Kraven Read online

  “He probably left them behind to shift, and then figured you’d be less afraid of him in skin than fur, so he shifted back.”

  Bat’s mouth opened but she had no response. She tried to make sense of his words.

  “He’s a VampLycan too. Remember how I told you we can shift into a different form? It’s faster to run and hunt for something when we’re not in skin.” Kraven turned his entire body to face her, forcing her to let go of the back of his pants. “It would just be weird to see us running around with hairy bodies on four legs, sporting a pair of jeans.” He chuckled. “Plus, it would be uncomfortable unless they had enough room to accommodate the other shape. We can pull it off in sweats but again…kind of weird looking.”

  She realized her mouth hung open. She closed it and swallowed. “There’s more like you? What did you guys do, form some kind of club? Like those role-playing games? You have a group?”

  All his humor disappeared and he looked angry again. “Goddamn it, Bat. Stop now.”

  “What?” She wasn’t doing anything except trying to figure out if he had friends who were also into his pretend world.

  “I know exactly what you meant. I’m not nuts.” He was really mad.

  “Okay.”

  He grabbed her and she gasped when he twisted, pulling her forward so they were both looking directly at the naked guy, Carver. He stood there listening with his arms crossed over his chest. He smiled, as if nothing was wrong with being naked. Kraven wrapped his arm around Bat’s waist, holding her in front of him, tight to his body.

  “Do me a favor, Carver. Shift in front of her.”

  The guy arched his eyebrows and glanced at Bat, then Kraven. “You want her to see?”

  “She thinks I’m a basket case making shit up. Her mother was one of us but her father was human. She smells totally human for a reason. She didn’t inherit any traits from her mom. She didn’t even know about us. I’m tired of listening to her insult me. Please do it.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  The new voice startled Bat and she turned her head, gazing up at another stranger. He was big but at least he had clothes on. Bat stared at him but he seemed to ignore her, his focus purely on Kraven.

  “This is Red, my cousin,” Kraven informed her. “And hell yes, I’m sure. I didn’t want to shift myself because she already wanted to get away from me. Now I have backup, so I don’t have to worry about hunting her down.” His arm around her tightened even more. “She can’t run.” He looked at the naked guy. “Please, Carver. I’ve been waiting for this moment since she opened her mouth for the first time and pissed me off.”

  Carver reached up and pushed his hair over his shoulders so it no longer hung down his front. “You owe me. She looks like a screamer, and I hate that shit. It hurts my ears.”

  Kraven reached up and planted a palm firmly over Bat’s mouth. “No problem.”

  Bat tried to pull his hand off her lower face but the second she touched him, his naked friend suddenly moved. He just dropped down on his hands and knees. Bat was stunned when he turned his face and winked at her.

  He lowered his head then, and his body tensed. He arched his back and soft popping noises sounded, followed by something sickening like bones breaking.

  Hair began to grow along his back, over his ass, and down his arms. It spread over his entire body. He threw his head back, his hair tossed out of the way of his face. Thin hairs covered his cheeks, where before it had been clean-shaven. His nose and lower jaw seemed to be expanding outward.

  Bat’s legs would have given out under her if Kraven hadn’t been holding her up. She didn’t scream, but she did whimper loudly.

  The guy wasn’t a guy by the time he took a step. He had four legs and kind of looked like some messed-up huge dog. The fur covering his body wasn’t overly thick, because she could see some patches of skin. The four limbs were wrong too. They were too muscular, and weren’t straight but instead all slightly bent, more similar to a man crouching on all fours instead of an animal.

  He turned his head and peered up at her. His eyes were pure black, the irises and pupils seeming to have merged together into one color. He had a snout, his jaw was elongated. His mouth opened and she saw sharp teeth and fangs.

  He growled and Bat was glad she’d already taken a trip behind a tree or she was sure she’d have pissed herself. She clutched at Kraven’s hand, no longer wanting to remove it from her face. She just wanted to cling to him.

  The thing’s ears lifted, again like a dog’s, since they were slightly pointed. He turned his head and made a soft whine and rushed off into the woods. He didn’t move like a horse or a dog but instead…unlike anything she’d ever seen. She watched him until he disappeared behind trees and bushes.

  Kraven eased his hand off her mouth and bent down until his lips were near her ear. “What do you have to say now, my little hellion?”

  Nothing. She couldn’t speak. Her mind frantically tried to come up with a reasonable explanation. She blanked. It was tough to think at all. The image of that thing she’d just seen couldn’t have been real but she’d watched the naked man change herself.

  The other man, Red, stepped in front of them. She looked up at him. He cocked his head, an expression of pity stamped on his features. He glanced at Kraven. “I think she’s in deep shock. Was that really necessary?”

  “Oh yeah. It was.” Kraven slid his hand under Bat’s chin and gently turned her face until she stared at him. He looked amused. “VampLycans are real. Who needs the damn meds now?”

  “I hit my head,” she got out. “That—”

  “Was real,” he rasped. “Don’t wimp out on me.” He leaned a little closer. “And you’re awake.” He let go of her chin and reached down.

  She jumped when he lightly pinched her ass. “Ouch!”

  Kraven eased his hold around her middle. “Lock your knees.”

  She did.

  He eased back, totally letting her go. He grinned. “You can’t talk, can you? You’re speechless. Finally!”

  “Kraven!” Red scowled.

  “You have no idea.” Kraven suddenly bent and one of his arms hit behind her thighs while he wrapped the other one midway down her back. He just scooped her up and then tossed her a little in his arms to adjust her better. “I’m going to enjoy this. Let’s go. Wrap your arms around me, Bat.”

  She did. Kraven smiled.

  He was right. She was speechless over Carver turning into some kind of big dog-like monster. A Werewolf/Vampire combination. It wasn’t pretty. It had been terrifying.

  Everything Kraven had told her started to replay through her mind.

  Her mother had been one? It wasn’t possible. There was no way her mom turned into one of those things. Her mother hadn’t even liked dogs. They’d never been allowed pets, her mom claiming to be allergic to everything with fur.

  She muttered that aloud.

  Kraven heard her and responded, “She probably avoided them because city animals would fear her and cause a scene when she approached.”

  Bat let that sink in, thinking about it.

  Kraven interrupted her thoughts. “We’re coming up on some of my clan, Bat. Are you listening to me?” He stopped walking, holding her stare.

  “What?”

  “Behave. That means keep your mouth shut. Can you do that? Everyone you’re about to meet is a VampLycan. You don’t want them to shift and eat you, do you?”

  “Fuck,” Red hissed. “What is wrong with you?”

  Kraven ignored him. “That means don’t piss them off, Bat. Am I clear? Keep your sharp little tongue firmly inside your mouth and your lips sealed. I smell my father. He’s the leader of our clan. Be respectful, or my spanking your ass will seem like a fun time compared to what he’ll do.”

  “You struck her?” Red sounded horrified.

  Kraven finally broke eye contact to look at his cousin. “No. Of course I didn’t hit her. Bat is…difficult. Wait until you get to know her. Just trust me. Enjo