Page 73 of Sworn to My Heart
I grab the first taxi I see straight to the location. The driverdrops me off at the entrance of a rundown motel and speeds away, leaving me alone on a deserted street. Now it’s all up to me.
I take a long breath and wait for instructions. I look at my phone and see I’m two minutes early. Suddenly, a message pops up. My heart races as I open it.
Good girl. I knew you weren’t stupid. Go straight to the alley on your right and enter the first iron door to your left. Don’t try anything stupid if you want her alive.
09:58 PM
I read the message and shudder, but I have to stay strong for Cora. I’ve dealt with the Russians before; I can handle this threat too.
Shed your humanity today; today, you are a monster, Alin.
Maybe I’m not so different from Luca after all.
Following his instructions, I open the iron door and proceed slowly down the stairs into complete darkness. Luckily, my eyes adjust quickly. Grateful for my abilities, I make sure not to miss a step as I scan the darkness for Cora. Finally reaching the last flight of stairs, I spot her in the distance. She’s tied to a chair, blood smeared on her face, mixing with her tears. A small bulb hangs loosely from the ceiling above her, casting a faint yellow light that barely illuminates her face. I take in the surroundings—a derelict warehouse with ancient wooden pillars supporting a ceiling that looks ready to collapse.
I have a clear path to Cora. I look at her again and sprint toward her. She starts shaking violently in the chair, trying to signal something with her head, her mouth gagged with cloth. Her eyes are frantic. What is she trying to tell me? I stop, following her gaze, and suddenly feel a sharp pain in my neck that stuns me for a moment before I collapse to the floor. My body is paralyzed; I can’t move my limbs.
Only my head functions, though it remains still, and my vision blurs. A burning pain sears through my neck. Not this again.
“Keep your word,” I whisper weakly into the air, unable to turn my head to see who it is. Speaking becomes a struggle. Footsteps approach, and they stop near me. I see polished black leather shoes right in front of my face.
With great difficulty, I manage to trace my eyes up his body, and when I reach his face, I recognize him immediately.
“Stas,” I hiss venomously. You son of a bitch. I decide to play his game, hoping he doesn’t truly know everything about my powers or how they work. He smiles at me with a triumphant grin. I curse him silently.
“Keep your word,” I repeat, commanding weakly.
“Of course, sweetheart. I always keep my word,” he says, his smile widening with self-satisfaction. If I could, I would spit directly on his smug face. Your word means nothing.
“Evgeny, release her,” he commands, still staring at me.
When I see Cora being freed from the chair, I try to open my mouth, to take control of everyone present, but at that moment, someone behind me tightly gags my mouth.
“No, no, my precious gem. I won’t fall for that twice. She,” he points at Cora, “Can go. I have a brothel full of whores. You, however, are one of a kind. You will work for me.” He smiles, and my anger boils again as my body remained unresponsive.Delusional bastard.
“Don’t worry, gem. We’ll kill every one of those Italians. And as for you, I have enough drugs to paralyze 30 horses. You will work for me eventually,” he declares with that repulsive, arrogant smile of his. He turns and walks away, shouting orders in Russian to bring the van to smuggle me out of here.
“Alin!!!” I hear Cora’s voice and realize she’s running toward me instead of escaping.Fool, run away!I try to speak, toscream, to move, to signal her to flee before they change their minds. But I can’t.
I feel her weight collapse on top of me.
She hugs me and cries, “Alin, I’ll call Luca. We’ll get you out of here, I promise.” I want to answer her, to tell her not to involve anyone. I can take care of myself. No one else should get hurt because of me. But her screams pierces my ears as the Russian behind me grabs her by the hair, throwing her back toward the stairs.
“Get out of here before I change my mind,” he threatens, and I hear the sound of a gun being cocked. My breath catches.
No. Run, Cora! Now!
A minute passes before I hear her hurried footsteps ascending the stairs. I exhale.
Good, she escaped.
I’ll deal with this.
Luca
“Where is she?” I roar, twisting the knife embedded in Pavel’s thigh, one of Stas’ cowardly henchmen.
A sharp scream escapes him, and I force a piece of cloth into his mouth to muffle the sound. I continue twisting the knife, waiting for his answer. It’s been five days since Stas made Alin disappear, five days without any sleep. Pavel better not be another Russian soldier testing my patience. I have none, even when well-rested.
