Aveoth Read online

  “Yes.” He reached up and removed his strange cape. In seconds, he’d wrapped it around her shoulders. “Do you wish to watch them bleed?”

  “You bet I do.”

  “Would you enjoy them having some broken bones?” Amusement gave a sparkle to his eyes and humor laced his voice.

  “That would be great.” She would probably regret it later, when she regained her sanity, but she’d been through way too much in her life to back down when given an opportunity to get even with someone who’d done her and her mother wrong. Both those assholes were probably men who’d threatened her mom.

  “Especially Boon. He loves to threaten women with his belt.”

  “Your wish is my command.”

  “Now wait a damn minute!” Boon protested.

  “Shit,” Cole muttered.

  Chapter Three

  Rage burned inside Aveoth as he stepped away from Jill. He’d tried to hide his stormy emotions with charm, but he no longer had a need for that. She wanted him to unleash his anger on the two clan members who’d brought her to him.

  His dick was hard from knowing he’d soon be able to take her to his bed, but he ignored the discomfort it caused as he strode quickly to the strongly Lycan male who’d made threats of sexual torture against the delicate woman now under his protection. The scar on Boon’s face would be the least of his issues by morning.

  He halted, though, and glanced back, rethinking it. He didn’t want to frighten her with a show of too much violence. “Are you certain?”

  She nodded. “One hundred percent.”

  “I’d never do this to you. I don’t hit women. Remember that.”

  “No problem.” She raised a fist. “Give them hell.”

  She amused him and he liked her immensely.

  He faced the two VampLycans. One was obviously an enforcer of Decker’s, but the other was too soft to be a fighter. It didn’t matter. He went for the scarred one first.

  He moved fast and punched him before he could react. Boon hit the ground with a grunt. Aveoth spun, kicking out. His boot made contact with the one in the suit at chest level, sending him flying a good eight feet.

  He bent, grabbing hold of the despicable man who’d threatened to rape Jill. He broke his arm by holding it tight and slamming his knee into his opponent’s elbow. Boon roared in pain.

  Aveoth spun him before he could recover and dropped him on the ground again. He stomped on his hand next, breaking more bones.

  Aveoth glanced at Jill to gauge her reaction. She didn’t look horrified or afraid. Her attention was focused on the man now sprawled on the ground, cursing up a storm and rolling in agony.

  “Enough or more?”

  She tore her focus off Boon to stare into his eyes. “Hit him a few more times. He’s really a dickhead.”

  “Your wish is my command.”

  He kicked Boon in the ribs and then lifted him, throwing him into the side of the jet stairs. Boon slammed against them and fell to the pavement. The man groaned, still conscious but in serious pain.

  The one in the suit had gotten up and tried to run into the woods. Aveoth caught him easily and threw him back toward the plane. He hit the ground rolling. Aveoth stalked after him and grabbed him by the nape of the neck as he attempted to stand.

  “You don’t mistreat women,” Aveoth informed him. “It’s bad for your karma.” He threw him at the jet stairs and his victim couldn’t react fast enough to protect his face from the metal. The scent of blood filled the air. He wasn’t an enforcer, so Aveoth figured he’d done enough damage to that one. He’d have broken facial bones.

  Boon got up, cradling his injured arm and hand. He snarled and glared at Jill.

  Aveoth didn’t like the hateful look in the enforcer’s eyes. He approached him from behind and dug his clawed hand into the male’s scalp. Boon screamed. More blood spilled as Aveoth forced him to turn his head then leaned in until he knew he was all Boon could see.

  “Never look at her that way again, or even have those thoughts.” He reached up and touched some of the blood spilling down the side of the VampLycan’s face from the wounds he’d created, as he continued to hold the man’s skull still, keeping his claws embedded into his scalp. He sniffed the blood, making a show of it so the jerk understood. “I can track you wherever you go. I know your scent now—and I won’t forget it. Kneel down and beg her forgiveness for the mistreatment she suffered at your hands.”

  Boon didn’t do as he was told.

  That pissed Aveoth off enough that he stepped to the side of him and used his boot to kick the jerk behind his knees. The enforcer collapsed hard, despite the fact that Aveoth still kept hold of his head. He reached down with his free hand and allowed his claws to lightly scratch the front of Boon’s throat.

  “Should I offer her your head as an apology, or are you going to give her one yourself?” He whispered the words so Jill wouldn’t hear what he said.

  “I’m sorry!” Boon yelled. “I’m an asshole. Can you forgive me, Jillian Milzner? I really mean it.”

  Aveoth wasn’t impressed with the enforcer’s apology. It wasn’t a surprise. Decker had no decorum, so his enforcers had probably never learned true respect. He stared at Jill to see her reaction. She took a few steps closer then stopped in her tracks.

  “Go to hell, dog breath.”

  “I can’t kill him,” Aveoth informed her. “It wouldn’t be honorable since I did agree to a deal with Decker, allowing him and his followers to live in exchange for your life.”

  She had beautiful light blue eyes when she locked gazes with him. “You messed him up. That’s enough. I just meant he’s going to hell. Assholes like that do.”

  “Would you like me to break a few more of his bones?”

  She came closer and studied the enforcer on his knees. Her eyes widened and she paled. Her gaze lifted to him. “What are those things shoved into his scalp?”

  “My claws. They aren’t fully extended or he’d be dying. They’d be embedded into his brain. I didn’t fully pierce the bone but I have a good hold on him.”

  Jill waivered a little on her feet, but steadied before he felt the need to lunge forward if she appeared she might fall over. She swallowed and inched even closer, staring at Boon’s head. Her lips parted, then she sealed them tightly together.

  “Do you wish me to break more of his bones?” Aveoth waited for a response.

  She shook her head but didn’t look at him. She seemed engrossed with his claws. He released the enforcer’s head by harshly shoving him away. Boon whimpered and crawled toward the jet.

  Aveoth watched Jill as she braved coming closer to him. He held still, allowing it.

  She reached out toward his hand. He glanced down at it. His claws weren’t fully extended, as he’d said, but they dripped blood. She didn’t touch him but inches separated her fingertips from his claws.

  “I wouldn’t hurt you, Jill. I’m going to retract my claws. Don’t be alarmed.” He pulled them in until only human fingernails remained.

  Jill sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s not some kind of weaponized glove. It’s your hand.”

  “Yes.”

  She lifted her head and opened her mouth yet again, staring at him. “What are you?”

  He hesitated. It started to sink in that she must not know the truth about her heritage, or that the others also weren’t human. He remembered what she’d told him. Her mother had been human and Decker’s son had never been a part of her life. It meant she’d probably been raised totally ignorant about her father.

  “I’m a GarLycan.”

  “What’s that?”

  “My father was a full-blooded Gargoyle but my mother was half Gargoyle and half Lycan. I believe humans call them Werewolves. I’m predominantly Gargoyle, like all of my people are, regardless of the mixing of our bloodlines.”

  “Oh.” She backed up a step. “So…you have wings?”

  “Yes.” He reached down and rubbed his fingers on his pants to clean them in