pte

Kieran stumbled, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he pressed a hand to his side. Blood seeped bet

rrived faster than anticipated, forcing him to abandon his team. Now,

darkness for any sign of pursuit. The Dominion wouldn't stop unti

the chill night air. Every muscle in his body screamed in p

heart leapt into his throat. He ducked into the shado

ed from the mist wasn

s a w

f the city. Her long black hair clung to her face, wet from the rain, and her piercing crimson eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. She

feet away, her gaz

pistol, his voice

ightly, her expression unreadable. "You're

his grip on the weapon, though he wasn't sure how much good

ts unnervingly fluid. "You'll bleed

laugh. "Why would a stranger wan

int smile. "Perhaps I dislike the

gh the air. His stomach dropped as he recognized the s

pushing off the wall a

een them in an instant. Before Kieran could react, she grabbed

are

she sai

wing louder. Kieran tried to pull away, but the woman's grip tighte

ved on. The drone's hum faded into the dista

looked up at the woman, her face inches from his. Her glow

e," she said,

still hovering near his hols

an eyebrow. "Obse

e. Flashlights danced in the darkness as Dominion soldi

's injured

ind racing. He was in no shape to fi

approaching soldiers, her exp

ran said, i

ked instinctively, but the woman didn't move. Bullets tore th

ld follow. One moment she was standing still, and the next she

er wrist, sending his rifle clattering to the ground. She grabbed another by th

iers hesitated, th

hem!" one of them shoute

a smile that was anything but

. They fled into the night, their retreat

fell silen

an, her glowing eyes narrowin

o process what he'd just witnessed. "You're

d," she s

he knew it was pointless. "Why ar

ressed by his hostility. "If I

how much se

ly. "You saved me. I gues

and what you're up against, mortal. The Dominion won't stop un

ned. "And you expec

said coolly. "You need me,

Dominion was relentless, and he couldn't survive on his own. But tea

. "But if you so much as l

e said with a faint s

began walking down the alley. "Come on," she c

er, his mistr

e asked as they moved

, her expression u

he said af

, her attention focu

shake the feeling that he'd just made a deal with th