Lorn Read online

  Her fangs wouldn’t retract and hunger pains made her ache. She needed to feed. Pacing around the small den didn’t help. Worry about Lorn only aggravated her more. What if he’d had to interact with the clan? What if they found he was harboring her and attacked him? He hadn’t said why he’d left but the possibilities were endless. Decker could have returned.

  Would Lorn challenge for leadership without her?

  The answer came instantly. He would.

  She walked over to the door, unlocked it, and figured out how to work the lift. It rose and she glimpsed darkness above. She stepped out and released the mechanism that kept the elevator above ground, keeping the entrance hidden. She jumped up on the nearest boulder, finding it much easier to do as a vampire. Her human self couldn’t have done that.

  She could detect a lot of scents but there was one that alarmed her. She turned her head and hissed at the sight of one of the men from her clan stepping out from behind a large tree trunk. She instantly recognized Kar.

  It was a nightmare. Someone from the clan knew what she was! He would be able to smell her as well as she could him.

  “Easy.” He put up both arms, opening his hands. “Lorn asked me to keep an eye on you. I’m not going to hurt you, Kira.”

  She wasn’t certain what to do.

  “Are you hungry? I didn’t have any rope to use to catch a moose but I herded a few of them this way. They’re close. I’ll help you capture and hold one for you to drink some blood.”

  It had to be a trick. The clan would want to kill her. Only Lorn, Lavos, and her father would protect her.

  “Don’t look at me like that.” He took a step closer, scowling. “I wouldn’t kill a woman, even a Vampire one, unless I had no choice. Please don’t run.”

  “Where is Lorn?”

  “Something held him up, or I know he’d have returned before dark.”

  Kar smelled so good. Too good. Kira jumped off the boulder, landing in a crouch.

  He dropped his hands and stepped back. “Don’t look at me like I’m dinner, either. I’m not allowed to feed you my blood, and to be honest, I don’t want to. Lorn warned me that he’d kick my ass. The moose are just behind that stand of trees. I didn’t want them catching your scent and fleeing.” He pointed. “Go that way.”

  Kira rose up and turned, inhaling. She smelled them. Instinct took over as her hunger increased. She sprinted toward the animals.

  Kar cursed softly but he ran after her. She could hear him breathing, hear the tread of his boots as he kept close. She saw heat signatures of three medium-sized moose. The speed in which she could move surprised and thrilled her as she hurried over the ground. It didn’t even hurt her bare feet.

  The three animals must have sensed her because they charged toward the river. She locked on to the slowest one and launched herself at it. It hurt when she impacted with the creature, knocking them both off balance. Kar was there in the next instant, helping her take it down. He wrestled the frightened moose onto its side and used his weight to pin it to the ground.

  “Bite,” he panted. “Now.”

  Kira hesitated.

  “Bite,” Kar snarled.

  The warm body writhed under her and Kira looked at Kar. Tears filled her eyes. She felt sorry for the moose.

  “Damn it. You’re not going to kill it unless I have to break its neck to keep it down. Bite and feed.”

  “I can’t.” She put her hands on the moose’s side, petting it. Its fear horrified her.

  Kar moved one of his arms and extended his claws, slicing a small wound in the moose’s flank.

  The scent of blood overwhelmed Kira. She struck without thought and warm blood began to fill her belly.

  “That’s it,” Kar crooned. “This big guy’s okay. He’s pissed, scared, but he’ll be fine. You’re not going to kill him, Kira. Keep drinking.”

  She did until the hunger faded and her thoughts became clear again. She gently eased her fangs out and slowly pulled back on her hands and knees.

  Kar rolled, releasing the big animal. It struggled but got up, running toward the river. Kira watched it go. It seemed okay, not hurt.

  Kar brushed off his clothes as he got to his feet. “Better?”

  She stared up at him.

  He pointed to his chin. “You have blood all over you. Let’s take a walk to the water. You can splash your face and clean that off.”

  The VampLycan had helped feed her but she still wasn’t certain she could trust him. He seemed to read her hesitancy. He stepped closer and offered his hand.

  “We’ve worked together on shifts. Did I ever give you any shit about being human? At least now you’re stronger and faster. I’ve got no problem with you being a Vampire, Kira. I’m sorry it happened to you but I have faith that you’re still a good person. You felt sympathy for that beast even though I know you were starving. That says it all. Besides, Lorn would kill me if I let anything happen to you. Trust in that. I don’t want to be shredded to pieces.”

  She reached up and clasped his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet. He actually smiled. “I had a hell of a time keeping up with you. You’ve gained impressive speed.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’d say it wasn’t some newbie Vamp who turned you.”

  “He said he was five hundred years old.”

  “That’s going to be quite an advantage. It means you’ll be stronger than most of the newbies I’ve come across.” Kar led the way to the river.

  The moose were long gone. Kira bent near the edge, scooping chilled water into her hands and washing her face and throat. She stood and looked at Kar.

  He nodded. “You got it all. Let’s go back to the den.”

  “I want to check on Lorn.”

  “No way in hell are we going near the village.”

  “He might need help.”

  “Then return to the den and I’ll go. They’d smell you from a mile away.”

  “I stink?” She winced. “Lorn lied to me.”

  “You’re carrying the Vampire scent. It’s not bad or anything, just distinctive.” He leaned in and sniffed. “You also smell like Lorn. No one from the clan can get a whiff of you. They’d know he’s been feeding and fucking you. That’s the last thing he needs right now. Shit’s going down and he has to be firmly in charge before he can spring you on them.”

  “He’s challenging Nabby, isn’t he?”

  “I honestly don’t know. Ladius and Nabby, along with the elders, were starting some shit. Lorn’s probably dealing with that.”

  “What kind of shit?”

  “Walk and talk.” Kar glanced around. “I don’t like you out in the open. Who knows where the patrols are, now that we were attacked by Vampires. They might switch patterns. I wasn’t on duty tonight so I’m not aware of their routes.”

  Kira headed back toward the den. “What do you know?”

  “Some of the clan are thinking of joining the other ones. It’s a good time to get out. To prevent that, Nabby plans to split the families apart by keeping all the mothers and children inside the lodge.”

  Anger surged in Kira. “So the men will stay. They won’t leave their mates and children behind.”

  “It’s an asshole move,” Kar agreed. “Lavos, Garson, and I spent the day trying to keep everyone calm. Nabby has been looking to start fights since Decker left, as if he can’t wait for someone to give him any excuse to kill them. We asked everyone to play it cool until Lavos could get ahold of Lorn. Most have faith he’ll do what it takes to prevent their families from being taken away and held at the lodge tonight.”

  “Go help Lorn and Lavos.”

  “I’m not leaving until you’re locked inside the den. And promise me you won’t leave. You’ll only distract Lorn if you were to show up, and you could be used against him. You’re a weakness he can’t afford right now.”

  “I might be able to help.”

  Kar stopped and gripped her arm, spinning her to face him.

  She sta