Page 187 of The Harbinger

“No,” I screamed, and Dmitri’s strong arms cinched tighter around my waist.

He plunged the knife into her neck and stepped away, her body falling to the ground, naturally pulling the knife from her wound. “You’re always choosing power over family.”

Katya cried out, her hands covering the spurting wound at her neck, and I dropped along with her. Dmitri released me, and I skittered across pine needles on my bare knees before coming to her side.

“Why would you do this?”

“If she was willing to turn her back on her own mother who gave up her very life for her, she’d turn on me for far less.”

Katya’s face turned pallor, and her blood slicked my hands as I pressed down on her wound. Catherine cried, and Katya went limp in my arms, her pulse gone.

I let loose a guttural scream and clenched Katya’s shirt in my fists, my skin numb, my heart thudding.

“Fas.”Sacha’s command let the silent dogs off their invisible leash.

They ran, tugging at Catherine’s entrails, stretching and pulling far into the woods as she screamed. Another bit at her throat, effectively cutting off her cries. I turned my head, burying my face in my bloodied hands.

My stomach lurched, and I dry heaved over Katya’s still belly.

The dogs barked and growled as they tore Catherine’s body from the base of the tree and dragged it deep into the woods. They gnashed their teeth with yips and barks, tearing her apart.

I stood and lunged for Sacha, my fists beating against his chest. “How could you?”

He allowed the barrage of hits I pounded into his chest, my skin no longer numbed from the cold, my breath hot and billowing.

“For you, Mia. Our binding means this and more.” He gripped my shoulders, pressing into my wound, and I winced, my fists stalling. “I did this for you.”

I shook my head and pressed against him, wrapping my arms around him in a hug, and found the knife at his waist. My fingers curled around it and tugged, then jerked away. “Not for me.” I pointed it at him, and he held his hands out. “Not like this.”

Dmitri moved to my left, and I slashed the knife his way, keeping the pointed end fixed on my moving targets.

“Dmitri, if she kills me, you will make her death one people will speak of for centuries,” he said, his gaze never leaving mine.

“Coward.”

“Be that as it may. You’ll be with me in this life and the next.”

“You’re insane.” I turned the knife on myself, holding the blade to my wrist.I could do it.I’d done it before. The scars thick on my skin told as much.

Sacha’s amused expression turned cold, his brows lowering into a menacing glare. “You better know how to use it this time, Mia.”

My hands shook, Katya’s blood slicked the handle. He took a step closer, and I raised my arm so he could see the knife press into my flesh.

A sharp bite skated across my skin and I winced.

How had I done this twice before?

“Mia. Don’t.”

Was that worry I heard?

“Stay back.”

He halted, and tears slipped down my cheeks, my hand trembling. “You killed her.”

“I did.”

Sacha shook his head. His gaze turned to Dmitri, and Dmitri took a step back, his position closer.