Page 158 of Bloody Royals

Chapter Twenty-Two

CHRISTINE

A sharp, jarring sound ripped me from my sleep. I jolted to see Atticus violently yanked from our bed and hurled to the ground. Leo’s muscles quivered and bulged as he stood, fists raised and ready to fight. The masked assailant lunged for me, and I felt his slimy hands grasp my ankle as I tumbled toward the mattress face-first. Suddenly, Leo’s voice thundered, “Run, Christine!” Adrenaline surged through me and I scrambled from the bed, intent on escape. But the masked man was relentless, a grip like steel clamped onto my ankle. I whirled around and slammed my fist into his throat with all my strength, eliciting a gargled scream as he crumpled to the floor.

A deafening silence filled the room, only to be broken by the powerful grunts of Atticus as he fought against the towering silhouette of a man. The man had broad shoulders and was like an unmovable wall.

I screamed out in fear, my voice echoing through the chamber, “Atticus!” But the man on the ground had reached out to grab my ankle. No matter how hard I kicked, I could not escape his grasp. He dragged me back down with a strength that felt unnatural.

The masked man’s gruff voice boomed through the room. “Watch that one!” he barked. “Boss said she’s a skilled fighter.” His steel grip on my arm jerked me back, and I fought against his strength. I tried to wriggle away, but the cold edge of a blade pressed into my neck, reminding me of my fragility. I dared a glance at Leo, whose eyes were ablaze with terror and despair.

The man had no idea what he was up against. I took a deep breath to steel my heart against what would come. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. I was ready to fight. With a guttural roar, I launched myself at him with all the strength that I had.

I was an unstoppable force. This was what I had trained so hard for.

I surged forward, snatching the dagger from his grip. I felt the sting as my skin split open and the warm trickle of blood ran down my arm. With a fierce grunt, I swung my fist into his nose. There was a sickening crack as his face crumbled beneath my knuckles. My enemy tumbled to the ground, clutching his broken nose as his eyes widened in fear.

My heart pounded with exhilaration. I felt invincible. I was going to save everyone.

Leo hit another masked man while Atticus rolled on the ground, fighting for his life.

I jumped out of bed, ready to kill anyone who came close to me. The man on the ground with a broken nose grabbed my leg, but I stomped on his face, bringing him down as I released a scream of fury.

This was war.

This was my life.

I wasn’t going to let anyone take me or the men I loved.

Time seemed to stand still as I moved in slow motion, my leg arching and pointed toes thrusting forward in a blink, connecting with the man’s abdomen. Then a sudden burst of strength surged through my veins as I grabbed his knife from the floor and plunged it deep into his neck. Hot blood sprayed onto my face, and as I wiped it away with a triumphant grin, I felt a rush of adrenaline like never before. It was me or him; and I was determined to live.

The masked man’s blood was hot on my hand, the heat pulsing from it. It turned cold as it smeared down my arm, and I opened my mouth to inhale. My tongue was like a snake, flicking out to catch a drop of crimson death. Salty, metallic. Like the taste when you bite your tongue.

I turned and watched Atticus get hammered by a masked man twice his size.

“Atticus!” I screamed as I pulled the knife out of my victim’s neck and thrust it toward his attacker. The blade sunk into his back, and he released Atticus with a groan.

“Stupid fucking bitch!” he roared before spinning to attack me.

I ducked to avoid his thunderous punch, but he was too fast. His fist crashed against my face, sending my head spinning and stars bursting in my vision. My words were stuck in a jumbled mess as I screamed, “Leo! Atticus! Get out of here!” But before I could do anything else, I felt my body sliding down the wall and my jaw start to throb. I saw Atticus attempt to fight back, but the man was too powerful. The assailant threw him off with ease, and Atticus landed with a thud on the ground, his pale chest heaving in terror. Blood poured from a deep gash in his head, and I felt a wave of despair wash over me.

A loud roar filled the air, making my head jerk up. Leo thundered toward us, leaving a collection of bodies on the ground. He’d stolen a knife from one of them and slammed it into the man’s neck. Through the mask, I could see our attacker’s eyes bulge in their sockets from the pain.

Atticus pulled himself off the ground with a grunt. “We have to run.”

“We have to save August,” I said. Leo tossed me a robe as he pulled pants over his boxers. Atticus found his button-up shirt and thrust his arms through the sleeves.

“My priority is getting you out of here. We have to go,” he growled.

I wasn’t listening. August was somewhere inside and we had to save him.

Leo twirled the knife in his hand and nodded once. Blood coated his exposed skin, and there was a deep cut on his lip. “Let’s hurry up.”

We rushed down the hallway, Atticus at my back and Leo at the head. The only light was from flickering candles, which cast sinister shadows across the walls. The walls reverberated with the roars of our enemies and anguished screams. My heart pounded with fear and anticipation as we ran, desperate to reach safety before it was too late.

“What’s happening out there?” Leo asked.

The walls quaked as the sounds of combat echoed through the corridor. Atticus grabbed my shoulder firmly, his eyes full of fear. “War. All hell is breaking loose. They’ve taken everyone.” I shuddered, turning my gaze to the windows that had been blasted to pieces. Shards of glass littered the ground, a reminder of what was to come. The hallway felt like a deathtrap, a winding tunnel of gray with no escape in sight. I could feel a sense of dread and desperation clogging my throat. This was it—we were going to fight for our lives.

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