Page 94 of Hell Hath No Fury

Ignoring the urge to charge forward, I back away, skirting along the wall, making my way carefully around until Irina comes into view. She’s surrounded by men, watching the carnage around her with absolute delight because that’s what monsters do. They start a war, then sit on the outskirts and watch others fall from the blade of their own arrogance. For nothing.

Glancing around, I take a quick headcount of my people, relieved to find them all still standing, if not a little worse for wear.

A gunshot rings out, then another and another, and three of the men around Irina drop to the floor. Another gunshot, another body drops, and I turn my gaze in the direction of the gunfire, my eyes connecting with Antonio’s briefly.

He’s cutting me a direct line to that fucking bitch.

More gunfire is directed at her and her guards; more bodies drop to the floor until finally, they all start to scurry, some even breaking away and making a run for it. She screeches just as reinforcements arrive through the doorway, and I curse, wishing I had stayed over there with a lot of ammo to cut them down before they managed to enter the room.

Irina cackles, her men suddenly looking a bit less scared as they see help arriving, a few even gloating, taunting. The other men swarm around, reinforcing the few men still standing, but then, gunfire in the middle of them has everyone shouting and pressing outward.

Frowning, I move a bit closer, attempting to see what has everyone in such a tither. The men once again scurry, some falling to the floor dead, others shouting and cursing as a few more make a break for the exit, giving me a clear view of what’s going on.

Darius fucking Hughes cuts through the crowd, shooting people point blank in the face as he closes in on Irina, his eyes daggers of fury.

It only takes him a few more steps before he’s on her, his arm wrapping around her throat, the barrel of his gun pressed to the side of her head. “Back off.”

Her features twist, the fear reflecting off the whites of her eyes as she yells, “Do what he says.”

Everyone backs off.

Darius’s arm tightens on her neck, obviously intent on choking the very life out of her. Her hands yank on his forearm, her nails scratching viciously, but he doesn’t flinch, his expression lethal, his voice cold as he says, “It’s time for you to die.”

“I don’t fucking think so,” a voice says from the darkness.

We all freeze, our eyes searching the wall behind Darius.

Dmitri comes into view, his weapon pointed at Darius’s head as he looks around the room. “Well, isn’t this a happy reunion?”

Fuck.

40

A Final Tarry

Darius

WhenIcaughtsightof Lilith in the shadows, I knew my opportunity for a sneak attack was imminent.

Irina is surrounded by men, hiding behind a bunch of people who likely have no wish to be there. Antonio starts shooting people randomly, and quickly, her human defense begins to unravel, panic overtaking them as more and more bodies drop to the floor.

Disappearing into the shadows, I sneak around behind the group, taking out a few silently before they all begin to regroup, rejuvenated by the sight of reinforcements showing in droves. Cursing, I take out my weapons, pistol in one hand, four-inch blade in the other, then start cutting a path more quickly, shooting people indiscriminately, stabbing and slashing until finally, Irina is directly in front of me.

I leave my blade in the eye socket of the man closest to me, then wrap my arm around her neck, yanking her back and pressing the barrel of my gun to the side of her head. “Back off.”

Irina freezes, her voice fearful as she says, “Do what he says.”

They all back away slowly, though none of them seem to be too upset about it.

My arm tightens on her neck, looking forward to slowly choking the very life out of her. Her hands yank on my forearm, her nails scratching viciously wherever she can find skin, but I don’t give a fuck as I say coldly, “It’s time for you to die.”

“I don’t fucking think so,” a voice interrupts, and I freeze, turning to glance behind me. Dmitri walks into view, his weapon pointed at my head. “Well, isn’t this a happy reunion?”

Goddamn it.

“For the love of fuck,” I seethe. “Will you just fucking die already.”

Dmitri eyes me, humor in his gaze as he responds, “Would love to help you out there, but it seems you have something that is mine.”

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