Curious, I paused a beat, then two, and followed her. Soon the sounds of Madi bargaining with the merchant over an item he wants to buy fades away. I find myself in a deserted alley, a flash of bronze-brown skin and tattoos lured me into another alley, I sprinted towards it without hesitancy. I run into the alley and came to a complete halt and stared at the girl.

What really had me widening my eyes were the three other people with her. If I wasn't good with hiding my emotions, I knew that I would've been cowering in fright at the mere sight of them. I don't know how I could feel them, but the waves of danger and otherness waft off them, swamping my senses can't be ignored. My hand crawls automatically to my dagger at my waist. I don't know how I could feel whatever they had switched on; it doesn't feel human, even though they looked human.

"It's okay; we mean you no harm!" The girl steps forward, hand out, I stopped but didn't pull my hand away from my dagger, stance defensive, waiting for any sign of attack from them. But none came. Slowly the waves diminished, and the girl nodded at her companions.

"What do you want?"

"We want to talk, I thought that you would not come. We've been watching you for a quite a long time now, I can't tell you much about us or what we do, but what I can tell you is that we want you to join us."

"No, tell from you equals to a no from me." I quip.

"All I can tell you is that you would belong with us, telling you anything more would put your life in danger, Kamili." My eyes broaden at the mention of my name.

They were no ordinary gang or whatever they were. If they had taken the time to scoop me out, that makes them perilous people, all the more reason to avoid them.

"I'm not going to ask how you knew my name, my answer still stands." She bobs her head, her face giving nothing away, but something in her eyes told me that she didn't like my answer seems like she doesn't get rejected very often.

Well, there is a first for everything, my gaze went to her three other companions, one thing I noticed is that nothing about them is mundane, even in a crowd of a million people they would stand out, that I know of. The three guys were all tall, impressive bodies that rippled with muscles and a formidable, mesmerizing air of danger that would make any sane person to turn tail and run when confronted.
The girl looks like a frail doll next to them like she wasn't a threat. She was velvet clothed in steel, a killing machine on two legs, pure and simple. It was all a mask, and like any mask, it can be peeled off.

I met steel-grey eyes set in a strong, almost handsome face, I held his gaze not willing to look away, it soon became a battle of wills.

He broke contact and looked at the girl; they exchanged words, without speaking, then with no warning, he strides away from his companions and came towards me, not even bothering to turn off his danger waves or whatever the hell it was. What the hell happened to we mean you no harm join us speech? I wondered, backing away, I don't know if I should be disturbed, at a disadvantage, and clearly, out of my elements, I am fresh out of ideas.

Those little gems seem to have deserted me. Sucking it up like a big girl, I ease into a defensive stance, on the balls of my feet, muscles loose and waited. Counting my breaths, slowing it down. I dodge a mean swipe from him and counter his next clout. He gripped my arm with his other hand and flung my body towards the wall. From my vantage point, it all seemed effortless.

Bastard.

Pain streaked my back on impact, and I crumple like an empty sack of sweet potatoes to the ground, I rolled out of his way when his elbow came crashing on where I lay seconds ago. I stood unsteadily on my feet, swaying a little, a new hole stood out on the wall. I swear a slight smile graced his lips.

The bastard was playing with me as a cat play with a mouse, time to play dirty. I let him get closer, dodge a blow, and introduce his jewels to my knee. He lets out this yelp that sounded like a hyena in pain and crumples to his knees, eyes narrowed in pain and rage.

Good, I thought, and tackle him to the ground, scissoring my legs around his throat, I bang his head on the ground for good measure. He came alive underneath me, looking startled at my actions, I was past caring. The street narrows and went out of focus; he grasps me by the hair and tries to rip me off him, but I held on.

I poke my elbow in his throat, choking him, he gasps. In an instant, he has thrown me off him with a surprising force that was faster than the blink of an eye. My body slams hard on the ground; the might of it reverberated in my body, rattling my teeth, my jaw ached. I gasp, back-arching, body spasming in pain.

"Kamili" Madi runs to where I was trying to get my bearings, I stared at the empty street not believing what just happened. Who were those people? Why would people who want me to join them want to harm me? I thought Madi hauls me to my feet. Maybe this is all part of a game to them.

"Why did you wander off?"

"I just wanted to do a little exploring." I shrug my shoulder like it's naught, hiding from him the fact that I was a little bit rattled, ego battered by what happened moments ago. My ass kicked, I grimaced in pain, I glimpsed bronze-brown skin and whipped my gaze back but saw nothing. Madi stiffened, and he followed my gaze." We should get out of here!"

I couldn't agree more on that, quickly, I tail him out of there, pausing in mid-stride, I could swear that I heard someone say" Till we meet again" but only the wind whipped on my face trying to pull at wayward strands of my hair from its ponytail.

Maybe the beating and all the pent-up stress was finally getting to me, but I had a feeling that this isn't the last that I see of them. An intuition that I knew never lied to me, next time. I will surely be ready for the doll and her crew. Next time super guy would have his ass handed back to him on a silver platter.