pte

asting a jagged shadow across his face. His hand hovered near the curtain as he peered through the narrow slit, scanni

resence dominated the room, her aura as palpable as the tension hanging in the air. She thumbe

one who doesn't belong here," Kieran s

you're awfully hostile for

dow, his jaw tightening. "

id of emotion. "But you would

und had miraculously healed, served as a grim reminder of just how much he now owed her. He hated the vulnerabilit

file is a mess," she muttered. "Scattered notes, incomplete re

et creaking faintly. "What were you expecting? T

comes to their work. These experiments... they're not just about control

ran repeated, hi

bleed, age, and die. Vampires, at least most of u

y anything about your kind," he said, thou

ead, she returned her attention to the documents. "The

ss several of the documents he'd stolen, but the implicati

igned to mimic vampire traits. Speed, strength, regeneration." She leaned back, her crimson eyes darken

him. He wanted to dismiss her words as paranoia, but deep down, he knew she was

, narrowing his eyes. "Why save me? Why care

said. "It's about control. The Dominion won't stop with us. Once they've perfected their experiments

n unease he couldn't ignore. "And yo

survivor," she said. "That's

lence. His head snapped toward the monitor on the desk, where a map of the city

red, his pulse quickeni

t, her movements fluid and p

an said, grabbi

d street. "They'll come from all sides," she said. "Stan

aled panel in the floor. He lifted it to reve

ed a brow.

complaints," Kie

lent. Kieran followed, the adrenaline coursing th

ran pulled a flashlight from his backpack, its beam cutting through the darknes

she asked, her voice ech

nel," Kieran replied. "It'

on't find us fir

n said, though he w

istant footsteps echoed behind them. Kieran's he

than I thought

her expression unreadable. "They'

ing I don't kno

ng slightly as if listening for something. Kieran opened his

sing sound, followed by a lo

ll is that?"

ssion darkene

ther, and another. Kieran's breath caught in his throat as a pack of feral, mut

aid, her voice

el, the sound of snarling and scraping claws echoing behind him. Elira

nnel, Kieran skidded to a halt,

a said withou

flashlight bouncing wildly as he ran. The snarling gre

pressed a hand against his chest, silencing his protests as the pack o

ved. Then Elira leaned closer, h

o trust me," she said,

ty of her gaze making his pulse ra

nto a faint, knowing