I aim it at her forehead, and I pull the trigger.
Maria jolts once, and then she’s still.
The forest goes quiet again, and even the earth is relieved. “There is no salvation for you,” I spit the words like venom as they leave my mouth.
Then I turn back to Lily, lifting her into my arms and carrying her toward the house.
Conan is guarding the door, his stance wide, rifle raised, eyes sweeping the perimeter like he’s waiting for the next wave.
“Her body’s out there,” I tell him, my voice flat. “Get it to the gates. We end this now.”
Conan nods once. “Finn has taken Lev to his hospital.”
I pretend like my chest isn’t caving in. “Hospital here or?—”
“No.” Conan’s jaw flexes. “He needed more than what Finn could do here. Enzo got him enough clearance; they’re on their way now. Everything’s being prepped for him in surgery.”
My stomach sinks.
A sob rips from Lily’s chest, and it nearly splits me in half. “Thank you,” she whispers, voice small.
I carry her inside, avoiding the hallway completely. I want to burn this fucking house.
Burn the images of Lev from my mind. Seeing him like that broke something in me today.
Instead, I take her into the living room and sit on the couch, keeping Lily on my lap like she belongs there. Like she’s the only thing that ever belonged there.
And we just sit in complete silence, holding each other.
“Are you okay, Drago?” she whispers.
I nuzzle my face into her hair. “Better now I have you back in my arms, baby.”
She pulls back, her eyes searching mine, terrified of the answer. “W-what do we do if he dies?”
I choke on a sob and shake my head once, like I can refuse the reality into submission. “We live for him, lastochka,” I tell her, the words scraping out of me. “We leave this life, and we find happiness. Together.”
Tears stream down her cheek, and I can’t stop my own. Seeing her heart break while mine does too.
The only solace is the fact that I have her to hold me together. She leans forward, pressing her forehead against mine, trembling.
Gunshots echo around the perimeter, closer now. More constant. Like thunder, you can’t outrun.
My leg starts to twitch.
“What's going on out there?” she sniffles. “How bad is it?”
“Bad,” I whisper into her hair. “Really fucking bad.”
“She told me they have a complex in Ohio. Where they all live, like a community. The gate access code is salvation.” She rambles, the fear bleeding out in her voice.
I let in a shaky breath, leaning back to look at her face.
“We will send some men there, make sure no one else ascends after her. You did so good, baby.”
I bite the inside of my mouth as Conan rushes in, eyes wide, voice clipped. “Drone strikes. We’ve got fucking drones incoming. Enzo is disabling them, but fuck— they’re going all out.” He glances at Lily. “The girls are moving into the underground bunker. We gotta get her down there.”
My hands tighten around her waist. Then I look back at Lily. Her eyes go wide.
