An Angel

**Damiano**

I slowly started to gain consciousness when I heard faint voices around me. The burning sensation was still present, spreading all over my abdomen. I felt someone tapping my face and I opened my eyes, my sight was unfocused and I saw shadows above me, seeing their mouths move as they were talking to me but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. I tried to move but clenched my jaw and grunted out in pain instead.

“I got you.” My sight finally focused when Antonio came into view, talking to me.

“Althaia… I need to get to Althaia.” I felt hands trying to stop me from moving but I shoved them away, clenching down hard as I pushed through the pain to get up.

“We need to get you fixed first. You’ve lost a lot of blood.” Antonio prevented me from moving.

“I… don’t care… She needs me.” I growled out and tried to push them away.

“You can’t help her if you’re fucking dead!” He shouted in anger.

“I have to get the bullet out of you. Bite down on this.” He put a piece of cloth into my mouth and I had to take a deep breath to prepare myself for what was about to happen. Arms held my body down to the ground while Antonio took out his knife. My entire body tensed and I bit down hard on the cloth as I went endured the pain. My voice was muffled as he carved into me, and I could feel beads of sweat covering my face.

“Almost there. Hang on.” It felt like I was giving one extremely powerful punch with a knife, giving a blow after another without having a single break and leaving all the air out of my lungs. I closed my eyes to let my mind focus on anything but the excruciating pain I was feeling.

*Soft long brown curls entered my view, swaying in the wind as the ends kissed my face. They belonged to the most beautiful pair of sparkling green eyes I had ever seen in my life. Her rosy, plump lips were in a dazzling smile, laughing as I watched her run so carefree on the beach. Warmth spread inside of me, feeling my heart beating faster as a smile found its way to my lips.*

*What have I done in this life to deserve heaven sending me the most beautiful angel?*

*I lost my breath when she turned around to look at me, looking more beautiful than I could ever fathom with the colors of the sunset washing over her face.*

*An angel with fiery colors.*

*“Can The Devil find me?” She chuckled lightly with that teasing look in her eyes.*

*“Always. I will always find you, my love.”*

“Don’t you fucking die on us!” My head was violently slapped to the side, and I finally opened my eyes, gasping for air. My chest was moving rapidly up and down as I took in my surroundings.

“Shit, that was a close call.” Giovanni sighed in relief.

“I got it out but we need to get you to the hospital -” Antonio got cut off.

“We found explosives! Get away from here, now!” They wasted no time in pulling my arms over their shoulder as they hoisted me up to my feet. I clenched my jaw through the pain, grunting as they hurried away from the castle with me.

“That bastard really wants to wipe us all out once and for all.” Luca sneered.

“Did everyone get out?” My voice was strained as my breathing came out fast.

“Save your strength. We got it under control.” There was nothing I could do but take their words on it. It pained me to see the fall of my men. Their lost lives were in my hands as I failed to protect them as their leader. And I promised I would avenge every single life that was lost.

We neared the car when the sudden thunderous sound boomed behind us, the blasting wave hitting our backs and having us stumble to our knees. Shards of rocks were flying everywhere and I turned my head to see the castle in bright flames, collapsing.

“Make sure everyone is okay and get treated.” I ordered them as I got laid in the backseat of the car. Antonio got inside with me, making sure to keep pressure on the wound at all times.

“You worry about yourself now. We need you to get better and get your woman back.” He firmly ordered me and for once, I listened to him.

My wife needed me.

I got rushed to the clinic where Ellie tried to convince me to get surgery but I kept shutting her down while she gave me a blood transfusion and an IV for the pain.

“Give me a temporary solution and whatever meds to keep the pain away.”

“That’s not how it works! You can die if you don’t get it treated!”

“If you can’t fix it without putting me under anesthesia then I don’t want it. I don’t have time for this.” The longer I was sitting here, the more stressed out I became as I had no idea where Althaia was taken to.

“… Sometimes, I hate working for you.” Ellie sighed but still said there might be something she could do.

I laid still on the hospital bed while Ellie gave me local anesthesia to numb as much as possible before stitching whatever she could to stop the majority of the bleeding.

“You’re lucky you work out as much as you do. Thicker muscles make you slightly more bullet resistant, and thank God it didn’t hit any vital organs.” She grumbled while she fixed me.

“Ellie?” I felt her gaze on me but I kept staring at the ceiling.

“If Althaia were to be pregnant… What are the chances of the fetus surviving?” I felt her still and she went quiet. I closed my eyes, already knowing the answer to my question.

“The fetus is most vulnerable the first twelve weeks. Stress and trauma inflicted on the body… It would be a miracle if it survived.”

“I see.” I answered curtly.

“Is.. there a chance she is right now?”

“No. I was wondering.” As much as I longed for a child with her, everything in me was praying there was no possible way she was pregnant now. The pain after losing the first one… It would kill her to go through it again. And there was no way in fucking hell I would ever let that happen to her.

Ever again.

“What’s the status?” I looked at Luca who stood at the doorway. He frowned slightly before he spoke.

“No signs of Lorenzo, and Arianna… was stabbed. She’s in a critical state.” I jolted up to my feet and pushed past Luca. I barged into the room she was in, my eyes landing on her sleeping form on the bed with tubes and needles attached to her. My mother was by her side, her eyes red from crying and my father was present as well, a dark look on his face.

I stepped closer to her, my hand shaking in anger as I touched her face. The more I looked at her, the more my anger was fueled. I leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

“You can do it. You’re a fighter. Don’t forget that.” I whispered to her before leaning back.

“She’ll be all right.” I told my mother who was holding Arianna’s hand. She didn’t say anything and just nodded. I turned to look at my father.

“It’s time to make them pay.”

___

Let me know what you think! :D