Chapter 8 - The Siege of the Estate
Inside the Vance mansion, alarm sirens blared in loud, rhythmic shrieks. Red emergency lights bathed the grand marble corridors in a bloody glow.
In the second-floor family suite, Maria had slammed the heavy reinforced oak door shut, throwing the double iron bolts into place.
Outside the door, heavy boots pounded against the floor, followed by the harsh sound of submachine gun slides racking.
"Open the door, lady!" a rough voice shouted from the hallway. "Open it now, or we blow the lock off!"
Inside the room, Maria was hysterical, clutching baby Sophia against her chest. Maya stood beside her, holding the new cashmere rabbit tightly, her eyes wide with terror as the heavy door shook under a massive blow.
"Mommy... I'm scared," Maya whimpered, tears filling her eyes.
Maria dropped to her knees, hiding both children inside the deep walk-in closet behind a wall of heavy coats. "Stay quiet, my babies! Stay quiet, please!"
BOOM!
A breaching charge exploded against the oak door, blowing the brass handles off and sending splinters flying across the bedroom.
Three armed Valenti enforcers stepped through the smoke, their rifles raised. Leading them was Julian Vance, holding a silver pistol.
"Check the room!" Julian barked. "Find the kid!"
One of the men kicked open the closet door, grabbing Maria by her hair and dragging her out onto the carpet. Maria screamed, kicking and biting, but the guard shoved her to the floor, aiming his rifle at her head.
Julian stepped into the closet, his silver pistol pointed straight at Maya, who was crouching over baby Sophia like a tiny shield.
"Well, well," Julian sneered, reaching down to grab Maya’s arm. "Look at the little treasure Lucian loves so much."
Maya didn't cry. She remembered what Daddy Lucian had taught her about being brave for Sophia. She swung her tiny fist, hitting Julian’s leg with all her force. "Leave us alone, bad man!"
Julian stumbled back, angry, raising his hand to slap the child. "You little brat—"
Before his hand could fall, the glass windows of the second-floor balcony shattered inward in a rain of crystalline shards.
A dark figure burst through the smoke and glass like a vengeful demon.
Lucian didn't shoot. He moved with a terrifying, inhuman speed borne of absolute fury.
He caught Julian’s raised wrist, twisting it back until the bone snapped with a loud CRACK. Julian shrieked in agony as Lucian drove a heavy tactical combat knife straight through Julian’s hand, pinning it to the mahogany doorframe.
The second guard turned his rifle, but Lucian caught the barrel, slammed his elbow into the man’s throat, and drove him backward over the balcony railing. The man fell thirty feet to the marble floor below with a sickening thud.
The third guard panicked, dropping his weapon and raising his hands. "Lucian! Please! I was just following orders—"
Lucian stepped close, grabbed the man by his vest, and threw him headfirst into the stone fireplace, knocking him instantly unconscious.
Silence fell over the room, broken only by the blaring alarm sirens and Julian’s whimpering screams as he hung pinned to the doorframe.
Lucian didn't even look at his traitorous cousin. He dropped his knife, turned around, and fell to his knees in front of the closet.
His hands were shaking violently as he pulled Maya into his arms, checking her face, her hands, her arms for any injury.
"Maya! Maya, are you hurt?! Look at me, baby, are you okay?!" Lucian gasped, his voice cracking with pure terror.
Maya wrapped her small arms tightly around his neck, burying her face into his wet coat. "Daddy Lucian! You came! You made the bad noise go away!"
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Lucian buried his face in her dark curls, holding her so tight he could feel her little heart hammering against his ribs. Tears rained down his face as he held both Maya and baby Sophia in his massive arms.
"I will always come, Maya," Lucian sobbed softly, kissing her forehead over and over again. "I will always protect you."
