The morning air was cold, but the tension inside the penthouse was even colder. Leo stood by the large glass window, watching the city below. For months, he had been the one protected. He had been the one hiding behind Dante's shadow. But after the recent attacks, something inside Leo had changed. He was tired of being the prey. He wanted to be the hunter.
Dante walked into the room. He looked tired, but his eyes were still sharp. He placed a heavy hand on Leo's shoulder. "The enemies are moving, Leo. We need to stay inside today. It's not safe out there."
Leo turned around. He didn't look afraid. Instead, his jaw was set tight. "How long, Dante? How long do we hide?"
Dante sighed, his grip tightening slightly. "Until I finish this. Until every man who looked at you with blood in their eyes is gone."
"I don't want you to do it alone anymore," Leo said. His voice was quiet but very clear. "I saw how they looked at me. They saw a weak boy. They saw a prize. If I stay weak, I am a hole in your armor. I won't let my love be your weakness."
Dante stepped closer, his shadow falling over Leo. "You are not a weakness. You are the only reason I keep fighting."
"Then let me fight with you," Leo insisted. He took Dante's hand and placed it over his own heart. "Teach me. Teach me how to hold a gun. Teach me how to strike first. I want to go on the hunt, not just wait for the hunter to find me."
Dante was silent for a long time. The idea of Leo entering his dark world of violence hurt him. He wanted Leo to stay pure, away from the blood and the screams. But he looked into Leo's eyes and saw a fire that wasn't there before. Leo wasn't asking for permission; he was making a choice.
"It is a dark path, Leo," Dante whispered. "Once you start, you can never go back to being the person you were before."
"The person I was before is dead," Leo replied. "The person I am now wants to survive. I want to stand beside you, not behind you."
Dante finally nodded. A dark pride filled his chest. "Very well. If you want to hunt, you must first learn to breathe in the dark. We start tonight."
Dante led Leo down to the private gym in the basement. It was filled with weapons and training gear. This was the place where Dante turned men into soldiers.
"The first lesson is not about strength," Dante said, handing Leo a heavy training knife. "It is about the will to do what is necessary. The hunt begins in the mind. Are you ready?"
Leo gripped the handle of the knife. His hands shook for a second, but then they became still. "I'm ready."
The hunt had truly begun. For the first time, Leo wasn't looking for an exit. He was looking for a target.