Covered in His Blood
701 Words
Screams shot out from inside the ballroom, echoing down the hallway. Panic tore through the place. Glass shards rained on everyone like confetti, but deadly.
Lena found herself flat on the freezing terrace floor, her face pressed into Damian's chest. He felt solid, unbreakable. His big hands clamped down around her neck, protecting her from the chaos.
"Stay down!" Damian barked in her ear, adrenaline making his voice rough and wild. Lena's heartbeat doubled. Then another bullet zipped right over their heads and smashed into the concrete with a nasty thwack. She squeezed her eyes shut, gripping Damian's jacket like her life depended on it. She'd never been so scared.
"Damian " she whimpered against him, barely audible. "The baby..."
Damian froze. Her words hit him like a slap. He growled, a low, dangerous sound, and shifted, covering her with his whole body, blocking her from the line of fire.
And just like that, the gunfire cut off. Somewhere in the distance, tires screeched the attackers peeled away, fleeing.
Now only sirens and security guards shouting inside the hotel broke the silence.
Damian pushed himself up, scanning the terrace, then looked at Lena. He was pale, his jaw locked tight.
"Are you hurt?" His voice came out rough, short on breath.
"I... I think so. I mean, I'm okay," Lena whispered, her hands shaking. But then she saw his shirt a white silk turning crimson. Blood soaked the fabric, a bullet had ripped a gash in his shoulder.
"Damian! You're bleeding!" Lena gasped. She tried to touch his wound, but he flinched and pulled away.
"I'm fine," he snapped, pain tightening his face. He got up and offered his hand, helping her stand.
The world spun. Terror hit Lena in a wave, and her knees buckled. She barely managed to stay upright before Damian swept her into his arms.
"Put me down, you're hurt!" she protested, weakly, but his grip didn't soften.
"Shut up, Lena." He carried her past broken glass into the empty VIP holding room.
He set her gently onto a velvet couch. Seconds later, the doors flew open three armed guards burst in, Victoria right behind them, frantic.
"Damian!" she shrieked, eyes on his b****y shoulder. "Oh my god, darling, you're shot! We need to get you to the hospital!"
Damian ignored her-his gaze locked onto Lena, trembling and covered in dust.
"Secure the perimeter," Damian ordered security, his voice icy and commanding. "Find out who leaked my location. Get my private doctor to the penthouse."
"Yes, Mr. Knight," the guard answered, rushing out.
Victoria spun to Lena, eyes sharp with hate. "Why is she here? Damian, why were you out with her? She's a clumsy intern!"
"Victoria, leave," Damian said, not bothering to look at her.
Victoria's face turned red. "What? I'm your fiancée! I-"
"I said, leave," Damian's voice cracked like thunder.
She jumped, eyes wide. She shot Lena a look that promised trouble, then clacked away, slamming the door.
The quiet afterward felt thick, almost suffocating.
Lena looked up at Damian-b****y, furious, utterly in control. Like some wounded king.
"Why did you protect me?" she whispered. "You hate my father. You said you wanted to destroy everyone with Vance blood. Why not let them shoot me?"
Damian leaned in, his shadow swallowing her. Hands planted on the couch, boxing her in. The smell of blood and cedar saturated the space.
"Because your life belongs to me now, Lena," he said, voice low and dangerous, eyes burning with obsession. "No one touches you, no one hurts you-except me."
Her stomach knotted. "Damian..."
He glanced at her stomach, eyes darkening with possessive rage. "If that child inside you really is mine, I'll kill anyone who so much as looks at it funny. Got it?"
Before Lena could speak, her phone buzzed on the table.
Damian lunged, grabbing it before she could. He swiped the screen and his face twisted-pure fury.
Lena's blood chilled. "What is it? What does it say?"
Damian turned the screen to her.
The message glared back
"Missed you tonight, Damian. But don't worry. Next time, we won't aim for the shoulder. Tell Lena her father's old friends say hello. The clock is ticking."
- Writer
