“Four armed combatants in the vehicle trailing us,” Mori says. “There are two males with weapons at the house we are approaching. One is unarmed. Two females, one is presumably Ella, and another.”

Vala jerks his arm to get our attention. “Straightaways here. Shoot the tires.”

Without speaking, we glance at Pakka. He’s our best shot and he’s already moving. He slides toward the back doors which open out. Cracking one side open, he slips his arm out with stinger in hand. He’s braced against the side, staring through the window. He hesitates for a couple seconds before he unleashes four shots in succession.

“Get down,” he says.

I slide down in my seat. Mori, Pakka, and Kiva hit the floor as human bullets begin firing at the back of the van. Vala swerves to deter accuracy. They’re not hitting us for long though, because Pakka’s shots slowed them down.

“I only hit three,” he gripes. I drop the window and take a good look behind us. The pursuit vehicle is slowing to a stop, and I can see our enemies emerging from the car.

“We’re close,” Mori warns. “They can pursue on foot.”

“What’s that?” Kiva asks, pointing to his scanner.

“That’s assumed Ella. She’s on the move,” he says. “She’s still inside the house, but she’s by a window now.”

I climb out of my seat and join them in the back. “Show me where she is. I will go to her there.”

Pakka nods. “Kila heads for Ella. Mori, back him up. Kiva and I will enter the house from the front entrance. Vala stays in the driver’s seat, ready for the pursuers on foot. Stingers set to incapacitate. Local authorities should arrive in less than ten.”

“Arriving!” Vala calls out. Then, we swerve and sail over rocky gravel ground.

I hold my breath. The familiar calm before battle washes over me, a sensation I haven’t felt since leaving my military assignment.

Pakka grips my arm. “Control,” he whispers.

“I promise nothing,” I say. “But I will try.”

“Move out,” Vala directs as he slams the brakes.

Mori’s first, sliding the van door open and hopping out. I follow him, eyes on the side of the house, searching the windows.

Then, I hear it.

“KILA!” The strained voice of my mate, screaming my name. My neck prickles, and I am sure that my eyes have blackened in seconds.

“Ella!” I am no longer aware of my team. I sprint towards the sound of her voice. It is dark, and the dwelling is flanked by bulky greenery. I crash through these prickly bushes, and when I emerge I can see her.

She’s on the ground and there is a man on top of her. I am incensed. A ferocious growl rips from my throat, the likes of which I did not know I could produce.

I am on him in a moment, tearing him away from her and tossing him at the side of the building. He slaps the wall and crumples. I want to tear his throat out. I want to see his face as I pummel his ribs into jelly.

Control, I remind myself.

I pull the stinger from my belt and shoot my mate’s assailant twice with drop-stings. He goes limp and I turn away, desperate to have her in my arms.

Click.

The unmistakable sound of a human gun cocking.

I freeze. There is a second man, half hanging out of the small window by the ground. He has a gun trained on me. Though he’s not at the most advantageous position, one shot to the head would end me.

“No!” Ella shouts, but claps her hands over her own mouth quickly.

“Bitch,” he addresses her. My fist clenches. “Move an inch and I shoot this freak.”

Ella and I exchange a look, and unspoken emotions pass between us. Even in the low light, I can tell her face has been hit. It’s swollen and her lip is bloody. The state of her clothing would be more fitting if she had been dropped in a forest of thorns. It fills me with rage, but I cannot move. I begin to calculate. If I duck and charge him quickly, will he miss my head? My vitals are covered by Kar’Kali armor, so surely I could dispatch him even if he shoots me anywhere else…

He is climbing out of the window, grunting with his gun trained on me. Ella is shaking her head in my direction, tears coming from her eyes. She is silently begging me not to “do anything stupid”, as she might say. As long as he does not go near her now, I will let him go. As long as his only plan is escape—

The sound of gunfire makes me flinch. Ella screams and launches herself at the man with a small weapon. She swings her arm and viciously stabs him through his foot.

“Ella,” I cry, jumping into action.

The man folds with a gurgle of surprise, letting off a shot from his gun that glances against the side of the house. He falls over, a drop-sting protruding from his throat.

Mori rustles out of the bush behind us. “Apologies for the delay. Needed a good angle.”

I skid to my knees beside Ella and drag her away from the man’s now-limp body.

She is sobbing, digging her fingers into my arms like she’s afraid I’ll disappear. “Oh my… Kila, I thought it was you. I thought he shot you! I thought—” Her words dissolve into incoherent gasps of emotion.

I pull her against my chest gently and she lolls into me weakly.

“I am fine. I am here,” I whisper as I stroke her hair. “You are safe now.”

Mori walks over, inspecting the dropped kidnappers. “Both of these men have stab wounds,” he comments. “Kila?”

“This fierce viki is responsible for that,” I say, cradling her in my arms and lifting her from the ground. Mori and I stop to appreciate the blunt metal tool that sticks out of one of the attackers’ shoes. She lodged it straight into his instep.

Sirens blare down the otherwise quiet street.

We walk out to the front of the dwelling to meet the local authorities and the emergency medical vehicles. The cars cram halfway up the gravel drive and park just in front of four bodies that have been drop-stung. Vala leans against the van, arms crossed lazily over his chest as he watches their approach.

“Kila,” Ella murmurs, fisting the front of my shirt in her hand. “You know I love you, right? I don’t know why I didn’t say before, but I love you so much. I just don’t know what I would do if—”

“Do not worry yourself,” I tell her. “Rest your eyes. You are safe now, and we can talk of many things when you are rested and healthy.”

She nods slowly and nestles into my shoulder, sniffling. I can’t stand to see her swollen face, her pained winces. It is all I can do not to hand her off to Mori while I turn on my heel and brutally murder each and every drop-stung beast that helped to do this to her. But I couldn’t bear to release her from my arms now, so I will settle for having them arrested.

The human authorities begin to flood the property, and Vala calmly explains to them what has happened. They are a bit confused, but quickly enter the house with their guns cautiously raised.

They emerge with a young female, with her arms cuffed behind her back. Just behind this, Pakka and Kiva spill out the door. Pakka is supporting Kiva—no, in fact, restraining the male— as they cross the threshold.

Red blood pours from Kiva’s face as he struggles vigorously against Pakka’s grip.

“You can’t let them just take her away like this! She is not a criminal,” he shouts. “Pakka, tell them to stop!”

The female eyes Kiva over her shoulder, in shock, as the human authorities lead her across the greenery to the gravel drive.

Mori claps me on my shoulder as he grins at the chaotic scene developing before us. “You know, you were correct about the chips bringing feeling to the surface. I have not had such good fun since… Eh, I cannot remember. I feel like laughing.”

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