Bastian strode into the master wing where the dead man was lying prone on the bed. Any signs of life had obviously fled. It had been a quick death. A warrior’s death. Derek would be happy going out this way.

Quiet footsteps sounded behind him, but he didn’t need to turn to see Claudia entering with an armful of supplies.

“You can’t do this,” he said softly, knowing she’d already made up her mind.

“This isn’t a debate,” she said sternly as she started to line everything up meticulously on the nightstand.

“When Samantha finds out, she’ll never forgive you.”

“Well, Samantha will have to learn that sometimes there’s a cost for living. You know that better than anyone,” she bit out.

“And I’m telling you, don’t do this. I know you don’t care about my opinions, but listen to this one. I know the price to be paid. It’s not worth it.”

“You’re right.” She turned to him, her face cold and almost inhuman. “I don’t care about your opinions. Now go outside and if anyone tries to interrupt me, defend this room with your life. That’s an order.”

Bastian had long since stopped being surprised by the depths of what Claudia was capable of, but this was a new low, even for her.

Nevertheless, before he could voice any more concerns that she would’ve ignored, his feet carried him out of the room and away from Claudia as she ensured that she would never have a relationship with her family ever again.

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Sam didn’t know whether this was a good idea. Honestly, the part of her brain that was capable of weighing pros and cons was pretty fried. Most of her brain felt relatively useless at the moment. She could still walk and move one foot in front of the other, but how it was happening seemed like a black hole in her mind.

One step. Then another. She ran into people on the sidewalk and some would yell out at her, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. One step. Then another. She called Claudia, but there was no answer. She called Bastian, but no answer.

There was nothing. Claudia took Derek’s body and ran. There was no way to find her. Claudia was powerful enough to hide from any spell that Sam was capable of. There was only one person on this planet that could possibly help Sam right now. And that’s where she was going. One step. Then another.

The skyscraper had two guards posted outside. But not sentries any longer. Not since the darkness took over. The two witches moved aside and let her in without saying anything. Did the darkness know she was there? Did they communicate with Abigail telepathically? Sam had been taken over by the darkness before, but her memories of the time were so vague. All she knew was that Derek was the one who brought her back. He was the one who saved her.

And she didn’t even remember that. Claudia had stolen that memory from her. She felt as though she were being stabbed right through the heart. Knowing she was missing memories had been hard before, but now, knowing that she might never have time to make more memories with Derek....

As she reached the elevator, her knees felt weak and she had to hold onto the wall to keep from buckling over. She couldn’t do this. She wasn’t strong enough. Derek had been her strength. He’d been her example and now he was gone. Stolen from her mind by Claudia. Stolen from her arms by Claudia.

The elevator carried her up higher and higher. She should feel wrong being here, but it was impossible for her to feel worse than she already did.

And when the doors opened, Abigail was there, waiting.

Sam could feel the emotion right behind the surface, threatening to boil over. She couldn’t let it out. If she gave it time to escape, she’d never be able to rein it back in. And she needed to remain cool. She needed to keep her head on straight. It was the only way to get him back.

“Hello, Samantha,” said the darkness through her mother’s body.

“Bring him back,” said Sam through a strangled voice. She held her breath after that. Her grandmother had told her time and time again how impossible it was to raise the dead. She remembered how her own mother, the one standing in front of her now, had begged for Claudia to bring back Sam’s father. But Claudia had soundly refused, not only saying that she wouldn’t but that it wasn’t possible.

But it had to be possible. Sam couldn’t face the world without Derek. She couldn’t face the darkness alone. She couldn’t do any of this without him. So she held her breath, waiting for the darkness to laugh in her face and tell her how stupid she was being.

But Abigail didn’t laugh. She simply cocked her head and considered her. “You’re asking for a lot. Are you willing to pay the price?”

“Price? There is no price. This is Derek. I need him. Can you do it?” She would empty Fort Knox. She’d drain the oil fields. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to get Derek back.

“You know I have plans, Samantha. You’re going to help me achieve those plans.”

“Just tell me what to do,” she managed from between clenched teeth.

All Abigail did was smile.

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The banging on the door was so intense that the entire apartment vibrated. Dante ran to the door while Angela pulled out her gun. He tried not to roll his eyes. What the hell was a gun going to do if the darkness was outside and coming for Claire?

Besides, he doubted the darkness would be knocking.

He looked through the peephole and was relieved to see it was just Sam. But before that relief could set in, he realized she had a look in her eyes he’d never seen before. Half crazed, half desperate. Instead of telling Angela to relax, he held up his hand, signaling her to stand by as he opened the door a crack. “What’s wrong, Sam?”

She stood on her toes to look over his shoulder. “Where’s Claire?”

“In the back, resting. What’s wrong, Sam?” he repeated, not about to let her in until he got some answers.

“Something bad happened. I need to see Claire.”

“What do you need with Claire?”

She looked him in the eye, and in an eerily calm voice, she said, “I need to kill her.”