Page 49 of Sworn to My Heart
The pressure only increases, and anxiety washes over me, making me realize that everything now depends solely on me. If I do this, there’s a high chance I’ll lose Luca forever. I’m not part of this world; they won’t accept me and the danger that comes with me. I breathe heavily, waiting a few more seconds as I hear another burst of gunfire from Mariano, followed by Violeta’s cries as they shoot back at us.
She’s only ten years old. I have to do everything I can to save her, to save them, even if it means losing them forever. I take my hands off Violeta’s ears and shout to Luca, “Luca, stop the car!” Luca keeps driving, furrowing his brow, trying to ignore the suicide mission I’m proposing.
“Luca, look at me,” I demand. He glances at me quickly. “Stop the car, now!” I add, my tone firm and confident.
He looks back at the road and scoffs sarcastically, “After tonight, I know you’re crazy, but I didn’t realize you actually have a death wish.” I dismiss him and ask him a third time, “Luca, I know you trust me, otherwise I wouldn’t be here with you. Trust me this time too, please, stop the car!” Luca looks at me, clearly conflicted about what to do. If I were in his place, I wouldn’t stop.
He gives me a long look, closes his eyes, and then mutters, “Shit.” He stops the car abruptly in the middle of the road. The sound of screeching brakes fills the air behind us, doors open, and guns are cocked.
There’s nowhere to run. We’re surrounded.Alin, it’s all on you now, I take a deep breath and I look at Luca, his face intenselyfocused on the horizon, beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead as if he’s trying to transport us to another planet by sheer force.
I touch his face, turning it toward me, the only sound from the three men around me is their heavy breathing. “Luca, there’s something you weren’t supposed to find out, and there’s a good chance that after what you see, we won’t see each other again. But your lives are more important to me than that.”
I break contact with Luca’s eyes, seeing his confusion. Worry starts to surface in his eyes as he tries to understand if I am about to embark on a real suicide mission.
“Alin, you’ve completely lost it. What could you possibly do against them? You’re barely five feet tall, weigh less than my morning workout dumbbells, and you don’t even know how to use the gun you picked up tonight,” he snaps in one breath, and I can see the vein in his forehead throbbing. I can’t tell if it’s from stress or anger, maybe both.
I start to shrink back, not wanting him to leave my life. If I keep looking at him, I’ll lose all the courage to get out of this car.It’s now or never, I inject motivation into my head once more. Before stepping out, I brush my lips against his quickly. “I wish we were from the same worlds, so I wouldn’t have to worry about losing you,” I whisper close to his ear.
A tear rolls down my face. I open the car door and quickly close it behind me before Luca can grab my hand and pull me back inside. The car is armored; they’re safe in there, I tell myself, trying to cling to the hope that they’ll stay inside the vehicle.
I walk slowly toward the Russians, all armed and ready, seeing the victorious look in Stas’s eyes. I intend to return the same triumphant glance, but suddenly I hear the car doors open, shattering my hopes.
Luca, Pedro, and Mariano run toward me. Luca grabs my hand,pulling me behind him, aiming his gun at Stas, as do Pedro and Mariano.
“If we die today, you’re coming with us,” Luca says aloud, leaning close to my ear and whispering, “I hid Violeta under the seats. I don’t know why, but I trust you. If you have a plan, we’re behind you.” A shiver runs down my spine at his words, but neither they nor I are prepared for my secret to be revealed. Now, he’s standing so close, and our lives are on the line.
I take a deep breath, looking at him with tears threatening to spill from my eyes, “Please, don’t disappear on me,” I whisper back before turning back to face Stas. When I’m done with him, he’ll regret ever being born. No one messes with my people. Rage is now taking control of me. Never corner a wounded beast.
“If you don’t hand over the girl, you’re declaring war, starting with your deaths here today!” Stas threatens Luca, ignoring the fact that a woman stands before him, which only makes my blood boil more. That piece of shit needs to be wiped off the face of this earth.
“Luca, first you’re dragging that whore around, and now you’re using her as a shield?” Stas laughs confidently, “Even I wouldn’t stoop so low.” I feel how Stas’s words hit Luca’s pride as he clenches his fists tightly around his gun, ready to respond.
I quickly hold his hand, lowering his gun. I assure him that it’s okay, hoping he will continue to trust me even after what he is about to witness. I don’t want to become a monster in his eyes.
Luca looks at me, seeming to understand, and takes a step back, along with Pedro and Mariano.
Stas starts laughing again, but before he could open his mouth, I raise my hand in the air, aiming it at Stas, and clenching my fingers tightly in a choking grip.
Stas begins to choke hard as I apply pressure to his chest. He grasps at his neck in a futile attempt to breathe, and his menlooks confused, not knowing how to react.
I raise my other hand toward his abdomen, twisting my wrist, and clenching it tightly, watching him fall to the ground, writhing in pain, gasping, “Kill... her...” With a flick of my wrist, he flies backward and lands hard on the hood of the car behind him. As I release his lungs, he lies there, writhing and struggling to catch his breath. All his men turn; their weapons now aim at me. It’s time to deal with them too.
I turn to Luca and ask him, Pedro, and Mariano to cover their ears tightly and quickly.
They look at me, mouths agape, trying to comprehend what just happened and not reacting.
“Luca, do what I say, please,” I plead, no longer demanding. Luca still seems to be processing what he just witnessed but nods and covers his ears tightly, as do Mariano and Pedro. I look back at the Russians, their weapons still aimed at me, uncertain why they’re hesitating—maybe they’re scared too.
I take a deep breath, open my mouth, and let out a high-pitched melody. Everyone immediately freezes; no human could resist a mermaid’s melody once they hear it. When I’m sure all the men are under my influence, I stop my singing and, with a quick command, they all aim their guns at each other, ready to kill.
I stop them just before they fire and shout toward Stas, seeing that he managed to cover his ears in time following the brothers.
“The girl is ours. We don’t want war, but if you don’t turn around and leave, you’ll lose all your men here, and maybe you’ll be next. Is she worth that much?”
Stas, still catching his breath, rolls off the car, looking at me with hatred but also a spark of curiosity. He nods in agreement. I nod back, ensuring Luca and the others still have their ears covered.
The melody flows from my mouth again, releasing the menfrom the trance they were in. They remain confused, trying to understand what’s happening around them. Stas signals them to return to their cars while he gets back into his and gives me one last look. “The girl is no longer important, but you, you will work for me someday,” he throws at me, confident. He can keep dreaming, I chuckle to myself and turn to Luca with a proud glance.
