Prologue

***THALIA***

I stumbled once again on this uneven surface of the forest. I wasn't able to keep the number of times I tripped from running. Curse these huge-rooted, century-old maple trees that make my escape a little bit harder. I am being chased by twenty armed men. I never thought that these people whom I treated as my family would go after my life.

"There's nowhere to go, Stonefield." My former best friend Trinn told me as she pointed her caliber-45 gun right at my forehead. I felt the cold tip of her gun on me as cold as her stares.

"Why don't you just let me be?" I asked her boldly though she can pull the trigger and kill me as she pleased.

"You know that I can't and I won't."

Trinn replied without any hint of emotion on her face. It hurts to see my old friend and myself in this situation, trying to kill and not to be killed by each other.

"What's with the sudden change, Thalia?" Her cold expression shifted into a frustrated one. I know she can't understand my reckless decision but I made up my mind. I am quitting my dirty job.

"Because I'm tired of this setup. I'm so done being a killer. I'm so done killing innocents for money. Trinn, I'm so tired of this fucking messed up life. For seven years of following Eromeni's order, I can't recall how many innocent lives I've taken. For once in your life, have you ever thought of having a good, peaceful life and having a family?"

My words left all of them with deep thoughts for a while. I know that I am not alone with that point of view because somehow, deep inside them, it exists. In our dark way of living some of us were still hoping to see light.

"Do you think there's a sane person who will accept us? We are living but we are already rotting in hell since the very first time we ever pulled the trigger of our guns to kill innocent people. Nobody will ever love us. Bear that in your rusted brain"

Trinn stated with her jaw clenching because of anger and frustration I can see how her eyes start to glimmer because of tears. I got her point but I cannot agree with it. I know there's still hope for us to have a normal life if they will just stand with me and leave Eromeni's, our mistress, side. But knowing Trinn for seven years, I know it's impossible. She has this unbreakable loyalty towards Eromeni for some reason that she never told me.

"We can make it possible. Just join me and leave this goddamn place. There's still hope left in this life."

I silently pray that she will be convinced but I confirmed that my silent prayer was not heard when Trinn aimed for my forehead again with her gun. I felt the cold tip of the gun when it kissed my skin once again. I know any moment I'll meet my very end.

Eromeni's order was to kill me for turning my back against our organization. I once was her right hand and I know all of the details about our work. And when I say all the details, those classified and confidential information are included. That explains why I am in this situation now. I am pathetically kneeling on the ground while a 45 caliber handgun was pointed through me.

"Hope was long gone in my dictionary, Stonefield. Just like how my mind forgot what that word means."

I closed my eyes with anticipation. Maybe this will really be my end. But I'm feeling happy instead of being afraid. Because I know death is the only way to escape from my hellish life. It's the only way out of hell. Finally, I am free.

*******

*YMIR*

Those smells keep bothering me. Blood, fear, happiness, and freedom, how come those smells from humans can come together from one body at a time?

I lost control of my own body. I desperately looked for the root of that throat- thirsting and blood-lusting smell; until I found a group of low life humans trying to kill one another.

It's from her. That lady with her eyes tightly shut waiting for her end.

It is very unusual for me to witness this kind of death. How could she still feel that kind of happiness and freedom when she was about to die?

Maybe it's the curiosity, maybe it's just my unusual self or maybe it is the sweet taste of her emotion that pushed me but I saved this lowlife creature. I ended up killing everyone around her after putting her into a deep sleep.

I left the woods flooding with blood from the people chasing her, with her oblivious about everything.

Now that she owes me her life,

she's mine.