Dreams of a Dark Warrior

Prisoners went off to those labs one way, and they came out another.
Altered
. …
    She’d just heard Thad’s audible swallow and a whispered, “My jeans
completely
off?” when two guards arrived at the cell.
    Regin leapt from the bunk. Had Chase sent for her?
Or am I about to be vivisected?
    One guard said, “Here for Brayden. We’re moving him.”
    Thad shot to his feet, his eyes panicked. He subtly reached for Natalya’s hand.
    “There, lad. It’ll be okay.”
    Regin couldn’t say she was surprised by this transfer. Not many of the other cells were coed, from what she’d seen.
    The second guard said, “Are you looking for this to be a gas extraction, or are we all going to play nice?”
    She and Natalya shared a look. They both knew resisting the guards would be useless. Plus, it’d probably freak Thad out even more.
    Regin shook her head. “Just be cool, kid. Remember, I’m not leaving this place without you.”
    Natalya added, “Same here. You have my word.” Then she reluctantly pulled free her hand.
    As the guards led him away toward the entrance of the corridor, Thad craned his head over his shoulder, keeping them in his sights for as long as possible.
    Regin swallowed. His eyes had been glinting at the end.
    She turned to Natalya, who looked bereft. “Come on, Nat, we both knew he’d get sent back to the minors. I’ve been expecting them to separate him from us ever since he woke from his stupor.”
    “Doesn’t mean I like it. …”
    Hours later, they heard gasps from inmates up-corridor from them. She and Natalya ran to the glass in time to see the same two guards dragging by Thad’s limp body, on their way to the opposite end of the ward.
    He was soaking wet and shaking, his pupils the size of saucers. “They told me I’m a vampire,” he mumbled to Regin and Natalya. “Now you’ll w-want to kill me. …” His head lolled as he fell unconscious.
    Screaming obscenities at the guards, Natalya slammed her hands on the glass, spitting and kicking, her irises gone black with fury. Regin shrieked right beside the fey, her hands balled into fists so tight that blood dripped to the floor. She was murderously enraged that Thad had been hurt—and that Chase had broken his word to her.
    Vincente strode by then. In a low tone, the man said, “He’s only going to a new cell now. Worry for yourselves.”
    Regin sagged against the glass.
Gods, just give me one more chance to take Chase down. Just one more …
    As Declan strode through the facility, finalizing preparations for Webb’s arrival this week, he decided it was time to bring the Valkyrie round once more.
    His trap had been sprung for Malkom Slaine; now all he could do was wait. He’d compiled and edited the information Regin had given him about the Valkyrie, bersekers, and any impending apocalypses.
    And by now, enough time had passed that he likely wouldn’t throttle her on sight.
    Their last meeting had infuriated him; his subsequent dream—wet as it’d been—had only compounded his resentment.
Spend up to my chin. …
    Once again, the Valkyrie had sent him reeling. And again, he’d found his footing. If she meant to convince him he was a berserker, she’d have to do better than her tales, her induced dreams.
    He would require irrefutable proof. Until then, he’d fight it every step of the way.
Going down swinging—
    “Magister Chase,” Vincente called from behind him.
    Declan slowed his steps.
    “You’ve, uh … you received a message, sir.”
    “I’ll check it when I get back to my office.”
    “The message didn’t come through the usual channels.” He handed Declan a sealed transcript folder.
    “Then where’d it come from?”
    “It was recorded. From the listening device you planted in Louisiana. I matched it to an Aston Martin, red, current year, Orleans Parish tag.”
    “So? Someone must have driven that car, and we picked up a conversation. Those bugs are voice-activated.”
    “The car wasn’t started. And only one person was inside it. Just read the transcript, sir. I suggest in private.”
    “I have another task at hand. Tell me who it’s from, and I’ll decide.”
    Vincente lowered his voice. “It’s from a Valkyrie named Nïx. She left the message specifically for you, using your own bug.”
    How the hell had Nïx found the hidden device? He could only imagine what she would have to say to him.
    Without a word, Declan turned back toward his office, ripping open the folder as soon as the