AUTHOR'S POV

Russia, street side cafe,
06:33 pm.

Dash was supposed to be at Hunter's office by now but he stopped in the middle on the side of a road because he saw Zoe sitting on a chair of an open street side cafe with a few tables outside it.

A few people and vehicles were passing by there but his eyes were fixed on Zoe, elbow resting on the car window frame, nibbling the back of his index finger between his teeth.

His sad eyes once had happy stories to tell, now they are all empty. He mostly makes himself busy with work or gets drunk in his spare time.

He sighed heavily, sitting there patiently, watching her drinking something, the tip of the straw was between her lips while her eyes were on the mobile screen in her hand.

She was completely unaware of his presence. The presence of protection.

Soon she went inside the cafe to pay the bill. Dash got out of his car and crossed the road.

When he approached there, he picked up Zoe's drink straw, smelled it, and then rolled it over his finger. The madly in love man smiled finding his happiness in little things.

Before Zoe could walk outside he hid behind a wall of the same cafe. Zoe pushed the door and made her way out.

She flinched as suddenly a bike stopped in front of her. She palmed her chest and lifted her head.

" Hi." A biker moved the face shield of his helmet up and fleshed a smile at her. " Want a ride?" He asked tapping his gloved palms on his bike.

Zoe eyed the stranger up to down before shaking her head. " No- I'm fine." She said clenching the strap of her bag as she swept her eyes around. The street was dark and empty the reason she thought she was all alone there.

" Oh come on-" He was about to grab her wrist but suddenly a table broke on his back. He groaned loudly and fell to the road along with his bike.

Dash!

Zoe gasped covering her mouth and stepped backward. She raised her head to see Dash standing next to her. His rage-filled eyes were fixed on the groaning figure of that biker who was struggling to untangle his leg from his bike.

" TALK TO HER. COME ON GET UP AND DROP HER BACK HOME. I DARE YOU, YOU AASHOLE." Dash yelled kicking him continuously.

" Dash, DASH, LEAVE HIM". Zoe pushed Dash back in an attempt to stop him from beating the biker more.

" I WON'T-"

" Just leave me alone." She said in a tight voice. "STOP STALKING ME EVERY TIME." She added raising her voice as well.

" SO THAT THESE MOTHER*CKERS COULD FLIRT WITH YOU, HUH?" He yelled in her face.

" IT'S MY LIFE. WHO ARE YOU TO INTERFERE?" She asked looking dead into his eyes.

This stopped him. His face turned pale at her words and he felt sharp pain in his chest before it started to rise and fall harder out of anger but he had nothing to say.

Having no control over someone you love hurts.

He glanced at the biker who somehow sat up. " I'm no one now to interfere. But I won't let anyone interfere too." He turned and got inside his car.

" Are you alright?" Zoe sat next to the biker and tried to help him but he was too scared to even reply.

The car vroomed and the headlight hit on Zoe and the biker. He without speaking a word picked up his bike and disappeared within a second.

Nothing new happened today. Every single male who has talked to her made eye contact, or even breathed in her direction has been found injured in the hospital she works as a nurse in.

It's been a year since she left the divorce papers and her wedding ring but Dash hasn't signed.

He got to know that she had bought an apartment on rent and had started working in the hospital she used to before the marriage.

He has apologized to her and even has begged her to come back but she isn't ready.

He can't leave the underworld and
she says she doesn't want to enter his filthy world again.

They have been apart for around a year now but nothing has sorted out. Zoe isn't ready to listen to him not Dash's ready to leave her.

Dash heard his mobile buzzing. He grabbed it from the seat next to him.

It was Hunter who was waiting for Dash. " Where you at?" Hunter asked on his phone as Dash's a punctual person.

" On my way," Dash replied shortly.

" It's Zoe again?" Hunter asked sensing angst in his tone.

Dash stayed silent.

" Sending you an address, be there in an hour. Let's settle this today." Hunter hung up lifting his gaze to see one of his lady workers asking for permission to a man inside.

It was a gray-haired oldie, not the exact person Hunter told his men to bring.

Hunter's eye gestured for him to sit in the chair in front of him while he was sitting with his ankle over the ankle on the table between them.

" Where's your boss?" Hunter inquired.

" He's out of town, I'm from the management team." He replied nervously.

" Dream aura, B wing, Apartment number 13," Hunter said gazing at the drop of sweat trailing down from that person's temple.

" That apartment is already on rent. We can show you more apartments in the same building if you say." His voice got lower and lower.

"If I go legally." Hunter drew an imaginary square on the table. "I have evidence that the buildings are illegally built. You don't care to take full information or signature work before handing the apartments to your customers. If I'll report, that entire complex will get sealed and you'll be on other sides of the rods for the rest of your life." He warned. " Do I need to explain how it'll end illegally?" He questioned.

" I'll get whatever floor you choose empty." He changed his mind real quick.

Hunter chuckled changing his mind as well." How much for the complex?" He asked facing that man again.

" T-The whole complex?" He stuttered.

" You heard me right, The whole complex except for the sold-out apartments. Inform the landlord. I'll pay double in these thirty minutes otherwise the complex will be mine either way and he won't get a dollar for it." Hunter offered a simple deal. " You can get off my sight now." He added showing him the way out using his fingers.

That manager immediately bowed before taking his leave.

Within half an hour, Hunter got the papers and the apartment. He approached Dream Aura to see Dash waiting for him there with his back resting on his car and eyes looking down at his wristwatch.

As soon as he saw Hunter he stood straight.

" Why are we in Zoe's neighborhood?" Dash inquired.

" More like in my complex," Hunter spoke walking past him to the sleeping watchman.

" You brought this whole complex?" Dash asked following his boss behind.

" That's cheap," Hunter replied getting inside the elevator. " Just like the ch*ck you sent last night. She passed out in the first round." He added pressing 7 from the elevator button panel.

Dash relaxed his shoulders. " It wasn't for the first time. You have no idea about your stamina." Dash defended himself.

Hunter chuckled waiting for the doors to open.

Soon they were on the floor they were supposed to be and Hunter threw a bunch of keys to Dash who caught them effortlessly.

" Yours," Hunter said pointing at the door which was exactly in front of Zoe's apartment.

Entering Dash turned on all the lights. They looked around at the condition of the apartment. The furniture was covered with white sheets, surface was hidden under a thick layer of dust. There were cobwebs and everything looked untouched for years.

" Thanks, Dude." Dash thanked walking further to explore the apartment.

Dash's rich enough to buy apartments like that but Hunter thoughtfully gifted it to him in front of Zoe which brought a smile to his face.

Hunter went towards the balcony. All he could see were empty apartments Only the passage lights of each floor were on.

It was dangerously silent except for a slow song that was echoing.

He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and put it between his rough lips, he lit that up using a lighter and started puffing.

He was able to see his reflection in the C wing building in front of him as it was made up of glass fibre but his eyes caught a girly reflection that too was visible over his.

In the whole B-wing, there were only two lights were on. His apartment which was located on the seventh floor and the one on the ninth floor that were highlighted in front of his eyes.

Hunter rested his elbows on the balcony wall and watched the girl practicing dance moves.

She was on her toes, effortlessly gliding across the room. Her delicate movements were like poetry in motion as if she was floating on air. Her thin body swung gracefully as she twirled and spun in perfect circles, each movement precise and controlled.

Hunter was captivated by her perfection and elegance, his eyes were following wherever she was moving, because every extension of her limbs was executed had finesse and fluidity.

Her arms reached out, creating beautiful lines, while her legs extended with precision and strength.

With each leap and little jump, she seemed to defy gravity, defying the limits of what the human body could do. The music swelled, matching the rhythm of her movements, as she expressed emotions through her dance. It was as if she was living in the moment, completely immersed in the art of dance.

The music ended yet she professionally stayed still for a few seconds before finally resting the soles of her feet.

Hunter didn't realize he was staring at her until she walked inside tightening her ponytail on her way.

His mind went back to thinking about the same thing again.

His father's decision.

It's not like he's scared of Italians. He fears no evil, the shadow belongs to him and so does the valley but this time the the doors to other dimensions are getting open for those evils.

His father is openly inviting Italians. They were never allowed in their hometown after the death of Hunter's biological mother.

He doesn't want them in that town.

Alaric was right to interrupt but his father never put value to his words.

Even though he's Hunter's stepbrother, he never hated Alaric before. He was welcome in his house, in his life.

There used to be a time when they were the best duo until his father started to compare them.

No matter how much he hates Alaric he won't accept that his father is right with the comparison of things.

Now Alaric succeeded, he has got same power as Hunter, but at what cost?

Trying to kill his brother.

He cheated.

If Hunter was there then he must have competed and won for sure with the amount of army he had. And right now must be ruling the entire underworld.

Hunter puffed another drag of cigarette only to hear a girl coughing sound. It was coming from upstairs as there were no noises around.

Hunter noticed that shadow girl fanning the smoke from her face. He glanced at his hand, it was his cigarette smoke that was making her cough.

He squeezed the tip of his cigarette and threw it in a corner.

He was about to go back but suddenly some water got splashed on him.

" WHAT THE FU-"

" Grow up faster, Baby." Hunter heard her say. Then he noticed the shadow girl holding a little flower pot in her tiny palms.

" Who waters plant at night." He spoke not so loudly yet he saw how her shadow froze and he was able to conclude her placing her hand on her head.

"Dumb." He chuckled.

" Hunter?" He heard Dash calling his name. He went inside to see him at the main door. He was peeking from a peeping hole. " She's here," Dash said quietly as he saw Zoe.

Hunter smiled.

He likes making his people happy but he loves to make people cry who get in his way.

Right now he only cares about two people in his life.

His father and Dash.

The one he can die for and the one who can die for him.

These two are worth Everything.

Hunter pulled the white sheet from a couch and sat on it just when his mobile lit up with a message that the meeting was being held in a strip club named "Strippers' Den"

" Nonsense idea of nonsense Italians." He thought to himself.

This time Hunter has planned to keep Dash away from the entire matter, he doesn't want to reveal his face so that Hunter can use him as his secret weapon when needed.

And that time seemed close.

• Loyal to few. Ruled by none.

Chapter published on: 01 October 2023.

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☞⁠￣⁠ᴥ⁠￣⁠☞ No shade to any Italian or Russian. It's just a concept. I've no beef with anyone. Everything is fictional. I used it to make my book seem realistic no bad intentions.☺️

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