Dreams of a Dark Warrior (48 page)

And Gabriel? My God, Regin, how many pirates died in shipwrecks?”

“You’re forgetting one thing—the timing. Al of these deaths happened within hours of them bedding me.

I’m your curse! Why can’t you accept that … ?”

Declan shot awake, eyes darting as he took in the murky morning.
Not in a tent?
For a moment, he couldn’t place where he was.

Then he spied Regin. She was up, getting dressed, glowing like the sun in the persistent rain.

She tilted her head at him. Under her gaze, he resisted the nearly overwhelming urge to throw on his

clothes.
Still new to me.

But she gave his scars little attention, and he relaxed, musing about how she’d slept curled against him.

Just as protecting her had fulfil ed him, so had merely holding her.

Fulfilled.
Such an alien feeling, he’d scarcely known how to label it.

The rightness of her in his arms al eviated his lingering withdrawals, gave him something infinitely more

pleasurable than the shots had ever provided. …

Just as he contemplated dragging her back down with him, she said, “We need to get back.”

“Aye, I know, then,” he muttered, rising to don his pants. Regin watched him unabashed, and again he

thought she
might
just be liking what she saw.

But when he dragged on his pul over, they both frowned. His clothes were tight.

“Aren’t you supposed to … go back down? Muscle-wise?”

“But I didn’t hit a berserkrage. Maybe it’s because I’m clean of drugs?”

“Um, you shot up the day before yesterday.”

But a vampire sucked me dry.
He shrugged.

“Were you dreaming just before you woke?” she asked, shivering with cold.

“Here, lass.” He crossed the distance to her, yanking off his sweater. “The material stays dry, it’l keep you warm. Arms up, then.”

With a rol of her eyes, she lifted her arms so he could tug it down over her. It nearly reached her

knees. He took the opportunity to clasp her against his chest, resting his chin on her head. “You wil no’

put your arms around me?”

“I don’t want to encourage you. Now, answer my question.”

“I dreamed of you and Edward in his tent, discussing the curse. He felt the same way about it as I do

now—that it’s bul shite.”

She pushed against him until he released her. “Edward died the next day.”

“How?”

“A sniper fired on his troops. He pushed me out of the path of a bul et. The back of his head was just …

gone. A mortal sacrificed his life over an injury that would’ve taken me a day to recover from. I’ve been

as good as widowed four times. And with this lifetime, you’ve been doomed for five.”

“If last night was my
doom,
Regin, then you can sign me up for a hundred more go-rounds.”

She narrowed her gaze. “Don’t you dare ridicule me or this … this situation! I nearly lost my mind with

each death. Aidan bled out in our bed. I held Treves as he yel ed in anguish from poison. My pirate? My

beautiful Gabriel? A violent storm bashed his ship apart. A fal ing mast crushed him, kil ing him instantly.

His body was swept overboard, and I-I couldn’t find him … c-couldn’t bring him back.”

“Damn it, lass, this curse wil no’ affect you and me.”

“With everything you’ve seen in the Lore, how can you doubt this?”

“I don’t doubt that curses exist—I’ve
been
cursed by a witch, and I remember how it felt. I’d
sense
something if a curse was hanging over me.” He brushed his knuckles down her silky cheek. Would he

ever grow used to the luxury of simply touching her skin? “I do no’ know how to convince you of it, but I

feel this in my gut. We’re beyond it.”

“Even if there were no curse, and even if I could forgive you for al you’ve done to me, I can’t get past

what you’ve done to my friends. You’ve got a lot of fates on your head.”

“What if I get everyone in our crew off the island? Would you forgive me then?”

She shook her head. “That would stil leave Carrow, Ruby, and MacRieve. And Lucia must be alive and

wel . Every single one of them has been jeopardized by your actions.”

“How Lucia?”

“I’m supposed to be with her when she faces Cruach.”

“You know I’ve no control over her fate.”

“The stakes are steep for me, Chase. I could never forgive you if Lucia was forced to fight an enemy

as vile as that by herself, because I was
otherwise engaged
. She’s everything to me.”

“Then you’ve laid out my tasks. I’l take care of them one by one.”

Regin folded up the pul over’s lengthy sleeves. “How’s that?”

“I won’t be gettin’ on the boat with you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Regin, I’l scour this island for al of your friends first.”

“You’l get yourself kil ed, before the curse ever gets a chance to do it.”

“If the alternative is not having you, then so bloody wel .” He shrugged. “But you forget, this is what I do.

I hunt immortals. And this is
my
island. I’l find them.”

“And Lucia?”

“She’s stayed alive this long. So I’m counting on her to live one thousand years
and four weeks
. If I can get everyone to safety, wil you give us a shot?”

“What about the cur—”

“Don’t answer now,” he interrupted, his tone curt. That curse talk maddened him. He felt with a certainty

deep down in his bones that he had a future with her. He’d be damned if they’d argue over something that

he
knew
didn’t apply to them. “Just think about it.”

As Regin and Chase made their way back to meet the others, she studied him under her lashes.

Before, he’d been intriguing to her, attractive, even sexy. This morning, he was
devastating
.

His wet hair whipped over those lean cheeks. His camo pants clung to his sculpted legs and ass, until

her claws curled painful y. Had his steely-eyed gaze always been so breathtaking?

Their activities last night had certainly agreed with the man. Chase seemed to have grown overnight—

and shed a couple of decades’ worth of tension. The stiffness in his back and neck was absent. Now that

his lips weren’t pressed into a grim line, she could see his even, white teeth, making her fantasize about what his smile would look like.

She doubted even Chase knew. The man didn’t have a single laugh line anywhere on his face, not even

a hint of one.

As they neared the others, she asked, “Don’t you want your sweater?”

His expression darkened. “Do
you
want me to wear it?”

She frowned. “I don’t care either way.”

He smoothed a braid from her face. “Then I’d rather it keep you warm.”

When they rejoined the group, almost as one, their gazes locked on his bare, scarred chest.

Brandr looked troubled but sympathetic. Thad gaped, while Natalya winced. Lothaire didn’t bother hiding

his derision.

Chase jammed his shoulders back, chin raised, and her heart gave a pang. Beautiful Aidan had never

had to back down before anyone, had never been embarrassed a day in his life.

But maybe Chase deserved this scrutiny and more from the people he’d hurt.
Walk away from him. Let

him feel this alone.

Yet her hand decided to reach for Chase’s, and her stupid fingers felt the need to lace with his.

The look he gave her as he tightened his grasp was one she’d never seen from him before.

Tenderness.

Brandr broke the silence. “Come on, then, let’s get moving. We need to cover a lot of ground today.”

As the others set off, she tried to make light of the situation. Because Chase was clutching her hand—

like a lifeline. “Did the big bad Blademan just have a funny feeling in his chest?”

His gaze pinned hers, and he rasped one word.
“Aye.”

FORTY-EIGHT

W
hat a difference a day can make,
Declan thought as the six of them climbed a mountain trail.

In that short time, he’d gone from the lowest low to the highest high.

Yes, they were on the run for their lives, beleaguered by a squal , but he felt a hundred pounds lighter.

For the last several hours, he’d led Regin through gusting winds and biting rain, blocking both for her. And each time he’d glanced over his shoulder to check on her, her eyes had flickered—with definite interest.

Chest swel ed with pride, he realized he might have a shot at
more.

When the group took a break before a particularly steep ascent, he squired her back the way they’d

come. Out of sight of the others, he leaned down to kiss her damp neck. The lass let him. “Been needin’

to do that since we left the stream.” He nuzzled her ear. “Have you thought about my offer?”

She pul ed back. “Offer? It sounded more like a decree. So, in this imaginary world, where we’re a

couple and al my al ies are safe and sound—and there is no curse that’s about to kil you—what do we

do with our time?”

“You wanted to al y before. We could be partners, split bounties. I’d stil get to hunt Neos and

Cerunnos. Slay some Horde vampires, right?”

“You’d let me go into battle with you? Not afraid I’d get hurt?”

“I’ve seen you fight. I pity anything that crosses you. You’re the most capable female I’ve ever known.

Besides, I’d never let you be hurt.”

“Uh-huh. And didn’t you tel me that we’d find a place to put down roots? Be informed that I’ve already

got one. Lucia and I have always planned to live in adjacent houses on some seashore. How would you

like a Valkyrie for a neighbor?”

“You wil no’ scare me away so easily as that. For more of what you gave me at the stream, I’l reside in

Val Hal ’s attic.” He leaned in to murmur, “I now ken the appeal of your little claws. I’ve got your marks across my arse.”

“That a problem?”

“I’l be ireful if I go a day without them,” he said gravely. “Besides, a seaside home sounds about right. I told you I like the mountains—and the shore. I grew up on the Irish coast, you know.”

“And how would you be with my family?”

“Scarce.” At her raised chin, he said, “I can manage with them. And I already have an in with your sister

Nïx. She sent me a message a week ago.”

“What? How?”

“I’d bugged your car. She sent me a message through the damn bug.”

“What’d she say?”

“That I should question Lothaire, and that she’d see me soon.”

Regin had been sensing a Valkyrie presence for two days now. Was it
Nïx
on the island? “And?”

“And a bunch of other gibberish.”

“Nïx doesn’t speak gibberish. Everything she says is for a reason.”

“She told me my middle name would be regret.” Chase held her gaze. “Your sister was right. I’m goin’ to

spend the rest of my life makin’ everything up to you.”

“Whoa, Chase, you’re acting like I’m a done deal. And I’m the furthest thing from it.”

“You’ve given me your terms, and I’m goin’ to prevail.”

“Let me know when you puzzle out how to get around a thousand-year-old curse. I’l be curious to see.”

He opened his mouth to reply, but Brandr cal ed out, “Hey, Chase, we need to decide on the best way

up. Preferably taking the path less mined with unexploded incendiaries.”

“Aye, then.” To her, Chase said, “We’l continue this discussion later.” He took her hand, leading her

back. After chucking her under the chin, he jogged off to confer with Brandr.

Natalya joined her directly. “I’ve been waiting to talk for hours. But I didn’t want to interrupt Chase—as he seized on any opportunity to touch you. Assisting a Valkyrie over a downed sapling? How romantic.”

“What’d you want to talk about?”

“Just to commend you on your revenge last night. It must have been fiendish. Of course, I can only

imagine since there wasn’t a mark on Chase this morning, only residual bliss.”

“He heals fast! I whaled on his face. Must’ve been thirty hits.”

Natalya’s lips quirked. “You’re glowing like a Lite-Brite.”

“Shut it, fairy.”

“I don’t know what kind of upskirt mojo you’ve got going on, but that man is different.”

Regin gazed over at him as he pointed out something to Brandr. Chase’s demeanor was stil gruff, but

the strain around his eyes was diminished.

He’d grudgingly accepted his sweater back—it was far too big for her to climb in—but he’d rol ed up his

sleeves, displaying his brawny arms. The flat scars over his skin looked almost like tribal tattoos.

And damn, if he didn’t look bigger every hour. Maybe the drugs he’d taken
had
kept the berserker in him in check?

Natalya gave a little wave at Thad. The kid sat under a rock overhang, trying to talk to Lothaire, but the vampire didn’t look lucid. “So now that you’ve sampled Chase,” she said in a low tone, “are you going to