Dreams of a Dark Warrior

deep inside her as he stroked himself in time.
    His intense gaze had swept from his busy fingers to her mouth. When he’d wet his own lips, she’d quickly said, “No kissing.”
    “I can wait you out, Valkyrie,” he’d rasped. “Now that my prize is in sight. …”
    Each dream sent her panic escalating. Soon he would remember all, and then Aidan would rise to the fore, taking over.
    Declan Chase, the man, would be no more, his life just a memory, his body soon to perish.
    The cycle continued, the curse grinding on.
    “I need your help,” Declan muttered to Brandr as Regin climbed ahead with Thad and Natalya.
    Brandr raised his brows. “You know that’s what I’m here for.”
    Declan did know that. The man was proving to be a staunch ally. Still Declan had difficulty asking others for assistance. “How do I talk Regin past that curse?”
    Brandr said, “You don’t, if you want to stay alive.”
    He ground his teeth in frustration. In his mind, the rescue from the island was as good as done. All herconditions could still be met. The only thing that stood in their way was this curse.
    Declan intended to eliminate
anything
in their way, to do whatever it took to claim her as his own. The last few days with her had been amazing. Life had never been so bloody easy for him. He didn’t have to disguise his accent with her, didn’t have to hide his body. He felt no strain.
    He’d never imagined that a woman could fit him so well. He liked the way she thought, liked that she said outrageous things and threw mud in his face. Regin had
flavor
.
    His lass was the opposite of soulless.
    They’d talked deep into the night, getting to know each other better. She’d confided her secret fear—ghosts—and her addiction to video games. And she was droll. Though he was out of practice laughing, his lips had curled when she’d itemized the things she’d made demons eat.
    The one subject she refused to talk about? The distant past. She feared him remembering more, feared triggering that damned curse. “What do you suggest then, Brandr? Because I’m no’ givin’ her up.”
    “As if you could.”
    “No, I’m done for. Would be happily so if I could get her to feel the same way.”
    “Have you considered trying to become immortal?”
    Three weeks ago, Declan would’ve been insulted by this question. Now it made him regret that he couldn’t be. “You think I’d immortalize this battered body?” He waved his hand to indicate his chest. “Besides, I knowthe risks inherent in turnin’. I just want a few decades with the lass.”
    “You won’t get it. If you sleep with Regin, you’ll die. Period. The only chance you have is to become an immortal
before
you claim her.”
    “And how would I do that? You know the transformation is no’ foolproof.” The catalyst to become another species was death—and it didn’t always work.
    Demons turned only a fraction. The Lykae had better odds, but it often took a newly transformed werewolf decades to control his inner beast—if it could be tamed at all. “Can you transform another into an immortal berserker?”
    “I have no idea, but if I had to say, I’d go with no. I’ve never heard of it happening. The ones with most success at this are the vampires. Which would never work.”
    “Aye, I despise them, could never become one.”
    Brandr lowered his voice. “And we know how Regin feels about them.”
    “She hates them for killing her man.”
    “Regin hated them long before that. Her mother’s entire race was exterminated by vampires.”
    Declan ran his hand over his face. “I did no’ know that.”
    “And if you did become a vampire, her Valkyrie blood would be irresistible to you. There’s no way she could spend eternity as a host to one of them, not even for you. Face it, Chase, your only hope is to abstain with her.”
    Declan caught Regin glancing over her shoulder at him with silvery eyes. “Then I’ve no chance in hell,” hesaid dryly. “But I’m no’ convinced of this, Brandr. I’m strong—stronger than I’ve ever been. I’ll no’ go out so easily, now that I’ve something to live for.”
    “I wish it were that simple. Listen, Regin has alliances with the witches. They might be able to help you—if you don’t claim Regin before we reach New Orleans.”
    “The witches will do no favors for me.”
    “We can figure something out. But only if you can wait …” Brandr trailed off as Lothaire approached them. “What do you want,