carded newspapers. Ahead, one of the few functioning streetlights siz
udden silence th
muffled
ght. It was the sound of pure terror, cut sh
topped
me flared to life. Her senses sharpened, the exha
ken suitcase into the deep shadow of a large
. She moved like a phantom, hugging the cold, damp brick
s, had a young woman with short, spiky hair pinned against the far wall. The leader, a burly man with a shaved head, was grinnin
he let a single word drop into
ea
dy, but it cut through the
e searched the shadows. He saw her then-a slender figure in a red dress, her
let go of the terrified woman, who sl
is eyes roaming over Nina's body. "Looks like it's our
arrogant confidence. The other two thugs flanked him,
d with wide, terrified eyes. A flicker of
ed out a grimy hand, aiming to
etreat. She m
ed it. Her right hand shot out and clamped around his wrist, not
pivo
der throw. For a moment, the two-hundred-pound man was airborne. He land
his throat. His arm was bent at
eir shock turned to rage. With synchronized movements, they pulled switchblades from their
that had fueled her was starting to fade. The body she inhabited was screaming i
ed, her hand flying out to brac
ss. They exchanged a look, and then they moved,
at her stomach. He was fast. Too fast for this
r. She knew it wouldn't be enough. The cold t
wi
of something small and fa
ed by a wet,
flown out of the darkness at the alley's entrance. It st
dropped his knife. He staggered backward, clutching
yes wide with terror, stari
pensive leather shoes stepping through the filth.
ged from t
ness around him. His presence was a physical force, a wave of cold, absolute authority
d to tremble. The knife suddenly felt very heavy in
r the scene. They passed over the groaning men on
gaze lande
ving as she leaned against the wall for support. And in the
ere
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