Damned: Chapter 45) Poisoning the Snake

“How long ago?” Vitaly asked.

“Their wounds seem fresh,” Nik stated, “Maybe like an hour ago, seems like a struggle with Dmitri. One thing for sure is that it seemed to happen fast with the girl, wound to the head. Lots of blood, it’s almost like her death wasn’t really intended- like she was just pushed or something.”

“Do you think it was James?” Natalia asked. 

“Do you Kitty know how many incredible men you have in your life. I’m amazed.” Vincelli’s voice brought us back to his attention.

“You are?” I scoffed, “I beg to differ.”

“With the exception of that idiot brother, I forgot his name. He’s so irrelevant.” He sighed, “Don’t even regret what I did with his mother.”

“I’ll fking kill him!” Anthony’s voice shouted through the earphones as we heard a screeching sound that caused Archer and I to squint.

Before Vincelli noticed, I voiced, “How dare you! She was my mother too.”

“Adoptive.” He corrected.

“You killed both.” I hissed.

“Kitty, get out of the past. Honestly, just give me the folder, I’m getting tired of all this nonsense.”

“This isn’t right, something’s not right. You all need to leave.” Vitaly warned.

Before I could have said anything, Archer scowled, “No.”

“Excuse me?” He seemed taken aback.

I was confused. Why was Archer telling Vincelli no? I thought we were buying time.

“I said no,” Archer repeated.

“And I thought you were the smart one, Mr. Devereux, what can I say, seems to run in the family.” Vincelli frowned and clapped his hands for two guards to enter, “Remember, you’re sister’s blood is in your hands, not mine. Take them away, you know what to do.”

With that, the two men roughly held us in their grip and pulled us out of the room with them. I gave Archer a ‘what the hell’ look who then responded with a ‘stay calm’ expression, at least that’s what I thought it was- whatever the hell that looked like. We were pushed across the room and as soon as we turned the corner to the stairs, I noticed at the side of my eyes that the guard who held Archer, his mouth seemed to be filled and leaking with blood. My guard noticed and was about to yell but Archer suddenly tackled him against the wall, pressing a cloth against his mouth, and stabbed him with what looked like an injection. 

“What the hell Archer,” I scolded softly, “What was that?”

“Grab his body, drag him to a nearby room.” He instructed me to take one of the guards.

Without questioning him, I did as told and hid both the men in the nearby room. As soon as we were about to open the door, a one-eyed Rebecca Banks stood in front of us.

“Damn.” Archer frowned, “What happened to you, Banks?”

“Your fking sister did!” She screamed about to plunge towards us but I grabbed one of Archer’s needles from his pocket and stuck it in her neck.

“You are very welcome.” I breathed in relief and looked at him, “Alright, let’s go.”

“Guys just get out of there, we’ll leave it to the COSR, James probably left already. No need to be inside that place right now. It’s dangerous.” Natalia stated, “Come back.”

“I’ll run through the place once more,” Archer suggested, “I know how to handle myself, I’m sending Katherine back.”

“Because Katherine is a dog you can just take for a walk to meet a notorious drug-lord slash killer, and send back.” I smiled, “But don’t worry, I’m going I’m going, no need to rush for my presence boys. There’s plenty of this attitude to go around, calm YO-selfs.”

As I was about to take the next step I tripped but held myself up, “I so meant to do that.”

“Just get your a** back in the van, Donovan.” Vitaly firmed.

“Vitaly, where are you going?” I heard Natalia’s voice fade.

“Katherine, go.” Archer instructed, “I’ll be right behind you. No one else knows that Vincelli asked to take us away except those two guards, just stay calm and walk back to the vehicle.”

Nodding, I kept up the calmest façade I could have kept and walked out the door along the path. I saw from the distance that the sun had begun to rise. I stood behind one of those huge trimmed trees near the entrance of the gate, which was away from anyone’s view, to wait for Archer.

“Katherine.” I heard a familiar voice from behind.

“Vitaly?” I noted him as he stood in front of me, “What are you doing here?”

“There’s something you should know, it’s just,” He stopped for a second and forced himself to continue, “I just don’t think I have enough time to tell you all what I have to.”

“Rostov, what are you talking about?”

“Listen, I’ve been a terrible person, I know. I did unforgivable things, but I’ll fix this.” He said as he closed the gap between us and tucked the strands of loose hair behind my ear, “You sure as hell didn’t deserve this.”

Vitaly’s rich perfume kissed my insides as his nearness felt like a soft calm peace that wrapped itself around me. Somehow, regardless of everything, this just felt right and I can’t explain why.

“I should have been better to you when I had the chance.” He frowned, “The problem is, I love you a little more than a Devil should, Angel. This is why I have to do this.”

Before I could have said another word, he pressed his lips against mine in the most tender way possible, and for the first time, I felt the gentler side of Vitaly as he held me in his embrace, almost as if it would be the last few moments we spend together. Almost as if he was cherishing something that felt seemed like home. Pulling away, he wiped away the tear that fell down my face.

“I think this counts, Miss Donovan.” He said softly with a pained smile, “But I don’t deserve you, and I realized that I can’t live with myself knowing that you detest me that much and what I’ve done. I don’t blame you, trust me, but the devil doesn’t end up with an Angel. I’m damned and you deserve a better life. Our paths aren’t the same. Myi dva raznye leudy.”

“What?”

“The COSR isn’t answering or here yet, and I’m not about to let Vincelli get away.” He said as he pulled out the gun from my jacket.

I was about to stop him when I realized that he handcuffed me to the railing of the gate.

“Vitaly,” I breathed, “Please, this- you’ll die if you face him alone, he’ll kill you. He has his men there.”

“If that’s the price I have to pay then I’m fine by it.”

“Vitaly please,” I begged. “You’ll die. Please don’t go-”

“Sometimes doing the right thing means we have to take risks right?” He said as he began to walk away from me.

“Vitaly!” I tried to break out of the cuffs but I helplessly tugged. I looked at him fade into the distance as I felt my heart drop every second. And for the first time in a while, I felt my cheeks dampening as I struggled and noticed his earphone smashed on the ground next to me.

Archer, who walked out, rushed towards me when he saw my state, “What the hell, Katherine!” 

“Archer, get me out of this now!”

“Rostov gave me this key but I had no idea he did this to you,” he frowned as he quickly undid the cuff.

“Where’s James? Vitaly said he was out here.” Moe asked as he rushed up to us, alongside Nikolai.

“He’s going to kill him.” I panicked as I rushed up and froze in my place when I heard a gunshot echo through the air.

“No!” I screamed as I rushed up and heard Natalia shout to be from behind when suddenly the entire mansion exploded causing me to fall back in a scream.

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