Drantos (VLG Series Book 1) (5 page)

“I don’t take meds.”

“Of course you didn’t. That’s why you’re like this.”

He grew angry. “Shut it now. I’m not crazy.”

He wasn’t about to listen to reason. That was apparent. She decided to play along with his delusions. It was possible to reach him if he had any compassion. “Fine. All I’m asking is that you don’t take it out on us if he doesn’t do whatever you want. I’m serious about how he never lifted a finger to help us. I think he tolerates Bat, so he may give you money for her, or whatever you demand, but don’t hold your breath when it comes to me. He flat-out didn’t even want me to come to Alaska and was kind of a prick when Bat mentioned bringing me. He told her no, but she never listens to anyone.

“I came because I just wanted to spend time with her and—bonus—he’s dying. I really hated him as a kid. He treated me like I didn’t exist when he came to our house. Do you know what that does to a little girl? He made me cry at first, wondering what I’d done to make my own grandfather hate me. I finally came to the realization that he was just an asshole.”

“I’m not going to ransom you. Is your illness real? Did you need that shot your sister gave you?”

She bit back a curse. He was really into his delusions. “Of course. Like any sane person would want to be jabbed with needles. I’m not a drug addict. I don’t get high. I really needed it. It’s for my anemia. I have a rare form of it. Iron pills don’t work.”

Drantos looked down at her, his gorgeous eyes seeming to study her again. “You’re flawed. Decker would consider that an embarrassment to his bloodline. I assume your sister doesn’t have to take any form of medications?”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so, if Decker wants her to come to him.”

“Okay,” she said slowly. “Whatever that means.”

“It’s all about the bloodlines sometimes.” A thoughtful expression gripped his handsome features. “I believe I’m starting to figure out why he sent for your sister.”

“Again with the whatever that means.”

“There would have been a larger chance of birthing a weak-blooded child when your mother bred with your father. You’re flawed, as far as Decker is concerned, but your sister is still useful to him. You’re dependent on those shots. I take it that you’ve had this condition most, if not all of your life?”

“I was diagnosed as an infant. It’s severe anemia, not a
flaw
or an illness. My body just doesn’t produce enough iron and I have to take supplements. We have that in common. Where are your pills? You need them just like I need my shots.”

“With our people, any type of need for medicine makes you flawed. It means you’re weak. And you smell totally human.”

He completely ignored her question about his pills. It irritated her. “What planet are you from? Mars? Saturn? I’m thinking Uranus.”

He caressed her cheek. “Very funny.” He didn’t look amused. “Don’t scream or be afraid. I need to know how human you truly are.”

That so doesn’t sound good for me
, she thought, her body stiffening. She wanted to fight, to push him away, but instead held very still when he tilted his head to lower his face into the crook of her neck. A shiver ran down her spine and goose bumps broke out down her arms when his hot breath fanned her sensitive skin.

She had no idea what he would do but fighting him would be as effective as trying to attack a tree. The blows would only hurt her hands, and she knew she couldn’t move the heavy guy away from her.

Something warm and slightly wet dragged along the top of her shoulder. She gasped when pain jolted that area for a second before his warm tongue flicked where the pain had emanated from. Her eyes widened and her hands gripped his shirt. She pushed at him when she realized he had licked her.

A deep growl sent her heart into overdrive but he didn’t budge an inch. His tongue left her skin but his hot breath against her neck remained. The sound he’d made reminded her of a vicious dog. It scared her.

He stayed in that position, breathing on her neck, and kept her pinned against the tree. She stopped pushing when it was clear it didn’t work.

“Not
all
human,” he rasped. “I can faintly taste it on you, but it’s very weak.” He suddenly chuckled. “You’re not ill. You’re just starving for what you really need. Marvilella’s bloodline is stronger in you than Decker’s is. Your father’s blood is also strong, and masks it.”

The guy is flat-out bonkers
, she realized, deciding he must be
just
like Greg. He probably saw aliens everywhere, certain they were spying on Earthlings so they could attack one day.

The smile that curved his mouth shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did when he lifted his head.

“Your grandfather doesn’t realize what you are. You smell completely human and he took that at face value.”

“Okay.” Dusti cleared her throat. “Can we go back to the fire now? I’m cold.”

“You don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?”

“Not a word.”

“Do you know who Marvilella was?”

“No.”

He shook his head and his hand returned to cup her cheek. The pad of his thumb stroked her skin lightly. “She was your grandmother.”

“My mom said her mother died when she was a teenager but it was too painful to talk about. They were really close. That was her name?” Dusti wasn’t sure if she could believe a word out of his mouth. His mind obviously wasn’t all there but he did seem to know more about her grandfather than she did. It was possible he knew about his wife. “What kind of weird name is that? It sounds European.”

“She came from my clan and married your grandfather to bring peace between us.”

Dusti let that statement settle into her brain.
Nope, he’s totally unreasonable and gone,
she concluded. Nothing he said made sense and it sounded as though he’d watched way too many movies. “Just stop. Let me go.”

“You need to understand what you’ve been brought into. Decker Filmore is dangerous to you and your sister. You said yourself your mother warned you, that she disliked him. Bat said she died. Is that true?”

“Yes.” She pushed at his chest again but he didn’t budge. “Nobody would lie about a horrible thing like losing both of their parents.”

“Decker didn’t molest your mother. He killed your grandmother so she wouldn’t stand in his way anymore. That’s when your mother fled. We assumed she figured out it was no accidental death. He wanted to use his daughter to bargain with Aveoth. To Antina, death would have been preferable. Trust me. Now I understand why he’d want your sister to come to him. It’s the only way he could force Aveoth to break our alliance. Bat is his bargaining chip to start a war.”

“I’m glad one of us understands what you’re saying. Did you know my mother? You seem to have.”

“I know more about your family than you seem to. Aveoth’s lover died a week ago. He’ll be looking for another to replace her…and he wouldn’t be able to resist your sister if she were offered to him.”

“Offered to him? Who the hell is Aveoth? Some alien warlord in your head?”

“Stop with the aliens. I’m not insane. Aveoth is a powerful clan leader. He will be looking for a new lover and Decker will give your sister to him.”

“Whatever.” She was getting a headache trying to make sense of his ranting. “You’re making my grandfather sound like some pimp, as if my sister is a hooker. She’s not.”

“I’m telling you the truth.”

“Oh hell,” Dusti sighed. “I’m not even going to try to follow what you’re saying. There’s medication out there that will help you. You really need to see your doctor. I believe Decker Filmore is a rich ol’ perv, but you’re saying he wants to turn Bat into some kind of hooker? No way.”

“Your mother should have told you the truth.”

“About what? That there are crazy people who live in their own made-up worlds? She covered that when I started noticing boys and she taught me about stranger danger.”

He hesitated. “Now isn’t the time to go into all of this. We’re going to talk later, when we’re somewhere more private.”

She wasn’t about to point out that he’d dragged her out of the clearing so no one could see them. She just wanted to get away from him. “Great. Let me go.”

He took a deep breath. “Your mother wasn’t human.”

“Really?” Dusti relaxed, the bark of the tree lightly digging into her back when she leaned away from the man pinning her to it. “She was an alien?”

He smirked and his eyes seemed to crinkle at the corners. “We’re from the same planet, just different worlds.”

“Ah. That makes total sense.” Dusti rolled her eyes, not caring if he saw her reaction. “So we’re talking different dimensions? Okay. Why don’t you let me go and return to yours then? Have a safe trip. Do you click your boot heels together to get there?”

The amusement left his strangely intriguing gaze. “There’s the world that humans live in and the part of it that they never see.”

“Ghosts then?” She couldn’t resist. Her hands brushed the front of his shirt, feeling the warmth that seemed to radiate from him even through the thin cotton material. “You feel solid enough to me.”

A soft growl came from deep within his throat. It disturbed Dusti, frightened her. She pressed tighter against the tree and jerked her hands away from his chest. Something in his dark gaze flashed, seeming to glow for a split second, before he leaned in closer until their noses touched.

“We’ll discuss this later.” He backed off, released her, and took a few steps away. “Return to camp.”

Drantos watched Dusti stumble away, nearly running back to the blanket. The taste of her blood remained on his tongue. He’d only taken a few drops, but it was enough.

She didn’t know what she was. It stunned and pissed him off at the same time. He thought she might have been lying at first but her responses were proof enough. She thought he was crazy and didn’t believe anything he’d said.

Uranus
. He snorted and turned, quickly moving into the woods. The sister was easy to find. She softly cursed, almost walking into a tree. Her night vision seemed nonexistent.

He approached her, making sounds so she wouldn’t be alarmed. She froze, eyes widening.

“It’s Drantos,” he called out.

She turned in his direction. “I went too far. I can’t find the camp.”

That made his anger deepen. It was obvious
she
didn’t know what she was, either, and her senses were those of a human. She was only about fifty yards from temporary camp but the thick vegetation blocked the fire from her view. She still should have been able to smell burning wood and hear the soft voices of the survivors.

He reached out and curved his fingers around her upper arm. “I’ll lead you back.”

“Thanks.”

“I take it you can’t see anything?”

“No. I hope I didn’t pee in poison ivy.”

“There isn’t any in this area.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.” She gripped his arm as they walked. “Thank you for looking after my sister.”

He escorted Bat past the edge of the trees to the clearing. “Could you help me calm some of the passengers? They’re still pretty upset.” He wanted to keep her away from Dusti. “I think you’d do a better job of it than I would. My size seems to scare a few of them.”

“Sure.” She turned her head, staring at her sister. “I should check on her first.”

“She’s fine. I just left her to look for you. She was worried.”

Bat walked away from him and toward an elderly couple. He stood there watching her, to ensure she kept far from Dusti. He needed to think.

Decker Filmore had been denied using his own daughter to bargain with Aveoth when she’d fled, but now he must be planning on doing the same thing with her daughters.
Daughter
, he corrected.
Decker believes he can only use Bat.
He mistook Dusti’s scent to mean she didn’t inherit any of her mother’s traits.

Aveoth would never want to take Dusti as his lover with her being so human. She’d be considered too frail. She’d age faster too, if the harsh life of living with the GarLycan didn’t kill her outright. He’d want Bat instead. She’d be considered more worthy because at least there were hints of some of her mother’s heritage, implying she would be tougher.

The smell of a fresh kill teased his nose and so did the familiar scent of Kraven. He backed into the darkness and located his brother quickly. Kraven dumped the deer on the ground and bent, wiping his hands on the grass to clean them of blood.

He heard Drantos approach. “That was easier than I’d thought.”

“I know why Decker sent for the women.”

“I’ve been thinking about it too. Aveoth lost his lover. They’re Marvilella’s granddaughters. Her sister was once promised to Aveoth, so he’ll be interested in her kin.”

“We’re both in agreement then.”

“Yeah. Decker wants to break the alliance we have with Aveoth. That is, if the rumors are true that Aveoth is addicted to that family’s blood. Maybe it’s just a bullshit tale.”

“I don’t want to bet on it. Do you?” Drantos softly growled, annoyed.