Blood and Sweaters

Chapter 23

Dulce Maldad
(Spanish) Sweet Evil

Marta Cabrera stood in front of the crib staring down at the sleeping infant.

"Maldad," that's all Marta could think.

All this time she believed that once she saw the child her heart would melt but she was wrong. If anything she felt disappointed, in the baby, in herself, in her family. If she was someone else, if the baby was someone else's baby then maybe, just maybe life would have been different. Maybe she would have felt different. Maybe she would be able to have lived a normal life. One where she wasn't on edge all the time. One where she didn't have to glance over her shoulder every time she left the house. One where she could actually live a full happy life. Now having lost her entire family, maybe she could have a fresh start. She could leave all this behind her and the start to her fresh beginning would be to leave behind the mistake in the cradle.

~~~

It had been an hour since Diego had come out of the church, unfortunately, he wasn't able to bring any news with him. Marta could be in there or not. Aria wasn't exactly jumping for joy, she was so close and there was no way she could let Marta slip through her fingers.

"We need a new plan," John announced.

"No shit, Sherlock," Aria replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Ransom and Veronica let out a small chuckle at the grimace on John's face, it was good to see Aria somewhat back to her normal self but they all knew that deep down she was burning with rage.

While the rest got down to brainstorming, Aria couldn't help but notice a tall figure clad in black walk out of the church. She vaguely remembered her Tio saying something about a father who had found and helped her back to him after her family assassination. It was a long shot but this was the closest Church to her family home.

Aria carefully made her way over to the church. The father was now seated on a small stone bench towards the side of the church. The older man watched her make her way over with careful eyes. She came to a halt just before the bench.

"Good evening father."

"This is a house of peace, my child. No weapons are allowed on the premise," the man said in a kind voice.

Aria pulled her gun out from her waistband, followed by the knives from her boots, jacket, and pockets.

"You too my child," the priest addressed someone at the back of Aria.

Turning around she met her favorite pair of ocean blue eyes. She couldn't help but smile at his presence.

"You didn't think that I would let you out of my sight ever again, right devils child?" Ransom smirked, fully aware that they were standing in front of a priest.

He knew she could handle things on her own but ever since he watched her drive her off the cliff, his heart couldn't bear being away from her, even if it was just across the street. Ransom put down his gun and knife on the bench next to Arias.

"I'm Aria Torreto, a couple of years back an unfortunate event took the lives of my entire family. Someone found me and helped me back to my uncle. Although it's vague I remember a man dressed in black robes and my Tio mentioned it was a priest. I know I'm going out on a limb but would you by any chance know who he was?"