CHAPTER 5
2097 Words
PIETRO LEONE
I'm in my office, surrounded by the comforting familiarity of the place.
The dark wood shelves are filled with old books, a reminder of time and accumulated experiences.
The air carries the scent of tobacco and leather, and the yellowish light of the lamp illuminates the reports in front of me.
They are detailed documents about that group of vampires who dared to come too close to the cabin.
They shouldn’t have gotten so close. My mind weighs the decisions I need to make.
The situation seems under control for now.
I used my skills to manipulate Zoe’s mind, erasing the inconvenient memories from last night.
She believes she simply fell down the stairs, and Josh made sure to reinforce that story.
Even so, the fact that vampires were able to get close enough to worry me is unacceptable.
I need to reinforce security, even here, where everything should be out of reach of any threat.
I bring my cigar to my mouth, feeling the smoke fill my lungs before slowly releasing it.
It’s a constant reminder of the reality I’ve chosen, where moments of tranquility are rare and always temporary.
I get up and walk to the second-floor window.
The garden below is calm, illuminated only by the silver light of the moon.
The heated pool glows softly, its mirrored surface undisturbed.
But something catches my attention.
Zoe.
She appears by the pool area, wrapped in a white towel.
Her movement is 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.
Dropping the towel, she reveals a black bikini that contrasts provocatively with her dark skin. It seems to shine under the light, and something inside me stirs, warm and uncomfortable.
I know it’s wrong to keep looking, but I can’t look away.
There’s something about her—a combination of youth and natural grace—that is hypnotizing.
Zoe walks toward the pool, and I bring the cigar to my mouth again, trying to push away the thoughts beginning to rise.
She’s too young—for me, for Josh. And, more than anything, 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 the wet hair from her face with an almost innocent gesture.
The smile on her lips, the pure joy radiating from her at that moment, is like a light in a world I only know in shadows.
Then she lifts her eyes and looks directly at me.
“D*mn...", I murmur, quickly stepping away from the window.
I try to focus again on the reports, but the image of her in the pool lingers in my mind, persistent.
I look at the picture frame on my desk, the only photo I keep here.
It’s of Evelyn, pregnant with Josh. The only woman I ever loved, and a human.
It was a mistake—a mistake that cost her dearly.
I touch the frame, a reminder of why I promised myself never to allow that again. Humans are 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 some air, but the sound of laughter coming from the pool makes me stop.
I descend the stairs slowly, and from afar, I see Josh and Zoe. They’re playing in the water as if the world outside doesn’t exist, as if the danger were something too distant to be real.
Josh notices me and waves.
“Dad, why don’t you come to the pool? It’s great!”
I shake my head.
“No, thanks. Enjoy.”
I stand back 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 go back inside when I realize Zoe is 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 answer bluntly.
She laughs, a light, almost musical sound.
“Of course you do. Everyone needs it.”
Before I can respond, her eyes turn to a nearby table where I left a book.
She picks up the book, examining it.
It’s an erotic novel, something I wouldn’t normally have around here, but probably forgotten for some years.
“Have you read this book?”, she asks, her face turning red.
“No, but I know the title.", I say, expressionless.
She looks away, visibly embarrassed.
“I like books... all kinds.”
A slight smile escapes before I can stop it.
“Erotic books included?”
“Maybe.", she admits, trying to hide her embarrassment.
For a moment, my attention fixes on her lips.
They curl 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 situation is wrong.
“You should go back to the pool. Josh is waiting for you.", I say, finally standing up.
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 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
Dawn breaks with a gentle breeze entering through the cabin window, bringing 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 a few ingredients that can only be found in the nearest town.
I decide I’ll need Pietro’s help, and so I head toward his room.
I walk down the cabin’s corridors, the surrounding silence comforting, but something inside me knows that this task might be uncomfortable.
I don’t know exactly what Pietro thinks of me, but whenever we’re together, there’s tension in the air.
That doesn’t stop me, however, from wanting to do something nice for Josh, so I reach the door of Pietro’s room, which is ajar.
I knock lightly, but there’s no answer. I hesitate for a moment, bite my lip, and then push the door open to enter.
The bathroom door is ajar, and the sound of the shower water falling lets me know he’s there.
I didn’t want to interrupt, but the situation requires me to go in.
What happens next is something I never expected.
Pietro is under the shower, his back to me, and seeing him naked, my heart immediately races.
I freeze.
I should leave immediately; this is inappropriate.
But something keeps me there.
My eyes can’t look away from his body, from the water falling over him.
What catches my attention most is the large tattoo on his back.
A three-headed dog, Cerberus, is the guardian of the underworld of Hades.
I recognize that design.
There’s something hypnotizing about that image that makes my eyes fixate on it, as if somehow I’m being drawn into something I should avoid.
Pietro then turns to face me, and quickly, my eyes turn away.
But not before noticing his imposing presence.
He’s imposing, but there’s also something dangerous about him—something that makes my body go rigid and, at the same time, draws me in.
I knew I needed to leave, but before I could move, he saw me.
“Zoe?”, his husky voice sounds behind me.
I flinch, surprised, and before I can react, he’s right beside me, a towel wrapped around his waist.
How did he get so close so quickly? I don’t understand.
The distance between us seems to have disappeared suddenly.
I wanted to say something, but the words won’t come out. He’s too close; his presence is... overwhelming.
“I wanted to talk to you... about Josh’s birthday tomorrow...”, my voice comes out almost like a whisper. I’m so focused on him that the only thing 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 feel tight.
“I wanted to know if you could take me to the nearest town to buy the ingredients for the cake.", I say nervously, trying to stay calm.
Every word feels like a challenge as I stand there, him so close.
He watches me for a moment, and I realize he’s contemplating. Finally, he responds.
“Sure, but first I need to get dressed...”
I just nod, unable to look away from him.
Before he turns to get dressed, my attention is drawn to the tattoo on his back again. Without thinking, the words slip from my mouth.
“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.
“It’s... so imposing.", I say, feeling strange commenting on something so personal of his.
He smiles, but then, to my surprise, he takes my hand and places it where the tattoo begins, near his chest.
I feel the warmth of his skin, and for a moment, my heart races.
I don't know what compelled me to place my hand there, but now I can't move.
"Does this scare you?", he asks, his gaze deep, almost penetrating.
I shake my head.
"No...", I whisper, but my voice falters.
"Don't demons scare you?", he insists, his gaze growing more intense.
I hesitate, but then I answer:
"No. Everyone has their own demons."
"Someone like you shouldn't...", he says, his voice growing even softer.
His hand moves to my chin, and at the touch, I feel my breath quicken.
I'm against the door, and he's so close, the tension between us almost palpable.
"Pietro...", I say, almost voiceless.
"What?", he responds, getting even closer.
His eyes are so near mine that I can barely breathe.
And then, without warning, he moves even closer, his nose brushing against my neck.
His warm breath makes me shiver.
"So sweet...", he murmurs, and the feeling is so new to me that I don't even know what to think.
"I... I...", I can't finish the sentence. What's happening to me?
"I saved you...", he says, looking into my eyes as if he’s hypnotizing me.
I gaze deeply into his blue eyes.
He touches the spot on my forehead where I was injured, 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.
Without thinking, my hand moves to his chest, but to my surprise, I can't feel his heartbeat.
Before I can ask, he grabs my face firmly and kisses me.
The kiss is overwhelming.
I tremble as he pulls me closer, pressing me against the wall.
It's unlike anything I've ever experienced, and I can't stop.
His hands slide down my waist, and with a muffled sound, his towel falls to the floor.
He's naked, kissing me with an intensity that leaves me breathless.
I don't want to stop. I can't.
But then, suddenly, his lips move down my neck, and the sensation of his teeth brushing against my skin makes me snap back to reality.
What are we doing? What is he doing?
Pietro seems to be trying to control himself, but I know he's conflicted too.
I can't think straight.
I feel when his hand moves down to my skirt, between my legs.
A moan escapes me, and when I open my eyes, I meet his again. He whispers, hoarsely:
"Get out of this room before I devour you."
I don't think twice. I run to the door, open it quickly, and before I can leave, my body is in shock.
What did I do? What happened here?
- Writer
