“We already are. Decker stole that child because he thinks we have what he wants.”

“I agree with that too, but he was clear. Stay put and out of it. He must have his reasons.”

Drantos couldn’t remain seated anymore and stood, pacing the floor. “Aveoth must be really pissed at Decker.”

“It’s understandable. Decker is trying to use his weakness against him. And you should call him by his title.”

Drantos paused and stared at his father. “He’ll always just be Aveoth to me.”

“They are very formal, son. It’s their way.”

“We were friends once.”

“I remember. That was before he challenged his father and became the GarLycan ruler.”

“So what?”

“We have Vampire blood running in our veins. Gargoyles are never going to forget that. We might be allies but that doesn’t mean his people would welcome a close association. Some might question his ruthlessness if he showed any favoritism to you or Kraven.”

“That’s such bullshit.”

“You don’t know them the way I do.”

Drantos studied his father. “Right, you had a GarLycan lover before you mated, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I learned a lot about them from her. She feared some of her people would find out about us. It was taboo.”

“GarLycans can take VampLycans as lovers.”

“Their men. Not their women. She feared reprisals for both of us if her clan found out.” His father shrugged. “It only lasted a week but it was memorable. She was very sweet. Her mother was a Lycan and her father a Gargoyle.”

“I take it she took after her mother?”

His father hesitated. “She physically took after her father. She had wings and could shell out her body. Inside she was Lycan. She had to hide it from her father. They see emotions as a defect. I got the impression her life was a struggle because she did feel so much.”

“No wonder she took a VampLycan lover.”

“She said her father had arranged for her to mate someone inside her clan. Daughters don’t get to chose who they’re paired with.”

“That’s depressing. What about finding a true mate?”

“They are expected to ignore the Lycan side.”

“Damn.” Drantos sank back into the chair.

“Yes. She didn’t want her first lover to be a cold one. Those were her words. Their clan is very formal. You should have seen the way she dressed. Every part of her, from the neck down, had to be covered. Mates sleep in separate bedrooms and only share a bed during sex. Afterward the man leaves. They often restrain their women so they can’t touch their men. It’s too intimate otherwise. They have titles and call each other by those, even with family members. It’s a deep show of disrespect not to. The only exceptions are mates, but only in private.”

Drantos tried to imagine that but failed.

“I just told you what sex is like between GarLycan mates. Imagine how distanced they are from the concept of friendship. The fact that you’re VampLycan would have made some of that clan nervous if their leader spent time with you. So far they’ve kept the alliance between us but that doesn’t mean they look at us as equals. I don’t think they ever will.”

“I almost feel sorry for Aveoth.”

“I had dealings with Lord Abotorus when he still ruled.” Velder paused. “Ice cold. He spoke to his son with contempt. He’d bring young Aveoth to meetings to show him how to deal with us. I wasn’t surprised when the boy grew into a man and challenged him. I saw no compassion or love at all when he looked at his son.”

“I’m glad we don’t have that kind of relationship.”

His father snorted. “We don’t see eye to eye on everything.”

“I respect and love you. I’d never challenge you. You’re my father.”

“I love you too. We show our emotions and welcome close bonds in families. GarLycans aren’t like us.”

The door opened and Drantos’s mother entered. He shot to his feet at her forbidding look. “What’s wrong?”

She held his gaze but then averted it to his father. “You need to gather your enforcers quickly and rush to the clearing to the northwest. It’s the small meadow with the yellow flowers in summer. You know the one.” She looked at Drantos. “I agreed to allow Dusti to try to save the girl. Lake and her should be arriving there at any moment. Go quickly. She’s waiting for you to rescue her.”

Drantos lost his mind.

He bellowed, his claws ripping out of his fingertips and his fangs painfully wrenching from his gums.

“She wanted to do it,” his mother stated calmly. “She’s trying to prove she’s worthy of being a VampLycan in this clan. You will respect that, even if you don’t agree. She’s a woman, and one of mine. Have faith in her abilities to survive.”

Drantos refused to hear any more. He started to shift, moving fast toward the door. His father cursed, following.

He needed to get to Dusti before Decker realized he had the wrong sister.

* * * * *

Without warning, someone snuck up behind Dusti and gripped her upper arms. “I have her.”

The voice was new and male. Dusti would have just gasped but she was playing Bat. Her sister would have hated to be touched. She twisted, smacking at the guy. “Get your hands off me, dirtbag! What part of ‘I’m an attorney’ and ‘will see you in hell’ do you not understand? I’m fed up with you assholes groping me.” She smacked him again and he actually released her, stepping back.

“You’re safe now, Batina.”

Dusti clenched her teeth and turned back around. Her grandfather stalked across the clearing, coming right at her.

“I thought Los Angeles was bad.” She reached down and smoothed the shirt, a Bat move if there ever was one. It also put her hands closer to the gun hidden in her underwear. It had shifted so part of the handle or barrel dug into part of her inner thigh. “You need to call the police and the FBI! Dusti’s been kidnapped by a bunch of crazed lumberjacks. I don’t know where they’ve taken her. To add insult to injury, they gave me these horrible clothes, my suit was ruined, I don’t know where my briefcase is…” She huffed. “And those jerks broke my phone too!”