Page 48 of Viktor's Temptation
Viktor kissed her forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment. “I promise. We’ll finish this when I return.”
As he stood, Gracie reached for his hand. “I love you,” she said, her voice soft but unwavering.
The words stopped him cold, his heart clenching in his chest. He bent down, his forehead resting against hers. “I love you too,” he admitted, his voice rough with emotion. “And when this is over, I’ll prove it to you.”
Trent and Mikail waited by the door, both issuing orders to their teams. Viktor glanced back at Gracie one last time, his expression full of determination. “Stay safe,” he said, then turned and walked out, his purpose clear.
Every step away from her was a battle, but his resolve hardened. The bastard who had hurt Gracie would pay.
Chapter 27
Viktor paced through the grim chamber, his movements deliberate and predatory, his sharp gaze sweeping over the walls of aged, crumbling brick. The dark red bricks bore the scars of decades of soot and grime, their surfaces streaked with the oily residue of smoke and ash. Rusted chains dangled ominously from iron rings embedded in the walls, and the air reeked of old blood, scorched flesh, and despair.
The faint flicker of a single bare bulb hanging from the ceiling cast eerie shadows across the uneven stone floor, which was stained dark in places with splatters of long-dried blood. Along one side of the room, an ancient brick furnace sat like a malevolent relic of the past, its heavy iron door ajar. Inside, faint embers glowed in the blackened interior, radiating residual heat that whispered of the horrors it had witnessed.
“This is definitely the place,” Viktor growled, his voice low and lethal, resonating with fury as his silvery eyes scanned the grotesque scene.
“There’s blood on the floor and chains on the walls,” Trent added, crouching near one of the shackles. He touched the rusted metal, lifting it to his nose and sniffing. The scent of fear and anguish clung to the iron, making his stomach churn. Disgusted, he let it drop against the brick wall with a hollow clang.
“The incinerator is still hot,” Mikail announced grimly, his hand brushing over the cracked iron door. He peered into the furnace, the faint orange glow reflecting in his eyes. “Whoever was here wasn’t expecting us.”
The three vampires stood together, their powerful presence filling the room. Each of them took in the horror etched into every corner: the dark streaks on the floor that told tales of lives extinguished in agony, the ominous chains that had once bound innocent victims, and the suffocating air of hopelessness that clung to the walls like a specter.
A faint shuffle of footsteps echoed from the next room, shattering the heavy silence. The three of them moved as one, pressing their backs against the wall near the doorway. Their bodies coiled with deadly precision, ready to strike.
Moments later, a man stepped into view. He was a vampire, carrying a limp woman over his shoulder. Her jeans and sweatshirt were torn, her bare foot dangling limply, and her tangled brown hair obscured her face. She was unconscious, her arms swinging like a broken doll’s as he moved.
The man, oblivious to their presence, gently lowered the woman onto the filthy floor. His hands trembled as he brushed her hair back from her pale face. “I’m sorry,” he rasped, his voice thick with desperation. Then, moving with agonizing slowness, he began attaching rusted manacles to her ankles.
The acrid stench of blood and burnt flesh masked the presence of Viktor and his men, allowing them to wait unnoticed. The man sighed heavily, straightening and turning—only to find himself face-to-face with Viktor.
Viktor’s hand shot out, his fingers closing around the vampire’s throat and lifting him clean off the floor. The man gasped and clawed at Viktor’s arm, his feet kicking helplessly in the air.
“What gives you the right to kidnap humans?” Viktor demanded, his voice a dangerous whisper that sent shivers down Trent’s spine.
The vampire’s eyes widened in terror. “I… I have to!” he choked out, his words strangled by Viktor’s iron grip. “My lord ordered me to! He said he’d… put me through the process again if I didn’t find more victims!”
Viktor’s eyes narrowed, his grip tightening. “Who is your lord?”
“Lord Dave!” the vampire wheezed. “He’s… coming back! I have to build him an army!”
The sharp sound of movement in the adjacent room drew their attention. Viktor motioned silently to Trent and Mikail, and the two moved with predator-like grace to flank the doorway. Viktor shifted his hold on the vampire in his grasp, tightening his grip just enough to keep him silent.
Another vampire entered the room, this one taller and more experienced. His gaze flicked over the woman on the floor and then landed on Viktor. His eyes widened in shock, and he turned to flee—but Mikail was faster. In a blur of motion, he slammed the vampire to the ground, pinning him with one knee.
“Who the hell are you?” Mikail demanded, his voice cold and sharp as a blade.
The second vampire struggled, his eyes darting around the room until they landed on Viktor. Recognition and fear flooded his face. “My lord!” he gasped.
Trent stepped closer, his voice low and menacing. “You’ve been killing humans, Johnny. Did you really think no one would find out?”
Johnny tried to protest, but Trent’s hand around his throat silenced him. “Is this your idea of challenging Viktor’s leadership?” Trent growled. “Transitioning humans without permission, killing them when they don’t survive? Do you even understand the punishment for what you’ve done?”
Johnny glared defiantly but said nothing. His silence only deepened Viktor’s fury.
Johnny’s resolve crumbled under Viktor’s steely gaze, his confidence draining away like water through a sieve. Beads of sweat dotted his brow as he swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously. Finally, he broke. “He’s… he’s nearby. Dave said he’d meet us here soon.”
Viktor’s eyes narrowed, their silver glow intensifying like a predator honing in on its prey. His towering frame cast a long shadow over Johnny, amplifying the menace in his stillness. “Dave,” Viktor repeated, his voice low and edged with lethal intent. “He’s the one transitioning humans without permission?”
