25. Dante

Chapter 25

Dante

T hat night I dreamed of Marco.

I was lost inside a crumbling ancient castle made of gray stones. Demons were chasing me through the maze of broken walls and spiderwebs. The air was full of the smell of sulfur and death and I was afraid. From far away came the sounds of women wailing. There was a dim light burning somewhere and I began to run towards it. When I got it, I found Marco. He was standing at a window holding a lamp. He turned and looked at me.

“She is my life. Take everything I have, but please, please don’t hurt her, Dante,” he begged sadly.

“Never,” I promised.

Then I felt a wet claw clamp around my neck. The demons had caught up with me. I turned around to face them and I woke up with a jerk.

Zola was sleeping soundly next to me.

My heart was racing. I watched her sleep for a few minutes. She was so beautiful, my soul writhed inside me. I wanted to touch her, make her mine, own her forever.

But I could see Marco’s face full of sadness and reproach.

And I was filled with guilt and regret.

What I had done was wicked. I knew it then. Marco had trusted me to take care of her and I should have known better than to let myself be tempted. She was young and innocent and I had taken advantage of her in her moment of vulnerability. It was wrong.

“I’m sorry, Marco. I will never hurt her. I will protect her with my life, the way you did. I won’t let you down again,” I said quietly.

Then I carefully slid out of bed and walked away without looking back.