Drantos (VLG Series Book 1) (39 page)

“I’m just lonely. Last winter was the worst. I thought I was going crazy after two months of being snowed in. I envy the ones with mates and kids. It didn’t bother me so much before but I’m getting older.”

“I understand.”

“I know you do.”

“Just don’t do anything without putting a lot of thought into it. That’s all I ask. We live a long damn time and regrets stay with us. I’d hate for yours to be to find your mate and have to soothe her pain. Ask my father about that sometime.”

Red nodded. “I remember.”

Movement to the right caught his eye. “Break time is over. You go south. I’ll take north.”

Red inclined his head and they parted to cover more ground. Drantos hoped there weren’t any problems. He just wanted to get home to Dusti. He found the animal that had drifted into his zone. It was harmless.

Chapter Nineteen

Dusti staggered into the bathroom and debated on running a bath. She changed her mind when she had to lean against the wall to stay upright. She carefully made her way through the house into the kitchen, deciding food was in order. She hadn’t meant to drink so much but Crayla’s meeting had encouraged her to have a few too many.

The front door opened and she clenched her teeth. “Oh, you’re back. Fantastic.” She turned.

It wasn’t her new mother-in-law who entered the house. It was Yonda. The woman hesitated inside the open door and stared at her.

“You’re not family so you have no right to walk into this house.”

Yonda scowled. “I’m not in it. I’m standing in the doorway.”

“I’m learning about your tactics.” Dusti pointed at her. “You don’t like me. Get out.”

“I came to ask you to do the right thing by Drantos. I’m not his mate but you shouldn’t be either. He deserves a strong VampLycan woman.”

“I get it. You hate me and don’t think I’m good enough for him. I heard you the first time.
Get out.
You’re not welcome here.” Dusti waved her hand dismissively. “Bye.”

Yonda didn’t budge. “I don’t hate you. It’s true that I don’t think you’re blooded enough to be a good mate to Drantos.”

“We’re already mated so you’re too late.”

The other woman paled.

“True mates. I can read his thoughts and he can pick up mine too. It’s a done deal. Now get
out
. I’ve had a hellish evening already with his mother pointing out all my flaws. She said I need to get pregnant. Like that’s my only redeeming quality. Do you know how insulting that is?”

“I do.”

Dusti was Surprised Yonda agreed.

“It’s never easy coming into a new clan. Crayla has always been very protective of her sons. She threatened to rip out the throat of any VampLycan woman who got pregnant by either them. She worried someone might try to trap them into settling to take a mate if that happened. At least she’ll welcome a baby from you. It means she’s accepted your mating.”

“That’s gruesome. What is it with you people and throats?”

“It’s an effective way to kill.” Yonda took a step inside the house. “I didn’t know you’d already sealed the bond when I came here to speak to you. I take my words back. You’d hurt Drantos more if you left him. As you said, it’s a done deal. You must make the best of it.”

“I’m trying.”

“It will take time but everyone will accept you if you try to fit in and don’t make Drantos tone down who he is to please you.”

“Tone him down?”

“Make him act human. He’s not. You probably have a set idea of how a man should present himself. He’s an enforcer of one of the strongest and most feared VampLycan clans. We hold that position because Velder and his sons are tough on lawbreakers. You might be squeamish over him doing his duties.”

“I watched a guy get his head ripped off by Aveoth. I didn’t puke or faint. I’m pretty proud of that.”

“You met Lord Aveoth?”

“In the graying flesh.”

Yonda’s features became animated. “Tell me everything! Is he as handsome as they say? As fierce? He’s never visited the clan when I was around. We’re not allowed to trespass on GarLycan territory.”

“He’s very attractive but scary as hell. Big.” Dusti noticed that her visitor was a few more feet inside the door. “Are we pals now or something?”

“My protests about you becoming Drantos’s mate weren’t personal.”

“You’ve slept with him, Yonda. We are
not
friends.”

“I’ve slept with a lot of men. I’m a VampLycan.”

Dusti frowned.

“I go into heat every summer. You probably don’t suffer from that, being so human, but it’s hell. You wouldn’t understand how strong the urge to be fucked becomes but we always find someone to spend our heat with. Even when I’m not suffering from it, I love sex. We all expect to meet our mate one day and then be locked into one partner for life. It’s acceptable in our culture to have many lovers when we’re young and single. It’s healthy and normal. Drantos was one of the better ones I’ve known but I wasn’t jealous over you. I was angry because he’s going to lead the clan I live in one day and I didn’t see that turning out well if he took you as a mate. You can’t shift, and I don’t pick up any VampLycan from you. None. You aren’t even vicious, or you would have gone for my throat already.” Her gaze darted around the room. “I spot at least six weapons you could use to come at me but you haven’t moved for any of them.”

“You can shift. I’m not an idiot.” She glanced at the counter. “This block of knives wouldn’t even save me if you wanted to kill me.” She looked back at Yonda. It surprised her that the other woman smiled.

“You could at least try. Drantos would slaughter me if I laid a finger on you. I’m not suicidal. At least bluff, Dustin.”

“It’s Dusti.”

“Isn’t that a boy’s name?”

“My full name is Dustina but everyone shortens it. It’s with an I.”

Yonda groaned. “A human with an I at the end of her name. How cliché. I’m trying to like you but you’re making it difficult.”

“You’re another VampLycan woman with an A at the end of
her
name. Crayla. Peva. My mom was Antina. She named her daughters Batina and Dustina. Is that like a requirement here or something? I think I’ll stick with being called Dusti with an I.”

Yonda chuckled. “A lot of our names do end with A’s. It’s tradition in some families to have that in the name of at least one daughter. It’s considered good luck. Tell me about Lord Aveoth. I’ve always wanted to meet him. Does he look like he’d be fantastic in bed? He needs a lover. I’m not sure how I’d do living at the cliffs but he might be worth it.” She sobered. “Especially if this clan’s future is resting on Drantos making you fierce. I’m not holding much hope of that happening.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a bitch?”

“All the time. Is that insulting in your world? Call me human.” Yonda flashed a grin. “
That
would sting. Now tell me about Aveoth. I’m serious! I’ve never gone to bed with a GarLycan and the ones sent here with messages are in and out before we can flirt with them. They are all business. You could get rid of me if I volunteered to go live with their clan. Tell me about him.”

“He’s about six feet four, massive chest and arms, classically handsome but with a touch of seriously scary too. He looks really dangerous. I didn’t see any wings but he dressed in a lot of leather and his voice reminded me of thunder when he got angry. His eyes and skin color changed right in front of me. It was eerie. He beheaded someone superfast and didn’t seem bothered by it at all. His tone didn’t even really change. You’d think he’d just swatted a fly.”

Yonda licked her lips. “Did he seem really cold and distant?”

Dusti shrugged. “I guess.”

“I’m going to request an audience with him. That’s incredibly arousing.”

“Did you hear what I said?”

“Of course I did. You made him sound like a wet dream.”

“I think I need another drink.” Dusti shook her head. “You people are too weird.”

“Why do you think that way?”

“I couldn’t wait to get away from him but you want to go meet him? I thought you said you weren’t suicidal?”

Yonda advanced into the kitchen and snatched away the bottle Dusti had grabbed. “I think you’ve had enough. You’re slurring your words. You don’t want your mate to come home from patrol to find you passed out on the floor. It will be just one more reminder of how weak you are. You can’t even hold your liquor well.”

Dusti looked up at the other woman. “I really don’t like you. You’re so rude.”

“We’re honest. Lies are a waste of time. You are Drantos’s mate so that means I have to accept you. Feign violence if you are ever insulted. No one would actually strike you since it would be a death sentence if they hurt Drantos’s mate in any way. You’ll at least appear stronger than you really are and earn their respect for courage. Stay away from the booze too.” Her gaze lowered to Dusti’s stomach. “I can see why Crayla advised you to get pregnant. You might want to consider getting in that mindset so your ovaries start producing viable eggs. Everyone loves a new baby and it will distract them from your flaws.”

Dusti blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “I seriously hate you.”

Yonda leaned forward a little. “That’s better. Honesty. You’re sounding more like a VampLycan. Keep it up.” She turned and walked out of the house, closing the door behind her. The bottle went with her.

Dusti sighed and decided to take that bath after all. It would be hours before Drantos returned. Her talk with Yonda had sobered her up enough that she felt certain she wouldn’t fall asleep. She had too much on her mind.

Drantos spotted Yonda coming and made his presence known by walking up behind her. She didn’t sense him until he was a few feet away. She turned. He stopped.

“What are you doing out here?”

“I came looking for you.”

He tensed. “Why? Did you want to insult my mate again? I thought we were friends. How could you pull that shit, especially in front of my father?”

“I was taken aback. I didn’t expect you to go on a mission and return with a human who smelled like you’d just climbed out of bed with her. We don’t mess with humans. I was reasonably concerned when you made it clear you planned to mate her.”

“She believed it was an act of a woman who had a claim to me. I had a hell of a time explaining we have no emotional ties.”

“It’s not my fault humans date and try to form bonds with whoever they have sex with.”

“Did you come to apologize?”

“Yes.”

“I appreciate that. Don’t cause me more problems, Yonda. Avoid Dusti if you can’t be nice.”

“I just left your home.”

Rage exploded inside him. He lunged and grabbed her by her throat before he could get a handle on it. He didn’t squeeze but he let his anger be known as he snarled, glaring at her. “Did you hurt her?”

“No.” She reached up and held her open hands near his nose. “I didn’t touch her. Smell.”

He inhaled and released her, stepping back. “Stay away from her. Did you tell her to leave? Insult her?”

“I went there to explain what you needed in a mate because I consider myself your friend but you’re already linked to her. I’d be more concerned with what your
mother
said to her than any advice I gave.”

“What in the hell does that mean?”

Yonda grinned.

“Don’t play games.”

“What is the only way a weak mate could be useful?”

“Shit. She told her to have a baby right away?”

“Your little human’ish hit the bottle. I took it away from her. She can’t hold her liquor either, Drantos. I admit I made her angry just to see how she’d react. She has potential.”

He growled.

“I expected her to flee into your bedroom to lock the door but she held her ground. I like her but she needs some work. You’re probably telling her not to worry about anything and how you’ll deal with any problems that arise. It’s the wrong approach. She needs to earn the clan’s respect by
her
actions, not yours.”

“No one would dare hurt her.”

“You’re right. You’d kill them. That doesn’t mean you can force them to like her or be happy she belongs to you. It will cause resentment.”

“Why do you care?”

“We grew up together, Drantos. You mated a weakling. You’d look out for
me
if I found myself in this position by offering to teach him how to fight and toughen him up. You have a good heart. So do I. She doesn’t have the potential to effectively kill but we can work around that. Lying to another human to avoid future trouble for our clan showed them she had at least one purpose, but it’s not as if we come across too many of them that can’t be memory wiped. She didn’t seem thrilled with birthing babies to prove her worth to the clan. I don’t blame her. Talk her into working with some of the women. We’ll teach her our ways and how to work around her lack of physical strength.”

Drantos debated it.

“Some of us want to help you. I do.” She cocked her head. “You might be Crayla’s son but she’s a terror to most of us. Don’t depend on her to be softer on your mate than the rest of us once the shock wears off that you’ve brought your Dusti home. It’s her duty to see to the harmony of the entire clan. She can’t afford to play favorites. You know it’s true.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Do that.” Yonda suddenly grinned. “You can thank me by asking your father to request an audience with Lord Aveoth. I’d like to meet him.”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“He lost his lover.” She ran her hands down her body. “I have a lot to offer him if he’s as sexy as your mate said.”

Jealousy rose. “She—”

“Fears him. Relax. She isn’t attracted to him. The opposite. I figure if he can instill that kind of reaction in her that he’s pretty impressive.” Yonda peered at something behind him. “I’ll leave you now. I’m willing to help if you decide you need it.”