The alley was silent except for the ragged breathing of the child curled against the brick wall. Blood dripped from a split lip, one eye swollen shut, bruises dark against their skin. Their small body trembled, too weak to move as the mutant hunters closed in.

“Little freak thought they could run,” one sneered, gripping a bloodied crowbar. “Guess we’ll have to finish the job.”

The child barely had the strength to lift their head.

Then, the air cracked with sulfur and smoke.

A deep, inhuman growl echoed through the alley.

Before the hunters could react, a blur of blue and black dropped from the shadows. A tail lashed out, knocking the crowbar away. Clawed feet landed with eerie grace, yellow eyes glowing in the dim light.

"Genug!" The German accent cut through the night. "Enough."

The hunters scrambled for weapons, but before they could aim—

Bamf!

The first hunter vanished, reappearing midair before crashing onto a dumpster.

Bamf!

A second crumpled as Kurt’s foot slammed into his chest.

The last man raised his gun—too late. A tail yanked him backward, and in a blink, he was hanging upside down from a fire escape, bound in his own straps.

Silence fell.

Kurt turned, rushing to the child. He crouched.

"Mein Gott..." he whispered, scanning their injuries. He reached out, then hesitated. "Little one, can you hear me?"

The child flinched but forced their good eye open. Instead of fear, there was confusion. He was a demon, wasn’t he? But demons didn’t save people.

Kurt carefully shrugged off his coat, wrapping it around them. “You are safe now,” he murmured. “I promise".