The pain spread slowly from Dominic’s ear as he clutched it.
Adrian didn’t hesitate, already shifting, readying himself to fight.
“Adrian—get Dominic out of here,” Saron commanded.
“I’ll cover you.”
Derrick was carrying a tray full of orders when he slipped, crashing hard to the ground.
The sound cut through the cafe.
Everyone’s attention snapped toward him.
“I’ll cover for you,” Saron added, already moving.
“Got it.”
Adrian’s grip tightened around Dominic’s shoulder.
Dominic stiffened, realization hitting too late.
They were leaving Saron behind.
“Wait—wait—”
The world folded.
One second—noise, glass, bodies shifting.
The next—silence.
Dominic stumbled as his feet hit solid ground.
His apartment.
But the air felt…wrong.
Still.
Too still.
This place again…
They were in the laminar zone.
“What—” he swallowed, his head spinning slightly.
I can never get used to this…
“Is she going to be alright?”
“Yeah,” Adrian said, like it wasn’t worth asking.
He let go and stretched casually.
“She’s strong.”
A beat.
“And I doubt they’d fight her in public.”
That didn’t sound reassuring.
Dominic looked at Adrian and saw a conflicted look on his face.
Almost as if he was bothered by something.
“Are you okay?
Adrian added, angling slightly towards him.
“That looks like a lot.”
Dominic reached up instinctively and felt it.
A fairly large tear across his ear.
“I’m fine,” he said, pulling his hand away.
His fingers came back red, making his stomach twist more than the teleportation did.
Adrian smiled.
“Good,” he said.
“Because we’re not alone…”
A rise in resonance.
Dominic turned.
The shadows in the corner of his apartment, warped—stretching—tearing.
Three figures stepped forward.
Adrian moved.
Dominic blinked.
The ground was gone.
Wind tore past him.
He was in the air, high above the street.
Buildings rushed past in a blur.
What—?
His mind lagged behind his body.
One second, he was in his apartment.
The next, open sky.
He was falling.
Fast.
The concrete rushed up to meet him.
His breath hitched.
He threw his arms over his head, eyes squeezing shut, bracing himself for painful impact.
But it never came.
Something caught him.
His collar jerked tight as he was yanked mid-fall.
Dominic’s eyes snapped open.
Adrian hovered above him, one hand gripping his collar, holding him just a few feet from the ground.
“…Hello,” he said casually.
He let go.
Dominic dropped the short distance, tumbling forward as his feet hit the ground.
His legs trembled.
His heart hadn’t caught up.
Adrian landed beside him, rolling his shoulder lazily.
“Mercenaries,” he said.
“A bit rude, considering they didn’t let us finish our brunch.”
“Disclaimer,” he added, after a beat, “they’re either here to kill you or kidnap you.”
Dominic stared at him.
Processing slowly.
“What?” His voice sharpened.
“Who would want to—”
He stopped, his mind finally caught up.
I was about to die…
again.
Adrian tilted his head slightly, as if listening to something Dominic couldn’t hear.
“Could be your mother’s side,” he said.
“Or someone looking for leverage, though you don’t seem important enough for that.”
“Why would anyone want to kill me?
We’ve never met before!” Dominic snapped, panic finally settling in.
“I suppose they see you as competition,” Adrian shrugged.
A pause.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you die…” he said, patting Dominic’s shoulder.
“You’re too big of an investment to lose this early.”
Investment?
“Thanks…?”
Dominic saw the shadow before he understood it.
He looked up and caught his breath.
The upper half of his apartment tore through the air toward them.
“Stay close,” Adrian said.
He snapped his fingers.
The building didn’t stop instantly.
It shuddered, like it was hit by something invisible to the eye.
Cracks spread across its surface, then it collapsed inward, unraveling into drifting petals just before reaching them.
They scattered through the air.
“I hope you don’t have a pollen allergy,” Adrian said.
Dominic waved his hands, trying to keep the petals from his face.
“No,” he replied.
He was amazed, surprised, and a bit scared.
What is your resonance?
“Can’t we talk this out?” Adrian called calmly into the air.
“I can pay double.”
A rise in resonance.
“Oh,” Adrian sighed lightly.
“I see you’re not interested.”
“Hey,” he said quietly to Dominic.
“Stay close.”
“Not like I have a choice.”
Adrian stilled.
“…Oh.”
The shadow beneath him twisted, pulling.
He stepped back and stopped.
Not stuck, but held.
“Targeted binding,” he murmured.
Dominic grabbed his arm as he was pulled down, trying to pull him free.
It didn’t move.
Adrian gave a stiff smile.
“Try not to die before I—”
The shadow swallowed him whole.
Gone.
Dominic stumbled back, eyes wide.
Did he just—
No time.
He felt it before he saw it.
Rain.
“Where is this coming from…?”
There was not a cloud in sight, nor was the sky gray.
A sting.
A drop sliced across his cheek.
Then another.
Then another.
The rain thickened.
Not every drop cut, but the ones that did—cut deeper.
Dominic staggered, raising his arms, running for cover.
It didn’t matter.
He reached a door, grabbed the handle—
Water surged at his feet.
Coiling.
Tightening.
Then, yanked.
Hard.
He was dragged back into the open.
Aren’t they here to kill me…?
He gasped.
This feels like torture—
A cut grazed his neck.
Blood pooled.
His body was covered in cuts.
Is this how I die…again?
No.
It can’t end like this.
Heat flared.
Uncontrolled.
Runes burned faintly across his clothes.
The rain around him warped.
Steam erupted violently.
The water binding his legs boiled, loosening.
Dominic tore free.
He hissed in pain as he stood.
One step—
Two…
He made it
Impact.
A vortex of water slammed into the side of his head.
He was thrown back.
He hit the ground hard.
Got up—
Another impact.
Knocked down again.
Things were not going well.
Meanwhile…
Adrian knelt.
Bound in shadow.
Blindfolded.
Still smiling.
“Not as strong as expected,” the woman said, circling him.
“With your reputation…”
“I’ve been told I live to disappoint,” Adrian replied calmly.
“Are you sure we can’t talk this out?
I can double your pay.”
Silence.
A punch landed.
Hard.
His head snapped slightly, blood dripping from his nose.
“We’re here for you,” the woman said.
“Apparently, there’s a huge bounty on your head.
“Fifty million,” Adrian said in a low voice.
“I thought they’d have given up by now.”
Another hit.
“We’re not here for just the bounty.”
Adrian’s smile didn’t falter.
“Vengeful family?” He asked.
No response came; rather, another hit.
Adrian sighed.
“Shame,” he said.
“I was hoping to keep this civil.”
The restraint loosened.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said as he arose.
“I really am…
I would have given you the chance to do as you pleased to me; unfortunately, we don’t have that time.”
He removed the blindfold, revealing dark blue eyes with what seemed to be cracks formed on his pupils.
His resonance began to rise.
Dark ink seemed to seep from the cracks in his eyes.
“Don’t worry,” he said.
“I’d prefer if this didn’t take long.”