From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series Santanico Novels & Stories

Chapter 80 || SANCIA'S POV || The sun was dipping low, its orange glow illuminating the jagged peaks of the cliffs that surrounded the cove. The faint scent of saltwater mingled with the coppery tang of blood, an acrid reminder of what we had just survived. I sat cross-legged in the sand beside Vincenzo, the bandage I’d hastily tied around his leg already soaked through with crimson. His breath came in shallow gasps, and his face was pale, streaked with sweat and grime.

“Russo says to wrap this up. Either kill her or hand her over. No more delays.” Livia’s heart pounded, but she kept her breathing steady. Keep playing dead. Keep listening. Dante was silent for a long moment. Then: “Give me one more day.” “One day,” Santini growled. “Then I come back with orders from Russo himself. And you know what he does to people who disappoint him.” The door slammed shut. Dante turned to Livia, shaking her shoulder. “Wake up.” She opened her eyes slowly, blinking as if confused. “What’s happening?”

As she pulled the bag along, she thought about a lot of things; the promotion, her kids, her parents, her life. Apparently, she had no idea when she bumped into a figure, the slight twitch of cold coffee flushed towards her skin and she stared up in horror, she couldn't see his face because he was soaring, she stared up, and up, until she caught his face. A pair of dark eyes greeted her and she gulped down nothing in particular. His suit was etched elegantly to his body, his dark hair was swept towards his face, tiny layers peeking through his forehead, and then, he finally coughed.

Above us, the fire finally wins a battle; a massive, burning beam crashes through the ceiling, smashing onto the dining table and sending a spray of orange sparks into the air like demonic fireflies. Santino limps toward me, blood soaking his jeans, turning the fabric a dark, wet crimson. His face is contorted into something demonic, his teeth bared in a snarl. "I was going to keep you!" he screams over the roar of the flames. "I was going to give you everything! Power, money, a new name! And this is how you repay me?"

Santiago immediately carried him into the tub for his bath and Rosario giggled with joy as he picked a purple octopus to play with. Seeing as he was settled, I went to have a shower then dressed in an all black outfit. With that, I walked to my office to get some papers and found Gianni waiting. “Here are the papers for Don Alberto’s deal. If we leave now, we'll make it in time.” “I know. We'll leave soon.” I spoke as I settled into my chair. “ Any information on the men we found in the bathroom?” “None. They seem to be trained men, assassins.”

Dominic’s POV Dawn comes in ugly, angry colors, like the sky’s got something to prove. It’s too red and still, bleeding out over the hills as if the world’s got a fresh cut. I’m standing on the ridge with Dante and Elora, all of us together for the first time since this mess kicked off. Smoke and blood filled the air. Somewhere behind me, the wolves are restless, their armor rattling. “This is it,” Dante growls, barely above a mutter. His voice is wrecked, too many orders, not enough sleep. He shoots Elora a look. “Ain’t no backing out now.”

I’m staring at the photo on the screen. I would be lying if I said he didn’t cross my mind in the past month but I started to forget what he looked like. Now the memories flood back in. His face is unsmiling here but he still looks handsome. I read the news crawl. He’s Diego Santoro, millionaire businessman. I’ve heard that name before, wealthy beyond imagination and rumored to be part of the mafia. What the hell have I gotten myself into?

Dmitri called out as he got to his personal house. “Yes, boss.” Dante answered revealing himself to Dmitri. “Your sister is back.” Dmitri announced implying at Dalia's sudden appearance. “I know.” Dante replied much too casual for Dmitri’s liking. “I fucking hate those words! What's with you people and ‘I know’, fuck it.” Dmitri knew he shouldn't lash out at Dante for obvious reasons so he dismissed him. All the thoughts in Dmitri’s head began to make his head hurt so with quick steps, Dmitri got his medication and hurriedly threw it down his throat.

36: Twilight and Dawn Adjusting her eye from the light that comes from the chandelier hanging on the ceiling, Dawn is finally awake. “I’m thankful that you’re awake,” Elene spoke on the side. When Dawn sees her white clothes, she immediately thinks that she’s Olivia's assistant. “What did you do to yourself? You always lose your consciousness because of fatigue.” “W-What?” she asked, not really getting her point and then she realized something. “Did you cut my stomach again?” She then hugged her belly. It’s like she gets paranoid every time she thinks of what happened to her.

"But mother, I hate it in that dimension... All those fools treat me like a commoner" "Now Now my darling, don't you have your plaything... That boy... " "Ethan?!?" "Yes" "Oh Mother... Look at the time, I must leave" "Don't forget your Mission my beautiful daughter... We will be taking over Sorania with a storm" (Evil laughter) "Now Go" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~