“You do not need to hold one,” he said. “You are one.”

“You cannot tell me you fight as a falcon,” I said.

Sorin smirked. “I won’t tell you then.”

He lifted his blade as if it were a spear and threw it. Once again, I found myself ducking as it zoomed over my head. It landed with a thud, the hilt vibrating, in the wooden mantle of the fireplace, and before I could rise to my feet to go after the blade, Sorin had shifted and flown upward, toward the high ceilings, and was now diving for me at a speed that made him nothing more than a blur in the air.

I bolted, but even as I ran, I felt his sharp talons in my hair. I covered my head with my hands.

“Sorin!” I screamed.

His answering call was a command—do something! But I felt no pull to shift, no indication that there was any other part of me than my human self.

Fear would not tear this creature from me.

Something stung my hand, and I knew Sorin’s talons had cut me. Then he flew ahead of me, shifting as he reached for his sword, and by the time I was able to come to a stop before him, the tip of his blade was pointed square at my face.

I glared at him.

“You are a horrible trainer,” I said, letting my hands fall from my head. I examined the wound he had made. It was a long and deep cut.

Sorin inhaled. “Adrian will not be pleased with me.”

“I’ll convince him not to cut you up if you promise to never do that again.”

Though I was not as angry as I wanted to be. There was a part of me that appreciated facing Sorin and watching how he fought.

He frowned. “I truly am sorry, Isolde.”

I sighed. “I suppose I cannot be frightened into shifting.”

“No, but apparently you can be aroused into it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Not funny.”

Sorin sheathed his blade. “You have to admit, it is amusing.”

I folded my arms over my chest. “How did you learn to shift?”

“I was thrown off a cliff,” he said.

My eyes widened. “What?”

“It was early in my change,” he said. “When Adrian was attempting to gain control over our population and numbers. Daroc and I were taken by surprise and captured by a few rogue vampires. They knew Daroc was important to Adrian and sought to torture him by throwing me off a cliff. I guess fear brought out my nature.”

In moments like this, I realized just how much I did not know about Sorin or Daroc or even Adrian. They had lived so many lives since I had died.

“Can I ask…” I paused. “You don’t seem happy…with Daroc.”

His smile was sad. “That is not a question.”

“I should not have said anything. I’m sorry.”