She almost gets something out, and I pull her back so I can look at her face, watch the struggle there, the darkness lurking behind her eyes that she's fighting with as much passion as she's ever put into anything.

"Back." I repeat. That's all I've got to go with, and I've got to do something, fast, before this Messiah takes her over completely and makes her turn on me.

I really won't be able to fight her now, not knowing how close to the surface she is, how close I came to almost getting her back.

I grasp one of her wrists and spin her, bringing her arm around her front to pin her against my chest. It might hurt her arm in the long run, if she, or her body anyway, starts struggling, but I need time, whatever little amount of time I can get.

"Where?" I hiss, frustrated. My free hand brushes beneath her hair, across the nape of her neck.