The icy Russian desert transformed into a festival of death. Alia and Victor were no longer just drivers; they had become two hungry predators.
The white Pagani drifted in a serpentine motion across the snow. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Alia pulled a small remote from the dashboard. With a click of a button, smoke grenades deployed from the rear of the car. Within seconds, a thick grey shroud covered the road. Blinded by the fog, the snowmobile riders faltered. Alia seized the moment, lunging through the haze like a ghost and ramming one rider off the cliffside.
On the other side, Victor rolled down his window, the blizzard lashing against his white hair. He drew his custom silver pistol. His blue eyes were now colder than the permafrost. Without slowing down, he tilted the car on two wheels and fired a precise shot into the fuel tank of a pursuing bike.
BOOM! A massive explosion painted the sky crimson behind him. Yet, the enemies persisted, pushing giant blocks of ice down from the ridges above.
Alia and Victor realized that though their paths had diverged, their destiny remained one. Without even a glance at each other, they steered back toward the junction, their cars reuniting in a synchronized roar.
The two cars tore through the blizzard and skidded into a vast, mysterious, abandoned garden. Every tree was frozen like stone, and ancient statues lay scattered across the grounds. They slammed on the brakes simultaneously, the screech of tires against ice piercing the air.
As they stepped out, a group of black-clad figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding them. But there was no fear in their eyes—only a strange, wild thrill.
Alia cracked her knuckles, her honey-colored eyes burning with the lust for battle. Without looking at Victor, she whispered, "The ten on the left are mine. Can you handle the rest, 'Blue-eyed Owl'?"
Victor tossed his overcoat onto the hood of his car, his white hair whipping in the wind. A smirk played on his lips. "We were supposed to meet in ten years, but it seems these fools brought us together today."
Then, the carnage began.
Alia moved like a white snake gliding over ice. With lethal agility, she caught the first attacker's arm and snapped it in one fluid motion. Sliding low, she delivered a sweep kick that sent three men crashing into the frozen earth. Her fighting style was a deadly dance, every strike calculated and terminal.
Victor was a mountain. He caught two massive thugs mid-charge with a single hand. His blue eyes blazed as he grabbed one by the collar and slammed him into a stone statue, shattering it into dust. Every punch he threw felt like a lightning strike. As he fought, the frost clinging to his white eyelashes and brows fell away like diamonds.
Mid-fight, Alia and Victor ended up back-to-back. A dozen bodies lay motionless around them. The remaining attackers hesitated, paralyzed by the sheer ferocity of the duo.
Alia was breathing hard, but the fire in her eyes hadn't dimmed. "Dimitri isn't one to give up this easily," she muttered. "This must be his final move."
Victor wiped the blood from his knuckles and stared into the darkness. "Whatever the move, this garden will be their grave."The garden was silent once again, the snow stained crimson as the remaining attackers fled into the shadows. Victor and Alia didn't waste a second. They got into their cars and raced back to the mansion, the adrenaline still coursing through their veins.
When they burst through the grand doors of the estate, they were met with a sight they didn't expect.
There, sitting comfortably in a velvet armchair with a glass of expensive wine, was Dimitri. He wasn't bruised, he wasn't hiding, and he certainly didn't look like a man going into exile for ten years.
Dimitri looked up and let out a chilling, playful laugh.
"Did you really think I'd leave that easily? Those men in the garden... they were just a little 'welcome home' gift. Seeing you two fight like that? I enjoyed it. It was pure entertainment!"
Victor's jaw tightened, his blue eyes turning into icy daggers. He stepped forward, his knuckles still white, but before he could reach Dimitri, the heavy mahogany doors at the far end of the hall swung open.
The air in the room suddenly felt heavy with authority. Walking in with a regal yet terrifying presence were Victor's parentsvthe King and Queen of the underworld.
His father, a man with the same piercing gaze as Victor, looked at the chaos and then at his sons. His mother, elegant and cold, stood beside him, her eyes scanning Alia from head to toe.
The playful smirk on Dimitri's face didn't vanish, but he stood up straight. The real power had arrived, and the family reunion was about to become much more dangerous than the fight in the garden.The night was still. Alia sat in her study, the soft glow of her laptop illuminating her face as she reviewed important files. Outside, the Russian winter continued its silent dance of falling snow.
Suddenly, a soft rustle of feathers came from the balcony. Alia looked up to see a magnificent white owl with piercing blue eyes Victor's pet perched on the window sill. It looked exactly like its master: calm, regal, and observant.
Alia smiled and opened the window. Without hesitation, the owl glided into the room and settled comfortably on her lap. She stopped her work, running her fingers through its soft, snowy feathers.
"Where is your master?" Alia whispered, stroking the owl's head. "Did he send you here to spy on me?"
The owl blinked its large blue eyes, tilting its head as if it understood every word. It leaned into her touch, nuzzling its head against her palm in a rare display of affection.
Just then, a shadow appeared at the doorway. Victor was leaning against the frame, watching them with a mysterious smirk. His blue eyes mirrored the owl's, glowing softly in the dim light.
"It seems he is luckier than I am," Victor said, his voice low and smooth. "I work all night and he barely glances at me, yet here he is, completely charmed by you."
Alia looked up and met his gaze, a playful smile tugging at her lips. For a moment, the tension of the underworld and the rivalry with Dimitri vanished, leaving only the two of them and the silent white owl.Victor stepped toward Alia slowly, his movements silent yet filled with a commanding presence. As Alia remained focused on the owl, he suddenly reached out and took both of her hands, pinning them against the table and leaning her back.
Laptops and scattered files were pushed aside as he loomed over her. Alia's honey-colored eyes widened in surprise, her breath catching as he closed the distance between them until they were only inches apart.
Victor held her hands firmly against the desk, his blue eyes burning with an intense, possessive gaze. In a low, husky voice, he whispered:
"Hey... is this work really more important than me? Or are you just trying to avoid the 'Blue-eyed Owl' tonight?"
Alia felt her heart race, but she didn't look away. A playful, defiant smirk played on her lips as she countered softly, "Are you seriously getting jealous of a bird right now, Victor?"
The blizzard howled outside, but inside the room, the air was thick with a sudden, electric tension.Victor locked his gaze onto Alia's eyes, a heavy silence filling the room. At that moment, he slowly began to pull down the zipper of his jacket.
Alia remained calm, raising a single eyebrow as she waited to see his next move. Victor slipped the jacket off and tossed it aside. He was now wearing only a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his powerful forearms and the sharp lines of his tattoos.
He leaned back in, closing the gap again, but this time his voice lacked its usual playfulness. It was deep and serious. He whispered:
"You're bleeding, Alia. That fight in the garden... did you really think I wouldn't notice?"
Alia looked down at her hand; a small, sharp cut was oozing blood onto her skin. Victor reached into his pocket, pulled out a silk handkerchief, and gently took her hand in his. His touch was firm yet surprisingly tender.Alia gave a mysterious smile and tied a black silk cloth over Victor's eyes, blindfolding him. Victor didn't resist; he knew Alia's way of playing this game all too well. Deprived of sight, his other senses became incredibly sharp, picking up every shift in the air and the scent of her perfume.
The room's temperature seemed to rise instantly. While the blizzard raged outside, the only sounds inside were their heavy breathing and racing heartbeats. Victor unbuckled his belt and loosened his trousers, moving with a raw, focused intensity.
Alia placed her hand on Victor's chest, feeling the heat of his skin. The hidden tension and longing they had carried for so long finally broke through all boundaries. They became lost in the intoxicating touch and presence of one another. In that silent, secluded night, they finally became one, finding a moment of absolute intimacy where neither Dimitri's schemes nor the dangers of the outside world could reach them.