Images flashed behind Krissy's eyes as she slowly woke up, snapshots of pain and fear following not far behind. Abigail's pale face, her wide eyes staring up at her, a bloodied knife in her hand, which clattered to the floor. In the next image, Krissy was on her knees, her hands shaking as she tried to stem the blood that was flowing out of her abdomen. A stronger hand was taking their place a second later, when Krissy's eyes connected with hazel ones. Hannibal. She must have lost time after that, as the next thing she knew she was in a bright room and an oxygen mask was being placed over her mouth. There was a man beside Hannibal in the room, wearing a surgical mask, a scalpel in his hand. Hannibal had spoken to her, in his own language, words which she couldn't decipher.
Miegoti. Jūs nemirsite. Aš tau neleisiu.
There was only darkness after that. Her last thought had been of Will, his rare smiles, and whether she would ever see him again. Maybe in the next life…
Then she woke up.
Pain was the first thing she felt, a shooting sensation that was enough to make her dizzy. As Krissy's eyes fluttered open, she realised she was back in 'her' bedroom, the silk sheets now feeling familiar against her skin. Something cold was suddenly pressed against her forehead, as Krissy's eyes snapped up to meet Hannibal's. A smile grew on his face as he loomed over her, dabbing her skin with a cold washcloth.
"How do you feel?" Hannibal inquired, as Krissy licked at her dry lips.
"Like I'm going to murder Abigail Hobbs" Krissy muttered, seeing Hannibal's smile grow wider.
"You may wish to wait until you are steadier on your feet before committing such an act" Hannibal told her, amusement clear in his voice.
Krissy's eyes then flickered to a needle in her arm, trailing up to find a blood bag on a stand nearby, realising she was being given a blood transfusion. She looked down at her nails, seeing there was still dried blood caught in the cuticle. She really had been stabbed. Almost died. She slowly reached down to lift up the hem of her shirt, finding a large bandage covering the majority of her abdomen, a few blood splotches staining the white material.
"…You saved me" Krissy frowned, as Hannibal went to sit on a chair next to her bed, settling his hands down on his lap.
"Of course. You are my house guest, after all" Hannibal replied, as Krissy quirked an eyebrow.
"I attacked you. You've got the cuts to prove it" She pointed out, surveying his face for injuries.
He had a large gash across his forehead, most likely from where he had been struck with the lamp she had used as a weapon. While his nose did not appear broken, it was clear it had been bleeding. A black eye had already formed over his left eye, and another cut lay just above his cheekbone. Krissy was glad to have at least done some damage.
"If you wanted me dead, I would be dead. And vice versa. It seems we find ourselves at a stalemate" Hannibal explained, leaning closer.
"You should have just let me die" Krissy mumbled, quietly.
"Now, why would I want to do that?" Hannibal stated, as Krissy attempted to push herself upright, leaning against the headboard as she did so.
"It would be kinder…" Krissy trailed off, letting out a hiss as pain shot through her stomach, her muscles feeling as though they were on fire.
"Dying from something as simple as a mere stab wound is beneath you, Krissy. Such a waste of vicious beauty" Hannibal explained, as Krissy felt a wave of dizziness threaten to overcome her.
"My outlook is good then, Doctor?" Krissy scoffed, placing the back of her hand against her sweaty forehead.
"You were very lucky. No organs were perforated by the blade, but you did lose a large amount of blood. You required over forty stitches" Hannibal informed her.
"What an accomplishment" Krissy muttered, the sarcasm clear in her voice.
"You will require bed rest for some weeks, or risk reopening your stitches. I imagine you feel very weak at the current time" Hannibal went on.
"I feel fine. In fact, I'm more than ready to go for round two" Krissy mumbled, her eyes fluttering shut as it looked like she was close to passing out.
"I believe the anaesthesia may still be in your system. You should lie down" Hannibal advised, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
The fading memory of a man wearing a surgical mask came to the forefront of her mind at the comment. She highly doubted even a skilled surgeon like Hannibal would be able to not only operate on her but control her anaesthetic dose as well. Hannibal had help. But who? She didn't think she had seen the man before…why would a stranger help Hannibal operate on an unconscious girl?
"Where'd you get the blood from?" Krissy frowned, brushing Hannibal's hands away, but falling onto her back again, nonetheless.
"I have my ways" Hannibal answered, vaguely.
"Ways that could be linked back to you. A little risky, don't you think, Doctor Lecter?" Krissy goaded, feeling another wave of pain hit her.
"What is life without risk?" Hannibal retorted, as Krissy fought to keep her eyes open.
Her forehead wrinkled when she realised the pain she was feeling was not coming from her stomach this time, but from her ankle. With a burst of strength, she managed to pull the duvet away from her, eyes going wide when she saw the tag attached to her ankle once again. Krissy's mouth went slack when she saw there had been an update to the device, as she forced herself into a sitting position. A small sound of horror left her lips when she saw that instead of a simple buckle being wrapped around her ankle…two pieces of the tag were fused into her skin. Hannibal had literally cut away pieces of her skin and forced the metal parts of the tag into the place her flesh once was. She flexed her ankle upwards, cringing as she felt a burning pain almost immediately. There was no way she could remove the device this time. Her fingers itched to rip the device away, but she knew all she would receive would be an electric shock.
"Once the skin heals, I assure you, the tag will make little difference to your mobility, if a little discomfort" Hannibal exclaimed, from where he was looming above her.
Krissy felt bile clawing up her throat as she brushed her fingertips over the broken skin around the tag. She had lost her one chance of escaping. She was completely at the cannibal's mercy. Krissy didn't even register her eyes filling with tears, not until one begun to fall down her cheek. She flinched when Hannibal reached out to brush the tear away with his thumb, only to sit down on the edge of the bed, pushing some of her hair behind her shoulder. Krissy leaned away from him but could do little more, too weak to move from the bed.
"It is for the best, Krissy. A temporary solution that benefits the both of us" Hannibal assured her, as Krissy kept her gaze to the ground.
"More like a punishment for trying to run" Krissy spat out.
"On the contrary, I am rather pleased" Hannibal admitted, causing Krissy's head to snap up, meeting his intense gaze.
"For many years now, I have had complete control over all aspects of my life. I know what to expect from each and every person I meet. I enjoy dismantling and re-assembling the psyches of my patients, moulding them into something far more interesting than they could ever imagine. But still, my life has become bland and grey, devoid of colour and texture. The first time I saw beneath your person suit, it was like a splash of red against a blank canvas. You have brought colour to my life once again" Hannibal confessed, a small smile playing on his lips.
"I don't have a person suit…I'm not like you" Krissy exclaimed, angrily.
"You have had so many people in your life telling you who and what you are, that I believe even you don't know the truth anymore, Krissy" Hannibal suggested, watching her grit her teeth, clearly hitting a nerve.
"And Will? Why have you pulled him into your mind games?" Krissy pushed.
"He can understand and consume anyone's point of view, even my own. That ability is rather…exhilarating. I have great faith in Will and what he will become" Hannibal told her.
"So, you frame him for murder?" Krissy scoffed.
"Fingers would soon be pointed my way. This was an act of self-preservation" Hannibal replied.
"Or maybe you're just angry that Will couldn't accept you when he found out the truth" Krissy suggested, as Hannibal gave her a thoughtful look.
"Nor would I expect him to. The best things in life are worth waiting for" Hannibal explained, as Krissy tried her best not to show the discomfort she was feeling.
"You're never going to let me go, are you?" Krissy murmured, almost too quietly to hear.
"You assume that you will always wish to run from me. Time can change many things" Hannibal announced, before swiftly standing from the bed and exiting the room, leaving Krissy alone with her thoughts.
No matter what she tried, there seemed to be no escaping Hannibal Lecter. How long would it be until he tired of her antics, and started to punish her for disobedience? No, she needed to change her tactics. For her own survival.
If she couldn't beat Hannibal, then there was nothing left to do but join him…or at least make him think that.
Krissy's recovery was slower than she would have liked, meaning she had to relent and take the analgesia Hannibal offered to allow herself to mobilise. The pain was excruciating at times, and her stitches had re-opened numerous times. Still, she knew she was lucky to be alive. Abigail's aim clearly needed some improvement. As soon as she was able to walk across the room to her en suite, Hannibal insisted that she started joining him in the dining room for meals. Krissy had immediately cringed at the thought, having enjoyed the time she wasn't subjected to watching Hannibal chew on what could be human meat. Biting her tongue, a few weeks after her injury, Krissy found herself following Hannibal's footsteps out of her room. Every time she moved it felt like she was being stabbed in the gut over and over again, but she tried not to show it on her face. She was already too vulnerable for her liking. Her feet came to a sudden halt when she saw a familiar face waiting for them at the dining table, as Krissy's mouth went slack.
"What is she doing here?" Krissy muttered, eyeing Abigail with suspicion, watching as the younger girl's smile fell.
"This is Abigail's home as much as it is yours, Krissy. I will leave you to get re-acquainted" Hannibal told her, before gliding across the floor towards the kitchen.
"I want to apologise for…for what I did" Abigail spoke up, as Krissy's eyes snapped to hers.
"Go ahead and say it, Abigail. For trying to kill me, right?" Krissy exclaimed.
"No! No, I never meant to…I panicked and—" Abigail began, but Krissy cut her off.
"Oh, did the knife just fly into your hands then?" Krissy scoffed.
"I made a mistake" Abigail mumbled; her eyes downcast as Krissy suddenly surged forward.
"Your mistake was letting me live, Abigail" Krissy spat out, now standing only a few inches from the girl, who refused to meet her eyes.
"He told me if you ever escaped I had to stop you. I…I was scared. I didn't know what to do" Abigail whispered, hoping Hannibal wouldn't hear her words.
"I could have got out! I could have got help, for the both of us! What the fuck were you thinking?!" Krissy hissed, growing angrier by the second.
"He would have found you. He would have punished you…" Abigail trailed off, scrunching her eyes shut.
"Don't pretend to give a shit about me. This was all about you. What he would do to you if you didn't stop me" Krissy pointed out.
"You have no idea what he's capable of" Abigail shook her head, making Krissy huff.
"Oh, you're referring to the fact that our captor is a fucking cannibal? Yeah, I got the memo. Is that it, huh? You're afraid you're going to be the next thing on the menu?" Krissy goaded.
"Aren't you?" Abigail retorted, finally meeting her eyes.
"I hope you will accept Abigail's apology, Krissy. She was only acting in your best interests" Hannibal's voice boomed, as Krissy watched him return to the dining room, two plates in his hands.
"She could have killed me" Krissy stated, as Hannibal made a tutting sound with his tongue, placing one meal at the head of the table and the next at the seat beside him.
"But she did not. I brought you both here to bury the hatchet, otherwise, I expect dinner will be a rather uncomfortable affair" Hannibal went on, as an idea began to form in Krissy's mind.
"Maybe you're right, Doctor Lecter…" Krissy trailed off, her eyes flickering to the cutlery laid out on the table.
"Burying the hatchet might be just what I need" Krissy murmured, before lunging forward to grab one of the knives at the table, quicker than anyone could stop her.
Abigail let out a startled gasp as she felt the cold metal placed against her neck, her eyes flickering to Hannibal's in a panic. Abigail gulped when she saw instead of stopping the other girl, Hannibal simply tilted his head, a look of interest on his face.
"You tried to kill me, Abigail…why don't I return the favour?" Krissy exclaimed, pressing the knife further against Abigail's neck.
"P-please, I didn't…I'm sorry!" Abigail cried, the panic clear in her voice.
"Will it be ironic when I slit your throat, just like your dad did?" Krissy went on, quirking an eyebrow.
"Don't—" Abigail pleaded, trying to pull away, as Krissy's hand shot out to grab her hair, keeping her in place.
"You're right. How about I stab you here instead? We could have matching wounds then, you might even live…" Krissy trailed off, lowering her knife to Abigail's abdomen.
"Krissy" Hannibal's clipped tone had the older girl turning to him, expecting him to tell her to stop.
"If you want to cut through flesh, I suggest this knife…for a cleaner cut" Hannibal suggested, holding out a kitchen knife, watching surprise wash over Krissy's face.
Abigail's eyes went wide at his words, realising he was not planning on stopping Krissy…but was instead choosing to encourage her. Did he really care for her life so little?
Krissy gazed at the knife for a few moments, before taking it in her palm, gripping the handle tightly. She threw the other knife onto the table, the loud noise making Abigail flinch, who was practically shaking.
"Will wouldn't want you to—" Abigail began, but was cut off as Krissy instantly brought the knife back to her throat.
"I suggest you keep your mouth shut…unless you want me to cut your tongue out" Krissy warned, leaning closer to Abigail, as the knife nicked the fragile skin of her neck, a drop of blood running down the blade.
Hannibal's sharp inhale could be heard from behind the two girls, clearly interested in the display in front of him. Licking his lips, Hannibal took a step forward, practically looming over Krissy's shoulder now.
Tears started to well in Abigail's eyes, as she let out a whimper, biting her lip to stop herself from crying out. She was terrified. Abigail felt the knife pull away, expecting the pain of being stabbed a moment later. But it never came. Instead, she heard someone…laughing?
"Oh, you should see the look on your face" Krissy giggled, in a mocking tone, as she patted Abigail's cheek with her free hand.
"W-what?" Abigail murmured, her breathing erratic.
"I'm not gonna' kill you, Abigail. You're not worth it" Krissy shrugged, pulling away.
"And I'd just hate to deprive you of one of your favourite toys" Krissy added, turning back to Hannibal, as she flipped the knife in the air, catching the dull end in her palm, a trick which she seemed to have done before.
Very slowly, Hannibal's lips twitched into a smirk, as he took the knife from her, amusement dancing behind his eyes. He had enjoyed the show. Just as Krissy had hoped. The brunette then grabbed Abigail by the shoulders and directed her to her seat, all but forcing her into a seating position.
"C'mon, your meat's getting cold. Eat up" Krissy goaded, shoving the plate closer to the younger girl.
Hannibal raised an eyebrow, earning a smirk from Krissy in return. He then headed towards the kitchen to get Krissy's meal, knowing she would still insist on eating her own microwavable meal…for now. Happy with the events of the evening, Krissy lowered herself to a seat next to Abigail, who was trying to stop her hands from shaking as she picked up her cutlery.
"What the hell was that?" Abigail hissed.
"I'm playing the game. If you're smart, you will too" Krissy shrugged, running a hand through her hair.
"What game?" Abigail frowned.
"Hannibal's game. Making myself the more desirable captive" Krissy explained, grabbing a napkin from the table, placing it onto her lap.
"Why?" Abigail asked, not sure if she wanted the answer.
"In case Hannibal decides he doesn't want two prisoners anymore" Krissy replied, forcing a smile onto her face as Hannibal returned.
"I really do wish you would allow me to cook for you, Krissy" Hannibal sighed, as he glided across the floor to place her dish in front of her.
"Hell will freeze over before that happens" Krissy retorted, stiffening when she felt him place his hand on her shoulder, waiting for a few seconds for him to speak.
"…I believe it is time for us to re-start your therapy," Hannibal told her, brushing his fingers over her shoulder before dropping them to his side and re-treating to his seat.
"Whatever you think is best, Doctor Lecter" Krissy exclaimed, removing the cellophane from her meal.
Krissy sat opposite Hannibal, squirming on the expensive leather chair she was perched on. The room was so similar to his office that it was creeping her out. She had never been into the room before, as it was situated on the first floor and had always been locked. At least it wasn't some sort of meat locker like she had feared. True to his word, Hannibal had soon started her therapy again after their eventful meal, something which was putting Krissy on edge. The idea of letting the doctor back into her head made her skin crawl. But what choice did she have? She doubted therapy was optional as far as Hannibal was concerned.
"How long have been here?" Krissy inquired.
"Forty-seven days" Hannibal answered, watching as a frown grew the younger girl's face.
"What day is it?" Krissy questioned, looking up at him.
"May 1st" Hannibal told her, as she let out a sigh.
"…It's my brother's birthday tomorrow. Which you are obviously aware of" Krissy muttered, fidgeting with her hands as she spoke.
"Do you miss him?" Hannibal asked, as she turned away from him, averting her eyes to the wall.
"I haven't seen him in years. He could be dead for all I know" Krissy pointed out, with a shrug of her shoulders.
"You're avoiding the question" Hannibal stated, making her scoff.
"Do you miss your sister, Hannibal?" Krissy retorted, watching how he stilled for a moment, before regaining his composure.
"Of course…but my sister is lost to me, your brother is not" Hannibal exclaimed.
"He's lost his mind. Even more than you have, and frankly, that's saying something" Krissy huffed.
"By conventional means, perhaps" Hannibal stated, as she gave him an unimpressed look.
"Look, let's get one thing fucking straight, okay? You don't know a thing about my brother, so just…stop it" Krissy insisted, through gritted teeth.
She cursed in her head, realising her therapy session was going even worse than she had feared. She was supposed to be keeping Hannibal on side. But how could she stay quiet when he was goading her about her family?
"You will never be able to move on with your life if you refuse to reflect on how you really feel—" Hannibal explained, but she cut him off.
"I've been living in denial for the past decade, I'm more than happy to keep going for another" Krissy scoffed.
"A most unhealthy coping mechanism" Hannibal scolded, as Krissy couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes.
"…Was your sister a bad person?" Krissy spoke up, a few moments later.
"She was the purest soul I ever met" Hannibal admitted, his voice sounding uncharacteristically thick with emotion.
"Then you have absolutely no idea how I feel. My brother is a murderer. He doesn't even have a soul…not after everything he's done" Krissy murmured.
"If you think so little of your brother, why did you protect him for so long?" Hannibal pointed out.
"He saved my life. I thought…I thought I could help him" Krissy admitted, with a shake of her head.
"You still could" Hannibal replied.
"No. I don't want to see him. I don't want to think about him—" Krissy began, but Hannibal soon stopped her.
"Because you're angry at him?" Hannibal suggested.
"Because I'm angry at myself!" Krissy exclaimed, her head shooting up as she spoke.
"Why?" Hannibal continued to push, as Krissy shook her head again.
"I let him down. He…lost himself trying to protect me. I was supposed to be the one to pull him back when he went too far. Instead I…I betrayed him" Krissy mumbled, running a hand over her face, letting out a shaky breath.
"You regret handing him over to the authorities?" Hannibal guessed, as she slowly nodded.
"I gave up on him" Krissy sighed, dropping her head into her hands.
"Do you miss him?" Hannibal insisted, repeating his earlier question.
"Yes" Krissy answered, seeming to shock herself.
Hannibal suddenly pushed himself to his feet, walking swiftly towards her, before kneeling by the leather chair. Her forehead wrinkled when he reached out to take her hands in his, as she gave him a questioning look. He seemed far too pleased for Krissy's liking.
"There is no need for you to fear judgement while you reside here, Krissy. Your thoughts, emotions, impulses…they no longer need to be reigned in" Hannibal went on, as she tilted her head.
"…Did you kill her? Your sister?" Krissy couldn't help but ask.
"No. But I did try to kill the man who murdered her" Hannibal confessed.
"And you didn't succeed?" Krissy questioned, surprised.
"I still have breath in my body. While that remains, I will always have the time to succeed" Hannibal explained, giving her hands a quick squeeze before standing up, leaving Krissy even more confused than before.
Some weeks later, Krissy was still suffering from the wound Abigail inflicted. Hannibal had removed her stitches, and even the skin was mostly healed, but it was still causing her pain. She had insisted on taking fewer painkillers nonetheless, in no rush to become dependent on medications again. She knew it was a risk taking anything from Hannibal Lecter, but without the painkillers, she was in too much pain to move from room to room. That was how she found herself sitting on a stool in the kitchen, popping a pill into her mouth, and taking a sip of water that the man in question provided. She rolled her eyes as he made a gesture for her to open her mouth. She had thought about faking taking the medication, perhaps hiding it under her tongue, but this would never work with Hannibal. He knew all the tricks. Placing his finger under her chin, he tilted her head upwards, checking her mouth for any sign of the tablet.
"I'm starting to think you don't trust me, Doctor Lecter" Krissy teased, when he pulled away.
"Perish the thought" Hannibal smiled in response, as Krissy huffed out a laugh.
She watched as the older man walked over to a bag by the kitchen door, picking it up and placing it on the kitchen counter, causing Krissy to raise an eyebrow. She tried to keep her unease at bay, concerned about what could be inside the bag.
"I have a present for you" Hannibal announced, as Krissy gulped.
What was it going to be? A human heart? Maybe a pair of eyes? Where Hannibal was concerned, she was sure it would be something insidious—
"A book? Wow, I've always wanted one of these" Krissy mocked, sarcastically, as Hannibal placed the large object in her hands.
She flipped the book over and found it was a medical encyclopaedia, all about the human body. A book she would have probably killed to have while she was training to be a nurse. She flipped open the first page and saw Hannibal's handwriting, his words written in Lithuanian, the only word she recognised was her own name.
"This is some sloppy psychology. Rewarding me for my good behaviour. I would have thought that was beneath you" Krissy challenged, quirking a brow, as she placed the book back on the counter.
"I felt this would be a productive use of your time. You have not been in practice for some time now. There is always something new to learn in the medical field" Hannibal went on.
"And luckily for me, I have a doctor more than happy to teach me, right?" Krissy suggested, as the smile returned to Hannibal's face.
Just as Krissy opened her mouth to speak, she heard a noise from outside, causing her to whip her head around. The next sound made her heart stop for a moment. A voice. There was someone outside the house. Not only that, but she recognised the voice. Alana.
Hannibal's hand was suddenly on her shoulder, pulling her off the stool none too gently. He instantly shoved her to the ground, concealing her underneath the kitchen counter, and placed a finger to his lips. Krissy had fallen to the floor in a heap, as pain shot through her abdomen, causing her to glare up at the older man.
"If you reveal yourself I will kill her" Hannibal warned, no hint of a bluff behind his eyes.
Only a second later, there was a knock at the kitchen door, before it was slowly pushed open and Hannibal's head shot up. Krissy pushed herself closer to the kitchen counter, tucking her legs in, her breathing quickening. She hadn't even heard another person's voice in two months…
"Alana. What a lovely surprise" Hannibal announced, not moving from where he was standing only inches away from where Krissy was still lying on the floor.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion" Alana's soft voice replied, as Hannibal shook his head.
"Nonsense. A friendly face is always welcome in my home" Hannibal stated, as Krissy heard footsteps.
"And what a wonderful home it is. I can see why you've moved out of the city. The forest that surrounds this property truly is beautiful, Hannibal" Alana continued, coming to stand at the opposite end of the kitchen counter.
"This house was quite the find" Hannibal agreed, forcing a smile onto his face.
"I feel like I've hardly seen you the last couple of months. I know…certain events have been very difficult for you" Alana sighed, as Krissy couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Losing three of the people I held most dear all at once…the words are hard to find" Hannibal mumbled, as Krissy grit her teeth.
She stiffened when Alana suddenly moved forward, coming to stand on the other side of the counter, her hand reaching out to place over Hannibal's, in a comforting gesture. Krissy held her breath as she realised she was close enough to now see Alana's shoes. What if this was her only chance to escape? Hannibal would kill the older woman, Krissy had no doubt in that, but maybe it would give her a chance to escape? Cursing inwardly, her eyes flickered down to the tag attached to her ankle, giving her the answer she needed. There was no point. Revealing herself would only cause Alana's death.
"What's this?" Alana's voice brought Krissy out of her thoughts, touching the medical book on the counter.
"A present. I was hoping to give it to Krissy before…" Hannibal trailed off, with a shake of his head.
"Oh, Hannibal" Alana cried, before reaching out to pull the older man into a hug, meaning she too was practically standing over Krissy.
"Enough about me, Alana. How are you?" Hannibal questioned, pulling away from the embrace, brushing a strand of hair behind Alana's ear.
"…Coping. I suppose that's all we can hope for after everything that has happened. After everything we've lost," Alana exclaimed, a sad tone to her voice.
"You have not lost me" Hannibal replied, as the two shared a look, Alana's eyes flickering to Hannibal's lips for a moment.
Hannibal grit his teeth when he felt a hard kick to his shin a second later, almost causing him to stumble over. He pushed down the urge to glare down at Krissy, and simply gripped onto the kitchen counter. Alana frowned as she noticed the change in his expression, but Hannibal's arm was going around her waist a moment later before she could reply.
"Perhaps we should continue this conversation tonight? Over dinner?" Hannibal offered.
"Would you allow me to cook for you? Return the favour for such wonderful meals you've provided over the years?" Alana asked, as Hannibal ushered her slowly towards the door.
"I look forward to it" Hannibal smiled, opening the kitchen door for her.
Krissy peaked past the kitchen counter just in time to see Alana leaning forward to press a quick kiss to Hannibal's cheek, with a flirtatious smile, before leaving the room. As soon as Hannibal closed the door behind her, Krissy couldn't stop the huff that left her lips.
"I think I just threw up in my mouth" Krissy scoffed, as Hannibal turned to her.
"Would you have rather I had ripped her apart?" Hannibal retorted.
"Yes, actually. Why were you flirting with her?" Krissy pushed.
"Alana is an attractive, respected colleague of mine—" Hannibal began, but Krissy cut him off.
"Who was fawning over Will a few months ago" Krissy pointed out, as an amused grin grew on Hannibal's face.
"I'm starting to think you are jealous, Krissy" Hannibal mocked, using the same tone she had earlier.
"I couldn't care less who you fuck, Hannibal. Now, are you gonna' help me off the floor or what?" Krissy insisted, forcing the scandalised expression off her face.
With the amusement still on his face, Hannibal nodded before leaning down and placing his hand on Krissy's shoulder. In the blink of an eye, she had kicked out, hitting Hannibal in the knee, forcing him to his knees. A second later, she was grabbing Hannibal's arm that had been touching his shoulder, and gave it a hard tug, wrenching it behind his shoulder. With her free hand, she grabbed him by the nape of his neck and pushed his chest to the floor, her knee pressing against his back, incapacitating him.
"Don't shove me again" Krissy told him, referring to how he had thrown her to the floor when Alana arrived.
Suddenly, Hannibal used his other hand to propel himself up, throwing her knee away, as he was far stronger. With his free hand, he was able to grab Krissy by her hair, throwing her onto her back, as she lost her grip on his arm. Never the one to give up, she lunged forward to wrap her hand around his neck, just as he used his knee to press against her abdomen, pressing against where her scar was. Krissy couldn't stop the moan of pain that left her lips, as she felt the wound throb but refused to pull her hand away from the older man's neck. Hannibal's eyes darkened at the sound Krissy had made, forcing his knee further into her abdomen, a smirk playing at his lips.
"Stalemate" Hannibal murmured, as Krissy's thumb pushed against his windpipe.
"What are you two doing?" A voice announced, from the kitchen doorway, as Krissy's eyes snapped up.
Abigail was frowning at the pair, who were both sweaty at this point and breathing hard. Krissy reluctantly pulled her hand away from Hannibal's neck, feeling the pressure on her stomach lessen at the same time. She hadn't realised just how close they were to each other, now registering Hannibal's breath brushing against her cheek.
"I saw Doctor Bloom's car outside. How did she know about this place?" Abigail questioned, as Hannibal slowly pushed himself to his feet, dusting off his suit.
"I told her" Hannibal replied, simply.
Krissy gaped at him, a sudden realisation hitting her. Hannibal had wanted Alana to turn up at the house unannounced. He wanted to know what Krissy would do. He was curious.
"I should have kicked you in the balls" Krissy scoffed, using the kitchen counter to haul herself up, glaring at Hannibal as she stormed out of the kitchen.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Let the dangerous mind games begin...can Krissy ever really outwit Hannibal, we'll have to wait and see. We'll be seeing more from Will and Jack in the next update. Please leave a review:)
superfaraway: Aw, thank you:) I'm glad you're liking the story so far!
Kate: Thank you so much, it really means a lot when reader's think my characterisation works well:)