Page 113 of Hunted By Valentine

The air is thick with the stench of metal and blood as bodies collide in a frenzied dance of violence. The sweet, sickly scent of perfume only intensifies the nausea that churns in my stomach.

Valentine’s roar echoes off the walls, drowning out the screams of his victims as he mercilessly cuts through the guards who dare to stand in his way. His blade is a blur, slicing through flesh with ease. Men fall in a spray of crimson, their shrieks mixing with the horrified cries of the onlookers who are powerless to stop the chaos unfolding before them.

But more guards swarm in, and I watch in helpless agony as they descend upon Valentine. Fists and boots pummel him from all sides, yet still he battles on, his knife darting and slashing. Blood blooms on his shirt, his face contorts in a grimace of pain, but he doesn’t stop. He keeps coming, keeps reaching for me.

“Ruby!” he shouts, his voice raw with desperation. “Hold on!”

Tears burn my eyes, blurring my vision. Oh, Valentine. My beautiful Hunter. He’ll never stop fighting for me, even when it’s hopeless. Even when it’s going to get him killed.

Every nerve in my body screams at me to shout, to urge him to flee for his life. If he stays, everything I’ve fought for will be in vain. I knew John would come for me after I took Michael’s life, but I made the choice to offer myself up as a sacrifice to protect Valentine’s true identity. To protect him.

My voice fails me, not even a sound comes out. I can only watch, my heart shattering, as he takes blow after blow, his blood splattering the floor. He’s not invincible, no matter how fiercely he fights. And with every wound he suffers, every drop of blood he spills, a piece of me dies with him.

The world lurches and spins violently, forcing my legs to give out beneath me. I collapse onto the unforgiving stage, my shattered body finally succumbing to the pain. As I plummet, my eyes meet Valentine’s with a laser-like focus.

In his gaze, I see the raw truth he has always kept hidden. The words he never had the courage to utter. He loves me.

He’s here, bleeding and broken, fighting with everything he has because he loves me.

“Fight, damnit!” I scream at Valentine as he lies on the ground, battered and subdued. “You can’t give up now. You have to live for yourself. Choose to survive, Valentine. Don’t let them win.”

I watch as his eyes narrow with a calculated glint, and I wonder if he read my lips. But when he suddenly lurches to his feet, letting out a guttural roar that sends shivers down my spine, I realize he didn’t. With a fierce determination, he charges toward me like a wounded animal ready to attack without reservation or fear.

Amidst the chaos and destruction, a symphony of screams and shouts rings out, accompanied by the deafening sound of wood splintering and glass shattering as bullets zip through the air.

With all hope seemingly gone, I summon every ounce of strength in my body to lift my head, just in time to witness Nick and Jack violently bursting through a newly-formed hole in the wall, weapons drawn and fury burning in their eyes.

At the distraction, Valentine stumbles to the stage, his voice choked with agony as he gasps out my name. “Ruby.” His eyes filled with disbelief and betrayal. “How could you do this? Why didn’t you have faith in me to protect you?”

His words cut like shards of glass, slicing through me with each syllable. I struggle to peel myself off the ground, my body trembling with guilt and regret as I face the consequences of my actions.

I choke on the ball of emotion lodged deep in my throat, feeling it clawing at my insides like hot coals. It burns and scorches, making it almost impossible to breathe. Every inch of my body is aching with the weight of this overwhelming pain.

Valentine drags his broken body onto the stage, his hand outstretched toward me. I desperately try to move toward him, but my body refuses, the pain ripping through me so intensely that I can barely breathe.

With a violent cough, I force out the words, each one feeling like daggers piercing through my throat. “You came for me,” I stammer, my voice trembling with both gratitude and agony as I watch Valentine struggle to reach me with every last ounce of strength he has left.

“Of course I came for you,” he seethes, voice laced with fury and determination. “I’d claw my way through the depths of Hell to save you.” His eyes burn with an unbreakable resolve.

My lips twist into a grotesque imitation of a smile, baring my clenched teeth and causing searing pain to shoot through my throat. “I-I think you just did,” I croak, my voice strained from the hours of screaming at John’s hand, leaving it raw and red.

“I swear on my life, I will get you to safety,” he declares with fire in his eyes.

I remain silent, my eyes locked on him as he crawls toward me with desperate determination. Each movement is a struggle, his body wracked with agony as he pushes himself to the limits of his endurance.

He stumbles and falls, his once handsome face now twisted in a permanent mask of pain and anguish. But still he persists, driven by sheer willpower and a desperate need to reach me before it’s too late.

As he finally reaches me, I gasp for air and choke on my own words. “It’s too late,” I whimper, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I’m already dying, Valentine,” I choke out, my voice trembling with fear and sorrow.

He opens his mouth to speak, but as I narrow my eyes, he snaps his jaw shut with a resounding click.

“I don’t have much time l-left,” I gasp, my voice trembling with desperation. “Please don’t argue with me. Every breath feels like a dagger in my chest, and I know my time is running out.” My body shakes uncontrollably as I struggle to get the words out, begging for understanding before it’s too late.

He yanks me up by my arms, his grip like iron as he presses me into position against his left side. I cry out in pain as the rough movement rips at the fresh wounds on my back, causing blood to trickle down and stain his shirt.

“What can I do, Pet?” he demands, his tone filled with desperate agony.

My lips tremble as I struggle to stay upright, my body quivering with agony. Desperate for any kind of relief, I cling to him, my fingers digging into his flesh. The pain is unbearable, but the one thing that would make it all disappear is not an option.

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