4

Every instinct screamed at me to put a knife through his throat, but I knew better.

Not yet.

Patience was my weapon here, and I had to wield it carefully.

“I’ve heard stories about you,” Viktor continued, circling me slowly. “You move like a shadow, leave no trace. People vanish, and you’re never suspected. It’s almost… impressive.”

I didn’t flinch under his scrutiny.

“You seem to know a lot about me already.”

His smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Knowing things is what keeps me alive.” He stopped behind me, so close I could feel his breath against my neck. “But there’s one thing I don’t know.”

I stiffened.

“What’s that?”

“What you really want.”

His voice was a low growl, laced with something darker, something that made the air feel heavier.

I turned to face him, meeting his gaze with deliberate defiance.

“To survive.”

For a moment, he said nothing, only stared at me with an expression I couldn’t read.

Then, he laughed—a quiet, humorless sound that made my skin crawl.

“Survival is a fine goal,” he said, his tone mocking. “But it’s not enough. Not in my world.”

I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing myself to stay calm.

“And what is enough?”

“Power,” he said simply. “Control. The ability to make the world bend to your will.”

11

VIKTOR

She intrigued me.

Most people cowered under my gaze, their fear a tangible thing, thick and cloying like smoke.

But not her.

She stood tall, her expression blank but her eyes burning with something dangerous.

She was lying, of course.

I could see it in the subtle tension in her jaw, the way her hands stayed too still at her sides.

She wanted more than survival.

She wanted something she didn’t dare name, not yet.

Good.

I needed someone like her—someone who could be molded, sharpened into a weapon that would serve me alone.

But first, I had to break her, strip away whatever illusions of independence she clung to.

“You’ve already been assigned your task,” I said, stepping back to give her space.

“Proving yourself is no longer optional. You’ll follow through, or you’ll regret it.”

Her expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes.

Fear, maybe.

Or was it defiance?

Either way, it would be fun to find out.

“Prove myself how?” she asked, her voice steady but laced with caution.

I smiled, slow and deliberate.

“You’ll see soon enough. For now, consider yourself… on probation.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she nodded.

“Understood.”

I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping to a whisper.

“Be careful, Sabrina. Disappoint me, and you won’t live to regret it.”

12

SABRINA

I left the room with Viktor’s words echoing in my head, each one dripping with menace.

Disappoint me, and you won’t live to regret it.

The hallway stretched ahead of me, dimly lit and eerily quiet.

My footsteps were soundless against the plush carpet, but I felt the weight of unseen eyes watching me, evaluating my every move.

I found my assigned quarters at the end of the corridor—a sparse, windowless room that felt more like a cell.

The bed was narrow and stiff, the single lamp casting long, jagged shadows across the walls.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Viktor was dangerous, more than I had anticipated.

His presence was overwhelming, his gaze penetrating, as if he could see every secret I tried to hide.

But he hadn’t killed me.

That meant I still had a chance.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small, concealed earpiece.

Activating it, I whispered, “I’m in.”

A crackle of static, then a familiar voice replied, “Good. Stay close to him, but be careful. He’s unpredictable.”

“I know,” I murmured. “He’s already testing me.”

“Then pass the test,” the voice said firmly. “We need him alive until we get the intel. After that…”

“I’ll handle it,” I interrupted, my voice cold and steady.

I ended the call and tucked the earpiece away, my resolve hardening.

Viktor thought he could control me, bend me to his will.

But he had no idea who he was dealing with.