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.