Lothaire knelt once more. "I want all the blood I can drink from you, Magister. Whenever and however I choose to drink it until we leave this island."
However? Declan didn't understand, couldn't think. The metal frame of the plane was heating all around him, searing his skin. He would give his life to save hers, but surrendering his blood to a detrus ... ?
To have another one of these creatures feeding from his body?
"Never mind. I'll return with her head, so the two of you can fry together." Lothaire turned once more.
"I vow it." Declan bit back a yel as pain racked him. "Now free me!"
"Very well." After several tries, the vampire hauled him loose in a rush. As Declan labored just to rise up on his battered knees, Lothaire snatched free two seat belts, using them to tie Declan's hands behind his back.
"What the hel is this, vampire?"
Lothaire shoved one hand against the side of his face and clamped the other over his shoulder.
"No! What the f**k are you doing?"
"Exacting, no, accepting a payment from you. I promised you that you'd know when I wanted to drink you. Because my fangs would be shoved deep in your neck." The vampire dipped down, murmuring, "They're about to be. And with your invitation."
Declan flailed, roaring with fury. Another detrus feeding on me! Another one touching my skin!
"It can be quite enjoyable if you relax."
But no matter how hard Declan struggled, he couldn't get free. He felt the vampire's breath against his neck right before the bastard pierced him. There wasn't the pain he'd expected, just a disgusting ful ness.
The rage, the unspeakable humiliation . . .
Lothaire drew deep, his tongue working as he lapped and sucked. When the vampire groaned, Declan shuddered with revulsion, dizziness washing over him with each greedy pul from his neck.
Final y the vampire released him with another groan, sitting back on his haunches. "Your blood is steeped in power." Running his tongue over a fang, he said, "Among other things. I believe I might be high. But I like it."
"You wanted my memories, leech? They're all yours." all the torture, misery, hate. Declan gave a crazed laugh. "You'll f**kin' choke on them!"
Chapter THIRTY-SEVEN
The magister's blood was delicious and drugged. Yet what a bitter aftertaste!
No matter. Lothaire couldn't remember the last time he'd tasted blood so powerful. His skin began regenerating in a rush, strength fil ing him.
Out of his countless victims only a handful had ever fueled him as Chase had.
Berserkers. Those rare creatures. Who knew?
If he could have blood like this and lose the torque ...
"You filthy parasite-I will kil you for this!" Chase's muscles began to swel , his eyes glowing, but he'd probably burned through his berserkrage surviving that plane crash.
"Admit it, Magister, you liked it a little." Lothaire hauled him to his feet.
"One day I'll cut off your f**kin' head."
"Words hurt, Chase."
The man opened his mouth to say more, then gritted his teeth. "This isn't finished." Through the pouring rain, he lumbered in the Valkyrie's direction, fol owing the swath of the plane's landing.
Lothaire trailed him, keeping a keen eye on his new investment and blood supply. When they reached the other half of the plane, the berserker, the fey, and Thaddeus had just crawled from the wreckage.
The fey's cheek was gouged open. Thaddeus appeared unscathed, sounding out some primitive Texan-esque whoop, then yel ing to the sky, "We freaking lived!"
Brandr had an unconscious Regin cradled in his arms. One of his eyes was swol en shut and blood trickled from his nose. But Regin looked no worse than before the crash.
When Chase sagged in relief, Lothaire yanked him upright.
The man's scarred hands clenched and unclenched behind him as he so clearly longed to have her in his possession.
Lothaire drawled at his ear, "You want her so badly? Perhaps you oughtn't have had your lackeys mutilate her. Just a thought."
Natalya reached for her charge thrower. "What is the leech doing here? Again?" But her weapon had been damaged.
"Chase is my prisoner, and the Valkyrie goes with us."
Brandr nodded slowly. "You are as crazy as they say."
To keep his bargain with Chase, Lothaire would have to defeat these three and take the Valkyrie.
Or I can use them. Lothaire assessed them one by one. A ragtag army.
The fey had skil s, the berserker would be an extra sword. Thaddeus's hidden strength could come in handy. Currently, the lad was dragging an overstuffed backpack out of the tail of the plane. Seemed he was smart enough to provision himself.
"Chase is leading me off the island," Lothaire said. "He knows of an alternate means of escape. We could include you. For a price."
Natalya rol ed her eyes. "What now?"
"Al egiance to me, until we depart this place. You'd vow no malice against me."
Brandr shook his head. "That thing, that La Dorada, will be coming for you. Unless you kil ed her?"
"She's out of commission for a time." The sorceress had been rash, coming for him before she'd regenerated enough. He'd capitalized.
Natalya pressed her fingers to the wound on her cheek. "Do we have a choice but to side with you?"
"Not unless you want to stay here. And Chase informed me that the Order will be retaliating soon. Unite with us, or die."
"Then let's all egiate or whatever!" Thaddeus said. "I want out of this place! You've got my vow." Natalya gritted out, "Mine as well."
Brandr scowled. "I vow it."
Lothaire tensed as a new scent wafted in the air. A foul scent. Through the rain, he spied glowing eyes in the woods. "Wendigos. On three sides."
When Declan spotted the creatures skulking closer, his instincts screamed for him to get Regin away.
There were three times as many as before.
"Only one place to run." Natalya turned her gaze toward the dark forest just beyond them.
"No, we can't outrun them with these torques." Brandr swiped at his bleeding nose. "And we'd be going directly into their most advantageous terrain. We need to stand and fight."
Natalya scoffed. "Al of us barely defeated a fraction of their number."
"If we run, you know what will happen! They'l infect us. I'd rather die- in a fight!"
"You could run, and I could stay to fend them off," the vampire offered. "For some reason, I feel amazingly refreshed." He swung an amused look at Declan that made him grind his teeth. "And it seems I'm quite handy against them." He fingered something in his pocket.