Dusti found herself staring at Drantos. It irritated her that she was so attracted to him. Since he had stripped out of his jacket, she could see the thick muscles in his arms flexing as he worked on his project. She’d never met anyone like him. He looked so utterly masculine building a raft.
He wasn’t like men she knew in Los Angeles. They would be lost in the woods, helpless and probably as freaked-out as she felt. He reached up and shoved his unruly hair back. The thick, dark tresses were a bit out of control. He could use a trim in the worst way but she doubted he ever went into one of the fancy barbershops most men used to cut their hair. She figured he probably used a knife to hack at the strands or something equally as barbaric if he wanted it shorter. She bit her lip as he leaned forward, his ass in the air as he weaved his belt around two branches. He had a muscular ass that his pants molded to.
Damn it, stop ogling him. She forced her gaze to shift to the river. He wanted her to cross that. It was an insanely dangerous concept. A large log floated near the center, moving at a rapid pace. She mentally pictured it slamming into the raft Drantos built and sending her into that bubbling water. She cringed and focused on him again.
He had blatantly admitted he planned to have sex with her. What happened between them the night before resurfaced in her thoughts. It was probably going to haunt her forever. The way he’d touched her and made her feel had been downright animalistic. He’d growled and bitten her with his teeth. Worse, she’d really enjoyed it.
Her abdominal muscles clenched and her nipples throbbed at the vivid memories, desire resurfacing.
Drantos scared her. She had to concede that fact. He could make her forget everything around them except him. She’d have let him fuck her on the ground, in front of anyone present, if his brother hadn’t pulled him away. He caused her to lose all common sense and willpower.
He suddenly leaned back and rolled his shoulders. She bit her lip, the urge to go massage them rising. It frightened her more and also pissed her off. She turned her back so she didn’t have to see him any longer.
I need to get away from him so I can regain my sanity. I’ve lost my mind. He’s no good for you, Dusti. Don’t make this mistake again.
She flashed back to the one and only time she’d fallen in love. Reed had been handsome in his business suits. She’d met him right after she’d started working for a mortgage company as their receptionist. He was one of the loan officers.
They’d dated for two months before they’d taken a trip to Las Vegas. Reed had talked her into a quickie marriage after they’d arrived. He’d had big dreams and she’d been on board with all of them. He thought he’d make a bunch of money and she could quit her job. He’d wanted the picket fence and children. So had Dusti. Bat had flipped her lid when she’d found out her baby sister had gotten married, but Dusti hadn’t cared.
Within six months, their marriage turned into a nightmare. The housing market started to fall and Reed turned really moody. He’d start arguments with her and storm out of their apartment, disappearing for hours. That’s when he’d decided to switch careers. Dusti had been supportive. He was her husband and she wanted him to be happy. She’d taken a second job to help him pay for night school. It had been difficult on them both. They barely saw each other but she’d sworn to stick with the marriage for better or worse.
Drantos drew her attention once more as he kept working on the raft. Her ex-husband never would have done something like that. He hadn’t even been able to fix their leaking sink. She’d had to do it. Her ex-husband wouldn’t have wanted to mess up his manicure. Drantos was nothing like Reed.
She bit her lip, rehashing the past. Her taste in men couldn’t be trusted. It’s why she’d avoided dating after her divorce. There had been the occasional boyfriend over the years but she’d safeguarded her heart. She left at the first sign of trouble. Drantos was exactly that. It was a really bad idea to get involved with him. He made her feel too much and she never wanted to hurt again like she had while suffering through her divorce. It was painful to admit she’d given her heart to someone who’d smashed it to bits.
Just lie down and try to get some sleep while he finishes building that thing.
It sounded like a good plan to her. She slid off the rock she sat on and put her back to it, closing her eyes. She tried to blank her mind.
“Tired?”
She startled, opening her eyes. Drantos had stopped working on the raft and was crouched by the still burning fire in front of her. She hadn’t heard him walk over. “A bit. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” She didn’t mention he’d been the reason. The night before she’d slept poorly because her body had ached for his, and she hadn’t slept while dangling over his back.
Knowledge flared in his eyes and a smile hinted at his lips. “Let’s go to the river. You can splash some water on your face.” He glanced at the sky as he shoved dirt over the fire to put it out. “We have about half an hour before we must leave. I want to cross the river about the same time Kraven should be. It’s imperative to keep moving for as long as we can while we have daylight left, and stick close to them.”
“Plus the smell of cooked fish will have bears and additional predators heading this way,” Dusti guessed. “We don’t want to still be here when they arrive for the bones, right?”
Drantos stood, brushing dirt off his fingers. “Good guess. Come on.” He held out his hand.
She put hers in his, allowing him to help her up. “We have nature shows on cable.”
He grinned, releasing her hand. “Do you watch them often?”
“No.”
Dusti followed him and she crouched near the water’s edge. She cupped icy water in her hands and splashed her face, then leaned farther over the edge to avoid dripping water onto her clothes. The shock of how cold it was had her gasping and she felt her knees slide a little on the grass. Her eyes flew open to see the water coming at her. She’d bent over too far and was about to fall in.
Drantos’s big hands gripped her hips and jerked her back. She ended up leaning against his wide chest. His arms slid from her hips and around her rib cage. He bent forward enough to press his lips next to her ear.
“Be careful. As much as I fantasize about making you wet, it’s not in that way.”
She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and turned her head. Their lips almost brushed as she gazed into his eyes. “Why do you say things like that? Is it to shock me?”
“Because I mean it.”
Her heart pounded. He had beautiful eyes. His big body braced hers and his arm wrapped around her tighter, holding her close. It was impossible to ignore that he was an attractive man. She decided to try humor to cool down the situation. “Thanks for saving me. Turning into a human popsicle when the sun goes down isn’t my idea of fun.”
No luck. She became even more aware of how he held her. He was on his knees, legs spread, and her ass was firmly pressed against his groin. She wiggled her hips a little and couldn’t miss the hard ridge of arousal she felt. She froze.
He softly growled at her, the golden highlights in his blue eyes seeming to flare brighter so she could see them better, and he breathed in her scent through nostrils that flared.
“Let go.” Her voice came out shaky.
“Do you know what you do to me?”
“I can feel it.”
His gaze lowered to her mouth. “At least allow me a kiss. I did prevent you from falling into the river. Don’t I deserve something for that?”
He adjusted his arm and brushed his palm over one mound of her breast, cupping it. He gently squeezed.
Dusti closed her eyes and bit down on her bottom lip. It felt good and a jolt of pleasure hit. He squeezed again, the sensation turning her on in a rapid flash of desire until she arched her back a little to press more firmly against his palm. He slid to the ground from his crouched position and his other hand gripped her skirt. She didn’t protest when his hot fingers curled around her inner leg and slid up her thigh.
“Kiss me.” It was a harsh command.
“No,” she whispered. He was making it difficult to think. It frightened her how he affected her. She couldn’t remember anyone else ever being able to turn her on so fast and make it so impossible to think. She tried to resist. “That would be a dumb thing to do.”
He paused, and then moved the hand on her inner thigh to just inches from her panties. “You think I’m insane, so you should expect me to do rash things.” He slid his hand higher and cupped her through her panties. Dusti tensed before shivering as he rubbed his fingers over the soft material there, brushing against her clit and pressing tight against the lips of her sex.
He softly growled. “You smell so good that I want to have you for dessert. Would you let me do that? Let me remove your thong and spread these silky thighs around my face if I stretch out on my back? Could I nibble on you until you’re about to come, and then fuck you with my tongue until you scream out my name when you do?”
It shocked her that he’d say something so crude. She opened her eyes to stare at him. Her heart beat erratically inside her chest. No one had ever spoken that graphically to her before. The visual of him doing exactly what he said made her unconsciously grind her ass against his jeans. The thick bulge trapped inside the denim became more noticeable.
He used his finger to shove her panties to the side. He traced the seam of her sex, found her wetness, and used that moisture while pressing the tip of his finger against her clit. He drew tight, small circles around the bundle of nerves until she couldn’t pretend it didn’t affect her. Dusti moaned, unable to hold back the sound of pleasure. He continued to taunt and play with her until she couldn’t think. It was just desire and longing. Aching.
“You’re so hot and smell so damn good, I have to taste.”
She didn’t protest when he lifted her, forcing her to stand. He remained on his knees while he yanked her panties down. She actually lifted each foot to help him free them from her ankles. His hands gripped her hips, turning her to face him. Dusti stared down into his sexy eyes, mute, clueless about what to say at that moment.
He brought his knees together and pulled her forward, so she had to step on each side of his hips when he shifted position until he was sitting on his ass in the grass. He used his hold on her to keep her close. He slowly started to lay back until he was stretched out flat, bringing her down with him. She ended up straddling his chest. She silently stared at him.
“Climb forward.” His gaze shifted to the grass next to his face. “Put your knees right there on each side.” He looked up at her with sexy dark blue eyes that flared with yearning. “Now.” He pulled on her hips, urging her to move.
This is insane, she admitted, even as she bent forward. Bracing her hands on the grass over his head, she crawled up his body. She put her knees where he’d indicated, her lower legs bent up over the curves of his shoulders since they were too wide for her to avoid.
Drantos released her hips and grabbed her skirt, shoving it up and out of the way. The material bunched on her lower back and fell over the top of his head, blocking her view of what he was about to do. She just closed her eyes, since she couldn’t see him anyway. His hot breath fanned over her sex right before his hands gripped her inner thighs. She gasped when he forced them wider apart to lower her body, adjusting her—and then she felt the vee of her thighs pressed against his mouth.
Her fingers clawed the grass, her nails digging into the dirt below when he sealed his hot mouth over her clit. His tongue traced over the sensitive bud. He started to suckle, the strong tugs making her cry out in ecstasy.
She’d had guys go down on her before but none of them had ever had her in that position, and they sure hadn’t been aggressive about it. Drantos wasn’t just teasing her with light little licks. He seemed to want to devour her. His strong mouth and tongue conquered her, overtook her ability to think, until all she could feel was raw sexual desire clawing inside her to find release.
He suddenly stopped when she knew she was about to climax. She wanted to protest, to beg him not to stop doing what he was doing to her clit. Her mouth actually parted to say the words…
Then his tongue breached her pussy, entering her fast. He had to have a long, thick tongue for her to feel that wonderful stretching sensation. She threw her head back and cried out his name.
He snarled in response and pulled her even tighter against his face. He’d said he wanted to fuck her with his tongue and that’s exactly what he did. He withdrew and then plunged back inside, over and over. He pressed the tip of his nose against her clit and rubbed it while he moved his head. The up and down motion set a rapid pace that drove Dusti insane. He snarled deeper, causing slight vibrations. His hands kept her hips in place in a near-bruising hold to prevent her from getting away when she started to rock her hips against his driving tongue. It was too much, felt too good; she swore she couldn’t withstand it.
“Drantos,” she pleaded, just wanting to come.
He pressed tighter against her pussy and slid his tongue out of her completely. His mouth latched around her clit again and this time he used his teeth to lightly rasp over her swollen clit that ached to the point of pain. The new sensation sent her over the edge.
The climax tore through Dusti, shocking her with its intensity. She opened her mouth to scream but the power of the climax gripped her too strongly to draw in that much air. She panted and moaned, shivering hard, and nearly collapsed over him when her entire body started to turn lax.
He rolled them both over in a heartbeat. Dusti didn’t even care that she now lay sprawled on her back, the transition a little rough. Her bared ass against the soft grass. She stared up at Drantos when he climbed upward to settle over her body. She watched him tear at the front of his jeans, shoving them down just far enough to free his cock. He looked huge, rock hard, and it was proof of how much he wanted her. She lifted her gaze, wanting to look at his face when he entered her.
His eyes had turned so blue they appeared surreal. They were too bright. It startled and confused her. He breathed heavily, panting, and seemed to sense her distress. He closed his eyes and turned his head slightly. Long seconds passed before he opened them again. They still held some of that neon look but not as much.
“Don’t be afraid of me, sweetheart. I’d never hurt you.”
The gruffness of his voice made her shiver. It wasn’t fear though. She reached up and touched his face. The urge to kiss him was strong but she held still. He lowered over her until she was pinned under him, though he kept most of his weight off her chest so she could breathe fine. She gripped his biceps with her other hand, liking the strength she felt there.
“I’ll be gentle. You’re so fucking tight I’m afraid I’ll injure you if I go too fast.”
He didn’t look away from her when he adjusted his body to free one of his hands then reached between them to guide his cock to her. The rounded, generous-sized crown of his shaft slid into the soft folds at the opening of her pussy. He gently pushed forward when he found the right spot that would welcome him.
Dusti moaned and slid her fingers from his cheek to the back of his neck. She tightened her hold on him, needing to cling to something. The sensation of the thick girth of his rigid cock penetrating her pussy felt amazing and a little scary at the same time. No pain came but she could feel her body struggling to stretch and accommodate his size. He was gentle though and kept his word, going very slowly. She stared into his eyes.
“It’s okay, sweetheart.” His voice deepened. “This is going to feel amazing. Just relax and I’ll ma—”
A roar tore through the woods suddenly.
The terrifying noise wasn’t one Dusti had ever heard before and she couldn’t identify what would have made it. It sounded really close though, judging by how loud it had been.
Drantos snapped his head up to glare into the dense trees near the edge of the clearing. An inhuman snarl tore from his lips when they parted—and then his teeth seemed to lengthen into sharp fangs that dented his bottom lip.
Dusti watched them grow even longer. She stopped breathing, her mind stunned. He lifted off her fast, withdrawing from her body.
She lay there dumbfounded, legs still spread, as he shot to his feet with a speed that astonished her.
“Get up,” he ordered.
Dusti couldn’t respond. She was still in shock as Drantos glanced down at her. Those terrifying fangs were still protruding from his mouth when he bent and wrapped his hands around her upper arms. He just jerked her upward into a standing position. Her knees miraculously locked to hold her weight when he released her.
His eyes were bright blue. They were glowing.
“Run,” he hissed. “Cross the river and just keep moving. I’ll find you.”
She gaped at his face. Those fangs sticking out of his mouth were real and his features had changed just enough to terrify her. His cheekbones looked denser, the shape of his eyes now appearing sunken in a little under a forehead that seemed to have thickened. A fine coat of black hairs darkened his temples, the sides of his face, and his chin.
“Run now!” he snarled, shoving her. “Get across the river. Forget the raft. There’s no time.”
The push broke her from her stupor. She stumbled but made it to the river’s edge. It was a long way across and the current appeared strong. It reminded her that she wasn’t the best swimmer. She hesitated and turned slightly, staring at Drantos. His back was to her as he faced the line of trees. She peered past him when movement caught her attention.
A big creature crept out of the thick forest and paused on all fours.
Dusti whimpered. It was huge and looked like some kind of screwed-up dog. Hell hound, popped into her mind. The fur that covered it wasn’t thick, so she could make out the muscular, meaty arms and legs. It had to weigh hundreds of pounds, far bigger than any normal dog she’d ever seen. Its shape was odd, too, maybe part human and dog. It was the limbs that reminded her of a human but it lifted one front leg and she couldn’t miss the claws protruding from its fingers. They looked razor sharp and inches long.
It growled, raising the hairs along the back of her neck.
Dusti was frozen, horrified. The horrendous-looking dog-beast turned his head a little and pure black eyes met her fearful ones. It looked evil and she had flashes of horror movies running through her mind. It did remind her of a hell beast.
Drantos moved between them, using his body to block her view of the thing right out of a nightmare. She didn’t miss seeing Drantos’s hands spread open at his sides or the long, sharp, pointed claws that somehow had grown from his fingertips.
“Do what I said,” Drantos demanded in a voice way too deep to ever be confused with something human. He didn’t turn to glance at her, instead kept focused on the thing that he faced off against. “Swim for your life. I’ll find you.”
She spun around, finally able to tear her gaze away from the clearing. The briskly moving water ran across a wide stretch of distance, with random logs floating near the center. It moved at a fast enough speed that she paused again.
Fear of drowning was strong but there was a hellish creature behind her.
I’m fucked.
Another ear-piercing roar sounded and a second one answered it. Don’t look, she chanted inside her panicked mind. God, don’t look. I’m going to have to swim. He said swim.
Drantos had ordered her to get to the other side of the river but it just looked too dangerous. She hadn’t even learned how to swim until her eleventh birthday, when her mother had signed her up for an after-school program. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been in a pool. It had to have been at least ten years.
Vicious sounds of a fight began and terror motivated her to rethink her fear of going into the river. Those animalistic snarls and growls were scarier than the possibility of drowning.
Guilt ate at her, too, because she’d accused Drantos of being insane. Multiple times. But that thing she’d seen in front of him wasn’t a typical animal. It was some really fucked-up looking monster.
A horrific pained scream erupted from behind her. It was the final straw. Her terror over what was happening next to the river overrode her fear of drowning. She waded into the icy water.
Her feet instantly sank into muddy earth, slowing her speed, but she trudged forward, motivated to live. Her shoes got stuck but she didn’t have time to bend and try to find them when the mud held them prisoner. She just stepped out of them and kept going.
The current pulled her in deeper once it was at her thighs. She lost her balance and pitched forward, completely going under the freezing water. She desperately kicked her legs, finally remembering she needed to, and used her arms in her fight to reach the surface to draw air into her lungs.
Her head broke the surface and she opened her eyes. The current pushed her along but she caught sight of the trees on the other side to help her know which direction to go. She struggled to swim toward them. The loud river drowned out any more sounds from the fight.
Is Drantos still alive? She didn’t know, and that weighed as heavily on her as her soaking clothing did. She panted, urging herself to keep swimming. Her survival depended on crossing the river. She battled on, ignoring the way her limbs didn’t want to respond as easily as before. The temperature was so cold it was swiftly numbing her body.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, her foot touched something and she realized her toes dug into wet earth. She bounced up, got better footing, kept wading through water until she was able to crawl out. The urge to collapse was strong but she kept going, knowing she needed to get into the thicker trees to get out of sight. One quick turn of her head assured her the current had swept her far enough downstream that she might escape that beast thing if it got past Drantos.
The cover of the woods was welcome when she finally stopped crawling, just collapsing onto her side. She panted, trying to catch her breath. Chills racked her soaked body. Her clothes were stuck to her and icy cold. She listened but only heard the moving river. No more terrifying animal sounds penetrated the woods. Is that good or bad?
Drantos’s face flashed through her mind when she closed her eyes. He’d stood up to that horrible beast instead of running away with her. The sight of those fierce claws shooting out of his fingertips hadn’t been a trick of the light.
He’s really a VampLycan. They exist.
Her grasp on reality might be skewed by fear but she didn’t think so. Everything Drantos had said taunted her. She’d thought he needed medication but she was the one wishing for drugs at that second. It also made sense now why he’d refused to shift forms in front of her, if he looked anything similar to that hellish beast she’d seen. He’d predicted it would terrify her, and he’d been right.
She finally caught her breath and pushed up to her knees, stumbling to her feet. The loss of her shoes became clear immediately as she felt the loose dirt stick to her feet. She’d also forgotten to grab her discarded panties before she’d run. That was the least of her worries. The biggest would be freezing to death or being found by that horrible creature. There were also other predators out in the woods. She wasn’t about to forget their near run-in with a bear.
She hugged her body, shivering. A hiding place would be good but she had no idea where it would be safe.
Dusti glanced up at the sky, dreading the coming night. The bears suddenly seemed tame in comparison to that hell beast she’d seen. It’d had an almost humanoid form except for the hair and wolf like features. It almost made her wish someone had dumped illegal chemicals in the area that had affected the wildlife, turning them into some kind of radiated freaks. She’d read stories of things like that happening. That sure hadn’t been some two-headed turtle though, nor caused by anything so simply explainable. The beast had been huge, a monstrosity.
A VampLycan. Vampires and Werewolves were real.
She stopped and leaned against a tree, breathing deeply, fighting hysteria.
She suddenly wished Drantos were with her. As much as she had hoped to get away from him, wandering around in the woods while wet and terrified was turning out to be so much worse. She was torn on how far to go from the river’s edge, too. How would he be able to find her? It was probably for the best if she stayed in the same area, to help him locate her. She had to have faith that he’d be okay and come looking. The alternatives were too much for her to consider. Drantos couldn’t die.
She bumped into a tree, distracted. A soft curse left her mouth as she paused, taking in her surroundings. The large, intimidating shapes of more trees spread out as far as the eye could see. The ground wasn’t level, plenty of large stones were littered around the area, and a few fallen logs blocked her path.
“I hate the outdoors,” she whispered, coming to the conclusion that she’d likely die on her own. Either the exposure would kill her or the animals would. Her gaze lifted to the tree branches as she wondered how she’d fare if she climbed one to get off the ground. The sun would go down at some point and she needed to make a decision.
She walked to one of the trees and wrapped her fingers around the lowest branch. It was a sad attempt, trying to pull her weight up. She was too exhausted. Frustrated tears blinded her until she blinked them back. Climbing was out of the question. She just didn’t have the strength.
Think, she ordered her mind. She took some deep breaths and slowly stripped with trembling hands. There was no way to dry what she had worn but she squeezed out as much water as possible. It was chilly being naked but worse when she redressed. She hoped the clothes would help her avoid cuts and scratches, at least. Her bare feet would be a problem but it was pointless to grieve the loss of her shoes.
She huddled next to a fallen log, trying to get warm. It was impossible to do but she was low to the ground and partially hidden. Chills shook her so hard that the fish in her belly threatened to come up but she resisted the urge. There was no certainty she’d see another meal. It would also probably draw predators.
“Drantos,” she whispered, wishing once more that he was at her side.
She turned more into the mossy tree. The smell of decaying wood was faint but the log blocked her from the worst of the chilly breeze. She only could hope that Bat fared better with Kraven. One of them needed to survive.
She decided to rest for a little while to regain her strength and then try to climb the tree again. Just a little break and I’ll be able to do it…
* * * * *
Drantos wanted to kick his own ass almost as much as the VampLycan he faced off against. He never should have touched Dusti until they’d reached the safety of the clan but she was just too damn tempting. They might have been across the river already if he hadn’t gotten distracted by his need to claim her body.
He snarled at the idiot who thought he could take her away from him.
“Don’t even think about running after her,” Drantos softly warned. “I’m going to shift and we’ll battle it out—unless you have no honor. Then I’ll just rip through my clothes. You know I’ll catch you if you get a few seconds’ head start, and the woman could get hurt if she gets between us. Decker doesn’t want that, does he?”
The VampLycan crouched, his intent to launch an attack again clear, but he hesitated. The enforcer’s side was already torn up from when he’d tried to dodge around Drantos to go after Dusti once already. It was possible he was buying minutes so he could recover from the wound a little. Either way, it gave Drantos the precious time he needed to strip.
He quickly did it in record time. He could shift in clothes but they would be torn up in the process. The enforcer eyed him, moving a little to the left, tearing his gaze away from Drantos to look toward where Dusti had gone.
Drantos shoved at his already open pants and they fell to his ankles. Good enough. At least the bastard has some regard for fair fighting. Apparently not all of Decker’s enforcers are totally like him.
He’d tried to get Dusti to believe everything he’d told her but to be attacked by a VampLycan enforcer wasn’t how he’d wanted her to realize his world truly existed. He snarled again to draw his enemy’s attention. The male crept forward, trying to skirt around him, clearly his patience at an end.
Drantos attacked, shifting as he slammed into the enforcer.
His claws tore into meaty flesh and the male screamed in agony. Blood sprayed his own body. The fight was on.
The male rolled when he hit the ground hard and tried to slash at Drantos’s throat. He ducked his head and savagely bit into the arm that had swung his way. Bone snapped under his powerful jaws. He was fighting for Dusti. It made him lethal and furious.
She is mine!
The taste of her on his tongue was replaced by rich, fresh blood. He viciously jerked his head, his fangs still embedded in the enforcer’s arm. The male roared in agony. Drantos released him and jumped back. He snarled a warning. Stop or die.
The male stood and his front limb hung uselessly as he backed up. He flashed fangs and snarled his own warning. He wasn’t willing to concede. He was willing to die following Decker’s orders.
The bastard glanced toward the river and quickly tried to take off that way, but with his injured leg, Drantos was on him before he could make it ten feet. He did glance at the water for a precious few seconds himself as his body landed on the enemy’s back. Dusti had gone into the river but she wasn’t within sight. He only prayed she had safely swum to the other side and hadn’t drowned. He’d been too occupied keeping the enforcer from getting past him to watch her progress.
He and his opponent rolled together on the ground. The enforcer roared in rage and twisted, trying to get Drantos onto his back. He made another attempt with his good arm to slash open his neck. Drantos jerked out of the way but it was close. He actually felt claws brush against his skin. He thrust one arm back before stabbing his own claws into the male’s chest.
His opponent’s eyes widened in disbelief as he realized it was a killing blow.
Drantos felt no sympathy. Any enforcer of Decker’s who would attack other VampLycans to steal a woman deserved death—especially one who had come to kidnap Dusti and Bat.
They knew why their clan leader wanted the women, and the outcome if Aveoth accepted a trade. They’d be helping the war begin. It would mean families fighting members from different clans. Cousins killing cousins. Brothers battling each other, in some cases, if they’d mated women from other clans and joined them to keep her with her family. Decker would probably have killed any of his enforcers who refused his orders but death would be preferable than starting a civil war.
This man under him bought into his clan leader’s craziness.
The male screamed when Drantos dug his claws in deeper, piercing his heart. It was a sickening feeling, finding the beating source of the male under him and tearing into it. He watched the enforcer’s eyes as death took him. It was fast in reality but time seemed to stand still until the tense body under his grew limp. The male exhaled his last breath and his head slightly turned. Sightless eyes peered up at the darkening sky.
Drantos yanked his claws out and slowly pushed himself off the male. Then he turned his head, frantically searching for Dusti in the water. The river turned out of sight a few hundred yards up. She wasn’t anywhere to be seen. He sniffed the wind but could only pick up the scent of blood from the enforcer he’d just killed. He studied the surrounding area and crept toward the woods. There could be more of them out there, and he’d kill them all to prevent them from following Dusti.
It alarmed him that Kraven hadn’t arrived on the scene. It was possible his brother had already crossed the river with Bat. The wide flow of water might muffle sounds of the attack from the other side.
The other alternative could be that they’d taken his brother by surprise.
Rage surfaced fast but then he calmed. Decker’s enforcer wouldn’t have attacked him if they already had what they wanted. Kraven also wasn’t one to allow anyone to sneak up on him. He was an excellent fighter.
He scanned the area again, still wondering if more enforcers would arrive. Long seconds passed. No one else came at him.
Drantos entered the woods to peer around but didn’t find any immediate threat. He returned to the clearing and stared down at the dead enforcer. He couldn’t leave him there. A hunter could come across the body. Not too many humans lived in the area but there were a few. It was also too close to the river. Some humans traveled along it. They might spot the downed man. It left him feeling torn between desire and duty. He wanted to go after Dusti but law demanded he take care of the evidence. Humans couldn’t learn of their existence.
He used his claws, digging into the earth. He’d bury Decker’s enforcer and send others back later to return the fallen man to his surviving family members. It was the best he could do. Even an enemy deserved a decent burial given by his loved ones, even if he had made a bad decision that had gotten him killed. He was part of the clans.
It took Drantos time but he finally shoved the male inside the shallow grave, covered him up with dirt and heavy rocks so wildlife wouldn’t dig him up to eat.
He walked into the river and submerged his entire body, scrubbing the blood and dirt from his skin. He returned to the embankment and retrieved his clothing. That’s when he realized his jacket had been destroyed. Claws had torn through the material during the fight. And another problem became known—Dusti’s shots hadn’t survived. They had probably rolled over them in battle, breaking the thin syringes. The liquid from them had seeped into the material of his jacket and the ground under it.
“Fuck.” He blew out a frustrated breath. He’d find her and make sure she was okay, then worry about the rest later.
He bundled his remaining clothing and boots, hooking them onto the highest point of a branch on his makeshift raft. He’d hopefully at least keep his things dry by pushing the damn thing across the river. He just wished Dusti were on it, too, warm, dry, and safe.
A snarl built up inside his throat. He needed to find her, and was outraged that she wasn’t at his side where she belonged. He’d kill Decker Filmore with his bare hands if Dusti died because that jackass wanted to use his own flesh and blood to start a war.