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While the estate was at least a mile away, I knew I could run that far, but if there was an intruder, me being unarmed and unsure of the terrain, I’d be easy pickings. “Kiki. Go find Kostya.”
The dog stared at me from her position in the passenger seat. She’d never been given the command.
“Kiki. Go find your master, your daddy dog.”
The light in the dog’s eyes shifted and within two seconds, she responded to the command, bolting out of the vehicle into the trees behind us. She wouldn’t need to follow the winding rough trail in order to return to the estate, which would cut her time in half if not more.
I eased out, trying to remain as quiet as possible. My skin crawled as I continued to look in the direction of the gunfire. Just as I was prepared to run away, another noise caught my attention.
“I wouldn’t make any sudden moves, Dr. Shephard.”
Oh, God. My instincts had been right. Dimitri Volkov had survived the explosion on the boat. I shifted toward the sound of his voice, trying to remain calm. As he moved closer, I could easily tell he’d been injured in the attack, his face almost unrecognizable. “What do you want?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“No. Why don’t you tell me?” It was obvious the soldier had been killed. If I could buy some time, Kostya would send his entire team of soldiers to save me. While there was no telling how many men Dimitri had brought with him, my ability to get away was stunted by the distance to cover. He had both hands around his weapon, ready to fire at a moment’s notice.
“Since my son doesn’t seem to understand his place in the world, I’m going to provide a lesson he won’t forget. You’re coming with me.”
Like hell I was.
“I don’t think so.”
He walked closer, the evil grin on his face highlighting his disfigurement. I was sick inside, my nerves on edge, but I would do anything to keep from being captured by this true monster. I’d called Kostya the devil. Now I knew there were people far more malevolent than the passionate man I’d fallen in love with.
Dimitri was the epitome of darkness. There was no glimpse of a soul or heart. As he walked closer, I kept my eyes locked on his. “Kostya will hunt you down. There won’t be a single location in the world where you can hide.”
“Then I shall enjoy continuing the game. When he does come for you, I will force him to watch as I strip away what’s left of your mind. Your surrender will be the sweetest reward.”
“That’s not going to happen.” I sensed movement behind the fence. Aziza. Her scent was recognizable, the slight growl she issued providing some hope.
“You don’t have a choice. Either come with me without incident or I’ll make your stay with me extremely painful. It’s entirely up to you.”
Kostya. Where are you? Help me.
I could only pray that Kiki had made it back. I darted a quick look toward past the fence. Yes. Aziza was there. Oh, my God. I continued backing away until Dimitri lifted his weapon higher. The shot would be exactly like the one that had killed Eddie. My throat was tight, claws wrapping around my trachea. “You’re not going to take me, you bastard.” I forced my tone to change, becoming louder without screaming.
He laughed, the sound I would never forget, the idiot ignoring the activity to his right. When he came within three feet, images of time spent with Kostya rushed into my mind.
Then I let out a bloodcurdling scream.
“Aziza!”
While everything happened within seconds, I could pick apart what occurred frame by frame as Aziza let off a stunning roar, racing toward the fence, jumping over the top rail with ease. The moment Dimitri was tackled, tossed to the ground, his scream reverberating through the forest, I turned away, dropping to my knees. Unable to watch the carnage, I held my breath, pressing my hands over my ears.
But I would never forget the sound.
Time had no meaning even though the attack lasted only a few seconds, echoes of the monster’s screams continuously rolling through my mind.
Until another sound replaced the horror.
Kostya…
“Mi hermosa flor. I’m here.”
As he pulled me into his arms, shielding me from the sight, I pressed my face into his chest, finally gasping for air.
Soldiers were everywhere, racing into the forest in every direction. I blinked several times, taking comfort in being in his arms and the fact a beautiful, wild animal had come to my rescue.
