net and yanked it open. A cloud of thick, gra

ucked in the far corner were a

ff the label with her thumb. It read:

any hesitation. She twisted the cap o

. It smelled strongly of rotting rubber

ueezed her eyes shut, and fo

my. A violently sour, chemical

lable gag reflex seized her throat. She doubled over,

watering from the physical rejection. This industrial w

Her eyes hardened. If she didn't get real prote

door and pulled out a heavy, rusted iron pipe

tepped back out into the lower sector. The acid rain had

four bond-mates-Hjalmar, Braden, and two others she had yet to meet-were among the most powerful warriors in the known tribes. They were bound to her by an ancient,

e narrow, sewage-flooded alley

echoed from behind a pile of indu

nx, larger than the dire rat from earlier, its spine lined with jagg

harity. It lowered its head, clearly

palms were slick with cold sweat. She slowly took a step b

kicked off the ground, launching its massive body throug

t to block, knowing the physical strength

crunch of tactical boots on a nearby rooftop

dark shadow plummeted from th

he heavy impact of his military boots drove the beas

eserved for elite High Guard captains-materia

vibrating blade deep into the base of the lynx's skull

s the alley walls. The massive lynx t

black cloth from his tactical vest and metic

d on Charity, who was still standing t

a liability," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "Eve

Braden. Her eyes were glued to the massive, heavil

o-energy radiating from the meat. Her

te idea took ro