A winding road, a freak storm, and a lightning strike. Jude Altfalls life, just beginning to coalesce after her divorce, is shattered afresh. Dazed with grief, shes not sure if the weird things happening around her are hallucinationsor something more. And theres the mark on her hipa tattoo she cant for the life of her remember getting. Preston Marlock left a shadowy government agency two years ago, to hunt a killer. Each time the bastard strikes the trail goes cold, and not even Marlocks morethannatural abilities are helping. Now the killers taken one of his very few friends, and theres a surviving witness. The Altfall woman is now that most precious and fragile of targets, newly Marked. All Marlock has to do is dangle her like bait, and the killer will eventually show up. The Skinner knows some people are different. Special. He has a collection of stretched skin and pretty pictures, each harvested with care. The trick is to take them while the victim is still struggling, still alive, otherwise their power is lost. He is careful, methodical, and precise, but chance robs him of a prize. Once he realizes Jude Altfall has what he covets, and has possibly seen his face, her fate is sealed. And just to be cautious, the Skinner might swat at the annoying fly who has buzzed along his trail for two years. Sometimes you survive. You bear a Mark. And some things are worse than death. | Lilith Saintcrow The Marked Paperback Book