Dreams of a Dark Warrior

you’ve been dwelling on what Chase has done to you. Instead you should think about what he’ll soon
surrender
to you. Come, Regin, tell me. How would you kill him?”
    Regin gritted her teeth and sat up. “A sword stroke from his gullet down to his balls. It’d be just deep enough to kill him, but not outright. There’d be enough time for realization and horror to set in. Naturally.”
    “Naturally. And Fegley?”
    “Cut off the tool’s tool. Then nick his femoral artery.”
    “For Dixon?”
    Regin was liking this game. “I’d force her to swallow razor blades. Let them slice
her
body open from the inside.”
    “Now you’re talking! That notorious Valkyrie pride is surfacing—I can see it. Think of it, Regin. Retribution is within reach for both of us. Let’s make a pact to help each other get our revenge.”
    “I’m
in
.” Regin swiped her sleeve over her eyes. “Hey, Natalya?”
    “Yes?”
    “I’m really glad we had this talk.”

THIRTY

    H ours later, Declan conceded defeat with Slaine. But only temporarily. Though the demon despised Carrow the witch for luring him into the Order’s clutches, Slaine still wanted her, even believed she was his mate.
    I’ll use that.
Threaten the life of a male’s woman, and he would do anything, say anything.
    Pitiable,
he told himself, even as he feared what he’d do if someone had a blade at Regin’s throat.
    Out in the corridor, he again noticed that Dixon wouldn’t meet his eyes, even turned to avoid him. Farther along, he came upon a smirking Fegley, rapping his nightstick against his palm.
    Vincente was nowhere to be found, though he’d obviously needed to talk to him. Disquiet settled over Declan as he strode to his quarters.
    Back at his console, he pulled up Regin’s cell. She was curled up on the bottom bunk, her back to the camera. Her fey cell mate was pacing.
    A knock sounded at his door. After a short pause, Webb entered. “Better luck next time with Slaine, son.” His tone was odd, his expression almost … guilty.
    Now Webb was acting strange?
Gotta cut back on the medicine.
Paranoia had him by the throat.
    “I need to take the vampire’s ring off-island for more study,” Webb said. “And transfer a prisoner as well. Unfortunately, I must leave tonight before the storm hits.”
    Declan was only half-listening, keeping the monitor in the corner of his vision. Was Regin’s skin dim? “The ring’s in my safe.”
    “I’ve collected it already.”
    “Which prisoner are you transferring?”
    Just as Webb said, “The one you’re no doubt watching,” Regin turned on the bed—revealing a line of staples below the hem of her shirt.
    Vivisection.
    The room spun. “What … the Valkyrie was …”
    “Examined? Yes, while you were resting today. I’d hoped to have her shipped out before you finished with the demon.” Then he exhaled. “You and those monitors. Never could hide anything from you. Well, not much, anyway.”
    Declan shot to his feet. “No. She wasn’t scheduled,” he said slowly. “Some other creature was.”
    “I decided to have her examined before her transfer.”
    Sagging against the console, Declan rewound the feed of the O/R to this morning. Regin had just awakened strapped to the operating table.
    He could do nothing but watch in horror, his heartbeat roaring in his ears, his mind threatening to break once and for all.
    This had been done by Declan’s order hundreds of times before, but he’d never truly understood. …
    As they’d begun slicing her skin open—without anesthesia—she’d shrieked, her body twisting in the restraints. Tears had leaked from her stunned eyes. Again and again, thunder had boomed, shaking the camera.
    She’d felt
everything
.
    When they’d cracked open her rib cage, Declan clutched the edge of the console, crushing the wood to splinters. Never had he felt so sickened. Not even the night his entire family had been murdered.
    Once Regin had grown insensible, just before speech became impossible, she’d begged Chase to stop it.
    And Fegley had told her, “Who do you think ordered this done to you? You didn’t think that he’d retaliate against you?”
    That lying son of a bitch! I will bash his skull!
    With a roar of fury, Declan turned to Webb. “Why the fuck would you do this?
Why?
” he bellowed, not recognizing his own voice.
She cried for me to save her. …
    In a faltering tone, Webb answered, “Now, just calm yourself.”
    He fears me. He should.
    “This