“Whoa, that was close!” Kimber gasped as she sank down to the ground, her lungs crying for more oxygen after her escape and running for the last twenty minutes through the streets of New York. When she’d finally reached her safe haven back in Central Park, she’d almost wept with relief.

That dang Wolf had almost caught her, twice. He’d been fast, but not quite quick enough, and she’d managed to give him the slip once she’d managed to get back into the park, slipping and sliding her way through to the place she’d been hiding for weeks. Her saving grace had been her affinity with the animals in the zoo and what she’d procured from them—their droppings—which she’d used to surround where she now hid. It smothered her scent and kept her concealed from even the most sensitive noses, including Werewolves.

She’d also sensed at least two Vampires the previous night and she’d stayed hidden in case they were searching for her. Kimber was taking no chances, not after she’d had to leave Washington when hunters had been right on her tail . . . literally. Fuckers wanted her Dragon magic and she wasn’t about to hand it to them. Not without a damn fight anyway. She wished she was bigger in her beast form, more like her brother had been before he’d been killed . . . pain lanced through her heart as she thought of him, so she pushed his image away.

Forcing herself to open her jacket, she pulled her bag of food out, at least she hadn’t lost it in the chase. It was no longer hot, barely warm, but the burger and fries would have to do until she felt safe enough to go out again. She wouldn’t trust it in darkness, not with the Vampires she’d sensed, they were young so they wouldn’t be out in daylight. That meant she’d only have the Wolf to contend with if he was still in the area and she hoped that he wasn’t. She was tired and fed up with running for her damn life.

No longer having family to cocoon her with their strength and numbers, each being picked off over the years until she was on her own, she was slowly losing hope of ever being safe again. So many seemed to want her for her miniscule amount of Dragon magic. She was nowhere near as powerful as her brethren had been but that didn’t seem to matter to those that hunted her. So she did what she’d always done . . . ran, hid, and fought with every fiber of her being to keep it from those that would take what didn’t belong to them.

There were several wood nymphs living in the park who were looking out for her. Alerting her whenever they could and keeping their eyes peeled to threats in their domain. However, they weren’t powerful enough to help her in a fight, but she was grateful for any help given. If she could, she’d sleep with the animals in the zoo, feeling at ease with them but she’d never put them at risk knowing those that hunted her would have no qualms at hurting them to get to her. So, she stayed away, keeping them from harm and only visiting them briefly when she felt it was safe to do so.

Taking a bite of her burger, she thought of the strange sensation that overcame her as she’d darted across the road to the park. A momentary urge to stop and look upward, her stomach lurching with . . . what? She wasn’t sure. In fact, she had been so confused that she’d slipped and almost lost her footing, allowing the Wolf who was chasing her to gain the upper hand for precious seconds. She had panicked, heart beating way too fast as her blood rushed through her system with adrenalin flooding her with such speed that she thought her heart was going to explode in her chest. Pumping so fast that the sound thundered in her ears and she’d almost transformed right there in the street. Her beast desperate to fly her away from danger . . . yeah, that would’ve gone down well.

Dragon sighted on the streets of New York City!

Kimber shook her head, knowing if she ever allowed that to happen that she’d have more than hunters on her tail. The damn Directive would have her in chains so fast she’d never draw a free breath again. That couldn’t happen. She’d die as surely as her name was Kimber. Being restrained, locked up in a cell . . . she’d shrivel up like a dead leaf in autumn and cease to exist.

She needed space, nature, to be outside, and most of all she loved water and to swim naked under the stars . . . that was her guilty pleasure. She’d sneak into the zoo and dive into the sea lion exhibit to swim in pitch darkness, alone in the silence . . . in perfect harmony with herself and nature.

On her travels, she’d always ensure she was near water. Whether that was the ocean, a lake, or some other form of water, it didn’t matter but she had to be able to swim.

Taking another bite of her burger, she smiled wondering why it was that a Dragon, a fire breathing beast, loved water so dang much. But it was true for them all, well, it had been for all her family . . . until they’d been destroyed. “No, don’t go there,” she mumbled aloud, refusing to fall down that particular rabbit hole again. If she did she might not be able to climb back out this time. Not when she was on her own, more than a little scared, almost broke and with hunters breathing down her neck . . . again.

“One day at a time,” she said again. “That’s what you were told.”

Her mom then her dad, then her brother, one after the other had instilled that in her . . . it’s the only way to survive. One day at a time. But it was so damn hard. She wasn’t sure how many days she had left in her. She was almost done. Almost. Not yet though.

Stuffing the remainder of her food back into the bag, she settled down for the night, determined to get up early to go to the restroom for a wash and then she’d go get a decent damn breakfast. Maybe then she’d feel better.

As soon as she lay down, her head resting on the bundle of throws she’d amassed, her eyes slid shut, her body exhausted and she fell over into a troubled sleep. She dreamt of a tall man with ice blue eyes calling to her with such longing her heart wept . . . her legs moving toward him of their own volition until she saw razor sharp fangs in his mouth: Vampire!

Warning bells rang loudly, sending her scurrying away, his hands reaching, imploring, his eyes full of pain as she backed away. “No!” she screamed, his face blurring, fading but the pain in his face, in his voice stayed with her long after she woke hours later leaving her breathless, panting and wondering what the hell had just happened.