Dreams of a Dark Warrior (53 page)

But she’d been so desperate to love him.

Some things might have changed with this reincarnation, but the end result would be the same. Four

times before, the man she’d made love to had been dead within hours. Those four times, her body had

stil borne the marks of his abandoned lovemaking—when his body had gone to the grave.

She shuddered.
Ah, gods, how could I have?
Chase would die; the hourglass would empty. And this

time, she wouldn’t survive losing him.

When her tears wel ed, his eyes went wide. “No, what’s this? Shh, baby, please do no’ cry.”

As tears tracked down her face, she stared beyond him, awash in dread. The brief show of sunlight

surrendered to gray. Rain misted once more.

“Lass, talk to me. You ken that I don’t like it when you’re quiet. This is because of the curse?” He

petted her hair, rocking her. “I’m not goin’ anywhere. Nothing wil separate us again. Wouldn’t I sense it if the end was near? I’ve never been more at peace in my entire life. It’s … pure peace, Regin.”

With an angry shove, she clambered off him, disentangling herself from his body. “What about me?

What about
my
peace?” She swayed on her feet as realization hit her. Aidan had never been the one

cursed.

She
was.

Regin was the one left to suffer, to mourn.
To forever know what I’m missing.

She col ected her sodden jeans, dragging them on, then donned her shirt. “When you die this time,

Chase, I don’t want you to come back.”

“What?” He shot to his feet, stabbing his legs into his own pants. “What are you talkin’ about? Look at

me! Why won’t you look at me? Christ, Regin, you’re actin’ like I’m dead already.”

She swiped her forearm over her face. “Because you’re as good as.”

Declan had never seen her like this. Her eyes were ful y silver, but there was no spark in them. She

wouldn’t look at him. As if she
couldn’t
.

Just moments before, he’d felt more centered and at peace with himself than ever before; now
she

was steeped in misery.

“We need to get to the boat,” Regin said distantly. “We’re running out of time.”

“You don’t want me to come back because I’m no’ the Aidan you knew?” She’d expected her man to

return, to supplant Declan. She’d longed for Aidan for two centuries.

How could she not be devastated? “I don’t know why I’m stil here. Maybe I did something wrong, fucked

up the cycle.” Because he was definitely stil … Declan. “I have Aidan’s memories, but they’re distant, like the dreams I had.”
Somehow, it feels like
I
came first.

“Exactly, Chase.” In a deadened tone, she said, “I don’t want you to come back because you’re a

scarred, fucked-up Celt.”

His lips parted.
Never had a shot with her, not as myself.
He ran a palm over his ruined skin, whipped with defeat, wanting to howl his frustration. What to say to her?
I don’t want to look like this. Don’t want to
be
like this—

“And I never wanted Aidan,” she whispered, “like I want you.”

He’d misheard her. “I don’t understand, lass.” She couldn’t have chosen
him
over the perfect Viking.

“I
can’t
lose you again. For a thousand years, it’s been al about
your
struggle,
your
return! But each time, you leave me as col ateral damage. The centuries of waiting, the loneliness, and then that ridiculous flare of hope when I find you again. Though I know how it’s going to end—with me shattered.” Rain began

to pour. “You’re going to die, Chase. Soon. There’s nothing I can do to prevent it. I know because I’ve

tried over and over. And if you care about me at al , you won’t do this to me again.
Don’t come back
.”

“Regin, just wait.”

“I had it wrong al along. I’m not your doom, Chase. You’re
mine
—”

A jet screamed overhead.

They met gazes.
“Move your arse, woman!”
Declan snatched her hand, yanking her along toward the

cove.

As they sprinted closer to the shore, they heard Thad yel , “Regin, is that you?”

“We’re coming,” she cried.

“Uh, don’t!”

“What?”

They charged out from under the trees. Natalya, Brandr, and Thad stood before the boat house. But

beneath it, the berth was … empty.

Natalya’s face was pinched. “Somebody gacked our vessel.”

Declan shoved his fingers through his hair. “Damn Lothaire! He took it!”

“I’m right here, Blademan.” The vampire stood off to one side in the shade of the forest, casual y

leaning his shoulder against a tree trunk.

“Then who took my fuckin’ boat?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. They swooped in while we fought the Pravus.”

“No one knew about this place!”

More jets shot past overhead, fol owed by a distinctive whistling sound.
Payload deployed.

“Take cover!” Declan tackled Regin back under the trees, shielding her with his body. Everyone hit the

ground, except for Lothaire, who yawned.

Beneath Declan, Regin snapped, “You’re covering
me
? You’re the mortal—”

Explosions rocked the quiet morning, deafening waves of sound close by. But there was no shaking

earth, no trees fel ed. Instead, ash and grit began to fal , blanketing the beach with the steady downpour.

The jets—and their bombs—had blown up in the sky.

Declan lurched to his feet, helping Regin up.

“Chase, what just happened?”

As he and Regin gazed up in bewilderment, he mumbled, “I do no’ know—”

A force slammed into his back; unimaginable pain seared through him.

The bite of metal.

He bel owed in agony, shoving Regin from harm’s way. …

FIFTY-FIVE

C
hase’s shove sent Regin sprawling to the ground. As she whirled around, her mind struggled to

process the wet sound of steel through flesh. She scrambled to her feet, gaping in disbelief.

A blade speared Chase’s torso, the tip protruding from his chest. With each beat of his heart, blood

streamed out around the jutting tip.

“Nooo!”

Chase’s hands clenched the sword point, his body futilely twisting around it. Behind him stood …

Malkom Slaine.

Regin sprang for the demon, claws bared.
“I’ll kill you, Slaine!”

Brandr was right behind her. But two pulses of energy sent them both flying.
Carrow’s
energy?

The witch rushed up beside Slaine. “What is this, Valkyrie? We saved you from the magister!” She

motioned for the vemon to withdraw his blade.

Slaine looked deeply troubled. “I’ve done wrong,
ara
?” As he began pul ing his sword out, blood poured from Chase’s mouth.

“No, Malkom, of course not!” To Regin, she said, “You told me to kil the magister after you got

vivisected. You
ordered
me to.”

When Chase col apsed to his back, Regin dropped to her knees beside him. A sword through his

chest, just like before. “Not again,” she screamed, “not again!” Tears gathered and spil ed as she

sobbed,
“No, not again.”
Lightning forked out overhead, continuous flashes across the sky.

Chase raised a bloody hand to her face, cupping her cheek. “Sorry ’bout this, lass.”

Brandr punched a tree, roaring with grief.

“Don’t talk, Chase! We’re going to get you fixed.”

“You were right … I’m not returnin’, Regin.”

“No! I-I didn’t mean what I said.”

“Wil no’ do this to you again.”

“
What?
Shut up! You have to come back. You fucking
have
to.”

“I love you … too much. Find an immortal male to be with you.” He gritted his teeth.

She knew how hard it’d been for him to say that. “I want
you
!” She probably should caress his face lovingly; instead, she clasped his chin and gave his head a rude shake. “I love
you,
dumbass!”

His brows drew together. “You…
do
. Christ, you do.”

“I’m so sorry, Valkyrie,” Carrow said. “I didn’t know you’d fal en for him! We heard you yel ing, and

we’ve been fighting al morning.”

Regin faced her. “You’re from the healer caste. Heal him!”

“I can’t! I used the last of my juice to blow up fighter jets and their huge bombs. And you know healing

spel s take mondo power.”

“Then take him to Andoain, and get another witch to.”

“Regin, that man probably kil ed Ruby’s mother—my cousin. And he tortured Slaine—my future

husband.” Slaine dropped his big hand across Carrow’s nape, and his shoulders straightened. “No one in

the House of Witches wil help Chase.”

Carrow and Slaine? Can’t process that now.
“Chase didn’t kil your cousin. Please, you’re my friend.

Help me!”

Carrow surveyed him. “The man’s too far gone. The only one who could heal him would be Mariketa,

and this operation has tapped her out even more than me. She found this island, a feat in itself, and even devised this.” Carrow held up a glowing thumb. “It’s a skeleton print key for the torque.” She crossed to

Regin—with Slaine fol owing protectively—and pressed it to her torque.

The col ar that had caused Regin so much frustration dropped to the ground; her panicked mind

scarcely registered her freedom. Regin’s eyes darted before landing on Malkom Slaine’s looming form.

“Then I-I need your guy’s blood!”

Chase bit out, “Have you … lost your goddamned mind?”

Carrow shook her head. “Malkom’s an anomaly. We don’t know what his blood would do.”

Lothaire cleared his throat. “Couldn’t help but overhear that you’re canvassing for immortal blood.”

Regin swung her head around. “Come on, vampire. Let’s do this.”

“No!” Chase grated. “Don’t turn me into one like him.”

“It’s the only way you’l live,” Regin cried. “Can’t you see past your hate?”

“Can you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Between blood-tinged breaths, he choked out, “Know about your mother, about al the things vampires

… have done to you. If I become a vampire … I lose you anyway, Regin.”

“You’d rather die than lose me?”

“O’ course!”

“You tool, nobody’s losing anybody! You’re taking the blood. I don’t care what you are—as long as

you’re with me.” Regin faced Lothaire again. “Please, I need you to do this
now
!”

The vampire examined his black claws. “Must warn you though. I’ve already drunk from him. If he

consumes my blood in turn, there wil be unbreakable ties between us. Even more than if I merely became

his sire.”

“I don’t care—do it!”

“For a price.”

The leech’s three favorite words.

“No!” Declan roared, blood spil ing over his lips. “The vampire orchestrated this … always knew it’d

come to this. Tried to get us together … though he knew I’d die. You’l make no vow to him!”

Regin faced Lothaire. “Lemme hip you to some facts. You’re not getting off this island without our help.

You do this, and I vow to get my witch friend to remove your torque.”

Carrow gasped. “I’m supposed to release one of the most evil vampires in existence—”

“
The
most evil,” Lothaire corrected, “if you please, flower.”

“—to save one of the most evil mortals?”

“If you don’t, Carrow, then your soon-to-be husband wil have kil ed mine.”

The witch held up her thumb again. “And we’l be removing Lothaire’s torque!”

“Husband?” Chase murmured. But then he shook his head. “I’l fight the turnin’.” His lids grew heavy,

his face paling.

“Fight al you want, boyo. I’m determined.” He’d lost so much blood; it seeped out beneath him, an ever-

growing ring in the sand.

Brandr dropped down beside Regin. “Do this, friend. You don’t have much longer.”

Regin ran her cheek against Chase’s hand. “If you love me, you’l make this sacrifice for me. Nothing

comes between us, remember?”

“You turned my words … against me?” His eyes closed. “Think about what you’re doin’. …”

When his head lol ed, panic set in. She put her ear to his bloody chest, listening for his heart. Stil alive.

Just unconscious. Over her shoulder, she snapped, “Lothaire!”

The vampire took a knee on Chase’s other side, then bit his own wrist. “Hold his mouth open.” Brandr

pried his jaws wide so Lothaire could drip a generous stream inside. Then the berserker shoved Chase’s

mouth shut until he swal owed.

“Now what?” she asked.

The vampire stood, dusting off his hands. “Now you wait. The magister wil wake within three days, or

he dies—” Lothaire tensed.
“Nïx,”
he hissed.