“Ahhh!” A woman’s piercing scream shattered the tense silence, a sound of both agony and sacrifice.
Suddenly, something warm splashed on Lucian’s face. Blood. It splattered across his cheek, thrown from Rose’s mouth, leaving a crimson streak that dripped down slowly.
Lucian’s eyes, once filled with confidence, suddenly widened in horror. His voice caught in his throat, the shock stealing his breath. He had never felt anything like this before . He had been so sure he could handle the bullet, so sure he could protect them both.
But why? Why had she stepped in front of it?
His hands trembled, his eyes flickered with disbelief. He tried to comprehend what had just happened. Slowly, his gaze shifted forward, and his legs, though quivering, somehow kept him standing.In front of him, Rose stood, her face pale, lips stained with blood. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she smiled a broad, defiant smile that spoke of triumph and sorrow.
“I didn’t let go this time,” she whispered, her voice trembling but filled with a sense of fulfillment. “I didn’t break my promise to you.”
Lucian’s heart clenched painfully. Her words pierced him deeper than any bullet ever could.
“I promised… I won’t let go again. Ever.”Rose’s lips quivered, yet there was pride in her smile, as if she had achieved something monumental.
“Y-You…”Lucian tried to speak, but the words choked in his throat. His gaze dropped to their hands her fingers clasping his, blood seeping between them. A memory surfaced, unbidden, crashing over him like a tidal wave.
Years ago.
A thirteen-year-old boy, standing bravely, shielding his sister from harm.
Find adventures on empire
In the memory, his voice had been a mere whisper, but it carried the weight of a lifetime. “I… I covered you, Rose… See?I protected you.” His smile had been faint, broken, but proud.
“Rose,” he had said softly, firmly,”holding your hand like this… it means something. It means everything.” His gaze had been unwavering. “I know it’s hard. Being scared is… natural. But, please, Rose, no matter what happens, don’t let go. I’ll be here, always. Trust me.”
That promise. It had been their anchor.
Lucian’s eyes blurred with tears, cascading down his face as the memory mingled with the present. “See,” Rose gasped, her smile trembling yet victorious, “this time…I’ve got your back, Lucy.”
“How… how do you remember?”Lucian’s voice quivered, his mind racing. “I sealed those memories…”
A weak giggle escaped Rose’s lips, though it quickly turned into a cough, blood splattering again. “Heh…ugh…”
Their moment shattered by the abrupt crack of another gunshot.
“Ahhh!”Rose screamed in pain, another bullet tearing through her, more blood gushing from her mouth.
“What the fuck, kids? You think this is some garden picnic?”The bald man sneered, his voice filled with malice, as he fired again, hitting Rose in the back.
Lucian’s heart skipped a beat. His mind spiraled into chaos, drowning in a storm of regret and fury.
He grabbed Rose, trying to turn her away, but even with two bullets lodged in her and the drugs dulling her senses, she fought him, desperately trying to shield him.
Lucian’s pupils contracted, his vision narrowing. “Why didn’t I kill him? Why did I let her jump? I’m stronger, faster… why did I freeze? Why did I let her get hurt?”The questions pummeled his mind, each one a hammer blow of guilt and rage.
His body shook with a fury he couldn’t contain anymore. Rational thought dissolved into pure madness.
“Max,”Lucian roared, his voice thundering with unrestrained wrath, “give me anything. I want to kill him!”
The air around him crackled as an AK-47 materialized in his hand, the cold metal pressing against his palm.
—
Lucian barely registered the AK-47 materializing out of thin air in his hands. He didn’t bother questioning it. His mind, consumed by pain, anger, and madness, left no room for reason. The man’s smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of fear as the gravity of the situation finally hit him.
Lucian’s eyes, filled with tears and blazing with fury, focused solely on his target. He pressed his finger on the trigger, and the gun roared to life.
BAAM BAAM BAAM BAAM BAAM.
The AK-47 was set to full auto, and Lucian’s finger didn’t lift from the trigger His thoughts, now a broken record, repeated a single command: Die, die, die, die…
Each bullet found its mark, tearing through the bald man’s body with unrelenting precision. The man barely had time to scream before the relentless onslaught overwhelmed him.
Ughhh! Ahhhh! No, no, no! The man’s cries were cut short, his voice silenced after the first few bullets.
Lucian didn’t stop. The gun kept firing, the room echoing with the deafening sound until finally
Click, click, click.
The magazine emptied, and silence followed. Smoke curled from the barrel of the AK-47. Lucian’s eyes, still red with anger, surveyed the carnage before him. The man’s body was unrecognizable, ripped apart, not just marked by bullet wounds but utterly destroyed.
Breathing heavily, Lucian dropped the gun It clattered to the floor, forgotten. His mind, momentarily lost in the haze of violence, snapped back to reality.
“Rose!” His voice broke, filled with desperation. He rushed to her side, his hands trembling as he cradled her limp form. “Rose, are you alright? Tell me you’re alright. Be alive, please…I can’t” His words choked on a sob.”I can’t lose you.”
Rose’s body, fragile and still, sagged against him. She might have fallen if not for his support. Lucian’s heart pounded in his chest. Tears streamed down his face, mingling with the blood on his cheeks.
“Don’t close your eyes!” he pleaded, his voice a desperate command.”Don’t you dare close your eyes!” He lightly slapped her face, trying to keep her conscious”Stay with me, Rose. Just stay with me.”
Rose’s eyes fluttered, struggling to remain open, her breaths shallow.
“Yes, yes, I need to get you to a hospital.” Lucian’s voice cracked, panic rising. “Just hold on, just two minutes…please…”
Without another word, he lifted Rose into his arms, holding her close as if shielding her from the world. She didn’t speak, her eyes heavy, barely open.
Lucian bolted out of the private room, his mind singularly focused on saving her. The nightclub was eerily silent, the chaos of the previous moments leaving the space deserted. The patrons had fled, no doubt terrified by the gunfire and carnage.
He sprinted through the empty lobby and out onto the street, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His eyes darted around frantically. Fuck, he thought, his gaze landing on his Ninja H2R parked just outside. “Only the bike…”
He clenched his jaw, frustration and fear warring within him. He needed something else. His mind raced, searching for a solution. Then, a sigh of relief escaped his lips as his eyes settled on a car idling on the roadside, a man sitting inside.
Without hesitation, Lucian strode toward the car, his desperation overriding any sense of decorum. He didn’t care about the consequenceshe just needed to save Rose.
—