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She’d been subconsciously reasoning that if she was no longer a wolf, perhaps she could keep her feelings under control, keep him at some sort of distance. She could still have some part of Caleb, but when the end came, as it inevitably must, she could survive it.

She looked up to find him watching her, waiting. She needed to say something, anything. “Maybe we’ll never get Catrin back.” She forced the words out. “Maybe I’ll never find the spell myself.”

“We’ll get her back, and besides—do you think I want you under those conditions? You’re so goddamn arrogant. You think I’ll take you on any terms, any little part of you I can get.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve been rejected by just about everyone that mattered to me in this life, and I’ve come through it. I’ll come through this.”

Regan swallowed and blinked back the tears that pricked her eyes. She thought about all those people who had turned their backs on him when he needed them. She couldn’t bear him to think the same of her. “It’s not arrogance.” She bit her lip, then made herself go on. “I’m scared.”

Shock flared in his eyes.

“I’ve never been scared before—not even with Sardi. I was hurt, furious, but never scared. Now I think about losing Catrin and”—she broke off, then looked into his eyes, allowing him to see her fear—“losing you, and it locks up my mind, so I can’t think. And I need to be able to think. So maybe I was trying to keep a little distance, but wolf won’t let me do that. She makes me forget what I need to remember.”

He searched her face, and then reached out his hand. She took it in hers and he pulled her to him.

“I’m scared too,” he murmured against her hair. “But we’ll save Catrin”—he paused—“or we’ll die trying. As you said, there are worse things than death.”

With his words, a measure of peace stole over her. She relaxed into him as his fingers combed through the tangle of her long hair.

He went still against her, tension radiating through his body. She raised her head, his eyes were fixed on something behind her, and she turned to look over her shoulder.

The air shimmered, and as she watched, a portal formed, and Gina stepped out. Regan pulled out of Caleb’s arms and turned to face her sister, saw the lines of strain etched on her face.

Gina’s gaze wandered over their naked forms, and she raised an eyebrow. “Sorry for the interruption,” she said, “but we’ve had a message from Sardi.”

Fear shot through Regan, and she held her breath waiting for the bad news.

“I can’t stay,” Gina said, glancing up at the eastern sky where the sun was almost peeking over the horizon. “Catrin is alive, but you must get back to the Council as soon as you can.” She turned to go then glanced back, forcing a weak smile. “You might put some clothes on first though.”

Then she was gone.

∞∞∞

Caleb stared at the spot where Regan’s sister had vanished. Regan’s vampire sister.

Would he ever get used to this new world? He really hoped he was going to be given the chance to try.

Beside him, Regan scrambled to her feet. She whispered her magic and their clothes appeared in a pile beside him. He rose and pulled them on, glanced across as he was tucking his shirt into his pants to find her watching him, a hungry expression in her eyes.

“I wish it could be different,” she said. “For the first time in my life, I wish I was normal, that we were normal and could have a normal life together.”

He searched her face. Her eyes were filled with pain and the beginnings of despair.

“And for the first time in my life, Idon’twish for a normal life,” he said. “Don’t give up. There’s always hope.”

She shook her head. “You don’t know Sardi. He’s strong. If I couldn’t defeat him with my mother’s help, what hope do I have alone?”

A flash of anger burned through him at her words. “You’re not alone,” he said.

Her eyes widened at his tone. She stared into his face, and some of the darkness lifted from her expression. Her lips curled into the faint semblance of a smile, and she held out her hand.

“Thank you.”

He took it and squeezed her fingers. “So, how do we get back? Can you do one of those things, like your sister?”

“A portal? You sound like you’d like to try,” Regan replied. “I thought you wanted nothing to do with magic.”

“It’s a little late for that.”

“I’m glad, and when this is over I’ll take you on a trip around the world, but not today. Today, I need to conserve my strength.”