Together we tugged. The hatch, like the elevator doors, resisted a moment, then opened with a rusty screech that made my teeth vibrate. I poked my head through the opening, shining the flashlight around, then pulled back with a nod.

“Clear.”

We dropped into the elevator box, Ava landing as lightly as a cat. The doors were partially open, and I could see an empty hall beyond, dark and silent for now.

“First floor,” Ava whispered, gazing at the brass number in the door frame. She sounded relieved. “We’re almost out.”

“Not quite.” I eased into the hall, gazing around warily. “The doors will be guarded for sure, and there’s no telling how many snipers they’ve got watching the exits. And of course, that damn chopper will be circling around, making things difficult.”

“So we can’t go through the doors.” Ava followed me, pragmatic and as cool as ever. “How will we get out, then?”

“Easy.” I grinned at her. “We use a window.”

Voices echoed down another hallway, making us both tense. A moment later, the sound of boots started toward us, marching ominously closer. I switched off the flashlight, and we ran.

Ducking into an office, Ava closed and locked the door while I raced to the window and peered cautiously through the glass. The empty construction zone stretched away into the black, but past the barren lot I could see the lights of civilization in the distance, tantalizingly close. Question was, could we get across that flat, open plain without taking a bullet to the forehead?

“Cobalt!” Ava hurried to my side, her voice a warning growl. “They’re coming.”

Shit. Out of time. “Stand back,” I told her, and grabbed an abandoned fire extinguisher from the floor. Raising it over my head, I smashed it against the window, feeling the impact jar my teeth together. Cracks appeared on the first hit, spread out on the second, and on the third, the glass finally shattered. I bashed the window a few times more, making a large enough hole, then threw the extinguisher down and beckoned to Ava. “Go!”

A heavy blow rattled the door behind us. Ava sprinted three steps and dived gracefully through the glass, then rolled to her feet like an acrobat. I followed, hunching my shoulders as I plunged through, feeling shards catch on my leather jacket. But then I was on the other side, scrambling upright, and we were running across the empty lot, hearing shots fired as we fled into the concealing night. Nothing hit us, but we didn’t stop running until we reached the edge of the pavement, scrambled over the fence and darted across an empty street. Into the safety of civilization and away from the Order at last.

Taking refuge behind an auto-repair shop, I slumped against the brick wall, sucking in deep, gasping breaths while I waited for my heart to slow down. Ava leaned beside me, head back, silver hair spilling over her shoulders.

Damn, we made it. Edging to the corner of the building, I peered back at the hotel, making sure we weren’t being followed. Past the streetlights and the fence, I could just make out the helicopter, still circling the empty lot, and smiled grimly. Still a lucky SOB. Now, if only Ember and the others made it out.

“Okay,” I muttered, hearing Ava step up behind me. “Looks like we’re in the clear. We’ll lie low for a bit, see if the others got out okay. If we don’t hear from them in ten minutes, you go on to the hotel. I might have to go back for Ember and Faith.”

“No, Cobalt,” Ava said, her voice low and grave. “I don’t think you will.”

There was a sharp pain in the side of my neck, like a hornet’s sting, hot and piercing. Alarmed, I started to turn, but the ground swayed, tilted beneath me, and everything went dark.

Cobalt

Twelve years ago

The door swung open without a sound, and the figure in black eased into the room. On noiseless feet, it stole over the carpet, the long, straight knife glimmering in the shadows as it drew alongside the bed. The lump beneath the covers didn’t stir, as a slender gloved hand reached down to grasp the corner of the quilt. In one smooth motion, the shadow flung back the covers and plunged the knife into what lay beneath.

The pillow gave a muffled thump as the blade stabbed into it, but otherwise made no sound.

“Nice try.”

The assassin spun, raising her knife as I stepped out of the closet, my pistol already trained on her. She froze at the sight of the gun, and I gave a sad smile.

“Hello, Stealth,” I greeted softly, moving around the other side of bed, keeping a large obstacle between us. It would at least slow her down if she decided to lunge. She watched me with dark, impassive eyes, and a lump caught in my throat. “I knew Talon had to send someone eventually,” I said, my voice tight. “I wish it didn’t have to be you.”

The Viper continued to regard me without expression. I stayed where I was, every ounce of my attention focused on the other dragon. I could not let it waver, even for a millisecond. Because that was how long it would take the Viper to leap across the bed and put a knife in my throat.

Stealth blinked, seemingly unconcerned with the gun pointed in her direction. She was lithe and slender, and the black Viper suit looked like a spill of ink across her skin. Straight black hair had been pulled into a tail, and her pale, slightly rounded face seemed to float in the darkness of the room. “They were going to send Lilith,” she stated quietly, making my skin crawl at the name. “I convinced them that it should be me. It’s the least I could do…for old time’s sake.”