Page 33 of The Don's Eternal Vows

The Furies hiss, their frustration palpable. Alecto's nails rake across my chest, drawing blood. "Foolish mortal," she snarls. "Your pathetic love can't save you here."

I lock eyes with her, defiant. "You're wrong. It already has."

Megaera circles behind me, her breath hot on my neck. Her curves press against my back, supple and inviting. "Why settle for one when you can have it all?"

Tisiphone stands before me, her beauty morphing into something feral and untamed. Her golden hair writhes like snakes, eyes flashing with dangerous hunger. "We'll devour you, body and soul," she growls, licking her lips. "And you'll beg for more."

They move as one, a whirlwind of flesh and temptation. Hands caress, lips brush the skin, hips sway hypnotically. Their figures blur, shifting between alluring softness and primal ferocity.

But they’re no match for the one I love.

With a surge of strength born from fierce love and loyalty, I push forward. My hands find purchase on Tisiphone's shoulders, shoving her aside. "Get out of my way," I snarl, my voice low and dangerous.

Alecto lunges, her nails raking my arm. "How dare you!" she shrieks, her beauty twisting into something monstrous.

I grit my teeth against the pain, my eyes locked on the temple exit. "I dare everything for her," I growl, ducking under Megaera's grasping hands.

Their fingers clutch at my clothes and my skin, but I break free with each step. I spin to face them, my gaze hard. "There's only one woman who gives my life meaning," I spit. "And she's waiting for me."

With a final burst of speed, I lunge for the exit. The Furies' screams of fury chase me, their magic crackling in the air. But I'm beyond their reach now, my mind clear, my purpose unwavering.

The temple's threshold looms before me, a shimmering barrier between damnation and salvation. Without hesitation, I hurl myself through it. The sudden rush of cool air hits me like aphysical force, shocking my system after the oppressive heat within.

I stumble forward, gasping, my lungs burning as they fill with the crisp night air. The contrast is jarring, like plunging into icy water after standing in flames. My skin prickles, goosebumps rising along my arms.

But I can't stop. Not yet. The Furies' shrieks of rage echo behind me. I force my legs to move as fast as they can. The memory of Genoveva gives me strength I didn’t know I had. I won’t let them take me. I won’t let them keep us apart.

As I run, the realization hits me – I have no idea where to go. The Underworld stretches out before me, a labyrinth of shadows and betrayal. I now have to find my next move.

Chapter 15

Gianni

The darkness envelops me like a suffocating shroud. I trudge aimlessly through the barren underworld, the icy chill seeping into my bones. There are no stars to light my way, no moon to pierce the deep, dark night. Just endless space stretching as far as the eye can see. It is desolate and hopeless.

The fog swirls around me as I walk, clutching the worn map tightly. Its edges are frayed from my grip, but still, it guides me toward the river Lethe. That winding ribbon of water is my only hope of reaching the palace.

I know the risks. One sip of Lethe’s waters and oblivion will embrace me. Every memory burned away. My entire being is lost. I would, in every sense, cease to exist. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, an overwhelming thirst came over me, getting stronger with each step I took.

Just then, a shimmering catches my eye in the distance. Could it be? I squint, trying to make out the source through the oppressive darkness. A river, perhaps? My heart leaps at the possibility.

The cold bites through my suit, but I barely feel it. Fatigue drags at my bones, but I push it down and walk on, following the path laid out on the map. Each step takes me closer to Lethe’s shimmering expanse. There, the true test awaits.

The river comes into view, its dark waters glimmering with allure.

"This is it," I mutter, my voice barely audible even to myself. "The only way to Hades' palace is across this river."

I hesitate at the edge, peering into its depths. My throat felt like fresh sandpaper, begging to be relieved with liquid. Just one sip…But the price isforgettingher. The way she'd pin her hair back with that simple silver clasp, how she’d always buy a small present for every member of the household, that time she picked up a stray dog and insisted we keep it.

Those memories make my life what it is.

Forgetting her can’t happen. Hell or high water, tonight, I must not drink.

"I should've known you'd find a way to make me chase you even in death, amore mio," I chuckle darkly, the sound echoing in the emptiness around me.

I step towards the river. The silvery surface ripples invitingly, whispering promises of no pain. After all, what is pain, if not a bank of all that went wrong while one got to where they are? The temptation to forget the pain, the loss of ever watching Genoveva die, claws at me like a rabid animal, and I’m not even in the river yet.

"Merda," I hiss, clenching my fists. "You're a tricky bastard, aren't you?"

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