As I wound through the late night streets of Hell’s Kitchen, every now and then I caught the sound of distant footsteps. But nothing ever came of it. Before long, I reached the club, shut for the night. I used my key to get into the building and drifted down the dark hallway to the meeting room.

When I stepped inside, a sudden flash of wrong went through me. I hovered in the shadowy doorway with my fingers half an inch from the light-switch. Heart thumping, I took a step back. The Legion couldn’t be more than a few steps behind me, but they weren’t here yet. If the killer had somehow figured out our plan and had gotten ahead of us…he could be waiting in here for me.

Gritting my teeth, I fished the signet ring out of my purse and gripped it in my hand. Then, with all the bravado I didn’t have, I flipped the switch. Light poured through the room, blinding me momentarily.

When my vision cleared, a gasp popped from my parted lips. The map, once an elaborate display of the killer’s every move, had been ripped to shreds. All the pins were scattered across the floor like fallen soldiers. The yarn now hung from the overhead light. At the end of it was a folded note.

I swallowed hard and snatched the note from the string, heart thumping out a hectic beat. My eyes rushed across the words. A heavy stone crashed into my gut.

I know what you’ve been trying to do. Give up the hunt, Legion. This will be your last warning before I tell Lucifer everything about you. Need extra motivation? I have the werewolf friend. Her name is Serena. And I will kill her if you don’t give me Mia. You have until tomorrow at midnight.

22

I dropped the note like it was made out of poisonous snakes. It might as well have been. Its venom stung worse than the point of even the sharpest sword. My heart shook violently in my chest. It was pounding so hard I swore it would beat its way through my ribs.

This couldn’t be happening. Serena had to be safe. She just had to be. I’d seen her at the party, not long before I’d left. She’d been fine at the time, surrounded by her fellow lawyers, her clients, and her boyfriend. How had the killer gotten to her? Why had she left the party?

Unease slithered through my gut. Horrified, I pressed my fingers to my lips. She must have seen me arguing with Az. And so she’d followed me out into the dark night when I’d left.

Fuck.

The Legion wouldn’t have been watching for her. They’d been too busy watching me.