LOGINDamien winced a little when he felt something piercing on his back. He groaned and pat the space next to him. His eyes flew wide open, the woman he claimed is now nowhere to be found.
“Dmn, you never fail to amuse me woman.” He muttered to himself, a smirk made it’s way on his lips as he moved. He would think of it as a dream but the blood stain on his sheets says otherwise. She will find that woman one way or another. Be it by hook or by crook. After a quick bath, he went to his office inside the suite and tapped some keys on his laptop. A few seconds later revealing the missing woman he could see even when he closed his eyes. Her scent imprint on him like an owner to a pet. He calmly sipped his coffee, seeing her reactions on the screen. Every slap he could hear and see everything. It irked him when Cinthye called them parents. A family? “What a joke.” He said to himself, he called someone on his phone. “James, how’s her Mom?” A grunt responded from the other line. “Fvck you, Damien. Don’t you know what time it is? “ “I apologize in advance but I don’t fvck my friend so find a woman to warm your chicken coop. It’s six in the morning my friend, time to get your butt up to work. “ “Wow I really appreciate your advice. “ James sarcastically replied, some rustling sound and he became much sober. “Who’s mom are we talking about?” “The Cator.” A laugh erupted from his friend. “Oh the actress? I haven’t saw her since yesterday. The mother was just as historical as her daughter. The younger one. The surgery was cancelled because of the father. He refused to let Cinthye pay for the bills and wanted to withdraw the amount she paid for her mother to use it for gambling. “That motherfckin moron.” His grip on the phone tightened. The screen glitched and the live footage was gone. “What the fck?!” “What happened man?” “I lost track of her.” James laughed. “Looks like your actress found out about the little fly you planted on her clothes. Careful, Damien. You might burn yourself. Cinthye Cator is a fire furnace.” That brought a sly smirk on his face. “That’s why I want her even more.” He sipped his coffee and clicked on his laptop. “ Clever, little actress.” His blue eyes shone in amusement and disbelief. He leaned on his chair and sent her a message. “Lets see how you long you can keep up.” “Youre just as insane as her. You really are good match.” Damien could feel James massaging his temple and wanting to shoot him in the head. Too bad he choose to be a doctor rather than to be an assassin. His clan was close to his, in mafia brotherhood can be stronger than blood ties. Damien dressed himself up, folding the end of his wrist. Looking at his reflection on the mirror, teeth and kiss marks spread on his skin like allergy. He stood there proud and he could feel himself getting harder by the passing seconds. “Wait until I get my hands on you, little actress.” He promised himself. Once he wants something. He will do whatever it takes for it to become his possession. He wants it, he gets it and he earns it. Damien called another number on his phone, clearing his throat before speaking. “Nicholas, how long can you process a marriage certificate to be legal?” A long pause after his yawn. As if analyzing the preposterous piece of statement viable to become a fact or remain merely as a claim. “Am I hearing it right?” He could feel the amusement on the other side. Damien rolled his eyes, wanting to punch some sense into this idiot he’s talking to but alas he’s te one in nedd of assistance he has to play nice. “I’m not joking.” “Neither am I. What’s the chase, Damien?” Gone the smug on his voice replaced by dead seriousness and purely business. “I’m getting married. I want you to process some papers.” He said confidently. “But I don’t do things for free.” “Southern coast of Sicily, Arco.” One of his armory, Nicholas had been eyeing at. He was sure he push the right button. A few moments of silence he took that as a yes. “That’s more I like it, Voss. Consider it done. I’ll send it to you in a jiffy.” With that he end the call, a sly smirk on his lips. Tucking his customized watch, Damien took his things with him including the laced panty his little actress left as a remembrance. A trophy of a steamy night worth to chase for. His fingers tight on the steering wheel, he stepped on the gas. Heading to fetch his bride. After hours of waiting, Cinthye was fidgety and almost jumped off the floor when a hand pt on her shoulder. “Miss Cator.” The doctor approached her helping her to stand up from the floor. She dusted herself off and smiled at the doctor hoping for some good news but too bad it’s was the contradiction of what she hoped for. “I am sincerely apologizing for what have happened. I know that it was due to my negligence your mother’s situation has gone worst than before. Allow me to make things right.” He gave her a folder full of papers. “What is this, doc?” She asked, since she can’t se much. “It’s the official written consent for the surgery you must sign it to allow the surgery to proceed.” Cinthye immediately signed it without a second thought and gave it to the doctor instantly. “We will update you shortly.” Cinthye nodded and sat on the chair next to her. She combed her mother’s hair with her fingers. “Thanks for holding on mother. Everythings gonna be alright soon.” She crushed the bug she got from her clothes earlier. Someone was monitoring her, that’s for sure. “I will not let anyone get in the way with this. Mark my words.” With the tickets on her hand, she will make her dreams come true and bring her mother to Canada. Just hold on a bit longer. She kissed her forehead. “We’re gonna run away from this mafia business. I promise you.”The photograph remained on the table for nearly a minute. Nobody touched it. Nobody spoke. Victor stood on the opposite side, staring at the image of his family. His wife. His two children. Alive. Terrified. And standing behind them was Elara. She had deliberately chosen the photograph. Not because she needed to prove the family was alive. Because she wanted Victor to know she could reach him. Cinthye finally broke the silence. "How long ago was this taken?" Alex picked up the photograph and scanned it. "Less than an hour." Victor's jaw tightened. "So they're close." "Maybe," Alex said. Victor looked at him. "Maybe?" "The photograph could have been transmitted from anywhere." "Can you trace it?" "I'm trying." Victor turned toward Cinthye.
The sanctuary survived. Barely. By morning, the walls were blackened, three towers had collapsed, and the eastern gate was nothing more than twisted metal. Smoke drifted across the courtyard while soldiers searched the ruins for unexploded devices. The children were safe. That should have been enough. It wasn't. Cinthye stood in the command room with a report in her hands. Seven allied houses had withdrawn their support overnight. Two had closed their borders. One had publicly declared that Cinthye's family was responsible for the escalating war. Another had begun negotiations with the Ember Circle. The lines that had held the alliance together were breaking. And they were breaking exactly when the family needed them most. Elena entered carrying another report.
The sanctuary had never been built to withstand a war. It had been built to survive one. That distinction mattered. For generations, the family had treated the compound as a home first and a fortress second. The walls were thick. The gates were reinforced. Hidden passages ran beneath the grounds. Emergency shelters had been stocked and maintained. But none of that had been designed for an enemy who knew the family's bloodlines. Now every child was a potential target. Every corridor was a potential entry point. Every trusted door could become a weakness. By sunrise, the sanctuary had become something else entirely. A fortress. And everyone inside it knew the fortress would eventually be tested. Cinthye stood in the command room, staring at the map. Twelve Ghost Cells. Six iden
For one terrible second, nobody moved. Cinthye stared at the woman standing at the entrance to the sanctuary. She had Elena's face. Elena's voice. Elena's posture. But the woman behind the disguise was someone else entirely. Elara. The missing branch of the family. The descendant of the First Queen. The woman who had commanded the Ember Circle from the shadows. Damien raised his weapon. Cinthye caught his wrist. "Wait." Elara smiled. "Still protecting everyone before yourself." Cinthye's eyes narrowed. "Where is Elena?" "Safe." "Where?" "Far from here." Cinthye studied her. "You're lying." Elara laughed softly. "You always were
Luna had always hated being asked what she saw. People assumed visions were gifts. They were not. A gift was something you could hold. A gift could be opened, used, shared, or put away. Her visions did not work that way. They arrived without permission. They came when she was tired, when she was frightened, sometimes when she was happiest. They showed her pieces of things that had not happened yet, memories that did not belong to her, and places she had never visited. Sometimes they showed her the truth. Sometimes they showed her what the truth wanted her to believe. That was why she had learned to be careful. But this time, she knew she could not hide. The family stood around the command table. The document Elena had recovered remained projected on the wall. T
The first city fell without a battle. That was what frightened Alex most. There were no explosions. No invading army. No burning buildings. At dawn, the eastern capital of Valenor simply stopped answering. Every communication channel went silent at 5:17 in the morning. By 5:30, the city's defensive grid had shut down. By 5:45, every surveillance camera had been disabled. At 6:00, the city's central government issued a single emergency transmission. WE ARE SAFE. REMAIN CALM. Then the transmission ended. Cinthye knew immediately that the message was a lie. "How many people live there?" she asked. Alex studied the satellite feed. "Almost two million." The command room became silent. Victor leaned over the table. "Two million people don't disappear." "No," Alex said. "They're still there." "Then what's happening?" Alex zoomed in. "The city isn't occupied." Damien frowned. "Then who shut it down?" Alex pointed toward the underground infrastructure. "Someone insi







