The Immortals After Dark 11: Dreams of a Dark Warrior

"A bloody big one."

"What do I do then?" Thad asked. "Can I go back home?"

Everyone looked at Declan. At length, he said, "No. Your family is mortal, so they're safe, but if you return, that magister will simply recapture you. Take you to another facility."

"There are more of these places?" Natalya cried.

Declan shrugged. Four others.

Thad said, "Thanks for letting me know Mom and Gram are okay. I appreciate it."

Gratitude from the kid, after all that had been done to him.

"Hey, is there like a witness relocation program for us?"

Natalya said, "We'l figure something out for you and your family, lad. I promise." Then she turned to Lothaire, "So, vampire, who is La Dorada?"

Thad asked, "What'd she keep screaming about a ring for?"

Declan grated, "And how the hel did she get into my facility?"

His tone dripping condescension, Lothaire crooned, "Ah, children, it's not yet story time." He closed his eyes and turned away, saying over his shoulder, "To anyone who contemplates even nearing me while I sleep: I will garrote you with your own viscera."

Declan was about to demand an answer when he heard a muted whimper. Was Regin waking at last?

Yes, her eyes were darting behind her lids, her brows drawn. He leaned closer, hands clenching behind his back again. He would fix this with her. She'd never known a man with a will like his. I'll make her want me back-She opened her eyes. Narrowed them on him.

Then she hissed.

Regin shot upright, locking gazes with Chase. He'd been looming over her while she was defenseless?

She wasn't now.

Launching herself at his throat, she shrieked, "I'll kil you!" She dug her claws in around his Adam's apple, but he wouldn't fight back.

Brandr lunged forward, prying her from Chase's throat. "You can't, Valkyrie!" He looped an arm around her waist, pul ing her away.

"Watch me!" She lashed out at Brandr, knocking her head back against his face.

Chase simply stood there, tense as a board, his neck bleeding.

Brandr muttered, "I can't let you do that, Regin."

"Why not?"

"He knows a way off the island, a boat just a few days from here. He's going to lead us to it." At her ear, he said, "You know I can't let you kil him anyway."

"Did you not see what he had done to me?" she cried. "They cut me open by his order!"

Chase's eyes blazed. "I didn't order it, didn't know about it!"

Brandr released her, standing between her and Chase.

"And I'm supposed to believe that? How could you not have known?" Natalya had told her she'd thrown off electricity like a reactor. "Were you gone?"

Even after everything, part of her wished he'd been gone, wished he'd had absolutely no part in it.

"I swear that I didn't know," he answered, his tone evasive. "And that I would've stopped it if I had."

Lying about something. She was too drained to think, too injured. She gazed around with growing disbelief. Saws, scalpels, exam tables, and cages surrounded her. "Ah, gods, where are we?" She rubbed her chest, reeling on her feet. It was like a warehouse of old torture tools.

Then she spied Lothaire atop one of the cages, relaxing with his hands folded behind his head as if he'd just been napping. "Him?" She reached to her back-for swords that weren't there. "Do you know what he's done to the Valkyrie? What the hel is wrong with you people?" Her breaths grew shallow, wheezing. "I can't be around them ... I can't." She coughed, a rattling sound. "And I-I can't stay in this place-"

Regin's legs gave out. Her knees met the hard floor as blood bubbled from her lips.

Chapter THIRTY-NINE

Declan shot forward to help her, ignoring the bloody hand she raised to ward him away.

Brandr shoved him back. "She doesn't want you to touch her!" He knelt beside Regin. "Listen to me, Valkyrie. The wire holding your rib cage together doesn't come out on its own. Nor the staples. I'm going to have to cut them out of you." Regin's silvery eyes grew stark.

Oh, bloody hell, no. "She'l heal on her own. She'l regenerate." They always do.

Brandr cast him a black look. "You had this done to me too, remember? And I know that I was ripping those staples out of my chest over an entire day. I had to dig for the wire, unknot it, and pul it free-in between the times I blacked out. At least she'l have someone to help her."

Regin was still coughing, blood dripping from her lips, her staples straining.

Declan's gut churned as realization sank in. He knew this had to be done.

"Is there some kind of remover here?" Brandr asked. "For the staples. Maybe some kind of anesthetic?"

"They would have used sutures back then. And any chemicals were removed from the bunker."

"I'll need a blade." Brandr lifted her into his arms.

"Take your pick." Lothaire smirked. "We're surrounded by them."

Natalya found a scalpel, gravely handed it to Brandr.

Brandr jerked his chin toward a pair of clippers. "Fey, can you grab those bolt cutters as well ?"

They weren't used to cut bolts. Declan stepped for-ward. "I'll see to her."

Regin cried, "He's ... not touching... me!"

From his vantage on the cage, Lothaire exhaled loudly. "Whatever you do, be quick about it. If the storm abates, her lightning will be like a beacon to the Pravus. And I for one need rest before I face yet another army of immortals."

"I'm doing this, Chase," Brandr said simply.

On some level he must trust the berserker, Declan realized, because he all owed Brandr to carry her into a back examination room.

As Declan watched from the doorway, the berserker laid her on a metal table, then took off his shirt, bal ing it under her head. "Regin, when you feel like passing out-just let yourself. This is going to get rough."

"You know I can't ... with enemies here. Vampire. Chase."

I'm not your enemy. No longer.

"Just turn off those Valkyrie instincts for once. I'm not going to let anyone harm you. I've waited a thousand years to protect you." He brushed his hand over Regin's hair. "Let me do it now." Then he marched to the door.

Before Brandr slammed it in his face, Declan met eyes with her. He parted his lips to say something- I'd take this pain for you. No one will ever hurt you again.- but no words came out.

Outside the room, Declan began to pace. He hadn't protected her. He'd gotten her out of the facility, but this had happened when she'd been directly under his watch.