Lorn smiled, amused. “I see.” Then his emotions changed quickly. “Kira will be worried. I need to go to her. I’ve been gone too long.”
Lavos stepped closer. “Good idea. Let’s get you back to her before you fall on your face. You don’t look so good.”
“I’ll be fine after I see Kira and know she’s safe.”
Chapter Twelve
Kira rushed forward the second Lorn staggered inside the den. Blood coated him but most of it stained his loose shirt and damaged pants. “You’re hurt!”
“It’s mostly not mine.” He nearly collapsed, swaying on his feet.
She closed the distance between them and tried to wrap her arm around him to help him to the bed. He jerked away, avoiding her touch. “Don’t. You’ll get bloody. I’m going to shower.”
It took effort to just watch him cross the room without giving him assistance. She hadn’t been raised in a VampLycan clan without learning about male pride. He had it in spades. Lorn entered the bathroom and closed the door. The shower came on in seconds.
Noise startled her and she spun, watching Lavos enter the den next. His clothing was a little torn and he had blood on him, too, but he seemed steadier on his feet.
“Lorn’s going to be okay. You look really worried.”
“What happened?” She backed away. Lavos had never been mean but he’d tended to avoid any interaction with her in the past.
“My big bro is the new leader. Nabby, his friends, and two of the elders are dead.”
Lorn had really taken the clan. Her heart raced. “Your father?”
“Severely hurt and banished.”
“That’s good.”
Lavos scowled.
“It would have haunted Lorn if he’d had to kill him.”
“True.” Lavos strode across the confined space, opened the fridge, and removed a drink. He downed it. “Don’t feed off him, Kira. He lost too much blood. He refused to allow any of the women at the lodge to share their blood and our mother had already left with our dad.” He turned to stare at her. “Do you understand? Give him at least until tomorrow before you sink your fangs into him.”
She sealed her lips tight. It seemed an insult. She fought her anger for a few seconds. “I’d never do anything to hurt him.”
“Sorry.” His tense stance relaxed. “I didn’t mean to sound like a prick. I’m aggressive still. Those bastards tried to surround and come at us in pack-like formation. They acted more like rabid dogs than VampLycans, who should know the meaning of a fair fight. Even the two elders tried to attack Lorn together. Fucking cowards couldn’t take him on one at a time.”
“How’s Kar?” She was the one who’d sent him back to the village; she’d feel guilty if he’d died.
“Fine. Banged up, bruised, and bloodied like us, but he’ll survive. My friend Garson didn’t even have to fight.”
“That’s a relief. Are you hungry? There’s not much here but I can fix something.”
Lavos took a seat. “That would be great. Anything will do. Lorn wanted to get right back to you. I think he knew he could only stay on his feet for so long and wanted to crash here to be close to you.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s worried you’ll go hunting if you grow hungry. That’s why I’m with him. I’ll feed you. Lorn won’t be happy but you’ll understand when you see him without clothes. He’s got some serious claw marks and he’s really lost a lot of blood. He actually changed clothes before we came, so all that blood you saw is what seeped from his wounds.”
Her gaze fixed on the bathroom door. She needed to check on Lorn and took a few steps.
“Don’t,” Lavos rasped. “He wants to act all badass in front of you. It’s a pride thing. He’ll come out acting as if he’s fine, but please say you aren’t hungry if he offers to feed you. Wait until he passes out and then I’ll give you blood. I have plenty to spare.”
Kira felt torn.
“He’s feeling very possessive toward you. He’d rather let you bleed him out than allow you to take blood that isn’t his.”
She frowned, peering at Lavos.
“It’s true. Jealousy is riding him hard, and always has when it comes to you. I’m not a threat but he can’t see it. Instincts are a bitch. Kar said he helped you feed from a moose. Tell Lorn you’re full up, even if you’re starving. He won’t stay awake for long. Pure determination is the only reason I didn’t have to carry his ass back here.”
She nodded and quickly moved into the tight kitchen area, opened a few cans and dumped the contents into a pan. “I hope you don’t mind beans and canned beef mixed together. There’s only one burner to use.”
“I’d eat anything right now.”
The water shut off in the bathroom and Kira resisted rushing to the door to ask Lorn if he was okay. She finished warming up the food and dished it out in two tin plates, placing them on the table. The bathroom door opened and she had to smother a gasp as the man she loved came out sporting just a towel wrapped around his waist.
Ragged claw marks marred his chest in a few places but the wound on his stomach stunned her. His belly looked bruised and the flesh was partially torn in a distinctive patterns. He’d been stabbed with claws.
He paused, trapped her with his gaze, and smiled. “It looks way worse than it feels. I’ll heal up in a day.”
She took in more details. Dark bruising also spotted his body. His hands were mangled a bit, the knuckles split. Even his fingertips were damaged, testament to how hard he must have fought with his claws. More claw marks had torn up his arms and one shoulder.
He was being brave for her. She could do the same for him. She forced a return smile. “I made food. Eat. Then get some sleep. You’ll heal faster.”
“Thanks, Kira.” He limped a little to take a seat across from Lavos.
Kira got them both spoons and bottles of water from the fridge. She backed away and prepared the bed so the covers were pulled back, making it easier for Lorn to just lie down and sleep. She even fluffed the pillows.
“We can’t be gone for too long,” Lavos stated. “You’re the new leader. The clan will expect you to be present.”
“I’m aware. I set the meeting tomorrow for that reason.”
“I’m thinking long term. You need to move back into your house. I’ll remain here with Kira. Garson, Kar, and I can take shifts staying with her. You can sneak away from the village and feed her every night.”
Lorn growled. “No.”
Kira approached Lorn from the back and grimaced. He had deep wounds along one shoulder blade and the center of his spine, as if someone had tried to cripple him. “Lavos is right.” The smell of blood had her gums tingling and a sharp pain stabbed at her belly. She stopped breathing through her nose. It helped the symptoms of bloodlust immediately.
Lorn whipped his head around, glaring at her. “I’m not abandoning you.”
She ran her tongue over her upper teeth to make sure they hadn’t grown pointy. They hadn’t. “You’re not. You’re securing your place as clan leader. That’s priority right now. I’ll be fine here until we know if feeding me VampLycan blood is going to help me or not.”
“Are you hungry?”
She shook her head, hating to lie to him. “I’m fine.”
“It’s been hours since Kar said you fed.” Lorn’s tone deepened.
“I kind of gorged on blood. Moose is good. I’m full.”
“That’s not the type of blood you need. Let me eat and then I’ll feed you.”
Lorn could be a very stubborn man. She usually loved that trait. “Maybe after you get some sleep. Do that for me and then we’ll talk about my needs. Do you see fangs?” She opened her mouth and thought about anything not related to blood to keep them from sliding down.
“Fine, but you speak up if you need to be fed.” He faced forward and continued to eat.
“I will.” She caught Lavos’s eye and glanced away fast. Lorn would be furious if they deceived him, but she’d rather take blood from his b
rother than risk his life and ability to heal. Injures left Lorn vulnerable and she wasn’t about to become his downfall. He’d just killed for her. She was the reason he’d challenged Nabby and his own father. Elders had died.
Lorn couldn’t finish all the food and he struggled to stand. Lavos moved faster than Kira, hooking his brother around the waist and hoisting him toward the bed. “Sleep, bro. Kira is safe. I’m not leaving until you’re awake.”
“I just need a few hours of down time.”
Kira wanted to curl up with Lorn but the scent of his blood had her gums aching when she forgot to only breathe through her mouth. She’d lied to Lorn. The moose had tasted…wrong, and she’d only taken enough blood to stave off her thirst. Her belly cramped again but she hid the pain by giving Lorn her back as she began to clean up the kitchen and table.
Lavos came to her side and she turned to him. He met her gaze, then turned his head to check on Lorn. He looked at her once more. “Hang on,” he mouthed.
She gave a slight incline of her head.
Lavos moved away and she tracked his movements as he entered the bathroom but kept the door open. He seemed to be washing up a little, probably removing some blood. She wondered if he kept the door ajar to prevent her from savaging Lorn on the bed with her fangs. He must have heard her growling stomach or seen the hunger in her eyes. She’d leave the den to hunt for another moose before she’d hurt Lorn in any way.
She stayed as far from Lorn as possible in the confined space but kept studying him. She would worry until he had completely healed. The stomach wound looked bad. VampLycans fought off infections but that didn’t mean they didn’t suffer during the process.
Lavos came out of the bathroom and walked over to the bed, also assessing his brother. He spun and gave her a forced smile. He raised one hand in a thumbs-up gesture.
She turned away and picked up a cloth, wiping down the table just to do something. Neither she nor Lavos spoke, not wanting to wake Lorn.
She could have lost the man she loved. Everything Lavos had told her kept circling in her mind and it pissed her off. He’d said two elders had gone after Lorn at once. Her hands fisted the cloth, furious. The gutless bastards deserved to die.
Lavos gently gripped her shoulder and she startled. She hadn’t heard or seen him move, too occupied with her musings. She stared up at him and realized soft snores came from the bed. Lorn’s sleep had deepened, exhaustion taking hold.
“You need to feed. Your eyes are showing it.” He peered at her with keen interest. “I can see how Lorn knew you were changing now. You glow neon.”
She looked elsewhere. “I’m fine.” She moved away from him, breaking contact, and folded the cloth.
“Kira,” Lavos whispered. “Don’t be an idiot. You need to feed or you could go into full-on bloodlust. You’re too new to fuck around with hunger. Have you ever seen a newbie starve? You’ll go after anything with a pulse and not even be aware you’re doing it until your belly is full. It won’t be my brother when he’s this injured.”
She knew he was right but her gaze fell on Lorn. He hadn’t covered up much and the wounds on his stomach were bad. He couldn’t feed her. She wouldn’t let him. He needed time to recover before he lost any more blood. It would weaken him and slow down his healing process by at least a day, possibly more.
“I’ll give you my wrist.” Lavos kept his voice very low.
She looked at the arm he offered. Her stomach cramped and her fangs extended. She even salivated a little. The desire to bite became almost overbearing but she turned her head. “I can’t.”
“Why?” Lavos moved closer.
She pushed her arms straight out to keep him back. “Lorn will be upset.” She raised her chin and held his gaze. “It feels like cheating or something. Wrong. I can’t.”
“It’s just blood.”
“It’s more.” She was terrified she’d get turned on by Lorn’s brother. It would be unforgivable.
He seemed to guess her fear. “I won’t touch you, Kira. Not like that. Never.”
“What if I do? I can’t risk it. I’m too hungry and my body gets confused.”
“You need to feed or you’re going to lose control for sure. Do you get that? You were sheltered in the clan and never had to deal with Vampires until the night you were attacked.”
He had a point. It hadn’t been her job to fight bloodsuckers and the one time she’d had to, she’d been turned into one. Her mind worked quickly and an idea surfaced. “The sun will rise soon. I’ll pass out. Until then, I’ll stay in the bathroom. I won’t be able to smell the blood or hear your heartbeats. You can block the door to make sure I don’t get out.”
Lavos frowned.
“It’s a good plan. Lorn will heal during the day and he’ll be able to feed me when I wake at nightfall.”
“So you want me to trap my brother’s starving mate in the john and be okay with that?” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that to someone I don’t like, and we’re now family. Lorn thinks of you as his mate, even though it’s not official yet.”
“I won’t feed off you. Do you want to shower before I go in there?”
“I’m not leaving you alone with my brother. Your damn eyes are still glowing and you have fangs.”
She ran her tongue over her upper teeth. They weren’t fully extended but he was right. “Fine. I’ll be in the bathroom. Block it.”
She tried to get past him but he gripped her upper arm, jerking her close. His heartbeat sounded louder and she twisted her head away, lowering her jaw.
“Let go.”
“You’ll wake him if you start screaming.”
She flinched and raised her head, peering into his eyes. “Hit me and knock me out then.”
He jerked his hand away, obviously horrified. “Lorn would fucking kill me!”
“A punch won’t hurt me now. I’ll recover.”
“No way. He’d rip me apart if I decked you.”
“I’ll try to be quiet then.” She strode into the cramped space and closed the door, turning on the small light.
Everything remained wet from Lorn’s shower. That was the bad thing about his tiny bathroom. She reached up on a high shelf and grabbed a dry folded towel, using it to wipe water from the top of the toilet seat and the walls next to it. She threw it on top of the sink and took a seat. She bent forward, placing her elbows on her legs, her fists curled to prop up her chin.
The sun would come up and she’d conk out. That’s what Vampires as young as her did. She’d just have to keep it together until then and ignore the growing pain in her stomach.
* * * * *
Lorn jerked awake and tried to sit up. He instantly remembered his injuries as pain tore through his stomach and along his back. A low keening filled his ears and he glanced around, taking in his den.
Lavos leaned against the bathroom door, his shoulders pressed tight against it, feet braced on the floor.
“Where is Kira?”
Lavos met his stare and grimaced. “Um…”
Lorn got up fast. “Is she in there?”
“Yeah. She’s hungry and wouldn’t let me feed her. I offered. She was quiet for a long time but then she woke. The sun is up. I guess that’s the good news, right? She should be out cold. You feeding her must be having a positive effect, since she’s so new she shouldn’t be able to do that.”
Lorn found a pair of boxers and shoved them on. “Move. Let her out.”
“I promised her I’d keep her in until you were healed.” Lorn glanced at him. “Damn. You opened up your stomach a little by moving so fast. You’re seeping blood again.”
Lorn didn’t care. The sounds Kira made tormented him. He crossed the small space and gripped Lavos. “Move.”
Lavos stiffened his body and refused to budge. “You’re still pale and you’ve already lost too much blood. No.”
“Do you want to fight? Let her out.”
“Let me feed her and I will.”
“She’s mine
!”
“Fine. You hold her. I’ll give her my wrist. I’m willing to compromise. Think, damn it! You have to meet with the clan in about five hours. You look like shit still. Blood loss right now will only make it worse. They’ll expect you to be strong. Otherwise some idiot is going to feel bold enough to challenge. They’ve had time to let the shock of last night pass, Lorn. The unthinkable already happened once when Decker lost leadership. Some might use this opportunity for a power play. Especially if you’re weaving on your damn feet! That’s what’s going to happen if you strain your body more.”
Scratching came from the other side of the door. It made Lorn crazy. “She’s hurting! Get out of the way.”
“Only if you let me feed her. I’m not fucking around, bro. You do look like shit. Not kidding.”
“You feed me, and then I’ll feed her.”
Lavos’s mouth dropped open. He recovered fast. “You’re a jealous lunatic. Do you realize that? I’m your damn brother. What do you think I’m going to do? Fuck your mate?”
“Of course not. I just don’t know if I can stand by and watch her take your blood without losing my sanity.”
“You’re pigheaded and already insane. I never want to find a mate if this is the kind of crazy shit I have to look forward to. You’ve lost the ability to be rational. Get a damn grip.”
Kira whimpered and scratched louder on the door.
“Let her out!” Lorn demanded.
“You hold her. I feed her. Otherwise, fuck you. I’m not only your brother but your lead enforcer. That makes me your advisor too, since you haven’t chosen one. Fucking listen! You need to regain your strength before you lose more blood. You have to present yourself to your new clan in five hours.”
Lorn knew Lavos was right, but he still hated it. “Fine. I’ll hold her.” He turned, glanced around, and then nodded. “Let her out. I’ll grab her and you feed her by your wrist.”
“She might be wild.”
“Because you let her starve!”
“She was the one who went in there and asked me to make sure she didn’t get out. Don’t pin this on me. Ready?”