The other girl's story

Love is a curse

I look down at my bruised body. "Rough is a severe underestimatement. You were enjoying yourself a little too much. My whole body aches." He chuckles. "Sorry baby, I couldn't help it. You were so tight and felt so good." He won't let me answer but pulls me into a deep kiss already. He releases me eventually. "Felix..." I whisper. "I wanted to ask you something. You need to answer truthfully." He looks at me in curiosity, but before I can speak further, there is an alarm going off in the building. Fire. Somewhere. "Didn't you say you took care of them?" I ask. "Well, those I could catch. The problem is, they now know not only me but your face as well. Let's leave here." We get dressed quickly. "You go through the east side, and I'll check the west. If we don't manage, let's just meet up at the rooftop and hide there." I nod. As I run down the east hallway, I see many panicking people. Those men surely won't kill me because I am the only one who knows about Felix's whereabouts. However, that doesn't mean I'm safe. I accidently make eye contact with one of the men who approaches me quickly and grabs me by the shoulder. I kick his knee from the side and run back up towards the rooftop. Another man grabs me from behind and forcefully shuts my mouth with his hand. I fail to free myself until I recognize the tattoos on his arm. "Felix?" I turn around to face him. So he was caught as well. What now? We hear quick footsteps from downstairs, and there is no further way for us. "What's next?" I ask Felix. "Isn't that obvious? We need to jump." I look down on the street. Sixth floor... what are the odds of surviving? A shiver runs down my spine. I press his hand. "I'm scared, I dont want to." Felix hugs me. This... deja vu? "I understand." Suddenly, he jumps, pulling me with him." The shock in my heart makes me unable to scream nor react in any other way. But furthermore. I am having a flashback. I'm falling in a man's arms down a cliff. I can not clearly recall the person who is holding me. Those memories... after 1300 years in the darkness, it seems I've forgotten about them. But why? Who is that man? What was his name? The reality rips me out of my trance as I land uncomfortable in a room full of shards. I look at the broken window, where we just came from. So he managed to somewhat get both of us flying inside here rather than hitting the ground. I look at Felix. His eyes are closed. He has a bloody wound on his head. It seems we are safe here. I take his head and place it onto my lap while gently wrapping his injuries in parts of my clothing. He slowly opens his eyes. "I hate you." Is the first thing I tell him, once I notice. A slight grin follows. "Doesn't look like it." He sits up and touches my face where the shards have left scratches. "I didn't mean to hurt you with this trip to my hometown." I snap his shoulder. "Liar. In that case, you would have thrusted into me more gently." Another smile from him. "Felix. We need to get you to a hospital now." He won't let me pick him up from the ground. "Too dangerous. They are still behind us." I slap him. "What you just did was already dangerous. We have nothing to lose by getting you treated. Please, I'm begging you, I don't want you to be hurt." He pulls me down to his level, still refusing to get up. "Why?" He simply asks. I take a deep breath. "Because I fell in love with you." His eyes widen for a second. "Can you repeat that? I think I've misheard you." I don't break eye contact and whisper the words into his ear: "I love you." He looks at me, seemingly stunned. But before he can answer, I hear footsteps from outside. I leave Felix on the ground and run outside to where the steps are coming from when I finally see one of the predators. Felix screamed something behind me that I didn't understand. I raise my hands above my head at gunpoint. "Where is Cassano, mademoiselle?" I slowly take a step closer. "I will tell you everything you want to know about the Cassano family. I will cooperate with you and join you. In return, would you let me live?" He looks at me in hesitation to lower his guard. "Reasonable, Lady. What's your name?" I remain calm. "Rose Helion." A couple of other men come to join our conversation. "A beautiful lady like you would really be a waste for the Cassano family. But how do we know if we can trust you?" I lower my hands. "You don't. That is the risk. But I know I wouldn't survive betraying you. And I would really like to leave here save and sound. That's my wish. And that's the offer. Promise you won't hurt me, and I will tell you where all the remaining descendants of the Cassano family are located." The men think for a couple of seconds. The one in front of me lowers his gun and grins widely. "Young lady, you are really brave. I think our boss will take a liking to you. But first, where is Felix Cassano?" He took the bait. "He took an elevator downstairs earlier, using the chaos to vanish. Leaving me behind here..." I silently pray for Felix to be too weak to get out of the room. "He's probably gone already. However, a beautiful hostage like you would definitely be helpful. You're coming with us." Good. I managed to lure them away. Now, I only need to survive and find my way back to him. But while I am at the enemy's base... I might as well find out a couple of things.