Veso

  “Understood.”

  “Let’s just face this. I want it over. Will Lorn support going after that nest? I need help, and I want my father to stay behind to protect Glenda. The master is a threat to her. He needs to die.”

  “This master sent his nest to invade our territory and they attacked Kira too. You bet your ass we’re going after those bastards.”

  “Good.” Veso paused, glancing down at Glenda. He should wake her before they faced whoever waited inside. “Glenda?”

  She didn’t stir in his arms.

  He spoke louder. “Glenda? Wake up.”

  Her eyes flew open and fear instantly contorted her features.

  “It’s okay. I’m holding you. You’re safe.”

  She clutched him tighter around his neck. “It’s dark.”

  “It is, but we’re deep in VampLycan territory. We’re almost to the lodge. Look.” He turned her in his arms so she could see the lights up the hill.

  Her tense body relaxed. “Is that a hotel?”

  “No. It’s our clan meeting place.” He gently put her on her feet. “Be brave.” He took her hand. “Don’t show fear. No one is going to hurt you.”

  “You’re totally safe,” Lavos added.

  “Let’s get this over with.” Veso wasn’t looking forward to meeting his new clan leader. He didn’t hate Lorn, but they’d never been close. He knew Lorn hadn’t liked it when he’d trained Kira to fight. They’d exchanged harsh words and Lorn had threatened to kill him if anything bad happened to her. He wondered if Lorn would blame him for Kira being attacked by Vamps.

  They walked up the hill, Veso helping Glenda along. She really had trouble seeing, stumbling a few times. It was tempting to carry her but he didn’t want to hurt her pride. It would bother him being carried home. She might feel the same way.

  Lavos took the stairs first, throwing open the front door. Veso followed, keeping Glenda close.

  The first person he saw was his father. He paced in front of the fireplace, but stopped and spun when they entered, their gazes locking.

  “Veso.” His father advanced in long strides, hugging him.

  He had to release Glenda to wrap his arms around his father. “I’m fine. They drugged me or I wouldn’t have been captured.”

  His father eased his tight hold and studied his face. “I thought they’d killed you.”

  “They had other plans. We escaped.” He reached back, blindly gripped Glenda’s arm and tugged her forward. He saw surprise on his father’s face as he lowered his gaze, staring at her. His dad jerked his gaze back to him, one eyebrow arching.

  “This is Glenda. She helped me escape…and she’s going to be my mate.” He braced himself, expecting a bad reaction.

  His father’s mouth parted, he inhaled, stared at Glenda again—and then shocked Veso by smiling. “I see. Hello, Glenda.”

  “Hi.” She pressed against Veso’s front, facing his father. “It’s nice to meet you. Since you look so much like Veso, I’m guessing you’re his father? He’s spoken a lot about you.”

  “I am. My name is Bran. It’s nice to meet you.” His dad shot him a questioning look.

  “She knows everything.” Veso tried to guess where his father’s thoughts may lie. “The master who kidnapped me also took Glenda. She’s a relative of his. He wanted us to breed a daughter together so he could raise her to be his companion.”

  “He said he wanted to make her his queen,” Glenda muttered. “He’s crazy.”

  “This is a story I want to hear.”

  Motion and noise drew Veso’s attention to the stairs. Lorn and Kira came down. He noticed immediately the changes in Kira. It wasn’t just her paler complexion. There was a gracefulness to her movements that had been missing before. She smiled when she saw him. Lorn didn’t.

  They stopped at the bottom of the stairs and Veso pulled Glenda closer.

  “Thank goodness you’re alive.” Kira tried to come to him but her mate snagged her arm, keeping her by his side. Kira frowned up at Lorn. “He’s not a threat to me.”

  “That’s not established yet. Your scent has changed since the last time he saw you.”

  “I caught him up on events.” Lavos moved to the side, halfway between the couples. “He knows Kira is turning more VampLycan than Vampire.”

  “Who is the woman?” Lorn’s frown deepened as he studied Glenda.

  “My mate, or she will be soon. Don’t worry. She already knows everything. And I plan to leave your clan as soon as I’m able.” Veso took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’d like permission for my father to guard her while we track and take out the nest who kidnapped us. The master wants her recaptured. She won’t be safe until they are all dead.”

  Lorn met his gaze. “Are you leaving because you have a problem with me leading the clan or because of what she is?”

  “I’m glad you stepped up and took control.” Lorn wasn’t anything like Decker. He was a vast improvement.

  “You don’t want to challenge me?”

  Veso shook his head. “I’m not a leader. I just want to take out the threat of that nest and keep my mate safe.”

  Lorn inhaled. “You haven’t completed the bond.”

  “We’ve been on the run for days. It wasn’t the time…but she’s mine.”

  Lorn came closer, stopping about five feet away. “I want those bastards dusted too. Truce?”

  “We’re not at war, Lorn.” Veso released Glenda and bowed, lowering his gaze as a sign of respect. He rose to his full height then, staring at the new clan leader. “I accept you until it’s time for us to leave.”

  “Is it that distasteful to vow allegiance to me?”

  “No.”

  “Then why are you planning to leave the clan?”

  Veso glanced at Glenda then back at Lorn, but said nothing.

  “Some won’t be happy, but they’re already pissed about me taking over and mating Kira.” Lorn grinned. “We already have enemies here. You have a lot to fight for and defend with a human mate if you stay with us. I’d like it if you’d become one of my enforcers.” His humor faded. “That doesn’t mean the same thing as it once did under Decker’s rule. I’m not looking for executioners or assassins. We only kill if there’s no other choice. I’d like for us to finally live in peace with other clans.”

  “You’d let me keep Glenda?” Veso wanted it to be clear they were a package deal. He was also pleased to be asked to become an enforcer. He knew Lavos had dreamed of peace between the clans, and it was nice to know his older brother had the same goals. They were all in agreement.

  Lorn gave a sharp nod. “You might want to keep her away from the clan for a while but in time, they’ll come around. That’s my hope. Change will be slow to take but as I said…I have hope. I’d be honored if you’d stand with us, rather than against us, Veso.”

  He nodded. “Done. You have my allegiance. Would you like a blood oath? I’ll give it.”

  “Your word is good enough for me. The lodge is the safest place right now. Davis will defend your soon-to-be mate and my Kira when we leave. Let’s go upstairs. We have a map in my office. Show me where this nest is holed up. We have bloodsuckers to hunt.”

  Veso waited for all of them to take the stairs, then met Glenda’s gaze. She was frowning at him.

  “What?”

  “I didn’t agree to be your mate. I have a life back home.”

  “You had a life until those Vampires stole you. Now you have a new one. We’ll fight about this later. Every moment that master lives, you’re at risk of being recaptured.”

  She blew out a breath and nodded. “Priorities. Got it. Let’s go.” She turned, heading up the stairs.

  Veso followed. She might want to leave—but he wasn’t letting her go. She was his mate. He’d just have to teach her that.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Thank you, Perri.” Glen took a seat on the couch, gripping the tray a quiet woman had handed her. It had a plate on it with a large turkey sandwich, ch
ips, and a cold soda.

  “You are welcome. I’ll be downstairs with my children. Call out if you need anything.”

  Glen nodded. Her gaze drifted to Kira next. The other woman sat close, watching her every move. Glen was starving but didn’t dig into the food, instead settling the tray on her lap. “I don’t bite.”

  Kira grinned. “I do, but you’re safe. I only sink my fangs into my mate.”

  Glen wasn’t sure whether to be comforted by that or freaked out.

  Kira chuckled. “That was a joke. I mean, it’s true but your neck is safe from me.”

  Glen’s gaze drifted to the door of the office. They were sitting in a loft area outside of it at the top of the stairs. She wished she could see Veso but couldn’t from where they sat. He’d assured her she was safe. She really hoped he was telling the truth.

  “Eat,” Kira encouraged. “Perri wouldn’t hurt you. Do you want me to take a bite of your sandwich to prove it’s not drugged?”

  She glanced down at her food. “Um, I never even considered it would be. Is that an issue?” She arched her eyebrows, staring at the other woman.

  Kira shook her head. “Not with Perri. She’s grateful my mate took the clan. Her kids were at risk.”

  “I don’t know what that means.”

  “I know. This all must be so confusing for you. The man who led our clan before my mate took over killed children who showed too many Vampire traits. Perri’s children were. That’s the breakdown for you. Lorn won’t hurt her kids. He’ll protect them.”

  “But aren’t all of you half Vampire?”

  “Yes. It’s complicated but Decker was a madman. He loved to kill anyone he didn’t consider VampLycan enough. Being too Lycan was fine with him but being too Vampire was a death offense.” Kira reached up and circled her finger next to her head. “Nuts.”

  “I take it he hated humans?”

  Kira nodded. “My mother was human. My dad met and mated her when he wasn’t living here. I don’t think he ever planned to come back except my mom died. He brought me home here to keep me safe. He couldn’t trust a human babysitter not to see something she shouldn’t. He feared she’d hurt me if I grew claws or fur. Turns out I couldn’t shift. I was persona non grata here for a long time. An outcast that Decker only put up with because of my father. He’s a full VampLycan.”

  “Davis.” Glen had met him and he’d been nice, regarding her with a warm look that hadn’t scared her.

  Kira nodded. “My dad is great. He fell in love with my mom like Veso fell for you.”

  “I don’t think he’s in love with me,” Glen admitted softly. “I think he’s mostly trying to irritate me and freak me out. He seems to like to make me mad.”

  Kira grinned again. “No. He verbally claimed you. That’s serious for our kind. So you guys have been through hell, huh?”

  “You could say that.”

  “Veso trained me to fight. He comes across like a dick but he’s got a good heart. You could do a lot worse.”

  “We’re so different.” She regarded the other woman with a bit of suspicion. Kira was very pretty. “Did you two ever…”

  It took a second for the unanswered question to sink in but then Kira shook her head. “No. Never. I’ve been in love with Lorn all my life. We grew up together. He just couldn’t mate me until he took over the clan. It was forbidden. I even left the clan for a while to go to college. Veso was just my trainer and friend. The only VampLycan I’ve ever slept with is my mate.”

  “Oh. Good. I mean—”

  “It’s okay. I get it. VampLycans go into heat. Lorn used to leave, and of course I knew why, but I was still jealous.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “He couldn’t have me, so he’d go hook up with other women in different clans,” Kira whispered. “God, it tore me apart when he was with someone else. But Veso and I were never lovers. Hell, I don’t even think he’s ever slept with anyone in the clan. He’s not the most social guy. He lives on the outskirts of our territory. He’s not a people person, you know?”

  “I could guess that about him.” Glen began to eat. “He can be a bully, opinionated and pushy.”

  “Those are VampLycan traits. Our men are all alpha personalities, otherwise known as cavemen. He’ll die to protect you though, be completely loyal, and do anything to make you happy once you’re his mate. I’m familiar with humans, since I used to mostly be one and lived in that world for a bit. Mates form a link, and you being unhappy will make him unhappy. Your happiness will make him happy. It’s just how it works. I know it’s a bit of a stretch for you to think that way since it’s not like that with humans, but he’s not one.”

  “What about my life? I have an apartment, maybe a job still, and everything I own is in Oregon.”

  Kira reached out and touched her arm gently. “You’ll never be safe out there, Glenda.”

  “It’s just Glen, please. Veso refuses to shorten my name, but I got teased growing up so I hate being called that.”

  “It’s a pretty name.”

  “Kids don’t care about spelling. Glenda the good witch.”

  Kira released her and laughed. “That had to suck.”

  “They bought me tiaras sometimes, and wands all the way up until high school for my birthday and Christmas, thinking it was hysterical. I’m just glad you understand what I’m talking about. Veso didn’t get it.”

  “I can’t see him watching classic movies. He’s more of a hunter/survival-book type of guy.”

  “True.” Her gaze drifted to the open doorway when the men’s voices rose. “What are they doing in there?”

  “Plotting an attack on the nest. They need to be taken out. They shouldn’t even be in this area.”

  “Are you going with them?”

  Kira shook her head. “No. Lorn won’t allow it. He’ll want me to stay here to keep me safe.”

  Worry surfaced. “They could die, couldn’t they?”

  Kira shook her head. “VampLycans can kick Vamp ass big time. I also know my mate. He’ll call in help. The other clans have offered it. He’s trying to show them how different he is from Decker. He would never want assistance but Lorn isn’t anything like him. Our men are coming home to us when this is over.” She leaned back in her seat. “Just don’t be grossed out if they’re bloody and covered in dust.”

  “I’ve seen Veso take them out. Only some of them didn’t dust.”

  “Soldiers?”

  “I called them creepers.”

  “I can see that. They are creepy as shit. I’ve never seen one myself but I’ve heard about them all my life. They’re supposed to have veins on their skin and blood in their eyes.”

  “They do.”

  “You’ve been through so much. I’m so sorry you were pulled into this world, Glen.”

  “Me too, but none of this is anyone’s fault but King Charles.”

  Kira laughed. “That’s what he’s going by? Wow. He sounds like he’d deranged and full of himself.”

  “He totally is.”

  “Well, you’re safe now. What can I do for you to make things better?”

  “I’d kill for a shower and some clean clothes.”

  “I can do that. I actually lived in the lodge before Lorn mated me, and most of my things are still in my old bedroom. I’ll take you to the visitor’s quarters once they leave to attack that nest and get you something to wear. We’re about the same size.”

  “Visitor’s quarters?”

  “There’re two apartments in the basement area of the lodge. One is a two-bedroom that my father lives in, and there’s a one-bedroom unit for when someone visits the clan.”

  “Thank you.”

  “We’re practically family now.” Kira stood. “Eat. I’m going to check on the guys. I’ll be right back.”

  “Kira?”

  The woman cocked her head, peering at her. “Yeah?”

  “How does one go about mating a VampLycan?”

  She sat back down. “It’s
not scary. I promise. Or painful.”

  “I’m all ears. I want to hear. Veso isn’t much for talking in-depth about things.”

  “I bet.”

  * * * * *

  Veso strapped on weapons. They were going after the nest—and they weren’t doing it alone. A thump sounded on the roof and he tensed, staring up.

  “It’s just a GarLycan,” Lorn said, not looking alarmed. He crossed the room and threw open the large window. He backed away and a moment later a body dropped, swinging in front of the window before entering.

  The man was big, and his wings were tucked when he straightened up, standing. He wore all black leather, from his pants to his open-back shirt, a half sword strapped to his thigh, and he moved out the way as a second thump sounded up on the roof. He removed his sunglasses, revealing lively silver-colored eyes that appeared molten with the way the irises stayed in motion, as if they had a life of their own.

  “I’m Chaz. That’s my twin Fray you hear. We’re your air support.” He bowed his head at Lorn. “At your service.”

  A second man came through the window. They looked so much alike, the only way to tell them apart was the second one had hair a bit longer and he only wore leather pants with a black tank top. He removed his glasses too, showing the same strange silver eyes.

  “Hello, VampLycans.” Fray grinned. “This is going to be fun. I’m so ready to kick the ass of some bloodsuckers. Thanks for asking us to join you. It was getting a bit boring at the cliffs.”

  Lorn nodded. “We appreciate the assistance. Did Lord Aveoth tell you they drugged Veso?” He jerked his head to point him out.

  “They used strong sedatives with dart guns,” Veso explained.

  “Darts don’t pierce us when we’re prepared.” Fray’s skin darkened to a grayish hue, the texture hardening.

  It was the first time Veso had seen it up close. “That’s a handy trait.”

  Fray flashed him a smile, cracks appearing in his skin from the effort. “I know. It’s good to be a GarLycan. We can shell harder to reflect bullets but this is me in battle mode when I deal with suckheads. It’s a mild shelling. They try to bite me like this and they’ll break a fang.”