He was going to die so the Power of Three was destroyed forever.

***

Yvette’s feet simply moved forward, propelling her into Haven’s direction. She barely noticed that suddenly the force field was down. Haven’s action was most likely the reason for it, breaking Francine’s concentration even as the witch now staggered back onto her feet.

But whatever the reason for the force field disappearing, Yvette had to get to Haven. Her body moved independently from her brain; all her mind could focus on was that he’d stabbed himself to prevent the ritual from succeeding.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the other vampires close in, Zane next to her, his hand on his knife as he charged forward, a hairsbreadth faster than Yvette. When he was within several yards of the witch, who now seemed to have regained her wits and prepared to launch bolts of energy against them, Zane raised his right arm, flicked his wrist and threw the knife.

It lodged in the middle of Francine’s forehead. Like a dead tree, she fell.

Yvette derived no satisfaction from her death and merely glanced at her body, not halting her dead run toward Haven. When she reached him, she dropped to the ground and ripped him from his brother’s arms, cradling his head in her lap.

Haven’s eyes opened. “I knew you’d come …” His voice was weak and low.

“Haven. Please. You have to hold on.” She pressed her hand against his gaping stomach wound, trying to stop the flow of blood, but there was too much. Like a river it flowed from him.

“I love you,” he whispered, barely audible, the strength leaving his body. His face pale and bloodless, his eyes still carried the same passion he’d shown her earlier.

“Nooooo! Don’t go! Don’t leave me!” She was beyond foolish pride now. All she knew was that she couldn’t live without him.

A hand on her shoulder made her snap her head to the side. Wesley. His face tear-stained, his lips trembling, he gave her a pleading look. “You have to turn him.”

A sob escaped her. Turn him? Make him into the one creature he despised? “I can’t do that to him. He’ll hate me.” She would never survive his hate when all she craved was his love.

Wesley smiled through his tears. “No. He’ll never hate you. Look.” He pointed at Haven, and she gazed down into his face. His eyes still open, as if holding on for a few more seconds, his lips moved again.

Yvette lowered her head to him, trying to make out his words.

“Make me … like you …” His eyes searched hers. “Love me …”

“Oh God, forgive me for what I’m about to do.”

Then she stroked her hand over his face, feeling the clammy coldness of his skin. He had little time left. “I love you.”

Her fangs lengthened, pushing past her lips. A moment later, she dropped her head to his neck and pierced his skin, driving her sharp fangs deep into his flesh. His body trembled, fighting the invasion for a second or two before he stilled against her. As she pulled on his vein and took his rich blood into her, she clutched his body to her chest and listened for his weakening heartbeat until it stuttered to a halt.

***

Zane pulled his knife from Francine’s head and wiped the blood off on his pants before tucking it back into its sheath at his hip. He’d never trusted the bitch, and by the looks of it, he’d been the only one who hadn’t been taken in by her. So it was only right that he was the one who’d killed her. Yet only a sliver of satisfaction spread in his chest. Her speech had given him the chill: she’d been tempted by the power. And he knew better than anyone how hard it was to fight that kind of temptation. Not to simply unleash the power and wreck havoc. To sit back and wait, he knew of that too.

When Wesley rose as Yvette now fed her own blood to the dying Haven, and cradled his crying sister in his arms, Zane approached. For some strange reason, he felt the need to reassure the scared siblings.

“He’ll make it.”

Wesley nodded. “It’s what he wanted.”

“To be a vampire?” Zane couldn’t have been more surprised about the revelation. The vampire hunter wanted to be a vampire? When he hated them so much?

“No. I mean, yes. But, no. That wasn’t his motive. But he knew that if he gave up his human life, he’d destroy the Power of Three for good. That’s why he did it.”

Haven had just risen in Zane’s esteem by about a thousand percent. “He sacrificed himself.”

“For us. For all of us.” Wesley looked down at his brother. “God, I hope he won’t regret it.”