Author's Note: I'm back and its gon' be a fuckfest. Enjoy.

The best thing about warm weather was that it left the skies clear once the sun went down. The warehouses were just far enough away from city lights that each star was easily identifiable. It would be a great night for a stroll if it wasn't for-

"You'd think that with the length of your legs, you'd walk faster than a goddamn turtle."

I was pretty sure my face was gonna stick into a permanent scowl. "What the fuck, you just told me to slow down not twenty minutes ago."

"I told you to cool your fucking head, I could almost see you grinding your teeth into powder." Levi spoke from over his shoulder, his movements like liquid as we snuck around the buildings.

It had taken us significantly less time to reach this creepy place, but I couldn't help but want to pick up the pace even more. I snorted. "I don't think saying 'stop walking like you're rushing to take a shit' counts as telling me to calm down." I honestly have no idea where I was growing the balls to talk back to him. I was genuinely surprised he hadn't already added a fresh bruise over the fading ones on my face.

He doesn't answer, only stopping once we reach the tracks we found before. Sniffing the air, he begins to follow the trail, slowly increasing his speed. I do the same, putting my nose up for a moment, then following behind him. We had done the same thing when we first arrived, and just like then, we distinguished no recent activity. Still, you could never be too careful.

I wasted no time in shifting, my limbs cracking and stretching as I ran. My strides grew longer, my steps quieter as large paws dug into the soft dirt. Like this, I could easily keep in time with Levi, but I kept the few feet of distance between us that I decided on when I left my apartment. I'd much rather watch the surroundings from behind the guy than in front of him.

I couldn't help but be very suspicious of him. Not just his actions, but the entirety of him. Something just screamed 'stay away' whenever I got too close. It was unnerving. Occasionally, I'd recall the night I met him, the sound of blood splattering on the concrete ringing in my ears. I grimace.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when Levi murmurs a, "almost there" from ahead of me. I grunt in response and slow down just as Levi comes to a stop. I turn a heavy head in his direction and wait.

He stares at me for a second before turning a corner of his lip down in a frown. "Move like five feet back, you smell disgusting." When I bare my teeth and growl at him he spits to the side and turns his attention forward again. "Do you see it?"

I roll my eyes and look in the direction he's indicating. It takes a minute of squinting and turning my head in different angles for me to see the slight shimmering of light. I hope on everything holy that this isn't a glamor that needs to be broken, and take a step toward it.

A violent shudder rips up my spine and I squeeze my eyes shut, clenching my teeth tightly together, and surge forward. Just as quickly as the pain had come, it was gone. Blinking my eyes open, I turn to see Levi step through the barrier. There is only a slight wrinkle to his forehead as he states, "Well that was unpleasant." I glare at him.

As usual, he ignores me and begins looking around. It doesn't look much different. Greener maybe, but that's it. I can make out a cluster of trees in the distance and I can already feel anticipation coil in my gut. Hesitation stops me in my tracks. I know Armin had warned me about rushing ahead, wanting me to come back...but now that I was here, I wasn't so sure I was willing to do it. Nothing wrong with at least seeing the place from a distance, right?

Sighing, I chance a glance at Levi. I would have to be brain-dead not to able to translate the look on his face as a 'I really don't give a shit.' Right. How could I forget. He'd walk over my carcass without batting an eyelash. Nodding my head toward the trees at him, I focus my attention like a bullet to a target, and run.

I don't know how many miles of blurry trees I pass by is, but by the time I reach the edge of a large cliff, I'm panting and my legs are aching. I don't sense Levi anywhere near me and I shrug it off. He wasn't my problem either, I got to where I wanted to be.

Shifting out of wolf form with a groan, I crouch and scan everything my eyes can take in. From my vantage point, I can see a small clearing surrounded by forest, the very middle occupied by three buildings. I can see that one of them is a fairly sized manor, but the others I wasn't so sure. Barracks? I frown and chew on my thumb.

I can see signs of movement. Guards. I blow out a frustrated breath. This would be difficult, but not impossible. I shift through the basic floor plan Armin had been able to dig up in my head, pulling at the grass beneath my fingers. Checking the perimeter would probably be best, but there only seemed to be one entrance. If Mikasa hadn't been able to sneak out on her own, the security was definitely not something to be taken lightly.

"Uggh," I groaned out, pulling at my hair. I never had been very patient enough to wait for anything, let alone plan something out that went beyond making a perfect grilled cheese.

I could go back, like Armin had suggested. Thinking things through however, I couldn't be sure that it wasn't already discovered that someone had come through the barrier. I might never get this chance again. I swallow thickly and strengthen my resolve. I was nervous as all hell, I could get caught or worse. All of this would have been for nothing...but if I didn't at least try...

Mikasa was going to be furious.

I take a deep breath and let power surge through me, teeth and nails elongating, and jump over the edge. Senses on high alert, I let my feet hit the nearest branch and propel myself with enough force to grab at another branch, swinging my way down. My shoes hit the forest floor with barely a whisper. Everything is still, not even a breeze to ruffle the leaves above. It won't take very long to reach the compound up ahead, it was just a matter of getting inside.

Ten minutes, and a burning in my legs later, I find myself in front of a high cross-wired fence. Taking note of the absence of plant life two inches from either side of the fence, I walk along it behind the trees. it doesn't take long to come to what can only be the entrance. There are tracks leading into tall, black gates...with no sign of a guard anywhere. Either the gate was buzzed open from elsewhere or the security was missing.

Taking a chance, I approach the gate. At first glance, I don't see anything out of place. Until I take a closer look at the bars. There was a small section at the edge where the bars were forced open, wide enough for someone to step through. A small someone. I sniff the air and confirm my suspicions. Leave it to Levi to beat me to the punch. I could feel my eye twitch the slightest bit. "Prick."

At least the difficult part was done for me, I decided, and stepped through. There is still some distance to the house so I opted with following the tracks.

I didn't see any sign of the short vampire and I had to wonder how he was able to get in without raising any alarms. I could only hope his luck covered my ass too. There is very little to take cover if needed and I could feel sweat make its way down my back. The only lights I could see were coming from the enormous house, smaller lights following a path. There are a few lamp posts, but they are, luckily, powered off.

It had to be getting close to midnight, and that's the only reason I could think of why I couldn't see anyone around. This was too easy and it was too late to turn back.

The darkness parts enough for me to make out the gray, weathered-out building that I figured were some kind of living quarters. With it, I finally see two men standing just outside. I chewed at my lip, thinking. I crouch and reach my hand along the dirt around me, curling my fingers around a rock. I take a deep breath and wait.

It takes a bit, but the guards finally separate, presumably checking the sides of the building. My eyes lock onto the guard on the right, my heart rate slowing, and just focus. It happens quickly, my arm snapping out, the rock whistling through the air, hitting the guy right in the throat.

The man immediately drops to his knees, hands at his neck, gurgling noises filling the empty silence. The man that had been going left turned in his direction sharply, drawing him to his downed partner. They never saw me coming. Moving swiftly, I bring a hand down on left guard's neck, hear the bone snap, and do the same to the other man not a second later. Both bodies dropped to the floor, no one the wiser.

I stand there for a moment, an uncomfortable feeling churning in my stomach. Just as quickly, I stomp the feeling down. If they were here, they were bad men right? This was two less evils in the world. I had to believe that. I let out a shuddering breath and scan the bodies. No keys.

I walked around the side of the barrack and notice some windows. Very small windows, but windows nonetheless. I step to them and peer inside. It was dark inside but there was just enough light to make out what looked like cots. I almost swallowed my tongue in surprise when I heard the glass of the window crack open the slightest bit.

I breathe out a cautious, "Hello?"

"I knew somethin' happened ta the guards." A tired, husky voice floats out. "Who're you?"

I debate on answering, before blurting out, "Are you one of the kidnapped women?"

I hear a bitter chuckle. "While 'm sure there're various cases of kidnappin', there've been 'nough ladies here that even a shut-in would be able ta link it together. So, yeah, I suppose we're the kidnapped women."

Hope bubbles in my chest. "Is there a woman named Mikasa in there with you?"

"Never 'eard of 'er. So, I'll ask ya again, who're you?"

My hands fist at my sides. "I work for Sina, I'm here to rescue her along with the rest of you."

There is silence before, "What she look like?"

"Shoulder length black hair, dark eyes, and built like a pro wrestler."

The woman on the other side of the window laughs. "Yeah, I know 'er. Said 'er name's Ana. Not sure you'll be able ta get to 'er though. She being held at the House. I'd leave while ya can, ya don't stand a chance."

"I'm not leaving here without her," I growl out. She doesn't say anything and I take that opportunity to calm down. "How do I open the door to this?"

The woman clicks her tongue. "There's a security buildin' a couple yards ta the left of 'ere. That's where they control everythin' on the outside, so you're on your own with the House-"

Suddenly, a loud blaring noise is piercing through the air, lights flashing on in every direction. Just as I feel panic begin to flood into my veins, an explosion rings out. Screams from the women inside mingles with the agitated shouts of the guards.

Over the noise, I hear the woman say, "Friend a yers?" I can't decide if I'm more horrified or furious as I nod dumbly. I register a beep and a buzzer and suddenly the door to the women's prison is flying open. The woman hums at this. "Tell 'em I said, 'nice job'."

I can see some of the women tentively poking their heads out, varying degrees of hope and fear marring their features. Cursing, I pull my gun out and turn in the direction of the House. It was now or never. I'm stopped by a hand clutching my upper arm. I turn to find a tall, dark woman staring back at me thoughtfully.

"Are ya still going over there?" I connect the voice from the window to the woman and nod. "Let me come with you, there's someone I need ta find too."

I shake my head. "Lead the rest of the women out of here and-"

She snorts. "They ain't stupid, we've been here long 'nough ta know the way out. They'd hafta be a fool not ta take advantage of this mess."

I really didn't have time to argue right now. "Fair enough." With that, I begin sprinting toward the pristine building. I watch her begin to follow me out of the corner of my eye and she gives me a crooked grin.

"Name's Ymir."

I smirk back at her. "Eren."

Passing by the security building, I'm both disgusted and relieved to find the bodies of the guards littering the floor, the fire from the building spreading along the grass. I grimace at the ache I feel somewhere behind the back of my skull. I shake the feeling away and turn my attention back to the task at hand.

There is a back door ripped clean off its hinges and I hear Ymir whistle beside me. "Yer friend works fast."

I scowl. "Wouldn't exactly call him my friend."

We pass through the entrance and I stop in my tracks. "Where to now?"

"I've only been 'ere a few times, but its hard not ta forget." With that, she turns down a hallway, passing a foyer and making her way down some steps. The further down we go, the colder the air seems to get, the pretty plaster walls turning to large, sharp rocks. "You'd think that with this day an' age, dungeons wouldn't exist. Fuckin' vampires."

"Vampires?"

"Yeah, the place is crawlin' with 'em. C'ept boss lady, don't know what she is, just know she gives me the creeps."

I think back to the guards I'd taken out and feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I hadn't killed them, but they would at least be out for a few hours.

"Where are we going now? What is this place?"

A grim look settles on the woman's face. "Its where boss lady experiments."

I feel cold spread through me and it takes a lot of effort not to freeze in my tracks, to panic. "H-how long has..." I can't even bear to finish the thought.

Ymir doesn't look at me. "...a while. She'd come back sometimes, but she'd just...lay there, an' then she'd get taken again. I don't know what they've done to 'er. Lots of us have been taken 'ere, but sometimes they don't come back."

I'm running again, leaving Ymir shouting behind me. I'm kicking doors open at this point, bile rising in my throat with every room I find empty. My heart is in my throat and I can't breath. I'm sure I'm shouting for Mikasa, but I can't hear beyond the pounding of my blood through my ears.

I spot a hallway leading to a large wooden double-door and turn towards it sharply. I'm just a few feet away when one of the doors comes crashing out toward me, missing my left side by just a few inches. I spin around to see...Levi. My eyes widen. He was sent flying? By who?

Excited laughter answers my question. "Well, well, well, look who just walked in through my front door."

Its her, the strigoi. Stunned, I look between her and Levi. Was this who Levi was after?

Bloody eyes lock onto mine, an almost feral grin stretching her face. "Eren," she croons, and I flinch. "Never thought I'd see the day." Her eyes flick to Levi, who is picking himself up out of the wall. The nervous look in his eyes confusing me. She begins to walk toward me and I take an involuntary step back. "Have you remembered then? I really hope you have."

"W-what?" I choke out. In that moment, I see her. Inside the room Levi had just flown out of, the room that monster had just stepped out of. My heart squeezes in my chest, my vision zeroing in on her prone form. She's chained to the wall and isn't moving.

Mikasa.

Author's Note: Prayer circle anyone?

Gimmie somethin' c'mon now. *cries*