Crimson Bonds

A New Enemy Appears

Before I can push further, argue for my agency, there's a sudden noise from the tunnel—a sharp, scraping sound like metal against stone. Dante's entire posture shifts, going rigid in an instant. His hand shoots out, grabbing my arm and pulling me behind him, his body tense and alert.

"Stay back," he says, his voice low and deadly.

I press myself against the wall, my heart racing. I can hear the sound getting closer now, the faint scuffling of footsteps. I strain to see into the darkness, but it's too thick, too impenetrable. My stomach twists with dread.

Then, out of the shadows, a figure steps into the faint light of the chamber.

It's a woman—tall, with dark hair and striking features. She moves with the same fluid grace as Dante, her eyes scanning the room with a sharp, calculating gaze. She's not human. I can sense it immediately.

Dante's entire posture stiffened the second the woman stepped out of the shadows. I saw the flicker of tension in his body—a momentary stillness, the kind that comes before a storm. His eyes narrowed, and though his expression remained cold and controlled, there was something else there—something I couldn't quite name.

"You're not welcome here, Selene," he said, his voice steady but tight, like he was gripping onto control with both hands.

Selene's lips curled into a slow, mocking smile, her eyes scanning Dante with the kind of amusement that made my skin crawl. "Oh, Dante. Always so quick to put up walls. Afraid I'll knock them down again?"

Dante's jaw tightens. "This isn't the time for your games."

Her eyes flicker to me, widening slightly, as though confirming something. "Ah, so this is the girl. The one everyone's talking about."

"What do you want?" I demand, my voice betraying my fear.

She steps closer, her eyes glinting in the dim light, ignoring me as if I were inconsequential. "What then, Dante? Formalities? Time to catching up?"

She moves toward Dante, her steps slow, deliberate. For a moment, I think I see something flicker in his eyes—fear, maybe, or regret—but it's gone too quickly for me to be sure. He pushes me further behind him.

"You're still so predictable, Dante," Selene mused, her voice soft but dangerous. "Always so desperate to protect. But we both know how well that worked out last time, don't we?"

Dante's eyes flashed with something—anger, maybe. Or was it guilt? He stood taller, every muscle in his body rigid, but he said nothing.

"You think they'll follow you after they know the truth?" she whispered, stepping closer. Her voice was like silk, sliding through the air and wrapping around us both. "You think you can still lead, after everything you've done?"

Dante doesn't flinch, but the tension in the room is suffocating. "I won't let you near her."

Selene's smile fades, replaced by something darker. "Still holding onto that old guilt, I see. Haven't learned your lesson, have you?"Selene's smile widened as she crossed her arms, studying Dante like he was an old riddle she already knew the answer to. "You know, if you had just listened to me back then, none of this would've happened."

Dante didn't flinch, but I saw the shift—the slight tremor in his fingers before he balled them into fists. His gaze darkened, but his voice remained cold. "I'm not making that mistake again."

"You always were too sentimental," Selene sighed, running a finger along the edge of the tunnel wall as though she had all the time in the world. "That's what made you weak, you know. You let them in."

Dante's eyes flickered with something—regret? Shame? But before I could decipher it, he straightened, his voice hardening. "I'm not the same person I was then."

Selene raised an eyebrow, her smile cold. "No, you're not. But that doesn't mean you won't fall again." She leans forward with a sickening grin. "You still haven't forgiven yourself, have you?" Selene's voice dripped with amusement, though there was something darker beneath the surface, like a knife hidden behind a smile.

Dante's jaw tightened. "This isn't about the past."

"Isn't it?" she asked, taking a step closer. "You think you can outrun it, Dante? That your shiny new pet project will make you forget?"

I watched the exchange in silence, a strange feeling settling in my gut. It was as if they were talking about more than just me—about something old, something deep, that I wasn't privy to.

For a moment, I don't breathe. It's like they're talking about something more than just me—something old, something deeper. Selene's eyes flick toward me again, and I can see the satisfaction in them, like she's found a weakness.

She takes a step back, her smile returning. "You're not taking her," Dante repeats, his voice barely above a whisper.

Selene's laugh echoes through the chamber, sharp and mocking. "You really think you can stop me, Dante? I'm not here for a fight. Not yet."

"What do you want?" I ask, trembling, finally finding my voice.

Her gaze locks onto mine again, and for a split second, something flashes in her eyes—something dark, something dangerous. "You'll find out soon enough, little human," she says, her voice like silk. "Soon enough."

And with that, she turns, melting back into the shadows as quickly as she appeared, leaving only the sound of her laughter lingering in the air.

I stand there, my heart pounding in my chest, the weight of her words pressing down on me. Whoever she is, whatever she wants... it's not over.

Not even close.