Lothaire took his hand, his eyes locked on Thaddeus's neck, on the spot just below the metal torque.
His fangs throbbed for that skin.
As always, he had to be very careful whom he fed from-he balanced forever upon a razor's edge-and younger was ever so much better for him.
With a surprising strength, Thaddeus hefted him up to safety. "What's your name?"
What manner of creature was he? Usual y Lothaire could tell at once, but this boy's species eluded him. "I'm Lothaire. The Ally of Old." Not a lie. A female had once cal ed him that. "On to terra firma, then."
"Terra whatta? Oh, yeah, sure thing." Once they'd moved from the gorge to more stable ground, the boy said, "Good to meet you, Mr. Lothaire."
"Seems I owe you a debt of gratitude, Thaddeus." Lothaire seized him by the neck, yanking the boy's back to his own chest.
"Wh-what the hel are you doing?" he demanded, futilely struggling.
As Lothaire lowered his head, he murmured, "Now I'll owe you a blood debt as well." He sank his aching fangs into the male's hot neck, drawing deep. ...
Chapter THIRTY-FOUR
You don't want to mix it up with us tonight, Flicka," Regin warned the centaur king. Of course, he did not have a torque and had somehow scored not one but two swords. "Just let us pass."
He stalked closer, swinging those swords with super-natural speed. Eyes on Natalya, he said, "Vengeance is mine."
"You have no quarrel with the Valkyrie," Natalya said. "Let her go."
"She's a leader in the Vertas. This is our opportunity to crush all of you."
Regin calmly aimed her rifle. "You're an easy target. Lots of surface area to wound. Big-game hunting's my new fav-"
He charged them; Natalya screamed, "Regin, fire!"
"I'm going to grease him right now!" she yel ed, pul ing the trigger.
Nothing.
She banged the gun against her upraised knee, then tried again. Oh, shit.
Volos bore down on them with his swords swinging, one ton of irate centaur male.
Regin ducked and chucked her rifle at him-he sliced through it. Natalya flung six shards of glass at him. They plunged deep into his flanks, but he didn't seem to feel them.
With a scream, the fey leapt for Volos's side, swiping her poisonous claws across his body. But the centaur was unaffected.
Regin realized why. The torque had neutralized all her powers-which meant her poison.
While Natalya gaped, Volos kicked out his back legs, his hooves speeding for Regin's chest.
Fire. On me? Wake up. ...
Declan forced his eyes open, shaking off the blackness.
Fuck! His armored vest was on fire. He jerked upright, shrugging free of the armor, knowing it was the only reason he still lived.
He scanned the area for the Sorceri. But they were gone, no doubt certain they'd kil ed him.
And while he'd been out, the Queen of Stone's mountain had risen until the facility's entire framework shifted.
Realization sank in. There was no containment, no retaking the instal ation. This structure was about to crumble to the ground. It was done. There'd be no self-destruct override.
So how long until the sequence timed out? He squinted down at his watch.
Less than half an hour left.
Mere minutes to get Regin to safety, and only one shite option available to him.
As soon as he'd lurched to his feet, nearby creatures turned their heads in his direction, ears or noses twitching. Eyes zeroed in on him. "Blademan," they whispered. "It's the magister."
They attacked in a wave. He reloaded the rifle and opened fire, burning through another clip.
Too many of them. No time to reload. He shouldered the rifle and drew his sword, slashing his way toward Regin's ward.
In midstride he slowed, canting his head. Regin's scream.
Over the pandemonium, the roars and explosions, somehow Declan had heard her.
He pushed hard in that direction, evading opponents instead of engaging them. Sounds seemed to dim until all he could hear was his heart thundering.
His body began to change. Blood pumped to his muscles-they drank it in as though starved for it, growing, strengthening.
Final y he knew what to cal this.
Berserkrage. A beast stirs within me.
For the first time in his life, he didn't resist, gave himself up to it. Never had he felt the transformation like this. Because I've never done what I was born to do. Protect her.
Lothaire recoiled from the boy, spitting a mouthful of blood.
Blood that was part vampire, yet masked by something else he couldn't place. Lothaire wasn't often surprised, but this had taken him unawares.
Blyad', we don't drink our own! He spun Thaddeus around, clutching his upper arms. "What are you?"
He gave him a shake. "What-are-you?"
The boy turned owl eyes up at him. "Th-they told me I'm a vampire."
Lothaire spat once more. "Then they've only got half the story." He released him with disgust, his fangs aching so badly they'd likely turn blue.
"Are y-you gonna bite me again?" he asked, his gaze darting toward the frenzied combat ahead.
Lothaire scanned for another victim. "Consider me immune to your charms." He started forward, beings diving out of his way.
"Uh, okay. I'm just gonna trail behind you, mister, if you don't mind. Let you run interference."
Without slowing, Lothaire said, "You are as insignificant to me as a fly."
"I'll take that as a yes. So where're we headed?"
Lothaire absently said, "To find the Blademan." And get my ring. Finally. He stormed toward Chase's office.
When ghouls mindlessly rushed them, Lothaire dispatched them readily. Any creatures stupid enough to attack him paid with their lives.
The boy had begun gazing up at him worshipfully.
As he should.
"Wait, Mr. Lothaire," Thaddeus yel ed from behind him. "Those're my girls up ahead! Or they used to be. Might wanna kil me now that I'm a vampire and all . But they're fighting with that gigantic horse thing.
Can you take him out and save them?"
Lothaire cast him a chil ing glance over his shoulder. "Aid a Valkyrie and a fey?"
The boy swal owed. "For that debt of gratitude?"
Lothaire eyed the centaur. Volos had pledged no all egiance to him.
If you're not with me ...
Regin leapt back, narrowly avoiding Volos's hooves, tripping over a headless body. Natalya was still ducking under Volos's swords, but he was too fast. Just a matter of time.
Surveying the area, Regin spied another gun-this one attached to a downed guard's hand. She clambered across the floor to it, but the man was still alive, barely. When she yanked on his rifle, he yanked back with one hand, holding in his entrails with the other.