𝐶𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑂𝑓 𝑀𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑐𝑒 | ✔︎ |

[34.] War

{{DAMARA MARIANO}}

I've been chained to this wall for at least two days. I've been beaten twice. Both times resulting in blood dribbling down my body. I'm not giving up. Not yet. I can't. I hope by now Vi had caught onto the message I sent him. I couldn't just bluntly tell him where to look, Grant was going to look though my phone records. I know how he works. I soon found myself dozing off. When I did it felt nice to finally be asleep.

"Damara!" I looked up at papà. He had a wide smile on his face.

"Papà!" I yelled. Little me running up and hugging his leg. He picked me up and held me to his side.

"Hello, my darling." He kissed my cheek. "Where's mamma?" He asked.

"She's upstairs. She's upset papà, mamma was crying earlier. I don't think she's happy." I pouted.

"Well let's go help mamma shall we?" He walked us to the kitchen and grabbed the flowers he had just bought off the counter.

He carried me upstairs while I held the flowers. He knocked on the bedroom door and my mamma hummed. We both walked into the room and I handed mamma the pretty carnations papà had picked out.

"Hello my love." My papà placed me on the bed before crawling on himself.

He grabbed my mamma and placed her between his legs. I was sitting playing with the flowers.

"Why are you sad?" He asked her softly. Patience filling his voice.

"I don't feel very good is all. I was crying because I dropped a plate and it triggered me a little bit." She smiled sadly looking up at my papà with love in her eyes.

"I'm sorry lover." He whispered against her shoulder. They both watched as I played with the flowers. "We made that wonderful little girl you know?" He smiled against her cheek.

"We did." She smiled at me. "We made it. I have everything I've ever wanted." She watched me intently.

"Damara, come here baby." My papà looked at me. I crawled towards them and laid on top of my mammas chest. I picked up a strand of her long brown curly hair and played with it.

"I love you mamma." I smiled up at her. My papà gasped dramatically.

"Ah- what about me?" He raised a brow.

"You're too dramatic papà." I scrunched my nose at him. My mamma laughed when he scrunched his nose back at me.

"Would you stop pestering our five year old?" She looked at him.

"She started it." He raised his hands in defense before wrapping them around me and my mamma.

"Nuh uh!" I looked at him.

"Yuh huh!" He responded.

The three of us laughed and talked a little more before we fell asleep. I was laying on my mamma while my mamma laid on my papà. It was so very comforting. My family.

I shot my head up gasping for air. Tears rolled out of my eyes uncontrollably. That was taken from me. The man who took that from me is my godfather. He instructed the kill on my parents. If it weren't for him I would still have my family. Vesper would be alive and he would have a relationship with our parents.

I pulled my wrists as hard as I could. I kept pulling till my skin was raw. I kicked and cried and screamed out for someone to help me. I was cracking at the seems and it was all at the hands of the man who pushed death my way. He started this curse, this constant cycle of life and death. Now he'll be the one to end the cycle.

I was weeping when I heard yells from upstairs. Gunshots followed and I cried even harder. Someone is here for Grant. This happens every other day in this house, this is no different. Now I'll never be found. This is the last time this house will be used, I've seen this happen so many times before.

I heard men running and yelling for backup, at some point a bomb went off. I'm in the only room with metal lined walls. It's the bomb shelter but ironically the cage Grant locks his animals in.

Now I'm one of the animals. Would you look at his far I've come.

The steel door was blown open and my hearing blanked out. My head was hanging between my shoulders and my eyes were tightly closed. I'm scared.

A hand softly held my cheek. I immediately tensed only to relax under the touch. Vittorio. My eyes fluttered open and they were met with his. He let out a breath before yelling something behind him. He unlocked the chains and I fell into him. I fisted his shirt and he held onto me.

"It's okay Mara. I got you. I'm here." He rubbed his hand down my back. At least I can hear again.

He helped me up and someone threw him a shirt. He pulled it over me then made me step into some sweatpants. He wrapped my arm around his shoulder and held my waist as we walked though the smoky house.

He eased my feet to the ground and in front of me was Grant, Atlas, and a few of the remaining men. On our side was James, Artemis, And Onyx? Damn. I guess it really was whatever it takes.

We're in a tricky spot. Because if one goes down then all hell breaks loose and everyone is at risk.

I watched as everyone stared. Grant drew a gun and fired it directly at me before anyone around could process what was going on.

I turned pale. Vi looked around trying to find who was hit and I covered the spot with my hand. I pulled my hand away and saw blood all over it. Jesus. I looked up at Vi who had pure fear in his eyes looking at my hand. I turned my head to Grant.

I looked betrayal right in the eyes.

"Y- you shot me." I mumbled staring directly at him. I saw the hurt in his eye but he has no right.

All hell broke loose as I suspected. The men on our side were shooting down almost every hopper against us. I watched in slow motion Vi's panicked face as I started to fall. He grabbed me and pulled me into his lap brushing the hair out of my face.

"Hey, my pretty girl." He mumbled holding me tightly.

"Hi." I smiled weakly. "How much blood am I loosing?" I asked.

Vi glanced down and I saw him tense a little. He looked back to me with tears in his eyes.

"Am I okay?" I sniffled.

"Yeah." His voice cracked. "You're okay baby." He smiled and nodded. I brought my hands up to his face and wiped the tears away.

"Please don't cry over this." I laughed. "I'm not worth crying over Vi." My lips quirked a little.

"You." He kissed my forehead. "Are worth every tear." He smiled softly down at me.

"I feel a little dizzy, sweetheart." I mumbled, my eyes closing a little bit.

"It's okay, princess. Just a few more minutes and help will be here." He tucked my hair behind my ear.

"I'm gonna rest my eyes." I sighed before my eyes started to close.  

"No, Mara keep your eyes open please." Vi pleaded. I can't seem to open them again.

I'm falling.

Please catch me.