Veso Read online

  One man loudly cleared his throat. “Why would you do that?”

  Lorn turned his head to the right. “Because we are mending relationships with the other clans. You have your friends over for dinner. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

  “They could attack us,” a woman called out.

  “They didn’t start shit with us. Decker caused the friction,” Lorn snapped. “He’s no longer your leader. I am. I refuse to live with the threat of war always shadowing us. No more! If you have a problem with that, challenge me.”

  Kira stepped from the sidelines and approached Lorn. She stopped a few feet behind him. He reached back and pulled her forward, his mouth moving but the words too low for Glen to hear. Kira nodded, then let her gaze travel over the gathered crowd.

  Kira’s voice rose loud and clear. “How many of you have lost children? Brothers? Fathers? Mates? And for what? So Decker alone could gain power. How did that make your lives better? Most of you have family ties to the other clans and have worried about their fates. War between VampLycans serves no purpose but to cause more grief. Peace with the other clans is best for all of us.”

  “I know I’d love to be able to visit other clans without their women acting as if I’m rabid. None the ones here are my mate, and damn it, winters are long,” a man yelled.

  Some of the crowd laughed.

  “I don’t get it,” Glen murmured.

  “I’ll explain later,” Veso mumbled.

  She nodded.

  “I will make peace with the other clans. That’s how it’s going to be.” Lorn waited a few seconds before he spoke again. “The laws we were once forced to follow are archaic. Garson made an excellent point. It’s been difficult for some of you to find mates if they weren’t born in this clan. Decker’s actions made us unwelcome to visit other clans. Not only will peace with the other VampLycans make them less leery of us, but we need to adapt to modern times. Veso has found his mate and we are going to welcome her into our clan. She’s human, and her name is Glen.”

  There were some growls and gasps from the crowd.

  Veso gripped her hand and pulled her away from the trees, striding into the clearing. A few men near the back turned, either hearing or sensing them approach. Glen’s heart pounded but she felt safer knowing her mate and his father stayed on each side of her. They stopped about ten feet from the back of the group. More heads turned and Glen became the center of attention.

  “No!” A woman shoved through the group. She was pretty, probably in her thirties, and the death glare she sent Glen made her shiver.

  One of the men in the back stepped in her path, blocking her from getting any closer. “Don’t, Brista,” he hissed.

  The woman turned her glower on Veso. “You wouldn’t even test a mating with me but you bit a human? You fucked her?” She spat on the ground. “Traitor!”

  Veso snarled. “Don’t use that tone when talking about my mate.” He released Glen’s hand. “I’ll kill anyone who tries to touch her.”

  “Glen is a part of our clan now,” Lorn announced. “That’s final. Veso isn’t a traitor because he found his true mate. Glen was kidnapped by the Vampires, and they escaped together. I’d welcome any mate you found as well, Brista. It’s time to let old prejudices go.”

  “Of course you’d say that,” a blond man shouted. “You always had it bad for Kira when she was still human. You’re going to ruin this clan by encouraging the sexual deviants! What’s next? Allowing our men to fuck humans from the nearby towns? It’s sick! You’re sanctioning him to breed with that thing.”

  Veso stormed toward the blond. Glen tried to grab his arm but Bran jerked her to his side, leashing her wrist with his firm grip. All she could do was watch as people, including Brista, scampered out of his path. The blond man shoved a few of the ones nearest him and met Veso.

  Lorn was there suddenly, getting between them. “Stop!”

  “He called my mate a thing!” Veso’s voice came out gruff and Glen didn’t have to see his face to know he’d gone a bit hairy. She spotted it spreading down his bare arms. It looked as if he was about to shift forms.

  “He fucked and plans to breed with a human,” the blond sneered.

  Lorn turned his back on Veso, facing the blond. “Bow your fucking head and apologize, or I’ll let him kill you. I know change is difficult but you’d better get your head out of your ass.”

  “He’s weak!” the blond accused. “A sexual deviant who likes to fuck even weaker things. I demand to fight him. And you made Veso an enforcer? You’re unfit to lead us!”

  Lorn shook his head. “You always were an idiot, Bobel. You’ve got no place in this clan with that kind of archaic thinking. You pick who you want to fight. Me for leadership, or Veso? Decide.”

  “Veso. I challenge him for his weakling. Then I’ll kill her and rid our clan of her stench.”

  Lorn glanced back at Veso. “You have my permission.” He got out of the way.

  Glen wanted to turn away, hating to see her guy fight, but she didn’t. The blond wasn’t as big as Veso but he looked pretty tough still. The jerk’s words penetrated her worried brain and she glanced up at Bran.

  “Does challenging for me mean what I think it does? You can fight to win a woman here?”

  Bran gave a sharp nod and shushed her. “My son will win.”

  “Skin or fur?”

  Glen whipped her head forward at the sound of Veso’s snarled question. They were about to fight for her. Actually fight. For. Her. She had to lock her knees. It was barbaric and horrifying.

  She came to a quick realization though—she did love Veso. He could die.

  “Skin. This won’t take long.” The blond shot her a disgusted look. “Enjoy your last breaths, soon-to-be-widow of Veso.”

  The urge to flip him off surfaced but she resisted. It would look childish. These were the kind of people who wouldn’t appreciate hand gestures. “Is it rude to encourage my man to win by cheering for him?” She kept her voice low.

  “Don’t distract him,” Bran warned.

  She took that for a no.

  The fight began the second the blond swung one of his hands toward Veso’s throat. He had claws.

  Veso jerked out of the way, the razor-sharp points missing him by inches. He punched, striking the blond in the face. It snapped his head back and blood flew. Bile rose when she saw it wasn’t just from the force of her mate’s fist. He had claws too, ones that had ripped open Bobel’s face.

  “That’s so gross,” she whispered.

  “Quiet,” Bran breathed.

  Glen clenched her teeth.

  The blond shook his head, stumbling forward, and tried to slash at Veso with his claws again. He probably couldn’t see so good with all that blood on his face. Veso dodged both of Bobel’s hands, grabbed his wrist and jerked him forward, twisting him in his arms.

  “Do you know what my fighting motto is?”

  She closed her eyes when she heard Veso’s shouted words, pretty sure he was warning her.

  “Death to anyone who talks shit about my mate or threatens her.”

  There was a thud, as if something had hit the dirt. Glen peeked.

  Veso still had his back to her, the blond in front of him so she couldn’t see his body. It was what lay on the ground near their feet that caught her attention. She quickly averted her gaze.

  “Off with their heads,” she whispered.

  “That’s my son,” Bran boasted. “A quick, efficient killer.”

  “You make him sound like a serial killer. That guy was an asshole,” she whispered. “He needed to die.”

  Bran released her wrist and patted her back. “You’ll make him an excellent mate.”

  “Just tell me when I can look at Veso again without seeing the dead guy’s head or body. I’ll hurl. That will make me not cool, right?”

  Bran chuckled. “Just glare at the ones staring at you.”

  “That I can do. Especially the bitch who hates me. Please tell