The Mafiaso And The AD 1024

Slipped into unconsciousness

As the overwhelming exhaustion took hold, I felt my knees buckle, my strength completely drained.

I barely registered Marcel's arms catching me as I collapsed, my body too heavy to support any longer.

My vision blurred, darkening at the edges, and the sounds around me became distant, muffled as if I were underwater.

"Amara!" Marcel's voice was the last thing I heard clearly, full of urgency and concern.

I wanted to respond, to let him know I was okay, but my body refused to obey.

My eyes fluttered, and then, despite my best efforts to stay awake, they closed, plunging me into darkness.

In that moment, everything faded-the pain, the chaos, the weight of the day.

All that remained was the sensation of Marcel's arms around me, holding me up as I slipped into unconsciousness.

Donte's PoV

Six hours had passed since the chaos settled, but I could hardly feel the passage of time.

I kept myself occupied with paperwork, trying to push away the lingering tension from the day's events.

The stacks of documents on my oak wood desk were supposed to demand my attention, but my mind kept drifting, unable to concentrate fully.

Marcel had filled me in on everything Amara had done while I was incapacitated-her bravery, the risks she took, and how she collapsed from exhaustion after bringing everyone back to the hideout.

Hearing that made me angry, not at her, but at the situation.

She'd risked her life for us, for me, without hesitation, despite how new she was to all of this.

It was rare for someone to be so fiercely protective of others they barely knew.

Even now, as I sat at my desk, I found myself glancing at her more often than not.

She was resting on the couch in my office, where Marcel had laid her after she collapsed.

Despite the pain I was still in, I couldn't bring myself to leave her side.

Something about her presence, even when she was unconscious, was grounding.

Finally, after hours of trying to focus on work, I pushed away from my leather chair and walked over to the couch.

I crouched down beside her, then settled on the coffee table, my eyes fixed on her peaceful face.

She was undeniably beautiful, with a kind of timeless elegance that made it hard to believe she was over a thousand years old.

She'd told me she was born in the AD century 1024, which meant she was around 1,000 years old, yet she looked no older than her mid-twenties.

I couldn't help but wonder which parent she got her looks from, or if it was a perfect blend of both.

As I studied her, a faint smile tugged at my lips. Despite the power she wielded, there was something almost serene about her in this moment.

I reached out, just about to brush a strand of hair from her face, when her eyes suddenly fluttered open.

She groaned, disoriented, and I instinctively reached for her arm to steady her.

"Woah, careful," I said softly, but before I could react, she had me slammed against the wall, her hand around my throat, feet dangling off the ground.

I gasped for air, surprised at how quickly things escalated. "Amara... it's me... Donte," I managed to choke out.

She murmured something, her eyes a dark crimson red with veins crawling down her face, her fangs exposed.

But as she recognized me, the intensity in her eyes faded, and she dropped me to the ground.

"Donte..." she said slowly, realizing what she had done. Her expression shifted to horror as she took a step back. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry."

I coughed, trying to regain my breath as I pushed myself up from the floor. "Note to self: never touch a supernatural when they wake up unconscious," I muttered, rubbing my throat.

"How are you?" she asked, her voice laced with concern, but I could see she was still shaken from the incident.

"No, how are you? Marcel told me what you did," I replied, my tone more serious now.

She had put herself in harm's way to protect us, to protect me, and I needed to know she was alright.

She sighed, brushing off my concern. "It's nothing. I just felt exhausted. I didn't eat after all."

She shrugged, but I could tell it was more than that. She had drained herself to the point of collapse, and she still tried to downplay it.

I nodded slowly, understanding. It made sense. "You need to take better care of yourself," I said, my voice softer now, but there was an edge of command in it.

"You can't keep pushing yourself like this."

She didn't argue, but the look in her eyes told me she wasn't used to people worrying about her. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I knew I didn't like it.

"Rest for a bit longer," I said, more gently this time. "You've done more than enough today."

She hesitated, looking like she wanted to protest, but eventually, she nodded, settling back down.

I stayed by her side, making sure she was comfortable before I returned to my desk, my thoughts still lingering on her.

This woman, this tribrid, was becoming someone I found myself caring about more than I anticipated. And that realization both intrigued and unsettled me.