Portia snickered. "Come, Lothaire, days have passed since the hand was. ... harvested. Out in the rain, it's decomposed."

Blyad'! That they would dare pul this stunt with him?

He hadn't seen this coming, hadn't predicted it-because now there was a new variable. His weakness. His inability to remove this collar.

So I'm no closer to escaping this place. To rescuing her. His fangs sharpened with rage. But his master dictated coolness.

Lothaire gave them his most charming smile, the one he usual y reserved for imminent victims. "Shall we negotiate for a ride from this island? One of these demons or a brother vampire could trace me from here in a heartbeat."

Portia said, "What do you have?"

Lothaire answered, "I can get you the Valkyrie."

Chapter FIFTY-ONE

Where is he? Regin thought as she paced along the water's edge. I'm going mad without him here.

Hours ago, they'd arrived at the shore. Just as he'd promised, there'd been an enormous boathouse in a protected cove. The boat was actual y more of a ship, like one of those coast guard cutters.

Thad and Natalya were aboard, making coffee and surveying charts, while Brandr waited on the beach with her.

Dusk would come soon. "I don't like this, Brandr. Chase should've been here by now."

"I've never seen you this worried." He sank down on the sand, resting his elbows on his knees. "But that can't be right. Just days ago, you wanted the man dead."

"A lot's happened since then." She wasn't merely worried, she was sick with worry for Chase-like claw-biting, hair-pul ing, pacing-for-hours worried. Because she might be ... she might be falling for Declan Chase.

At the thought, guilt racked her. She'd refused to all ow herself to love Aidan because he was mortal, and yet she seemed to have no control over her emotions where Chase was concerned.

Which made no sense. The stakes were even higher. Before she'd held her heart back because she'd feared Aidan dying of old age. Now she knew Chase's death loomed, and she still couldn't stem her feelings for him.

Because, gods help her, she wanted her scarred, surly, f**ked-up Irishman more than she'd wanted her perfect Viking.

Brandr skipped a stone into the cove's calm blue water. "And this morning, you were flying off the handle because Lothaire drank from him."

"After I realized my eyes would eventual y stop burning, I calmed down. I understand why he did what he did. I don't like it, but I understand."

"Can you imagine how hard that must've been for a man like Chase? To all ow a vampire to take blood from him?"

Yes. Yes, she could. Her Celt was trying, struggling to make the best hand out of what fate dealt him.

"Damn it, where is he? We never should have split up-"

"Valkyrie," Lothaire said. He stood at the edge of the tree line. Alone.

Panic surged through her. "Where's Chase?" I can't lose him. Not again. Her lips drew back from her fangs. "I'm going to kil you, leech!"

Must get back to Regin. Every minute since his capture, Declan had waited for his heart to start pounding, for his strength to return. Now the sun was setting.

He'd begun to suspect that Lothaire's feedings somehow forestal ed his berserkrage. Which the leech had likely put together-and used to weaken Declan today. How long would the effects last?

Have to get free. Surely, Regin would know better than to trust Lothaire. She would never be tricked as Declan had been. She hated that vampire.

But what if Lothaire tells her I've been injured? She'd admitted she would worry for Declan; the vampire could prey on that.

Declan had to escape before Lothaire lured her to this place-a vile, tomblike camp filled with blood foes.

These creatures had beaten him repeatedly, mocking his pain and ridiculing his scars.

Between those beatings, he'd listened to their conversations. They either thought he couldn't hear them or didn't care because he'd soon be dead.

He'd learned that Carrow and her ward had made it off the island, along with Malkom Slaine-who'd acted as protector to the two. And he'd heard that MacRieve had organized Vertas shifters, holing up in the mountains and rigging traps for the Pravus.

Apparently, three of the beings Regin worried for still lived-

The two Sorceri females swept into the temple. Myriad beings, probably three dozen of them, followed the pair inside, eagerly gathering for the show.

"Night comes, Magister," Portia said. "Make your peace."

Declan had no reason to think he'd suffer a less painful fate than Fegley's burning. Yet all Declan cared about was protecting Regin from them.

Raised voices sounded from outside the temple. Declan swung his head up. Regin's voice.

Lothaire was forcing her into the clearing. He'd tied her wrists behind her back.

"You sold me out, leech?" she cried. "I'll kil you!"

Declan thrashed against his bonds.

In a bored tone, Emberine said, "So you fetched us the Valkyrie?"

"They're so trusting, it's like leading lambs to slaughter," Lothaire said. "However, this prisoner should be of particular interest to you-she's the magister's woman. That's why she's here. all I had to do was tell her she could save Chase."

"No!" Declan bel owed. "Lothaire, don't do this!"

Emberine studied his reaction. "Intriguing." She asked Lothaire, "What do you plan for her?"

"I intend to snap her neck, a particular fondness of mine. Eventual y, I'd like to drink her to the quick, but of course, the kil ing blow is reserved for my gracious hostess."

"I'll rip your f**kin' head off, vampire!" finally Declan's heart began pounding, his blood coursing to his muscles. But he still couldn't hit his berserkrage.

Emberine waved Lothaire on, leaving sparks in the air. "By all means."

As Regin flailed, the vampire snaked an arm around her head, palming her chin with one hand. He reached the other across her neck to seize her shoulder.

"No! Nooo!"

Regin met eyes with him, as if she were trying to tell him something-

The vampire snatched both of his arms in opposite directions. Declan watched in horror as Regin's head twisted. Face lax, body limp, she col apsed to the ground.

He roared with fury. She's not dead. Not dead. She would live through this. If he could get free. Save her.

These f**ks cheered. He stifled another yel as rage flooded his body, the strength of a berserker growing rampant inside him. One hand free.

"Come, Emberine," Lothaire said. "The honor is yours."

The sorceress created a fire sword in her palm. Playing to the crowd, she raised it above her head teasingly. all attention was on her.

Another arm free.

The crowd began to chant Ember's name. Punish them. A red haze covered his vision. Thoughts came at random.

With one final violent thrash, Declan escaped his bonds. As he stalked toward Regin's body, he seized the vampires closest to him, yanking them into each other, bashing their skulls.

Never taking his eyes from her, he ripped anyone between them limb from limb. Closer. Blood sprayed over him.

Nothing keeps me from her.

Chapter FIFTY-TWO

Three... two...one.

Regin's legs surged forward, kicking the sorceress's ankles and sending her crashing to the ground.

With another kick, she slammed her boot heel down onto Ember's throat. At that moment, Thad, Natalya, and Brandr burst into the temple with weapons raised. Lothaire drew his sword, slaying two nearby demons with one swipe of his blade.

The leech's plan was working. Might let him live.

When Regin popped up unharmed, free from the fake knot at her wrists, she met Chase's wild gaze.

She couldn't imagine his bewilderment; his mind should be a chaotic frenzy by now. She'd never seen him so big, so ful y berserk. Across the melee, he ravaged through demons and vamps to get to her.

Lothaire tossed her another sword. "I told you this would work." His tone was casual, even as he laid waste to his former all ies.

"Maybe if you hadn't screwed over Chase in the first place, huh?"

Ember gaped from the ground, her lips working silently before she hissed, "Die, Valkyrie." She shot to her feet, raising her fire sword.

But Regin had already swung. "Gotta dis arm you. Bitch," Regin said as Ember's arms fel to the ground in a cloud of wafting ash.

Ember screamed, her butchered limbs spurting streams of fire like blood. But Portia was ever watchful of Ember; a massive boulder hurtled toward Regin, leveling anyone in its path.

At the last minute, Regin ducked. The stone crushed Ember's head.

Portia shrieked, speeding toward them. A swarm of something that looked like locusts fol owed her. Not locusts.

Sand.

"Lothaire!" Regin yel ed. "Take out Portia!"

At that, other demons and vampires turned to him. "Lothaire betrayed us! Again." A dozen or so demons and vampires traced away at once, dragging their wounded.

Turning to Portia, Lothaire eerily chided, "If you're not with me ..."

Deciding to fight another day, the sorceress snatched Ember's hair around her fist, then latched on to a vampire about to trace. The three disappeared.

Regin's gaze found Chase once more. His eyes were focused on her, unwavering, even as he reached to his side and snagged another foe, wrenching its head from its neck.

Behind him lay a trail of carnage, one headless, twitching body after another. His speed was mind-boggling. all those years ago, he'd told her that he'd done incomprehensible feats in order to get back to her. Now she was seeing them. A lean bear in winter ...

Not far from him, Thad, Natalya, and Brandr fought back to back, dispatching the rest of the fallen Cerunnos and other creatures that had no means of tracing away. Soon the temple was fil ed with gore, but cleared of live adversaries.

Only the original six of them remained.

And Chase was storming toward her. Regin sheathed her sword and ran for him as well. "Chase!"

When he caught her up against his chest, she clutched him with all the strength in her body. I ran into his arms.

Her eternal mate. I couldn't hold my heart back. "I was so worried!"

Voice ragged, he said, "Nothing keeps me from you." His gaze was fixed on her lips. "Nothing."

"No, Chase!" His words fil ed her with fear. Words from the past. Is it too late? She beat against his chest, clawing to get free. Declan could never remember.

Because I want him.

But he slanted his mouth over hers, plunging his tongue between her lips before she could yank her head away.

"Nooo!" She kicked him until he finally drew back.

"Sweet as honey," he rasped. "The others had it wrong. You're no' like a drug." Setting back in for more, he groaned, "Better than ..."

She head-butted his throat with a vicious snap. "Chase, stop this!" To the others, she said, "He's remembering. Help me!"

When Brandr, Natalya, and Thad stepped forward, Chase set Regin on her feet, still gripping her arm with one viselike fist. Pure menace emanated from him as he leveled his gaze on the three. Blood had spattered his torso, lines of crimson crisscrossing his scars. "Nothing keeps me from her."

He was a berserker in ful rage, with his chest heaving beneath those chil ing scars-a terrifying sight for most, yet Regin's heart clenched for him. He's magnificent.

Brandr advanced on him. "I can't let you have her, friend-"

Chase launched a punch; his fist connected with Brandr's face like a cannonbal . Brandr's head whipped around, his body lifted off the ground before it dropped. Limp.

When Chase narrowed his gaze at the others, Natalya and Thad both held up their hands.

"We'l let you two work this out between yourselves," Natalya muttered. "See you back at the boat."

They each grabbed one of Brandr's arms and started dragging the man away.

Lothaire said, "No hard feelings, then, Blademan? Everyone makes a bad day trade now and again. ..." He trailed off at Chase's look. "Very well , I'll be at the boat. We'l talk then."

It's left to me. Have to escape Chase. "Ah, gods, I don't want to do this." When he turned to her, she brought her sword hilt crashing into his temple.

Chapter FIFTY-THREE

"Regin!" Declan roared, his mind mired in confusion as he pursued her through a rain-swept forest.

With each step, his body quickened for her, while memories of a far-distant past bombarded him.

Kissing Regin's sweet lips by the light of a fire while a blizzard howled outside. Laughing with her upon a bed of furs. Teaching her about pleasure.

But those memories were dim compared to the last five days.

Kissing Regin's body under the blaze of her lightning while the wind gusted over them. Lying side by side, talking in murmurs. Learning how to pleasure her. ...

She was his. She owned his heart and commanded his soul and would forever.

Why would she flee him now? When he needed her more than he ever had?

He swiftly caught up to her as she tore along a streambed, farther and farther into a narrowing canyon.

Until it dead-ended with high wal s all around. "Nowhere to run, Valkyrie."

She dashed across the stream and back, searching for a way out. "Damn it!" She raised her sword. "I'll use this."

He stalked closer. "Nothing comes between us." Not time, not death. He lunged forward, snatching the sword from her grip, tossing it away. "Why would you deny me?"

"I have to-you can't do this!"

"I can and I will ." His hand shot out to loop around her waist, dragging her close. "I need you so badly, Regin."

Her eyes went silver. Yet then her expression hardened. "If you take me tonight, it won't be without a fight."

"So long as I take you."

When Chase dipped down to kiss her again, Regin punched him with all her strength.

He drew back with his brows drawn, not in pain, but in confusion. The hit hadn't even fazed him. He was stronger than he'd ever been, faster too. And she wore the torque.

Utterly impossible to best him.

It was her nature to fight, to rail-but she'd fought Aidan in the past. And look where that got me.

No more.

Maybe if she stayed calm, she could bring him back from the brink? Steeling her resolve, she raised her hand to cup his cheek. "I need your help."

He frowned down at her.

"I have to talk to you. And I need you to be calm." She brushed his wet hair from his forehead. "That's it. Be at ease."