. Her attempt to yell Dante's name once more was met with a raspy whisper. Feeling the hard sto

e. "Wake up, Dante! Wou

re insistent with time. Lorenzo's men were on their way, and if th

till a pulse, but he was unconscious. Dark and slippery blood dripped from a wound

s she wiped perspiration and grime from

here if you don't wake up, I swear to God." Her tone became strained. She

is hand twitched as he tentatively grasped her wrist.

eleased a trembling breath.

ted to sit up. "What

el exploded," and assisted him in leaning against the wall

his eyes still

" As Francesca heard footsteps approaching, she cast a

stone wall, gritting his t

iously still dazed, but his eyes had once again gained

gripping his side where his shirt had drenc

her breath, "No kidding." "We must leave befor

his head wound, Dante ste

brow. "Two. Maybe three."

physical fitness to take on one opponent, much less three. Dante's jaw be

We can take them, but w

ca, accessing her. "Are

she forcefully gu

ll, or no

n before." Francesca lost he

ble to read. "That is going to change right now. Take this." He

ghty and unfamiliar in her hands. With a nod, she grasped the

hey'll be upon us at any moment. Either we take

rn, with blood seeping from h

drop. "Are you crazy? You

g. "They are going to continue to come after us

n Francesca saw a black-clad man with a revolver drawn, her heart leaped into h

fell to the ground in one smooth motion. Vince was the next to mov

e to see another shot go off, the projectile bouncing off the wall in the spot where her head h

on the pistol, she tried to recall all the things she had learnt from her few visits t

as he shot once more, missing the mark.

a's heart was racing, and she felt every molecule of her body yell a

is rifle from his hand and holding his shoulder. As the realization of what she had done set in, Francesca

"We must not stop moving." She nodded, pushing herself for

Dante remarked, "You

d the way, moving purposefully despite a minor limp. As they got closer to what Frances

of them, partially obscured by darkness, was a corroded metal door.

o the forest behind the estate." "We can

a, who was still holding the pistol hard, exposing her kn

. "Dante, I just shot someone. I'

id but not harsh. "You did what you had to do. In

ng the weight of his words sett

"But it is mine. And y

the weird pull between them-the intensity of his gaze, the way he gazed

g more. A familiar figure emerged from the tunnel, his face contorted into a menac

trio, Lorenzo stood at the top of the stairs. Dante's eyes we

as his smile grew. "I warned you, t

sition with his gun betwe

came all thi

orenzo laughed. "No, Dante.

ing through the tunnel. The man standing next to Lorenzo lifted his re