Chapter 1: Blood on the Marble Floor

Mariella’s POV 

Blood was everywhere.

I wasn't scared of blood; working as a staff member in the De Lucas’ mansion showed me enough of what bleeding looked like. They were either injured, beaten up, or dead. And I had to clean up after their mess. Wash the floors till they are clean. Get rid of anything that could indicate that the bright red color of blood was ever there.

That was my job. Not because I didn't have a choice, no. I came here on my own accord. Because I wanted to. 

No. Because I needed to.

For a nun who should be pure and without blemish, one who had spent years preparing to take her final vows and fully commit her life to the Church, if the convent ever knew what I left the Church to do, they definitely wouldn't let me back in. But I was here for a reason. And I wouldn't leave, not until I got my answers.

I followed the trail of blood with a mopstick in my hands, wiping it until there was no trace of red anymore. I did that until I stopped in front of a room. The forbidden room.

My heart flew to my throat when I finally realized who was injured. It wasn't any random guard like I thought.

It was the Mafia leader himself.

Luciano.

I took a step backward. Then another and turned around to run. No one was allowed into his room, not unless they're summoned, and if one ever got summoned, that would be the last day of their lives. I knew better than to walk in there, so the best option was to bolt for my life.

The moment I turned, I bumped into a hard figure, one that had me stumbling back until I landed butt-first in the ground. I glanced up to see a man with a long scar across his left eye looking down on me like I was a cockroach.

Dante. Luciano's personal bodyguard. He was so scary that whenever I saw him, I always ran. But there was no running for me now, was there?

“I—I’m sorry, I was trying to—”

“You've been assigned to clean the boss's chambers. Do so immediately.” He ordered and walked away instantly, while I sat on the ground, my ears ringing in shock.

He didn't even give me a chance to reject his offer; he just walked away. What if Luciano killed me there? What if my breathing somewhat annoyed him, and he just shoots a bullet through my skull?

The thought of it made me shiver in dread, but I had no choice. Hopefully, he wouldn't mind my presence and just let me clean and run.

I sucked in a sharp breath and knocked twice. No answer. I knocked once again, but when I still heard nothing, I pushed the door open and carefully stepped in. I kept my breathing as minimal as possible, not wanting to annoy him at all. But when I looked around the room, there was no one there. 

There was more blood, though, and I figured out that he must have been injured really badly. I got to work instantly, cleaning the blood that stained the floor until the tiles were shining again. Dragging the bedsheets from the bed, I folded them and placed them by the side, rummaging through his closet to find new sheets to place on the bed.

The sight of a gun had me jolting, but I ignored it and finally found clean sheets. When I was sure that I was done with everything, I turned around to leave when the bathroom door opened. I froze at first, then slowly turned toward the bathroom.

The sight in front of me had the mop slipping out of my hands and falling to the ground with a loud clang. His blue eyes bore into mine in confusion, and my eyes moved from his face, his gorgeously sculpted face, to his bare chest. Tattoos decorated his chest and arms, and that was when I saw it.

The deep gash on his perfect abs. 

“Are you just gonna stand there and stare, or are you gonna get the damn first aid box?” His voice snapped me out of my daze, and I immediately moved, searching through his drawers for the first aid kit.

“Holy Mary, mother of God.” I started to whisper, trying to cleanse my mind from the atrocities I had just seen. “Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our—” 

A crash sound interrupted me, and I turned sharply to see that he had somehow moved from the door to the bed, and now he was on the floor. He had collapsed into the table stand beside the bed and was now lying unconscious on the floor.

Oh God.

I immediately rushed over to him, my heart pounding in my chest as I took in his almost-dead appearance. His pants were soaked in blood, and he looked pale, like he wouldn't make it. 

“Sir?” I called out, fear gripping me when he didn't move. He didn't even look like he was breathing. “Sir Luciano? Answer me, please.”

What if they killed me for killing their boss? This couldn't be happening.

I reached out to touch him, but I withdrew my hand immediately, remembering the vile consequence of touching anyone's bare skin. And he was half naked. Practically bare.

The Church called it a curse. Touching anyone's bare skin showed me things I wasn't supposed to see. I used to think I had superpowers. Until everyone started to treat me differently. Like I was an alien that didn't belong here. They made me hide my “curse”. Said it would draw unnecessary attention.

Shaking my head, I pushed the thoughts out of my head and moved. I had to find someone, anyone, who would be able to treat him. As I moved to get up, his hand suddenly grabbed my arm, and I yelped in shock.

Out of fear, I tripped and fell right on top of him, my hands planted on his bare chest. His eyes met mine, and when I realized I was touching his chest, I froze.

“Oh no,” I whispered as electricity suddenly surged through me, and my head was suddenly drawn backward. Visions that didn't belong to me flooded my sight and then…

Darkness.