The Mercenary Queen Strikes Back (Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

76

Nova wasn’t clueless. At a critical moment like this, she stumbled across a betrayal within the Shadow Sanctum. It meant nothing but trouble. If she didn’t run now, she’d be toast.

She didn’t bother to keep herself hidden anymore, openly revealing her location.

Then, without a second thought, she shot off in the opposite direction at lightning speed.

Damien remained perfectly still, his wolfish eyes filled with ruthless hunger as he effortlessly tracked Nova’s petite silhouette darting away.

He didn’t rush after her.

With a swift whoosh, another figure dropped from the tree above.

At the exact same moment, a man dressed head–to–toe in black stealth gear landed soundlessly, moving like a shadow in the night.

The man shot a cold glance at the woman’s body that Damien had just gunned down.

He recognized her in an instant. She was, like him, one of Shadow Sanctum’s elite assassins–Scarlet Rose.

Just a few days ago, Scarlet had been ranked fifth on the global assassin leaderboard, a name that sent shivers through the international underworld.

But today, she was dead, executed without mercy by the master of the Shadow Sanctum for nothing more than a single, careless mistake.

The man knew all too well that his boss, Damien, was heartless.

He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of woman could ever break through that icy exterior and actually get close to Damien.

With that thought, the man dipped his head toward Damien’s back and addressed him with deference, “Sir.”

Still facing away from his subordinate, Damien delivered his order with chilling indifference. “Erase every trace.”

With that, he spoke no more. He hurled the gun to the ground, and with a flicker, vanished into the darkness before anyone could react.

If you looked closely, you’d realize Damien was even swifter than Nova.

The moon, usually hidden by a pale halo, seemed to blush with a mysterious red glow.

The entire sky was washed in waves of deep scarlet, as if painted by dusk itself, casting an otherworldly haze over the world. The scene was breathtaking.

Nova darted through the dense forest, her movements swift and fluid.

1/4

13:54 Sat, Jun 6

Chapter 14

Her feet rustled over the fallen leaves and soft earth, the crisp sound sharp against the silence.

76

Right behind her, a man built far larger than she was barreled after her, closing the distance with a frightening speed.

Nova thought, ‘If I forgot for a second how terrifying he was, he almost seems unreal!

The moon above was stained a haunting shade of red.

His towering frame and devilishly striking features made him look like some dark prince stepped straight out of a graphic novel–mysterious, impossible to get a read on.

“Damn it, he’s freakishly fast. Already catching up after just a few seconds, Nova cursed under her breath. Nova’s face fell. She mused, ‘No chance of escaping at this rate. Fine, if running’s out, then…‘

Nova tore through the tangled woods, sure–footed as ever. Then, just when it looked like she’d keep sprinting forward, she made a sharp switch.

With zero warning, she whipped around, fists ready, and fired off a fierce, straight punch right at the gorgeous guy chasing her–catching him totally off guard.

Nova threw a sudden punch, but just as she predicted, Damien snatched her fist out of the air with lightning reflexes.

His grip locked around her hand, steady and unshakable.

In that split second as they squared off, Damien caught sight of Nova’s face for the first time.

Her face was so exquisitely beautiful that it nearly defied reality.

Something about her stirred an undeniable urge to protect her–no matter how much he tried to suppress it.

Damien’s strikingly handsome features were as cold and unreadable as ever; his lips moved just enough to let the word out.

He stared right at Nova’s flawless face, completely impervious to her ethereal beauty–though it was obvious he knew who she was.

“You…” His voice was curt, the single word hanging in the air between them.

This was the first time Damien and Nova had ever crossed paths in person.

Yet in the ruthless circles of the international underworld, Damien had already learned in advance about those who could match his strength.

By any means necessary, he’d have found a way to know exactly what his rivals looked like.

And Damien, as the leader of the Shadow Sanctum, ruled the global underworld like a shadow emperor.

The only person he considered a potential threat these days was none other than Nova–the mercenary

2/4

13:54 Sat, Jun 6

Chapter 14

queen herself.

You could see it in Damien’s eyes that he knew exactly who stood before him.

Nova wasn’t a stranger to him. He’d recognized her instantly.

But still, when two titans clashed, there was no avoiding the storm.

G76

After all, two tigers couldn’t rule the same mountain. Between Nova and Damien, only one could come out on top.

Nova and Damien weren’t related by blood, and with no shared interests or alliances between them, there was nothing binding the two together.

By sheer circumstance, that meant they could only be enemies–anything else was impossible.

The moment Damien spoke, Nova delivered a vicious side kick, hammering his side with deadly precision.

Her plan was simple: catch him off guard and slip away before he could react.

But Nova never imagined that, halfway through her kick, Damien had already seen right through her attack.

He anticipated her move instantly, eyes locking onto her just as she launched it.

With barely any reaction time needed, he intercepted her kick mid–air–like it was child’s play.

‘So this is what it’s like when two leaders of the underworld finally clash, Nova thought, stunned. ‘He’s not just strong. He’s on a whole different level.’

Nova’s gaze dropped for a split second, then she yanked her leg back.

Damien’s expression remained icy and unforgiving, as if he were about to wipe her out, just like he’d coldly executed that woman before.

But Nova wasn’t backing down now. Going all in, she used her slender figure–barely reaching Damien’s chest –and hurled herself forward, slamming straight into his embrace without hesitation.

Damien caught a trace of her scent–a softness and freshness he’d never experienced before, unmistakably feminine and strangely captivating.

Every inch of her felt unexpectedly soft, almost delicate for someone so dangerous.

Just as Damien was about to act, it was like someone flipped a switch inside him. His iron–hard body went rigid, and for a split second, he was completely frozen.

3/4