Chapter Forty-Six: Escape Plot:

Drip. Drip. Tick. Tick.

Anna looked above her. How long has it been? Hours? Days? Yet, the atmosphere screamed at her. She did this, the woman thought. But how? Clearly, Haruka used the virus to her advantage, but there had to be another element. A low rattle crawled overhead.

They are watching me, Anna thought. I better stay still. Her eyes followed the darkness. If only there was some way to� She paused in thought as she heard knocking at the door. Anna clutched her knife by her side.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Only me," a voice said. The woman stood up and went to the door. She peeked out to see Stella at the door. Anna lowered her guard.

"Stella?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I wandered here when shit got weird," the wolf demon said. Anna unlocked the door and opened it a crack. Stella grinned and waved.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi�" Anna mumbled. The wolf demon noticed her hand.

"Expecting someone?" she asked.

"Hm?" Anna asked as she looked at her hand. She still held the knife tightly.

"Oh, that," she said. "Protection."

"From what?"

Anna leaned in close to Stella's ear. "My family is trying to kill me."

Stella gave her an odd look. "What?"

"Take a look around you," Anna said.

The wolf demon took a look around. "Okay, so?"

"Don't you feel that?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Does anything feel strange to you?"

"Yes� I just walked through to Meifu while I'm still alive, didn't I?"

"But how?"

"I've encountered this before."

Stella looked puzzled. "Huh? When? How?" Anna widened the door to let her in. Stella walked into the apartment and took her shoes off.

"So, what are you thinking?" she asked. Anna paced herself to talk.

"I think my grandmother's using one of my uncles to kill me," she said.

"How?" Stella asked.

"I don't know," the tsukai said. "I want to find out, but first�" Anna peeked out the window. "I need an escape route."

"Huh? Wh-?" the wolf demon asked.

"Shhh," the other woman whispered. "You heat that?"

"Hear what?"

"Shh!"

Both women listened in closely. A rattling filled the outside.

"What is that?" Stella whispered.

"Them," Anna replied.

"Who?"

"She's got me stuck here. Her hell butterflies are watching me, waiting to strike. I have to get out of here."

Stella gave her a strange look. "Okay�"

Anna grabbed onto her jacket. "Look! I don't care if you believe me or not! Just get me out of here!"

"Okay, okay," the wolf demon replied. "I'll help you."

Anna regained her composure. "Thanks." She gave Stella a little bow. The wolf demon rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," she mumbled. She froze when something caught her.

"Stella?" Anna asked.

"Duck!" Stella yelled.

"Huh?" the other woman asked. The wolf demon grabbed her and hit the floor. Boom!