Ethan dropped from the window in a clean arc, the rain tearing past his face.
For a split second in the air, he adjusted—telekinesis flaring just enough to soften the fall. He twisted his body, coat snapping, boots angling for a perfect landing. To anyone watching, it looked effortless. Controlled. Almost elegant.
He hit the ground smoothly.
Too smoothly.
That fraction of confidence—that half-second where he assumed he was already clear—was all Selene needed.
She shifted her weight, braced a hand against his shoulder, and snapped her legs up. Momentum did the rest. Her thighs hooked around his head, her hips twisted sharply, and she dropped backward with him.
The princess carry collapsed into a takedown.
Ethan's balance vanished. The world spun once—hard—and then he slammed onto his back, Selene rolling through the motion with brutal precision.
Her legs locked tight, trapping his head between them, leverage perfect, pressure immediate.
A head-scissors takedown.
Selene tightened her grip, eyes hard as steel.
"Tell me what you are."
She didn't believe him for a second. Vampires didn't have eyes like his—she would know. She was one.
Ethan didn't seem bothered by his position at all. If anything, he looked irritatingly comfortable.
"I did tell you," he said calmly. "A vampire. Just… stronger than your kind."
Behind them, Michael hit the floor with a startled shout. He scrambled back, then slowly lifted his head—and froze when he actually processed what he was seeing.
"Uh…" he said weakly. "You two… seem busy. I'm just gonna—"
He took a step.
Ethan didn't even look at him. "And where do you think you're going?"
Michael yelped as his feet left the ground, his body snapping upright and hanging there like he'd been caught on an invisible hook.
"Okay—okay! Bad idea!"
A deep roar echoed through the apartment.
Then another.
And another.
Ethan sighed, glancing at Selene.
"Not to interrupt," he said mildly, still far too relaxed, "but more of them just showed up."
"And while I'm really enjoying this position—" a brief, unapologetic smirk, "—can we relocate? Preferably in a car."
Selene's head snapped up. She could hear it now—more howls, closer, echoing across rooftops. Too many.
If they got boxed in, their escape would be a nightmare.
She released him, stood in one sharp motion, then grabbed Ethan by the collar and yanked him close—barely an inch between their faces.
Ethan blinked. "Uh—look, I know I'm handsome, but the enemies are literally—"
"Follow me," Selene cut in.
"Gladly."
They moved fast.
Selene vaulted into the car first, sliding into the driver's seat. Ethan dropped in beside her without breaking stride and flicked his hand—Michael was yanked off the pavement and thrown unceremoniously into the backseat with a shout.
"Seatbelts?" Ethan offered.
Selene floored it.
The car screamed forward just as claws scraped where it had been. In the mirrors, shapes burst into motion—Lycans running along walls, leaping between buildings, keeping pace with impossible speed. Roars rolled over the engine noise.
"Why are the Lycans after him?" Selene asked, eyes flicking between the road and the mirrors.
"That's a long story," Ethan said, calm despite the chaos. "Short version? If they get him, it's bad. For vampires. Very bad."
The car swerved as something slammed onto the roof.
Michael screamed.
A Lycan leapt down from above, smashed through the rear window, and reached inside, claws inches from Michael's face. Glass rained everywhere as Michael scrambled back, trapped.
Ethan didn't hesitate.
He kicked the door open as the car sped along, half his body hanging out into open air. Red lightning flared around his fist.
He punched.
The blow caught the Lycan square in the face. Bone cracked. The creature reeled, stunned, fur standing on end as it lost its grip and vanished into the street below.
"Problem solved."
"Watch out!" Selene shouted.
Headlights flooded the windshield.
A truck roared straight at them, horn screaming. Selene wrenched the wheel hard. The car fishtailed—tires shrieking—just as Ethan threw himself fully inside.
Too late for the door.
The truck clipped it with a brutal SCREEECH of metal. Sparks exploded. The door was ripped clean off, spinning away into the night like shrapnel.
Rain and wind tore into the cabin.
Ethan glanced at the empty space beside him, then at Selene.
"…Timing," he said, dry as ever.
"What the hell is happening?" Michael finally snapped, voice breaking as panic caught up with him. "Who are you people? What are those monsters? Why are they after me?"
Ethan glanced at him through the rain-smeared mirror. "Short version? Vampires and werewolves are real." He shrugged. "And you—unfortunately—are the holy grail for the werewolves. Whatever you are, they want it. Badly. And they won't stop."
Michael stared at him, breathing hard. "I don't care. Just—just take me to a police station."
Ethan let out a humorless huff. "Yeah. About that." He tilted his head. "The police? Especially homicide? Heavily compromised. You walk in there and you're basically ringing a dinner bell for the wolves."
Michael went pale. "So you're saying I can't trust anyone?"
"I'm saying," Ethan replied calmly, "that right now, staying alive means not trusting the obvious choices."
Almost on cue, sirens wailed behind them.
Red and blue lights flooded the street, bouncing off wet asphalt. A patrol car surged up fast—too fast—and then the unmistakable crack of gunfire tore through the rain.
Bullets slammed into the trunk.
Michael yelped, ducking instinctively. "They're shooting at us!"
"So," Ethan added, almost conversational, "you still want to surrender?"
*****
A/N: The Patreon version is already updated to Chapter 115, so if you'd like to read ahead of the public release schedule, you can join my Patreon
👉 patreon.com/JamesA211