Dreams of a Dark Warrior

the facility’s collapse.
    Lothaire sighed. “Regin the Eloquent.”
    “Eat me.” She passed them all without a glance. “Just tell me where we’re heading.”
    Declan said, “If you want to be on point, we’re going west—”
    She unerringly turned due west and started climbing. Natalya and Thad joined her, and the three began conversing, mainly answering Thad’s constant stream of questions.
    Brandr hung back with Declan, while Lothaire brought up the rear.
    In a low voice, Brandr said, “My gods, man, I’ve never seen you look so routed.”
    “You’ve seen me only a handful … ah, you mean as Aidan.”
    “Hell, even when you were dying, you looked more enthusiastic than this.” When Declan said nothing, Brandr bit out a curse. “Listen, it isn’t over. She has feelings for you.”
    “Oh, aye. Very strong ones. Hatred, for instance.”
    “If that’s the case, then why couldn’t she kill you?”
    “She told me I didn’t deserve her mercy—” Declan tensed when Lothaire closed in from behind.
    “Are we talking about the Valkyrie, Magister?”
    “Don’t call me that! I’m no’ one any longer.”
What am I now?
    He was …
nothing
.
    “You’re on a clock,” Lothaire said. “Once she escapes this island, she will leave you behind without a second thought.”
    And I’ll follow. That’ll be the way of things now.
    Brandr said, “After a thousand years of warring with leeches, I never thought I’d say this sentence, but … the vampire’s right. You have to win her back before we reach the boat.”
    “Win her
back
?” Declan snapped under his breath. “I never had her to begin with!”
Dead between us.
    There’d been only one night when he’d felt they had a real connection—when she’d been in his home, in his bath. She’d spun him tales so appealing that for a split second, he’d thought about freeing the miscreats she aligned with and flying her to bloody Belfast.
    At the time, it’d seemed like madness; now it looked like a missed chance.
    But, he reminded himself, there’d been no connection. It had all been an act—one designed to kill him. She might have pulled back at the last minute, but the intent had still been there. “Just save your breath.”
    “You
can
win her,” Brandr insisted.
    Declan actually held a measure of trust for the berserker. Yes, Brandr had proven himself repeatedly, but even Declan would admit there was something more. As if they’d known each other …
    Now a thread of hope arose at the man’s words. Maybe he knew enough about Regin to aid him.
Aye, and maybe you’re chasing the wind.
“How can I?” Had he said that out loud? Fuck.
    Thad scuffed back to join them, still burdened by his pack. “So, what are we talking about?” He fell in beside Lothaire.
    The vampire said, “About how Chase can win back the Valkyrie.”
    Chase cast him a killing look over his shoulder.
    “Well, men,” Thad began in a solemn tone, “this sounds like a brewski moment to me.”
    Declan frowned when he heard a pop-top opening. “You brought
beer
with you? That’s what filled your pack?”
    “Regin said there’s no drinking age in the Lore. And I was thinking I was going to die and all. It’s not just beer, anyway. I’ve got condoms, cologne, toothpaste. Essentials.”
    So we have no food.
    Brandr said, “Sounds like you were planning on getting laid before you die.”
    “I was, until you—how’d Regin put it?—until you
cockblocked
me.”
    That’s my foulmouthed lass.
    “What can I say?” Brandr shrugged. “But by all means, pass the beers around.”
    Thad handed the berserker one, then offered another to Lothaire, who merely raised his brows. “You want one, DC?” the kid asked.
    Declan stiffened. “You didn’t just call me that.”
    With a cheery grin, Thad handed him a warm can.
    This situation was surreal. Here he was, hiking a mountain trail at the bottom of the world with a reviled vampire enemy, a vampire lad, and a berserker.
    And this was the closest Declan had come to male bonding since he’d run with a gang back in Belfast.
    Losing my mind.
Fuck it.
Consider it already lost. Asunk cost.
He raised his bound hands and accepted the beer.
    “Sorry it’s warm.”
    “How I like it,” Declan said, though he could scarcely remember the last time he’d drunk alcohol of any kind.
    Thad swigged from his can. “So how far did you guys get?”
    Brandr said, “If you want my advice, Chase, you need to convince her that the