ArcKnight (The ArcKnight Chronicles #1)

Chapter Two

Lilliana

A movement caught my eye from a darkened alleyway at my right. I clutched my useless, soaked jacket and scurried past the ominous opening, hoping to avoid any unwanted attention. The city was no place to wander at night. Especially for a girl like me. Even the humans were smart enough to stay indoors and out of the desolate avenues, crooks and crannies of the city, especially when the dark skies poured out endless rain.

"Hey." A voice hit me from behind, and I craned my neck around to get a peek without stopping. The stranger wore a dark rain jacket with a hood that completely covered his face. Perfect. "Hey, lady, don't I know you? I do, don't I?"

"No. I don't think so," I hollered back and sped up, crossing the street and stepping into a curbside river of dirty city water. I gasped as the freezing liquid hit my skin and soaked through my socks and shoes. I'd have to dry them out somehow, if I could even find a dry enough place. Every doorway, every staircase I passed was locked up tight for the night. If I came across any viable shelters, it would be a blessing. The way things were looking, I was going to shrivel up and die from pneumonia before anything good happened.

"Wait! I do know you! Just hold up there, lady!" The man yelled at my back, echoing closer than ever.

My heart raced in a panic. Could I risk a confrontation with someone? I was frozen to my marrow and exhausted. It wasn't faring well for a fight in these conditions.

His steps crept closer. I could still hear him through the raindrops and my thumping heart.

Shoot!

"I'm sorry, I'm really in a terrible rush—" My body jerked back as the words left my lips and he grasped my jacket, giving it a good, hard tug.

"I'm talking to you! Don't you know it's rude to ignore someone?" A haughty chuckle escaped the man's throat as I managed to peer up through the hard rain slamming into my face. I was sprawled onto my knees as he pulled me to the ground. Stupid jerk!

"What the hell is your problem?" I barked at him, jumping to my feet and backing up enough to pull out one of the weapons secured to my belt: two short baton sticks. They weren't my favorite weapons, but they'd been the only ones I'd been able to grab before they tossed me out of the ArcKnight palace.

The man was two heads taller than me and showed off his shiny grill as he threw me a menacing smirk. He was out here to cause trouble, nothing more.

I cracked my neck, readying for the struggle. At least it would warm me up in this icy rain.

"Got yourself some pretty sticks, I see." He swatted at one of my arms, smacking the back of my hand hard. It stung enough I stepped back, taking in a quick sniff of wet, earthy air.

"You shouldn't have done that." I jolted forward, swinging my arm in a full arc to slam one of my batons against his temple. The satisfying crack and his subsequent stumble felt incredible. It'd been weeks since I'd actually sparred with someone, but a street fight would definitely do the trick to oil up my skills.

Before he could recover, I kicked his thigh with the heel of my boot, right where the muscle would spasm and give, bringing the giant man crashing to the ground. I miscalculated a spin kick toward his face by a millisecond and joined him on the ground as he grabbed my ankle and pulled me off my feet.

My breath rushed from my lungs as I slammed against the concrete. The smell of rancid garbage, weeks-old leftovers and whatever else strewn across the alleyway filled my nostrils as stars sprayed across my vision. Staring up into the darkened, cloudy night sky, I considered calling my wolf forward. I hated shifting to fight a human, and this man was nothing more than a mere mortal, but he had almost over two hundred pounds plus a few feet on me. Even with his clumsy, oversized body, he was faster than I'd given him credit for. He'd bested me with nothing more than a mere snatch of my legs. If things didn't turn in my favor, I wouldn't have any other choice.