2025-04-06 21:23:42
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THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 56 ~
Zach’s breath hitched as Barbara’s body pressed into him, soft and wet from the pool, her skin cool against his but her touch setting fire to every nerve. The moment crackled with silent tension. He swallowed hard, his throat dry despite the water around them.“Barbara…” His voice came out hoarse, strained with restraint. “Stop being so tempting.”Her breath hitched, quickening. “What?” she asked, her eyes searching his face.But he didn’t answer right away. Instead, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips—distant, knowing, as though he could feel the way his words stirred her insides.“I don’t know why,” he murmured, barely above a whisper, “but I’m not up for this… So don’t tempt me.”Barbara gave a forced, soft chuckle, the sound laced with vulnerability. “I’m not trying to tempt you,” she said, her voice cracking gently. “But…” Her eyes drifted to his lips. “I just think… you deserve this.”Before he could process her words or pull away, her lips crashed into his. Her kiss
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 57 ~
The room was cloaked in a low, reddish glow—like embers from a dying fire, flickering against the wet stone walls. Mist swirled above a pool of sizzling water that bubbled softly, releasing faint trails of steam into the air. The sharp scent of burning herbs and incense hung heavy, weaving through the silence like a slow-moving serpent.Julian sat in the middle of the heated pool, his muscular torso exposed, glistening with sweat and droplets from the steam. Scars—old and new—marked his chest like forgotten maps of battles past. His dark dreads clung to his forehead, and his eyes, as sharp as razors, locked on the figure kneeling beside the pool.The doctor—looking terrified now dressed in ceremonial black—held out both hands, palms glowing faintly with a strange silver light. His mouth moved in quick rhythm, chanting in an ancient tongue that seemed to vibrate against the walls."Ilumare koten... sa jorah! Rise the blood... claim the power… Kharum set alai!"His voice rose with each
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 58 ~
Julian chuckled. “Glad you recognize my voice. I've got your father captive.”“No… Julian, don’t do this.”“If you know what’s good for you, come to the location I’ll send. Now.”“You bastard!” she shouted, slamming her palm against the steering wheel.Julian’s dark laugh crackled through. “You’ve got ten minutes, Barbara. Don’t show up, and I’ll send your father’s head to you.”Tears welled up, but her jaw tightened. “If you harm him, I swear—”“Tick-tock, darling,” he cut in and ended the call.As Barbara sat behind the wheel, her phone pinged with a message. Her heart pounded when she read the text.“Come to this address with your bodyguard and tiny savior, Zach.”Her eyes darkened.Julian… he still wants Zach.Though Zach had managed to defeat Julian before, it was now clear — his enemy wasn’t done. Julian wasn’t just after her father; he wanted revenge. Cold and merciless.She stared blankly at the address. A seaport near the outskirts of Belmont. He’s going to kill Zach and that
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 59 ~
Back in the seaport warehouse, the cold wind whistled through cracks in the wooden panels, echoing the tension that hung heavy in the air. Barbara sat slumped on the hard floor, blood crusted at the corner of her mouth, her body aching and weak. But her eyes… her eyes still burned with defiance.Julian, still crouching before her, his shadow looming, eyes feasting on her with a dangerous hunger. He reached out and gently touched her bruised face, tracing her cheek like she belonged to him.She slapped his hand away with the little strength she could summon, her breath ragged. “Let my father go, Julian,” she hissed.He chuckled softly, shaking his head, amusement laced with venom. “You’re still demanding, even now? Despite being in no position to save yourself, my love?”Barbara scoffed, biting down the sharp pain in her ribs. “You're disgusting.”His expression shifted, darkening. “I might consider your request for two reasons,” he began calmly. “One—because frankly, I don’t care ab
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 60 ~
Julian's smirk faltered for just a second as the dust cleared. His gaze sharpened as he took in Zach's figure —tall, broad-shouldered, every inch radiating dark fury.Julian's lips twisted, masking his disbelief. How? How had Zach found this place? This abandoned and forgotten corner of the dock was known only to his most loyal men. Yet here he was, storming in like a force of nature.Still, Julian didn’t flinch. He straightened, and as if to assert control, whistled lightly before walking away from Barbara’s crumpled body, sprawled helplessly on the cold cement.Zach's eyes scanned the scene quickly. He noticed Mac—Barbara’s father—dangling above the water like discarded meat, his wrists tied, legs weakly kicking. Then, his eyes landed on Barbara. His heart clenched. She looked half-conscious, her face pale and bruised, her body shivering even under the weight of her own despair.A cold rage lit Zach's features.“You. Piece. Of. Trash,” he growled, every word a thunderclap in the air
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 61 ~
They charged.Zach didn’t wait. His body moved like a bolt of thunder—fluid and fierce. He dodged the first punch, ducked the second, then spun low, sweeping a thug off his feet and slamming his elbow into another’s ribs. Bones cracked.Another came with a blade. Zach twisted his body, grabbed the man’s wrist, and redirected the knife straight into his own thigh. The man screamed.Julian stood back, watching the scene with lips curling into a sick grin. He muttered under his breath, teeth clenched in hunger. “I must get your head today, Zach. I must…”“Don’t go easy on him!” he suddenly shouted. “Break his—”He froze.His eyes widened.One of his best fighters had gone down—hard. Zach had flung him against a rusted metal beam like he weighed nothing.Another thug lunged from behind, but Zach twisted, his fist shooting backward into the man’s gut before flipping him over his shoulder.“What…?” Julian whispered.This wasn’t just Zach fighting.This was something more.He wasn’t just fas
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 62~
Zach stood, his muscles taut, his fists clenched so tight that his knuckles turned white. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Julian, whose monstrous form now loomed over him. His body rippled with power, veins bulging, skin slick and dark like tar, and his eyes—those glowing red eyes—burned with an infernal fire.But Zach wasn’t fazed.He wasn’t scared.He wasn’t intimidated.His voice was as cold as steel, every word cutting through the tense air. “You’ve gone too far, Julian. You used dark powers to grow this strong, didn’t you?”Julian’s lips curled into a twisted grin, his mouth stretched unnaturally wide. “Smart boy,” he growled, his voice deeper, rougher. “You’re right. I used the darkest of magics to get this power. Do you really think you can take me down now?” He raised a massive fist into the air, flames licking at his fingertips.Zach didn’t flinch. “You’re nothing, Julian Vikings. Power means nothing to me. It’s the fight inside that matters.” His voice was steady, calm, an
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 63 ~
Zach gently helped Barbara into the backseat of the car, his gaze never straying far from her pale face. Her breathing was steady, but the ordeal she'd just survived left traces of exhaustion on her features. He couldn't ignore the way her lips trembled ever so slightly, nor the way her eyes fluttered in her sleep, haunted by things he couldn’t yet understand.He gave a small nod to Mac, who had been standing nearby, still in shock from the day's events. Zach didn’t speak, but his actions said enough. He would protect Barbara, no matter what. He wouldn’t let her suffer any more.As the car started, Mac looked over at Zach, his voice filled with concern. “I can’t believe all of this… after what happened to Barbara… is she going to be okay?” His brow furrowed as he thought of his daughter.Zach glanced at him, his eyes hard but steady. “You shouldn't worry about that.”Mac seemed to relax, but the worry still lingered in his eyes. “I’m still scared, though,” he confessed softly. “This c
Latest Chapter
~ 78 ~
The heat was unbearable, the smoke thickening with every breath, but Zach didn’t stop. He refused to stop.His shirt clung to his body, soaked in sweat. Flames licked at the walls, crawling higher like hungry beasts, but his eyes never left Daniella—strapped to the steel chair, her skin paling and lips trembling.He couldn’t let her die. He wouldn’t.“I promised your mother that I'll bring you back to her,” he muttered under his breath, yanking again at the chains. “I won’t break it.”He examined the chair again. It was bolted to the floor with a chain extending high up, connected to a steel hook in the ceiling. If he tried to snap it, he could bring the entire structure down—straight onto Daniella. That wasn’t an option.Breaking the chair seemed hopeless—it was heavy, industrial grade, probably reinforced like the chains. And trying to pull her out forcibly would crush her bones.Still, he didn’t stop.Darius was intrigued but waiting in expectations. His desire to see Zach burning
~ 77 ~
Darius groaned, coughing blood as he lifted his head. The fury burning in Zach’s eyes was unlike anything he’d ever seen. It was wild. Unforgiving. The kind of rage that could level cities and salt the earth behind it.Yet, he laughed.Wiping the smear of blood from the corner of his mouth, Darius growled, “You think this ends here, Zach? No. You’ve just walked into something worse than a lion’s den. You’re not walking out of this in one piece.”He gave a sharp whistle and barked, “Kill him.”His men surged forward, snarling like wild beasts. They came at Zach with clubs, knives, iron rods—anything deadly within reach. The air thickened with violence.Zach didn’t flinch.He ducked the first swing, then drove his elbow into the attacker’s throat. Another came from behind—Zach twisted, grabbed his arm, and dislocated his shoulder before kicking him into the others.It was a storm. Bone cracked. Blood sprayed. Men dropped like sacks of flour.Darius’s triumphant grin faltered.One after
~ 76 ~
Back in the underground house, a dull bulb swung slightly from the low ceiling, casting shadows that danced against the concrete walls. Darius was whistling—a slow, eerie tune—as he paced the cold floor like a boy who’d just unwrapped his favorite toy. His boots thudded in rhythm, echoing around the room.A low rustle from the corner stopped his steps. Daniella stirred, her lashes fluttering open. Her head lolled to the side as she struggled to focus. Then her body jerked in alarm—she was bound. Her wrists were locked to the arms of the iron chair, and cold chains looped her waist and torso tightly. Only her legs were accidentally free. But panic surged.Her eyes widened. “What’s going on—” she gasped, twisting violently.Darius turned, his smirk stretching slowly. “Ah… angel’s awake,” he murmured, walking towards her with a delighted gleam in his eyes.She flinched as he drew closer. Her eyes scanned the room—stone walls, a locked steel door, shadows of men leaning by the corners. “
~ 75 ~
Lou sprang to her feet as if stung by a bee, her breath caught in her chest, and her heart pounded wildly. The emptiness of the diner seemed to echo her panic, growing louder with every dreadful thought that filled her mind.“This has never happened before,” Lou muttered under her breath, pacing in short, rapid strides. “What if something’s happened to her? What if she’s hurt—or worse?” Her voice cracked on the last word. Her palms were slick with sweat, her eyes wide, darting to the clock on the wall like it could give her answers.“Mrs. Lou, please,” Zach said with calm urgency. He reached for her gently. “Relax. I won't let anything happen to Daniella. I promise, I’ll find her and—”He paused abruptly as the door creaked open. Maya stepped in, casually dressed with a tote bag hanging off her shoulder. Her expression was unreadable, cool and unbothered, as she glanced around.“Daniella, where are you…?”“Maya…” Lou's voice was sharp with alarm. “Where’s my daughter?”“Aunt Lou?” Ma
~ 74 ~
In a dimly lit underground lair that reeked of oil and iron, Darius Fitzroy leaned against a rusted pillar, flexing the sharp fingers of his mechanized arm. It whirred softly each time he clenched his metal fist. A cigarette hung from the corner of his lips, and smoke curled around his chiseled face. His grimace was harsh, his jaw sharp, and his mismatched eyes—one steel, one hazel—were hollow with fury.He puffed on the cigarette again, exhaling a thick cloud that faded toward the ceiling. His expression softened, curiosity replacing irritation, when the heavy iron gate screeched open.He turned to face it, shoulders tense, eyes narrowed.Two of his men dragged in a barely conscious Daniella, her wrists limp, her legs dragging across the floor. Dirt clung to her clothes, and a bruise bloomed near her temple. Her breathing was shallow, chest rising and falling with faint effort.Darius grinned.“Put her on the chair,” he ordered, voice deep and amused.The men carried her to the iron
~ 73 ~
Barbara’s heels clicked sharply against the ground as she stepped out of her car, the breeze brushing against her cheeks like a warning whisper. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing here?” she barked, her voice bold and unwavering.But then, her heart stopped.The glint of metal caught her eye. Guns. They had guns.Her confident stride faltered. Her breath hitched. She instinctively turned, attempting to dive back into the safety of her car and grab the pistol she kept in her glove compartment. But before she could reach the handle, one of them dashed toward her.Bang!The door slammed shut in her face as his palm crashed into it.“Let go of me!” Barbara snarled, swinging her fist.But the man caught her hand mid-air with chilling ease, his grip like iron. Another grabbed her from behind. She twisted, adrenaline blazing through her veins, and rammed her knee into his side. He staggered back with a grunt, but the first one retaliated with a slap so hard, her vision blurred.She crumple
~ 72 ~
Maya's smile widened as she glanced at Daniella, slumped unconscious in the passenger seat. The scent had worked faster than she imagined. With calm precision, she reached into Daniella's coat pocket and retrieved her phone. Her fingers moved swiftly, lifting Daniella's limp hand and pressing her fingertip against the scanner. The device unlocked with a soft click."Too easy," she muttered.Navigating to the messaging app, she composed a brief text to Lou: "Something came up. I’ll be home later. Don't worry about me, Mother." She hit send, then tossed the phone on the backseat like trash.Shifting gears, she drove off smoothly, a satisfied grin plastered on her face.---At that same hour, the golden glow of the afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows of Barbara’s office. She had just finalized a report and stacked it neatly into a file. She pulled off her heels with a sigh and slipped on her flats, preparing to head out. Her assistant had already left, and the once-busy floo
~ 71 ~
Laura raised an eyebrow. “Is your memory coming back?”Zach closed his eyes briefly. “No. I just… followed a pull.”“You’ll remember soon,” she said softly. “Please, sit.”Zach took the seat and looked up. “What’s going on?”Bull stepped out, giving them privacy.Laura brought up her iPad. “We’re facing a security breach in our satellite division. Someone’s intercepting classified logistics. We don’t know who — not even how. We’ve locked down comms, but if we don’t figure this out soon…”She hesitated. “You always used to fix things in minutes. I don’t know if you can now — but I’ll try to come up with something soon. I just thought you should know.”Zach sat still for a beat, his eyes scanning the glowing data screens like they were speaking a forgotten language. The lines of code, the flickers of red alerts, the satellite activity — it was all vaguely familiar, yet unfamiliar. He tilted his head slightly, frowning.Laura watched him, her brows pulled together with a blend of concern
~ 70 ~
Daniella stood motionless for a beat, then without warning, rushed into Zach’s arms and hugged him tightly. Her emotions overwhelmed her — relief, joy, gratitude — all colliding in that singular moment.“You are Godsent into our lives, Zach,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for this moment.”Zach blinked, stunned, but slowly wrapped his arms around her. A soft smile tugged at his lips as he embraced her back, holding her like someone who just found home in a stranger’s gratitude. He didn’t say anything right away, but the warmth in his eyes said enough.Lou, still seated, nodded with tears in her eyes. “She’s right, young man. You’re a blessing — a living one. May your days be long and filled with goodness.”Zach was about to respond when a strange chill prickled his skin. Something shifted in the air.He pulled back gently from Daniella and turned towards the door, his eyes narrowing. Through the glass, he caught a brief shadow
