drum caught in a storm. Sweat clung to her skin. Her hands trembled as they hovered near the doorknob. She hadn't seen

er. She hadn't seen him shift.

the images replayed in her head... claws, glowing eyes, snarls. Her body trembled as if st

her grandfathe

? What h

e other room, voice heavy with

hisper as she struggled to steady it. "

fast, crossing the room in three strides. He c

until I say so," he said, a

silently, hu

e moon cast long shadows across the field. He circled the area, his flashligh

aid, setting the gun aside. "No s

r still coiled tight in her chest, and she kept glancing at the doo

weetie," her grandfather

d softly, turning toward her

sleep did no

t d

d his coffee, eyes locked on the file spread before him. The phot

ed, setting

tling across from him. "You

think there's a link betwe

brow. "What k

Still waiting on the lab results, bu

. "You think it's from some ki

?" His jaw tightened. "And how did Max's Rutherford's body end up ten me

"You think someon

rn. The same gaps. The same lack of suspec

pen. "You think it

omething for years," Nolan sai

nwh

e her window. For a moment, everything f

her eyes.. snarling jaws, slashing claws, that terrible moment of stilln

ing air was cool and crisp. Dew clung to the grass a

s nothing. No blood. No fur. J

ieved or unnerved. As she turned to head ba

he

his dark curls. She watched the way his muscles flexed as he moved, the calm focus in his p

e look

eyes

smi

, trying to sound cas

ead. "I'm good

g a bit longer. "You're doing

ss. Working with pl

y this time. "I get that. Yo

ion flickering just sligh

s. I d

talk to him, but now s

ence for a moment, the breeze r

mething

ging. The air grew unnaturally quie

turned

pproached from the woods. Dry lea

was holding its breath. Asher didn't speak. His jaw clenched

aid quietly. "You

n't leave th

der-length hair and a crooked smile. His pres

milia asked, he

w tightene

edge. "Hello, Asher," he said, his vo

out behind him, mirroring

re," Victor added, ey

fr

e was something familiar about his eyes

ped in fro

nk. "Funny. She l

rted, stretching into clawed shapes. Their eyes began to g

ath caught i

ng shattered in an instant as Victor'