Lorn Read online

  “He was weak if he allowed them to take him down.”

  “You son of a bitch!” Lavos snapped. “Don’t speak that way about my friend. He was an excellent fighter. That tells me there was a large group of them if they were able to take him out.”

  It reminded Lorn of something Kira had told him before they’d gone to sleep. He refused to say her name, though, and risk his father believing she might be hidden somewhere. He decided to lie. “I caught up to a Vamp. Do you know what he told me? Decker went to their Vampire Council for some reason. Now they’ve attacked us. He’s somehow to blame for this. They suddenly think we’re weak enough to take out.”

  Ladius snarled and his claws extended, along with his fangs. “Blasphemy! He would do no such thing!”

  Lorn reacted by doing the same and tensing, preparing to attack. His mother rushed between them, opening her arms wide.

  “Stop it! I won’t allow you two to fight. You’ll have to go through me.”

  “Get out of the way, Mom.” Lavos slowly stepped closer, his tone pleading. He reached out to her. “You could get hurt. Come here.”

  “No! I won’t let them kill each other.” She turned her head, staring at her mate. “Don’t do this.”

  “Get the hell out of the way, woman,” Ladius snarled.

  “You’re angry and projecting your thoughts.” She turned, facing him. “You think our son is weakened from spending days hunting for the girl. You’ve decided you can take him, that with the girl dead, his grief will have broken his will to live. You see this as your chance to kill our son, and think you don’t need him anymore—because you believe what he said about Decker! You think you can use what you’ve just learned to turn everyone against Decker and assume they’ll accept you as the new leader.”

  That enraged Lorn. He growled fiercely.

  His mother held up one finger, a signal for him to hold his temper. He remained still, not willing to possibly injure her to get at his father.

  “Ladius, you’re wrong. I know my boys better than you ever did, or ever will. Lorn’s not grieving, and he isn’t weakened from not eating. Believe me—I know the signs of his misery. I’ve seen it most of his life. He’s strong and determined. And he will kill you if you leave him with no choice. Don’t do this. I didn’t birth two sons just for you to kill them if they defied you. They are our flesh and blood!”

  “Shut the hell up!” Ladius turned his fury on her, his eyes starting to darken as he stared down his mate.

  Silence reigned, and Lorn knew his parents were communicating without words. It pissed him off further when his mother actually stumbled back a step, as if she’d been physically struck by his father.

  He moved without thought and caught her around her middle, holding her close, careful not to scratch her with his claws. He dragged her farther from her mate.

  “Stop it, Dad.” Lavos moved swiftly, reaching Lorn and their mother. He pulled her into his arms. “What are you saying to her, you bastard?”

  “The only bastards in this room are the two of you.” Ladius snarled. “That bitch made you weak! She’s always indulged you both too much. Is this what you wanted, Tussa? Two sons who defy their father? I hope you’ve learned your lesson before we have the next ones.”

  Lorn glanced at his mother, seeing tears streaming down her face. It outraged him. No man should ever hurt his mate, even if just with painful words and thoughts.

  She shook her head. “I won’t have more children with you if you kill our sons. How can you think that way? They aren’t failures. They are good men with honor! You could learn from them!”

  “How dare you!” Ladius lunged toward his mate.

  Lavos lifted their mother and swung her out of the way, just as Lorn blocked their father’s path. He’d wanted to hit the son of a bitch all his life and for once he didn’t hold back. He punched instead of using his claws and landed a fist to his father’s face.

  Ladius grunted as he flew backward and hit the dining room table; it collapsed under his weight.

  “No!” their mother screamed.

  Ladius sat up and shook his head. His eyes darkened to solid black and hair erupted all over his face and arms. Lorn began to shift too. It wasn’t ideal wearing jeans but their father had no interest in a fair fight, since he wasn’t stripping out of his clothes before the change.

  “Don’t do this,” their mother sobbed. “Please, Lorn. I can’t lose him!”

  It tore at Lorn’s heart, hearing the desperation in her voice. He didn’t look back, knowing Lavos would keep hold of their mom to prevent her from jumping into the fight. He managed to tear off his boots to get them out of the way. His clothing became painfully tight around his hips and thighs as he transformed, material splitting and ripping. He was just grateful he hadn’t worn a belt that day.

  Ladius tore at his clothing as he transformed, the loose outfit he’d worn easier to be rid of. He dropped to all fours and ran at Lorn.

  He had a second to note his father’s fangs and open jaw, guessing the older man planned to go right for his throat. Lorn jerked his body to the right but the impact of their bodies clashing together forced his paws to skid on the hardwood floors, his claws scarring them. He rammed his head against the side of his father’s when fangs sank into his shoulder.

  He hit hard enough to stun Ladius, to loosen his hold. Lorn sank his teeth in too, biting his father’s upper arm. Blood filled his mouth as he gave him a hard enough shake to knock the older VampLycan off his feet. Ladius hit the floor and they both rolled. Lorn released him and used his clawed fingers to grab hold of his throat.

  “Lorn, no!”

  He couldn’t ignore his mother’s screams. Lorn squeezed instead of ripping into his father. He threw his hindquarters down, pinning Ladius’s slightly smaller body. He jerked his head and shoved his muzzle in front of his father’s, snarling a warning.

  “Ouch!” Lavos roared.

  Someone grabbed Lorn’s tail and yanked hard. It hurt, and the tug shifted his weight enough that his father managed to roll away and jerk out of his hold. Ladius scrambled to his four legs. Lorn swiveled his head in time to watch Lavos grab their mother around her waist again and lift her away, making her release Lorn’s tail.

  Ladius used the moment of distraction to attack. Sharp fangs bit into Lorn’s throat.

  He instantly threw his weight forward, toward his father, and landed on top of him, hard. The action made Ladius grunt and his jaw loosened enough for Lorn to get free. He batted at his dad with his claws, slapping him in the side of the head. The smell of blood from both of them filled his nose.

  They each backed off, snarling as they rose to their legs again.

  “Stop it! Let me go!”

  Lorn ignored his mother. He knew she wasn’t in danger. Lavos would only prevent her from coming close to the fight a second time.

  His father attacked again. Lorn lunged, head lowered, and slammed his forehead into the bottom of his father’s jaw. Bones cracked and the impact threw his father back, sending him sliding across the floor until he hit the wall.

  Lorn trotted over and stared down at his father. Blood spread across the floor as Ladius lay on his side, eyes closed. He seemed to be down for the count. His jaw hung open at an unnatural angle. It normally would have been a good time to rip out his opponent’s throat to end it.

  Sobs filled the room, and hearing his mother’s grief tore at his heart. Lorn began to shift back, watching his father for any sign that he was coming around. He kept his claws and fangs out, then crawled closer and gripped his father by his throat, waiting.

  “Lorn, please don’t!”

  He couldn’t glance at his mother.

  Ladius opened his eyes, a dazed look in them. It cleared fast as Lorn gripped him more firmly, allowing his claws to be felt. They stared at each other.

  Lorn had to clear his throat before he could speak. “For once, be smart. Concede. Don’t make me kill you in front of your mate. I will if I have to.”