Page 39

Even as I feel safest next to him, I can only rue the day those people decided to attack him. Because I don't think there's anyone more dangerous out there. If there's such a thing as a killer trophic chain, then he's on top.

And he proves my point as he leaves me in the elevator with a shrug and a kiss, striding in the middle of the living room in all his bloody naked glory, guns raised high as he shoots a few rounds in the air.

Thudding steps resound in the house as the remaining men all hurry downstairs. Locked in the elevator, I can only watch through the video feed as he baits them out in the open.

A total of five men ambush him, all seemingly flabbergasted at finding him naked and covered in blood.

"You dare," he says with a smile and I turn on the volume on the camera, not wanting to miss anything, "to come into my house, and threaten my woman?" His voice thunders in the room, yet the smile's still set in place.

The men are in position, but Vlad doesn't seem to care as he simply discards his weapons to the floor.

My eyes widen, and I can't quite believe what I'm seeing. Especially as he'd insisted on taking them from the dead men.

But as the others fix their guns on him, he does something that completely shocks me. He ducks low, throwing himself between two men.

The entire thing happens so fast it's as if someone applied special effects to the footage.

He raises himself up effortlessly right behind the two men. They don't even have time to react as Vlad takes hold of their protective caps, bringing them together and hitting their heads.

They struggle in his hold, but they're no match for him. Even with their army training, since they're clearly professionals, they look like children being scolded by an adult.

The other three men are ready to fire, but seem reluctant since Vlad is using the two men's bodies as shields.

"Not so brave now, are you?" he asks, banging the men's heads together once more, but this time, he undoes their caps, throwing them to the ground before hitting their heads again.

The sound of bones cracking is unmistakable, and even the remaining men have a hard time believing what they are seeing.

Certainly, even for me it looks almost impossible, and I'm used to associating the word impossible with Vlad. His strength must be incredible if he's breaking their skulls with his bare hands. And it looks effortless, no visible strain on his face.

He continues the motion until the skin is broken, brain leaking out from the cranial vault. At this point, the men aren't even struggling anymore, their bodies slack, their weapons now at Vlad's disposal.

This is all a game for him. A show.

"What the…"

"He's not human… he can't be," one man curses out.

And as the others keep mumbling incoherent sentences, I realize Vlad's real purpose for the spectacle—he wants their fear.

The panic is visible on their faces, their feet unconsciously taking a few steps back.

Vlad's smile is unwavering, but his gaze is deadly.

Still, I can't feel sorry for them, because they did come into our home intent on killing us. They brought it upon themselves.

Fingers molded to the gun, Vlad shoots.

Two men fall down, blood pouring out of their necks and flooding the floor. Only one is still alive, and it's on purpose as Vlad lets the corpses drop to his feet, advancing toward him.

The man doesn't even try to put up a fight as he falls to his ass, trying to crawl backwards, an expression of pure terror on his face.

"Who sent you?" Vlad asks, coming to stand right in front of the man. He carelessly swings the gun in his hand a couple of times before pointing it straight at his head.

"Who sent you?" he asks again, the barrel of the gun moving slowly across the man's face.

"I don't know if they told you, but I'm not a fan of quick deaths.

Your friends there," he motions to the fallen men, "had it easy.

But you…" He makes a tsk sound. "You either tell me or I'll get the answer out of you.

" He shrugs, plopping himself on his ass in front of the scared man, as if he couldn't give a fuck if he tried to attack him or not.

More than anything Vlad looks… bored.

"I…" the man stammers, "please don't hurt me," he cries like a little girl and Vlad's smile widens.

"Do tell," he prompts him.

"P… P… Petro Meester," he finally utters the words, and I narrow my eyes, almost sure I'd heard the name before.

"Is that so," Vlad whistles a short tune—in surprise or disappointment, I don't know. "And who told you where I was?" he continues, and my ears perk up.

I watch attentively, curious about the person who sold Vlad out because I know for a fact that very few people had been aware of this location.

"I…" the man keeps on stammering, his eyes wildly looking for an exit where there's none.

More impatient than usual, Vlad grabs his nape, bringing him closer to his face. I push the volume of the sound to the max, wanting to listen to everything that passes between them.

"You tell me that, and I'll give you a quick death. You have my word. If not…" He purses his lips, telling him exactly what he'll do to him, a gruesome experiment meant to keep him alive while his body writhes in pain. The descriptions are so vivid that the man wets himself.

"I don't know… a bald man," he says, his entire body trembling with fear.

Vlad gives a jerky nod, the barrel of the gun at the man's temple before I can even blink, the sound of the bullet going through his brain and immediately killing him almost deafening.

Vlad's expression is grave as he stands up, pensively striding to my location and opening the elevator doors.

"We need to leave," he tells me, "but first, I need to do one last thing."

He takes my hand, leading me to the front of the house before thrusting me behind him.

"Come out, you fucking coward," he yells at the top of his lungs. "Maxiiiiiiim!" His roar would make anyone think twice before showing themselves in front of him.

But Maxim ends up coming out of the house, a resigned look on his face.

I try to peek at Vlad's face and I have to wonder what he's feeling. I know Maxim's been with him for years. To have him betray Vlad like this must be awful. Especially since for so long Maxim's been his only contact to the outside world.

Vlad takes a step forward, only one word crossing his lips.

"Why?"

Maxim has the shame to look down, his legs wobbly as he falls to his knees.

"Moya semya, vo Vladivostoke," he starts, his voice uneven as he talks about his family back in Russia and how Meester had offered him a deal in exchange for their lives.

"Maxim," Vlad says his name, and I can recognize a tinge of anguish underneath.

He's not unaffected. And that breaks my heart.

"You could have asked for help. Ya nekagda ne tebe skazal net. Ti znaesh shto ya vsegda hotel pomogat." He shakes his head, clearly disappointed.

Head hung low, Maxim doesn't even dare look at Vlad. Instead, he takes out a shashka from his coat, handing it to him with both hands.

"Pazhalusta," he whispers.

Vlad's expression falls for a split of a second, before his iciness returns in full force. Grabbing the blade, he doesn't even hesitate as he waves it in the air, the sharp edge cutting Maxim's throat from ear to ear.

He falls to the ground, blood gushing from his body, his eyes wide open as he stares into nothingness.

"Zemlya tebe puhom," Vlad whispers as he stoops low, placing his open palm over Maxim's face and closing his eyes.

Coming toward me, I cannot help but feel his pain as my own. So I do the only thing that I can. I meet him halfway, my arms wrapped around his torso as I pull him into a big hug.

He's frozen still for a moment before he starts reacting, returning the embrace.

"You're safe, Sisi. That's all that matters," he speaks, caressing my hair, his mouth on my temple as he lays a sweet kiss on my skin.

" We are safe," I correct him, "I don't want to imagine a world without you," I tell him, my words laced with the agony I'd felt at thinking that something might happen to him.

"Me neither," he responds, his voice hollow. "Me neither."

A quick sweep of the house to get some belongings and then we're both in the car, heading to the airport.

Back to New York.

I don't even want to imagine what awaits us there. From Vlad's enemies to my own disapproving family, I don't think anyone's going to receive us with open arms.

At least we're together. And together we'll brave it all.