"You've got nerve."
The man radiated lethal intent.
Sophia Sullivan remained silent, subtly gathering strength in her right hand.
It had been too long since she'd faced such life-or-death danger.
Footsteps approached outside.
"He took the new Nightshade formula - enough to knock out ten bulls. He can't have gone far. Search before dawn!"
Sophia's eyes flickered. So he'd been drugged.
As the footsteps faded, the gun barrel pressed against her lower back trembled slightly.
"I don't interfere in others' business. Tonight never happened."
Her voice stayed calm, betraying no fear.
"If you don't stop the bleeding soon, you won't make it to the hospital."
The metallic scent of blood thickened in the darkness.
"Stay alive by staying quiet," came the icy reply.
That deep voice carried a rough edge, its slight tremor betraying the drug's effects.
"Of course," Sophia murmured.
Before the words fully left her lips, her fingers had already curled into a fist.
Ethan Sullivan burned with fever.
As he focused on regulating his breathing, his gaze caught on the delicate curve of her neck beneath her pinned-up hair.
Fragile-looking, yet unnervingly composed.
The drug surged through him. In his blurred vision, only her faint winter plum scent offered fleeting relief.
Now!
Sophia struck with her elbow, her right hand sliding down to twist his wrist, fingers finding precise pressure points.
The weapon changed hands in an instant.
The tables turned between breaths.
Moonlight glinted off the silver pistol now pressed against his chest.
Ethan watched as the woman he'd restrained moments ago smiled brilliantly.
"Pointing guns at people? Careful - they might go off."
Her grip on the weapon spoke of long experience.
"Drugged and outplayed? How embarrassing."
Utterly arrogant.
Ethan moved without warning, his palm striking toward her elbow joint.
As the gun barrel wavered, he lunged forward.
His grappling hold locked onto her shoulder blade. Pain shot through Sophia's collarbone, but she only licked her lips and grinned.
How long since she'd faced such an opponent?
Three years playing the meek Mrs. Winston couldn't erase the Crimson Serpent in her bones.
That taunt about his inadequacy had worked perfectly.
Sophia's fist aimed straight for his temple. Ethan's breathing hitched.
A killing blow.
He blocked and countered. Sophia used the wall to flip him over her shoulder. Ethan rolled with the momentum, twisting at an impossible angle to pin her arm.
Three years of peace had dulled her reflexes by half a beat.
He slammed her against the wall, arms wrenched behind her back.
A cough escaped her.
Through blurred vision, she made out only sharp angles and dark pupils.
Danger rolled off him in waves.
As winter plum filled his senses, crimson flooded Ethan's eyes.
Reason shattered.
He closed the distance, capturing those cool lips with his own.