unease. âYou do not look pleased about that.â
There is no point in trying to deny it, so Winston doesnât.
âNot at all,â he agrees smoothly, feeling the elevator halt and the concierge moves ahead, opening the partition for them. âIf it had been up to me, she never would have had to go back there. But sheâs been reckless and manoeuvred herself into a corner with only one ace left to play. Herself.â
Seven years in this world. Seven long years of fighting for freedom and now there is a reputation that has been built upon that desperation. A reputation that has attracted all sorts of attention over the years.
Charon both looks and sounds troubled while they walk through the lobby. âIs there a reason for concern, sir?â
All these moving pieces forming an ever-shifting pattern. Something has been brewing for a while now. Winston canât help but feel like heâs missing and not seeing something crucial. Like all those pieces are put together at a slightly wrong angle, disorientating the whole picture.
What will you do now, little hatchling?
The Elder. That history between you, that story you sharedâthey all weigh heavily on the managerâs mind. Always have.
He comes to a gradual stop.
âOh, yes,â he mutters, pensive, shaking his head as he glances at the concierge beside him with open unease. âMost certainly.â
Every breath takes notable effort.
Your instincts pinprick, trying to acclimate to the too-familiar surroundingsâcount and anticipate any potential threats. Everything about being back here feels so familiar it is its own kind of torture.
Your skin itches. One side of your face and handsâeverywhere the scorching sun has managed to touch you the mostâstretches uncomfortably with every twitch of your muscles. Itâs a discomfort that comes with sunburns often earned in an unforgiving terrain like the desert, and you try to lick your dry lips, lifting your head. Your vision swims immediately, an explosion of vivid spots blinding you, and you careen dangerously to one side, hissing under your breath.
Eyes track every jerk of your body, and you know full well youâre not alone in this tent.
Youâre almost afraid to look at him. Then feel idiotic for feeling that way. Maybe itâs because you had hoped that this chapter of your life was shut and laid to rest long ago, and itâs a hard pill to swallow, knowing that he was right after all.
âDrink.â
Itâs then that you notice a cup sitting on a small, wooden table to the side. Part of you wants to cackle till you choke when you realise itâs the same green cup you drank from during your first test with him years ago.
Gathering yourself, you reach for the cup despite your dread, your digits folding around it carefully.
The drink inside smells minty and fresh but you donât find anything amiss with it on the first inspection. A vague recollection of a similar scent tickling your senses when you were coming in and out of consciousness comes crawling back. With that in mind, you finally tip the cup down, taking a purposeful sip.
It empties in three slow gulps and you lower it back onto the table, still silent. It does make you feel better instantly, lifting the dense fog that was previously crushing your mind. A sense of dĂ©jĂ vu nips at your senses but you push it back. Not much point in delaying this. Though it doesnât surprise you that he gave you time to gather yourself. Â
Kindness with this man, you have long since learned, comes in the smallest of gestures. Tiniest of moments.
Drawing your knees closer, you sit up slowly, your head lowered.
âWhy have you come?â
His words send a shiver down your spine that has little to do with heat. Youâve forgotten how much quiet power always rings through his baritone. His smooth, accented words wash over you like a tidal wave; gentle as they are dangerous. Misleading with their softness.
Swallowing, you force your limbs to obey youâto shift the worn muscles into an appropriate position. One knee digs into the carpet beneath you, your hands lacing over your bent thigh when you reposition yourself into a kneeling position. Your head is still lowered and you realise, then, that it isnât fear of punishment thatâs forcing you to stare at the ground. Â
Itâs him.
He once managed to get under your guard with startling ease and you scrubbed him away. Walked away from him and everything he offered. Tried to forget him despite the cracks. Your choice had made you feel powerful back then. In control. Despite there being a part of you that had longed to stay, you never quite regretted your decision to leave.
Worst, perhaps, is the knowledge that it wasnât one-sided. You werenât foolishly pining after the most powerful man in the world. You werenât naively seeing something that didnât exist. If anything, his interest in you had been more obvious from the start.
âIââ you mumble, near choking on your suddenly heavy tongue and mangled thoughts. âI came to seek repentance for my actions.â
Silence follows your muffled words and you stare at the ruby ring on your hand intently.
Will he turn you away? Consider you naive and foolish for hoping thereâs some semblance of hope?
And where is John? Did he only pick you up and not him? Your weaponsâwhat few you still haveâare still on you because you can feel them against your body with every inhale and exhale.
Your empty stomach rolls and you have to bite back the acid welling at the back of your throat the longer you wait. The thrumming of your own heart almost drowns out his voice when the answer does finally come.
âStand, viper,â the Elder states calmly. âYou do not grovel at my feet.â
And just like that your breaths calm. Your dread ebbs like sea waves receding. With his words, you remember that you met as equals and parted as such despite you unearthing his true identity.
Heâs right. You donât grovel at his feet. Or anyoneâs.
You stand at once, balancing on your heels, and square your shoulders. The lock of your jaw is a firm one, your stare steady and the steel in your stance returns easily. In that, it feels like no time has passed at all.
Straightening, you look ahead and meet his inquisitive stare evenly.
This time the sight that greets you is befitting the man who rules the High Table. This is how you had expected him to be the first time you met. A golden chair that reminds you more of a throne, and extravagant robes that breathe wealth and showcase his status. Surrounded by his people in a subtle warning though you know he can more than hold his own.
He oozes that unnerving authority but his face is still familiar. Few years have passed since youâve last seen him, yet he barely looks any different. If it werenât for several new lines creasing his face, you would have thought that time has simply paused here while youâve been gone.
The quiet intensity of his heated regard hasnât changed, either. Nor has the unease or the thrill that comes with having his complete attention on you.
He watches you unblinkingly and you find yourself swallowing again, an immovable knot sitting in your throat.
âHere you are.â
Itâs a soft, thoughtful statement and youâre not quite sure what to make of his words or his demeanour, so you settle on a simple, âHere I am.â
He stands at that, his robes rustling in the wake of his sudden movement. His steps are measured and leisurely as he approaches. The Elderâs stare takes every inch of you in and you donât lower your eyes. He doesnât look particularly pleased with what he finds and you canât help but wonder why. Â
It still kills a small part of you. That you had to come back but only because you need a favour from him. Not because you returned to join him or even visit him, if you even could.
A part of youâŠ
âI thought that maybeâŠâ you mutter when he halts before youâall heat, spice, and that razor-sharp gaze that seems to burn into youâhis hands lacing in front of him as he watches you keenly. âThat maybe you forgot about me.â
Itâs been years after all. Youâre just you. One person in a machine so much larger than yourself. If Elder considered Tarasov to be nothing more than a piece in a more elaborate game years agoâat the near height of his powerâthen you couldnât have possibly been that important. Or even noteworthy. He might have thought highly of you once but that was then.
His expression, however, gives you an answer before he can verbally do so.
âHow could I?â he questions curiously, softly. As if the concept of forgetting you is truly an inconceivable one for him.
You work your tongue, trying to think of something to say, something clever, but nothing comes.
You simply stare up at him mutely, taking him in, and he you, and it does indeed feel like no time has passed between you. Even though so much is different now.
âI almost came back. Once,â you confess in a breathless rush, blinking rapidly because itâs hard to keep a straight expression under that scrutiny. âI got desperate and angry andâŠâ
And Tarasov wonât let you help Camorra with the Albanians. Had treated you like nothing more than a dog, reminding you of your place. Dependant on his goodwill of which he had none. So you had ran like a reckless idiot. Sick and tired of being dependent on his word. Hoping for his mercy or any crumb of kindness.
âI know,â he murmurs in reply, a secret for you alone. âI waited for you.â
Air escapes your lungs at that mild admittance. At the way his eyes drag over your features, savouring but still guardedâalways guarded. Everywhere from your eyes, to the dip of your collarbone, and the bow of your lips. There are others scattered around the tent but it feels like youâre the only ones here.
The golden hue of his eyes glints with knowing light at your reaction, and you force your tongue to work, âI wish to explain myself.â
He nods his head once. Prompt as it is anticipatory. You imagine that to him this is all playing out exactly as heâd been expecting it to. Youâre back but a part of you is mangled exactly like he predicted it would be. Vengeance has led you here. Tarasov may be dead but you have only dug yourself into a deeper hole.
âYou came all this way,â he says knowingly, his head slanting and lips thinning into an enigmatic half-smile. âSpeak freely, viper.â
Your eyes, in return, sweep warily over others inside the tent. Some familiar faces. Others are unknown to you. Only pointed stares and blank expressions greet your curiosity. Inscrutable, severe stares that judge your every move and word. Saad is nowhere to be seen. That surprises you but you donât let it show.
The Elder notes your wariness, not bothering to look away from you when he commands a soft, âLeave us.â
As one, everyone inside the tent rises. They donât question, nor do they linger. They file out in a neat line, their robes rustling in the breeze, and you stare after them, surprised. You didnât expect him to dismiss everyone solely because you felt uneasy talking to him with others around. Although seeing the space clear out is, admittedly, a relief.
Now itâs you two alone and it changes the air between you again. This puts you back in time, even if you try to remain unaffected.
But itâs hard not to. A part of you still sees him as Rafik. A man you have spent endless hours talking to about everything and nothingâa man you considered close to youâdespite knowing full well that Rafik isnât even his real name. In fact, you have no idea what his name is. Or who he is. Not really. Heâs still just layers upon layers of mystery. Power. Ancient and tangible.
The way he gazes at you makes you think that isnât the case, however. There is warmth woven into his regard, an almost fondness that despite being muted is clear to you.
The darkness of that stare is arresting when he reaches out, the warmth of his fingertips ghosting over your bandaged ear. You donât hold back your wince of pain, pulling away from the contact.
The Elderâs mouth slants downwards at that, his eyes narrowing marginally. He looks thoughtful, displeased almost. The shadow across his expression is new to you. Youâve seen him as many things but tense and unhappy is not one of them.
âWhat have they done to you?â
Itâs a quiet questionâa collection of sharp, hard syllablesâdragging themselves from somewhere deeper, you can tell.
Your lips part, ready to tell him everything but you stop yourself at once. How would he even look at you if you knew what you did? There would be no chance of forgiveness then. If he knew how badly you broke the very rules he enforces upon everyone in their world repeatedly.
With that in mind, you instead settle on a weak, âGuess you were right.â
Do not let that fire consume you.
He was right. He was always going to be right, you were just too blind and proud to admit it. Â
His expression strains, his touch dropping away, and a glint catches your eye when his hand lowers. You feel a thud against your ribcage, and focus on that golden skin, barely breathing to a point his next words hardly register.
âThis is not something I wished to be right about,â he says unhappily.
You swallow. Then again.
âYouâre wearing it.â
He pauses. It doesnât take long for him to figure out what you mean by that. The pad of his index finger brushes over the ring heâs wearing absentmindedly. The golden plate seems to gleam at the touch despite neither of you standing in direct sunlight.
âIt was a gift,â he says gently in return, his features guarded once more. âA parting gift from you.â
It doesnât explain much yet it explains everything.
On your last day together, when you visited Casablanca together, you had gotten it for him after arguing Saad out of some local currency under the guise of buying something for yourself. A souvenir as far as he knew back then. But the ring had caught your eye first. Handmade ring crafted out of pale golden metal. It reminded you of the sun that is his presence and the endless stretches of sand surrounding you.
Grinning, and more than a little unsure, you had presented it to him when you sat on the beach together, calling it a thank you present because you hadnât worked up the courage to talk to him about leaving just yet. He had accepted it readily, his fingers lingering against yours when he took it, and even back then you couldnât quite describe the emotion you glimpsed across his face.
You hadnât dared to assume it was wonder back then, but it had been a close thing.
You certainly didnât expect him to keep it after you left.
Or to still be wearing it after all these years. But maybe youâre jumping to conclusions and heâs only wearing it today. Specifically for this.
The silence between you changes yet again, morphing. Something more charged. Near oppressive.
Nerves flutter inside your tired body and you allow a soft wisp of breath to escape you, thinking of something to break the tension with. Â
âWhere is John?â you question quietly, your voice thick.
His jaw ticks, and he looks away, staring out towards the horizon.
âMr Wick is safe,â he answers coolly. âDo not fret for him. He will answer for his wrongdoings in due time.â
âWhat is that supposed to mean?â
The Elder turns to face you again, and it unnerves you because he keeps slipping between the man you lived with for months, and the man who controls the High Table. One is close to you, familiar. The other feels removed, walled off. No longer a sun but a cold, distant star. Unreachable to you.
His expression softens a touch when he notices your startled expression.
âMr Wick has returned only to unleash havoc,â he informs you calmly, matter of factly. He doesnât sound or look angry or even displeased, yet something about the piercing gleam in his eyes makes you think that it will not be a confrontation without consequences. âHis punishment will reflect that. He made the decisions that led him here,â he fades off, pausing, his stare flickering over your features once more. âAs have you,â he adds.
âIâm sorry,â you force out, shaking your head, cringing slightly at the pain that flares through your skin at that. âTheyâre both important to me andââ
âI am not speaking about Santino DâAntonio getting shot, viper.â
Your head snaps up, your features slacking with confusion. âThen what...â
The Elder lifts his hand, his attention focusing on the ring on his finger instead. He seems to struggle with something internally before sighing softly and dragging his stare away from you once more. You wonder why. Itâs almost as if itâs difficult for him to look at you.
âDo not tell me you were so quick to forget my warning to you,â he begins calmly, something aloof lingering in his voice. He walks past you, his fingertips tapping on his ring repeatedly. Your own fingers tighten into a fist when you note the shift in him, the Camorra ring pressing into your skin as a bleak reminder. Your eyes follow him as he goes, watching his broad back when he stops at the edge of the tent, looking out towards the vastness of the desert. âI told you what will happen if anything befalls Viggo Tarasov before your debt is repaid.â
Ice pierces you, burrowing under your skin viciously, and youâre glad that he canât see your face because for a second your expression comes apart completely.
âI did notââ
âDo you really think I know you so little that lying to me would work?â
Your mouth snaps shut, a bitter tang stinging the inside of your mouth. Heâs right. You feel as disappointed in yourself as he sounds. Youâve always prided yourself on being forward and direct. Yet your instinct now had been to lie, to deny, because the idea of him knowing terrifies you.
Because it puts you in so much worse of a position than what you first expected to be in.
How? Why would he even thinkâ
The High Table would haveâ
âI know why you came here,â he says, at last, turning to face you again. His expression is grim and he watches you closely as he strolls closer. Despite his leisurely gait, his stare is searing. âYou came in hopes that I would lift the Excommunicado. You came in hopes that you can clear your name. But your crimes run deeper than you are willing to admit to me.â
âIâve disappointed you,â you assume blankly. âIs that it?â
He shakes his head once. âNo, viper,â he responds placidly, his eyebrows knitting. âYou have disappointed yourself. You are so much better than this. Yet your recklessness has led you to this. Did you really think that I would not find out?â
He comes to a stop before you again and you meet his stare.
There is no point in lying, so you donât.
âIf you knew,â you start, choked, forcing down your emotions as you search his face, and try to quieten the pounding of your heart. âThen why was I not declared Excommunicado sooner?â
A long beat of suffocating silence, and then, âBecause I shielded you.â
He says it so simply. Like itâs as expected as the sun rising each morning. A faint knell of wind chimes fills the hush between you this time, and you peer at him in disbelief. Shock.
âWhat?â you exhale shakily.
The Elder shakes his head once, sighing. âI gave you a chance in hopes that you will take it and savour your new freedom,â he explains smoothly, his fingertips still dancing over the ring. His strong profile only accents his handsomeness and you see the conflict thereâsee the shadows dancing inside the inky pools that are his eyes. âI overlooked your wrongdoing. Because I understood your pain then as I do now. I cautioned the Table to look the other way. But what did you do with this gift, viper? You wasted it. And there is nothing to be done now. Even I cannot shield you from the storm that has been unleashed. The scale has been tipped towards chaos now. You broke the rules in the open, for the whole world to see,â he continues, each word making your heart beat harder inside your chest, his attention returning to you, âAnd now here you are.â
So thatâs why.
Why there was such a long pause between Tarasovâs death and administration contacting you about you being free of your debt. The silence that made you so uneasy back then. The High Table had been suspicious, had assumed you played a part, but the Elder pulled their attention away from you.
Years later, heâs still looking out for you.
Youâre too speechless to say much past gaping at him; a thousand thoughts fluttering through your mind, all of them wild and hurtful.
Your attention falls to the carpet beneath your feet, and stays there for some time while you digest what this means.
He knows. Heâs known for weeks now.
Just like that the already shaky foundation beneath your feet slips further.
Helplessness closes in and your eyes sting.
Consequences. Everything has a price and it was foolish of you to assume that your luck will continue. Youâve been too quick to celebrate and now...
âWhat now?â
A whisper of material sounds in your ears and the heat of his palm comes to rest against one side of your face. You feel that warmth sink deep into your skin and it burns. Both a physical ache and something deeper. Your eyes open as he guides your face upwards for him to see.
You lean on the side of caution and say nothing, waiting for him to speak first. Â
âNow, my viper,â he whispers, a touch forlorn. âYou face the consequences of your actions.â
Forcing down your fear, you give him a firm, unyielding, âIf youâre going to kill me, at least make it quick.â
His palm pulls back but not all the way. His knuckles trace over the curve of your cheekâso faint you barely register the sensation. âI would never kill you.â
âBut?â
He seems to be considering something hard, his regard in a constant flux between warring emotions, âBut you cannot be seen as walking away without punishment after whatâs happened. It is the way of things,â he finally concludes.
You pull away from his touch, your eyes burning, âSo be it,â you mutter, shaky and forcefully casual. âBut I donât regret stepping in. I donât regret any of it. I would do it all again.â
Even if it meant the pain and the heartache. Sleepless nights and blood.
Because at least theyâre all alive. Even if this is the sacrifice for that victory.
You saved them, and you would never regret that.
âIs this love?â
Your attention snaps back to him at the gentle murmur of his question. There is little distance between youâto a point you can feel the heat of his broad build and the phantom sensation of his exhales against your skin.
He didnât specify who the love is for.
Deep down, you know itâs not so simple to untangle who means what to you anymore. Itâs a mess of different emotions and loyalties. Everyone in your life that has made themselves a place in it, you love fiercely. Even if theyâre all different kinds of love. All you knowâall you need to knowâis that you would gladly stand here for any of them. Punishment and consequences be damned.
âYes.â
Youâre not sure why you expect him to be irritated, perhaps even disappointed in your answer, but he only seems to consider your words for a while.
Fierce desert heat rolls across your skin while you wait for a response but he seems to be in no rush to provide you with one. His lips part, his head lowering and he makes a small sound at the back of his throat; half-disbelieving, and half-thoughtful. Â
âHow odd,â he muses faintly, his features drawing into something desolate. âI do not quite recall the last time I felt envy.â
Your eyes flutter shut, trying to push his words and the emotion in them away. He means that genuinely, and you know that. Youâve lived with him for months and have seen a great many sides to him. That lonelinessâthat drive to be something more, to be understood by someone elseâis what drew you together in the first place. Bonded you as deeply as it did.
Despite the nip of sadness you feel for him, you donât contradict himâdonât say anything at all, in fact.
âWhat is it that you want from me?â
The Elder appears lost in his head for a while before he finally responds, âYou already know, viper,â he says in a knowing murmur. âOtherwise you would not look at me with such sadness in your eyes.â
âYou want me to stay.â
âYes,â he agrees with a slight nod, his previous melancholy receding, and his guard slipping back on. âIt is the only way that your life can be spared. Your service to the High Table will be used to absolve you of your crimes.â
You canât quite help the bitter, brief laugh that slips free from you. âAnd is love a crime? Iâm being punished for caring. For wanting to keep my family safe.â
He doesnât say anything but you can guess what heâs thinking.
You broke the rules. Killed Tarasov. Interfered when you could have killed John and proven your loyalty to the High Table. Rules apply to allâno exceptions.
You donât want to think about what would be the outcome if he knew about Chicago as well. Then, you conclude numbly, even his favour wonât save you from death.
âFor how long?â
The Elder doesnât reply. You already know, his expression seems to say though, and your composure fractures. Sucking in a deep breath, you chew on your inner cheek, half-turning away from him.
Because of course you know.
âFor life,â you choke out.
âYes,â he agrees, his voice gentle. âYou will become my fourth disciple, and my apprentice, working directly under me,â he explains carefully, watching you just as closely, and you fight to keep a straight expression. âI am sorry, (Name), I wish there had been another way. But we are each masters of our own fate. You gave this life a chance once before and you embraced it effortlessly.â
You know that. You know that compared to what could have happened, this is a mercy. He will treat you fairly, kindly, and youâve almost made this place, his people, your new life once before. If anything, on the surface alone, this is more of a gift than a punishment, especially with the amount of power you will gain by joining him.
And yet.
This also means that you will rarely, if ever, see your friends and family again.
Everyone you love and care for will be removed from you. People who join the Elder donât go back to their old lives. Service to the High Table becomes their new life. The tribe, their new family.
No Winston or Charon. Santino or John. No Ares or the Elites. No Sofia or Cassian.
Just no one.
The tear you feel in your heart at that thought nearly makes you choke on a sob. For all the physical agony youâve been through in these last several weeks, this somehow hurts the most. The notion that you will never see them again, will never get to touch them or laugh with them, is agonising. Somehow it hurts even more than the realisation that you will be bound yet again, unable to be free, unable to live for yourself just like you always dreamt of.
A hand reaches for you but you stumble back a step, still not looking at him. Â
âYou will not be my prisoner, viper,â he tells you seriously. âI would never take that from you. But youââ
âCan never see them again, is that it?â you cut him off sharply.
You know heâs not used to being spoken to like that. You doubt anyone has even tried but when you lift your eyes to his, you notice how his own features smoothen in response to what he sees on your face. The grief and the pain. The raw, suffocating grip of it shackling you and dragging you down, down, downâ
He doesnât deny your words, however, and thatâs answer enough.
âI know this is hard,â he says instead, and you think that sympathy you spy in his dark eyes is genuine, well-meant. âBut I warned you where this path will lead you. You did not listen.â
It doesnât help though.
God, it hurts so much. This is somehow worse than when John left. Worse even, is the fact that you have no one to blame. Not even the Elder. You did this yourself. Went into this fully knowing there is a chance it will all blow up in your face.
âCan I at least...say goodbye?â you wonder, your words thin, and inhale deeply despite the dry, hot air giving you little relief. âSpend some time with them before I leave?â
The Elder hesitates. âA week.â
You shake your head, stepping closer towards him. âSix months.â
His head slants; a colder, more authoritative motion. âAre you bargaining with me, viper?â
There is no hesitation in your reply, not this time, âYes.â
âAnd what bargaining power do you have?â
Itâs a curious question as opposed to condescending. Almost as if heâs trying to gauge how you will react, and you force your emotions back, licking your lips once. Your thumb smoothes against the inside of the metal band on your hand.
âIâm the acting boss of Camorra,â you remind him, straightening your shoulders once more despite the way you can feel your pulse fluttering against the base of your neck. Youâre not sure if it betrays you but you certainly donât let it show. âAnd I would respectfully ask that you give me six months. It will not change anything in the long run.â
The Elderâs attention drifts towards your hand, and he closes whatever little distance there is between you, reaching for it. You tense despite yourself when he carefully takes your clenched fist into his palm and lifts it between you. His thumb traces over your bruised knuckleâa tender, careful touch as if not to hurt you furtherâand a pensive hum slips free as he stares at the ring on your hand.
âYou wear power beautifully,â he comments idly, and you have to hold back a shiver at the feeling of his thumb continuously journeying over your skin; nothing more than a tickle, a promise of warmth. The touch hurts as much as it soothes. âThree months. Offered to you only because you dare where others donât. Because I am not unreasonable and while this is a punishment, I do not wish to see you unhappy.â
Too late for that nearly escapes you but you bite your tongue.
Three months. Just three. It will pass in a blink and thenâŠ
A lifetime away from everything you love, everything that is home and safety. Everything thatâs important to you. Â
âMay...may I have a moment?â you request weakly. âJust toâŠâ
He releases his grip on your hand and it falls to your side heavily. âOf course,â he voices graciously. âI will be back shortly but take the time you need.â
He steps past you once more but this time he heads towards the direction other men had left in earlier. He doesnât pause and he doesnât turn back to look at you, his gait slow but self-assured. You wait till his broad back disappears from your sight before you feel your expression crumble completely.
Pressing a hand against your face, you ignore the flare of pain where you dig too hard into your sunburnt skin. Instead, you focus everything inside yourself on controlling your despair and tears. You canât fall apart now. Not after how far youâve come and all youâve been through.
Shuddering breaths wheeze past your mouth and nose, your shoulders quivering. Better to allow yourself this weakness now, alone, than to let the Elder or anyone see this slip.
Your shaking hands drag themselves away from your face and mouth, and your palm pushes against your breastbone. Beneath the material of your jumpsuit and skin, your heart hammers inside your chest like a wild beast desperate to escape. So afraid of the chain once again.
But what can you do? There is no other option. No escape. Nowhere to run, and even if you did, such action would only paint a bigger target on people closest to you. The only thing you would do by running is reassuring their demise.
The heel of your palm presses harsher against your sternum, maybe in some naive hope that you can tear your own heart out and it would beâ
Oh.
You still, an unsettling sort of hush falling over you when a dark, insidious whisper slithers into your mind after all. You keep your palm close against the curve of your breast and think.
What would Winston do if he were here right now?
There is only one option, really.
Just the one.
But your mind and instincts go to battle at once. One side arguing for it and other against it. If you succeed...but if you failâŠ
But what other choice is there? Servitude or death? No.
A frustrated sound tears from the back of your throat and you drop your hand, standing to your full height, your eyes squeezing shut.
No. No, you will not let this pass. You will no longer be controlled. Youâve had enough.
Fuck consequences. You will deal with them as they come. You shouldnât be punished for killing the man who took everything from you in the first place. You should not be punished for saving someone you care forâfor interfering.
Your blunt nails bite into your palms to a point of pain despite that resolve. Because digging through that determination and rage is fear. Very simple human fear but you bottle it and shove it deep down.
No time for that now.
Power is a dangerous thing. You have to be willing to lose everything in order to take it.
And thatâs exactly it.
Lose everything.
Just like that your taut limbs relax, the pounding inside your head retreating and dulling into a muffled buzz. You step forward one slow step at the time before dropping heavily onto the very throne you woke up to find the Elder sitting on.
Your eyes flutter close and you mull over the new path youâre about to step on, bowing your head in acceptance. So much for dreams of freedom. Your fingers ghost over your collarbone again and you smile this time; a cold, broken fragment of a smile.
Eyes closed, you listen to the sounds of the desert for a while, calming yourself. Wind against silk and tapestries. Faintest of whooshes caused by wind teasing sand away from the outer surface of dunes surrounding the camp. Sandorms, at least, you have not missed.
Deep down you canât help but think that you always knew how this was going to end. Â
People like us donât get happy endings.
You ignore the ache inside your chest at the memory of Santinoâs face, focusing instead on clearing your mind.
It takes at least another ten minutes before muted footsteps sound from ahead of you. You donât lift your head at his approach, your arms hanging limp between your parted legs.
He pauses when he sees you. You suppose itâs rude, what youâre doing, sitting on his throne like itâs your own.
This time, youâre the one to tilt your head to one side, looking up at him from under your lashes.
The Elder doesnât appear angry at your nerve to sit on his throne though. No rigidness to be found in his expression or slanting of his full mouth, not even a pinching of his brows; all telltale signs of his discontent usually. In fact, his eyes drag over your figure, lingering everywhere despite the distance.
For a man who doesnât let others close, rarely lets his guard down in general, his appreciationâdare you say it, desireâis abundantly clear.
Jaw clamped tightly shut, you rise to your feet unhurriedly. Far steadier than you expected yourself to be capable of, and he steps closer towards you as well. Slow, bordering on cautious, and you wonder why. Itâs like heâs afraid to blink lest you disappear.
But maybe thatâs precisely it. Maybe heâs been hoping to walk into this tent and find you here every day since youâve been gone. And now that you are here, heâs not quite sure what to do.
âHow are you feeling?â he asks curiously, his accented words warming you like the setting sun, and you wonder what it may feel like to hear that voice for the rest of your life.
No turning back now.
Swallowing thickly, you ignore the pulsing numbness locking your throat, and wait for him to halt in front of you before you speak.
âI accept.â
A light sparks in his eyesâsomething burning and near living in its intensity, an emotion you have only glimpsed once beforeâas they roam over your features in search of an answer to a question he hasnât asked.
âThree months,â you begin purposely, rushing your words out in a breathless whisper. Heâs so close thereâs hardly any distance between you at allâno room to turn away nor do you want to. The turquoise of his turban only seems to bring out the beauty of his dark eyes and golden skin. Draw you closer. He, too, hardly seems to be breathing while he listens to your words intently. âThen I come back here. To you. And stay. I will give this a chance but I canât promise that it...will not be hard. In returnâŠâ
âThe Excommunicado will be lifted upon your return to New York,â he reassures, still searching for something in your expression. âYou have my word.â
His eyes lower and he breathes another sigh in a rare show of uncertainty.
âWhat is it?â you canât help but wonder, confused.
âWhat proof do I have that you will uphold your word, viper?â he questions mildly, his probing stare digging into you. That challenging, clever stare that first got the warning bells ringing inside your head that this is not a man to be trifled with. âWhat will you give me in a show of fealty?â
You donât say anything, peering up at him silently.
Seeing that, the Elderâs eyes slide towards your bare neck, and stop there. A second later, his strong fingers trace over the curve of the silver chain around your neckâ
âNo,â you choke out desperately, your hand snapping up to grip his own when his fingers slip around the metal. âPlease, itâs not mine to give away.â
Itâs Santinoâs. When he gave it to you, over a year ago now, he asked to guard it for him, keep it safe. Even then, you knew it meant more to him than he would ever admit outright. Youâre not quite sure where it comes from or who it belongs to but you have a strong inkling, and the idea of giving it away makes you feel sick to your stomach.
The Elder hesitates at your fragile plea, your eyes locking again, and fingers touching. âYet it is important to you.â
More than he knows and certainly more than even you realised.
Here, now, faced with the prospect of losing it makes you think that you canât live without it. That you need it or you will feel aimless and lost forever. It became an anchor slowly, with time, but now you value it above most things.
That realisation leaves you trembling before you conjure up some semblance of composure back.
âPlease,â you plead again, soft and frayed. âNot this. I can give you something else. Something more.â
He doesnât hide his palpable confusion, and thatâs when you move closer, your fingers snaking up his neck as you lean forward and kiss him.
His moment of hesitation lasts no more than a split second before he grabs you around the waist, hauling you closer and you slip your arms around him, kissing him as deeply as you can. Your mouth hurts from how hard you kiss him, fervent and demanding, and despite his initial falter, he replies with equal drive and need. Your tongue slips inside his mouth, wet and hot, and you donât compromise and neither does he. One hand grips the back of his neck where your nails sink into the firm, strong skin there, scratching and claiming. Your other drags across the scruff of his jaw, forcing him closer. Not that you need to, he holds you so close, every curve of your body presses into him.
He fuses you two together, the accessories of his robes wedging painfully into your skin but it only fuels you more. His large, burning hand settles against the back of your neck, holding you to him. Biting back a snarl, you try to wiggle your way free but his fingers dig in. Firm, unyielding, steadying; forcing a small gasp from you despite your best effort to hold it back.
You let everything flow outwards, biting down on his bottom lip greedily, and he groans loudly at the back of his throatâa deep, appreciative soundâthat almost makes you purr in delight. All that control, all those guards, and you tore through them like tissue paper.
The taste of him mingles on your tongue, his nose nudging against your cheek when he deepens the kiss again, exploring and searching but with such desperation, itâs like heâs trying to drown himself in the kiss. In you.
Your lips tingle and feel partially numb by the time you finally part, breathing hard. Heat creeps up your neck and simmers in your gut while you continue holding onto him. The chain around your neck lays forgotten, both of the Elderâs arms locked firmly around you instead. Â
Perhaps this is a kiss you should have shared years ago. That night by the fire you came dangerously close to taking this path. Claiming a lot more than just a kiss from him when he outright admitted that he would have made you his. A kiss that could have started something beautiful. Itâs tainted now by the uncertainty of your shared future but you donât point that out, only waiting for his reaction.
âYa amar,â he breathes near reverent, his voice throaty, and gaze wild. He tries to leash his desire but you can still taste it, and with how thoroughly you kissed him, you have no doubt that he can say the same for you. âWhy?â
âThis is what you want,â you tell him, hushed words that brush against his lips as intimately as your lips have moments prior. âItâs what you always wanted.â Â
He grips one side of your face, reminding you too much of someone you canât afford to think of right now, and he shakes his head once.
âNo,â he murmurs but the way he holds onto you betrays him as do his eyes that keep flickering back towards your lips. âWhat I always wanted was an equal,â he pauses for a beat, squinting at you like heâs taking you in with new eyes, like youâre a marvel to behold. âAnd you have become exactly that, havenât you, my viper?â
Once you would have denied it, shielded away from saying anything on the matter. Once you simply wonât have believed it. But now there is nothing holding you back anymore.
In that freedom, you have unearthed a simple truth.
âYes.â
His eyes flutter shut at your confirmation, and you hate the subtle glimmer of relief, even wonderment, you see creasing his expression. Like heâs waited his whole life for someone to say that.
âThree months,â he utters quietly like he doesn't want to disturb the moment. âThen you will return to me.â
âI always do.â
His grip on you constricts before loosening, lingering and reluctant to let go but he does eventually, his digits sliding away from the curve of your waist and neck.
You donât bother asking how many rules you broke with this kiss.
You both got what you wanted.
âYour tent awaits you,â he prompts quietly, still drilling holes into you. âRest before your journey, viper. We will see each other soon.â
You couldnât run even if you wanted to or triedâneither of which you do. Too late for that now.
You dip your head in a small bow, but his fingers tap under your chin the moment you do, guiding your face upwards.
âEveryone but you.â
Then he pulls away, his thumb fluttering briefly over your bottom lip, and sits himself down on his throne, folding his arms and legs alike.
The perfect picture of a powerful, controlled ruler. Enigmatic and captivating.
Cruel as he is kind.
The Terrible Sultan, you canât quite help your fleeting thought. Which makes you wonder if that, then, makes you his Golden Empress.
You donât linger on that thought though, that connection that lives between you. Pivoting on your heels, you head towards the exit of the tent, feeling his eyes lingering on you the entire way.
Your mouth still burns but you ignore it.
Your expression slackens the moment your back is to him, coldness spreading through you as you step into the blazing desert sun.
E4 E5.
The roar inside your head is overpowering.
So much so that all you can do is sit slumped beside your old cot. You hadnât quite made to it, instead half-collapsing beside it. Your folded knees partially obscure your sight as you stare blankly ahead but you canât bring yourself to move.Â
Instead, you work on glueing together that controlled calm the very man you just talked with taught you.Â
Your mind doesnât allow you rest though. Every wall of control and discipline youâve ever learned from every influential person in your life dissolves in face of the blistering furnace that is your raging heart.Â
A collection of voices scream at you inside your head, and it takes a while to be able to comprehend what one singular voice that sounds suspiciously like Winston is demanding.Â
What have you done?
And all you can think in response to that is a tiny and uncertain, What I had to.
Lacing your fingers, you push them between your thighs, sucking in deep, near painful breaths.Â
You donât have time for this. No time for self-pity. ThereâsâŠ
Thereâs too much to do.Â
Yet all you want to do is sit here for the rest of your days and never move.Â
You lick your lips, wetting them, and feel another torrent of emotions batter against your self-control.Â
The taste of him is still in your mouth.Â
You havenât kissed anyone on the lips in five years. Not since that night on your birthday when you kissed John. The last time you ever laid your mouth on someone else in generalâŠ
A comforting memory slips through the chaos; wispy and balmy, like an embrace. A memory of heat enveloping you, familiar cologne, and dark curly hair. Santinoâs small, drunken smile when you pressed a kiss against his forehead, your fingers cupping his face.Â
The way he had held you to him around the waist, making you feel unfairly safe, cared for.Â
You never did tell Santino about his whispered words at Naples. What he confessed to you between the shadowed walls of his bedroom. Back then, a large part of you still refused to believe itâbelieve him. Had chalked it up to nothing more than a drunken moment of sentimentality. But thatâs no longer the case. You know better than that now.Â
Three months will have to be enough toâŠ
To say goodbye.Â
Clinging to that memoryâand the understanding that you donât have time to wasteâyou rise to your feet. For what feels like a thousandth time, teeth gritted and jaw set, you still stand despite the knock.Â
Your tent hasnât changed much. Some things are in a different place to where you left them but the knowledge that itâs been waiting for you all this time is like a sledgehammer to the chest.Â
Soon, if things come to pass, it will be your home permanently.Â
You start with changing and washing up, followed by applying the salve you found in a small, ceramic pot onto your skin.
For the burns, the note left on your pillow beside the pot read. You didnât need to ask questions about its origins. You know that penmanship as well as your own after spending endless months studying his research.Â
The Elder has once again thought of everything.Â
The salve is like a soothing, cool caress across your burned, dry skin and the relief is, once again, immediate. A part of you wonders if there will ever come a day when his genius doesnât surprise and intrigue you.Â
Food is harder. Your stomach still churns, and despite your best attempts to quell the sensation of queasiness, it doesnât pass.Â
You force some broth down despite that, chewing everything in front of you on automatic. Made with a loving hand and great care guarantees that the food is delicious yet you taste none of it.Â
Itâs quiet.Â
The roar inside your mind has quietened.Â
Now everything feels cold and far away despite the heat dampening the back of your neck already. The shock has worn off, leaving only throbbing absence behind.Â
A commotion sounds outside your tent and your head snaps to the sound. A second later the flap parts and a familiar, dark spectre of a man walks inside, his eyes already locked onto you.Â
âJohn.â
You jump to your feet at the sight of him, moving towards him in hurried steps. Saad slinks inside behind John and you halt at the sight of his looming frame, your eyes narrowing. So thatâs where heâs been. No doubt watching over the deadliest assassin alive to make sure he doesnât cause problems.Â
John looks relieved to see you, his expression easing as he takes in your new attire. Previously severe contours of his features relax and his chin dips.Â
âV.â
He always manages to pack so much into so little. Itâs like the acknowledgement alone asks a hundred questions.Â
Are you okay?Â
Are you hurt?
What happened?
Though you want to ask him those same questions yourself. He looks terrible. His treatment, clearly, while not awful has not been as hospitable as your own.Â
âSaad,â you address the man, nodding your head towards him. Much like the Elder, he hasnât changed much. A new scar clips the left side of his chin but the rest of him remains the same. From his critical stare, crooked nose, and dark skin. âItâs good to see you again.â
He doesnât smile and his expression doesnât lighten at your words. You didnât expect it to, either.Â
âViper,â he says so bluntly you blink and even John inclines his body towards the man, peering at him from the corner of his eye. âFinally back where you belong.â
Your mouth goes dry.Â
âIâm going back to New York,â you inform him, jutting your chin. âSo Iâm afraid this is a brief visit only.â
Those pitch-black eyes study you for several moments and you canât quite tell whatâs going on behind those empty depths.Â
âYou have ten minutes,â he states briskly, his voice still flat and accent gruff. âThen I am to escort Mr Wick to his transport. Your presence has been requested by the Elder before your departure.âÂ
You straighten at that. John is much the same, his shoulders curving backwards. Those words are also when you notice that John is in a fresh, black suit.Â
âIs there a problem?â you pose coolly, but your old sparring partner only watches you both with palpable distrust.
He glares at you for a beat, still deadly silent, before turning away from you both. âTen minutes,â he grunts, and then heâs gone, the flap swishing in his wake while you listen to his retreating footsteps.Â
âV, what happened?â John asks the moment Saadâs footsteps can no longer be heard. âHe told me he saw you already.âÂ
He. The Elder.Â
Dropping your head in a nod, you turn away from the man behind you, glancing briefly at your shaking fingers. You squeeze them painfully, pressing them against your chest instead, and focus.Â
I can do this.Â
âWe came to an agreement,â you say swiftly, keeping your tone light, and glance at him over your shoulder. Your hand lowers from your chest at the look on his face. John looks confused. Unconvinced. âMy Excommunicado will be lifted once I return to New York. You?â
You knew from the moment the deal was made that telling John would not be wise. You know the man inside this tent. His actions with Santino have proven to you that despite what you might say or do, it wonât change his mind. When it comes to push or shove, John will always shove. And he will shove with enough force to crush the opposition completely.Â
His reaction to learning that you have to go back in three months would only land him in deeper trouble. Usually, you would expect him to maintain his ironlike composure. Very little could ever move John in the first place, especially towards anything rash. But that desperate gleam in his eyes when he told you that he will make up for his mistakes keeps constantly jumping to mind.Â
You donât trust John not to do something drastic right now.Â
He doesnât respond to your inquiry at first. Which gives you plenty of time to notice the sheen of pain exuding from him. You slant your body back towards him when you do, and take several steps closer.
âWhatâs wrong?âÂ
Still, he says nothing.Â
Youâre about to demand answers but he simply lifts his hand in the air between you.Â
And you suck in a deep breath at the sight of his missing ring finger.Â
The void is glaring and the finger that was once home for a golden wedding band is gone. As is the ring.Â
âHe wanted to see my conviction to the Table and told me to cut my finger in a show of fealty,â he explains lowly, his voice and expression worn. âI will be bound to it and remember through death after I complete my task. That was his will and my price to pay for survival.â
Itâs so easy, you think in a dazed rush, to forget exactly what the Elder is capable of. He got the deadliest assassin in the world to mutilate himself as a punishment. You would wager he didnât even threatenâhe didnât need to.Â
It makes you painfully aware of what could have happened to you if you didnât have that history with him. If he didnât look at you with all that hidden emotion. If you were just a girl who broke his rules. What would have become of you then? Would you have lost a finger as well? Your whole hand?Â
Would you have been just another casualty to be stomped out? Removed like a tumour because you didnât abide.Â
Suddenly you feel sick all over again.Â
Suddenly all you wantâ
Your arms wrap around him and you squeeze the powerful frame of Johnâs body to you. He seems to deflate, unwind and soften, his arms wrapping tightly around you in return.Â
âIâm sorry.â
Because youâre still angry at him, still bitter about all heâs done, but you care about him despite that, and know how deeply this would have hurt. Physical injury aside, itâs the loss of his ring that would have stung the deepest.Â
John adores Helen still, loves her deeply.Â
Itâs not something that can fade so easily despite death.Â
You felt panicked at the mere prospect of the Elder taking the silver chain around your neck. How did John feel having to lose his finger and his final sign of dedication to the woman he loves?Â
But, it seems, that you have both gotten what you had coming.Â
He, too, will be bound to the Table now. In a different way than you but bound all the same. This desperate, bloody fight to be free and you are both back exactly where you started.Â
Johnâs face presses into you, savouring the contact, and you release him after another minute. It isnât just him that needed this.Â
âI have to tell you something,â he says the moment you pull back.Â
The morose curve of his mouth chills you at once. Comfort, however fleeting, has now left the air between you.Â
âWhat is it?â
âItâs...â
John stares at you for a while. An internal war rages behind his dark eyes and your confusion mounts at his hesitancy. Something is stuck behind his teeth and your stomach sinks the longer the battle goes on inside him.
âItâs about Cassian,â he eventually settles on.
Your brows draw together, caught off guard. Analysing his features closely, you wait to see if he will expand on that but as always John limits himself. He only peers at you but the regret you find lingering in the air around him unsettles you further.Â
âWhat about him?â
He still looks torn and reluctant when his lips part, âAfter we parted. He found me,â he says and your shoulders lift with your forceful inhale. Understanding blooms steadily with every word. âHe wanted revenge. For Gianna.â
The air inside the tent is blistering but you feel it cool by several degrees at those words.Â
You had sworn an oath to Gianna that you will make sure her family name survives beyond her. Now you wear the very ring she and Santino have been struggling to earn their entire lives.Â
Even worse were Cassianâs parting words to you that still haunt you.Â
But if we ever meet again. I will kill you myself.Â
Your mentor and friend. A brother you would have loved to have had.Â
You could drill John about what happened while you were dealing with Lucien. You could accuse him of more wrongdoings and damage. Demand to know why he didnât tell you sooner. Scorn him. Hate him.
But instead, you turn away, and let only one question slip free, the only one that matters, âIs he still alive?â
He answers you honestly.
âI donât know.â
His voice is thick with muted remorse and you nod your head in acceptance of that honesty. You donât say anything in return, still staring at your cot. Focus on the pattern of your old blanket. Â
You feel it bubbling in the air between you and speak up before he can.
âDonât apologise,â you order but itâs empty of fury. You just sound weary. So very weary. âI understand. I justâŠâ
Your eyes slip shut. He was only trying to keep himself alive. Itâs just survival. But it still hurts. In that moment, the urge to give up is near overpowering. It digs deep between your shoulder blades and straight into your heart but you shake it off.
Youâre not getting out of this. Thereâs no hope for you now. You know how this ends.Â
You almost recoil at Kishiâs voice filtering from the deepest recesses of your mind.Â
No. Thereâs still hope. Thatâs exactly why you canât give up. Because there is still hope.Â
âWish it didnât have to be this way?â
Johnâs soft inquiry makes you flinch, snapping you to the present. Your eyes return to him and you examine him for a moment, digesting his words.Â
âYes,â you mumble in agreement, your sadness no doubt palpable. âYes, I do.â
John lowers his head, a few strands of his raven hair tickling his cheek when he does. âDo you ever wonderâŠâ
He stares at the empty space where his finger should be, flexing the remaining ones experimentally. You wait for him to continue but can tell from one look that heâs lost in his head, thinking hard about something.Â
âDo I wonder what?âÂ
Johnâs lips part, then press shut again. His breaths are haggard, slow.Â
âWhat might have happened had I never pushed you back? Never left.â
Youâre not sure what to do with his curiosity. Youâre not even sure how you feel about it. Â
âI used to. Often,â you admit after several minutes of thought. Because what do you have left to hide? Now, perhaps, you can be as open as you wish to be, say everything because itâs not likeâ âThen I realised there was no point to it because you werenât coming back,â you tell him and chuckle weakly, adding an ironic, âWeâre each masters of our own fate.â
Shuffling your feet, you venture closer towards him, and lift your face to his, taking his hand into your own. His knuckles, much like your own, are bruised and swollen. His are worse than yours, however, and with that in mind, you lead him towards your cot. You reach into the still open ointment pot and gather some, rubbing your fingers briefly to warm the salve.Â
Slowly, you drag your fingertips gently over his knuckles. It wonât be as effective as it is for burns but chamomile, echinacea and ginseng inside the salve should still help with healing and soothing the pain.Â
âYou always had the right to choose, John,â you say quietly, frankly, as you work to apply the salve on his other hand as well. Heâs so still youâre not sure if heâs breathing. âThe right to happiness. I understand that now. Itâs always been your right,â you continue, a touch sadder, and your eyes skip upwards to rest on his face. His stare is gentle, his mouth parted while he peers at you. âIâm just sorry that you had to lose it. But to answer your question. No. Not anymore. Itâs been a long time. Weâre different people now.â
You finish applying the salve and release your grip but his fingers tighten around yours before you can.
âMaybe thatâs a good thing,â he says, his words hushed.Â
Your search his face again. Wonder what the future will hold for you both. âYeah, maybe it is.â
A rustle sounds behind you and you turn just as Saad steps back into the tent, his features still rigid with displeasure.Â
âCome with me, Mr Wick,â he instructs sternly and inclines his head in your direction. âThe Elder awaits you.â
Grounding your jaw, you offer the assassin beside you a calm, âIâll see you back at the Continental.â
John turns back towards you. He doesnât look particularly thrilled at your words, a question hanging in the air around him. âAre you sure?â
âYes,â you say, unfazed. You pat his arm once as you pass; an old, routine gesture you havenât done in years. âTell Winston to get my favourite ready. Heâll know the one.â
You brush past them both, chin slanted at a higher angle. Itâs late afternoon by now with the sun starting to dip towards the dunes. The air is still sweltering despite that, and a robed man waiting outside the tent gestures mutely in the direction he wants you to head in.Â
You find the Elder at the edge of the camp, his presence a beacon that draws attention effortlessly.Â
You pause at the sight of him, your shoes sinking into the golden sand beneath. He stares out towards the desert like youâve seen him do a thousand times, and you wonder if heâs thinking about what you asked him years ago. Another ordinary night by the fire over your shared meal.Â
Why not leave again? Why live in a desert?Â
It is my duty.Â
So youâre a prisoner of your own status? That seems lonely.Â
And with his gaze focused on the fire instead of you, he had given you a simple yet serene response, Not anymore.Â
Swallowing thickly, you stand there unmoving, watching him for a while. Something tells you that heâs as aware of you as you are of him.Â
Loneliness is not unfamiliar to you. Itâs a close companion. Has been for years.Â
But youâve found an escape. People to call your own. A sense of belonging.
He hasnât.Â
âIt is peaceful here,â he speaks up suddenly, startling you. âEven as a boy, I loved the desert despite its cruelty. I have grown up appreciating its deadly beauty. Have learned to respect it and admire it.â
âNothing about death is beautiful.â
A brief chuckle flows through the air and he turns to face you, his expression open, his stare narrowed but inquisitive as always. His laced fingers rest against his chest. Â
âYour mind has been sorely missed, viper.â
The longing in those words brushes against your skin and mouth; an invisible kiss, an appreciation.Â
You imagine that will change one day soon.Â
Though it would be a lie to say that you, too, have not missed your discussions. The way you could submerge yourself in conversations with him completely. Lose yourself in his mind and the challenge he constantly posed.Â
âYou wished to see me.â
Your words sound lifeless even to your own ears and his expression drops. He strolls closer while you stand rooted in your spot. Something is different about him now. Heâs missing that edge he had when he saw you earlier. That desperation. Desire. Near darkness.Â
Heâs more controlled now. At ease. Back to the man you knew. Earlier he gave into his desire freely, and you suspect it was only due to long years separating you.Â
âIâm tempted to come with you,â he divulges quietly, like sharing one more secret, and a shiver tears down your spine at those words. He pauses, exhaling, and twists his ring on his finger for seemingly a hundredth time. You didnât realise earlier how habitual touching it had become for him. âBut I do not wish to take this time away from you. So, ya amar, I present you with this.â
From between the folds of his extravagant robes materialises a golden dagger. Your breaths grow shaky before you force them back into a steady rhythm, lifting your eyes to his.Â
âItâs the same one,â you say weakly, your tone questioning. âFrom before.â
The Elder nods and holds out the dagger in the palm of his hand. Itâs the same one he tried to give to you during your first stay here, after your sparring session. Â
Same stunning, elegant design laced with gold around the handle. Black sheath edged by crusted golden detail as well.Â
âEach of my disciples receives a weapon from me personally upon their initiation,â he tells you, his voice soft and melodic, always happy to sate your curiosity. âThis one...is special to me,â his voice lowers, a glimmer passing through his eyes thatâs gone too soon to decipher. âIt is not official yet but I had hoped that one day it will serve you better than it has me.â
He waits for you to take it but you hesitate, staring at it. Your hand hovers over it, outlining the shape of it with your nail.Â
You can still taste him. Like heâs rooted himself inside you now.Â
âYou told me that you understood me,â you begin cautiously, your voice equally as low. âUnderstood the vengeance that drove me. How?â
The Elder examines you closely. A pregnant pause stretches between you and you begin to think he will never respond before he finally reaches out. He grasps your hand in his, turning it till your palm faces the sky, and places the dagger deliberately into it. Watching you keenly, he carefully folds your fingers around it, not releasing your hand even when heâs done.Â
A faint whisper passes his full lipsâand you recognise Darija even if you donât understand itâbut it strikes you asâŠsad. Plagued with some nameless darkness.Â
âOne day,â he starts huskily, now in accented English, and you canât quite read his expression or tone. But itâs some bizarre mix youâve never seen before. A strain and a shadow all at once while he looks you over. âIf you still wish it, I will tell you everything.â
The weight and the finality behind that word makes you shift, uneasy. Youâre not sure if there will even be tomorrowâmuch less one day.Â
But before you can voice that, the Elder lifts your joined hands, pressing his mouth gingerly against your skin; a fleeting flutter that warms the flesh.Â
âLet this be a token of our shared promise to one another.â
He takes one last look at you, his dark gaze inscrutable, and then youâre left alone with only setting sun for company.Â
The dagger in your hand feels like an anchor, and you tip your head backwards, gazing up at the expanse of the sky above.Â
The subway doors hiss open and you lift your head, stepping out onto the platform with other passengers. Youâve spent the majority of the journey here staring at the soles of your shoes, your mind splintering in a thousand directions.
Thereâs too much to do with time so limited.
Your return to New York had been by air. The Elderâs decision, taking into consideration how you felt about water travel.
Itâs funny how you didnât even need to voice such a thing for him to understand it. For him to make sure that the journey back is as painless as possible.
Youâre not sure how John travelled but he did leave first, meaning he should be back in New York already. Until you arrive at the Continental, however, you have no way of knowing for sure.
The fierceness with which youâve missed your home makes your shoulders lock as you cut through the bustling crowd. It should be said that Grand Central is always busy and overflowing with noise. Today is no exception to that. But youâre still a person at the very top of the Wanted list, so you keep your eyes peeled.
Instinctually, you scan the flow of the crowd around you. Strain every sense. Employ everything youâve learned from some of the best in this world.
Step by step, turn by turn, staircase by staircase.
This time, he doesnât catch you off guard.
The mob of people flows around you like a coursing river, hiding you both as you jerk to a mutual stop.
The grip on your wrist is unyielding, painful. The sharpened metal between your fingers trembles under the strain of that grip, and your expression mangles with fury. Acidic, poisonous emotion bubbles up to the surface and you donât bother hiding it.
The man before you smiles at thatâa slight but lovely thingâevery micro-expression laced with fine malice.
âHello, Lucien.â
You stand close enough to be touching, his thin frame still managing to cover your own. Your jaw has become a rigid mass as you glare up at him with open hostility.
âThere you are, snakey,â he hums pleasantly, his thin mouth transforming into a slow, chilling smile. You try to push the blade youâre holding into his gut but his numbing grip remains. âIâve been waiting for you to return. Has he missed you much?â
A couple of friends pass right by you, laughing loudly, and you both jerk again; limbs locking and muscle straining further. Neither of you manages to gain more edge on the other though and Lucienâs smile stretches further.
âAnd I knew you would find me,â you snarl coldly, your eyes narrowing into slits. âI wanted you to find me.â
Knocking his knee with your own, you swipe another blade free and aim it at him. Lucien pushes himself into you in reply, wrapping his arm around yours and halting you in your tracks. The blade scratches against the sleeve of his black jacket, cutting into it, but it doesnât break skin past that. He yanks you closer, your bodies pressing against each other. Youâre both practically embracing. Your limbs a joined, trembling mass from the sheer friction between you.
Itâs a deadlock and youâre too evenly matched.
Youâve been waiting for this chance. For the chance to return the slight that was taking you and wasting precious hours for you over a week ago. Now that you know Santinoâs choice is youâthat you could have avoided this whole mess in the first place had you just had enough time to talk with himâit only makes you more furious.
Youâve been waiting for Lucien to catch up with you.
This time, however, heâs not the hunter, catching unsuspecting prey.
Baring your teeth, you snarl, wrenching yourself backâ
And freeze.
Lucienâs coat parts and this close up a blinking red light catches your eye. As does the beeping your ears hadnât previously picked up with all the noise.
Lucienâs smile turns downright predatory.
âAll these sweet little angels...â he remarks in a sing-song voice, pointedly looking around the crowd, his accent just a little more notable. âReady to watch them all burn?â
A portable bomb.
You should have known.
Thereâs no doubt enough packed in it to blow half the building, if not more. He would likely delight in the idea of the carnage even heâs not alive to see it himself.
Your features creasing at that thought, you demand an incredulous, âYou would kill yourself just to see me die?â
âIâm already dead,â he replies blankly, the tilt of his voice emotionless. âAfter all Iâve done, itâs not about survival anymore. Itâs about me....and you. And one last dance between us.â
Youâre not going to play his games. Despite the confusion his words birth, you only allow a chilly, tepid smile to grace your face. Mocking him openly.
âThen catch me if you can.â
You sweep your foot under his legs. Swift and brutal. Lucien doesnât fall but he does stumble half-a-step back, and you rip yourself out of his grip, dashing through the throng of people.
Youâre not running blindly.
He enjoys the chase and you know he will follow but itâs not fear or desperation leading you this time.
People curse and holler as you shove them out of your way, throwing a few purposely in Lucienâs path. You donât slow down to check if heâs following.
Every trained instinct in your body is screaming at you that he is.
You should have known he would try to use the people at the station against you. Use your close proximity to each other against you too. Heâs learned of the dangers you pose at close combat.
But heâs not the only one to have learned something from your previous encounters.
Focused entirely on your rapidly forming plan, you tear out of Grand Central, the cool air of New York greeting you like an old friend.
Streets blur around you and your heart pumps inside your chest as you round the corner, stumbling. Wind beats against your cheeks and you ignore your harsh breaths, leading Lucien deeper into the heart of the city.
And itâs not his city.
You know every nook and cranny of this concrete anthill.
Skidding and stumbling, you throw yourself behind a building wall, pressing your back against it.
Your lungs quiver, heart pumping, and throat aching from the outright sprint youâve just done.
Lucien should assume the obvious.
That youâre leading him back to the Continental at neck-breaking speed. As you did once before. And you are but not just yet. Thereâs something you have to handle first.
It takes no longer than ten seconds for the commotion to explode from the direction you just came from. Just as expected.
Lucienâs pounding footsteps reach your ears and your arch your back, readying yourself.
A smear of golden hair enters your vision and you throw yourself at him, slashing at his side.
No wires attached to the bomb that you saw. The Lovers are too sophisticated for anything as inelegant and rudimentary as that. Which makes this bomb either remotely detonatable or Lucien has other means by which to set it off.
Which then means that all you need to do is to rip that portion of his coat off him.
Youâre not about to lead him back to your home with a bomb on him.
Lucien crashes onto the concrete sidewalk heavily, you on top of him. His knee drives into your gut and you wince, your fingers tangling into his jacket so he doesnât slip out of your grip. You manage to hold on, hacking against the coarse material wildly. His features contort, realisation as to what youâre trying to do sinking in.
He throws a punch at you but you duck, ignoring his fingers when they sink into your hair, trying to yank you off him. People around you scream as you roll across the concrete, scattering the moment they realise youâre armed.
You have no intention of killing Lucien outright.
He deserves to reap the consequences of his actions just like the rest of you. If thereâs anyone who deserves to be punished for all of this, itâs him. And you will see to it. Lead him back to the Continental and trap him inside like a rat in a maze. Â
See what the Black Dragon does when you offer their little pet as a sacrificial lamb for the High Table.
He yanks on your hair but you swipe upwards, scratching your blade against his skin and he barks a laugh. Few droplets of blood slide down his porcelain skin and you stumble back, staggering onto your feet.
Lucienâs jacket is in tatters and he grabs it, yanking it off himself, and throws it carelessly to one side. You tense when it hits the ground but nothing happens. Youâre not quite sure if itâs just that durable or if it was a fake-outâboth seem equally as likely. âYouâre no fun,â he pouts, watching his hand curiously. Ruby droplets well where you have torn into his skin, and he swipes his tongue across the skin lazily, unconcerned. âBut fair enough.â
âYou and me,â you grit out, glaring down at him as you back up, rolling the blade between your digits with expert ease. He stretches to his full height, too, towering, cracking his neck as he does so. âLetâs dance.â
You peel away, him a second behind you. You know how fast he is and pump your legs till the muscles in your thighs burn from exertion.
Youâre surprised heâs not trying to shoot you like last time but maybe thatâs the point. He doesnât want a quick death for you just like you donât want to kill him till heâs been punished.
Night blurs around you and your eyes narrow in concentration, keeping ahead but just barely. You can hear him right behind you, practically breathing down your neck.
Motorcycles suddenly rev behind you but you donât dare to risk turning around to check. Thereâs more than one engine. Which doesnât bode well for you.
Leaping down the stairwell, you cut through an underground pass. The tunnel amplifies every sound and you hear Lucienâs pounding footsteps behind you. Heâs gaining on you.
Sweat clings to the back of your neck, your cheeks stinging from heat and the cold alike.
You take three steps at a time, jumping up the staircase on the other side of the tunnel in a manner of seconds. It takes several moments before motorcycles sound from behind you againâthey clearly know the route enough to know about the shortcutsâbut you donât let it shatter your concentration.
The staircase of the Continental appears in your vision, so dear and welcomingâ
A weight slams into you from behind and you wince as you both roll across the ground; a wild tangle of limbs.
Scrambling, you punch him right across the jaw before he can get a solid grip on you. Your knuckles twinge with pain but it barely registers. Lucienâs head snaps to the side but he manages to grab your wrists, pinning them to the ground, before you can yank a blade loose.
You drive your knee into his ribs. Once, twice.
Lucien takes it like he can hardly feel it. Teeth gleaming, bared. His grip tightens on you againâthere will be bruises there tomorrow without a doubtâand you roll in a mangled mess once more. Two animals snapping their teeth at each other. The motorcycles draw closer down the street and you squirm when he tries to pin you down again. For being so thin, his strength is impressive. Worrying.
He wants to play games. But youâre far, far more furious than he is.
Your head cracks against his forehead, momentarily blinding and deafening you. Lucien falls back. Wobbling, you do the same. Everything is static noiseâone moment, two, then you force yourself to move. Vision swimming, you kick at his abdomen blindly. Thereâs contact and rolling onto your stomach, you hurriedly scramble onto your feet.
A roar of engines hums through the night air, closing in, and you leap onto the stone stairs ahead of you, gripping onto the concrete.
Safe haven. Home.
Your head slants to look behind you; a victorious, vicious smile spreading across your face even though your forehead hums with numbing pain.
Lucien approaches slowly, a hunter on a prowl. His slick back hair is in a disarray. Flecks of his own blood splattered across his face.
He looks murderous despite the deformed smile still splintering his mouth.
Motorcycles come to a stop behind him and you recognise those dark uniforms anywhere. Black Dragonâs menâjust as you suspected.
You rise to your feet, deliberate but cautious, taking count of the men present. Foot soldiers are hardly a reason for concern. A certain blonde with his raging stare most certainly is though.
âNo one interferes,â Lucien orders, directing his words at the men behind him. âThis is between me andââ
âUs.â
Your heart stills for a second before exploding in a wild flutter inside your chest.
You donât turn around but hear the hotel door behind you crack open, followed by footsteps.
Lucienâs expression morphs with cold viciousness in the face of the new company.
Dario and Julian walk past you first, coming to a stop at the foot of the stairs, effectively blocking Lucienâs path. The Sharpshooter has his twin pistols gripped firmly in each hand, his usually friendly demeanour absent. Only the Camorraâs best stares back; focused and grim. Dario is no better with his arms folding over his broad chest the moment he halts, seemingly only amplifying his domineering presence. He reminds you of a growling grizzly bear, waiting for the slightest of provocations.
Step comes to a standstill beside you, nudging you with his elbow, and you dare to momentarily look away from Lucien to see his grinning face. He wiggles his eyebrows, his round sunglasses still on his face before he leaps down the last several steps. He lands noisily just behind Julian, laughing softly under his breath.
âWhatever issue you have with our boss,â Dario speaks solemnly, his usually warm, rumbling voice void of those things. âWe would caution you to forget about it.â
âGet out of my way,â Lucien hisses lowly, his lips barely moving. âThis doesnât concern you.â
Julian raises his pistols at blinding speed at those words, pointing them directly at Lucienâs face. The Dragonâs men unholster their weapons in response but despite being outnumbered at least one to two, the Elites donât appear concerned.
Youâre not sure if youâre still breathing.
âWe would rather not kill you,â Step chirps happily, leaning his elbow on Julianâs shoulder, before adding a downright chilling, âBut we will.â
Lucienâs expression smoothens, growing remote in its emptiness. His hollow stare drags up till it latches onto youâcold and unforgiving, two black holes.
âYou know you canât hide from me, viper,â he whispers yet his low, throaty words carry through the night air all the same. The Elites donât so much as blink; an impenetrable wall of defence. âWe have unfinished business, you and I.â
âWere they not clear enough for you, huh?â
Your eyes nearly close when the final pair of footsteps comes to a stop beside you. Your attention doesnât waver but you hear the click of a lighter beside you. Itâs followed a second later by a soft crinkle of a smouldering cigarette as Hector draws a deep, tobacco-induced breath into his lungs.
âSheâs our boss,â he declares roughly and you feel your throat close up at his frank statement. âWhich means that you really donât want to start this,â a pointed pause, and another hard inhale of a cigarette before, âSo why donât you go and blow a load into your girlfriend and stop wasting our damn time.â
The atmosphere thickens with tension at Hectorâs crass words but you donât look away from Lucien.
The blonde slants his head, curious. He regards Hector like a bug; an odd, unusual being that makes no sense to him. Like his words are spoken in a foreign language the assassin doesnât quite comprehend.
âBoss,â Lucien echoes softly, making a fine mockery of the word, as he takes a few deliberate steps closer. âIs that suppose to mean something to me?â
The threat in his lovely voice snaps Julianâs hand to one side, the barrel of his gleaming silver pistol pressing into Lucienâs temple just as the tall man places his foot on the Continental staircase. Â
âJulian, donât!â you warm loudly and the Sharpshooter freezes at your command. âItâs what he wants,â you add bitterly, turning your stare towards the blonde who appears completely unconcerned to have a fully loaded weapon digging into his head.
His smug smile stretches, quivering at the corners, his stare almost playful, goading.
Julian obeys, his arm lowering slightly but his pistol remains trailed on the French assassin. The man in question takes his time, deliberately climbing one step at the time, and Hector lowers his smouldering cigarette. Heâs on your right, standing between you and Lucien but the blonde hardly seems to notice that when he comes to a halt, still watching you intently.
âYeah, it really should,â Hector says deliberately, his voice dipping towards seriousness and warning.
Dario and Step are still watching the Dragonâs men closely while Julian has turned with Lucien, his pistols still locked onto the man. Itâs been a long time since youâve seen the Sharpshooter as anything other than grinning and relaxed.
Lucien drags his gaze away from you at long last, his attention switching to the leader of Elites beside you, and you feel the suffocating tension in the air as they both stare each other down.
âI hold no loyalties to anyone for you to threaten me with fancy titles, dog,â the blonde remarks, his voice light, almost friendly, his attention once again returning to you. âBut Iâll see you inside, snakey.â
You donât answer him, choosing to glare right at him and nothing more than that. The lack of reaction seems to dissatisfy him, his lips pressing into a firm, unhappy line. He reaches for youâ
Hector grabs his extended hand with near blinding speed, crushing his wrist in an ironlike grip as he jerks Lucienâs hand backwards, holding him back.
Everyone tenses and Dario pulls his own weapons free when the Dragonâs men try to push closer.
âLet me rephrase that,â Hector hisses quietly, his words thick with warningâno boredom or indifference to be found in his voice now. âSheâs ours. You so much as lay a hand on her and Iâll cut it off and feed it to you.â
The French assassin grins in return, chuckling, his fist clenched to a point his knuckles strain beneath his pale skin. Hectorâs grip only tightens though, the ink of his tattoos highlighted by the lights above.
âYou got that?â he stresses viciously. âOr was I being too obtuse, you bleached French fuck.â
He throws Lucienâs arm back at him and the manâs expression sharpens with a savage sort of rage. Aside from his stormy, narrowed stare, itâs near impossible to tell that Lucien is displeased though. His features might as well be cut from marble.
âYou remind me of someone I knew once,â Lucien muses, still grinning though it looks no better than a sharpened blade. âHe too was an arrogant, blunt tool to be used.â
The blonde hums mockingly, looking Hector up and down.
âGet lost,â he calls out loudly, slanting his headâsomething so harsh in the motion you half-expect to hear his neck crackâtoward the Dragonâs men. âI donât need you here.â
Confusion follows those words but Lucien only cuts one last look your way before strolling calmly into the hotel.
Youâre not going to stop him because heâs exactly where you need him to be. He will stay to try and wait you out. Which is exactly what you want and need. Time.
Biting back a grin, you briefly glance at Hector who meets your inquisitive stare and turns towards the Dragonâs men who look unsure as to what they should do.
âAre you deaf?â he snaps loudly. âGet lost.â
Step moves first, bouncing up the stairs till heâs right in front of you. He parts his arms, waiting for you to show if youâre in the headspace to be touched andâŠ
You wrap your arms around himânear crushing and strong, squeezing his wiry frame to you with all the strength you possess inside your body. The hackerâs arms lock equally as tightly around you despite Hectorâs snort.
âWeâve been worried about you, carina,â he mumbles against your cooling neck, and you watch Dragonâs men clearing the entrance of the hotel over his shoulder. âEverythingâs gone to hell.â
âWe should take this inside,â Dario speaks up, finally lowering his weapons, and Julian does the same though his grip on them doesnât loosen. âItâs not safe for you out here, V.â
You release Step from your death grip with a nod and a pat on his shoulder. He flashes you a quick smile but it looks strained. They all look tense, grim-faced, and tired. Still deadly though, and focused as always.
Julian opens the glass doors and steps inside, his pistol raised like he expects Lucien to leap at you from the shadows.
The hour is late and the reception area, for once, feels eerily quiet. No Lucien in sight though.
You havenât even noticed how theyâve positioned themselves around you. Hector is still on your right, Julian at the front and Dario taking the rear while Stepâs arm ghosts on your left.
Your throat aches, something coiling inside your heart.
You feelâŠ
Protected. Safe.
It robs you of speech for a solid minuteâthat realisation.
Youâve lived with them for a year. Ate, trained and bled with them. But it feels different now for some reason you canât explain.
Youâve grown so used to fighting your battles alone that having someone on your side feels surreal.
Even more surprising is Hectorâs compliance. You hadnât expected him to fall into the role of your temporary right hand so easily. Or to be as open about your position, and his by extension, at your side. You hadnât even expected him to stand in defence of you, unlike the other three.
But Hector has always valued Camorra above all else. Personal prejudices aside, he will always do his duty. It is, perhaps, the one thing youâve always admired the most about him. His unfailing loyalty.
If you died now it would only cause further chaos and headaches for him.
Seeing all of them again, however, fills you with such immense relief you can hardly speak.
âSantino?â is the first thing you manage to wheeze out. âAres? Roberto? Howâhow are they?â
With each step, you shed your momentarily lapse reminding yourself that this is no time to feel sentimental.
Hector answers you promptly, as would be expected of him, âPrinceling woke up several hours ago,â he states calmly and you notice that he no longer has his cigarette. He must have dropped it outside. Despite that, your sensitive nose still catches a whiff of tobacco every time his lips part. âAres is with him. Roberto is stable.â
You practically stumble to a stop. âHe woke up?â you whisper, your voice breathy with fragile hope.
Hectorâs stare is critical but lacking his usual irritating superiority. Surprisingly. âYeah, asked after you,â he reveals bluntly, and you can feel others monitoring your reaction to those words. âHe thought Wick killed you.â
Your heart clenches painfully at that.
He got shot in the head and his first worry when he woke up had been you?
But the knowledge that he has regained consciousness, had been coherent enough to even speak, nearly crumbles your self-control again. Relief churning through your veins is immeasurable. Dizzying.
You want to demand a thousand things but instead push yourself to focus, âWe have to move him to the penthouse. Immediately.â
One of Hectorâs eyebrows arches at that. But itâs Dario that speaks first, âWhy?â
You glance between the four of them silently. No one else seems to be around. In the distance, even the reception desk sits empty, and itâs the first time in seven years that youâve seen it unmanned.
Whatâs going on? Where is Charon?
âBecause sheâs not here,â you tell them, still slightly out of breath due to your earlier sprint, and your words soften with bitterness. âThe Female Lover. Divide and conquer seems to be the most logical course for them to follow now.â
It would make sense. Split attacks and lay traps. Force your hand with pitting Lucien against you because they no doubt know that Santino is being kept safe between these walls. Put danger right here on your doorstep so you are forced to act.
The Four exchange wary looks and you note them at once.
âWe already moved boss,â Julian informs you before you can ask, his strong eyebrows curving and feet shuffling. You can almost hear the grimace in his voice. âRight after the visit from an Adjudicator earlier. We figured it was no longer safe for him to stay since they demanded to see him.â
âDonât look so surprised, sweetheart,â Hector mutters under his breath, folding his arms with a slight roll of his eyes. âSome of us are actually good at doing our jobs. Removing him from the Tableâs direct jurisdiction was the best thing to do at the time.â
âThen where the hell is he?â
Step winces. âThe penthouse,â he tells you and immediately lifts his hand in a pacifying manner while your eyes close. âBut Flavio and others are with him. Heâs protected. He was moved discreetly. No one saw a thing. I was watching all the cameras myself.â
Biting back a sigh, you mull over his words and huff a breath. âThen why are you not with him?â
âBecause once Mr Wick arrived here in a ratherâŠloud manner,â Dario begins and your attentions slides to him. âWe knew you will not be far behind. With trouble likely on your heels. We had no way of contacting you and splitting up would have drawn too much attention. Step worked entire day trying to pin the Lovers down to one location but they kept popping up all over the city. Theyâve been circling.â
So they stayed here to keep enemy eyes pinned on the hotel, giving them time to move Santino in secret.
Sometimes you forget how brilliant they are.
âThey were waiting for me to come back,â you assume.
Dario inclines his head, his stare firm, and strong eyebrows curved. âOur duty is to protect you as well, V.â
Your blink at those resolute words, caught off guard.
Step is grinning cheekily but the other two stand with sombre air surrounding them. Hectorâs expression is stony but he doesnât disagree, either.
Before you can thank them or say anything else, a realisation slices through you like a bolt of lightning. A sickly feeling of quicksand gobbles you up in a matter of seconds, and you battle down the urge to kick something.
âCircling,â you repeat numbly, nearly biting your tongue because you already know the answer before you bother continuing. âAnywhere near the penthouse?â
You direct that question at Step and the latter stills, his grin wilting. âClosest ping I got was four blocks out.â
âFuck.â
Your head slants backwards and you bite out an even more vicious, âFuck.â
âV?â
Your head drops back and your expression is no doubt unforgiving. âGet to the penthouse right now,â you order, not even bothering to make it sound like a request. âThis is their plan. For me to get here so she has the go-ahead to attack while Santino is alone. Theyâve been waiting for you to move him. They knew you did. Thatâs why the male Lover let it go. Why heâs not here right now.â
Lucien is no doubt putting their plan into motion. Dismissing Dragonâs men was about giving you a false sense of security.
âWhat about you?â Julian wonders quietly though his tone doesnât lack urgency. Dario already has his phone pressed to his ear, no doubt calling the security at the penthouse.
You want to go.
YouâŠ
âI canât,â you choke out even though it kills you to admit it. âIf I go, I lead Lucien and god knows who else straight back to Santino.â
The Lovers are no doubt hoping for that outcome. But you can keep them separated too. Weaken them. It just means trusting the Elites with Santinoâs life completely. They will be taking the brunt of Mikaâs and the Black Dragonâs attack.
You look towards Hector but find him already gazing at you, his harsh features drawn into a pensive expression. His eyebrows sit contracted into a tight line and his eyes go to Step.
Darioâs muffled murmurs cease then, and he lifts his head, ending the call with a single touch against the glowing screen. âThereâs been nothing so far butâŠâ
âCan you isolate any incoming attacks?â Hector demands and Step pulls out his phone the moment those words leave the leaderâs mouth, scrolling and tapping rapidly. âGet to the penthouse. Julian call the rest of the men. The ruse is up. Tell everyone to get their asses there right now or Iâll kill them myself. Go.â
Itâs a testament to how much they trust each other that they move as oneânot questions askedâonly pausing monetarily before you, and it takes you a full second to realise that theyâre waiting for your approval.
Right. Youâre their boss. Even if only temporarily.
You nod twice; shaky and a touch frantic.
âCapo.â
Youâre not even sure which one of them says it, or if itâs all of them in unison, but a shiver tingles down your neck all the same.
Hector hesitates, still standing rooted in his spot, his stare probing but he doesnât make a sound until the hurried footsteps of the other Elites fade.
âYouâre planning to go after him.â
Itâs a statement, direct and shrewd, and you see no reason to deny it. âPromise me you will kill her,â you insist sternly, your eyes meeting for a charged moment. âDonât let her touch him.â
Hector strolls past you, his hands in his pockets. âConsider it done,â he shoots back flatly, pausing beside you once again but doesnât turn towards you. You simply stand shoulder to shoulder in the empty lobby. âSomething else is going on here. The Frenchie isnât the only one you should watch out for. Some bald asshole followed Wick, and this Adjudicator seems a little rule happy and not in a good way,â he concludes pointedly.
âIt doesnât matter,â you respond mildly, your voice vacant and low, distant. âThey canât touch me. No one can now.â
The dagger against your side feels like itâs scorching into your skin.
Hector turns to face you at that but you donât do the same. His weighty stare digs into your temple for several moments but you ignore it. Expectation hangs heavy in the air between you but you donât explain yourself further. There is no point.
He scoffs under his breath, managing to sound as dismissive and derisive as always. The nearby heat of his looming frame disappears, his footsteps echoing against the marble as he saunters away.
But the way he had the foresight to move Santino nags at you, as do his actions outside on that staircase only minutes prior.
Andâ
âHector?â
His footsteps fade into a stop, and you turn your face towards him.
âWhat now, sweetheart?â he calls out impatiently, peering at you over his shoulder as well. âWant a back rub with all of that?â
Normally something like that would have angered you, dug under your skin, pissed you off. Now thoughâŠ
âThank you.â
He doesnât outwardly react to your words, not even a twitch of his facial muscles. He only stares at you for a long minute completely silent. Youâre not quite sure what to make of that reaction.
âWhatever.â
His back disappears through the door leading outside and you turn back towards the reception desk.
Time to get some answers.
You hear him before you see him.
The dog leaps at you with a happy bark, his tongue lolling to one side when he lifts his nose eager to give you kisses.
His presence here shocks you but only because you know for a fact that the Continental doesnât do animal boarding. Everything lately has felt like an avalanche of one thing after another that you havenât stopped to think about what may or may not have happened to him. Or where he might be staying after Johnâs home was destroyed.
Despite not seeing him in a few weeks, he seems no less thrilled to see you.
âHey, Cheeseburger,â you greet with the first genuine smile in a week, your features softening. You bend down to pet him, rubbing behind his ears and he only tries to lick you with more fervour, a happy doggy grin splitting his face. âHave you been good?â
A small bark escapes him, tail wagging so quickly itâs a blur, and your smile grows.
âMiss.â
Your eyes skip ahead, and relief whispers through your chest, an invisible coil loosening when you spot Charon standing ahead of you. As always his posture is bowstring straight, his suit pressed neatly, and eyes watchful over his glasses.
âCharon.â
Youâve missed him. So dearly. Seeing his face is like a much-needed balm against your tattered nerves.
His voice is as low and soothing as always when he offers a cordial, âWelcome back.â
His words might as well be an embrace and your smile wobbles momentarily. There has been a large part of you that was convinced you would never see him or Winston again.
You try not to think about your deal now. About leaving just when you got them back. Right now all that matters is that youâre here.
Still stroking Cheeseburgerâs head, you stand back to your feet, ignoring the twinge of discomfort in your muscles when you do.
âItâs good to be back.â
Charon starts approaching you but a voice cuts in before he can say anything else.
âThe Vipress.â
Your smile slides off your face when a short, bald man with a fixed smile and a wide-eyed stare appears from behind the concierge.
Hectorâs warning springs to mind at once, and your eyes briefly flicker towards Charon whose expression remains impassive. A certain strainâdisdain, evenâcan still be found in his overall bearing, however. Â
Charon is not one to dislike people often, and certainly not openly. Though to most he would no doubt appear as detached and professional as always you can tell the difference. Youâve known him for years after all. Â
âDo we know each other?â you wonder neutrally, your palm ghosting over a concealed blade despite the no-business rule. Not a scowl or even a whisper of a frown shows but your voice slides into something apathetic all the same.
The man dressed in all black wanders closer. His stance is relaxed, expression friendly, but you see the assessing gleam in his eyes, the brittleâalmost meanâedge to his slight grin. It makes you feel like heâs in on some joke youâre missing out on.
Despite being on the shorter side and his near deceptive demeanour, you donât fail to take count of the precise way he movesâa trained, likely deadly individual, and your attention settles on him like a sharpened blade against his throat.
Though your body language doesnât outright change, you know he, too, notes the shift in you in those several seconds that pass between him stopping just a little ahead of you.
Cheeseburger licks your fingersâblissfully ignorant of the uneasy atmosphereâand you drag your fingertips over his head tenderly. Â
âNo,â the man answers shortly, still smiling what he no doubt hopes to be a friendly smile though it hardly is. âBut I know of you. Tokyo still remembers your name.â
Your heart stutters for a single second, feeling the slice of those calm, unassuming words. But you can tell from the way his lips flutter just slightly that he chose his words carefully. A deliberate dig and he examines your reaction closely, so you show him nothing.
The man ventures closer yet again, seemingly encouraged by whatever he sees, and extends his gloved hand your way. âBut where are my manners? I am Zero.â
His hand hangs in the air between you and Charonâs stare settles on you. He doesnât interfere though, or comments.
Not taking his hand would be rude but expected. People know of your aversion to touching strangers. However, it would also put you on a backfoot after his previous dig, and the last thing you want is someone that worries even Hector to smell weakness.
With that in mind, you slot your smaller hand into his, your grips equally as constrictive, âGood to meet you,â you say, your voice bland, dropping his hand after another forced twitch of your lips. âNow if you excuseââ
âI was still in training when you killed Kishi of Tokyo,â he declares loudly, freezing you mid-turn, and your eyes meet Charonâs again before you look back at the newcomer. Youâre not quite sure what to make of his strange stare or fragmented little smile. âWe knew each other. But not much,â he continues, no doubt purposely ignoring your disinterested, borderline hostile stare. âMaybe I should express my gratitude. If it were not for you, I would not be what I am today.â
He even bows his head. Like youâre his comrade. Like youâre one and the same.
Still, you say nothing, and Zero chuckles loudly before it cuts off abruptly. A new gleam glows in his eyes, and it doesnât surprise you when Charon comes to a stop beside you. The concierge cuts for a silent but foreboding figure all the same.
Zeroâs expression twists with amusement upon spotting that silent gesture, and he presses his hand over his chest. âYouâll have to forgive me, Iâm a bitâwhat do they sayâa little starstruck,â he apologizes but it feels more like oil on your skin followed by another gleaming smile. âMeeting the John Wick and the Vipress in a span of a single night. Legend of the old and legend of the new. The shadow that hides the snakeâthatâs what they still say about you two.â
You work hard to not let anything slip. Youâve known about your legacy in Tokyo for some time nowâyour and Johnâs both. You did what no one has done before. Escaped. Survived. John slaughtered his way through Kishiâs men to make sure no one ever followed you back.
It didnât change much in the end. That nightmare of a manâhis phantom, at leastâstill haunts you to this day. It chills the blood in your veins to be standing out here now and be discussing him so openly. Especially with someone who supposedly knew him.
Youâre not sure if youâre strong enough to engage with this conversation. Thereâs only so many ghosts you can handle in such a short span of time.
âI wish to see the manager,â you announce instead, your stare not leaving the assassin before you.
There is a flare of fury at the dismissal but itâs brief, and once it passes, it leaves a man that reminds you of a mannequinâdeflated and lacking life, formless like a ghost.
âSir and Mr Wick are currently meeting in the administrative lounge, Miss,â Charon answers promptly but then adds a deliberate, âThe manager, however, has expressed his desire to see you at once upon your return.â
Even if Winston hadnât, something tells you that Charon would have said that regardless. Like you know him, he knows you. He understands perfectly well how shadows of your past belong there. Rattling them now would be dangerous.
Nodding, you force yourself to keep a polite facade, the assassin receiving a rather forced, âMr Zero.â
Certainly the best he could hope for. Or should. Still, you feel proud of yourself for managing to contain yourself. For not letting him bait you into action because he no doubt was hoping for a reaction, perhaps even a confrontation. That would be easy, expectant.
Zero doesnât look pleased about the outcome of the conversation at all. His easy-going, faux adoring demeanour splintering around the edges. The man before you tries to hold the pieces together but you notice the cracks all the same.
Lowering your chin, you raise your palm towards Cheeseburger, âStay.â
The dog releases a small whine at the order but does as heâs told, sitting back on his hind legs, his ears perked up. That alone almost brings another smile to your face.
Your arm drops back to your side and you offer Charon another look that says a silent keep an eye on him.
Your footsteps echo as you cut through the hallways of the hotel, passing a few faces as you do. Zero doesnât follow and youâre glad for itâfor some reason, a part of you had expected him to.
Throughout your journey, you feel eyes tracking you. No one says anything or moves towards you though. You half expect Lucien to leap at you from every shadowed corner but heâs nowhere to be seen. You want to worry that maybe he truly did leave the hotel and hightailed it for the penthouse but it wonât be logical for him to miss out on this chance.
Lucienâs interestâfixationâwith you has always felt deeply personal. More than a simple job or a hit. It never felt like he took as much interest in Santino as he did in you. Certainly surprising considering that from you two, itâs Santino with the biggest power reserve behind him. Enough to crush the Lovers if he came into his power as he now has. Youâve thought about this once before but maybe then you had things wrong.
Despite you being the bigger physical threat, removing Santino first would have been more logical. It would have isolated you. Left you without support.
Lucien never showed much eagerness in Santinoâs removal aside from making an occasional threat to rile you up from the start.
Why?
Is it truly just conviction that you are alike? An obsessive there can only be one mentality?
With that thought lodged like a splinter inside your mind, you step into the elevator, shoving the partition roughly with a metallic click.
The elevator jolts when you press the appropriate floor button, falling back against the metal wall on your journey.
Everything is so loud itâs somehow quiet. Or maybe youâve just gotten better at ignoring it.
Itâs a short trip and when the elevator halts you pull the metal partition slowly this time, perking your ears for any unusual sounds.
Thereâs nothing.
Youâve never liked the administrative lounge much. Unlike the rest of the hotel thatâs always oozed an old, rustic charm, this space has always felt cold and clinical on the few, rare occasions you visited Winston up here. Frankly, itâs never been the type of place you enjoyed visiting then, and you donât suspect that will change any time soon.
The neon laser lights and glass as far as the eye can see. Visually itâs a masterpiece of architecture but it always made you feel uneasy. Like a rat caught in a crystal maze. Being back here now reminds you eerily of the gallery you had to chase John through, nearly losing everyone dear to you in the process.
Grabbing a blade from a secure sown-in compartment inside your coat, you move up the staircase soundlessly.
It doesnât take long for faint, muffled voices to reach you. Slowing down further, you approach one step at a time. With each step, Winstonâs calm baritone becomes clearer. You stop abruptly when his words start registering properly.
ââbut youâre having doubts?â he calls out, sounding knowing and in control like usual. âBecause you know that she will never forgive you if you do this. Will never let you into her heart again. Sheâs the only thing you still have left to lose,â he goes on, and your eyes widen when you realise who exactly heâs discussing. What the hell is going on? You know heâs talking to John but⊠âThis is all assuming she can find it in herself to forgive you for your actions in regards to one Santino DâAntonio in the first place.â
You canât see them from here. Youâre above them by at least an entire flight of see-through glass stairs. Shifting your weigh, you move closer, holding your breath and sinking lower towards the ground to not alert them of your presence.
âI understand perfectly well, Johnathan, this is nothing personal,â Winston continues and for once you truly find yourself hating how calm he sounds. Youâve never seen the manager caught off guard. Itâs everyone else he outmanoeuvres with expert ease. But personal? Whatâs personal? âIf you feel like you must. Put a bullet through my heart. The High Table has asked me to step down one way or another.â
You almost stumble.
What?
Itâs then that a memory springs forward. Of the tent. Johnâs conflicted expression and his words.
Elder gave you time to say goodbye but you had to make a deal. What if John had to make one too? He mentioned a task; a task he never got time to explain further. Only a vague mention of one.
But he had wanted to, you realise with sinking dread, the moment he saw you, he wanted to.
Johnâs punishmentâhis true punishmentâis sacrificing his oldest friend in a show of fealty to the Table and killing him.
The lukewarm metal between your digits nearly falls to the ground at that realisation. Â
But whyâ
âThe hour?â Johnâs gruff voice speaks at long last.
A distracted hum, then confirmation, âThe hour.â
âYou should have killed me when you had the chance,â John says bluntly. âKilled us both.â
You gnash your teeth together, feeling the grind of bone inside your skull as you slink closer, taking it one stair at a time. Unhurried and precise. Just how John himself taught you.
Distantly, you hear Winston agree followed by muted footsteps against the gleaming floor. Is he moving away from John or towards him?
âIn the years youâve been away, Johnathan, I have come to learn that loyalty is a peculiar thing,â the manager muses, his voice thoughtful, but you hear the deliberateness he puts into each word he speaks. There is an odd quietness to his voice thoughâthe type of youâve only heard a handful of times. âHard to earn, quick to break,â a long pause supersede those words and you come to a standstill as well, straining your ears. âBut not always. It can sometimes be obtained by the most unlikely of individuals during the most unlikely of times.â
Youâre not quite sure what exactly John gleans from those words but he does seem to take away something you miss. âYouâre not stepping down, are you?â
âNo,â Winston states evenly. âI donât think I am.â
âSo itâs war,â John declares, sounding just as bewildered as you feel, and you know itâs a rarity for him to let his emotions slip so easily. But this is⊠âYouâre going to war with the High Table.â
Once you had joked about it. You were left cranky after yet another job for Tarasov, and had come back to the Continental worn after days of dealing with less than hospitable conditions. Winston had listened to your rant like usual.
What if I just killed Tarasov now?
Newspaper and brandy in hand, Winstonâs reply had been unamused, You get killed.
Not if you help me. You and I, I bet we could take the Table on.
It was a joke back then. Nothing more than a throwaway, snarky remark you had made as a way to alleviate some pent up stress. A momentarily reprieve from the helplessness youâve always felt in the face of your circumstances. Itâs one of the few things that has helped you stay sane over the years.
It was long before you met the Elder and learned you could kill Tarasov without consequences once the debt was repaid.
Itâs only now that you realise that Winston never did give you a response to that offhand statement. Joke or otherwise.
Itâs only now that you stupidly realise that the idea of war shouldnât surprise you at all. That perhaps deep in your bones you always knew there was a possibility of one.
Maybe Winstonâs dedication to upholding rules and order always blinded you to the fact that despite that obedience he wasnât afraid of them.
That which terrifies othersâeveryone, even you and Johnâhas never affected the manager in the same manner.
Heâs not afraid of the High Table. Or to move against them if he sees fit.
âIâve made my decision. A long time ago now,â Winston remarks, and you edge closer, catching the first glimpse of him through the crack in the stairwell. âBack when I had to watch Charon carry a dying girl through the very halls of this fine establishment. A girl that you left behind. And now, itâs time for you to choose as well.â
Oh.
Youâve always privately considered Winston and Charon to be your family. One you werenât quite allowed to have but chose for yourself despite how foolishly sentimental it was. A bond that was forged through years of knowing each other. Struggling together. Practically living together.
It never once crossed your mind that it was a feeling returned at least to some degree.
That alone makes you look at the entire conversation youâve just heard in a new light.
âChoose what?â
Winston stands in front of John, his hand extended towards the assassin. In the managerâs weathered handâa fine mockery of a week ago when he first declared you both Excommunicado, and even worse, of the Elder offering you the golden dagger at your sideâsits a pistol.
The older man gives John a shrewd stare, and if you didnât know any better you would say that heâs disappointed John is not catching on quicker.
âOh, but you already know,â he states flatly, moving his hand in a vague motion. âItâs the same choice youâve been struggling for the last five years now. Between who you are and who you wish to be. You kill me, you sell your soul to the Table.â
All you can see is the back of Johnâs head, his crop of black hair standing out like a dark spot against the glossy, blue tint of the lounge.
He thinks about Winstonâs words for a bit.
âBut I also live and remember Helen.â
Once those words might have caused a burn of pain but now all you feel is a nudge of sadness and a joyless sort of understanding. Youâve accepted the fact that there will always be a part of John that will always love Helen.
Youâve just hopedâŠ
âHelen loved you, John. She truly did,â the manager agrees, something just a touch warmer to be heard in his intonation. âAnd you love her. You only came back because she was taken from you. But sheâs also gone and sheâs not coming back. You go ahead with this and you lose V forever, and I know that alone is stopping you.â
There is a scathing sort of finality to the last part and Johnâs slightly lowered head lifts.
âSo I guess my question to you, then, is who do you wish to die as?â Winston asks though it does sound like a fine line between an inquiry of genuine curiosity and an authoritative demand. âBaba Yaga. The living nightmare and the last thing so many have seen. The servant of the High Table. Or as a man who wasâand likely still isâloved by two wonderful women.â
John doesnât move or say anything. That heaviness hangs across his shoulders, burdening him with yet another choice.
The problem is the fact that what you told him back at the desert still applies.
You donât trust his word. Youâve been burned too harshly by recent events to do so.
With that in mind, you drop your guise, walking the remainder of the stairs with deliberate heaviness. Purpose.
Both men turn at the sound of your advancing footsteps. The formerâs expression lightens, a clever gleam catching your eye. John looks weary, almost like heâs readying himself for another battle, another storm that is your raging fury.
You have little appetite for that though.
Too much is going on right now. The Elites could be battling against the Female Lover and the Black Dragonâs men right now. You need to find Lucien and figure out a way to keep him here. Inform the High Table. Find out who started this hunt in the first place. Who knows about Chicago.
âWinston.â
A slight smile ghosts over the managerâs face. âWelcome home.â
It hurts.
Because it feels so good to hear him say that. To feel welcome and missed. Even if you know itâs as much about drawing that line in the sand for Johnâan unspoken You vs Us.
John doesnât fail to take count of the blade in your hand, neither does Winston.
A suspended kind of silence shrouds you three. If John really thinks that you will let himâ
Footsteps.
You all turn in the direction of a tall, graceful figure clad in all black moving briskly down the steps.
The icy blue stare and black, short-cropped hair are all unfamiliar to you.
âMr Wick and Miss Vipress,â the newcomer greets in a cool and collected manner, gripping a pair of leather gloves in one hand. âIt is a pleasure to finally meet you both. Iâm an Adjudicator.â
Shit. Of course they are. It makes sense for one to come and adjudicate the hotel after John shot Santino at practically point-blank range inside these very walls.
The hour.
Winston overstepped his position by offering you that hour. By helping you and John out.
Now heâs paying for it.
When neither you nor John say anything in return, their head slants in Winstonâs direction, unperturbed. âHave you decided to step down?â
You would think theyâre asking if the cookies are ready to come out of the oven. Their voice is as empty as their stare despite the gravity of their question. But the Adjudicators are often cold and distant. Dedicated to upholding the rules of the High Table even more so than the hotel managers are. To expect pity or mercy from one never bodes well. Â
Winston greets that indifference by no less bored, âI donât think I will.â
A quick tilt of their chinâoffended, criticalâand they turn towards John instead. Â
âAnd you?â they demand, a notable sharpening to their tone. âWill you be pulling a bullet in his head?â
You tense at those words, your body instinctively moving in front of the manager. Â
Johnâs ponderous scrutiny falls on you but you donât take your attention away from the Adjudicator. Is what Winston said true? Are you really the only thing John still has left to lose?
Youâre not sure ifâ
âNo,â he says, quiet but resolute. âI donât think I will.â
The High Table representative examines you three with a flicker of disbelief as well as irritation. You canât help but wonder if this is the first time they encountered such blatant dismissal of their authority.
âSo be it.â
They turn on their heels creating at least several meters in distance between you. A phone appears in their hand and they dial, bringing the phone to their ear with an effortless air of superiority.
All you manage to catch from where you stand is the very end of the conversation. âThe Continental Hotel, New York,â an imposing proclamation followed by swift damnation. âDeconsecrated.â
The Adjudicator spins towards them, approaching leisurely as they gave each of you a measured, speculative look.
âThis institution has hereby been deconsecrated,â they state flatly, appraising you all with aloof, disinterested air. Like you have just become less than human in their eyes and nothing more than trash to be taken out. âAs such business may now be conducted on Continental grounds. Since you are refusing to step down,â they continue, their tone icy and pointed glaring digging into Winston, then John, âAnd you are refusing a direct order, your lives are now forfeited.â
Much to your surprise, the Adjudicatorâs bright eyes come to rest on you next. âIt is my advice to you Miss Vipress that you vacate the premises immediately,â they warn but the words lack much care aside from mild impartiality. âThe High Table emissaries will be joining you shortly to see to the removal of your souls from the property,â they add to the two men on either side of you.
The Black Dragon men.
With that, the Adjudicator turns to go but your voice halts them before they take further than a step, âThis hotel is my home,â you profess tightly, something slippery and raw in that string of words. An old ache; a new longing. Ironlike, unshakeable conviction shines the brightest though. âIf you want it, you will have to take it over my cold, dead body.â
Another tilt of chin that makes you think reptile; coldblooded and dispassionate. âThat can be arranged.â
A snarl pulls your lips back. âCan it?â you wonder, your words soft but deliberate. âYou may wish to double-check that.â
The Adjudicator visibly pauses at that, and itâs the first sign of uncertainty you glimpse in their armour. The first time it takes them a moment to settle on their next course of action. Faint sourness lines their dignified features while they study you, considering your words no doubt.
âGood evening to you.â
Your glare is hot enough that youâre surprised the Adjudicator doesnât catch on fire the moment their back is turned to youâand rather bold of them to turn their back on two master assassins after what theyâve just doneâand your fingers itch.
Johnâs fingers snap around your wrist, holding firm and stilling your rising hand. âDonât.â
The red haze lifts and you relax your jaw. Itâs only after he sees your posture loosen that he releases his grip, his fingertips lingering against your inner wrist as if savouring the contact.
On your right, Winston heaves a weary sigh. âThis haven is safe no more.â Â
Your eyes lower and you try to process whatâs just happened.
Continental is the only sanctuary youâve ever knownâthe only one youâve ever neededâand something in your gut churns. Itâs a deadly, potent mix that makes you force a calming breath.
John breaks the silence firstâa rarity, but you suppose this week has been full of those. âAre the services still off-limits to us?â
Winston looks to you first, taking you in, and you wonder what he finds in your no doubt murderous expression and blazing glare. Every muscle coiled tight and ready to spring.
Destruction hums in your blood, screaming for retribution and you want to indulge in it.
They should be terrified of you, the Elderâs voice reminds you.
âConsidering the fact that Vâs Excommunicado was lifted minutes prior and this interesting change in circumstancesâŠâ
He fades off for a moment, giving you both another thoughtful look that tells you heâs fully appreciating who exactly is about to stand in defence of his hotel. âWhat do you need?â
NF3 NC6.
Youâre a statue rooted at Winstonâs side.
The four of youâJohn, you, Winston and Charonâwait for the elevator to grind to a halt, Cheeseburger sitting patiently between you and John. Ever the loyal companion.
âWe have another problem,â you declare with a subdued sigh, dragging your eyes over the metal cubicle youâre trapped in. Even years later the fear of being a trapped animal unable to escape hasnât quite faded from memory.
The manager clicks his tongue in reply, leading you all out of the elevator and towards the massive vault door sitting at the end of a short hallway. Guardsâwhat few cemented their loyalty to the hotel and Winston himselfâdot the length of it, watchful and awaiting their orders.
âSplendid,â the man shoots back dryly. âNot like we have plenty of those already.â
âThe Male Lover is here,â you inform him, ignoring his snark. âHe followed me.â
Winstonâs mouth curves downwards at that. He places his hand on a palm scanner, waiting. âAs expected,â he offers in return, his tone challenging. âYour next move?â
âHe knows something that he shouldnât,â you answer promptly, fiddling with your fingers. John and Charon are silent behind you but you know theyâre also missing a lot of context behind the conflict, especially the former. âAbout Chicago. I intend to find out how and from whom. ThenâŠâ
Well.
Your plan till about ten minutes ago was to capture him and keep him here. Feed him to the High Table. Exact your justice by other means.
Now though...
Itâs war.
The hotel has been stripped of its immunity. People are on the way to kill Winston and John. Charon by default. Even the staff if they get in the way, though the order to evacuate has been sounded already.
If you stand with them you, too, become an enemy.
The choice is simple. Easier than most things in your life have been, and it sits right in your gut.
If the High Table wants the manager standing in front of you, they will have to go through you first. And youâre capable of unleashing a lot of damage before they ever manage to get close enough to touch him.
But this also means that there will be no divine justice at the end. By the decree of the Adjudicator, people can now spill blood freely between these walls. Thereâs nothing stopping Lucien from attacking you anymore. Nor will he miss such an opportunity. Â
A confrontation between you two can only end one way now.
âThen I deal with him,â you finally mutter, your jaw locking with resolute firmness.
An eyebrow quirked, Winston gestures inside, going straight for the drinks cabinet. You head right without prompting, going for a very special compartment safe built into one of the wallâs inside the vault.
Youâve had it installed years ago gradually filling it full with the passage of months and then years.
Not wasting time, your palm settles on the scanner, ignoring the code pad entirely. A beep sounds and a muted green light bathes your skin a second later. A hiss follows and thenâ
âThatâsâŠimpressive.â
Johnâs voice behind you should not surprise youâand it doesnâtâbut it does make you tense. Shrugging, you risk a glance in his direction to see what he makes of your collection. The quiet, impressed way his eyes drag over each shelf betrays both his surprise, and even a shade of wariness.
Vials upon vials all line the massive cabinet of three separate compartments folding outwardsâcustom made just for this. Labels hug each vial neatly, all of them lined up in an orderly fashion based on use and colour. The rest of the cabinet houses some of your rarest and most expensive ingredients. Carefully hidden in the most secure location you can think ofâor it was till about fifteen minutes ago.
âIt took me a while,â you admit though the tension in your tone and body donât ebb away. âA lot of trial and error. And throwing up.â
Youâve been your own best guinea pig over the years, and have suffered a great deal for it. But it has also given you something no one before has been able to achieve: immunity. To most of these dark, dangerous creations of yours.
Your prized collection of at least a hundred vials makes even Baba Yaga pause and consider. See you differently no doubt.
The truth is that the sheer magnitude of the horrors and devastation this collection could unleash is unprecedented. Unrivalled by all with the exception of but one man.
And no one knows it exists apart from the people in this room and Santino. The High Table suspects something of this nature exists, you know that. Hence their insistence on you being unable to remove anything from the hotel after your Excommunicado.
âI should have told you,â John speaks up, his lips parted and tone deep, tired. âAbout my task. I justâŠâ
âKnew that if you told me neither of us would have left that desert?â you guess. âYeah, I kinda figured that.â
You understand his angle. His reason for not saying anything too. Thereâs just one thing thatâs been bothering you since you learned about it.
âDid...did the Elder forbid you from telling me?â
Johnâs expression creases. âNo,â he admits slowly. âBut he reminded me that your forgiveness is rarer than water in the desert, and rage fiercer than the sun.â
You can almost hear that echoed in the Elderâs gentle, accented voice. Staring at the vials, you force some of them out, rolling them in your palm experimentally as you start assembling your weapons swiftly.
The task makes sense. Winston did something he shouldnât have. Punishing him would be expected like it was with you and John. Manager or no, heâs not all-powerful.
But the thought that the Elder still knowingly told John to remove Winston stings. Deeply. He knows full well what the older man means to you.
Realising that you have nothing else to say, John steps away but you hear the reluctance in his steps when he walks away.
But all this can wait. The looming threat is the first order of business. You canât afford any distractions, so this, too, gets shoved behind a wall. Locked tight. You can catch a moment later. Process everything thatâs happened in this last week.
Charonâs lulling voice describes the change in the Black Dragon ranks to Johnâarmour improvements, weapon improvements, more robust training. You listen with half an ear. Theyâve gotten better with years, deadlier. They will not be an easy target but staring at all the vials out in the open fully and at your disposal makes your mouth twist into a cold, cruel smile.
Let them come.
You will make corpses of them all.
With that thought in mind, you arm yourself to the teeth, locking a belt around the curve of your hips. Blades slot easily against your body, vials of poison and canisters of gas following. Next, come pistols with spare clips and enough bullets to take down a small army. Fitting, considering thatâs most likely what you are likely to face. You thoroughly check each pistol, removing the magazines, and making sure safety is on all of them. Double-checking thereâs no jamming, either.
Once youâre comfortably armed you pull out two small needles, filling both with a small dosage of different colour solutions. You prepare more but focus on the two first. Â
Charon and John are still getting prepped, arming themselves just as intently while Winston sits calmly on a luxurious leather sofa observing them. Cheeseburger lays beside him on the sofa, his ears slightly perked as he watches everyone in the room.
Charon is closer so you hand him the needle wordlessly, knowing that heâs more than aware of what it is. Moving closer to John, you note the concentration with which he adds each spare magazine into his own utility belt, a deep pinch between his brows. This lethal focus means that youâre about to lose the John you know. Once Baba Yaga arrives there will be nothing but destruction left behind.
Something in your chest is ready to do the same. You almost crave it. Like everything has been building too quickly and now you feel at a breaking point ready to unleash.
Moving swiftly, you stab a needle into Johnâs neck, feeling him jerk and snap his fingers around your arm just like he did earlier. His grip is harsher, his fighter instincts kicking in. This time heâs not trying to stop you from attacking anyone but himself.
Rising an unimpressed eyebrow, you remove the needle from his neck, and John sways, scowling in your direction.
âOw. What was that?â he demands quietly, no doubt recalling the last time he had a run-in with your creations.
âA little concoction that will, hopefully, give you immunity from most things in my arsenal temporarily,â you tell him calmly, near monotonous. âUnless you prefer dissolving into an immobile puddle the moment my paralyser comes out?â
Johnâs brows hitch, his eyes narrowing marginally, and his chin slants. âYou enjoyed that,â he states dryly.
Blinking, you feel your lips quirk in an infinitesimal smile, blinking innocently up at him. âNo idea what youâre talking about,â you demure pleasantly. John stares at you blankly and your small smile quivers, widening. âOkay, fine. I totally enjoyed that.â
A tiny quirk of his own mouth follows and it feels strangely nostalgic, near bittersweet, because itâs like years ago again. Just you two getting ready for yet another job together, you teasing him or firing questions at him. Heâs always been patient with you. It was a kindness you never once took for granted. You were so alone, so lost, and heâd been the only harbour you had.
Despite his flaws, despite his mistakes, in many ways, John will always be that. Itâs the one thing you never see changing.
You still miss that ease you once shared. Sometimes remnants of it appear, like now, and it just makes it harder.
But reminiscing now is a fool's errand.
Instead, you reach for another blade mounted on the wall behind him and bend your knee, slotting it against the special opening in your boot. He doesnât take his gaze away from you as you do that, and you straighten, waiting to see if he will say anything else. He doesnât. That almost makes you smile again. Typical.
Nodding at him, you look towards Charon instead, pulling out several vials, âFor the guards,â you state seriously, your ease evaporating, and he takes them without a word. âMake sure they inject themselves at least five minutes before heading out just in case. Itâs going to be a nasty toxic cocktail one way or another. You already know what to do.â
A firm nod. âCertainly, Miss.â
Satisfied, you walk past them heading towards the manager who watches you curiously as you approach. Cheeseburger raises his head at once, his tail wagging at your proximity. Your fingers brush over his head, petting him, and you hold another vial for Winston to take.
Nothing to do with protection and everything to do with arming him. Which, you suppose, is its own type of protection.
He stares at you blankly, a glass of what you only assume is brandy gripped securely in his hand.
âOh, I sincerely hope youâre joking.â
He sounds completely incredulous and you roll your eyes.
âPrecautions,â you shoot back, twisting the poison vial between your fingers and holding the entire length of it out to him. âYour wisdom, remember?â
âAnd you think that if they somehow manage to get through you, Jonathan, Charon and the guard, as well as at least two tons of metal, that will stop them?â
âNo,â you answer honestly. âBut it will make me feel better if you have it.â
Winston heaves a sigh, shaking his head but takes the vial all the same, leaning back in his seat. A single eyebrow lifts as if to say satisfied? and you fight back a groan. Why can no one in your life make things easy for you? Just once?
You part your lips, a playful remark on your tongue, only for distinct thudding to sound from above. Itâs faint, barely audible, but you all freeze at the sound of it.
Your eyes drag towards the ceiling, just as Winstonâs voice sounds, âCharon, would you be so kind as to welcome our new guests?â
The concierge strolls briskly towards the fuse control box, pushing one of the levers down with a deafening click.
Upstairs, you know the hotel has been plunged into darkness before emergency lights come into operation.
âLet's go.â
You reach for the last few things you can get your hands on, your focus narrowing down to tunnel vision.
âYou will do the Continental proud,â Winston states, sounding so sure you canât help but lift your head in his direction from your last minute prep. âBoth of you.â
Your heart jolts painfully but you nod in acknowledgement all the same. Charon returns the gesture as well.
âAnd Johnathan?â
The assassin halts at his name, looking towards the manager in an unspoken question. âDo what you do best. Hunt.â
The four of you share a long, leaden moment before John moves first, followed by you. The vault door whirls close behind you, securing Winston and Cheeseburger inside, but you refuse to look back.
You will see them both soon.
Splitting at the mouth of the hallway, you watch Charon lead the guards down a different path while you and John take the elevator. Divide and attack on two fronts. John will be their main target first, then you.
The man beside you is as still as death, his body relaxed but senses alert. John doesnât fidget, hardly blinks, everything about him is steady and tranquil. Just standing near him feels electric.
âJust like old times.â
His faint words startle you. A large machine gun in his hands, the black suit, an unforgiving stareâhe looks near godly, as always, and you blink in his direction. Your tongue drags over your lower lip, pensive, and when you glance back at him you see Johnâs eyes jump up from your mouth.
âJust like old times,â you agree softly.
Youâre not sure what he sees when he looks at you. You would like to think he sees someone who exceeded his expectations for you all those years ago. Strong and unyielding.
You hope he sees an equal.
The lounge is painted with sickly green when the elevator crawls to a stop, and you both move like an extension of one another. Falling into a routine is easy because itâs instinct. The lounge is submerged in smoke, obscuring your vision so you both move silently through it, gauging the situation.
Raising your hand, you feel John slow beside you, his gun raised, covering you. Your eyes journey over the lounge, spotting blurry figures creeping through the space, trying to discover you no doubt. The black uniforms make anger simmer in your gut, gnawing on your self-control.
A hiss joins the fray of noise as you lightly roll your own gas canisters across the marble floor, your paralyser joining the smoke seamlessly.
You should really thank them. They just made this easier.
Now itâs just a matter ofâ
A gunshot booms behind you and you pivot on your knees, watching John tackle two men who have taken a route from behind, hidden from sight by large stone pillars.
Each man takes several bullets to take down and you frown at that. Through the darkness, you spot the heavy armourâheavier than youâve seen them wearâas well as goddamn gas helmets on their heads.
Rising, you jog towards the bodies. John throws himself at the other approaching men and you yank on the helmet on the dead soldierâs head. It slips off relatively easily and you curse under your breath when you note what filters have been installed at the base of it.
Theyâre significantly better than the last time you faced off against them. This paralyser will be nothing more than an irritant at this rate.
Theyâve come more than prepared.
Theyâve come ready to skin the snake and hang her by that skin. Â
Snarling, you hurl the helmet at another uniformed figure that rounds the column, his rifle raised, watching it crash against his head.
Two shots follow from your Glock but the man only stumbles back, and you leap at him, slotting the nozzle under his collar before firing again. A bullet slices clean through his neck, finally killing him. You slide a blade in your other hand, spinning it once. Scanning your surroundings, you take the other side so you and John work back to back even at the distance.
Gunshots explode ahead and you know that Charon has joined in the fray as well. Â
Your displeasure morphs into anger and then outright fury with each dead body. It doesnât take you long to realise that your weapons are too weak to handle this onslaught. The calibre too low. The helmets make the paralyser nothing more than a tickle down their throats and an ache in their eyes.
While that slows them somewhat, their armour is too good for a simple pistol fire. No matter how many bullets you may have at your disposal.
Slamming a knee into one manâs gut, you yank his body to one side. His body soaks up bullets his friends try to shoot at you and you pull back. A blade buries deep in his neck, you jerk the deadman again, feeling a splatter of hot liquid on your face when the blade cuts deeper into his skin.
Duck, yank, slice.
You tear through the throng of incoming soldiers but youâre slowed by the fact that each person takes too much effort to kill unless you get up close and personal. That in itself is tempting faith.
One bullet, one falter, thatâs all it would take. Â
A man charges at you when his gun clicks empty, and you block his punch, pistol-whipping him across the head. The contact rattles through your bones and you bare your teeth.
A slice so quick he doesnât even register it follows before his throat opens.
Nothing but a wet gurgle slips free and gravity does the rest.
Another follows after that, and another and another. Itâs chaos and darkness. The floor is slippery with blood but you push ahead your expression contorted with pure wrath.
They want to kill you, do they? Â
Rules have drowned you for years now.
But right nowâright this secondâyouâre still free of your chain.
And they have no idea what you can do.
Let me give you something to be afraid of.
With that thought racing through your mind, you turn and dash towards the elevator, slamming your hand against the button. It takes longâtoo longâbut you know it will be worth it. Throwing yourself inside, you press the basement button over and over again, practically beating it.
The ride down seems to last an eternity as well.
You prowl inside the cubicle like a wild animal ready to spring free. So much so that the partition nearly breaks with the amount of strength you use to yank it backwards with.
âWinston!â you shout from the top of your lungs, slamming your palm repeatedly against the vault. âLet me in!â
Thereâs a reverberating click only moments later but you donât wait for the hefty metal to open fully before you push inside, breathing harshly as you do.
Winston blinks slowly at the sight of you. âV?â
There is a question and a sharpness to his regard, and the wariness with which he takes you in should probably worry you. But you donât answer him. Instead, you head straight for the cabinet. Your pulse pounding and a clamour inside your head leaving you partially deaf. To a point, both Johnâs and Charonâs returned presence back inside the vault scarcely registers.
A red haze clings to everything around you.
âV.â
Your knuckles are starting to swell again but after this, it wonât matterâ
âV.â
âWhat do you want?â you hiss, each syllable acidic to a point it catches John off guard.
He mutely offers you a shotgun and something at the back of your brain recollects mentions of âarmour piercing shellsâ but you shake your head.
âThereâs still some left alive at the back, and theyâre regrouping,â you say instead, trying to quell your temper. âI have something else for the second wave.â
He reads between the lines of your plan.
âIâm not leaving you alone to face them.â
Your head snaps in his direction, and you hold out a vialâsmaller than others, rounder, filled with liquid that seems to be caught in a perpetual state of half-brown and half-redâin front of his face.
âThis,â you begin tightly, your vocal cords straining from how hard youâre working to hold yourself back. âIs something that will kill them helmet or not. They should know better than to think that some cheap plastic will save them from me.â
You pull out two canisters of gas, shaking both as you look towards the air system. âAir filtering still on?â
âMinimal,â Winston returns, his voice dull, stare watchful. âDonât let it consume you,â he reminds quietly after a pause.
Your grip momentarily falters at those words but thatâs the only reaction he receives.
âThen Iâll do it the hard way.â
John intercepts you before you can take so much as a step, his minute unease now gone. âWhy didnât we open with that?â
Youâre not sure why the hell heâs stalling now to ask you questions but you answer him despite that. âThis is a diluted version of something I created a long time ago,â you tell them. âIt wasnât created to be used as a vapour. This is also the only vial I have, and it will take at least a month to create more. I was saving this for the eleventh hour because no matter how many are out there, theyâre about all about to experience a quick but very painful death.â
Youâre not quite sure what to make of what you glimpse across his features. Some turbulent mix of emotions he doesnât seem to wish and explain. Day by day he learns the full extent of how youâre no longer that girl that walked away from him with tears streaming down her face.
This is what you are now. What you had to become.
You wait for a reaction, judgement, but John only steps aside, his voice a low rasp, âBe careful.â
You soften somewhat at the muted worry you hear in his voice. âYou too,â you say with a sigh. âGo ahead. Iâm grabbing one more canister of gas just in case. Donât go anywhere near the lounge for the next ten minutes at least.â
Both men indicate their understanding, not bothering to question you further. And there is comfort in that, in their easy understanding and trust. They both can more than handle themselves but a distinct worry still gnaws on your entrails as you watch them leave. Lack of presence from the other guards no doubt means theyâre all dead already.
So that leaves only you three.
Three vs a small army of highly trained fighters.
But not for long.
âV.â
âA little busy, Winston,â you stress while rummaging through different compartments. âCan it wait?â
Silence greets your words. Then, âIf I asked for your trust. Your complete trust,â he begins purposely, his voice deceptively serene. âWould you give it to me?â
Your hands still and you stare blankly at your collection for a beat.
Straightening unhurriedly, you try to digest his words, and tilt your head in the managerâs direction.
Itâs only when you note his expression that you realise something is very, very wrong.
The lobby is a graveyard.
Both literal and figurative.
Bodies lay in heaps across the usually gleaming flooring, and you wait patiently while leaning against one of many marble columns.
Waiting youâve gotten rather good at.
The poison sits in your hands, warmed by your palms, but still brimming that ugly dark shade despite now being transformed into a vapour. Youâve recreated two versions of The Drowning and havenât used either since Chicago. That thought makes you glare at the ceiling above because the recollection of Rafael and Boutin still wounds.
The grandeur of the Continental never fails to impress you though. Not even years later. There is always something new to discover and admire. Â
Youâve been waiting for at least five minutes now so when a creak sounds you donât move at first. Muffled footsteps echo across the eerily quiet lobby, moving towards you.
But not from the direction of the entrance.
The louder the steps become the more obvious a secondary sound becomes as well.
Whistling.
Faint but melodic.
The familiarity of the tune causes you to stands straighter, focus on the melody.
Mr Sandman drifts through the air as a peculiar sort of goad; purposeful and sly.
âOh, snakey,â a voice coos playfully, pausing the tune for a moment. âI know youâre hiding somewhere out here.â
Lucien.
Of course.
Youâve been expecting him to show up sooner rather than later. Itâs good to know that you were right about him though. He wasnât going to let you slip by him again. This time, you donât want to, either. This time, youâre going to finish this.
You contemplate throwing the poison in his face but the High Table would not give up so easily. John and Charon might be cleaning up the remainder of the first wave one shotgun shell at the time but a second wave is guaranteed and soon. Logically they would want to try and overwhelm you. Theyâre hoping to wear you out.
âCome out, come out wherever you are,â Lucien calls out in a sing-song drawl, his footsteps slowing to a point they fade entirely. âDonât make me find you. Youâre not going to enjoy that scenario.â
âWho says Iâm hiding?â
You round the column, finding his thin, solitary figure in the middle of the lobby immediately. The dark green light seems to only emphasize his gaunt frame and you take a step closer, then another.
How clever of him to wait until your paralyser is fully dispelled from the air before he came seeking you out. Â
His head lowers, deepening the shadows under his eyes. âDid your guard dogs run away?â he wonders mockingly, his voice carrying. âGood, they were getting in the way.â
âOf what?â
âOur dance, of course,â he retorts, a shade angry like you should know better. âOne last dance and the truth. Oh, if only you knew but you donât. No point in secrets now though.â
You scoff, both of you watching each other as you draw nearer. âYou like hearing yourself talk, donât you, Lucien?â
The blonde assassin bares his teeth at the sound of his nameâdangerous and macabre, dripping with heinous amusementâand he gazes at you for a moment. Something flickers over his shoulderâ
âNot at all actually,â he states overly calm. âBut youâre not the only one to have your life stolen. Maybe itâs about time you realised that,â he divulges, his voice softening into something as hateful as it is eager. Like whatever he thought he knew, he couldnât wait to impart on you. âIâll be waiting for you, viper.â
You aim the poison at his head, hurling it through the air with every fibre of your strength.
Lucien ducks, sliding across the floor at near blinding speed, and disappearing behind the armchairs and from your sight.
Itâs at that moment that the Black Dragonâs men burst through the lobby door, their guns raised.
Following his example, you dash behind the column, an explosion of bullets following a split second later.
Rubble splinters under the abuse and you turn, avoiding the crumbling stone.
One, two, threeâŠ
This time your poison doesnât escape in an unassuming tickle of vapour. No, this time itâs an impact of a small explosive going off, and itâs a matter of one, two, three before muffled screams and groans replace the gunfire.
Arching your back against the ruined stone, you allow your head to tip back, watching the ceiling thoughtfully. You wait till gunfire completely cuts out before moving. Then, you stride from behind the column studying the effects with a mix of cold detachment.
Your own nose and lungs ache uncomfortablyâjust a show of how potent the formula really isâbut you donât take your attention away from the dying soldiers. Theyâre more of a heap at this point, their gas masks that they no doubt were so sure would keep them safe now virtually useless.
Itâs a quick but brutal affair.
Wet sounds and sobs of pain. Then, like dominoes falling, the men still one by one.
They might be only obeying orders, but they came to kill the only family you have and take your home, and you find yourself feeling little to no pity for them.
The haze is gone now, leaving the lobby even more chillingly silent than earlier.
Lucien is nowhere in sight.
You would have preferred if the poison got him but didnât hold out much hope that it would. Heâs too good and far too fast.
Iâll be waiting for you.
He will grow to regret those words.
Stepping over the bodies, you approach the spot you saw the blonde last, heading in the direction of the only corridor he could have gone down.
Glock aimed ahead, your movements are utterly silent, deadly. No matter how deep into the hotel you head, he seems to be nowhere in sight, however. This time, clearly, he wants you to look for him.
Corridor by corridor you find nothing. Then floor by floor. You know this hotel far better than Lucien does. If he really assumes he can hide from you here heâs sorely mistaken.
Gunfire rips through the air and you pause, tightening your grip on the pistol. Little by little, you decrease the distance just as a hush falls up ahead.
Johnâs dark hair is what you glimpse first and instinctively relax seeing that itâs him.
âJohn.â
The man turns towards the call of his name, and you squint at him, approaching cautiously. âWhy are you wet?â
John breaths are laboured, rattling from his lungs in shallow pants, making his chest expand with each inhale. âZeroâs men.â
âThe Male Lover found me too,â you tell him and you both fall into step. âMissed out on the poison party, unfortunately.â
The man at your side glances you over onceâa completely wordless but attentive examinationâand you huff a small breath, amused.
âIâm fine.â
Youâve forgotten how much of a mother hen he could be without saying a single word.
At least youâre a little calmer now after your previous display of explosive fury.
He seems to accept your words, and you both step into the elevator for what feels like the hundredth time in a span of only several hours.
You know what logic John is following though. Both Lucien and Zero have likely hidden up on the higher levels for two reasons.
More places to hide.
And theyâre less likely to encounter any poison on the higher floors.
Leaning your shoulder heavily against the cool metal, you peer at the man only armâs length away. Baba Yaga stands with his shoulders slumped and expression enervated. Yet heâs standing despite that. His gaze still burns with a fierce sort of determination. Â
That might have been one of the first things youâve fallen in love withâthat determination and will. Followed by his often unspoken kindness.
What wonât you give for things to be different.
Going up the floors proves to be the right of course action the moment the elevator stops.
John throws himself against one side of the metal cubicle, and you do the same when a bullet whistles through the partition, piercing the metal where Johnâs head just was.
Pushing your hand out, you fire blindly, hearing shuffling in response, and use the distraction to peek your head over the edge. John does the exact same thing and you both fire simultaneously, hitting two men. John in the head. You in the chest. Neither moves.
Shoulders hunched and tense, you move in unison, and you conclude instantaneously that this is clearly a trap to draw you in deeper. Laying a path for you to follow until the trap springs shut.
Eyeing each other, you both move ahead despite that shared conclusion.
It doesnât matter much now. You may only have the single magazine, and one vial of paralyser left on you after butchering your way through an entire hoard of soldiers, but it wonât matter.
There is a nagging thought at the back of your mind that you should ask about Charon but now isnât the time for that, either. The concierge is likely back with Winston by now. Â
There is a ruthless strategy to how you remove Zeroâs men. One by one, shoulder to shoulder, and know that these men are afraid. That they know deep in their heart of hearts that they wonât survive the fight before it even begins but they still try. Theyâre strong and fast. A legacy of hard training and cruel discipline no doubt. But John is stronger and you are faster.
In many ways, they remind you of those soldiers from years ago who ambushed you in that freezing Tokyo alleyway.
Your bullets run out by the time you return to the administrative lounge. All you have on you now are two blades, paralyser, and Elderâs dagger, tucked away and out of sight. Both blades have been christened with blood two floors ago, and John is down to his bare hands.
It would put most at a disadvantage but not him. If anything, his ruthlessness only seems to grow.
But something is different this time.
Three main differences, really.
First, a jovial whistle of Mr Sandman floating through the air.
Second, three dead men that you recognise as Zeroâs and finallyâŠ
Lucien leans again a glass case housing an old relic, his hands covered in blood and the tip of his blade scratching at his nail. Thereâs at least a few dozen of these glass cases littering the room, an old passion of Winstonâs, and quite the point of pride for him. Some artifacts locked away here are worth a lot of money. Frowning deeply, you stall, drilling holes into his figure.
Lucien knows youâre here but doesnât acknowledge you right away. He continues humming, seemingly set on finishing the tune before his head dips lazily in your direction.
âRun along, Mr Wick,â he says bluntly, his face splattered with blood. âThis is between me and the viper.â
The man beside you makes a small sound at the back of his throat, near disbelieving, but you cut him off before he can speak, still staring at Lucien, âGo, John,â you say calmly. âHeâs right. We have unfinished business, as do you.â
Johnâs stare burns into the side of your head but you donât explain further than that. This is not his fight. Youâre no longer in need of his shadow and in need of his protection.
Still, he doesnât move right away, and you hear him audibly inhale as if he needs to say something but canât force the words out.
Youâre about to repeat yourself but he finally steps to the side, taking a path around Lucien and the dead guards. His gait is slow. Heâs practically staggering because you can sense his reluctance but the fact that he listens does make you feel a tinge of satisfaction.
A part of you wants to look towards him as he disappears down the hall but you donât. Â
Lucien peers at you with a strange little smile on his face all the while, waiting till Johnâs footsteps fully retreat until his limbs shift. Heâs still smiling faintly but youâre in no urge to finish this, so youâre fine with letting him play his games, waiting and watching.
âHad your fun?â you wonder, bored, gesturing towards the dead men at his feet.
Lucien cranes his neck, pushing away from the glass with a swiftness that makes you tense. He chuckles at your reaction, stepping over them like theyâre nothing more than dirt under his boot.
âOh, that was just a little warm-up,â he says brightly that faint, unsettling smile still lingering, and you canât help but wonder what his deal is. He seems awfully cheery. It makes for a strange contrast to your last few run-ins. And his previous words, implying his own looming demise. âYou kept me waiting. Donât tell me youâre getting slow.â
Smiling, you too move in his direction, limbs relaxed, a peaceful hush over your body. âAre you hoping to talk me to death?â
âNow, now,â he mutters icily. âNo need to be quite so rude. I just want a dance.â
Your smile splits into something bleaker, more cold-blooded, and you circle each other. Pale blue light dances across Lucienâs sharp features. A snap of jaws, a growlâthere is something animalistic about the wordless exchange between you. Something brittle, a string being yanked upon repeatedly until one of you finally gives in.
Lucien leaps first.
Your knives are short, certainly not created for duelling but the clank of metal pierces the air as you both meet in the middle. Your exhausted muscles snap, tensing, coiling.
He swipes his elbow in your direction but you duck just in time, a whistle of wind tickling your temple.
Arms twisting, you both ignore the screech of metal, you punching him in the jaw while he gets you in the ribs. Gasping, you stagger back, ignoring the numbing pain. Time has dulled the memory of how hard he manages to hit if the hits land.
Lucien springs towards you again, his face contorted, lips stretched back. This time your arms are tucked at your sides and you greet his attack. Your knees knock but you manage to push him back. A swipe of your blade is your reply but he careens out of the way and you kick at him instead. He catches your knee, staggering back from the impact, and he grins at you wildly. A slight cut against the corner of his mouth bubbles up, spilling blood over his front teeth. It paints the white bone canvas with diluted scarlet.
âYou didnât answer my question earlier,â he says conversationally, and you try to sink your knife into his chest but he shoves you back. You stumble but stay upright, exhaling shakily at the pain across your ribs. âIf he missed you.â
Ignoring him, you roll the blades between your fingers, drooping lower as you unleash one quick swipe after another.
Lucien lurches backwards, his expression tightening in concentration. He manages to stay out of the way, just barely. So you push him backwards till youâre back by the bodies, and the man drops to the floor so suddenly youâre left staring at empty air until your mind catches up.
He rolls across the floor, a blur of his golden hair and dark clothes the only visible thing, and you realise a second too late as to why.
A blade lays by one of the dead men covered in blood as well. You have no idea how he managed to take down three men with a minimum of two katanas at their disposal. But thereâs no time to contemplate that because this time youâre the one throwing yourself backwards.
Lucien swipes the katana in a deadly arc.
His hair mused, face bloodied and a grin on his face, he gazes at you for a second. Your grip on your blades constricts.
âI wondered for years what was so special about you,â he reveals mildly, tipping his chin upwards, pulling the blade closer towards his body as he stands. âI fucking hated you, viper. Viper. I suppose thatâs one of many titles for you, isnât it? John Wickâs protege, the Vipress, the Italianâs whore, the Russianâs Viper, Lady Camorra. Honestly doesnât your headâŠhurt from it all? Or does it add to your ego?â Â
He spins the katana in the air, rolling his wristâexperienced and at ease, the blade like an extension of his arm. Your senses pinprick at that assessment, knowing he just made this much harder for you.
âDid the way he used to call you his desert viper make you feel powerful?â he wonders suddenly, tracing his index finger up the curve of the metal. âGave you a sense of importance? It must have felt thrilling to be such an exception to the most powerful man in the world.â
Something inside your chest stills.
Lucien drags his eyes in your direction, watching you closely over the edge of the blade.
âMy, you really do have no idea, do you?â he continues slyly, his expression slackening with amusement; malicious, wild kind that causes you to bristle. âNone. Your life is, ah, what is the expression again? A hot mess, non? Oh, snakey, I thought you could be the one to teach me a lesson I failed to learn all those years ago, but your ignorance is truly disappointing.â
He cuts the air with the blade, lowering it back to his side, and you bite out a chilly, âWhat the hell are you talking about?â
He tuts, wagging his index finger in your direction, his grin fluttering like heâs trying to contain a laugh bubbling inside his chest.
âI kept telling you but you just donât listen, do you?â he wonders with a click of his tongue. âI told you we were the same. Forged by the same violence. Alike in ways you failed to understand. Now, why do you think I would say that?â
You donât respond, instead, you push yourself backwards, launching your full mass at him. Lucien greets you with a chuckleâa cold, hollow sound, teetering on manic just like the rest of himâhis katana managing to absorb the impact of your shorter dual blades. Â
âTokyo, Chicago, Prague, the Albanians, the summit, usâdid you really think it was all, what exactly, one funny coincidence?â he asks jovially, and a distinct chill sinks into your bones at his words, forcing you to pull yourself backwards, and dive for the other blade on the ground.
He lets you. Doesnât bother trying to stop you, and you grip the handle in a knuckle tight grip, creating some distance between you once more. Again, he lets you, examining you with a dark but curious light gleaming in his eyes. Like youâre a lab rat heâs conducting a study on. His question rattles through your head and you squint at him. Â
âYou never even questioned it, did you?â he continues, his voice airy with disbelief, a joke that seems to entertain him endlessly. Heâs lost interest in the fight between you for a moment, prowling across the gleaming floor but in no hurry to attack. This, clearly is more important to him. âThe water, the tunnels, the darkness. A repeating pattern. All carefully put together to test you. Over and over and over again. And you exceeded his every expectation. Every challenge thrown at you, you triumphed. And even if you did wonder at the back of your mind, you never once were made to believe that someone else was pulling the strings all along. Think, snake. Think.â
Youâre not sure if youâre still breathing.
WhatâŠ
NoâŠ
No, it doesnâtâŠ
Itâs not possible. ItâŠcanâtâŠ
Your head is empty and you gasp for breath but your lungs feel blocked, your throat locked.
Lucien attacks in a blur.
You just barely manage to muster up the speed to block him, a piercing screech of metal against metal. Your arms buckle under his strength and he kicks you, catching you in the gut. One, twoâ
A muffled curse slips free, everything spinning, and he grabs the spare blade in your hand, throwing it away.
Parrying for control, you attempt a punch at his head but itâs too slow and sloppy. He catches your fist, bending your arm at a sharp angle. You relax it as per your old training to avoid broken tendons or bones. The katana slips from your hand and you growl under your breath, your free hand managing to form a fist.
A punch to his gut hits him quicker than a snake bite. Brutally efficient, impacting the exact same spot you gutted him only weeks prior.
Lucien grunts. Swears. His teeth gleam, still tinged by blood and you feel his hot breath on your face. Death and decay andâ
Youâre too misbalanced that you donât notice it fast enough.
Lucien kicks you in the stomach with enough strength to send you flying.
A second of weightlessness enfolds you and then comes the crash.
Glass shatters upon contact and you muffle a cry of pain, feeling glass explode and rain down around you. Hitting the floor with a deafening thud, you stay there for a while, everything ringing and blurred around you.
A feeble moan escapes you, pained and strangled.
You attempt to shake your head, your fingers twitching against the glass covered floor.
âTokyo was just the beginning,â Lucienâs muffled voice sounds like youâre underwater and you groan, weakly tilting your head to spot his approaching legs. Glass crunches under his boots and you try to desperately block out his words. âHeâs always been on the lookout for new members to join his inner circle. Best of the best. And heâs always paid close attention to poisoners like you. Tokyo was just a nudge to see what you were made of. But you didnât break and it escalated too far. Do you know what the Elder did after you escaped? Why you never heard from Kishiâs little group again? It wasnât because of Wick. It was because the Elder had the entire clan killed. Just that easily. Because they disobeyed him.â
âNo, noâŠâ
It canât be true.
It canât.
He has to be lying. It doesnât make any senseâŠ
ExceptâŠit does.
âDid you never ask yourself why Tarasov didnât simply turn you into another whore or sell you?â he demands harshly. âLater, I imagine, it was a certain degree of fear of you. But initially, it was because of the Elderâs will. Even if all Viggo Tarasov knew back then was that the Table willed it so.â
You focus on your core, trying to get yourself to move but Lucien speeds up his approach, kicking you in the stomach.
Pain blinds you and you roll across the floor. Your forehead connects with the glass, your left eyebrow splitting on impact. You donât realise it at firstânot till numbness is replaced by a sensation of something wet trailing down your face.
Droplets of fresh blood hit the crushed glass beneath you, and you crawl ahead with a pained gasp.
âNextâand my personal favouriteâChicago,â Lucien narrates loudly, his voice echoing through the large space. You hear him behind you but utter shock wins out, locking your limbs, leaving you a frail mess on the ground for him to prey upon. A part of you wants to roar, another wants to cry. Your training battles against the yawning abyss you keep slipping down with each horrifying word. âWho do you think fed the father-son wonder duo their information? Why do you think you were taken to an underground facility that was spitting image of Tokyo? Why not just kill you and DâAntonio outright? Boutin thought he was getting a special task but the truth was that he had long since outlived his use. The Elder fed both Boutin and his son to you to see what you would do. Black Dragon and DâAntonio were just pawns to hide the real test.â
The highway. The way they just kept attacking but not trying to kill you. It was to see how long you will last.
You want to be sick, a dry heave bubbling past your lips, every word crushing you harder, harder, harderâ
âAnd, once again, you did perfectly but not without a loose end,â he sneers, venturing closer, step by step, as is savouring your reaction. âHe also knew that the fear of being found out will make you more compliant. Wasnât it peculiar that he summoned you right after you returned to New York? Itâs almost like heâŠknew. Well, he did. He always has.â
Biting your tongue, you try to push yourself up on your elbows.
Ignore him, donât listen, donâtâ
âPrague. Again. Poison that made you struggle,â he reveals, his voice pitching towards impatience now. âThe syndicate that took your Italian had no prior conflicts with Camorra and for a reason. Another test and punishment. More pieces for you to remove.â
Santino was taken for no reason. Right after your return from the desert. Cognitionis had no former alterations with Camorra up until that point. They were far too small to ever risk the wrath of a powerhouse like Camorra. They hadnât even made demands which struck you as so odd back then but you had chalked it up to them wanting to prove a point.
A poison the heir was poisoned with was sophisticated and took some time to reverse-engineer. So long, in fact, that Santino nearly died. Â
âAlbanians. Same thing,â Lucien voices harshly, punctuating every word. Heâs gotten so close that when the second kick comes the pain is distant, muted. Because what heâs betraying is so, so much worse. âIt wasnât Camorra that started the conflict. It was made to seem that way. Tarasov was cautioned to keep a close eye on you. To a point he forbade you from helping Camorra, right? And what did you do after that, snakey?â he demands, bending down and yanking you upwards by the back of your neck.
He pulls you towards him and more blood trails down your face. Lucienâs narrowed eyes search for something in your expression, and he smiles faintly when he spots it. âThatâs right. Itâs all starting to click, isnât it?â
Tarasov forbade you from helping Camorra, from helping Santino. It was the first time you ever talked back to him. First time you ever conjured up enough courage to do so.
And then, furious and upset, you ran. Straight to Casablanca. And nearly back to the man who always expectedâknew, he fucking knew, planned for itâfor you to come back to him.
Itâs what he wanted from the start and it would have been your choice.
No forced loyalty.
You will always lose, and it will always lead you back to me.
Oh God.
If Santino had come just half a day later you wonât even be here right now. You would be with him, at his side, and none the wiser to this truth.
The terrible, dark truth of what loneliness can do to someone.
âI even told you it was him,â the man holding you whispers, his head dipping to one side when he drags his fingers over your face, wetting them with your blood. âYou just donât remember, do you?â
His disappointment is once again palpable. Â
Except while youâre staring at the cutting lines of his face, a recollection does come.
The warehouse. You tied to a chair. A needle stuck in your neck as Lucien leaned his body over you. The scathing bewilderment at the fact that he has managed to find something powerful enough to knock you out for hours. Those thin, pink lips shaping words while whatever he injected you with coursed through your veins, and a name you didnât catch.
The Elder sends his regards.
Lucienâs fingers sink deep into the skin of your neck, his expression clouding with rage the longer he gazes at you.
âYou were his favourite,â he seethes bitterly, ripping you upwards and on your knees so quickly youâre left scrambling. Your legs drag across the glass shards and your hands lock shakily around his, trying to rip out of his grip. âNo one after you was good enough! We trained until our bones broke. We could bleed ourselves dry, and it still wasnât enough!â
ShĂłdigan.
Thatâs why he asked if you knew about it.
You thought you did butâ
He flings you ahead and your body slides across the gleaming flooring, leaving a trail of blood behind. Lucien follows, stalking closer, and squats beside you, this time yanking you upwards by the collar of your shirt. âHe adored you,â he adds with a hiss, his fury scalding your skin; an old, festering resentment. âAnd now youâre paying the price for that adoration.â
He exhales with great difficulty, taking several moments to reign in his temper.
Now, you understand his obsession with you perfectly.
He is like you.
He was a candidate too.
He must have been.
Another face in a long line of candidates for the coveted disciple position.
This time when Lucien speaks, his voice sounds contemplative, âThough I suppose you should thank him too,â he states forcefully light. âOne day you will be remembered as a legend, just like your Baba Yaga. He helped to forge you into what you are today.â
Youâre too numb to feel anything else.
There is just a hushed sort of silence ringing through your head.
Undeterred by your lack of response, Lucien goes on, wiping at the blood on his face, âYou know there is an old French saying: qui se resemble, s'assemble. Can you guess what it means?â he doesnât wait for your answer this time, either. âEvery man loves well what is like to himself. You are each otherâs dark mirror. His counterpart.â
He giggles this time, grabbing your face, his fingers cutting into the flesh of your cheeks, and for the first time since he started his speech, something sparks in your gut.
Shock or not, your body is failing to respond but you battle against it, silencing your mind.
Hurt and betrayal slam like an overloading flood against your composure despite your best attempts to stay afloat.
Youâre such a fool.
Such a lonely, naive fool.
So desperate to believe.
Hope.
Just like he was.
Lucien is right.
You and Elder are two broken halves of a mangled whole.
The same man you once saw as a chance for redemption, belonging, is the architect of the majority of the pain in your life.
One day, if you still wish it, I will tell you everything.
Everything. This is what he had meant by everything.
He ordered Winstonâs death not because the manager broke the rules but because he wanted to remove your main tie to New Yorkâthe very tie that made you choose to leave him in the first place.
And John would have been the one to fire the bullet. Â
You would have hated him for the rest of your days for taking the manager away from you.
Santino is still weak and so very easy for the Elder to dispose of right now.
The Lovers. Their mission to hunt you both down.
Another test for you, another tie cut if they succeed in killing Santino.
And you would have crawled to him on your hands and knees, hoping for his kindness once again. Heartbroken and alone with no one to turn to.
He would have won and you would have made it easy for him.
So very easy.
Lucien drinks in your tiny, wet breaths and glassy stare. Blood continues dripping from the cut against your eyebrow and you shiver in his hold.
A tear trails down your cheek and you canât process a single thought. Itâs too much, itâs⊠Â
âHe always feared you would find out,â this time his voice is softer, emptier, and the hollows that make up his eyes examine you shrewdly. âBut itâs a fitting punishment. To care for someone so deeply, to desire them, only to live with the burden of knowing that you are the reason for their suffering.â
His fingers tremble, sunken deep into your cheeks, and another off-tilter laugh tickles from the back of his throat.
âI really did hate you, your shadow, for years. Until those tunnels,â he murmurs, his faint accent just a little more notable then, his grip easing, loosening. âUntil I saw how much darkness lurks under that mask of calm. How much hate festers inside you but directed at the wrong people. I told you we were one and the same. You should have listened.â
He shakes his head, blonde strands brushing over his forehead, his mouth stretching into another beaming smile, all teeth.
Lucien lets you go and you drop the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
Thatâs all you areâcomes the sinking, gutting realisationâa puppet for others to use and play with.
âHe will kill me for what Iâve done to you,â Lucien announces, sounding like heâs made peace with that grim fact long ago. âBut you know itâs funny, snakey. I always thought I would enjoy this more. Getting back at them by betraying his secrets. Seeing that realisation on your face. That crumbling hope and despair as your world unravels and crashes around you,â he says softly, near lovingly.
It must have taken him years to gain this level of trust, to learn this information.
You donât move a muscle. All you can see are Lucienâs legs but you can feel him staring down at you.
The blonde tsks under his breath, nudging you with the tip of his boot but you donât react. âYou want to deny it, I know you do,â he begins purposely, and you suppose he would know, wonât he? âBut you canât. Because I bet every single thing thatâs never made sense about your life before now suddenly does. Am I right, snakey?â
Your fingers tremble and you press them closer to your body.
âLooking at you now, I almost pity you,â he muses and there is a distinct note of uncomfortable surprise in his low voice. It almost makes you ponder just how large the line between this lucid Lucien and his insanity really is. âYouâre just a little tragedy, arenât you?â he adds thoughtfully.
Little tragedy. Little tragedy. Little tragedy.
It echoes.
You wonder, then, what you would have become had you been allowed to stay a girl. If you didnât have to become a monster. Even though the monster kept you alive, kept you breathing and fighting.
What would you have become if you hadnât been robbed of a future you could have had?
âYour life is not your own, it never was.â
Deafening, hollow silence follows that statement. Your heart thuds so painfully inside your chest, a part of you waits for it to stop on its own. Â
Lucienâs boot settles against your waist again, pushing you onto your back. Â
You stare up at the ceiling above you and count the beats of your heart.
The assassin straddles you unhurriedly as if expecting you to fight back but all you do is blink slowly.
Everything is rushing through your head right now. Every moment over the last seven years.
His fingers brush over the curve of your neck and he stares down at you with an almost rueful expression on his face.
âWhat a waste,â he starts tightly, followed by a long pause and he mutters something in French under his breath. His fingers settle around your throatânot squeezing, simply gazing down at you. âI knew it would crush you. But I hoped for that rage. For the abyss. For you to show me once and for all what I lacked that you had. Your lesson.â
So thatâs what that was about.
âWe might have been friends had we met sooner, serpent girl.â
His fingers constrictâ
âMyââ
Your voice cracks and Lucienâs grip relaxes instantly. The thin line of his eyebrows knits in confusion. âQuoi?â
Gulping a painful breath, you part your lips, âMyâŠlesson,â you croak out, tasting blood on your tongue and how fitting that you should. âMy lessonâŠI have the answer.â
A certain light devours his gaze, and although his features drop with surprise, his eagerness is tangible.
He leans closer, and over you, his fingers still around your throat, âTell me.â
Your tongue feels heavy and dry inside your mouth, an acrid aftertaste coating it, and Lucien jerks his fingers harder around the fragile column. He presses closer, his body weight pinning you downâ
You jerk your body, a blur of your arm, a gleam of a dagger in the artificial, cold light. The Elderâs dagger in your hand trembles but gushing scarlet coats it still.
âIâm faster.â
Lucien gapes, his mouth parted. He convulses, his grip on your neck slipping, and you lurch your hips upwards, throwing him off you.
He drops to the side, right beside you, unmoving but the heat of his body still warming youâand you clutch the dagger tighter between your blood-stained fingers. You press it to your chest and lay there till time becomes nothing. Â
BC4 BC5.
Years ago when you escaped to Casablanca, eager to start your life over and join the Elder once again, Sofia told you something that has stuck with you ever since.
Sometimes you have to kill what you love.
Youâve thought about that a lot over the years. What exactly she had to sacrifice to have the power she now possessesâher daughter, flesh and blood, and good.
What you may have to sacrifice one day to earn your freedom.
Now, you suppose, none of that matters anymore.
Not really.
Youâve almost won your pyrrhic victory, Kishi purrs happily at your side, and you hear the subdued rumble of Tarasovâs laugh too, soon you can savour the rotting, sweet taste of it on your tongue.
The rooftop terrace door slams open, and you step onto the patio, halting the heated conversation with your arrival. There is an unsteady sway to your limbs that doesnât escape anyoneâs attentionâJohnâs shoulderâs slump, Winstonâs eyes narrow, the Adjudicator simply arches an eyebrowâbut your expression remains steely.
The fire roars behind Winston and Charonâand it is, admittedly, a massive relief to see them both safe and unharmedâeven if it makes you think how close you cameâŠ
No.
None of that now.
Youâve lived through worse (have you? liar, liar, liar, Kishi coos) and you give them a forced, fragmented smile.
âMorninâ.â
The Adjudicator grimaces subtly, and you know itâs likely because your injuries leave your smile bloody. Good.
âThe Vipress,â the Adjudicator greets, standing to their feet. âI must express my apologies on behalf of the High Table. It does, indeed, seem like the general order in regards to you has...changed.â
They donât look particularly happy to admit that but this is no time to goad, if you even could muster up the strength for it.
Instead, you stare blankly in their direction for a beat. âExcuse me,â you say, your voice a grating whisper, as you push past them. âKilling your lackies has made me thirsty.â
You shoulder past them, avoiding contact, your eyes momentarily jumping to Winston who stands right behind the Adjudicator, his stare cautious. Your eye contact lasts no more than a scant few seconds but itâs enough.
Itâs a split second in which you grab a glass of champagne, ignoring the other snacks on the table.
You turn to face them, finding them all in differing states of confusion or uncertainty but offer no explanation as you drown three large gulps.
âLetâs get on with it, then,â you phrase bitingly, not bothering to hide the impatience, the sting of bubbling acid and, and⊠âI would like to have breakfast and take a shower. It exhausts a girl, having to take down armies. Hope you can appreciate that at least most of mine are in one piece. Less blood for you to wipe,â you comment idly, directing your words at the Adjudicator.
Coldness lurks in their regard, and you can tell that their opinion of you is less than savoury.
You donât give a shit what they might think of you.
Every word slips past your lips on automatic; mindless, void syllables that feel drained of life. Itâs an effort to register anything around you.
The blood, the champagne, the bubbles tickling your nose.
âWhile you have been pardoned of your crimes,â the Adjudicator resumes smoothly, clearly eager to get the conversation back on track and out of the way. âIâm afraid no such thing has happened with Mr Wick. A man who has shown no loyalty, no regard for the rules. It is by that logic the Tableâs decrees that the punishment should fit the crime.â
Winston hums loudly, his head tilting as he nods in absentminded agreement.
You take another sip of your drink, frowning at the taste of blood in your mouth. Fitting, somehow.
You might have scrubbed yourself clean of blood before coming up here but it still stains the cracks of your skin. Cuticles stained with red, mouth stained with red.
Red, red, redâŠ
John straightens at those words. He looks beat from his own fight but remains quiet. Yet, he can no doubt sense that somethingâs wrong.
âYouâre correct,â Winston states, no affliction to be found in his voice and he steps closer, pulling something from behind his jacket. âSorry, Jonathan.â
BANG
The gunshot is like a thunderclap through the too still morning.
Johnâs body jerks with the impact, a gasp sounding a second later, and you look at him while Winston steps closer.
BANG
John scrambles backwards, his bulletproof clothing absorbing the impacts but it wonât get him far.
â(Name)!â he calls out desperately, pained, his eyes seeking your form out, his voice cracking and splintering.
You canât help and wonder if heâs scared. He sounds scared. There is something ironicâdownright hilariousâin the knowledge that heâs facing death yet calling out your name like it may prove to be a salvation. Â
Itâs the first time since you asked him not to use your real name that he uses it. But you donât move. Donât respond to the plea for help. Mercy.
You just stare at him, indifferent and cold, knowing that even if you tried you couldnât muster up any emotional response right now.
Winston fires again, and again, and John veers towards the building edge, his knees shaking.
The managerâs expression remains vacant, cold, and he shoots again, no hesitation in his aim. Not a single falter. Itâs one of the most well carried out executions youâve ever witnessed. Â
Johnâs back hits the ledge and you watch in near slow motion as he tips over the edge falling at least twenty floors down and towards the concrete below.
You hear the metallic bangs as he hits a few fire escapes on his way down but still donât move.
Then, impact so loud it splits the air.
Then, stillness.
The typical buzz of New York City waking up resumes. Time restarts and goes back to its natural flow once again.
Throwing your glass back, you drown the remainder of the champagne, licking your lips twice, yet blood still lingers.
Winston lowers his arm, approaching the edge but the Adjudicator gets there first. Charon is only a step behind them, and you force yourself to move after them as well.
The Adjudicator gazes down for a long, assessing moment, silent. Their head turns towards the manager who meets their probing stare flatly.
âI assume weâre done here?â he questions.
The Adjudicator inclines their head and, predictably, switches their attention to you. âYou did not help him.â
A fact, not a question, yet it demands an explanation all the same. Your tongue moves on automatic, forming words that taste brittle.
Everything feels brittle.
âWhy would I?â you wonder dully. âHe betrayed me not so long ago, and nearly killed the majority of my friends less than a week ago. I learned my lesson.â
Chuckling, you turn your back to them, walking away leisurely. The glass clangs back onto the coffee table, a shriek of a sound. âI have served. I will be of service,â you echo the mantra pleasantly, faint with scorn.
Every word bleeds venom through your heart.
You donât face them again, and no one stops you. The terrace doors slam shut behind you, and itâs a deafening bang that reverberates. You force yourself to put one foot in front of another. Keep walking, keep walking, keepâ
Itâs a blur, your feet dragging behind you. Youâve stopped bleeding but still have to halt at one point, leaning your palm against the corridor wall to rest.
Youâre teetering andâ
Your life is not your own, it never was. Â
Your room sits untouched. The door opens with a click thatâs like a kiss against your hairâso soothing and loving, comforting in ways that you could never quite explain.
The table is still an organised mess; notes half-unfinished, empty vials, dried ingredientsâall littering the wooden surface, and you approach it slowly.
Exactly as you left it before you departed for Rome.
It seems like a lifetime ago now.
Everything is the same here, frozen in time.
Except nothing is the same.
Your fingertips trace over your notebook; a new formula, a collection of improvements on old ideas, scribbles that donât make much sense to anyone but you. Â
Your legacy. Your work.
This room is a testament to who you are. What you have become.
A tragedy.
Not a legend, or a fighter, just a tragedy of a girl.
A sound escapes you at that, strangely wounded, and you lean the heels of your palms against the table edge, your vision blurring.
Tragedy, tragedy, tragedy.
A puppet stitched together by different hands, influenced by different people.
Youâre a product of someone else.
Every victory from your past sours and cracks with that realisation. You must have made him so proud.
You hate this room, this table, these plants, yourself.
This time a scream rips from the back of your throat. A brutal sweep of your hands wipes the table clean, everything plummeting to the floor with a booming crash.
You destroy everything in your path. Glass explodes, paper rips, liquids spills. Youâre panting, sweating, and shaking by the time you come back to yourself. The floor is a mess, the whole room is.
A glint catches your notice when you spin on your heels, and your head snaps to the floor-length mirror across the room.
You donât recognise anything about the bloodied, tear-stained, wild reflection that glares back at you. A monster is all that stands there. Alone and devoid of everything.
Distance evaporates between you, and you slam the hilt of the only weapon you still have left into the glass. The Elderâs dagger shatters the mirror upon contact. Cracks fracture your face before the mess crashes at your feet with another ear-splitting echo.
That uses the last tendril of strength left in your bodyâperhaps your very soul.
Your knees fold under youâand itâs almost soft, your crumbling.
Weightless and empty you settle on the floor.
Tears stream down your cheeks, hitting the crushed glass in front of you but you donât wipe them away, donât make a single sound. You canât.
Your forehead lowers between your knees, your hushed sobs the only noise permeating through the peaceful room.
You don't get back up.
B4.
. . .
AN:Â
well.Â
now you know.Â
not sure how many of you are even around to read this but a fun game to play now that you're done:
- reread COA from start to finish, noting every use of "honoured guest" in relation to V spoken by her enemies throughout the years, even the elder himself. Â
#john wick#john wick x reader#santino d'antonio x reader#santino d'antonio#keanu reeves#riccardo scamarcio#john wick fic#john wick imagine#santino d'antonio imagine#fanfiction#fic: children of ares
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Hey guys!
I'm currently working on a story. Santino D'Antonio (John Wick 2) X OC. The title is currently Bellissima.
I'm about 1/4 of the way through right now but with quarantine I've been writing more than I used to.
Would any of you be interested in reading it if I posted it on here once it's done?
Thanks :)
#john wick#john wick 2#santino d'antonio#riccardo scamarcio#ruby rose#keanu reeves#kat dennings#fanfiction#fanfic#Bellissima#santino d'antonio x oc
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Title: The Dignity of a Name
Pairing: John Wick / Santino DâAntonio
Rating: Explicit
Summary:
As John runs away from his life as a Whaler, he starts to feel his power diminishing... until the Outsider comes to him.
â
âI want to see you pushed to your limit, John.â The Outsider whispered against his lips. âI want to see what happens when youâre forced further than you ever thought you could go.â John turned bodily to face him this time, want still heavy in his gaze. As he moved to press another kiss to deep red lips, the Outsider whispered. âCome find me.â
#Dishonored#Crossover#John Wick#John wick/santino d'antonio#santino d'antonio#Keanu Reeves#Riccardo Scamarcio#The Outsider#fanfic#fanfiction#myfics#Short and sweet#I think when I googled the title of this fic it's like a christian article#I kind of want this to replace that LMFAO#XD
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Tre metri sopra il cielo (2004)Â Or alternatively: Young!Santino.
For two amazing people @bachaboska & @manic-intent. Plus -
âŠ. Thatâs an awfully familiar-looking jacket, Santino. đ
#riccardo scamarcio#john wick#santino d'antonio#my gifs#john wick x santino d'Antonio#the journey to make this was fucking incredible guys#i watched this movie#in italian#start to finish#and guys#i do not speak italian#but this teenage romance had every fucking fanfiction trope in it#holy fuck it was an experience#and the leads were both the most beautiful people i had ever seen#if i watched this film as a teenager i know i would have been obsessed with it for months#john wick chapter 2#yeah ill tag consistently in hell
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Hey! I just found this picture of Riccardo Scamarcio with a camel (it's just adorable) and wanted to share it with you ^^ (though I don't know how to send you the picture, so here's the link: kino-teatr. ru/ movie/ kadr/ 86263/ 131043. jpg) P.S. I love all your John Wick/Santino fanfictions, thank you so much for all your work! :)
Haha yes thatâs from The Italians, where Riccardo seems to be playing some sort of bratty successor to a guy with a luxury car transport service. :3 Thanks for reading!Â
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Thanks to you I watched John Wick and now I'm in love with Keanu Reeves and Riccardo Scamarcio XD
Aww, this makes me so happy! ^^
And, if you havenât already, check out manic-intentâs fanfictions, she is the reason why Iâm so deep in this fandom xD
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January 2024 Music Prompts: Day 10
Mammamia â« MĂ„neskin
Mammamia â« MĂ„neskin x Riccardo Scamarcio
They ask me why I'm so hot, 'cause I'm italiano.
Riccardo, a charismatic Italian with a penchant for passion and a love for life, had planned a date night to sweep his lover off her feet. The streets of the city buzzed with energy as you strolled hand in hand, the air alive with the promise of a night filled with amore.
As you approached a quaint Italian restaurant bathed in the warm glow of fairy lights, Riccardo couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Tonight was about indulging in the flavors of love, both in the culinary and romantic sense.
Seated at a candlelit table, the ambiance of the restaurant felt like a scene from an old Italian film - a romantic backdrop for the evening's unfolding story. Riccardo's eyes, as expressive as the rolling hills of Tuscany, met yours with a sparkle that hinted at the surprises he had in store.
The waiter, with a knowing smile, handed you menus. Riccardo, ever the charmer, leaned in and whispered, "They ask me why I'm so hot, 'cause I'm italiano."
You burst out laughing, the notes danced in the air like a shared secret. The humour and playfulness were woven into the fabric of your connection, so that every moment together felt like a lively dance.
As you both studied the menu, Riccardo guided you through the offerings, each dish a love letter to Italy's rich culinary heritage. The waiter presented you with a selection of antipasti with panache, a symphony of flavours that set the scene for the romantic feast.
Between bruschetta and a sip of red wine, Riccardo told you about his Italian upbringing, and the aroma of home-cooked food wafted through the stories. His gestures were as lively as the conversations, his hands moving in a dance that mirrored the passion of his words.
"They ask me why I'm so cute, 'cause I'm italiano," he declared , winking at you playfully, with a twinkle in his eye. You, enamored by his charm, couldn't help but agree with a teasing smile.
As the main course arrived - pasta plates with rich sauces and fragrant herbs - Riccardo continued to paint a vivid picture of his Italian heritage. The flavours melded into a sensual dance on your palate, and the evening unfolded like a journey through the romantic landscapes of Italy.
The restaurant, now filled with the soft hum of conversation and the clink of wine glasses, provided the perfect backdrop for your shared laughter and stolen glances. You, caught up in the magic of the evening, felt a deep appreciation for the man who had orchestrated such a romantic escapade.
Dessert arrived - a decadent tiramisu adorned with cocoa powder and a sprinkle of love. Riccardo, with a mischievous grin, leaned in and said, "They ask me why I'm so sweet, 'cause I'm italiano."
You, savoring the sweetness of the moment, couldn't help but be swept away by the charm and allure of the man sitting across from you.
As the evening drew to a close, Riccardo and you lingered over coffee, the lingering aroma of espresso adding to the air of intimacy. The city outside continued its nocturnal symphony, a melody that echoed the shared joy and connection of the night.
"They ask me why I'm so romantic, 'cause I'm italiano," Riccardo said, his gaze holding the warmth of the evening.
You, feeling the magic of the date night, couldn't agree more. As you two stepped out into the moonlit streets, hand in hand, the night became a canvas painted with the strokes of love and laughter - a testament to the timeless allure of romance, and the undeniable charm of an Italian heart.
#january 2024 music prompts#music prompts#fanfiction#fanfic#fic#imagine#drabble#riccardo scamarcio fic#riccardo scamarcio fanfiction#riccardo scamarcio fanfic#riccardo scamarcio imagine#riccardo scamarcio drabble#riccardo scamarcio x reader#riccardo scamarcio x you#prompt fics
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FINAL HAVEN: One last safe place
un fanfiction de Alejandra Frausto
CAPĂTULO 2
La madre de Sara siempre le insistiĂł que no confiara en desconocidos, mucho menos en hombres que parecĂan ligados al mundo criminal. Sin embargo, aquĂ estaba ella, salvando a uno de la muerte. Las balas continuaban impactando contra la puerta que los separaba de su verdugo, y los pasos se escuchaban cada vez mĂĄs cerca.
Sin pensarlo dos veces y deseando que sus actos no tuvieran consecuencias en el futuro, Sara tira con esfuerzo de los hombros del hombre inconsciente, arrastrĂĄndolo dentro de su edificio. A pocos metros de que su perseguidor los alcanzara, ella cierra la puerta de golpe.
Fuertes golpes resuenan en la puerta de acero. Sin saber de dĂłnde sacĂł las fuerzas, Sara arrastra al hombre de traje costoso hacia las escaleras, apoyĂĄndolo contra la pared para que no se desplome por completo. Con dificultad, lo impulsa un escalĂłn a la vez, buscando una manera de mantenerlo en pie mientras suben juntos.
âTienes suerte de que viva en el segundo piso âgruñe Saraâ, porque si no, te dejarĂa tirado aquĂ mismo.
Sara siente que ha pasado una eternidad cuando finalmente llegan a su departamento. Sin tiempo que perder, recuesta al hombre contra la pared junto a la puerta, saca sus llaves y abre. El maullido de su gata la recibe.
Sara se vuelve hacia el hombre y lo levanta, ahora con mås facilidad, llevåndolo hasta su pequeño sofå.
Ya con el hombre recostado, corre de regreso a la puerta. Justo antes de cerrarla, escucha el eco de alguien arrojando la puerta principal del edificio, seguido de pasos apresurados en la planta baja.
âMierda.
El asesino ha entrado.
Sara cierra la puerta con el menor ruido posible y asegura todos los cerrojos, incluyendo la cadena.
Sin tiempo que perder y con el temor de que el cazador la descubra ocultando a su presa, corre hacia el hombre en el sofĂĄ, que sigue inconsciente y sangrando. Echa un vistazo a su pijama, manchada con la sangre de Ă©l, y con el corazĂłn en la boca, reza en silencio para que la sangre no haya caĂdo al suelo tras ellos.
Sin fuerzas, y sin importarle realmente si lo lastima o no, Sara decide arrastrarlo de los brazos hasta su habitaciĂłn.
Con dificultad, lo levanta y lo recuesta sobre su cama.
âÂżQuĂ© estoy haciendo?
Sara se regaña a sĂ misma mientras busca el botiquĂn de primeros auxilios en los cajones de la cĂłmoda frente a su cama.
âDeberĂa llevarlo a un hospital, no jugar a la enfermera.
Deja el botiquĂn en la cama, a los pies del hombre, que aĂșn lleva los zapatos puestos, y se dirige al baño en busca de toallas limpias.
Al volver, ve a Canela, su gata sin ningĂșn sentido de supervivencia hacia extraños, olisqueando y lamiendo las heridas de su cara.
âAh, pero a Helen le gruñĂas y te erizabas.
Canela la ignora y sigue lamiendo las heridas del hombre desmayado.
âEspera âdice Sara, tomando el botiquĂn y apartando a Canelaâ, vas a infectar sus heridas. DĂ©jamelo a mĂ.
Con una toalla, presiona la herida en su cuello, que no ha dejado de sangrar. La sangre tiñe rĂĄpidamente la toalla color pastel de carmesĂ.
Sara examina las demĂĄs heridas del hombre con mĂĄs detalle; la Ășnica preocupante es esa.
Parece como si una bala lo hubiera alcanzado pero solo lo rozĂł, sin penetrar; sin embargo, el roce ha provocado una gran herida en su cuello.
Sara presiona con mĂĄs fuerza una nueva toalla, ya que la anterior se ha empapado por completo de sangre. Sabe que debe hacer algo mĂĄs, ademĂĄs de evitar que se desangre.
Sin soltar la presiĂłn con una mano, con la otra abre el botiquĂn.
Sara saca gasas, alcohol y algodĂłn del botiquĂn; por el rabillo del ojo, ve cĂłmo Canela se recuesta sobre las piernas del desconocido.
Con cuidado y mucha delicadeza, comienza a limpiar las heridas de su rostro. Parecen cortes, como si hubiera atravesado algĂșn cristal.
A pesar de estar trabajando solo con una mano âla otra sigue haciendo presiĂłn en su cuelloâ, se concentra en limpiar el mayor nĂșmero de cortes en su cara. La herida del cuello es la mĂĄs preocupante, por lo que decide improvisar un torniquete.
Con precisiĂłn, retira la corbata que el hombre lleva puesta y, utilizando una toalla limpia, presiona la herida. Envuelve la corbata con la toalla alrededor de su cuello, apretando con fuerza pero con el cuidado necesario para no asfixiarlo.
El torniquete cumple su funciĂłn mientras Sara sale de la habitaciĂłn en busca de hilo y aguja.
âEstĂĄs loca si crees que vas a coserlo âse dice a sĂ misma mientras abre y cierra cajones en su bĂșsquedaâ. Y sin anestesia, ÂżquĂ© te pasa, Sara? âFinalmente, encuentra su caja de hilos y algunas agujas, que usualmente usaba para bordar, en una de las repisas de la cocinaâ. ÂĄAquĂ estĂĄn!
"ÂżY si lo lastimo mĂĄs de lo que ya estĂĄ?", piensa, sintiendo cĂłmo el pĂĄnico comienza a apoderarse de ella.
El pĂĄnico se intensifica cuando fuertes golpes resuenan en la puerta de su departamento.
Sara se congela en el lugar, imaginando quiĂ©n podrĂa ser. Sabe perfectamente a quiĂ©n estĂĄn buscando.
Los golpes no cesan, y lågrimas de impotencia comienzan a llenar sus ojos. No sabe qué hacer. Su mente se nubla, y el peso de la situación la abruma por completo.
âÂĄSĂ© que hay alguien dentro!
La voz grave y furiosa del hombre retumba por todo el departamento, acompañada de nuevos golpes que hacen eco en las paredes.
Sara ahoga otro sollozo, respira profundamente e intenta calmarse, aunque el miedo la consume por completo.
âAfronta las consecuencias âsusurra para sĂ, mientras limpia con la mano las lĂĄgrimas que se escapan de su rostro. Con pasos lentos, se dirige hacia la puertaâ. ÂżNo es asĂ?
Su mano tiembla al tomar la manija, y mĂĄs golpes la hacen saltar en su lugar. Sin quitar el cerrojo de la cadena que mantiene la puerta apenas entreabierta, separĂĄndola de su atacante, Sara reĂșne el Ășltimo vestigio de valentĂa y abre la puerta lo suficiente para enfrentar lo que viene.
Un hombre, vestido con traje y corbata como el que yace inconsciente en la cama de Sara, se presenta frente a ella. Sin embargo, su atuendo parece mĂĄs un uniforme que una vestimenta formal.
El atacante inclina la cabeza hacia abajo, encontrĂĄndose con la mirada de Sara, quien lo observa, teniendo que alzar la vista para mirarlo a los ojos.
âÂżSĂ? âbalbucea ella.
El miedo la invade; Ă©l sostiene un arma en su mano derecha. A pesar de esto, Sara nota un instante fugaz en el que sus facciones se suavizan al oĂr su voz.
âLo siento, estoy buscando a un hombre. Se llama Santino D'Antonio.
El hombre se detiene, esperando una reacciĂłn de Sara. Al no obtener respuesta, prosigue:
âTengo razones para creer que estĂĄ aquĂ.
âLo siento, no lo conozco.
La respuesta de Sara es råpida, e intenta cerrar la puerta de golpe, pero el hombre la detiene, señalando el suelo. Un charco de sangre mancha sus zapatos.
ăÂĄQuĂ© estĂșpida, Sara!ă, se reprende en silencio. ÂżCĂłmo pudo no notar eso?
âYo...
âEscĂșcheme bien âla interrumpe, su tono se vuelve mĂĄs grave mientras Sara lo mira, incapaz de disimular su miedoâ. Santino es un hombre peligroso y no dudarĂĄ en hacerle daño. DĂ©jeme entrar para llevĂĄrmelo, y no la molestarĂ© mĂĄs.
âPero lo va a matar âmurmura Sara, apenas audible. No era una pregunta.
âAbre la puerta, y no tendrĂĄs de quĂ© preocuparte.
Sara asiente lentamente.
âEstĂĄ bien âdice, esperando que el hombre reaccione, pero Ă©l no se mueveâ. Voy a cerrar para quitar la cadena.
Sin esperar respuesta y aprovechando que el hombre afloja su presiĂłn, Sara cierra la puerta de golpe. No piensa volver a abrirla.
âÂżSeñorita?
El atacante suena confundido y furioso al mismo tiempo. Sara, con esfuerzo, arrastra el mueble mĂĄs cercano para colocarlo contra la puerta tratando de bloquearla.
âÂĄÂżSeñorita?!
Los golpes en la puerta de intensifican, y Sara se apresura su habitaciĂłn. No recuerda dĂłnde dejĂł lo que habĂa salido a buscar, pero eso queda en segundo plano; lo Ășnico que importa ahora es que ese hombre no entre.
âÂżQuĂ© estoy haciendo? ÂżQuĂ© demonios estoy haciendo? ÂĄÂżQuĂ© carajos estoy haciendo?!
Se ragaña en voz alta mientras cierra la puerta de su habitación y echa el seguro con manos temblorosas.
LĂĄgrimas inundan sus ojos mientras observa al hombre, condenado a muerte, recostado en su cama.
ăNo lo voy a entregar, no es correctoă, se dice, convencida de que todos merecen una segunda oportunidad, sin importar sus acciones.
âDa igual lo que hayas hecho âse acerca a Ă©l con determinaciĂłn, tomando un trozo de algodĂłn empapado en alcohol de su mesita de nocheâ. AquĂ estarĂĄs a salvo, lo prometo.
Con delicadeza, Sara pasa el algodĂłn por sus heridas, limpiando lo peor. Cada vez que extrae un fragmento de vidrio de su rostro, su expresiĂłn se retuerce de dolor; sabe que debe estar sufriendo.
Sara arroja el tercer algodon usado a la basura, cierra las ventanas que dan a la calle y corre las cortinas. La lĂĄmpara junto a su cama y la luz del baño son las Ășnicas que iluminan su cuarto.
Suspira con temor, pero estå decidida a cumplir su promesa. No se arrepiente. Sobre su cadåver permitirå que alguien haga daño al hombre que esconde en su hogar.
Los golpes en la puerta no cesan, al contrario, se intensifican, como si quisieran derribarla.
ăÂżDeberĂa llamar a la policĂa?ă, reflexiona. Es evidente que esos hombres no parecen personas comunes; el que protege parece sacado de una pelĂcula de la mafia italiana, y el que lo quiere muerto, como si su vida dependiera de ello.
âSi llamo a la policĂa... ÂżcambiarĂĄ algo? ÂżO empeorarĂĄ todo? âmurmura.
Sara se inclina hacia Ă©l y revisa el torniquete improvisado. Parece estar funcionando; la toalla limpia que habĂa colocado antes sigue del mismo color pastel, sin rastro de sangre. Sin saber quĂ© mĂĄs hacer, decide quitarle los zapatos. AdemĂĄs de que estĂĄn sucios y llenos de lodo, estĂĄn ensuciando la cama, y al menos asĂ podrĂĄ estar mĂĄs cĂłmodo.
Con sumo cuidado, sin alterar el torniquete en su cuello, le retira el saco agujereado por las balas. Por un momento, el pĂĄnico la invade, imaginando que todas esas balas lo atravesaron. Pero al quitarle el saco y ver el chaleco de su traje intacto, un suspiro de alivio escapa de sus labios.
âEntonces...
Sara comienza a hablarle, sin saber si Ă©l puede escucharla. En realidad, lo hace mĂĄs para calmarse a sĂ misma.
âSantino, Âżverdad? AsĂ te llamĂł el hombre que te persigue.
Santino sigue inconsciente, pero ella continĂșa.
âDe Antonio, algo asĂ, Âżno? Me pregunto de dĂłnde eres. Suena muy elegante, como un nombre europeo. Yo soy Sara RodrĂguez, ya te imaginarĂĄs de dĂłnde soy.
Echa un vistazo a Canela, su gata, que se ha acurrucado aĂșn mĂĄs cerca de las piernas de Santino. Sara la mira con incredulidad, todavĂa sorprendida de que pueda comportarse asĂ frente a un completo desconocido.
âY ella es Canela, que por lo visto te ha tomado cariño, porque no se ha movido de tu lado desde que llegaste.
Un fuerte estruendo rompe la calma que Sara habĂa logrado momentos antes. La puerta de su departamento, junto con el mueble que intentaba bloquearla, ceden.
Pasos firmes y apresurados resuenan en todo el departamento. Sara, inmĂłvil, contiene el aliento, rezando para que su gata no emita el mĂĄs mĂnimo sonido.
El lobo entrĂł, y ellas estan ocultando a su cordero.
GRACIAS POR LEER
#fanfiction#fanfic#john wick#john wick fanfic#riccardo scamarcio#santino d'antonio x reader#santino d'antonio/oc#santino dâantonio#original female character
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FINAL HAVEN: One last safe place
un fanfiction de Alejandra Frausto
CAPĂTULO 1
El dĂa de Sara no ha sido mĂĄs que perfecto. Se levantĂł temprano, hizo todas las tareas del hogar antes de ir al trabajo, completĂł su rutina de cuidado personal sin contratiempos, y, por primera vez, logrĂł cocinar algo para su gata en lugar de darle esas croquetas industrializadas de la tienda. DesayunĂł en su cafĂ© favorito y aĂșn le sobrĂł tiempo para llegar con calma a su trabajo matutino.
âBuenos dĂas, Michael.
Incluso saludĂł al portero del hotel, algo que nunca hace porque siempre va de prisa.
Su jornada fue tranquila; al ser temporada baja, el hotel no solĂa tener muchos huĂ©spedes, aunque rara vez hay poca gente en Nueva York. TenĂa pendiente limpiar un par de salas de convenciones y otras diez habitaciones. LogrĂł terminar su trabajo sin ningĂșn problema y estuvo libre 15 minutos antes de su hora de salida.
Aunque normalmente Sara almuerza en Central Park, disfrutando de un libro o de la belleza del lugar, decidiĂł regresar a su departamento para comer con su gata. CalculĂł que tenĂa dos horas libres antes de su prĂłximo turno, asĂ que aprovechĂł para comprar frutas y verduras en el pequeño mercado callejero, situado fuera de la estaciĂłn de metro, frente a su edificio. TambiĂ©n comprĂł pan y algo de carne para la semana.
Al llegar, su gata, como es habitual, la recibiĂł con maullidos de felicidad. Ella tampoco habĂa esperado verla tan temprano.
Sara cocinĂł y disfrutĂł de su platillo favorito, y hasta tuvo tiempo para un postre: una rebanada de pastel que habĂa comprado en la panaderĂa. Lo disfrutĂł mucho, al igual que su gata, que no paraba de pedirle pequeños bocados con su pata.
Se cepillĂł los dientes, se lavĂł la cara y se alistĂł para su segundo trabajo del dĂa.
âNos vemos, Canela. Prometo no llegar tarde.
Sara se despidiĂł de su gata mientras cerraba la puerta del departamento. SaliĂł del edificio rumbo a la estaciĂłn del metro. A pesar del mal olor del transporte pĂșblico, Sara, por primera vez, disfrutĂł del viaje hacia su trabajo.
Con el estĂłmago lleno y su mĂșsica favorita resonando en los auriculares, se sentĂa en completa felicidad.
LlegĂł al restaurante donde trabaja durante parte del turno vespertino y nocturno. Para ella, es normal que las personas en ese lugar sean mĂĄs reservadas que en el hotel; es decir, no saludan ni sonrĂen, simplemente estĂĄn presentes, al igual que Sara. Por lo tanto, el hecho de que ese dĂa se mostraran mĂĄs abiertos y amables de lo habitual la sorprendiĂł, pero no la decepcionĂł. Su amabilidad calentĂł el corazĂłn de Sara.
âÂĄHola, Sara! âsaludĂł el subgerente, que nunca le habĂa dirigido la palabra en los Ășltimos dos añosâ. ÂĄLlegaste temprano! Esto es un milagro, pidan un deseo.
Sara sonriĂł; la broma no le molestĂł en absoluto.
âJa, ja, ja ârespondiĂł Sara con un toque de sarcasmo, sin dejar de sonreĂrâ. QuĂ© gracioso, David.
Aunque Sara no tiene el mejor puesto en el restaurante âque para ella serĂa la gerenciaâ, no le molesta formar parte del personal de limpieza.
El inconveniente es que la gerente la asigna constantemente a los baños, y en los Ășltimos años ha adquirido una notable experiencia en la limpieza de excusados y lavamanos. Sara ha solicitado un cambio y le gustarĂa trabajar en la cocina, pero su peticiĂłn sigue sin respuesta desde hace mĂĄs de tres meses. A pesar de esto, no renuncia porque valora el ambiente laboral respetuoso y la buena remuneraciĂłn.
âÂżSara?
A mitad de su turno, Ema, la gerente, la llamĂł desde la oficina.
âÂżSĂ?
âÂżTe queda mucho para terminar? âpeguntĂł Ema, sin dejar de revisar unos papeles en su escritorio.
âNo, señorita Ema. Solo tengo que sacar la basura y luego limpiar el baño de caballeros. ÂżNecesita algo mĂĄs?
Sara notĂł que el restaurante estaba menos concurrido de lo habitual, y varios empleados ya se habĂan ido temprano esa noche.
âNo es necesario que limpies el baño de caballeros hoy âdijo Ema con tono serioâ. Termina aquĂ y puedes irte a casa.
âGracias, señorita.
Sara sabĂa que no debĂa cuestionar el motivo; a veces dejaban salir temprano a los empleados sin explicaciĂłn. A ella no le importaba siempre y cuando recibiera su pago completo, cosa que siempre ocurrĂa.
Antes de salir y regresar a los baños, Sara dudó un momento. Decidió arriesgarse y preguntar sobre su solicitud pendiente.
âDisculpe, Âżhay alguna novedad sobre mi solicitud de cambio de ĂĄrea?
Ema, absorta en la revisiĂłn de unos documentos, ni siquiera levantĂł la vista.
âÂżSobre quĂ©?
âSobre el cambio de ĂĄrea que solicitĂ© hace meses.
âAh, sĂ, el cambio fue aprobado. Empiezas en la cocina el lunes.
Sara no pudo ocultar su alegrĂa.
âÂżEn serio? âdijo con una sonrisa radianteâ. ÂĄMuchas gracias, señorita!
âSĂ. Ahora âEma la mirĂł por fin, sin abandonar su tono profesionalâ, termina rĂĄpido lo que te queda y retĂrate.
âSĂ, claro. Gracias, señorita.
Sara se sentĂa llena de alegrĂa. Era un gran dĂa: llegarĂa temprano a casa, con la cena lista y un nuevo ascenso.
TerminĂł sus tareas con rapidez y se preparĂł para salir.
âNos vemos el lunes, David.
Sin esperar respuesta, Sara saliĂł por la puerta de empleados que daba a un callejĂłn estrecho y poco iluminado. Al salir, el cielo despejado y el atardecer de Nueva York la recibieron con una vista impresionante. El cĂĄlido resplandor anaranjado sobre los rascacielos la hizo sonreĂr, complacida con cĂłmo habĂa salido todo.
SaliĂł del callejĂłn que daba a la 7th Ave, y se dirigiĂł hacia la estaciĂłn del metro. DecidiĂł bajar dos estaciones antes para aprovechar el tiempo y visitar un MoneyGram.
Enviar el dinero de la semana a sus abuelos en MĂ©xico le daba una gran alegrĂa. Cada vez que lo hacĂa, sentĂa un profundo agradecimiento y amor por ellos. SabĂa que sus esfuerzos en este paĂs no eran en vano y que, a pesar de la distancia, sus abuelos estaban recibiendo una parte de su esfuerzo y cariño.
Pensaba en las cartas y las llamadas, en cĂłmo se preocupaban por ella y en cĂłmo, a pesar de la distancia, seguĂan siendo un pilar fundamental en su vida.
Después de completar el tråmite, pasó a comprar la cena. Era noche de hamburguesas, la favorita de Canela.
Con la bolsa en la mano y una sonrisa de satisfacciĂłn, llegĂł a casa, emocionada por pasar la noche viendo pelĂculas con su gata.
âÂĄYa lleguĂ©, Canela!
Canela la recibió con maullidos suaves y se frotó cariñosamente contra sus piernas, buscando su atención.
âDĂ©jame tomar un baño y luego cenamos viendo pelĂculas âdijo Sara, inclinĂĄndose para acariciar la cabeza de Canela con ternuraâ, Âżte parece bien?
DejĂł las bolsas de comida sobre la mesa de la cocina, y al adentrarse mĂĄs en su hogar, el aroma limpio y fresco del lugar le trajo una sensaciĂłn de calma. La familiaridad de su espacio, siempre ordenado y acogedor, la reconfortaba despuĂ©s de un largo dĂa.
Con mĂșsica suave de fondo, caminĂł hacia el baño. LlenĂł la tina con agua caliente, vertiĂł un poco de sales de baño y encendiĂł varias velas aromĂĄticas, dejando que la luz tenue y el aroma la envolvieran. Sara se sumergiĂł en el agua, permitiĂ©ndose relajar y soltar el estrĂ©s acumulado.
DespuĂ©s de un buen rato, saliĂł del baño sintiĂ©ndose renovada y cĂłmoda, y se puso su pijama favorito, de un delicado tono pastel que siempre la hacĂa sentir a gusto. Mientras calentaba las hamburguesas para ella y Canela en el microondas, encendiĂł el televisor de la sala.
OptĂł por reproducir la primera recomendaciĂłn que el servicio de streaming le sugiriĂł, y luego se acomodĂł en el sofĂĄ, colocando los platos y el refresco en la mesita frente a ella. Canela saltĂł a su lado, esperando pacientemente su porciĂłn.
Sara sonriĂł y le ofreciĂł un pedazo de su hamburguesa, que Canela aceptĂł con entusiasmo, antes de comenzar a disfrutar de su propia cena.
Tras dos horas de risas y lĂĄgrimas provocadas por la tonta pero entrañable pelĂcula romĂĄntica que habĂa elegido, apagĂł el televisor y recogiĂł los trastes sucios de la cena, incluyendo el pequeño plato de Canela.
El dĂa habĂa sido perfecto; solo le faltaba sacar la basura a la calle para evitar malos olores. Al terminar, regresarĂa a la calidez de su hogar. Se dejarĂa caer en la cama y disfrutarĂa de la idea de dormir sin prisa, porque lo mejor de todo era que mañana serĂa su dĂa libre en ambos trabajos.
âNo me tardo, Canela âdice Sara a su gata, que todavĂa estĂĄ recostada en el sofĂĄâ, solo tiro esto y regreso para dormir, Âżok?
Canela suelta un maullido en respuesta, provocando una gran sonrisa en su dueña.
Sara cierra la puerta tras de sĂ y baja las escaleras. Mientras desciende, repasa su dĂa y se siente llena de gratitud y amor. A este punto, nada podrĂa arruinarle el dĂa, Âżverdad?
Probando su suerte, Sara abre la puerta trasera de su edificio, donde estån los contenedores de basura. Lanza la bolsa hacia la pila acumulada, esperando que se quede en la cima. Sin embargo, observa cómo rueda lentamente por la montaña de desechos hasta caer a los pies de un hombre vestido de traje.
Sara se sobresalta; no esperaba ver a nadie allĂ, de pie en medio del oscuro callejĂłn. «¿Eso es sangre?» piensa, mientras lo mira con una mezcla de curiosidad y desconfianza.
De repente, unos disparos rompen el silencio, sacĂĄndola bruscamente de sus pensamientos. Sara suelta un grito ahogado y, por instinto, se cubre la cabeza con las manos.
El eco de pasos apresurados retumba en el callejĂłn. Desesperada, Sara intenta aferrarse a la manija de la puerta, su Ășnico refugio contra las balas que ahora los tienen en la mira. Quiere cerrarla y correr hacia la seguridad de su departamento, pero antes de poder reaccionar, el hombre se abalanza sobre ella en medio de mĂĄs disparos.
âÂĄAlĂ©jate! âgrita Sara, con el corazĂłn martillĂĄndole en el pecho mientras lucha por apartarloâ. ÂżQuĂ© haces? ÂĄSuĂ©ltame!
âPor favor... âsuplica el hombre con la voz quebrada, agarrĂĄndola con fuerzaâ, ayĂșdame.
De repente, sus ojos se vuelven vidriosos, y su cuerpo se tambalea antes de desplomarse, cayendo como un peso muerto en los brazos de Sara. El pĂĄnico la invade al sentir el peso inerte del hombre, sus manos temblando mientras intenta sostenerlo.
GRACIAS POR LEER
#santino d'antonio/oc#santino d'antonio x oc#santino d'antonio x reader#santino dâantonio#riccardo scamarcio#john wick#john wick fanfic#fanfiction#fanfic#romance#crime#new york
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FINAL HAVEN: One last safe place
un fanfiction de Alejandra Frausto
PREFACIO
Santino corre por las oscuras calles de Nueva York, con su respiraciĂłn agitada y su corazĂłn acelerado por la adrenalina. El cristal roto que atravesĂł hace solo unos minutos deja huellas de sangre en el asfalto mientras avanza, dejando un rastro.
El dolor de sus heridas es agudo, pero el miedo a lo que viene detrĂĄs es aĂșn peor.
El legendario asesino conocido como The boogeyman estå tras él, acercåndose råpidamente. Santino puede escuchar los pasos resonando en las paredes de ladrillo, haciéndose cada vez mås fuertes y amenazantes. Sabe que si tropieza o duda por un momento, serå su fin.
Sin guardaespaldas y sin su subordinada mĂĄs confiable, quien ya debe de estar ardiendo en el infierno en este momento, Santino se siente mĂĄs vunerable quĂ© nunca. El tiempo corre en su contra, y lo Ășnico que puede hacer es correr tan rĂĄpido como pueda hacia el hotel Continental, el Ășnico lugar donde estĂĄ seguro de que estarĂĄ a salvo, fuera de las manos de Wick.
El Continental es un lugar donde incluso los asesinos mĂĄs despiadados deben respetar las reglas. Si logra llegar ahĂ, tendrĂĄ un respiro, aunque sea por un momento.
El miedo se apodera de Santino mientras se adentra en el caos de la ciudad. Varias balas son disparadas en su direcciĂłn, impactando a centĂmetros de Ă©l. Cubre su cabeza con sus brazos para protegerse; aun asĂ, no deja de correr.
No va a morir en las sucias calles de Nueva York; ese no serĂa un final digno para alguien como Ă©l. AsĂ que, sin darse cuenta de su error y mientras continĂșa huyendo por la concurrida avenida, dobla una esquina en busca de un atajo hacia su destino.
Un callejon sin salida se presenta ante Ă©l, y ya es demasiado tarde para dar la vuelta y regresar. Santino observa cĂłmo John se adentra en el mismo callejĂłn, decidido a matarlo.
âMierda.
Santino grita con impotencia mientras mira a su alrededor en busca de un arma para defenderse. Lo Ășnico que encuentra son contenedores llenos de basura, cajas vacĂas y ratas.
Sin previo aviso, y como si fuera un ĂĄngel, una mujer abre la puerta de uno de los edificios que dan al callejĂłn. Es una puerta que solo puede abrirse desde dentro, sin ninguna posibilidad de abrirla o derribarla por el exterior.
La mujer, sin prestar atenciĂłn al hombre herido frente a ella, arroja una bolsa de basura al contenedor pegado al edificio donde, supone Ă©l, vive ella.
âMierda.
La mujer maldice al ver cómo la bolsa rueda por la montaña de basura y cae al suelo, hasta llegar a los pies de Santino.
Unos ojos marrones y llenos de vida lo miran con curiosidad, y la sonrisa de la mujer desaparece de su rostro.
Balas golpean en el contenedor y la puerta, resonando en el callejón con un estruendo metålico. La mujer suelta un grito aterrorizado, cubriéndose instintivamente con los brazos mientras busca desesperadamente refugio en el interior del edificio. Justo cuando estå a punto de girar y correr hacia la calidez de su departamento, Santino se desploma sobre ella, inmovilizando su cuerpo y bloqueando su escape. Varias balas lo han alcanzado.
âÂĄAlĂ©jate! ÂżQuĂ© haces? ÂĄSuĂ©ltame!
Grita ella, asustada, tratando de apartar al desconocido. Santino, en medio de la desesperaciĂłn y el dolor, suplica:
âPor favor, ayĂșdame. No te harĂ© daño, lo prometo... solo...
Antes de terminar la frase, Santino cae inconsciente en sus brazos, dejando a la mujer paralizada, sin tener idea de qué hacer.
GRACIAS POR LEER
#santino d'antonio/oc#santino d'antonio x reader#santino dâantonio#riccardo scamarcio#john wick fanfic#john wick#fanfiction#fanfic#camorra
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August song prompt drabbles
Hello folks!
I am officially back so, let's start with a bang! đ„ Song prompt drabbles! Below is a list with 19 songs: send me a number (or the title of the song) + a person you'd like me to write a fic with; bonus points if you specify what kind of fic you want me to write.
As a reminder I am writing for:
Keanu Reeves along with his following characters/movies: John Wick & the John Wick movies franchise, Constantine & the movie, Johnny Utah & Point Break, Jonathan Harker & Bram Stokerâs Dracula, Neo & The Matrix, dr Julian Mercer, Jack Traven & Speed; Riccardo Scamarcio along with: Santino DâAntonio; Andrew Hozier Byrne; Tom Hiddleston along with his following characters/movies: Sir Thomas Sharpe & Crimson Peak, Loki & Avengers/Thor, Adam & Only Lovers Left Alive, dr Robert Laing & High Rise, Jonathan Pine & The Night Manager; Henry Cavill along with his following characters/movies: Geralt of Rivia & The Witcher, Walter Marshall & Nomis, Capt. Syverson & Sand Castle, Napoleon Solo & The Man from U.N.C.L.E., August Walker & MI: Fallout; Alexander SkarsgĂ„rd along with his following characters/movies: Eric Northman & True Blood, Leo Beiler & Mute, Gadi Becker & The Little Drummer Girl, sergeant Brad âIcemanâ Colbert & Generation Kill; Peaky Blinders franchise along with the following characters: Thomas âTommyâ Shelby, Alfie Solomons; Supernatural franchise along with the following characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, The X Files franchise along with the following characters: Dana Scully, Fox Mulder, Kiefer Sutherland along with his following characters/movies: Jack Bauer & 24, president Tom Kirkman & Designated Survivor, David & The Lost Boys, Criminal Minds franchise along with the following characters: Dr Spencer Reid
The songs are as follow:
Kill Of The Night - Gin Wigmore
Heartlines - Florence + The Machine
Zitti E Buoni - Maneskin
Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande
Golden - Harry Styles
Stay - Thirty Seconds To Mars
Dinner & Diatribes - Hozier
Tell It To My Heart - MEDUZA ft. Hozier
Used To Be My Girl - The Last Shadow Puppets
Maneater - Nelly Furtado
Cupid - Alexandra Savior
I Want It All - Arctic Monkeys
Raise Hell - Dorothy
Oh My God - Adele
I Did Something Bad - Taylor Swift
Partition - Beyonce
Decode - Paramore
Figure It Out - Royal Blood
Sweater Weather - The Neighbourhood
Throw them asks! I'm waiting! đ
#august song prompt#august song prompt drabbles#keanu reeves fanfiction#john wick fanfiction#constantine fanfiction#riccardo scamarcio fanfiction#santino d'antonio fanfiction#hozier fanfiction#tom hiddleston fanfiction#henry cavill fanfiction#alexander skarsgard fanfiction#peaky blinders fanfiction#tom shelby fanfiction#alfie solomons fanfiction#supernatural fanfiction#dean winchester fanfiction#sam winchester fanfiction#the x files fanfiction#dana scully fanfiction#fox mulder fanfiction#kiefer sutherland fanfiction#criminal minds fanfiction#spencer reid fanfiction#mast:drabbles
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Riccardo Scamarcio & Santino DâAntonio MASTERLIST
đŠ smut | đ» fluff | đȘ stab-in-the-back-angst | đ§ cry-baby-angst | đ©ž bloody-hell  | đđ» personal favorite | đđ» readers favorite | đ series | đ parted fic | đ trigger warning | â AU | â finished |  â put on hold | ⥠ongoing |
everything thatâs crossed out hasnât been written yet;
everything that isnât crossed out, but does not include a link to the mentioned part/chapter, was not posted yet;
NO WORKS YET.
ONESHOTS:
âș You take my self control đŠ
You are coming back home from a meeting with your friend only to find Santino under the shower.
âș Forgive my jealousy đŠđđ»
In the early stages of dating Santino, he arrives late for an evening you had planned together. As you catch the eye of another Italian, Santino becomes agitated and causes a scene.
âș Under the quarantine [1] [2] đȘđŠâ
Trapped in a hotel room with a breathtaking view of Piazza Navona, Santino continues his usual dick moves, pushing Wick to the brink of intense anger.
âș Early mornings đ»đŠ
You wake up from a naughty dream that Santino decides to turn into reality.
âș Claimed đŠ
Surprise washes over you as you spot Santino on the stairway to your house, while smoking on your balcony. It becomes clear that he's come to assert the Marker you handed him a few years ago.
âș Be a good boy đŠ
Santino hasnât slept for few days due to another business he has to finish, but youâre here to submit him into the bed.
âș First impressions đ»
During your initial meeting with Santino's parents at a crucial dinner where a significant announcement is anticipated, the D'Antonios unexpectedly shift their attention away from you. Instead, they reprimand Santino for his perceived recklessness.
âș Is this what you wanted? đŠ
Santino sees how you sign to Ares that youâve never had an orgasm and he tells you that he can easily resolve that issue.
âș Suit it up đŠ
Youâre Santinoâs tailor and one day he visits your store right before the closing time.
âș Italian anger đȘđŠ
You were presented as a gift to Santino by your family, aiming to mend ties with the D'Antonios. Despite your initial disregard after the marriage, your opinion takes a turn one day when you walk into the conference room during a meeting, witnessing something he does that alters your perception of him.
âș No sweeter innocence đŠâ
(vampire!Santino DâAntonio) Your vampire lover takes a good care of you.
PARTED SERIES:
âș Intervistare  đ đŠđđ»  â
(Santino DâAntonio x Reader) As a journalist who landed an exclusive interview with Santino for the magazine you worked for, each subsequent encounter draws you both into a deeper connection.
one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight
âș Reckless Serenade  đ đȘđŠ â
(Santino DâAntonio x Reader) Following her father's passing, she found herself grappling with loneliness once more. Neither her mother nor her sister could assuage the void left in her heart and soul by his death. In an attempt to cope, she immerses herself in an endless cycle of nightly escapades and intense partying. However, everything changes when she encounters Santino, a man who had worked alongside her father. In his presence, she begins to feel a sense of belonging.
one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight
CHAPTERED SERIES:
âș Dangerous Animals đ đŠđȘđ âĄ
(Santino DâAntonio x OFC) In the face of seemingly one-way scenarios, Santino consistently seeks out alternative outcomes. When cornered in a dead-end alley by a striking woman with a gun aimed at his head, he resolves not only to rescue her from her past but also from her current predicament. The mysterious tattoo on her wrist speaks volumes, revealing more than she has ever disclosed. Surprisingly, he discovers in her not just the damsel in distress from the outset, but also a potential business partner and someone he could genuinely love.
WIP/sneak peek: Barrel of a gun
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MASTERLISTS
KEANU REEVES & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST
RICCARDO SCAMARCIO & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST
TOM HIDDLESTON & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST
ANDREW HOZIER-BYRNE MASTERLIST
HENRY CAVILL & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST
ALEXANDER SKARSGARD & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST
CILLIAN MURPHY & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST
KIEFER SUTHERLAND & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST
JOHN WICK MASTERLIST
THE CONTINENTAL MASTERLIST
SUPERNATURAL MASTERLIST
PEAKY BLINDERS MASTERLIST
TRUE BLOOD MASTERLIST
THE X FILES MASTERLIST
CRIMINAL MINDS MASTERLIST
ALL DRABBLES MASTERLIST
#masterlists#keanu reeves & his characters masterlist#RICCARDO SCAMARCIO & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST#tom hiddleston & his characters masterlist#andrew hozier-byrne masterlist#HENRY CAVILL & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST#ALEXANDER SKARSGARD & HIS CHARACTERS MASTERLIST#peaky blinders masterlist#supernatural masterlist#drabbles masterlist#keanu reeves fanfiction#riccardo scamarcio fanfiction#tom hiddleston fanfiction#hozier fanfiction#henry cavill fanfiction#alexander skarsgard fanfiction#peaky blinders fanfiction#supernatural fanfiction#true blood masterlist#mast:all
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