Mika's claws grazed my cheek, close enough that I could feel the wind from her swing. I jerked my head back just in time, staggering on unsteady legs, every muscle screaming at me to stop. My Flux barrier was cracked and dim, like a fractured shield barely holding together. I couldn’t keep this up.

Sia wasn’t faring any better. She was crouched a few feet away, one hand pressed against the floor to steady herself, her dagger trembling in her grip. Blood streaked her temple, her hair matted against her skin. Despite the damage, her eyes burned with determination. She was like a flame refusing to go out.

Mika stood between us, her predatory gaze flickering back and forth. There wasn’t a scratch on her beyond the thin, red line Sia had managed to land earlier. It wasn’t enough to slow her down. Nothing had been. Every step, every strike—her movements were too perfect. Too practiced. She wasn’t just good. She was centuries good.

I clenched my fists, wincing at the pain in my knuckles. My breaths came in ragged gasps, sharp and hot in my throat. We couldn’t win. Not like this.

“She’s toying with us,” Sia said, her voice low and bitter.

I shot a glance at her. “Yeah. But she won’t kill me.”

Sia’s gaze sharpened, as if reading between the lines.

“She’ll kill you, though,” I added grimly.

Sia swallowed but didn’t flinch. We both knew the stakes. Mika wouldn’t kill me because I was Conrad’s “interest,” whatever that meant. That protection didn’t extend to Sia. She was fair game.

Mika smirked, as though she’d overheard. “You two look like you’re breaking down. Tired, are we?” She tilted her head mockingly. “I can go all night. You? Not so much.”

She was right. Vampires didn’t get tired, not like we did. She’d outlast us, and if we kept throwing ourselves at her like this, she’d tear us apart just for the fun of it.

“We need a plan,” I whispered, keeping my voice low enough so Mika wouldn’t hear.

I reached out to Sia with the Flux wavelength, sending a burst of intention, an unspoken message through the energy we both shared. A plan. She blinked once, understanding instantly. That’s how things worked between us—we didn’t need words.

I’ll hold her. I let the thought pulse through the Flux, sharp and steady.

For how long? Sia sent back, her eyes wary.

Three minutes.

Her doubt hit me like a wave through the Flux, but I nodded, reinforcing the promise. Three minutes, Sia. You make it to the server room. Call Lawrence.

She hesitated, her mouth pressing into a thin line. She knew what I was asking. I’d buy her time, whatever it cost.

“You sure about this?” she asked quietly, her fingers twitching around her dagger.

“It’s the only shot we’ve got,” I replied.

Mika’s gaze narrowed as she took in our silence. “What are you two whispering about?” she taunted. “Another little trick? It won’t work.”

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“Let’s find out,” I said, raising my Flux energy just enough to catch her attention. I needed her focused on me now.

Mika’s grin widened, predatory and sharp. “Oh, you want my attention? You’ve got it.”

She lunged at me in a blur. I ducked, her claws slicing through the air just inches above my head. I twisted, driving a Flux-covered fist toward her ribs. She deflected it easily, catching my arm and hurling me into the wall. My back slammed into the concrete, a jolt of pain ripping through me.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stand. “That all you’ve got?”

She didn’t respond—she was already coming for me again. I knew I couldn’t stop her, not really. All I could do was slow her down, hold her off long enough for Sia to reach the server room. I glanced toward her, just for a second, and saw her darting to the side, slipping past Mika’s line of sight. She was fast, her Flux-enhanced speed letting her move like a shadow along the wall.

Three minutes. That was all I had to give her.

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Down below, Conrad leaned back in his chair, watching the fight through a monitor with a calm expression. Elijah stood beside him, arms crossed, his brow furrowed.

“She’s playing with them,” Elijah said, his voice low. “You sure this is a good idea?”

Conrad tilted his head, thoughtful. “Mika knows what she’s doing. She won’t anger me by killing Kyon. That would be... unwise.”

“And the girl?”

Conrad shrugged. “If Sia dies, it won’t matter much. Kyon will disappear into grief and rage, and that loss might even make him stronger. He’ll tap into his vampire instincts sooner or later. Fighting a vampire as old as Mika? That kind of pain might just be the push he needs.”

Elijah frowned. “You’re gambling.”

Conrad smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on the screen. “I always win my gambles, Elijah.”

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Back in the hallway, I was barely holding on. Mika was relentless. She came at me again and again, a whirlwind of claws and fangs. My Flux barrier flickered dangerously, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface with each hit.

“Still standing?” Mika taunted, a glimmer of respect in her voice. “You’re tougher than you look.”

“I get that a lot,” I muttered, spitting blood to the side.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Sia reach the end of the hall, her hand fumbling for the server room door. Almost there. Just a little longer.

Mika’s claws lashed out, slicing across my arm. I hissed in pain, staggering back. She was starting to lose patience—I could see it in her eyes. She was done playing.

I braced myself. “Come on, Mika. I thought you liked a challenge.”

Her smirk returned. “Fine. Let’s end this.”

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Outside the Helios Hotel, a van sat parked in the shadows. The interior glowed with the light of multiple screens, lines of code streaming across them. The hunter hacker leaned back in his seat, tapping the keyboard rapidly.

“Got ‘em,” he said, his voice tight with excitement. “Pinpointed their location. They’re near the server room.”

The leader of the hunters, a man with a scar bisecting his face, nodded sharply. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. I hacked the burner phone from earlier, and there’s another phone nearby with spyware installed. I’ve been listening in for the last five minutes. The girl’s trying to make a call from the server room. They’re boxed in.”

Another hunter, a woman with military precision in her movements, adjusted her rifle. “What about the vampire inside? She’s strong. Really strong.”

The leader’s face remained impassive. “Mika will handle herself. We’re going in for the anomaly. Kyon.”

“And the girl?”

“She’s expendable.”

The hacker smirked. “They won’t see us coming. I’ve got all their communications tapped. This is a clean hit.”

The leader checked his watch, then looked toward the hotel with a cold gleam in his eyes. “Get ready. We breach in five.”

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Back inside, I felt my knees buckle as Mika’s next blow landed square against my chest, sending me sprawling to the floor. My vision swam, my limbs trembling with exhaustion.

Three minutes, I thought. That’s all I promised.

The sound of a door clicking open cut through the haze. I looked up just in time to see Sia slip into the server room, her face set in grim determination. Relief flooded me.

Mika’s eyes narrowed as she noticed. “Clever little distraction,” she growled.

I grinned through the pain, blood dripping from my lip. “Took you long enough to figure it out.”

Her expression darkened, and she stepped toward me, claws raised. “Now you’re going to pay for it.”

I didn’t move. My body was spent. But as Mika loomed over me, I knew one thing: I’d done my part.

Now it was up to Sia.

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