BLOOD, MONEY AND MOONLIGHT

om Nero's palm onto steel,

f howled insi

olf. What in the

unnaturally, glowing faintly as it hit the metal. The scent w

anguid, controlled. Watching her with those

isfi

s, flickering slightly. Alessia forced her eyes away from th

g moved

" she asked, voice ti

pocket and began to wrap his palm with mechanica

, chasing the sweat already be

't worry, little wolf. It prefers male A

rinting through centuries of pack lore, ever

blood. None of them ha

speak again, the

l vest smeared with blood. Not his. "Sir

anished like a

ch o

His eyes flicked to Alessia, then awa

: TWO HOUR

ISONED

ittered like a spider's web s

en under tailored tuxedos. Alessia moved through the catering staff in silence, her blac

r. She was here to map exits

accents. Too m

didn't

lfsbane. Cyrus's idea. "Just in case," he'd said, as if that made i

's jaw

ething y

red into her ear, s

od close enough that his breath stirred the fine h

nds folded around a tray of nap

ia

ut heat, like a chef point

watch face-digital now,

, as the red dot moved slowly toward

s blood

ed through the thin silk of her uniform. It wasn't jus

scape routes. Wondering how fast you coul

stuttered i

against her temple.

something cold

handled switchblade, comp

the real f

rowd of elites and execs, leaving her with th

as m

the k

ESE

AME C

ned against the wall with the practiced

ison the champ

ques

till bound in silver cuffs, but

crude. I pref

lacks poetry

ty chief dropped a tablet onto

ia bl

allroom. Same maid's uniform. Sam

ped a small vial into

sted violently.

"Meet your sister. Or shoul

a shadowed basement, standing beside the

. "Daddy seems to th

s throat

briefcase. The one she'd risked her life to st

were wrong. The wei

," she w

. I designed it myself. Your sister has no idea

clenched so ti

, speaking direc

new choice,

er skin. "Help me catch you

UNT B

ousand-crystal ch

sion was

g. People screamed. Bodies hit the gr

stinct driving her flat as

into hers. Wa

sitation, even as a second

igure stood poised at

own

smirked. Rais

resse

fireball swallow

shook. L

th

wling

. Something ancient

ed the pain. Nero hauled her to her f

sister's throwing

her teeth. "Then

Contin