Zev’s churning gut settled and he passed a hand down his face, scrubbing away the fear of losing Skyler to replace that intense emotion with sheer laughter. Skyler watched movies with Tatijana, didn’t she?

It was nearly impossible to tear his gaze away from the spectacle of horror as Skyler continued her arduous journey through the forest toward the tree where the sniper had lain in wait for her. Another bullet hit her in her left eye. Her head jerked backward and stayed in the position for a few seconds while her feet stumbled back rapidly in an effort to regain her balance.

The brush to Skyler’s left parted, and Branislava emerged, her face slack, mouth drooping, arms raised in front of her. She had the same jerky steps as Skyler had, as she reeled forward. Part of her arm fell to the ground and some of the flesh on her face sloughed off. She didn’t look right or left but wobbled in the direction Skyler had been pointing out.

Skyler righted herself, although her head tilted at an alarming angle as she began her slow, stumbling progress toward the Lycan’s chosen tree. Zev could see him now, raising his head in alarm, putting his eye to his scope, only to raise his head again as if uncertain whether or not he should make a run for it.

The sniper settled behind his rifle and squeezed the trigger, this time aiming for Branislava. Looking at her as her flesh began dropping off, Zev couldn’t blame the Lycan. The bullet hit her chest, slamming her backward as if she was a paper doll. She stumbled as black blood welled around the entry point right over her heart, but she recovered, swaying and twitching before beginning her forward progress once more.

As they began to converge onto the tree, another bush opened and out stumbled a third zombie. Tatijana looked worse than Branislava, with her hair falling out, leaving a trail of clumps of red behind her. One foot appeared gone so that she tottered unevenly but steadily toward the tree.

The Lycan chose to retreat, gathering up his weapon hastily. He stood, reluctant to take his gaze off the improbable but very real vision of three dead women coming for him. He turned to make his leap from the tree.

The real Branislava slammed the silver stake home, driving it hard through his chest with her Carpathian strength. Tatijana wielded the silver sword, slicing cleanly through the sniper’s neck, severing his head so that it fell almost at the three zombies’ feet. Immediately the apparitions were gone, mere illusions Skyler had created to keep the sniper’s attention away from the two women who stalked him.

Zev shook his head. Nice job, Skyler. A little theatrical, but it worked.

My tribute to Josef and a little payback in his name to these murderers. There was no remorse in her voice. Josef was her best friend and the Lycans had shot him. Skyler was known to hold a grudge and take revenge. Josef would like my style. This time her tone was a little smug.

Dimitri, there’s no keeping these Dragonseeker women under control, and yours could be the ringleader, Zev informed him.

Four dead assassins and at least two more to go. The one Branislava and Tatijana had killed hadn’t been a partner to the Lycan Dimitri had killed. He hadn’t been in a position to cover the Lycan in the tree. Dimitri was working his way toward that man’s partner.

Zev needed to concentrate on the sniper high up in the trees, with his bird’s-eye view. He was certain he knew where to look for the dead assassin’s partner. There was usually a pattern to the way the Lycans hunted, even from the safety of distance.

Skyler is a little wild, Dimitri admitted, laughter in his voice. Who knew?

You knew, Skyler chimed in. You’re the only one. And now I’ve got my aunts and my wolves. Remember that, Zev, the next time you decide to cross me.

Zev heard the faint laughter of the other two women as Skyler shared her empty threat with them. He was already moving, once again using the tree branches to backtrack and find the second sniper.

Branka, check his wrist or arm to see if he has one of those circle tattoos.

He does, I can see it from here. It’s the same one the other two men had.

Could this be religious fervor? He doubted it. He’d been to a few of the meetings. While Arno, the council leader he’d protected at nearly the cost of his own life, was an amazing, passionate motivational speaker, he wasn’t overzealous. He held rank in the hierarchy of the Sacred Circle, believing in their tenets, but tempering those beliefs with logical thinking.

Zev spotted the sniper in the crook of a fir tree, higher up in the branches than his partner had been. He had climbed to try to get a better look at what his buddy had been shooting at. More than likely, Skyler had created the illusion only for the man she was concentrating on. This Lycan had seen an empty forest floor. He couldn’t tell what, if anything, his partner had shot at.

The lizard moved along the branch with slow, deliberate steps, careful not to draw the eye as he slowly made his way to the branch that bridged the gap between the tree he was in and the one the sniper was in. He recognized the scent and his heart sank.

Damon Declaw was Daciana’s older brother. They had eaten together a thousand times over the last century. They’d laughed together. Hunted together, and had even given each other blood when battle wounds had forced them to do so.

Daciana loved this man with all her heart. She looked up to him. Admired him. She shared stories with him of her hunting expeditions against rogue packs. He’d always supported her. Hard-core members of the Sacred Circle didn’t believe in women carrying weapons. Damon had never once acted anything but proud of his sister.

Zev shook his head. He had no idea what he was going to do. Damon was lying in wait for a member of the local wolf pack, and that went against everything they were as a species. They protected wildlife, not used it as bait. Would he murder Dimitri? Or Skyler? Perhaps Branislava?

Swearing savagely under his breath, Zev began to make his way up the tree trunk. He moved slowly, keeping to a deliberate pace that wouldn’t draw attention to him. He blended in with the tree bark and as he moved out onto the branch to get into position behind Damon, he realized he needed proof that his friend, Daciana’s brother, was that far gone.

Skyler, can you cast the illusion of a wolf curious enough to walk out of the brush investigating one of the bodies? Don’t bring it in too close to the body. He didn’t want Damon’s reaction to be protective, keeping the wolf away from a fallen friend, but rather to know if Damon would actually shoot the wolf to draw Skyler and Dimitri out into the open.

No problem. She was all business now, all hint of laughter gone as if she sensed he was pulled in two directions and she felt sympathy for him.