Kraven Read online

  They’d just hit a dense area of trees when something slammed hard into the side of the truck. It happened so fast that there was only a big bang and then Bat was being thrown.

  Kraven had latched on to her and they hit the ground with her on top of him. He cursed, rolled, and tried to rise up.

  Bat opened her eyes, stunned to find herself flat on her back on the grass.

  A huge hairy monster slammed into Kraven, shoving him back down on top of her. Pain radiated throughout her body and the last thing she heard before everything turned black was Kraven’s cry of pain.

  Kraven twisted his body, fighting the enforcer who had attacked him from behind. The son of a bitch had his claws and fangs dug into his back, tearing into him in an attempt to rip out his spine. He managed to get ahold of its throat and shred major veins with his own claws. The beast fell away, gasping for breath. He watched it almost collapse but it struggled into the thick woods.

  He looked down at Bat. Her eyes were closed but she breathed. The steady rise and fall of her chest assured him. He tried to rise to his feet but his injuries prevented that. A quick glance around told him that his clan fought against some of Decker’s. He needed to get Bat to safety but the pain in his back was too great and his legs refused to respond. The enforcer had succeeded in crippling him.

  He saw two more enforcers from Decker’s clan rush out of the woods and he folded himself over Bat, adjusting his body as best he could to hide her from them. His injures were severe enough that his bleeding might mask her scent. He bent his arms to hold up some of his body weight so she wouldn’t suffocate under him if he lost consciousness.

  He closed his eyes and played dead. The enemy would go after the ones still posing a threat. He really needed to get Bat out of there. His mouth was close to her throat. A decision needed to be made…

  He gripped the tank top she wore and tugged it to the side to reveal her shoulder.

  Forgive me, he thought.

  Then he opened his mouth and sank his fangs into her skin.

  The taste of her blood exploded in his mouth. It only reinforced that Bat was his mate. He drank until he could feel his body beginning to heal. He didn’t want to take too much so he removed his fangs, bit his own tongue, and licked at the puncture marks to seal them.

  It hurt like a motherfucker as the damage to his back continued to heal. It took time for the infusion of fresh blood to work on him, since he was more Lycan than Vampire. He was on the mend though. He just needed the damage to his spine to heal enough so he’d be able to grab Bat and run.

  A loud growl behind him—too close—had him holding his breath. Someone sniffed at his back, the hot breath fanning his skin. The bastard backed away and snarled, going after someone else.

  Kraven took a shallow breath, and then another.

  Come on, he urged his body. Heal, damn it. I need to get my mate to safety.

  He turned his head just slightly, peeking through thick lashes. He spotted the other truck and Dusti. She was crouched near the front of it. She surprised him when she ran toward their truck. She kept low but sprinted with more speed than he’d give a human credit for. It was probably fear motivating her.

  She made it across the opening and disappeared behind the vehicle, which was on its side. She peered around the edge, looking right at him, but her focus seemed to be on his legs instead of his face, or she might have noticed him watching her.

  One of Decker’s enforcers came into view and Kraven closed his eyes when the thing looked at him.

  “Batnna?”

  It growled a few times, calling out the name. Kraven tried to move his legs. They still weren’t working. The blood he’d taken wasn’t healing him fast enough to save them. The bastard would drag Bat out from under him and steal her away.

  “I’m Batina,” Dusti nearly whispered, her voice breaking.

  He was stunned at the courage Bat’s sister showed, his admiration for her immeasurable. She was trying to draw the enforcer away, but Kraven still knew he had to act or she’d be taken. He might be able to fight the enforcer off long enough for others to protect the sisters.

  He sucked in a sharp breath and tried to lung to his feet to attack his enemy—

  A surge of white-hot pain shot up his spine, straight to his head. He passed out.

  Chapter Nine

  Alarm shot through Kraven when someone flipped him over. He tensed, prepared to attack, but it wasn’t the enemy crouched over him and Bat, ready to take her away from him. His father and brother were there.

  His first concern was for her.

  “Bat? Is she breathing? I don’t hear her.”

  “She lives but she’s unconscious.” His father crouched down next to his side and cupped his cheek. “You acted quickly enough when they leapt out of the trees. You took the brunt of the attack with your back and seemed to have cradled her when you were thrown clear of the truck. Don’t try to talk.”

  “We must protect her.” He looked at Drantos then, feeling immense regret. “I heard Dusti claim she was Bat. I couldn’t move but I was conscious. She allowed them to take her to save her sister. She should be safe until Decker realizes she lied to his men to dupe them into taking the wrong woman.”

  Drantos roared out in rage. Fur sprouted along his skin and his fangs elongated as he paced, his fury showing. “I’m going after my mate!”

  Their father stood and stepped in Drantos’s path. “No, you’re not. The clan comes first.”

  “She needs me.”

  “She renounced you. It is forbidden for you to go near her.”

  “She doesn’t understand our ways!” Drantos snarled.

  Kraven opened his mouth to protest their arguing. It wasn’t the time. But they were at it again before he could speak. His father took on a haughty tone.

  “It is still the law. It’s up to our trackers to find her and bring her back.”

  “No.” Drantos refused to back down. “She’s mine.”

  “We’ve been attacked and some of our people are injured. Your own brother is hurt. You need to calm and allow our men to find Decker’s granddaughter. They will bring her to safety. Our people are your priority right now.”

  “Let him go, Dad.” Kraven’s chest felt tight when he spoke and he coughed, blood spilling out. He rolled to his side to make it easier to breathe. He rubbed Bat’s leg, the desire to touch her too strong to resist. “They took what they want. They won’t be back. He needs to go after his mate.”

  “She’s not his mate.” Their father seemed intent on denying the facts.

  “I exchanged blood with her during sex but I didn’t tell her we had begun the mating process. I planned to explain everything once I had her safely inside my home. She’s wearing Red’s jacket. It masks her scent.” Drantos’s temper seemed to fade a little. “Do the trackers know that?”

  Their father hesitated before he spoke. “Take a walk with me.”

  Both men moved away from Kraven. He focused on Bat instead of his arguing family, dragging his body closer, curling around her. She felt chilled but his father had been right. She still breathed. He didn’t see any injuries but he worried about what wasn’t apparent. Her head had been giving her problems. A severe blow could have caused internal injuries. She likely needed more blood but he was too weakened to do it.

  He twisted his head to get Drantos’s attention. His brother could bleed for her—but he watched as his brother shifted and took off into the woods. His father once more tried to prevent him from leaving but couldn’t stop him.

  Kraven cursed, biting into his wrist and pressing it against Bat’s partly open mouth.

  “Goddamn it,” his father roared, grabbing his shoulder and gently trying to pull him away from Bat. “Stop it. You’re injured enough.”

  “She’s hurt.” Kraven didn’t bother to turn his head to see his father’s disapproval. “I’m just giving her a little.”

  His father crouched next to him and yanked his arm away from Bat, lickin