Carlos brushed off dirt as he frowned at Dusti. His green eyes started to take on a scary look and she realized she probably shouldn’t have tackled him. “Was she going to threaten to shove that whip up my ass?”
“No,” Drantos denied, though he didn’t sound convinced.
Velder sighed. “She’s been raised human. We apologize, Carlos. Did she harm you?”
The older guy snorted. “As if she could.” He brushed off more grass and dirt from his pants. He didn’t turn his disturbing gaze from Dusti. “Is that what you were going to say, young lady? Don’t lie to me.”
She nodded against Drantos’s hand.
Drantos groaned. “Sweetheart, just be quiet.”
Carlos crossed his arms over his chest, his focus lifting to Drantos. “Your mate, I assume?”
“Yes.”
“Put her down.”
Drantos hesitated. “I will take her punishment if you want someone to pay for what she’s done to you. I state my right as her mate to protect her from all harm.”
“I said put her down,” Carlos demanded.
Drantos removed his hand, and then his arm around her waist eased to slide her down the front of him until her feet touched grass. She didn’t move away from him though. Fear made her press back against his chest.
Carlos focused on her again, his eyes still glowing, and he pointed to the area in front of him. “Come here, human-raised female.”
A growl tore from Drantos. “I will take her punishment.”
“Stay out of this. I won’t harm your mate.” Carlos pointed again. “Where is your courage now, female?”
Dusti trembled but she lifted her chin and stalked forward. She wanted to run, to hide behind Drantos, but she’d be damned if she’d cower in front of the asshole who’d struck him with a whip. She stopped a feet away from him, where he’d indicated. She stared into his eyes.
“It’s right here,” she got out. “This is my fault.”
“Damn it, Dusti,” Drantos said. “Seal your mouth, for me.”
Carlos cocked his gray head to peer down at her. “You’re afraid, yet you still came to me.”
She shrugged.
“If your mate hadn’t pulled you off me, would you have attempted to follow through with your threat?”
“To shove the whip up your ass? Probably. You hit Drantos. That’s fucked-up. He rescued me and shouldn’t be punished for that.”
Velder stepped forward. “I plead with you, Carlos. She’s difficult but she’s my son’s mate. She comes from a world totally different. She has—”
Carlos lifted his hand and Velder stopped talking. The Lycan studied Dusti closely as his glowing gaze cooled to a soft green. “She has courage and a mouth on her but I respect that she’d attack despite knowing she had no chance. She is aware of what you are, correct?”
“Yes.”
Drantos startled Dusti when she realized he’d moved up behind her without her knowledge. She turned her head to glance up at him. She looked back at Carlos.
“You realize I could shred you in seconds with my claws? I’m a full-blooded Lycan, one of the few who remained with the clans when we settled here.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. “I figured you were one of them.”
“Us,” Drantos sighed. “You’re part VampLycan.”
A sniff came from Carlos. “She smells totally human.”
“It’s there but very faint. Her mother bred with a human.” Drantos put his hand on her hip to tug her against his body. “I apologize. Her intentions were honorable.”
Carlos turned his head. “Hold her, Velder. I won’t punish her for the attack but your son’s punishment isn’t negotiable. It has been decreed. He still must take twenty-three more lashes.”
“No!” Dusti cried. “I don’t think that’s fair. I didn’t know your stupid laws. Drantos and his father were arguing about me.”
“This isn’t about you,” Drantos whispered. “I disobeyed my father in front of clan members on more than one occasion. It’s difficult to explain, but this needs to be done so no one else dares to do the same.”
“The laws are in place for reasons you couldn’t understand, human-raised Dusti.” Carlos sighed. “The punishment could have been far worse. Trust me, young lady. He’s getting off easy.” He jerked his head. “Hold her, Velder. I’ll add ten lashes to his punishment if she attacks me again. I’m amused it happened once, impressed by her fearless act to defend her mate, but enough is enough. I have a football game on that I wish to catch some of this evening.”
“Are you serious?” Dusti yelled. “A football game? You—”
Drantos clamped his hand back over her mouth and pushed her gently toward his father. “Hold her damn mouth, Dad.”
Velder grabbed Dusti around her waist and hoisted her off her feet. The second Drantos released her mouth, Velder put his own hand over her lips. He spun and strode toward cabin.
“Be silent,” he hissed at her. “He’ll take an extra ten lashes if you aren’t. Be a strong mate and control your temper for my son.”
Hot tears filled her eyes when she watched helplessly as Drantos returned to the old swing set frame, presented his bloodied back with two jagged lines already marring his skin, and reached up to grip the top of it. Carlos picked up the whip she’d dropped when Drantos had jerked her off the older man. She watched him pull his arm back, poised to strike, and closed her eyes.
The noise wasn’t something she could avoid. She whimpered when the first crack of the whip striking Drantos sounded and turned her face into Velder’s shirt. He nuzzled her with his head, shielded her view, and whispered in her ear.
“My son is respectful of our laws. He’ll heal by tomorrow night. Just hang on. It will be over soon.”
I hate these people, Dusti’s mind screamed, since she couldn’t say it aloud with a hand pressed firmly over her mouth. They are nothing more than barbarians.
She flinched with every strike Drantos took from the whip.
Chapter Thirteen
Dusti glared at Velder while standing in Drantos’s living room.
His father had carried him home, slumped nearly unconscious over his shoulder. He’d washed Drantos’s bloody, damaged back, before helping him to lie flat on his stomach across the bed. Velder had asked her to wait in a different room to prevent her from getting sick at the sight of the vivid marks covering his son’s back.
“You people are animals,” she spat after he’d entered the room and they were alone.
He arched one eyebrow. “Partly.”
“How could you allow that asshole to do that to your own son?”
“He will heal. The punishment wasn’t severe and he’s a grown man. He made his own choices. I can only support him and care for him when he needs me to. Carlos offered to whip my son so I wouldn’t have to. That was a kindness.”
“A kindness? Are you high? Drantos was in so much pain he passed out when that son of a bitch was done beating on him.”
“Carlos is a Lycan, not a VampLycan.”
“And that means what?”
“He’s not as strong as we are. The blows were less severe.”
“Did you see Drantos’s back?”
“Trust me. It could have been far worse. He’ll heal from that faster than if the lashes had gone deeper. Only his skin was sliced. No deep muscle or bone was harmed.”
“I don’t understand you, nor do I want to. No way in hell would I ever just stand there while someone took a whip to Bat. I’d have killed that son of a bitch for striking her, and I know how easily she pisses people off. I wouldn’t care what she did.”
“Your world has laws you must follow. They punish your criminals. No one is locking my son up inside a cage. That would be cruel. He’ll heal, and I doubt he’ll even carry a scar since I tended to him well. This will just be a painful memory to hopefully prevent him from breaking another law.”
“He’s not a criminal. From what I understand, he just had an argumen
t with you.”
“I’m the leader of this clan. Disobedience of any kind is met with punishment. It’s hard to explain to someone like you, but it’s how we live. It is for the harmony and peace of all. Otherwise there would be chaos and deadly fights amongst our people. My son took his punishment and it will dissuade others from making the same mistake.”
“Unbelievable. You people are nuts. Violence isn’t always the solution, you know.”
“It is in this world.” His mouth hardened. “You’re no longer living with humans. You’re my son’s mate and you need to toughen up to do him proud.”
She hugged her chest hard. Arguing with the man wouldn’t do any good. He was the biggest barbarian of all. “I want to see my sister.”
“She’s not here.”
“What does that mean?” Fear rose. “Drantos told me she and Kraven were fine after the attack and had been brought here.”
“Decker Filmore broke the law when he attacked us to take you. He drew blood and caused the deaths of his own men in his quest for power. The clans’ meeting earlier not only discussed Drantos’s punishment, but also your grandfather’s. We were unaware at that time that Lord Aveoth is seeking him as well. A joint team from the three clans breached his land to bring him to task. He’d already fled though.
“His only recourse is to get his hands on your sister to attempt to use her against us. Now we know it won’t work, but he probably doesn’t. He’ll continue to believe she would be the one thing he could use to force the GarLycan leader to form an alliance with him. Kraven took your sister away for her safety. He didn’t want more of our people attacked or to risk your grandfather obtaining possession of her.”
“I didn’t even get to talk to Bat. How could Kraven just take her away?”
“He was determined to get your sister far from here. He wouldn’t be swayed to stay overnight.”
“Where did he take her?” Fear turned to alarm. “Where are they?”
“I do not know. He refused to say. My son is very cunning. She’s his mate and he’ll do whatever is necessary to protect her.”
“I want to talk to my sister I’m worried about her. Do you get that? Does Kraven have a cell phone?”
Velder sighed. “He’ll contact us when he feels it’s safe to do so. You both have been too softened by the human world, too spoiled. The first thing you need to learn is to not always question my words.”
Her arms dropped to her side and she fisted her hands. The guy made her so angry. “We’re not spoiled. Bat worked her ass off to get where she is and we both know about survival. We had to go through a lot after our parents died.”
“The hardships of the human world are nothing compared to ours. Your life there didn’t depend on your ability to fight and kill.”
His answer irritated her. “You have no idea what it’s like out there. People die every single day. When was the last time you lived in my world?”
He cocked his head and smiled slightly while his gaze focused toward the front of the house. “Crayla comes.”
She noticed he ignored her question but before she could point it out, the front door opened and a tall black-haired beauty stormed through. She wore only a sarong wrapped around her middle that barely concealed the tops of her breasts, and with her long frame, the lower hem of it just reached her upper thighs. She had blood smeared on one cheekbone and down both arms.
“I take it she apologized?” Velder chuckled. “Do you feel better?”
Crayla moved right to the man and smiled, her arms wrapping around his waist when she pressed tightly against the front of his body. “You know it. She’ll never do that again.” She turned her head and her bright blue gaze fixed on Dusti.
Dusti tried not to stare but knew she failed. The woman looked about thirty years old, had to be at least six feet two, and definitely didn’t appear to be anyone’s mother with her lithe body. Certainly not Drantos’s or Kraven’s. Her beauty stunned Dusti as well.
“She’s so small,” Crayla sighed. “Cute though. Not exactly what I had in mind for my baby but her coloring is attractive.” She released her mate and stalked over to Dusti. Her hand hesitated before she fingered Dusti’s blonde hair, met her gaze, and smiled again. “Is this your true color? I know humans dye their hair often.”
Dusti resisted the urge to jerk away from the hand touching her. Dried blood made her feel a little ill and the fact that it covered the hand in her hair made her shiver.
Crayla released her to step back while her smile faded. “You have no reason to fear me.”
“It’s not you.” She glanced at the woman’s hand. “I don’t like the sight of blood. What happened to you? Are you okay?”
Crayla’s mouth opened and she seemed stunned for a second. “Of course I’m alright. There was a small disagreement I had to settle between myself and one of the women.”
Velder moved next to his mate, wrapped an arm around her, and sighed loudly. “Scent her. She smells totally human, though Drantos claims she tastes slightly other. She believes we’re barbarians and animalistic for our punishments and aggressive natures.”
The woman’s features showed amusement. “I see. I suppose that’s how we would appear to you. We also love and have a lot of human traits you will identify with. You need to care for your mate. I had planned to stay but I believe it will be good for you to do this. Just clean his wounds, feed him when he wakes, and stay near him. Touch will make him feel better.” She glanced down Dusti’s body. “Skin to skin. I’m sure you prefer clothing but when you’re alone with my son, you won’t wear them.”
Dusti was outraged. Her new mother-in-law spoke to her as if she had the right to dictate. “You can’t tell me what—”
“I can.” The woman cut her off and her blue gaze turned decidedly chilly. “My son has claimed you as his mate and he’ll want to die if you leave him. While he’d never harm you, regardless of what you do, I am his mother. You and I will fight if you break his heart or make him suffer sadness with a lack of concern for his wellbeing. I won’t unleash my claws since you don’t have them, but you sure don’t want to get into a fist fight with me. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” Dusti murmured, anger turning to fear.
“Good.” Crayla smiled. “We’ll get you adjusted to life with a clan. Rule number one, never fight with me. I’m in charge of all the women. You do as you’re told. Treat my son well and we’ll get along great.” She turned to her mate. “Take me home. You know how fighting makes me want to fuck. I need you.”
Velder lifted her and the woman wrapped her arms and legs tightly around the guy. He strode toward the door with her in his arms. Dusti gawked at her in-laws until the door slammed behind them.
“I’m going to need therapy,” she whispered. “Yeah. I hope they have shrinks in this clan.”
She slowly turned and walked to the bedroom. She really didn’t want to get a good look at the horror of Drantos’s back but he needed to be cared for. She knew he’d do it for her if she were hurt. He already had when she’d needed his blood, and he’d licked her wounds. Her leg didn’t even hurt anymore.
The bathroom light had been left on, the only source of light in the bedroom, and she paused at the open doorway. The sight of a naked Drantos stretched across the big bed on his stomach froze her. His ass and arms had been spared the whip but from shoulders to waist, the horrific cuts haunted her. They no longer bled and actually appeared a lot better than they had when he’d hung over his father’s shoulder on the walk to the cabin.”
“I’m okay,” he rasped.
She inched closer. “You’re awake. I thought you were sleeping.”
“Come here. Don’t look at my back. It doesn’t hurt near as bad as you’d think.”
“What can I do?”
“Just lie beside me and let me feel you.”
Dusti hesitated at the side of the bed but stripped off the sweater. She bent, tugged off both sets of socks, and removed the sweats last. She hoped no o
ne entered the cabin to find her stark naked. She tried not to make the bed move when she climbed onto it to stretch out on her side inches from him. Her gaze met his.
“My mother will never touch you. I heard her threat. She just tried to intimidate you. It’s her job.”
“It worked. She’s scary.”
He grinned. “I would never allow anyone to strike you. That includes my family.”
She reached out to brush her fingertips along his arm. The warmth of his skin under her touch made her relax while she breathed in his masculine, woodsy scent combined with soap from his father cleaning his wounds.
“I don’t know if I can live in your world, Drantos.” She knew tears welled in her eyes. “What they did to you wasn’t fair and I don’t know how you could just stand there, taking that asshole whipping you.”
He slid his hand on the bed to touch her leg. He gripped her firmly. “You just don’t understand our ways, but laws are important. We’re the keepers of them. They could have banned me from all the clans. It would have been a death sentence in the long run. I would have become the hunted for everyone we’ve ever had to punish for breaking our laws.”
“You mean like other banned people?”
“Them, and we’ve had to deal with some Vampires and Lycans who made trouble in the area.”
“They whipped you because you didn’t agree with your dad or some such shit. How fair is that?”
“Life isn’t fair. The laws were set into place for reasons. There can only be one leader in a clan. Our lives depend on fast decisions. We don’t have time to vote on everything. I’ve seen your political debates on television. It’s confusing and gets messy with so many people wanting different things for their people, until it seems nothing ever really gets accomplished. We’re not humans. We respect strength in a leader, structure, and laws. There’s no crime in clans, no insubordination. We follow our clan leaders’ orders or punishment is swift. Any sign of weakness makes that leader appear unable to do his job.” He paused. “I took that whipping so they’d know no one is above following the law. He couldn’t spare me, Dusti. It could cause someone to challenge him to take his place. That means the winner rules the clan and the loser dies.”