Preface

PREFACE

The growl was barely audible, but it was undeniably there.

Confusion and a tinge of panic swirled inside me, making my head spin. All the while, Lucius moved closer. His intentions were unclear, but obviously not good. Daxton's body shifted, a protectiveness emanating from him as he kept himself firmly between Lucius and me.

"Stay behind me," Daxton ordered, turning his head to toss the words over his shoulder at me.

I nodded, even though he wasn't looking at me.

The urge to run powered through me, but I stayed rooted in place. My heart raced in my chest, yet it faltered when Lucius abruptly stopped sauntering toward us. His face twisted into a sinister smirk that chilled me to the core, and I swallowed hard.

Lucius's expression had gone from straight malice to a bizarre kind of amusement that was disturbing.

Daxton tensed even more. I knew he'd noticed it too.

At least that was what I thought… Until his body began to contort.

I gasped as he made a guttural noise in front of me. My eyes widened at the sound.

What was wrong with him?

He looked as though he was fighting an invisible force.

"Daxton," I breathed, panicked. "What's wrong?"

"It's just a little demonstration, love," Lucius assured me, his voice tinged with amusement.

Daxton's body convulsed with more force than before, his body twisting in an unnatural way. The sound of bones popping filled my ears an instant later.

Whatever was happening, it wasn't something Daxton was doing to himself.

It was Lucius.

"What are you doing to him?" I demanded, glaring at the jerk.

"Watch," Lucius insisted, the smirk on his face growing.

Daxton released another horrific sound, startling me. My gaze snapped back to him, and I watched in horror as his face elongated into an animal's. As black, sleek fur sprouted from his skin, I swore I forgot how to breathe. All the air rushed from my lungs as I watched him morphing into a creature in front of me. He pivoted his head to look my way, and I saw the change in his eyes. They'd become an eerie shade of yellow.

What was happening to him? Better yet—what the heck was he?