The chopper had fallen only ten feet—surely that wouldn’t have been enough to . . . to . . .

“Cassie?” He put her down on the ground. Ran his hands over her, checking for injuries. And there were injuries. Cuts and scratches all over her. “Cassie. Cassie, open your eyes.”

The beast that lived inside of him was clawing to be free. He could taste the ash rising on his tongue. The only thing holding that beast in check was Cassie.

Come back to me.

She’d been the only thing to ever hold him in check.

She’d been eight the first time she came to him. A little girl, big green eyes, trembling voice. I don’t want him to kill anyone else.

She’d tried to save Dante then.

He’d died.

She wouldn’t die now. He wouldn’t let her.

Her eyelashes flickered.

Yes. “Cassie?”

Her breath whispered out and her eyes opened. “Knew . . . you were coming . . .”

Hell, yes. He pulled her against his chest. Held her tight right next to his racing heart.

Over her shoulder, Dante saw the blond female stumble out of the helicopter. She fell onto her knees, but pushed forward, all but crawling away.

The man who’d been piloting that helicopter shoved from the wreckage. He didn’t try to crawl away. He stood there, glaring at Dante. “Do you remember me, bastard?” The man snarled.

Dante didn’t let go of Cassie.

“I’m the one who took her from you. This time . . . all the times. I’m the one she was going to marry.”

What the f**k?

“You think she’s yours. You’re wrong. She’s been working you from the beginning. It’s all part of an experiment. Every single moment.” The man smiled and lifted his hands. “But you can’t see her for what she is, can you? Because she’s got you fooled.”

“No . . . Dante . . .” Cassie whispered.

“Her injuries are from samples that she ordered us to take. She wanted to see how her body had changed since you were dumb enough to give up your tears to her in New Orleans.”

Dante rose, making sure to put his body between Cassie’s and—“What is your name?”

“Lieutenant Colonel Jon Abrams.”

“You’re a dead man, Lieutenant Colonel.”

The man laughed. “You’re already a wanted criminal. Thanks to me, your face is on every TV in the nation. You think you can walk away from here? Cassie won’t go with you. She lured you here. Wanted to keep doing the tests on you.”

“Dante, I didn’t.” Cassie said, her voice growing stronger.

It sounded like she was backing away from him. He heard the rustle of her footsteps and realized that she was retreating.

Leaving him to face off against the other man.

“Do you know why she wants to study you so much?” Jon took a step toward him. “Because her lover is sick. Not sick so much as transforming. If she can’t help her werewolf, she’ll lose him, and Cassie doesn’t want to lose Trace.”

Trace. The name was familiar . . . Wait. The cabin and the warehouse—both had been owned by a man named Trace. Wasn’t that what Cassie had told him?

“Cassie uses anyone she can, in order to get what she wants. She used you. She used me. She’s not the damsel in distress that you seem to think.”

The helicopter was burning behind Jon. The flames rose into the air, and Dante saw that men with weapons were spilling out of the ranch. Oh, so now they thought they were brave enough to fight?

Or were they just eager to die?

“Dante . . .” Cassie’s voice called out quietly. “Get away from him.”

What? “I’m not afraid of the human.”

Jon took another step forward. “But I’m not just human.” His hands lifted, moving in a fast blur, and knives slashed into Dante’s chest.

No, not knives. Claws.

“I stopped being human long ago. I guess Cassie has a thing for monsters, huh?” Jon’s teeth had elongated. He lifted his claws again—and came for Dante’s neck.

Dante sidestepped, twisted, and came up ready to send his fire right into the man’s heart.

A shot rang out, an explosion that ripped past the fire and the shouts from the approaching men.

Jon froze, then he looked down at his chest. A dark shadow bloomed in the middle of his shirt. Growing bigger, bigger. He lifted his head. “Cas . . . sie?”

Dante spun around and saw that Cassie had grabbed the gun that he’d tossed aside earlier. She still had that gun aimed at Jon.