Cassandra de Ville

Chapter 25

Damon Volkov moved swiftly through the dense underbrush, his eyes focused and his senses heightened.

The night was eerily quiet, the only sound being the distant crackle of flames. He had been tracking his brother's movements for weeks, ever since Roman had asked him to keep an eye on things from the shadows.

Damon knew his brother well—Roman was always getting himself into situations that were far more dangerous than he could handle alone. And this time, it Roman had dragged Cassandra into the depths of their world.

As Damon neared the burning building, he quickened his pace, his heart pounding with urgency. He could see the flickering orange glow of the fire against the night sky, and the smell of smoke filled the air. There was no time to waste. He had to get to them before it was too late.

He slipped through the perimeter, avoiding the few guards Antonella had left behind.

They were too focused on ensuring no one interfered to notice the lone figure moving with deadly precision. He couldn't afford any distractions.

As he approached the building, the heat from the flames became intense, but Damon pushed through it, his mind focused solely on his brother and Cassandra.

He kicked open the door, the fire roaring to life as it was fed by the sudden influx of oxygen. The inferno had already consumed much of the structure, and Damon knew it wouldn't be long before the entire place collapsed.

"Roman! Cassandra!" Damon called out, his voice carrying over the roar of the flames.

For a moment, there was no response, and fear gripped him. But then, through the thick smoke, he heard a faint, hoarse voice.

"Damon... over here..." It was Roman, and he sounded weak.

Damon pushed forward, the flames licking at his clothes as he navigated through the collapsing structure. He spotted Roman first, near a pile of burning debris that had fallen from the ceiling. Roman was struggling to move a large beam, his face covered in soot and sweat, his eyes wild with desperation.

"Roman!" Damon shouted, rushing to his brother's side.

Roman looked up, relief flooding his face when he saw Damon. "Cassandra's trapped... under there..." he choked out, pointing to where the debris had fallen.

Without hesitation, Damon moved to where Roman had indicated. The sight that met him was heart-wrenching.

Cassandra was pinned beneath a large section of the ceiling, her face pale and streaked with blood, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. She was barely conscious, her eyes half-closed as she fought to stay awake.

"Hang on," Damon said, his voice firm but gentle. "We're getting you out of here."

With Roman's help, Damon began to lift the burning debris off Cassandra, ignoring the searing pain as the hot metal and wood burned his hands.

Every second felt like an eternity, but finally, they managed to free her.

Roman carefully lifted Cassandra into his arms, her body limp and unresponsive. Damon could see the fear in his brother's eyes, but there was no time for reassurance. They had to get out.

"Come on, we need to move. This place is coming down," Damon urged, leading the way through the maze of fire and smoke.

They made their way out just as the building began to collapse behind them, the roof caving in with a thunderous crash. The three of them stumbled into the night, the fresh air a stark contrast to the suffocating smoke they had just escaped.

Outside, the scene was one of devastation.

The building was now a raging inferno, its flames lighting up the night sky.

There was no sign of Antonella or her car—she was long gone, leaving nothing but destruction in her wake.

Damon quickly assessed Cassandra's injuries. She was in bad shape—burns covered her arms and legs, and there was a deep gash on her forehead. But she was alive, and that was all that mattered for now.

"We need to get her to safety," Roman said, his voice thick with emotion as he held Cassandra close.

Damon nodded. "I have a place. It's far, isolated. No one will find us there."

Without wasting any more time, Damon led them to the vehicle he had hidden nearby.

They drove through the night, leaving the burning building far behind them. The road was long and winding, taking them farther and farther away from the city, from the danger that had nearly claimed their lives.

After hours of driving, they finally arrived at a secluded island, hidden away from prying eyes. T

he island was small, covered in dense forest, with a single cabin near the shore. It was the perfect place to disappear.

Damon and Roman carefully carried Cassandra into the cabin, laying her down on the small bed.

Without wasting any time, they began tending to her wounds. Damon rummaged through the small medical kit he kept for emergencies, pulling out antiseptics, bandages, and ointments. Roman remained by Cassandra's side, his worry etched on his face as he gently brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead.

They worked methodically, cleaning and dressing the burns on her arms and legs. Damon applied a soothing ointment to her injuries, hoping to ease some of the pain she would feel when she woke.

Once they were done, Roman adjusted the pillow under Cassandra's head, his hand lingering on her cheek as he checked for any sign of a fever.

Despite Roman's focus on Cassandra, Damon noticed the cuts and burns his brother had sustained during the ordeal.

Ignoring Roman's insistence that he was fine, Damon took care of his brother's wounds too. As he cleaned and dressed the cuts on Roman's arms and the burn marks on his hands, Roman continued to stare at Cassandra, his expression a mix of worry and relief.

Finally, with both Cassandra and Roman's injuries tended to, Damon stepped back.

Cassandra was still unconscious, her breathing shallow but steady. Roman sat by her side, holding her hand, his eyes never leaving her face.

"She's going to be okay," Damon said quietly, as he sit down on the couch. "But she needs time to heal."

Roman nodded, though his expression was still one of deep concern. "Thank you, Damon. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't shown up."

Damon gave him a small smile. "You don't have to thank me, Roman. You're my brother. I'll always have your back."

As the sun began to rise, casting a soft glow over the island, the two brothers sat in silence, watching over Cassandra.

They knew the road ahead would be difficult, that the danger wasn't over. But for now, they were safe, hidden away from the world, and that was enough.

Cassandra stirred slightly, a small sign that she was fighting her way back to consciousness. Roman squeezed her hand gently, his heart swelling with relief.

"We're safe, Cassandra," he whispered. "We're going to be okay."

But deep down, they all knew that this was just the beginning. 

The truth they sought was still out there, buried beneath layers of lies and betrayal. And soon, they would have to face it, together. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello!!

Thanks for reading!!