upward. In that same instant, she heard the terrible scream of wood ripping away from the door hinges. She couldn't remember exactly how she made it through the window. But in seconds, she found herself lying on the ground. Already soaked from the rain, she scrambled to her feet.
She couldn't see the blood soaking the sleeve of her sweater, but she knew what she was feeling wasn't rain. It was too sticky. The ugly memory of Charlie's blood coating her fingers rose to the surface. Brutally, she tossed the thought aside. There wasn't time to dwell on the past if she was going to survive the night. As fast as she could, she ran toward the back of the garden. A stone bit into the bottom of her foot. In the back of her mind, she screamed angrily at herself for removing her shoes. Lightning filled the sky again, and without thinking, she glanced over her shoulder.
The sight of a figure leaping out of the office window nearly stopped her heart. Survival mode sent her bolting past the garden gate into the alley. There were dozens of places in the narrow lane where she could hide. Better yet, maybe one of her neighbors had forgotten to lock the entrance to their backyard.
Emma tried the first gate she came to. Locked. Racing onward, she grabbed the next gate with her good hand and shook the iron scrolled barrier wildly. It didn't budge. Enough with thinking she'd find refuge in someone else's garden. She needed to just run. If she made it to the street, she stood a better chance of someone passing by who could help her.
Pain lashed at her soles as she charged forward along the road's gravel surface. She had almost reached the side street when she stumbled over a small hole. Her foot twisted out from underneath her, and she pitched forward. Without thinking, her hands stretched out in front of her in an instinctive reaction to save herself.
Gravel bit into the cut on her hand, and she struggled not to faint as her stomach heaved with a sickening lurch at the intense pain. In the back of her mind, a part of her found it odd that she hadn't screamed. For a moment, she lay there as her body sent wave after wave of nausea pouring over her. Then the honk of a horn out in the street pulled her back to her senses. Panic sent her clambering to her feet, and she tried to run. Her ankle almost gave way beneath her.
Crying in earnest now, Emma dragged in deep breaths of air as she staggered forward in an attempt to put as much distance between her and the man chasing her. She'd passed at least three houses when she heard him behind her. Unable to stop herself, she looked over her shoulder. Lightning lit up the world around her, and with a scream, she sank to her knees in defeat.
Thunder drowned out her shout of terror as she watched her relentless pursuer stride toward her. His dark cloak streaming out behind him, the man epitomized everything her childhood had taught her about the angel of death. Rain glistened on a sword he carried out to the side of him. This was the man the locals had described leaving the scene of Charlie's murder. Oh God, she was going to die just like her parents and Charlie. The man would slit her throat, and she didn't even know why.
Chapter 6
ONE hand rubbing his chin, Ares watched Emma wave goodbye to her friend before disappearing back into the house. Beside him, Phae made a soft sound. His gaze flicking in her direction, he frowned.
"What?"
"I'm sensing something." She leaned forward to study the man as he walked around to the driver's side of the car. With a slight shrug, she shook her head. "No, I guess not."
"You're certain?"
Frowning, he sent her a sharp look. While there were a few Sicari women with telekinetic
She couldn't see the blood soaking the sleeve of her sweater, but she knew what she was feeling wasn't rain. It was too sticky. The ugly memory of Charlie's blood coating her fingers rose to the surface. Brutally, she tossed the thought aside. There wasn't time to dwell on the past if she was going to survive the night. As fast as she could, she ran toward the back of the garden. A stone bit into the bottom of her foot. In the back of her mind, she screamed angrily at herself for removing her shoes. Lightning filled the sky again, and without thinking, she glanced over her shoulder.
The sight of a figure leaping out of the office window nearly stopped her heart. Survival mode sent her bolting past the garden gate into the alley. There were dozens of places in the narrow lane where she could hide. Better yet, maybe one of her neighbors had forgotten to lock the entrance to their backyard.
Emma tried the first gate she came to. Locked. Racing onward, she grabbed the next gate with her good hand and shook the iron scrolled barrier wildly. It didn't budge. Enough with thinking she'd find refuge in someone else's garden. She needed to just run. If she made it to the street, she stood a better chance of someone passing by who could help her.
Pain lashed at her soles as she charged forward along the road's gravel surface. She had almost reached the side street when she stumbled over a small hole. Her foot twisted out from underneath her, and she pitched forward. Without thinking, her hands stretched out in front of her in an instinctive reaction to save herself.
Gravel bit into the cut on her hand, and she struggled not to faint as her stomach heaved with a sickening lurch at the intense pain. In the back of her mind, a part of her found it odd that she hadn't screamed. For a moment, she lay there as her body sent wave after wave of nausea pouring over her. Then the honk of a horn out in the street pulled her back to her senses. Panic sent her clambering to her feet, and she tried to run. Her ankle almost gave way beneath her.
Crying in earnest now, Emma dragged in deep breaths of air as she staggered forward in an attempt to put as much distance between her and the man chasing her. She'd passed at least three houses when she heard him behind her. Unable to stop herself, she looked over her shoulder. Lightning lit up the world around her, and with a scream, she sank to her knees in defeat.
Thunder drowned out her shout of terror as she watched her relentless pursuer stride toward her. His dark cloak streaming out behind him, the man epitomized everything her childhood had taught her about the angel of death. Rain glistened on a sword he carried out to the side of him. This was the man the locals had described leaving the scene of Charlie's murder. Oh God, she was going to die just like her parents and Charlie. The man would slit her throat, and she didn't even know why.
Chapter 6
ONE hand rubbing his chin, Ares watched Emma wave goodbye to her friend before disappearing back into the house. Beside him, Phae made a soft sound. His gaze flicking in her direction, he frowned.
"What?"
"I'm sensing something." She leaned forward to study the man as he walked around to the driver's side of the car. With a slight shrug, she shook her head. "No, I guess not."
"You're certain?"
Frowning, he sent her a sharp look. While there were a few Sicari women with telekinetic
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