The thin man suddenly reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a tiny glass vial. The bottle shimmered slightly, filled with a strange crimson liquid that seemed to glow faintly. Without a word or warning, he uncorked it and downed its contents in one gulp. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, then he gritted his teeth and crushed the bottle in his fist, shards falling to the floor.
Liam narrowed his eyes, watching silently.
Then it began.
The transformation hit the man like a wave of electricity. His eyes were the first to change—shifting into a deep, glowing red that pulsed like coals in a furnace. Veins bulged from his face, stretching unnaturally, and his bones cracked loudly as his body began to grow. Flesh tore and reshaped. Muscles inflated. His spine extended and shifted, his posture hunching as dark, bristled fur exploded across his skin.
