Now it was Pera’s turn to laugh. “You? You’re a human. What are you going to do? Make me choke to death on my own laughter?”

Sumi tsked at her disdain. “Had you been at the match today, instead of at Dancer’s house trying to kill him, you’d have seen exactly what I plan to do to you.”

Again, Pera scoffed. “You didn’t do anything. You spared Dariana.”

“For Darice only. I didn’t want to kill his mother in front of him. But it’s just you and me, now. And there’s only two ways out of here. The window behind you and the door behind me.” Sumi glanced meaningfully at the glass. “You might survive the window.”

Pera held her arms out. “I’m completely defenseless. You’re really going to kill me?”

Sumi’s gaze went to the computer screen where Pera had been working. “You were about to post payment on a contract for Darice’s life to have him brutally slaughtered. He’s fourteen. A child. And you went after my male and attacked while his back was turned. What do you think?”

“I think you’re human and weak.”

“And you would be mistaken about both.” Sumi pulled out her blaster and shot her. The blast went straight into the image and struck the wall behind her.

Shit! It was a hologram.

Furious, Sumi glanced around, trying to locate her target. “Pera!”

She heard a sharp click behind her. Turning, she dropped to the floor at the same time a blast of color went past her face, narrowly missing it.

Pera headed for the door. Sumi dove at her, knocking her into the wall. Backhanding her, Pera tried to kick her off. But Sumi returned the strike with a punch of her own. She grabbed Pera and fell to the floor, rolled with her and kicked her into the doorframe.

When Pera moved to shoot her, Sumi beat her to it. This time, it wasn’t a hologram. Cursing, Pera fell and tried to crawl away before she collapsed on the floor.

Careful to keep her blaster on Pera in case it was a trick, Sumi felt for her pulse.

There wasn’t one.

She took another shot, just to make sure.

Once she knew for certain that Pera would never threaten anyone she loved again, Sumi went to the female’s computer to cancel the contracts on Darice and Dancer.

Just as she sat down, she felt a whisper of wind. Jerking out her blaster, she aimed at the shadow that hadn’t been there before. She started to fire, then recognized the tall, dark form that was barely discernable in the darkness.

It was Nykyrian.

She lowered her weapon as he gave her a respectful half smile.

He walked over to Pera’s body. “Nice work.”

“You, too.”