"Exactly, Chase." In a deadened tone, she said, "I don't want you to come back because you're a scarred, f**ked-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 all 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 all , you won't do this to me again. Don't come back."

"Regin, just wait."

"I had it wrong all 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, casually leaning his shoulder against a tree trunk.

"Then who took my f**kin' 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. ...

Chapter FIFTY-FIVE

Chase'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 f**king 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 all 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 will 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 collar 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'll 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 all 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 will 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'll 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 will 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'll fight the turnin'." His lids grew heavy, his face paling.

"Fight all 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'll 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. still 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 will wake within three days, or he dies-" Lothaire tensed. "Nix," he hissed.

Regin jerked her head around. Through the rain, she spotted the soothsayer strol ing along the beach toward them. Nix? She was the one Regin had sensed?

The soothsayer had white sunblock on her nose, high-heeled flops, a wide-brimmed hat-and Bertil perched on her shoulder. Her T-shirt read: I Lost My Heart on Immortal Island.

"Nix!" she cried. "Is Chase going to live?"

"Dearling, it's up to fate now."

"Back in New Orleans, you asked me what I would do to break the curse. I said just about anything then. Now I'm saying anything! tell me what to do, Nix!"

"Al that could be done has been. Now as soon as everyone gets here, Malkom will be a dear and trace us off the island." She turned to Carrow. "Until then, good witch, a round of freedom for Regin's friends! And for ... him." She pointed to Lothaire.

He intoned, "Valkyrie."

"Vampire," she said in greeting. The bat unfurled its wings aggressively.

Regin gathered Chase's head into her lap, frantical y smoothing the hair from his cool forehead. When Brandr's hand covered her shoulder, her tears fel , splatting against Chase's cheek. "Wh-what are you doing here, Nix?"

"You know how it goes, had some miles about to expire. And it's just like you said. A little vacay was all I needed!"

Her voice thick, Regin asked, "Is Lucia safe? Did she face Cruach without me?"

"Cruach is no more! She and Garreth MacRieve took him out forever."

Cruach's dead. Regin's mind could hardly wrap around the idea.

"The two lovebirds are here on the island," Nix continued, "hoofing it to get to you."

Lothaire stalked toward Carrow. "Free me, and be quick about it."

"That's right," Nix said. "You'll want to be at ful power before the wolf arrives. Since you broke his female's neck down in the Amazon. Directly after you woke La Dorada."

Regin gaped. "He did what?"

"Witch, now, " he grated.

"Don't get pissy with me, leech." With a glare, Carrow pressed her print to his torque. "Even tapped out, I can still do a love spellto make you fal in love-with the sun."

When the collar dropped to the ground, Lothaire rol ed his head on his neck. But instead of disappearing immediately, he traced to stand mere feet from Nix.

A towering vampire with skin like marble and chil ingly flawless features was staring down a petite Valkyrie with crazed eyes and a cryptic smile.

The tension between the two was palpable. Even on the verge of flipping the f**k out, Regin couldn't look away.

"The Accession grinds on, does it not?" Lothaire said.

"Just like old times." Nix winked. "Alas, Dorada will come for you once she rises again."

"I'll be ready." He narrowed his red eyes. "You've likely foreseen this moment. tell me, are we to fight now? As in the past?"

"You defy foresight, Lothaire."

"That's only fair, Phenix, since you've long defied insight." Phenix?

Nix canted her head. "What does your Endgame tell you?"

"That white queen will never take black king." He gave her a formal bow. "Until our next match."

"There won't be a next match, vampire."

His brow creased into a frown, the Enemy of Old disappeared.

With a lackadaisical air-as if she just hadn't been toe-to-toe with the Lore's most-feared fiend-Nix strol ed over to Regin. "Tsk, tsk." She gazed down at Chase. "He was such a cute boy. He gave me a hug good-bye that day at the fair, even though he thought I was a fortune-tel er crone."

Regin swung her head up. "You saw him?"

"Saw who?"

"Nix!"

"Regin!"

Inhale. Exhale. Pet Chase's forehead. Don't go crazy like her.

Lucia arrived then, hand in hand with Garreth MacRieve. "Regin, thank gods, you're al- who are you holding?"

Out of the corner of her lips, Carrow said, "That's the guy I was tell ing you about."

Lucia's eyes went wide. "This isn't the man who ... tortured you?"

"It's complicated, Luce. J-just help me get him back to Val Hal ."

"Help him?" Garreth growled. "After he tortured my cousin Uil eam? Who, incidental y, is seconds behind us and bent on mauling this mortal."