They arrived in Puerto Rico armed to the teeth and were not alone. Julius's cousin and his gang came in for a bite, a bundle of ninety well-trained men, heavy people from Mexico. They rented a house in the middle of nowhere to raise no suspicion, big enough to host everyone with a right feast, worthy of a king and his subjects. The plan was to strike at dawn, in the silence of the darkness. Li got an exact map of the rooms of the Castelli family home and pictures of the place in 3G, coming directly from a mini satellite he built and sent into space. This gave them a good advantage after all they could watch the enemies and know the right time to attack. The residence looked like a military fort with so many security guards prowling outside, more than twice inside. Luckily, his mother and brother were traveling through Europe, the bastard was alone. Unfortunately, he did not put his foot out anytime that day. Blade would love to see the face of the accused man who had been so damaging his life before killing him. As the hours passed, Jesse became more and more uneasy. She was sitting on the floor of the room anxiously, chewing her nails. Blade, who had just arrived, made an unusual invitation to calm her down a little.

-I want to dance, just you and me. - He held out his hand to Jesse, who looked at him in surprise.

-But there is no music and the air is too heavy for that. - She turned her face to the side, unable to maintain eye contact with the beloved at that moment.

-Are you going to deny me one last dance? - Jesse jumped up, glaring at him like an arrow. What conversation was that last dance? She did not like his words, he seemed to be saying goodbye.

-I do not like this conversation, Blade. -He stopped her with a kiss, letting her hair fall into a cascade of bulky curls.

She wore shabby denim shorts and  plain white T-shirt sports shoes, in the same tone. If he wanted a farewell, that was something very special, Jesse thought. She would give her heart to him and all the good things that existed in her. With shaking hands, she took off her black leather jacket the thug raised her arms up to help her on the mission to take off the red T-shirt. Outside, the thunder screamed, as if the heavens were crying their pain.

-Where are you taking me?

Blade took her in her arms and led her to the porch that was outside the room. The night was sad and it was beginning to rain. Was Jesse mad, or did Blade really want to make love on a balcony under the rain in Puerto Rico? What if someone saw them or slipped and fell on the wet floor? It could be dangerous.

-I will not let you fall, you are safe in my hands, - Blade exclaimed as if he had read her thoughts. -And this room is the highest in the house, no one will see us. - He reassured her.

There was something wrong with what they were doing, which made everything more dangerous and exciting. They danced for a long time in the rain, completely naked. Jesse had never experienced a better sensation than that of pure and beautiful freedom. And at least that time she let go of the weight of the world and gave herself a moment, making love on a reclining chair. As Blade penetrated her, she lifted her face to the sky and let the rain bless them. They did not need words, when they climaxed, in their eyes there was the same silent statement, but at the same time blaring: I will love you forever come what may.

Thanks to Saint Protector of the Bandits it was not raining at the time of invading the house of Matteo Castelli. It was easy for Li to turn off the security alarm they were all dressed in black and hooded. They were eliminating the security guards one by one, silently. Jesse was delighted with Blade's cunning in action, it was wonderful, exciting. It looked like a tango dance, perfect in every detail. She could not say for sure how many he killed until they reached Matteo Castelli's room, but there were many of them. She did not even have the chance to put her hand on the gun Maldonado would pick them up first.

- Wait for me here and at any move, shoot! - Cried Blade, who had her clothes all disheveled and filthy with blood.

His hand was on the door handle of Matteo's bedroom, at last, that torment would end.

-I did not come here to leave you alone now, I want to look in the eyes of this bastard when you send him to hell, - thundered Jesse, tired of being good to those she did not deserve.

He nodded against his will. Even giving everything more than right, Blade felt there was something wrong, it was being too easy. First of all, the whole nastiness of the police murders did not seem to be anything like a professional like the head of the European Mafia, but an amateur. He put a lot at risk doing that, which really did not make any sense.

-Stay behind me, Jesse, and do not leave.  -So she did, and they opened the doorknob together.

- Say your last words, damn it! When the man in the luxurious bed turned on the lamp to see what was happening, the two invaders almost fell back, especially Jesse.

- Miche? - Jesse took off  here cap, her eyes watering.

- I've never been with your face the good guys in the end always end up being the worst. -Blade had his gun aimed at the middle of his forehead, the red dot of the laser danced over the frontal bone of the bogus bartender.

- Hi princess, how are you? -Miche let out a cynical, mocking laugh. He seemed crazy, totally insane. I was at the bar the day your hero took you out of the hands of those vicious bandits, I had my eye on him. But then I saw the way he stared at you fainting in his arms and thought, why kill him if I can hurt you where it hurts most? I knew you were going to get involved and I would take it from him. I did everything to conquer you, even a fucking photography course. Except that the spell turned against the sorcerer and I ended up real falling into your charms. But you wanted nothing of me but friendship, all because of this damn. You were supposed to be mine, Jesse, you could have had a queen life by my side.

-I loved you, Miche, not the way you wanted to, but I loved you. -She was so disappointed she could not even look at him. -And all this time was an impostor - Matteo, son of Carlo Castelli.

Matteo the impostor looked confused, maybe drunk that would explain the pile of bottles of empty drinks everywhere. It was as if he did not recognize his name. -You're more stupid than I thought! - Yes, I am Matteo, son, and heir of the great criminal Carlo Castelli. He let out another laugh, this time macabre.

-Stop laughing, you bastard! I do not understand why so much hatred for me is not enough your father to have killed mine and finished with my life, just because my mother did not love him and chose to stay with my father? If he killed himself later, it's his problem. And I did not force Jesse to stay with me, if she did not want you it was because you were not man enough for her. -Blade was like that, short and thick.

-Apparently it's your family's craze, the Maldonado, to steal the women from the Castelli, because I do not know if it's your acquaintance, Blade, but your mother was already my father's fiancée when your father found the right to steal her. They were engaged and on the day of the wedding she simply did not appear, without giving any explanation. He disappeared into the world with his daddy. That damn bitch killed Matteo's life, I mean mine. - He started to laugh again, like a madman. It was strange sometimes he spoke of him in the third person, as if he were talking about someone else. -Then my father married my mother, but since he did not love her, he took the anger on her and the son he had with her, poor Matteo. Did you know that he was the one who found his father died at the age of five? - He was holding his mother's photo. Since then, he has been unable to love anyone but himself. Not even the youngest brother that the mother had of another marriage, the poor boy had nothing to do with this whole mess but had to grow up with a cruel brother and a depressive mother. In the end, he ended up going crazy also trying to prove to everyone that he was capable of being as good as he, or rather like me. Now he cried and laughed at the same time.

-I'm not to blame, too, if the Castelli does not have the guts to hold their wives, if I'd first admired my father, now I venerate. - We, the Maldonado family, are like that, when we want something, we get it and that's it. We do not get used to losing, but if it does happen, we keep our heads up without putting the blame on others. Because that's what a real man does, he admits he lost and leaves for another we do not whine or kill us because of anything. Blade lost his temper, just wanted to send him to hell at once.

- Do not talk about what you do not know! - The fake Miche pulled a gun from under the pillow and pointed it at Blade, but he was not expecting a shower of shots coming from Jesse's gun. He died looking at her, who was surprised that she had not felt a bit of guilty for doing so.

-Are you okay with what happened, Jesse? - Blade asked, holding her hand in the car back to the house.

He passed the whole path in silence, his gaze far away. The mission was a success, but Blade felt something did not fit. I tried to believe that everything was fine, but there was a little voice in the back saying all the time I did not. It was like saying that the puzzle had been assembled, but the last piece was still missing.

-Is it normal to not feel remorse after killing someone? - Her eyes were still lost on the window of the car.

-After the first, that flows naturally. I'm proud of you! - Jesse nodded, with a faint smile.

After what happened, Jesse would never be the same, but another, stronger, able to endure anything, even worse.

When he got home, the first thing Carter did was quit her job, it was the end of her police career, which should never have begun, the biggest mistake he had made in his life. She made a small meeting with her mother and sister, to tell the truth about her father so they would not feel so guilty about his death. After all, as her grandmother always said, the "mother-in-law" that the major hated so much and who looked like her eldest daughter, "who seeks, finds." She also told a bit about the boyfriend's "exotic" family, hiding only the heavier parts, of course. The bandits were even invited to spend Christmas at the Carter family home. The day after the Christmas holidays, Blade and Jesse would go on such a trip around the world with no return date. After all, he was still wanted by the police deaths, but that was not what worried the young woman. Blade was stranger and morose every day. Having nightmares at night and not wanting to leave her alone any longer.

- Excited about the trip? I'm crazy to make love to you on the beaches of Hawaii or some deserted island. That was the way Jesse found to get the attention of Blade, who came to the Christmas party practically by force, dragged, that was the truth.

She wanted to stay home celebrating her birthday in bed, making love all day, but she persuaded him that she would be gone for a long time without seeing her mother and sister over the trip. And that the least he could do was spend the birthday with them, besides, it was Christmas, family day with loved ones.

-Why do not we go to our house and start today? - He made an indecent proposal, hoping Jesse would accept it.

He grabbed her waist, pulling her closer to him. He was sitting on a bench in the yard, Blade spent more time there than inside the house.

He wanted to leave but partners were already in love. Julius and Maria Joaquim were in an animated conversation, they had apologized for the rudeness they had said to each other and even exchanged cell phones. Li and Mainara did not get along very well, an implication in the dispute to see who was the smartest. While Bobbi was the party's sweethear,t there was no one who did not fall in love with him, besides being very polite and extremely affectionate with everyone. Although Stephen's health improved a lot, he was still in a coma. But the doctors said that he could wake up at any moment. Nayla prayed for this to happen before her belly grew too thick that he would not be frightened when he saw her.

-Tell me, what's going on? – You are more silent than usual and do not leave me alone for a second.

Blade avoided looking at her, not wanting to worry her about h bad feelings. He had no reason to have them perhaps it was only in his head.

-Nothing is happening, little one! - I just want to get there early tomorrow so we can fall into the world aimlessly, no date to go back. He bent to pick up a box beside him and handed it to her.

- Merry Christmas, angel! - He flashed a sexy wink at Jesse's side.

-What a lovely, dear, thank you! - Jesse let out a loud cry as she opened the box and came upon a professional Nike camera. It was black, with powerful flashes and a special longitude lens to capture the smallest details of anything. She filled his face with kisses to thank him.

- Calm down, little one, there's one more! Except I forgot it in the hiding place, before we travel, we still have time to get there. - He laid her on his lap and kissed her lips. Jesse tried anyway to make him tell, but he did not say anything.

- Two gifts are too much, only this one is great! - She did not want him filled her with gifts.

- This is for Christmas, the other is for the birthday. If you do not want to, that's fine, but I'm sure you'll like it better than this. -he pointed at the camera, making her curiosity increase even more.

-You're silly, Blade! You fool! -She slapped him on the shoulder and laughed at the sullen face he had made.

-That's not what you say when I'm…- he cooed profane and obscene things in her ear, making her blush deeply.

- Stop it Blade, take your Christmas present and settle down! -Jesse pulled a blue box from the pocket of his denim jacket, which was small and delicate, just like her.

-It's beautiful, but I do not believe in God! Much less in saint! - He took from his box a gold cord with a medal of St. Anthony, which she had bought in Puerto Rico.

- Stop being annoying, Blade! The name Antônio originates from the Greek Antínis and means "valuable", "strong", "protector", "worthy of appreciation", "fearless". No doubt it describes you, so even without faith, I want you to use it. -I had to record Blade and Jesse forever behind it. She slipped the cord around his neck, which he promised never to take again.

They stayed for a while at the Christmas party and said goodbye to everyone since they would not see them before the trip, which they would not return so early if just depended on him.

-See you soon, Blade I'm going to miss you! I love you, I'm proud to have you as a brother! -Bobbi's statement moved him, that boy was everything to him.

-Let's always talk, Mascot, every day. I am the one proud to be your brother. You are the best boy I know when you are not being spoiled and speaking ugly words. -Blade reminded him of his "rebellious" moment whenever he could.

-You will never forget that, will you? - Bobbi rolled his teary eyes.

-You know not! - He kissed the young man's forehead, ruffling his hair.

Blade and Jesse ended up deciding to go to the hiding place at once and spend the whole night there doing their private party. Maria Joaquim packed some snacks and sweets to take with her, but Jesse did not want to, she said she had a very good stomach that week. She was avoiding eating heavy things until the malaise passed, maybe it would take longer than she imagined...

-What are you doing there, love? Come back to bed, it's too early. -Blade said sleepily, watching Jesse get up from his bed in his gray sweatshirt.

- I want to see the sunset, love, can sleep that soon I will return. - Jesse kissed his face and ran out barefoot, her hair flying. She was very close to a cliff at the back of the hiding place, from there to have a perfect view of the sun rising behind the mountains.

-You're going to get a cold, stubborn! - Blade arrived rubbing her eyes, dead sleepy, wearing the sweatpants that were with her. Tucked inside a thick blanket, his hair all messed up.

-I'm glad you came, my love! - Jesse jumped into his arms that wrapped around his plaid blanket.

-And did I have another choice? - He muttered in annoyance.

- Shut up and enjoy this masterpiece of nature, I've never seen anything more beautiful.

The sky had taken on an orange, clean, cloudless tone birds flying in v-comers, beautiful and elegant. Behind the mountains, the sun came up half-timid, as if it knew it was being watched. And I was, for a couple in love, full of promises and hopes for a new future.

-Neither do I, - said Blade, looking foolishly at Jesse. He had not taken his eyes off her. She never looked so pretty as at that moment, lit by the faint rays of the sun coming slowly. The cheeks lightly stained by the cold, the rebellious curls, flying in the direction of the wind. Then he thought: It's a good time to deliver her birthday present. I have nothing to worry about things could be more perfect. This bad feeling was nothing, just in my head. Soon he would be far away with her, with his Angel.

- Will you marry me? This is your other gift!

Blade knelt at her feet holding a ring with a huge diamond stone on top, the glow almost blinded her. Taking Jesse totally by surprise, she did not expect it so soon, even more so  a romantic way. She never imagined that she would be so happy and loved one day.

- Of course my love! Now if you want! - She knelt down in front of him and kissed him in the sunlight that had been completely born, with all her exuberance. "We are one now," she finished, her forehead glued to his, holding her face in her hands, both eyes closed.

-Forever, - Blade finished, thrilled.

Suddenly a strange noise filled the sky, sprouting police helicopters everywhere. When they thought of running, many cars with sirens on them cornered them in front of the cliff. The noise of everything together was almost unbearable, it was deafening. Without having anything to do, the two embraced. Whatever happens would be together.

-Get your hands off her, Maldonado! You are arrested for all the robberies and murders of the police, you have the right to remain silent and everything you say will be used against you in court, you are entitled to a lawyer, if you can´t afford it, the state will get you one - exclaimed Jesse's partner, Hugo Rodrigues, approaching them with slow steps.

-He did not kill the cops, Hugo, you have to believe me- Jesse tried to defend him, but was cut off by his partner.

-I know he kidnapped you, Jesse, but do not worry. We're here now, you're safe. We got footage from the street cameras where the shed where his father was murdered and quartered before being taken to the front of the FBI department. Is Maldonado coming in or will he lie now, Blade, saying he was not at the crime scene? Hugo accused certain of what he was saying. Maldonado looked at Jesse desperately but did not deny anything.

-You said there would be no lies and no secrets! - Jesse walked away from a few steps away from him, not caring about the bunch of guns pointed at them.

-I was at the scene, Jesse, but I did not kill your father. - Jesse covered her face with his hands, beginning to cry.

-You broke our covenant! - There was so much heartache in Jesse's eyes, it was real anger.

-I did not break it, angel, let me explain. - He tried to approach her but was shot by Hugo with a shot in the middle of his chest.

- BLADEEEEE! - Cried Stephen at the exact moment, startling everyone in the hospital.

He had awakened from the coma, his skin paler than ever, his eyes wide blue. The raven flew into the room from side to side in celebration Nayla could not stop crying with joy.

- No! - Jesse tried to help him but was dragged away by two policemen.

Hugo approached Blade who still stood with both hands on the bullet hole that blew without stopping a Maldonado did not fall easily.

-That's because you came into my house and killed my little brother. I'm Matteo Castelli!!! -Whispered Hugo, so that only Maldonado could hear.

 

Blade's eyes widened, making it clear who killed his brother. If he had known, Jesse would be in danger.

 

-That little brat, he just waited for me to travel with my mother to Europe to do all this licking. With the stupid craze to prove he's capable, acting behind my back, and not from now on. You idiot jerk now it ends up dead and my mother spends her days crying because of him! I hate to see her crying! Matteo was as crazy as his younger brother.

 

-I'll come back, even if it's from hell to kill you.  If you dare touch a finger on her, I'll tear it one by one, -Blade threatened, his voice cracking, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

-She's mine now as a consolation prize! - Rot in hell, damn you, your bad race ends here! Not because I like her, but because you love her. Discreetly, with the tip of his index finger, he pushed Blade Maldonado into the cliff, which fell in slow motion, watching Jesse kicking at him.

- I love you! - He whispered already too weak for her to listen, unfortunately. He regretted that he had not said it before and now it was too late.

 

Some years later…

 

-Look, he's waking up, what's your name, boy? - Asked an old gentleman, wearing worn clothes. He was smart enough for ask the question before the doctors arrived.

- My name is Vladimir Alvarez, known as Blade Maldonado!

And so the story continues, where Maldonado comes back thirsty for revenge in Phoenix Blade "(Rising from the Ashes).