hes from hers, his eyes h

ic. Her mind was

ply, and she slipped her body sideways, sliding out fr

space. His chin smashed violently a

p cry of pain, st

und. He swung his right arm in a wide, clums

ew toward her,

the strike with force. H

g the outside of his incoming wrist to redirect the momentum. Simulta

entire body weight backward, hangin

pulled Kristopher off ba

hooked her right foot sharply behind his ankle and twisted her hips, sweeping his leg out f

n the dark. Kristopher's

nees in the wet mud

upport that kind of explosive movement. Instead, as he fell forward, she slipped behind him, using her legs to hook around his waist for a desperate anchor. She did

rather than muscle to lock the choke. Her own shoulders s

ouldn't comprehend what was happening. The weak,

fingernails clawing at her

a squ

angle, pressing the hard bones of her forearm in

off the blood fl

p, mottled purple. A wet, gurg

irt, kicking his legs, sending

pression was completely blank. She felt his frantic pulse hamm

ee. She count

hands dropped from her arms,

even.

head. His body went completely

-second mark, Alissa

d herself backward, landing ligh

ed face-first into

convulsed. He rolled onto his side, coughing violently,

ng a mouthful of s

ing him. Her breathing was slightly

ked up at her, clutching his bruised throat. His eyes were wi

agony, and the lack of oxygen made his head spin.

pocket and pulled out th

faint moonlight caug

op button. The sound was

d at the box, hi

The machine buzzed an

he pres

eaker crack

to take care of you... Onl

ping with predatory intent,

shut and do exactly what I say

s face. He looked like a corpse. The reality

as r