Page 50 of Matteo
ARIANNA
Akiss of death.
Fire licking at my body.
A bloodied hand in mine as terrified screams surrounded us.
They weren’t my screams. They weren’t Gianna’s. They were our mother’s and Hannah’s.
My vision blurred, our limbs stained with blood and heated by hell threatening to take us below the earth’s core and into the arms of Hades.
Gianna and I were frozen, helpless, trapped, and the underworld awaited.
I was prepared to go, but I refused to let my baby sister die like this.
Horror seeped into my veins as I struggled to extinguish the fire that engulfed us, inching closer, prepared to cover her body with mine. I shifted us, and out of nowhere, a blast blinded me.
It was too late.
Another scream as I came to terms with our new reality. We would both die.
“I love you,” I thought I said. My lips moved, but if there was a sound, it was drowned out by the crackling of flames. “I’m sorry, Gianna.”
She squeezed me as tightly as I held her, but we didn’t scream, didn’t join our mother in her wailing. We couldn’t see her, but it didn’t matter. We heard her just fine.
Suddenly, a body crashed into us. Then two. Three.
I jerked out of the dream, drenched in sweat, and my lips pressed together to muffle my whimpers. My heartbeat hammered in my ears, wildly and uncontrollably as those dripping red images floated through my mind.
I stared at the ceiling, the only sounds in the dorm room were those of my labored breaths and Francesca’s soft snores.
The clock next to me read 4:00 a.m. I sighed.
I slid out of bed, knowing the only thing that would distract me was stargazing. Silently tiptoeing around, I grabbed my yellow sundress, panties, a pair of socks, and my yellow slides. After a quick shower, I changed into it and made my way out of the room.
Once I stepped out of the building, I paused for a moment and closed my eyes. The night’s cool breath caressed my cheeks while the rustle of the trees in the distance moved like shadows.
I took a deep breath, letting the late-summer air fill my lungs. Instead of going directly to the planetarium, I walked through the sleepy streets, feeling my muscles loosen already.
Physical exhaustion became almost a must to keep the nightmares away. Unfortunately, sports had never been my thing, so I’d always resorted to long walks like these.
My feet were almost too loud on the paved road as I made my way through campus. D’Arc’s dorms were on the far side of the campus, while the academic buildings were held across the property.
The library was at the halfway point, situated on a cliff and looking over the vast horizon of the Atlantic Ocean. It truly was the most beautiful campus. It was only natural that we’d all flocked to it.
But it wasn’t without danger. It required skills to navigate so many different criminal organizations in one place without starting a war. It was the reason Matteo studied here but also took economics classes online through Harvard. Many others did the same. It provided them with the best of both worlds, preparing the young men—and women—for the power role they would step into.
“Hey. Arianna, right?” I jumped, my scream piercing the darkness as I whirled around and came face-to-face with Fallon DiLustro.
“You scared the crap out of me,” I breathed out, bringing my hand to my chest.
She chuckled softly, her blonde curls bouncing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to. I’m just not used to seeing anyone up and about so early.”
“Why areyouup and about?”
“Ice-skating practice.” She lifted her shoulder, her bag open, revealing a glimpse of white leather and laces. “It’s a pain getting up so early, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
I smiled. “I bet. Readying for the Olympics?”
