Old Lady of the Apex Crown

mel

te Nevada salt flats, an isolated haven constructed from

I sat in the darkest booth at the back, nursing a glass of neat b

, but the tactical tension coiled between my

rass-rail bar, a lone man sat on a stool

n of lethal muscle clad in an unmar

iers, and ruthless bounty hunters-gave him

lice that belonged solely to an apex predator

ng my glass to take another

, a sudden, violent wave of chemical heat sl

hm, and my vision blurred around the edges

p, metallic tang of copper filled my mouth, us

n; the nervous waitress who served the bourbon

my knees buckled instantly as the flo

stray... looks like your

of the restroom hallway, his foul grin exposing rotte

ght hand dropped to my combat boot, my trembling finger

ther; the nomad shoved me hard against the plywood w

f meat you're hiding u

reinforced steel knuckles clamped around the no

ertebrae, the giant from the bar hoisted the two-hundre

thrashing man skull-first int

ly, dropping to the blood-slick fl

ning completely black as I slid down the wall, but two ma

is scent washing over me-rich leather, clean m

ice-blue eyes locked onto mine, framed by dark stubble

deep, gravelly baritone rumbled, v

y fingers bunching into the thick leather of his vest as my b

while trembling violently from the poison, my fingers were

smirk curled the corn

is voice was a dangerous, velvet growl. "Little wildcat, you've got m

ed open the reinforced timber door of the adjoining cabin

down instantly to pin my thrashing, burning wr

overwhelming physical dominanc

mising, but every point of contact sent shockwaves o

nses, leaving only a feral, consuming hu

is scarred jaw down to my lips as

en wooden blinds like razor blades

a heavy, bruised soreness that proved la

rough woolen sheet against my

ght by the window, completely shirtless, a glowi

black and gray, was a massive, crowned Grim Reaper wielding an

, a single word was branded deep into his

throat as absolute sh

odstained emperor of the most terri

gray smoke into the sunlight, his piercing blue gaze

o the pocket of his heavy jeans, and tossed a heavy, ma

s a series of encrypted radio frequ

en of absolute military protection recogniz

clamping firmly onto the center of my chin, f

h you're running from in this valley,

y scent. From this sunrise on, you belong under my colors. Anyone in this