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He needed a ward, but he had no time to create one He had but one chance for survival

The silver-edged short sword he was never without

And then the olf sprang into action, and Quinn sneered as he shouted, “Well then, beast—coed his sword just at the rightheart

But even as the were roared and suffered excruciating pain, even as it started to fall, even as death began to take it, its jaws locked down on Quinn’s shoulder and bit—bit hard—and Quinn’s fate was sealed

He was able to punch and beat the creature off, and he watched as it fel

l to the ground, rolled over onto its back, and began the transformation back into man

Quinn saw at once it was Whelan MacPoole, clan leader of the neighboring estate Husband to his mother’s sister

They had never been friends throughout their family’s history He should have known He should have suspected The signs had been there all along, if only he’d noticed

Quinn bent, pulled his silver-tipped sword from thehis eyes

He had been bitten

~ Prologue ~

All that glisters is not gold

—William Shakespeare

Present day, New Jersey

RAVENA MACALLISTER LOOKED at her atch It was nearly six o’clock It had been a hectic day Graduation was over She had her BA in her hand, but she had oneadditional classes as she pursued her drea clothes for the fashion industry