"Maybe I comprehend more than you think!" Seeing Colm's throat slit, watching his parents being eaten alive. Feeling the flesh peeled from my goddamned body.
His words seemed to enrage her. "If you've witnessed it a thousand times, then you're an expert at it? Is that it?" Her lips were drawn back from her teeth. "You disgust me. You know nothing. Nothing!"
For her to discount what he'd been through? "I know everything!" he roared as he tore off his shirt.
She gasped, blinking rapidly as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
"Don't tell me what I can or can't comprehend!" He turned to show her his back. When he faced her again, her expression was horrified. "I know what pain is, Regin! I know what it feels like to be powerless."
Lightning struck again. She stumbled back a step, then another.
Slipping away from me forever. He reached for her, but she shook her head slowly.
"You stay away from me, Chase. Whatever you want me for, whatever you think might be between us, forget about it. It's just ... dead between us!" She turned back toward the bunker, covering her mouth as if she was going to be sick.
As he watched her hurrying from him, he had a flash memory from long ago. From the day the Order's physicians had removed his bandages.
His first thought upon seeing what was left of his chest had confused him, had made no sense in the context of his life.
When he'd gazed in horror at his skin, he'd thought ...
She will never want me like this.
Regin ran blindly back to the bunker, losing energy, vomiting it free of her body.
Scars covered Chase's chest, back, and arms. The wounds were curving, ritualistic. He had been tortured. And he was clearly still living with the aftereffects.
Track marks lined his inner arms.
The sight of his scars hadn't sickened her; the idea of them did. They'd rocked her because she could imagine the pain behind them.
Who'd done that to him? She remembered speaking to him about his hatred of immortals, remembered guessing that some had hurt him and his family. He'd never denied it.
She could piece together a likely scenario. A number of them had kil ed his loved ones. He'd survived the ordeal, then joined the Order for revenge.
She slowed, some memory tickling at her conscious-ness, but she couldn't recal it. ...
No wonder he hates us.
She flung open the door to the torture warehouse, wincing at the pain in her chest. As soon as she could grab a decent weapon, she was gone from this place. She'd go it alone before she stayed near Chase.
Chase. With his defeated eyes, lost expression, and palpable yearning.
Damn it, I don't have internal struggles! If she hated someone, she hated them. Period. She'd vowed to mete retribution on him.
So why was she feeling that old pul to him? Why did she want to go and erase that haunted look in his eyes? Shh, warrior, be at ease.
Aidan had been so beautiful and proud, a king in his world. He'd never known a single defeat until the very end of his life.
Chase was... he was wretched. He'd clearly been dealt tragedy early. If each reincarnation emphasized a facet of Aidan, then Declan Chase was the worst of him.
Pain and hate personified.
His body had been maimed. Yet his face... As she'd backed away from him, her lightning had struck, illuminating his visage.
A face made more beautiful by lightning. He'd looked like some kind of tormented, dark angel.
And that tragic beauty and raw longing cal ed to her as no other embodiment had. ...
When she entered the exam room, Lothaire gazed at her from his perch, his eerie reddened eyes fol owing her movements.
"What are you looking at?" Soon she'd confront him about his past crimes against the Valkyrie, but not until she'd healed more. Not until I have a shot at bringing home his fangs to my sisters. Then she'd slay him.
"Some of us are trying to sleep, suka."
"I've got your number, you son of a bitch."
He casual y hissed, muttering in that thick Russian accent, "I'll be getting yours, drop by drop."
Whatever that meant.
At the back of the room, Thad was asleep sitting up against the wal . Natalya was dozing with her head in Brandr's lap.
Regin frowned at this, then continued her search for a weapon. She'd left that sword outside.
Brandr eased Natalya's head to the ground and crossed to Regin's side. "Is Chase still alive?"
"Unfortunately."
"It's definitely Aidan in there. Could scarcely believe it before. But now I'm certain of it." His brows drew together. "What are you looking for?"
"I need a weapon, but I don't want to take the last sword."
"You're leaving? What about our escape?"
"If I stay, I'll kil him," she said. "I vowed to the Lore to get revenge on him."
"Regin, if you'd seen him earlier, the way he reacted to your being hurt ... Your vow's been more than fulfil ed."
She was unconvinced.
"In a few days, the Order's going to bomb the island. There's only one way off-a boat on the far shore over these mountains. If you're not on that boat, you're dead."
"I'll find it and meet you there. If I don't show in time, then leave without me."
"You can't go alone."
I might not have to. When Regin had been out in that clearing, just before Chase showed up, she'd sensed ... a Valkyrie's presence.
Was one of her half sisters on this island even now?
"The journey's going to be dangerous," Brandr said. "And I hate to say this, but right now, Chase is the strongest of us here."
"A mad dog is strong, but you don't trust it with your life!"
"I'll put him on a leash then, tie his hands. Would you stay then?" When she hesitated, he said, "You won't make it off this island alive without him. And since I'm sworn to protect you, then I won't either."
In a lower tone, she said, "And what about Lothaire?"
"The vampire fought off Wendigos tonight, all owing all of us to escape here. Chase had to make some kind of bargain with him."
"So he cut a deal with an evil leech-"
"To save you. Look, I'm not asking you to forgive Chase. But maybe just try to understand him."
"Do you know how many of our friends and all ies are on this island? How many died this night? How many lives have been ruined? He's behind all of that! He believes we're all animals-including you!"
"I know this! I just want you to be aware that he made sacrifices tonight. That he's at least trying to make amends."
"What do you want me to do? Get cozy with him-so he can die anyway?"