CHAPTER 5
1657 Words
PIETRO LEONE
I’m in my office, surrounded by the comforting familiarity of the place.
The dark wooden shelves are filled with old books, a reminder of time and accumulated experiences.
The air carries the scent of tobacco and leather, and the yellow light of the lamp illuminates the reports in front of me. They are detailed documents about that group of vampires who dared to get too close to the cabin.
They shouldn’t have come so near. My mind is heavy with the decisions I need to make.
The situation seems under control for now.
I used my abilities to manipulate Zoe’s mind, erasing the inconvenient memories of last night.
She believes she just fell down the stairs, and Josh made sure to reinforce that story.
Even so, the fact that vampires got close enough to concern me is unacceptable.
I need to strengthen security, even here, where everything should be beyond any threat's reach.
I take a drag from my cigar, feeling the smoke fill my lungs before exhaling it slowly.
It’s a constant reminder of the reality I’ve chosen, where moments of peace are rare and always fleeting.
I stand and walk to the second-floor window.
The garden below is quiet, illuminated only by the moon’s silver light.
The heated pool glows softly, its mirrored surface undisturbed.
But something catches my attention.
Zoe.
She appears near the pool, wrapped in a white towel.
Her movements are almost carefree, unaware of what happened last night.
I stop, my eyes fixed on her.
I should turn away and ignore it, but I can’t.
Letting the towel drop, she reveals a black bikini.
I know it’s wrong to keep watching, but I can’t look away.
There’s something about her—a combination of youth and natural grace—that is mesmerizing.
Zoe walks toward the pool, and I take another drag from my cigar, trying to push away the thoughts that begin to surface.
She is far too young for me, for Josh. And above all, she’s human.
She reaches the edge of the pool, hesitates for a moment, and dives in.
The water ripples gently around her, and when she emerges, she brushes her wet hair back from her face with an almost innocent gesture.
The smile on her lips, the pure joy she radiates at that moment, is like a light in a world I only know in shadows.
Then she looks up and gazes directly at me.
I try to refocus on the reports, but the image of her in the pool fixes itself in my mind, persistent.
I glance at the photo on my desk, the only one I keep here.
It’s of Evelyn, pregnant with Josh. The only woman I ever loved, and a human.
It was a mistake, one that cost her dearly.
I touch the frame, a reminder of why I promised myself I’d never allow this again. Humans are far too fragile for the world I belong to.
With a sigh, I decide to leave the office.
The cabin, though isolated, feels oppressive tonight. I need air, but the sound of laughter from the pool stops me.
I walk downstairs slowly, and from a distance, I see Josh and Zoe.
They play in the water as if the world outside doesn’t exist, as if danger is something too distant to be real.
Josh notices me and waves.
“Dad, why don’t you join us in the pool? It’s great!”
I shake my head.
“No, thanks. Enjoy yourselves.”
I linger for a moment, watching them. Zoe seems so at ease, so natural beside Josh.
I feel a pang of something that might be envy, but I quickly bury it.
My life is different; there’s no room for that kind of lightness. I’m about to head back inside when I notice Zoe walking toward me, wrapped in a towel.
“Mr. Leone, are you always this busy?”, she begins, a smile on her lips.
“Call me Pietro.", I say, keeping my voice low.
“And yes. All the time.”
She tilts her head, clearly intrigued.
“And where’s the fun?”
“I don’t need it.", I reply bluntly.
She laughs, a light, almost musical sound.
“Of course, you do. Everyone does.”
Before I can respond, her eyes drift to a nearby table where I left a book.
She picks it up, examining it.
It’s a romance novel that normally wouldn’t belong here but was likely forgotten for years.
“Have you read this book?”, she asks, her face reddening.
“No, but I know the title.", I say expressionlessly.
She looks away, visibly embarrassed.
“I like books… all kinds.”
A slight smile escapes before I can stop it.
“Forbidden books included?”
“Maybe.", she admits, trying to hide her embarrassment.
For a moment, my attention fixes on her lips.
They curve into a shy smile, and something inside me screams to look away, but I can’t.
Zoe is human. Young. My son’s girlfriend.
Everything about this is wrong.
“You should go back to the pool. Josh is waiting for you.", I say, finally standing.
She hesitates for a moment, then smiles.
“Good night, Pietro.”
“Good night.", I reply, watching her return to the pool.
As she joins Josh, I feel a different kind of weight in my chest. Zoe isn’t just any girl. She has something that seems to invade my mind, a presence that challenges me in ways I’m not prepared to face.
ZOE ROSSI
At dawn, a gentle breeze flows through the cabin’s window, carrying the fresh scent of the forest.
I’m already thinking about Josh’s birthday, which is tomorrow.
I want to do something special for him, something that shows how much he means to me.
The idea of baking a cake comes to mind, but for that, I need some ingredients only available in the nearest town.
I decide I’ll need Pietro’s help, so I head toward his room.
Walking through the cabin’s corridors, the surrounding silence is comforting, but something tells me this task might be uncomfortable.
I’m not exactly sure what Pietro thinks of me, but whenever we’re together, there’s tension in the air.
That doesn’t stop me, though, from wanting to do something nice for Josh. So, I reach Pietro’s door, which is slightly ajar.
I knock softly, but there’s no response. I hesitate for a moment, biting my lip, then push the door open to enter.
The bathroom door is slightly open, and the sound of running water from the shower tells me he’s in there.
I should leave immediately; this is inappropriate.
“Zoe?”, his husky voice sounds behind me.
I flinch, surprised, and before I can react, he’s standing very close, a towel wrapped around his waist.
How did he get so close so quickly? I don’t understand.
The space between us seems to vanish suddenly.
I wanted to say something, but the words won’t come out. He’s so close; his presence is... overwhelming.
“I wanted to talk to you… about Josh’s birthday tomorrow…”, my voice comes out almost as a whisper. I’m so focused on him that all I can think about is how close he is.
“Oh, yes. What do you need to tell me?”, he asks, his voice calm, but there’s an intensity in his gaze that makes my chest tighten.
“I wanted to ask if you could take me to the nearest town to buy the ingredients for the cake.", I say nervously, trying to stay composed.
Each word feels like a challenge as I stand there, with him so close.
He watches me for a moment, and I can tell he’s pondering. Finally, he responds.
“Sure, but first I need to get dressed…”
I just nodded, unable to take my eyes off him.
Before he turns to get dressed, my attention is drawn once again to the tattoo on his back. Without thinking, the words escape my lips.
“Hades…”, I murmur, my eyes fixed on the tattoo.
He raises an eyebrow, intrigued, and smiles.
“The god of the underworld.", he confirms.
I frown slightly.
“It’s... so imposing.", I say, feeling awkward for commenting on something so personal.
He smiles, but then, to my surprise, he takes my hand and places it where the tattoo begins, near his chest.
“Does it scare you?”, he asks, his gaze deep, almost piercing.
I shake my head.
“No…”, I murmur, but my voice falters.
“Demons don’t scare you?”, he insists, his gaze growing more intense.
I hesitate, but then I respond.
“No. Everyone has their own demons.”
“Someone like you shouldn’t…”, he says, his voice becoming even softer.
His hand moves to my chin, and at his touch, my breath quickens.
“Pietro…”, I say, almost voiceless.
“What?”, he replies, moving even closer.
His eyes are so close to mine that I can hardly breathe.
“I… I…”, I can’t finish the sentence. What is happening to me?
“I saved you…”, he says, looking into my eyes as if hypnotizing me.
I gaze deeply into his blue eyes.
He touches the spot on my forehead where I had been hurt, and for a second, I feel like he’s going to kiss me.
His lips are so close, and something makes me want to touch them.
Before I can ask, he grabs my face firmly and kisses me.
The kiss is overwhelming.
Then he pulls away from me.
“Leave this room, Zoe.”
I don’t think twice. I rush to the door, open it quickly, and before leaving, my body is in shock.
What did I do? What just happened here?
- Writer
