Chapter 9 - The Steel VaultThe safe room was a claustrophobic steel box lit by a single dim emergency bulb.
Clara sat on the cold floor, rocking a terrified Julian against her chest.
The heavy metal walls muffled the sounds of the war raging outside, but they couldn't block it completely.
Explosions shook the foundation of the estate, sending dust raining down on them.
Julian buried his face in Clara’s neck, whimpering softly.
“Is my daddy going to die?” Julian asked, his voice trembling with innocent horror.
Clara swallowed the lump of panic in her throat.
“Your dad is the strongest man in the world, Julian.”
“He is going to be just fine.”
She prayed she wasn't lying to a child.
Hours seemed to stretch into eternity inside that dark, freezing box.
Clara’s mind raced with images of Dante bleeding out on the marble floors.
She realized, with a terrifying clarity, that she didn't just fear for her own life anymore.
She had fallen in love with the devil.
Suddenly, the gunfire outside abruptly ceased.
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the house.
Clara held her breath, staring at the thick steel door.
A loud, metallic banging echoed against the vault.
Someone was punching the code into the keypad outside.
Clara grabbed a heavy iron fire poker from the emergency supplies, stepping in front of Julian.
If it was a Moretti soldier, she was going to fight to the death.
The heavy steel door hissed and swung open slowly.
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Dante stood in the doorway, covered in soot, plaster, and blood.
He dropped his empty gun to the floor and fell to his knees.
