Prologue
His hood slid down, swallowing his face in shadow as he stepped into the alley. The air was
damp, rancid, carrying the stench of rust and rotting trash. He didn’t always come here—
only when the rage inside clawed for release. Tonight, it was ravenous.
A scream split the silence. Shrill. Desperate. It echoed off the brick walls like a broken violin
string.
He froze. Not in fear. In focus. His head turned toward the crooked street splitting off
midway, where the dark seemed to breathe on its own.
A smirk carved across his lips, sharp and unkind.
“Target found.”
