A Hunger Like No Other

'I'd wondered why you had no' marked her. This is a vulnerable time.'

'I ken that. Believe me. I've spent centuries imagining how I would spoil and protect my mate, and yet I've made Emma's life into a living hell.'

'Then why were you angry with her this morning, Lachlain?' He narrowed his eyes. 'I canna tell you how ill- advised that is.'

'I was worried and became angry. I'm no' now.'

'You've no' claimed her—you could lose her.'

'Is that what happened to Mariah?'

Lachlain knew better than to speak of her around Bowe. Mariah had been Bowe's fey mate who'd died fleeing him.

When Bowe cast him a savage look, Lachlain said, 'I ken you never talk about it, but in this case, do I need to know something?'

'Aye. Your Emma's other and will always be so. Doona be stubborn and stupid. And doona try to force her to our ways.' Bowe added in a low voice, 'Else end up a cautionary tale like me.'

Lachlain began to say something, then hesitated.

'What? Ask me what you will.'

'How do you do it? Continuing on for so long? Now that I fully understand what you have lost, I doona know that I could.'

Bowe arched an eyebrow. 'And I doona think I could have my flesh burned from me every day for decades and stay sane.' He shrugged. 'We all have our petty torments.' But the two were not equal and they both knew it. Bowe would gladly go to hell to get Mariah back.

'Do you believe Mariah might…?' Lachlain trailed off, brows drawing together. 'You saw her die, did you no'?'

Bowe turned away, but not before he felt his face leached of color. In a voice barely discernible, he said, 'I… buried her.' He had, and he knew she was gone. But he also knew the Lore couldn't be predicted and the rules were often fluid. He now spent his life looking for the key to bring her back.

What else did he have?

Analytical Lachlain was putting him under scrutiny. 'You canna get her back.'

Bowe faced him again. 'No one escapes the vampires. Lykae canna have a mate who's part vampire. There's no such thing as a vampire/Valkyrie creature. Who are you to tell me what's possible?'

Lachlain said nothing, no doubt viewing this as a delusion, a weakness. Bowe wondered if Lachlain would just let him have it.

'You're right,' he finally agreed, surprising Bowe. 'Things happen that we doona understand. If you had told me two weeks ago that my mate was a vampire, I would have called you sick.'

'Aye, so doona concern yourself with me. You've enough on your plate. Harmann told me you were ambushed by three vampires the night before last.'

He nodded. 'Recently the vampires have stalked Valkyrie all over the world. But they might have been after Emma.'

'Could be. She's the first vampire female I've heard of in centuries.'

'Then I have even more incentive to destroy the Horde. I will no' let her be taken by them.'

'What do you plan to do?'

'I can find the catacombs once more, and we will wait until the guards return. Force them to tell us where Helvita is.'

'We've tortured vampires before and were never able to extract that information from them.'

A deadly expression hardened Lachlain's face and his eyes turned sharply. 'They've taught me much about torture.'

Lachlain might be healing on the outside, but inside he was still being tormented. He was right—if he hadn't found his mate when he did…So what would happen to Lachlain if he left her to seek this revenge?

'Are you up for a war?'

Bowe gave him a bored expression. 'When have I no' been? Curious, though, what the hurry is. Are you so anxious to leave your new mate just now?'

'I've told you I've little time to think of the past, but after I claim her and convince her to stay with me, then I will have to seek out this revenge.'

'I understand.'

'I doona know that you do. I canna ignore the vows for revenge that I made to myself every day in hell.' The glass of scotch shattered. Lachlain stared down at the glinting shards and rasped, 'That was all I had.'

'Lachlain, you ken I'll fight by your side. Garreth and others will gladly. But I doona believe we can win. As long as they can trace, it does no' matter if we are stronger or have more numbers. We will always lose.'

'Do we have more numbers?'

'Oh, aye. Hundreds of thousands now.'

At Lachlain's disbelieving expression, Bowe said, 'A continent away from the vampires is very comfortable for the clan. They've gone back to the old ways, having seven, eight, even ten bairns in a family. The only problem with America is that that's where two Valkyrie covens reside.' He smirked. 'You know how territorial your in-laws can be.'

Lachlain scowled. 'Doona remind me.'

'By the way, if I, with my limited social engagements, heard rumors of activity up at the castle, I'm sure others did as well. You doona have a lot of time. Can you no' charm her?'

His expression stark, he admitted, 'Just two nights ago, I…I almost strangled her to death while I slept.'

Bowe winced, as much from the deed as from Lachlain's palpable shame.

'The same night she saw me turn against the vampires.'

'Christ, Lachlain. And how'd she react to the change?'

'Found it terrifying, of course. She's even more wary of me now.' He ran a hand over the back of his neck.

'Why do you no' tell her what happened to you—'

'Never. I have to believe she'll come to care for me. And if she does, that knowledge would pain her. I feel she'll come around, but I need more time. If I could just speed up the process.'

Bowe drained his glass, then contemplated the bottom of it. 'Get her drunk. Human males do it all the time. One night of lowering her inhibitions…'

Lachlain almost grinned, then saw Bowe was serious. 'You think if I was, then she would become so?'

'Why no'?'

Lachlain shook his head. 'No. No' while I've still got a chance.'

When Bowe saw Lachlain repeatedly glance to the window, no doubt noting that sunset neared, he said, 'Go. Be there when she wakes.'

Lachlain nodded and rose. 'I actually want to be there before she rises. My lass prefers to bed on the floor, but I've fought her on it. I will no longer—'

'You bloody bitch!' a woman screamed from the gallery downstairs.

21

Lachlain sprinted for the railing to spy out the gallery below.

'Cassandra's arrived,' Bowe murmured from behind him, stating the obvious, because Cassandra now had Emma pinned under her trying to strangle her. Lachlain shoved his hand to the railing to jump, but Bowe hauled him back.

'Doona fucking do this, Bowe. Cass hurts her and I'll have to kill her.'

When he didn't let go, Lachlain swung a fist at Bowe—out of habit, his weaker left fist. Expecting it, Bowe