Drantos shifted Dusti in his arms, gently draping her over his shoulder, then sprinted off into the woods.
Aveoth had practically admitted that the blood-addiction rumors were true. It made him afraid for his mate. She carried the bloodline Aveoth craved in her veins. She was already bleeding. Drantos could smell it, felt the sticky blood under his hand even now, and had glimpsed the damage to her leg. He just wanted to get her far away in case Aveoth reconsidered letting her go.
Motivation to protect his mate made him push his limits. It would have been faster if he’d shifted to all fours to run but he didn’t believe Dusti was up for another shock.
He’d never forget the way she’d looked when she’d first seen him coming out of those woods. He’d been enraged to find Aveoth touching her. That probably hadn’t helped. He just hoped that one day she could accept both sides of him without fear or revulsion. Otherwise their future might be tough…but it wouldn’t matter. They’d have to find a way to make it work. He wasn’t ever letting her go, even if he had to fight her every step of the way.
Chapter Eleven
Drantos stopped at the river. He gently repositioned Dusti to lower her to her feet. She didn’t miss the sweat that sheeted his skin—every inch of it, as she could see, since he stood before her naked, but she raised her attention above his waist after a quick peek at his lower half.
“Thank you for coming after me.”
“Did you honestly think I wouldn’t?” Anger darkened his gaze. “I will always come for you.”
“Are Bat and Kraven really okay?”
“She was fine when I left her to go in search of you. No broken bones or severe injuries. She is safely with Kraven. He’ll recover. We’re strong and heal quickly.”
Dusti relaxed. “Thank God. I was worried.”
“Kraven told me what you did, why it was you who was taken.” Drantos scowled. “What were you thinking?”
“You mean because I said I was Bat?”
“Yes.”
“Kraven was really hurt and on top of her. She wasn’t moving. That thing…” She paused. “Craig was heading right for her. I had to stop him. You would have done the same. I didn’t know how badly she was hurt or if moving her would kill her. I just wanted to protect my sister. “
Some of the anger eased out of his features. “I might have done the same thing in your place. I don’t like it but I understand.”
“You called Aveoth your friend.”
“We spent a lot of time together in our youth.”
“You made him out to be some terrifying badass.”
“He is. He grew hard.” He paused. “Gargoyle jokes aside, I wouldn’t ever count on our past to prevent him from killing me. The winters are very harsh here and VampLycans tend to remain close to home. One summer he was the Aveoth I knew, winter came, and I never spoke to him again. He wanted nothing to do with us. I don’t know exactly what caused him to change so much but our friendship died along with any softness inside him.”
“Margolia’s death maybe?”
“He’d already lost her. No. I think it was having to challenge his father. He avoided us after that. It was…” He grimaced. “Many years ago. He’s grown a reputation for viciousness. You saw how easily he took a life.”
“You wanted to kill that guy too.” She lifted her chin and hugged her chest. “Don’t even deny it. You would have taken out Craig, right?”
“I’d never deny the truth to you. Yes, I would have ended his life. He kidnapped you, helped injure Kraven severely, and harmed you. Turn around and let me see your leg.”
She hesitated but turned. “I wouldn’t have minded you beating on him but can I admit I never want to see you kill someone?”
He crouched behind her but she refused to look back to glance at his naked body. The sight of all that raw male muscle left her a little tongue tied and she wanted to talk to him without her mind straying from the things they needed to discuss.
His gentle touch on her calf didn’t startle her. She’d expected it. He used one of his hands to cup icy river water to pour over the wound. She gasped but held still. “You could have warned me. That water is really cold.”
“I’m going to lick the injury closed. Don’t pull away.”
Her body tensed. “You can do that?”
“Yes.” Hot breath warmed her icy wet skin. “I don’t want you to scar, sweetheart.”
She closed her eyes and tried not to tense. The first touch of his raspy, hot tongue made her heart race. Something about him always did funny things to her body. He instantly made her react sexually, and even with the tension between them, she had to admit to being severely attracted.
Talk to him, she ordered. You need to find out about him and Yonda. Her mouth parted. “Is she your girlfriend? Did you cheat on her with me? I want the truth.”
The warm tongue paused in licking the back of her leg. “Are you willing to listen now?”
“I asked. Duh.”
He chuckled. “Hang on. I’m almost done.”
Her leg tingled slightly as he swiped her with his tongue. She wondered what else he could do besides change into a fury, terrifying beast, lick wounds closed with a few strokes of his tongue, and hypnotize people with his beautiful eyes. It unsettled her that she knew so little about him yet they’d had sex.
He finished with her leg and released her. She knew when he rose behind her, could sense it when he stepped closer, even though he didn’t touch her.
“Do you mind if I dive into the river first? We’ll sit and talk while I dry. I itch from the sweat.”
“Go ahead.”
“Move away from the edge. I don’t want you falling in. I won’t be long. I just need to rinse off.”
She took a few steps forward and heard water splashing behind her. Her gaze drifted around her surroundings until she found a warm patch of grass in the setting sun. Darkness would come soon. She hoped Drantos wouldn’t freeze when it became dark and colder. He didn’t have any clothes with him.
She fingered her skirt. She could give it to him. She still had his shirt and the jacket
that fell to her mid-thigh. It kept her covered. It would be preferable talking to a guy in a skirt over a sexy, tempting, naked one. Focus, she demanded. You need answers before you drool over his bod.
He’d won serious honor points by risking his life and facing Aveoth to get her away from him. Drantos didn’t have to come after her, yet he had. She’d insulted him by renouncing him in front of some of his people, whatever that meant in his world. It boiled down to her embarrassing him. She’d figured that much out. Most guys would sulk or just have nothing to do with a woman after that.
She couldn’t prevent her gaze from seeking him out when she heard him get out of the water.
He shook his entire body, his hair sending water in all directions, and her gaze lingered on the drops coating his tan, muscular chest. Drool worthy, she silently admitted. Best damn bod…ever. His entire form appeared sculpted to perfection, from his masculine facial features, to his broad shoulders, to that muscled flat belly.
Her attention halted on his slightly hardened cock. It amazed her that he could have so much blood in that area despite the freezing water he’d just been in. A human guy would be cursing the cold, his parts shriveled, and definitely not be looking so tempting. She forced her focus to the grass in front of her so he didn’t catch her studying him when he stopped trying to dry his body as best as he could.
“Do you want my sarong?”
“No. I’d just get it wet. Perhaps I’ll accept it when I’m dry.” He closed the distance between them until he sat just feet in front of her.
She noticed he positioned his body in a way that hid his lap, his knees drawn up, but it did nothing to hide the curve of his beefy ass when he turned slightly. His gaze met hers when she stopped gawking at him again. He had a slight grin on his lips that told her he’d noticed her interest.
“Um, yeah. Yonda. Talk.”
/> He drew in a deep breath, didn’t look away from her, and spoke. “I’ve had sex with her over the years but we weren’t in a committed relationship. I’ve also had sex with other women. We’re not human, Dusti. We don’t have attachments to sexual partners in the way you’d identify with or label them. It wasn’t cheating when I touched you. It would imply Yonda and I had an understanding of monogamy, which we did not.”
It hurt to imagine him with the tall long-haired woman. She didn’t want to know how many other women he’d slept with. “So you really don’t have feelings for her?”
“No. We have had sex without emotional ties.”
“I would say she had feelings. You saw how she reacted to me. I’d have died if looks could kill. She was upset.”
“That surprised me, but I think mainly her objection is because you are so human.” He blew out a breath. “She’s more of a friend than anything. I mentioned we have harsh winters. I’ve spent weeks at a time at her home, but again, we weren’t in a relationship as you’d understand it. It’s about sex and survival.”
“You have to have sex or you’ll die?” She hoped he heard the mockery laced in her voice. “Gee, I’ve never heard a guy say that before.”
“No. It was about not freezing to death during a blizzard by being stupid enough to travel from her home to mine.” He looked annoyed. “I am sorry you believed she was important to me. She isn’t. It was just sex. I was single, she lost her mate to death, and we hooked up from time to time. Does that clarify it enough for you? There wasn’t a woman in my life that I had any emotional attachments to until I met you.”
Dusti let all he’d said sink in. It really helped her understand, even though she knew she’d never want Yonda anywhere near Drantos ever again.
“I should have told you that you were my mate.”
“What does that mean?”
His beautiful eyes softened as he watched her. “It means there’s a very strong bond between us. I’d like to make it permanent.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Mates are for life. It means I’m offering to care for you, share everything that I have with you, and will protect you. I’d even die for you.”
He meant it. The sincerity in his gaze left no question.
“You don’t love me.”
An eyebrow arched. “Don’t I?”
“We just met.”
“Do you feel bonded to me?”
She did. The guy always made her feel. He pissed her off, made her so turned-on she actually hurt with a need to touch him, and when she had thought he’d cheated it had nearly ripped her guts out. “But love? I’m not sure about that.”
“I am.”
He always surprised her. “You love me?”
His jaw clenched. “I do.”
“But we just—”
“It’s a VampLycan trait, sweetheart. We fall hard and fast. I liked your spirit and the way you stood up to me. I had a taste of your blood and I knew the first time I scented your arousal that you were mine.”
“What does that have to do with it?”
“It’s difficult to explain. Finding a mate doesn’t easily happen. You don’t want to know my actual age but I’ve looked for a long time for mine. You are it. We know after tasting the blood. If a woman is mate compatible it changes things inside our bodies. The first scent of arousal from that female affects us so greatly, it’s undeniable. My body knew you belonged to me. It’s as if for the first time in my life, I truly became alive.”
She had no words. Her mind tried to understand what he’d said but she had to admit she just couldn’t grasp the concept. He loved her. That part hadn’t gone unnoticed, but she couldn’t really believe it. They’d been together for such a short time. A lot had happened…but love?
“Have you ever felt instant attraction to someone the moment you met them?”
She thought about it. “Sure.”
“Humans learn to ignore their instincts. VampLycans rely on them to survive. We hone them. I didn’t need to date you for months or years to realize you were the right one for me, Dusti. My body, mind, and instincts told me what you meant to me. Feelings have to be involved, if that matters to you. If I weren’t so drawn to your personality, I wouldn’t want to be your mate.”
“I guess that’s good to know. Not that I’m saying I accept this but what does mating detail? Give me the mechanics.”
“You make it sound so cold.” His tone told her it saddened him.
“I don’t mean to.”
“You’ve been raised human. I try to remember that. I wish you hadn’t been or you would rejoice in finding your mate, as I do.”
“Sorry.”
“What do your instincts tell you about me? You’ve lived your life ignoring them, haven’t you?”
Dusti closed her eyes, trying to “feel” what her body might tell her. She had the urge to climb onto his lap and have him hold her. She missed being in his arms. She wanted the closeness and the feelings of warmth he gave her just by being near. She looked at him.
“My head screams run but my heart wants to stay with you.”
His expression softened. “Always listen to your heart.”
“I’d have to give up my life in Los Angeles, wouldn’t I?”
“Yes. It would be too dangerous otherwise. VampLycans can’t exist inside a city. I’m not sure how your mother was able to do it, to be honest. I could never change forms and run free. I’d do it for you but my spirit would wither. I don’t want to lie to you. I won’t stop you if you wish to return to your home but I will follow you there. You’re my mate. Where you go, I go. Every Lycan and Vampire would target us as well. They fear VampLycans and you’ll smell like me. Do you understand why it wouldn’t be safe? I’m an excellent fighter but we’d have entire packs and nests coming after us. I will gladly face that every day and night, though, if it keeps me close to you. My life is wherever you are, Dusti.”
She fought the desire to cry but tears filled her eyes anyway. She blinked them back. No man had ever said such wonderful things to her or expressed his feelings in a way that left no doubt she meant everything to him. He was pretty much saying he was willing to battle every day just to be by her side. “You’d still try to live there for me?”
“I’d wither without you faster. I’ve touched you and know how you make me feel. I can’t walk away from that. It would kill me for sure if you weren’t in my life. I wouldn’t want to go on.”
She stared deeply into his beautiful eyes. “You really mean that.”
“You sense the truth. I will never lie to you.”
Maybe falling in love this fast is possible, she admitted silently. I love him. How can I not? The guy is telling me he’d rather suffer untold hell just to be with me if I want to live in Los Angeles and he’ll die if I leave him.
“What are you thinking?”
“What about other women? I won’t tolerate cheating, and I mean my definition of that, not some weird VampLycan one. It means you aren’t allowed to touch another woman and they aren’t allowed to touch you. I’d leave you so damn fast your head would spin if you did that to me. I’d never forgive you.”
Hope etched onto his features so clearly it was easy to read. “I give you my word. Once we cement the bond, my body will only respond to yours.”
“What does that mean?”
He turned to face her, spread his thighs, and revealed how hard he’d become. His cock jutted up thick and proud. “You’re the only woman who will do this to me. We’ll bond and no one else will be able to compare to you. I don’t want anyone else, Dusti.”
She couldn’t look away from his cock. Her nipples hardened just at the sight of him in all his glory and that urge to climb in his lap grew stronger. Only now she didn’t just want him to hold her. She wanted to ride him, feel him inside her, and she knew dampness spread between her legs. Just thinking about having sex with him made her ache to do it.
“What are you doing to me?”
“We’re mates. Your body knows it, even if your mind doesn’t. It’s why you crave my touch and react so strongly to me. You’re not completely human, Dusti. This is how VampLycans react to their mates.”
That made sense, in a weird way.
“I’m only going to get hard for you, sweetheart. That’s what I’m saying. If we complete the bond, you become a part of me and my body will only react to yours this way. Another woman could rub all over me but to put it in terms you’d understand, it would be like someone dragged their claws along a chalkboard. It would just irritate me and make me angry. I’d have the reverse reaction. I’d soften and remain that way, regardless of any stimulation she tried.”
“Seriously? That’s tough to believe.”
“Believe it.” He frowned. “I wouldn’t lie about that. We are true mates. Only matings that aren’t strong fail to get that kind of physical loyalty from the couple.”
“What if she blew you?”
“I wouldn’t enjoy it. I wouldn’t harden. Have you ever had a man touch you and it revolted you? It would be like that.”
She studied him closely but saw honesty reflected back at her. “Damn. You’re saying you’re pretty much dependent on me for sex then, right?”
“Yes. You don’t need to look so pleased about that.”
“Have you ever trusted someone completely, only to find out the person cheated on you?”
“I’ve never been in that kind of relationship.”
“It devastates you. When a man cheats it makes you feel as though you weren’t enough for him, and even though you know its bullshit, it just crushes you inside. Every aspect of what you had with them suddenly is all fucked-up. You love someone and they betray you in the worst possible way. It rips your guts out.”
Anger darkened his features. “You loved a man before?”
“I was married. I mentioned that.”
A snarl tore from his throat and he moved quickly, rising to his knees and pressing her back until he’d caged her under his body.