Barnaby stared at the bolt bag I’d flung onto the counter and then folded his arms across his chest. The usual good-natured twinkle in his eye was absent today.

I copied his stance. “I could have been killed.”

“You asked for a bolt that could pierce anything on this earth, and I gave you bolts that could pierce anything,” he replied.

“Obviously not, because they didn’t even make a dent on this thing.”

Barnaby slid a bolt from the bag and turned it over. “I don’t like your tone, Bastion.”

“And I don’t like getting my arse handed to me because a state-of-the-art weapon I paid through the nose for doesn’t do its job.” Fuck it, pissing him off wasn’t going to achieve anything aside from losing my special client privileges. I sighed. “Look, Barnaby, I’m not here to argue. I’m just trying to figure out what went wrong. I honestly could have been killed.” I clasped my hands together. “It shook me up, you know?”

He popped the bolt back in the bag, his expression softening. “Well, there can only be one explanation.”

“What?”

“This creature that attacked you is made of a metal not from this world.”

I blinked at him. “What?”

“An alien, Miss Bastion. It must be an alien creature.”

Okay, he had to be kidding. “There are no such things as aliens.”

“And until a century ago there were no Draconi or Shedim, there were no pockets, and the humans didn’t know there were such things as neph. Miss Bastion, there is more to our world than this rock we sit on. There are worlds upon worlds, there is a multiverse—galaxies and universes other than ours.”

Was it that much of a leap? Bearing in mind everything we knew now? No. “So, you think this creature is an alien, and the Arcana Institute have an elite team hunting it because they know what it is?”

I could hear the words coming out of my mouth and they sounded crazy, but when had life ever been sane? We have dragons and demons and Others, why not throw in some spider metal aliens?

“Yes.” He fingered the bolt back. “That’s exactly what I think. But I am intrigued to know what it is we’re dealing with. If you come across this creature again, if you happen to get a sample of the metal, I’d pay you well for it.”

“Ha. Not likely. I intend to steer clear of that thing.”

He leaned down and retrieved a rolled-up document.

My pulse leapt. “Is that what I think it is?”

He nodded. “Wasn’t easy to come by either.” He rolled open the map and spread it out on the counter, jabbing a finger at it. “See here, this used to be an active sewer system, but they shut it down fifty years ago. And here, under the turnaround forest, we have another network of tunnels vaguely marked.”

I’d filled him in on Azren and our mission. I’d had little choice but to confide in him after he’d helped me save Azren’s life when he’d been infected with Subzero. Just as well, because if anyone could help us out, it was Barnaby. I hadn’t been expecting him to have the goods today, but damn if it wasn’t convenient. He retrieved two vials. And I rolled up my sleeves while he drew the blood he needed in payment. The question hovered on my lips, what the heck did he do with my blood? But I bit it back. Questioning payment was a no-no.

“All done.” He popped the vials into his pocket.

Sweeping up my bolt bag, I headed toward the arch that would lead back into the main shop, the antique storefront that Barnaby Winkle operated under.

“Be careful tonight, Wila,” Barnaby called out.

Huh? How did he know about tonight? I glanced back at him with a frown.

“The old water mill is a death trap.”

My mouth fell open. “Fuck, Barnaby. Have you developed a mind reading potion?”

He chuckled, and the twinkle was back. “No. But I do tune into FFS, and I’m aware of the strange bouts of activity around the city. I know the Lost have escaped, and I know you’ve been trying to fix it while the fuckers that caused the mess enjoy total oblivion.”

“Well, looks like someone’s been tapping the pulse of the city. What else do you know?”

He smirked. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with right now, Wila. Just keep your wits about you tonight and steer clear of the second floor of the mill. The floor’s rotten.”

“Thanks for the tip, and you know me—careful is my middle ... heck, who am I kidding.”

He had the serious face on again. “And remember, if you get me a sample of that metal ...”

“Yeah, yeah.” I slipped through the arch back into the shop and then out into the midday sun. The air was cool and crisp. Fall was round the corner and so was the lunar eclipse. Less than two weeks to go and we’d be facing Elora empty-handed. My stomach curdled.

Fuck this shit. Once we bagged this pack of Lost, we’d use the map and we’d find the rebel Shedim. There was no way we were facing the dragon liege with nothing to show for our efforts.

The clock inched its way toward six p.m., our pre-agreed meetup time. Azren was sitting at the table, seat pushed back, legs spread, and chin tucked in as he studied the map Barnaby had given me. He was kitted out in black again today: black biker boots, black jeans, and a long-sleeved black polo shirt that strained across his shoulders and biceps, emphasizing his large frame. The guy was a monster and the chair looked like a plaything. How had it not collapsed under his weight yet?

“Once we deal with this pack of Lost, we need to organize to clear the Underground,” Taylem said. He hoisted his metal club up and braced it on his shoulder.

Okay, time to reassess monster status. When it came to stature, Tay topped Azren by a couple of inches for sure, and he was definitely bulkier. In fact, the kitchen was way too small for us all.

“We have other business to take care of first,” Azren said, raising his head and carefully rolling up the map before handing it back to me. I tucked it into the letter holder by the bread bin.

“We can help with that too,” Tay said.

“I don’t know,” Mack said. “The Collective left them alive for a reason. Should we be messing with that?”

It took me a moment to realize that Mack was addressing Taylem’s earlier statement about the Lost.

Tay shot him a disgusted look. “Hell yes, we should. The Lost are dangerous. There is no benefit to keeping them alive.”

“Unless The Collective hoped to cure them?” Azren pointed out.

“I can do some digging,” Gilbert said from his position by the back door we never used. “Maybe if I look far enough, I can find some clues on why the Lost weren’t exterminated as claimed.”

“Thank you, Gil.” I smiled at the spot I sensed him to be in. “I’ll mention it to Noir too. See what he can find out from the inside.”

So far, we’d kept a low profile on the whole Lost thing, not wanting to draw attention to ourselves because of my involvement, Azren’s presence here, and the contract I’d signed. The risk of them finding out I’d given Elora a way into our territory was too high, and not knowing exactly what the contract said didn’t help. They’d kill me to eliminate that threat. It was why Noir, up until now, hadn’t done any digging into the Lost. But too many people had died because we’d held off. It wasn’t right. My life wasn’t worth more than anyone else’s. We needed to fix this however we could. And if that ultimately meant going directly to The Collective, then so be it. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that, though.

My phone buzzed with a text from Noir. I scanned it then pocketed the phone. “Noir couldn’t get out of his prior engagement. It looks like we’ll be doing this the old-fashioned way, sans Arcana.”

Taylem’s lips parted in a sadistic grin. “The best way.”

As we got our shit together and streamed toward the exit, I caught Azren’s eye and inclined my head, because he had a valid point. Getting rid of the problem topside was one thing—we were saving lives. But holding off on attacking the population in the Underground should wait until Noir and Gilbert had a chance to do some digging.

Hound poked his head out of the lounge as we piled into the foyer.

“You coming?” I indicated the front door. “We’re headed to the old water mill and we’re taking the bikes. If you’re up to it, you can meet us there.”

Okay, I was talking to him as if he understood, but there was way too much intelligence in those amber eyes to indicate anything else. He’d somehow been able to find me each time I’d been in mortal danger, and even though the guys were tagging along this time, having Hound was the icing on the cake.

He backed up into the lounge and then shot through the French windows into the night.

“I guess he’s meeting us there,” Mack said, amused.

Tay was the first out of the building and Mack followed close behind. Azren gripped my elbow gently to stall me.

I looked into his feral face, examining the clean-cut, harsh lines which were quickly becoming so familiar to me.

“I understand that your friends mean well, but the rogue Shedim are ruthless. I can protect you, but I may not be able to protect them.”

Oh, the sweetie. But this was Tay and Mack he was talking about. I patted his chest. “Thanks, big guy, but on this side of the border, a troll blood off the leash is a force to be reckoned with. If the rogue Shedim make the mistake of attacking, they’re going to be in for a nasty shock.”

Azren blinked slowly. “Very well. In that case, we would do well to have their assistance.”

Outside, the sun had just set and the world was still bathed in dying embers as night swept across the land. Stars were winking to life in the rapidly darkening sky, like a multitude of diamond eyes opening on the world below.

Tay was already on his bike, and Mack was busy clipping his bat to a customized strap attached to his motorbike.

My stomach quivered. We’d agreed on leaving Mini behind just in case we needed to chase the Lost. The mill was surrounded by flat land, but if they made it into the network of side streets and alleys a mile from it, then Mini would be useless. But bikes weren’t my favorite mode of transport. Not enough walls between me and the outside world rushing past.

“You coming?” Tay called out.

He expected me to ride with him.

It wouldn’t be the first time. Although I wasn’t a fan, we’d ridden together several times in the past, but the thought of being that close to him, of holding him, inhaling his scent and feeling his muscles shift and move beneath my hands, made me ache with longing.

Too soon.

“Thanks, babe, but I’ll jump on with Azren.” I kept my tone light.

If he was upset or disappointed, he didn’t show it. His expression remained neutral. “No problem.”

Mack caught my eye and gave me a slight approving nod. How much more had Tay shared with him about our conversations? Had he told him about our tryst at the bar? Chest tight, I climbed on the back of Azren’s bike.

“Are you all right?” Azren asked softly.

The gentle timbre of his voice, the genuine concern, made the fist in my chest tighten, and for once there was no smart reply. “I will be.”

He nodded and gunned the engine. “Hold on.”

He didn’t need to tell me twice. My arms slid around his narrow waist and then up to hook under his arms, fingers sinking into the soft fabric of his shirt. Pressing my face to the spot between his shoulder bones, I closed my eyes, allowing his aroma to envelop me, sweet and heady. With a delicious purr and evocative vibration, the bike leapt to life, and we streamed into the night.

Hound padded beside me as we walked toward the moon-soaked mill. Empty black windows stared back at us like soulless eyes.

Mack shuddered. “Creepy.”

“Mack and I will do a sweep of the building,” Tay said. “You and Azren can do a perimeter sweep.”

I shot him an amused look. “I don’t remember handing over the I’m-in-charge badge?”

Mack sniggered. “I told you he had a commando complex.”

Tay arched a brow, looking down on me from his six-foot-six height. “You have a better idea?”

“Yeah, so many better ideas, like grabbing ice cream, or maybe hitting that new theme park just opened on Eastside, but they’re all kinda redundant while we’re being stalked by insane Sanguinata. So, your idea’s good.”

Mack handed me a walkie. “If you get to use it, you’ll be giving old Tay here a thrill.”

I bit back a laugh and clipped the walkie to the belt under my dustkicker. “The second floor is dangerous. Rotten boards, so be careful.”

Tay nodded curtly, his eyes scanning the night.

“Okay, let’s get this done.”

The twins strode across the silver grass and ducked into the dark, open maw of the derelict building.

Azren and I loped off around the side of the mill. Hound held back a little, bringing up the rear. Having the big guy at my side and my monster dog at my back was reassuring and strange. I’d usually be running solo, no backup, no partners, but in the short space of a couple of months, I’d somehow recruited a whole freelance team. Maybe it wasn’t so bad having people to watch your back on the job?

My catseye activated with a double blink and the world fell into infrared. All the better to see you with, my dears. If they were out here, if they were hiding, then I’d find them. We came out at the back of the building. Debris littered the ground like confetti. The river the mill had sat on was nothing but a dried-up husk filled with rubbish: old shopping trollies, battered sofas, broken furniture, and electrical goods. Beyond the river, the night was a pitch-black tangle of bush and foliage, and if not for the catseye’s heat sensing feature, I’d have missed the knot of life nestled within.

I slowed down, grabbed Azren’s arm, and pointed toward the bushes on the other side of the dried-up bank.

Hound growled low in his throat.

Azren drew his dagger, and Hound flanked me to the left.

We advanced toward the spot where the tangle of Lost were hiding. Were they asleep? In stasis like they’d been in the Underground? It didn’t matter. It was time for them to be dead. Azren grabbed a broken plank of wood and carefully laid it across a fridge and several broken televisions that sat atop the crap in the dried-up riverbed. A bridge. Good.

I set a boot on the wood, eye on the red mass. It heaved in and out in unison. Breathing. Sleeping. If we were lucky, this would be over without them even having to open their eyes. But luck decided that tonight was the night to give us the finger. The crack and splinter of wood cut through the air like a gunshot, and then Tay’s warning bellow battered my eardrums.

“Incoming!” Azren shouted.

We spun to face the horde pouring out of the building. Hound leapt into action, jaws ready to shred, and K was already firing bolts. Azren ran into the fray, dagger slashing. Blood sprayed and screams lit up the air, and then we were rushed from behind.

Looked like we’d woken up the sleeping pack.

Tay and Mack came running out of the building, and then heads were flying, literally. Didn’t even want to stop and think about how much force it would take to knock an Other’s head clean off its shoulders. But Tay and Mack were doing it and whooping in the process.

Their enthusiasm was infectious, and elation lit up my chest. I caught Azren’s eyes, stark and bright against his blood-spattered face. He bared his teeth in a bloodthirsty grin, and his glamour slipped, revealing the beast beneath. My heart lurched, desire shooting through me sudden and powerful, but then he was gone, obscured by a mass of Others. K shot out a series of bolts, clearing a path to Azren, but I needn’t have bothered. He was holding his own; in fact, better than holding his own—he was owning it—and damn, if that wasn’t sexy as hell.

My bolt bag grew heavy as the bolts returned and K sputtered another round. To my left, Tay had a Lost by the neck while he swung his bat at another Other. Mack was to his right, head thrown back in laughter. This must be a huge release for them, a chance to let loose the aggression that constantly bubbled under the surface.

There weren’t many Lost left. We had this. We were almost done, and then Hound stopped mid-chomp and turned his huge head my way. His eyes flared and then he was rushing me, his powerful beast body thundering toward me. A scream locked in my throat as my brain struggled to comprehend what the fuck was going on.

“Wila, behind you!” Tay shouted.

I spun in time for the metal monster to slam into my chest, but before my back could hit the ground, Hound flew over my head, smashing into the metal thing and knocking it off me. I landed with a crack, a yelp tearing from my lips as pain shot through my shoulder and ankle.

“I got you.” Mack hauled me up.

I stood and then buckled as a lance-like twinge sliced through my ankle. “Fuck, it’s sprained.”

“More incoming!” Tay barreled toward me.

My eyes widened as two more metal creatures rose up out of the riverbed. “Motherfu—”

And then Tay had me in his arms, lifting me like a rag doll to throw me over his shoulder. “Run.”

We legged it back toward the road, metal monsters at our back and Tay’s delectable butt in my face.

“Almost there,” Tay said.

And then a screech ripped the air and metal landed in front of us, blocking our path. Tay skidded to a halt. Mack cursed and Hound growled low and menacing.

“Wila, we’re surrounded,” Tay said almost casually, but his heart beat erratically against my thighs.

The clank and click of metal on cement had me squirming to get down. Tay slowly lowered me, keeping an arm around me just in case.

I stared at the metal creatures, anger rising up in my throat like a bubbling tide. “What the fuck do you want?”

One of them broke from the rest and attacked. Tay yanked me off my feet again, ready to run, but a ball of blue electricity slammed into the metal monster, rendering it immobile. It fell to the ground, legs akimbo.

A woman appeared to our left, toting a huge gun and a smirk. It was the woman from my memory. The one who’d saved Hound. Our gazes locked.

“They seem to like you,” she drawled.

The rest of the machines whirred, and then all hell broke loose.