A scuffling noise emanates from the other side of the vault door. Your breath catches, and your eyes snap to Sylus, narrowing in suspicion. "Tell me that sound isn't what I think it is."

  Sylus sighs and folds his arms. "You mean the cry of a Wanderer? I'd assume a hunter of your caliber would recognize it."

  The noise grows louder, sending a shiver down your spine. Of course, this situation just had to get worse.

  "What's a Wanderer doing down here, Sylus?" You scoff. "Don't tell me you keep them locked up in some creepy secret dungeon."

  He steps closer, his smug expression looming over you. His thick lashes cast shadows across his cheekbones, and you curse the way your gut twists in both anger and—nope, just anger.

  "Good guess," he murmurs, the corners of his lips tugging upward, "but no dungeon. Let's call it... research. The important kind."

  You take a step back, your shoulders stiffening. "Research? Are you serious? What possible business do you have 'researching' Wanderers?"

  Before he can answer, another guttural cry reverberates through the room. Your instincts take over as your hand hovers over the pistol strapped beneath your skirt and you crouch, lowering your center of gravity.

  Sylus tilts his head in curiosity, as if intrigued. "Looks like we'll have to table this conversation. Time for you to live up to your noble responsibilities, hunter."

  You step back, but his fingers, strong and unrelenting, clasp around your arm, pulling you toward the vault door.

  "Sylus, wait!" you hiss, twisting in his grip. He doesn't break stride.

  "Afraid I can't oblige," he quips, opening the door. He glances down at you, satisfied, as if this is all some grand joke. "Good luck, dearest fiancée."

  You yell as you're pushed through the door and into the next room. Expecting a face full of cold tile, you prepare to brace your fall, but the impact never comes. Air shoots past your face, sending the tendrils of your hair flying back. Your breath seizes as your body plummets downward, the force of the fall freezing the breath in your lungs. Adrenaline courses through your veins as your limbs flail through the air. Your eyes widen, but the space is too dim and misty to make out. You manage to let out a desperate shriek as your heart thumps in an erratic rhythm behind your chest. Is this it? Is this really how I go? Your thoughts and screams abruptly cease as strong arms envelop you, knocking the remaining breath from your lungs. Your mouth opens, but no sound slips free.

  "Oops, forgot to mention that part." Sylus teases, steadying himself on the ground.

  His arms support your weight as he carries you, pulling you snugly against his chest. You want to squirm free, but your body is too limp to protest right now. After a pause, your cheeks regain their color and your throat eagerly draws in some much-needed oxygen.

  "Wasn't that fun?" He looks at you with a satisfied grin before lowering your legs to the ground.

  "Fun?" you scoff "You're a new brand of sick and twisted, aren't you?" You murmur with gritted teeth as you regain your balance and reach for your pistol.

  Sylus cocks an eyebrow at you, his expression leaning more towards amusement than offense. "Is that so? Dearest fiancée, where's your sense of adventure? I gave you a taste of freedom and a guaranteed rescue all in one thrilling package." He slips his hands into his pockets, and his tone drops to a provocative murmur. "I admire your audacity to call me such things after trespassing on my territory. As far as I'm concerned, you're in debt, and you will pay it back."

  "And what if I've changed my mind?" You mumble, pointing your weapon in front of you.

  You take soft steps past Sylus as you scan the area, noting the tall columns reaching into the ceiling and the shadows blanketing the rocky walls. Straining your eyes, you peer into the distance, but you're met with a dim emptiness.

  "This... isn't the same room that was here before." Your stomach sinks. There are no more sounds from the Wanderer, just deafening silence. You glance back behind you, but Sylus isn't there anymore.

  "I'm getting real tired of you disappearing on me, you know!" You shout into the hazy void. "Gods, and what the hell is going on with this room?"

  "Who said anything about disappearing? I'm looking forward to witnessing the talent of a hunter like yourself up close." Sylus's voice resonates from the space around you, but you struggle to pinpoint exactly where.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  "Disappearing? Like you did last night after acting like a total psycho in the elevator? If you expect me to blindly play along with your stupid orders under these conditions, you're sorely mistaken." You threaten, your voice tinged with frustration.

  "It's a Pity. I offered you my protection as part of our agreement, but it sounds like you're no longer interested in that," he teases.

  A low growl rumbles in the blackness of the space, raising every hair on your body. The Wanderer—and a big one from the sound of it. You bite your lip, frantically looking out into the void.

  "I'm a hunter," you remind yourself, gripping your pistol tightly. "This is what you do. Stay calm." You inch forward with caution, weapon poised.

  "A hunter who apparently doesn't know the first thing about what she's hunting." Sylus's voice cuts in from behind, his sudden presence startling you. "You don't mean to tell me you've never fought a high-level Wanderer, do you? You should know what kind of territory you've just entered into, sweetie." He places a hand over your shoulder.

  You wince, pulling away from his touch and aiming your pistol at him. "Territory? Explain." You demand, though your fingers tremble.

  Undeterred, he steps toward your weapon, his chest stopping mere inches away from the barrel. Not quite the reaction you were hoping for when pointing a firearm in his direction.

  "Looks like I overestimated you, but then again, I've never been impressed with the work of the Hunter's Association." His fingers curl around the barrel of your gun, but he doesn't move. "You've set foot into the Wanderer's activated protofield—a powerful ability that, if you're not careful, can keep you captured here until it's had its fill."

  Your eyes widen. "The Association never warned us about this," you mutter.

  Sylus grips your pistol, tugging it flush against his chest. He leans in. "I bet they haven't—I'm sure you'll come to find out there are many things your precious organization isn't revealing."

  You furrow your brow at Sylus's accusatory tone. "How dare you—"

  Your insult is interrupted by the rapid thumping of claws hitting the floor.

  "Looks like your Wanderer is done observing. Go ahead, kitten, figure this one out by yourself since you're so eager to prove you're a big girl who doesn't need me." He murmurs. Black smoke envelopes him in spiraling wisps, and his form vanishes before your eyes.

  Shocked, you stumble back, pulse racing. No time to ask about whatever the hell that was. Straightening, you brace your muscles and take off in a sprint away from the direction of the Wanderer. Its steps pound against the floor as it picks up speed. Your eyes sweep over the space, desperate for some form of cover, but there are no strongholds or barriers to leverage here—your usual go-to tactic for fighting monsters three times your size. Your palms sweat as you grapple with your evident vulnerability, and your brain races to piece together a potential route for survival.

  Silver limbs flash before your eyes, and a long, spiked tail whips around in your direction. You lurch out of the way, tumbling to the ground, but can maneuver back onto your feet with practiced fluidity. You pick up speed again and pull the trigger of your pistol. Hot blasts of energy connect with the silver-skinned creature, and it lets out a shrill cry. Your chest vibrates with the force of its shriek, but you keep your momentum, firing away at its sinewy form. The creature slinks back into its crafted shadows until you lose sight of its form again. Beads of sweat roll down your forehead as you hear the creature scuffle about. You strain your eyes in the darkness as you track the sounds until you notice a light glowing brighter by the second.

  "You're not going to be of much use to me dead, so I suggest you come up with a plan B before that Wanderer launches that attack. Unless you somehow decided to rethink renouncing your part of our bargain? The call is yours, sweetie. But please, do make it quick."

  "Gods, Sylus, this is just like the arena! Instead of trapping me in a corner, have you ever considered asking nicely for once?" The Wanderer roars and a beam flies past your face, making your ears ring. A swirl of black mist forms next to you, and Sylus emerges from it, startling you.

  "Ask nicely? Is that what you're into—having me say please while on my knees? I find my methods a lot less boring." He pauses. "Actually, now that I say that out loud—"

  Another attack interrupts him as a projectile whizzes toward you. You wince, raising your arms over your head, but it stops short, rotating in place as if frozen in time. Wisps of black energy wrap around it like long, deadly fingers. You stagger backward, staring in disbelief at Sylus, who extends his arm toward the object.

  "W-what...?" you stutter.

  "My Evol." He answers.

  He lets out a languid sigh as black-red mist curls from his fingertips and effortlessly suspends the object in midair. With a menacing expression, his fingers close into a fist. The projectile disintegrates into ashes, crushed by Sylus's Evol, sending ember-like particles drifting through the air. Your eyes widen as Sylus approaches you. He takes your face in his hand, his strength impossible to ignore, and tilts your chin upward.

  "I believe this is the part when you say thank you."

  You scoff. "Alright, I'll admit, your creepy shadow fingers are... impressive." You furrow your brows. "But it doesn't make up for the fact that you're still bullying me into agreeing to your demands, you insatiable psychopath."

  Predictably, his grin only grows wider. "How nice of you," he purrs, lowering his lips to your ear. "But insatiable psychos like me have a habit of getting exactly what they want. And, as my fiancée, it's your responsibility to satiate my desire."

  "Excuse me? Just what are you suggesting?" You pull back, and a rush of warmth blooms over your cheeks.

  Sylus narrows his eyes on yours. His thumb grazes over your mouth, and he parts his lips. "Duck" he whispers, causing your face to scrunch in confusion. Before you can question him, he pushes you down, sending both of you tumbling onto the floor as projectiles whistle through the air above you. Sylus takes the brunt of the impact, his back slamming into the ground as your face gets buried in his chest. He pulls you tightly into him, causing your breath to hitch. The silver creature lets out a harrowing screech and crawls towards you with unnerving speed.

  You gasp, pushing yourself up from his chest. He looks back up at you through hooded eyes, his expression unreadable. Your pulse quickens as you begin to maneuver yourself off of him, but his hand quickly wraps around your wrist, bringing you back down.

  "Are you blind? That wanderer is closing in on us!" You fume, unamused at his self-satisfied expression.

  "You mean it's closing in on you. If you want this to end well, my darling fiancée, I suggest you reconsider your words," he murmurs before vaporizing from underneath you in that troublesome mist of his.

  You instantly fall to the floor with a loud smack. "Seriously?" You grimace, picking up your pistol and scrambling to your feet. You whip around to see the Wanderer closing in. I'm beginning to hate this little game he plays with me.