Chapter 13 - The Limestone Caverns
The tunnel beneath the Vance estate was cold, damp, and smelled of centuries-old river silt and damp earth. Overhead, the world was disintegrating. Repeated shockwaves rattled the stone ceiling, sending small cascades of gravel and dust down upon their heads as the mansion above was leveled into burning rubble.
Dominic carried the twins securely against his chest, their tiny cries finally breaking out in the enclosed space, terrified by the unrelenting thunder overhead. He paused for a second under an arched stone pillar, gently cradling their heads, rocking them with a tenderness that seemed entirely out of place on a man covered in ash, sweat, and gunpowder.
"Shh, little ones," Dominic whispered, his deep voice carrying a strange, hypnotic warmth. "Papa has you. The wolves can't reach you down here."
Miraculously, the twins’ cries softened into small whimpers, lulled by the steady rhythm of their father’s heartbeat.
Further down the tunnel, Elena guided Marcus to a stone ledge, easing him down gently. She quickly tore a long strip of clean cloth from her inner petticoat, wrapping it tightly around Marcus's shoulder wound, pulling the knot hard with her teeth.
"You're remarkably calm for someone whose employer's house just got obliterated," Marcus groaned through gritted teeth, wincing at the pressure.
Elena wiped dust from her eyelashes, meeting the bodyguard's gaze with steady grey eyes. "Where I grew up, men with guns tore our town apart twice a month. You learn quickly that panic is a luxury for the rich. Survivors keep moving."
Dominic stepped forward, emerging from the gloom. He looked down at Elena, his expression unreadable, carved from stone. "You saved my children twice tonight, Elena. First from the poison, then from Victoria. If you want out, there’s an extraction boat docked at the end of this tunnel. I can give you five million euros and a passport to anywhere in South America."
Elena looked at Dominic, then looked at the twins sleeping peacefully against his muscular, tattooed frame. She stood up straight, brushing the mortar dust from her pink apron.
"And who is going to make sure their formula isn't poisoned tomorrow, Mr. Vance?" she asked softly.
May you like
Dominic’s lips twitched into the faintest hint of a genuine smile. "Then you stay."
Before they could take another step, a sharp red laser dot danced across the wet cavern floor, settling squarely over Elena’s chest.
