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Julian found whatever remained of his strength and wrapped it around Leah in a comforting mental embrace.Not anymore. They won’t own you.

Considering I’m locked up and you’re in chains downstairs, that’s yet to be determined.

We’ll get out of here. I promise.

It was as if his words summoned them.

Alarms rang, sharp and piercing, the noise loud even on her floor.

Leah’s eyes snapped open.

Did you do that?

They weren’t supposed to trip the alarm. Where are you?

On the second floor.

Stay there.

No, I’ll meet you in the front.

Leah!The snarly Julian was back, but she ignored him, jumped off the bed, and ran to the door.

Banging her fists on the door, she yelled, “Hey! What’s going on?”

No response. “Hey! Are you there?”

Again, silence.

Stay where you are.

Leah ignored Julian’s growl and screamed for the Hunter guard again. But there was no response.

She jiggled the lock. No luck.

Julian’s presence quieted in her mind, as though he was distracted. Leah logged into the computer system and threw a towel over the desk. Then she stood on the bed on tiptoes and flicked on the lighter under the metal sprinkler. For a second, she worried if Dmitri was still watching her, but she couldn’t just sit in her room and do nothing.

Come on, come on, come on!

With a hiss, water spewed out of the sprinklers.

Leah winced as the shrill fire alarm overtook the alarm from the hallway. She ducked under the towel and called security, whispering under her breath, “Pick up! Pick up!”

“What? What is it?” A harried man, with his black air plastered against his head, popped up on the screen.

“The fire alarm! Please, let me out! I’m trapped,” she cried, letting the tears fall.

“You’re locked in? Where are you?” There were shouts and sounds of running feet in the background. The man glanced back, fear evident on his features.

Leah released a loud sob. “I don’t know. In one of the rooms upstairs.” More pitiful sobs. “My guard left me to die. I don’t want to die. Please help me!”

“Okay. Okay, just hold on.”

The man pounded his keyboard while Leah cried her heart out until she heard the lock click.

“There. You can leave now.”

“Thank… thank you…”