Drantos

  “That same blood runs in your sister’s veins, and probably even in yours. Your bloodline is the taste we believe Aveoth craves the most. If it’s true, he’ll do anything to have that again, even go against his own beliefs. He hates Filmore, everything he stands for, but his weakness is the blood.”

  “Doesn’t all blood taste the same?”

  He shook his head. “No. Not only are we able to distinguish between types, but we can differentiate family bloodlines. Think of his addiction as a human’s preference for a favorite fine wine. The others pale in comparison.”

  “Gross.”

  “You asked.”

  This is such a crazy story, Dusti silently sighed. It can’t be true. “So why would Aveoth even need someone else to find him a lover to begin with? Is he really hideous looking or something? Why would any parent want to hand over their daughter to this guy?”

  “I’m certain he could find one on his own, but the arrangement would have helped strengthen the alliance between VampLycans and the GarLycans. Aveoth expressed a desire to have a lover and one was found. There was no need for him to search or have to worry that she would be surprised by what he is. His Gargoyle blood might make him cold, but he’s still a man. He wanted a warm, willing female to share his bed until he found his mate. Aveoth’s father arranged it with Margola’s parents.”

  “So she was whored out to him?” It left a bad taste in Dusti’s mouth to even say it.

  Kraven scowled. “I guess you would see it that way. She wasn’t forced to agree to become his lover. It was considered an honor to sacrifice the years she would have spent with him to keep peace between his clan and ours.”

  “But she died before it happened. So who took her place?”

  “Her name was Lane and she died recently. That’s why Decker sent for Bat. Aveoth needs a new lover.”

  “Was Lane a relative of mine?”

  “No, but she was willing to become Aveoth’s lover.”

  “But you were talking about blood and how this Aveoth wants Bat because she’s related to Margola. Help me out here. I’m so confused.”

  Kraven drew closer. “Aveoth settled for Lane. Once he learns about Bat, he’ll want her more than anyone else who might volunteer to become his new lover. Is that clear enough for you?”

  “Bat isn’t going to volunteer for that.”

  “Decker won’t care, and Aveoth might want her enough to overlook the fact that he has to force her to stay with him.”

  “Because she’s a relative to Margola.”

  “Yes.”

  “Wow. So you’re saying my grandfather wants to turn Bat into a sex slave and this guy might go for it. Your world is totally fucked up. My sister would castrate the bastard if he tried to force himself on her.”

  “You’re both too weak to defend yourself.”

  “My sister is a shark. Never forget it. They don’t call attorneys that without cause.”

  “Sarcasm is not an attractive trait in a woman.” Kraven softly snarled the words. “Bat wouldn’t stand a chance of stopping Aveoth from doing or taking whatever he wanted from her. You asked, and I have answered.”

  “If Decker is so bad, why didn’t he just hand over his own wife to this Aveoth, if they were sisters? They might have tasted the same.”

  He grimaced. “I’m certain he considered it, but Aveoth would never have allowed him to live. She was already mated to Decker when her sister died. To take a woman from a mate would mean killing him.”

  “You gave me the impression Decker didn’t care about Marvilella, if he really did kill her, so he wouldn’t have fought to keep her.”

  “It’s about pride and instincts.” Kraven sighed. “Aveoth would have killed her mate just to make certain she didn’t hold a bond to someone else. She was also already pregnant when her sister died. Aveoth wants a woman without offspring.”

  “He sounds really picky. What’s wrong with being with a woman who has a kid?”

  “Perhaps he doesn’t want to raise another man’s child. I don’t know. You’d have to ask him. But trust me, he’ll crave Bat’s blood.”

  “You make it sound as if he’s going to salt her down and serve her up for dinner.”

  “No, but if Aveoth is really addicted to the bloodline, it’d be a bonus if he can fuck her and drink her blood at the same time.”

  “That’s really gross and demented.”

  A grin curved Kraven’s features. “Remember you said that.”

  “What does that mean?”

  He rose to his feet slowly while he gave her an amused look that left her feeling unsettled. “That’s a discussion for you and my brother to have.” He spun away, striding toward the fire.

  Dusti got to her feet and shivered from the cold, missing Drantos’s jacket that he’d made her remove the night before. One quick glance around revealed it was gone. She jerked up the blanket they’d slept on to wrap around her body. She nearly bumped into Bat when she stepped into the woods.

  “Remind me to never visit Alaska again.” Bat softly cursed. “It’s so cold I didn’t even want to pee. I think it froze before it hit the ground. I thought it would be warmer here this time of year. It’s almost summertime.”

  “Always a lady.” Dusti smiled to soften her words. She glanced around, still not seeing Drantos, and Kraven had his back to them while he fed kindling to the fire. “Bat,” she began, staring into her sister’s eyes. “We’re in deep shit.”

  “I know.”

  “You really have no clue what is go—”

  “There you are.”

  Dusti jumped. Drantos stepped out from behind a tree. She hadn’t even heard him approaching but there he stood, inches from her. He wore his jacket. She stared up into his dark gaze, seeing a warning in them. She sealed her lips together.

  “Did both of you empty your bladders?” He didn’t look away from Dusti.

  “I did, and I hope it warms up more when the sun rises.” Bat shivered. “I’m going to go sit by the fire to thaw.” She headed back to the clearing.

  Dread gripped Dusti at being left alone with Drantos.

  “You were going to warn her.”

  “Don’t you think she’s going to notice when you and your brother drag us out of here?”

  “Go to the bathroom but don’t go far. We’re leaving when you return.” His gaze narrowed. “Don’t try anything, Dusti. You don’t want to see me angry.”

  “Right. You’ll suck my blood or something.”

  He took a step closer until they nearly touched. Dusti held her breath, fear inching up her spine at the chilly look on his face. He may be hot but he is also huge and scary. Those were things she needed to remember.

  “You love your sister and want to protect her. We have that second thing in common.”

  Dusti took a step back. “So let’s say I believe everything I’ve been told. You want to keep Bat away from my grandfather but what are you going to do with her? Hand her over to that Aveoth yourself?”

  He shook his head. “He’d probably kill her. My brother spoke the truth. Aveoth is used to getting his way. Your sister might try to attack him and it wouldn’t end well for her.”

  She instantly knew he’d somehow been listening to the conversation she’d had with Kraven. The tree line where he’d stepped out from wasn’t far from where the two of them had been.

  “What are you going to do with us?”

  “You are the descendants of a member of my clan.” He invaded her personal space again to nearly touch her. “And I have my reasons to protect you. It would cause you pain if any harm came to your sister, so I’ll protect her as well, for you.”

  “Is that supposed to make me feel gratitude toward you? You’re saving us from the big bad wolf or whatever the hell Decker Filmore is, supposedly? What do you want from us, Drantos? I don’t trust you.”

  Anger drew his mouth into a scowl. “You should. Go to the bathroom and hurry back.”

  She backed away and turned. The urge t
o run from him gripped her but she kept up a slow pace as she moved farther away from the clearing.

  She hated the great outdoors, had never been the type to go camping, and really resented not having an actual bathroom to use. If it wasn’t for Bat, she’d make a run for it. She’d rather face bears than two brothers spouting off about Vampires, Werewolves and Gargoyles.

  Kraven handed Dusti some of the leftover meat from the night before when she returned. The air had been so cold it had refrigerated it. Her stomach rumbled with hunger. She sat next to Bat and Kraven handed her sister a chunk of venison too.

  “Eat quickly.”

  Kraven stayed with them to make sure Dusti couldn’t speak privately to her sister. She knew both men were aware she wanted to. Her gaze drifted to study the survivors but not one of them could have taken on the two muscular brothers. Most of them were still sleeping or just too injured to be of any help. She realized she and Bat were on their own if they wanted to be saved. Even if she created a scene, that wouldn’t do anything to prevent them from being taken from the clearing.

  All she wanted was to get herself and Bat back home safely. She’d talk her sister out of visiting their grandfather. Better to be safe than sorry. I’ve had enough of this shit. The rescue team was the best chance they had of hitching an immediate ride back to Anchorage and catching the first flight back to L.A.

  “We should get going.” Kraven glanced around, looking for his brother. He wasn’t within sight.

  “I meant it last night when I offered to defend you and your brother if you’re in some kind of legal trouble,” Bat informed Kraven. “I’m not licensed to practice in Alaska but all we need to do is use your court-appointed attorney to file motions for me to be a consultant. I’ll wave my fees. I can walk your attorney through every filing to help you fight whatever charges you’re facing. I don’t mean to toot my own horn but I’m damn good at what I do. You guys don’t have to take off before the search party finds us.”

  “We have no legal trouble,” Kraven announced. “We appreciate the offer though.”

  “Well, if you ever change your mind, just look me up and call my office. I’m located in Los Angeles.”

  Dusti opened but then closed her mouth, biting back a protest. She had to find a way for her and Bat to escape from both men. It still irritated her that Bat kept offering to represent them. Then again, her sister dealt with scary men every day in her line of work. Most of her clients were hard-core murderers, rapists, or criminal thugs.

  Drantos stopped next to where they all sat minutes later. “It’s time.” He dropped a pair of her slip-on shoes into Dusti’s lap. “Take off the ones you have and put those on. They’ll be more comfortable.”

  She frowned. “How did you know these were mine, and where did you find them?”

  “Do it,” he ordered, looking angry.

  She switched the shoes.

  Kraven leaned forward. “Bat? Look at me.”

  Oh no, Dusti thought, he’s going to do that hypnotist shit on my sister again.

  Her mouth opened to distract Bat but Drantos dropped to his knees suddenly, getting her full attention. His dark gaze fixed on hers and she couldn’t look away. He spoke softly to her.

  “You will stand up, not say a word, and walk into the woods with me. You won’t scream or fight. You will remain meek until I tell you to do otherwise.”

  She tried to open her mouth to tell him to fuck himself, but she couldn’t. She remained silent. Shock and terror flooded her mind when he gripped her hand, pulling her to her feet. He let go as suddenly as he’d grabbed her to wrap the blanket around her shoulders, tying the ends to create a shawl. He took her hand once more and tugged, and her body allowed him to lead her into the woods. She couldn’t even turn her head to make sure Kraven followed with her sister.

  Her body seemed to move on autopilot when it didn’t respond to her commands. She understood how a puppet had to feel when someone controlled it. Drantos’s warm, large hand kept a firm hold on her smaller one while they strolled slowly away from the camp. It was tough to even move her head to look down at her feet. She tripped once, her foot bumping into something painful, but Drantos just pulled her close enough to put his arm around her waist.

  “How long do you think it will take the humans to realize we aren’t returning?” Kraven questioned from behind them.

  “I told them we were going to take a look around to see if there’s a nearby cabin. I’d give it a few hours at least, maybe mid-afternoon before they grow worried. They are injured, in shock and disorientated. I just hope none of them wander into the woods to search for us. I told them not to. I’d hate for any of them to venture so far out they get lost. If they weren’t injured we could’ve wiped their memories of us, but it’s too risky to their already fragile health.”

  “Yeah. I know. I feel like shit for leaving them alone, unprotected, but I cleared out all the predators as far away as I could.”

  “I mixed leaves with the firewood we left to make the fire smoky enough to confuse the wildlife. They should mistake the scent for a forest fire and their instincts will make them rush away from the clearing.”

  “Those search planes better find them today.”

  Drantos sighed. “I’m sure they will. Decker will be all over the rescue teams, pressing them to search, along with sending his enforcers to search the ground. He’ll be frantic to find Bat.”

  Is Bat hearing them? Aware of what they’re saying? Dusti hoped so. She sure was. She hated to think of the fear her sister had to be feeling at that moment if she was cognizant of their conversation, but at least now they’d be on the same “we’re in deep shit” page where Drantos and Kraven were concerned.

  The sun rose higher, light filtering through the thick growth of trees surrounding them. Whatever hold Drantos had on her started to fade as time passed. She turned her head to glance behind them.

  Kraven wasn’t holding her sister’s hand but instead had her flung over one shoulder with a blanket wrapped around her body. He met her gaze with a frown.

  “Yours is coming out of it, bro.”

  “I’m aware.” Drantos stopped walking. “She’s stronger than I thought she would be.”

  Dusti glared up at him. “Stop using that mind-control shit on me, damn it.”

  “I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t fight me at every turn.”

  She turned her head to glare at Kraven. “Put Bat down.” She noticed he didn’t seem out of breath or sweaty, despite the fact that he’d carried her sister. “Is she all right?”

  “She’s sleeping.”

  “Stop doing that to her!”

  “I’m not doing anything but carrying her.” He slid his hand down her sister’s leg to her feet, tugging the blanket over them. “I ditched her heels. She’d have broken an ankle in those damn things and I couldn’t find any flats her size in the wreckage. The ground will tear up her feet if I allow her to walk barefoot, and leave a blood trail for Filmore’s men to follow easier.”

  Drantos tugged gently on Dusti’s arm. “We need to keep moving.”

  “No. This is pure insanity. We should go back and wait with the wreckage for help to arrive.” She waved a hand at the area around them. “You want Bat and I far away from here and our grandfather? Fine. I agree. Take us back and I’ll have whoever finds us fly us to the airport. We can be out of the state before you know it.”

  “Decker will just come after you.”

  “I’ll move in with Bat for a while. She has excellent security in her building. We’ll be safe.”

  “Really?” Drantos growled. “Tell me about her security.”

  “There are a few armed guards in the lobby twenty-four seven. You need a code to enter the elevator to even reach her floor. Nobody can get to her apartment without her allowing it. One of the guards calls her when I visit and then escorts me to her door.”

  Drantos nodded. “Human guards. Ones that Decker or any of his men can mind control. They just have to wa
lk in, look at those guards, and order them to take them right to you and your sister. Her so-called security would stand there while you were taken and never remember what happened once it was over with. Do you understand? You’re not safe there. Humans can’t protect you.”

  Dusti grudgingly believed him, since he’d shown her what he could do multiple times now. “We could go to a hotel or something.”

  “You think we don’t know how to track credit cards? We might live apart from your world but we’re not idiots. Decker would track you and Bat by financials. Hotels cost money. They can find your friends if you believe you could hide with one of them. Humans can’t lie to a VampLycan. We can force them to tell us the truth. There’s nowhere you could hide. They’d find you.”

  Dusti wasn’t willing to give up yet. “This isn’t the way either. All you’re going to do is get us lost out here and we’ll die from exposure or something.”

  “We’re not going to get lost.” Drantos looked annoyingly calm. “You’re safer with us than you would be anywhere else.”

  “Bullshit.” She tugged hard on her hand but couldn’t break free of his hold. “And let me go. I don’t want you touching me after that freaky thing you did last night. Did you slip me some kind of drug?”

  He softly growled.

  “Easy,” Kraven urged. “Now isn’t a good time to show her who’s in charge. We need to keep going. Our people will be looking for us as well. They’ll assume we’ve made better time, not knowing these two are slowing us down since you refuse to shift forms in front of your precious Dusti.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” Drantos snapped.

  “I’m just stating facts. They’ll expect us to have traveled faster than what we are.”

  “Right.” Drantos shot Dusti an angry glance that promised their argument wasn’t over, just delayed. “Let’s keep going. I’m hoping our clan finds us by nightfall. I don’t want to spend another night out here in the open without help.”