My eyes were fixed on the red door ahead, my fingers hovering over the trigger as I drew closer. I grabbed the handle and slowly pushed it open, the stench of oil and iron invading my senses.
The room was spacious, and shadows flickered across the walls, cast by torches burning low. In the center was a pit lined with deadly steel spikes—cold and ruthless like a monster’s fangs.
Above was her. MyDikaya.
She was hanging over this horrendous scene with her wrists bound in coarse rope. Her body swayed slightly, and with every strained breath, the tension in the fibers creaked.
My jaw locked, and my heart sank into my stomach. The rope had frayed thin in the middle, warning that it could snap at any moment and send her crashing onto the unforgiving spikes below.
“Nik,” she called out softly, fear flashing in her eyes.
“Save your breath,” I answered, masking my own fear as I cautiously stepped further into the room.
“It’s a beautiful scene, isn’t it?” Kane appeared from the shadows, his pistol aimed at me.
“You son of a bitch!” I growled
“Yes, I’m the son of a bitch who’s about to end your entire generation.” He laughed, spreading out his arms.
“I swear to God, I’ll kill you.” My eyes flicked toward the fragile rope.
“Maybe. Maybe not,” he replied. “But either way, you’ll lose because this right here is that masterpiece that will break you!” He gestured toward the hanging Blair.
My blood was boiling with rage as I aimed the gun at him while calculating my next move.
“Tell me, Nik, how does it feel to be powerless?” he asked. The mockery in his tone couldn’t be more glaring. “All that strength of yours…and you still can’t do a damn thing to save her. How pathetic!”
The rope loosened, and she dropped a few inches lower. “Nik?!”
I glanced at her, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I took off. Kane did the same, rushing toward me while firing his gun. I dodged his bullets and fired back until we met halfway.
The fight was intense—gunshots filling the air at close range, fists colliding, and boots scraping stones. The blasts were deafening, tearing through the silence with the sounds of our thick grunts. I fought him like a mindless beast, struggling to get to myDikaya.
However, the bastard was determined to stand in my way. He stood his ground even when we were both out of bullets. Blows were exchanged, and bone-crushing kicks were thrown as the brawl intensified.
“Nik?!”
The sound of her voice fueled my rage, and I managed to knock him down. But before I could sprint toward her, he grabbed my leg tightly.
“You’re not going anywhere.” The bastard laughed, revealing the blood smeared over his teeth.
The fibers split again, prompting a gasp from her lips.
“You’re gonna watch her fall, Nik—you’re gonna watch her fall!” he taunted, spitting blood from his mouth.
The mere thought of losing her and our unborn child boosted my adrenaline. I roared like an angry beast and slammed my boot in his face. One. Two. Three. On the fourth strike, he was forced to let go, and that was when it happened.
Snap!
The rope gave way, and she dropped.
“No!” I bellowed.
Time slowed down.
My feet barely touched the floor as I moved swiftly toward her. She was screaming, her voice echoing in my mind as she fell, arms flailing in the air.
The wind brushed against my face, and my heart stopped for a moment. The world narrowed to just the two of us.
