Page 2 of Logan

Who hurt you?There was genuine curiosity in that voice, and there was none of the anger or malice she associated with her dreams.

Doesn’t matter. I stole from him, and he retaliated. It happens.

Not to a druid.

She reached the gas station washroom and, though it required a key, she picked the lock in a few seconds before entering and closing the door. A druid? Man, her fantasies were next level when she was in pain and about to pass out.

This was definitely not her nightmare. That creature scared the hell out of her. She was losing blood quickly, and her subconscious was warning her. She was out of time.

I don’t have time for imaginary friends right now.Sadly, she didn’t have time for real ones either. Nor the inclination as that would get anyone she truly cared about killed.

I am not imaginary, but you already know that.The deep voice resonated within her, connecting with her soul as if it owned her. That was even scarier than the creature that taunted her.

You are like the other one, then?

Another talked with you this way?he asked with genuine interest.

He taunts. I have never responded to him.

He is likely one of the darks. They hunt your kind. Do not engage him.

No shit, Sherlock.My kind. She had been ostracized most of her life for being a half-blood. Even her imaginary friends found her repulsive. She grunted as she removed her lab coat. The blood had begun to spread on the shoulder, but she tucked it into her pack and pulled out a change of clothes before removing hercatsuit. Every movement hurt, and she grabbed the sink for support when her eyesight blurred.

She rifled through her pack, fumbling to get the small medical kit she kept on hand. Her fingers curled over the syringe before she jabbed herself in the leg. It wouldn’t take long for the adrenaline to take effect, but it would be short-lived, and she would need medical help soon.

With the burst of energy coursing through her veins, she taped the wound at her shoulder to stem the blood flow, then changed into a thick dark hoodie and pink tights. With her black boots, she looked like a teenager, especially when she relaxed her facial muscles and returned to her natural form. With her tiny frame, people often assumed she was young, and that, too worked to her advantage. This wasn’t the first time she had taken a shot, and she knew where she had to go if she expected to live.

She was out the door in seconds, jogging toward the Chinese district. Her destination was a small shop that sold creams, dried herbs, and other procurements. Mrs. Lim had a wide array of customers, but those like Emily didn’t come for the things she sold in the front of the shop. But she had to make a quick pit stop on the way.

She opened the door to the dry-cleaning shop and made her way to the counter. “I need same-day service, please.”

The attendant looked her over in disgust. He was one of Ming’s younger sons and technically her cousin, but she would rather snack on razor blades than admit that. “You done already, Hapa? I heard there was some trouble downtown.” His eyes strayed to the moisture at her shoulder.

“It happens,” she said, cooly.

He smiled cruelly. “You look pale.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. I will live.”

He moved so quickly she didn’t have time to avoid his handas it grabbed her wrist. He yanked her forward, and she groaned in pain. “I guess you are not as good as my father thinks.”

The lights flickered as an energy surge blasted the entire shop before her cousin yanked his arm away, as if she had shocked him. “Get out of here halfling.”

She stumbled from the door, barely able to keep her feet moving. She knew she had to make it to Mrs. Lim’s shop. She would help her, but only within the safety of her walls. If she passed out on the street, she would die there before anyone realized she wasn’t some homeless teenager coming down from a fix.

You need to seek safety; your body is shutting down.She ignored the voice in her head. She was well aware she was out of time, but the shop door was only half a block away.

The door chimed as she entered, and Mrs. Lim smiled at her. “Emily, it’s good...” Her face paled when she noticed the bead of sweat trailing down her face. “Come to the storeroom quickly.” She jogged to the front

door and flipped the closed sign.

The tiny Chinese woman slipped her arm around Emily and guided her to the medical room she maintained in the back, but as she got her onto the bed, her eyes closed,

and the darkness snatched her.

CHAPTER 2

Logan’s eyes snapped open to the sound of birds chirping outside his window. He had assumed he was dreaming at first when he connected with the tiny consciousness huddled on the roof. The slight burst of power seemed to brush against his mind, and he had assumed it was just a pleasant dream until she infiltrated the building, pulling her lithe body through a small air duct and making her way to the room inside the penthouse that contained the safe.

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