"You're not very scared, are you?" The man, exuding a cold, menacing aura, stood before Allison. She didn't flinch, though her right hand subtly curled, revealing years of honed strength. It had been a long time since she'd felt this life-or-death tension; the calm of her recent life had almost erased the memory.
Outside, rapidly approaching footsteps pitter-pattered. A voice shouted, "Find him! We used Sombra's last—that could knock out an entire squad. He won't get far. Move, before dawn!"
Allison's mind raced. He was high. As the footsteps faded, the gun pressed against his side began to shake; his grip weakened by the second.
"I'm not in the habit of interfering," he said, his voice firm despite the gun digging into his waist. "I'll act as if I saw nothing tonight. And if you don’t want that wound to fester, you’d better get to a hospital soon."
Though the darkness obscured his vision, his keen senses detected the sharp metallic tang of blood. His voice, though tense, remained icy. "Keep talking, and you won't live to regret it." His words, rough, deep, and magnetic, were frayed at the edges, the drug's effects evident in the slight tremor in his voice.
Allison smiled. "Of course I do."
His fingers clenched into a fist. Kellan, meanwhile, fought the fire coursing through his veins. Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled for breath. From Allison's position, only a sliver of Kellan's neck was visible—pale and delicate, seeming almost breakable. Yet, she stood calmly, almost commandingly, even smiling.
The drug was stronger than he'd anticipated. His vision blurred, but the pungent scent of plum briefly cleared his mind. That was all the opening Allison needed.
Crack! In an instant, he'd driven his elbow into her ribs, his right hand sliding up her arm to grab her wrist. Her fingers expertly pressed his pressure points, disarming him in one practiced motion. In seconds, the tables had turned.
Allison, now holding the gun, lightly danced her finger over the trigger, the weapon glowing in the darkness. She pointed it at his chest, calm and utterly in control. Kellan, moments before in charge, now faced a woman who smiled at him with cold confidence.
"Next time, think twice before you brandish this," Allison said, her grip firm, the gun steady. "You never know when it might accidentally go off. Drugged, huh? Looks like you've gone too far this time."
He'd never encountered anyone like her—a woman who met danger with a smile.
Kellan didn't hesitate. He placed his hand on her elbow. The gun jerked as Allison's arm bent, and in that hesitation, Kellan moved. With swift precision, he grabbed her shoulder, pinning her against his collarbone. Allison tasted blood, but fear was a distant memory, replaced by exhilaration, a thrill she hadn't felt in years.
How long had it been since he'd fought with real intent? He couldn't remember. What he knew was that after three years as the Stevens family's obedient puppet, the Scarlet Serpent within him still lurked.
"Funny, isn't it?" she mused. "Men can't stand being reminded of their flaws. Only that truth can unravel them."
Without hesitation, Allison swung her fist at Kellan's temple. He hadn't caught his breath, still reeling from her resistance. The blow aimed to kill. Kellan's instincts were fast, and he raised an arm to block. Before he fully absorbed the impact, Allison used the wall as leverage, flipping over him with astonishing precision and sending him sprawling with a perfect throw.
However, Kellan rolled, using the momentum to rise and grab her arm from an unexpected angle. Allison's brain reacted, but her body slowed for a fraction of a second. Three years of lethargy had dulled her edge, and in that delay, Kellan twisted her arms, slamming her against the wall.
Silence. Her vision blurred, catching glimpses of his chiseled features, the hard lines of his jaw, and eyes burning with a dangerous light. Kellan's composure was shattering. The scent of her perfume, once soothing, now fueled the fire within him, pushing him beyond reason. His eyes darkened, bloodshot, and before Allison could react, he leaned in to kiss her.