“I took on one, and two of them found Kraven. I take it more of our people are nearby?”
“Yeah. We split up to cover more ground to search for you.”
Drantos reached out his hand. “Can I borrow your jacket? She had to flee across the river and only has my shirt to wear. She can’t keep her own body heat worth a damn.”
Red shrugged it off and passed it over. “You know this is going to cause a stir when we get back home. Not only are these women mostly human, but they’re Decker’s blood. That isn’t exactly going to endear them to anyone.”
“Marvilella was from our clan. They carry her blood too.”
“I’d forgotten about that.”
“Let’s hope everyone else hasn’t—or I’ll remind them.”
Drantos spun away and approached Dusti. She shivered in her sleep and he couldn’t miss the gooseflesh that covered her arms and legs. He dropped to his knees and crouched over her.
“Dusti? Wake up. My clan has found us.”
She was slow to wake and it worried him. He opened the jacket. “Dusti. Wake up.” He used a sterner tone and her eyes parted. Confusion was easy to read while she peered up at him. He showed her the jacket. “Put this on.”
That got her moving. She sat up and allowed him to wrap her in the jacket. It didn’t sit well with him, smelling Red on Dusti, but keeping her warm was more important. He helped her to her feet and then scooped her into his arms, careful to keep her modesty.
“Curl into me, sweetheart. You’re barefoot and we’re going to be moving fast.”
“Thank you for not tossing me over your shoulder.”
It would be easier on him to transport her that way, but he didn’t want to possibly expose her ass to his cousin or anyone else if the shirt and jacket rode up past her mid-thighs. He advanced until he stood before Red. His cousin forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He was glad he didn’t have to snarl at him to be polite.
Dusti clutched at his shoulders when she first got a glimpse of Red. Her arms slid around his neck and hugged him tight. Her body tensed in his arms. Protective instincts pounded at him when he identified her fear.
“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I want you to meet Redson, Dusti. He’s my cousin. You can just call him Red.”
“Hello.” Red inclined his head.
“Hi,” she whispered.
Drantos stepped back, putting more distance between him and Red. “Kraven is close, with her sister. I could lead you to them.”
Red glanced at Dusti then held his gaze. “I’ll find them. Just head north and you can’t miss the rest of our group. They’ll find you if you can’t find them.”
He appreciated his cousin’s offer to look for the other couple alone. He wanted to get Dusti to safety but he didn’t want her afraid at the same time. “Thanks.”
Red sniffed the air and Drantos jerked his head. “They’re in that direction.”
“I’ll see you soon.” Red took off.
Drantos adjusted Dusti into a more comfortable position. “No one is going to hurt you.”
“All I can think about is what I saw yesterday. Does everyone change into one of those…creatures?”
He realized it might take a while for her to become accustomed to VampLycans without feeling fear. It didn’t bode well for their future if she couldn’t accept what he was, or the rest of the clan. She’d have to though, since she’d never be safe if she returned to her old life. Decker would just send more of his enforcers after her and Bat. Drantos wouldn’t be there to protect her.
He also wasn’t letting her go.
“Yes.” He wouldn’t soften the truth. “We’re people, Dusti. You don’t fear me.”
She tucked her head against his throat. He noticed she didn’t say anything. He bit back a frustrated growl.
“Just hold on and try to hide your fear.”
Dusti just wanted to talk to her sister. Bat needed to know everything she did and her older sibling was much better at evaluating facts to form a plan of action. Drantos’s words sank in. “Why would I need to hide my fear?”
“They can smell it and it would be considered a weakness.”
“Right.” She was still a little groggy but that helped snap her out of it. “I saw on Animal Planet that sometimes it will attract predators. Am I going to smell like dinner to them or something?”
He snorted. “The things you say. No. It’s just that weakness is perceived as a bad thing. I’d like for my clan to respect you. That means you need to be brave. I would never allow anyone to hurt you. Trust me, if no one else. Does that make you feel safer?”
“That guy was pretty big.”
“Red?”
“Yes. And he was scary. He didn’t like me.”
“He didn’t say that.”
“He didn’t have to. It was the way he looked at me.”
“You’re Decker’s granddaughter. That shocked him but he’ll get over it. Anything associated with your grandfather is met with distrust and dislike.”
“Great. You know how I feel about Decker Filmore. He’s an asshole.”
“They’ll realize that and understand you’re nothing like him.”
“I hope so.”
“Me too,” he muttered. “Don’t be alarmed when you spot them and remember you’re totally safe.”
“Don’t show fear.” It sounded easy. She locked her fingers together behind his neck. She did trust Drantos to keep her safe. He’d faced off against that hell beast to protect her. People in skin, no matter how big they were, had to be tame in comparison. She took a few deep breaths. “Got it.”
“Good.” He lowered his voice more. “They’re approaching us. I smell them.”
She scanned the thick woods until she spotted movement at the base of a tree. One of those large, terrifying beasty creatures stalked forward. Drantos halted and squeezed her, as if reminded her that he would keep her safe.
“It’s someone from my clan,” he whispered. “Not the enemy.”
Dusti tried not to stare but it was impossible. The creature was big, vicious-looking, and had sharp fangs. The claws on the toes could probably tear through flesh as easily as if skin were butter. She sucked in a deep breath and tried hard to manage her hammering heart. The creature growled, sounding unfriendly. Dusti tensed, praying it wouldn’t attack.
“Yeah. We split up to cover more ground to search for you.”
Drantos reached out his hand. “Can I borrow your jacket? She had to flee across the river and only has my shirt to wear. She can’t keep her own body heat worth a damn.”
Red shrugged it off and passed it over. “You know this is going to cause a stir when we get back home. Not only are these women mostly human, but they’re Decker’s blood. That isn’t exactly going to endear them to anyone.”
“Marvilella was from our clan. They carry her blood too.”
“I’d forgotten about that.”
“Let’s hope everyone else hasn’t—or I’ll remind them.”
Drantos spun away and approached Dusti. She shivered in her sleep and he couldn’t miss the gooseflesh that covered her arms and legs. He dropped to his knees and crouched over her.
“Dusti? Wake up. My clan has found us.”
She was slow to wake and it worried him. He opened the jacket. “Dusti. Wake up.” He used a sterner tone and her eyes parted. Confusion was easy to read while she peered up at him. He showed her the jacket. “Put this on.”
That got her moving. She sat up and allowed him to wrap her in the jacket. It didn’t sit well with him, smelling Red on Dusti, but keeping her warm was more important. He helped her to her feet and then scooped her into his arms, careful to keep her modesty.
“Curl into me, sweetheart. You’re barefoot and we’re going to be moving fast.”
“Thank you for not tossing me over your shoulder.”
It would be easier on him to transport her that way, but he didn’t want to possibly expose her ass to his cousin or anyone else if the shirt and jacket rode up past her mid-thighs. He advanced until he stood before Red. His cousin forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He was glad he didn’t have to snarl at him to be polite.
Dusti clutched at his shoulders when she first got a glimpse of Red. Her arms slid around his neck and hugged him tight. Her body tensed in his arms. Protective instincts pounded at him when he identified her fear.
“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I want you to meet Redson, Dusti. He’s my cousin. You can just call him Red.”
“Hello.” Red inclined his head.
“Hi,” she whispered.
Drantos stepped back, putting more distance between him and Red. “Kraven is close, with her sister. I could lead you to them.”
Red glanced at Dusti then held his gaze. “I’ll find them. Just head north and you can’t miss the rest of our group. They’ll find you if you can’t find them.”
He appreciated his cousin’s offer to look for the other couple alone. He wanted to get Dusti to safety but he didn’t want her afraid at the same time. “Thanks.”
Red sniffed the air and Drantos jerked his head. “They’re in that direction.”
“I’ll see you soon.” Red took off.
Drantos adjusted Dusti into a more comfortable position. “No one is going to hurt you.”
“All I can think about is what I saw yesterday. Does everyone change into one of those…creatures?”
He realized it might take a while for her to become accustomed to VampLycans without feeling fear. It didn’t bode well for their future if she couldn’t accept what he was, or the rest of the clan. She’d have to though, since she’d never be safe if she returned to her old life. Decker would just send more of his enforcers after her and Bat. Drantos wouldn’t be there to protect her.
He also wasn’t letting her go.
“Yes.” He wouldn’t soften the truth. “We’re people, Dusti. You don’t fear me.”
She tucked her head against his throat. He noticed she didn’t say anything. He bit back a frustrated growl.
“Just hold on and try to hide your fear.”
Dusti just wanted to talk to her sister. Bat needed to know everything she did and her older sibling was much better at evaluating facts to form a plan of action. Drantos’s words sank in. “Why would I need to hide my fear?”
“They can smell it and it would be considered a weakness.”
“Right.” She was still a little groggy but that helped snap her out of it. “I saw on Animal Planet that sometimes it will attract predators. Am I going to smell like dinner to them or something?”
He snorted. “The things you say. No. It’s just that weakness is perceived as a bad thing. I’d like for my clan to respect you. That means you need to be brave. I would never allow anyone to hurt you. Trust me, if no one else. Does that make you feel safer?”
“That guy was pretty big.”
“Red?”
“Yes. And he was scary. He didn’t like me.”
“He didn’t say that.”
“He didn’t have to. It was the way he looked at me.”
“You’re Decker’s granddaughter. That shocked him but he’ll get over it. Anything associated with your grandfather is met with distrust and dislike.”
“Great. You know how I feel about Decker Filmore. He’s an asshole.”
“They’ll realize that and understand you’re nothing like him.”
“I hope so.”
“Me too,” he muttered. “Don’t be alarmed when you spot them and remember you’re totally safe.”
“Don’t show fear.” It sounded easy. She locked her fingers together behind his neck. She did trust Drantos to keep her safe. He’d faced off against that hell beast to protect her. People in skin, no matter how big they were, had to be tame in comparison. She took a few deep breaths. “Got it.”
“Good.” He lowered his voice more. “They’re approaching us. I smell them.”
She scanned the thick woods until she spotted movement at the base of a tree. One of those large, terrifying beasty creatures stalked forward. Drantos halted and squeezed her, as if reminded her that he would keep her safe.
“It’s someone from my clan,” he whispered. “Not the enemy.”
Dusti tried not to stare but it was impossible. The creature was big, vicious-looking, and had sharp fangs. The claws on the toes could probably tear through flesh as easily as if skin were butter. She sucked in a deep breath and tried hard to manage her hammering heart. The creature growled, sounding unfriendly. Dusti tensed, praying it wouldn’t attack.
