Lorn Read online

  Lorn’s relief turned into pain as Amos caught him with a clawed fist to his stomach.

  Lorn instantly grabbed Amos’s wrist, jerking those claws out, and drove his own into the elder’s chin. His claws tore through soft flesh and he yanked hard, bone snapping as he ripped open the lower part of the man’s face.

  Amos made a choking sound and froze, seemingly stunned by either the pain or the blood that filled his extremely damaged mouth.

  Lorn went in for the kill. He punched into Amos’s chest with his other hand, breaking ribs in the process of piercing his heart. He lifted the elder off his feet, ripped his claws free of his jaw, and grabbed him by his throat.

  “Rest well, elder.”

  Lorn slammed him to the ground, pinning him down by sitting on Amos’s chest and using his knees to trap the VampLycan’s arms at his side. He tore into his chest with both claws until he’d removed the heart and dropped it on the ground. He showed the same mercy as they had given others. None.

  Lorn lifted his head and found Lavos watching him with a grim expression. Muller lay on the ground. Lavos had torn open his throat. A small amount of movement from Muller’s chest proved he still breathed.

  “End it,” Lorn rasped. “We have no room in our clan for the dishonorable.”

  Lavos nodded. “Agreed. He’d just heal and keep coming at us any way he could.”

  Lorn stared down at Amos and shook his head. “Decker’s ways are as dead as you.” He climbed to his feet.

  Lavos finished off Muller by removing his head, and then joined Lorn. “You’re hurt.”

  Lorn gripped his stomach. It hurt but the bleeding had slowed. “He didn’t disembowel me. That’s what he tried to do but I reacted too quickly to allow him to rip me wide open. I’ll heal.”

  “We should let Vasilla look at you.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Lavos bent to examine Lorn’s stomach closer and visibly winced. “Seriously. It might be a good idea to go to our healer to make certain he didn’t puncture anything vital. You won’t die but you could get sick for a day if he ripped open your intestines. She could use dissolvable stitches to sew you up. You’d heal faster.”

  “Kira hates Vasilla. I won’t allow her to touch me. The pain isn’t bad and it won’t kill me.”

  “Kira doesn’t like our healer so you refuse to be checked out?” Lavos gaped at him.

  “She got hurt once and I carried her to Vasilla for treatment. She snubbed her nose and refused to touch someone ‘not worthy’ of her time.”

  “She’s our clan healer. The bitch went to medical school on clan money and everything! What the hell was her problem? Because Kira was so human?”

  Lorn nodded and walked over to Kar. He assessed his injuries. “You good?”

  “I’ll live.” Kar rolled his shoulder. “It got dislocated but I managed to pop it back in.”

  “Thank you. You fought well.”

  Kar grinned at Lorn. “That was actually fun. Did you see that? Five against two and we killed their asses. I’m so going to brag about this. It’s going to get me laid.”

  Lavos looked amused. “It’s all about impressing the women with you.”

  “A guy has to have a hobby.” Kar winked. “Wait until Garson hears. He’s going to be pissed he missed out on this action.”

  “First we need to take care of the bodies, Kar.” Lorn didn’t need to look at the carnage again. “Notify their families. They can either bury or burn them when someone comes to retrieve what’s left.”

  “Don’t you want me to take the bodies to their families?”

  Lorn held Kar’s gaze. “No. That will be the first change in our clan. VampLycans who show no honor, deserve none in return. You may relay that to whoever you notify of their deaths. I want word to spread of what happened here, and seeing is believing. I don’t want anyone with Decker loyalties to spread false rumors that we slaughtered them in their beds or something. I wouldn’t put it past them. It’s clear they attacked us en masse. Leave everything just as it is.”

  “Got it.” Kar glanced around. “That’ll definitely send a message and prevent anyone from twisting the truth.”

  “Yes, it will.” Lorn jerked his head. “Come with me, Lavos. We’re going to the lodge.”

  They began to walk but Lavos stopped before they got too far. “Damn it. Let’s go see Vasilla. You’re still clutching your stomach. Does it hurt that much?”

  “It’s getting better. I’m just applying pressure to totally stop the bleeding. I’d hate to address my new clan with my crotch soaked red. They’d wonder if I got damaged in that area…”

  “Ah.” Lavos smirked. “You don’t want any of the unmated women trying to get your pants off to make sure everything’s in working order. I know some who would. But that’s another reason you should visit our healer. She always carries spare clothing in her home.”

  Lorn exasperation rose. “I won’t do that to Kira.”

  “I get that Vasilla was a bitch to her when she was a kid but you got claw-punched in the gut, for fuck’s sake. Kira will get over it.”

  “It wasn’t just her treatment of Kira. Vasilla came after me often as a youth.”

  Lavos spread his hands, in a “so?” gesture, looking confused.

  “She offered to teach me all about sex just after my fourteenth year. Is that clear enough? I became her target. She’d track me into the woods then boldly make her intentions known.”

  “Shit. Fourteen? She’s like a hundred.”

  “She said I reminded her of a lover she’d once lost. It doesn’t matter. Kira was with me all the time back then. Vasilla would order her to go away so she could get me alone. Kira refused to leave and threatened to tell the others.” He suddenly growled. “My Kira has always had a fierce spirit, and she appointed herself my protector. Vasilla went after her once to punish her for interfering. The bitch smacked Kira and knocked her down. I wasn’t fast enough to get between them to protect her. She could have been seriously hurt if Vasilla had used claws.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I snarled at Vasilla and told her I’d rip off her arm if she ever touched Kira again. She realized I meant it. We were snarling at each other and suddenly a big rock slammed into Vasilla’s face. Kira pitched about ten of them before Vasilla ran away.” Lorn smiled wide. “Kira began carrying rocks in her pockets and would throw them at Vasilla when she came near me. She hates the woman for what she tried to do and how uncomfortable it made me.”

  “Did you ever…you know? After you started avoiding Kira?”

  “Hell no! I told Vasilla I’d stick my dick into a bear’s den with cubs and let the mother rip me to shreds before I’d go to her bed. The point is, I won’t allow Vasilla to touch me. See the problem?”

  “Your mate would get jealous.”

  “I’ve hurt her enough where other women are concerned. I won’t let one touch me, even if she is the clan healer. We should have two, anyway. Perhaps a man.”

  “Jase loves animals and tends to injured ones. He might be interested.” Lavos began to walk again. “He’s been getting abuse from his trainers because his heart isn’t into learning how to fight. He’s too gentle. I could bring it up and ask.”

  “Do it.” Lorn kept pace with his brother. “We’ll speak to all the trainers about their treatment of youths. It’s one thing to teach defense but another when they’re cruel to ones not suited for enforcement or guard duty.”

  “Decker would have had Jase killed if he didn’t end up having a skill he could make money from. The gender lines have always been drawn on clan jobs. It wouldn’t have crossed Decker’s mind to utilize a man as a caregiver.”

  “That’s going to change too.”

  The lodge came into view. Most of the clan members had assembled along the back porch and around it. Lorn realized they must have heard the fighting from their homes and rushed to protect the women and children inside, against Nabby’s orders. Garson came forward and met them.