<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Her forearm was a barrier, a bar against the shifter’s neck as gnashing, jutting teeth chomped at her threateningly. Each pronounce clack of his jaw let her know just how vicious its bite could be, how painful and damaging. Her arm was shaking, about to give when a loud thud distracted the ravenous man. Ava lifted her leg hard, her knee landing between his legs. He let out a roar of agony before she managed to push him off of her, her hand finding the gun that had fallen from her hand. He must have seen her reach for it, and as he lunged at her for a second time with his mouth wide he found the barrel of her gun between his teeth. She pulled the trigger and the shifter fell back, slumped against the wall where streaks of blood dripped down chipped paint. For a moment Ava composed herself, breathing deep breaths to calm her racing heart before she turned her attention to the commotion on the other side of the hall. <br/>
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A man had drawn their rage now, their target now a strange hunter she didn’t recognize. Louisiana was home to many Orders and Houses, a community of that often engaged with one another for various reasons. It was rare to come across unaffiliated hunters, but she didn’t question his methods in the moment. Instead she pushed herself up, stepping over the bodies swiftly to catch her next victim as they moved to go after the hunter. Two shots to the back downed him, the stifled sound of her gun was swallowed whole by another feminine shriek behind her. The woman had emerged from the room, greeted by the sight of dead bodies. It irked Ava to hear that sound, irritation nearly making her turn the barrel toward her when she reminded herself that she was Human. It was against their rules to harm or kill innocents. <br/>
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“Stop screaming and stay down--” Ava demanded, her voice cutting out when an arm wrapped around her neck from behind. The intense squeeze of the shifter’s muscle was strong, making breathing difficult-- especially since her feet were barely on the ground. On her tippie-toes, she struggled until her foot found the wall. She used it to push off of, the shifter’s back hitting the opposite wall. Though his hold on her was still tight, enough of the tension was gone to think straight. She aimed her gun downward, a bullet hitting his foot before her elbow jammed into his ribs. The combination of pain allowed her to break free of his grasp. She turned sharply, pulling the trigger twice though it only produced one bullet. The second time she tapped it there was an emphatic click, a signal that the clip had been emptied. <br/>
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It was no matter. Their numbers had been thinned considerably, leaving only a few left. Ava only needed one of them alive, hopefully one that knew of Scarlett’s whereabouts. </span>