Chapter 5 – Blood Wedding
"Do you want this man to be your husband?"
The priest's voice echoed off the marble walls but it felt far away like it was coming through water.
My hands shook where they were clasped tight together as my nails biting into my palms but i couldnt let go the white dress dragged on me heavy like chains holding me in place
i looked at the man beside me
lorenzo.
He wore a sharp suit and his eyes were just as sharp as his hand rested on mine like it owned me
say no,
Aurora scream it and run.
But I couldn't hear my voice trapped somewhere deep in my chest because there were men with guns at every door, their faces empty and their eyes cold like ice watching, waiting daring me to move.
My father stood near the front row, his face blank, his hands folded behind him. He hadn't said a word to me since selling me to Lorenzo like I was property.
The priest cleared his throat. "Do you take this man?"
Lorenzo's eyes slid to mine. He didn't smile, didn't soften. He just waited, like the answer was obvious.
I forced the word past my lips. "I… do."
it tasted like ash, like giving up but it left my mouth anyway
He said his easily, no hesitation, like he'd already known the ending before the story even began.
the priest smiled faintly starting to speak. "Then I now pronounce"
The explosion cut him off.
the stained glass windows shattered raining down like knives the sound sharp and endless the blast slammed the air out of my lungs and the whole room shook like it was ripping apart
people screamed high and raw chairs clattering against marble smoke rolled in fast thick like a storm swallowing everything.
"Down!" Lorenzo barked, shoving me to the floor and pulling his gun in the same movement. His men had theirs out in seconds, scanning, shouting commands I couldn't even process.
Another gunshot cracked, then another.
---
I crawled behind one of the pews, my breath sharp and shaky, my eyes darting around the chaos. Men in dark masks rushed in, firing, shouting in another language. A rival crew but they'd chosen our wedding.
Lorenzo was already firing back, moving like a machine, precise and terrifying.
I could run. Right now. The side exit was open, the men by it distracted. I could sprint, disappear into the smoke, and maybe this nightmare would be over.
But then I saw him.
One of the masked men had broken through the line, moving straight toward Lorenzo, gun raised.
"Lorenzo!" I screamed,my voice tearing out of me sharp raw
he turned just as the man lunged and i didnt even think i just moved.
I grabbed the nearest thing, a heavy brass candle holder and swung it.
it hit with a crack and the man dropped his gun and stumbled.
i didnt stop i kicked the gun away hard and swung again, my arms were shaking but i hit him anyway and felt the shock travel up my arms he went down and stayed down not moving not breathing right not at all
Lorenzo stared at me for a second shock on his face.
then it was gone and he was calm again that dangerous calm. "Stay down, Aurora."
"Not happening," I shot back, breathing hard.
he gave a small smirk even while bullets hit the marble near him "Fine. Don't die then."
---
Another man came at me, faster than I expected. I barely dodged his knife swipe, instinct kicking in like muscle memory. My brother taught me how to move and how to use someone's weight against them so I grabbed his wrist, twisted hard and hit his jaw with my elbow.
he stumbled and i kneed his stomach then pushed him aside
I was shaking, but I wasn't frozen anymore. My body remembered what it meant to fight, to survive.
Gunfire echoed, closer now.
lorenzo pulled me back and pushed me behind him while he shot at two more men coming from the side.the sound was loud and my heart was beating like it wanted to burst out of my chest
Then it happened.
a crack louder than the rest tearing through everything and Lorenzo jerked back like someone had yanked a string inside him.
"Lorenzo!" I screamed the word breaking apart in my throat as i caught him he fell into me heavy warm too heavy my arms straining to hold him up
He'd been hit.
The room around us blurred as his men pushed the attackers back, more shouting, more gunfire, but all I could see was him.
"Don't move, okay?" I pressed my hand on the wound at his side, panic rising in my throat.
He coughed, but his eyes stayed on me. "Aurora… stay with me."
"I'm here! Just….just don't close your eyes, okay? Don't…"
He grabbed my wrist suddenly, his grip strong despite the blood pouring out. He pulled me closer, his forehead almost touching mine.
"You're mine now, Aurora…" His voice was low, rough, each word fighting to exist. "And I'm not letting go."
Blood soaked through my dress, warm and heavy, as he sagged against me.