Page 21

TWENTY-ONE

Blaze

As the night wears on, Ember finally drifts off to sleep, her head coming to rest on my shoulder. I sit there, perfectly still, listening to her steady breathing and feeling more at peace than I have in years.

But peace, I’ve learned, is fleeting.

A sudden noise from outside snaps me to attention. I ease Ember off my shoulder, lowering her gently onto the sofa. Drawing my weapon, I move silently toward the window.

The street outside is quiet, too quiet. No traffic, no pedestrians. No police guarding the outside of the townhouse. There’s just a stillness that sets my nerves on edge.

Then I see it—a flash of movement in the shadows across the street. My blood runs cold as I realize what’s happening.

We’re compromised.

“We need to move. Now.” I quickly shake Ember awake.

“What’s happening?” Her eyes fly open, instantly alert.

“Get down behind the sofa. Stay low and don’t move unless I tell you to.”

Ember nods, fear and determination warring in her eyes. She slides off the sofa, pressing herself against the floor.

I position myself near the front door, my back to the wall, weapon at the ready. My heart pounds in my chest, but my hands are rock steady. Years of training kick in, leaving only cold focus.

The front door explodes inward, wood splintering as two figures burst through. The crash echoes through the room, followed by the tinkling of broken glass.

I don’t hesitate.

My first shot catches the lead attacker in the shoulder, spinning him around. A second man, lean and wiry, ducks and returns fire.

I drop and roll, bullets whizzing overhead, the sound deafening in the enclosed space. The harsh smell of gunpowder fills the air.

A crash shatters the night’s silence. Glass shards litter the floor as dark figures pour through the windows. The cool night air rushes in, carrying the scent of the city—exhaust fumes and damp asphalt.

My weapon’s up before I can think. Muscle memory takes over.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Three shots. Three bodies hit the floor. More keep coming.

“Find the girl,” a gruff voice barks.

Aria?

Or Ember?

Ice floods my veins. Not on my watch.

Two more men burst through the front door. I pivot, squeezing the trigger.

Click .

Empty.

“Shit.”

No time to reload. I stow my weapon. My fists come up as the first attacker reaches me. He’s tall and lean, with a scar across his left cheek.

Block. Counter. Punch.

My fist connects with his jaw. Bone crunches under my knuckles, the impact jarring up my arm. The second man, stockier with a shaved head, circles, a knife glinting in the dim light.

“Just hand her over, hero. Make it easy on yourself.”

“Go to hell,” I snarl, launching myself at him.

We crash into the coffee table. Wood splinters. Pain explodes in my back. Sharp edges dig into my flesh.

His knife comes down. I roll, feeling it slice the air where my throat had been. The blade whistles past my ear, the breeze of its passage brushing against my skin.

My training kicks in. Grab the wrist. Twist. The knife clatters to the floor, echoing in the chaos.

Elbow to the face. Once. Twice.

He goes limp, blood spurting from his broken nose, warm and sticky on my skin.

Movement behind me. I spin, barely blocking a punch aimed at my kidney. It’s a third attacker, massive and tattooed.

This one’s big. Ex-military. His fist grazes my cheek. Stars explode in my vision, the taste of copper flooding my mouth.

We trade blows. Each impact jarring. The air fills with grunts and the dull thuds of flesh on flesh.

He’s good, but I’m better, and I’m fighting for more than myself.

I feint left, then drive my knee up. It connects with his solar plexus. He doubles over, gasping for air, his breath hot on my neck.

Finish it. Clasped hands come down on the back of his neck. Chop. He crumples to the floor with a heavy thud.

“Behind you!” Ember’s scream cuts through the chaos, high-pitched and terrified.

I whirl. Two assailants drag Ember toward the back door. One’s tall and lanky, the other short but muscular. Ember fights like a wildcat, her nails leaving bloody trails on the tall one’s arms.

Girl’s got grit.

I lunge, but strong arms wrap around me from behind. It’s the man with the scar—the one I thought I knocked out.

“Not so fast, tough guy.” He wheezes and tightens his hold. His breath is hot on my ear, reeking of stale cigarettes.

I struggle, watching helplessly as Ember is dragged away. Her eyes lock with mine, wide with terror. The fear in her gaze ignites something primal, buried deep within me.

My pulse roars past my ears, and suddenly, the world narrows to her, and the threat taking her away. Every instinct to protect and fight surges to the surface, obliterating reason.

The leash on my restraint snaps.

I drive my head back, feeling the crunch of his nose. Warm blood splatters the back of my neck. His grip loosens.

I spin, unleashing a flurry of blows. Each punch fueled by rage. Bones crack under my fists. He goes down for good this time, but I’m already moving.

A scream from the kitchen. Ember.

I sprint toward the sound, rounding the corner to see two men. One has Ember, his arm around her waist, a knife at her throat. The other man turns toward me, a wicked-looking blade in his hand.

Time slows. I catalog the scene in fragments. Ember’s wide, terrified eyes, green as sea glass. The glint of steel under the harsh kitchen lights. The triumphant sneer on the approaching man’s face, a gold tooth glinting.

Then, movement. Ember’s hand darts out, snatching something from the kitchen counter. There’s a deafening crack, and the man holding her crumples.

The last attacker hesitates, surprised. It’s the opening I need. I close the distance in two strides, my knife finding his heart with brutal efficiency. He lets out a wet gasp, eyes wide with shock, before sliding to the floor.

Silence falls, broken only by our ragged breathing. Ember stands there, her whole body trembling.

“Ember,” I say softly, approaching her like I would a spooked animal. “Are you okay?”

She lets out a choked sob. The rolling pin clatters to the floor. I pull her into my arms, feeling her shake against me. Her heart hammers against my chest, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

“You did good,” I murmur into her hair, breathing in the scent of her—lavender and adrenaline. “You did so good. But we need to move. There’ll be more coming.”

Ember nods against my chest, pulling back to meet my eyes. The fear is still there, but underneath it, a steel core.

“Where to?”

“Anywhere but here.” I’m already moving toward the back door. “Fast and far. Don’t stop for anything.” Except I grab my gear with my spare magazines. “This way.” I reach for Ember’s hand.

She pulls back.

“Wait.” In a flash, she darts back into the master suite.

I haven’t cleared that room.

“Ember.” Panic claws at my throat.

She reappears seconds later, old sneakers in hand. “Can’t run barefoot in the city.” She shoves her feet into the worn shoes.

Smart girl. I forget sometimes she knows these streets better than I do.

We burst out into the night, the cool air a shock after the heated chaos of the fight. I grab Ember’s hand and take off down the street, leaving the safe house and the bodies behind.

As we race through the darkened streets, my mind whirls. How did they find us? Who betrayed us?

But those are questions for later.

Right now, putting as much distance between us and our pursuers as possible is all that matters.

Ember keeps pace beside me, her hand gripping mine like a lifeline. We’re too exposed.

A car engine roars behind us. Headlights flare to life, sweeping across the street. More men. The vehicle lurches forward, tires screeching against asphalt.

The headlights grow brighter. They spot us as we sprint toward a narrow alley.

The pungent stench of urine and rotting garbage assaults us as we plunge into the darkness. Behind us, tires squeal. They’re trying to run us down.

We race down the alley. My boots pound the pavement. Ember’s sneakers slap beside me. The alley ends in a high chain-link fence—no time to find another route.

“Up and over,” I grunt, lacing my fingers together to boost Ember.

She steps into my hands like she’s done this before, and I heave her upward. She scrambles over the top with surprising agility.

Headlights flood the alley, blinding me. Car doors open. Footsteps approach.

“Shit.” I draw my weapon, squinting against the glare. Three silhouettes emerge from the light. I fire twice, aiming low. A cry of pain tells me I’ve hit at least one.

No time to finish this. I holster my weapon and leap for the fence. The chain-link rattles as I climb.

A bullet pings off the metal near my head. I throw myself over the top, landing hard on the other side.

“Come. I know where to go.” Ember pulls me to my feet.

I follow her lead, trusting her street smarts. We weave through a maze of alleys and side streets, the sounds of pursuit never quite fading.

Ember darts into a narrow passageway between two crumbling tenements. The stench of garbage and stale urine assaults my nostrils. Rats scatter as we pass, their eyes gleaming in the dim light.

“Watch your step,” Ember whispers, navigating the debris-strewn ground with practiced ease.

We emerge onto a street lined with shuttered storefronts, their metal grates covered in graffiti. The neon sign of a 24-hour pawn shop casts an eerie blue glow.

Footsteps echo behind us. I spin, catching a glimpse of one pursuer rounding the corner. Without hesitation, I draw my weapon and fire. The shot rings out, deafening in the quiet street. The man drops, clutching his leg.

“This way.” Ember tugs my arm, leading me down a set of stairs into the bowels of the subway.

Fluorescent lights flicker overhead as we race through the deserted station. Our footsteps echo off the tiled walls. A train rumbles in the distance.

“Two more,” I pant, hearing the remaining pursuers clattering down the stairs behind us.

Ember vaults over a turnstile. I follow, my larger frame making the move less graceful. We sprint down the platform past bewildered late-night travelers and jump onto the tracks. Without breaking stride, Ember leads me into darkness.

We run for a few minutes when, in the distance, a train roars toward us. Ember hesitates, then shakes her head.

“Too risky. Up here.”

She leads me up a maintenance ladder, emerging onto the street level. We’re in a different part of the city now; the streets are narrower, and the buildings press in on all sides.

A shout from behind.

They followed us.

How?

I turn, seeing one man gaining ground rapidly. He’s built like a linebacker, all muscle and aggression.

I push Ember ahead. “Keep going. I’ll handle this.”

I sidestep as the man reaches me, using his momentum against me. My knife finds his ribs, sliding between them with practiced precision. He goes down with a gurgle, eyes wide with shock, but dead before he hits the pavement.

I catch up to Ember, who pauses at the entrance of what looks like an abandoned warehouse.

“In here.” She slips through a gap in the rusted doors.

The air is thick with dust and the musty smell of long-abandoned spaces. Moonlight filters through broken windows, casting strange shadows.

“Almost there,” Ember whispers, leading me toward a back corner.

The last pursuer bursts in, gun raised. I react on instinct, diving behind a stack of rotting crates. His shot goes wide, splintering wood near my head.

I peek out, getting a fix on his position. He’s moving cautiously, trying to flank us.

Amateur.

I wait until he passes my hiding spot, then strike. My arm wraps around his throat, cutting off his air. He struggles, but I’ve got leverage on my side. Slowly, his movements weaken. Finally, he goes limp in my arms.

Silence falls, broken only by our heavy breathing.

“Ember?” I call softly.

“Here.” She emerges from the shadows, eyes wide but determined. “You okay?”

I nod, the adrenaline slowly ebbing. “Yeah. You?”

“I’m good.” She glances at the unconscious man at my feet. “What now?”

I take a deep breath, scanning our surroundings. “Find somewhere safe to regroup. Got any more tricks up your sleeve?”

A small smile tugs at Ember’s lips. “Maybe one or two. Follow me.”

We slip out of the warehouse and into the city. The hunt is on, and we’re the prey, but Ember’s street savvy, paired with my tactical skills, gives us a fighting chance.