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 argument 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 one 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.”
“That’s horrible.”
“It’s life here. It works. I know it’s very different from what you’re used to but it’s necessary.”
She contemplated that. “I’m going to end up getting whipped at some point.” A shudder ran through her.
“Never,” Drantos rasped. “I wouldn’t allow it.”
“You couldn’t even stop them from whipping you.”
“I chose to take the punishment, and I’d do the same for you.”
“That makes it worse. So I mess up and you get your back torn up again?”
He reached out and curled his fingers around hers. “I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
“I don’t even know when I’m breaking laws.”
“You’ll learn, Dusti. Just don’t fight with anyone and listen to me when I tell you to. It will be fine.”
“Am I allowed to fight with you? Because couples do that.”
“We won’t. We’re true mates.”
“What’s a true mate mean?”
“What we are. It’s when two people come together who are so compatible that they begin to feel and think what the other does. Does that make sense?”
“I guess.”
“For the ones who mate when it isn’t true, we call that settling. It’s when they take a mate without the true bonding. It usually only happens when they can’t find the right person or their true mate has died. They don’t want to be alone for the rest of their lives. They can love each other but it’s a shadow of what they could have. It would be as if two humans joined together in a relationship.”
“You make that sound insulting or something.”
“I don’t mean to but human relationships are different. You’ll understand once our bond strengthens. We’ll be able to sense what the other is feeling. It’s as if we’ll become one person in two bodies. Do you understand?”
“You said my grandfather killed his mate. How is that possible if they were bonded?”
“He’s a cold bastard. Maybe he settled for her. I don’t know. I wasn’t around them enough to judge what kind of bond they had. He has no heart. He kills without mercy.”
She held his hand, playing with his fingers. “How much pain are you in? Can I do anything?”
“Just stay close to me. I’ll recover soon.” He turned just a little, tried to hide a wince from the pain but failed. “Something has been on my mind. I didn’t mean to hurt you in the woods. It bothers me.”
“I like rough sex. I said that.”
“Not that. It hurt you when you realized I’ve bitten other women. You’re the only woman I love, Dusti. I had sex with women, and it’s considered polite in some cases to test a mating. There wasn’t an emotional attachment involved and we weren’t monogamous.”
She hated the idea of him ever being with anyone else. “So have you been with a lot of women I’m going to be running into around here?”
“No. I hoped one day I’d find my mate. I learned from my father’s mistake.”
“What does that mean?”
He hesitated before explaining. “He slept with just about every unmated female in our clan. When he found my mother and brought her home…well, let’s just say it wasn’t easy for her to be around a lot of jealous females who seemed happy to hurt her feelings. It’s considered an honor, and the most powerful position a woman can obtain, to be with the leader of a clan. They tormented her with the details of his past sexual exploits to get even with her for being his mate. I remember her crying when I was a child, and my father’s regret. He suffered, watching what she went through. You can’t hurt without it hurting me too.
“No one dares bring it up now. Mom started to beat on anyone who even looked at her wrong. Yonda is the only female in this clan I’ve ever touched. I didn’t want my mate to face that. Though I never thought she’d be a problem. We were friends.”
“Past tense, right? I have to tell you the idea of you hanging out with her is not going to sit well with me. I’ll trust you because you said you can’t get hard for another woman but I still don’t want her anywhere near you.”
“It won’t happen. She ended that friendship when she insulted you.” He paused. “She’s never been inside my cabin either. If you were VampLycan, you’d be able to pick up scents inside my home. I purposely never brought any woman here except my mother so if I were lucky enough to find my mate, she wouldn’t smell any lingering traces of past sex partners.”
Dusti smiled. “Seriously?” She had to admit she found it touching that he’d be that thoughtful, and again, it set him apart from any of the men she’d ever known in her life.
“Yes. I built all this with my mate in mind. I’d never dishonor you by allowing another woman into our bed.”
She glanced at the black comforter. “You’ve never had sex in this bed?”
He grinned. “Not with someone else present.”
It took her a second to understand his meaning. Her eyes widened. “You admit you jack off?”
“Of course I do.”
She grinned. “Human guys usually don’t admit to that.”
“They lie if they have a sex drive and deny it.”
“Women do it too.”
“Do you?” His hand slid a little higher up her thigh. “I’d really like watching you touch yourself.” He moved to turn on his side to face her more but then groaned. “In a few hours I’ll be healed enough to enjoy it more, when I can take you afterward. I want you but will open my wounds if I fuck you. I know you don’t like the sight of blood.”
His hand so close to her pussy affected her. His touch did that to her body. It turned her on until she ached. Her nipples hardened and she glanced down his body, where he’d lifted enough on his side for her to see just a hint of his aroused cock.
“Can you turn just a little more?”
He nodded, a slightly confused expression on his handsome features. He released her thigh. “I want you to curl into me.”
She winced a little with him when he eased onto his side. It still prevented him from touching the wounds on his back to the comforter while also giving her access to the front of him. He expected her to burrow into him but instead she released his arm to wiggle down the bed. His dark blue eyes widened slightly but he groaned when she wrapped her hand around the base of his hard shaft.
“I bet I can distract you from the pain.”
“Dusti.” He growled her name.
She met his passion-filled gaze, licked her lips, and lowered her attention to the tempting sight in front of her. Her tongue darted out to swipe across the tip of the crown. Drantos groaned softly in response and his cock twitched in her hand.
She took him slowly inside her mouth, tested his thickness to make sure he cleared her teeth before wrapping her lips around him. A hand tangled in her hair but he kept a loose grip. She moved cautiously at first, taking a little and sucking him in deeper until he threatened to choke her. She backed off to set a steady pace of using her mouth to suckle him. With every caress of her tongue, he growled.
Men who growl are hot, she thought, her entire body responding to the animalistic sounds she drew from him. She knew he’d hardened even more, the texture of his arousal undeniably stiffer, and his hand tugged gently on her hair in an attempt to make her stop.
She pulled back and released him. Her gaze lifted. “What? Don’t you like this?”
His eyes glowed light blue. “Flip, sweetheart. If you stop I’ll die, but I want access to you. I need your taste on my tongue.”
She hesitated. “Your back…”
“Trust me. Sixty-nine position on our sides. I’ve been hurt far worse than this in the past. I can take a little discomfort.”
“Are you sure? This is about you.”
“I smell you,” he snarled. “I want and need your taste. Give it to me.”
She eased up and then readjusted her body until she faced his lap, with hers in front of him. She paused, unsure what to do.
Drantos gripped her thigh and tugged her closer, until she ended up pressed flat against his body, her lower belly high against his upper chest. “Spread your thighs for me.”
She did, and watched as he tucked his head, used her inner thigh to pillow his cheek, and then bent her upper leg until he’d trapped her foot under his arm along his side, where her limb rested against his ribs. His hand spread her vaginal lips and she gasped when his mouth found her clit. He didn’t warn her before he sealed his lips around the sensitive bud. When he started to use his tongue and the suction of his mouth, she cried out in pleasure.
His hips thrust a little, his cock bumping her cheek.
She got the message and would have laughed, if what he did to her didn’t feel too intense to allow anything but another moan. She opened her mouth, took him back inside her, and adjusted to the new angle. He slowly moved, not thrusting deep enough to choke her, but setting the pace.
His mouth on her clit and the drive of his hips while he fucked her mouth in shallow strokes threatened to make Dusti lose her mind. She moaned against his flesh, sucked him hard trying to hasten her own climax, which had her pressing her pussy tighter against his wonderful mouth. He growled deeper, creating vibrations against her clit with his tongue, and she gripped his thigh with her hand while bracing her body further by clutching the bedding.
Pleasure gripped her when his tongue rubbed faster, his hips bucking to force her to take him deeper inside the wet, tight seal of her mouth, and she swore he seemed to thicken in size just a little more. A snarl tore from Drantos and the first burst of his release started to fill the back of her throat.
She swallowed, loving his heady taste, his cock pulsing against her tongue, and then she screamed around him when pure rapture gripped her. She started to come hard, her own hips jerking in a frantic motion. His hand released the leg pinned to his side to grab her ass, holding her in place pressed tightly against his mouth, while he licked at her to draw out her pleasure.
Drantos jerked out of her mouth and released her clit. They both were out of breath, their labored breathing the only sound in the room, until a chuckle came from him.
“I love your taste, sweetheart. I can’t get enough. Next time you’re going to be sprawled over me when we do this position. You’re stronger than you look.”
She rolled onto her back but made sure she didn’t pull her thigh out from under his cheek, and lifted her head with a grin. “What does that mean?”
“Holding your leg down to keep you spread open for me became difficult. You totally would have used your thighs to pin my face if I’d allowed it.”
She laughed. “I really liked you there.”
“Come here.” He lifted his head to free her thigh.
She turned around on the bed, burrowed into his chest. His arm pillowed her head while his other one curved tightly around her back to draw her even closer.
“I love you, Dusti.”
“I love you too.”
“In the morning we’ll share blood, unless you need it now. Promise me you’ll tell me if you feel dizzy or weak.”
“I feel okay.” She rubbed her cheek against his skin. “You’re so warm.”
“It’s been a long day. We’re both exhausted.” He paused. “Take from me. I won’t risk your health. You have to remember your Vampire traits.” His finger rose and she managed not to gasp when his fingernail lengthened as she watched. He scratched his neck, drew blood, and cocked his head a little more. “My blood is yours.”
Dusti leaned forward after only a slight hesitation. He’d already cut himself, she knew it had to hurt him, and she wasn’t about to have his pain be for nothing.
She closed her mouth over the wound, half surprised the sight and taste of his blood didn’t make her feel disgusted. The first taste of him had her moaning with pleasure. It disturbed her on a small level that his blood had that effect on her but she didn’t stop. His hand curled into the back of her head to hold her in place.
“That’s it.” His lips brushed her shoulder. “My blood to yours.”
His mouth closed over her skin but she didn’t flinch away when a sharp point dragged over her. The slight pinch didn’t hurt so much as send a jolt of desire through her. She knew he had bitten into her enough to draw blood. He suckled gently at her shoulder.
Her mouth left his throat. “I want you again.”
He released her, licked the small wound he’d inflicted with the point of one of his fangs to heal it, and then pulled his face back to gaze at her with a grin.
“We both need rest. I want you too but that was a goodnight kiss.”
She nodded. “You suck.” She flushed. “I didn’t mean that literally. I’m just turned-on now.”
He pulled her closer. “It’s my duty to care for your needs but right now you need sleep more.”
Dusti tried to ignore her urge to reach down and stroke his cock until he couldn’t resist her, but the mental image of his damaged back kept her still. She decided to think about something else besides sex.
“Do you think Bat and Kraven are okay together? He looked really hurt when I saw him after we were attacked in the trucks.”
He rubbed her back. “He won’t allow anything to happen to her. He’ll protect her. I’m sure he’s mostly healed by now.”
“I’m more worried about who is going to protect him when he tells my sister he wants to mate with her.”
Drantos chuckled. “He’s tough and she’s small.”
“Have you met my sister? She’s going to try to hurt him.”
“It will work out.”
She lay in silence listening to his strong heartbeat. It soothed her and she couldn’t deny the feeling of rightness being in his arms created. The cabin remained totally quiet otherwise. She had to admit she didn’t miss the sound of traffic she always heard in her apartment.
“What are you thinking about?”
“My old life.”
His body tensed a little but relaxed again. With her ear pressed against his chest, she didn’t miss the change in his heart rate. It accelerated as if he were afraid. She lifted her head and peered up at him. His beautiful dark blue gaze met hers.
“Don’t leave me.”
His plea nearly broke her heart. He didn’t try to mask his emotions from her or hide the way his raspy voice hitched a little when he’d spoken. The idea of losing her definitely tore him up.
“I won’t. I didn’t really have that great of a life in Los Angeles. I’m just uncertain about this new one.”
“I promise we’ll be happy together. I won’t travel anymore on missions. Mated males stay near home. The responsibility will go to someone else to hunt down lawbreakers. I’ll be assigned duties here within the clan to keep me close to you.”
“I hadn’t even thought about that but I’m glad to hear it. I really wouldn’t want to be left here alone while you’re out of town. I don’t know anyone and I feel kind of like a sore thumb”
“You’re part of this clan. You’ll make friends and they’ll accept you. We’ll be happy, Dusti. I’ll make certain of it.”
“I believe you. I’m not uncertain about you and me. For the first time in my life, I know what home feels like. It’s here in your arms. It’s just that I don’t know about the rest of your people.”
Drantos smiled. It melted her heart.
“It’s this whole VampLycan thing,” she admitted.
“You’ll adjust. We’re not monsters. Sleep now. You’re tired. We’ll deal with all this tomorrow.”
She nodded and tucked her head against his chest again. Drantos brushed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, then snuggled her closer. She closed her eyes but worry for Bat still bothered her. Drantos rubbed her back, the caresses eventually lulling her to sleep.