The Beast

Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six
Threatening Won't Work Now

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LEV

   He turned to moye kukolka, and I kicked into action, snatching the SRK back into my tight grip.

   I thought I had enough time.

   And then the gun went off.

   I turned to her, and time slowed when my eyes connected to the blood pouring out of her abdomen. Blood rushed to my head.

   "Hannah!" I heard a muffled voice roar. Was that from me?

   In the corner of my eye, I saw the gun moving. Just as another pop rang out, I threw the SRK through the air. It met its target; the fuckers heart.

   I didn't waste another second before I threw myself toward her, collapsing onto the floor so I could cradle her into my chest. "Hannah." My voice sounded steady to my ears, despite my throat closing up. "Hannah? Hannah. Look at me. Listen to my voice. Just listen to my voice."

   She didn't open her eyes for the longest time.

   And then she rasped a barely legible, "Lev."

   "Da, malyshka," I whispered reverently, breathing for the first time since she fell. "Open your eyes for me."

   Behind me, the front door opened. I knew it was my men, but I couldn't pull my attention away from moye kukolka when she finally lifted her glazed eyes to mine.

   Instinctively, I cupped her face and caressed the spot behind her ear. She didn't react. She didn't fucking react. Why was she not reacting—

   "Lev," she whispered hoarsely again. I tightened my arms around her. "Y-you're shaking."

   "No, I'm not." I brushed the hair away from her face. Seeing her face paling had my breaths coming out shorter. Keeping a strong arm around her back as support, I forced myself to lower my gaze to her wound. "Fuck."

   I put pressure on the wound. When blood didn't even try and attempt to slow down, I wanted to fucking burn this goddamn world to the ground.

   Turning my head to the side, I met Viktor's gaze and barked, "Call her fucking sister. Melina Elliot. I want her blood, with or without her approval."

   She tried to wiggle, but her attempts her weak. Fight me. Fight me, kukolka.

   "Lev—"

   "Shush," I murmured, bringing my eyes back to moye kukolka's. No matter how hard I tried to will my hand to stop trembling, it would not listen. Still, I refused to ease the pressure against her wound.

   I brought my eyes back to hers and tried to soften my expression. "Don't waste your energy, lyubov' moya. Everything will be fine."

   Moisture began to build in her eyes. I remembered the times she spoke of her family.

   "They would never sacrifice her to save me."

   I would sacrifice the whole fucking world for her. I would leave the planet burning if that meant she would look at me without those eyes.

   The moment they started to flutter, my arm tightened around her back.

   "I swear to fucking god, Hannah. If you close your eyes, I'm killing your roommate and the girl from Philadelphia."