Shadows of the Heart

Ronan's POV

Blood dripped from my knuckles as I stumbled through the trees. Three Syndicate guards lay dead behind me, but more would come. They always did.

My side burned where Vex had driven the knife in during my "questioning." The cut wasn't healing as fast as it should—the blade had been laced with wolfsbane.

The vampire's help had been surprising. Caius Blackthorne, of all people, causing a distraction that allowed me to break free. His leaving words echoed in my mind: "Find her before they do."

Rain began to fall, washing away my smell trail. Small gifts. I pushed forward until an abandoned hunter's cabin emerged through the trees. The door hung crooked on rusty hinges, but the roof was mostly intact.

Inside, dust covered everything. No one had been here for years. Perfect.

I fell on a moth-eaten couch, checking my wound. The bleeding had lessened, but infection was setting in. I needed drugs. Rest.