“Kill me then.” My words startled the vampires and I was proud of how calm I sounded despite the storm of emotions inside me. “All I ever wanted was to find the one who killed my father and here you are. Knowing that my friends will rip you to shreds – all of you – after I’m dead is enough for me.” My voice grew stronger as I spoke, powered by my conviction that Nikolas and the werewolves would do exactly that.

A wave of panic rippled through the vampires surrounding us. My life was the only thing between them and certain death, and my willingness to die had just drastically decreased their chances of survival. Some of them looked poised to flee. They weren’t stupid. The Mohiri and the wolves wanted me and my friends would follow whoever had me.

“Stand firm!” Eli growled. “You would dare disobey the Master’s orders?”

Apparently, the Master’s wrath was even more terrifying than dying because the vampires moved to take up defensive positions around me and Eli. With the cliff at our backs and the line of vampires between us and his enemy, Eli’s confidence lifted.

“Such a pretty speech,” He rasped into my ear. “But you see I’m not ready for either of us to die yet.” His lips touched my earlobe and I suppressed a shudder. “I have such plans for us, sweet Sara. Before this night is out, I will own you body and soul.”

“I’ll die before I let you have me.”

His voice hitched as he fed on my terror and his own anticipation. “Fight me all you want, it only makes you more desirable.”

I tried to block out the images his words conjured. “You’re a monster.”

Eli chuckled. “I’ve had many, many women and all of them begged me for it… well up until I made them scream of course. Your daddy screamed too at the end, and so will you.”

Pain shot through my chest. “I’ll kill you!” I choked, struggling against him, making him laugh again.

I grunted as something sharp dug into my hip. The knife. An absurd urge to laugh flooded me as I remembered how I had tried to refuse the weapon when Nikolas gave it to me and how many times it had helped to save my life since that day. Through it all, the knife always seemed to find its way back to me as if it was daring me to deny my heritage.

My right hand snaked inside my coat and touched the handle. At the same time, my eyes sought Nikolas’s and I drew strength from his unwavering gaze. No matter how this ended, I was not leaving this place with Eli. It was obvious that one of us was going to die here, and if it had to be me, I would go like the warrior Nikolas believed me to be. I owed him that much.

“Father and daughter and someday I’ll have the mother too,” Eli gloated, oblivious to the resolve burning in my eyes. He pulled me against him again and if it weren’t for my newfound strength, I would have buckled under the vicious promise in his dark eyes. “Maybe I’ll keep you until I find dear Madeline. I’ve never had a mother and daughter at one time.”

“You sick bastard!” My fingers closed around the handle of the knife and slowly slid it free. “I’m going to enjoy watching you die, Eli.” My whole life I had fought to save the lives of others but today I would gladly try to take one, even if it meant my own death.

He smiled but there was no humor in it. “You’re brave enough to say that now, but soon you will beg to die. I will use you and drink from you over and over until I have had my fill. And when there is nothing left, I will send you to be with your dear father.”

A lifetime of grief, loneliness and fear powered the thrust that sent the knife into Eli’s chest, up between his ribs and into his demon heart. My eyes met his as they flew wide in disbelief while his hands clawed at the hilt protruding from his body. I watched impassively as realization dawned on his face, as his dark soulless eyes stared at the last person he would ever hurt. Inside me, the Mori reveled in the kill, but all I could think of in that moment was my dad. Killing his murderer did not ease the pain of losing him or bring me any joy, yet it felt right that I was the one to do it. I couldn’t save him but I could give him this.

Eli crumpled to the ground and all hell broke loose.

Nikolas sped toward us followed by Chris and they were met by six of the vampires. Swords and bodies flew so fast I could not follow the fight. Behind them the wolves began to race towards the rest of us on the cliff. Around me, the remaining three vampires quailed when they spotted the approaching threat and they turned to jump into the ocean.

It took me a moment to realize I was free. I ran toward the wolves only to be snatched off my feet and thrown over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “For the Master,” growled the vampire who’d grabbed me.

I screamed and struggled to break free as I was carried back toward the cliff. Behind me the wolves roared and over the din I heard Nikolas yell my name.

We went down in a tumbling heap and I rolled away to see a silver coated arrow sticking out of the vampire’s chest just before he toppled over the edge of the cliff. Scrambling to my feet, I spotted Chris fitting another arrow into his bow.

“Sara, run!” shouted Nikolas as he ran his sword through one of the vampires he was battling. I needed no more encouragement and I started forward.

I didn’t feel the pain at first, just a cold numbness in the center of my chest. When the throbbing pain came, I looked down in confusion at the patch of red blossoming across the front of my shirt. By the time my dulled mind recognized the hilt of my knife sticking from my chest, scalding pain began to shoot through me.