The Mafiaso And The AD 1024

The Aftermath

They had seen death before, but this was something else. Something they couldn't fight or comprehend.

I looked around, seeing the terror in their faces, and for a moment, I felt the urge to finish them all to let the darkness consume everything in its path.

But then I saw Donte still standing, his eyes locked on me. He wasn't afraid-at least not in the same way the others were.

There was something else in his gaze, something that made me hold back, that reminded me why I was here.

I released the power, the shadows retreating as the warehouse seemed to brighten just slightly.

The remaining rival gang members didn't wait to see if I would change my mind.

They turned and fled, scrambling over each other to get out of the warehouse, leaving their fallen comrades behind.

Silence fell, broken only by the ragged breath Donte's men as they slowly realised they were still alive.

I walked toward Donte, my heels clicking softly on the bloodstained floor.

He didn't move, didn't speak, and just watched me with that unreadable expression.

"Are you alright?" l asked, my voice softer now, though still edged with the remnants of my power.

Donte nodded slowly, his hand hovering over the wound on his chest, where the knife had barely missed piercing his heart. "Thanks to you," he said, his voice rough but steady.

I stepped closer, examining him for any other injuries. He was battered, bruised, but alive. That was all that mattered. For now.

I knelt beside Donte, my hands hovering over the wound on his chest. The gash was deep, and blood soaked through his shirt, but I could sense the life still pulsing strong within him.

Without a word, I let my healing magic flow through me, a warm, golden light emanating from my palms as it knitted his torn flesh back together.

His pained expression softened as the wound closed, leaving only faint traces of blood on his skin.

Once Donte was stable, I moved to his men, who watched me with a mix of awe and apprehension.

They had seen me use dark magic to subdue their enemies, and now they were witnessing the other side of my abilities-the side that healed instead of harmed.

I touched each of them in turn, mending broken bones, closing wounds, and soothing their battered bodies until they, too, were whole.

When I stood up, all eyes were on me. The warehouse was eerily silent, the only sound of the faint lapping of waves against the nearby shore.

I turned to Donte, who was already on his feet, testing the area where his injury had been with a curious expression.

"Um, what are you going to do with the bodies?" I asked, glancing around at the lifeless forms of his rivals scattered across the concrete.

Donte's eyes followed mine, his expression unbothered. "I'll get rid of them," he said casually, as if disposing of bodies was just another part of his day.

I walked over to him, frustration bubbling up inside me. "Why don't you get a witch friend for your mafia, or just a witch in general? You can't just accidentally call me to save you and your men. We aren't even that close."

Donte met my gaze, a small, unreadable smile playing at the corner of his lips. "So why did you come and save us?"

I hesitated, the answer not as clear in my own mind as I would have liked. "I need to keep my job," I said finally, my voice softer than I intended. "Meaning I need to keep you alive since you're also my boss."

As I spoke, I could feel the remnants of dark magic lingering in my body, slowly fading away as if it had been sated for now.

But its presence was always there, just beneath the surface, waiting.

"You shouldn't use dark magic, Amara," Donte warned, his tone serious. "I've heard it's uncontrollable."

I let out a quiet laugh, a sound more bitter than amused. "I've mastered dark magic. I guess you could say I can use both the good magic and the dark magic."

I tried to smile, hoping to lighten the mood, but the weight of what had just happened hung between us.

Donte raised an eyebrow, studying me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. "That's a dangerous balance, Amara."

"Maybe," I conceded, "but it's necessary. In my world, you don't get to choose what kind of power you have. You just have to learn how to control it."

He nodded as if he understood something about me that I hadn't said out loud.

The silence between us stretched, filled with unspoken thoughts and questions neither of us were ready to voice.

"Next time," I said, breaking the quiet, "try not to get yourself into a situation where you need to call me for help. I might not always be able to save you."

Donte's smirk returned, that same infuriating confidence that seemed to radiate from him. "I'll keep that in mind. But it's good to know you'll come if I do."

I rolled my eyes, but the truth was, I wasn't sure what I would do if he ever called me again.

I had a feeling that tonight was just the beginning, that this connection between us-whatever it was-was only going to pull me deeper into his world.

And that thought, more than anything, was what truly unsettled me.