I could still hear shouting and gunshots, followed by a tremendous explosion.

They had begun bringing the building down. The distant sound of sirens and the smell of fire soon reached my ears too.

I glanced out at the city in the distance, the glittering lights twinkling, the rush of cold air in my hair, the approaching sirens… and when Azura slid a leg out the window, I slid her close, kissing her softly.

These sounds… they gave me a thrill… the exhilaration of a showdown… the taste of danger and risks... her here with me just made it even better…

When she locked her arms around me and her...