BY ALEXANDRA IVY

Prologue

The Legend of Opela and Shakpi

Deep beneath the bayou, Shakpi stirred in the darkness of her prison. For centuries she'd been trapped beneath the choking layers of magic. Her sister, Opela's, last gift to her beloved Pantera.

Ancient fury surged through her, sending out shockwaves that shook the land above her. It was all the fault of those damned cats.

In the beginning, it was just her and Opela. Twin sisters born of magic, meant to rule the world. They had done everything together, never needing anyone else.

Then Opela became obsessed with her desire for children. She'd claimed that there was no point of existence if she couldn't possess creatures to love.

Without thought for anyone but herself, Opela created a new race, the Pantera, to call her children.

Shakpi had done everything in her power to stop her sister. They'd had each other. Why did they need anyone else? But Opela had refused to listen to her pleas, instead lavishing her love and devotion on her Pantera.

Consumed with envy, Shakpi had plotted to kill the freaks of nature.

Mortal creatures weren't meant to be blessed with Opela's magic. Or given the ability to shift into puma form. They were an abomination that had to be destroyed.

She'd been confident that her sister would understand her desire to return to the life they'd had before. A time when they'd both been happy. Together.

Born to destroy, Shakpi was unable to create her own children to act as instruments of her revenge. Instead she infected humans with her malevolent toxin, giving them the power to spread it among the bayou, destroying the magic that gave the Pantera their power.

How could she possibly have

suspected her sister would make the ultimate sacrifice? That Opela would use her life-force to entrap Shakpi in this tomb to save her children?

But the bitch had underestimated Shakpi.

After centuries of being locked in stasis, her tentacles were at last reaching beyond her prison, touching the weak, the desperate, and the greedy.

Her infection was spreading and this time nothing would stop her from destroying her enemies...