Aveoth Read online

  “That’s why I didn’t take you with me. One of us needs to survive to keep the peace.”

  “You took backup with you?”

  “No.”

  “Damn it, Aveoth! You know Decker would love to kill you.”

  “He could try, but I doubt he’s smart enough to do it. I was careful.”

  “Why didn’t you take a few enforcers?”

  “I’m not certain how the clan will react when they learn I’ve brought Jill here.”

  “Right. VampLycan. I have to say, she smells mostly human.”

  “But?”

  “I’m scenting blood. Is she well?”

  “She’ll be fine. It was a slight cut.”

  “It’s acceptable for you to keep a lover. No one can say anything as long as you don’t breed with her. What’s the problem? They didn’t bat an eye when Lane lived here.”

  Aveoth studied his friend. “Lane had no human blood. You’re forgetting biology.”

  “Shit. I’m not fully awake yet but I’m getting there. You could have her sterilized. That way there’s no accidental pregnancy.”

  “No.”

  “It will cause major problems if you get her with child.”

  “I’m aware. But I’d like to have children.” He paused. “I don’t plan to just have her as my lover. I want to create a family.”

  Kelzeb softly cursed.

  “Exactly. There is going to be a lot of fallout.”

  “Probably not with the younger generations, but some of the pure Gargoyles are going to rise up against you if you mate a woman with VampLycan bloodlines.”

  “I’m aware.”

  “A few will side with you.”

  “Name one.”

  “Fray and Chaz’s father, Hawk. He’s pretty mellow about that shit. He might get Gorzak on his side. They’ve both lost mates and are lonely. They’d understand your need to take one, despite her bloodlines. They also don’t want a full-blooded Gargoyle lord again. You know they didn’t get along with Abotorus.”

  “Vampires killed both of their mates.”

  “But they are friendly to VampLycans and humans. I’d say you were shit out of luck if that woman was a full Vamp, but then again, having children wouldn’t be an option if she were.”

  “Agreed. I sometimes wonder why I bother to stay.”

  “You do it for the good of all. The other Gargoyle clans would attack us if they heard you were no longer our lord.”

  “No. They fear us.”

  Kelzeb snorted. “The other clans fear you. They’d challenge me.”

  Aveoth scowled.

  “You are the one who killed Lord Abotorus. No one ever beat him until you.”

  “I get it. I need to stay.”

  “How is this Jill handling being here and meeting you? You said she was unaware of anything not human.”

  “She’s brave. I got the impression she gave Decker’s men a difficult time when they kidnapped her.”

  “I like her already.”

  “So do I. She asked me to beat the shit out of both of them.”

  Kelzeb chuckled. “You didn’t.”

  “I did.”

  “How did she react to seeing violence? Most humans abhor it.”

  He grinned over the memory. “She has spunk. That’s why I’m considering taking her as my mate.”

  “Don’t rush into anything.”

  “She’s going to need time to adjust to me and this life first. I won’t force the issue until she’s ready.”

  “That might never happen. Her mind could shatter. Humans are pretty frail with their beliefs.”

  “She’s no weakling.”

  Kelzeb sighed. “You hope.”

  “I have faith.”

  “That’s new.”

  “I’m attracted to her, Kelzeb, and lonely. It’s motivation. But I wanted your assessment skills right now. How do you think the clan will react when they learn I’ve brought what they will believe is a human here?”

  “They’ll be shocked, since Elco has spread word that Winalin is yours. It’s expected that you’ll take a full-blooded Gargoyle female as your mate, since there is one here.”

  “Elco needs to be beaten, and I’d never touch his sister. Life with Winalin would be pure misery. That’s never going to happen. And I can handle shock. What do you think will be their second reaction?”

  “Some will assume you’re going to use her to breed children. And no lord uses a breeding vessel unless there are no other mate options or our clan numbers are decreasing. It’s been that way from the beginning. That will likely cause outrage, since we stick to tradition, and this doesn’t fall under either of those situations. Once they realize you plan to mate this Jill…” Kelzeb sighed. “I can’t even guess.”

  “I want change.”

  “I do as well, but this is pretty bold, mating with a woman with Vampire bloodlines, especially if your children show any signs of a need for blood passed down to them.”

  “There’s a way we could avoid that entirely if I do mate her and she gets pregnant. I’d need your assistance with that.”

  Kelzeb lowered his gaze. “Damn.”

  “I won’t kill you. You’re family to me. To let her drink your blood would ensure any offspring are strongly Gargoyle. Is that asking too much?”

  His friend lifted his gaze and peered at him. “If your bond will allow it, I’ll offer my blood in a cup for her to drink. It would be an honor.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I also need to continue to protect my secret.”

  Kelzeb stepped closer. “It would be hell if they realized.”

  “That’s why I’m asking you to share your blood at some point.”

  “Done.”

  Aveoth relaxed. “Thank you again.”

  “Look on the bright side. We won’t have to take any secret trips in the future.”

  Aveoth nodded. “True.”

  “You’ve got your own blood supply when you need it.”

  “She’s more than that to me, or she will be. Thankfully, I don’t get the urge often.”

  “You could have always taken my blood. I’ve offered.”

  Aveoth grinned. “I knew you’d be uncomfortable with that. It’s intimate to share blood.”

  Kelzeb chuckled. “True.” A teasing spark flared in his gaze. “Although it’s been so long since anyone has been intimate with me in any way that I might have appreciated it.”

  “I keep telling you to take a few days for yourself.” Aveoth reached out and gripped his friend’s shoulder. “When things settle, go find a woman to warm you.”

  Kelzeb shook his head. “I’m not looking for a mate yet, and my ravage is years away still. I’m good. It’s a complication I don’t need. Humans are so drawn to us that I feel guilt over their attraction, and Lycans always seek to mate.”

  That piqued Aveoth’s curiosity. “What do you mean, humans are so drawn to us?”

  “You’re never around them. I forget. Remember when I had to spend four days in Anchorage?”

  Aveoth nodded.

  “I hated being cooped up in the hotel, waiting to see if any of Decker’s men showed up there. They had a gym for humans to alleviate some of their energy. I decided to try it. I lifted some weights, ran on a treadmill, and then did some pull-ups. Before I realized it, about twenty human women had surrounded me. They were drawn to me in an unnatural way.”

  Aveoth frowned. “How?”

  “I’m not certain if it was the sight of my body or maybe the scent of my sweat, but we seem to attract them. I could smell arousal on all of them. A few of the more aggressive ones approached me for sex, and two of them almost came to blows fighting for my attention. It might be a pheromone thing. I wasn’t sure. I broke it up and got the hell out of there. A few tried to follow me back to my room. It felt wrong to take advantage of them, considering I wasn’t certain why they were so sexually interested.”

  “You never t