Tripping over a twisted cypress root, Marcus tumbled face-first into the marshy ground. He lost his grip on Luna, and she slid from his grasp with a frightened yelp. Mud splattered his eyes, momentarily blinding him. The world became a nauseating spin of shadows and fear.
By the time he wiped the mud clear, one of the criminals had closed in. Lungs burning, Marcus scrambled to reclaim Luna, but the man was faster. A rough arm snatched the puppy up, her frantic whines slicing through the chaotic night. Rage and terror erupted inside him.