“It does now. I had it transferred up. It’s line three.”
Lorn studied the map again. “He’ll probably try to reach humans. It would be easy to take control of one of their minds, possibly borrow a vehicle to return to us faster.”
“Unless he’s hurt or still drugged. It could mess him up. He might be unable to take control of one. Veso might not be a fan of humans but he’d hate to have to kill an innocent person if they saw too much, and he had to stop them from contacting others.”
Lorn scowled at her.
She shrugged. “I got to know him in training and from working with him. He can be an ass but he only likes to inflict damage on poachers. I’m not broken up over that. They’re scum.”
Lorn addressed Davis and Garson. “Take an off-road vehicle and check these areas here.” He circled an area on the map with his finger. “There are a lot of caves hidden and not a lot of human dwellings, but enough for Vampires to find a food source. They may have chosen this part of the human territory to hide in. Don’t shift until darkness comes. We don’t want any humans to see more than they should. Just tell them a friend went missing if you run across any, and question them about strangers.”
“I’ll have Kar meet us.” Garson spoke quietly into the phone, nodding.
“I want you to call in. Take satellite phones. The signals are iffy in those regions,” Lorn ordered.
“I have mine downstairs.” Davis stepped next to Kira, peering at her. “How are you doing, baby girl?”
“Not burning.” She smiled and gave him a hug.
He inhaled. “Mated.”
“Yes.”
He winked and let her go. “Good. Stick close to your mate. I don’t trust everyone in the clan yet.”
“She won’t be leaving my side,” Lorn promised.
Lavos and Bran arrived after Garson and Davis left. Kira took a seat at the desk, watching her mate give orders to both men, sending them to search the same area as the other two. They left fast and her mate came to her, sitting on the edge of the desk.
“I feel as if I should be doing more.”
“Call everyone you think might help.”
“I don’t want to leave our territory unprotected. I’ve assigned every able guard to the night shifts, worried about more Vampires. I can’t see why they would have invaded our lands unless they were planning a full attack. Most of those guards are sleeping after last night. They need a bit of rest. It’s early.”
He would be a fantastic clan leader. Kira felt proud of him. He actually cared about their people. Decker wouldn’t have given a damn if anyone slept or not. She rose up and walked to him. He spread his legs and she stepped between them, wrapping her arms around his waist. He hugged her as she snuggled into his chest.
“Veso is one tough VampLycan. You have capable men searching for him in the area he’s most likely to be.”
“What if I’m wrong? I could have sent them to the wrong place.”
“I’ve had to learn a lot about the human areas on the other side of the fences, since I patrolled where some of them breached our territory. There are no easily accessible roads. Those Vampires would have had to run miles to reach where they found me. I know they can move fast but it would have been another story to carry one drugged-up heavy man. Veso would have slowed them down a lot. They would have reached the road and not had a lot of time to drive before the sun rose. They have to be holed up in those caves or in one of the human-occupied cabins. You were right on, having them search where they are. I’d have done the same. It makes the most sense, Lorn.”
He pulled back a little and she lifted her head, holding his gaze. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”
“Never. I know all the areas where humans could breach. The old logging roads within a few miles of the fences are a mess. They haven’t been kept up so even if the Vamps had an off-road vehicle, they couldn’t have made it very far before dawn approached. They’d have broken an axle or something if they took them too fast. Parts of those roads have been washed out due to flooding or just winter damage. Most of the humans who come in are on dirt bikes or ATVs. Can you imagine trying to lug a two-hundred-and-sixty-pound man?” She shook her head. “They couldn’t have taken him that far by morning. I doubt they would have moved him a second time, since no one came after them. They probably felt safe. We thought Veso was dead.”
“That was my fuck up. I should have sent someone to search for him the moment I took over the clan.”
She hated seeing remorse on his handsome face. “Hindsight is twenty-twenty. Don’t forget that. How were we to know? I spoke to the Vampires who confronted me. They implied the other ones were going to kill Veso. Stop beating yourself up. Hell, it’s Decker’s fault those Vampires even came here! They said Decker contacted their council. They also know he took our strongest members with him, so they think we’re just a bunch of wimps. I bet they were in for a surprise when Veso woke up. He escaped, which means he likely killed even more of them in the process.”
“I hope so.”
“Me too. I’d hate to think of a bunch of Vamps hunting him if we don’t find him by dark.”
The phone rang. Kira startled, then lunged for it. Lorn let her go as she yanked it up, noting that line two was lit. “Hello?”
“May I speak to Lorn, please? This is Trayis.”
“Of course. One moment please.” She hit the hold button and held out the receiver. “It’s one of the clan leaders. Trayis.”
Lorn slid off the edge of the desk. “I wonder what he wants.”
“I don’t know. I’ll go downstairs in case the main line rings if Veso calls back.”
Lorn snagged her hand. “No. I’ll get his number and call him right back. You don’t leave my side.”
“I’ll just be downstairs.”
“No.” Lorn shook his head. “You stay put. I think I’m going to ask him for assistance. Their border isn’t too far from the area Veso might be in. We could use some help.”
Decker never would have done that. Kira smiled. “You’re an amazing clan leader.”
”I’m trying my best.”
“You are.” She handed over the phone and took it off hold.
Chapter Nineteen
Kira took a seat on Lorn’s lap where he sat in his office chair. It had been a long day. Veso hadn’t called and none of the people Lorn had sent out to search for him had found him yet. She peered out the large windows, staring at the darkness that had fallen. Lorn brushed a kiss over her forehead.
“I’m sorry. You’re probably tired and just want to go home. I could have Davis or Lavos come back.”
“I’m right where I want to be. That’s with you.”
Lorn reached up and caressed her cheek. “Thank you for being here with me.”
“I’m your mate. We’re going to face a lot of things but we’ll do it together.”
“Yes, we will.”
A soft clearing of the throat had both of them turning their heads. Perri walked into the office carrying a tray of food. The VampLycan woman smiled. “I brought you both dinner. I hope you don’t mind. Others offered, but they weren’t sure if you’d eat food they’d prepared. You saved my children from death. I’d die before I’d poison or drug you.” Her gaze strayed to Kira and her smile broadened. “I heard how you stood up to Brista. You give my Elsa hope. She’s drinking blood eagerly and can’t wait for a few more days to pass to test her skin’s reaction to the sun.”
Kira climbed off Lorn’s lap. She’d always liked Perri and her kids. “Thank you so much. We’re starving. We had a sandwich for lunch but that was a long time ago. Lorn refused to let me go downstairs alone, and we rushed through eating so we didn’t miss any calls coming into his office.”
Lorn stood. “Thank you, Perri.”
“I brought my children with me. They’re waiting on the stairs. I don’t like to allow them out of my sight, either. With your permission, we’ll stay inside the lodge until you hear word
of Veso. That way you can call to us if you need more food or drinks. It would be an honor to help you both.”
Kira blinked back tears. It was sweet of her, and it proved that Lorn was being accepted by at least some members of the clan. “That would be great. Thank you so much.”
Perri placed the tray on Lorn’s desk and blushed. “We’re honored to serve. Decker never trusted our family. My mate couldn’t conceal his contempt.”
It was on Kira’s tongue to ask if Decker had killed him, but she didn’t want to cause pain to the widow by discussing the death of the man she’d loved and had two children with. “We appreciate it.”
“We do,” Lorn agreed.
Perri backed away, head bowed. “I’m so glad you’re our new leader, Lorn. A lot of us are. They’re just too cautious to say anything yet, out of fear.”
Kira translated. “Because they’re worried someone will challenge Lorn, take the clan, and then punish them?”
“Yes.” Perri met her gaze. “We’ve dreamed for so long that someone would get rid of Decker. It will take time for all of us to believe it’s real and let go of some of that fear. We’ve lived as shells, hiding how we really feel and trying to fit in.”
“You can relax now, Perri.” Lorn stepped closer to Kira. “No one is taking the clan from me. I’m going to keep everyone safe and things are going to be a lot better. That’s a promise.”
Perri grinned. “We’re so grateful.” She fled toward the door. “Call out if you need anything!”
Kira turned and hugged Lorn. “Everything is going to work out.”
“It will. I have you.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss over her lips. “I’m motivated.”
“I want you.”
“I didn’t have time for Garson to buy us a couch.”
Kira grinned. “Think we have time to test out your desk before your men find Veso?”
He softly growled, his eyes lightening. They were beautiful. “We have a lot of time to make up for.”
“Yes, we do.”
“Let me lock the door.”
“Should we eat first?” She released him and glanced at the tray of food.
“It will wait.” He closed and locked the door. “I can’t. I love you, Kira.”
“I love you too.”
“I’m going to make you happy, sunshine.”
“You already do. I have everything I want.”
Lorn reached her and scooped her off her feet, carried her to the other side the desk, and gently sat her on the edge. “Life is going to be so good with us sharing everything.”
Kira nodded. An image came to her of her pregnant, her belly distended with child. It surprised her and she gaped up at him.
“What?”
“Are you picturing me carrying your child?”
He stared into her eyes. “Yes.”
“I’m able to grow claws. You know what that means…”
“We can have a family. And our bond is growing stronger. You just read my mind.”
“I did, and I loved what I saw.”
“The future is ours—and we can have one.”
Kira thought hard, staring into his eyes.
Lorn suddenly chuckled. “I’ve never had that done before.”
“I figured, since I was the only one you’ve gone down on. It’s my turn to try it out on you. I think that will help your stress levels.”
“I can’t wait to experience everything with you, Kira.”
“Kiss me. We have all the time in the world now.”
Laurann Dohner, Lorn
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