Liam stood in the center of the chamber, chest heaving, the weight of the fight pressing down on him like a physical force. His fingers twitched, and he extended one hand, willing the dark energy to spill forth. It poured out in thick, coiling tendrils, racing across the walls, floor, and ceiling until the entire room pulsed with his power. The air grew heavy, charged, as if the space itself now answered only to him.
He closed his eyes for a moment, testing it. Every corner, every shadow, every faint shift in the dust—his. Viper's presence burned against his awareness like a hot coal, unmistakable even without sight. 'He's there. Cornered. But still dangerous.'
Liam's eyes snapped open. He lunged.
