Love So Strong ~Hueningkai~

Chapter 23

Ari ran as fast as she could, her heart beating fast. She tripped over a rock and fell onto her hands and knees. "Shit." She quickly stood up and rested her hand on a tree. Her knees were bleeding, and hands were scraped. 

"Ari!" 

She turned her head towards the voice. It was Kai. "Kai?" She whispered. 

Crunch.

She whipped her behind her and saw Dmitri walking towards her. Ari's eyes widened, slowly backing up. Dmitri held up his gun and aimed it at her. She started to panic, and she ran. Dmitri pulled the trigger, the bullet flying right at her. At the last second, she turned and darted behind a tree, the bullet flying past her. "Damn it." He ran after her. 

Ari's legs were burning, but she kept going. She came to a clearing and noticed that she was back at the house in the backyard. She heard footsteps behind her, so she hurried and hid behind a pile of logs. 

"Where are you, Ari? Come out, come out wherever you are." Dmitri was right next to the logs. Ari took a quick peek from the side, holding her hand to her mouth. Dmitri walked over to the house and went inside. She released a sigh. Ari stood up and walked towards the front of the house. Dmitri's men's bodies were sprawled out all over the front yard. She walked over to one and grabbed his gun, checking the magazine to see if there were bullets. 3 left. Kai had to be close. A set of footsteps could be heard inside. She hid behind a post and waited, gun ready. Anya came running out, a rifle in her hand. "Come out, Ari. I just saw you. I won't shoot you." 

Ari rolled her eyes. "You're full of shit, Anya." 

Anya smirked. "Dmitri is looking for your boyfriend as we speak. IF you want to save his life, you have to get through me first." 

Ari smiled. "Gladly." She stepped out from behind the post and pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting Anya in the leg. Anya screamed and pulled the trigger on her rifle as well. The bullet went flying towards Ari. She ducked, but the bullet managed to graze her shoulder. 

"Fuck." Ari grunted, placing her hand on her shoulder. Now she would have two scars, one on each shoulder. Ari looked over at Anya. She was sitting against the front steps, her hands trying to stop the bleeding on her leg. Her gun was out of reach. Ari slowly walked over. She raised her gun at Anya. 

"Please, don't kill me! Please!" Anya started begging for her life. 

Ari glared at her with no emotion. "Dmitri will be joining you soon." She pulled the trigger, killing Anya. Anya went limp, her head falling back onto the step. She dropped the gun. 

"Ari!" 

Ari turned and saw Kai running towards, coming out of the woods. Emotions turned back on, and she smiled, tears streaming down her face. "Kai." 

Kai had a smile on his face. They met each other halfway, embracing each other, holding onto one another tightly. Ari broke down, burying her head in his chest. He kissed her head and rubbed her back. 

"You're safe, love. I got you." He softly said, happy to have her back in his arms. They pulled back and looked at each other. He placed his finger on her chin and lifted her face higher, bending down to kiss her. She wrapped her hand around his neck, deepening the kiss. 

Thwack, thwack!

Kai gasped, pulling back from Ari. She stared at him, eyes widened as he started slipping from her embrace and onto the ground. He had been shot. "No, no, no. Kai?" 

Ari helped lay him down slowly, looking for where the bullet hit. One went through his shoulder, and the other grazed the side where he was hit last time. He was struggling to breathe.