Maisie looked back over her shoulder as they waited on the stoop of a metal and stone building that leaned precariously left. The street behind them bustled with activity, but no one seemed to pay her or Terror any mind. They were all too busy trying to escape the frigid rain to notice.
Her mind flashed back to the tense moments back in the street lined with pimps and hookers. She wasn’t vain, but she wasn’t stupid either. She was fully aware that she was pretty. Men staring at her like that was nothing new. Sometimes, she even liked the attention.
Not tonight, though. The risk of the wrong person noticing her was too great. She had to figure out a way to better disguise herself. Her hand drifted toward the end of her rain-soaked braid as she contemplated her options. She didn’t want to make any drastic changes, but survival would require hard choices.
The door finally opened, only wide enough for a pair of dark eyes to peer out, and Terror stepped forward, blocking her view. She maneuvered sideways, sweeping the street with her gaze to make sure they weren’t being followed or weren’t about to be mugged. Terror touched her arm to get her attention, and she followed him through the door into a poorly lit hallway that smelled strongly of mildew.
An old, grizzled Sky Warrior shuffled along in front of them, leading them toward another locked door that he opened with a key held in his shaky hand. Stepping through the door, she immediately noticed the change in the air quality and the lack of humidity. This part of the building was built to a higher standard with proper airflow and insulation. It smelled strongly of a forest, the fake woodsy scent offensive to her nose after being surrounded by the real thing only a few days ago.
Unlike the dumpy entryway, the main living area was brightly lit with custom cabinetry and expensive electronics. She had been in enough safe houses to know this was one of them. She glanced at Terror, expecting to see him relaxed upon finally being in a safe place, but he remained tense and alert. Worried by his demeanor, she mirrored his stance and waited for the inevitable shit to go down.
There were industrial sized shredders running along one wall. They chewed up and spit out metallic confetti. The old man grabbed a stack of hard drives and tossed them into one of the shedders before saying something to Terror that she didn’t catch. From the looks of the place, they were closing shop. Something had them scared, and they were getting ready to run.
Movement caught her eye, and a woman emerged from an open doorway. She moved like a cat, all lithe grace with a predatory gleam. She was easily the tallest woman Maisie had ever seen, tall enough to look Terror right in the eye, and she had the most incredible violet hair piled atop her head in an effortlessly messy bun. She wore slim fitting pants and a tight tank top that highlighted her sculpted arms and lush breasts.
In short, she was everything Maisie aspired to be. Fit, strong, confident, capable. And she was striding toward Terror with a grin that told Maisie everything she needed to know.
“Terror!” The woman threw her arms around his shoulders, hauling him in tight, and passionately kissed him. Watching them lock lips sent a stab of pain right through her heart, and Maisie averted her gaze, dropping her focus to the floor while shoving down the pitiful jealousy that burned through her like a wildfire.
No wonder Terror had practically run away after realizing she had no experience with men. He didn’t want some innocent, awkward young woman who couldn’t please him. He wanted someone who could match him in bed and out of it. Someone exactly like the gorgeous violet-haired woman kissing him right now.
The old man touched her arm, startling her, and he indicated she should follow him. Refusing to glance in Terror’s direction, she trailed the old man through the living area, a kitchen with bare shelves and down a hallway lined with bedrooms and bathrooms.
“You can get cleaned up in there. Get whatever you need from the closets. We’re out of here in two hours so don’t dally.” He indicated an open door and then turned and left her alone.
She entered the room and looked around, taking in the small bed with crisp sheets and a stiff