Chapter 8 - Ashes and Steel
The grand hall of the Moretti mansion became a killing field.
Smoke filled the air as Rossi gunmen pressed up the sweeping marble staircase. But Dominic, Marcus, and the elite Moretti guards held the high ground, firing with brutal, practiced precision.
Claire moved like a phantom behind the defensive line. She treated wounded guards in the upper corridor, dragged injured men out of the line of fire, and returned fire whenever a Rossi gunman managed to breach the landing. Her left arm worked flawlessly, her body completely healed, moving with agility and power.
Below, through the thick gunsmoke, a man stepped into the foyer holding a grenade launcher. It was Frank Rossi—a heavy-set, wild-eyed man covered in tactical gear.
"Moretti!" Frank roared, his voice echoing through the burning foyer. "I'm taking your house, I'm taking your territory, and I'm burning your legacy to the ground!"
Frank raised the launcher, aiming directly at the wooden support pillars holding up the upper balcony where Dominic and Claire stood.
"Dominic! Get down!" Claire screamed.
Before Frank could pull the trigger, Claire leaned over the balcony rail, exposing herself to enemy fire, and dumped four rapid shots into Frank Rossi’s chest.
Frank gasped, blood spurting from his mouth as he stumbled backward. The launcher went off, firing its high-explosive round into the roof above the foyer, sending heavy plaster and burning wooden beams crashing down onto the Rossi men below.
Dominic leaped forward, firing his rifle, finishing off the remaining invaders until a heavy, suffocating silence fell over the mansion.
The battle was over.
The Rossi family’s inner circle was completely destroyed.
Dominic stood amidst the smoke and ruined marble, breathing heavily. He dropped his empty rifle, turning frantically toward the balcony. "Claire!"
He found her kneeling beside a wounded guard, applying a compression bandage to his shoulder. She was covered in soot, her face spattered with gunpowder, her clothes torn—looking every bit like the warrior queen who had conquered the dark.
Dominic walked over, pulled her up into his arms, and held her so tightly that neither of them could breathe.
"It's over," Dominic whispered into her hair, tears of relief glinting in his dark eyes. "It's finally over, Claire."
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Claire wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his broad chest, listening to the solid, victorious beat of his heart.
"We survived," Claire whispered, looking around at the ruined grand hall, then up into the face of the man she loved. "We survived the fire."
