The Devil's Justice

ANASTASIA:
Ronin's reasoning made sense, yet my instincts screamed that something was wrong. His words carried a weight I couldn't ignore. Even though he had recently joined our staff and had been personally vetted by Ava herself, I couldn't fully trust her judgment. But I had no choice but to suppress my inner doubts and go along with Ronin's suggestion.
As he disappeared from my sight, I sat inside the car, my mind racing to make sense of the situation. The weak network signal meant I couldn't make any calls, but I managed to send a text to David, hoping it would eventually go through.
"I'm stuck again on the same road as before, while following the killer. The car broke down while she escaped. Because of the weak signal, I couldn't call you. Don't worry about me, I am safe. Ronin is with me."
Though the message might reach him late, I felt it was worth a try.
Ronin, the new driver, thankfully, was the silent type. He didn't pester me with questions about why we were running behind a crazy killer, why not ask the police or whatsoever. I was well aware that my father wouldn't be pleased if he found out. Ava would only fan the flames. Nonetheless, I needed the fresh air, something to clear my mind.
There was no denying my father's love for me. But there was another facet to this truth. He seemed to prefer the company of 'The Alpha Group' over anything else. Ava had been successful in ingratiating herself into my father's world through the company. All he seemed to care about now was maintaining a pristine reputation within the business elite, and Ava made sure of that. His recent success in China Trade has elevated him to a global level. His shares were at an all-time high, thanks to Ava for the mind. 
Nevertheless, I couldn't shake off the weight of my father's announcement about his other child with Ava. It hung in the air, a looming presence I couldn't quite define.
Now that he'll have a new family, would he forget about me?
He hadn't been like this before. There was a time when he promised we would always stay together, a time when his words were a shield against any worries.
Amidst these developments, I felt like I had lost my father. I missed the man who had once vowed to protect our family, the man who had prioritized us above all else. But now, with Ava, his company, and everything else, that promise had faded into the background, drowned out by the noise of his changing world.
What had changed?
Ten minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Ronin. The car's front trunk was open, obstructing my view of what he was doing.
"Are you there?" I called out awkwardly, but there was no response.
Growing increasingly anxious, I looked around at the empty road once more. I decided to take a look and find out what was taking so long. The door sounded a click, as I opened the door peeking out from it.
As I approached the front of the car, walking towards the open trunk door, I surprisingly found it empty.
Where is Ronin?
My brows frowned. My heart raced as I scanned my surroundings, searching desperately for Ronin, but there was no trace of him. As if he has vanished in thin air. A deep sense of foreboding washed over me, and my throat felt dry with anxiety.
Something was wrong.
"Ronin?" I called out, my voice trembling with fear. The warning David had given me about the mysterious deaths and kidnappings in this area echoed in my mind. Had something terrible happened to Ronin? Was he injured or worse? Panic began to well up within me.
Perhaps, the Devil have a hand in this or is this the killer?
I had no idea what to do next. Should I wait in the car? Should I try to find Ronin?
My breaths came out ragged and heavy as I frantically searched for Ronin in the oppressive darkness of the night. "Ronin?" I whisper to the night. My eyes grew blurry from the tears that had welled up, but suddenly, something as cold and sharp as metal wrapped around my throat. It was like an icy vice, squeezing the life out of me, choking me mercilessly. My veins seemed to pop, pain engulfed me, and my vision began to blur.
I struggled, slapping and snatching at the assailant, but nothing seemed to work. In contrast to my training in Taekwondo, he was much more experienced. The threat of death loomed on my head. Taking a gamble, I angled my leg between his and delivered a forceful kick to his groin.
A groan escaped him as he loosened his grip, allowing me to draw a sharp breath. I coughed. Though free, I was physically drained and my windpipe was damaged. Gasping, I tried to refill my lungs with air.
Turning back, I faced him—a man with a black mask covering his face and a cap, holding his damaged balls as he cursed, "You bitch!"
Blood rushed in my ears as the knife clattered to the ground beside him. The realization hit me like a freight train – he was here to kill me!
Our eyes locked onto the knife, both of us aware of its lethal potential. And I need to get it before he does. Well, He was technically closer to it so, If I didn't act faster...
Ignoring any consequences, I jumped for the weapon, almost grabbing it. But my assailant fought back hard. We brawled, hitting each other fiercely for control of the knife. Elbows slammed into jaws, punches struck stomachs—we were both determined.
It was a brutal, no-holds-barred clash. We grappled, twisted, and thrashed in the dirt, each move fueled by the primal need to claim the knife. The air was thick with the sounds of grunts, gasps, and the impact of bodies hitting the ground. It was raw, intense, and desperate—a fight for survival in its most primal form.
I knew he was stronger than me by every means, but that doesn't mean I will give up. The violence escalated, reaching a chaotic climax. In the dim light, the knife gleamed—a deadly allure, a symbol of power both of us wanted. It was a fight without finesse, a brutal contest where the only rule was to keep going, keep fighting, and come out on top at any cost.
After manoeuvring through his punches and fight, I finally secured the knife. My breath was ragged from the intense tussle as I pointed the weapon at him, demanding, "Who the hell are you, and what do you want?"
I was trying to scare him with the knife now in my hand, but his response was a dark chuckle. "I am your death!"
Frowning, I took a closer look. His eyes were hidden in the contrast of the brutal night. But I could get a glimpse of it. It was defiantly wild but he didn't resemble the devil. Who was he, and why did he want to kill me? I scanned the abandoned area for signs of life, but it was devoid of any. Where the hell was Ronin? I mentally cursed him.
Through my fogged thoughts, the man before me ordered, "Now be a good girl and hand over the knife, okay?"
Huh, that wasn't happening, buddy.
I gripped the knife tightly with both hands, pointing it at him. I was determined to fight for my life until someone found me. What the hell was I supposed to do? 
But I know I can't keep up with him for longer. I need to find a way out. Maybe the car?
Like prey and predator, we circled each other with deadly intent. His empty hands belied the danger they posed, and I felt the weight of his predatory gaze, signalling that I had to act quickly. I lunged at him with the knife, striking his forearms, but he skillfully evaded, only earning a scratch. I lost my balance, almost falling to the ground, but managed to gather myself just in time.
He inspected the minor wound on his forearms, his glare intensifying. I gulped, frozen at my place as I gulped. "Shit," I cursed, realizing that my attack had only fueled his fury. 
The Idea was just to scare him until I found a way to run from there.
But the man before me moved with the stealth of the night, a silent and lethal force. I turned around to run but in a swift motion, he lunged at me, delivering a powerful kick that sent me sprawling into the nearest tree. The impact banged my senses as I collided with the rough bark, hitting my head and blinking to regain focus. Through the hazy vision, I saw him approaching, a glint of malice in his eyes, holding a knife in one hand and a wire in the other.
I couldn't move. My legs got badly injured. Uncertain of my next move, I crawled backwards, desperation mounting with every inch. I need to get the fuck out of here. However, my retreat was cut short as he walked up to me, squatted down and seized me by my hair, yanking it so violently that pain radiated through my scalp. 
I screamed. Tears streamed down my face as the world blurred in the pain. "Please," I begged. But he ignored my plea, laughing at my distress. 
"As much as I want to slit your throat for daring to think you stand a chance with me, I love to watch you suffer before you die, Daddy's little princess," he whispered into my ear, the chilling words sending shivers down my spine, crawling under my skin. 
Fear, raw and paralyzing, consumed me. Injured and terrified, I knew he had intended to end my life. I need to move fast.
Gathering my last ounce of strength, I pushed him away, catching him off-guard, in a feeble attempt to escape. But before I could make a run, I was abruptly kicked from behind, crashing to the ground and hitting my head once again.
"Run, I like the chase." He mocked. 
With stealthy movements, he straddled me from behind, yanking me up by my hair once again this time, wrapping the metal wire around my neck. There was no way to escape now. I tried to scream, but I couldn't.
Is this how I die? I thought, terror coursing through my veins.
Desperately, I tried to pull the metal wire away, but it was unyielding, cutting into my flesh. I started coughing uncontrollably, my airway constricted by the cruel grip of my assailant. 
His determination, unmoving, unyielding, until...
I heard a roar!
What is that?
A mountain lion? A wolf?
I couldn't tell. But the roar was so powerful that the man who had been strangling me loosened his grip, his attention momentarily diverted. But he regained quickly.
My body began to give out, and I felt my strength waning. It was as if my very veins had surrendered to this relentless torment. Darkness began to encroach upon my vision, and a lone tear escaped my eye as he choked me to death. 
I had fought with all my might to survive, but now my body had betrayed me. Still, I summoned my last shreds of strength to try to untangle the wire one last time, my voice croaking out a desperate plea for help, but only a silent cry escaped my parched lips.
Then, a glimmer of hope emerged from the shadows—the distant roar of an engine and the rumble of thunder harmonizing to herald a new silhouette drawing near. A man materialized from the shadows on a menacingly powerful bike, its eyes glowing in the stealthy darkness as if the Devil's Chariot. 
Lorenzo?
No, that couldn't be. He's not in town. I looked up, and my eyes struggled to adjust, trying to make out the stranger emerging from the shadows. "Help," I wanted to shout, but unfortunately, I was strangled.
Will he be able to help me? Well, I have no other option. So, I took a rock in my hand and threw it in his direction, hoping he would notice and divert his attention toward the woods.
The man strangled me more, trying hard to keep me on the ground. His body weight was already killing me. 
Maybe god has finally listened to me. I was dearly hoping him to be Lorenzo. But it became clear as he grew closer—it wasn't Lorenzo. The bike was wrong; Lorenzo favoured vintage rides, while this man approached on a beastly machine.
Why are there so many strange déjà vu moments in this town?
Whoever you are, just hurry up, please. I silently wished in my head. The pressure on my throat was getting worse by the second.
My assassin made sure we were covered in the darkness of the woods, but I attempted to make any possible sound, even though he was covering my mouth. I tried to whimper and wiggled under him, but the man made sure to cover my mouth and nose while choking me completely. My vision grew blurry with each second.
Finally switching off his headlights, the other man climbed down, masking himself in the inky darkness of the night, standing at a distance. It was as if he didn't want to be seen. Only a shadowy figure was within reach.
What is he doing? Is he his companion? 
This time, contrary to my assumptions, he began to approach, moving close enough for us to discern his shadowy contours.
Thank god!
Tall and imposing, he stood like a shadow in the moonlight, his muscles rippling beneath the open black shirt that clung to his chiselled physique. Veiny hands adorned with rings and silver chains hung around his neck, the locket they held glinting mysteriously in the shadow of the moonlight. 
A lion, etched into the locket, seemed oddly familiar, a connection hovering on the edge of my memory.
But it was his eyes that held me captive. In the pitch-black embrace of the night, his eyes carried the shadows, twin orbs ablaze with an untamed ferocity, gleaming like flames in the darkness. Recognition dawned in the depths of my consciousness.
I knew him. The Devil.
We locked eyes and I could see immediately how much anger he held in them. He moves with the grace of a predator, his every step deliberate, his presence commanding. I have no idea, how my assassin has been reacting to him. Does he know this is the infamous Devil? The psychopath killer?
I watched him moving closer to me as if he was going to fight my assailant. In the moonlit darkness, he was no god; he was a primal force, a beast of the night.
But it's not time to think. I reached out my trembling hand toward it, my strength shredded, begging for help. Tears run down my cheeks as I attempt to shout.
Then I heard another roar. 
The roar grew nearer, and, honestly, I was too drained to look back. My body had given up on me, and all I could do was watch that new shadowy figure, walking towards us, keeping his gaze on my assailant. 
"Just get the fuck away, if you don't want to end up like her," My assassin threatened him.
The other man chuckled in the dark, not giving two fucks about what my assassin had just said. Instead, he squinted his eyes, focusing on my assassin like he was the Devil's prey.
"Raya?" The Devil's voice echoed through the forest, a fierce call that seemed to resonate with the very essence of the wilderness. In response, the powerful roar of an animal reverberated through the trees once again. I couldn't see it as I was strangled to the ground, but the sound was both magnificent and terrifying.
Does he tame this wild creature? Who is he?
Something ran in the wild, pounding and running towards us. The ground revibrates with each closing step. My assassin was scared now. His grip loosened and I sucked in a shaky breath, coughing violently as I did. Quickly I took the opportunity to push him from me as I crawled to the other side. 
In the brutal darkness, I saw two glowing eyes. The roar grew utterly closer as it pounced on my assassin and I lay on the ground terrified. I couldn't look. I couldn't watch it.
But I know how he ended up.
Finally, my stranger saviour moved—slow, deliberate, and predatory, his presence slicing through the darkness like a shadowy specter towards me. He stood tall before me like a shadow guarding me to watch the gruesome scene behind him. But my vision dimmed. I tried to blink, hoping to adjust my sight. But the pain, the suffocation, the ragged rhythm of my breaths overwhelmed me. Everything blurred into a disorienting haze.
In the obsidian night, his voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade, looking behind me. "Any hand that dares to touch what's mine would meet a cruel death, Moya Lyuvob" he whispered his words a chilling promise to the nocturnal stillness. 
I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. I was frozen at my place. I could still feel the wild animal behind me, killing my assassin. Biting and tearing his body one by one as the cry of agony filled the air. The thought of it makes me want to vomit.
Slowly, he knelt down beside me, his fingers tenderly caressing my hair. I retaliated, but it was no use. The tree behind me obstructs me from moving away. Through my gasps for air, I mustered the strength to steal a glimpse at his face, but all I could see was a mask, covering half of his mouth. A mask of death. Only a sinister smile played upon his lips.
He was so close. The man I was after finally knelt before me, and all I wanted was to remove the mask and unveil the real identity he had been hiding for so long.
I moved my hands towards him.
"Y-You..." I tried to unmask him, craving the identity of the man who had saved me. My lips formed the words, but only a hoarse cough escaped my throat.
His fingers traced the contours of my face as he whispered, his voice a haunting melody in the night, "You are like the starlight in my darkest night, Moya Lyubov." The words, laden with possessiveness, sent shivers down my spine. "All mine. But now is not the time who know my identity." He whispered. "But I promise. Very soon."
Was he a saviour or the killer? 
It was too much. Too much for me. A shudder coursed through me, but my body betrayed me, succumbing to the relentless assault it had endured.
My vision dimmed further, and I blinked one last time, the world around me fading into an abyss of darkness. In my ears, the only sound that remained was the sharp cry of my supposed-to-be assassin, swiftly silenced by the roar of a mountain lion and the sinister laughter of the Shadow Devil, the enigmatic saviour who had come to my unexpected rescue.
Perhaps I was next. 
A/N: Who do you think is the assassin? And what do you think The Devil would have done to the one who dared to touch what's his?
Thank you for reading this book. See ya next week.