ssed himself smaller, trying to shield the little boy huddled behind him. The boy, L

eel of his rifle scraping against a rusty oil drum. He barked somethin

grin, started toward them. He reached

y, shielding Leo with his body, and s

ly. He raised the butt of his rifle, aiming for Ethan's head

he world w

generator outside sputtered and died. Absolute, suffocating dark

ion, their voices sharp with alar

s quiet, like tearing fabric. A heavy body slu

ribs. Leo whimpered, and Ethan clamped a hand over the

rkness, swinging wildly. The lead trafficker was panicking no

was nothing. The moment the light moved on, a shadow d

ibly fast, clamped down on his wrist. A sickening crack echoed in

the small boy in front of him like a shield. H

in broken English. "Show yo

was female, cold as a tombstone, and

ch him,

t voice. Through the fear, a surge of impos

of the voice. Bullets sparked off a metal shippin

followed was even more terrifying. A faint

inting the flashlight bea

am like a panther, utterly silent. The light caught her eyes

ven process what he wa

ck the rifle from his hand. At the same time, her other hand shot out, twis

m gently toward Ethan, the entire seq

nd desperate, reached

s too

his neck. His eyes rolled back in his hea

-tie from her vest and, with practice

im, yellow light over the scene. Two bodies lay in pools of the

re-learning how to be gentle. She reached out and brushed a smudge of di

rough and laced with a tremor sh

ine inside Ethan broke. He launched himself into he

r of Wraith vanished, and in its place was just a sister, her entire body trembli