LOGINDetective Casie Blackwood thought she'd left her supernatural past behind when she joined the police force ten years ago, fleeing the shame of public mate rejection and family abandonment. Now, ritualistic murders are forcing her back into a world she desperately wanted to forget. Three human victims have been discovered with surgical precision wounds and ancient symbols carved into their palms—markings that point to forbidden blood magic from before the supernatural communities established peaceful coexistence. When Casie finds a note written in the old pack language reading "The Hunt Begins," she realizes someone is deliberately targeting humans to harvest their primal fear, threatening to expose the entire supernatural world. Partnered with Detective Rick O'Connor, who remains unaware of her true nature, Casie must navigate the investigation while concealing her enhanced senses and knowledge of the supernatural. The wounds aren't from blades—they're fang marks. The positioning isn't random—it's ritualistic. And the killer's scent carries a terror that suggests they're being hunted by something even more dangerous. Forced to break ten years of silence, Casie contacts her estranged brother Elias, learning the symbols are ancient binding marks used to channel supernatural energy across factional boundaries. The killer needs seven sacrifices total to complete a ritual that will shatter the barriers between the human and supernatural worlds. With three victims already claimed and only four days until the next lunar cycle, time is running out. As federal agents circle and media attention intensifies, Casie must choose between maintaining her carefully constructed human life and embracing the supernatural heritage she rejected. The investigation isn't just about stopping a killer—it's about preventing an all-out war that could destroy both worlds she's sworn to protect.
View More"Compromised but operational," Casie answered before Rick could speak, leaning toward the phone. "The First Luna... intervened. Where are you?""Half a mile east of our separation point." Nathaniel's voice was tight, controlled, but Casie could feel his tension through their bond. "The constructs disengaged suddenly. Now I know why.""Valeria?" Rick asked, his free hand unconsciously moving to his weapon.A beat of silence stretched through the connection. "Taken. I tracked them for a quarter mile before they used some kind of portal. Magic signature was Order-specific."Casie's stomach clenched. "Are you injured?""Nothing significant." Through their bond, she felt the lie, not serious injuries, perhaps, but Nathaniel was hurting, the psychic backlash from engaging the constructs having taken its toll."We know where the ritual will take place," Rick said, his tactical mind already moving forward. "St. Augustine's Cathedral in the warehouse district.""Makes sense," Nathaniel replied
Casie nodded, already mentally cataloguing what they knew and what remained unknown. "Number of participants, security measures, ritual timeline..."A sharp crack from outside cut her off. Both of them froze, weapons instantly in hand. The sound hadn't been loud, perhaps a branch breaking under weight, but in the quiet ravine, it registered like a gunshot.Rick moved silently to the window, positioning himself to see out while remaining concealed. Casie covered the door, her breathing slowing as combat training took over. Through their bond, they coordinated without words, establishing complementary fields of fire and observation.Long seconds ticked by. The cabin's rustic interior seemed to hold its breath, dust motes suspended in the pale light filtering through grimy windows.The window to Casie's left shattered in a spray of glass. She dropped low, weapon steady despite the sudden surge of adrenaline. Rick was already moving, positioning himself against the wall adjacent to the br
The ravine widened slightly, the walls less steep as they continued downstream. Casie felt a tug through the bond. Nathaniel was extending himself, pushing his diversion further east to draw the creatures away. The distance made the sensation fainter, but she could still feel his determined focus, his calculated risk-taking."How much farther to the cabin?" she asked, scanning the ridge above them."Half mile, maybe less." Rick pointed ahead where the ravine curved sharply. "Just beyond that bend."The Tear warmed against her skin, not as a warning but as an acknowledgment. Casie took it as a positive sign, though she remained alert, her senses stretched to their limits as they moved forward."If we go after Seraphina," Rick continued, his voice low, "we need a plan for the constructs. Silver worked, but Nathaniel took psychic damage from direct contact.""The mountain ash might help," Casie suggested, then felt a pang of worry for Valeria, who now carried their only supply. "But we'l
The plan crystallized in Casie's mind. The Tear's warmth reinforced her instinctive opposition to separation, but tactically, the strategy made sense. By dividing, they could split the pursuers' focus, potentially creating an opening."Five minutes head start, then we'll draw them east," Nathaniel said, his gaze meeting Casie's with an intensity that made her breath catch despite the danger. Through their bond, she felt his absolute determination, his unwavering focus on her safety."Be careful," she managed, the inadequacy of the words burning in her throat.Rick's hand pressed against the small of her back, urging her toward the ravine path. "We need to move," he murmured, his voice low and urgent.Casie hesitated, torn between tactical necessity and the visceral wrongness of separation. The Tear pulsed against her skin, its rhythm like a warning."Valeria, take this," she said suddenly, pulling the leather pouch of mountain ash from her pocket. "If they get too close, create a barr
"Like the kids from Safe Harbor," Rick added grimly."Precisely. Though I doubt he realized the danger he was putting them in by documenting their trades."Nath
Casie felt unease ripple through both her mates. Ancient magic adapting to unprecedented circumstances was never a good sign."What exactly are they preparing for?" she asked, gesturing for Valeria to join them at the t
Maya's smile was tentative but genuine. "Your family really won't mind us staying there?""Trust me," Casie replied, thinking of her parents' reaction to suddenly acquiring supernatural refugees, "they'll be deli
Valeria's eyes fixed on Casie with uncomfortable intensity. "Because she believes the Luna's bloodline should have died out generations ago. The Blackwoods were meant to be eliminated during the last Convergence, a task she personally oversaw






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