Governing the She-Devil

13 Punished

Marcus ran to Saint's barracks but found an empty bed. He had been looking for her since the moment the alarm blared all over the base camp. He gave the place another scan before running outside to check on other locations, but his efforts did not bear fruit.

"Saint is missing," he radioed General Pius. With a heavy heart, he decided to send his brother a code. The alarm went off, signalling that they had won the attack. So, Marcus sprinted back to the office.

Upon reaching the headquarters, people in the highest position gathered around a table. The map was unfolded and marked. "They found all the men on all sides of the border. The few that we had captured alive killed themselves."

"I don't think that we have captured everyone. Based on the initial attack, the people we detained were not even half of those who attacked," it was a colonel.

"The others might have escaped." Right in that commentary, their radios sounded. "We found a large group of dead men on the upper east side of the border. General, you have to see this. It looked like someone performing a ritual."

In haste, General Pius stood from his seat and charged out of the door. Marcus followed and whispered, "We need to find Saint. Sandro is coming."

Anger and fear flashed in General Pius's eyes. How could he not keep his nephew's wife safe?

Once they reached the 'ritual' site, they were astonished and disgusted at the same time. Deep in those woods, a large maple tree stood proud in the middle of a pile of dead bodies circling the tree. A bleeding man sat against the tree. Only a monster could do this. The killer showed no remorse.

"She was a devil. Just kill me." Fright etched all over the man's face.

"Who killed them?" Marcus asked as he surveyed the area.

"A woman. A she-devil. Kill me now, or she might go after me." The helpless man trembled in fear. He couldn't move his body, stopping him from committing suicide.

"Do you know her?" General Pius entered the circle of dead bodies. He looked at the barely breathing man.

"She's one of you." The man proceeded to eye their uniforms. Scared was an understatement to define the man's situation. He almost looked soulless but suffering in the depths of hell. "Please, kill me, I beg you!"

A sudden sound interrupted their interrogation. It was Marcus's phone. Sandro was calling on the other end. He accepted it and let his brother talk. Worry and shock showed on his face as he looked at his uncle.

"Sandro found Saint drenched in blood."

—

Saint sprinted towards the base camp. She stopped mid-track once her eyes landed on her husband's worried face. Her expression turned sullen and scared. "Sands," she barely whispered.

Sandro was enraged upon seeing his wife's condition. He did not waste a second and swooped her into his arms. She cried helplessly in his arms as a traumatised person would. "I'm sorry, baby." He hugged her tight—afraid that she would slip away from him.

He carried her into the infirmary before excusing himself to give his brother a call. "I'll f*****g kill you, Marcus. My wife almost died. I found her in the forest drenched in blood." After saying his piece, he ended the call and rushed to aid his wife.

Saint stood silent as Sandro tried to see where the blood came from but found no flesh wounds in vain. He was confused for a second but was relieved that she was fine.

Where did the blood come from?

The tarp covering the infirmary opened, and General Pius and Marcus entered.

To Saint's surprise, Sandro rushed to his brother and punched him in the face.

"Sandro Bardin!" General Pius's voice echoed throughout the infirmary, reprimanding his nephew.

Sandro glared in his uncle's direction. Marcus, on the other hand, accepted his brother's wrath. "I told you to keep her safe. She stayed one day and almost lost her life. Are your troops so incompetent?" he spewed hate, eyeing his stoic uncle.

Saint felt the tension and reached for Sandro's hand as she remained to lie on the bed. "Sands, I'm fine." She looked emotionally in his eyes. The fire in his eyes instantly diminished. He held back her hand tightly as he calmed down. "I'm taking my wife back."

No one dared to stop Sandro when he carried Saint out of the infirmary.

General Pius was angry and confused about what had happened, but he was relieved that Saint came back breathing.

Marcus eyed his brother and Saint carefully as their backs vanished in plain sight.

The car ride back to the manor was silent. "We should head to the hospital." Sandro wanted to be sure that she was all right before going home, but Saint disagreed.

"I only need a hot bath." She looked outside the window to think of the best excuse.

Once they reached the manor, Sandro refused to let her walk and carried her up to their bedroom, down to the tub. "I can bathe myself," she mumbled when he started lifting her shirt.

"I can't find any bleeding wound. Why are you drenched in blood?" He sat at the edge of the tub as he clarified his confusion. He was worried sick about her, but things did not add up.

Saint looked at her fingertips, trying to find answers. "I," she struggled to get a word out. She should have cut herself on purpose for an excuse. "I'm tired. Let me rest, please."

Sandro looked intently at her. Tiredness was visible on her angelic face. He cupped his hands around her face and lowered to kiss her on the lips. His heart was suddenly filled with peace and assurance while his mind battled for an answer. "Call my name if you need anything."

He walked out of the bathroom and sat on the bed. He was really scared when he saw Saint stumble in her bloody situation.

I will not let those people escape without severe punishment. No one should dare touch my wife.