The Fire Unleashed ✔

15. Incubus

(Incubus - nightmare)

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As the elevator shut its doors and descended, I gave an immediate order to my men to retreat, and rushed over to Luca's side. I put two fingers on his neck to check his pulse and found out it was really low.

We were running out of time. As I called my men to take Luca to the house and call for medical aid, I dashed inside the room only to find Bria unconscious, still tightly gripping her favorite dagger that she carried with her. I then realized where the wound in Roberto's thigh came from. She must have not gone down without a fight.

Even though we had failed terribly tonight, I still felt a flicker of pride in my heart that seemed to spread its glow throughout my body. I knew then, that as long as I have my people with me, I can never lose this game. They had made it crystal clear today with the way everyone bled for me and hung their fear of death on a pedestal in the twinkling of an eye.

I looked around for another familiar body but couldn't find him. Panic started to rise in the form of bile in my throat, which I forcefully pushed down as I convinced myself that everything was hunky dory.

What a wonderful train of thought I have! I literally just lost the first round in the game, lost some of my most loved men, possibly lost one the most steadfast person, Marco and here I am, thinking everything is fine. Props to me for being so damn cheery in a state like this!!

When I thought all hope had lost its breath and left me all alone, I heard a faint grunt coming from somewhere inside the bedroom. My ears perked up like a dog's and I instantly shouted in abandoned hope that I would hear that voice again.

"Marco, are you there? Marco!"

I waited in silence, to get a reply. Honestly, I would have been happier even if what I heard was just my own echo, but I realized fate was still standing next to me in an utterly twisted manner. After a moment, I heard someone grunt again, preferably in pain, and this time, it was confirmed that the sound came from some enclosed space inside the room.

I took a mad dash for the room, my eyes reaching before I did and sweeping over the room aggressively before my mind ordered my body to rush over to the closet, which was the only enclosed space.

As I opened the door, I found him, face bruised badly and body completely battered. He also seemed to have a bullet in his shoulder, the reason of his agony. It took him a mammoth of effort to crane his head and look up at me, but when he did, the first thing that came to his mind was the job.

"B-boss, did you... get him? Bria... w-what about Bria? She- she... I...I'm sorry boss..."

And then he collapsed. And that was the moment I decided, that I will never force anyone else to run my race, to participate in my fight, and to ruin their lives for me. If even one person ever tried to persuade me otherwise, I would make sure they never even come near me, let alone trying to help me out.

Our flight which was scheduled to be in the next hour, obviously had to be postponed since two of the three people were not advised to fly. So it was decided that the plane would take off the next morning, in the wee hours so that nobody can catch up onto us.

After all three, Luca, Bria and Marco were taken care of and tested peacefully in their rooms, I appointed special guards for them and retired to my personal suite. All the events came crashing down on me the moment I stepped inside the silent space.

It's so ironic that the din of the outer world is so capable of controlling the restlessness of your brain, but you who are supposed to be the actual master of your body, have to succumb to your body part, and listen to the endless cries while the brain makes sure you can never rest among that pandemonium.

In that moment, I felt like I wanted to- no, needed to punch something just so I could get some relief, some reassurance that I was in fact, powerful. All of my power, energy, enthusiasm had been drained from my body thoroughly just by looking at that brute's back side, I don't even know how I will be able to confront him and ask him the questions that have been burning in the back of my throat.

Maybe this was the incubus I have been living in since then -

If I sleep, it's a different nightmare, but when I'm awake, it's also the same - I can never go anywhere without seeing his visage, and that is my curse.

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