Fires of Fate

Chapter 19: A Dark Abduction

Angel

It happened so quickly, I could hardly process it. One minute, I was at the small market nearby , picking up supplies for our journey to Alexander's safe house. We'd been careful, keeping our movements brief and blending into the crowds whenever possible. Alexander's crew was never far, watching my every move and keeping a close eye on anyone who got too close.

But today, something felt different. There was an unease in the air, a prickling sensation at the back of my neck that I couldn't shake.

I was on my way back to the cabin when it happened. The car came out of nowhere, screeching to a halt in front of me. Before I could react, a group of men spilled out, grabbing me by the arms and dragging me toward the open door. I screamed, fought against their iron grips, but a familiar voice cut through my panic.

"Angel," Dante's voice was cold and mocking as he stepped into view, watching me struggle with an amused glint in his eyes. "So nice to see you again. Thought you'd be smarter about hiding."

My blood ran cold as his gaze locked onto mine. I tried to pull away, but his grip was firm, unrelenting. My heart pounded as he leaned close, his breath hot against my ear.

"You're coming with me," he whispered, a dark promise in his tone.

The next moments blurred together. They shoved me into the backseat, a rag clamped over my face before I could scream again. The world spun, my vision dimming, as I fought against the thick, cloying scent filling my lungs. Then, everything went dark.

_______________________________________________________________________________When I awoke, I was in a dimly lit room, cold concrete pressing against my back. My wrists were bound, a dull ache throbbing in my arms from the strain. I blinked, trying to adjust to the shadows around me, my heart pounding as I realized where I was. The walls were bare, the air stale and suffocating.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, drawing closer. My breath hitched as the door creaked open, revealing Dante's menacing silhouette. He stepped inside, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

"You and Alexander thought you could run from me?" His voice was calm, taunting. "I told you this wasn't over."

I swallowed hard, glaring at him despite the fear twisting in my gut. "What do you want with me, Dante? Alexander won't let you get away with this."

He laughed, low and dark. "Oh, I'm counting on him coming for you. In fact, I'm hoping he does." He crouched down, leveling his gaze with mine. "Alexander's weakness has always been thinking he could protect you, thinking he could play hero. But everyone has a breaking point. Including you, Angel."

I fought the urge to flinch under his gaze, keeping my eyes fixed on his as he leaned in closer.

"You're carrying his child, aren't you?" he sneered, his eyes drifting to my stomach. "The perfect leverage to make him do exactly what I want."

Rage and fear churned within me. I wanted to scream, to lash out, but my voice felt trapped in my throat. I knew this was more than just a personal vendetta-Dante was playing a twisted game, and I was just the pawn.

The door swung open again, and one of Dante's henchmen entered. "He's on his way," he said, casting a glance at me. "Looks like your little plan worked."

Dante's grin widened. "Good. Keep her here. I want her to witness every moment."

My heart raced as he turned and left the room, leaving me alone with the guard. My mind scrambled, desperate for a way out. If Alexander was coming, I had to warn him. I couldn't let him walk into Dante's trap.

"Please," I whispered to the guard, trying to keep my voice steady. "You don't have to do this. Just let me go. I'll disappear-you'll never hear from me again."

He glanced at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of doubt, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Hours passed, the tension thickening with each tick of the clock. I had no idea if Alexander was close, or if he even knew what kind of danger awaited him. All I could do was hope, praying he'd see through Dante's plan before it was too late.

Finally, the silence was shattered by the sound of commotion outside. Voices, the sound of scuffling, and then a familiar voice calling my name.

"Angel!" Alexander's voice was raw with urgency, echoing down the corridor.

My heart soared and broke all at once. I wanted to call out, to warn him, but as soon as I tried, the guard clamped a hand over my mouth, silencing me. He held me tightly as Dante entered, a smug smile on his face.

"Right on time," Dante drawled, watching as Alexander stormed into the room, his gun drawn and aimed directly at Dante.

"Let her go," Alexander's voice was deadly calm, though I could see the fire in his eyes, the rage simmering just below the surface.

Dante chuckled, unfazed by the gun pointed at him. "You really thought it would be that easy, didn't you?"

He motioned to his men, who closed in around Alexander. But he didn't waver, his gaze never leaving mine as he took a cautious step forward.

"Angel," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm here. I won't let him hurt you."

But Dante's laugh cut through the air, sending a chill down my spine. "You won't be able to protect her this time, Alexander. This is where your little hero act ends."

In a swift motion, Dante drew his own gun, pointing it straight at me. Alexander's face contorted with fury, his body tensing as he raised his gun higher, his eyes blazing.

"Take one step closer," Dante warned, his finger hovering over the trigger. "And she won't make it out of here alive."

A cold fear settled over me as I looked between them, my pulse racing. I knew Alexander would never abandon me, but I couldn't let him risk his life for mine.

With a shaky breath, I looked at him, silently pleading. "Please, Alexander... don't."

But he shook his head, his gaze never faltering. "I'm not leaving without you, Angel."

In that moment, I knew we were both trapped in Dante's twisted game. But as I met Alexander's gaze, a spark of hope flared in my chest. We'd fought too hard, come too far to let Dante win now. And somehow, I knew that as long as we were together, we'd find a way to survive this.