Sage lives in a gated apartment complex. She wanted me to live in one too, but I refuse to pay extra for a security guard who doesn’t do his job and opens the gate to anyone. Security my ass. They aren’t even allowed to carry guns; they carry a stick. Ooo, soo scary. Ha.

I pull up and wait for the gate to open, and when it does, I cautiously drive through. I park my car and pick up pace when I get closer to Sage’s. I fumble with my keys, trying to find the key to her door.

I quickly unlock her door and look behind me before going in. My palms are sweaty as hell from nerves. “Sage? It’s me!” I yell as I walk through her apartment. Her not answering my call has me worried. “Sage?” I say louder, and my heart starts racing at a speed so fast I may go into cardiac arrest. I start slinging doors open and scream for her, but she is nowhere. She should be here, dammit!

I quickly turn on my heels to leave her apartment but run into something, someone… I close my eyes and take a sharp intake of breath. I look at the heavy, black boots and ripped jeans and say with a shaky voice, “Where is she?”

The male, that I refuse to look in the face, grips both of my wrists tightly and says in a voice deep and intimidating, “Leave.”

I’m in a defenseless position. I’m trying to think of a way out of this, but there are no obvious options. He said leave, but I can’t leave without Sage. A silent tear falls down my cheek, and I clench my hands into tight fists. I could try to free myself from his grip and grab the gun from my messenger bag, but I’m not quick enough.

I try to keep my voice strong and stable to not let him sense my fear. Through a clenched jaw, I say, “I. Can. Not. Leave. Where is she?”

“Your friend is dead, and if you don’t follow my directions, soon, you will be also.” His voice is raw and emotionless.

“I don’t believe you!” I scream as I look into his eyes. I gasp when his eyes meet mine. Those dark mysterious eyes… So familiar… “It’s you! The one from the airport! The one from the movie store! Tell me where my friend is, and I will let you live!”

He starts laughing, and my hands start to go numb as he grips tighter, cutting off the blood flow. He quickly grabs both wrists in one of his gigantic hands and twists my body to where my back is pressed firmly to the front of him. With his one free hand, he slides his fingers down into my pocket, successfully retrieving my knife. He gently places the blade to my throat and moves my hair away from my ear with his cheek.

Whispering, his lips touching my ear, he says, “Last chance to leave or I kill you.”

“Why do you want us dead? We have done nothing wrong!”

“Exposure.”

“Of what?” I’m trying to buy time to figure out a plan. Sage can’t be dead. This has to be a ploy. They knew I would come here looking for her.

I hear a door open, and I hear Sage screaming my name. “Orion? Are you in here? Orion!” She screams louder as she sees me, seconds away from death.

She quickly grabs a gun from her purse and points it at the Hunter. “Let her go!”

I’m so relieved that she is okay, that for a moment I forget there is a knife eagerly waiting to slice my throat. To my surprise, he releases me. I fall to my knees and watch the knife fall to the floor. I quickly pick it up and place it back in my pocket. That is the closest I’ve been to one of them actually killing me.

The Hunter slams his back against the wall and starts cursing under his breath. He looks around and tries to help me stand to my feet by stretching his hand out to me.

I refuse to accept his help and stand to my feet. “What, now you are trying to be nice? I’m not believing this shit!” I turn and look at Sage. “Sage! Are you okay?” I run over to her and wrap her in a hug.

“I will be when this bastard leaves my apartment,” she says as she eyes the Hunter up and down.

“Why didn’t you just kill me? Why did you keep giving me the option to leave?” I keep a safe distance and my gun in my hand.

He starts to speak, and I click off the safety and point it between his eyes. “I’m dead anyways. Go ahead.”

Keeping perfect aim, I say, “Explain. I want answers. Why do your kind so eagerly hunt for our blood? We have done nothing to deserve this.”

An evil grin plays at his lips. “Do you honestly think I believe this game you are playing? Stop playing dumb. You know why we are after you.”

“Answer her!” Sage points her gun at his groin. I can’t help but laugh. Smart girl.

I want answers. I have waited years to find out what they are so afraid of being exposed of. “I’m getting impatient,” I say.

He laughs. “You won’t kill me.”

“You must not know me then. Do you know how many of your kind I’ve killed?”

He gives his head a slight nod, and I keep the gun aimed at him. “75,” he replies.

He knows? I don’t let him see the intimidation in my eyes. “I’m not afraid to kill you.”

“Oh, but you still won’t kill me. You have questions that you want answered, remember?” Sweat is beginning to form on his face, and his breathing is heavy.

“You’re scared. Admit it,” I say as I keep a close eye on his hands. One quick movement from him, and I will kill him.

“I’m not afraid of you. But I’m afraid of what is going to kill me if you don’t. See, you would be doing me a favor.” He closes his eyes and smiles, as if begging for me to kill him.

I don’t know what stops me from shooting him. I slowly turn the safety on and place the gun back in my bag. I give Sage a nod, and she puts her gun away as well.

“Leave,” I demand.

He walks past Sage and me, leaving her apartment. “Dammit!” I yell.

“What?” Sage sits down on the couch, rubbing her face.

“We just let him go!”

“He didn’t kill you. It was the least we could do.” She lays her head back and takes a few deep breaths.

“Do you believe what you are saying right now?” I kick the wall.

“Orion, calm your ass down. Be thankful you are still breathing.” She starts taking off her shoes and sighs. “So, is it time to move again?”

I sit down next to her and try to calm myself down by slowly inhaling and exhaling. I can’t believe I let the bastard go.

I shake my head. “No. I’m tired of running. I have a feeling this is a battle we will never win.”

Something is wrong with Sage’s expression. “Do you want to know where I was tonight?”

“Sure.” I close my eyes and try to forget about how stupid I am for not blowing his brains out while I had the chance.

“I was going to find a way to die. Not by the hands of the Hunters, another way. I’m sick of this, Oreo. I wish we could just find a way back to our Sphere.”

I quickly sit up and look at her like she has lost her mind. “What?”

She laughs. “I know; it was dumb. That is why I’m here, alive. I’m glad I came back, or who knows what would have happened to you.”

I laugh. This situation is driving us both insane. “We have tried to go back, and there is no way back.”

She smiles. “I realize that. I think everything just piled heavy on me tonight. I miss my family and friends.”

I fight back tears and swallow hard. “Me too.”

She looks at me and frowns. “You know, it’s okay to cry. I do, every night. What were we thinking by going out and searching for Earth that night?”

I wipe a tear from my cheek and say, “I don’t know. But we have to get answers. We have to find out what the secret is. We have to get back home. We have been so busy running in fear. It’s time we start hunting them and demand answers.”

“Hunting the Hunters?” She smiles. “I like that idea.”