Page 33 of Depths of Obsession
She’s almost there by now. Mia’s been in negotiations all afternoon. Apparently, Pippa was supposed to call her and ask for help, but Mia’s phone has been off. Luna called her father to try and get him to talk to Danillo, but he couldn’t reach that asshole either, so she finally called me. I sent Tony and Rafe over to check on Connie, but now I can’t raise them. Their phones just go unanswered.
“Vic and Paolo are at your place,” Rocco announces. “They just realized Pippa isn’t there. The door to the spare room was closed, and they assumed she was in there sleeping.”
“Fuck!” I growl, my voice filled with anger and fear.I’m heading there now, Renzo.
Luca, it’s not dark out yet, so you can’t move across the sky. People will see you. You’re going to have to drive.
Fuck that, I mutter.I’ll go through the magick realm.
Silence from Renzo as I storm out of my office. I head out of my club, moving as quickly as I dare down the sidewalk, my pulse racing. I get in my Porsche and drive, the engine roaring as I speed toward Castello Sforzesco. The old stone fortress looms in the distance, ancient and imposing, a testament to another time. I will kill Dominici if he hurts one hair on her head. I will kill him.
Luca.Renzo’s voice is back, his tone urgent.
Have you heard from anyone? Does anyone have eyes on Pippa?The fear is back, its icy fingers wrapping around my heart, squeezing.
No,he says.Just wait another half hour or so, and it’ll be dark enough for you to go.
I can’t wait, Renzo, I snap, my voice sharp.This is the only way I can get there. If anything happens to Pippa, I won’t forgive myself. It’s my job to keep her safe.
I don’t add that after last night, I’m never letting her go. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t have sex. We will. She is mine. I’ve claimed her. All that’s left is for her to find out what I truly am and accept that I am a monster—but I am her monster. I am coming for her. I will always come for her.
Going through the magick realm so quickly, it will make you ill when you come out the other side. You will be weak for a bit.
I’ll be fine.
I pull up and park outside the castle, the ancient stone walls towering above me. I race to the side door. It’s close to closing time, but I know Kendrick will let me in. He knows all of us, and he won’t refuse me entry. I knock on the door, and Kendrick looks up at me through the glass. He hasn’t aged a day—he’s the same as when I first met him several hundred years ago. I don’t know what kind of creature he is, and I don’t ask.
“Kendrick.” The urgency in my voice is grating and unmistakable. “I need to get to Genoa in a hurry.”
He nods, the lights glistening off his bald head, his eyes holding the weight of centuries. “I understand. You do know the consequences.”
“I do.” I’m trying not to rush the man, but I need to get to Pippa.
“You may proceed,” he says, pressing a button to open the door beside him. I start forward, but he calls after me. “Luca,” he says, his voice softer. “Love is very important, but so is family. Be sure you are not sacrificing one for the other.”
I stare at Kendrick for a beat, his words lingering in the air, and then I proceed through the door. I have no idea what he’s talking about, and I don’t care. I hit the hallway almost at a run, the stone walls cool and unyielding. There are tourists up ahead, admiring a display, oblivious to the urgency pounding in my veins. I hate that the fort has become a tourist attraction—it was better when it was a fortress, a place of power.
I round the corner and push open a door to a smaller, darker hallway. The air is damp, the stone walls rough under my fingertips as I close the door behind me. I move halfway down the hall and stop, facing a stone wall on my right. I take a deep breath, my heart pounding, my muscles tensed.
Luca?Nico’s voice echoes in my mind, his concern wrapping around me like a lifeline.
Can’t talk now. I’m about to cross over.
Do you want some help? I can be there in a few minutes.
My heart swells with gratitude, but I shake my head.No, I can’t wait. I’ll reach out if I need help.
Okay. Be careful. Stay safe.
I break the link and reach out to touch one of the stones. It moves under my fingers, shifting with a muted groan, and a portal opens before me. The air ripples, shimmering with magick, and the energy pulses against my body, alive and ancient. I take a deep breath and brace myself before stepping through the doorway into the magickal realm.
The air changes immediately. It’s heavier, charged with magick, and the sky above is a swirling tapestry of colors—deep blues, purples, and streaks of gold that seem to move and dance. The ground beneath my feet is not earth but a pathway made of smooth, iridescent stones that glow faintly, lighting my way. The magick realm is both beautiful and treacherous, a place where anything can happen, where danger lurks around every corner. And it’s ever changing. One time it will look exactly as earth looks and you will not be sure you actually crossed over and the next time well it looks like this.
“Luca! What are you doing here?” a voice calls out, and I turn to see Nuala standing on the sidewalk a few feet away. Her long, silvery hair flows around her, her eyes sharp and curious. She’s one of the strongest witches I’ve ever met.
“Nuala,” I call back, urgency in my tone. “Sorry, I don’t have time. I have to be somewhere.”
Without waiting for her response, I start running, my feet pounding against the glowing stones. I dodge creatures of all shapes and sizes—some with wings, others with multiple arms or eyes that seem to follow my every move. I shout apologies as I weave among them, praying I don’t anger anyone. Nothing is worse than having a magickal creature pissed at you—they can turn your entire life upside down with a flick of their wrist.
