Marcus's hands shook as he stared at the photo of Amanda. His little sister, who should have been twenty-three now, looked exactly like she had at eighteen. Same dark hair, same stubborn chin, same eyes that held too much intelligence for her own good."This is impossible," he whispered. "She died in the accident. I saw the death certificate."Sophia moved closer, her heels crunching on broken glass. "Did you see the body?"The question hit him like a punch to the gut. No. He hadn't seen the body. Victor had handled all the arrangements while Marcus was locked up, waiting for his hearing. By the time he got out on bail, Amanda was already buried in a closed casket."You son of a bitch." The words came out in a growl that didn't sound entirely human."Save the anger for later," Sophia said. "Right now we need to move fast. This warehouse—I know it. It's in Ashford territory, surrounded by his security. They're not planning to let you walk out of there."Marcus was already putting on hi

Marcus spent the night watching Amanda sleep, his mind racing with possibilities he didn't want to consider. Every few minutes, she'd twitch or mumble something in a language that sounded ancient and wrong. Whatever they'd done to her ran deeper than simple brainwashing.His phone buzzed at seven AM. Unknown number."Hello, Marcus." Elena Sterling's voice was exactly as he remembered—soft, cultured, with that slight breathiness that used to make his heart race. Now it just made him angry."What do you want?""To save your life. And your sister's. Meet me at the Gramercy Hotel, room 412. Come alone.""So you can finish what Victor started?"There was a long pause. "Victor thinks I'm having breakfast with the mayor's wife. I have maybe two hours before he realizes I'm gone. If you want answers about what really happened to your family, you'll be here."The line went dead.Marcus looked at Amanda, still sleeping on the couch. She looked peaceful now, but he couldn't forget that smile in

The thing that had been pretending to be Elena Sterling stood eight feet tall now, its pale skin stretched tight over bones that bent in ways human bones shouldn't. Its face was a nightmare of too many teeth and eyes that reflected light like black mirrors."You know," it said conversationally, "I was really hoping we could do this the easy way. Your sister was supposed to deliver you to us gift-wrapped and compliant."Marcus backed toward the rooftop's edge, his supernatural senses screaming warnings. Whatever this creature was, it radiated power that made his enhanced abilities feel like a candle next to a blowtorch."What are you?""Disappointed, mostly." The creature's voice came from too many throats at once. "We spent considerable resources crafting that Elena persona. Do you know how difficult it is to perfectly replicate human emotional responses? The micro-expressions, the body language, the way she used to touch her hair when she was nervous?"The detail made Marcus's skin c

Marcus stared at the man who'd raised him, who'd taught him how to throw a baseball and drive a car, who'd supposedly died protecting his family from supernatural monsters. The same man who was now standing in a room full of those monsters like he belonged there."You're dead," Marcus said, his voice barely a whisper."Death is such a limited concept," Richard Vale replied. "I prefer to think of it as a career change."The resemblance was perfect—same gray eyes, same crooked smile, same way of standing with his weight slightly forward like he was always ready to take on the world. But Marcus's enhanced senses picked up details that were wrong. No heartbeat, no scent of living flesh, and an aura of supernatural energy that felt ancient and cold."What are you?""Disappointed in my son, mostly." Richard moved closer, and Marcus noticed that none of the armed figures tried to stop him. "Five years of the finest supernatural training available, and you still think in terms of human morali

Marcus woke up in a hospital bed, sunlight streaming through windows that showed him a city he barely recognized. The skyline was the same, but there were differences—military vehicles on the streets, news helicopters circling constantly, and crowds of people gathered around public screens displaying information about something called the "Supernatural Registration Initiative.""You're awake." The voice belonged to Elena Sterling—the real Elena, sitting in a chair beside his bed. She looked older, with lines around her eyes that spoke of recent trauma, but her smile was genuine. Human. "How do you feel?""Like I've been hit by a truck carrying existential dread." Marcus tried to sit up, wincing at the movement. "What happened? How long was I out?""Three days. The doctors said you suffered some kind of neurological overload." Elena moved closer, and Marcus caught her scent—no supernatural corruption, no alien energy. Just soap and hospital coffee and the faint trace of perfume he rem