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 VampLycans had no tolerance for such matters. Vampires were the enemy and they must die if they come into VampLycan territory.