Hoodie Guy growled and lunged for me. “Give me your fucking purse!”

I dodged to the side as the whoosh of his knife flew inches from my forearm.

He went flying past me, my move so fast that he hadn’t been expecting it. He lost his footing in his forward momentum, so had no chance when I kicked his knees out from behind. In the next second, he was sprawling on the ground.

I quickly changed my position, so the alley wall was to my back again, and let my magic ready my reflexes once more.

With a groan, Hoodie Guy pushed up from the pavement, as his three friends and Small One all took a big step back.

Hoodie Guy staggered to his feet. “Bitch!” he seethed and came at me swinging again.

His movements were fast but uncoordinated. I kept a close eye on his blade as my magic begged me to let it loose. I kept a tight hold on it, though, because if I didn’t, then I would have five humans witnessing my power. The last thing I needed was to haul the SF into this unfortunate run-in so the sorcerers could wipe this group’s memories clean of witnessing my magic. Something told me that would not help my cause if I ended up needing them for Tessa’s rescue.

I jumped back when Hoodie Guy swung again just as he snarled at his friends, “Cut this bitch!”

All four of them came at me at once.

Double shit. Sweat broke out along my forehead as I dipped, kicked, and bobbed. Knives flew, arms arced, legs swiped. All of us moved in a swirling dance, me in the center, and even though my magic hummed inside me and my senses were sharp and tuned, air whooshed past me much too close for my liking. Three times I was almost cut, and fuck, they were keeping me surrounded.

Hoodie Guy lashed out at my purse again. His knife grazed the strap, cutting into the leather but not severing it. The other three swung, too, and it took all of my skills to keep from getting sliced open.

“Why don’t you all fuck off?” I hissed, anger scorching through me as I swiped and kicked when the openings between my defensive blocks allowed it.

I let more of my magic out, some of my movements blurring as I spun, punched, and jabbed. So close. I was so close to stepping into territory that would require their memories to be wiped clean of witnessing my power.

Hoodie Guy howled when my fist connected with his jaw. His head snapped back, blood flying from his split lip. Small One whimpered and took a step away before ducking down to the ground and covering his ears.

“Get the fuck up and help, you shit bag!” Hoodie Guy yelled to Small One. He kicked, landing a blow to Small One’s ribs, which got a cry of pain from the kid.

Fury rose inside me, and I let a slight flare of magic shoot down my arm to my right hand. “Leave him alone!” I swung hard and let my magic connect with my hit.

Telekinetic power flowed out of me, sending Hoodie Guy sailing across the alleyway to crash against the opposite wall.

“Whoa, what the fuck, man?” Baggy Jeans took a step back just as I rounded on the remaining three.

Hoodie Guy moaned, clutching his stomach as he lay bent over on the asphalt.

“I told you all to fuck off!” I yelled just as a blur of movement appeared in my peripheral vision.

Before I could process what was happening, the Fire Wolf was beside me. He landed a solid punch on Baggy Jeans, knocking him to the ground before rounding on the other two.

“Get lost. Now!” he roared. Raw potent energy surrounded the hunter, flooding the alleyway.

Baggy Jeans staggered to his feet as he and the other two scurried back, nearly climbing over each other in their hurry to get away.

When the Fire Wolf took another menacing step toward them, they all turned and ran. And even though I was slightly offended that they hadn’t responded to me in such a way, I could see why they had to the hunter. A terrifying scowl twisted his features, and his huge fists pumped at his sides. He looked scary as fuck.

In seconds, the alleyway had cleared save for Hoodie Guy and Small One. The latter was still sitting on the ground, hands to his ears as he rocked back and forth.

A low growl rumbled in the Fire Wolf’s chest. He prowled toward Hoodie Guy who made a move to stand, but the hunter beat him to it.

He grabbed him by his clothing and hauled him up hard against the alley wall until his feet were dangling off the ground.

“I know you. You squat half a mile away under the bridge.”

Hoodie Guy’s eyes widened. “Fuck man, I don’t—”

The Fire Wolf slammed him against the wall again. “If I see you in this part of town again, I’m coming for you.”

Hoodie Guy gave a strangled cry, sounding so pathetic that for a moment I felt sorry for him, until I heard another whimper from Small One.

I hurried to the kid and crouched down as the hunter said in a deadly quiet voice to Hoodie Guy, “If I ever catch you on my turf again, you’re dead. Got it?”

Hoodie Guy made another pitiful cry as the sound of dribbling liquid splattered onto the pavement. He was wetting himself.

This time, pity did fill me. Who knew what kind of life Hoodie Guy’d had that had made him turn out to be so vicious and cruel.

The Fire Wolf released him, and Hoodie Guy tipped forward before righting himself and fleeing in the direction of where the other three had bolted.

When it was just me, the Fire Wolf, and Small One, who was still on the ground rocking himself, I glanced up at the hunter.

Fire burned in his eyes, his rage palpable. “Fucking druggies. They cause so many problems around here.”

Small One let out another whimper, and I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hey. It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

The boy flinched.

“How old are you?” I asked.

He wiped at his nose and scurried back on the pavement, his limbs shaking.

I pulled my hands back, giving him space. “Sorry. I don’t mean to frighten you. I was just wondering how old you are.”

“Old enough.”

The Fire Wolf growled, which got a hasty side-eye from Small One. “You’re still a kid,” he said, his tone not as rough as it’d been earlier. “Like she said, how old are you?”

The boy looked between the two of us, his eyes wide. “Sixteen.” He wiped his nose again.

I cocked my head. “Care to try that again?”

Still breathing fast, Small One pushed to a stand and inched back. Considering I was taller than him, I highly doubted he was sixteen. And while it was obvious he’d been living on the streets for a while, he was also doe-eyed enough to let me know the streets hadn’t hardened him yet. He was still just a skinny kid with a dirty but clear complexion, who probably hadn’t even hit puberty yet.

The kid moved back again, but since his back was practically against the wall, he didn’t have anywhere to flee.

“Can I ask your name?” I asked hesitantly.

“Declan.”

“How old are you, Declan? I know you’re not sixteen.”

“I’m . . . thirteen.”

The Fire Wolf and I shared a look of disbelief. Thankfully, the fire had died from the hunter’s irises. Not that Declan would have noticed. He refused to look either of us in the eye.

“How old are you really?” I prodded.

Declan sniffed and wiped his nose again, his gaze on his feet. “Eleven.”

My heart squeezed. So young. “And where are your parents?”

“Not here.” He glanced up at me for the briefest second, still wary looking, but at least he wasn’t making a run for it. “I ran away.”

I tried to hide the crash of sadness that hit me. Not only young but also all alone. “Was home worse than being on the street?”

He looked down, not replying, but then after a minute he nodded.

“And those older guys you were with? How do you know them?”

He shrugged. “They let me sleep near them if I don’t cause too much trouble, but we’re not friends or anything. I have to earn my keep to stay with them. They don’t do it for nothing.”