Potere | Book II ✓

xviii | legendary

xviii | legendary

a/n: beloved characters were injured in the making of this chapter.

clarification: i said this chapter was "the worst chapter ever" because of my writing, not because of the content. i went easy on ya'll this holiday season.

p.s. read slow.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

I knew from the moment Diavolo leaped to his feet, and slowly rose to his full 6'4 height that everything that transpired from this second on would be legendary. A story of events that will be told long after everyone in this room has passed. A story that will undoubtedly be a turning point in a war that will be written in the history books.

There's something about Diavolo that leaves everyone in his wake paralyzed with fear, and I think I've realized what it is. His shoulders are no wider than Liam's, and his arms are no larger than Dom's when healthy. It isn't his musculature that leaves mouths dry and feet frozen in place. It's the inability to see his eyes, to witness the expression on his face. It's the inability to make that connection all humans yearn for. Diavolo is detached in every single way possible, and the unpredictability behind his entire being is what terrifies us all.

I expect Diavolo to reach for me, knowing the hatred that burns inside that hollow heart of his. He partially blames me for the death of his mother, as he should. But the intelligence that Aadya hinted at before her death shines through. Although it may not seem like it, Diavolo is in control of every demon that inhabits him – as well as his emotions. Hurting me isn't his mission, escaping is.

And that's why he reaches for Carmen instead.

Her scream falls on deaf ears as she's yanked flush against his chest. Her feet leave the security of the ground as he hoists her a little higher and turns around, using the woman as a human shield against the litany of weapons aimed in his direction. He has her arms trapped high over her head, making it impossible for Carmen to fight back. All she can do is struggle and whimper as he leads her forward.

I look to Dominic for guidance. He was always calm and collected in the face of danger, especially having experienced so much within his reign by Liam's side. His even-temper and sensible personality is one of the many reasons Liam once trusted him as much as he did. But Dominic looks just as frightened as Carmen, if not more. He looks petrified.

I glance down the hallway, where a few officers begin lowering their weapons. "Carmen," I turn back to her and speak. "Don't do anything stupid. Let him walk you to the end of the hallway—"

"—He's wearing Kevlar underneath his—" Her eyes close as she announces this important fact. It would explain Diavolo's ability to bounce up after being shot in such close proximity, but Kevlar isn't perfect. He'll be feeling the bruising soon. "It doesn't cover his—"

"Carmen, just—"

Her eyes drop to Aadya's gun, which sits right at her foot.

My stomach plummets.

Carmen lifts her foot and rams it in Diavolo's crotch. A breath of air rushes out the assassin's mouth as he responds as any many would. He releases Carmen, just as I'm sure she hoped he would, and stumbles backwards.

He recovers just as quickly.

All I can do is throw myself against Angel's desk, watching as Diavolo rapidly closes the short distance between the two.