The night was no longer just a veil for secrets—it was alive with whispers, crawling with shadows that seemed to breathe as Dante and Selena ran through the damp underbrush of the forest behind the Valerio estate. Rain still clung to the trees, the ground soft beneath their feet, muffling their hurried steps. Somewhere behind them, the bodies of the Council's agents were already being consumed by darkness. But Dante knew better. More would come.
Selena gripped the cloak he had wrapped around her tighter. It smelled like him—like blood, spice, and something ancient. She hated that it comforted her. Hated how safe she felt despite everything.
"I need answers," she said, barely keeping up. "No more riddles. What did they want with me?"
Dante didn't look at her. "Not now."
"Yes, now!" Her voice cracked through the stillness.
He stopped.
The sudden halt made her nearly crash into his back. He turned slowly, and even in the pale moonlight, she could see the battle raging in his eyes.
"You think I'm keeping secrets because I want to manipulate you?" he asked quietly.
"Aren't you?"
"No," he growled. "Because the truth will break you."
She stepped closer, defiant. "Try me."
He exhaled, then gestured for her to follow. They walked until the trees parted into a clearing where an old chapel stood in ruin—its stone walls crumbling, vines crawling like veins across its surface. The moment they stepped inside, the air shifted. It was colder. Heavier.
"This is where it began," Dante said, looking at the shattered altar.
"Where what began?"
"My curse. My family's fall. And your fate."
Selena's breath caught. "What do you mean?"
Dante stepped onto the dais and pressed his hand against a worn carving—a serpent coiled around a flame.
"My bloodline was cursed centuries ago by the first High Priestess of the Council. We were protectors once, not monsters. But power corrupts. My ancestor took something sacred. Something forbidden."
Selena moved closer, drawn by the gravity of his voice.
"They call it the Heart of Ruin. A crystal forged from celestial fire and demonic soul. It granted power beyond imagining—but at a cost. Each generation that followed was marked by the curse. The beast within."
"And me?" she whispered.
"You…" His gaze met hers, tortured and reverent. "You're descended from the bloodline that bound the Heart. The only one who can break the curse—or fuel it beyond control."
Selena staggered back. "No… that's not possible."
"You think your nightmares are just dreams? That the fire in your veins is coincidence?" He approached, eyes glowing again. "You're not just my mate, Selena. You're the lock… and the key."
She felt her legs weaken. The truth settled in like ice in her chest.
"Then why save me?" she whispered.
"Because I'd rather burn the world than let them use you."
The doors behind them exploded open.
They spun, and there, cloaked in shadow and magic, stood a woman with hair like ink and eyes like liquid silver.
"Hello, Dante," she purred. "Still playing the noble beast?"
Selena recognized her instantly—though she'd never seen her before.
"The High Priestess," Dante growled.
"My, how time flies," the woman said. "And you've brought the girl. How touching."
Selena felt herself pulled back by Dante as he stepped in front of her. "You won't touch her."
The Priestess laughed. "Darling, she belongs to me. She was promised."
"I don't belong to anyone," Selena snapped, stepping forward.
The Priestess raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Brave little spark." Her eyes narrowed. "You carry more than fire, child. You carry prophecy. And blood will answer blood."
Dante lunged.
But she vanished in a swirl of darkness, her laughter lingering.
Selena turned to Dante, her body trembling. "What did she mean?"
"She means we're out of time." He gripped her shoulders. "I need you to trust me now. No more doubts."
Selena stared into his eyes and saw a thousand storms—and the one light that called to her.
"I trust you," she whispered.
He pulled her close, forehead against hers. "Then let's burn the world together."
And in that moment, as the chapel trembled with ancient power, their bond flared to life—unstoppable, undeniable, and dangerously divine.