Eve's strength was dwindling in the hot afternoon sun and so was my patience. Her grandfather was working her to the bone and she still had not been able to duplicate the power that she displayed in the living room earlier.

I stood off in the shadows, away from the other hunters and watched everything with very careful eyes. Her father was across the training field from me and his eyes never left me. He didn't trust me just as much as I didn't trust him.

"Again!" Eve's grandfather yelled.

I ground my teeth in frustration to keep from saying exactly what was on my mind. I knew something about Eve was special, but I had no idea it was something like this. Our mate bond had done a bang-up job of hiding just how powerful she was. I was naturally drawn to her, but I had no idea that other beings were drawn to her too. The mere thought had me seething with an anger so deep that I wanted to slaughter anyone who dared come around her.

"Hey Eve, maybe we should have Pops put a bullet in your boyfriend. Maybe that will help you use your power."

Eve's brother mocked her and enticed a very angry growl from me. He distracted her just long enough for the two hunters that were attacking her to catch her off guard. She hit the dirt hard, sat up and wiped a dribble of blood that trickled from her nose. That was it! I couldn't take anymore.

I slung my shirt off and marched out onto the training field towards Eve with every intention of smashing in the face of the man that was responsible for making her bleed. My wolf was blistering just under my skin, I was ready to shift any second and put an end to all of these miserable hunters.

"Now this should be good. Time for some action." Roary yelled and was rewarded by a slap to the back of his head by his father.

I bent down and pulled Eve to her feet. She leaned her tired body against me for support and I just held her there all the while daring her attackers with my eyes to come at her again.

"You don't have to do this." I whispered in her ear.

"Yes, I do. This may be our only chance at beating Keller." She said in between gasps for breath.

"With or without power, you are still a mighty huntress and together we will defeat Keller."

I was not at all crazy about her being on the battlefield to start with, but I wasn't about to stand in her way. This was her duty, just as it was mine and I had no intention of trying to stop her even though my wolf wanted nothing more than to hide her away and make sure she was safe.

"Your not trying hard enough, Eve." Her grandfather came up to her and I pulled her closer to my chest and growled.

"I don't know what else to do. You're not exactly telling me what to do." Eve snapped at her grandfather and I smiled at her spitfire demeanor.

"I don't know how to tell you, lass. If I did I would have done it by now. This is something even I don't understand." He answered with a shrug.

"If your theory is right, and they are stronger when they are together, I say put them both in a life or death situation. Put them in the pit."

Eve's father came out of the shadows and walked out onto the training field. I didn't know what this "pit" was, but it wasn't good by the looks of the other hunters.

"I thought you promised me you got rid of that years ago! It's cruel and barbaric." Eve yelled, pushed her way out of my arms, and marched towards her father.

"I lied." He answered with a despicable smile that made me want to slap it from his face.

"I'm not going in the pit and neither is Rook." Eve said angrily.

"You don't have a choice, love. This is the only way to manifest your powers again, because this is not working, probably because you know your life isn't in danger."

"Pops! This is a stupid idea. She barely came out of there alive last time you put her in there and those things have had nothing but sheep's blood for years. Do you known what they will do to her if you put her down there?"

Roary was even concerned and spoke up against his father. What the hell kind of creatures were in this pit and why did this madman put his children into it?

"Relax, pretty boy here, will not let anything happen to her." Eve's father looked at me with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"What's in the pit?" I finally asked.

Eve turned to me with actual fear in her eyes.

"Rogue vampires. Blood thirsty ones that my father has captured over the years for not being able to control their bloodlust and killed hundreds of innocent people."

"Like hell we are going in there." I answered.

"We'll see about that."

Eve's father smiled and I stepped towards him. I was going to knock him on his ass, so help me.

A swirling black globe was thrown at our feet before I had a chance to ring his neck. The globe shattered when it hit the ground. I looked around trying to figure out what the swirling black powder was as Eve screeched and cursed her father.

I reached for her, but my world was growing hazy and my movements were haggard and slow. Before I knew what hit me, darkness surrounded me and I felt my body fall to the ground.