Lorn Read online

  Abomination.

  He’d known it meant something bad but she hadn’t seemed dangerous to Lorn. Her light brown hair had fallen in a messy tangle down her back and big blue eyes had given her a fragile look, with her diminutive bone structure and size. He’d been surprised she wasn’t younger, since VampLycans tended to grow fast. A four-year-old from his clan would have been thirty pounds heavier and at least half a foot taller before reaching that age.

  His mother had left him in the care of Brista. Seven other children were there that day and six of them had surrounded the mostly human child. Nabby was much older but he’d gotten into trouble, his punishment to be babysat at the age of twelve by the village caregiver. It was a form of humiliation. Lorn always avoided the bully but it angered him to see the jerk shove Kira. She was a fourth of Nabby’s size, with no chance of fighting back.

  She didn’t cry out when she slammed into the ground but instead climbed back to her feet. Her tiny hands had brushed off the dirt from her jeans and shirt, then cleared the hair that had blocked her view of the one tormenting her. Her chin jutted out as she glared at him.

  “I’ll get back up,” she promised. “You’re not allowed to make me bleed or hurt me real bad.”

  The girl had courage, and a warm admiration sparked inside Lorn.

  Nabby growled a threat as he opened his hands, partially shifting forms. It was apparent he didn’t plan to play by the rules.

  Lorn had reacted, prepared to go to her defense if need be. He wasn’t really a match for the older boy yet but he refused to watch claws tear into her. She didn’t have any of her own.

  Brista suddenly arrived and frowned. “Nabby, leave it alone. It’s no fun to toy with useless things.”

  The children laughed cruelly as they slowly turned away from Kira to find other things to amuse them. Lorn watched tears fill her pretty blue eyes before she tucked her chin to her chest, frail shoulders crumpling. She shot a pained look at the caregiver.

  “Don’t,” Brista hissed. “You’re not one of mine and you never will be. I only allow you here because I can’t refuse your father. Someone needs to make sure you aren’t eaten while he works. Go away and hide if you want to cry. It’s revolting.”

  It made Lorn mad. Brista was a caregiver to all the children in the clan. It was her duty to protect and love them as if they were birthed from her own body. She never would have spoken to any other kid that way, or not defended them both emotionally and physically against all harm.

  “She’s Davis’s young.”

  Brista had spun, seemingly surprised to find him there. “Lorn.” Her voice softened to take on a sweet tone. “You move so quietly. That’s a good skill. Go play, honey. Your mom will return soon. Are you hungry?”

  She didn’t ask Kira if she wanted food. “You’re being mean to her.” Even at six, he could understand that.

  “She doesn’t matter.” The older woman smiled. “We abide her but she’s not clan.”

  “She’s Davis’s young,” he repeated. That made the girl part of their community.

  “She’s the sad result of a horrible mistake Davis made, when he left us for a while to do business with the outside world for our glorious clan leader.”

  Movement behind Brista drew his focus. Kira ran into the woods but he heard her ragged breathing. He didn’t think, just dashed after her. He no longer liked Brista.

  It was easy to find the tiny girl. She was huddled behind a large tree, curled into a ball and crying into her hands in a way that muffled the sounds.

  “Hi.” He spoke to let her know he was there.

  She jerked but refused to look up. The soft sobs ceased though. She huddled more, turning against the tree almost as if she expected him to harm her somehow. A suspicion took root as he crouched down, visually studying her arms and ankles that weren’t covered with material. He spotted part of a dark bruise on her left leg, mostly concealed.

  “Who did that to you?” She flinched when his finger gently touched the spot. He knew though. The other kids must have pushed her before, since it wasn’t a new injury.

  “Please,” she whispered, finally lifting her head to peer at him. “Don’t punch me.”

  His entire body seemed to heat, as if he was running a fever, and he identified the reason. He wanted to go beat on the ones who’d abused her—he was furious.

  The girl was kind of cute, like the baby rabbits he played with despite being told they were food sources. He’d secretly rescued more than a few dozen of them by relocating them near the river when their parents had ended up as someone’s dinner.

  Kira needed protecting too.

  “Brista didn’t stop them from hitting you?”

  She shook her head. “No blood spilled,” she whispered. “That’s all she’ll protect me from.”

  It infuriated Lorn. “I would never hit you,” he swore. “Are they always mean?”

  Some of the fear eased out of her gaze. “Yes. My dad has to leave me here because he says I’m too young to stay alone in our home. He needs to drive into the human town a few times a week to run errands. I’m not allowed to go with him so he has to leave me here. I wish I never had to go outside.”

  The other kids had terrorized her to the point of wanting to constantly hide. It wasn’t right, and his ears burned from the heat inside his body. His throat tingled a bit and his chest vibrated, a snarl wanting to rise. He didn’t allow it out though, already good at controlling his instincts.

  “Do you want to play? I know where nobody can find us.”

  Suspicion was easy to read on her features.

  He held out a hand. “This isn’t a trick. I promise I’ll never do anything bad to you.”

  She bit her lower lip and he could tell she was tempted.

  “We’ll have fun, and I won’t allow the other kids anywhere near you. You have my word as an enforcer in training.”

  She still hesitated.

  “My father is Ladius. He’s Decker’s advisor, and I’m going to grow up to be the lead enforcer of this clan. You can trust me.”

  “Decker hates me.”

  “I don’t. It doesn’t matter. I’ll be your friend.”

  Her fingers were cooler to the touch than those of other children when they hesitantly curved around his offered hand. He pulled her to her feet and released her. “Follow me. Do you like baby bunnies? I know where some are that you can help me feed. Don’t tell anyone though. My parents would be mad that I didn’t kill them. It’ll be our secret.”

  The smile on her face was a ray of sunshine to Lorn. It transformed her delicate features into something bright, happy, and beautiful. His heart even stuttered a little as he’d gaped at the sight.

  “You can trust me too,” she promised.

  A moan of agony from Kira tore Lorn from memories of the past and back into the present. She’d become his to protect that day, and he’d never stopped. He kept the other kids from hurting her by asking his mother to take him to Brista’s every day Kira would be there, under the disguise of wanting to play with other clan kids. They’d quickly learned he’d retaliate in brutal ways if they targeted her. A few had put him to the test, and while he’d been younger than Nabby and Yenis, Lorn was meaner.

  Then she’d started to grow into a woman. He hadn’t noticed until that fateful day at the river when she’d nearly drowned. He’d sworn to protect her against all harm, even when the greatest threat had become himself. He’d wanted Kira in ways suddenly that were anything but friendly. It wasn’t easy to keep his distance, but he was older and wiser at that point. Decker hated having a mostly human woman in their village, even encouraged the others to be malicious to Kira. For Lorn to show interest in her in a serious way would have been a death sentence for her.

  He’d made sure everyone knew she was still under his protection and he’d watched her from afar. Always.

  Now he held her inside their childhood den, knowing the clan would demand her destruction. Decker and the first-generation Va
mpLycans had no tolerance for such matters. Vampires were the enemy and they must die if they come into VampLycan territory.

  His hands rubbed her back as he cradled her closer, whispering soothing sounds to assure her she wasn’t alone while she suffered the pain her condition would cause.

  He’d seen it happen once in his lifetime. Poor Zulu hadn’t been blessed with strong Lycan genes at birth. All VampLycans suffered the most changes during puberty. Their voices deepened, their aggression levels ran off the chart, and all kinds of urges surfaced, from desiring sex to the need to hunt down prey.

  Lorn would never forget the first time he’d completely transformed from his human form into the beast. It had hurt like a son of a bitch as bones popped while his shape changed into something that was more terrifying than a typical Lycan. The Vampire half of him gave him a more muscled body than the sleek one a wolf. He’d kept some of the human traits, like thick limbs and five-fingered hands and toes with razor-sharp claws.

  When Zulu hit puberty, the Vampire bloodlines had taken hold instead. He had hit the ground in agony but bones hadn’t popped as they shifted. He’d turned into something else entirely.

  The teenager had lost his ability to withstand the sunlight, burning when it brushed his skin. He lusted mostly for blood instead of sex. Food wouldn’t remain in his stomach unless he took it from the vein. He was the rarity that all parents in Decker’s clan feared most. His Vampire side had dominated his Lycan half.

  There were whispers that other clans didn’t kill children who were more Vampire, but no confirmations. It didn’t matter in the end. Decker was their leader and his judgment was final. He’d ordered Zulu dragged from his parents’ home during the day and staked to the ground under the midday sun. His parents had fought to defend him, losing their own lives in the process.

  No Vampires would be tolerated living amongst their clan. Ever. Lorn hadn’t witnessed Zulu’s death in person but he’d heard every horrible detail.

  Hot tears slid down the sides of Lorn’s face. Kira was changing but she wouldn’t be sporting a tail when it ended. She’d have fangs and burn in the sun. Food would no longer be tolerated in her stomach, instead she’d need blood.

  Kira whimpered, clutching at him.

  “I’m so damn sorry, baby,” he rasped.

  Chapter Four

  “Lorn? Hand her up,” Lavos demanded. “We need to get her back to the village. Our doctor—”

  “Go away,” Lorn snarled, hating this additional stress on top of his worst living nightmare.

  His brother blew out a frustrated breath. “I’m coming down.”

  “Don’t!” He’d attack his brother to protect Kira if he came any closer.

  “What the hell? Is she okay?” He was silent for a moment. “Shit. You’re thinking about giving her blood, aren’t you? Is she dying?” Lavos craned his head around, sniffing loudly as he peered behind him. “No one is close yet. Damn it. Do it fast. I won’t tell. I know you can’t let her die.” He looked back down, eyes narrowing as he sought out Lorn’s face. “We’ll say she can’t be moved and hide her in there until the scent of you fades. How long do you think she’ll carry it if you have to give her a lot of blood? Hours? Days? Fuck!”

  Lorn tried to clear his thoughts to be rational again but it was near impossible. As soon as the clan realized what had happened, they’d stake Kira to the ground and let her burn. It was Decker’s law. The only way to prevent it would be to get her the hell out of there before anyone found out what happened. She needed to be far from their village but she couldn’t travel in her condition.

  Could he trust Lavos? They were close, but what he needed him to do would strain any bond. Not only would he be asking his brother to break the law, but putting him at risk of severe punishment if anyone discovered he’d helped Lorn.

  “Lorn? You’re scaring me, bro. Talk to me.” Lavos’s voice lowered. “I know what she means to you. Tell me what you need, damn it.”

  Lorn couldn’t do it alone. And it was obvious Lavos refused to leave. He cleared his throat to be rid of the knot of pain clustered there. “Swear on our blood bond as brothers that you won’t kill her.”

  “Why the hell would I want—” Lavos’s voice broke. His eyes widened in shock and then he paled. “Oh fuck. He didn’t just bite her, did he?”

  “No,” Lorn rasped. “He bled.”

  Lavos dropped his head and took a ragged breath. “She’s half VampLycan. She’ll fight it off and not turn…”

  It hurt him to voice the truth. “She was too human to be protected.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Lorn cleared his throat again, choked with emotion. “Yes.”

  “I’m so damn sorry.”

  A decision was made. It was that simple for Lorn. “I won’t allow the clan to kill her. Help me get her out of here and I’ll lock us inside my den. I need you to follow and clear any signs of my trail to make sure they won’t be able to track me. They can’t suspect or they’ll be hunting for her.”

  “You can’t keep her contained inside your den forever. Someone is going to have to bring her blood every night and it’ll be only a matter of time before they figure you’ve got a Vamp hiding in our territory. You’ll carry her scent or something by being near her.”

  “I’ll just keep her there for a little while.”

  “You plan to leave our clan with her? That would work. I can help you both sneak out of the territory tomorrow night.”

  “I can’t abandon our clan. You know that.”

  Lavos growled low. “They’ll kill her, Lorn. Take her and flee. You can keep her safe in the human world. Or hell, maybe one of the other clans will allow you both to join them. You said you talked to Velder.”

  “He wants me to take control of our clan, not join his.” Lorn’s frustration grew. “I only need to get her to my den, where she’ll be safe.”

  “Then what? You’re going to unleash her on the outside world? Maybe send her to a big city with a note to one of the nest masters, asking them to please take good care of your Vampire?”

  “I don’t know! I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

  “She’ll be fresh meat to them. You know how damn vicious bloodbags are. Her only reprieve from instant death will be if they want to play for a bit before they destroy her. I wouldn’t call that doing her a favor. Her maker is dusted about a mile from here. She’ll need to be taught to feed and control her appetite by someone. Who’s going to give her day shelter and protect her from some human stumbling across her when she’s helpless? They have masters for a damn reason! A Vamp going wild from bloodlust, with no control, would draw attention after grabbing the first human to cross her path. She’ll tear out the throats of her victims.”

  “Shut up, Lavos! Will you help me or not? Otherwise leave.”

  “You’re not thinking. It’s the grief. Listen to me. You should take her out of our territory. She’s going to need you to care for her. That’s the only way she’ll survive.”

  “I know that.”

  His brother took a few deep breaths. “She hasn’t transformed all the way. You could, um…end her suffering now, before it finishes. A quick snap of the neck would do it painlessly and she’d never feel it when you decapitated her. She’d return if you didn’t take her head, and that would be damn bad. You’ve seen the ones who died before they were…fully cooked, I guess we could say. They were completely insane.”

  “No!” Lorn snarled. Kira shivered in his arms but he doubted she was aware of the conversation about her future. The agony would be too great to focus on anything else. “Help me or get out of my damn way. I will fight to the death if anyone attempts to kill her!”

  “Okay,” Lavos finally sighed, after what seemed like an eternity. “I’ll do this on a few conditions.”

  “Name them and they’re yours,” Lorn agreed. Saving Kira would be worth any price.

  “We tell them the Vampires must have kidnapped her. I can cover all traces of you bo
th on this side of the river. I’ll tell the clan you’re tracking them, to explain where you went. You need to promise me that within two days, she can either control her hunger for blood enough to never give us away, or you’ll take her out of the territory yourself. That means you have to stay with her and make sure we’re not unleashing her on innocents.”

  It had taken Lorn months to learn his new abilities when he’d finally been able to fully transform. “Two days?”

  “Anything longer and everyone will wonder where you are. I don’t mean to be cruel but, um, I don’t think anyone but Davis will want to track her beyond our borders. They’ll mostly be happy she’s gone.” Lavos paused. “I’ll tell her father what really happened. He needs to know and he can help us get his daughter to safety. He’s always snubbed the rules when it comes to his offspring. You just need to keep her both nights and make damn sure she doesn’t escape. Swear.”

  “Yes,” Lorn nodded. “But make it four days.”

  His brother frowned.

  “Do you remember your first full transformation? Think about it. All the hormones that came with the new shape, and the urges.”

  “Fuck.” He gave a sharp nod. “You need four months instead of four days to make sure we’re not sending a killer out to the humans. I’ll give you a week, but then you leave with her if she’s not fully in control. Hand her up.”

  Lorn hesitated. It would only take a streak of movement to end Kira’s life if Lavos snapped her neck. His brother was right. If she were to die before fully transforming into a Vampire, then she’d wake insane. He’d seen it happen a few times. There wouldn’t be any kind of future for her. Her mind wouldn’t ever be her own again. She’d turn into an animal with only bloodlust as a motive to survive.

  “Come on!” his brother growled. “Do you think I’m suicidal? As much as I know you love me, this is Kira we’re talking about. I’ll never forget last year when you learned some of the guys wanted to fuck her for their amusement. I’d be shocked if any of them can even look at a woman without having to give their dicks a pep talk first to rise to the occasion. You literally busted some balls. I wince just thinking about how long that must have taken to heal and there’s no telling if they’ll ever have young—all just for wanting to get between her thighs. Hand her up. She’s safe. I like my nuts just the way they are, and you’d do a hell of a lot worse if I ended her life.”