Fatal Fascinations

Chapter 22: Fire Breath

Annalina's POV:

I awoke in darkness.

It seemed to surround me, like a living breathing entity.

And then something moved in the darkness. Something with dark hair, bright eyes, and-

Luca's face flashed before me eyes, concern written across his intense features.

Blinking, I numbly recalled the events of the past few hours. Was this all a dream?

"How-" I rasped, my lips cracked from lack of water.

"You were attacked. Again," Luca told me quietly, sitting back down beside the bed where I assumed he had been perched all night.

I thought it was a dream, a nightmare. I didn't rememeber. Didn't feel-

I looked down at my body, sensing the soreness of the muscles before I even moved them. Faint pink lines ran across my skin from where it was not being healed by Luca's blood and my own white cells.

"You were on the brink," Luca explained, pain etched into his face. "I thought I was going to lose you."

My heart warmed at his statement, but the anxiousness and anger coiled in my gut overpowered any feelings I had for Luca.

"Who-" I began, but Luca stopped me again.

"A Mercari," he seethed venomously. My body clenched at his statement and I remembered the glowing golden eyes, like fireflies in the night. The same eyes Roland possessed.

"What-"

"I took care of him," was all Luca muttered to me, turning to look towards the infirmary doors. One of the doors was completely torn off the hinges.

I looked at the doors, then my body, then Luca, slouched in an uncomfortable armchair, looking more tired than I had every seen him before.

"Thank you," I said softly, reaching out a hand to him.

He told it gently and held my hand as if it were a broken bird.

"For what?" He asked, pinning me with his intense blue eyes.

"For saving me."

There was more in those words than just tonight. Luca had saved me from a life of being unknown, of the ordinary. He saved me from the prisoners. He saved me from this lethal attack. Luca was always saving me, like some night in shining armor. He'd taken care of the Mercari tongiht, then he had healed me. Hell, in his attempt to save me he had practically ripped the door off its hinges. I didn't care what happened to the vampire tonight. All I cared about was how Luca was always the first to protect me.

"What did Roland say?" I asked Luca tentatively.

It was one of his. It was one of his. It was one of his. My mind viciously whispered the terrifying thought to me over and over again.

I felt a sickening sensation deepen in my stomach. I'd thought Roland wouldn't be that kind of person. I thought of all the sensible, wonderful things he had done for me. I thought about Declin. Roland would never jeopardize his child like that.

I was so lost in my inner monolougue that it took me several moments to realize Luca had gone silent.

"Luca," I questioned, curious now, "what did Roland say?"

The features of Luca's face hardened, his jaw ticking together as he tried to restrain himself.

"Let's just say," Luca hissed through gritted teeth, "he denied it was him."