Damon’s POV
The world slowly came back into focus first through sounds, then through pain.
A scream pierced the quiet night, loud and full of desperation. It was Aria.
I suddenly woke up, feeling the weight of my body pressing down on me. I was lying on the ground, with cold silver chains biting into my wrists and the metal making a hissing sound against my burned skin. Every breath I took felt sharp and intense, and a bitter taste of blood filled my mouth.
I gently turned my head to catch a glimpse of her outside the battered cabin door, engaged in a fight. The night air felt heavy with smoke and the sharp smell of blood. Her body moved like a flickering flame, quick and brave, even as she wavered. Her claws gleamed under the soft glow of the moon.
Marcus’s laughter echoed, cruel and
