Chapter 53 Torben #2
Torben’s stomach dropped. “What are you saying? He was among that hunting party? Were my mother and father still alive when you got there?”
Eyes drifting, she said, “They’d routed the vampires, forcing Co?tin to his knees.
Though he was already a few centuries old, he was so frightened, not at all like a Berserker.
He couldn’t trace yet, could only cry. His blood tears moved me, and I recognized what he was to me.
They would never spare him, nor allow me to. So I protected my mate.”
Torben swallowed bile. “It was you. You murdered your own people.” And she’ll try to kill me too.
“What wouldn’t you do for your mate?” she asked absently.
“When your parents’ heads toppled, Co?tin crawled to my feet, kissing them, and he’ll crawl back to me once Emilia is dead.
No, I haven’t made his heart beat, but I spared his life and bonded to him so seamlessly I can spit in the face of fate.
I will follow him throughout time, and eventually he will see what is crystalline. We are destined.”
Torben was almost in position to strike, knew he’d get only one shot with the first channeler. “You once cared for Arctos and me. For our people.”
She faced him, seemed surprised by his proximity. “I care for Co?tin more. It’s not love unless it’s madness.” Her gaze flicked past Torben.
The incense scent returned stronger; his gut turned cold. Co?tin had teleported behind him.
Torben dropped down, dodging a sword swing and slicing out with his own. The vampire’s wrist spurted blood as his free hand dropped, severed to the ground.
Yrsa roared with fury, but Co?tin grated, “He’s mine.” He didn’t seem to feel his injury; amusement tinged his crazed red eyes as he swung his weapon again.
Blade met blade. And again. Torben’s Berserkerage strained to rise. But if he unleashed his, Yrsa surely would unleash hers. So he fought Co?tin, fought his inner bear.
This male had drunk his aunt and uncle to death and planned to annihilate the Berserker clan with a new Horde. Fighting to protect his family and his people, he battered Co?tin’s sword over and over, positioning for the death blow that his parents hadn’t been able to deliver.
“Enough of this!” Yrsa snarled. She released her Berserkerage.
Torben released his.
Too late.
She slammed Co?tin aside with blurring speed and launched herself at Torben.
He evaded a slash of her claws and struck her with his sword, then again, hits that seemed to bounce off her flexed muscles, a pelt of steel.
With a yell, he swung a two-handed hit, landing it near her waist. It should have cut her in two, but his sword wedged into her hipbone, stuck there.
He wrenched it free a split second after her hand shot out. She’d punched a hole through his chest. Then she yanked her hand back.
She’d ripped out his heart.
She showed it to him.
He fell to his knees, gurgling blood, disbelief crashing through him.
The she-bear took a bite from his still beating heart, coating her face with his blood. She chewed as she stifled her Berserkerage.
Heart in hand, she took Co?tin’s sword from him. “If you want something done…”
Torben raised his weapon on instinct to protect his neck.
She cleaved through both.
Torben’s head hit the ground.
Painless. Body floating. Berserkerage no more.
But his immortal mind clung to life for long moments as he gazed at his beheaded corpse beside him?
“We’re done here.” Co?tin clutched his bleeding stump. “The ruse is up across two kingdoms.”
“Trace this one’s remains away,” Yrsa said, “and in time I’ll convince others that Torben never existed.”
“You’re speaking to a king now. Clean up your own mess. Besides, news of my army will soon reach all ears.”
“What? That wasn’t part of the plan. I just convinced the Fey that Bloodreach’s threat was forever neutralized! You’ve made me look a fool.”
“The plan changed. It’s none of your concern now. I’m going to go retrieve my queen. Thank you for keeping her protected for me. Though I wonder how your jealousy made that possible.”
“Because I am clear-eyed, just as I was when I spared you all those years ago. When you try to make your sister love you, eventually you will understand that she never can. You’ll return to me, and the millennia have made me patient.”
“Like my father, you’ve always underestimated me.”
“I estimate your mediocrity perfectly, and you’ve never proven me wrong. Doesn’t mean you’re not mine. But we must deal in realities.” She took another bite, then grabbed Co?tin to kiss him with a mouth full of Torben’s heart.
The vampire yanked back from her and swiped his lips in disgust. “You’ll see. Soon everyone will see.” He vanished.
Yrsa gazed down at Torben’s head, taking another nonchalant bite. “I always favored Arctos over you.” Then she left him too.
Torben’s life dimmed. He didn’t grieve his immortally wounded body, though it had been strong and had fathered a babe with his beloved mate.
He grieved the fact that he’d fought with Dagny the very night of his death and their parting had been filled with anger.
Would those last moments overshadow all her other memories of him?
He grieved the fact that Arctos would never believe that Yrsa could do this, until it was too late for him as well.
His vision wavered, darkness pulling him under, but he fought, needing more time in the same world as Dagny.
He dreamed that they sat before the fire, their babe nestled close. Warm and safe. Happy in their den. But he had to leave. He kissed them, saying, I love you both so much.
Don’t go, she whispered.
I must.
Then journey fiercely, my love, and blaze the trail to Valhalla for us. Dagny smiled through tears, even as she helped the baby wave goodbye to Papa…
Would Yrsa target them? As the last light faded, Torben prayed, Gods, please protect my family. His last thought: Because I cannot.