The Alpine air at moonrise was sharp enough to slice glass.
Elara stood at the base of the designated valley, the snow crunching softly beneath her insulated combat boots. She had shed the silver silk gown for the black, thermal-lined tactical gear she had brought from Lyon. Her dark hair was braided tight against her scalp, a black beanie pulled low over her ears.
Two of Lord Silas’s white-furred Enforcers stood ten yards away, their eyes glowing a faint, eerie blue in the dark. They hadn't shifted yet, but their fangs rested on their lower lips.
"The Luna's head start begins now," one of the Enforcers rasped, looking at a heavy silver pocket watch. "Thirty minutes. Then, the Hunt is released."
They turned and melted backward into the shadows of the tree line, leaving her entirely alo
