Adare lunged, shoving his knife up beneath the Cyst’s jaw and going right to the brain. The Cyst fell back onto the snow, his purplish-red eyes wide, his lungs gurgling as blood bubbled from his mouth. “It’s not the size of the knife, asshole,” Adare said, ripping to the right as far as he could and splitting the Cyst’s neck open. “My torso is a shield. Remember?”

Pulling his blade free, Adare glanced at the useless machete and sighed. He didn’t have the time necessary to decapitate the Cyst solder with his knife, and the machete would’ve come in handy.

He stood, wiping his knife on his pants leg, staining the white red. “Another day, then.” He had to find Grace. He barreled through bloody snow to the lodge, as the sounds of a massive battle came from the property outside. “Grace?” he yelled, running down a hallway and kicking open doors. He shot three Kurjan soldiers, barely stopped himself from shooting two female Kurjan mates in time, and kept moving.

A bullet ran right through his left wrist, and he growled, turning toward the threat and throwing his knife as he moved. The blade spun end-over-end and struck a Kurjan soldier’s neck, ramming right through to pin the asshole to the wall. His eyes widened and he struggled to pull the knife out.

Adare jumped forward, grabbed the handle and yanked it free, only to plunge it in the guy’s eye. He gurgled as he went down to the ground. Kurjan flesh was easier to pierce than was Cyst. Figured.

He moved past the downed soldier and spotted stairs leading down. Grace. He ran forward, only to be tackled from behind, right into an office past the stairs. His head smashed into the desk, going right through to the steel chair on the other side. Pain flashed hot and bright in his brain.

Rolling over, he punched out, ready to fight.

A knife flashed just as a Cyst swung it down, right for Adare’s neck.

* * * *

Grace held the baby close and followed Karma down the hallway.

Benny pulled Grace behind him, blood coating the back of his jeans. “If you see a way out, take it. I’ll buy you as much time as I can.” He ducked his head, limping, the simple kitchen knife looking small in his hand.

The little girl wrapped her arms around Grace’s neck and snuggled her nose into Grace’s hair, whimpering.

“You’ll be okay,” Grace soothed her, patting her back and running after Benny. “We’ll get you home, sweetheart. Just hold on.”

Karma stopped at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes wild. “She’s enhanced, and they’ll fight for her if they figure it out. But they want you worse, so run. Whatever you do, don’t look back.”

Benny grabbed her arm. “Come with us. You don’t have to stay here.”