Angel of my Dark Heart [Last Days 1.5]

Chapter 15-a

Marcus took the cage from Mina and watched the demon child inside. The little guy pouted with teary golden eyes, holding his chubby tail to his chest and making himself the smallest possible. It was clear the poor thing was terrified and doing his best not to touch any of the golden bars.

Mina mentioned that something repelled her, but whatever it was, it didn't work on him, so maybe he would be able to open the golden birdcage.

A tug on the door-which was barely wide enough for the baby-proved it locked.

Guess it was only my wishful thinking.

"Can't we free him after we escape?" Marcus asked, growing frustrated with their situation. "Your tornado can catch fire in any moment."

"The bars of the cage are imbued with angelic power, so, they can kill Arian if he so much as touches them," Mina argued, strain etched in her features as she watched her twister. Slowly, the tornado began growing and widening its eye, giving them more space to outmaneuver the flames.

Their enemies screamed, and the sound of wood breaking came even over the roar of the wind.

People will notice this. We can't waste any more time.

With seconds ticking, Marcus sighed and pointed his gun at the lock. There wasn't a fastest way to free the child.

"I expect you not to shoot my nephew," Mina's demonic voice warned inside his mind.

His eyes did a quick search of the woman until they found her crouched beside Tara, attempting to check on his witch while avoiding the lava that still flowed from the wound.

He didn't know if he should feel offended that Mina thought him a bad shooter or understanding of her worry for the boy. However, he was completely sure of something. She was going to regret not having faith in him.

"Did you say something, Miss Larsa?" he asked with a taunting smirk, eyes focused on her at the same time that he pulled the Sig Sauer's trigger. The gunshot was almost drowned by the roar of the wind. However, the baby trembled inside the birdcage and began crying-his wails so shrill they drilled into Marcus' skull. Talk about high pitched!

"Marcus Andreus Di'nardo!"

He shuddered while his hands tried to pull the demon child out of his golden prison. The critter squirmed out of his grasp every time he reached for him. "Andreus? Yuck. I don't have a second name."

"Well, I feel..." The retort cut off, and Mina flinched as in pain. Her tornado began to waver from left to right, and the winds lost strength. In a matter of seconds, the swirling winds dissipated, leaving them completely exposed to their enemies.

"Shit!" Mina swore under her breath, and her wild, silver gaze went to Marcus. Dread mounting on her features.

Thankfully for them, the Yakuza were still confused by the sudden turn of events. Some were even impaled by pieces of wood beams that the tornado had ripped off the room when it grew in size.

The Italian mobster reached for the baby once again, but the critter bit one of his fingers, and disappeared from the cage, popping a second later on Mina's chest and clawing at her clothes for purchase.

She smiled proudly, like a mom who sees their child taking their first steps, and then a baby wrap appeared from thin air, tying itself around her and securing her nephew against her chest.

"We have to go, Marcus." Mina whispered into his mind. "Now is our chance. Vergil can save your friend later."

"No! I love that woman, Mina. I can't leave her behind once again," he pleaded to her while his gaze fell to the unconscious female behind them. "That's a mistake that I refuse to repeat."

Tara's blood looked like hardening lava. Did that mean the flow had stopped? However, the fire around her was rapidly spreading, along with the smoke. The hole in the roof helped ventilate the air, but it wouldn't help for long. Not with two fires devouring the mansion.

Mina sighed, and her katana appeared in her hands. The blade changed from metallic black to shining gold as a wave of energy filled it. Power so pure and holy that it made Marcus want to kneel before it.

"Then, we fight," Mina said telepathically, caressing her swollen belly briefly before refocusing on the enemy. "I'll take the big, white-eyed hijos de puta and you take the black-eyed ones."

"But..."

Before Marcus could finish his retort, the vampire teleported in front of the nearest zombie Yakuza and beheaded it with a single swing of her sword. As the body went up in golden flames, she jumped to her next victim, plunging the blade into its stomach before freeing the head with two quick slashes.

Damn, talk about strength! What could that woman do if she wasn't pregnant and carrying another baby across her chest?

Shaking his head and smirking in awe, Marcus began shooting his targets. The first two mutated Yakuza fell without any problem, but by the third, they began to shoot back. Apparently, the gunshots shook them out of the confusion and chaos that the tornado created.

Having no furniture to use as cover, the Italian did his best to keep moving to evade the return fire. However, he knew the strategy wouldn't work for long, not after the three remaining mutants ganged up on him. And let's not forget the smoke making everything increasingly difficult to see!

He rolled on the floor to escape a barrage of bullets headed his way and sneaked behind one of the shooters thanks to the smoke cloud. Suppressing the urge to cough, Marcus aimed at the head of the clueless mutated Yakuza and fired. The gunshot blew his enemy's brains out but also revealed his position to everyone around him.

Not soon after, a feminine yelp sounded behind him, followed by a loud crash. Worry gripped the mobster, and his eyes searched frantically for Mina through the thickening smoke cloud. He found her slumped against the far wall, whimpering and clutching her belly in obvious pain.

Never ones to disappoint, his remaining enemies took that opportunity to truly fuck him up.

One gunshot sliced through his right tight like butter while another hit his left shoulder and a third one slipped in between his ribs. Marcus grunted and fell to the floor, weakness taking control of his mangled body.

Not content with their work, his assailant neared, kicked the Sig Sauer away from Marcus' grasp, and crouched beside him.

"You're a strong motherfucker, clown," Akito's voice sounded at his left. The bastard's fingers gripped Marcus' hair hard and yanked his face off the floor. "But look around you, your girls and you are down for the count. It's game over, pal."

Thunder cracked over the mansion and agonizing screams came from the adjacent room as Marcus laughed. "Do your worst. The cavalry is here, asshole."

Akito sneered. His good hand transformed into a spike ready to finish off what he started when a fist went through the wall directly in front of him.

The Japanese mob lord staggered back, eyes widening as a jagged hole the size of a door was blown off the wall.

Vergil appeared in the hole with a gigantic, serrated blade covered in flames in one hand and blue electricity cracking around his body. His usually cold mask morphed into pure hatred the moment his eyes swept over the spectacle before him.

Marcus' boss stepped into the room, dragging his flaming broadsword over the ground, and his whole appearance changed completely. His white hair grew in length to reach his waist, the pale skin changed to an unnatural onyx, and two long, black horns grew from his temples. If Marcus didn't already know his boss' secret, he would have thought he was hallucinating from blood loss.

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A/N: The most likely AI image at the top is the closest thing I could find of how I imagine pregnant Mina. I'll have to commission a portrait of her pregnant and with katana in hand 😅.