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“And now you think to steal my woman.”

“I am not your woman,” Regan ground out.

“And are you his? Think about this—you could very well be signing his death warrant.”

“I’m not anybody’s,” she snapped.

“You’ve changed,” he said, a frown playing across his features.

Regan rolled her eyes. “Well it has been two thousand years. Did you think I’d stay the same naïve girl?”

“You were sweet.”

“Well, I’m not sweet any longer.”

“No, I can vouch for that,” Caleb murmured from beside her.

Sardi frowned. His gaze left her and roamed around the clearing, obviously taking in the vampires and the wolves. His hands tightened on the reins, and the horse moved restlessly beneath him. He looked back at Regan.

“I loved you. I still love you. We could be together again as we were meant to be.”

She stared at him in amazement. That he could try and pretend he still possessed feelings for her—if he’d ever had feelings in the first place—was almost beyond comprehension. “You ordered a goddamn werewolf to bite me.”

“I merely wished to ensure that you would listen to me.”

She shook her head. “Well, here I am, and I’m listening. So, what would you like me to do for you this time? Let me guess—open the gates to Hell, perhaps? Same as last time.”

“And why not? What happened before was due to your mother’s interference. I know you would never have acted that way alone.”

“You’re so wrong.” Regan looked around her to give herself some time to think. While she’d been focused on Sardi, the others had moved until the wolves formed a half circle behind her and Caleb. The vampires and other Council members had done the same in front of them, so she, Caleb, and Catrin stood facing Sardi in the center of a circle.

She looked back at Sardi, sitting his horse, and he smiled, a warm, seductive smile, and held out a hand to her. “Come with me, Regan. Remember how we were together, how good it was. It can be that way again.”

At the sight of that smile, something relaxed inside her, a tension she hadn’t even been aware existed. It came to her then—all this time, ever since she’d first suspected that Sardi might be involved—she’d been harboring the secret fear that she was still in love with him. That when she came face to face with him, all the old feelings would resurface.

She was aware Sardi believed she loved him, despite her having tried to destroy him all those years ago. That’s why Ethan warned Caleb that her loyalty might be in question. Besides, she could see it in the cocky confidence Sardi now displayed.

The truth was she felt nothing for him. Not even hatred. She was free.

She looked him in the eye, and his smile faltered. “I’ll never go with you,” she said. “I’ll never do what you ask. I’ll die first.”

The smile slid from his face, replaced by a look of fury.

“No,” Sardi replied. “You won’t die first. Perhaps your wolf will.” He looked around him, his eyes settling on Catrin’s small figure. “And maybe your sister. That would be a fitting punishment for your meddling mother as well. By the way, don’t expectherto be helping you this time.”

The horse lunged forward, straight at Regan. She tensed, her muscles ready to leap away, but at the last moment, someone shoved her hard in the side, and she crashed to the ground. She rolled onto all fours and looked up to see Catrin standing where she’d been just a moment ago.

“Catrin, move,” she screamed.

Caleb leapt toward her, but Regan was between them, and Sardi leaned down, scooped Catrin up, and slung her across his horse’s withers. Drawing a dagger from the sheath at his waist, he held it to Catrin’s throat.

“No one move, or I’ll slice her open.” He turned to Regan, and his lips curved into a malicious smile. “Oh, I think you’ll come to me, Regan.Ifyou want your sister back alive.” He looked down at Catrin. “Say good-bye,” he murmured.

Catrin bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Regan. I just wanted to help.”

Regan opened her mouth to throw out a spell, but Sardi pressed the knife to Catrin’s throat, so a single drop of crimson welled up beneath the blade.

“Don’t,” he said, and the warning was clear.

She closed her lips tight then struggled to her knees. “Sardi—”

But he turned away before she could finish.

Regan had a last brief glimpse of her sister’s wide, staring eyes as the horse swung around. No one moved as it reared up once, and then leaped over the surrounding circle, galloped down the hill into the forest, leaving the sound of Sardi’s mocking laughter echoing in Regan’s ears. The circle broke and the hounds streamed after him. Regan watched in numb silence, hardly able to believe that Catrin was gone.

“Sardi!” she screamed out his name, but the sound was swallowed by the darkness.